468: Yellowbird

“The Cultivation Technique these two cultivate is vastly different from the Changfeng Imperial Dynasty's methods. It seems they are not from the Changfeng Imperial Dynasty. Such young Quasi-Immortals have never been heard of in the Changfeng Imperial Dynasty either... The great struggle for supremacy in the Nirvana Realm seems to have already begun.”

Xiao Zhuo's eyes flashed with a hint of thought.

The more he looked at the two, the more familiar their faces seemed. After a brief recollection, they bore a seven-tenths resemblance to the two Immortal-Demon Realm powerhouses who had rushed into the Nirvana Realm passage ahead of him!

“Nine times out of ten, they are the Divine Soul Reincarnations of those fellows... It looks like their past life memories haven't awakened yet.” He understood in his heart.

That Zhou Duo possessed an ice spiritual root like him, while Liang Long had a violent lightning Spiritual Root. Both of their talents were top-notch.

Just as Xiao Zhuo's thoughts raced—

Rumble!!!

In the distance, the hundred-zhang ice mountain that had swallowed Liang Long suddenly exploded from within! Endless Devilish Qi, mixed with dark golden destructive lightning, transformed into a sky-piercing pillar of light, stirring up the wind and clouds!

A black figure, wreathed in lightning, shot out from the shattered ice dust like a meteor! It was Liang Long!

He rapidly flickered between house-sized giant ice blocks falling from the sky, furiously punching out, using these massive ice chunks as weapons to fiercely smash towards Zhou Duo, who was suspended in mid-air!

The ice blocks tore through the air, emitting a shrill whistle.

Zhou Duo's gaze was as calm as water. The ice crystal Flying Sword entered his hand, and with a slight flick of his wrist, several bone-chilling Sword Qi bloomed like a peacock fanning its tail, precisely slicing the incoming giant ice chunks into countless fragments in mid-air, which whistled past, grazing his clothes.

However, a black figure, using the ice blocks as cover, approached him like a ghost! It was Liang Long!

Zhou Duo seemed to have anticipated this, blocking with a backhand sword strike!

Clang—!

The Flying Sword and the Dragon claw clashed violently once again, erupting in ear-piercing metallic screeches and dazzling sparks!

The two figures moved at high speed amidst the falling ice rain. Each collision triggered a deafening sonic boom, and Sword Qi and claw shadows crisscrossed, continuously cutting, shattering, and even pulverizing the huge ice blocks that had not yet landed!

Xiao Zhuo stood silently at the peak of the ice mountain, overlooking this Dragon-Tiger battle as if watching a play.

The strength of these two far surpassed the four Quasi-Immortals he had casually eliminated in the Changfeng Imperial Dynasty, and they were even slightly stronger than the Great Feng Emperor who wielded an Immortal Artifact. Among Quasi-Immortals, they could be considered exceptional.

But, that was all.

For him, to kill these two, three moves would be enough.

In the distance, the two intensely fighting individuals moved as they fought, unknowingly approaching the highest ice peak where Xiao Zhuo was located.

The two engaged in another rapid, head-on clash for hundreds of moves. Liang Long's surging Qi clearly began to decline, and his Devilish Qi became chaotic.

Even Zhou Duo's Immortal light dimmed by nearly thirty percent.

Clearly, such high-intensity, life-or-death combat consumed a vast amount of energy.

Xiao Zhuo's Divine Sense keenly detected that many of Liang Long's main Meridians were already riddled with cracks. If this continued, he would completely collapse and be defeated without a fight in less than half an incense stick's time.

Zhou Duo evidently also noticed this. His sword stance shifted from offense to skirmishing, and his movement technique became even more elusive, attempting to exhaust Liang Long's last bit of strength.

However, the Devilish Qi and lightning on Liang Long's body not only did not weaken but suddenly surged again, even revealing a tragic, all-or-nothing resolve!

Wisps of reddish blood mist seeped out from the pores on his body!

“Zhou Duo! Today, either you die, or I die!” Liang Long roared, his voice filled with a tearing madness.

Zhou Duo's expression finally changed: “Burning your Immortal Source?! Liang Long, are you truly insane?!”

The Immortal Source is the foundation for a Quasi-Immortal to ascend to Immortality, a Fusion of Immortal power and vital blood, concerning future achievements on the Immortal Dao!

Burning the Immortal Source was tantamount to severing one's Dao path!

The last trace of hesitation in Zhou Duo's eyes completely vanished, replaced by a sharp, sword-like edge.

The death of Jiang Ziyu, Liang Long's insane madness... He was both wary of the Fei Family and always felt that this matter was suspicious, unwilling to be used as a pawn by the mastermind, which was why he had repeatedly held back.

But at this moment, Liang Long was so mad as to burn his Immortal Source; he had no retreat!

“Since you insist on seeking death, I will grant your wish!”

Zhou Duo's left hand formed a sword-finger, slowly tracing the ice crystal blade. Wherever it passed, a quietblue ice flame ignited silently, instantly spreading throughout his body!

A terrifying Qi steadily climbed, actually freezing and pushing away the howling cold wind around him!

Liang Long, who was charging forward, was suddenly suppressed and halted by this abruptly erupting power!

“Frost Moon Withers with the Wind, one Sword sends you Home!”

Zhou Duo's voice was bone-chilling, like the judgment of the Nine Heavens' cold wind.

He thrust his sword out.

