CLANG!
The Magical Flying Sword crashed against the wooden sword, sending an immense impact—dozens of times more powerful than the Water Sword’s—surging up the blade.
Fortunately, Huang Yulang’s physical body was strong; with his Blood Qi raging within him, he knocked the Magical Flying Sword away.
But a glance at his Spirit Wood Sword revealed a deep gash etched into it.
Huang Yulang sucked in a sharp breath.
His senior brother had said this sword was forged from Thousand-Year Spirit Wood and was indestructible.
He’d claimed that even the so-called Divine Weapons of the mortal world couldn’t leave a scratch.
‘This old bastard’s Magical Flying Sword is terrifying!
If it hit me, I’d be dead for sure!’
Utterly terrified, his heart pounding, Huang Yulang turned and continued to flee for his life.
But to his disbelief, the Magical Flying Sword he’d just knocked away didn’t retreat.
It wheeled around and shot toward him again, even faster than before.
‘Damn it.’ Gritting his teeth, Huang Yulang had no choice but to swing his wooden sword to strike it once more.
CLANG!
As if by some cruel twist of fate, the Magical Flying Sword struck the deep gash on his wooden sword, shearing off a section of his Spirit Wood Sword.
Before Huang Yulang could process what happened, the flying sword spun around again, appeared before him, and stabbed straight for his chest.
Huang Yulang desperately twisted aside to dodge, but he was a step too late.
SHLICK!
The Magical Flying Sword pierced straight through his shoulder, sending a spray of blood into the air.
“Aargh!” Huang Yulang cried out in agony, collapsing to the ground.
He struggled, clutching his shoulder as blood gushed from the wound.
The terrifying flying sword circled once more but did not descend.
Instead, it hovered two or three meters above Huang Yulang’s head.
The corner of Yun Ji’s mouth curled up as he slowly strode before Huang Yulang and let out a cold laugh.
“A mere first-level Qi Refining cultivator, and you thought you could escape from me?
Absurd.” Huang Yulang’s face was contorted in agony and deathly pale as he stared fixedly at Yun Ji, who stood less than two meters away.
‘It wasn’t that he couldn’t endure the pain and keep fleeing after collapsing from the severe shoulder wound.
The truth was, his opponent’s Magical Flying Sword was simply too fast and too powerful.
There was no possibility of escape.’
But Huang Yulang hadn’t completely despaired.
Clinging to a sliver of hope, he had deliberately collapsed, feigning a grievous injury to show weakness.
And just as he’d expected, the flying sword hadn’t struck again, allowing him to breathe a secret sigh of relief.
‘The man had chased him for thousands of miles all the way from the capital of Yun Country.
The odds of being killed on the spot were low.
It was more likely he’d be taken back to Yun Country for his captor to report his success.’
Just as Huang Yulang anticipated, Yun Ji strode over, a mocking expression on his face.
‘Is he planning to take me back to Yun Country, or is he just posturing because of his high cultivation?’ he wondered.
As the old Daoist closed to within two meters, Huang Yulang resolved to launch a sudden, violent attack.
“S-Senior, I was wrong!
Please, spare me!
I’m willing to go back with you, Senior.
Just please, spare my worthless life!”
Huang Yulang pleaded, feigning terror.
But Yun Ji’s gaze suddenly focused, fixing on the wound on Huang Yulang’s shoulder.
Rich Blood Qi was gushing out with the blood, and a flicker of greed and excitement flashed in the old Daoist’s eyes.
However, the old Daoist’s composure—his Heart Nature—was impressive.
The strange light in his eyes vanished in a flash.
Still, Huang Yulang had caught it.
His heart leaped.
‘This is my chance!’ Just then, Yun Ji snorted coldly.
“If you had been this cooperative from the beginning, you could have avoided this pointless suffering.” With a wave of his hand, Yun Ji recalled the Magical Flying Sword.
It shot into a pouch at his waist and vanished.
Clearly, in his eyes, the severely wounded Huang Yulang posed no threat whatsoever.
Of course, even if Huang Yulang were uninjured, the man would have never taken a mere first-level Qi Refining cultivator seriously.
His cultivation was simply on another level entirely.
“Thank you, Senior!
Thank you for the mercy of sparing my life!” Huang Yulang said as he struggled to his feet, his face still a mask of terror and awe.
An amused expression crossed Yun Ji’s face, and he spoke calmly,
“Let’s go.
As long as you don’t try any tricks, I guarantee you’ll make it back to Yun Country alive.
For your Immortal Sect’s sake, I can even put in a good word for you with the King.
He is desperate for talented people.
As long as you sincerely admit your fault, I’m sure His Majesty won’t want to offend an Immortal Sect over a mere mortal.” Upon hearing this, Huang Yulang put on a look of delighted surprise.
“I was reckless, Senior.
I regret not listening to your advice.
This is all my fault.
I will obediently follow your instructions and return with you to Yun Country.”
Huang Yulang was merely feigning compliance, his expression the very picture of sincerity.
Yun Ji finally nodded in satisfaction, turned, and strode toward Reed Lake.
But as he did, that intense look of greed and excitement returned to his eyes.
Huang Yulang hurried to walk behind Yun Ji, his posture one of utmost deference.
He followed him to the lake’s edge, where Yun Ji beckoned with a hand, summoning a single reed to fly toward them from the water’s surface.
Just as Yun Ji prepared to step onto it, a murderous glint flashed in Huang Yulang’s eyes.
He unleashed his full strength, channeling every last bit of Spiritual Power in his body into a single punch aimed at the vital point on the old Daoist’s back.
