Time passed swiftly.
One month later.
Wu Tao, having just emerged from his cave dwelling and not long after leaving the Taiyi Immortal Sect's outpost, was preparing to go to Black Flag City, the only city with a known black market in Qingzhou.
He intended to exchange the magical artifacts, treasures, and the like, that he still had on hand and were inconvenient to reveal to outsiders, remnants of his black-market dealings, for a large sum of spirit stones, to prepare in advance for the necessary items for his advancement to the Core Formation stage.
After flying with his artifact for only a few hours, Wu Tao suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of crisis in his heart.
His expression changed slightly, and he immediately scanned his surroundings with his divine sense, realizing that something was amiss.
He subconsciously looked behind him and saw an extremely fast azure escape light closely following him.
When Wu Tao stopped, this escape light had already reached in front of him in an instant, blocking his path.
Wu Tao's heart sank slightly. This meant trouble.
In his twenties, due to youthful arrogance, he had offended many enemies.
Upon his return, Wu Tao had been extremely cautious every day, fearing that his past enemies would join forces against him. Yet, today he had finally fallen into a trap!
Even more unexpectedly, problems had arisen so soon after his return from Liangzhou.
"Who are you?"
Taking a deep breath, Wu Tao's state of mind became extraordinarily calm in the next second. He was ready for battle.
Wu Tao turned his head and met the other's gaze, his eyes filled with inquiry.
The other party's eyes were like copper bells, filled with cold ferocity, staring intently at Wu Tao as if he wanted to devour him.
After a while, the person finally spoke.
"You are Wu Tao?"
...
Upon hearing this, Wu Tao sneered and did not answer. Wasn't this stating the obvious? If you don't know me, why are you blocking me? Do you think I'm an idiot?
As if not expecting Wu Tao to answer, a cold glint flashed in the man's eyes. He smiled sinisterly and said, "My name is Zhao Yuwen. I am a relative of Zhao Yang."
"I saw his corpse. He was struck seven times by a sword, his bones shattered by more than half. His entire body was rotten, with not a single piece of good flesh. How could you be so cruel!"
"Enough nonsense. Since you're here for revenge, then let's fight!"
Hearing this, Wu Tao immediately understood what was happening. He drew his dilapidated ancient sword and pointed it at Zhao Yuwen.
Zhao Yuwen raised an eyebrow upon seeing this, sneering inwardly. He thought Wu Tao was foolish for trying to break his painstakingly cultivated Ten Thousand Wood Vine Armor with a mere broken sword.
He knew he possessed a mysterious treasure from the ancient era.
"If that is the case, then let me test your capabilities."
Zhao Yuwen shouted loudly, and azure light flashed, instantly enveloping the surroundings. Then, dozens of giant trees materialized without warning, blocking Wu Tao's path both in front and behind.
Immediately, Zhao Yuwen formed hand seals, and in the next moment, the giant trees exploded, transforming into countless wooden spears that shot out. The tip of each wooden spear carried a cold, emerald-like sheen.
As expected of the Junior Azure Wood Immortal Monarch, this wood-attribute spell was performed with divine skill, reaching perfection, unparalleled by anyone.
Wu Tao's brow furrowed slightly upon seeing this. He then took out hundreds of fire-attribute talismans from his storage bag, turning the surroundings into a sea of fire that incinerated everything.
...
Leaning forward, Zhao Yuwen's speed instantly reached its peak, leaving trails of emerald green afterimages behind him.
When he was less than three meters away from Wu Tao, Zhao Yuwen bent his right arm downwards and swung, unleashing a strike. A deep green radiant light flashed from the rust-covered ancient remnant treasure, the "Bronze Divine Saber," as it spun and flowed, its chilling radiance shooting out in all directions.
In an instant, the saber and the person seemed to merge into one. Azure light erupted, dazzling and blinding, its chilling radiance piercing to the bone, and killing intent permeated the air.
Dragon's roar, ocean's surge, dominating the world, the azure light surged like a furious dragon emerging from the sea, like lightning and thunder. In an instant, fierce winds swirled, sweeping across a thousand armies, and countless terrifying saber lights were unleashed directly.
*Hummm—*
In the next second, Wu Tao also moved. He raised his dilapidated ancient sword, its sword cry soaring to the heavens. Golden power ignited, and a formidable divine sense fluctuation emanated outwards.
Pure golden innate sword energy, with blazing sharpness, a supremely majestic sword, grand and awe-inspiring. Wu Tao intended to meld his strength into the sword and break the enemy with it.
Following this, a colossal golden sword light rose from behind Wu Tao. Fifty feet of innate sword energy condensed on the sword's tip. As this sword descended, the sky over a hundred feet trembled. The sword energy's sharpness erupted, instantly becoming as firm as an immortal sword.
The azure-green saber light and the golden sword light collided. Thick clouds were squeezed and scattered, trembling as if about to fall. Even the sky cracked and collapsed in a section.
The next moment!
Both individuals were thrown back several hundred meters, unable to stop their momentum.
In terms of strength, Wu Tao and Zhao Yuwen appeared to be evenly matched.
Halting his retreat, Zhao Yuwen looked up, surprise in his eyes. He was known as the Junior Azure Wood Immortal Monarch, his cultivation reaching the great perfection of the Foundation Establishment stage, just one step away from successfully forming his core. In terms of spirit energy, he was superior to Wu Tao.
