Chapter 346: Chapter 331: The Shocked Duanmu Yong!
It should be said that Xiao Feng, as a loose cultivator, managed to cultivate to the Ninth Layer of the Purple Mansion and became a rare Tier Four high-grade refiner among loose cultivators. Apart from having a good aptitude and fortune, his strength certainly would not be weak either.
Faced with a "Fake Golden Core" cultivator wielding a Tier Five spiritual artifact, it was inevitable that he could not win, but he wouldn’t be completely without the power to fight back.
A loose cultivator who has cultivated to the Ninth Layer of the Purple Mansion surely has some trump cards at hand, right?
Zhouyang was worried that Xiao Feng’s defeat would lead to his demise, causing this treasure-seeking journey to be a complete failure. Of course, Xiao Feng himself was even more afraid of falling here.
So when the enemy revealed the "Outer Dao Golden Core" and Tier Five spiritual artifact, for the sake of his own life, he dared not hold back anything anymore.
With a wave of his sleeve, he took out a shimmering silver talisman treasure and activated it.
With the cultivation at the Ninth Layer of the Purple Mansion and the aid of the talisman treasure, he finally gained a bit of respite under the assault of the purple-robed middle-aged cultivator.
Of course, this was not enough. Neither his cultivation nor the talisman treasure in his hand could compare with the "Fake Golden Core" cultivation and the Tier Five spiritual artifact.
Therefore, after gaining a bit of respite, he immediately took out a scented purple-red spirit pill and swallowed it.
That purple-red spirit pill was a Tier Four high-grade spirit pill made primarily from the heart of a Tier Four Barbaric Beast, along with many precious spirit elixirs. Its purpose was to instantly replenish and restore the essence blood lost by the cultivator.
And Xiao Feng took it out and swallowed it in advance to prepare for a secret technique he was about to perform.
He swallowed the spirit pill and quickly formed seals with his hands, activating a certain spell, causing the magical power in his body to suddenly increase by nearly double!
Unlike the Golden Core level magical power brought by the "Outer Dao Golden Core," even with the doubled power, Xiao Feng’s magical power was still at the Purple Mansion level, much inferior in quality.
However, the increased magical power allowed Xiao Feng to wield more magical artifacts and activate more spirit talismans simultaneously.
After the magical power surged, not only did he quickly add one attack and one defense Tier Four high-grade spiritual artifact to the battle, but he also took out a Tier Five lower-grade defense spirit talisman to add a layer of protection to himself.
With these various trump cards displayed, he finally blocked the fierce assault of the purple-robed middle-aged cultivator and temporarily seemed safe.
Of course, this was only temporary. Neither the talisman treasure, whose power quickly depleted, nor the magical power boosted through the secret technique could last. Once any of these dissipated, what awaited him was the calamity of death and annihilation.
Thus, after deploying all his trump cards to hold off the opponent, Xiao Feng placed his greatest hope on his teammates.
"Fellow Daoists Jiang and Zhou, I will do my best to hold this person off for a quarter of an hour. I ask you both to quickly deal with your opponents and come to support me; otherwise, we will undoubtedly lose today!"
A quarter of an hour to deal with Duanmu Yong!
Zhouyang and Jiang Fengxian, upon hearing Xiao Feng’s words, both let out wry smiles.
These words were easy to say, but how difficult they were to accomplish!
If the two of them also showed all their trump cards like Xiao Feng, it might not be hard to turn the tables and defeat Duanmu Yong. However, to kill Duanmu Yong or render him unable to fight again was truly exceedingly difficult!
Of course, neither blamed Xiao Feng because of this; they were both well aware of the immense pressure Xiao Feng was under.
If Xiao Feng couldn’t hold off that "Fake Golden Core" purple-robed middle-aged cultivator, they wouldn’t just be defeated and flee; it wouldn’t be surprising if they ended up dead just like Li Zhengwei.
Thus, although they did not verbally give Xiao Feng a firm reply, their actions did not show any hesitation.
"Doh!"
Zhouyang flicked his wrist, and with a shout, a beam of blue-white ice light instantly shot from his hand toward a puppet giant ape he had trapped with a sword array.
