35: Zhushan Sword Sect

Boom!

The Fierce Ghost was shattered by a punch from Li Pingan, but it reformed its body in another spot and attacked Li Pingan again.

Black Qi surged like a tide, corroding the flagstones wherever it passed, leaving them pitted.

Li Pingan dodged left and right, but his right arm was struck by the black Qi again. His clothes instantly turned to charcoal, and blisters rose on his skin.

"It seems I need to use another method to destroy this Talisman." Li Pingan analyzed the battlefield situation and formed an idea.

He suddenly settled his stance, closed his eyes, and muttered incantations. A completely different Aura burst forth from his body. This Aura was deathly silent and pure, seemingly capable of devouring all life force in the world—it was the Destruction Art, the God-Tier Divine Ability he Cultivated.

"Take this move!"

Li Pingan suddenly opened his eyes and pushed his palms forward. A hazy gray wave of Qi shot out. This Qi wave seemed slow, yet it carried an irresistible power of annihilation. Wherever it passed, the black Qi shot out by the Fierce Ghost dissolved like snow meeting the sun.

The Fierce Ghost seemed to sense the threat, letting out a shriek of terror before pouncing forward. Its iron claws struck towards the crown of Li Pingan's head with immense force. Just as the claws were about to touch Li Pingan's head, the Destruction Art Qi wave collided with the Fierce Ghost's body.

*Sizzle!* A light sound, like fat dropping into a hot oil pan.

The Fierce Ghost's massive body rapidly melted away like a paper figure set alight. Threads of black Qi drifted away, and the light in its scarlet eyes visibly dimmed. It struggled wildly, its sharp claws flailing within the Qi wave, but it could only watch as its body was annihilated inch by inch by the deathly silent power.

"Th-this... how is this possible!" Daoist Ling Xu watched, his eyes nearly splitting from disbelief!

This Fierce Ghost was the culmination of his life's work, equivalent to a Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer Expert! How could it possibly be defeated by a mere youth?

Li Pingan stumbled back two steps, his chest heaving violently. Several wounds on his shoulder and right arm throbbed faintly, and blood mixed with sweat trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Although he had eliminated the Fierce Ghost, continuously fighting and defeating enemies beyond his level had severely drained him. However, now was not the time to rest and recover. He looked up at Daoist Ling Xu, his eyes terrifyingly calm.

Daoist Ling Xu felt a chill in his heart, scrutinized by the dark-skinned youth.

His voice trembled, saying, "W-wait, I am an Outer Sect Elder of the Yin Yang Sect. You cannot kill me."

He had a friend who served as an Inner Sect Elder in the Yin Yang Sect. After the Po Shan Sect was destroyed, he planned to join them. Although he was still waiting for confirmation, he could only use this connection to intimidate his opponent now.

"Yin Yang Sect?" Li Pingan stopped upon hearing this.

Wasn't that the Sect that had bullied his Great Senior Sister? This person must die!

Seeing this, Daoist Ling Xu immediately spoke non-stop: "That's right, the Sect Master of the Yin Yang Sect is a Foundation Establishment Eighth Layer Expert, and the Sect has thousands of Disciples, backed by the Joyful Union Sect, a Hegemon-level Force. If you kill me, you will..." His voice trailed off.

Because he suddenly realized that after mentioning the Yin Yang Sect, the youth's killing intent had become even stronger.

Just as Daoist Ling Xu was about to mobilize the Spiritual Qi in his body to flee, a blur flashed before his eyes.

Li Pingan had closed the distance without him noticing. His bloody right fist, condensed with the remaining Destruction Qi force, moved so fast it was only a blurred streak. The force of the punch tore through the air, hitting Daoist Ling Xu squarely in the chest.

Boom~

Daoist Ling Xu's pupils bulged. He spat out blood mixed with bone fragments, and his entire body flew backward like a kite with a broken string. He crashed into the rock wall and slid to the ground, twitching twice, severely injured!

Li Pingan gasped for breath, ready to step forward and finish him off, when he suddenly felt a chilling coldness on the back of his neck.

"Courting death!" He instinctively ducked and twisted, barely avoiding the gray shadow that had ambushed him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the newcomer was gaunt, wearing the Yin Yang Sect's signature Black and White Daoist Robe, with a sinister smile on his face:

"Oh ho, quite the fast reaction, aren't you? To actually dodge that, no wonder Ling Xu fell into your hands."

A wisp of gray Qi still lingered on this person's fingertips—it was the killing move used in the sneak attack.

