Chapter 297: Sword Slays Nascent Soul (Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!)

Several days later.

Near a medium-sized spirit stone vein.

The Grand Master of the Blood River Sect still looked like a boy, riding a river of blood, a faint frown on his brow.

"How did the Seven White Mountain vein suddenly go wrong?"

"How could the Golden Core elder guarding the vein vanish without cause?"

"The method resembles demonic cultivation… Could it be a lone demon lord? Or perhaps the orthodox sects are faking it?"

Due to the frontier expansion war, the frontlines are stretched thin, and demand for spirit stones and other supplies is high.

Now that spirit stone mining is severely disrupted, the Ten Thousand Images Sect has clearly expressed its dissatisfaction.

They even hinted that if this isn't resolved, they'll transfer him to the Black Cloud Mountain battlefield!

The Grand Master of the Blood River Sect certainly didn't want to go to the frontier expansion, so he took personal charge, preparing to thoroughly patrol Seven White Mountain and hunt down the hidden villains.

BOOM!

Unexpectedly, before he could complete even one circuit, five streams of demonic energy surged toward him, surrounding him.

"Third-rank corpse cultivators?!"

The Grand Master gazed at the Five Demon Corpses, a sense of dread rising in his heart.

Such a grand gesture could only be pulled off by the Ten Thousand Images Sect—could they be targeting him?

In demonic cultivation, such things aren't rare.

But soon, he had no time to think further.

The five corpses each formed hand seals; five pillars of pure white, crimson, jet black, earth yellow, and emerald green shot skyward, forming a Five Elements battle array that enclosed him.

WHOOSH!

The Grand Master, battle-hardened and immensely experienced, instantly formed hand seals—his blood river boiled, transforming into a lake that shielded him completely.

In his hands, a pair of vivid crimson "Crimson Blood Cones" materialized.

"Go!"

With a thought, the sea of blood surged, drowning the five corpses.

Their black cloaks rapidly corroded, revealing dark golden bodies beneath.

The blood sea that could melt cultivators directly was like bathwater to the corpses—completely ineffective.

SHHH!

One Crimson Blood Cone pierced the Four-Armed Golden Corpse; crimson parasites emerged from the cone, attempting to burrow into the corpse's body.

The Four-Armed Golden Corpse's mask shattered; it opened its mouth and spat forth a jet of black demonic fire, incinerating the parasites to ash!

"Heaven-Turning Golden Corpse?!"

The Grand Master shrieked, suddenly certain it wasn't the Ten Thousand Images Sect trying to kill him.

For he knew this Four-Armed Golden Corpse had perished alongside the previous generation of the Six Demonic Heroes in the Linlang Blessed Land!

As he pondered, one of the golden corpses pierced the air, its fist—equivalent to a treasure—crashed down!

The Grand Master's body shuddered, splitting into nine blood shadows as he began planning his escape.

But at that moment, the Water Demon Corpse formed hand seals, gripping a blood-red banner and swung it violently.

"Blood God Banner? And a quasi-fourth-rank treasure?!"

Seeing this, the Grand Master's soul nearly fled his body.

The founding ancestor of the Blood River Sect was said to come from the Blood God Cult, so all Blood River blood cultivation techniques are inherently suppressed by the Blood God Cult.

This Blood God Banner, obtained from Blood Yuanzi and of quasi-fourth-rank, struck him dead center!

WHOOSH!

As the Blood God Banner shimmered with spiritual light, an immense suction force erupted from its surface.

The boundless blood lake, like a dragon drinking water, was instantly drained—every drop sucked into the banner.

From the banner, several crimson chains shot out like tentacles, snapping and bursting each blood shadow.

Then they pierced into the Grand Master's true body.

"I—"

The Grand Master's cheeks rapidly withered; his body bent into a hunch—his essence and blood seemed emptied in an instant.

Then, the Golden Demon Corpse stepped forward and punched.

BAM!

The Grand Master of the Blood River Sect's desiccated corpse exploded instantly, scattering into countless fragments.

…

"Clean and efficient!"

