Chapter 530: Meeting on the Dao Path

He Li Zi was now in a sorry state; his superior protective robe had dimmed in spiritual radiance, his body bore several sword wounds, and half his official hat had been sliced off.

Clearly, in this sword duel with Zhou Fu Jia, he had been thoroughly outmatched, firmly dominated by the latter.

Yet even after such setbacks, He Li Zi’s face showed no sign of despair or fear; instead, his sword intent grew even fiercer and more unstoppable.

He casually swallowed a few lingzhi herbs, then reactivated his flying sword and clashed once more with Zhou Fu Jia.

In an instant, the two flying swords clashed again, darting back and forth like lightning, swirling through the air, filling the sky with shimmering light and swirling mist.

It was as if a vast expanse of glazed porcelain had shattered, glittering and shimmering, vividly dazzling the eyes.

Though dazzling and wondrous to behold, a chilling killing intent filled the azure heavens, lingering without fading.

Merely sensing it caused a sharp pain in the soul, a cold dread along the spine—no one dared approach!

“A true swordseed.”

Zhou Fu Jia murmured in silent praise.

He casually flicked his fingers, and his flying sword, named “Shi Yang,” suddenly broke free from the entanglement, shot upward through the clouds, and returned to hover around him.

Shi Yang flashed once, instantly blocking and deflecting all twelve of He Li Zi’s incoming sword qi in a single motion.

At this moment, Zhou Fu Jia saw that He Li Zi had activated the Sword Light Division technique.

The twelve swords, emitting cold light, suddenly split into thirty-six, weaving back and forth, as if enclosing He Li Zi in a tightly woven net.

Around him, the air hissed with tearing sounds, sharp winds cutting his face—a fierce, deadly aura!

Zhou Fu Jia shook his head, yet made no further move, merely forming a single sword finger with one hand.

No matter how He Li Zi divided his sword light to attack, he could not break through Shi Yang’s defense; it remained firmly entangled, unable to advance.

And truthfully, this was one of the few times Zhou Fu Jia had fought with such satisfaction since entering the Emperor’s Ancestral Map.

Earlier, when Zhou Fu Jia faced Yu Huangshang, Yu Huangshang, due to various concerns, had been unwilling to fully commit his strength, fearing that a clash between two tigers would benefit a third.

After several days of prolonged combat, Yu Huangshang finally grew impatient.

He first engaged Zhou Fu Jia in direct, thousands-of-clashes combat, then seized an opening, unleashed the “Five Calendars of Chaotic Light Spindle” to disrupt sword-sense perception, and escaped via earth Dun , vanishing from Zhou Fu Jia’s sight.

But shortly after that, Zhou Fu Jia encountered Lu Tingyun and He Li Zi.

For Zhou Fu Jia, this was an unexpected stroke of fortune.

Lu Tingyun needed no further mention.

As a fellow sect member, Zhou Fu Jia was well aware of his capabilities.

Lu Tingyun was indeed an extraordinary swordmaster, his techniques impressive—but he had yet reached the Realm of Manipulation, and thus was not among the top-tier Golden Core cultivators of the Nine Provinces, nor a match for Zhou Fu Jia.

Only He Li Zi…

At this thought, Zhou Fu Jia felt a faint regret, shaking his head slightly.

He Li Zi had simply cultivated for too short a time; his foundation was insufficient.

Though he was only one step away from entering the third level of Golden Core.

The reason he had not yet broken through that barrier was precisely because He Li Zi believed he possessed the ability to shatter the dome entirely and bring his inner vision to nine-tenths maturity.

But due to insufficient preparation, he had not dared to break through lightly.

Yet regardless, his Golden Core second-level cultivation was an undeniable fact.

This meant that no matter how exceptional his talent, in this Golden Core Assembly, he was inherently at a disadvantage, lacking the foundational magic power to compete.

“If he had reached Golden Core third level, he might have truly let me enjoy myself. As it stands, he’s merely a distraction.”

Zhou Fu Jia thought, withdrawing his gaze.

Though He Li Zi’s assault continued relentlessly, like overlapping tides, each wave higher than the last—as if he had gained some insight from this duel, his sword momentum subtly stronger than before.

But Zhou Fu Jia had lost interest in watching; his thoughts turned elsewhere.

Chen Hang…

In terms of cultivation years, this one seemed even younger than He Li Zi.

Yet he had already reached Golden Core third level, his inner vision complete, equal in cultivation to Zhou Fu Jia and other veteran Golden Core cultivators.

And Chen Hang’s sword art was higher, not lower, than He Li Zi’s!

“Only such a person is worthy of a truly satisfying battle with me!”

Zhou Fu Jia’s eyes suddenly blazed with sharp light.

At that moment, a thunderous roar exploded beside Zhou Fu Jia’s ear, piercing straight into his eardrums!

Liao Huidu rolled up his sleeve, and a yellow talisman shot swiftly into the heavens, summoning boundless storm winds and thunderfire, its radiance blazing, instantly illuminating dozens of li around, and with a single crash, it came crashing down from above!

