379: Shura

Die one by one, or die together?

Zhao Tinghuang and Daoist Ember Dust smiled inwardly upon hearing such arrogant words.

Now that both of them had just been promoted to Nascent Soul Mid-stage, the Third Family Head's ignorance of the situation presented an opportunity.

Daoist Ember Dust stepped forward.

“Since the Third Family Head is so generous, then the two of us shall come at you together.”

Having said that, Daoist Ember Dust drew his greatsword.

He revealed his Nascent Soul Dharma Idol!

He swung the gigantic Spiritual Sword, cleaving forward.

Sharp and fierce Sword Aura burst forth from the greatsword.

The Sword Aura shot straight into the clouds.

Cutting open the layers of clouds in the sky.

This single cleave.

Daoist Ember Dust had used almost all his strength, reaching the absolute limit of speed.

“A desperate struggle!”

The Third Family Head, sensing the heaven-rushing Sword Intent, smiled.

He likewise revealed his Nascent Soul Dharma Idol.

Immediately, his smile vanished.

As the Sword Aura approached.

He had thought this was a strike accumulated by Ember Dust burning his own life force, but upon truly taking it, the Third Family Head was utterly shocked.

Daoist Ember Dust—the Daoist Ember Dust whom everyone believed would never be able to advance in his lifetime—had become a Nascent Soul Mid-stage Cultivator.

The Third Family Head pulled out Magical Artifacts one after another for defense.

He exclaimed in shock: “Nascent Soul Mid-stage?! How is this possible!”

In the air.

The Great Family Head noticed it even sooner than the Third Family Head.

He said in a deep voice: “Ember Dust is Nascent Soul Mid-stage? That's impossible! How could he possibly be Nascent Soul Mid-stage?!”

Iron Mask’s expression was also grim.

This incident was enough to prove that Linghuang Pavilion, or perhaps the Alliance, had grasped a method for Breakthrough, and it was highly effective, managing to promote even Daoist Ember Dust to Nascent Soul Mid-stage.

If this method had already begun to circulate within the Alliance on a small scale.

Then next time, they wouldn't be facing just those few Nascent Soul Mid-stage individuals.

But a large group of Nascent Soul Mid-stage Cultivators!

Even if they were newly promoted, they would still be enough to completely crush the Early Stage Cultivators!

“Great Family Head, make a quick decision. We need him alive. Search his soul, interrogate him, and we must find the method Daoist Ember Dust used to Break through to Nascent Soul Mid-stage.”

“I know.”

The Great Family Head nodded.

Inside Jieyi City.

The Great Family Head and the others were not the only ones unsettled.

“Daoist Ember Dust is stronger than before!”

“More than that? Before, I felt I could fight him, fearing only Ember Dust's Injury for Injury combat style, but now, seeing this sword strike, I actually feel the urge to flee!”

“This is... Nascent Soul Mid-stage?”

“It must be!”

“Didn't Daoist Ember Dust damage his Foundation?”

“There can only be two possibilities. First, the Alliance high command found a way to repair Daoist Ember Dust's Foundation. Second, the Alliance high command possesses special methods that allow Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators to Break through to Nascent Soul Mid-stage!

Whichever it is, it's good news for us. Which of us here hasn't exhausted their potential, destined to be trapped in the Early Nascent Soul Stage for life?”

“Wait, if the second conjecture is true, doesn't that mean Zhao Tinghuang...”

“Hiss...”

It wasn't just the Cultivators in Jieyi City who thought of this.

In the air, the Great Family Head also snapped back to reality.

He roared, “Lao San, watch out for Zhao Tinghuang!”

The Third Family Head threw out Spiritual Artifacts one after another to block Daoist Ember Dust's full-power strike. While shocked by Daoist Ember Dust's advancement, he heard the Great Family Head's roar beside his ear.

He looked at Zhao Tinghuang.

The other party had already removed the asura mask he always wore on his face.

Beneath the mask was a young and handsome face.

Zhao Tinghuang held the mask in his hand.

The red asura mask vanished in Zhao Tinghuang's palm.

Instead, Zhao Tinghuang's entire body was enveloped in Blood Qi, and a horn actually sprouted on his forehead.

His previously handsome face was now covered in cracks, with blood oozing out, making him exceptionally terrifying.

At this moment, it was as if a true Asura had descended upon the world!

Zhao Tinghuang made a grasping motion with his right hand.

A massive black scythe appeared out of thin air!

And behind him, his enormous Nascent Soul Dharma Idol had transformed into a complete Asura!

