Chapter 101: Slaying Foundation Establishment

“Roar…”

A deafening roar!

The golden giant serpent moved with unmatched speed, suddenly lunging and landing atop Yu De’s head.

Puff… puff… puff…

Above, countless green sword lights fell like rain.

The golden serpent’s body instantly became a sieve.

Blood spurted in all directions.

It used its life to shield its master from a fatal blow.

With the precious moments bought by the golden serpent, Yu De finally activated his own shield.

It was a mid-grade magic treasure, inscribed with six sealing arrays.

Once activated, the treasure unleashed a pale green shield.

It looked incredibly thick.

The hundred sword lights from the Dao Talisman were blocked by the serpent’s body by half; the remaining half tore through the serpent’s corpse and slammed violently onto the shield above Yu De’s head.

Ding… ding… ding…

Each sword shadow struck like a nail driven into the shimmering shield projection.

Each impact dimmed the shield’s glow a little more.

After a single breath, the energy shield shattered with a bang.

Fortunately, the shield had absorbed the remaining nine-tenths of the sword lights; only a few stray blades struck Yu De’s body.

Though only a few, those sword blades still inflicted noticeable wounds.

His robe was torn, his hairpin cracked; Yu De stood disheveled, his body riddled with sword cuts.

“Damn it… damn it…” Yu De leapt up in rage: “He Pingsheng… today, you will die!”

“You killed my granddaughter! You slew my giant serpent!”

“Today, I will flay you alive, peel your sinews, and slowly torture you to death!”

“Hahaha…”

“That’s right—your parents both died by my hand!”

“There was no misunderstanding!”

“Soon, you too will die in my hands!”

“I’ll send you down myself—to reunite with your parents!”

“Hahaha… you have a Dao Talisman, don’t you?”

“Use another one!”

Yu De roared at He Pingsheng.

He swore to torture He Pingsheng mercilessly.

In his view, He Pingsheng possessing one Dao Talisman was already the limit—he couldn’t possibly have a second.

Yet the next moment, He Pingsheng waved his hand again.

Boom…

A golden Dao Talisman shattered.

In midair, a brilliant golden great sword appeared.

The sword stretched ten zhang long, its tip pointed downward at Yu De, radiating wave after wave of ferocious sword energy.

“This…?” Yu De, who had just been screaming, fell silent: “This… this… Younger Brother… it’s a misunderstanding… a misunderstanding!”

He regretted it.

If he’d known, he should’ve killed He Pingsheng outright—why bother torturing him?

Otherwise, He Pingsheng would never have gotten the chance to strike.

Regret!

Yu De regretted it down to his gut.

But He Pingsheng gave him no chance—he softly commanded: “Fall!”

Boom…

The golden great sword crashed down upon Yu De.

A blinding flash erupted.

Then, an energy wave mixed with dust and shattered stone surged outward.

Though He Pingsheng stood several zhang from the explosion’s center, the powerful shockwave flung him like a falling leaf, slamming him onto a rock ten zhang away.

Bang… bang… bang… bang…

Crack… crack… crack… crack…

The valley erupted in chaotic noise.

Fearing Yu De might still be alive, He Pingsheng scrambled up from the rock and stared ahead—where Yu De had stood, a massive crater now yawned.

Rocks were reduced to rubble.

Blood and shredded flesh splattered everywhere.

Yu De and the serpent’s corpse were nowhere to be seen.

All shattered!

Reduced to countless fragments.

Huh…

He Pingsheng finally exhaled deeply, collapsing onto the cold rock.

His face was deathly pale, sweat beading on his brow.

Too close.

Had he hesitated even slightly—or had Yu De struck first—his life would’ve ended.

Too bad Yu De thought too much, blabbered endlessly, obsessed with capturing him to torture to death?

That was suicide.

“Huh… huh… huh…” He Pingsheng sat on the cold rock, gasping for breath.

One reason: the fear he’d suppressed since facing the Foundation Establishment disciple had finally released.

Another: activating two Dao Talismans had pushed his spiritual sense to the brink of collapse.

Damn it!

When would his spiritual sense recover?

Glancing at the wreckage, He Pingsheng forced himself through the searing pain in his spiritual sense and walked to the explosion site.

Yu De and the serpent were gone—no trace of bones or flesh.

But on the ground lay a mid-grade magic treasure: a small green shield, and a storage pouch.

He Pingsheng took them without hesitation.

Then he returned to the cave.

He dismantled and took the cave’s array.

This place could no longer be used.

He’d have to find a new location.

He cast one last look at the valley, then mounted his paper crane and flew off.

But the agony in his spiritual sense couldn’t sustain flight for long.

After flying only a few dozen li, he was forced to land again.

At this point, he lacked the strength to even summon his sword to carve a new cave—so he sat cross-legged on a large rock, recovering his spiritual sense.

Vast mountains stretched endlessly—when would he ever escape?

After two hours, a streak of light shot across the sky.

He Pingsheng tensed, ready to hide—but it was too late.

The streak moved at blinding speed, landing beside him in two breaths.

It was his Master, Yu Ning!

In truth, Yu Ning had been searching for He Pingsheng all this time, fearing his elder brother Yu De would kill his disciple first.

“Master?” He Pingsheng quickly bowed.

“Hmm.” Yu Ning studied him, worry etched on his face: “What happened?”

He Pingsheng lowered his head, silent.

“Don’t dodge me!” Yu Ning’s voice turned stern: “I’ll handle this—tell me the truth!”

Yu Ning asked: “Why didn’t you return with the Elders after leaving the Secret Realm?”

He Pingsheng had no answer.

His plan had been to flee and never return to the sect—he’d never prepared an explanation for his Master.

So now, faced with the question, he was utterly speechless!

But Master Yu Ning, heart aching for his disciple, placed a hand on He Pingsheng’s shoulder and said: “Enough. I won’t ask.”

“As long as you’re safe.”

“The sect is buzzing—rumors say you killed your Master Yu De’s disciples: Linglong, Yang Xu, Luoyu, and others!”

“I’ll ask you just one thing!”

Yu Ning stared at He Pingsheng and said softly, “Whether you killed someone or not, I don’t care, and you don’t need to tell me again. I only ask you: did you leave any evidence for them?”

Evidence?

He Pingsheng immediately understood.

His master meant proof.

He Pingsheng thought for a moment and said, “What I have done, I do not regret in my heart, nor before heaven and earth!”

“They certainly cannot seize any evidence against me!”

“Master, rest assured!”

“Good!” Yu Ning exhaled in relief. “As long as they have no proof, and you deny it to the death, I will protect you fully afterward. Come with me!”