The sheer terror of Yu Lin's spear thrust actually forced Ye Wen to evade, causing immediate delight among the surrounding Qingcheng disciples, who burst into loud cheers and shouts of praise, including cries of "Master is mighty!" as if the outcome of the battle had already been decided.

Ye Wen acted as if these sounds did not exist. His body, suspended in mid-air, suddenly twisted, and he plummeted rapidly to the ground. Almost simultaneously with this movement, a series of bang-bang sounds erupted, followed by a hail of bullets whistling past the spot where he had just been.

As the smoke and dust cleared, everyone could finally see what had happened. Yu Lin held the Seven Star Dragon-Slaying Spear casually in his right hand, while his left hand gripped a new model M16 series rifle. That burst of sound had come from him firing this rifle. And those bullets were certainly not ordinary; they were all special rounds with inscribed talismans, possessing a certain lethality even against cultivators. More importantly, the speed and density of the bullets compensated for the individual weakness in single-shot damage.

"Damn, this Qingcheng Master is actually quite hip!"

He had spent some time in this cultivation world and had met the masters of various sects. Since these masters were at least four or five hundred years old, their fighting styles generally matched Ye Wen's definition of a 'cultivator.'

No matter what, he hadn't expected the Master of the Qingcheng Sect to be so up-to-date, casually having so many advanced magical artifacts prepared.

While still astonished, he watched Yu Lin casually toss aside the depleted rifle. With a flip of his hand, Yu Lin produced two hand grenades. Because cultivators frequently use hand seals, their fingers are extremely nimble, so even holding two grenades with one hand did not impede his ability to use them.

With two sharp pacha, pacha sounds, Yu Lin executed a technique called "Twin Ghosts Knocking at the Door" to launch the two grenades.

This "Twin Ghosts Knocking at the Door" technique wasn't a magical art; it was actually a method of throwing hidden weapons, a form of martial arts. Yu Lin had practiced martial arts in his earlier years, hence his familiarity with the technique: one hand swings out, sending two hidden projectiles flying left and right directly toward the opponent. Now, the two grenades flew out in precisely this manner.

Fortunately, Ye Wen feared neither the explosive force of these two grenades. He immediately activated his Iron Palm technique; his hands seemed to transform into two blocks of iron, meeting the grenades head-on. Simultaneously, he clenched his hands, and with two muffled hong-long sounds, the explosive force was contained and smothered by his palms.

However, the impact still left Ye Wen's palms tingling and numb. When he looked up again, Yu Lin had already snatched up the Seven Star Dragon-Slaying Spear and unleashed the Seven Star might stored within the long-weapon artifact. Starlight dotted the spear, emitting a deep, azure glow. As the spear was swung, it left trails of light resembling long tails.

But these lights were more than just ornamental; if one were careless enough to be swept by them, even Ye Wen would sustain some damage.

He possessed the Golden Morning Radiance Jingqi for protection, however, allowing him to clash directly with the light.

First, he dodged a sweep of the spear, then he channeled his Golden Morning Radiance Jingqi to violently collide with the magnificent tail-light trailing from the spear. Afterward, Ye Wen noticed the seven points of starlight on the Seven Star Dragon-Slaying Spear flicker simultaneously, like a light bulb with unstable voltage, dimming and brightening erratically.

"This Seven Star Dragon-Slaying Spear's might is indeed not ordinary, but it is just a common magical artifact. Although Yu Lin has invited Erlang Zhenjun to possess him, he absolutely cannot be as terrifyingly strong as the real Erlang Zhenjun. Moreover, how long can he maintain this state?"

With a brief thought, Ye Wen discerned that Yu Lin’s condition was unsustainable. Ye Wen keenly noticed that Yu Lin’s hands gripping the spear were constantly tearing open, already shedding blood. This suggested the immense power was causing significant counter-recoil, and Yu Lin, who was not skilled in close-quarters combat, was showing signs of his body failing to cope.

Yu Lin was naturally aware of this situation, so his attacks became increasingly frantic. He wielded the spear like a propeller, whipping up rushing winds as he continuously lunged at Ye Wen’s vital points. Yet, Ye Wen parried every thrust with a golden longsword he summoned in a mere wave of his hand.

