Chapter 172: Chapter 165: Evil-Exorcizing Sword
Above the Sea of Elixirs, killing intent flared once more!
Though Chang Qing was grievously wounded and on the brink of death, the terrifying nature of the Asura Dao was on full display.
He could see that Qi Yun had a wide array of techniques but seemed to favor long-range magical bombardment.
He immediately mustered the last of his Origin Evil Qi, and his remaining legs burst with power!
BOOM!
A huge crater exploded in the Pill Sea beneath Chang Qing’s feet. His body transformed into a space-distorting, dark red Blood Shadow, his speed now a full thirty percent faster than when he was at his peak!
The Asura phantom behind him, which had dimmed when his arms were destroyed, condensed once again, becoming even more solid than before.
As the Evil Qi roiled, it faintly materialized the blurry outlines of eight weapons: a saber, a spear, a sword, a halberd, an axe, a battle-axe, a hook, and a fork.
Asura Eight Martial Arts.
A fierce wind, like steel blades, rushed toward him. The monstrous, ferocious power transformed into an overwhelming dark shadow that instantly closed in on Qi Yun!
Eight terrifying, fierce auras, condensed from Chang Qing’s will and power and carrying a destructive Realm that could tear everything apart and slaughter all life, descended mercilessly like eight venomous dragons from every cunning angle.
They vowed to chop this detestable Magic Cultivator, Qi Yun, into mincemeat.
And to crush his Divine Soul right along with his body!
’He’s this injured, yet he can still erupt with such power...’ Qi Yun looked up, gazing at the shadow of death that was now upon him in an instant, a flash of unreserved admiration in his eyes.
’No wonder the Elder Master once said that the Asura Technique is also called the Undying Battle Technique.
The closer one is to death, the more incredible potential they can squeeze out.
Truly a troublesome opponent.’
Before his thoughts had even faded, faced with this fatal assault, Qi Yun chose neither to clash head-on with his Soul Refining Banner or Nether Spring Bone Technique, nor did he use Gathering Form and Scattering Qi to dodge. He simply reached out calmly with his right hand and grabbed at the Storage Magic Bracelet on his waist—
WHOOSH—!!!
It was like a river bursting its banks, or a gale sweeping away the clouds!
Countless Yellow Talismans, inscribed with Cinnabar Runes, whistled out from the Magic Bracelet!
These Talismans were all of two types: Exorcism Talismans and Evil-Breaking Talismans.
But at this moment, these thousands upon thousands of Talismans didn’t attack haphazardly. Instead, the moment they flew out, they attracted, attached to, and stacked upon each other with perfect precision!
In the blink of an eye, the countless Talismans gathered, compressed, and condensed in Qi Yun’s hand, forming a four-foot-long sword made entirely of Talismans, its Cinnabar Runes flowing and shining like living things!
The instant the sword was formed, a vast and majestic pressure—one that specialized in suppressing evil and destroying Evil Qi—erupted from it.
Golden light flowed from the sword’s body, tinting the surrounding misty medicinal qi with a brilliant, righteous hue!
Evil-Exorcizing Sword.
CLANG—!!!!
The next moment, the eight destructive auras of the Asura Eight Martial Arts collided violently with the Talisman Sword, which seemed fragile but in reality contained the Talisman Power of countless Talismans!
The Talisman Sword didn’t shatter as one might imagine, nor was there the expected stalemate.
The moment they made contact, the divine power of "Exorcism and Breaking Fiend"—the condensed essence of thousands of basic talismans—erupted from the Talisman Sword like a volcano that had been building pressure for ten thousand years!
BOOM—!!!
A brilliant golden Sword Aura shot toward the heavens.
It was pure, immense, and utterly irresistible!
The Asura Eight Martial Arts, condensed from pure Asura Evil Qi, was like snow meeting a scorching sun. Faced with this ultimate counter, this Dharma Power, it let out a mournful cry as if unable to bear the strain.
It fractured, crumbled, and melted away in an instant!
