172: Chapter 172 Battle against the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect

"Killing an enemy with the Soul Locking Hand is something you certainly cannot do right now."

The indifferent voice of You Lingqing sounded in his Sea of Consciousness once again, still carrying a hint of impatience in her tone.

"However, I believe you can still manage to use it to force him to pause for the duration of a single breath."

"Bang—!"

As she spoke, Xiang Tian was sent flying again by a strike from the madman's long blade.

He propped himself up with his qingling sword, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and hurriedly asked within his Divine Sense: "Can I just use the Soul Locking Hand on him directly?"

"Hmm... You are only in the Martial Emperor Realm, and this type of Divine Sense skill naturally has a range limitation." You Lingqing's voice softened slightly.

But it still carried a hint of perfunctoriness, "Wait until he charges within close range of you before acting; the success rate will be higher."

Hearing this, Xiang Tian nodded heavily.

Although You Lingqing was only a Clone, she was knowledgeable and would certainly not harm him.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the roiling blood in his body.

He simply stood his ground and stopped dodging, silently circulating his Spiritual Qi, focusing his mind as he waited for the opportunity.

The madman saw this, and the scarlet in his eyes deepened.

A beast-like low growl rumbled in his throat as his figure flashed, charging over once again with his long blade raised.

"Oh no! Why is Xiang Tian standing still? What is he trying to do?"

In the distance, Xiang Liu saw this scene and clenched her fists tightly.

Frog Fairy shook her head gently and reached out to hold the impulsive Xiang Liu.

"Don't be impulsive. Even if you rush over now, it will be too late. We can only trust Xiang Tian; he must have his reasons for doing this."

In the moment they were speaking, the madman had already charged right in front of Xiang Tian.

He raised his long blade high, about to strike down at Xiang Tian.

"Now is the time!"

A cold light flashed in Xiang Tian's eyes, and he let out a low shout.

His hands moved rapidly to form seals, and he instantly unleashed the Soul Locking Hand.

A stream of Spiritual Qi, carrying his Divine Sense, shot rapidly into the center of the man's forehead.

The next second.

The madman's movements suddenly froze in place, his eyes still scarlet.

It was as if a pause button had been pressed.

Xiang Tian seized this fleeting opportunity and his figure flashed.

The Spiritual Qi on his qingling sword surged, and he thrust it toward the man's chest.

The tip of the sword instantly pierced through his clothes and flesh.

But just as the tip pierced halfway in, a deafening, violent roar suddenly erupted from the man's mouth.

"Roar—!"

"Bang!"

A massive and violent black Qi suddenly erupted from within the man's body.

Xiang Tian's body was sent flying by this immense force.

He slammed into a large rock not far away, his vision went black, and he passed out immediately.

The madman also fell to the ground in response.

His body twitched incessantly, the black Qi around him gradually dissipated, and his aura became increasingly weak.

"Xiang Tian!"

Xiang Liu could no longer hold back; she broke free from Frog Fairy's hand and rushed toward Xiang Tian like a madwoman.

Frog Fairy followed closely behind, her expression becoming increasingly grave.

But just as the two women reached Xiang Tian's side and were about to help him up.

A burst of rapid footsteps suddenly arrived.

A group of Disciples dressed in the same Sect attire as the madman rushed over.

Seeing the man on the ground with no signs of life, their eyes immediately turned bloodshot.

They glared furiously at Xiang Liu and Frog Fairy.

They shouted sternly: "You... you actually dared to kill our Senior Brother! Pay with your lives!"

Hearing this, Xiang Liu's heart sank.

She hurriedly looked up to examine the attire of this group of Disciples, and only then did she see clearly.

On their clothes were clearly printed the two characters "Heavenly Sword".

Her expression changed drastically, and she exclaimed in a low voice: "Oh no, they are Disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect!"

The Heavenly Sword Sect was powerful, and every Disciple had impressive cultivation.

Now that the two of them had to protect the unconscious Xiang Tian, they were no match for them at all.

Xiang Liu made a prompt decision, bent down, and carried Xiang Tian on her back.

