Amidst the clear, cold ringing of a sword, that blade light was sharp and utterly piercing; fracturing, it flashed once, and suddenly several Immortal Realms figures were beheaded one after another. From the myriad sword shadows, countless sprays of flesh and blood erupted.
Truly, no one could withstand it. Anyone who dared to lightly brush against the sword's edge instantly perished and fell, dissolving into powder and scattering away.
Delayed briefly by several subordinates, Lu Yantian barely managed to struggle free from that sword's momentum, feeling cold sweat pouring down his entire body. This strike was utterly sudden, arriving without any prior sign, seeming to involve the very laws of time and space.
Had he been a fraction slower, his physical body would have been shredded. In his mind, confusion churned: how could someone bearing grievous wounds wield such terrifying sword might?
Lu Xichen dying by that hand was already astonishing enough. He, Lu Yantian, had nearly followed his cousin into the dust.
Immediately, his gaze turned toward Zong Shou, contemplating the sword that was currently absorbing vital energy and blood essence. But before he could fully comprehend it, the fractured sword lights converged once more.
After slaying and forcing back every intervening helper, the light reformed into a single line, driving toward him! Time, accelerated!
Space, folded! Causality, inverted!
Destiny, locked! Sword intent hung in the air, an unprecedented pressure spreading across the mountain peak.
It seemed as if all killing intent and malevolence had been gathered into this one sword strike. Completely warping time and space, moving at a speed that surpassed the laws of physics, it reached Lu Yantian’s face again in just three-thousandths of a blink!
Faster, stronger, sharper, and far more tyrannical than the previous strike! Making reaction nearly impossible!
Lu Yantian felt a vague premonition in his heart—the power of causality and destiny had already locked onto him. When this sword was struck, it was predetermined to cleave him down right then and there!
His breath hitched. Lu Yantian let out a resounding roar, like the death cry of a cornered beast.
Then, a pair of Water-Splitting Golden Thorns materialized in his hands, thrust forward. In an instant, thousands of thorn shadows formed, finally converging at a single point—precisely where Zong Shou’s blade was coming from.
Chaos! Shatter time!
Shatter space! Let all causality and destiny descend into utter confusion!
But as the thorns and the sword clashed, a heaven-shaking resonance echoed across the peak. Lu Yantian’s vision revealed a flicker of renewed surprise.
The Martial Dao true method within that sword—beyond the powers of time, space, and causality—clearly contained a trace of the true meaning of 'Control'! The 'Control' of the Dao!
To command the Three Thousand Great Daos, and all myriad laws— How could this be? If he hadn't been certain that this opponent was not his cousin, he would have almost believed the person before him was Lu Wushuang in disguise, seeking his death.
Not only had the law-power within that sword failed to be disrupted by him, but its own inherent strength was instead manipulated and enveloped by the enemy’s control, turning back against him! No!
This 'Control' true meaning is merely a surface appearance. In this moment, he vaguely sensed that the one opposite him was the Dao itself!
The astonishment instantly turned to horror. Lu Yantian unconsciously looked up, meeting a gaze devoid of emotion, containing only chilling killing intent.
Clang! The thorn shadows shattered, and the kinetic force constantly colliding between the two was finally unleashed.
Within this palace-like Tianyan Mansion, countless halls crumbled and innumerable walls collapsed. The lesser cultivators and attendants within the manor were crushed into dust by this overwhelming force!
Lu Yantian was first horrified, then enraged. He was at the peak of the Immortal Rank, the ruler of a realm, commanding millions of troops—could he not even block this one sword strike?
The thorn shadows flashed again, gathering urgently three zhang in front of him, striking the blade edge like a fierce storm. If one strike fails, then ten!
A hundred! Just then, a surge of magnificent flame power followed, impacting Zong Shou directly.
Lu Yantian’s consciousness could sense it: the Jiao Serpent, three thousand zhang behind him, had surged from the lake, weaving through the fire clouds, and lunged forward with a fierce bite. This rare Heaven and Earth anomaly was inherently skilled at controlling fire.
Its own inherent flames were so potent that even Lu Yantian himself struggled to bear them, which was why it had to remain in the lake year-round to avoid spontaneously combusting. That Azure Fire Mystic Turtle also raised its massive shields, swinging them toward the Jiao Serpent.
The latter whipped its massive tail, striking the shields. This exchange resulted in a stalemate.
The Jiao Serpent was blasted back over a hundred zhang, and the Azure Fire Mystic Turtle staggered backward. However, the Turtle’s eyes held a distinct look of apprehension.
As the scarlet flames swept past, its azure flames were entirely scattered, forcing it to rely on its Profound Martial True Qi just to barely hold a defense. The Jiao Serpent, seemingly anxious to save its master, ignored the Mystic Turtle.
Following the golden flash, it spat out another ball of crimson fire. This breath originated from its Dantian, sourced from its energy field, yet it was a hundred times more ferocious than its inherent crimson fire!
Capable of melting metal and burning all things away! Zong Shou’s sword momentum could no longer be maintained, yet he showed little dejection; instead, the corner of his lips quirked upward slightly.
The true force and soul energy he was currently using had been extracted from the Immortal Rank cultivators who had perished beneath his blade, channeled through the Nameless Sword and the Heaven-Swallowing Primordial Transformation Technique. Fighting Lu Yantian had already depleted the majority of his reserves.
However, before unleashing his strike, how could he not have known that this Jiao Serpent would certainly not stand by and watch its master die? Even though it was a natural anomaly, if Lu Yantian perished, this Jiao Serpent likely wouldn't survive long either.
