Chapter 352: Chapter Twelve: Slaying the Enemy

Gazing at the pile of mushy, blurred flesh and blood at the bottom of the pit.

For a moment, all around was utterly silent; only the vast long wind swept across the wilds, making a rustling sound.

"Xiao Xiao Shixiong Tang Du... did he die just like that?"

On the White Bone Flying Boat, Ruan Liang's lips moved slightly.

A trace of bewilderment and helplessness appeared in his pupils; he seemed unable to believe it, suspecting instead that he had fallen under some nightmare spell.

As a mere disciple of a Dao lineage, he repeatedly achieved military merit, eventually gaining the favor of an Elder from the Huzhaoshang Sect, who personally accepted him into their sect.

Within days, he was to cultivate at the Huzhao Lower Courtyard and obtain a proper status.

Tang Du's experience was truly extraordinary!

In the five hundred years at Snake Longshan, he was the only one such person!

And Ruan Liang knew.

Tang Du's entire skill set far surpassed that of those disciples from the Huzhao Lower Courtyard.

Even compared to those true Huzhao sect members, he was not inferior in the least; they could stand on equal footing!

For a figure like this, it was not said that he could defeat Chen Heng.

But for Chen Heng to withstand several exchanges under his hand before calmly retreating, losing the fight but not the momentum, should not have been difficult.

Yet Ruan Liang truly had not expected.

When facing Chen Heng.

Tang Du had not even had time to unleash a fraction of the Jing Miao Dao Fa he had learned before being crushed to death as if by a mountain falling from the sky.

Under that overwhelming force, neither his physical body nor his primordial spirit could escape; both form and spirit were extinguished.

Such a tragic outcome truly shook Ruan Liang's heart and mind, leaving no trace of composure on his face.

And at this moment.

It was not only Ruan Liang who was terrified.

Most of the Huzhao disciples also had flickering eyes, filled with anxiety and unease.

"With Tang Du's methods, he still died so cleanly; even if I personally stepped forward to face Chen Heng alone, I fear I would hardly be able to defeat him, and losing would be even more disgraceful..."

The Hemp-Robed Daoist silently sighed in his heart.

He swept his gaze around and saw that several fellow sect members beside him were watching their noses with their eyes and their hearts with their noses, pretending to be oblivious to what had just happened on the battlefield, so he immediately understood.

The Hemp-Robed Daoist helplessly shook his head, then simply imitated them, lowering his eyes slightly to stare straight at the tips of his shoes, not moving an inch.

"To actually bring this child here? No wonder Yu Yu Shitong dared to accept my conditions; but when two armies clash in battle, how can one person's strength change the outcome?

Even if you are allowed to triumph for a moment now, the matter of offering up the land in three months' time is destined to remain unchanged by you!"

At the Xuanluojindian.

Tao Zhen, seated calmly on a cloud couch, gazed at Chen Heng's figure, his eyes surging with fierce light.

But after pondering for a while, he chose to temporarily suppress the killing intent in his heart.

Immediately after, he looked out of the hall at those Huzhao disciples who stood motionless, as if roots had grown beneath their feet.

At this moment, Tao Zhen also felt a slight helplessness in his heart.

He could not help but feel a sense of frustration that the iron had not been forged into steel.

He knew this was because Chen Heng's method of killing Tang Du just now had been too clean.

Like a mountain range crushing an egg, it consumed no effort, collapsing with a single strike.

And although Tang Du was a disciple from the lower Dao lineages.

When it came to methods and scheming, this person was not inferior in the slightest to true Huzhao sect members!

With his disastrous example serving as a warning ahead.

That these Huzhao disciples were afraid to fight and dared not face Chen Heng alone was hardly a strange occurrence...

"If Gu Yi were here today, how could she allow this brat to show off his power! Alas, her status is different after all, and I have no authority to restrict her movements..."

A trace of regret appeared in Tao Zhen's eyes as he thought.

And after frowning.

Seeing that Chen Heng stood alone in the sky yet suppressed the thousands of troops of the Huzhao camp, with no one daring to step forward, silent as winter cicadas.

Their own sharp spirit had been blunted.

