273: Chapter 272 Wei Wuyai

Night had already fallen by the time Jiang Hanzhou rushed out of Bibo Pool.

His black diving suit was covered in the residual blood from Great Elder Su Heng's Immortal Cave, and the wound on his left arm, torn by the backlash of the dao seed, was still seeping blood. But he had no time to stop and bandage it, nor even time to regulate his breathing and recover. Although he had used his Heart Blade to sever the resonance generated by Great Elder Su Heng detonating his dao seed before death, that wave of energy had already spread in all directions, allowing any Cultivator within a hundred miles to clearly perceive his location.

The remaining followers of Heavenly Sword Peak. The lurking Disciples of the Ten Thousand Gu Sect. And those who had been searching for him in the shadows.

They would all come.

Jiang Hanzhou gripped the tiger soul saber in his hand and pushed his Wave-Treading Step to their limit, his figure flickering rapidly through the night. His goal was Red Fire Peak; as long as he returned to Master Xue Mu's side and the protection of the Lihuo Hall's Formation, he would be safe.

The mountain gate of Bibo Pool grew more distant behind him, while the lights of Red Fire Peak drew closer ahead.

Ten miles.

Five miles.

Three miles.

Just as he was less than two miles from the mountain gate of Red Fire Peak, a figure slowly emerged from the Void Realm.

It was a middle-aged man dressed in deep purple brocade robes, with a gaunt face and eyes like lightning. A pitch-black longsword hung at his waist, its scabbard engraved with intricate golden patterns that wound like dragons and flickered faintly in the night. A layer of faint five-colored radiance swirled around him—it was the Five Elements True Intent of the Dragon Slaying True Person. Red, gold, blue, green, and yellow intertwined within a three-foot radius around him, forming a Small World independent of heaven and earth.

The Seal-Bearing Attendant of the Dragon Abyss Palace Master, Wei Wuya.

Jiang Hanzhou's pupils constricted violently.

He knew Wei Wuya. This man was the personal attendant of Palace Master Longyuan and had served in the Dragon Abyss Palace for over twenty years. His cultivation was unfathomable; it was said he had already broken through to the Dragon Fetus Realm Peak ten years ago. He was low-profile and taciturn, never participating in the Sect's factional disputes or associating closely with the Elders of any Peak. He was like a sharp sword hidden in its sheath; no one knew his true strength, and no one knew his true allegiance.

But at this moment, Jiang Hanzhou knew.

Because within Wei Wuya's body, a dense Dragon-Slaying True Intent was surging. That True Intent shared the same source as the aura of the dao seed within Great Elder Su Heng, but it was purer, deeper, and more powerful. It was like a sleeping giant dragon slowly awakening in Wei Wuya's Dantian, emitting a suffocating pressure.

More importantly, Jiang Hanzhou's Dao-Slaying Blade Intent clearly perceived the dao seed inside Wei Wuya. That was no ordinary dao seed, but the Innate Sword Body, ranked first among the Nine Great Innate Dao Bodies, and its rooting depth was at one hundred percent.

It was mature. Completely mature.

“Nephew Jiang,” Wei Wuya spoke, his voice calm as water, “where are you heading in such a hurry late at night?”

Jiang Hanzhou did not answer. He merely tightened his grip on the tiger soul saber while his Dao-Slaying Blade Intent operated at full power within his Sea of Consciousness. His gaze was locked onto Wei Wuya, staring at those eyes swirling with five-colored radiance and at the remnant soul hidden deep within them.

The remnant soul of the Dragon Slaying True Person.

It was parasitizing Wei Wuya's Sea of Consciousness, using Wei Wuya's dao foundation as a breeding ground, his vital energy and blood as nourishment, and his Divine Soul as a shield. It had hidden in the Dragon Abyss Palace for over twenty years, secretly laying out its plans, manipulating from the shadows, and waiting for the day of its Rebirth.

And today, it had finally bared its fangs.

