Chapter 178: Slash! Slash! Slash! (6k)

Li Hanshan wasted no more words, his long spear pointing directly at Zhou Qing as spiritual energy surged through him, his aura continuously rising.

This formation was something he had obtained at great cost; once activated, it would feel like being trapped in another dimension, where even the fiercest battle would go unnoticed.

And its greatest advantage was that no one else could set up another formation within this space.

This eliminated the possibility of Zhou Qing using those three strange arrays again, as he had in Qingmu City—he refused to repeat his mistake and be countered by Zhou Qing's formations.

"Fall back, and hold the golden talisman your Sect Master gave you in your palm—if needed, aim and activate it!" Zhou Qing whispered.

Lu Yaoyao nodded silently.

Though she longed to help Zhou Qing, she knew this was no time for bravado; at her current cultivation base, rushing in would only hinder him, not aid him.

"Watch out for that broken sword—don't let it touch you!" Bloodbone Old Ghost warned.

Li Hanshan had already witnessed how Yu Ziqi's thighs nearly got severed in Qingmu City.

"Finish this quickly!" Li Hanshan spoke, swinging his halberd horizontally; an immense battlefield aura instantly spread outward.

Behind him, the image of countless troops charging forward seemed to materialize, igniting his battle spirit before he lunged downward with terrifying speed.

Bloodbone Old Ghost let out a chilling, maniacal laugh, his hands flailing as the crimson mist around him transformed into countless blood-red spears, piercing toward Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing did not yield, his internal spiritual energy surging as thick, water-jar-sized lightning bolts crashed down with apocalyptic force, drenching both men.

Instantly, the three clashed, the air filled with continuous thunderous explosions and the ringing clash of weapons.

Violent spiritual energy rippled outward, crushing countless flowers, trees, and plants into ruin.

Lu Yaoyao swiftly retreated—Li Hanshan's aura filled her with dread, as if facing endless death, making it hard to breathe.

She moved lightly on her lotus steps, recording the battle.

Her slender hands danced as icy energy poured from her body, crystallizing into countless transparent ice shards that rained down like a storm upon Li Hanshan and Bloodbone Old Ghost.

Though her current cultivation was insufficient to seriously injure them, it could disrupt their movements, creating more openings for Zhou Qing.

The two paid no heed to Lu Yaoyao's assault, instantly summoning spiritual shields to block it.

But their expressions changed quickly—the ice shards struck with shocking ferocity; after only a few waves, the shields began cracking.

Chilling cold seeped through, spreading rapidly.

"Deal with her!" Li Hanshan frowned and ordered Bloodbone Old Ghost.

Bloodbone Old Ghost nodded and immediately broke off; Zhou Qing tried to assist, but Li Hanshan blocked him.

"Worry about yourself first!" Li Hanshan raised his halberd overhead and brought it down hard on Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing dodged instantly, and a massive golden firebird, its body wreathed in golden flames, surged forward.

"Zhou Shixiong, don't worry about me—my Nascent Soul enhancement is speed—he won't catch me!"

Seeing Zhou Qing's anxious face, Lu Yaoyao quickly whispered, then shot away like a streak of ice-blue light.

Wherever she passed, the ground instantly froze under a layer of frost.

Bloodbone Old Ghost snorted, his blood mist swirling into crimson shadows as he chased after her.

Lu Yaoyao continuously created ice fog to obscure vision or solidified ice walls to block his path.

Bloodbone Old Ghost roared in fury.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing relaxed, his hands forming seals as a roar of the Suanni echoed across the sky.

Massive thunderballs, each seeming to contain the destruction of stars, rolled forward with thunderous force, striking Li Hanshan repeatedly.

Li Hanshan retreated instantly, his halberd in hand like a dragon emerging from the sea, trailing dark energy.

After evading the golden firebird's flames, he slammed his halberd into the ground—a yellowish spiritual barrier erupted upward.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The thunderballs slammed into the barrier, shaking the earth; after only moments, spiderweb cracks spread across its surface.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing intensified his technique, the golden firebird and Suanni illusions charging together.

Li Hanshan gritted his teeth, pouring frantic spiritual energy into the barrier, gripping his halberd tightly.

The runes on the halberd glowed, resonating with the barrier, barely holding back the assault.

After the barrage, Zhou Qing promptly replenished the four-colored flower's stored blood and spiritual energy, restoring himself to peak condition.

"Back in Qingmu City, I should've killed you. I must admit, Tianji Men's divination was accurate—your calamity is me. And this time, you'll witness my true trump card!"