The Sword Aura’s momentum didn’t diminish, and like the first light of dawn piercing the thick night, it slammed viciously into Chang Qing’s ravaged body!
"AHHH—!!!"
Chang Qing let out a muffled roar, his entire body flung violently backward like a rock from a catapult. He crashed heavily into the distant Pill Sea, sending up a massive "splash."
His body, burned and riddled with holes by the Evil-Breaking Golden Light, was in an even worse state than before, his already severe injuries now compounded.
The dark red Asura Evil Qi rapidly dissipated, as if it had met its nemesis.
Even his crimson eyes grew dim and lifeless, blood streaming from them like rivers.
"Wh-What Magical Artifact is that?!" Chang Qing struggled to lift his head from the Pill Sea, clutching his perpetually bleeding eyes.
He couldn’t understand how a pile of Low Tier Talismans could possibly unleash such terrifying power!
Qi Yun held the Talisman Sword, its light gradually receding inward. Its body was formed from countless, tightly packed Yellow Talismans, the Cinnabar Runes flowing slowly within it like veins, giving it an exceptionally profound appearance.
He gently stroked the sword’s body, a flicker of satisfaction at his own accomplishment in his eyes, and spoke coolly:
"The Magical Artifact that will kill you!"
This technique was precisely the one he had obtained back in Wenjian Forest, after rejecting three wide, promising paths.
It was the seemingly crude and worthless scroll of the Nameless Sword Skill, which he had acquired by channeling his Dao Heart of Freedom!
When he first obtained this skill, he too had wondered how this place of profound and boundless Ancient Sword Cultivator inheritance could contain such a simple Dharma Gate—one that didn’t even have a name and whose operational pathways were unclear.
But once he cultivated it and truly understood its Daoist Intent, he had a sudden realization.
The word "Nameless" was a truly good, an absolutely perfect choice!
The core essence of the Nameless Sword Skill was not a fixed set of Sword Techniques or attributes. Once cultivated, it could be combined with any Magic or Divine Technique one had learned.
By taking its essence, one could transform it into a unique Magic Sword.
The so-called "Nameless Sword Skill" was, in truth, about a "Magic Sword with no name."
As long as they were compatible.
Nothing would become something.
Just like at this moment, by combining the Nameless Sword Skill with his own mastery of Talisman Skill, he could aggregate thousands of seemingly weak and useless Low Tier Talismans, discarding the dross and keeping the essence.
...and condense this—the Evil-Exorcizing Sword.
’Cultivation Skills are rigid, but people are flexible.
The sword is the form, but the magic is the foundation.’ Qi Yun stood holding the sword, his aura merging as one with the Talisman Sword. He looked down at the Evil-Exorcizing Sword in his hand, a trace of regret in his eyes.
’Because at first, I didn’t know how effective the Nameless Sword Skill truly was.
So I chose to combine it with my less-frequently used Talisman Skill.
I never thought that once they were combined, they couldn’t be separated.
And the "version" of my Talisman Skill is too low.
I also don’t have any more powerful Talismans on hand.
If I had combined the Nameless Sword Skill with my most powerful item, the Soul Refining Banner...
...that last strike would have been enough to kill Chang Qing.’
’No matter. When I "update" the Nameless Sword Skill, I might be able to combine it with more types of magic.’
After comforting himself with these thoughts, Qi Yun walked toward Chang Qing, sword in hand.
’The most important thing right now is to finish off this troublesome, undying cockroach.’
Holding the Talisman Sword, Qi Yun advanced step by step.
Chang Qing lay collapsed in the Sea of Elixirs, his body shattered and his Asura Evil Qi almost completely dispersed.
Only his eyes, matted with blood, remained fixed on Qi Yun, filled with the madness of a cornered beast.
"Want... to kill me...? You’re not worthy!"
He thrust out his one relatively intact hand, plunged it recklessly into the Sea of Elixirs, and grabbed a large handful of sparkling, translucent Hundred Essence Pills. Without even looking, he desperately began stuffing them into his mouth!