Even though Yun Ji didn’t turn to look, he had kept a subtle trace of his Divine Sense locked onto Huang Yulang.
The very instant Huang Yulang attacked, Yun Ji felt it.
His expression darkened, and killing intent erupted in his heart.
‘Since you’re seeking death, I shall grant you your wish.’ In that split second, a barrier of Water Spiritual Power materialized around Yun Ji.
But then, the unbelievable happened.
The instant Huang Yulang’s fist made contact, his protective barrier shattered.
Yun Ji’s expression changed drastically.
‘How is this possible?’ A mere ant at the first level of the Qi Refining Stage had shattered his Spiritual Power barrier!
To him, it was utterly inconceivable.
But an even greater horror followed.
The proximity was too close.
With his Spiritual Power barrier shattered, his internal Magical Power was thrown into turmoil.
Although he could quell it in an instant, he had no time.
It was too late to even dodge.
The old Daoist could only watch as Huang Yulang’s fist slammed into the vital point on his back.
With a muffled THUD, Yun Ji’s body launched into the air like a cannonball.
SPLAT!
Yun Ji coughed up a huge mouthful of blood, mixed with fragments of his internal organs.
His chest bulged out unnaturally; the punch had completely shattered his spine.
“Aargh, no—!” Yun Ji let out a wretched scream as his body fell helplessly into the lake.
Huang Yulang had feigned weakness precisely to set up this single, all-out punch.
His physical strength was his greatest asset.
‘Magical Combat would have been suicide.
Though the old bastard’s cultivation far surpassed his own, his physical body was undoubtedly much weaker.
Huang Yulang was confident that his punch—backed by the terrifying force of nearly two thousand jin and all his Magical Power—had landed squarely on his opponent’s back and shattered his heart.’
Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Huang Yulang leaped up and dove into the lake.
He had to finish the job and eliminate his enemy completely, leaving no chance for survival.
Indecisiveness would only lead to more trouble.
‘Villains always die because they talk too much, and opportunities are fleeting.
Isn’t that how it went in all the novels he’d read in his past life?’
‘Besides, the Essence of Blood and Qi from a high-level cultivator was a considerable prize.
It couldn’t be wasted.’
Sure enough, when Huang Yulang reached the lakebed, he saw the old Daoist had stopped struggling.
His body was arched backward, his chest bulging grotesquely.
Even if he still clung to a sliver of life, such a devastating injury had robbed him of all ability to fight back.
Huang Yulang let out a long breath, sending a stream of bubbles toward the surface.
But just as he drew near, before his Jade Pendant could begin automatically absorbing the man’s Essence of Blood and Qi, the situation changed abruptly.
An illusory shadow shot out from between the old Daoist’s eyebrows.
An enraged, savage voice resounded in Huang Yulang’s mind.
“Damn you!
You wretched cur, you destroyed my body!
I was going to take you back, make preparations, and then perform a possession to take over your body!
But since you’re in such a hurry to die, I’ll oblige you!”
The illusory shadow, like a ferocious ghoul, lunged directly at Huang Yulang.
Hearing this, Huang Yulang was completely horrified.
‘So that’s why the old bastard’s eyes flashed with greed and excitement!
He’d been eyeing my body from the very beginning, planning to possess me!’
The color drained from Huang Yulang’s face again as absolute terror seized him.
‘I have no way to fight a ghost!’ He began swimming for his life.
But in the next instant, a Water Snake materialized from nowhere, wrapped itself around Huang Yulang’s legs, and gave a powerful tug.
Huang Yulang found himself being pulled uncontrollably toward the approaching shadow.
“No—!” Huang Yulang tried to scream in terror, but lake water flooded into his mouth, making him choke and cough violently before he clamped it shut.
But the illusory shadow had already reached him.
Without a moment’s hesitation, it drilled into the spot between his eyebrows.
At that moment, the Jade Pendant sensed the Essence of Blood and Qi and activated on its own.
It completely devoured the Essence of Blood and Qi from the old Daoist’s corpse.
Huang Yulang’s shoulder wound began to heal rapidly, and a surge of power flowed into him.
But Huang Yulang had no time to worry about that.
His body instinctively shot up from the lakebed, for an uninvited guest had just appeared in his Sea of Consciousness.
Upon entering Huang Yulang’s Sea of Consciousness, Yun Ji’s Divine Soul was stunned.
The boy’s Sea of Consciousness was vast, in no way inferior to his own.
‘How could a first-level Qi Refining cultivator possibly possess such a powerful Sea of Consciousness?’
The shock quickly gave way to ecstasy.
Yun Ji formed a series of Finger Formulas, and a powerful tide of his Divine Sense surged forth to frantically devour Huang Yulang’s own.
Huang Yulang felt as if his Divine Soul was being ripped to shreds and devoured piece by piece, while the intruder’s Divine Soul grew stronger at an incredible speed.
“AARGH!” Huang Yulang screamed, clutching his head as he thrashed in agony.
Faced with the man’s Spiritual Sense Attack, he had no means of defense.
All he could do was instinctively try to gather his Divine Soul, desperately trying to keep it from being consumed.
But his opponent had no intention of letting him go.
He had obviously practiced a Divine Soul Attack Cultivation Technique.
Laughing like a malevolent ghoul, he continued to feast wantonly.
Just as Huang Yulang sank into utter despair, the Jade Pendant on his chest spontaneously unleashed a wave of power.
This was an incredibly potent Power of Divine Sense, far beyond anything Huang Yulang himself possessed.
This terrifying Power of the Divine Soul instantly took the form of an illusory Striped Tiger and plunged into the space between Huang Yulang’s eyebrows.