I Can Merge Techniques

His mind made up, Chu Fan slowly backed away.

On the cliff above, Princess Zhaohua gave Ye Chang’an a slight nod.

Her cold gaze then fell upon Chu Fan in the valley. Her voice, crisp as falling jade, carried an unyielding resolve:

"I will strike only once. Whether you can withstand it is your own affair."

Heh!

’So she’s one of those princesses who likes to act all high and mighty!’

As the thought crossed his mind, Chu Fan was already in motion, spinning around and bolting for the valley’s exit without a moment’s hesitation.

Meanwhile, Ye Chang’an and his two guards were in an even greater panic. Like startled birds, they scrambled toward the valley’s entrance!

Though Chu Fan didn’t look back, he could sense everything in the valley. He "saw" Ye Chang’an and the other two fleeing for their lives, and his heart skipped a beat. He pushed himself to run even faster, moving like a bolt of lightning!

’Those three obviously know the princess’s temperament and power. They know staying behind means they’ll just be collateral damage!’

’She’s bad news!’

"Ghost Fire Burning Soul!"

Chu Fan activated the Trait of his Ghost Shadow Illusionary Body Step, and his speed surged once more!

On the cliff above, Princess Zhaohua watched the black-robed figure flee below, her exquisite face completely impassive.

She slowly gripped the hilt of the sword at her waist.

The moment her fingers brushed against the cold Sword Scabbard—

A hundred-foot-tall phantom of a Demon God materialized out of thin air behind her!

The phantom was clad in Star Battle Armor and wielded a greatsword that seemed capable of cleaving heaven and earth. It mirrored her movements exactly, its own hand gripping the hilt of a phantom blade at its waist.

Then...

Princess Zhaohua flicked her wrist. The longsword left its scabbard, and a streak of cold light shot to the sky!

The terrifying phantom behind her raised its sword in unison.

In an instant, the very sky and earth seemed to shift. Wind and clouds converged, and lightning coiled around the greatsword, which pulsed with what looked like world-shattering power.

As he fled for his life, Chu Fan sensed the cataclysmic shift behind him, and his heart sank.

An unseen force had locked onto him...

He understood in an instant. ’No matter how fast I am, I can’t dodge a strike that has gathered the Power of Heaven and Earth!’

As the greatsword in the air—a blade powerful enough to cleave mountains—began its descent...

With a flash of light from his left hand, Chu Fan gripped the Sunset Bow.

His right hand simultaneously grabbed three Black Kite Arrows!

He spun around abruptly...

Drew his bow!

Nocked the arrows!

The actions flowed together seamlessly. As the greatsword descended, he had already loosed the three Black Kite Arrows!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The greatsword descended, shattering the three Black Kite Arrows that shimmered with the light of a lunar eclipse, yet its momentum was unchecked.

BANG!

At the sight of this, Chu Fan’s Sumeru Ring flashed. He stored the Sunset Bow and then did something unbelievable: he fell flat on his back, lying perfectly still on the ground!

His limbs were splayed out, just like a corpse.

’Vajra Undying Body, First Level—Immovable as a Mountain, Pillow Sea as Emperor!’

"Hm?" On the cliff above, a flicker of astonishment crossed Princess Zhaohua’s exquisite face as she saw the Moon Worship Sect demon suddenly drop to the ground and play dead in the middle of his escape.

’Has he realized he has no way out and can’t even be bothered to struggle anymore?’

Her will was resolute, however, and she paid it no mind. The flicker of astonishment vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and her sword continued its descent along its original trajectory.

RUMBLE!

The terrifying greatsword descended, roaring with wind and thunder. It fell like a river of stars pouring from the heavens, crashing down upon Chu Fan, who lay flat in the valley below.

Space itself seemed to twist and warp under this one strike!

Lying on the ground, Chu Fan’s eyes shot wide open. He didn’t dare show the slightest bit of carelessness.

He formed a sword-finger, pointed it into the air at the descending greatsword, and commanded, "Go!"

HUMMM!

An ancient, crack-covered shield flew from his Sumeru Ring. It shot into the air above him and expanded with the wind, transforming into a thirty-foot-long black giant shield!

The Four Symbols pattern carved on its face emitted a faint Spiritual Light.

This was a Magical Treasure fragment, the Four Symbols Shield, which he had taken from Mo Daozi’s Sumeru Ring after slaying him.

Although it was a fragment, its defensive power was still astonishing!

It all happened in an instant!

The greatsword fell from the sky and slammed into the giant black shield with a deafening crash!

CRACK!

The Four Symbols Shield cracked on impact, split apart as easily as if it were made of paper.

Its momentum unchecked, the greatsword finally crashed down hard upon Chu Fan’s body!

BOOM—

Chu Fan’s body was smashed into the ground!

A deafening roar echoed through the valley. The entire Lingyou Valley shook violently from the strike, and the cliffs on both sides collapsed with a thunderous crash!

Countless giant boulders tumbled down, filling the valley in an instant. Dust and smoke filled the air, blotting out the sun!

Princess Zhaohua sheathed her sword. Without a glance at the devastation behind her, she turned to leave.

Her white robes were purer than snow, untouched by a single speck of dust, as if that world-destroying strike had nothing to do with her at all.

Suddenly, three figures rushed over from the distance, moving like lightning.

It was three Demon Suppression Guards from the Demon Suppression Bureau.

They saw the devastation, then looked at the nonchalant, white-robed princess. Their faces turned deathly pale, and they almost spat blood in sheer frustration.

"It’s over, it’s over! The peerless genius that Lord Yue Mankong went through so much trouble to find was just slain by Princess Zhaohua in a single strike!"

"How could this be? Why would Princess Zhaohua suddenly appear here?"

"A step too late... Oh, Brother Chu Fan! To die such a horrible death!"

The three Demon Suppression Guards were beyond tears.

Before they could step forward to negotiate, Ye Chang’an had already strode over, demanding angrily, "The Moon Worship Sect’s demons run rampant in Qing Province City, and this is how your Demon Suppression Bureau handles its duties? If the Commandery Princess hadn’t happened to pass by, this old life of mine would have been lost here today!"

Hearing this, the three Demon Suppression Guards, who were already fuming, looked even more grim.

The lead Demon Suppression Guard suppressed his anger and retorted coldly, "Master Ye, the duty of the Demon Suppression Guards is to protect the people of Qing Province, not to be the private bodyguards of your Medicine King Valley."

"Why would the Moon Worship Sect seek you out instead of anyone else? Why take your anger out on us?"

"You... Hmph!" Ye Chang’an snorted coldly and said no more.

Princess Zhaohua ignored their argument completely. She gave the three Demon Suppression Guards a passing glance and raised a slender hand.

SCREE—!

A clear crane’s cry echoed through the sky as a white crane elegantly descended from the clouds. It carried her away toward Qing Province City, leaving behind only a cold, proud silhouette.