Fang Xing watched the entire scene, clapping his hands.

Then he extended his spiritual sense, his body turning into a blade of light and arriving at the ground nearby.

SSSHHH!

A flash of sword light split the earth, revealing a groundhog.

Its eyes held a sliver of crimson; Fang Xing cast a spell upon it, and immediately the Grand Master of the Blood River Sect's voice echoed: "Upper Sect… I've been attacked… suspected Heaven-Turning Golden Corpse…"

"No wonder he's a late-stage Golden Core demon—still able to send a distress signal. What kind of secret technique is this?"

Fang Xing's powerful spiritual sense swept over it, erasing the part about the Heaven-Turning Golden Corpse, then released the mouse.

The Ten Thousand Images Sect's movements are easy to guess.

If a late-stage Golden Core couldn't handle this, no one else in the Ten Thousand Images Sect could.

After all, Golden Core cultivators are extremely rare, and their main force remains at Black Cloud Mountain.

The most convenient solution would be for the Ten Thousand Images Old Devil to return and deal with it himself.

If not… then Fang Xing would consider the fishing attempt a failure and find another way.

…

Time flowed like water.

Before he knew it, another dozen days had passed.

A plump old man in a black robe, with kind eyes and a gentle face, rode wind-and-thunder flight toward Seven White Mountain.

In the cultivation world, few would link this gentle, chubby old man with the Ten Thousand Images Sect's Nascent Soul Old Devil.

Suddenly!

The Ten Thousand Images Old Devil halted his flight, squinted, and sneered: "Who are you, friend, challenging me?"

"Ah… I knew hiding from a Nascent Soul's spiritual sense would be difficult."

A flash of sword light appeared—Fang Xing materialized, holding an unusual ring.

The ring glowed in green and red, inscribed with ancient seal script.

At this moment, it blazed with light, affecting the surroundings as if forming a formation—or some kind of domain…

"Nascent Soul beginner? Du Qiankun Ring? Who is Du Qiankun Dao's Old Ghost Li to you?"

The Ten Thousand Images Old Devil's expression turned grave.

Regardless, the sudden appearance of a stranger Nascent Soul True Sovereign warranted caution.

Especially since the "Du Qiankun Ring" in his hand was a Du Qiankun Dao treasure, perfectly countering his "Wind-Thunder Great Flight"—clearly, this man meant harm!

"No—you're a swordsman!"

The Ten Thousand Images Old Devil paused, then his eyes flashed: "You're Fang Xing, true disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect!"

As a Nascent Soul True Sovereign of the Ten Thousand Images Sect, he normally wouldn't care about a Foundation Establishment disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

But Fang Xing was different!

This true sword heir had slain a False Golden Core cultivator upon his debut, as easily as slicing melons.

Later, he even beheaded a Golden Core cultivator, possessing Golden Core-level combat power!

As a rival sect's Golden Core swordsman, he had already earned the Ten Thousand Images Old Devil's attention—and thus was remembered.

"The Ten Thousand Images Old Devil recognizes me? I'm truly honored."

Fang Xing laughed heartily.

The Ten Thousand Images Old Devil's flight technique was astonishing—Chu Chu Kuangtu remembered it well. To restrict his speed, Fang Xing had paid a heavy price to borrow this Du Qiankun Ring from Du Qiankun Dao.

"You… you've condensed a Nascent Soul? Impossible!"

The Ten Thousand Images Old Devil suddenly roared: "Chu Chu Kuangtu! When was your physical body destroyed? Are you hiding inside this junior?"

'He thinks I'm Chu Chu Kuangtu? Hmm… if Chu Chu Kuangtu's body was destroyed and his Nascent Soul possessed this sword prodigy… it actually makes sense.'

Fang Xing felt mildly exasperated—but it suited him perfectly.

In his Lower Dantian, the plump, pale sword infant opened its eyes and brushed its fingers across the sword mark on its forehead.

SSSHHH!

Instantly, a small sword appeared in his hand, speckled with starlight—his life-sword, Rotting Iron.