This golden longsword was merely a weapon condensed from Ye Wen's Golden Morning Radiance Jingqi. It was somewhat similar to the Zixiao Sword, though its sharpness was naturally inferior to the Zixiao Sword. However, this Morning Radiance Sword possessed other unique advantages.

This technique was actually inspired by the Hunyuan Evil Sword method developed by a certain character in the original scripture. Ye Wen had often wondered how powerful it would be if he could condense a longsword from each of the ten levels of Jingqi after mastering the Ten Layers of the Hunyuan Treasure Codex.

So, he began experimenting with condensing swords using his Hunyuan Jingqi. This Morning Radiance Sword was certainly not the first time Ye Wen had used it; previously, he had only practiced forms with his junior brother.

Beyond this were the White Cloud Sword, the Cascading Radiance Sword, the Kunlun Sword, the Azure Snow Sword, the Chaos Sword, the Star River Sword, the Indigo Sea Sword, and so on. In the future, there might even be the Vault Sky Sword evolved from the Blood Vault Sky, and the Universe Sword... Of course, when Ye Wen thought of the latter name, he humorously pondered whether he should develop a Universe Sword Style!

These longswords, in addition to bearing the characteristics of the Hunyuan Treasure Codex, were also more solid and sharper. When used against an opponent, their power naturally increased by another level, though this was purely theoretical, and he was unsure of the actual results. Since the opportunity was rare, Ye Wen casually employed the Morning Radiance Sword.

Combined with the force-dissipating principles of the Tai Chi Heart Method, despite Yu Lin's fierce onslaught, he could not injure Ye Wen! As long as Ye Wen weathered this barrage, Yu Lin’s body would soon be unable to withstand this power that did not truly belong to him. At that point, a single thrust would end his life.

However, Ye Wen had underestimated Yu Lin. After his series of urgent attacks failed to harm Ye Wen, the Qingcheng Master realized that continuing like this meant he would die before killing his opponent. Making a swift decision, he lunged forward aggressively, unleashing a dense flurry of spear shadows to force Ye Wen to defend with his sword, preventing any counterattack. Only then did he retreat, creating distance from Ye Wen, and disperse the spirit-summoning spell.

Ye Wen felt the oppressive might radiating from Yu Lin abruptly change, no longer pressing down as before. He knew Yu Lin must have realized the situation and therefore dispersed the summoning magic. But if he no longer channeled the immortal power of Erlang Zhenjun, what else could he use to contend with Ye Wen?

His hesitation vanished. With a wave of his hand, a streak of sword energy shot out, specifically using the Earth Kunlun Jingqi that corresponded to the Golden Morning Radiance. A thick, earthen-yellow sword energy bolted toward Yu Lin’s neck. Simultaneously, Ye Wen thrust forward his longsword, channeling the power of the Golden Morning Radiance, causing the sword to blaze with golden light, subtly resonating with the outgoing sword energy.

Then, the sword's movement shifted, and he unleashed the Returning Wind Meeting Wild Geese Sword Style!

This technique wasn't particularly profound. Ye Wen had used it often in his early days, but later relegated it to the sidelines. However, using it now was quite suitable because this sword style emphasized rapid strikes while stressing extreme accuracy. The state known as "One Sword Strikes Nine Geese," which reputedly required reaching the pinnacle of the style to achieve, was naturally no challenge for the current Ye Wen.

When this sword style was unleashed, the Qingcheng disciples perceived only a flash of golden light; they couldn't discern any clear movements. After the radiance faded, it took them a moment to recover their senses.

If Yu Lin had been as oblivious as these disciples, his only option would have been to accept death by Ye Wen's blade. But he was not that incompetent. At this moment, he held his spear horizontally, and the power of the Seven Stars erupted suddenly. The Seven Star Dragon-Slaying Spear revealed an unexpected function, which Yu Lin grasped as a lifeline.

The spear pulsed with brilliant azure light, and then it violently shattered. The long weapon instantly disintegrated into countless fragments, and every shard transformed into a point of starlight. These points of light merged into a continuously rotating field, enveloping Yu Lin. In the blink of an eye, it looked as if a massive galaxy had appeared before Ye Wen—the spectacle was undeniably beautiful.