“Attendant Wei,” Jiang Hanzhou spoke, his voice raspy, “you are a hidden agent for the Dragon Slaying True Person.”

Wei Wuya did not deny it.

He simply gave a slight smile, one filled with mockery: “Nephew Jiang, you are very clever. But you are too clever. So clever that you shouldn't have lived this long.”

He raised his right hand and gently clenched it.

An indescribable pressure erupted from his body, like a mountain collapsing, a tsunami sweeping through, or heavenly fire incinerating all things. The aura of the Dragon Fetus Realm Peak, augmented by the remnant soul of the Dragon Slaying True Person, enveloped the space within a hundred-foot radius.

Jiang Hanzhou's expression changed drastically.

He wanted to retreat, but he couldn't. Wei Wuya's pressure had blocked all his paths; no matter which direction he moved, he would be crushed by that power.

“You thought Sun Mo was the hidden agent?” Wei Wuya's voice was calm, yet contained an indescribable chill. “No. Sun Mo was merely a pawn, a piece I manipulated that could be discarded at any time. Great Elder Su Heng was the same. Han Qing was too. Everyone I chose was merely a pawn.”

He paused and said, word by word: “And I am the true host. The head of the Nine Great Innate Dao Bodies, the Innate Sword Body. The dao seed is rooted to one hundred percent, perfectly fused with my master's remnant soul.”

Jiang Hanzhou's pupils shrank: “Your master's remnant soul? The Dragon Slaying True Person?”

“Correct.” Wei Wuya nodded. “Master underwent Physical Dissolution a thousand years ago, and his remnant soul has been slumbering in the Dragon Slaying Cave Mansion. Twenty years ago, I entered the Dragon Abyss Palace on Master's orders, lurking by the Palace Master's side as the Seal-Bearing Attendant. My mission was to secretly harvest dao seeds to provide nourishment for Master's Rebirth.”

He raised his right hand, and a palm-sized Black Jade Token slowly emerged from his palm. The token was pitch black, its surface engraved with fine blood-red patterns that wound like insects and flowed slowly across it. On the front were carved two ancient characters: dragon slaying. On the back was a Five Elements Mutual Generation Diagram, where five colors flowed in a continuous, repeating cycle.

“Sun Mo is dead, Great Elder Su Heng is dead, but everything they did before they died was meaningful.” Wei Wuya's voice was calm, yet carried an indescribable smugness. “The resonance generated by them detonating their dao seeds wasn't to lock onto your location, but to activate this token. With this token, Master can fully awaken in my Sea of Consciousness, rather than existing only as a remnant soul as before.”

He looked at Jiang Hanzhou, a sinister smile curling his lips: “And you, Nephew Jiang, have been my target from the very beginning. Not to kill you, but for the Thousand Tribulations Nirvana Gu Mother inside you. That thing is the final piece of the puzzle for Master's Rebirth cycle.”

Jiang Hanzhou's heart sank.

The Thousand Tribulations Nirvana Gu Mother. That Gu which had devoured Han Qing's Sword Gu Mother Insect and the roots of the dao seed in his own body was actually the key to the Dragon Slaying True Person's Rebirth.

“The Thousand Tribulations Nirvana Gu feeds on Dao Principles,” Wei Wuya continued. “Master underwent Physical Dissolution a thousand years ago, and his Dao Principle fragments were scattered within the Seven Star Dragon-Locking Array, unable to coalesce on their own. But with the Thousand Tribulations Nirvana Gu Mother, it can devour and fuse those fragments one by one, eventually reconstructing Master's dao foundation.”

He paused, his gaze like a knife: “So, Nephew Jiang, hand over the Gu Mother. I can grant you a quick death.”

Jiang Hanzhou did not speak.

He simply gripped the tiger soul saber and poured all the power in his body into the blade. Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, his Heart Blade trembled violently, and the dark gold dragon patterns on the blade erupted with brilliant golden light. That light pierced through his Sea of Consciousness, surged through his Meridians into the tiger soul saber, and perfectly fused with his four True Intents and his Dao-Slaying Blade Intent.