One of the Forty-Nine Supreme Pure Talismans of the Tai Fu Palace—

The Divine Mansion Celestial Pivot Thunder Talisman!

As thunder roared across the sky, at the exact same moment, a sword light pierced heaven and earth.

Like lightning streaking across a rainbow, blazing fiercely, impossibly swift, aimed straight at Zhou Fu Jia’s heart!

Lu Tingyun’s strike timed perfectly, coordinating with Liao Huidu and He Li Zi to seize Zhou Fu Jia’s vital aura.

If Zhou Fu Jia tried to destroy the thunder talisman first, under He Li Zi’s harassment, he would inevitably be struck by this sword.

If he focused his spirit on Lu Tingyun’s sword, the combined assaults of Zhou and He would strike through without pause, leaving Zhou Fu Jia reeling.

In this fleeting instant, there was no time to deploy more defenses; even if Zhou Fu Jia wished to divide his sword light, he could not react fast enough.

Though the three had never coordinated before, their attack flowed seamlessly, alternating between direct and indirect, surpassing even long-time friends.

No weakling had qualified for this Golden Core Assembly; every participant possessed unique strengths—none could be underestimated!

“Youfen True Sword?”

In that critical instant, though Lu Tingyun’s sword light was majestic and fierce, seemingly impervious to interference,

Zhou Fu Jia’s sharp senses detected a subtle anomaly, and a look of understanding crossed his face.

Lu Tingyun’s technique was called “Youfen True Sword.”

Like the “Chu Jie Du Ming Xuan Sha” that Shen Xingcui had used against Chen Hang, both were secret sword arts of the Zhongyi Sword Sect, crystallizations of ancient sages’ wisdom.

But unlike the latter’s ability to damage the soul, “Youfen True Sword” targeted the physical body.

Once an opponent was truly struck by this sword art, countless sword filaments would sprout within, rooting deep into the five viscera.

Every time the victim summoned magic power, the filaments caused unbearable pain throughout the body—as if thousands of knives sliced within, or a swarm of ants gnawed at his flesh.

At that point, continuing combat would be impossible; even maintaining spiritual clarity would be difficult.

Thus, the best response to “Youfen True Sword” was to evade its edge or deploy a defensive treasure—never rely on physical toughness to endure it.

When first unveiled in the celestial wars, “Youfen True Sword” had claimed many martial cultivators’ lives; only after heavy casualties did martial masters eventually deduce its countermeasures.

Now, for safety, Zhou Fu Jia would never endure “Youfen True Sword”; he flicked his finger, and Shi Yang flashed upward, intercepting the technique mid-strike.

But at the same moment, the sky’s thunder rained down in full force; under Liao Huidu’s maximum effort, Zhou Fu Jia’s protective robe dimmed, revealing a barely perceptible gap.

“This is the opening!”

Lu Tingyun’s eyes lit up.

He Li Zi did not disappoint him; the thirty-six sword lights instantly merged into one, striking with lightning speed through the gap, slashing with all his might!

Puff—

A sound like silk tearing rang out.

Zhou Fu Jia, caught off-guard, froze for an instant—He Li Zi’s sword pierced through his protective magic, severing his body in two.

Yet seeing this strike land, He Li Zi showed no joy; instead, a sudden unease rose in his heart, and he swiftly spun his sword to guard himself.

The next instant, a piercing sword light erupted from empty air, flew a hundred zhang, and severed the hovering thunder talisman, then circled back, slashing Liao Huidu mid-casting, sending him flying backward with a deep, bone-piercing wound across his chest and abdomen.

Had Liao Huidu’s defensive treasure not been of superior quality,

He would not have merely suffered a single sword wound—he would have been split cleanly from front to back, utterly cleaved!

“Fine technique—but it cannot harm me.”

Within the sword light, Zhou Fu Jia’s figure faintly appeared.

His left hand flicked rapidly, as if playing a musical piece; his fingertip sword qi intercepted every one of Lu Tingyun’s attacks with perfect precision—not an ounce more, not an ounce less—while his right hand gripped his sword hilt and drew a level slash toward He Li Zi.

Though He Li Zi had sensed the danger in time and activated sword-dodging, he still could not evade this blow.

After a sharp clang, he was blasted into the air, barely able to maintain control of his flying sword, crashing heavily into the ground.

The once lush, wooded hill became a massive crater, dirt and sand scattering, birds startled into flight!

In mere heartbeats, Zhou Fu Jia effortlessly dismantled the trio’s assault and inflicted heavy injuries on two of them.

Seeing this, Lu Tingyun’s scalp prickled, silently cursing.

“Interesting.”

Now that he had dispelled Lu Tingyun’s attack, Zhou Fu Jia watched as He Li Zi, sword in hand, struggled to rise from the crater; Zhou Fu Jia’s casual demeanor faded slightly, his expression growing more serious.

Soon after, within a hundred breaths, Liao Huidu’s strength gave out.

After his talismans and techniques were each shattered by a single sword strike, he sighed, as if releasing a long-held burden, and decisively withdrew from the map.