The sword light retracted, as if intending a temporary retreat, but at the moment of extreme power convergence, it exploded again, making an abrupt turn mid-air. The five thousand zhang Thunder Wings flapped, shrouding a portion of the sword body with Thunderous Splendor; at an unimaginable angle, it slashed out obliquely!
Still—Time, accelerated! Space, folded!
Causality, inverted! Destiny, locked!
Yet this strike was the Dao! Rich with Dao rhyme, the sword shadow sliced forth, as if the primordial state of Heaven and Earth itself were delivering this blow!
Lu Yantian’s pupils contracted violently. Suddenly, he understood.
Zong Shou’s target, from beginning to end, had not been him. It was this Jiao Serpent of his!
The sword light flashed, piercing into the crimson fire. Ignoring the corrosive flame power, it drove straight toward the Jiao Serpent’s head.
In terror, the Jiao Serpent attempted to shift its body, only to find evasion utterly impossible. The Azure Fire Mystic Turtle pressed in from behind, swinging its two black great shields down, carrying the weight of ten thousand mountains.
It had held back before; now, it exerted its full strength. The distortion of time and space allowed the blood-colored sword shadow to reach the beast’s front at extreme velocity.
The power of causality and destiny clinging to the blade made struggling futile. With only a moment’s hesitation, the Jiao Serpent still managed to retreat slightly.
But it could only shield its vital head. Almost the entirety of its flank was swept by Zong Shou’s blood-colored sword light.
Where the shadow passed, it was like tearing through aged leather. With a light ‘hiss,’ a vast quantity of blood sprayed forth.
It hit the ground and instantly transformed into crimson flames, burning fiercely. Nearly a thousand zhang of its length—almost half of its body—was cleanly severed and dropped, instantly withering into flesh and blood, also becoming flame.
The Jiao Serpent’s form was hideous and contorted. Before it could utter a single cry, the two massive shields from behind slammed into it.
Heavy and solid, the edges of the shields bristled with countless serrations. The impact of the two shields delivered the force of several hundred Mount Sumerus, causing the peak to shudder once more with a loud ‘clang.’ The Jiao Serpent’s body was violently smashed a hundred zhang away.
And the Azure Fire Mystic Turtle cackled gleefully, feeling utterly satisfied. Zong Shou retracted his sword momentum.
Black flames erupted from his entire body. That previous strike had drained at least half of the Jiao Serpent’s vital energy and blood essence.
However, this beast’s fire essence was too abundant, causing his own body to be filled with fiery true essence. Fortunately, possessing the Blood of Void Burning, he could still endure it.
He then suspended himself in the air, looking down with a cold, indifferent gaze once more upon Lu Yantian. His arm had been nearly melted by that crimson impact, yet it was healing at a visible rate.
And almost simultaneously with his recovery, another sword strike fell, like a plunging galaxy, a streaking meteor! A trace of fear finally surfaced in Lu Yantian’s eyes.
This Zong Shou—from the very beginning, he should never have given him any source of borrowed strength! At this moment, he still possessed the might of a realm and the advantage of millions of troops to borrow from.
Yet Lu Yantian felt as if he were now a lonely man, so utterly helpless. After only a few exchanges, he had been forced into this predicament.
No, this should be called desperation! Why hadn't Lu Wushuang arrived yet?
As the thought crossed his mind, a spark of inspiration hit, and Lu Yantian’s gaze suddenly held a look of realization. “Lu Jun, you dare stand idly by?
If this seat dies, can you survive alone?” After roaring, a muffled groan followed: “Lu Wushuang, are you trying to use another’s knife to kill me? Very well!
I, Lu Yantian, have nothing more to say. But do you know of the Heaven-Reverting Elixir?
If you wish to know its whereabouts, then Brother Wushuang must trouble himself to save my life!” As his words fell, a soft sigh came from nearby. A middle-aged scholar emerged, hands forming seals, and as he uttered an incantation, Suddenly, a thousand layers of waves materialized within Tianyan Mansion, circling around in layers, like a sash of jade encircling Lu Yantian.
Water, the softest of things, now seemed like layers of firm shields blocking before Lu Yantian. They shattered one by one under the assault of the sword momentum, only to gather again, layer upon layer.
Zong Shou’s focus wavered slightly. Heaven-Reverting Elixir?
He thought he had heard of it. Searching his memory, he found the information quickly.
It captures the creation of Heaven and Earth; below the Saint Realm, even if only a single strand of hair remains, even if the spirit is completely extinguished, it can grant rebirth to the dead— He was immediately moved. Though he had no one in his life who must be saved, such a treasure, if obtained, would surely be useful someday.
In that case, there was no rush to kill this man. Letting him suffer the torment of a soul search might not be a bad idea.
He instantly snapped back to reality, noticing that the sword momentum, enveloped by the water light, was being gradually weakened. He let out a cold sneer, casually flicking his sleeve.
A point of silver light abruptly shot out, disappearing rapidly. It flashed and reappeared before everyone’s eyes, having instantly pinned itself to the center of Lu Jun’s brow.
Lu Jun didn't notice at first, not until his vital energy dissipated and his soul power collapsed, did he violently snap awake. Disbelief flashed in his eyes, then in an instant his life force vanished, his body dissolving into ash.
Those layers of water light also disintegrated completely with this man’s death. Zong Shou’s sword shadow met no further obstruction and passed through.
It collided and impacted with the myriad water-splitting thorn shadows. Just as the primordial energy drawn from the Jiao Serpent was fully exhausted, the sword cleaved off Lu Yantian’s left arm at the root in a single stroke!
Just as he prepared to press the attack, a silver spear finally descended upon this realm.