Truly causing great damage to their prestige...

Tao Zhen's gaze could only turn toward a Piandian of the Xuanluojindian, his lips moving slightly as he transmitted a few words.

And when he finished speaking.

The two elders inside the Piandian exchanged glances, both showing a trace of helplessness on their faces.

"Eldest Brother... what is to be done about this?"

The Green-Robed Elder looked at the old Daoist opposite him, his brows deeply furrowed, seeming somewhat dissatisfied.

But before he could continue speaking.

The old Daoist expressionlessly raised a hand and interrupted, saying:

"Tang Du died so miserably, yet now that Gu Yi happens to be absent.

Looking across all Huzhao disciples, who dares to step forward to fight that Chen Heng? Even if one insisted on going forward, it would merely be throwing away one's life in vain!

But if we allow a mere Dongxuan Refiner to suppress the prestige of the great Huzhao Sect, once this spreads, not only will True Person Tao be criticized, but we too will lose face!"

"Even if we must fight, why must it be our Snake Longshan that steps forward? In the Dao lineages of Form-Splitting Temple, Five Yin Palace, and even the Divine Crow Altar and Mist-Weaving Sect that Tao Zhen brought along.

Can no Jin Dan True Persons be found among them?"

The Green-Robed Elder let out a cold laugh, disdainfully transmitting a remark, saying:

"This is clearly that old ghost Tao Zhen holding a grudge against our Snake Longshan and deliberately making things difficult!"

……

The green-robed elder was named Wang Yi.

The old Daoist was called Wang Qi.

The two were biological brothers, both elders of Snake Longshan.

Not to mention the Form-Splitting Temple and the Five Yin Palace.

There were also the two great Dao lineages, the Divine Crow Altar and the Mist-Weaving Sect, which Tao Zhen had specially brought along for what followed.

Solely for the sake of Snake Longshan, and to deal with this current dispute in Yu Yang Kingdom.

They had already dispatched five Jin Dan True Persons, including Wang Yi and Wang Qi; this was nearly half the manpower of their mountain gate, so it could not be said they had not done their utmost.

Yet the matter of Tang Du being utterly suppressed and slain had already filled Wang Yi's heart with extreme displeasure; he clenched his wrist in grief and regretted ever letting Tang Du join this fray.

But now Tao Zhen had inexplicably ordered Wang Qi to take the field and fight that Chen Heng.

Running through these events from start to finish truly ignited fury in Wang Yi's heart, making him unable to restrain his anger.

He only suspected that Tao Zhen was deliberately targeting them, intending to make things difficult for their Snake Longshan!

"Tang Du's death was simply due to his poor fortune; it cannot be blamed on others.

As for True Person Tao ordering me to take the field, it is because I possess a certain Dharma treasure that should be able to suppress that Chen Heng somewhat; do not overthink it."

Hearing this, the old Daoist Wang Qi smiled, shook his head, and sent a secret voice transmission:

"Nevertheless, today's affairs are altogether precarious; now that Xiao Xiao Shixiong Huang and the others are guarding the rear, they still do not know of Tang Du's death.

I fear that once he learns of this matter, he will fly into a violent rage; when that time comes, you, my brother, must dissuade him from acting, and do not let him advance too rashly."

Hearing this, Wang Yi was stunned; he vaguely detected the meaning of settling affairs after death in Wang Qi's words and could not help but feel surprised.

"This person Chen Heng was the champion of the Yu Yu Yuchen great competition; he cannot be judged by ordinary standards, and his defeated opponent He He Lizi, back in those days, was able to reverse-slay a Jin Dan while still at the Cave-Mystic realm.

Today's battle will likely be difficult to handle..."

Wang Qi sighed once and said nothing more.

He merely flicked his sleeve, mounted a trail of ink-green cloud qi, flew out of the Xuanluojindian, and arrived before the battle lines.

"To actually send out a Jin Dan True Person to engage in Dharma combat with Chen Chen Shidi? It seems the Huzhao Sect has exhausted its skills!"

On the opposite side, within the Jade Scenery Flying Palace.

Seeing that the newcomer was actually Wang Qi, this True Person of Snake Longshan.

