Zhang Fan's divine sense had been locked onto Zhao Nanqiang. Although Zhao Nanqiang had fallen into the sea and remained hidden, Zhang Fan could still pinpoint his location. Just as Zhang Fan was about to unleash another sword strike, he was astonished to find Zhao Nanqiang disappearing from his divine sense.
However, Zhang Fan's combat experience was far superior to that of these Nascent Soul cultivators. In an instant, he deduced that only two scenarios could explain this event.
The first was that Zhao Nanqiang possessed a treasure that could shield him from divine sense, allowing him to evade Zhang Fan's tracking.
As for the second scenario, it was that a powerful cultivator at the Half-step to God Transformation realm was hidden in the seabed. Because their soul had merged with the rules of the Great Dao, they could use the power of these rules to conceal their soul and evade Zhang Fan's investigation.
Zhang Fan was unwilling to take any risks. He wielded his iron sword, invoking nearly a million sword dao rules, and unleashed a world-shattering strike.
The powerful sword light split the seawater in two, forming a chasm tens of kilometers long, yet there was still no movement from the seabed.
With this, Zhang Fan formed a guess in his heart, a cold sneer appearing on his lips. He feigned an attack towards Nangong Pu and pursued him.
However, just as he turned, the sea surface beneath him suddenly exploded. Two figures shot out of the water, attacking Zhang Fan from the left and right.
"Another one," Zhang Fan's eyes narrowed. A powerful soul force washed over him, blurring his vision.
Fortunately, Zhang Fan was prepared. The sword dao rules within him circulated, forming a circular sword qi barrier that enveloped him. The next moment, a ceaseless metallic clang echoed as Zhao Nanqiang and a withered old man in rags made dozens of slashes, none of which could break through his sword qi barrier.
"Who are you?" Zhang Fan asked, looking at the withered old man in white robes.
"Young friend, your mind is meticulous, and your strength is extraordinary. To have reached this point today, it is clearly not due to luck," the withered old man in white robes said, his eyes deeply sunken. He looked at Zhang Fan as if he were a peerless tonic, his gaze filled with a hint of fanaticism.
"This is our Black Sand Grotto-Heaven's Supreme Elder. You insignificant brat, you've been arrogant for too long. Today is the day of your demise!" With a Supreme Elder present, Zhao Nanqiang felt his confidence surge. He felt revitalized and believed victory was within his grasp, immediately pronouncing Zhang Fan's death sentence.
Nangong Pu and the others who were fleeing clearly recognized the withered old man in white robes. Their hearts filled with joy, and they quickly returned to the battlefield, landing beside him. They bowed respectfully, "Nangong Pu greets the Supreme Elder."
Liu Mu was pursuing the ten dispersed Nascent Soul cultivators. Relying on his speed advantage, he managed to kill two. Just as he was about to pursue further, he noticed the situation developing around Zhang Fan and had no choice but to abandon his chase and rendezvous with Zhang Fan.
"What is his origin?" Liu Mu asked Zhang Fan, his eyes warily fixed on the withered old man in white robes.
"He is a cultivator at the Half-step to God Transformation realm."
"Half-step to God Transformation?" Liu Mu's eyes showed no fear upon hearing this. Instead, a hint of excitement appeared, and he looked eager to fight.
"Don't you dare snatch him from me. I'm broke as a beggar right now. This Half-step to God Transformation realm cultivator must have many treasures. I'm claiming him."
After speaking, Zhang Fan saw Liu Mu's reluctant expression and added, "Then I'll leave the two peak Nascent Soul cultivators to you."
Outmatched, Liu Mu could only obey, "Alright."
Zhang Fan instructed, "Don't hold back. Finish off those two old fellows quickly. I need to go and see the situation at the Six Royal City."
Upon hearing their conversation, the Black Sand Grotto-Heaven's Supreme Elder was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Hahaha, young people nowadays truly do not know the immensity of heaven and earth. They think they are invincible after obtaining some fortuitous encounter."
"You are interested in the treasures I possess; I am also very interested in your cultivation."
"Kill!"
Zhang Fan had no desire for further conversation. After dividing the spoils with Liu Mu, he charged directly towards the old man in white robes.
"I'll leave that person to you two. Finish this quickly," the old man in white robes instructed Nangong Pu and Zhao Nanqiang. He then raised his hand, conjuring a rusty iron sword, and met Zhang Fan.
Both were sword cultivators, and their comprehension of the sword dao was not low. The old man in white robes, having cultivated to the Half-step to God Transformation realm, meant his sword dao rules had at least reached six hundred thousand. Although the number of rules could not compare to Zhang Fan's, he was, after all, a being whose soul had merged with the rules. In terms of realm, he was far beyond Zhang Fan, a cultivator in the mid-stage of the Nine Tribulations realm.
"Legend has it that your swordsmanship is supreme, surpassing all your peers. How about you witness my Black Water Sword Technique?" The old man in white robes lightly shook his arm. The rusty iron sword immediately transformed into a pitch-black precious sword, its edge gleaming with a dark light.
"Rise!"
The old man in white robes danced with his sword, and the seawater below was immediately drawn by a great force, surging upwards from all directions, forming pillar-like water columns as thick as buckets. The water columns spun rapidly, creating a fierce gale that enveloped Zhang Fan.
"Sword dao as the guide, black water as the root, slash!"
As the old man in white robes slashed with his sword, the sky-piercing water columns converged, forming a watertight sword net, intending to tear Zhang Fan apart.
"The techniques of a Half-step to God Transformation realm cultivator are indeed extraordinary. This move alone is far beyond that half-baked Fu Tianling."
When Fu Tianling fought Zhang Fan on Pingding Mountain, he had also used a similar sword technique. However, compared to the old man in white robes before him, Fu Tianling's swordsmanship was crude and unrefined, merely imitating the form without grasping the essence.
"However, since you wish to witness my swordsmanship, I shall broaden your horizons today."
Nearly two million strands of lightning and sword dao rules erupted from Zhang Fan's body. The domain formed by the immense power of these rules had completely altered the world within a thousand-kilometer radius. Above, dark clouds gathered, lightning flashed, and sword qi crisscrossed the heavens and earth, seemingly capable of cleaving all things.
"Sword Eight!"
As Zhang Fan brought down his blood-colored longsword, a massive spatial rift appeared in the heavens and earth. The sword net that had been closing in on Zhang Fan instantly disintegrated under this attack. The sky was filled with seawater, which then tilted downwards. At this moment, heaven and earth seemed to have inverted.