In an instant, the heavens and earth lost their color, as if all light and heat were drained by this single sword strike. Only an extremely cold, dazzling ice-blue stream of light became the only color in the world!

In Liang Long's vertically constricted pupils, the continuously enlarging, fatal sword light was reflected. Even his mad consciousness seemed frozen by this extremely cold sword strike.

He roared, pouring all the power gained from burning his Immortal Source into his arms, crossing them to block!

Swoosh—!

There was no violent explosion, only a soft sound, like a hot knife cutting into solidified grease.

Blood splattered!

Liang Long watched with wide eyes as his arms, along with those precious Earth-Grade High Grade claw gauntlets, were silently cut and severed by the ice-flame-covered sword edge!

The sword's momentum was not exhausted; the remaining Sword Qi left a terrifying, bone-deep wound across his chest and abdomen, almost disemboweling him!

Having successfully executed the sword strike, Zhou Duo's face was devoid of expression. With a flick of his wrist, he shook off non-existent blood droplets from the sword and returned it to its sheath, his movements flowing like water.

Liang Long's severed arms fell, and his entire body, like a broken sack, was sent flying several miles, finally smashing heavily at the foot of the ice peak where Xiao Zhuo was located!

Boom!!!

Ice shards flew, and a huge crater instantly formed, with spiderweb-like cracks extending a hundred zhang!

Liang Long lay at the bottom of the pit, barely breathing, blood gushing from the terrifying wound in his chest and abdomen, his exposed heart weakly beating.

He gasped for air, each breath bringing forth bloody foam, yet his eyes, surprisingly, regained a trace of clarity.

Zhou Duo slowly descended from the air, cold Qi solidifying beneath his feet, creating ice crystal flowers that scattered with the wind.

He walked to the edge of the deep pit, looking down at his dying opponent.

“Zhou... Zhou Duo...” Liang Long spoke with difficulty, blood continuously spilling from the corners of his mouth, “Help me... find out... the true culprit... who killed Yu'er...”

His Immortal Source was severely damaged, his Nascent Soul shattered; he was already in a death trap.

In his final moments, he finally understood that if Zhou Duo were truly the murderer, he would not have repeatedly held back against him earlier.

Zhou Duo looked at Liang Long in the pit. There was no joy of victory in his heart, but rather a surge of despondency and anger from being manipulated.

He took a deep breath of cold air and said solemnly: “Liang Long, although your Dao Heart was not firm and you were misled, to dare to toy with us... Even if you don't say it, I, Zhou Duo, swear to uncover the mastermind!”

Xiao Zhuo looked down at this scene, shaking his head slightly.

Young, after all, is young.

The schemer had painstakingly planned, how could it stop here?

His gaze had already passed the two people in the arena, casting towards the depths of the wind and snow in the distance.

There, three obscure yet powerful Qi, concealed by the wind and snow, were silently encircling them like venomous snakes.

They were three Quasi-Immortals, and the Qi of the leader was not at all weaker than Zhou Duo at this moment!

Their concealment methods were extremely clever; Zhou Duo, with his agitated mind, was completely unaware.

Just as Liang Long's pupils were about to completely dilate—

A cold laugh, full of mockery and complacency, abruptly pierced the howling wind:

“Heh heh heh heh... How truly touching! The Fei Family's Dragon Demon physique, seen once in ten thousand years, actually perishes on this desolate ice plain. What a pity, what a lament!”

The moment the voice sounded, Zhou Duo's entire body trembled. He suddenly looked up, his powerful Divine Sense sweeping outwards like a storm!

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Three figures appeared in response, forming a triangular shape, surrounding Zhou Duo and Liang Long in the pit, no more than ten li apart.

A powerful Qi instantly locked onto the two in the arena.

The leader wore a luxurious golden silk cloak, held a flowing, colorful Magic Treasure folding fan, and had a smug smile on his face, as if everything was under his control.

“Fei! Ru! Yi!” Zhou Duo enunciated each word, the chill in his voice almost enough to freeze one's Divine Soul, instantly understanding everything.

At the bottom of the pit, Liang Long's lingering will erupted with a final burst of rage due to this sudden turn of events. He struggled, letting out a hoarse growl: “Fei Ruyi! Is... is it you?!”

Fei Ruyi opened his folding fan with a “snap,” fanning it slowly, his smile becoming even more flamboyant: “Only realizing now? Too bad, it's already too late! Trash, always trash!”

“It seems you specifically came to silence him?” Zhou Duo's voice was so cold it could drop ice shards.

“Clang!”

The ice crystal Flying Sword was unsheathed again, emitting a clear, ringing sword cry. It split into three, its tips pointing at the enemies in three directions, Sword Qi radiating awe.

Zhou Duo's face was etched with unprecedented solemnity.

Fei Ruyi, Young Lord of the Fei Family of the Qingmu Imperial Dynasty, thirty years his senior, was his old rival on his cultivation path. Although he had repeatedly lost to Zhou Duo, he always fought back, his cultivation always closely trailing Zhou Duo. He was the formidable opponent Zhou Duo recognized in his life!

At this moment, the undisguised Late Stage Quasi-Immortal fluctuations on the opponent's body weighed heavily on his heart.

The Fei Family, though ranked third among the four great Families of the Qingmu Imperial Dynasty on the surface, was the most patient and low-key, with unfathomable foundations.

Today's situation... the Fei Family was finally going to drop the pretense and officially make their move!