Chapter 98: Clash of Two Mid‑Foundation Establishment Masters!

Looking at this Ruan Qingzhu, Xiao Zhangqing had to admit that her disguise illusion was very strong, far stronger than his own.

He also knows disguise techniques.

This is a function of his sixth piece of equipment, the Black Silk Cloak; once equipped, Xiao Zhangqing can change his appearance completely and become another person.

Back then, Xiao Zhangqing lacked Spirit Stones, so after work at night he secretly drew Talisman Scripts at home to sell, and had been using illusion ever since.

For this, he even deceived Lin Zixi thoroughly, taking on a "Bai Wuji" alias, which remains a major unsolved mystery in Nanshan Fang to this day.

Come to think of it, Lin Zixi still doesn't know that the senior she once idolized and longed for, Bai Wuji, was actually her lord Xiao Zhangqing.

Zhou Changkong never managed to uncover which traitor in Lingfu Pavilion was doing business with the Cao family, even until his death.

However.

The illusion of Xiao Zhangqing's Black Silk Cloak is very useful in the Qi Refining Realm; a slightly stronger Foundation Establishment cultivator would likely see through his disguise.

Not to mention that with Xiao Zhangqing's Divine Sense now almost at the level of a Nascent Core cultivator, the Black Silk Cloak‑level illusion can be pierced instantly.

"Let me see your true face!"

Watching the approaching Ruan Qingzhu, he activated the Nightmare Technique, enveloping her.

Unlike the Dragon Chant Technique, which focuses on killing, the Nightmare Technique can create an illusion, trap the enemy's Divine Sense, cause them to sink into it, and inadvertently reveal their own secrets.

Buzz! At the moment the Nightmare Technique fired, the Ruan Qingzhu approaching Xiao Zhangqing suddenly halted, her eyes turning painful as if invaded by a nightmare.

But in the next instant, Xiao Zhangqing clearly felt an extremely strong mental force erupting from Ruan Qingzhu, forming a protective shield around him; even though his Nightmare Technique had reached nearly third tier, it still could not completely breach that Soul Transformation defensive power.

"Soul Path Treasure!"

"The power, it seems, has reached third tier!"

In Xiao Zhangqing's eyes, which had carried a faint smile, a flash of shock appeared.

In a place like Nanshan Fang, second‑tier Foundation Establishment artifacts are extremely rare; even if they exist, they hardly ever circulate on the market, and even at the annual Yi‑character Cave Residence exchange convention, complete second‑tier artifacts are basically absent.

Most are merely first‑tier masterpieces.

Or high‑tier artifacts that are broken and have lost virtually all their power.

For example, the Prison Dragon Bracelet that Xiao Zhangqing purchased.

Yet third‑tier artifacts that can defend against mental attacks—Soul Path Treasures—are even rarer!

Even in the great capital cities and Nascent Core sects, it would be hard to find such a treasure.

The Cao family actually possesses a treasure of this level? Could it be that Cao Hao also has a tremendous opportunity?

Indeed, otherwise how could Cao Hao, still so young, ascend to mid‑Foundation Establishment and surpass his seniors? Xiao Zhangqing now believes that the cultivator disguised as Ruan Qingzhu was sent by the Cao family with hostile intent toward him.

Perhaps it was a warning, or a test of his background, or simply a mad plot to eliminate him…

Nevertheless, even though the third‑tier Soul Path Treasure did not succumb under Xiao Zhangqing's Nightmare Technique, it was clearly affected, showing a painful expression.

In the next instant, her body trembled, mana surged, and Ruan Qingzhu's disguise could no longer hold, revealing her true appearance.

It turned out to be an elderly woman with graying hair and wrinkles on her face.

The slender man Cao Hao had seen earlier was also her disguise.

"Didn't expect you truly possess such a formidable Divine Sense secret art!"

The elderly woman's pain flashed away, and she quickly forced herself to calm, staring at Xiao Zhangqing in bewildered terror.

She had been tasked to assassinate Xiao Zhangqing; although the intel claimed the target might have a relatively strong Soul Transformation and know Soul Transformation secret techniques, she also thought that information could be false—a cultivator who had only just entered Foundation Establishment would not, even with powerful Divine Sense secret methods, threaten a late‑stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The Soul Path Treasure she carried was merely to ensure absolute safety, preventing accidents.

She never imagined that this Soul Path Treasure would actually be put to use.

Had it not been for this Soul Path Treasure, with her Divine Sense strength, that terrifying mental attack just now would have either killed her or caused her to sink into it.

She clearly saw that her protective artifact almost couldn't withstand Xiao Zhangqing's Divine Sense secret technique!

"Who sent you?"

Xiao Zhangqing asked.

"Why bother asking the dead?"

The elderly woman's eyes were like poisonous snakes; she suddenly leapt, waved both hands, and three cold rays shot toward Xiao Zhangqing like meteors.

They were only a few dozen meters apart; with such short distance and the cold rays' speed, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would struggle to react.

However, Xiao Zhangqing had long sensed something amiss and had already launched a Divine Sense attack, so he was prepared. Buzz! A second‑tier defensive Talisman Script in his hand instantly activated, forming a golden shield.

Yet the power of those three cold rays clearly exceeded the early Foundation Establishment level; the second‑tier inferior defensive Talisman Script only held for a moment before shattering like foam.

Meanwhile, six magical swords already surrounded Xiao Zhangqing, emitting blade light and forming a sword formation.