Watching Li Hanshan, panting and lowering his barrier, Zhou Qing was suddenly engulfed in golden light.

Within the glow, his form shifted, transforming instantly into a colossal Jin Chida.

His golden feathers gleamed like forged metal, radiating brilliant light; his eyes blazed like twin golden suns, fixed on Li Hanshan.

Whether below, Li Hanshan, or the chasing Bloodbone Old Ghost and Lu Yaoyao—all froze at the sight of the enormous golden Peng.

What terrified Li Hanshan most was that, faced with this sudden sight, a flicker of fear crossed his eyes—he even wanted to drop his weapon and stop resisting.

Quickly regaining himself, he felt a wave of dread, then swung his halberd again, summoning his battlefield aura to resist.

"Did you gain your fortune from that abyss?" Li Hanshan asked.

Zhou Qing refused to answer, letting out a piercing cry that pierced the clouds, shaking the entire formation space violently.

His wings spread wide, countless golden feathers shot out like flying knives, tearing through the air.

Li Hanshan dodged frantically.

At that moment, Zhou Qing's speed reached its peak—he flashed through the air like a golden streak, his massive talons descending with crushing force toward Li Hanshan's head.

The talons sliced the air with a shrill whistle.

Li Hanshan's face paled—he had no time to dodge, so he raised his halberd to block.

The next instant, an overwhelming force slammed into him—he grunted, blood rising to his throat.

His feet sank into the ground, his body sliding backward involuntarily, carving a deep trench in the earth.

SHIIII! SHIIII! SHIIII!

Several tail feathers swept aside, transforming into golden arcs that shot toward the stunned Bloodbone Old Ghost.

The Bloodbone Old Ghost snapped back to reality, panic-stricken—he poured every ounce of spiritual energy into a crimson curtain before him.

But the golden feathers smashed through the curtain with brute force, shattering it instantly into a storm of blood mist.

The golden feathers kept flying, piercing deep into Bloodbone Old Ghost's body.

A scream tore from his throat—he now bore multiple bleeding holes, crimson blood gushing out.

He staggered, face as pale as paper, eyes wide with terror.

Lu Yaoyao seized the moment—she had grown up; she could no longer rely on others' protection. It was time to stand on her own.

As Bloodbone Old Ghost hesitated, she flashed forward.

Her sword glowed with runes, icy energy radiating as a blade of ice-blue qi, sharp with bone-chilling cold, stabbed toward his throat.

Bloodbone's eyes bulged—he raised his hands in panic, but the icy qi carved a deep gash into his arm, the blood instantly freezing into crystal.

After landing the strike, Lu Yaoyao retreated swiftly, flicking her hand—countless ice arrows materialized and shot out again.

Meanwhile, Li Hanshan, facing Zhou Qing's colossal golden Peng form, was growing weaker—he poured spiritual energy into his halberd, desperately searching for an opening to deliver a fatal blow.

Yet as Zhou Qing's imperial aura spread further, radiating an innate oppression, Li Hanshan's already flickering desire to surrender grew stronger.

It felt as if he weren't facing a peer—but a sovereign, towering and unchallengeable, filling him with profound helplessness.

Li Hanshan gritted his teeth, sweat pouring from his brow, yet he kept forcing out his half-baked battlefield aura to resist.

Zhou Qing flapped his wings, leaving golden afterimages in the air, charging again and again, driving Li Hanshan back into utter disarray.

"Did you enjoy your little game?" Zhou Qing's voice dripped with mockery.

PSHHH—

A broken sword erupted Guiyidi from the ground, piercing straight through Li Hanshan's right arm.

Blood sprayed everywhere.

The battlefield aura in Li Hanshan's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by pure terror and despair—he now fully wanted to flee.

Zhou Qing, in his golden Peng form, circled in midair, then opened his mouth and spat a stream of golden flame.

This flame came from Jin Wu!

Li Hanshan spat blood, desperately swinging his halberd to block it—but his hair and clothes ignited instantly.

After frantically extinguishing the flames, he turned and bolted toward one direction, face filled with horror.

Zhou Qing flapped his wings like a golden lightning bolt, intercepting Li Hanshan at top speed.

His massive wings stirred a hurricane, roaring outward.

His eyes blazed like torches, fixed on Li Hanshan; every golden feather stood rigid, radiating overwhelming imperial might that inspired awe and dread.

"I forgot to tell you—I'm also a formation master. Did you truly think I didn't spot the formation's core?"

Zhou Qing's voice rang like a bell, brimming with confidence and authority.

