Chapter 538: Microdust Enters Calamity

This change was as swift as lightning and fire, and before many cultivators outside could react, the battle had already ended utterly.

To their eyes, Chen Hang and Zhou Fu merely clashed swords once more, causing blazing qi to scorch the heavens, killing intent boiling like a cauldron, the world instantly shifting between light and dark, blindingly brilliant!

But after the surging spiritual energy settled, there was only a brief stalemate.

The former inexplicably suffered a sword wound; the latter lost nearly half his body, shattered horribly, nearly falling from the clouds.

Without the slightest warning, catching everyone utterly off guard…

Even as outsiders buzzed with gossip, Lu Jie, seated inside the hall, quietly shook his head and sighed inwardly, his emotions deeply complex.

With his insight, he had easily discerned the reason the battle had ended.

As the Blood River Sect’s presiding Elder had said, Zhou Fu’s sword-qi armor light was still incomplete.

Once the attacks upon Zhou Fu reached a certain limit, this sword art would falter, revealing an opening.

Chen Hang had discovered this weakness during their sword duel, then seized the chance to strike, first wounding Zhou Fu’s body with sword qi.

This method may sound simple to describe.

In practice, however, it was exceedingly difficult…

For the flaw in the sword-qi armor was fleeting, and even if one could perceive it, it was hard to launch an attack in time.

Even if one acted swiftly, that flaw was only relatively weaker compared to other areas—it was still solid and hard to break; a hasty strike would likely fail to pierce it.

Zhou Fu was well aware of this vulnerability, deliberately maintaining distance to deny his opponent the chance to build momentum; should any sign of trouble arise, he would immediately retreat.

Yet despite all these obstacles, Chen Hang still landed one strike upon Zhou Fu.

Though their sword duel had lasted long, Chen Hang had only broken through Zhou Fu’s sword-qi armor once.

But even one time was enough.

The reason Zhou Fu lost, ultimately, lay precisely in that single sword strike…

“Heavenly Gang Dust? No, but it doesn’t quite match either.”

At this moment, Zhou Fu spoke in a hoarse voice.

He slowly straightened up; though his appearance was grim and disheveled, his gaze burned fiercely, as if two golden lanterns blazed within his eyes.

Earlier, when Chen Hang had seized the flaw in the sword-qi armor and struck Zhou Fu, the latter had been wounded, but the injury was not severe.

Without relying on other means, Zhou Fu’s own physical cultivation should have easily suppressed it, leaving it to be dealt with after the battle.

Yet as time passed, the sword wound not only failed to be contained, but instead surged within him, making Zhou Fu vividly experience what it meant to feel skin-cutting pain.

At this point, even if Zhou Fu wished to retreat or unleash a divine technique, Chen Hang would never grant him the chance, firmly holding him fast.

After another hundred exchanges with Chen Hang, during another clash of sword arts, the excruciating pain from the sword wound finally reached its limit, causing Zhou Fu’s internal magic power to flicker for an instant.

In a sword cultivator’s duel, even a momentary lapse is enough to decide victory or defeat.

Especially when both were at the most critical moment of their sword duel.

There was no time to retreat, nor to summon a magic treasure or activate a divine technique.

Under the sword wound’s influence, Zhou Fu forcibly steadied his spirit and still struck Chen Hang with “Sun Palace Flame Light.”

But that “Big Dipper’s Death-Infusing Strike” cleaved straight through half of Zhou Fu’s body; internally and externally combined, it finally inflicted a grievous wound!

“That sword strike that pierced the sword-qi armor wasn’t the full Heavenly Gang Dust—it only captured a fraction of its essence.”

After hearing Zhou Fu acknowledge defeat, Chen Hang made no further attack, merely sheathing his sword and standing amid the clouds, speaking truthfully:

“If it had been the complete Heavenly Gang Dust, I wouldn’t have needed to exchange a single blow with you, Master Zhou.”

Zhou Fu nodded upon hearing this.

Hearing Chen Hang’s reply, the lingering doubt in his heart vanished.

During that duel, after spotting the flaw in the sword-qi armor, Chen Hang had first struck with an incomplete Heavenly Gang Dust; though Zhou Fu sensed something was wrong after being hit, it was already too late, and Chen Hang gradually intensified his momentum, forcing Zhou Fu to rely solely on his sword art.

Such an exchange of blows naturally favored Chen Hang far more; that Zhou Fu could still stand aloft now was already a testament to his profound cultivation.

Under such dire internal and external pressure, he not only wounded Chen Hang but also avoided the killing blow, suffering only a serious injury.

Few Golden Core True Persons could achieve even this much…

“Heavenly Gang Dust—truly lives up to its reputation.”

Zhou Fu glanced at his wounds, slowly exhaling a long breath.

