Chapter 379: Killing (Requesting Moon Tickets)

"Second Nascent Soul! Purple-Blue Fire Dragon… you… you are the Lord of Mingkun Island!"

"That's not right… why is your Second Nascent Soul at the Late Nascent Soul stage?"

Grand True Lord Dark Cloud stared at the Second Nascent Soul battling the puppet Black Dragon, his expression stunned.

Then his expression turned utterly resolute: "Friend, now that you've revealed your identity, you clearly have no intention of letting me leave this place?"

"From how well you know the Lord of Mingkun Island's secrets, it's clear you've long harbored ill will toward me. Isn't it only right that you stay here forever?"

Fang Xing chuckled: "I once thought you had some fortune. Now I see your fortune has run out today."

He pressed two fingers into a sword stance, sending two thick golden sword lights into the Sword Dragon.

The golden Sword Dragon let out a long roar, and countless Great Freedom Golden Sword Vajra rays flashed, shattering black blades.

In the end, the sky's black lightning vanished, and the black blade spiritual treasure let out a mournful cry—then snapped clean in two!

The golden Sword Dragon immediately roared and slammed one claw toward Grand True Lord Dark Cloud.

Grand True Lord Dark Cloud staggered, and a pitch-black shield materialized before him.

Shiiii!

Sword qi struck the black shield, leaving countless deep sword scars.

"Hmph? Not bad. Your strength is formidable even among Grand True Lords—but too bad you met me…"

Fang Xing sighed lightly and swung his sword.

This strike was utterly unlike the previous ones—it was a sword intent condensed to its absolute peak.

In heaven and earth, only this one vast white line remained.

A flash of white light—and the fourth-rank superior defense spiritual treasure, the Black Shield, split cleanly in two, its cut perfectly smooth.

It was the astonishing sword art: One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Methods!

After slicing through the Black Cloud Shield, the sword light didn't pause a moment—it swept across Grand True Lord Dark Cloud's body, cleaving him in two.

Shhh!

A flash of blood—and a tattered straw doll appeared in place, severed at the waist.

Dozens of zhang away, a flash of light revealed Grand True Lord Dark Cloud's figure; blood trickled from his lips, his face deathly pale, his ten fingers spinning like windmills as he tapped rapidly.

Dozens of black threads shot out, sinking into the surrounding dark clouds.

Countless dark clouds churned, transforming into strange beasts, puppets, flying birds, and even armored soldiers riding black steeds, forming a vast army that surged toward Fang Xing!

Grand True Lord Dark Cloud's true spiritual treasure was neither the black blade nor the shield—it was this "Dark Cloud Pearl!"

It could transform endlessly, making it nearly impossible to resist.

"All show and no substance. Still, quite amusing."

Fang Xing chuckled. Since breaking through to Late Nascent Soul, he'd had no worthy opponents—he'd been holding back, using Grand True Lord Dark Cloud to practice his techniques.

He hadn't expected this Grand True Lord to possess a fifth-rank survival treasure capable of escaping his single sword strike.

But… he had only this one survival treasure left.

This strike had given Fang Xing a clear sense of his cultivation avatar's strength—it ranked among the absolute top tier below Divine Transformation, with endless techniques capable of handling most foes.

Next, let the Second Nascent Soul finish this man.

Grand True Lord Dark Cloud's heart trembled in horror; his spiritual sense swept—and he saw a sight that made his eyes burst with rage.

The fourth-rank superior puppet he had worked so hard to obtain was now engulfed by two Purple-Blue Fire Dragons, being continuously refined.

Under the crushing assault of the terrifying Purple-Blue Divine Flames, the Black Dragon Puppet's spiritual radiance dimmed, then shattered into countless broken runes.

The Second Nascent Soul chuckled coldly and raised his hand, releasing a jet of pitch-black demonic light.

The blade of light slashed through the air, severing the Black Dragon Puppet into two halves.

