248: The theory of freedom

“Heh, you are nothing but bound spirits; how dare you speak of freedom? Ridiculous!”

Luo Qingwei wasn't very capable, but her tongue was sharp, always poking at people's sore spots.

“Heh heh, why not?”

Yuan Anping let out a faint chuckle, his laughter mixed with sorrow and desolation, yet carrying a hint of hope.

He tilted his head slightly, his eyes fixed on everyone, and said, “Look at the word ‘freedom’; it is inherently bound by rules and regulations, yet there is always a stroke that breaks through the cage. Doesn't this perfectly represent my current situation?”

“As long as hope remains, I will, like that stroke, break out of this cage.” Yuan Anping’s tone was light, yet full of determination.

“Hmph.”

Luo Qingwei snorted, unsure how to retort.

Xu Sanyan smiled and said, “You only see ‘freedom,’ but not the word ‘cage.’ These two characters, at first glance, seem to have many openings, but even with the strength of a Dragon, one cannot tear apart the shackles above their head. Perhaps, this is more fitting for your current situation.”

Yuan Anping was silent for a moment, then, after careful thought, he nodded in agreement.

“You are right. Then let us wait and see. Whether I break through the cage, or am bound by shackles, or even vanish into thin air, I will have no regrets.”

Yuan Anping’s tone was full of resolve. He had had enough of these ten thousand years of unchanging days. Even if his soul dispersed and he died, he would not regret it!

“Stop wasting words with him. We’ll have to fight sooner or later!”

With a wave of Luo Qingwei’s hand, a cold Sword Intent flashed, which Yuan Anping casually dissipated.

“Since you are determined to die, then I shall grant your wish!”

Yuan Anping’s pupils narrowed, and a large expanse of dark Ghost Qi rose behind him, as if countless tormented souls were struggling and wailing within, sending shivers down one’s spine.

Xu Sanyan spread his five fingers, and a large halberd appeared. He flew up and charged forward.

A battle between the two sides was inevitable. Yuan Anping wanted to use them as experiments, to try and harvest the fruit. If they didn’t work together to eliminate him first, they would eventually be defeated one by one.

“Kill!”

In an instant, both sides were locked in fierce combat.

Fang Qingge raised his long sword high and shouted,

“Azure Lotus Intent!”

In a flash, ten thousand rays of light converged on the sword body. The clear Sword Intent glowed brilliantly under the dim sky, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

“Go!”

The Sword Intent, like a surging flood, rushed straight towards Yuan Anping.

“Hmph!”

Yuan Anping snorted coldly, waving his sleeve. The dark Ghost Qi behind him flowed according to his will, transforming into a giant hand of dense fog that blocked in front of him, clashing with the Sword Intent from a distance.

“Boom!”

In an instant, the flood-like Sword Intent was blocked as if by a great dam, unable to advance an inch, held firmly by the giant palm.

Looking at Yuan Anping’s expression, there was not the slightest change.

Fang Qingge secretly gritted his teeth, feeling a bit disheartened. The cultivation gap between them was simply too vast; his full-power strike was casually blocked by the opponent.

“Vajra Subduing Demon Palm!”

Net Intent soared into the air, a colossal Buddha shadow behind him radiating scorching golden light, seemingly dyeing the entire world gold.

The solemn face of the Buddha showed no hint of compassion, as its two giant hands, seemingly slow but actually swift, slammed down heavily.

The power of this strike was significantly greater than before. The Buddha's phantom was not only more solid, but its might was also more ferocious.

“Heh, Subduing Demon Palm?”

Yuan Anping’s eyes turned cold. He hated these bald monks the most in his life, always spouting about 'my Buddha says this,' 'my Buddha says that,' as if even the Buddha’s farts smelled sweet.

“Hah!”

Yuan Anping shook his arms, and the dense Ghost Qi behind him suddenly transformed into a giant Ghost Beast, with the face of a lion, the body of a horse, and a single horn on its head from which a wisp of black mist ascended, charging fiercely towards the Buddha.

