As these figures made their move, chaos instantly erupted outside; horses reared and men scattered in pandemonium.

It was clear these attackers had premeditated their actions. In their hands, they wielded strange hidden weapons that, once unleashed, blanketed a vast area.

Furthermore, their strikes were venomous, with half the projectiles aimed directly at the horses sheltering beneath the eaves.

These horses were the finest and most precious of the entire convoy, including the black steed ridden by Jin Zhanyi. Although the disciples of Lingxiao Treasure Hall guarding them possessed cultivation at the eighth or ninth layer of Inner Strength, this sudden turn of events left them barely able to defend themselves, let alone tend to the animals nearby.

The instant the light flared, Jin Zhanyi was already leaving his seat; his figure seemed to flicker, and he materialized outdoors.

With a gentle twist of both hands, two distinctly different streams of true Qi boiled forth. The pouring rain before him seemed to gain sentience, each drop infused with potent life force.

They danced in the air, weaving a boundless curtain of water that permeated heaven and earth.

Innumerable sounds of clashing metal rang out as the strange projectiles fired from the assailants’ hands collided with the droplets in the air, producing the sharp ring of iron striking iron.

Under the infusion of Jin Zhanyi’s true Qi, the heavy rain across the entire area transformed into the weapon in his grasp, intercepting every projectile soaring through the sky.

Even amidst the torrential downpour, this display of martial prowess stirred the hearts of all onlookers. Countless disciples of Lingxiao Treasure Hall simultaneously erupted in cheers that rivaled the muffled thunder overhead, pride blazing fiercely on every face.

However, amidst this chorus of acclaim, a brilliant light, like the scorching sun, suddenly ignited. A massive broadsword materialized abruptly from the hand of a man wearing a conical straw hat, slicing through the stormy rain and descending ruthlessly toward Jin Zhanyi’s head.

The timing of this strike was exquisite, delivered precisely as the water curtain took shape, catching everyone off guard.

Simultaneously, an overwhelming pressure, akin to Mount Tai crushing down, emanated from the giant sword. While not as exaggerated as when He Yiming employed the Five Elements Merging, the might displayed was terrifying.

This assailant, hidden within the crowd, seemed to have anticipated Jin Zhanyi’s move, having stored his energy for this moment. The sudden eruption unleashed such astonishing power.

Jin Zhanyi snorted coldly, showing no fear in the face of danger. His left hand suddenly clenched into a fist, and the rainwater in the air, as if commanded, converged upon his hand with incredible speed.

In the blink of an eye, he held a shimmering longsword composed entirely of swirling water.

Jin Zhanyi met the attack head-on with this very sword.

Clang…

A crisp shattering sound echoed as the sword in Jin Zhanyi’s hand fractured inch by inch. This simple longsword, condensed purely from rainwater, broke with the brittle sound of genuine steel being crushed. It fell away from his grip.

Yet, the strike had clearly channeled immense power. After being intercepted, the sudden, massive broadsword paused momentarily in mid-air, its previously peerless momentum instantly dissolving.

Jin Zhanyi stretched his arms wide, pushing his right hand forward. A fierce metallic sheen pulsed around it.

At that instant, his right hand seemed to have transformed into an arm forged entirely of metal—a steel hand—which fiercely clamped down upon the suspended greatsword.

He Yiming’s eyes narrowed sharply. Both the technique of controlling the rain and the current manifestation of the Iron Hand revealed Jin Zhanyi's profound strength. Moreover, Jin Zhanyi was displaying this power without even deploying his special weapons. What might his full might unleash?

Thoughts raced through He Yiming’s mind as he made a swift, objective comparison.

Unless he were to use the One Hundred and Eight Transformations Great Saber, he had no absolute certainty of victory in a fair confrontation, even with the Five Elements Rings.

After seizing the greatsword from the attacker’s hand, Jin Zhanyi immediately launched a kick.

The leg he raised seemed to carry ten thousand pounds of force, causing the very air around it to ripple with a strange vibration.

However, the moment he lifted his foot, a speck of blackness appeared from his back.

Like a viper that had long lain in wait, it finally seized the perfect opportunity, revealing its venom-laced fangs to strike at Jin Zhanyi.

This thread of blackness traversed the rain silently, so stealthy that few could even perceive this fatal thrust.

He Yiming and Zhang Zhongjin gasped in horror, realizing that everything preceding this was merely setup; the true killing blow was here.

But by the time they spotted the black speck, it had already pierced Jin Zhanyi’s back.

Hiss…

The black speck finally revealed its true form: a forked trident sword. Only after penetrating Jin Zhanyi’s body did it emit a sound like a venomous snake’s hiss.

