Faced with the radiance of the sword, Nan Songzi muttered under his breath. His large sleeve swayed, unleashing a tide of True Sha that manipulated the surrounding atmosphere, instantly creating hundreds of tiny twisted vortexes to dissolve the sword's edge and deflect its trajectory. The True Sha, which a Golden Elixir cultivator had refined over hundreds of years, was not to be underestimated. Although it hadn't fully erupted, its threads intertwined, and the once unstoppable sword light seemed as if it had fallen into a marsh, its momentum abruptly checked.
However, as this sword was thwarted, another sword light streaked across the sky from the same mountain, a rainbow bridge taking shape. Using the previous sword light to divert the attention of The Yan Daoist, this sword came even faster and was different from the previous one. This sword was not merely a Flying Sword causing harm, someone was controlling it. Towards the end, the light quickly receded, revealing a figure within. The figure was thin, dressed in a Daoist robe and a black crown, suspended in the air, a sword horizontally drawn.
Nan Songzi took this sword more seriously. If his guess was correct, this was a very famous sword technique of the Lichen Sect, called the "Unconfused Magic Sword". It somewhat countered the method he had learned from the Ten Thousand Images Sect and was a real headache.
Especially in such a tangled situation.
"You juniors of the Lichen Sect, when will you stop?"
Nan Songzi was truly annoyed. When he first took action, he was very restrained to avoid making an enemy of the Lichen Sect, a giant in the Cultivation World. He only destroyed their warning Flying Star and trapped two people with his techniques. He didn't expect the female cultivator inside to have such an impressive Cultivation Level, breaking free so quickly and relentlessly pursuing him.
At this moment, if he went all out, Nan Songzi was confident he could severely injure this Lichen Sect disciple. But he was somewhat apprehensive, and so he held back. There was a soft explosion in the air, the True Sha without any fancy moves, directly colliding and relying purely on Cultivation Level, successively blasting open two sword lights.
The sword light was hit, and the sword-controlling person was half-submerged in the water, but they managed to muster their energy and stay above the surface. Under the modest Daoist robe was a lean figure with an extremely beautiful face. It was Meng Wei, who had been missing all night.
"Sister Murong, are you unharmed?"
Compared to Murong Qingyan's charm, Meng Wei's simple attire seemed unremarkable. However, when the two female cultivators stood together, there was no need to differentiate who was superior. They were surprisingly harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
Murong Qingyan gave a faint smile, "I'm fine. But why would Sister Meng bother to wade into these troubled waters?"
Meng Wei's expression was calm, "As a Taoist priest, one should refrain from killing and cherish life. However, there are exceptions within the Sect Disciplinary Court that allow for breaking this precept. Nan Songzi, a renegade of the Ten Thousand Images Sect, has disrespected his fellow disciples, betrayed the sect, and fled the teachings. For forty years, he has been wandering along the banks of the Cang River, disrupting the cultivation of others, his evil deeds countless. He is the most disgraceful person of our time. Any disciple of our Lichen Sect, upon encountering him, is justified in killing him!"
She held an Ancient Pine Pattern Sword in her hand, simple and unadorned, her posture stern. Yet another sword light was circling around her body. The dazzling brilliance made it hard to discern its shape, but it seemed much thinner than the sword in her hand, quite extraordinary indeed.
"Ah, that's the Shenshang Sword Method of the Lichen Sect, isn't it?"
Nan Songzi's knowledge was quite impressive, as he quickly guessed some details about Meng Wei. His gaze swept back and forth over the two female cultivators, lingering on Meng Wei. A spark of desire ignited within him, but he was not insane enough to act on it. He quickly extinguished the thought and refocused his attention on the graceful figure on the lake.
He had made up his mind to seize Murong Qingyan by any means necessary, and then flee thousands of miles away. At that point, no one could touch him!
Thus, when his secret was exposed by a junior, he didn't mind and launched an attack directly.
His claw-like hand reached out, causing waves to surge below. The splashing water droplets collided with each other, creating a misty fog over the lake surface. The figure beneath was obscured, visible only intermittently. The light above the lake seemed to adjust, its penetrating power weakening. Combined with the initial fog, it created a confusing light haze that enveloped the entire lake.
Following this, Nan Songzi drew in mid-air, and in a blink of an eye, a Talisman Script Book was conjured, its divine light scattering into the lake's fog.
"Prepare for illusion techniques! He's using the environment to form shapes," Murong Qingyan warned softly. Meng Wei nodded slightly, closed her eyes to focus, and when she opened them again, her eyes were even clearer.
Having trained rigorously since childhood and being an expert in the "Unconfused Magic Sword" technique that could break all illusions, she had strong resistance to illusion techniques. When Nan Songzi previously trapped her and Li You with an illusion array, she was the first to break free. She had some experience dealing with illusion techniques of the same origin.
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However, how did the two by the lake end up in this situation?
She was referring to Yu Ci and Bao Guang, who were peeking around the lakeshore.
When Meng Wei flew in on her sword, she didn't see the two of them due to the angle of the mountain. Now that she saw them, she was somewhat worried. A battle at the Golden Elixir level had a significant impact range. Both of her junior brothers had relatively low cultivation levels. If they were affected, it would be her fault.
However, she soon saw the two on the shore retreating into the shadow of the mountain. A cloud slowly started, almost sticking to the mountain, flying high into the sky, disappearing into the night.
Before her, Nan Songzi's attack was coming. Meng Wei felt a moment of relief in her heart: "It must be Yu, Bao Guang is not as quick-witted as him."
