Chapter 411: Chapter 189: Tragic
The group burst through the dense foliage, and the scene before them suddenly opened up.
In a clearing in the woods, a dozen or so surviving members of the Xuanjia Sect stood back-to-back, desperately holding on.
Shi Ziyi’s long hair was a mess, and her shoulder was stained with blood.
In their midst was an elderly man in the robes of a Xuanjia Sect Elder. His face was deathly pale, a horrifying Palm Seal branded on his chest. His Xuanyue Astral Qi was as faint as a candle in the wind—it was Du Lingchuan, the Xuanjia Sect Elder acquainted with Peng Zhen and Tan Yang!
Besieging them were as many as seven or eight masters from the Demon Sect. The two in the lead had the most savage and immense auras—unmistakably, they were both in the Astral Force Realm!
One of them, his black robes billowing and his Body Technique strange and unpredictable, had black qi swirling around his fingertips. Who else could it be but Jiangchuan Bridge of Lin’an Prefecture!
The other man was tall and gaunt with a sinister expression. He wielded a pair of Exotic Weapons known as Funeral Hooks, his moves vicious and cunning. His aura was surprisingly even more powerful than Jiangchuan Bridge’s.
"Jiangchuan Bridge and Mei Kun from Lin’an Prefecture! How dare they come here to Yunlin Prefecture and stir up trouble?"
Peng Zhen roared, his Kun Earth True Astral erupting from his body as he charged the Demon wielding the Funeral Hooks. "Junior Brother Tan, help me take this fiend down!"
The four prefectures surrounding the Ten Thousand Poison Swamp maintained fairly close ties, so they were naturally aware of the active Demon Sect masters in the region.
"Alright!"
Tan Yang’s Geng Metal True Gang burst forth, its unparalleled sharpness tearing through the air. He swung his arms, and his fists transformed into two brilliant golden beams that shot toward Mei Kun’s flank.
Chen Qing, meanwhile, instantly locked his gaze on Jiangchuan Bridge. Executing the Startled Swan Escape Shadow Technique, he closed the distance like a phantom. His Cloud-Coiling Spear let out a low hum as he thrust it straight at Jiangchuan Bridge’s back!
Jiangchuan Bridge and Mei Kun were just about to deliver the killing blow to Du Lingchuan and the others when they suddenly felt an Evil Wind at their backs. An immense Momentum bore down on them, and their hearts lurched in shock!
"The Wutai Sect!? What are they doing here!?"
Jiangchuan Bridge’s face went pale with horror. He had never expected the Wutai Sect reinforcements to arrive so quickly!
’According to the original plan, the Wutai Sect should still be a good distance from the Xuanjia Sect. Even if they rushed here, they couldn’t possibly have been this fast.’
’This is bad!’
Mei Kun’s expression changed drastically as well. He could feel that Peng Zhen and Tan Yang’s Astral Force auras were no weaker than his own—especially the oppressive, mountain-like weight of Peng Zhen’s presence. He let out a sharp cry, "Go!"
The two acted with perfect coordination. Almost simultaneously, they feinted, knocked back their opponents, and shot backward, intending to flee into the depths of the forest!
"Trying to run? You’re not going anywhere!"
Peng Zhen bellowed, pouring his Kun Earth True Astral into his spear. He smashed it down fiercely, the afterimage of the weapon descending like a mountain to seal off Mei Kun’s escape route. The compressed air exploded with a muffled BOOM.
Tan Yang’s Fist Momentum was even faster. His Vajra Armor-Breaking Fist Force, which specialized in shattering Gang Qi defenses, condensed into a single point. Working in concert with Peng Zhen’s assault, he forced Mei Kun to turn back and defend with all his might. The Funeral Hooks drew a sickly green arc as they clashed with both attackers, letting out a deafening shriek of metal. The resulting shockwave rolled outward, snapping trees and flattening the surrounding grass.
"KILL—!"
"Don’t let any of them escape!"
Amid the furious roars, the disciples quickly moved to protect the injured members of the Xuanjia Sect, forming a circle around them.
The next moment, they all drew their Weapons. Cloaked in vicious killing intent, they surged toward the Demon Sect masters.
Here, killing a Demon was a chance to earn tangible, glorious battle honors!
Alarm bells screamed in Jiangchuan Bridge’s head as he pushed his speed to the absolute limit.
"Elder Jiang! What’s the hurry?"
But Chen Qing’s Cultivation was no longer at the Embracing Pill Force level. Pushing his Startled Swan Escape Shadow Technique to its limit, he started after his opponent but arrived first, instantly cutting off Jiangchuan Bridge’s escape.
The Cloud-Coiling Spear shot forward like a bolt of black lightning, tearing through the air as it aimed straight for his throat!
It was Mountain-Breaking Rainbow Piercing, a move from the Mountain Prison-Suppression Spear art.
The essence of this move was to condense all power into a single point—a thrust like a rainbow, capable of piercing mountains and shattering anything in its path.
Before the spear even arrived, its razor-sharp Spear Momentum and the Cyan Wood True Gang made Jiangchuan Bridge’s skin ache!
’This brat broke through to Astral Force!?’
Jiangchuan Bridge was both shocked and furious. ’I fought him before, and he left a deep impression. How long has it been since we last saw each other? His aura is more than twice as strong as when we clashed outside Tongping City!’
’He’s clearly in the Astral Force Realm!’
"You little bastard! You think you can stop me!?"
Jiangchuan Bridge let out a piercing shriek, madly circulating his Demon Skill. Black Death True Astral surged out as his palms instantly turned ink-black and radiated a Netherworld glow. Instead of dodging, he clapped his hands together, bringing them down hard on the shaft of the Cloud-Coiling Spear!
Netherworld Bone-Eroding Hand!
CLANG—!
A piercing crack exploded outward!
Where the spear and palms met, the black and cyan Gang Qi clashed and corroded one another, letting out a piercing HISS.
Jiangchuan Bridge felt an overbearing Power travel up the spear shaft, making both of his arms go numb. To his shock, his Black Death True Astral was torn open by the incredibly condensed Cyan Wood True Gang. The force sent him stumbling backward, and the ground beneath his feet spiderwebbed with cracks.
He was stunned but quickly composed himself. ’This brat could fight me when he only had Embracing Pill Force. Now that he’s just attained Astral Force, I’m probably no match for him.’
’If I let this brat tie me down, I’ll be in serious trouble once those Wutai Sect masters finish their own fights.’
Pressing his advantage, Chen Qing stuck to him like a shadow. His Cloud-Coiling Spear spun with the momentum, delivering another strike—Directly Attack the Yellow Dragon!
The cyan light, highly condensed at the spear’s tip, pulsed erratically, imbued with a sharpness that could pierce through anything!
Jiangchuan Bridge suppressed the roiling of his qi and blood. His movements grew erratic, evading the spear point head-on as his palms created a blur of afterimages, whipping up a howling, Bone-Eroding wind.
However, Chen Qing activated his Eight Extremes Vajra Body. The qi and blood in his body blazed like a furnace, and a faint bronze luster appeared on his skin as he faced the Bone-Eroding wind head-on.
Jiangchuan Bridge used the recoil from Chen Qing’s spear to float backward like a dead leaf in a gale, once again trying to create distance and escape.
But Chen Qing had already reached Astral Force, and he possessed the Startled Swan Escape Shadow Technique. How could he possibly allow him to escape so easily?