Fang Xing slashed—his sword light moved too fast to comprehend, drawing in celestial spiritual energy to form a majestic, overwhelming force that crushed toward the Ten Thousand Images Old Devil—the Fourth Realm of Sword Cultivation: Sword Intent Becomes Momentum!

"Hmph!"

The Ten Thousand Images Old Devil had fought Chu Chu Kuangtu many times—he knew Nascent Soul sword masters intimately. He now shook his robe.

This robe was a fourth-rank spiritual treasure, a treasured heirloom of the Ten Thousand Images Sect.

WHOOSH!

The treasure instantly expanded, becoming a wall of blackness.

Storm, rain, lightning, thunder—the Four Celestial Phenomena, all contained within; this is the "Robe of Celestial Will"!

The myriad sword lights fell into the Four Phenomena, worn away by wind and lightning.

Fang Xing's sword strike achieved nothing.

"This sword intent… is utterly unlike Chu Chu Kuangtu's."

Wan Xiang the Old Demon was truly startled: "You're not Chu Chu Kuangtu… yet a second Nascent Soul Sword Lord has emerged within the Heavenly Sword Sect? So Fu Fu Hongyi was merely a decoy… Hah, old Chu, you've played your cards well."

In his hand appeared a dark-green wooden staff, its head crowned with a one-horned demon skull.

At that moment, the one-horned demon skull opened its eyes, radiating cruelty and bloodlust—it was another Spirit Treasure: the Green Demon Staff!

As Wan Xiang's Nascent Soul energy surged into it, the Green Demon Staff erupted in wails of ghosts and howls of wolves.

Its shaft swelled instantly into a colossal pillar, crashing down like a sky-supporting beam.

Fang Xing's expression remained unchanged; he flipped his palm, and a bronze ancient lamp emerged—the Green Yang Demon Lamp—its glow enveloping him in a "Green Yang Shield."

He swept his sleeve, releasing a torrent of spiritual energy into the Green Yang Shield.

The green barrier expanded violently, resembling a blazing green sun, colliding with the Green Demon Staff.

Worse still!

At the very moment the Green Yang Shield appeared, the void behind Fang Xing stirred, forcing forth a green-faced, fanged demon.

Wan Xiang the Old Demon excelled in spell duels: he attacked head-on with the Green Demon Staff while secretly releasing his newly forged pseudo-fourth-rank "Interstice Demon," waiting to strike from ambush.

But the Green Yang Demon Lamp inherently dispelled illusions; beneath the Green Yang Shield, the Interstice Demon had no chance to strike.

"Hmph!"

Fang Xing snorted, tossing out the Corpse Sack; Wu Hun the Demon roared forth, transforming into five-colored demonic clouds that encircled the Interstice Demon, locking it in combat.

"Green Yang Demon Lamp, five Rebellious Golden Corpses?!"

Wan Xiang's eyelids twitched: "So that girl from my sect's Wind Division, and the Nascent Soul seed… were both killed by you?"

"And more!"

Fang Xing chuckled, tapping his crown.

A flash of light appeared above his skull—the Ten Thousand Dharma Ghost Infant emerged, grinning at Wan Xiang, then rubbing its hands together.

A tiny speck of "Soul-Devouring Demon Fire" from the Green Yang Demon Lamp landed in the Ghost Infant's palm, condensed into a fireball, then flicked forward.

Whoosh!

The ink-green fireball swelled with the wind, striking the Robe of Celestial Will.

The Spirit Treasure let out a mournful cry—as if its very sentience were being scorched!

Any other third-rank artifact would have melted into sludge the instant it touched this fire.

"This demon fire… seems even more terrifying than Green Yang Demon Fire?"

Wan Xiang the Old Demon felt like vomiting blood.

Every one of Fang Xing's second Nascent Soul, Spirit Treasures, and reanimated corpses—each and every one—originated from Wan Xiang Sect!

In other words, Fang Xing's attainment of Nascent Soul was largely funded by Wan Xiang Sect!

Had Fang Xing merely switched his core cultivation method, he could have become Wan Xiang Demon Sect's Supreme Elder outright.