With a thunderous crash, the golden-glowing Buddha’s palm was instantly pierced by the Ghost Beast. The dark single horn continued its momentum, passing through the Buddha in Net Intent’s disbelieving gaze.

“Pfft!!”

Net Intent clutched his chest and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, reeling from the severe backlash of his shattered spell. His throat sweetened, and he could no longer suppress the blood in his mouth.

The Buddha’s phantom dissipated, and all the golden light receded, proving to be much ado about nothing.

Xu Sanyan shook his head helplessly. This young monk Net Intent was truly unlucky; both times he used this technique, it was broken, and both times he suffered a backlash.

At the same time, Elder Ren and the others on the other side were also engaged in battle with Yuan Anping’s Ghost Generals. The difference in numbers between the two sides was quite large; Elder Ren’s side had nearly five hundred people,

whereas the group of Ghost Beasts only numbered over a hundred. Despite a five-fold difference, seemingly giving them an advantage, they were actually being steadily suppressed and struggling to resist.

The high-end combat power on both sides was too disparate. There were nearly ten ordinary Ghost Generals, equivalent to ten Soul Refinement Realm Cultivators.

And ordinary Ghost Soldiers also possessed strength around the early Mystic Path Realm, requiring seven or eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators to team up to withstand a single Ghost Soldier.

Zuoqiu Yi and her sisters worked together to entangle a Ghost General, with most of the pressure focused on Zuoqiu Chen and Zuoqiu Hui. The others merely assisted from the side, yet they too found themselves in perilous situations.

Suddenly, the Ghost General turned and grinned ferociously, lightly pointing a finger. A streak of dark Ghost Qi instantly shot towards Zuoqiu Yi. This move was extremely insidious; no one reacted in time, including the highest-cultivated Zuoqiu Chen.

“Little sister, be careful!” Zuoqiu Hui cried out in alarm, lunging forward with all her might, but it was too late.

“Quick, dodge!” Zuoqiu Xin’s long sword flew from her hand, attempting to block, but it was still just a little short.

Zuoqiu Yi’s pupils suddenly contracted. She frantically mobilized all the magical power in her body, condensing it in front of her to form a transparent light shield.

“Bang!”

The Ghost Qi penetrated the barrier without hindrance, heading straight for her heart amidst everyone’s despair.

“Swish—”

Just then, a dark shadow flashed by instantly, striking the Ghost Qi like lightning and dispersing it.

Zuoqiu Yi was stunned for a moment before realizing she had been saved. Her gaze followed the shadow, and she discovered it was a long sword—

a completely dark long sword that she was very familiar with.

Lin Fan’s sword.

Zuoqiu Yi watched the long sword return to Lin Fan’s hand, then saw that his face was very pale. It seemed that the previous strike had taken a great toll on him.

After all, a Ghost General was equivalent to a Soul Refinement Realm Cultivator. Although slightly weaker than an ordinary Soul Refinement Realm, it was still not something he, a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator, could compare to.

Even if it was just a casual strike, Lin Fan had to use all his might to block it.

Zuoqiu Yi pursed her lips, her eyes dimming, then she looked away from him, recomposed herself, and charged back into the battlefield.

Zuoqiu Chen and the others breathed a sigh of relief when they saw their little sister was no longer in danger, and they once again engaged in battle with the Ghost General.

Watching Zuoqiu Yi’s gaze, Lin Fan felt a pang in his heart. Why wouldn’t she even say a word more to him?

He cared about her so much, even in life-and-death combat he had to divide his attention to ensure her safety, yet she wouldn’t even say a single word more to him.

“Ah!!”

Lin Fan roared to the sky, venting his rage on the enemies before him. The dark long sword in his hand seemed to sense its master’s emotions, its speed suddenly increasing by more than a notch.

A mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator, yet he could fight an equally matched battle with a Mystic Path Realm Ghost Soldier!

Challenging those above his cultivation level was even less of an issue.