The Purple-Blue Fire Dragons surged forward, refining the two halves into scrap iron in a single burn…

After disposing of the puppet, the Second Nascent Soul gazed at the surging Black Cloud Myriad Forms and blew gently toward the Green Yang Demon Lamp.

Threads of Purple-Blue Divine Flame flew out, landing on one of the strange beasts formed from Dark Cloud's clouds.

The beast instantly became a torch; countless Purple-Blue Divine Flames exploded, burning nearby dark cloud beasts, the fire surging like a tidal wave and engulfing the dark clouds from behind!

"No!"

Feeling his soul being scorched, Grand True Lord Dark Cloud hastily gestured, retracting dozens of mu of dark clouds.

The endless dark clouds twisted into a vortex, sucked into a whirlpool, and condensed into a single black pearl that landed in his palm.

Yet now, a thread of Purple-Blue Flame still burned stubbornly on the pearl's surface…

Since the "Dark Cloud Pearl" was Grand True Lord Dark Cloud's true spiritual treasure, and the Purple-Blue Divine Flame inherited the Soul-Eating Demon Flame's ability to burn souls, the moment the pearl was scorched, his soul was severely wounded as well.

"Lord of Mingkun Island, I admit defeat in this matter… please show mercy."

Grand True Lord Dark Cloud's body instantly split into nine, each identical in aura, fleeing in different directions.

"Admit defeat?"

"You ruined my business, injured my people, and now you think a simple apology lets you walk away?"

Fang Xing sneered and no longer concealed his identity.

His spiritual sense swept—and under the power of the "Ten Thousand Hearts" secret technique, he confirmed the true body of the fleeing Grand True Lord Dark Cloud.

Then the Ten Thousand Methods Ghost Nascent Soul grinned and vanished in a flash, using Nascent Soul Instant Movement to catch up to one of the fleeing illusions.

"Go!"

The Ten Thousand Methods Ghost Nascent Soul formed hand seals; a speck of Purple-Blue Divine Flame fell from the Green Yang Demon Lamp, transforming into a palm-sized miniature bow, which the ghost Nascent Soul gripped and aimed at Grand True Lord Dark Cloud.

Sssshhh!

The bow cracked like thunder, the string shrieking!

A Purple-Blue fire arrow struck Grand True Lord Dark Cloud instantly, piercing through layers of defense and embedding itself in his spiritual body.

"Aaaah!"

Grand True Lord Dark Cloud screamed as his spiritual body turned to ash.

But the next instant, silver light flashed thousands of zhang away—a weakened Nascent Soul appeared, clutching the black pearl still burning with Purple-Blue Flame.

"Nascent Soul Instant Movement? I can do that too!" The Ten Thousand Methods Ghost Shadow grinned, flickering several times and catching up to Grand True Lord Dark Cloud's Nascent Soul.

Then…

A terrifying white corpse aura surged into the sky.

A hand like jade suddenly reached out, sealing space, and seized Grand True Lord Dark Cloud in its palm.

The last thing Grand True Lord Dark Cloud saw before fainting was the figure of a woman with skin like luminous jade, radiating divine light.

"A quasi-fifth-rank corpse, indeed useful."

Fang Xing patted his Corpse Storage Bag.

This corpse was a gift from Master Meng the Demon, instantly surpassing his previous fourth-rank superior corpse.

Having finished all this, Fang Xing turned and smiled at Fire Dragon True Lord: "Friend, you're late."

Fire Dragon True Lord was stunned: "Did Grand True Lord Dark Cloud… die? Not only that—he didn't even escape with his Nascent Soul?"

'I had actually thought that after advancing to Nascent Soul True Lord, I could call Mingkun "Senior Brother"…'

He immediately beamed: "Thank you, Senior Uncle Mingkun, for saving me! Your humble nephew has here a 'Ten Thousand Swords Map,' acquired within the mountain gate—perfect to offer to Senior Uncle!"

"No need."

Fang Xing waved his hand dismissively: "By the way, where's Tai Bai?"

