Chapter 394: Struggle Against Mid Yuan Ying Stage (Part 1)

"Yun Lao Mo, do you really intend to become enemies with this old ancestor over just three Core Formation cultivators?"

Ji Huan Lao Zu circulated his mana while shouting a question.

Yunhe gave no reply, silently feeling the disturbance of the Corpse Soul Gu in his palm, his eyes flashing cold light.

If the opponent were an orthodox cultivator, say a sword cultivator or one practicing five-element arts, he might still feel some wariness.

But since the opponent is a demonic cultivator, even if they are a Mid Yuan Ying Stage cultivator, Yunhe feels he too has the strength to engage in battle.

Of course.

Cross-level combat is not his forte; he seldom engages in it, preferring to overwhelm opponents by pure cultivation level, crushing them outright.

Yet this time, facing Ji Huan Lao Zu, he acted without hesitation, and it was not merely for the sake of the three Pearls.

He had promised Qilin Changkong to guard the Pearls, but he wasn't willing to stake his life on it.

Dong Ning Xuan is only his concubine, not his dao partner, and Binggui Xianzi even less so—at best she's merely his subordinate.

Even the demonic path's nemesis, the 'Heavenly Thunder Power,' if it fails to achieve absolute overwhelming force, gets tinged by the pink mist released from the copper gong, causing it to sway unsteadily.

Ji Huan Lao Zu's pupils shrank suddenly; with his mana pouring into the blood-red copper gong he held, the surrounding demonic qi, like swallows returning to their nests, was completely drawn into the gong.

The Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword, which had been caught by the Yin-Yang Union Qi, was recalled by the Five Elements Sword Formation and instantly flew back.

Five Elements Sword Formation!

'The Yin-Yang Double Bell, upon releasing the Yin-Yang Union Qi, possesses the power to defile magical treasures.'

He had not yet finished speaking.

'Condense!'

The flying swords struck again.

He immediately pinched with both hands.

The copper gong rang, and at once a hazy pink mist began to spread.

These three women are not enough to drive him to a desperate fight.

This is Ji Huan Lao Zu's natal treasure, the Yin-Yang Double Bell.

'Ao—'

Seeing Yunhe disregard his words and put on a posture of insisting on a fight, Ji Huan Lao Zu was so furious he laughed.

Before Ji Huan Lao Zu could even reveal his intent, Yunhe slightly opened his mouth and promptly spat out four more flying swords.

'Good, good, good—just a lowly Early Yuan Ying Stage cultivator, do you truly believe that narrowly escaping death from a late Fourth Level demon beast makes you extraordinary? This old ancestor will today give you a proper lesson, so you will understand.'

'Noisy!'

Yunhe gave a low shout to interrupt.

He acted so decisively, naturally because there was another reason.

Yunhe's face turned grave as news of Ji Huan Lao Zu's treasure flashed through his mind.

His mana surged ever more fiercely.

The five flying swords formed a sword array; a brilliant golden flood dragon leapt up, and the arc of light upon it, upon touching the pink mist, instantly shattered and dispelled part of the mist.

'Heavenly Thunder Power,' Ji Huan Lao Zu's expression turned extremely grim.

He had heard that Yun Lao Mo had a knack for controlling the Heavenly Thunder Power, but initially he didn't take it seriously, after all, even if one could wield such power, how much could they actually control?

But when he actually witnessed the surging Heavenly Thunder Power, he immediately found it extremely troublesome.

The Heavenly Thunder Power overly restrains his demonic cultivation.

But if that were enough to make him yield, that would be too disrespectful to a Mid Yuan Ying Stage cultivator.

Ji Huan Lao Zu inhaled and exhaled, a hazy essence flowing into the Yin-Yang Union Qi, after which he flung the copper gong in his hand into the pink mist.

In an instant.

That mist instantly condensed considerably; relying on the treasure's power, the Yin-Yang Union Qi actually managed to hold its ground against Yunhe's Five Elements Sword Formation for a moment.