The three concealed weapons, whose power was partially blocked by the golden shield, were all knocked down by the sword formation.

"Take my sword as well!"

Within Xiao Zhangqing, his dense mana far exceeding that of a typical early Foundation Establishment cultivator propelled the six swords to emit blade light, turning into sword shadows that were no slower than the earlier cold rays, and they swarmed to pierce the elderly woman.

Each blade strike was comparable to a top early Foundation Establishment practitioner's full‑force blow. The six sword lights supported each other, forming a sword formation; the sword aura's intensity instantly surged beyond a single level, with faint sword intent intertwining among the six swords.

With such coordination, the attack barely matches that of a mid‑Foundation Establishment cultivator! "It seems you truly aren't simple! Not only is your Divine Sense secret art terrifying, but even your offensive methods are extraordinary; having just broken through the Foundation Establishment realm, you already wield such sword techniques. Yet you will undoubtedly die today!"

The elderly woman showed no restraint; a white‑bone weapon appeared in her hand, sweeping forward, instantly casting the surroundings into a gloomy, eerie domain.

Her powerful aura now fully manifested, revealing that she was indeed at the mid‑Foundation Establishment level.

And.

In the mid‑Foundation Establishment stage, such a practitioner is already among the top, nearing late‑stage Foundation Establishment.

The white‑bone weapon in her hand swung continuously.

Clang! Xiao Zhangqing's sword formation, already at mid‑Foundation Establishment level, was instantly shattered; the swords themselves emitted mournful wails, and their light dimmed noticeably.

If he persisted, some of the sword bodies would likely be damaged.

Xiao Zhangqing hurriedly retracted the six swords.

The quality of those six swords was still too poor.

Only two swords reached the first‑grade Supreme level, while the other four were still first‑grade Excellent.

In the Qi Refining Realm, dueling is naturally top‑tier, even against Foundation Establishment Initial Stage cultivators it is fully sufficient.

But when facing a white‑haired old crone of nearly Foundation Establishment Late Stage, it falls far short.

"Die!"

The old crone again brandished a white‑bone weapon, a terrifying cold light that seemed ready to shatter the entire cave dwelling behind Xiao Zhangqing, a mountain‑like wave crushing toward him.

"Xiao Symbol Master, be careful!"

At that moment.

Cao Hao, who had been hiding outside the cave, no longer dared to continue watching from the sidelines.

He considered that he had already nearly uncovered Xiao Zhangqing's details.

He indeed knew a rather powerful Soul Insight secret technique; he didn't know its exact strength, but judging from the white‑haired old crone's demeanor and words just now, she must have suffered a considerable setback in secret and is quite wary.

As for how powerful that Soul Insight secret method truly is, he has no way of knowing.

Soul Insight secret methods, unlike offensive spells, do not display their destructive or lethal power in an obvious way.

However, the cultivation of this white‑haired old crone, though also in the mid‑stage of Foundation Establishment like him, exudes a clearly stronger aura, appearing to be near the late stage of Foundation Establishment!

Her Soul Transformation should also be stronger than his.

In other words, when he later faces Xiao Zhangqing, he must constantly guard against Soul Insight secret methods, preferably finding ways or treasures to counter them; otherwise he may suffer a huge loss, perhaps even be overturned in a hidden ditch.

As for Xiao Zhangqing's offensive tactics, they also surprised Cao Hao.

This youngster, without a sound, had cultivated such a formidable sword technique; even a Supreme Elder would likely be unable to withstand its power! Yet the Supreme Elder has been in Foundation Establishment for dozens of years, having immersed himself in the early stage for a long time, making him a peak early‑stage combatant.

Overall, he has thoroughly figured out Xiao Zhangqing's details.

Not in vain!

When the Nanshan Fang war ends and the Evil Cultivator retreats, he will have both confidence and strategy on how to deal with Xiao Zhangqing.

Next, he must rescue him.

Otherwise, if he is slain by an Evil Cultivator, he will deeply regret it.

"You still want to deceive me? Do you think I'm a fool?!"

Xiao Zhangqing withdrew his magic sword, glared at the rushing Cao Hao who seemed to be trying to help him, and was very angry.

He thought Cao Hao appeared to be coming to rescue him, but, like the white‑haired old crone, was actually there to take his life.

He did not know what exactly had happened.

He also did not know the identity of this white‑haired old crone, who possessed a Soul Dao Treasure and highly skilled disguise illusion, who seemed not to be from the Cao family but rather a cultivator of the Evil Cultivator camp.

But he most likely colluded with Cao Hao, and today's goal was to exploit his relaxed guard during the small Foundation Establishment celebration, turning his joy into disaster! "Could this Cao Hao, like Mu Renjie before, have conspired with the Evil Cultivator?"

Xiao Zhangqing guessed in his heart, a cold smile on his face.

Is it that Nanshan Fang suffers from bad feng shui, or is it because the Luoxia Sect acted excessively, forcing the foremost cultivators of past and present to turn to the Evil Cultivator?

Regardless, both of these two must die tonight!

"External body!"

When Xiao Zhangqing's thought sparked, the Longevity Stone had already been summoned; after two months of storing and converting solidified magical energy, he mobilized it and infused it into the six magic swords.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! The six magic swords trembled as if they had taken a tonic, their blades suddenly spiking several feet and soaring dozens of zhang high!

The terrifying might instantly reduced the already formidable white‑haired old crone and Cao Hao to trembling chicks in a gale.

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