The wisp of Mantis Flame Ground Fire Qin possessed was naturally not carried on his person. Instead, it was stored within the Fire Mansion in his Zifu (Purple Mansion).

The Ground Fire continuously refined and condensed within the Fire Mansion in the Purple Mansion, transforming from Red Flame Ground Fire to Azure Flame Ground Fire, and then from Azure Flame Ground Fire to Blue Flame Fire. Of this Blue Flame Ground Fire, Ye Qin had only preserved a few wisps within his Fire Mansion.

Blue Flame Ground Fire was incredibly potent; even a speck touching the skin of a Foundation Establishment cultivator would instantly incinerate them to ash. Although Ye Qin had condensed a few wisps of Blue Flame, he kept them stored within the Fire Mansion, rarely taking them out for use except when he had forged his Primordial Spirit artifact. Had it not been for the "reminder" from this Young Sect Master, he would never have considered attaching a wisp of Blue Flame to the blade of the Nanming Lihuo Sword to enhance the power of this fire-element Primordial Spirit artifact.

Elder Du stared blankly at the Blue Flame on Ye Qin's fire sword. His expression now was incomparably uglier than if he had been weeping. "Young Sect Master, we cannot fight him one-on-one! If we join forces, perhaps we still have a chance to take him down. A direct duel is too dangerous; it's not worth the risk."

He hurriedly pleaded in a low voice, trying to dissuade the blue-robed cultivator from fighting alone.

"Shut up!"

The blue-robed cultivator suddenly roared in fury. He already felt immense pressure emanating from Ye Qin, unsettling his very mind. However, he absolutely could not back down from this challenge. He had taken the initiative to invite the opponent to a duel; to become a coward at this critical moment would destroy the reputation of the dignified Young Sect Master of the Lingquan Sect.

Elder Du glanced at the Young Sect Master's flushed face, shuddered, and dared not say another word.

"I am Li Xi, the Young Sect Master of Lingquan Sect from Wanyue Lake, born into the Li Clan, one of the Ten Great Cultivation Families of Wanyue Lake. May I ask which ancestor's disciple or direct relative you are from the Lingwu Realm? Since I am to exchange blows with you, I must first clarify your origins."

Young Sect Master Li Xi ordered the Lingquan Sect cultivators to retreat several zhang, then respectfully cupped his hands towards Ye Qin and asked with a grave expression. He had to admit that the Lingwu Realm also possessed experts at the Foundation Establishment stage whose strength was certainly not beneath his own, forcing his arrogant demeanor to recede.

"I am Ye Qin, fortunate enough to be accepted under the tutelage of the Ancestor of Qingquan Peak of the Qingdan Sect, a registered disciple. My status is humble and not worth mentioning. If it is to be a duel, then let us fight!" Ye Qin said calmly after enveloping his Primordial Spirit artifact with a layer of Blue Flame.

Shen Bao, standing behind Ye Qin, quietly made faces and muttered, "Senior Brother Ye, are you really going up alone? Or should we all charge in for a surprise attack?"

"Hold back. You all act according to the situation, waiting for the right moment to strike. If you can find an opportunity to take down that Young Sect Master, that would be best," Ye Qin transmitted quietly.

This battle concerned the life and death of all the Qingdan cultivators; he certainly wouldn't be pedantic about the rules of cultivator duels. He had wanted to launch a surprise attack to subdue the blue-robed cultivator earlier, but was intercepted by the elders, delaying things until now. The only chance now was to use the pretext of a one-on-one duel to see if he could take down the Young Sect Master. If he couldn't kill the Young Sect Master, perhaps few among their group of nine would survive this swamp.

Under Li Xi's forceful command, the other five Lingquan Sect cultivators retreated to the side. The Qingdan cultivators naturally followed suit. The cultivators from both sides stood spaced out on either side of the swamp, quietly observing the fight.

"Come on!"

Li Xi roared, gripping the Water Shell Spirit Pearl and infusing it with mana. As his voice fell, the Water Shell Spirit Pearl shot out a beam of blue light, manifesting a mid-tier water curtain wall, several zhang wide and three cun thick, shaped in an arc, firmly blocking the area directly in front of Li Xi. Following this, a shining blue light enveloped his body, forming a thick water-based protective shield that completely encased him.

In almost an instant, Li Xi had unleashed two spells, securing himself tightly and separating himself from Ye Qin. Although Li Xi was arrogant, he dared not be careless against a Foundation Establishment cultivator whose power was terrifying. Only after ensuring his defenses were set did he dare to form the hand seal for the "Water Dragon's Chant" and calmly unleash the minor mid-tier water spell, the Little Water Dragon, to attack Ye Qin.

The observing Qingdan cultivators gasped in astonishment. Such skilled control over water-element spells was enough to make any Foundation Establishment cultivator proud. It seemed this Young Sect Master was not merely arrogant, but also possessed genuine strength. Even without the Water Shell Spirit Pearl artifact, the Young Sect Master's mastery of spells could be considered top-tier. Coupled with the water-element artifact and the terrain of the swamp, rich in water-element spiritual energy, the Young Sect Master might indeed have the capital to contend with Ye Qin.

