Chapter 186: Severed Arm

Just as Du Yuntang used the Magic Net to trap Zhang Nuo's Flying Sword, Han Liang stepped on his Flying Magic Tool and rushed rapidly to his proximity, while a flash of Golden Light appeared on his body, activating the Heavenly Dipper Body-Strengthening Technique.

"Old man surnamed Du, go to your death!"

With a long roar from his mouth, the Square Heaven Painted Halberd in Han Liang's hand flew out, and the Golden Light on his body swirled, condensing into a large golden hand that also reached out to grab at Du Yuntang.

Han Liang's attack this time was smooth and continuous, without any interval; even Du Yuntang was startled into a cold sweat. With no other choice, he had to abandon the Flying Sword covered by the Magic Net. Just as he was about to activate his escape light, the Great Halberd had already arrived before him, its cold, sharp tip stabbing fiercely toward his chest.

"Junior!"

With an angry shout, Du Yuntang opened his mouth and spat out a green Magic Ring several inches in size. The Magic Ring was entirely green, and as it grew in the wind, it reached half a zhang in size, just enough to block the incoming Square Heaven Painted Halberd.

With a loud 'Boom—' sound, the moment the Great Halberd collided with the Green Demon Ring, it transformed into countless dark blue electric arcs, wrapping around and trapping the Magic Ring in place.

"Not good!"

With just a shift of his thoughts, Du Yuntang felt that something was wrong. Han Liang's previous attack with the Square Heaven Painted Halberd looked extremely fierce, but it was a feint, seemingly intended to lure him into using his Magic Treasure.

In the blink of an eye as his thoughts turned, the golden hand condensed by the Heavenly Dipper Body-Strengthening Technique had already reached Du Yuntang's side, and with a 'slap', it grabbed his body firmly!

"Fellow Daoist Zhang!"

Han Liang's face lit up with joy, and he hurriedly transmitted his voice to Zhang Nuo. Seeing this, the corners of Zhang Nuo's mouth twitched slightly, and a sinister smile suddenly appeared. Nine Flying Swords filed out from the Nine Dragon Sword Case behind him, and at the same time, he cast a series of hand seals, all of which merged into the newly appeared Flying Swords.

The nine Flying Swords moved with lightning speed, quickly reaching the area around Du Yuntang, and with a 'swish' and a flash, they formed a circle!

"Activate!"

With a loud shout from Zhang Nuo, the nine Flying Swords formed the 'Lotus Fall' Sword Formation. If he were truly trapped by this Sword Formation, even if Du Yuntang were a Golden Core Middle Stage cultivator, he would surely perish.

Seeing that the situation was dire, Du Yuntang was terrified. Although he did not know what Zhang Nuo intended to do, it certainly wasn't anything good! Thinking of this, he took a deep breath and released all the Demonic Qi in his body.

With a 'hum' and a loud boom, he actually used his own cultivation to break free from Han Liang's golden hand. At the same time, his body was wrapped in escape light, and he flew rapidly toward the high sky.

Du Yuntang's reaction was truly fast enough; Zhang Nuo's Sword Formation was about to be activated, yet he had managed to escape by force. Seeing this, Zhang Nuo and Han Liang could not help but feel deeply disappointed. If they had used this move against a Foundation Establishment Stage existence, it would have been a one-hundred-percent success, but facing the powerful cultivation of a Golden Core Cultivator, it could only be aborted halfway!

Du Yuntang was so frightened that his face was drained of blood. Looking up, the nine Flying Swords had quickly struck a few times at the spot where he had just escaped, but Zhang Nuo retracted his move very quickly. Seeing that the opponent had escaped, he immediately forced the Sword Formation to stop. With his current Foundation Establishment Late Stage Three Spirit Seas cultivation, he could use the 'Lotus Fall' Sword Formation at most twice.

However, Zhang Nuo did not stop completely. A fierce look flashed in his eyes, and the hand seals in his hands changed. The nine Flying Swords suddenly became blurred and vanished into the void.

Han Liang was slightly startled. Apart from knowing that Zhang Nuo could use a Sword Formation, he had never seen him use this move before. Du Yuntang, hovering in mid-air, was still shaken; seeing the Flying Swords disappear, he immediately felt that something was wrong, but this time he would not be so lucky.

Suddenly, the void around him trembled, and the nine Flying Swords appeared beside him like ghosts. With a few light 'swish' sounds, the nine Flying Swords slashed rapidly toward Du Yuntang!

This time, the distance was so close that Du Yuntang had almost no time to dodge. Before his escape light could even be activated, one Flying Sword slashed across his left arm, severing the entire arm at the root!

"Ah!"

The pain of the severed arm made him clench his teeth, but he did not hesitate, because there were still eight Flying Swords in front of him. If he hesitated for even a moment longer, he would lose more than just an arm!

With a flash of escape light, he forcibly flew nearly a hundred zhang away. Holding his severed arm with his right hand, the pain and anger caused the muscles on his face to twist and deform.

Seeing this, Zhang Nuo let out a long sigh. The move he had just used was precisely the 'Instant Sword' recorded in the fourth layer of the 'Shangqing Sword Art'. The so-called 'Instant Sword' is the instant movement of the sword, which is another enhancement of the Flying Sword's speed by the 'Shangqing Sword Art'.

Speed is supreme! Nothing is unbreakable if it is fast enough! This is the core principle of the Shangqing Sword Art, so the fourth layer of the sword art specifically mentioned the 'Instant Sword'. However, the Spirit Power consumed to activate this move was not small; just now, Zhang Nuo using the 'Instant Sword' with nine Flying Swords simultaneously consumed almost one-third of the Spirit Power required to activate the 'Lotus Fall' Sword Formation.