“Kill!”

Blood boiled!

A Mountain of Corpses and Sea of Blood instantly appeared before the Third Family Head's eyes. The stench of gore nearly made him vomit, as if countless corpses were crawling toward him.

“Is this the Dao?”

Fear flashed in the Third Family Head's eyes.

This kind of Dao almost made him unable to muster any thought of resistance.

“This is not the Dao.”

The Great Family Head had also comprehended his own Dao.

He recognized the Mountain of Corpses and Sea of Blood that Zhao Tinghuang had manifested immediately.

Iron Mask looked sideways, listening attentively.

The Tiance Military Prefecture was the Tiance Military Prefecture, but undoubtedly, every Cultivator standing at the Peak of the Xuanhuang Domain had their own understanding.

It never hurt to listen.

The Great Family Head realized, “I once read about a Spiritual Artifact in an ancient text.

“This Spiritual Artifact possesses a spirit and requires Blood Qi and Killing Intent to nourish it. Normally, it transforms into an ordinary implement.”

“When needed, one absorbs it, instantly releasing the Killing Intent and Blood Qi stored within.”

“There's actually a Spiritual Artifact like that?”

Iron Mask was stunned. When it came to Spiritual Artifacts, the Great Family Head of the Yingtong Merchant Guild certainly had more knowledge than him. “What is this Spiritual Artifact called?”

“Asura Son.”

The Great Family Head said solemnly: “I always thought Zhao Tinghuang wore the asura mask because of the nature of Linghuang Pavilion's business—if people knew his true face, he'd be easily targeted.

I never expected that what Zhao Tinghuang wore on his face was actually the bizarre Spiritual Artifact, Asura Son!”

“Combined with the Blood Qi and Killing Intent generated by Linghuang Pavilion's operations, nourishing it this way, the Asura Son can likely unleash immense power!

Now, I don't even know what Zhao Tinghuang's original goal was when he established Linghuang Pavilion.”

Zhao Tinghuang, who had transformed into an Asura, had bloodshot eyes. He glared fiercely at the Third Family Head and charged forward.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

The Third Family Head, who had barely managed to fend off Daoist Ember Dust's strike, was now even more flustered.

But in the next second.

Zhao Tinghuang's Aura shocked the Third Family Head into screaming.

“Another Nascent Soul Mid-stage Cultivator!”

Iron Mask and the Great Family Head, who were watching the battle, felt their hearts sink.

The Cultivators in Jieyi City were extremely glad they had been observing.

If the reinforcements from Yaoguang Immortal Palace arrived in time.

If they stayed, there was a high probability they would also advance to Nascent Soul Mid-stage in the future!

The Third Family Head gritted his teeth.

“What exactly is this method?”

Right now, he couldn't worry about too much.

The three Family Heads of the Yingtong Merchant Guild were all famous for possessing numerous Spiritual Artifacts.

The Third Family Head threw out two small clay figures.

The clay figures grew large, transforming into two gold-armored Puppets.

These two Puppets were clearly at the Early Nascent Soul Stage level!

“Dao Soldiers!”

Daoist Ember Dust was startled.

He gritted his teeth: “If the Yingtong Merchant Guild had brought out these Spiritual Artifacts earlier, the Alliance wouldn't have been defeated so quickly, nor lost so many cities!”

The Third Family Head relied on the two Dao Soldiers to block the incoming Mountain of Corpses and Sea of Blood.

Afterward, he pulled out even more Spiritual Artifacts.

Zhao Tinghuang was weeping blood.

“Kill!”

He charged out, following the Mountain of Corpses and Sea of Blood.

The Killing Intent in his body completely erupted. Following the path of Enter the Dao through Slaughter, Zhao Tinghuang grew braver the more he fought!

In just over a dozen breaths.

Zhao Tinghuang and the Third Family Head exchanged hundreds of moves.

Under the Spiritual Artifact “bombardment” of the Third Family Head, Zhao Tinghuang's upper body and ordinary parts of his torso revealed fresh red flesh and blood, and beneath his ribs, his beating heart seemed visible.

Yet, despite the Third Family Head clearly holding the advantage.

Zhao Tinghuang's Aura was surprisingly superior!

Once again.

Zhao Tinghuang raised his scythe.

The massive Asura Dharma Idol collapsed, cracks appearing all over it.

The scythe fell.

The Asura Dharma Idol dissolved into scattered specks of light.

And the Third Family Head's head, along with his Nascent Soul.

Was held in the hand of the blood-soaked Zhao Tinghuang.