Wang Sen could not help but clap his hands and laugh, then spoke to Yu Yu Shitong, who sat at the head:

"Xiao Xiao Shixiong Yu, why not let your junior brother take the field and slay this shameless old thief!

After all, Chen Chen Shidi is currently only at Cave-Mystic Second Layer; if he faces someone of the Jin Dan and even a single flaw appears, the outcome will inevitably be unpleasant."

Yu Yu Shitong remained composed, shook his head, and said:

"He is merely a True Person of a minor Dao lineage; with Chen Chen Shidi's methods, dealing with him is hardly a difficult task.

Just remain seated in the hall and quietly watch Chen Chen Shidi defeat the enemy."

And just as Wang Qi rode his clouds out to the front.

Within the Yu Yu Yuchen camp.

Low murmurs of discussion arose everywhere, and most of the cultivators' faces bore a trace of mockery.

However, Wang Qi was, after all, an old and cunning figure; within his chest lay his own depth of scheming.

Facing all those gazes, his expression showed no disturbance; speaking and smiling naturally, he cupped his fists toward Chen Heng and said:

"Refiner Chen, at such a young age, you have already attained such cultivation and methods; truly, this fills this old one's heart with immense envy, yet this old one has, after all, lived a few years longer than you, and my magic power also surpasses yours by several notches."

Wang Qi held his left hand behind his back, slowly stroked his long beard with his right hand, and said in a calm voice:

"Why does Refiner Chen not withdraw now? In doing so, you could still preserve your reputation and lose none of your prestige; how about that?"

Hearing this, Chen Heng smiled faintly and said:

"Since I began cultivating the Dao, I have never yet slain a True Person of the Immortal Dao by my own means; as for today, it seems I can make up for this regret."

"Presumptuous! You, young brat, are utterly arrogant!"

Wang Qi's eyebrows twitched, and his face flushed crimson.

Just as others expected this elder to utter some rebuttal.

He instead moved his sleeve, and his left hand, which had been behind his back, suddenly flung out a handful of star sand, hurling it straight at Chen Heng's face!

At the same time, he let out a fierce shout; the sound waves rolled forth like calamitous waters surging to the sky, churning and crashing, slicing several small hilltops along the way into fragments!

Chen Heng had long been on guard in his heart and naturally would not be struck by this hidden move.

With merely a shift of thought, he merged his body with his sword, transformed into a rainbow sword light, and dodged aside, causing both the star sand and the rolling sound waves to fall on empty air.

At the same time, he waved his great sleeve, releasing a scroll of bleak, vivid red water that surged forward pressingly, intending to engulf Wang Qi within the watery waves.

"Truly a distinguished disciple of Yu Yu Yuchen; such trivial tricks cannot deceive him."

Wang Qi thought silently to himself.

And seeing the red water pressing forth vast and mighty, blotting out the sun and sky with extremely formidable momentum.

He dared not underestimate it; he circulated his magic power once more and let out two consecutive fierce roars, shaking the sky above until it emitted an earth-shattering boom!

He actually roared the entire sky-full of red water apart, scattering it into countless crystal-clear droplets suspended across the celestial canopy!

This was a sound-attack divine ability of the Snake Dragon Temple.

Besides directly destroying a person's physical body, it also possessed the hidden effect of harming the divine soul.

In the past, when facing ordinary Cave-Mystic refiners.

Wang Qi needed only to emit a single shout, and that Cave-Mystic cultivator would immediately suffer a headache as if pierced by ten thousand needles, collapse to the ground, and be left at Wang Qi's mercy to slaughter.

However, today against Chen Heng, Wang Qi had already employed this technique a full three times in succession, yet had seen no effect whatsoever.

This left him, amidst his surprise.

At the same time, his heart grew ever more cautious...

And very soon.

In just a few breaths' time.

The Red Water, previously scattered by Wang Shu's roar, once again took the form of flying stone arrows, numbering in the hundreds and thousands, tearing through the atmosphere and shooting forth!

Wang Shu felt helpless at heart; he knew this Yin-Eroding Red Water specialized in defiling magical treasures and flesh, so he dared not block it head-on with his dharma artifact.