He intended to use the massive amount of Primordial Qi from the elixirs to forcibly extend his life.
And perhaps... even turn the tables!
However, the instant Chang Qing began frantically swallowing the Hundred Essence Pills, the ever-vigilant Qi Yun felt his heart suddenly lurch.
An inexplicable and overwhelming sense of crisis washed over him like ice water, making his very Divine Soul tremble.
’Something’s wrong!’
Almost instinctively, he stopped in his tracks. The fingers of his left hand flew through a series of signs as the Blood-Drawn Profound Mechanism technique within him instantly activated at full power. His Heart and Spirit sank into the unseen, grasping for a fleeting glimpse of destiny.
The moment the divination result appeared, Qi Yun’s expression changed dramatically!
Dire Omen!
"Not good! Don’t eat them! Spit them out!"
Qi Yun roared, trying to stop Chang Qing’s suicidal action.
But Chang Qing, grievously injured and near death, had his mind completely submerged in a desperate frenzy for survival and hatred. Why would he possibly listen?
He assumed it was just a threat from Qi Yun, who was afraid he would recover his strength.
His throat worked furiously as he forced down the mouthful of Hundred Essence Pills!
GULP!
As the massive amount of Hundred Essence Pills were forced down Chang Qing’s throat.
A sudden change occurred!
It didn’t originate from within Chang Qing’s body, but from this... boundless Sea of Elixirs itself!
OMMM—!!!
A low hum, as if from the depths of the Nine Netherworld, emanated from the bottom of the Pill Sea.
Immediately after, before Qi Yun’s solemn gaze, a wisp of... jet-black flame suddenly flared up without warning on the surface of a snow-white, crystalline Hundred Essence Pill!
And this was only the beginning!
WHOOM—!!!!!
As if a fuse had been lit, that wisp of black flame instantly spread at an incredible speed!
Like a drop of thick ink spreading in clear water, the black flames frantically devoured every Hundred Essence Pill in their path!
One pill, ten, a hundred, ten thousand, a hundred million...
As far as the eye could see, the boundless Pill Sea—once sacred, peaceful, and shining with brilliant Spiritual Light—
transformed in just a few breaths into a raging sea of black fire!
The flames were silent, yet they carried a terrifying power capable of incinerating and devouring all things. Even space itself warped slightly from the heat of the black fire!
The scorching heat, mixed with the violent and chaotic Primordial Qi released as the elixirs were forcibly refined and annihilated, formed destructive torrents that swept in all directions.
The black fire spread at an unimaginable speed, like a surging black tide, rushing to devour Qi Yun and Chang Qing in the middle of the sea!
’Son of a...’ Even with all his composure, Qi Yun couldn’t help but curse inwardly.
He had no time to worry about whether Chang Qing, who had brought this upon himself, was dead or alive. Saving his own skin was what mattered most.
"Rise!"
Qi Yun reacted like lightning. He immediately dispersed the Talisman Sword in his hand, letting it revert to Talismans, which he then recalled.
At the same time, with a frantic thought, he raised the Soul Refining Banner!
Sensing its master’s peril, the Soul Refining Banner’s surface rippled wildly, releasing streams of thick, tangible black qi that formed a giant black cocoon, enveloping Qi Yun in layer after layer!
"Condense!"
The Abyssal Iron Sand at his feet whistled upward, instantly condensing around his body into several extremely thick spherical barriers that shimmered with a dark, metallic light!
VMM! VMM! VMM!
Without hesitation, he also crushed the few rare Dharma Guardian Array Discs he had left in his Storage Magic Bracelet.
Light shields of various colors instantly flared to life, layering like eggshells outside the Iron Sand barriers.
Having done all this, Qi Yun was now tightly encased in layer upon layer of defenses. His expression was grim to the extreme, his Divine Sense locked onto the sea of black fire surging toward him like an apocalyptic flood.
As for Chang Qing’s figure... it had long since been swallowed by the black flames...
...