The blue-white ice light was transformed from the Tier Four high-grade spirit talisman "Ice Soul Cold Light Talisman," which Zhouyang had obtained after killing Zhu Wuya, a cultivator from the Profound Water Sect in the "Cloud Mist Marsh." The puppet giant ape was struck by this beam, and its body was instantly enveloped in thick ice, being frozen in place.
Taking this opportunity, Zhouyang immediately formed seals with both hands, unleashing another major killing move.
"Sword Array, Slash!"
Twelve "Great Derivation Divine Light Swords" combined in the center, instantly merging into a crimson giant sword several meters long, slashing down on the puppet giant ape.
Creek, creek, creek!
After a series of ear-piercing metallic slicing sounds, the puppet giant ape, frozen in ice, had its chest forcibly cleaved open by the crimson giant sword, instantly smashing the spirit stone slot hidden inside its chest.
Without the spirit stone to provide power, the puppet beast could no longer operate.
After thus slaying the puppet giant ape with one sword strike, Zhouyang moved, but first flew to the battleground beside Xiao Feng and handed over his only remaining defense talisman treasure to Xiao Feng.
"Fellow Daoist Xiao, I give you this talisman treasure to use. I will go help Fellow Daoist Jiang deal with Duanmu Yong!"
A defense talisman treasure that had never been used was given away so readily, Zhouyang’s generosity and trust deeply moved Xiao Feng.
After receiving the talisman treasure from Zhouyang, a flash of flush appeared on Xiao Feng’s face. He nodded heavily and said, "Good. Since Fellow Daoist Zhou so trusts me, I vow not to disappoint your expectations. Today, even if it costs me my life, I will hold this person off for two quarters of an hour!"
Two quarters of an hour is still not long, but it is at least twice as long as one quarter of an hour, which equates to doubling Zhouyang and Jiang Fengxian’s chances of victory.
Therefore, Fellow Daoist Zhou was quite pleased upon hearing Fellow Daoist Xiao’s words, knowing that his Talisman Treasure was not given in vain.
"Fellow Daoist Xiao, hold on; I will be back soon!"
He silently conveyed some words of encouragement, then wielded his sword and charged towards Duanmu Yong, who was fiercely battling Jiang Fengxian.
With his assistance, the pressure on Jiang Fengxian lightened, and the two joined forces. Before long, they turned the tide of defeat, switching from defense to attack.
"Kid, this old man admits I underestimated you. You being able to provoke the Beast Taming Sect to issue a kill order proves you have some skills!"
On the battlefield, Duanmu Yong grimly defended against the relentless attacks from Zhouyang and Jiang Fengxian, his gaze at Zhouyang filled with shock.
The strength Zhouyang displayed, compared to his Cultivation, was undeniably astonishing.
Most notably, Duanmu Yong knew better than anyone else that seven or eight years ago, Zhouyang was merely at the First-Layer of the Purple Mansion.
Raising one’s Cultivation from the First-Layer to the Third-Layer of the Purple Mansion in just seven or eight years was, in itself, enough to shock anyone.
However, compared to the combat prowess Zhouyang exhibited now, his ability to cross realms and battle seemed even more astounding.
Duanmu Yong originally didn’t have a deep impression of Zhouyang, just as Zhouyang’s impression of him stayed at the superficial level of nodding acquaintanceship.
But now, he deeply remembered this young man in his heart.
Upon hearing Duanmu Yong’s words, Zhouyang coldly yelled out, "Duanmu Yong, considering the Profound Cauldron Sect, if you retreat now, I can persuade the two fellow Daoists not to hold today’s matters against you. Otherwise, next year today will be your death anniversary!"
As he spoke, his attacks did not pause at all; instead, they became even more fierce, seemingly warning Duanmu Yong not to say he wasn’t forewarned!
Unfortunately, how could Duanmu Yong be threatened by him? Upon hearing this, his expression turned cold as he snorted heavily, "Hmph, I could say the same to you. Leave now, and considering the efforts you put into breaking the array here, this old man can persuade Fellow Daoist Lin not to fuss with you. Otherwise, you’ll all be leaving your lives here today!"
"Then go to hell!"
With a shout from Zhouyang, golden flames surged from his body, and a Golden Flame Dragon roared, striking fiercely at Duanmu Yong.
