Chapter 179: One Layer Seal

Yuan Yao felt a bit puzzled.

Although she had gotten along with Eldest Senior Brother and the others for ten years, she had never inquired about their cultivation and strength.

So, her understanding of their strength was only superficial.

Yuan Yao told Ying Wuji her doubts.

"The period when Eldest Senior Brother went with you to train in Wuduan Senlin and to deal with the Nightmare Beast in Cloud Nether City happened to be his weak phase. And the fact that he was so easily seriously injured by the black dragon does not rule out that he was secretly attacked." Ying Wuji transmitted mentally in a soft voice.

Upon saying the last sentence, Ying Wuji's tone grew a bit colder.

"Weak phase?" Yuan Yao's heart sank; she actually didn't know about this.

Ying Wuji said, "You don't need to worry; this is due to Eldest Senior Brother's family cultivation method. Normally it shows no abnormality, his weak phase merely prevents him from displaying his true strength."

Yuan Yao frowned, "Is Eldest Senior Brother's weak phase fixed?"

Ying Wuji said, "No, it's random. His weak phase is gradually shortening. Nine years ago, his weak phase lasted nine months; three years ago, it was three months; and this year it is one month."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao hurriedly asked, "Does that mean that in another one or two years, Eldest Senior Brother will have no weak phase?"

"Not necessarily." Ying Wuji shook his head. "Only after Eldest Senior Brother finishes cultivating the final layer of his family's cultivation method can he completely rid himself of the weak phase."

Yuan Yao seemed lost in thought as she lifted her head and glanced at Ying Wuji.

"What's wrong?" Ying Wuji sensed his change in emotion.

She seemed somewhat dejected, "Even now I still don't know your identities..."

Ying Wuji realized he had spoken too much just now, his eyes slightly narrowed, "After we became disciples ten years ago, the master forbade us from investigating each other's identities, so that we could interact without any interests entanglement. Yao Yao, I also don't know Eldest Senior Brother's true identity; only regarding the weak phase matter, the master must have Eldest Senior Brother explain it clearly, otherwise, if he encounters danger outside, we cannot render timely aid."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao nodded seriously.

"I understand."

Ying Wuji gazed into Yuan Yao's eyes, "Yao Yao, remember, no matter what happens in the future, no matter our identities, nothing can change our relationship."

Yuan Yao felt touched, she nodded heavily.

At that moment, Lu Xiangxiang, sitting to the side, did not notice Yuan Yao and Ying Wuji communicating via mental transmission; her gaze was fixed tightly on the stage where Song Yan stood.

Song Yan was the first man to make her feel affection.

Lu Xiangxiang's mind involuntarily conjured the scene from her past life where Song Yan fell into demonhood for her sake, clad in blood-red robes, his eyes full of madness, his formerly clear and gentle visage replaced by a sinister, gloomy expression, he dragged his wounded body, step by step, resolutely walking toward her.

His eyes were filled only with her.

Later, he killed countless people for her sake.

She had originally thought he would always stay by her side, attending to her needs, but she never expected that the damned Ying Wuji would actually abduct Song Yan and bring him back to the Carefree Sect, now reduced to ruins.

When she went to look for Song Yan——

Song Yan, however, knelt upright before a grave.

She called out to him again and again.

He never turned his head.

She walked up to his face, somewhat annoyed, only to see his face streaked with tears, his eyes hollow, as if his soul had been sucked out.

Lu Xiangxiang startled, then turned her head to look at the identity of the grave's occupant.

——The beloved disciple of Thousand Jade Mountain, Yuan Yao.

At that moment, she felt betrayed once again!

In shame and anger, she raised her palm and destroyed Yuan Yao's tomb.

But at that moment——

She heard Song Yan's voice coming from afar.

"It's not like that..."

"Yao Yao doesn't want me to be like this..."

"Yao Yao, Eldest Senior Brother is wrong."

It was he who betrayed the Carefree Sect.

It was he who owed the Carefree Sect all those slain by Lu Xiangxiang.

It was he who slaughtered countless innocents.

…

The scene Lu Xiangxiang was recalling was interrupted by a tremendous sound coming from the stage.

Lu Xiangxiang came to her senses, lifted her gaze to stare at Song Yan, her eyes filled with hatred.

She would no longer go easy on Song Yan.

On the stage, the enormous Teng Snake almost occupied half the arena's width, lunging toward Song Yan to attack.

Song Yan, dressed in white robes and holding a long sword, looked at the approaching Teng Snake without changing his expression.

Everyone saw that Song Yan not only blocked the Teng Snake's attack but also backhandedly swung his sword at it, though no sword aura was visible, a wound appeared on the Teng Snake's body.

Though shallow, it was enough to shock everyone.

Song Yan, only at mid‑Golden Core Realm, actually managed to wound this sixth‑grade Teng Snake!

How is that possible?!

Song Yan raised his left hand, fingertips tracing across his own eyes; in an instant, what he saw changed.

The Teng Snake's entire body was suffused with spiritual energy, some spots dense, some sparse.

In his eyes, everything was laid bare.

Where the spiritual energy was thin, that was its weak point.

Song Yan's movement was extremely fast, too fast for anyone to follow.

He thrust his sword forward!

The Teng Snake sensed danger, hastily blocked it, and with a "Boom!" exploded.

The person and the snake separated.

In just an instant, they were battling again.

The powerful aura emanating from the Soaring Serpent's entire body hindered Song Yan's movements, causing a faint dull pain in his five viscera and six bowels.

Song Yan suddenly lifted his eyes.

He must defeat the Soaring Serpent before his spiritual power is exhausted.

Boom!

The Soaring Serpent unleashed a spiritual power shock, sending Song Yan reeling back a distance.

Song Yan staggered a few steps, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

He gripped the sword hilt, apparently somewhat hesitant.

And the Soaring Serpent was still approaching, its attack fierce.

Song Yan kept raising his sword to block, but was forced to retreat step by step; just as his heel touched the edge of the platform, he forced himself to halt, then, bearing the Soaring Serpent's terrifying pressure, he stepped forward and swung his sword!

「Thousand Myriad Laws——」

「Execution！」

Boom!

With a burst of explosion, the Soaring Serpent was struck by a huge sword blade, its abdomen heavily slamming into the ground.

Song Yan stepped into the void, his robes fluttering; his expression stern, he lifted his sword and pressed it against his own neck, the blade instantly cutting his flesh, tasting the red blood.

「Onefold Blood Seal！」

At the moment his voice fell, half of his hair instantly turned white, while his entire body's power aura surged.

His cultivation remained unchanged, but his aura was now different.

Everyone witnessing this stared wide-eyed in shock.

And Yuan Yao's face showed astonishment.

Eldest Senior Brother……

Xiao Lingwei, Cang Li, Xue Jin, and Ying Wuji had seen Song Yan in this state before, so they did not show much emotional change.

The Jade Dragon Tree on the platform was dazed, and he instinctively sensed danger.

The Soaring Serpent narrowed its eyes, it smelled an unusual bloody scent.

The Soaring Serpent wanted to bite off a piece of his flesh to taste.

It leapt up and launched an attack at Song Yan.

In an instant, multiple afterimages of the Soaring Serpent appeared on the platform, surrounding Song Yan.