She said urgently to Frog Fairy: "Run quickly! This place is not suitable for staying long!"

"Okay!" Frog Fairy nodded in agreement, her figure flashed, and she blocked behind Xiang Liu.

Her hands quickly formed seals, and she shouted in a low voice: "One Poison Covers the Sky!"

As she spoke, a cloud of green mist erupted from her hands.

"Go quickly! This poison can only hold them off for a moment; it won't last long!"

Xiang Liu did not dare to delay, carrying Xiang Tian on her back, she fled with all her might toward the depths of the mountain range, not daring to stop for even a second.

Half an hour later.

The two women were already exhausted, their breathing chaotic.

Just then, Frog Fairy scanned the area, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she pointed to a cliff wall not far away.

She said urgently: "There is a cave there! It's very hidden; let's hide inside first to take shelter!"

Xiang Liu looked in the direction she pointed and indeed saw a hidden cave covered by vines.

The two did not hesitate at all, walked over quickly, pushed aside the vines, and hurried inside.

But just as they stepped into the cave, the two women felt their vision go black and their heads spin.

They didn't know how much time had passed.

Xiang Tian slowly opened his eyes; his head was still a bit dizzy.

A faint fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose, and he felt a soft sensation on his body.

He moved subconsciously and realized that Xiang Liu and Frog Fairy were lying on him, one on the left and one on the right, sleeping soundly.

"Get up quickly, you're pressing on me so I can't breathe." Xiang Tian said helplessly.

Just after saying that, he couldn't help but cough twice, "Cough, cough..."

Frog Fairy was woken up by his coughing, rubbed her sleepy eyes, quickly propped herself up, and carefully examined Xiang Tian.

"Master, you're finally awake! Are you okay? Is there anywhere you feel uncomfortable?"

Xiang Liu, who was beside him, also woke up, and her cheeks instantly flushed with a crimson hue.

She glared at Xiang Tian and said crossly: "Xiang Tian, have you squeezed enough? Take your hand away!"

Xiang Tian was stunned, and only then did he notice his hand...

He hurriedly withdrew his hand and gave a sheepish smile: "Isn't this an accident? I didn't mean it."

"I think you did it on purpose!" Xiang Liu snorted coldly, but she did not pursue the matter further.

Xiang Tian hurriedly changed the subject, looked around, and couldn't help but frown: "Where have we arrived?"

Hearing this, Xiang Liu also put away her embarrassment and anger, her delicate eyebrows slightly knitted.

"I don't know. I only remember we crawled into a cave. As soon as we went in, we felt dizzy, and when we woke up, we were here. Moreover, the environment here always makes me feel inexplicably uncomfortable; my whole body feels uneasy."

Frog Fairy also nodded quickly, a look of unease appearing on her face: "I have that feeling too. The aura here is very strange, carrying a trace of evil, making my skin crawl."

Hearing this, Xiang Tian's heart stirred; he slowly stood up and scanned the area.

He thought to himself: "Could this be the origin of the Demon Blood Blade I am looking for?"

He turned to look at the two women and said in a deep voice: "Tell me carefully again, after we crawled into the cave, were there any other abnormalities? How exactly did we lose consciousness?"

The two women looked at each other, recalled carefully, and then simply described the scene after they entered the cave.

After listening, Xiang Tian nodded slowly, raised his hand to take out the yellowed map from the System space, and compared it carefully.

"That's right, this is the place I'm looking for!"

"Since we stumbled upon the place by mistake, let's not waste time; let's get to business first." Xiang Tian patted the dust off his body, his expression becoming serious.

You must know, the map only marked the entrance and did not mark the specific route.

And this place, although it seemed like a Secret Realm, was different from ordinary Secret Realms.

A strange aura permeated the air, and everything felt wrong.

"Master, wait!" Frog Fairy hurried forward and hugged Xiang Tian's arm.

"I looked around just now; this place doesn't seem to have any other exits, and the further we go inside, the stronger that strange aura becomes."