Li Hanshan was a wreck—his face charred black, nearly bald.

His clothes torn, blood oozing from his severed arm; only his eyes still burned with defiant rage.

"What… do you mean?" Li Hanshan's voice cracked, trembling.

He never imagined the tide would turn so fast—he had been certain of victory, yet now he was trapped in utter despair.

Zhou Qing snorted, lifting his chin coldly: "You still don't know who the real hunter is?"

Looking up at Zhou Qing, Li Hanshan's eyes hardened with resolve—he stepped back violently, spiritual energy surging wildly.

A flash of light erupted from within him—his Nascent Soul burst from his body, then shot like a streak of light straight into his halberd.

Instantly, the halberd seemed to shed a seal, glowing blindingly bright; its ancient runes writhed like living things, radiating a chilling, terrifying pressure.

Zhou Qing's expression shifted—he was this opponent's Nascent Soul enhancement?

Could he temporarily become a spirit within the weapon?

Zhou Qing had to admit—he now felt an intense, unmistakable danger radiating from that halberd.

"You forced me to pay five hundred years of my lifespan—this is your doing!" Li Hanshan's furious roar echoed from the halberd, filled with boundless resentment and despair.

Then the halberd lunged at Zhou Qing, so swift that the air around it shrieked sharply.

Zhou Qing flapped his wings to retreat, but the halberd vanished as if it had slipped into empty space.

Before Zhou Qing could react, it reappeared directly against his chest and drove forward with crushing force.

A deep, thunderous boom rang out, like a great bell tolling, shaking the air into a resonant hum.

The Jin Peng's true form revealed its astonishing defensive power in this moment.

Li Hanshan, now merged with the weapon's spirit, was thrown back by the massive recoil, dazed and stunned, staring in disbelief.

A strike fueled by five hundred years of lifespan and Nascent Soul enhancement—yet it only left a faint white scratch on his surface, unable to pierce even a fraction.

How is this possible!

"Hmph!" Zhou Qing sneered, extending his claws to seize the halberd's shaft.

His golden claws, forged like steel, clamped down tightly; the halberd groaned under the pressure, creaking and protesting.

Inside, Li Hanshan's Nascent Soul let out a piercing scream of agony and despair, then thrashed wildly, desperate to escape.

But Zhou Qing would never give him the chance—he poured endless spiritual energy into his claws, and with a sharp crack, the halberd snapped cleanly in two.

Shhh!

A frail figure shot out, racing toward its body nearby.

Zhou Qing opened his mouth wide; a golden flame, empowered by lightning, instantly engulfed it.

A more agonized scream echoed across heaven and earth—the Nascent Soul dimmed rapidly under the golden flames, shrinking smaller and smaller, as if its life force were being drained, until finally it turned to a wisp of smoke and vanished into the void.

Thus, all five prodigies of Cangyan Dao Palace fell to Zhou Qing alone.

After the brutal battle ended, Zhou Qing felt a wave of dizziness—his repeated use of powerful techniques had drained him utterly.

His meridians were nearly empty of spiritual energy; his body felt utterly exhausted, as if every movement required immense effort.

Suddenly, a powerful and majestic aura erupted nearby. Zhou Qing forced himself to look—and saw Bloodbone Old Ghost flying backward like a cut kite, crashing through several trees, rolling across the ground multiple times before barely stabilizing.

His robes were torn, his blood mist dim and lifeless; half his body was gone, blood gushing forth, staining the ground beneath him crimson.

His face was filled with horror and despair.

Lu Yaoyao was also drenched in blood, gasping heavily, clearly spent; in her hand, she held a golden talisman whose glow was fading.

"You shouldn't have distracted yourself," Lu Yaoyao murmured.

Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Qing forced through his exhaustion, shooting forward in an instant to stand before Bloodbone Old Ghost, and brought down one claw—crushing the old ghost's body into pulp.

Blood and flesh sprayed everywhere.

Bloodbone Old Ghost's Nascent Soul fled in panic, but was instantly engulfed by Zhou Qing's golden flame.

"Spare me, spare me! Zhou Qing, if you spare this old man's life, I'll serve you as your slave! I know many secrets of Cangyan Dao Palace! Aaah—!"

He was truly terrified now, begging without end.

Zhou Qing had no trust for such a fox—he let the flames burn fiercely, and soon, amid the old man's curses, reduced him to ash.

"Storage pouches—!" Zhou Qing shouted.

Lu Yaoyao understood at once. Ignoring her joy, she snatched up both storage pouches, probed them with her spiritual sense, and cried out: "They're dead!"

