“I will fight you!”
The Golden Light radiating from Changbai Mountain Wusheng’s body, already tinged with crimson from the scorching of lightning and fire, shimmered.
Towering in stature, he covered the distance to Zhang Fan in mere steps as he charged across the sand. His colossal fist, like an iron hammer, swung towards Zhang Fan’s head.
However, facing the attack from Changbai Mountain Wusheng, Zhang Fan did not dodge. Changbai Mountain Wusheng’s fist landed squarely on his head.
“Clang!”
An incredibly clear sound echoed across the island.
Changbai Mountain Wusheng was first filled with surprise, but upon hearing the crisp clang, he froze on the spot, utterly stunned.
Before Changbai Mountain Wusheng could react, Zhang Fan grabbed his arm and grinned at him. Changbai Mountain Wusheng felt a sense of dread and twisted his body violently, trying to break free from Zhang Fan’s grasp.
But Zhang Fan’s arm was like a vise, holding him immovably. He couldn’t budge even an inch.
With a sudden surge of strength, Zhang Fan swung Changbai Mountain Wusheng by his arm and slammed him hard onto the ground.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
…
Each time Changbai Mountain Wusheng was smashed into the ground, the island trembled as if struck by an earthquake. The violent impacts sent shivers down the spines of everyone present.
From afar, the Blood Demon Flood Dragon, coiled around Lin Haotian’s shoulder like an arm’s thickness, watched this scene unfold. A human-like smile flickered across its dragon face, tinged with a sense of inexplicable satisfaction and emotion.
Changbai Mountain Wusheng’s initial howls eventually faded into silence. The blood gushing from his mouth splattered onto Zhang Fan, dyeing him a bloody mess.
After Zhang Fan had swung Changbai Mountain Wusheng through the air dozens of times, the ground around him was riddled with uneven pits. Changbai Mountain Wusheng, from his earlier fierce resistance, had ceased all movement, appearing to have no strength left to struggle.
Zhang Fan tossed Changbai Mountain Wusheng onto the ground and stomped heavily on his chest. He looked down at the panting Changbai Mountain Wusheng, who resembled a dying dog, his stern face devoid of any pity.
“Not dead yet. His vitality is indeed much stronger than that of an ordinary Qi Condensation cultivator,” Zhang Fan stated indifferently.
Blood trickled from the corner of Changbai Mountain Wusheng’s mouth, spilling onto the sand. He struggled to turn his head towards Daoist Niu, and in a voice of extreme weakness, said, “Run!”
Only now did he understand what kind of being he had provoked. The strength of this Master Zhang was likely comparable to that of the Half-Moon Immortal who had condensed a Golden Core back then. How could they, a group of Core Formation cultivators, possibly provoke such a person.
Bai Tu, who had been stunned by the preceding spectacle, snapped back to reality at Changbai Mountain Wusheng’s words and turned to flee!
Daoist Niu, however, ignored Changbai Mountain Wusheng’s plea. His murky, sunken eyes gradually deepened, and a fierce fighting spirit ignited within them!
“Can you escape?”
Zhang Fan let out a cold snort, stomped and crushed Changbai Mountain Wusheng’s head, and then, with a wave of his hand, absorbed the corpse into his Astral Diagram space.
Bai Tu, just as he was about to fly off the island, suddenly stopped. Zhang Fan had appeared before him, blocking his path like the Grim Reaper, hovering less than ten feet away in the air.
Bai Tu knew the vast gulf in strength between them; escape was impossible. And the strongest, Daoist Niu, showed no intention of saving him. He could only plead with Zhang Fan.
“Master Zhang, this was indeed my fault. If you spare my life, name your price. Even if it means becoming your servant, I…”
Bai Tu begged desperately, but his words were abruptly cut short. He looked down at his chest, his eyes filled with pain and unwillingness.
Zhang Fan’s fist withdrew from Bai Tu’s chest, taking with it a snow-white nascent soul, resembling a dragon eye.
