Chapter 14: Black Eats Black!

A flash of sword light, a thunderous roar.

In an instant, Zhao Xuhe's head was severed by the sword light, yet before the head could hit the ground, his body suddenly exploded, turning into a pile of bones scattered on the ground.

"I wonder which fellow disciple is waiting here for me, Zhao?"

After the bones shattered, a wisp of Yin Qi flew out, reforming Zhao Xuhe's figure a hundred meters away, his face still bearing traces of panic.

However, before he could finish speaking, the sword light arrived like a shadow.

Swish—!

The next second, Zhao Xuhe's head soared into the sky again, only to turn into a shower of bones once more, the Yin Qi retreating another hundred meters to manifest his form.

"I"

Boom!

"You"

Crack!

"Enough!"

Dozens of sword lights densely filled the space; after slaying Zhao Xuhe more than ten times in succession, Zhao Xuhe finally rallied, seizing an opportunity to dodge the sword lights.

Although it was only a brief instant, Zhao Xuhe grasped it precisely; immediately, he flicked his wide sleeve, and a vast cloud of bloody dust instantly surged out, shielding his entire body in the center, then he swallowed several pills to recover his injuries and True Qi, only then diverting his spiritual awareness to look in all directions.

"Lu Yang, it is you!"

Zhao Xuhe's eyes burned like torches; at a glance, he recognized the sword lights that had slain him over a dozen times as the Shenxiao Sword Control True Art, and immediately exposed Lu Yang's identity.

Yet even so, shock overwhelmed his heart, beyond words.

For he had personally experienced the power of that sword light; it was not something achievable at the early stage of Qi Refining. In just a few days, Lu Yang had actually reached the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

"This person must have a great opportunity!"

Thinking thus, Zhao Xuhe smoothed his angry expression, his heart filled with inexplicable joy: "Excellent, excellent, excellent! Truly a double blessing today; I shall claim this opportunity!"

Outside the Maze Array, Lu Yang's expression was grave.

"Truly troublesome..."

He had considered his strikes ruthless enough, yet Zhao Xuhe still managed to seize a sliver of life, preventing him from finishing him off with a single combo.

Moreover, Zhao Xuhe had even discerned his identity.

However, with the Maze Array confusing all directions, his true body hidden in the shadows, attacking only with flying swords from afar, if it came to a real fight, his chances of victory were still slightly higher.

Meanwhile, Zhao Xuhe also detected the presence of the Maze Array surrounding him. Although it was merely a crude trapping formation that he could easily break with a little time to deduce, with Lu Yang interfering nearby and his True Qi currently less than fifty percent of its peak, he was momentarily powerless against it.

Thinking thus, Zhao Xuhe's eyes rolled, and he suddenly spoke:

"Brother Lu, strictly speaking, we hold no grudge against each other..."

"Go!"

Taking advantage of his illness to take his life; Lu Yang certainly would not chat with Zhao Xuhe or give him a chance to heal and recover, so he immediately formed the sword seal and continued attacking the opponent.

"Tsk! Refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"

Seeing this, Zhao Xuhe's gaze turned cold; he immediately abandoned the idea of stalling for time, instead forming a spell seal and summoning a golden iron seal into the air.

This object is named "Primordial Magnetism Jin Yin"; it can attract all metal and iron objects in the world, specifically countering flying swords. It is Zhao Xuhe's ultimate secret treasure, originally prepared for the future battlefield of the Righteous and Demonic War to deal with disciples of the Yuchu Sword Pavilion, but now brought out early to counter Lu Yang's sword light.

"Stabilize!"

Zhao Xuhe activated the treasure seal, precisely catching a sword light slashing down; with one seal slamming down, he instantly subdued that sword light, rendering it unable to move or shift.

Seeing this, Lu Yang's expression remained unchanged.

He was still at his peak, while Zhao Xuhe was at his lowest; this war of attrition draining True Qi actually favored him, so he was not panicked at all.

"My greatest advantage right now is hiding in the shadows, concealed by the formation. Zhao Xuhe cannot find my location. Even if he has some means to turn defeat into victory, as long as I do not reveal myself, they will have no place to be used. As long as the attrition continues, the winner will surely be me."

So Lu Yang made up his mind: I will not reveal myself.

Flying swords? Forget them!

Anyway, you cannot refine my flying swords for a while yet, and you will have to consume True Qi to suppress them; that suits me perfectly. Let's see how long you can last!

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Standing outside the array, Lu Yang circulated his True Qi, causing a wisp of misty white Qi to float from the top of his head, transforming into a handprint several zhang in size that slammed down into the array from the sky.

This technique was not particularly formidable; it was purely overpowering the opponent with force.

Seeing this, Zhao Xuhe's face instantly turned dark, knowing his scheme had been seen through by Lu Yang.

"You dog!"

