"Zhou Ruoxi, I'll give you one last chance. Will you agree to me?"
Geng Hong looked at Zhou Ruoxi, whose elegant figure in a white dress was as cold and captivating as a celestial maiden descended from the heavens. He couldn't bear to harm such a beautiful woman.
Zhou Ruoxi was no match for Geng Hong, but she kept her head held high, her autumn eyes glaring at him. Her lips, tinged with blood, curled into a cold snort. "You are despicable and shameless. Don't expect me to agree to your disgusting terms."
Geng Hong held his saber and sneered coldly, "Since that's the case, don't blame me. Take this!"
A saber strike, laced with the force of a sandstorm, came hurtling towards her. Zhou Ruoxi pursed her lips, gritted her teeth, and raised her sword to block. However, the powerful blow from Geng Hong's saber sent her flying.
*Swish... swish...!*
Zhou Ruoxi's feet dragged two long furrows in the sand before she stumbled to a halt. The hand holding her sword felt numb, her tiger's mouth throbbing. She looked up, glaring furiously at Geng Hong, who was advancing with his saber. She could only let out a fierce roar and charge forward with her sword.
"Ah..."
On the other side, her senior sister, Lu Shuang, let out a scream. Her shoulder was pierced by Guan Feipeng's sword, and she was then kicked away. Witnessing this, Zhou Ruoxi cried out in shock, "Senior Sister Lu..."
However, Geng Hong seized the opportunity, delivering a fierce punch to Zhou Ruoxi's back. She coughed up a mouthful of blood and flew forward, landing heavily on the sandy ground with a thud. Her Emei Sect Master's sword, the one she held, slid far away.
Geng Hong walked over with his saber, his cold eyes fixed on Zhou Ruoxi, who struggled painfully on the ground. Her red lips were stained with blood. He said, "Zhou Ruoxi, it's not that I didn't give you a chance. It's a pity you didn't agree. I'll have to send you to see King Yama..."
As he spoke, Geng Hong raised his saber, ready to end Zhou Ruoxi's life.
"Ji Ruxue!"
Meanwhile, Wan Yunting, engaged in a fierce battle with Yuan Gaowu, turned and shouted towards Ji Ruxue, who had been standing far below on a hillock in the desert. He then resumed his struggle with Yuan Gaowu, locked in an inseparable fight.
Just as Geng Hong's long saber plunged into Zhou Ruoxi's back without any mercy, a familiar red serpent whip swung over at the critical moment. Geng Hong, who had anticipated this, had been on guard against the Divine Serpent Tribe's Divine Mother, who was merely observing. He reacted swiftly, withdrawing his saber and striking at the incoming serpent whip.
*Clang!*
The sharp head of the serpent whip struck the saber blade, emitting a spark. The force, however, caused Geng Hong's expression to change. The hand holding the saber went numb, and he stumbled back several steps. He glared furiously at Ji Ruxue, who approached with a seductive sway, clad in a fiery red dress. She cracked her whip in the air, her captivating, foxy eyes glancing at Zhou Ruoxi, who was struggling to sit up. A seductive smile played on her fiery red lips as she said, "It seems that guy really cares about you!"
Zhou Ruoxi gazed at the woman, realizing this was the second time she had saved her.
"Hey, I advise you not to meddle in other people's business!" Geng Hong pointed his saber at Ji Ruxue and said angrily.
Ji Ruxue held her serpent whip, her foxy eyes looking at Geng Hong. Her lips, curved into a wicked smile, asked, "What if I insist on meddling?"
Geng Hong's eyes widened. He charged forward with his saber, roaring, "Then you'll die with them!"
Ji Ruxue's foxy eyes instantly turned cold and sharp. Without hesitation, she swung her serpent whip, which whistled through the sandstorm like a red venomous snake aiming for Geng Hong. His expression changed, and he narrowly dodged the sweeping whip with a difficult maneuver. Landing on his feet, he charged at Ji Ruxue, his saber aimed at her head.
However, Ji Ruxue did not dodge. Instead, her foxy eyes fixed on Geng Hong, and a sinister, seductive smile spread across her fiery red lips. This made Geng Hong's heart suddenly lurch, as he realized something was amiss.
Behind him, the serpent whip coiled like a venomous snake. The head at the whip's tail was a triangular snake's head crafted from steel, and its flickering tongue was a sharp poison stinger. It executed a stunning counter-attack, piercing Geng Hong's nape. Instantly, a purple spiderweb pattern appeared on his neck. The whip's tail, with its potent venom, attacked his heart.