While secretly guarding against the flying sword, he could only pull several handfuls of Star Sand from his sleeve and strike directly at the incoming Red Water.

For a moment.

The vast sky was filled only with exploding roars rising one after another, deafening to the ear.

Within the red smoke and fiery light, the figures of Chen Heng and Wang Shu flashed and vanished unpredictably, now east, now west, constantly chasing each other.

Truly dazzling to the eye and overwhelming to behold!

"If we continue fighting like this, I'll just be led by the nose by this junior..."

At this moment, the protective Dharma robe on Wang Shu suddenly erupted with a ring of demonic flames, barely blocking the abruptly killing sword qi at the hair's breadth moment.

Yet even so, a sharp wound was slashed across Wang Shu's chest and abdomen, bleeding endlessly.

Faintly visible within were the pulsating internal organs.

Wang Shu frowned, circulated his Mo Gong, and his entire skeleton cracked with sound; his stature surged like Tang Du before him, transforming similarly into a colossal demonic monster resembling both dragon and snake, spitting cloud qi.

Once this form appeared.

The deep sword wound between his chest and abdomen instantly healed considerably.

At the same time, Wang Shu took a deep breath, fiercely circulating the Jin Dan beneath his abdomen, causing every scale to glow.

Immediately, countless phantom snakes and dragons burst forth from within him, a dense swarm that, roughly counted, numbered nearly ten thousand, blocking the sun and sky, stirring up endless foul, turbid yin winds!

Making the area within a radius of ten-plus li dim and lightless, making it difficult to see even the San Cun Di Zhi Jie before one's eyes!

Seeing this, a hint of mockery appeared on Chen Heng's face; he raised a finger and pointed forward, likewise fully activating his Innate Great Sun Divine Light, radiating blazing, majestic brilliance.

No matter how those phantom snakes and dragons charged, they would turn to charred ash and flying dust, unable to achieve Xiao Jian Gong.

Moreover, he formed a Shou Nie Yin with one hand, and before Wang Shu's horrified gaze, several bolts of Zi Qing Shen Lei split the hundred-zhang sky and struck his face.

Cleansing filth and turbidity, clarifying heaven and earth!

With an unstoppable force.

In an instant, it fiercely swallowed Wang Shu's figure whole!

Within the orthodox Xian Dao De Fa lineage, above Dao Arts lies Divine Abilities, and the True Qi of a Dongxuan Refiner is clearly inferior to the magic power of a Jin Dan True Person.

Barring accidents.

For a Dongxuan cultivator to rebel against and defeat a Jin Dan cultivator is truly an extremely difficult feat to accomplish.

However, for the geniuses and outstanding talents of great sects, this matter is not without precedent.

For instance, He He Lizi killing Wang Shu is a recent, concrete example right before our eyes.

At this moment, after the dust and noise had slightly scattered.

Only Wang Shu's demonic body could be seen, already battered beyond recognition, with most of its scales broken and flesh and blood blurred.

He barely clung to a single breath of life, yet could no longer fight for much longer.

"Big Brother?!"

Wang Yi's pupils contracted sharply; he cried out in shock, disregarding all dignity, and immediately transformed into light to rush out, heading straight for Chen Heng.

Obviously intending to force Chen Heng to stop his attack with an offensive pressure, buying Wang Shu a chance to catch his breath.

The moment he moved.

It naturally caused an uproar throughout the Yu Yu Yuchen camp.

Several people wished to step forward and block him, but they saw Chen Heng had already prematurely formed hand seals and blasted out several mountain peaks, blocking Wang Yi's path.

And just as Wang Yi soared into the air.

Chen Heng simultaneously formed a seal and struck out.

Although surprise flashed across Wang Shu's face, he suddenly revealed a strange smile; immediately after, from the dense clouds in the distance, a great snake suddenly rolled out, revealing its form.

The great snake held a treasure mirror the size of a fist in its mouth; with just a shake, a beam of colored glaze light shot from the mirror's surface.

With speed faster than thunder, leaving no time to cover one's ears, it rushed straight for Chen Heng's face!

This mirror is named the Spirit-Shifting Mirror.