Ye Qin moved as Li Xi began speaking. With a sharp cry, he leaped forward fiercely, directly controlling the fire sword and lunging toward Li Xi's attack. There was nothing more to say; the only thing he needed to do was smash through the water curtain and reach the Young Sect Master, killing him in one swift strike, faster than lightning.

Possessing the incomparably sharp Primordial Spirit artifact, the Nanming Lihuo Sword, along with the terrifying Blue Flame coating its blade, was enough to pierce through any obstacle in his path. At least, Foundation Establishment cultivators would find it difficult to withstand such an attack from a supreme Primordial Spirit artifact. The most direct offense was the best tactic for Ye Qin. Winding around to evade the water curtain would merely be a waste of time.

As expected, the instant the tip of the Nanming Lihuo Sword touched the water curtain, hiss—the fierce, high temperature of the Blue Flame instantly scorched open a large hole in the thick water curtain. The Nanming Lihuo Sword flew through.

Li Xi's eyes twitched violently, his face dramatically changing color. It was too fast. He had only just activated his water-based protective shield, and the water curtain was already pierced by Ye Qin's artifact. Without thinking, Li Xi immediately stomped on the swamp water and rapidly retreated backward. Relying solely on the water-based protective shield on his body, it was absolutely impossible to block that ferocious, killing fire-element weapon. Therefore, he had to retreat immediately to buy time to cast a spell.

Li Xi decisively aborted the casting of the Water Dragon's Chant. That minor spell's power was too weak to stop Ye Qin; he had to use his strongest water-element spell.

"Water Dragon Vortex Technique!"

Li Xi rapidly shifted his hand seal to a high-tier water spell, sneering inwardly. Few Foundation Establishment cultivators could master high-tier spells, but he knew one. He wanted to see how his opponent would escape when besieged by a high-tier spell.

Under Li Xi's control, the water spiritual energy permeating the swamp rapidly formed a giant water vortex soaring twenty zhang high, churning up countless pieces of black, foul-smelling sludge, roaring deafeningly as it swept furiously toward Ye Qin.

In the previous chaotic battle, the attack of one or two Little Water Dragons had almost no effect on Ye Qin. The chilling aura contained in one or two tiny water dragons was too small; they were dispersed instantly by the fire spiritual energy of his protective shield, naturally failing to affect Ye Qin's movements. But now, this gigantic Water Dragon Vortex was rushing toward Ye Qin, its chilling aura a hundred times stronger than that of the Little Water Dragons. The power of a hundred Little Water Dragons combined probably only equaled the might of this high-tier water spell.

After the Water Dragon Vortex formed, Li Xi's face became extremely pale. This spell had clearly drained a massive amount of his mana.

"High-tier water spell!"

The surrounding Qingdan cultivators exchanged glances, their hearts turning cold. Most Foundation Establishment cultivators typically only managed to cultivate up to mid-tier spells. How much painstaking effort and bitter cultivation must it have taken to raise his water spells to the high-tier?

Ye Qin was charging too fast, and his offensive was relentless, following the shortest path of a frontal assault. After the Water Dragon Vortex formed, he virtually charged headlong into it. Ye Qin’s gaze narrowed as he sensed the hidden power of the Water Dragon Vortex. He inwardly called out a warning and turned with all his might, attempting to dodge the furious onslaught of the vortex.

But he was charging too fast and too fiercely, and he was too close to the Water Dragon Vortex; there was no time to evade. An extremely strong attractive force instantly pulled him into the vortex.

Ye Qin was swept into the Water Dragon Vortex. He had already activated his fire-based protective shield, and numerous crackling sounds erupted as the intense water currents within the vortex violently struck his shield. They exploded into chilling True Water, and streaks of faint blue cold energy coiled around Ye Qin, only to be dispersed by the intense heat of the fire-based protective shield.

It had to be said that the destructive power of water-element spells was indeed quite weak. Even a high-tier spell seemed somewhat insufficient in power. The Water Dragon Vortex did not break Ye Qin's fire shield immediately; it only prevented Ye Qin from breaking free of the vortex's immense suction, rapidly draining Ye Qin's mana through continuous water impacts.

Ye Qin's fire shield only endured within the Water Dragon Vortex for a few breaths before rapidly dimming. In just a short moment, the water currents in the vortex would completely break through Ye Qin's protective shield.

"Congratulations, Young Sect Master, for achieving a great victory!"

Seeing this, Elder Du was overjoyed. He had held no hope for the Young Sect Master but never expected him to swallow Ye Qin with just one high-tier spell, the Water Dragon Vortex. Now it seemed the Young Sect Master's decision to duel was not reckless; he had actually used the duel as an opportunity to eliminate that terrifyingly powerful Qingdan cultivator. If they had descended into a chaotic melee, Ye Qin's methods would have given their group of Lingquan Sect cultivators immense headaches, and heavy casualties would have been unavoidable.