Speaking of which, Ji Huan Lao Zu's audacity to act so recklessly still has its basis; that pair of Yin-Yang Double Bells does have some tricks.

However, Ji Huan Lao Zu truly felt somewhat surprised at this moment.

He knew very well the power of his pair of Yin-Yang Double Bells, yet it was only managing a stalemate with Yunhe before him.

You know, he is a Mid Yuan Ying Stage cultivator; each minor realm within the Yuan Ying Stage is a huge gap, and with the advantage of his treasure plus the suppression of his cultivation base and mana, he could barely contend with Yunhe's Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword.

Perhaps to others it appears evenly matched, but he actually knows it is that flood dragon manifested by the Heavenly Thunder Power that is suppressing him.

The initiative is not in his hands.

If this continues, unless he relies on his superior mana to wear Yunhe down, he will find it hard to gain the upper hand.

Not to mention how long it would take to exhaust Yunhe's mana, or whether any mishaps might occur in the meantime, the mere fact of being suppressed head-on by an Early Yuan Ying Stage cultivator is unacceptable to him.

Ji Huan Lao Zu's eyes flashed with a fleeting cold light; the rough, small hand hidden within his wide sleeves flipped over, then, after infusing it with mana, he hurled it forth.

Swish—swish—swish—

Three thin filament arcs shot at Yunhe from three directions at extremely tricky angles.

These three arcs are not only swift, but even difficult for divine sense to detect.

Yunhe felt a throb in his heart, the hairs on his back standing on end as he sensed a strong threat; without hesitation he slapped his dantian, and a small earthen shield was instantly summoned, rapidly expanding with the influx of mana to envelop him.

Thud—thud—thud!!

Immediately after, three dull thuds were heard.

Actually, three long needles of strange color were nailed onto the Monster-Subduing Armor!

'A Fourth Level Upper-Grade treasure?!'

Seeing his Seven Emotions Needles blocked, Ji Huan Lao Zu's eyes widened and his face showed astonishment.

His Seven Emotions Needles can pierce any Fourth Level Lower-Grade treasure; if three are fired together from a Fourth Level Middle-Grade treasure there is a chance to pierce, but only a Fourth Level Upper-Grade treasure can block them so easily.

A mere Early Yuan Ying Stage cultivator not only possesses a set of flying swords that can barely match a Fourth Level Upper-Grade treasure, but also actually has a Fourth Level Upper-Grade defensive treasure?

At this time Ji Huan Old Ancestor only then realized, perhaps Yunhe could escape from the Thousand-Wing Blood Mosquito's grasp, and it was not merely because his escape speed was fast.

However, his reaction speed was quick; he immediately curled his fingers, and the three Seven Emotion Needles detached from the Subdue Demon Armor, once again fluttering in midair, circling Yunhe, seemingly seeking an angle to break through.

Yunhe's face bore a frosty chill as he simultaneously commanded the Five Elements Sword Formation and used the Subdue Demon Armor to guard against sneak attacks.

"The foundation of a Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivator is certainly not comparable to that of a Nascent Soul early-stage cultivator."

He had a premonition that Ji Huan Old Ancestor still had a trump card.

If cultivators are evenly matched in a duel, what they compare are their trump cards.

And when it comes to trump cards, what does Yunhe have to fear?

On the other side.

Ice Cassia Fairy and Dong Ning Xuan, having helped Pearl up, gazed at the distant battle between Yunhe and Ji Huan Old Ancestor, their astonishment evident.

"Elder Yun actually can fight on equal footing with a Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivator?" Ice Cassia Fairy murmured.

Just after not seeing each other for several decades, the Supreme Elder Yunhe of their Ice Immortal Pavilion can actually be compared to a Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivator?

This is even more directly shocking than the impact they felt upon hearing Yunhe could escape from the Thousand-Wing Blood Mosquito.