The nascent soul was the source of a Core Formation cultivator’s spiritual energy and their lifeblood. Once it was removed, unless extraordinary means were employed, a cultivator stood almost no chance of survival.
After dispatching Bai Tu, Zhang Fan descended from the air and approached Daoist Changsheng.
Seeing Zhang Fan beside him, Daoist Changsheng managed a bitter smile, shaking his head slightly. He had calculated everything, yet never anticipated that Master Zhang’s strength would completely exceed their imagination.
With a casual flick of his wrist, Zhang Fan unleashed a surge of energy that struck down the powerless Daoist Changsheng. He then turned his gaze towards Daoist Niu and Sword Immortal Wuchen.
“Now, only you two remain!”
Zhang Fan said softly.
“A bunch of useless trash, no point in keeping them!”
Daoist Niu glanced at Sword Immortal Wuchen, who was questioning his own life after Zhang Fan’s few words, and shook his head inwardly, a look of disdain in his eyes.
To have cultivated to the Core Formation stage yet possess such an unsteady Dao heart was truly exasperating.
“Let me end your suffering and confusion!” Daoist Niu waved his hand, unleashing a sharp surge of energy directly towards Sword Immortal Wuchen’s head.
Zhang Fan watched this scene, somewhat perplexed. Daoist Niu’s actions stirred a hint of caution within him.
After launching the energy blast, Daoist Niu paid no further attention. He turned to face Zhang Fan, about to speak, when he was interrupted by an explosive sound!
“The way of the sword, this is my true way of the sword!”
Sword Immortal Wuchen, holding his sword with one hand, cleaved apart the sharp energy surge with a single strike!
Concurrently, his aura surged rapidly. In a mere few breaths, Sword Immortal Wuchen, who was previously only at the mid-Core Formation stage, had directly advanced to the late Core Formation stage!
Daoist Niu looked on in utter astonishment, staring intently at Sword Immortal Wuchen, desperate to know what had happened to cause his cultivation to leap an entire minor realm in such a short span.
After all, in this spirit-qi-scarce Earth, cultivating to the Core Formation stage was already incredibly difficult. And once one entered the Core Formation realm, no matter how exceptional one’s talent, advancing even a minor realm typically required centuries of accumulation.
“To have reached the level of clarity of mind and directness of heart, truly stepping onto the threshold of the sword path. He has indeed entered the doorway.” Zhang Fan, observing Sword Immortal Wuchen’s state, naturally understood what had transpired.
He had not expected that his psychologically probing words would help Sword Immortal Wuchen overcome his inner demons and find his own unique path of the sword.
“Master Zhang, I wonder if I should hate you, or thank you?”
The sharp sword energy in Sword Immortal Wuchen’s eyes dissipated, replaced by a profound, serene tranquility. His entire demeanor was no longer ethereal and immortal; instead, he appeared more like a simple, honest swordsman.
“I don’t mind if you hate me, but there’s no need to thank me. Because even though you have stepped onto the threshold of the sword path and your strength has broken through, today, you must still die!”
Zhang Fan stated calmly.
While Zhang Fan acknowledged that Sword Immortal Wuchen, without prior guidance, had managed to step onto the threshold of the sword path, marking him as a rare genius, he had encountered far too many geniuses in his life to feel any sense of awe. Annihilating geniuses did not bring him pleasure; he simply wished to kill him.
Zhang Fan’s words did not provoke anger in Sword Immortal Wuchen. Instead, he looked at Zhang Fan with immense respect, saying, “Master Zhang’s casual words were enough to disrupt my Dao heart and make me doubt my own path of the sword. Master Zhang’s achievements in the way of the sword have far surpassed mine.”
“Wuchen has a request, I wish to formally become your disciple and join your sect!”
“Please grant my request, Master Zhang!”
Having spoken, Sword Immortal Wuchen knelt on both knees and bowed with utmost sincerity.
Daoist Niu stood by, looking at the scene in bewilderment: “This kid, has he gone mad after his strength broke through?”
…