*Thud...*
Geng Hong's saber, suspended twenty centimeters above Ji Ruxue's head, fell to the ground. In less than three seconds, his entire face was consumed by a purple-black hue. His wide eyes, corroded by the potent venom, turned black. His mouth gaped open as he let out guttural cries of pain, and finally, his body fell stiffly.
Zhou Ruoxi, standing nearby, watched this scene with astonishment. Her autumn eyes regarded Ji Ruxue with a mixture of vigilance and shock. She hadn't expected her to be so ruthless in killing, nor had she shown any hint of discomfort from the act.
Instead, Ji Ruxue coiled her whip and turned to Zhou Ruoxi with a smile, saying flirtatiously, "Sister, you must be careful..."
"Senior Disciple Brother..."
Guan Feipeng and the other young disciples of the Kunlun Sect cried out in shock at Geng Hong's tragic death. They raised their swords and sabers, roaring as they charged at Ji Ruxue and Zhou Ruoxi.
"Geng Hong..."
On the other side, Yuan Gaowu, engaged with Wan Yunting, let out a furious roar upon witnessing the death of his personal disciple, Geng Hong. His entire being surged with energy as he thrust his long sword at Wan Yunting like lightning. The air exploded with a thunderous crack, and the sword qi erupted like thunder, sending Wan Yunting flying.
"Wan Yunting, all of you will die today! Ah!"
Yuan Gaowu roared and attacked again with his sword. Wan Yunting's eyes widened, and his "Gentleman's Sword," entwined with Yuan Gaowu's sword, clashed again. They wrestled, drawing, pressing, and withdrawing. Wan Yunting, with a difficult sword technique, channeled his energy into the Gentleman's Sword, unleashing an invisible sword qi that cleaved down fiercely at Yuan Gaowu.
*Clang!*
Yuan Gaowu was sent flying. He staggered back five or six steps before regaining his balance. Half of his long sword, the tip, had broken off and flown far away, embedding itself in the ground. Yuan Gaowu's eyes widened in shock. He looked at Wan Yunting's Gentleman's Sword and knew his swordsmanship was extraordinary.
Yuan Gaowu snorted, discarded his broken sword, and glared furiously at Wan Yunting. He formed his hands into palms, adopting an offensive stance, and said, "Wan Yunting, I must have a good experience with your martial arts talent. Come on."
Seeing that he was no longer using his sword, Wan Yunting also planted his Gentleman's Sword into the ground, clenched his fists, spread his legs, and adopted a stance. He said coldly, "The Kunlun Sect acts like this. Aren't you afraid of being hunted by the righteous martial path once your deeds are exposed?"
"You should worry about yourself..."
Yuan Gaowu's eyes blazed. He snorted, then transformed his hands into palms and charged forward rapidly, kicking up a swirling dust storm. As Wan Yunting's eyes widened, he heard Yuan Gaowu shout, "Falling Goose Palm..."
A palm strike emerged from the dust. Wan Yunting's heart leaped, and his expression became solemn. He took two steps back before launching his left fist, the famously domineering Wuji Heavenly Gang Fist, striking Yuan Gaowu's incoming right palm.
*Bang!*
The collision of fist and palm sent an invisible shockwave of energy, dispersing the dust in the air.
*Crackling...*
Following this, Wan Yunting and Yuan Gaowu engaged in a peak duel of fist and foot techniques. As their martial arts realms were almost identical, the fight was evenly matched and fiercely contested.
On the other side, Yuan Kaicheng and Yan Changjian were still in a heated battle. Yan Changjian, wielding a broadsword, attacked with expansive, powerful movements. His father's self-created Thirteen Sword Forms unleashed formidable sword qi, each strike lethal. He fought fiercely with Yuan Kaicheng, who possessed a profound martial arts realm.
Although Yuan Kaicheng's swordsmanship was superb, his martial arts realm had reached the internal gang stage of the Gang realm. His immense and terrifying internal energy completely suppressed Yan Changjian. Especially the Kunlun Sect's Reincarnation Palm, its movements were like a heavenly swan gliding through the sky, pushing forward like lightning.