Then, when Lu Tingyun was likewise knocked from the sky, his fighting spirit spent,

The only one still standing in the arena, besides Zhou Fu Jia, was He Li Zi—bloodied, battered, and disheveled.

“You are stronger than my sect’s Shen Xingcui and Lu Tingyun. In this Golden Core Assembly, meeting me was truly unfortunate for you.”

Right now, a swift follow-up strike would eliminate He Li Zi.

Yet Zhou Fu Jia suddenly withdrew, and for once, spoke words of praise:

“I heard you lost only to Chen Hang in the Jade Emperor Cloud Mountain tournament, placing second. Today I see—among the Jade Emperor Golden Core cultivators, only he could have bested you.”

Lu Tingyun, who had been hastily restoring his qi, stared in shock.

Zhou Fu Jia was aloof; such praise rarely passed his lips.

“I grant you time to recover. Let me see that sword of yours. After I defeat you, I must seek out Chen Hang. Proceed.”

The next moment, Lu Tingyun heard Zhou Fu speak thus.

He Lizi, though his emotions were complex, said nothing in response.

He took from his sleeve a crimson elixir the size of a dragon’s eye, solemnly swallowed it, then began to meditate as if no one else were present.

Seeing the two suddenly cease hostilities, Lu Tingyun stirred his thoughts, forced himself upright, and smirked at the calm Zhou Fu:

“Senior Brother, please take note—I also have a sword technique I wish you to critique!”

“You don’t.”

Zhou Fu glanced at him, raised his sword casually, and struck—sending Lu Tingyun, who silently cursed inwardly, flying out of the Emperor’s Ancestral Map.

After waiting several hours, He Lizi, his facial complexion slightly restored, finally rose.

He said nothing, merely locking eyes with Zhou Fu, from which a dense, tangible aura of lethal intent erupted.

After gathering momentum for a long while, his sword finally unleashed—suddenly slicing across hundreds of zhang, arriving before Zhou Fu’s face!

Though this strike produced no spiritual radiance, mist, or rainbow trails, a chilling aura of death cut across the sky, layer upon layer pressing forward.

Grass and trees beneath the clouds withered instantly; the gale halted. Zhou Fu’s magic robe emitted a shrill wail, as if facing a dire foe!

First Form of the White Tiger Seven Kill Sword Scripture—

Changgeng Sizhen!

Even before the blade reached him, Zhou Fu felt his blood and qi churn violently, filled with unbearable discomfort.

Yet he did not dodge or retreat; instead, he stepped forward, a faint, barely perceptible halo rising from his body, humming softly.

To He Lizi’s shock, his “Changgeng Sizhen”—a technique he had spent years cultivating—struck Zhou Fu squarely, yet vanished like mud sinking into the sea, stirring not the slightest ripple.

In He Lizi’s expectation, even Chen Hang’s true body could not withstand this strike with the Tai Su Jade Body!

Yet Zhou Fu appeared utterly unfazed.

This was…

“Sixth Realm cultivation technique—truly rare. But this move takes too long to charge; that’s why you never used it before? Still, its power is formidable—it could cleave through Wang Xiu’s Ten Thousand Demonic Robe.”

Among the Dan Yuan True Persons, aside from Chen Hang, you are the only other one. No wonder you’re from the great sect of Dongzhou!”

Meeting He Lizi’s stunned gaze, Zhou Fu offered no further explanation. After a moment’s thought, he nodded and said:

“When you achieve your Primordial Spirit, come to Zhongyi to duel with me.”

As he spoke, He Lizi’s body involuntarily flew backward, his vision blurring.

Soon, a jade light surged upward, wrapping him as he escaped the map.

At this moment, in the hall outside.

Watching Zhou Fu depart with casual ease, several presiding Elders’ expressions grew grave, their eyes flickering faintly.

“He truly mastered that sword technique?”

Lu Jie lowered his eyelids, silently praising, a quiet joy rising within him:

“It seems Zhou’s junior brother truly has a chance to win the Dan Yuan Assembly?”

Another dozen days passed. During this time, copper fish descended, sparking several battles—bringing joy to some, despair to others.

Yet the most unexpected turn was Gu Yi facing Hu Xu of Xuan Feng Cave.

With her Huzhao’s Great Killing Art, she shattered his famed Sand Secret Blessing, the very technique that had made him dominant in the world—snatching a copper fish from his grasp.

Hu Xu was a veteran Jin Dan long renowned; his prestige surpassed Sima Xiu, and he had clashed multiple times with Yu Huangshang.

Yet this time, he fell to Gu Yi—a development few cultivators had foreseen.

Under the watchful eyes of Feng Xiao of Huzhao and Han Yi of Chiming, a cloud of light slowly hovered above a valley, dispersing fierce winds, within which Gu Yi’s figure could be faintly seen.

Upon reaching the valley, Gu Yi seemed to sense something, and headed straight west.

After traveling no more than several dozen li, the cloud-light was gently held back.

Seeing the figure atop the distant green peak, Gu Yi’s lips slowly curved into a mysterious smile:

“Wei Lingjiang?”