Within the Eight Palaces Yang Yuan Array.
The barrier blotted out the sun, plunging the array into utter darkness. Yet, Yan Shouyi could still faintly discern a silhouette standing opposite him. It was Wang Qihuo of the Heshan Sect.
However, Yan Shouyi was not yet aware of his opponent's true identity.
Despite finding himself in peril, Yan Shouyi remained remarkably composed. He asked coldly,
"May I know who you are, and what grievance you hold against my father?"
Wang Qihuo was in no hurry. He sneered, "I am the Sect Master of the Heshan Sect, Wang Qihuo!"
The Sect Master...
Yan Shouyi sighed inwardly. He had truly encountered a formidable opponent today.
Among the younger generation, he considered himself top-tier. But before the powerhouses of the older generation, he still felt lacking.
After all, they had lived decades longer. Even without exceptional talent, they were bound to have achieved something, something that newcomers like himself couldn't easily rival.
Zhazhiren Chu Liang, Grandmaster Ma Hong, Lu Jing, Master Guan Yun, and others, while considered second or third-rate in their generation, could still subdue Yan Shouyi and his peers with ease.
This was the disparity. Decades of life were not easily overcome by talent alone.
Father, this is all your doing!
Despite his inner musings, Yan Shouyi did not lose heart.
"Years ago, my son, Wang You, descended the mountain to train, but he encountered your utterly heartless son, Yan Chou. You brought undeserved disaster upon him, and he died tragically at your father's hands! By the time I received the terrible news, your father had already vanished without a trace!"
"For years, I have been searching for your Yan family. Thankfully, Heaven favors the persistent. You father and son have finally resurfaced. This venture to Dragon Tiger Mountain is to kill you first, to make Yan Chou experience the grief of a parent outliving their child. Then, I will personally send him to the afterlife!"
"Yan Shouyi, do you have any last words?!"
Facing Wang Qihuo's threat, Yan Shouyi felt no fear. Instead, he chuckled.
"What are you laughing at?!" Wang Qihuo demanded.
Yan Shouyi smiled, "The Heshan Sect and the Laoshan Sect share the same origins and are considered righteous sects. Therefore, I assumed you, Senior, are not a wicked person, merely blinded by hatred... Senior, you don't actually believe your son was a good person, do you?"
Wang Qihuo's eye twitched. "What do you mean by that?"
"When I was young, I didn't have a mother and would often fuss and refuse to sleep at night. My father would often tell me stories by my bedside. One that I remember vividly is about your son, Wang You."
Upon hearing his son's name, Wang Qihuo's pupils constricted, his breathing becoming rapid.
He didn't interrupt Yan Shouyi, allowing him to continue.
Yan Shouyi asked, "Wang You died in Jinling, didn't he?"
Wang Qihuo gritted his teeth and replied, "That's correct."
"Then it must be the same Wang You," Yan Shouyi stated. "My father told me that he once killed a wicked individual in Jinling, whose name was Wang You. Wang You had enslaved thirty thousand lonely souls in Jinling, forcing them to build him an ancestral tomb. He acted as a local emperor, engaging in wanton slaughter within the tomb! My father was furious upon witnessing this, and thus, he and his brothers stormed the tomb and killed Wang You on his throne!"
Wang Qihuo listened, gritting his teeth, and managed to squeeze out three words from between them: "Impossible!"
"If you don't believe me, Senior, you can go to Jinling yourself and see. Although much time has passed, I still recall the general location. Once you have seen it, you can decide my fate at your leisure," Yan Shouyi said calmly.
"Impossible!!"
This time, Wang Qihuo could no longer contain himself and directly interrupted Yan Shouyi, his eyes wide with disbelief.
In the darkness, his eyes seemed to glow red. Yan Shouyi could even imagine the veins bulging on Wang Qihuo's temples.
Wang Qihuo roared, "My son was pure of heart and was raised by me with great care. How could he possibly be the person you describe! You are clearly fabricating a story to stall for time!"
Yan Shouyi sighed softly. Perhaps every child is kind and lovable in their parents' eyes.
Yan Shouyi did not agree with the saying, "Human nature at birth is inherently good."
The essence of humanity is also animalistic. Millions of years ago, they fought with fangs and claws, drinking blood and eating raw flesh.
It was only with the enlightenment of civilization, the constraints of morality, and the fact that people no longer had to fight desperately for survival that they began to pursue kindness.
Children's minds are immature; they haven't grasped the preciousness of life and lack reverence for it. But this is temporary.
As for Wang You, who was an adult yet still treated life with such disregard – that is evil, an evil that cannot be explained!!
If Wang Qihuo had understood this principle sooner, perhaps he wouldn't have indulged Wang You, and Wang You wouldn't have met his end at Yan Chou's hands.
"Time is almost up!"
Wang Qihuo cackled maniacally. "Sixteen years! I have waited sixteen years for this day. Today, I will send you to hell to be a beast of burden for my son!"
Seeing that he couldn't persuade Wang Qihuo, Yan Shouyi could only resign himself. "Senior, rest assured, if I die, I will certainly go to the deepest level of hell. Your son may not even get to see me..."
Wang Qihuo understood nothing of what Yan Shouyi was saying. He suddenly vanished from his spot.
In the next moment, Wang Qihuo, wielding a long sword, lunged at Yan Shouyi!
Yan Shouyi quickly drew his Zanpakuto to block Wang Qihuo. At the same time, he shouted, "Zhu Shanzhao, come out and help!"