A moment of distraction, and she had lost the initiative. But without any mental obstacles, her Pine Pattern Sword moved more naturally. There were no fancy moves, only the harmonious flow of sword energy, its sharpness concealed. Around her, it formed an almost flawless circle. All the chaos created by the splashing lake water and the hidden threats were resolved outside the circle.
The sword light outside the body, however, moved like a living fish, darting and flashing within the circle, demonstrating extraordinary spirituality. Nan Songzi tentatively attacked twice, each time barely touching the sharp edge before retreating.
Meng Wei knew that Nan Songzi was merely using the spell "Forming Shapes by Taking Advantage of the Situation" to restrain her, isolating her and focusing his vile intentions on Murong Qingyan.
Indeed, within the fog, Murong Qingyan encountered difficulties. Her figure never stopped, constantly shifting and darting at high speed, while the True Sha surged, the roar of its energy never ceasing. Yet, a large portion of these strikes hit nothing but air. Despite the thunderous noise, the light mist on the lake surface did not disperse but instead grew thicker.
Nan Songzi was hidden within the fog, constantly maintaining pressure on the female cultivator without truly making a move, accumulating his strength for a thunderous strike.
Whether in appearance or in essence, Nan Songzi had the absolute upper hand over Murong Qingyan. This was in line with their difference in cultivation levels: the former was at the advanced stage of Golden Elixir cultivation, just one step away from Vacuum Walking, while Murong Qingyan was at the initial stage of Golden Elixir. The difference between them was two levels, she had some resistance, but virtually no chance of victory.
Meng Wei saw all of this very clearly, so she had been holding back. Until one moment, she saw a very subtle expression on Murong Qingyan's face, one specifically meant for her.
The next instant, the Sword Qi Circle around Meng Wei suddenly contracted, and the pressure inside drove her body, shooting out like lightning.
Even earlier, Murong Qingyan seemed to be running out of strength, revealing a flaw in the continuation of her True Sha. This flaw was so deadly that the strong pressure maintained by Nan Songzi, like a dam-bursting flood, instantly found a breakthrough and launched with a bang.
The focus of the battle on the lake surface tilted instantly, and Nan Songzi's attention inevitably all turned to Murong Qingyan. This was a change under the influence of Aura, hard to divert by human will.
As one decreases, the other increases. The relaxation on Meng Wei's side resulted in no more restraint on the female cultivator. Her figure, as if attracted by a magnet, moved towards Murong Qingyan.
This was a seamless response of Aura, the two female cultivators seemed to have a tacit understanding, merging their originally isolated situations into one. And this was not the end.
The power accumulated by Nan Songzi was triggered by the Aura, but at this moment, he suddenly couldn't find an accurate target.
At this moment, through a series of intricate exchanges and even more complex aura shifts, the energies of Murong Qingyan and Meng Wei intermingled. The current situation was akin to Nan Songzi laboriously lifting a weight far beyond his capacity, only to find his target had disappeared, leaving him in danger of being crushed by his own effort.
The circumstances forced Nan Songzi to make a choice. With a low growl, his figure, which had been hidden in the mist, materialized out of thin air. Guided solely by instinct, he reached out with his claw-like hand.
Alas, he chose wrongly.
What his fingertips met was the sharp edge of the Pine Pattern Sword!
Under the pressure of Nan Songzi's profound True Sha, a series of soft explosions echoed in the air. Not only was the power of the True Sha peerless, but the explosive sound could also shake one's Divine Soul. Moreover, between his curved fingers, a shadow lurked, exhaling an exotic fragrance. This was a malicious Magical Instrument that Nan Songzi had been refining over the years, intending to use it to control Murong Qingyan and manipulate her at will.
However, his strike met Meng Wei's sword instead.
Meng Wei's figure swiftly retreated, but her Pine Pattern Sword merely trembled slightly before steadying itself. At this moment, the roaring waves on the lake surface were like a strong wind sweeping across a boundless prairie, howling and rushing aimlessly.
Nan Songzi felt the same. His full-powered strike hit the outer layer of Meng Wei's Sword Energy, yet it felt powerless, like river water hitting a smooth rock or a whip lashing a spinning top—the harder he exerted, the steadier the opponent seemed to stand.
Of course, this "steadiness" was relative to Meng Wei's rapid retreat.
In his perception, Meng Wei was like a flawless sphere at this moment, spinning rapidly under the drive of its core, dissipating all external forces, even turning them to her advantage, always ready to counterattack.
This "counterattack" was the increasingly dazzling sword light around the female cultivator, flowing with the Sword Energy.
"At such a young age, how can you possess such flawless True Sha, refined through countless trials?"
Nan Songzi's emotions became increasingly uncontrollable. He sensed that Murong Qingyan was getting further away. This made him let go of all restraint. He no longer cared about the consequences of harming the female cultivator, who might be a rising star highly valued by the Lichen Sect. He just shook his wrist, ready to release the Magical Instrument wrapped around his arm.
Just at this moment, a clear sound, like a strike on a jade chime, echoed in his ears.
Nan Songzi was stunned. He turned his head to look, and with just one glance, his eyes turned red:
"The Great Hole True Symbol, it really is in your hands!"
**********
I nearly dozed off again, perhaps due to the lackluster collection clicks these past few days? Well, I guess I brought this upon myself. However, brothers and sisters, for the sake of Sister Meng Wei's grand display, please cast your votes!
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e