Who was this third presence?
Beside Yan Shouyi, besides Yan Chou and Jiang Qingxue, what other experts were hidden?
In a mere instant, countless names flashed through Jiang Wuya’s mind, even that of the Grandmaster Zhang Yin.
But Jiang Wuya dismissed each of these names, as they could not possibly be here, and their auras were entirely different from this person’s.
With killing intent closing in from behind, Jiang Wuya had no choice but to endure the charging Five Thunder True Law, holding his ground without retreat, allowing no one to approach the Zhenguo Sword.
Boom—
The serpentine dragon composed of five-colored lightning slammed into Jiang Wuya, rendering the already shattered Zhenguo Shrine even more unrecognizable, leaving only the bare Zhenguo Sword protected by the Qi-root.
As Jiang Wuya caught his breath, he felt the killing intent from behind. He quickly mobilized his malevolent energy to defend.
Boom—
Another bolt of lightning struck, and Jiang Wuya’s heart sank.
The power of this lightning strike was even more terrifying than the Five Thunder True Law that Yan Chou had just used.
The Five Thunder True Law was a skill of Longhu Mountain, but the lightning strike from this person should have been the Palm Thunder of Maoshan Sect. Logically, the power of the Palm Thunder should be inferior to the Five Thunder True Law…
Could the newcomer be an elder of the Maoshan Sect?
After withstanding the lightning strike, Jiang Wuya used the Qimen Dunjia technique to summon a gale to blow away the dust.
He vaguely saw an old man standing not far away.
Upon seeing the man’s appearance, even Jiang Wuya’s eyes widened in disbelief.
This person was not alive, but a wooden puppet body carved from wood, resembling an old man, clad in simple cloth and holding a long staff. What should have been a cold wooden body exuded a faint, ethereal aura.
It was as if a celestial being had descended and temporarily inhabited the puppet.
Jiang Wuya felt a wave of confusion again; he truly did not recognize this individual.
Yet, the old man seemed to know Jiang Wuya. He heard the old man coldly chuckle and say to Jiang Wuya:
“To deal with you, my soul still lingers by the Bridge of Helplessness, unpeaceful. Today, I have finally waited!”
Waited for me?!
Who exactly was this person?!
Jiang Wuya had believed himself to be omniscient, but he now realized he too could be utterly bewildered.
Seeing Jiang Wuya’s expression, Yan Chou felt a surge of secret pleasure.
He brought Jiang Qingxue to the old man’s side and said with a smile:
“In this world, only two people can defeat me. One is the Grandmaster, and the other… is my father!”
Jiang Wuya’s eyes widened.
This person… is Yan Baixiang?!
No, this was merely a wooden puppet body.
Yan Baixiang’s soul had already gone to the underworld. This wooden puppet body was a great weapon he personally crafted, containing a wisp of Yan Baixiang’s remnant soul.
It seemed this wooden puppet body, and the wisp of soul within it, were prepared by Yan Baixiang specifically for Jiang Wuya.
If that were the case, then Yan Baixiang was truly terrifying… he had even calculated against an ancient demon that had been planning for millennia.
Yan Chou gazed at the old man beside him, his feelings somewhat complex.
Before he was released from prison, his father had passed away. It was due to his natural lifespan ending, without illness or disaster, considered a joyous passing.
The only regret was that he couldn't bid farewell to his father.
Later, Zhang Shantong contacted Yan Chou and invited him to Longhu Mountain. In the Guanshen Platform of Longhu Mountain, Yan Chou encountered this pre-prepared wooden puppet body.
Yan Chou later learned that Yan Baixiang had been preparing for this day all along, thus specially crafting this wooden puppet body. However, due to the limited power of the remnant soul, the Guanshen Platform could preserve it. Therefore, before his death, Yan Baixiang sent the wooden puppet body to Longhu Mountain, requesting the Grandmaster’s help to temporarily place the puppet body in the Guanshen Platform.
In return, Yan Baixiang promised that the wooden puppet body would guard the Guanshen Platform for Longhu Mountain.
After the grand ceremony of Luotian, Yan Shouyi went to the Guanshen Platform. The staff-wielding old man he saw upon entering and exiting was, in fact, his grandfather, Yan Baixiang!
At that time, Yan Baixiang, upon seeing his own grandson and witnessing his growth, was immensely moved.
But fearing that his appearance might alter the future, he suppressed the urge to reunite and lightly struck Yan Shouyi’s backside with his staff, uttering the cryptic words, “An old acquaintance meets.”
Previously, Yan Shouyi had no idea that he had just brushed past his grandfather.
Later, when the time was right, Yu Luming informed Yan Shouyi of this matter.
Therefore, before the great battle, Yan Shouyi was determined to go to Longhu Mountain for three reasons: first, to retrieve his son’s soul; second, to gather the strength of the renowned sects; and third, to personally meet his grandfather!
However, apart from Yu Luming, no one else knew of Yan Shouyi meeting Yan Baixiang, not even Liu Yiren.
The grandfather, father, and grandson kept this secret meticulously until this very moment, unleashing it to deal with Jiang Wuya!
“Father.” “Dad.”
Yan Chou and Jiang Qingxue greeted Yan Baixiang with smiles. They also knew that after this battle, Yan Baixiang would truly go to be reincarnated, and there would be no further opportunities for them to meet.
Yan Baixiang nodded slightly at them, then looked towards the blue stone fortress behind them.
He stated calmly, “The hardships that Shouyi has endured should have been Chou’er’s hardships. But due to my selfish desires, I forcibly extended these hardships onto him… And now, it is time for us to compensate Shouyi.”
Yan Chou nodded slightly, “Even if it costs me my life, I will protect Shouyi.”
The gazes of the three were gentle as they looked at the blue stone fortress, but when they turned their heads to face Jiang Wuya, their eyes instantly became sharp, filled with killing intent!
Sensing the killing intent from the three, Jiang Wuya was also enraged.
“I don’t care what plans you have, they are all a joke in the face of absolute power!!”
Jiang Wuya roared, spreading his arms, and tendrils of malevolent energy surged towards the sky, transforming into sharp arrows that pierced towards the three.
“Hmph!”
Yan Baixiang snorted coldly, slamming his staff heavily onto the ground, causing layers of “waves” to rise from the earth.
Jiang Wuya’s tendrils were blocked by layers of “waves,” their power and speed significantly reduced.
Concurrently, Yan Chou and Jiang Qingxue bypassed the frontal assault and flanked Jiang Wuya from the left and right!
Both were descendants of Lu Ban and skilled in Wudang Tai Chi. They did not fear close combat with Jiang Wuya. Even when Jiang Wuya used his malevolent energy tendrils, they could use Tai Chi to deflect the force.
Yan Chou even occasionally used his penetrating force, redirecting the power that should have hit the tendrils back to Jiang Wuya’s physical body!
For a time, Jiang Wuya found himself struggling to fend off multiple attackers, flustered while defending and steadily retreating under the combined might of the three!
However, Yan Baixiang did not let down his guard. He knew that even the current Jiang Wuya was not fighting with his full strength. When Jiang Wuya realized their true capabilities, that would be the moment he would truly counterattack!