Xiang Liu, who was on the side, also hurriedly stepped forward and took the opportunity to hug Xiang Tian's other arm into her embrace.

"I also feel something is wrong. That feeling of discomfort is getting stronger; we should be careful."

Xiang Tian looked at the two women helplessly, patted their hands gently, and smiled: "Is it that scary? Why don't I feel any discomfort? Don't worry, with me here, nothing will happen."

"It's not a question of being afraid; it's just an inexplicable intuition, an indescribable discomfort." Xiang Liu shook her head gently.

She couldn't explain where this discomfort was coming from either.

"Alright, don't overthink it; I have to get to work." After saying that, Xiang Tian did not hesitate and chose a route.

But just as the three of them lifted their feet, ready to set off and leave.

Two figures suddenly rushed from the distance of the mountain, moving extremely fast, their expressions cold, their gazes locked tightly onto Xiang Tian and the others.

"It's them! The people who killed our Senior Brother are actually hiding here!" one of the Disciples shouted sternly.

Xiang Tian looked up, and after seeing the attire on the two people clearly, he raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Oh? People from the Heavenly Sword Sect? Come to think of it, we can be considered fellow Disciples!"

"Who is a fellow Disciple with a butcher like you! You killed our Senior Brother and still dare to speak glibly here; pay with your life!" the Disciple shouted angrily.

The Spiritual Qi on the long sword in his hand surged, his figure flashed, and he thrust fiercely.

"Damn it! When did we make an enemy of you? Attacking right away, you're not being reasonable, are you?" Xiang Tian was bewildered.

He hurriedly dodged to the side, simultaneously manifesting the qingling sword in his hand, and raised it to block.

"Clang—!"

Xiang Tian blocked the opponent's attack, his arm felt slightly numb, and he became more vigilant.

Just then, Xiang Liu hurriedly leaned to Xiang Tian's ear, lowered her voice, and quickly reminded him: "Xiang Tian, the madman you killed is their Heavenly Sword Sect's Senior Brother; naturally, they want to take revenge on you."

Hearing this, Xiang Tian suddenly realized, then revealed a knowing smile and nodded gently.

"Oh? So that's how it is. No wonder. That guy's clothes were tattered at the time, he was covered in black Qi, and was acting crazy; I really didn't see that he was actually the Heavenly Sword Sect's Senior Brother."

As he spoke, he put away the playfulness on his face, looked at the two Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples, and said in a deep voice.

"Two Junior Brothers of the Heavenly Sword Sect, I advise you to calm down. To tell you the truth, we really can be considered fellow Disciples, and what's more, you should thank me—your Senior Brother had lost his mind at the time; even if I hadn't killed him, he would have sooner or later suffered from broken Meridians and exploded to death. Me doing this can be considered helping him find relief; it's a huge favor."

"Nonsense! Spreading heresy to confuse the public, you're courting death!" The two Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples didn't listen to his explanation at all. The killing intent in their eyes intensified. After looking at each other, they shouted simultaneously, their figures flashed, and they charged over together.

Two long swords struck out together, Sword Qi crisscrossed, sealing off all of Xiang Tian's retreat paths.

"Clang—!"

Xiang Tian's figure flashed nimbly, easily dodging the attack of one of the Disciples. At the same time, he raised the qingling sword in his hand, parried the other Disciple's long sword back, used the force to retreat two steps, and opened up the distance.

He turned to look at Xiang Liu and Frog Fairy behind him: "You two quickly retreat and hide to the side. These Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples really live up to their reputation; their cultivation is not weak. If you stay here, you'll only hold me back."

Before the two women could react, Xiang Tian waved his hand backhandedly, and a gentle stream of Spiritual Qi gently tossed the two away from the battlefield.

"Detestable! Master, you're too much!" Frog Fairy, who had been tossed into a corner, rubbed her arm that had been bumped and hurt, cursing at Xiang Tian, but she knew she couldn't help, so she could only stay in place obediently, watching the battlefield with a tense expression.