"I want to see how many of my saber strikes you can withstand."
To quickly defeat Wu Tao, Zhao Yuwen unleashed the forbidden secret technique "Time Passes Like Water," consuming three months of his lifespan to gain power that surged like the growth of myriad plants and trees in spring and summer.
Zhao Yuwen reversed the ancient remnant treasure, the Bronze Divine Saber, holding it diagonally above his head. Azure light broke forth from the tip, pulsing and not yet unleashed. The move, "Welcoming Guest Green Pine," stood firm like a mountain and deep as an abyss. Countless strands of wood-attribute spirit energy weaved around him, gathering into the Bronze Divine Saber, ready to strike.
The emerald green radiance danced like flying dragons, scattering beautifully. In an instant, the saber light raged and rolled, obscuring the sky and the sun, and like thunder, it charged towards Wu Tao.
Wu Tao's brow furrowed tightly. It was evident that his opponent had used a secret technique, significantly increasing his attack power and speed. If they were to clash head-on, he would inevitably be at a disadvantage. It would be better to stall for time until the duration of his secret technique expired.
With a thought, Wu Tao changed his hand movements. With a flick of his sword, he shifted from offense to defense, remaining as unmoving as a mountain. No matter how Zhao Yuwen attacked, he did not budge, his defense impenetrable.
*Bang bang bang bang bang bang...*
After a prolonged battle, Zhao Yuwen grew impatient. The opponent's defense exceeded his expectations, and the effect of his secret technique was about to disappear. It seemed he needed to resort to other means.
"Immortal Vine Wood Whip Rope!"
In the next second, an incredibly thick azure vine appeared. This vine was extraordinarily long, its hundred-zhang body extending and instantly encircling Wu Tao.
The vine continuously moved, like a terrifying giant python strangling its prey. Barbs flashing with green light swayed, emitting wisps of killing intent.
Wu Tao raised his sword with both hands, his entire mind sinking into the dilapidated ancient sword, and then he slashed down.
*Chih!*
No one could describe how fast this sword was. This sword energy, swift as lightning and thunder, transformed into countless golden threads that instantly pierced into the hundred-zhang azure vine.
As the sword light flashed, countless golden threads crisscrossed, emanating a cold gleam. Silently, the hundred-zhang azure vine was instantly divided into many sections, utterly shattered, dissolving into nothingness like snow meeting the scorching sun.
Zhao Yuwen's face grew somber. He said word by word, "Sword Qi Manifested as Silk!"
Legend has it that in the Primordial, Desolate, and Ancient eras, sword cultivators, upon reaching a certain level, could transform their sword into silk at will, able to break all methods with one sword and generate myriad laws with one sword!
But Zhao Yuwen had not expected that Wu Tao before him could also achieve this.
"However, I am not a good-for-nothing like Zhao Yang."
Zhao Yuwen's expression gradually became solemn. He directly burned five years of his lifespan, and a fierce azure power emerged from within him. His entire body glowed with azure light, like a spiritual wood that had grown for ten thousand years. The surging life essence even took form, becoming an azure dragon coiling around him.
"Essence transforming into a dragon, this is impossible. Even my physical body hasn't reached this level, how can you..."
For the first time, Wu Tao showed signs of losing his composure. Then, gritting his teeth, he also employed the ancient forbidden technique, "Blood Sword Refining Heart."
Burning more than half of his vital blood, an indescribable ancient aura surged out from Wu Tao.
He roared to the sky, and a sword cry echoed, akin to a dragon's roar. His majestic aura almost overturned heaven and earth.
...
The Bronze Divine Saber and the dilapidated ancient sword continuously collided, emitting clangs of metal against metal. The earth beneath Wu Tao and Zhao Yuwen was shattered by the impact...
The fierce collisions and the clashing spiritual powers caused the surrounding air to vibrate violently and restlessly.
As the saber and sword clashed with increasing intensity, Zhao Yuwen was defeated in terms of strength...
*Clang—*
The ancient remnant treasure, the Bronze Saber, was directly cleaved away. Wu Tao sent Zhao Yuwen plummeting from mid-air into a forest. Blood flowed from his body, and his complexion was as pale as snow.
"How is this possible? I burned five years of my lifespan—"
Zhao Yuwen's black hair flew wildly, his eyes flashing like lightning. His already heavily injured body was forcibly suppressed by his spirit energy, propped up by sheer will. At this moment, he burned thirty years of his lifespan.
The ancient remnant treasure, the Bronze Saber, drew a terrifying saber light. An incomparably powerful wood-attribute spirit energy surged from him, manifesting the phenomenon of all things reviving and vegetation growing in springtime.
The emerald green radiance blazed. Grass, trees, and vines danced wildly towards the sky. At this moment, they immobilized Wu Tao. It was clear that the grass and vines twisted and grew, forming a cage around Wu Tao within ten feet. And as time passed, it tightened, about to strangle Wu Tao.
"Condense!"
Suddenly, Wu Tao let out a low cry. The dilapidated ancient sword actually enlarged several times. Its bright blade stretched several zhang, and its astonishing sword momentum raged. The ten-zhang cage of grass and vines was torn apart.
In the next second, golden light blazed on the dilapidated ancient sword. As its sharpness splattered, it was like golden flowers descending from heaven and golden lotuses emerging from the earth. Wu Tao himself flew straight up, like an immortal descending from beyond the heavens, attacking Zhao Yuwen.
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