Li Xi, who watched Ye Qin charge straight into the Water Dragon Vortex, was also quite surprised. He hadn't expected his high-tier spell attack to be so successful immediately. However, he was confident in his spell; no cultivator swallowed by the Water Dragon Vortex ever survived. Ye Qin might possess an incredibly potent Primordial Spirit artifact, but once his protective shield was breached, under the intense corrosion of the chilling True Water, he would quickly dissolve into a pool of blood.

Li Xi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and finally relaxed. The thought of Ye Qin's death immediately brought forth an indescribable excitement. Obtaining Ye Qin's valuable fire-element Primordial Spirit artifact would likely be the greatest gain from his months of guarding the Cold Lake Forest.

On the Qingdan Sect's side, the cultivators were nearly dumbfounded on the spot. Especially Qian Bojiang, who had pinned all his hopes on seeing Ye Qin slay the blue-robed cultivator so they could claim merit and return to report. Instead, the opposite happened. Seeing Ye Qin swallowed by the Water Dragon Vortex cast by Li Xi filled him with disappointment and unease. If the strongest member, Ye Qin, could not escape death, who among the remaining eight Qingdan Foundation Establishment cultivators could match this Young Sect Master? Unless they could rescue Ye Qin from the Water Dragon Vortex in the shortest possible time, they stood no chance in the fight.

Qian Bojiang was just about to issue the order to attack when his heart suddenly jolted. He abruptly turned and looked around the swamp. Through the dense mist, he vaguely saw more than ten ghostly cultivator figures, stealthily surrounding their eight Qingdan disciples, the circle of encirclement rapidly shrinking.

This required some explanation: within the Cold Lake Forest, the Lingquan Sect had approximately over twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators, who had been dispersed by Young Sect Master Li Xi into four small squads to search for the enemy. Elder Du's squad was the first to encounter Ye Qin, Qian Bojiang, and the other Qingdan disciples; the squad was nearly wiped out entirely. Li Xi, the Young Sect Master, arrived promptly with two Guardian Cultivators, rescuing Elder Du's group. The other three squads, totaling fifteen cultivators, were searching the surrounding area for enemy traces. While Li Xi and Ye Qin were dueling, these forces had silently flanked them from all directions, intending to wipe out the Qingdan cultivators in one fell swoop.

Qian Bojiang was greatly alarmed when he saw the approaching figures. He never imagined the Lingquan Sect had so many Foundation Establishment cultivators. Overcome by fear, he didn't think twice, turning to throw out his Golden Blade artifact, leaping onto it, and attempting to fly rapidly toward the sky. He had no intention of staying here to die; no matter what, he had to escape back to Lingwu City. As for his fellow sect members, their fate was sealed by destiny.

The other Qingdan cultivators also reacted. Cursing inwardly that the man surnamed Qian hadn't warned them before fleeing, they hastily followed suit, throwing out their artifacts to use them for flight, attempting to escape the swamp. With over twenty Lingquan Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators surrounding them, staying meant certain death.

"Hahahaha, kill them! Leave no one alive!"

Li Xi grinned sinisterly and waved the Water Shell Spirit Pearl in his hand. Over ten smaller Little Water Dragons appeared out of thin air, striking Qian Bojiang, who was just about to escape, with a snap. Qian Bojiang shivered violently; enveloped by the chilling aura, his movement instantly slowed. It wasn't just him; the other few Qingdan cultivators were also unlucky enough to be struck by the Little Water Dragons.

The four squads of Lingquan Sect cultivators converged, their morale surging, holding an absolute numerical advantage. They began pursuing the routed Qingdan cultivators. The Qingdan cultivators had already lost all fighting spirit and were only focused on fleeing in all directions around the swamp like startled beasts, showing no desire to fight back.

Immediately, several screams were heard. Two Qingdan cultivators who had fallen behind plummeted from mid-air, having been chopped into mincemeat by several artifacts. The remaining five or six Qingdan cultivators, hearing the screams, fled even faster.

Li Xi smiled, not moving to chase the remnants himself, leaving that task to his subordinate Foundation Establishment cultivators. With nearly twenty Lingquan Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators in pursuit, he was confident that those mere handful of Qingdan cultivators wouldn't escape. Furthermore, the two Guardian Cultivators beside him did not pursue the scattered Qingdan remnants; their duty was to protect the Young Sect Master, not to kill enemies.

Li Xi remained in place, waiting for Ye Qin to be corroded away by the Water Dragon Vortex so he could retrieve that Primordial Spirit artifact. That fire-element Primordial Spirit artifact was far more valuable than killing a few ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Lingwu Realm.

However, after waiting for a short while, Li Xi suddenly felt something was wrong for some reason.

"Eh, what's going on?"

He was astonished to discover that the blue light within the Water Dragon Vortex was weakening, and faint traces of red light were subtly emerging from within. This wisp of red light never extinguished; instead, it showed a growing tendency to brighten. Li Xi initially thought it was the light emitted by the Nanming Lihuo Sword, but he soon realized something was amiss. If Ye Qin were dead, the Nanming Lihuo Sword, without a master, should lose its spiritual power and dim its radiance; how could it become redder and brighter?

Li Xi's gaze flickered with suspicion.

"Ye..."