…

…

Second Form of the *Northern Dipper Transformation and Demonic Subjugation Sword Scripture*—

Heavenly Gang Dust!

Unlike the first form, ‘Big Dipper’s Death-Infusing Strike,’ Heavenly Gang Dust emitted no overt, death-laden aura, nor required prolonged preparation; it resembled a speck of dust, utterly insignificant—yet this was precisely its other great subtlety.

Its plainness also meant it drew no undue attention.

Especially during a duel, when life and death hung in the balance and circumstances shifted in an instant, the opponent would likely have no time to scrutinize carefully.

Though its appearance was unremarkable, when truly unleashed, if the target lacked powerful means to suppress it, they would feel as if thousands of blades cut into their flesh.

Their body would begin to crumble from the finest details—through organs and flesh, until muscle fibers dissolved and all meridians shattered!

Vast beyond the outermost, minute beyond the innermost; Heavenly Gang transforms into deadly force, microdust enters calamity.

Thus, is ‘Heavenly Gang Dust.’

This sword technique was created by Wei Ling specifically for opponents with vigorous life force, or those possessing formidable defensive abilities.

The *Northern Dipper Sword Scripture* records that, during his travels through the Yin World’s Abyssal Springs, Wei Ling encountered a post-natural spirit beast, a two-headed iron elephant; no matter how he wielded his sword art, he could not truly slay the spirit.

For the two-headed iron elephant bore several peculiar spells deliberately planted by a master, allowing it to absorb yin energy and heal wounds even after its bones were severed.

After several rounds of combat, Wei Ling used no other technique—he unleashed the nascent ‘Heavenly Gang Dust.’

First, he destabilized the elephant’s spirit with this sword art, preventing it from activating its spells, then severed its two heads with his flying sword, finally ending its life.

This was merely the nascent form of Heavenly Gang Dust; later, this technique evolved to embody ‘microdust entering calamity,’ no longer limited to gradually intensifying pain to shake the opponent’s will, but capable of progressing from small to great, from shallow to deep, step by step dismantling the enemy’s physical form.

Like the Five-Duke Daoist of the Heaven-Combining Sand Sect, who once ruled with the *Mystic Sand Returning True Scripture*, immune to ordinary injuries.

He died beneath the complete ‘Heavenly Gang Dust’; after being struck five times by Wei Ling, even the healing speed of his Mystic Sand True Scripture could not match the pace of his body’s disintegration, and he was ultimately dragged to death.

As a Zhongyi disciple, Zhou Fu naturally had some understanding of the supreme sword scriptures across the Nine Provinces and Four Seas, including the *Northern Dipper Transformation and Demonic Subjugation Sword Scripture*.

Precisely because of this perspective, Zhou Fu had vaguely suspected his wound was caused by Heavenly Gang Dust, yet it felt off.

For if it had been the complete Heavenly Gang Dust, upon being struck, Zhou Fu would have had to expend tremendous effort suppressing the wound—effectively declaring himself defeated.

Not remain locked in fierce combat for a hundred exchanges, only feeling overwhelmed after exchanging one final strike.

“What a magnificent ‘Heavenly Gang Dust’—Wei Ling Dao Jun’s mastery of sword art is truly breathtaking… I wonder what divine subtlety the sword truth ‘World Root Shift’ holds?”

At this moment, after silently praising in his heart, Zhou Fu looked at Chen Hang and said solemnly:

“Even with only a fraction of its essence, Master Chen, to wield this sword is truly extraordinary. I presume that after you attain the Nascent Soul realm, you will be able to truly unleash this technique?”

If so, then I must offer my congratulations.”

“Master Zhou is too courteous.”

Chen Hang shook his head:

“With the emergence of your ‘Sword-Qi Armor Light,’ Master Zhou’s name will surely spread across the Celestial Realms.”

Zhou Fu shook his head.

As he activated his mysterious art, clear light like water swirled around him, enfolding his wounds; the injuries gradually faded, flesh and blood began regenerating.

“When cultivating ‘Big Dipper’s Death-Infusing Strike,’ did you ever become confused by the sword’s deathly intent? How did you maintain your spiritual composure?” Zhou Fu stepped forward and asked respectfully.

Chen Hang pondered for a moment, then spoke at length.

The two conversed as if nothing had happened, exchanging insights and mutually verifying their understanding.

Finally, Zhou Fu made no further stay; he reached into his sleeve, fingers closing around an object.

Though grievously wounded, Zhou Fu’s strength was not entirely gone.

Had he truly intended to fight to the death, he could still have clashed with Chen Hang further, draining Chen Hang’s spiritual energy.

But such a course served no purpose for Zhou Fu.

That final exchange of blows, though unavoidable for both, meant Chen Hang’s injury was clearly lighter due to his Tai Su Jade Body.

With Chen Hang’s methods, continuing the fight would inevitably secure him complete dominance.