Dong Ning Xuan also slightly opened her crimson lips, starlight glittering in her almond eyes.

At the same time.

In the distance, several streams of light shot straight toward them.

Because Yunhe had not concealed his form when leaving Taixuan City, those who sensed his movements—Ji Liuyun, Feng Qingdan, Han Sword True Lord, and others—also hurried over.

"Ji Huan Old Ancestor!!"

Upon seeing that the one dueling Yunhe was the infamous Ji Huan Old Ancestor, Ji Liuyun and the others could not help but wear looks of astonishment.

They had already vaguely regarded Yunhe as equal to a Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivator, but that did not mean they truly believed he could fight such a cultivator.

And upon seeing the three Pearl maidens, especially after seeing Pearl's condition, they also roughly guessed some reasons.

"Elder Yun, Elder Yun, amazing." Fang Qiuyu sighed softly.

Feng Qingdan gazed at Yunhe standing suspended in the air, increasingly feeling that relying on Yunhe's decision was correct.

At this moment, Yunhe and Ji Huan Old Ancestor naturally did not care about the onlookers' opinions, but Ji Huan Old Ancestor's heart had already risen with the thought of ending this duel.

"Fellow Daoist Yun."

Ji Huan Old Ancestor sent a mental transmission: "If we continue like this, we will only let our enemies gain the upper hand; wouldn't it be better to stop here?"

"Those three maidens, this old ancestor only needs one of them, and I won't take them for nothing; I will exchange them for treasures."

In Ji Huan Old Ancestor's view, as a Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivator he had already made sufficient concessions, even proposing to exchange treasures to let Yunhe save face.

No matter how you look at it, Yunhe, a mere Nascent Soul early-stage cultivator, should know when to stop.

Yet Yunhe's response was to pull out a talisman.

He rubbed his fingers together, igniting it.

Seeing this, Ji Huan Old Ancestor was so angry he laughed, his eyes filling with intense fury.

He did not want to continue fighting, and had even made concessions, yet the opponent actually thought he was weak and could be bullied?

Ji Huan Old Ancestor bellowed in anger.

"You don't know what's good for you!"

But Yunhe's movement was faster; after igniting the talisman in his hand, it turned into a cyan-green vapor that, under his control, fell onto the five flying swords.

Buzz—

In an instant, the wood-attribute spiritual energy on the Five Elements Sword Formation surged upward, intertwining with the Heavenly Thunder Power, quickly forming a huge cyan-gold intertwined flood dragon that faintly emitted true spiritual aura.

Spirit Body Talisman!

This was also the first time Yunhe had successfully produced a Spirit Body Talisman and used it, perfectly borrowing Ji Huan Old Ancestor to test the talisman's power.

Roar!!!

The flood dragon let out a long howl, shaking the universe.

Then the flood dragon's tail swept violently, thrusting fiercely toward the Yin-Yang Union Vital Energy.

Boom!!

The previously somewhat solid Yin-Yang Union Vital Energy was torn apart like rotting wood, and the Yin-Yang Double Bell housed within was sent flying after a 'thud'.

Before Ji Huan Old Ancestor could launch an attack, seeing this, his eyes widened in shock.

Obviously he had not expected that the flood dragon could become so formidable in an instant.

To be honest.

Actually, Yunhe was also somewhat surprised.

But this result undoubtedly delighted him; the Spirit Body Talisman, worthy of being recorded in the Grand Longevity Great Five Elements True Scripture, requires condensing a Five Elements Spirit Body to be crafted.

If we say that Yunhe's Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Sword, bolstered by the Five Elements Sword Formation and Heavenly Thunder Power, is a premium among mid-grade Fourth Level treasures, and with the artifact spirit driving heavenly thunder it can rival a high-grade Fourth Level treasure, then after adding the Spirit Body Talisman, its power already far exceeds that of ordinary high-grade Fourth Level treasures!

(End of Chapter)