That was a surge of vital energy, and the injuries within him began to mend at an astonishing speed the moment this power invaded his body. Yet, before Xuanyuan Xiaozhan could rejoice, that energy began to force his muscles to grow uncontrollably—even his bones and meridians were expanding. If this continued, he would certainly become a grotesque ball of flesh, perhaps even suffering a catastrophic explosion of his physical form. Sensing this life force capable of inducing death, Xuanyuan Xiaozhan was deeply alarmed. He mobilized his internal Profound Energy (Xuanli) at full capacity, desperately trying to counteract the invading power. Strangely, however, the more his Profound Energy pressed inward, the stronger that strange energy became, accelerating the growth of his muscles and tissues…
Xuanyuan Xiaozhan was aghast; this power was actually consuming his Profound Energy…
What… what was he to do now?
For the first time, a look of sheer terror crossed the face of this world-renowned God of War. His greatest reliance had always been his formidable Profound Energy, but this insidious force, though seemingly gentle, was devouring it, leaving him utterly helpless.
However, Xuanyuan Xiaozhan was a veteran of countless battles. After a fleeting moment of panic, he quickly regained his composure. Feeling the ever-increasing mass accumulating on his back, he abruptly drew the Heaven-Shattering Spirit Sword (Tian Sui Ling Jian) and brought it down upon his own back with a savage sweep, unleashing a burst of sword energy that tore through the air…
With a sharp shush, a chunk of bloody flesh, the size of a washbasin, fell away from Xuanyuan Xiaozhan’s back, severed by the sword strike. His raw, bloody spine was exposed to the horrified eyes of the onlookers. Ye Jingyu and the others could even see the stark white bone beneath…
The mighty Xuanyuan Xiaozhan, in order to destroy the endless influx of vitality, endured such excruciating, brutal pain. Threads of crimson Profound Energy constantly coiled around the wound, and the gash began to slowly stitch itself closed…
Seeing how mercilessly Xuanyuan Xiaozhan was treating himself, Liang Xiaoke’s expression shifted to one of surprise. He knew that Xuanyuan Xiaozhan was not like him; he was a living, breathing human. To willingly excise such a massive piece of flesh without even flinching demonstrated the terrifying tenacity of his will.
As Liang Xiaoke watched in astonishment, Xuanyuan Xiaozhan raised the Heaven-Shattering Spirit Sword (Tian Ling Sui Jian) once more, its tip pointed directly at Gongsun Lu, who stood defensively in front of Liang Xiaoke. His eyes were wide with shock…
“You… you are the little lass from the Gongsun family? H-how could you possess such profound cultivation? No, this isn’t your cultivation—you… you are dead?” Xuanyuan Xiaozhan seemed to sense something, and his already horrified expression deepened into utter disbelief.
“It was you, you killed her? You… you actually refined her into a puppet?” After the initial shock, Xuanyuan Xiaozhan’s gaze turned toward Liang Xiaoke, filled with blazing fury. He could not fathom that Liang Xiaoke had turned a living person into a corpse puppet—one devoid of life but immensely powerful, obeying only his commands…
“Kill him…” Liang Xiaoke had no intention of wasting words on Xuanyuan Xiaozhan. He gave the order immediately. With a flash, Gongsun Lu was instantly in front of Xuanyuan Xiaozhan, raising her hand to claw directly for his heart.
Her ten fingers instantly elongated by ten centimeters, several streaks of azure light flashed forth, carrying an infinite chill as they lunged for Xuanyuan Xiaozhan’s core. Simultaneously, the surrounding vines surged outward, coiling around Xuanyuan Xiaozhan’s body…
Facing a strike potent enough to cleave metal and shatter stone, Xuanyuan Xiaozhan, currently entangled, let out a cold laugh. His body made no attempt to struggle; instead, sharp bursts of sword energy erupted from him, shredding the vines into splinters. The Heaven-Shattering Spirit Sword (Tian Ling Sui Jian) in his hand executed a subtle arc, leaving a long gash across Gongsun Lu’s arm. Had she not dodged instantly, the entire limb might have been severed.
Having wounded Gongsun Lu with a single sword stroke, and ignoring her arm's rapid self-repair, Xuanyuan Xiaozhan’s body lunged directly toward Liang Xiaoke. He seemed to understand that the surest way to eliminate Gongsun Lu was to utterly obliterate Liang Xiaoke.
Crimson Profound Energy spun violently around his form, unleashing vast, imposing auras. Sharp sword energy enveloped the entire sky, as if, in that single moment, nothing existed in the universe but sword Qi.
Faced with such a violent torrent of sword energy, Liang Xiaoke had nowhere left to flee. Black light erupted across his entire body, attempting to resist the invasion of the sword strikes. However, Xuanyuan Xiaozhan’s sword energy was far too keen. In an instant, the black glow enveloping Liang Xiaoke was shredded into dust. Countless streaks of sword energy left wounds of varying sizes across his body; his heart, abdomen, and left shoulder were pierced by three bloody holes, and his intestines were even dangling out of his stomach…
Not only that, but an even more colossal sword strike was being forged, its immense pressure instilling a genuine sense of dread in Liang Xiaoke…
Forgetting his injuries and ignoring his supposed immortality, he leaped directly off the ground and bolted backward. He was a zombie, yes, but even zombies sometimes feared death.
“Trying to flee? Not so easily accomplished…” Xuanyuan Xiaozhan sneered, flicking his long sword. A beam of sword light, easily a hundred zhang long, instantly exploded outward, cleaving straight toward Liang Xiaoke.
Liang Xiaoke gasped in alarm and instinctively twisted his body to the side. Though his head avoided the blow, the sword energy sliced him perfectly in half from his left shoulder downward…
“Aiyaa… I’m dying, I’m dying!” he shrieked, simultaneously using his right hand to clutch the left half of his body that was about to fall away, all while frantically sprinting…
“Wait, I’m a zombie, why would I fear death?” After running several hundred zhang, Liang Xiaoke suddenly recalled. Streams of Corpse Qi welled up from within him, attempting to repair his mangled form…
Witnessing Liang Xiaoke still running even after being cleaved in two, Xuanyuan Xiaozhan was struck by renewed astonishment. Yet, having committed to lethal intent, he would certainly not yield now…
He moved to strike Liang Xiaoke again, only to see a dark silhouette appear in the sky. Immediately, he felt the entire void tremble. Golden ripples began forming continuously across the expanse, and the very space seemed to be compressing inward…
This was precisely the Reverse Rebuttal’s Seven Steps (Ni Bo Qi Bu), and a colossal blade-light ignited within that disturbed void…