However, Ye Wen was in no mood to admire the scenery. His sword movements accelerated, and a glint flashed in his eyes. Every minute gap within the starlight became visible to Ye Wen. Paired with the golden longsword in his hand, he instantly pierced through the river-like starlight, aiming directly for Yu Lin's throat.

Yu Lin never expected Ye Wen to reach him even after employing such a drastic measure. In his panic, he didn't know how to respond. Finally, he resorted to his ultimate tactic, rapidly forming a hand seal and roaring, "Senior, bless me!"

Immediately following this, he spat out a mouthful of essence blood. As the essence blood dissipated, a faint red glow enveloped Yu Lin, and Ye Wen felt the spiritual energy within his own body surge dramatically, his power increasing immeasurably in an instant.

"Ye Wen... Die!"

With his strength magnified, Yu Lin’s face was twisted in ferocity. He roared again, and his fists, now more than double their normal size, slammed directly toward Ye Wen's right hand gripping the sword. If struck by that punch, Ye Wen’s wrist would likely turn into a pulp instantly.

Ye Wen remained completely unperturbed by the spectacle unfolding before him. At this level of engagement, Yu Lin was bound to use some desperate measure; such a change was somewhat unexpected but within his anticipation. His sword's trajectory remained unchanged, but Ye Wen's entire body executed a sudden pivot. The Golden Morning Radiance Jingqi seemed to transform into a vortex, and with high-speed rotation, the terrifying punch grazed past Ye Wen’s arm, being deflected away.

Even so, Ye Wen felt a sharp pain shoot through his wrist. Although it was only a graze, it felt as if he had taken the full force of the blow. While thankful he hadn't met the attack head-on, his sword technique exploded outward, the golden longsword flashing instantly, enveloping Yu Lin entirely in golden light.

When the golden light subsided, Ye Wen stood there, hands behind his back, empty-handed. Before him stood Yu Lin, his appearance returned to normal.

"Master Ye... Impressive..."

Yu Lin seemed physically unharmed, but he could feel his life force rapidly draining away, and the spiritual energy within his body dissipating at an alarming rate.

Ye Wen remained silent, merely watching Yu Lin slowly walk toward death.

"Master Ye, I only have one request!" Yu Lin gasped, gathering all his remaining strength to speak: "I hope Master Ye can spare the lives of these disciples..."

Glancing at the barely breathing Yu Lin, Ye Wen nodded—he wasn't inherently bloodthirsty. Although he intended to destroy the Qingcheng Sect, he didn't necessarily have to massacre everyone. Furthermore, the high-level experts of Qingcheng had long since withered away; they had barely managed to hold on thanks to the support of Old Ancestor Bihua outside and this Yu Lin. Now that both were gone, the Qingcheng Sect was tantamount to ruin anyway.

Ultimately, his grievances with the Qingcheng Sect centered entirely on this pair of sworn brothers. Having slain them both settled the score; there was no need to bother the disciples who were completely unaware of the circumstances—many of the Emei Sect had been killed because they brought it upon themselves.

"As long as they do not seek me out, I will not deliberately trouble them!"

Yu Lin knew that receiving such an answer was already an act of utmost benevolence. He smiled and nodded, then his entire body suddenly exploded, dissolving into the finest dust and scattering into the air.

Ye Wen looked up at the vanished Yu Lin, then turned to the group of Qingcheng disciples. "Your Master had some personal grievances with me, which have nothing to do with you. Therefore, I will not kill you! But if you come looking for trouble with me... I am not a soft-hearted person!"

With that, he stepped into the void as if ascending stairs. Yet, with that single step up and down, Ye Wen's figure disappeared from the sight of the assembled Qingcheng disciples.

The disciples exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what to do. They finally settled on having the most senior disciple seek out peer seniors to inform them of their Master's death. As for the future? They had no clue.

Ye Wen stood high in the sky above Qingcheng Mountain, observing everything happening within the sect through his Glazed Pupils, pondering to himself: "I expect the Kunlun Sect will make a move once they receive the news. I estimate that old Daoist who tried to stop my junior brother and me back then will come seeking trouble. I will find an opportunity to eliminate him then!"