Hearing this, Zhou Qing finally let out the breath he'd been holding.

Then, with a flash of light, he reverted to his true form and collapsed straight down from the sky.

Seeing this, Lu Yaoyao's face paled; she rushed over and caught him.

"I—I'm fine," Zhou Qing waved weakly, forcing his exhausted body to pull out a supreme spirit stone and begin recovering with the Yin-Yang Scripture.

Only then did Lu Yaoyao relax slightly, standing quietly beside him, her eyes still shadowed with worry, constantly monitoring his condition.

After regaining a little strength, Zhou Qing staggered to the spot where Li Hanshan had set his array, destroyed the array core, and revealed the array plate embedded with supreme spirit stones.

Seeing this, Lu Yaoyao flew down swiftly and retrieved them.

"Powerful, but only a one-time use," Zhou Qing said, gazing at the array plate with regret.

And such array plates might still bear Soul Transformation marks.

After taking the spirit stones, the two left without delay.

Whether Li Hanshan or Bloodbone Old Ghost, their soul lamps had surely gone dark by now. The Three Sect Alliance's leaders had departed, but Cangyan Dao Palace and Tianji Gate still knew nothing.

"Don't worry—I have the recording stone of their first strike!" Lu Yaoyao said, gripping the recording stone tightly on her flying sword.

Zhou Qing shook his head. "Evidence only counts if it can be shown to others."

Lu Yaoyao nodded thoughtfully, then immediately accelerated their flying sword.

Two days later, they arrived at a nearby city called Lin'an. Watching the bustling crowds, they finally exhaled, their taut nerves easing.

"Our sect will send people to investigate in a couple days. All we need to do now is wait," Zhou Qing said, gazing at the lively city.

Lu Yaoyao smiled and quickly led Zhou Qing to a clean, tidy inn.

They rented a quiet room for Zhou Qing to rest, while she stood guard outside the door, protecting him.

Fortunately, his injuries were minor—mostly exhaustion. With rest, he would recover gradually.

Days passed. On the fourth day, Lu Yaoyao rushed in excitedly, followed by He Han and Pei Yan.

Both stared at Zhou Qing with awe and complex expressions—they never imagined that in just a few days, he had slain Li Hanshan and Bloodbone Old Ghost.

"Zhou younger brother, you're safe!" He Han said, looking at Zhou Qing.

But as soon as he spoke, he realized how redundant it was, and awkwardly smiled.

Zhou Qing rose and thanked them both.

"Did any elders come?" Zhou Qing asked.

Pei Yan nodded. "The nine cities around Canglan Mountain are under heavy scrutiny. My master and a senior elder from Jin Leizong have arrived. Besides them, hundreds of disciples are involved. Oh, I just saw Cangyan Dao Palace people too."

Zhou Qing nodded, thought for a moment, then said: "Please, Sister Pei, contact Elder Tong. I have something urgent to report."

Pei Yan nodded and immediately pulled out her identity token to make contact.

About half an hour later, Tong Min, the peak master of Yuqing Peak, arrived in haste. Pei Yan briefly explained the situation outside. Tong Min's face first darkened with anger, then shifted to shock.

Upon entering the room, Zhou Qing produced a corpse and Lu Yaoyao's recording stone.

"Elder Tong, please uphold justice!" Zhou Qing bowed respectfully.

Though both were dead and Bloodbone Old Ghost's body was gone, it was unclear whether they'd been authorized to strike at them.

At the very least, they showed no respect to the Beast King Hou Shan, and seemed indifferent to the sacred herb he'd lost.

How to proceed? The Sect Master and others would decide.

Tong Min stared at Li Hanshan's corpse and the unmistakable halberd, still finding it hard to believe.

All five prodigies of Cangyan Dao Palace had fallen to Zhou Qing alone—who would believe it?

Taiqingmen has a chance to rise!

"Rest assured—I will see you get justice!" Tong Min said, looking at Zhou Qing with solemn assurance.

Zhou Qing thanked him again.

"By the way, regarding the gray-robed thief who stole from Beast King Hou Shan, I've uncovered a clue," Zhou Qing said, as if remembering something, and relayed the brief message from his system.

Everyone's eyes lit up. If before it had been like searching for a needle in a haystack, now at least they had a target.

Lu Yaoyao looked puzzled.

When did you find this? How did I not know?

But the confusion quickly turned to awe.

【Heart Mirror Points +9】

The 【Totally Insane】 tag above her head instantly changed to 【Sharp-Eyed】!

(End of Chapter)