Zhao Xuhe couldn't help but curse inwardly. Clearly at the same mid-stage of Qi Refining as himself, yet so cautious; how could he possibly turn defeat into victory?

Although he still had the strength to fight for his life, even if he killed Lu Yang, he himself would hardly survive; how could Zhao Xuhe, who had barely obtained this opportunity, bear to accept such a fate?

Seeing his True Qi depleting further, Zhao Xuhe finally could not hold back and shouted loudly: "... Brother Lu, do you know what opportunity I have obtained on this Panlong Island? A Third Grade True Art pointing directly to the Golden Core Great Dao! If Brother Lu ceases here, I, Zhao, am willing to share this cultivation method with you!"

"A Zheng Zheng San Pin True Art?"

Outside the Maze Array, Lu Yang suddenly stood up upon hearing this. True Qi has nine grades and thirty-six tiers; below the seventh grade, there is no path to Foundation Establishment; below the third grade, there is no door to Jin Dan.

And now, Zhao Xuhe had actually thrown out a cultivation method capable of refining Zheng Zheng San Pin True Qi, with a future hope of forming a Jin Dan!

What a huge opportunity!

"No, wait..."

Lu Yang took a deep breath, suppressed his greed, and sat back down: "This person offers great profit, yet still intends to lure me out. If I go out, I will fall into his trap."

"How about it, Brother Lu? Can we reconcile?"

Inside the Maze Array, Zhao Xuhe still tried to persuade, but heard a voice suddenly come from all directions: "Foolish! If I kill you, the cultivation method is still mine!"

"Brother Lu speaks wrongly," Zhao Xuhe shook his head, smiling: "So-called opportunities are destined by Heaven. This Zheng Zheng San Pin True Art was obtained by Zhao through three lifetimes of arduous cultivation, exchanged for merit. It has no affinity with you, Brother Lu. Even if you kill me, the method will simply fly away and will not be yours to obtain."

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yang was momentarily stunned, then his expression became fluctuating and uncertain. Opportunities destined by Heaven, no affinity with the method, and if obtained, it would automatically fly away?

But Lu Yang quickly reacted, sneering: "In that case, why should I reconcile with you over this technique?"

Zhao Xuhe hurriedly explained: "Brother Lu, you were originally unrelated to this technique, but if I actively share it with you, then that lack of connection becomes a connection."

"Very well."

After a moment of silence, Lu Yang said: "Copy the technique for me, and I will let you out."

"So be it." Zhao Xuhe decisively agreed, then took out a jade box, opened it himself, revealing two volumes of Daoist scriptures inside, upper and lower.

"The upper volume, 'Nine Transformations Dragon Art', is a Qi Refining realm technique; it can forge a 'True Dragon Fiendish Qi', making one's combat power an outstanding figure within the same realm. The lower volume, 'Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Driving Ascension Treasure Scroll', is a Foundation Establishment realm technique; it can forge the 'Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Driving' Dao foundation, with future prospects for the Jin Dan Great Dao."

After introducing the technique, Zhao Xuhe suddenly shifted his tone:

"However, Brother Lu, I am currently injured, my true energy is weak; if I simply give you the technique and you turn your back, breaking your promise, what then?"

"That is simple."

Lu Yang's eyes rolled, and he proactively proposed: "You can give me the 'Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Driving Ascension Treasure Scroll' first, and keep the 'Nine Transformations Dragon Art' for yourself."

"I am currently only in the Qi Refining realm; even with a Foundation Establishment technique, I cannot cultivate it, so you need not worry that I will turn my back and harm your life." Speaking thus, Lu Yang's face was filled with sincerity: "After I let you out, you can then give me the 'Nine Transformations Dragon Art', how about that?"

Zhao Xuhe thought for a moment and felt Lu Yang made a lot of sense.

"It is a deal!"

Zhao Xuhe took the 'Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Driving Ascension Treasure Scroll' from the jade box, while Lu Yang still did not appear, but instead condensed a true energy giant hand to grab it from afar.

Seeing this, Zhao Xuhe could only sigh inwardly, suppressing his final thought, and obediently handed the technique over to Lu Yang.

Lu Yang took the technique, memorized every word and sentence firmly in his heart, then grinned.

"Farewell!"

The next second, Lu Yang sank his qi to his dantian, directly activated the Life-Devouring Curse, and ruthlessly self-destructed!

Boom!

Moments later, the sky-filling dust and smoke dispersed, revealing Zhao Xuhe's face, which was filled with bewilderment.

"My technique... is gone?"

Why self-destruct?

Self-destructing is one thing, but why not explode earlier or later, waiting until after receiving the technique to self-destruct? I haven't even had time to read the technique myself!

"Lu Yang..."

Standing in the wind, Zhao Xuhe looked at the 'Ten Thousand Chariots Dragon-Driving Ascension Treasure Scroll' which had already turned to flying ash, recited Lu Yang's name, and his expression gradually twisted:

"You beast!"

(End of this chapter)