He swung the saber.

Dao-Slaying Blade Intent, a full-power strike.

The saber light slashed silently toward Wei Wuya—not toward his Physical Body, nor his Divine Soul, but toward the dao seed within him.

Wei Wuya's brow twitched slightly.

He did not retreat; he simply raised his right hand and gave a light flick.

A beam of five-colored light shot from his fingertip, colliding head-on with the saber light.

There was no loud bang, no explosion.

Only a soft sound, “Chiss.”

Under the impact of the five-colored light, the saber light shattered inch by inch, turning into specks of starlight that dissipated in the air. The Dao-Slaying Blade Intent was ineffective against Wei Wuya.

Jiang Hanzhou's pupils constricted violently.

“It's useless.” Wei Wuya shook his head. “Your Dao-Slaying Blade Intent was realized from the Dao Principle fragments of the Dragon Slaying True Person. And my dao seed is deeply bound to Master's remnant soul. Using Master's Dao Principles to slash Master's dao seed is like using water to extinguish fire—the fire cannot destroy the water, but neither can the water destroy the fire.”

He raised his right hand and pressed it toward Jiang Hanzhou from a distance.

A surge of five-colored light erupted from his palm, transforming into a five-colored hand about ten feet wide that reached for Jiang Hanzhou. That hand contained the perfect Fusion of the Five Elements True Intent, generating and regenerating in an endless cycle.

Jiang Hanzhou gritted his teeth and swung his saber.

Tidal Heaven-Burning Slash.

The saber light cut into the five-colored hand, severing the first layer, the second, and the third. But the hand possessed the Five Elements, and the Five Elements generate one another endlessly. As one layer was severed, another was born; as two were severed, two more were born; as three were severed, three more were born.

The saber light dissipated at the fifth layer.

The five-colored hand continued its advance toward Jiang Hanzhou without losing momentum.

Jiang Hanzhou's figure retreated wildly, pushing his Wave-Treading Step to their absolute limit. But the hand was too fast—so fast that his speed was simply not enough.

The moment the hand landed on him, an indescribable power flooded his body. That power was not an attack, but a Seal. It locked his Meridians layer by layer, imprisoned his Dantian layer by layer, and suppressed his Sea of Consciousness layer by layer.

His cultivation began to plummet rapidly.

Dragon Fetus Realm Early Stage, Primal Form Realm Peak, Primal Form Realm Late Stage, Primal Form Realm Middle Stage.

It fell all the way down.

His face turned deathly pale, and a trickle of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. The four-colored radiance on the tiger soul saber flickered uncertainly, and an anxious sentiment emanated from the blade's sentience.

“It's useless,” Wei Wuya's voice was calm. “Your cultivation is sealed, your True Intent is locked, and your Divine Soul is suppressed. Right now, you are inferior even to a Cultivator in the Qi Nurturing Realm.”

He walked up to Jiang Hanzhou, looking down at him: “Hand over the Thousand Tribulations Nirvana Gu Mother.”

Jiang Hanzhou raised his head and looked at Wei Wuya, his eyes showing no fear, only a quiet, unshakable resolve.

“No.”

Wei Wuya's brow furrowed slightly: “Aren't you afraid of death?”

Jiang Hanzhou did not answer.

He simply closed his eyes, and deep within his Sea of Consciousness, his Heart Blade trembled violently. The dark gold dragon patterns on the blade erupted with brilliant golden light that pierced through his Sea of Consciousness and his Physical Body, battering and tearing through the Seals within him layer by layer.

Wei Wuya's expression shifted slightly: “You...”

He raised his right hand, attempting to reinforce the Seal. But Jiang Hanzhou was faster.

