Though Liang Si'an’s Azure Dragon Crescent Blade was merely a simulated artifact of the Yellow Grade Fifth Rank, it still possessed a weighty aura and overwhelming blade intent, enhanced by the Eighth Layer Half-Moon Slash divine ability, unleashed at his will.
Huo Zhongguang sneered, his blade never ceasing its momentum; one stroke scattered the crescent arc of light. Liang Si'an hadn't anticipated the ferocity of the blow and quickly twisted aside. The serrated long blade scraped against the armor on his left shoulder, throwing off a shower of sparks.
“You court death!”
Liang Si'an felt deeply humiliated. Though protected by his Fine Gold Chainmail, he was physically uninjured, but this close shave had severely bruised his pride. He shot out a foot, connecting squarely with Huo Zhongguang’s left hip, sending him tumbling over twice.
The two soared in the air, separating as quickly as they had clashed. Huo Zhongguang flipped himself upright and bellowed with laughter.
“So, this is the Foundation Establishment cultivation of Senior Brother! Old Huo won't be polite then!”
Liang Si'an’s combat mastery wasn't significantly superior to his own! The gloom in Huo Zhongguang’s heart vanished, and his laughter grew louder, his imposing spirit swelling further!
Liang Si'an’s expression was so dark it seemed water might drip from it. He forcefully suppressed the fire in his chest and said through tight lips, “Since Junior Brother Huo wishes to test Senior Brother’s skills, then do not blame me for showing no mercy! Let me show you what Foundation Establishment can truly do…”
Before his words finished, Huo Zhongguang attacked again, sweeping his blade. This time, he didn't press the attack physically. Instead, he flicked the blade upward, and suddenly, countless oddly shaped weapons appeared in the sky, raining down like a deluge, shooting toward Liang Si'an with the speed of wind and lightning.
“Ten Thousand Blades Thousand Weapons Art!”
Liang Si'an scoffed, “A mere trick, hardly worth mentioning!”
He pulled a banner from his robes and gave it a gentle wave. A gate of light materialized in the air. He stepped inside, instantly vanishing from sight. The myriad weapons, finding no target, also fell harmlessly and disappeared.
In a flash, the gate reappeared, and Liang Si'an stepped out with measured composure, chuckling softly several times.
“Chiyou’s Army-Shattering Evasion Technique!”
Feng Zikang’s Heavenly Demon avatar remained hidden beside them, observing clearly. He instantly recognized this as Liang Si'an’s highly refined divine ability, Chiyou’s Army-Shattering Evasion Technique. Elder Wu had explained it in detail that day: this technique offered both offense and defense, placing it among the top-tier abilities of the Yellow Grade Fifth Rank.
However, between offense and defense, there remained gaps where movement was possible—otherwise, relying solely on this gate-evasion method would render Liang Si'an invincible.
“Junior Brother Huo, you should take one of my moves as well!”
Liang Si'an waved his banner wildly, and a mass of turbid energy surged out from within, forming a colossal spectral phantom of a demon god behind him!
Chiyou!
This demon god was originally an ancient God of War. Although exiled and sealed by the Yellow Emperor Xuanyuan, it remained incomparably ferocious. Propelled by Liang Si'an’s Sunset Peak War God Heart Method, it appeared monstrous and infinitely powerful.
“Hah!”
Liang Si'an swept his banner, and the demon god phantom roared, lunging violently toward Huo Zhongguang. Huo Zhongguang knew the divine ability was vicious and dared not meet it head-on. He retreated at top speed but was still struck by the phantom’s fist, sending him flying back into the cliff face!
“Boom!”
The demon god had not dissipated. It flew toward the cliff wall and began a furious assault. Huo Zhongguang struggled to defend himself, completely unable to counterattack.
“Heh heh heh!”
Liang Si'an floated over, wielding the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade, and laughed aloud.
“Junior Brother Huo, are you finally convinced?”
Huo Zhongguang was dizzy, preoccupied with evading the demon god phantom’s attacks, barely hearing what was being said. He still had trump cards unused and certainly would not admit defeat.