Xiang Liu was also a bit angry, but she understood Xiang Tian's intention, so she could only clench her fists tightly, focusing her gaze on the battle situation, ready to respond to any sudden situation at any time.

Xiang Tian would not pay attention to the two women's complaints. He watched the two Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples in front of him with a grave expression, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

He had long heard that the Heavenly Sword Sect's Disciples were all gifted and had powerful cultivation. Now that he saw it, they really lived up to their reputation; both of their auras were steady and refined.

"Attack! Strike together and kill him!" The two Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples looked at each other and launched an attack together again. Their figures flashed, flanking Xiang Tian from the left and right. Their long swords danced, Sword Qi was sharp, and the offensive was extremely fierce.

Xiang Tian naturally would not be outdone. Spiritual Qi circulated wildly around his body, and nine golden short swords hovered around him, shimmering with Spiritual light.

"Kill!" Xiang Tian let out a low shout, and the nine golden short swords turned into nine golden afterimages, shooting rapidly toward the two Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples.

"Clang... Clang... Clang..."

The two Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples' expressions did not change. Their long swords danced rapidly, easily deflecting the nine golden short swords one by one. After the short swords hit the ground, they instantly turned into Spiritual light and dissipated.

One of the Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples looked at Xiang Tian, a look of disdain appearing on his face.

"Is that all the ability you have? With just these few broken short swords, you dare to show off before us? Since you are so weak, then live a good life in the next one and stop killing innocents indiscriminately!"

"Is that so?" Xiang Tian sneered, not in a hurry to retort; the qingling sword in his hand shone with brilliant light.

"Since you are so conceited, then taste this move of mine—Phoenix Slash!"

A huge crescent of flame, carrying the oppressive feeling of destroying the heavens and the earth, swept toward the two of them. Wherever it passed, the air was scorched, making sizzling sounds.

Seeing this, the two Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples' expressions finally became grave; they dared not be the slightest bit contemptuous.

One of them raised his eyebrows slightly and said urgently to the other: "Junior Brother, something is wrong; the power of this move is not weak. Let's combine our swords and defend together!"

"Okay!" The other nodded quickly, and the two figures flashed, standing side by side.

The long swords in their hands touched gently, "Clang—!"

The two long swords instantly merged together, turning into a longer, sharper long sword. The Spiritual light on the blade surged, Sword Qi crisscrossed. The two exerted force simultaneously, holding the merged long sword, and slashed toward that flame crescent.

"Clang—!"

The flame crescent collided with the merged long sword, and the massive impact force swept in all directions instantly. The ground was also shaken, creating deep cracks.

Surprisingly, the two Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples, by relying on the combination of their two swords, actually managed to block Xiang Tian's Phoenix Slash.

"I have to say, this move of yours does have something to it; it's a bit stronger than we imagined." One of the Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples looked at Xiang Tian.

"However, that's all it is; it's still not enough to look at!"

Although they said that, the hands holding the long swords were trembling slightly, and faint red marks appeared on their arms.

Xiang Tian's gaze was sharp, and he instantly noticed their abnormality, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

He did not hesitate in the slightest, circulating his Spiritual Qi again, and the nine golden short swords appeared once more.

But this time, each golden short sword was wrapped in raging Phoenix Flame.

"Kid, do you think that the same move, used again, will still be useful?" The two Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples saw this, a look of deep disdain appearing on their faces.

"Simply overestimating your capabilities!"

"Is that so?" Xiang Tian smiled faintly, a trace of cunning flashing in his eyes.

He just raised his hand and, toward the nine short swords wrapped in Phoenix Flame, said in a deep voice: "Go!"

As his voice fell, the nine golden short swords wrapped in flames turned into nine golden-red afterimages again, shooting rapidly toward the two Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples.

The speed was faster than the last time, and the power was also stronger.

This time, Xiang Tian did not rely only on the short swords to attack. His figure flashed, holding the qingling sword, following closely behind.

"Clang—!"

One of the Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples swung his long sword rapidly, accurately hitting one of the golden short swords.

The short sword was instantly knocked down, turning into Spiritual light and dissipating in the air.