Jiang Hanzhou opened his eyes, a flash of dark gold light passing through them. He bit the tip of his tongue and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the tiger soul saber. The blade vibrated intensely, letting out a clear, sharp ring. That sound was like a dragon's roar and a tiger's howl, echoing and vibrating through the night.

The Seal shattered.

His cultivation instantly restored, and the aura of the Dragon Fetus Realm Early Stage erupted once more. But he knew this was only temporary. Wei Wuya's Seal was too strong; he had only been able to forcibly tear it with his Heart Blade, and he couldn't hold it for long.

He had to escape.

Escape to Red Fire Peak, to Master Xue Mu's side, to the protection of the Lihuo Hall's Formation.

He turned and dashed toward Red Fire Peak.

Wei Wuya's face darkened: “Seeking death.”

He raised his right hand, and five-colored light condensed in his palm, transforming into a sharp sword light that shot toward Jiang Hanzhou's back.

Jiang Hanzhou sensed that power, but he did not look back. He simply pushed his Wave-Treading Step to their limit, his figure flickering through the night.

The sword light drew closer.

Three feet.

Two feet.

One foot.

Just as the sword light was about to pierce his back, he suddenly spun around and swung his saber.

Divine Intent Heavenly Saber—not aimed at the sword light, but at his own Sea of Consciousness.

The moment the saber light entered his Sea of Consciousness, his lake of divine soul began to boil. The Divine Soul Armor on the lake's surface erupted with brilliant, lustrous white light that pierced through his Sea of Consciousness and Physical Body, condensing into a semi-transparent shield around him.

The sword light struck the shield, creating a piercing grinding sound. The shield trembled violently, and fine cracks appeared on its surface. But it held.

Using the momentum from the sword light's impact, Jiang Hanzhou accelerated again, rushing toward Red Fire Peak.

A cold light flashed in Wei Wuya's eyes: “You cannot escape.”

He stepped forward, his body turning into a streak of light as he pursued Jiang Hanzhou.

The two of them flickered along the mountain paths of Red Fire Peak, one after the other. Jiang Hanzhou was fast, but Wei Wuya was faster. His Dragon Fetus Realm Peak cultivation, combined with the power of the Dragon Slaying True Person's remnant soul, made his speed extreme.

The distance was closing.

Fifty yards.

Thirty yards.

Ten yards.

Wei Wuya raised his right hand, and five-colored light condensed in his palm as he prepared to strike again.

But at that moment, Jiang Hanzhou suddenly veered off, charging toward the western side of Red Fire Peak.

That direction did not lead to the mountain gate of Red Fire Peak or Lihuo Hall, but to the Forbidden Ground of the Dragon Abyss Palace: the Dragon-Locking Abyss.

Wei Wuya's brow furrowed sharply: “Are you mad? The Dragon-Locking Abyss is a Sect Forbidden Ground; those who enter without permission die!”

Jiang Hanzhou did not answer, continuing his charge toward the Dragon-Locking Abyss.

He knew it was a Forbidden Ground and that death awaited those who entered. But he also knew that within the Dragon-Locking Abyss lay the Sect Guardian Formation established by the Dragon Abyss Palace's Sect Founding Ancestor—the Foundation that had protected the Dragon Abyss Palace for a millennium. As long as he entered the Dragon-Locking Abyss, he could use the power of the Sect Guardian Formation to temporarily hold off Wei Wuya until the arrival of reinforcements from Master Xue Mu and Great Elder Xuanjizi.

He rushed onto the stone bridge of the Dragon-Locking Abyss, below which was a bottomless chasm. Within the abyss, countless fine golden patterns could be seen flowing slowly—those were the Formation patterns of the Sect Guardian Formation, the power that had protected the Dragon Abyss Palace for a thousand years.

He stood in the center of the stone bridge, turned around, and looked at the pursuing Wei Wuya.

“Attendant Wei,” his voice was calm, yet contained an indescribable finality, “take one more step, and I will jump.”

Wei Wuya stopped in his tracks, his face as dark as water.