*Boom!*
With a Reincarnation Palm strike, Yan Changjian was sent flying. He spat a mouthful of blood in mid-air and fell heavily to the ground. Yan Changjian knelt on one knee, his broadsword planted in the sand, his left hand covering his chest. He looked up, his sharp eyes fixed on Yuan Kaicheng, who was slowly descending.
The old man's face was filled with a sinister, wicked smile. "As expected of Yan Donghai, who is known as the number one sword under heaven. His self-created sword forms are truly exquisite. In today's martial world, among all the major sects, there is truly no one who can wield such superior swordsmanship."
"What a pity, you are ultimately not your father, Yan Donghai."
The injured Yan Changjian struggled to his feet, supporting himself with his sword. His sharp eyes glared at Yuan Kaicheng. "You old bastard, you're just boasting while my father is away. If my father were here, you would have died countless times by now."
"Heh heh."
Yuan Kaicheng stood with his hands behind his back, chuckling. "It's a pity Yan Donghai is not here."
"Who said my father isn't here?"
Yan Changjian nodded and said loudly.
Yuan Kaicheng's old face stiffened, his expression changed drastically, and his heart faltered.
Years ago, when Yan Donghai intended to establish the Divine Sword Sect, he challenged various martial arts sects. When Yan Donghai challenged the Kunlun Sect, Yuan Kaicheng accepted. Without question, he lost to Yan Donghai, which cast a significant shadow over him.
Therefore, upon hearing Yan Changjian say that Yan Donghai was nearby, Yuan Kaicheng's heart tightened. His old eyes scanned the surroundings, but he did not see the person he feared.
"Yuan Kaicheng, you old bastard, I advise you to release me. Otherwise, when my father arrives, he will surely behead you!" Yan Changjian held his broadsword, pointing it at the uncertain Yuan Kaicheng. Although he couldn't defeat this old man, he absolutely couldn't lose in terms of momentum.
In fact, when Yan Changjian saw Wan Yunting suddenly appear, he had been feeling uneasy. He knew his father had gone to the Wuliang Daoist temple, but why was Wan Yunting safe and sound here, and his father nowhere to be seen?
Could it be that his father had encountered some trouble at the Wuliang Daoist temple?
Impossible!
Yan Changjian instantly dismissed this ominous thought. After all, with his father's skills, let alone destroying the Wuliang Daoist temple, he could effortlessly destroy the Kunlun Sect. How could anything go wrong?
Perhaps his father simply didn't encounter Wan Yunting at the Wuliang Daoist temple...
"Hmph, do I truly fear your father?"
Seeing no sign of Yan Donghai around, Yuan Kaicheng's anxious heart finally settled. His old eyes fixed on Yan Changjian, and he snorted, "If I kill you today, Yan Donghai will not be able to do anything to me..."
"Ah..."
Just as Yuan Kaicheng was about to kill Yan Changjian, Yuan Gaowu on the other side let out a scream. Wan Yunting had struck him with a palm, sending him flying far across the sand before he finally stopped.
His face contorted, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and his left hand trembled as he clutched his severely injured chest. He looked up at Wan Yunting with shocked eyes, exclaiming in disbelief, "You... how do you know the Falling Goose Palm?"
Wan Yunting's expression was blank. "I'm not using your Kunlun Sect's Falling Goose Palm, but the Little Formless Skill!"
"The Little Formless Skill of the逍遥派 (Xiaoyao Sect)?"
Yuan Kaicheng walked over, his sinister old eyes fixed on Wan Yunting. "Kid, I've heard you've inherited the techniques of the逍遥派. How about this? I can spare your life, but you have to hand over the逍遥派 techniques. What do you say?"
Wan Yunting turned to look at Yuan Kaicheng, his sharp eyes narrowed. He said coldly, "Elder Sect Leader Yuan, you are truly insatiably greedy."
Yuan Kaicheng's old face curved into a sly smile. "Kid, you must grasp this chance to live, or you'll regret it."
Wan Yunting's heart sank. "Do you think I would agree?"
Yuan Kaicheng's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Whether you agree or not is not up to you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yuan Kaicheng attacked ferociously. Wan Yunting's expression tightened, and he retreated repeatedly, knowing that he was no match for this old man with his profound skills.
"Wan Yunting, let's join forces to kill this old man!"
Yan Changjian, enduring his injuries, rushed forward with his sword. He first blocked a move from Yuan Kaicheng for Wan Yunting, then turned and shouted, "Otherwise, we will all die here..."