Chapter 481: Chapter 106: The Fire Extinguishes, the People Vanish, and the Soul Departs_2
These two golden hammers are no ordinary Dharma Treasures; they are Divine Weapons forged from Golden Essence. Their immense force shakes mountains, with the power to shatter peaks. When they fell upon Xuan Guang, it was as if a section of the summit had collapsed, fire radiating in all directions, red clouds scattering. With one strike, they destroyed it.
Yan Yuqin felt a massive roar reverberate through her eardrums, leaving her chest tight and breathless. She thought to herself that this was not good, and swiftly twisted her body to evade. Yet, she felt a fierce wind rush past her back, her body momentarily numb, her vision darkened. She spat out a mouthful of fresh blood involuntarily.
Though she was injured, her mind remained clear, and she knew that there could be no hesitation—otherwise, her fate would be death and the obliteration of her soul. Summoning her strength, she raised her sleeve and unleashed a blaze of scorching red flames.
Zhang Yan casually dispersed it with a swipe of his hand, then strode forward and delivered another punch.
Yan Yuqin sensed a powerful gust rushing toward her face, her eyelids stinging as if they were about to tear. Hurriedly, she grabbed the scattered fire light, gathered it into a ball, and threw it downward to form a shield.
The two forces—fire and Qi—collided violently, intertwining and grinding against one another. With a muffled explosion, starfire sprayed, and fiery brilliance dissipated.
Although this attack was blocked, Yan Yuqin was struck by an invisible Qi Wave that forced her to retreat several steps. Her hairpin loosened, and her long black hair cascaded freely, obscuring her vision.
Biting her pale lips, Yan Yuqin shook her head to toss her hair back. With jade-like fingers, she forcibly pulled out a thread of fiery light. Resolutely, she burned away a section of her obstructive locks, exposing her fair yet determined face.
She raised her gaze and saw Zhang Yan approaching like a Divine General, his movements fierce and unstoppable, as if everything before him could be annihilated. Her courage faltered involuntarily.
She knew that conventional Dharma techniques could never deter this man and began to devise a strategy in her mind, thinking, "If I don’t injure him, there’s no way I can escape this time."
A sudden idea struck her, and she feigned severe injury and weakness while secretly forming a spell, only waiting for Zhang Yan to approach.
Zhang Yan, seasoned in countless battles, reacted with sharp intuition. Seeing her motionless, he immediately sensed something amiss and slowed his pace.
Yan Yuqin noticed his hesitation and worried that he’d seen through her ploy. Panic overcame her, and she decided not to wait.
She let out a sharp cry. Suddenly, with a clear and crisp sound, the droplet-shaped crystal red jade on her forehead shattered, transforming into a streak of white smoke. It streaked lightning-fast toward Zhang Yan in the blink of an eye.
Alertness flickered in Zhang Yan’s heart; rather than confronting it directly, he swung his sleeve and intercepted it with the corner of his treasure clothes. With a loud "bang," the smoke was dispersed.
Looking down at his sleeve, he saw a layer of wriggling black Qi clinging to the fabric, eerily unsettling and clearly hiding some mystery. Fortunately, the attire he wore was treasure clothes obtained from Xiao Han, immune to such sinister influences.
He chuckled softly and strode forward to Yan Yuqin, swinging a hammer downward.
Yan Yuqin realized that none of her techniques could affect Zhang Yan. Bereft of any will to fight, she watched helplessly as the golden hammer descended. Desperately, she drew the Dharma Sword from her waist to block, but the hammer came down like a mountain, its immense force sending vibrations through her sword until it flew out of her grasp. Her entire body trembled as she staggered backward several steps, blood rising to her throat once more, spilling out in yet another mouthful.
Zhang Yan, seizing his advantage without mercy, swept the golden hammer horizontally across her figure. Yan Yuqin had no time to dodge and hastily grabbed the Yin Sha Corpse Banner to shield herself.
The hammer’s strike stirred a ferocious gust, and with a resounding "crack," the Yin Sha Corpse Banner was broken.
As the banner fell, a skeletal visage with a sinister grin emerged amidst the mournful mist. Without uttering a word, it seemed to say something before vanishing in an instant.
Upon witnessing the destruction of her banner, Yan Yuqin let out a piercing scream, her hopes utterly dashed. With venom and hatred in her eyes, she glared at Zhang Yan and shrieked, "Li Yuanba, I will never die by your hand!"
She activated a spell, and her cheeks flushed crimson as fire beams burst from her eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. The flames surged violently, consuming her completely in an explosion of Blood Mist. Caught by a swift breeze, she disappeared without a trace.
Zhang Yan paused in astonishment, nodding to himself. In all his years of cultivation, it was rare to encounter a cultivator who chose such an end. Even at the brink of death, cultivators would rather gamble everything on a slim chance of survival. This woman’s actions were resolute and fierce.
Not far away, the Green Cloud quivered, rippling like emerald waves. A green-clothed youth emerged and spoke to Zhang Yan, "Li Yuanba, I cannot defeat you for now. If we continue fighting, the outcome will likely remain uncertain for many days. Why not arrange for another duel at a later time? What do you think?"
Before Zhang Yan could reply, the youth smirked and added, "If you feel confident that you can defeat me, go ahead and try!"
While recovering, he’d been swept by Water Element True Light, causing his Qi flow to become unstable, seemingly drawing him toward its radiance. He assumed this was a Dharma Treasure in Zhang Yan’s possession. Given his currently injured physical state, he knew persisting in combat would guarantee his defeat. Hence, he proposed a temporary truce and planned to repair his body before the next encounter.
Zhang Yan, for his part, did not yet wish to kill this opponent. His inner True Fire was blazing hot, and he intended to find a secluded place to cultivate further. He was uncertain how many acupoints the fire could unlock, but if insufficient, he intended to seek opportunities from this foe. Therefore, the suggestion suited him as well.
Smiling faintly, Zhang Yan responded, "Fellow Daoist, if you are unhurt, let us meet here in half a month and settle the outcome then."
The green-clothed youth cheerily agreed, shouting, "It’s decided!" He flicked his sleeve, summoning a swirl of Green Cloud, and soared into the sky, vanishing with the wind.
Zhang Yan did not hurry to leave either. Standing silently among the clouds for a while, he pointed to the ground, creating a pit. He carefully buried the fragmented remnants left behind by Yan Yuqin, then waved his robe to cover the pit before Flying off.
Soon, he reached the vicinity of Nine-Headed Peak. After circling his previously established Cave Mansion, he found no trace of Master Shi, who seemed to have gone into hiding. Holding the Ganoderma Ancestor’s remains, he realized there was no need to search further.
In Qingcun Mountain, few remained capable of threatening him. Therefore, he was unwilling to wander elsewhere. He sat within his cave, directing a massive stone to seal the entrance, then activated the True Fire within his body.
...
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian () to vote your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)