But this Chiyou’s Army-Shattering Evasion Technique was so potent; if the demon god didn't disperse, how could he even draw his blade?
Just then, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind!
“Now!”
“Hah!”
Huo Zhongguang roared instinctively, spitting out a mouthful of blood! The bones and muscles throughout his body cracked loudly, and countless tiny wounds bloomed across his skin.
“To hear the Way in the morning, one can die content in the evening!”
In that single instant, Huo Zhongguang felt no pain, only an inexhaustible surge of strength and a sensation of exhilarating lightness, as if he had absorbed the pure essence from the jade urn Feng Zikang had given him.
Without thinking, his blade followed his heart’s impulse.
Primordial Chaos All-Conquering Single Slash! The entirety of his essence, energy, and spirit were unleashed in that one blade strike!
The primordial spirit residing on his serrated long blade erupted in dazzling light!
Heaven and earth resonated, the mountains shook, and a massive blade shadow appeared directly in front of Huo Zhongguang. It seemed to slice through the previously invincible demon god phantom as easily as cutting tofu. The demon god shrieked once and dissolved into nothingness.
The blade shadow continued to expand. Though seemingly slow, it locked onto Liang Si'an, enveloping him within its imposing aura.
“Oh no!”
Liang Si'an, who had just held the absolute advantage, suddenly realized he was facing mortal danger. He trembled as he waved his banner, conjuring another gate of light, preparing to step through, when an inexplicable terror flooded his heart, making his legs weak.
If that blade struck him, he would surely die, wouldn't he?
Liang Si'an, having just reached Foundation Establishment and begun the path to longevity, suddenly felt the profound terror between life and death.
He immediately suppressed his panic, gritting his teeth to flee, but it was already too late.
In that brief hesitation of a finger-snap, the colossal blade shadow sliced through his body.
“Pfft!”
The gate of light shattered, and a spray of blood mist flew out. Liang Si'an’s ruined body plummeted from mid-air.
The surrounding disciples gasped in unison!
“Huuuuh.”
Feng Zikang’s face was pale, and he let out a long, heavy breath.
This endeavor had consumed too much energy; he needed to minimize such actions in the future.
Not only had he observed via his formless Heavenly Demon avatar, noting the exact moment the Chiyou phantom’s power was weakest and Liang Si'an was least guarded, urging Huo Zhongguang to strike, but he had also deliberately stimulated Liang Si'an’s fear through the avatar to delay his escape via the gate technique. Though only momentary, it secured the victory!
Liang Si'an was nearly split in two, falling rapidly.
Yuan Buhuan hastily waved his hand and retracted the Minor Sumeru Realm. Blood still beaded at the corner of Huo Zhongguang’s mouth, and his eyes were vacant. He also collapsed once they were out, and the attending elders carried him into a room for care.
Liang Si'an, however, was grievously wounded, near death. Yuan Buhuan had to personally treat him, tapping his fingers twice to rejoin the two severed halves of Liang Si'an's body, temporarily stitching them together, and then forcing a pill down his throat to barely sustain his life. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and order someone to take him away for surgical repair.
“Ho… Senior Brother Huo won?”
This series of events had unfolded so rapidly that the assembled disciples were dumbfounded, slow to react.
It wasn't until Yuan Buhuan finished his emergency ministrations that everyone remembered: Huo Zhongguang, whom everyone considered useless just moments ago, had felled the Great Senior Brother Liang Si'an, who had already attained Foundation Establishment, cementing his status as the foremost disciple among the third generation of the Military Family on Dragon Tiger Mountain.
Most looked on in disbelief, exchanging glances.
“Th-then does that mean we have to offer more spirit stones for tribute now?”
Some quick-witted disciples frowned deeply, already worrying about their future finances.
Only Gu Ya stood triumphant, smiling smugly at Feng Zikang. “Senior Brother Feng, see? My star-gazing divination is quite accurate, isn't it? Hmph, I am that Gu the Half-Immortal, who pierces heavenly secrets with absolute pronouncements!”