Pu Xin Xiong gave Yan Shouyi the impression of a chuunibyou teenager pretending to be profound despite his immaturity.
The creature exuded an aura of pretentiousness, but its methods paled in comparison to Long Fei Cheng.
Seeing that Pu Xin Xiong was serious, Yan Shouyi decided to defeat the creature quickly. Otherwise, with its loquacious nature, even if Yan Shouyi wasn't defeated, he would be driven mad by its incessant talking.
However, Pu Xin Xiong's next move truly broadened Yan Shouyi's horizons once again.
Pu Xin Xiong produced a crumpled, dirty Taoist talisman from somewhere, placed it before him, and blew on it, causing it to ignite. It then swung the talisman, which instantly transformed into a long staff.
"Burning talismans to conjure objects?"
Yan Shouyi was shocked. How did this Pu Xin Xiong know everything?
Seeing Yan Shouyi's astonished expression, Pu Xin Xiong laughed heartily, "Kid, amazed, aren't you? This skill was taught to me by the Divine Sister!"
With that, Pu Xin Xiong let out a fierce shout, twirling the staff as he approached Yan Shouyi.
Since Pu Xin Xiong was now using a weapon, Yan Shouyi decided not to hold back. He reached out and drew the Zanpakuto that had been stuck in the ground earlier, releasing the Buddhist Six-Syllable Mantra seal on the blade.
Black malevolent energy surged out, engulfing the entire cave!
Pu Xin Xiong's expression darkened, "Such heavy malevolent energy. I didn't realize you were a bloodthirsty person! Then I shall show no mercy!"
Pu Xin Xiong struck down with his staff. Yan Shouyi gripped the Zanpakuto with both hands, holding the hilt and blocking in front of him. He used the force to push the staff aside, then spun around and swept at Pu Xin Xiong's lower body.
However, Pu Xin Xiong was also a skilled staff wielder. He leaped into the air, changing the direction of his staff and striking Yan Shouyi's shoulder with its tail.
Yan Shouyi was not to be outdone. Golden light emanated from his body. He directly used his Buddhist Golden Body to withstand Pu Xin Xiong's blow.
While the damage could be ignored, the force of the staff did not dissipate. Under this strike, Yan Shouyi was half-buried into the ground.
This was a testament to the immense power of the blow!
"With this strike, I will send you straight underground!!" Pu Xin Xiong roared, raising his staff again.
Yan Shouyi's heart tightened. He immediately activated his Qi Men Dun Jia, and the 108 layers of the compass enveloped both of them. The soil beneath Pu Xin Xiong's feet turned into a swamp, trapping him, while Yan Shouyi was propelled out of the ground by a protruding rock.
When Yan Shouyi deactivated his Qi Men Dun Jia, Pu Xin Xiong was trapped underground, unable to move his feet.
"The tables have turned, now it's my turn!"
Yan Shouyi slashed three times, but Pu Xin Xiong blocked each one with his staff. The staff's material was also extraordinary, capable of resisting the Zanpakuto's slashes.
To defeat this Pu Xin Xiong, Yan Shouyi first had to disarm him!
A thought struck Yan Shouyi. He swung his sword towards Pu Xin Xiong. Just as Pu Xin Xiong raised his staff to block, Yan Shouyi kicked towards Pu Xin Xiong's face.
Pu Xin Xiong, clearly protective of his face, hesitated for what felt like a thousand times in that brief moment – should he block the attack or protect his face?
Pu Xin Xiong chose the latter.
The instant Pu Xin Xiong retracted his block, Yan Shouyi's Zanpakuto landed on the staff and then sliced horizontally along it. Pu Xin Xiong, in fear, immediately let go.
A vulnerability appeared!
The foot that was about to kick Pu Xin Xiong's face suddenly swept upwards, sending the staff flying from Pu Xin Xiong's grasp!
"Busted!" Pu Xin Xiong's expression changed drastically.
In the next second, Yan Shouyi's Zanpakuto was at Pu Xin Xiong's neck.
"You lose," Yan Shouyi said calmly.
Pu Xin Xiong took a deep breath and looked at Yan Shouyi with reluctance.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
Li Gen Miao sat leaning against the rock wall in a corner, applauding the spectacular duel.
Pu Xin Xiong lowered his head and said, "I am outmatched, I concede defeat!"
Yan Shouyi did not sheath his sword and asked, "Since you lost, aren't there any penalties?"
"What do you want?" Pu Xin Xiong frowned, "As long as it's not going up the mountain, you can do whatever you want."
"But besides wanting to go up the mountain, there's nothing else about you that's worth my trouble," Yan Shouyi said. "Are you expecting me to cut off your bear paws to make soup?"
"It's not impossible..."
"Scram, I don't want them!"
Yan Shouyi's sole focus was on reaching the mountain, but the heavy snow outside made venturing out reckless and prone to getting lost.
If this Pu Xin Xiong was willing to guide him, it would save a lot of trouble.
Just as Yan Shouyi was about to interrogate Pu Xin Xiong further, the childish voice of Renshen Wa Wa, Er Ya, suddenly echoed from outside the cave.
"Grandpa, grandpa, walk faster~ Brother Tiezi is about to be beaten to death by those two bad guys! ... Hmm, if Brother Tiezi dies, will his honey be mine? Grandpa, grandpa, shouldn't we go back?"
Inside the cave, Pu Xin Xiong's face turned dark.
Yan Shouyi looked towards the cave entrance. Er Ya, barefoot and with a smoking head, tears in her eyes, and looking aggrieved, stumbled into the cave.
Behind her followed an old man with a white beard, carrying a walking stick and a medicine chest.
Surprisingly, the old man was riding a Sika deer, exuding an air of immortal grace.
Seeing the old man, Shān Jī immediately flew over and respectfully called out, "Grandpa."
The old man grunted, then looked at the situation inside the cave, his expression growing somber.
He had a general idea of what had happened, but he hadn't expected these two outsiders to defeat Tiezi.
So the old man spoke:
"Two visitors, there are no treasures on Changbai Mountain. Do not trouble yourselves further. Tonight, I shall pretend I haven't seen you. Leave quickly and descend the mountain."
At this point, Yan Shouyi could not easily give up.
He had traveled north from Rongcheng, enduring so much to reach Changbai Mountain...
He cupped his fist and said, "Senior, I need to go up the mountain to find someone. This matter is of great importance. I ask for your assistance."
"No assistance," the old man was unyielding, refusing outright without even the slightest interest in knowing Yan Shouyi's reason for going up the mountain.
However, the old man did offer a brief explanation: "You two carry too much killing intent, clearly not good people. Changbai Mountain has been peaceful for many years, and I wish to avoid any further disturbances. Please return."
Yan Shouyi was dejected. Li Gen Miao's killing intent was heavy because he was truly bloodthirsty, but that wasn't the case for him!
Just as he was about to argue, Li Gen Miao, who had been injured, suddenly got up as if nothing had happened and pointed at Yan Shouyi.
"Old man, this kid is Yan Shouyi, son of Jiang Qing Xue. He's specifically here to find his mother. Are you sure even he cannot go up the mountain?"
Upon hearing this, a sharp glint suddenly flashed in the old man's previously listless eyes.
He scrutinized Yan Shouyi intently, his breathing even growing heavy.