Simultaneously, as if coordinated, Jiang Fengxian suddenly shouted, raised her jade-like hand, and cast a Tier Five Attack Spirit Talisman towards Duanmu Yong.
This Tier Five Attack Spirit Talisman was a Wind Element Spirit Talisman. Once activated, it formed a cyan Wind Blade several meters long, slashing towards Duanmu Yong.
The cyan Wind Blade approached first and slashed at the Dharma Shield, the first Defensive Spiritual Artifact wielded by Duanmu Yong.
Under the powerful Tier Five Magic attack, Duanmu Yong’s Dharma Shield, though of Tier Four High-Grade, was struck aside, leaving a nearly penetrating crack on the shield.
However, Duanmu Yong had more than one Protective Spiritual Artifact. Although the cyan Wind Blade was powerful, its force was mostly expended after severing one Tier Four High-Grade Defensive Spiritual Artifact.
Thus, when it struck the second Defensive Spiritual Artifact, a suspended earthen-yellow ring above Duanmu Yong, it only left a shallow mark before dissipating.
Yet, with the path cleared by the cyan Wind Blade, the Golden Flame Dragon conjured by Zhouyang closely followed and detonated near Duanmu Yong.
Rumble!
Golden flames surged skywards, and Duanmu Yong’s ring-shaped Defensive Spiritual Artifact couldn’t withstand the burden, shattering into several pieces and falling.
At the same time, the golden flames stuck to the Defense Shield he raised, burning fiercely, impervious to any attempts to extinguish them with his Magical Power.
"Damn it, what kind of flame is this? Profound Yang True Flame? No, you’re not from the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, you couldn’t possibly know their Sect’s Technique, the ’Profound Sun Treasure Manual’, nor could you possess the ’Profound Sun Spirit Body’!"
"Ah! I understand now, this is the Qianyang True Flame! You actually possess the Qianyang Treasure Body among the Special Treasure Bodies!"
In the sky, Duanmu Yong exclaimed repeatedly, staring fearfully at the golden flames fiercely burning on his Defense Shield, his face filled with panic.
As someone from a renowned major sect, he had, of course, heard of the fearsome reputation of the top-level Fire Element Divine Technique, the "Qianyang True Flame". Now realizing he was touched by this top-tier True Flame, how could he not be flustered?
"No wonder, no wonder I heard that Master Xu Zhengyang of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect actually drew his sword against Zhong Chuming of the Beast Taming Sect in Immortal Sun City to protect you, it turns out you possess the Supreme Yang Body of the Qianyang Treasure Body!"
"But this doesn’t add up, if you possess the Qianyang Treasure Body, a Special Constitution apart from the Profound Sun Spirit Body which is the most compatible with the core technique of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, the ’Profound Sun Treasure Manual’, the sect should’ve immediately taken you in as a core disciple for dedicated nurturing. Why would they allow you to be hunted across the Cultivation Realm by the Beast Taming Sect? This doesn’t make sense!"
In his panic, Duanmu Yong yelled in both realization and confusion, his mind disarrayed, thoroughly perplexed by Zhouyang possessing the "Qianyang Treasure Body."
He naturally did not know that Master Cyan Yang had personally expressed the desire to take Zhouyang as a disciple, only deducing that based on what he knew, it was instinctive to think that people from the Profound Sun Immortal Sect wouldn’t let such a promising talent for inheriting their sect’s legacy wander and be hunted outside.
It was widely known that every core disciple of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect left a Soul Lamp within the sect.
If their Soul Lamp extinguished, Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect could use Secret Techniques to quickly locate the place where their disciples fell and personally go to the scene to perform the "Circular Light Retrospect" Divine Technique to find out about the murderer.
Zhouyang’s possession of the "Qianyang Treasure Body" alone allowed him to bypass many regulations for accepting core disciples in the Profound Sun Immortal Sect and become a core disciple directly and a true disciple who could truly inherit the sect’s legacy!
Knowing all this, Duanmu Yong was filled with questions about the series of events happening around Zhouyang, triggering countless speculations.
Unfortunately, Zhouyang had no intention of enlightening him, only wanting to quickly kill him and then assist Xiao Feng in dealing with that "Fake Golden Core" middle-aged man in purple robes together.