He had already anticipated that the Qingcheng Sect, after today, would certainly seek help from the Kunlun Sect, who would be eager to kill him to avenge their Master. Thus, upon receiving the news, they would likely dispatch a contingent to hunt him down.

Eliminating opponents one by one was far better than rushing into a consolidated group. Although Ye Wen's strength had grown considerably, he couldn't withstand a group assault. Therefore, dividing and conquering them was the best strategy.

After a moment of thought, Ye Wen turned to depart. Although he hadn't suffered any injuries in the battle with Yu Lin, the final exchange had left him with lingering fear.

He never expected the Qingcheng Sect to possess such a bizarre technique capable of unleashing such terrifying power instantaneously.

However, this technique seemed incompatible with the main cultivation path of the Qingcheng Sect. After Yu Lin used that technique and his body underwent such startling transformations, Ye Wen could perceive that while his strength had increased, he had absolutely no control over his surging spiritual energy.

It was precisely because of this reason that Ye Wen was able to deliver the finishing blow—the final sword strike, though only one, severed four of Yu Lin's vital points: the center of his brow, Tanzhong, Dantian, and the Hai point, all areas cultivators hold sacred. This instantly crippled all of Yu Lin's cultivation.

But it was also because of this lingering control that Yu Lin managed to speak a few sentences before dying. Otherwise, the uncontrollable, immense force within his body would have erupted in an instant, not only blasting Yu Lin to ashes but also destroying the Qingcheng Sect.

"Could this be some demonic art the Qingcheng Sect obtained by killing some devil long ago?"

This guess seemed plausible, but Ye Wen didn't know that what Yu Lin used in the end was not a demonic art, but one unexpectedly taught to him by an old man he encountered. At the time, the old man said that for Yu Lin to master this technique, he would need at least five hundred years of cultivation just to get started. Thus, Yu Lin had always hesitated to use it, only resorting to it today because he was pushed to the brink.

Ye Wen knew none of these details, only sensing the technique's tremendous power.

Flying slowly, Ye Wen pondered the recent events and prepared to return to the Changbai Immortal Realm. However, things never unfolded as Ye Wen planned. Just as he retrieved the kitten he had temporarily settled in a nearby forest grove, he had to return the small cat and use a minor technique to keep it asleep.

Then, straightening up, he glanced at the forest that was gradually being enveloped by thick mist. He then spoke to the seemingly empty space before him, "The old senior is quite formidable to have found my location!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, She Yue, the millennia-old serpent, materialized from the void. He looked at Ye Wen with a complex expression and said, "I have lived for thousands of years, child, and I naturally possess some skills! Moreover, you just fought someone and caused such a massive disturbance; finding you was not difficult!"

Ye Wen paused, then suddenly produced a protective talisman—the very one She Yue had given him years ago, claiming it would guarantee him a week of safety: "Is it because of this?"

She Yue shook his head. "Child, you underestimate this old man too much!"

Hearing this, Ye Wen knew he had guessed wrong. He casually pinched the yellow paper talisman, and it instantly crumbled to dust. He then asked, "The old senior's insistence on pursuing me must be about the Dragon Transformation Pool. But considering the senior's skill, you should realize that it isn't that simple, right?"

He had long expected the Kunlun Sect to bring up the Dragon Transformation Pool and ask this senior to deal with him. But he was puzzled; with the old man's shrewdness, shouldn't he have seen the trickery involved?

She Yue nodded. "That's right. I know the matter isn't simple, and I presume you didn't destroy the Dragon Transformation Pool intentionally! However... this old man has his own reasons!"

Ye Wen frowned. He couldn't comprehend why this old man was so determined to clash with him. He detested these sorts of ambiguous situations.

"Could you explain in detail?"

She Yue looked at Ye Wen and merely stated, "I have already laid down a formation in this vicinity; no one can enter, and you cannot leave. Child, if you wish to know the reason and depart, you must defeat me first!"

Saying this, She Yue suddenly added, "Oh, right. The Kunlun Sect is currently attempting to connect the South Sea Immortal Palace with the Changbai Immortal Realm. If they succeed, those fellow sect members of yours hiding in the Changbai Immortal Realm might..."

. : It’s so late again... Frustrating!!! RO