Despite this, Du Yuntang still managed to escape. Although Zhang Nuo was unwilling, there was no other way; the gap in cultivation could not be made up for by techniques!

'Awoo! How shameful! To actually have an arm severed by two such little things!'

The Barbarian General, who was furious from being entangled by the Blood Corpse and the Flying Swords, discovered that Du Yuntang had been severed of an arm. Instead of showing concern, he cursed with disdain!

Du Yuntang's face was also unsightly. With a flip of his hand, a cyan Talisman appeared in his palm. Infused with Demonic Qi, the Talisman flashed with cyan light and transformed into a mass of cyan gas. Without a second thought, he pressed this mass of cyan gas onto his wound, and in the blink of an eye, the bleeding from his severed arm was staunched.

At this very moment, Zhuge An and the others who were fighting in the distance also saw this scene! They never expected that three Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators could actually injure Du Yuntang!

"Haha! Sect Leader Du of Xianghuang Demon Mountain is nothing more than this!"

Xiao Zhengxing seized an opening in the attack, secretly channeled his Mysterious Technique, and shouted loudly. With the help of the technique's power, his voice traveled very far, and almost the entire battlefield heard it. At this moment, everyone's eyes turned toward Du Yuntang.

Du Yuntang's old face turned red in a flash. He felt as if he had been stripped bare and was standing under the gaze of everyone! Immediately, the morale of the Demonic cultivators of Xianghuang Demon Mountain dropped to the lowest point. Their own Sect Leader had been beaten into such a state by others; there was no glory on their faces either!

"You two juniors! Give me your lives!"

Embarrassed and furious, Du Yuntang rushed toward Zhang Nuo regardless of everything. Feeling the opponent attacking with his life on the line, Zhang Nuo was also startled into a cold sweat. He fled rapidly while simultaneously activating his Three Spirit Seas, pouring massive amounts of Spirit Power into the Wu Hook in his hand.

The Wu Hook erupted with dazzling cyan light, and the entire blade became ethereal. Zhang Nuo raised his hand and sacrificed it.

With a 'shhh' sound of breaking through the air, the Wu Hook transformed into a zhang-long cyan ribbon and shot toward Du Yuntang. However, this time Du Yuntang was determined to kill Zhang Nuo, so he didn't even dodge. He quickly extended his right hand, Demonic Qi surged between his five fingers, and in an instant, his right hand turned into a demonic claw, its size increasing several times over.

He grabbed fiercely at the incoming cyan ribbon. 'Crackle' sounds rang out incessantly. Du Yuntang forcibly caught the incoming Wu Hook in his hand. As the Demonic Qi and Spiritual Qi entangled and consumed each other, they turned into specks of light and scattered in the sky.

"Junior! Let's see what other tricks you have!"

With a full-force squeeze of his five fingers, a crisp 'clank' sound was heard, and Du Yuntang crushed Zhang Nuo's Wu Hook into powder! He then casually threw the fragments onto the ground.

Zhang Nuo's heart was shaken violently. The Wu Hook had a mental connection with him; with the Magic Treasure destroyed, he was also affected! Immediately, a mouthful of blood sprayed out, and his flight speed slowed down abruptly!

Seeing that the opportunity had arrived, Du Yuntang's escape light flickered, and he rushed rapidly toward Zhang Nuo, wanting to vent his hatred and kill his enemy! The expression of extreme pain from his severed arm and the joy of being able to take revenge were perfectly fused onto his face.

Zhang Nuo breathed rapidly. His Divine Sense sensed Du Yuntang getting closer and closer. He powerlessly sacrificed two Flying Swords, but they posed no threat to him at all! Du Yuntang was still flying rapidly toward him! He was on the verge of death!

Suddenly, at this moment, a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering loud noise came. Du Yuntang's expression changed drastically. He almost forgot about killing Zhang Nuo. When he turned his head back, he saw Han Liang holding the Square Heaven Painted Halberd, but the halberd was now several times larger than before, reaching six zhang in length!

The Great Halberd, shining with dark blue electric arcs, was striking the Black Giant Gate blow after blow!

"Boom!"

After the Black Giant Gate was struck for the second time, the Barbarian General's expression also changed. The giant gate began to become unstable, and waves of fluctuations caused it to slowly become ethereal.

"Boom!"

Han Liang's third strike slammed onto the Black Giant Gate again. This time, the Barbarian General rushed toward the giant gate as if he had gone mad.

"No!"

At this moment, Du Yuntang was about to collapse. Once the Black Giant Gate disappeared, the Barbarian General would be unable to return to the space where it belonged. However, looking at the Barbarian General's current state, he would rather return to the Black Giant Gate than abandon Du Yuntang.

Once the Barbarian General left, Gu Yu and Zhang Nuo, who had been constantly held back by it, could completely free up their hands. Added to Han Liang, Du Yuntang was not confident that he could defeat these three people's divine abilities with his current body!

"Boom!"

Han Liang's fourth strike made the Black Giant Gate ethereal again. Seeing that it was about to disappear, Zhang Nuo and Gu Yu also understood what was happening. They immediately stopped their attacks and let the Barbarian General run toward the Black Giant Gate.

Without the attacks from the Blood Corpse and the Flying Swords, its figure flashed rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, it submerged into the Black Giant Gate. It turned its head back and glared fiercely at Du Yuntang before rushing inside!

"Come back!"

Even until the Black Giant Gate completely disappeared, Du Yuntang was still shouting at the top of his lungs, but everything was already too late. The Barbarian General he relied on most had returned to the space where it belonged.