"Since being expelled from the mountain gate by the Array Spirit, I parted ways with Senior Brother Tai Bai…"

Fire Dragon True Lord suddenly gritted his teeth: "But I suspect the Sword Killing Line knows of many treasures within the mountain gate—Senior Brother Tai Bai may have secured a Divine Transformation opportunity."

Between Fang Xing and Tai Bai Immortal, Fire Dragon True Lord had no choice.

"Oh? He's lucky, then…"

Fang Xing nodded indifferently: "Too bad Tai Bai is still far from Divine Transformation. He's probably planning to hide until he reaches that stage…"

In this world, if a cultivator somehow obtained an opportunity to break through a major realm, most would make the same choice as Tai Bai Immortal.

Fang Xing understood perfectly.

If it were him, he'd likely do the same.

The only difference? He had confidence.

But since he barely cared about Divine Transformation Spirit Paste, he cared even less about the Divine Transformation opportunity Tai Bai Immortal obtained.

If Divine Transformation Spirit Paste could increase the chance of success by two or three tenths…

The other Divine Transformation opportunities from the Spirit Soul Sword Sect could raise it by no more than half a tenth.

Still, for a Nascent Soul True Lord, even half a tenth was worth dying for!

"Oh…"

Fang Xing remained noncommittal: "Fire Dragon, nephew… what are your plans for the future of Iron Sword Gate?"

"This…" Fire Dragon True Lord froze, then bowed deeply: "I humbly beg your guidance, Senior Uncle."

"My Mingkun Island is for my own use—I can't give it to you. But nearby lies Tianyin Island, also a fourth-rank spiritual vein. Since I conquered Tianyin Sect, I've neglected it, and now it's been occupied by scattered cultivators. I'll grant it to you as the foundation for Iron Sword Gate!"

"This… thank you, Senior Uncle, for your kindness."

Fire Dragon True Lord quickly thanked him.

"We're fellow disciples—why thank? But in the future, the Spirit Soul Sword Sect's legacy will rest on your shoulders. If any outstanding disciples arise in your sect, bring them to me—I'll even teach them the 'Spirit Void Sword Scripture.'"

Fang Xing smiled.

He owed too much to the Spirit Soul Sword Sect's legacy—he could repay part of it by passing on its teachings.

But he certainly had no intention of doing it himself—he'd leave it to Fire Dragon True Lord and Iron Sword Gate.

'Tai Bai Immortal can reach Late Nascent Soul without issue—he can be put to work. If he breaks through to Divine Transformation, I'll appoint him as Iron Sword Gate's Supreme Elder. Then all problems are solved.'

Fang Xing silently gave himself a thumbs-up, not even considering whether the White Lotus Immortal would agree.

After all, even if the other had reached Ascension, he was still nowhere near Fang Xing's match.

Even this cultivation avatar of his could easily crush the opponent.

'In fact… my breakthrough to Ascension will far outpace his.'

Thinking this, Fang Xing immediately restored his true appearance and returned to the Mingkun Island marketplace.

'What…'

Hong Wanjing, seeing this, could not help but widen his eyes.

Fang Xing arrived at the Teleportation Hall and found a scene of carnage.

Fire Dragon True Lord might still have had some reservations, but Dark Cloud Great True Lord, eager to save time, had no taboos whatsoever.

All cultivators present, except Ni Huolong, were dead.

'Island Master…'

Ni Huolong, his robe soaked in blood, stepped forward and bowed: 'Your servant failed in his duty…'

'Enough…'

Fang Xing scanned the area, his voice echoing throughout: 'Just now, Dark Cloud Great True Lord violated Mingkun Island's rules—he has been executed by me, the Island Master. Return to your duties. The dead will be generously compensated…'

'Dark Cloud Great True Lord—that's a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator? He wasn't just driven off… he's dead?'

The representatives of numerous factions exchanged glances, trembling all over, and hurried back to relay the news everywhere.

From this day forward, the name of the Mingkun Island Master truly resounded across the entire Hanhai cultivation world…

(End of Chapter)