Even if Zhou Fu unleashed two more sword arts, it would merely look better on the surface—hardly enough to reverse the outcome.

Rather than futile struggle, it was better to simply withdraw.

Moreover, Zhou Fu was ultimately a disciple of the Eight Great Daoist Sects; if his opponent had been from the Six Demon Sects, he would have fought to the end regardless of defeat, per ancient custom.

But Chen Hang was from Yucheng—thus…

At this moment, as Zhou Fu raised his hand and threw, a crimson light shot straight toward Chen Hang.

Chen Hang saw that the crimson light contained Zhou Fu’s fire-bell copper fish; without hesitation, he channeled his magic power and seized the object, beginning to refine it.

“Pity—such an exquisite sword art, yet he is not a Zhongyi disciple?”

Recalling the brutal duel just past, even Zhou Fu’s cold disposition stirred this thought.

After a brief pause, Zhou Fu did not linger; he and Chen Hang agreed upon a future duel date after their emergence from seclusion.

Then he swept his sleeves, his entire body enveloped in shimmering jade light, instantly piercing through the atmosphere and leaping cleanly out of the scroll.

In that instant, regardless of Lu Jie’s inner thoughts, the outside world erupted in clamor.

How many years had it been since a Zhongyi sword cultivator was outmatched on the sword path?

And everyone had heard Zhou Fu’s final challenge.

His words clearly admitted that, with his current cultivation, he was no match for Chen Hang—he needed further advancement before he could challenge Chen Hang again.

“…”

Lu Jie simply closed his eyes and remained silent.

Regardless of what others thought, after refining Zhou Fu’s copper fish, Chen Hang paused for a moment, then took out a blood-colored mist the size of a half-fist, tilted his head, and swallowed it.

The Supreme Secret Elixir of the Blood River Sect—Chifan Zhen!

During his training in Hongjing Heaven, after being invited to block Tan Su of the Great Sui Temple and exchanging Yuan Zuo’s Wang Zhi, Chen Hang had received two doses of Chifan Zhen from Lu Rong; the one he now produced was one of them.

Though he had only fought Zhou Fu, the depletion from that sword duel far exceeded that of his battle at the Sands of Liusha.

Though he could restore his magic power with Zhengyang Zhen Sand, by this stage of the Dan Yuan Assembly, even if he wished to do so, figures like Yin Wujie would not grant him the leisure to do it.

It was safer to first restore himself to peak condition using one dose of Chifan Zhen.

As Chen Hang lowered his gaze and entered meditation, he activated his mysterious cultivation art, and the Chifan Zhen slowly dissolved within him.

Not only did his depleted magic power rapidly replenish, but nourished by the potent spiritual essence within the elixir, his Tai Su Jade Body also activated automatically, and his injuries gradually healed.

Not long after, Chen Hang opened his eyes; his magic power surged violently, like a turbulent sky and sea, churning clouds and summoning rain, causing the void itself to rumble with deep, thunderous echoes.

At that moment, he silently assessed himself—the Chifan Zhen still had half its potency remaining.

In the coming battle, if his magic power waned, he could immediately refine the remaining half to restore himself.

“No wonder it is the Supreme Secret Elixir of the Blood River Sect.”

Chen Hang praised it, then without hesitation, leapt into the air, launching a blade of light straight toward Yin Wujie’s location.

As he passed the “Great Cave Essence Jade,” his blade-light did not pause; a sharp crack echoed, and a jade casket flew out, instantly snatched away by the sword-light.

The pillar had originally sealed three caskets of “Great Cave Essence Jade,” but when Chen Hang passed through, only two remained.

This was not because the one who arrived first refused to take them all—he could take only one, and so could Chen Hang.

Not long after, a high mountain still smoldered with faint, unextinguished yin flames.

At its peak, Yin Wujie suddenly seemed to ponder, turning his gaze northward.

In the northern horizon, a crimson blade of light was hurtling toward them, crossing layers of green peaks in mere breaths—faster than imaginable!

“So it’s finally come. As I expected—this one has indeed bested Zhou Fu.”

Yin Wujie clapped his hands calmly, flicked his sleeve, and leapt into the sky, his eyes blazing.

He had long awaited this battle today!

After expelling Pei Zhi and Gu Yi, Yin Wujie had remained still, using the time to regulate his breath and qi, bringing his state to peak readiness.

Now all obstacles were gone—it was time for the final decisive clash!

“Brother Chen… let me see your skills!”

Yin Wujie’s robes fluttered as he laughed loudly, the sound shaking the clouds and sky.

As if hearing Yin Wujie’s laughter, the blade-light shot into view in an instant.

Then heaven and earth abruptly darkened—no light, no color; all that met the eye was a torrent of chilling deathly energy, terrifying to behold!

First Form of the Northern Star Sword Scripture—Beidou Zhu Si!