Chapter 84: Instant Kill: Level Ten

According to Linglong’s rules, after Yang Xu discovered He Pingsheng, his first move was not to fight him, but to send a special talisman with the news to Linglong.

Linglong would come personally to end He Pingsheng’s life.

But upon seeing He Pingsheng, Yang Xu’s thoughts changed.

Heh… if I capture him myself, why bother making Linglong Senior Sister lift a finger?

Returning to deliver this bastard straight to Linglong Senior Sister’s feet would surely count as major merit!

So Yang Xu charged straight at He Pingsheng.

At that moment, He Pingsheng was in the swamp, slashing through venomous snakes one by one.

Qiao Huizhu was right—there were many venomous snakes here.

In swarms!

And none of them were ordinary earthly venomous snakes!

They ought to be called [Spirit Snakes] instead.

These Spirit Snakes had low cultivation, mostly around Qi Refining levels five or six.

But as the saying goes, ants can kill an elephant.

Their numbers were immense.

And their varieties were numerous too.

Though He Pingsheng had just slain several Spirit Snakes with swift sword strikes, he’d also been ambushed and bitten twice.

Fortunately, he possessed immunity to all poisons—venom from Qi Refining-level beasts had no effect on him, so two bites were nothing serious.

Merely superficial wounds.

Even that might be overstating it.

In less than a stick of incense’s time, He Pingsheng had already collected about a dozen venom cores.

Just then, he sensed movement in the air, looked up, and saw a paper crane flying toward him.

Riding atop the paper crane was a disciple clad in a pale moon-white robe.

“This is…”

“A fellow sect member!”

He Pingsheng sheathed his sword stilling the snake slaying, and turned to guard his entire body.

Even among sect members in the secret realm, vigilance was required.

The paper crane landed.

The disciple leapt down and grinned: “You’re He Pingsheng from Xiuzhu Peak, right? Don’t be so tense.”

“We’re fellow disciples—why act like this?”

He Pingsheng smiled faintly: “May I ask your name, Senior Brother, and which Master’s disciple you are?”

Though both were from Xiuzhu Peak, He Pingsheng had never met Yang Xu before.

“You don’t recognize me?” Yang Xu felt a pang of discomfort.

Every disciple in Yuning Palace knows me—they all call me Senior Brother Yang.

You’ve been on Xiuzhu Peak for years and still don’t know me?

“Heh…” Yang Xu sneered: “You don’t even know me? I’m from Hongde Courtyard—Yang Xu!”

“You can call me Senior Brother Yang!”

He expected the other to bow respectfully and apologize upon hearing his name.

Instead, He Pingsheng merely stood there, expressionless.

Not a word.

Yang Xu didn’t press it—he just waved his hand, and a flying sword landed in his grip.

Boom…

As magic power surged into it, the palm-sized sword expanded to three feet long.

Its blade shimmered with a radiant glow.

It wasn’t sword light—it was spiritual energy overflowing in abundance.

“He Pingsheng,” Yang Xu held the treasure sword: “I won’t beat around the bush.”

“I give you two choices!”

“First—I kill you with one strike right now!”

“Second—hand over your [Teleportation Jade Tablet], come quietly with me, and you might just live!”

“You’re smart—don’t even think about reaching for your Hundred Treasures Bag.”

“The instant your hand moves, I’ll cut it off.”

Qi Refining level ten, Yang Xu stared confidently at He Pingsheng.

He wasn’t boasting—he truly had the power.

Even if He Pingsheng were Qi Refining level nine, what difference would it make?

Level nine was still late-stage.

But level ten? That was the peak of Qi Refining.

Between peak and late-stage lay a chasm.

Put simply: Yang Xu was confident he could instantly kill any Qi Refining level nine disciple.

“If you don’t believe it, try me!”

Yang Xu added, watching He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng said nothing.

At this moment, he had no patience for Yang Xu’s bluster.

He simply reached out toward his Hundred Treasures Bag.

“You dare…” Yang Xu exploded in rage.

I just warned you not to touch your bag—and now you blatantly ignore me?

He felt He Pingsheng was provoking him.

Fine then.

Linglong Senior Sister never said He Pingsheng had to be delivered whole—I’ll just chop off one arm.

A blade of light shot from Yang Xu’s sword at unmatched speed.

Whoosh—it sliced precisely toward He Pingsheng’s right arm.

Any ordinary Qi Refining level seven disciple would have lost that arm.

But He Pingsheng was no ordinary disciple.

A pale yellow aura formed around his body.

Spell: Earth Armor Technique!

Pfft…

The incoming blade of light struck the Earth Armor’s shield with full force.

The brilliant yellow glow dimmed slightly.

Then, bolstered by He Pingsheng’s own earth-element spiritual energy, it brightened again.

Yang Xu’s attack was effortlessly blocked by He Pingsheng’s Earth Armor.

“Impossible!” Yang Xu suddenly shouted: “You’re only level seven—how do you have such thick spiritual energy?”

That strike—he hadn’t held back.

He unleashed full power from the start.

Yet his attack was stopped by a mere spell shield.

It infuriated him.

Even a Qi Refining level ten disciple might not have blocked it.

“Cut…”

He Pingsheng had no such words—he raised his hand, and his palm-sized sword likewise expanded to three feet.

A blade of light shot out, slashing fiercely toward Yang Xu.

He Pingsheng possessed spiritual reserves equal to Yang Xu’s, and his flying sword was even higher quality—top-grade magic treasure tier.

Thus, his blade of light was slightly stronger than Yang Xu’s had been.

“Damn it…”

At this moment, Yang Xu had no time to defend.

He could only step back and raise his hand—another blade of light flew out.

Attack as defense.

If he could neutralize He Pingsheng’s strike, no defense would be needed.

Pfft…

The two blades of light collided and vanished.

He Pingsheng’s blade was stronger, but after the clash, it no longer threatened Yang Xu.

But it didn’t matter.

Again.

“Cut…”

He Pingsheng unleashed his second sword strike.

At the same time, he stirred his spiritual sense, and three fire crows flew out from around his body, striking at Yang Xu from three different directions.

At this moment, Yang Xu had finally brought out a defensive shield.

But there were four attacks coming at him.

One blade of light, three fire crows.

Which one should he defend against?

“Open—!” Yang Xu roared, activating his shield, then without hesitation turned it toward the direction of the sword light.

Because he knew the power of that sword light.

As for the three fire crows?

He thought they were merely He Pingsheng’s illusion.

All show, no substance.

But!

The next instant, the three fire crows slammed directly into his body.

Boom…

A violent explosion erupted.

Yang Xu never even had time to activate his [Teleportation Jade Talisman] before he was reduced to ashes.