Zhang Zhongjin’s vision blurred; surging anger and distress threatened to make him faint on the spot.

In that moment, he ceased being a master-level powerhouse of the Yixiantian realm and reverted to a fragile old man.

“Good,”

He Yiming exclaimed involuntarily, his eyes sparkling with excitement and intensity.

Zhang Zhongjin felt a surge of anger, then immediately realized something was amiss—He Yiming could never cheer for Jin Zhanyi’s death.

He focused his gaze and was instantly overcome with ecstatic relief: the ghostly, elusive trident had not pierced Jin Zhanyi’s body, but rather an outer robe.

This bizarre and unpredictable strike had originated from the horses beneath the eaves. This assailant had somehow concealed himself there without releasing any hint of life force, nor startling the horses or the surrounding guarding disciples.

Just as Jin Zhanyi was displaying his might and grasping the greatsword in front, this person seized the opportunity to launch a sneak attack. That sharp, venomous, and sinister sword strike sent a tremor even through He Yiming.

Yet, Jin Zhanyi’s reaction surpassed their expectations. As his true Qi surged, the outer robe instantly puffed up as if inflated.

The moment the trident pierced the fabric, Jin Zhanyi had already released the greatsword. With an impossibly nimble movement, he executed a shift in position while dragging the robe, evading the fatal blow.

All of this transpired in a flash—from Jin Zhanyi stepping outside until he dodged the killing strike, barely a single breath had passed. Even the defending disciples hadn't fully reacted.

Two figures bolted away in opposite directions. The speed they achieved when unleashing their full velocity rivaled the peak speed of He Yiming and Jin Zhanyi.

He Yiming’s mind stirred, and his figure plunged into the misty rain, pursuing the assassin wielding the trident.

Seemingly understanding He Yiming’s intent, Jin Zhanyi moved like lightning, rocketing toward the other fleeing figure.

Zhang Zhongjin, unwilling to be left behind, took a single stride and vanished into the rain fog as well.

Among those dozen or so figures, only one concealed a congenital expert wielding the greatsword; the rest were mere postnatal runners. Under the interception efforts of Zhang Zhongjin and the many masters of Lingxiao Treasure Hall, all were swiftly subdued or captured.

After the time it takes to eat a meal, the torrential downpour finally began to subside. Jin Zhanyi returned from a distance, carrying the massive longsword in his hand; as for the fate of the man who wielded it, the conclusion was obvious.

※※※※

After entering the rain fog, He Yiming did not immediately deploy the most powerful ability of his Wind Power for instantaneous movement between two points. Instead, he maintained a close pursuit of the man in black, following steadily without haste.

The black-clad man was incredibly fast and profoundly skilled in stealth arts. He utilized an array of bizarre tools, his illusions shifting masterfully according to the surrounding terrain.

However, though the man’s array of illusions was endless, they were all recorded within Sima Yin’s peculiar book.

Thanks to He Yiming’s remarkable skill of the "Fair Wind Ear," escape was impossible for the target.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, estimating the distance, He Yiming finally drew the Five Elements Rings from beneath his arm. Powerful true Qi surged into them like a tide, causing the outermost layer to hum intensely as it spun rapidly.

With a gentle wave of his hand, multicolored beams shot out like arrows loosed from a bow toward the target.

Due to the unique function of the Five Elements Rings, He Yiming’s true Qi seemed inexhaustible, launching hundreds of beams in an instant.

The black-clad man was an individual of significant standing, arguably among the elite few even within the entire Yellow Springs Sect.

But when he felt the hundreds of strands of Five Elements Qi erupting from behind him, his soul nearly fled his body in terror. Such immense pressure, such a dense flurry of attacks—in his mind, he instantly judged that the pursuer was, if not a Venerable, then a figure close to that level.

He was aghast, unable to fathom when such a powerhouse had appeared beside Jin Zhanyi.

The speed and breadth of the Five Elements beams made evasion based on simple speed impossible under a surprise attack.

Yet, this man was a supreme expert. As his figure darted, he abandoned all concern for image or the use of any further futile illusions. Within that confined space, he swung his trident sword frantically.

Having barely managed to withstand this barrage, his shock deepened, for in his perception, He Yiming’s trace had vanished.

The pursuer from behind had inexplicably disappeared.

He spun, his eyes locking onto a patch of earth behind him that had strangely turned over.

Instantly, a terrifying realization flashed through his mind. Then, a golden-yellow radiance erupted from beneath his feet.

Initially just a pinpoint, it instantly expanded to blot out the sky—endless…

Ps: Only twenty-seven hours left; the monthly tickets are doubled—everyone, please don’t waste them…