It is a Zhong Pin Fa magical treasure of the Snake-Longshan.

Once struck by the light emitted from this treasure mirror, no matter how impressive one's Xue Xuan Gong, one's Yuan Spirit will temporarily be shifted into the mirror, unable to command the body.

In this way.

Life and death can naturally be decided easily!

However, although this treasure is excellent, it also has one drawback.

That is, it can only exert its power within a maximum range of thirty zhang.

Once beyond the thirty-zhang scope, it becomes useless and cannot stabilize an opponent's Yuan Spirit in the slightest.

Ever since beginning his Dharma battle with Chen Heng, Wang Shu had been secretly locking onto this mirror with his divine sense, seeking an opportunity to use it.

Alas, Chen Heng's sword escape was ghostly and unpredictable, truly making it impossible for him to seize any opportunity, leaving him only secretly anxious.

And the reason he previously disregarded the loss of magic power to release those countless phantom snakes and dragons.

Was precisely to take advantage of the chaos to slip the Spirit-Shifting Mirror into the belly of one of the snake-dragons, thereby deceiving Chen Heng's senses and bringing it within thirty zhang of his person.

Now, this maneuver had finally succeeded.

Making Wang Shu feel as if he had drunk sweet dew, his heart and body both relaxed!

Although Wang Yi's sudden intervention surprised Wang Shu slightly, it did no harm.

At this moment, under the gaze of countless eyes.

Only to see the colorful light of glazed glass pierce through the vast sky in an instant.

However, contrary to Wang Qi's expectations, the colorful light did not freeze Chen Heng's body.

Instead, with a "puchi" sound, it shattered him into pieces!

"Is it a fake body?!"

Wang Qi's pupils dilated wildly as this thought flashed through his mind in an instant.

But he had no time to dwell on it; the light and shadow swayed slightly, and from the corner of his eye, he only vaguely caught a glimpse of a crimson beam flashing past.

The next instant.

A headless, broken corpse fell from the cloud top, blood spraying like rain, drenching the hills below in red!

"Eldest Brother?!"

From the moment Wang Qi activated the Moving Spirit Mirror, to Chen Heng dodging with a fake body, and then slicing off his head with a single sword strike.

All these actions occurred in the blink of an eye, truly catching people off guard.

And at this time.

Wang Yi had just finished smashing the mountains blocking his path one by one, only to see that Wang Qi was already devoid of breath, his primordial spirit also extinguished together.

Rage made his hair stand on end; he let out a fierce roar and launched his magical treasure, shaped like a coiled-dragon halberd, unleashing layers of brilliant light that illuminated the heavens.

He fiercely split the atmosphere and slashed ruthlessly down toward Chen Heng's neck!

"Do not rush; I will soon send you all to reunite."

Chen Heng raised a hand and likewise released his magical treasure; the Five Qi Peng Qian Kun Ring emitted rolling clouds of mist, steadily catching the fierce beam slashed out by the coiled-dragon halberd.

At the same time, the Moon Wheel Mirror shot forth a cluster of grim, cold light, striking straight at Wang Yi's head.

Sword beams and divine light exchanged blows, spinning and moving, as waves of colorful light rose up.

Roars of anger rang out continuously, lingering in the air for a long time.

And after fighting for nearly a hundred exchanges.

All the clamor suddenly fell silent.

Only Wang Yi, with his hair bun disheveled, was seen fleeing in panic atop a wisp of black smoke; on his face there was no more fury, only a trace of deep terror from Li Yi Mo, as he desperately fled toward the Xuanluojindian with a reckless posture.

But he had not fled even a few li.

When a beam of sword light easily caught up from behind.

After forcefully splitting open Wang Yi's protective magic power, shaking him until he coughed up mouthfuls of blood and his face turned deathly pale.

The sword light spun around his body a few times, then suddenly vanished, returning to the distant cloud top.

"..."

At this moment, Wang Yi's movements came to an abrupt halt.

He turned his head to look back, as if wanting to say something.

But his body suddenly stiffened, then instantly cracked into dozens of pieces mid-air, falling miserably to the dust, likewise devoid of breath.

Unity

(End of Chapter)