"Hehe!"

The Ten Thousand Dharma Ghost Infant cackled, pinching two more ink-green lamp flames between its dark-green fingers and flicking them again.

The spiritual perception attacks embedded in the Green Demon Staff were useless against Fang Xing.

The one-horned demon now strained against the Green Yang Shield, its gaping maw gnawing at the barrier.

Shhh!

A speck of ink-green flame landed inside the demon's mouth, instantly igniting—burning the skull as it shrieked in agony.

The other spark struck the five-colored demonic clouds, hitting the Interstice Demon.

Whoosh!

The once-fearsome Interstice Demon let out a piercing scream and became a blazing torch!

The power of this Soul-Devouring Demon Fire surpassed Fang Xing's expectations; its ferocity left Wan Xiang the Old Demon stunned.

Whoosh!

The fireball burning the Robe of Celestial Will suddenly exploded, scorching a gaping hole through the Spirit Treasure robe.

Fang Xing surged forward; with the combined power of his Ten Thousand Dharma Ghost Infant and his own Nascent Soul, his spiritual energy now rivaled that of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

The Green Yang Shield expanded violently, flinging the scorched Green Demon Staff away.

Wu Hun the Demon followed close behind, forming an encircling assault.

Anyone witnessing this scene would be utterly astounded.

Fang Xing, a newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator, was overpowering Wan Xiang the Old Demon, a veteran True Sovereign.

At that moment, sudden change erupted!

On Wan Xiang's plump face appeared a cruel, mysterious smile: "You've used my sect's treasures—now it's time to pay them back! Go!"

He formed a mysterious hand seal; Wu Hun the Demon froze instantly, its aura fluctuating wildly.

Then, Fang Xing's head—the Ten Thousand Dharma Ghost Infant—screamed, clutching its head.

Even the Green Yang Shield, activated by the Green Yang Demon Lamp, grew unstable.

Fang Xing sensed hidden seals within Wu Hun's body erupting in violent chaos!

"You—"

His face twisted in shock; he reeled backward.

"Hah! These false Nascent Soul and demonic corpses were crafted by my Wan Xiang Sect—hidden seals abound, far more than you can imagine!"

Wan Xiang's spiritual energy surged violently; he formed another seal, and before him materialized a golden Dharma Body!

This Dharma Body had four faces and eight arms, clad in a robe of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning; its eight limbs were either scaled or wrapped in pale-gold Sanskrit script—each radiating extraordinary power as they reached for Fang Xing!

This fourth-rank Dharma Body was Wan Xiang's final trump card, long concealed.

Even when cornered by Chu Chu Kuangtu in the past, nearly to death, he never revealed it.

Now, he unleashed it fully—to kill Fang Xing, this new Nascent Soul, or at least destroy his body and delay his cultivation.

Fang Xing's face broke into a faint smile.

Above his head, the previously writhing Ten Thousand Dharma Ghost Infant sprang to life, wielding a scorched-tail qin and smashing it forward with all its might!

After ascending to Nascent Soul, Fang Xing's spiritual energy now rivaled that of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator—he had finally forcibly subdued the qin's spirit, no longer needing to wear Mu Mu Wansheng's mask each time he summoned it.

Though the Ten Thousand Dharma Ghost Infant bore the most hidden seals, Fang Xing had purged them entirely with the Great Sun Tathagata Spell.

Thus, all seals were long since inert.

His earlier feigned backlash? A trap to lure the enemy in.

Zing!

The scorched-tail qin emitted a clear, resonant note; a magnificent, beautiful phoenix of scorched tail feathers materialized, blocking the four-faced, eight-armed Dharma Body.

Combining the power of his two Nascent Souls, Fang Xing summoned a phantom of the Rusted Iron Sword; a blade of light pierced heaven and earth, like a white dragon, slicing through the breach in the Robe of Celestial Will and cleaving straight through Wan Xiang's physical body!

Plop!

Wan Xiang the Old Demon was split cleanly in two, blood spraying across the sky!

(End of Chapter)