Li Pingan's heart sank. The Aura of the person before him was slightly stronger than Daoist Ling Xu's.

He was currently injured, and the Destruction Art had consumed most of his strength. The situation instantly reversed.

Upon seeing this person, Daoist Ling Xu showed delight, coughed twice, and struggled to stand: "Brother Ji, save me!"

The newcomer was precisely an Inner Sect Elder of the Yin Yang Sect, who had come to invite Daoist Ling Xu to join the Yin Yang Sect!

Elder Ji clicked his tongue twice when his sneak attack failed: "A decent young sprout, too bad! Dare to offend my Yin Yang Sect, and there's only one outcome."

Above the Ma Residence.

Fairy Qiyue, wearing a snowy white long dress and possessing a graceful, curvy figure, was about to make a move to crush the two ants beneath her feet, but she suddenly narrowed her eyes. She had sensed another Aura.

Daoist Ling Xu tidied his disheveled appearance and reminded him, "Brother Ji, this kid is a bit strange. Hurry up and act; don't be careless."

Elder Ji sneered, "Ling Xu, you truly grow more cowardly the longer you live."

As his words fell, he twisted his hands. Two intertwining threads of black and white Qi appeared in his palms. These threads, like flexible long snakes, coiled toward Li Pingan's chest. Wherever the Qi threads passed, the air seemed to distort, subtly emitting a bone-chilling coldness.

Li Pingan was just about to dodge when, suddenly, an anomaly occurred.

A streak of azure Sword Light, containing majestic Spiritual Qi, shot down from the horizon. The Sword Light was like a flash of surprise, carrying an unstoppable Aura, and precisely struck the two threads of black and white Qi.

Elder Ji suffered a backlash from his Divine Ability, spat out a mouthful of blood with a *poof*, and his face became extremely gloomy.

Li Pingan looked around blankly, only to see a figure in Azure Robes land steadily in front of him. The newcomer was tall and straight, with a resolute face, and a long sword hung at his waist. He was the one who had just emitted the Sword Light.

"Who are you, daring to interfere in the affairs of my Yin Yang Sect? Are you tired of living!" The Elder stared at the suddenly appearing man in Azure Robes and demanded, shocked and angry.

"Yin Yang Sect? So it's that Yin Yang Sect, clustered together like a rat's nest. No wonder two old geezers like you would bully a youth." The man with the long sword at his waist paused, then said calmly, "I am Bai Tang, Second Elder of the Bamboo Mountain Sword Sect. My name is known, and my surname is fixed!"

Bamboo Mountain Sword Sect?

Li Pingan was stunned. This was one of the Five Great Hegemon-level Forces in the Eastern Domain. He hadn't expected the identity of the person before him to be so alarming. In this Eastern Domain, you could offend anyone but the Five Great Hegemon-level Forces; once you did, several lives wouldn't be enough to survive.

Even a powerful Sect like the Po Shan Sect was merely an Affiliated Force of the Azure Nether Sword Sect.

Daoist Ling Xu and the other person stared with wide eyes, their faces filled with disbelief.

As his mind raced, Elder Ji had already forced out a flattering smile, bowing like a shrimp as he begged for mercy: "Senior, so you are a Senior from the Bamboo Mountain Sword Sect. This Junior failed to recognize a great figure; please forgive this Celestial Master..."

"To be honest, this Junior has long admired your Sect. If my Aptitude weren't lacking, I would certainly have sought to join your esteemed Sect. Even serving as a Utility Disciple, this small one would be completely willing." The Bamboo Mountain Sword Sect was a Hegemon-level Force with several Golden Core Experts presiding over it.

Moreover, this person was the Second Elder of the Bamboo Mountain Sword Sect. Forget about him; even their Yin Yang Sect Master wouldn't dare to speak loudly to this man if he were present.

Bai Tang glanced sideways at the fawning Elder Ji: "Join my Bamboo Mountain Sword Sect?"

"Someone like you is worthy?"

Before his voice faded, the long sword at Bai Tang's waist unsheathed itself, transforming into an azure streak of light that was hard to distinguish with the naked eye. There was no earth-shattering momentum, only the inaudible *whoosh* sound as the Sword Light sliced through the air.

*Pfft!*

A thin line of blood appeared on Elder Ji's forehead, instantly widening. Elder Ji's body, along with his Black and White Daoist Robe, was split in two by that single sword strike. Blood and internal organs splattered everywhere, and even his Divine Soul was shredded by the righteous Qi contained within the Sword Light.

The azure streak circled back, landing steadily in Bai Tang's hand. Not a single drop of blood stained the sword blade.