He was not fighting alone; he had Zhu Shanzhao, a helper within him!
"Old Zhu is here!"
Zhu Shanzhao emerged from Yan Shouyi's body and charged directly at Wang Qihuo!
Wang Qihuo had been observing Yan Shouyi for a long time and had anticipated this move. Therefore, Zhu Shanzhao's surprise attack did not succeed!
He blocked Zhu Shanzhao's fangs with his long sword, being pushed back a dozen paces by the charge. Then, with a sidestep, he used the opponent's momentum to hurl Zhu Shanzhao forcefully away!
Bang!
Zhu Shanzhao hit the ground, yelping in pain, but quickly got back up. He and Yan Shouyi then attacked Wang Qihuo from both sides!
Yan Shouyi, wielding his Zanpakuto, employed the Golden Light Charm and Palm Thunder simultaneously. However, Wang Qihuo showed no signs of faltering and met their attacks with methodical precision!
"As expected of a Sect Master!"
Yan Shouyi's heart sank. While dealing with Chu Liang earlier had involved exploiting weaknesses, in this one-on-one confrontation with Wang Qihuo, he could clearly feel the gap in their strength.
If this continued, he might actually meet his end here today!
"Old Zhu, let's play a trick!" Yan Shouyi yelled.
Zhu Shanzhao agreed, broke away from Wang Qihuo, and moved in front of Yan Shouyi.
Yan Shouyi didn't hold back and landed a punch on Zhu Shanzhao's body.
This tactic proved effective. Wang Qihuo, caught off guard, grunted as he took the unexpected punch.
"Is that penetrating force? Striking through the body?!" The seasoned Wang Qihuo immediately understood the trick Yan Shouyi and Zhu Shanzhao were employing.
Yan Shouyi had never used penetrating force in their previous exchanges, which had caught Wang Qihuo completely by surprise.
Seeing that the trick was working, Zhu Shanzhao excitedly shouted, "Boss, hit me! Hit me hard! Beat me to death!!"
Yan Shouyi immediately unleashed his fastest punches, striking Zhu Shanzhao's abdomen over a dozen times.
Wang Qihuo attempted to dodge, but Yan Shouyi's punches came from different directions, making them impossible to defend against.
With no other option, Wang Qihuo recited a mantra, conjuring a golden aura around himself, similar to the Golden Light Charm.
The shield was highly effective, blocking all of Yan Shouyi's penetrating strikes.
Seeing that penetrating force was no longer effective, Yan Shouyi didn't linger. He immediately separated from Zhu Shanzhao and unleashed a Five Thunders Orthodox Law!
However, Wang Qihuo also unleashed a lightning spell, which was even more potent than Yan Shouyi's Five Thunders Orthodox Law. It shattered Yan Shouyi's spell, causing Yan Shouyi to suffer a backlash, forcing him to retreat several steps, blood trickling from his lips.
Zhu Shanzhao's expression changed. "Boss, are you alright?"
"I'm spitting blood, do I look like I'm fine?" Yan Shouyi replied with a wry smile.
Zhu Shanzhao roared, "Watch this, Old Zhu! Boar Charge!"
Zhu Shanzhao let out a furious cry, his hind hooves shattering the bluestone bricks beneath him. His body became like a speeding truck, charging directly at Wang Qihuo!
Wang Qihuo remained unfazed. He casually tossed a talismán, discarding his long sword. The talismán flew onto the sword and ignited without fire. The sword then split into over a dozen duplicates, transforming into a rain of blades that pierced towards Zhu Shanzhao!
Zhu Shanzhao sensed danger but was too late to dodge. He could only hope that his tough hide would withstand the flying swords!
The first few flying swords indeed failed to penetrate Zhu Shanzhao's hide, which made him quite smug. However, he soon discovered that the later swords possessed increasingly greater power. His hide began to fail, and several bloody gashes appeared!
If this continued, Zhu Shanzhao feared he would be torn to pieces by the barrage!
Yan Shouyi was forced to forcibly recall Zhu Shanzhao!
Sensing Yan Shouyi's summons, Zhu Shanzhao gritted his teeth. "Boss, if I go back now, I'm afraid I won't be able to come out for a while!"
Recalling a celestial being required time. Once Zhu Shanzhao returned, Yan Shouyi would have to face Wang Qihuo alone.
Yan Shouyi's command was unquestionable. "If I don't call you back now, you'll surely die at Wang Qihuo's hands! Don't resist, saving your life is paramount. I have my own methods!"
Zhu Shanzhao had no other recourse and obediently returned into Yan Shouyi's body.
Wang Qihuo sneered, as if victory was assured. "Yan Shouyi, without this wild boar demon, you are isolated and helpless. What other tricks do you have?"
In truth, Yan Shouyi was also unsure. Wang Qihuo's Heshan Sect was a branch of the Longmen Quanzhen Sect, sharing the same origins as the Laoshan Sect.
Therefore, Wang Qihuo's swordsmanship was no inferior to Yuan Jianxin's.
However, he had no intention of giving up.
Whether Yuan Jianxin or Wang Qihuo, in the end, they were still mortal beings. As long as he seized an opportunity and struck Wang Qihuo's vital points, Wang Qihuo would also be finished!
His only advantage was that he did not fear injury, for he was the Heavenly Fiend Corpse Puppet!
"I'll risk it!"
Yan Shouyi tightened his grip on his Zanpakuto, took a deep breath, and employed the Vertical Ground Golden Light, initiating an aggressive charge towards Wang Qihuo!