Chapter 243: Sword Intent Third Heaven!

Bai Zhu Prefecture.

Eighty li southwest of Wulong Fucheng, deep within the mountains.

Zhao Fuzhou wore a cloak that bent light and concealed his aura, his entire form blending seamlessly into the surroundings as he stood silently on a treetop at the valley's entrance, for two full days.

His gaze pierced through the mist below, faintly sweet and fishy in scent, locking firmly onto the valley encircled by mountains.

Two days and nights of uninterrupted observation confirmed the truth of Chen Mu's message: the faint sounds occasionally emerging from the valley, the unnatural flow of the mist—all proved it.

This seemingly desolate valley indeed concealed a secret!

'I wonder how Chen Mu found out?'

Zhao Fuzhou wondered inwardly.

But soon, he regained his composure.

When the sky darkened completely and night became the perfect cover, Zhao Fuzhou silently activated a secret technique.

In the next instant, a faint luminescence flared deep within his eyes, like an owl's gaze, instantly piercing through the thick darkness and mist, revealing every detail of his surroundings.

Huh~

His form shifted, becoming a shadow nearly invisible, riding the howling mountain wind as he slipped soundlessly into the mist-shrouded valley entrance.

Hu hu~

Inside the valley, a chilling wind swirled.

The air carried waves of mist laced with faint toxins, one puff after another.

Yet as these mists neared Zhao Fuzhou, they were repelled by an invisible aura wall, leaving him utterly unaffected.

Moving swiftly through the valley's complex terrain, avoiding several hidden sentries, Zhao Fuzhou had surveyed most of the area and finally fixed his target on a cave entrance cleverly concealed by vines.

Shua~

His form flashed, slipping into the cave like a phantom.

Inside, the cave was far more spacious than imagined, extending downward.

When Zhao Fuzhou reached the depths, the space suddenly opened before him—a massive array spanning a hundred meters!

The array's patterns were intricate and bizarre, radiating an unsettling energy波动.

Dozens of warriors clad in identical specially-made gray robes, all at the late Innate Realm, stood solemnly, moving carefully to place rectangular stone slabs—five feet long, two feet wide—along specific nodes of the array.

What made Zhao Fuzhou's pupils contract sharply was that the stone slabs were partially hollow!

Inside them were packed children—boys and girls alike—pale, purple-tinged, barely clinging to life.

Their eyes were vacant, their breaths faint; clearly, they had been dosed with medicine, suspended between life and death.

As Zhao Fuzhou pondered, the array activated.

As the array hummed to life, a faint glow illuminated the space; the gray-robed warriors lifted nearby wooden barrels reeking of heavy blood, pouring ladle after ladle of clear, pure-energy-infused warrior blood onto the stone slabs holding the children!

The moment the blood touched the stones and the children, it ignited as if spurred by some force, emitting a hissing "chi chi" sound as crimson bloodlight intertwined with the array's幽光.

Zhao Fuzhou suppressed the urge to strike, holding his breath, continuing to observe.

The entire process lasted roughly the time of one incense stick.

Finally, the stone slabs shrank slightly, like living things, fully absorbing and fusing the children's residual lifeforce and essence with the poured blood.

The once dull gray stones instantly turned entirely crimson, as if congealed blood.

At their crimson core, a faint, unsettling darkness emerged, within which several threads of purple shimmered.

When Zhao Fuzhou saw the final stone slab—crimson with black, black with purple—he suddenly recalled an ancient, evil name, and instantly understood what was being mass-produced here!

At the very moment his spirit trembled with this shocking revelation—

"Who's there!?"

A roar like thunder exploded within the cave, a powerful spiritual force sweeping like a tidal wave across the entire underground space.

He was discovered!

Zhao Fuzhou's heart jolted, yet he did not panic.

He acted instantly—his body surged backward like a coiled leopard, becoming a streak of light racing toward the cave's exit.

"Think you can leave?"

A figure emerged from the cave's depths at even greater speed—it was Xiong Zengming, the one stationed here!

His face darkened; he had never imagined anyone could sneak undetected into the core of this place.

As soon as he burst onto the surface, Xiong Zengming struck without hesitation, flicking his fingers thrice; three streaks of light, like living venomous snakes, shot through the air faster than the eye could follow, intercepting Zhao Fuzhou's ascent with lethal precision.

Zhao Fuzhou knew he could not afford to fight now; facing the interception, he spoke not a word, drawing his sword in one motion.

"Zheng—"

A cold, moonlit blade of light erupted, tearing through the night, carrying an unyielding sword intent to sever all things, meeting the three streaks head-on!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The streaks clashed with the blade-light, unleashing violent energy surges.

Xiong Zengming felt the piercing, unmatched sword intent, his expression shifting; he blurted out:

"Sword Intent Third Heaven! Who are you?"

Zhao Fuzhou answered with an even swifter sword strike!

The two instantly clashed high in the sky.

Gong~ Gong~

Gong long~!

Muffled explosions echoed through the valley.

Zhao Fuzhou wielded his black-steel longsword, unleashing his Earth Altar Realm's Bridge Formation cultivation fully, executing his ultimate sword technique with flawless mastery; combined with the advantage of his black-steel weapon and his Sword Intent at Third Heaven, he matched Xiong Zengming—whose cultivation reached Earth Altar Realm's Five Qi in Harmony—in a fierce, evenly matched duel.

Xiong Zengming grew more enraged with each strike; his cultivation was clearly superior, yet he could not subdue Zhao Fuzhou in a short time, and was instead being constrained by that piercing sword intent.

His eyes flashed with sharp fury, ready to unleash his secret mental technique to severely damage the opponent's soul.

However.

Just as Xiong Zengming's spirit stirred, preparing to launch his mental attack, Zhao Fuzhou struck first—his luminous eyes suddenly blazed with brilliant light!

Hum~~!

Two beams of condensed, solid-like auroral light shot forth from Zhao Fuzhou's eyes, ignoring all physical defenses, piercing straight into Xiong Zengming's spiritual consciousness.

Xiong Zengming was stunned—his mental defense had barely registered before being pierced; his mind screamed as if stabbed by needles, his awareness reeled, he let out a muffled groan, his body lurched violently in midair, and his gathered spiritual force instantly collapsed.

In a battle between experts, victory hinges on a single instant!

Ssshh~

Zhao Fuzhou seized this fleeting opportunity and unleashed a full-power slash.

Instantly, a radiant sword aura poured down like lunar light from the ninth heaven, striking Xiong Zengming—whose spirit was defenseless—with crushing force!

"Puh—"

Xiong Zengming's protective aura shuddered violently, his internal qi churned, and a jet of blood erupted from his open mouth; his entire body plummeted from the sky like a meteor, crashing heavily to the ground.

Zhao Fuzhou didn't even glance at the result; his form didn't pause—he became a streak of lightning, racing out of the valley at maximum speed, vanishing into the boundless night sky…