Daoist Competition

When Daoist Ji unleashed the "Six-Revolution Sun Dissolving Arrow" just now, Zhang Yan’s Heart and Spirit was already on guard. For the other to risk his life and forcefully activate this spell under the threat of the Purple Cloud Divine Thunder, there was no need to think further—he could tell that this strike must contain immense power.

When faced with Divine Passage Skills, if a Cultivator knows he cannot withstand them, those whose Escape Skill is superior can simply seize the opportunity to flee, and once the spiritual mechanism is exhausted, the spell will naturally dissolve.

Zhang Yan possessed both the Five Elements Escape Technique and the Sword Escape Technique, so he could have easily withdrawn to a great distance. Yet doing so had its drawbacks: if the Purple Cloud Divine Thunder Net were left without anyone to control it, it would grant Daoist Ji a chance to escape. Still, before figuring out the details, he was unwilling to take the blow head-on.

He was about to ride his sword into the air when, at that very moment, something between his brows seemed to be stirred in response, giving a light pulse, and at the same time a clear, resonant tone lingered unceasingly by his ear.

Zhang Yan’s Heart and Spirit was already one with that object; with the slightest discernment he understood the reason. As his Heart and Spirit turned, he simply steadied his stance and remained standing where he was.

That streak of white light flashed over in an instant, swift as a shooting star. The Qiankun Leaf actually failed to stop it in the slightest; it passed through without the least hindrance and shot straight toward Zhang Yan’s brow!

Just as it was about to pierce him, a flawless, lustrous Jade Scroll suddenly leaped out from his Gang Cloud and blocked its path. The two collided at once, and a crisp crack rang out, like a porcelain bead lightly breaking. The Sun Dissolving Arrow struck as though against an iron wall, and in an instant shattered into hundreds of motes of Spirit Light that danced in the air. After a short while, they dispersed completely, leaving nothing behind.

That Jade Scroll gave a sudden spin, issuing a clear, ringing note, then was once more borne up by a cluster of auspicious radiance and propitious clouds back into the Gang Cloud.

Having broken this Daoist Skill, Zhang Yan’s hands were free again. With a sweep of his great sleeve, purple clouds in the Heaven surged like tides, Thunder Light gathered fiercely, and together they unleashed thousand-zhang blazing flames.

Below, Daoist Ji saw that the Sixth Transition Arrow had failed to wound his opponent, and he was already in a panic. Gazing at the roaring tumult in the sky, with wind recoiling and lightning surging, his expression changed drastically.

Just now he had relied on a Death Replacement Talisman to escape ten thousand bolts of thunder. If that bombardment struck again now, there would absolutely be no hope of survival.

He reached into his pouch and, forced by necessity, took out a Jade Talisman. First he gripped it tightly in his palm, then gently rubbed it, yet his eyes were filled with extreme reluctance.

This was a wondrous treasure of his Sect, named the "Chengyang Talisman." It was obtained by the founding Ancestor master from the treasury of the Gui Ling Sect, and only after a hundred years of Sacrificial Refinement had it been made his own. Later, the Sect’s name itself was taken from this item.

Within this treasure were recorded the Inheritance Books of the sages, secret histories and anecdotes, all manner of Sect Cultivation Techniques and Daoist Formulas, as well as the insights of elders from past generations. Besides this, it held another boon: if a Fu Yang Disciple held this treasure in hand, then in a moment of life and death he could borrow its aid to escape disaster.

However, this treasure possessed a Spirit. Once a Fu Yang Disciple used its life-preserving method, it would deem that their fate with each other had ended and would henceforth seek another master.

After obtaining this treasure, Daoist Ji had kept it hidden from all, intending to rely on it to achieve a Grotto Heaven. If he were to use it now, it would be tantamount to cutting off his path of cultivation.

Yet if his life could not be preserved, what use would it be to keep this item?

He steeled his resolve and fiercely poured Mana into the Chengyang Talisman. The talisman gave a tremor, and from it emerged a young woman in green robes, beautiful and tender-eyed, her long hair hanging to her waist, charming and frail. She glanced at him a few times and said softly, "Ji Gaoshang, the fate between you and me ends here."

Daoist Ji’s body shuddered, the reluctance in his eyes growing even stronger.

Once she spoke, the woman twisted her slender waist, transforming into a wisp of clear rosy cloud that wrapped around him. Then a streak of golden light flared up, and in the blink of an eye it smashed through the thunder net, rushing up to the Extreme Sky.

After they had gone more than ten li, Daoist Ji suddenly felt his body lighten. The Jade Talisman circled around him once, then left him and transformed into Rainbow Light, fleeing toward the northwest.

He clenched his fist and stared deeply a few times in the direction the Jade Talisman had gone, secretly thinking, "On the day the Sect was broken, from the Sect Leader senior brother down, many senior and junior brothers all perished. Fu Yang Sect Disciples are now few in number; even if some escaped alive, they must mostly be youngsters. Even if they obtain this treasure, how could they possibly restore the Mountain Gate?"

He immediately made up his mind: as long as he could preserve his life today, he would go there to seek them out. If he had the chance, he would kill those few youngsters; then, with only himself left as a Fu Yang Disciple, this treasure might yet return to his hands.

Though this was only a temporary thought, he was well aware that he had not yet escaped danger. Zhang Yan could pursue him at any time, so he pinched a spell and activated the Returning to the Origin and Merging with the Truth method, turning into a wisp of light smoke and soaring southward.

Zhang Yan saw that Daoist Ji had actually managed to break through and flee, and a cold gleam flickered in his eyes. This man had already colluded with Hui Xuan and come together to intercept and kill him, so enmity between them had been planted and there was absolutely no chance of reconciliation. If he did not find a way to eliminate him, he would surely leave trouble for the future. Zhang Yan himself did not fear this, but the Sect Disciples would be dragged into it, and thus he absolutely could not allow him to escape!