He could barely take a step. He wanted to go forward and help, but that aura of pressure was too strong—so strong that he couldn’t even take a single step.
On the Wuyue Sect side, Wu Zhengyang’s face turned deathly pale in an instant.
Lai Li’an stood in place, completely motionless.
“S-Senior…”
His voice was trembling.
His mind was racing at full speed. The Taixu Life-Protecting Bead was still there. If Gong Jiwang really made a move, it could block one strike. He had to maximize this opportunity.
Gong Jiwang stared at Lai Li’an’s face, trying to find even a trace of fear on that calm visage, even a hint of hesitation. But that face showed no change from beginning to end, as if this Nascent Soul cultivator’s attack was nothing more than a gentle breeze brushing past him.
Gong Jiwang’s fury was doused by a bucket of cold water in that instant, and a sense of unease rose from the depths of his heart. This person’s composure was far too abnormal—so abnormal that it made him feel like he might have truly kicked an iron plate.
But he couldn’t retreat.
The Blood Lotus Sect’s years of planning had consumed enormous amounts of manpower and resources. If they couldn’t completely eradicate the Wuyue Sect tonight, what would the other small sects think when they saw this? If all the small sects oppressed by the Blood Lotus Sect launched a counterattack together, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Moreover, the agent the Blood Lotus Sect had planted within the Cangwu Righteous Alliance was about to be exposed. They had to eliminate all forces that could testify against them before the alliance reacted.
The Wuyue Sect must be destroyed.
Gong Jiwang clenched his teeth and suppressed the unease in his heart. So what if this person really had a trump card? He, Gong Jiwang, had one too!
Gong Jiwang reached into his robes and produced an ancient sword.
The sword was about three feet long, its blade pitch-black like ink, with no luster on its surface—like a burnt piece of iron.
But the moment Gong Jiwang drew the sword from its sheath, everyone felt that suffocating killing intent.
“This sword is named ‘Duan Nian.'”
Gong Jiwang’s voice was low.
“It was gifted to me by the Sect Leader. It is at least a Divine Transformation-grade magic artifact. Every time this sword is drawn, it requires vital blood as a catalyst. The cost is enormous, so This Seat does not use it lightly.”
He paused, his gaze landing on Lai Li’an’s face.
“For This Seat to draw this sword for you, you should feel honored.”
Lai Li’an stared at that pitch-black ancient sword, his scalp going numb.
A Divine Transformation-grade magic artifact—wasn’t that a whole major realm higher than Nascent Soul?
But his face still showed no expression. He merely raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of impatience in his tone.
“That’s it?”
Two words, light and airy.
Gong Jiwang’s face turned completely black.
He said no more. Biting the tip of his tongue, he sprayed a mouthful of vital blood onto the sword’s blade.
The instant the vital blood touched the blade, the pitch-black ancient sword suddenly blazed to life.
A dark red bloody light engulfed the entire sword in crimson flames. The blade hummed and vibrated, the sound like thousands of vengeful spirits wailing and howling.
The spiritual qi between heaven and earth was thrown into complete chaos at that moment. A fierce gale rose, sand and stones flying. The once-clear moonlight in the sky was veiled by a layer of dark red blood mist.
Gong Jiwang’s aura rapidly withered as the vital blood was absorbed by the blade. His face turned pale, and the hand gripping the sword trembled slightly.
He said with a hint of pride, “This one strike—This Seat has cultivated for centuries and used it only twice.”
“The first time, I slew a Peak Nascent Soul cultivator.”
“The second time, I severely wounded an old monster at the early Divine Transformation stage.”
He looked at Lai Li’an and said slowly, “You are the third.”
The moment his words fell, without giving the other party a chance to react, he swung his sword and struck.
Heaven and earth lost their color.
The instant that strike was unleashed, everyone had the illusion that the sky was falling.
A dark red sword light shot forth from the blade. Wherever the sword light passed, the air was torn apart, the ground was plowed into a deep trench, and even space itself seemed to crack from the cut.
The sword light hurtled straight toward Lai Li’an, its speed so fast that even Golden Core cultivators couldn’t track its trajectory.
On the Wuyue Sect side, Wu Zhengyang’s legs gave way, and he collapsed directly to the ground.
He had lived for so many years and had never seen a sword strike like this.
This was truly… Divine Transformation.
A mid Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, borrowing the power of an ancient magic artifact, had unleashed a Divine Transformation-level blow.
Wu Zhengyang closed his eyes, not daring to watch any longer.
On the Blood Lotus Sect side, several Golden Core cultivators were sent staggering back by the shockwave of the strike, and a few Foundation Establishment cultivators were directly shaken by the sword intent, vomiting blood and collapsing to the ground.
Yin Wuji stood among the crowd, his hands clenched tightly.
He stared fixedly in the direction of the sword light, screaming madly in his heart—
Die! Die! If you die, no one will know about the bamboo forest incident!
The sword light engulfed Lai Li’an.
Boom—!
The earth trembled, dust and soil flew everywhere, and the entire mountain peak shook violently under that single strike.
Smoke and dust filled the entire battlefield.
Gong Jiwang gripped his sword, gasping for air in huge breaths, his face as pale as paper. His body was completely empty inside—he could barely maintain flight.
This one strike had nearly consumed most of his vital blood and spiritual power.
At this moment, he revealed a relieved smile.
“All that posturing…”
His voice was weak, but carried smugness.
“Nothing special after all.”
A burst of cheers erupted from the Blood Lotus Sect camp.
“Elder Gong is mighty!”
“What ancient Dao Sect? Before our sect’s protector, it’s just one sword strike!”
“Wuyue Sect, your reinforcements are gone! Surrender and die!”
But Yin Wuji wasn’t cheering along. His brows were tightly furrowed, his gaze locked on that cloud of dust.
That person… could he really have died that easily?
Could someone from the ancient Dao Sect really be cut down in a single strike like this?
The smoke and dust slowly dispersed.
Moonlight spilled down once more, illuminating the scorched earth carved out by the sword light.
In the very center of the scorched earth stood a person.
Gray robes gently swayed in the night wind, his face hard to make out—though he himself was in the middle of yawning.
“Haa—”
The entire battlefield fell silent.
Everyone’s expressions froze in that instant.
The Wuyue Sect members gaped. The Blood Lotus Sect members’ eyes bulged.
Gong Jiwang’s smile stiffened on his face.
“H-How… is that possible?”
His voice was practically squeezed out through his teeth.
He had watched with his own eyes as the sword light engulfed this person, and yet now this person was just standing there, not even a single tear in his robes.
Gong Jiwang’s pupils constricted violently.
“Impossible… absolutely impossible!”
A Divine Transformation-level sword strike—even an early Divine Transformation cultivator couldn’t take it head-on without a scratch!
Who exactly was this person?
Countless thoughts flashed through Gong Jiwang’s mind, each one pointing to the same answer he didn’t want to face.
This person was far stronger than he had imagined.
Lai Li’an slowly raised his eyes, his gaze landing on Gong Jiwang’s face.
“What’s the matter? Didn’t get enough to eat?”
Gong Jiwang’s body swayed, a sweetness rising in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
The backlash from that sword strike was already severe, and now with fury rushing to his heart, it was adding insult to injury.
He clutched his chest, gasping for air in large gulps, his gaze locked onto Lai Li’an.
“You… who exactly are you?”
Lai Li’an didn’t answer.
[Ding! Detected new target “Gong Jiwang’s” fantasy value toward Host: 88/100]
[Recommendation: Switch fantasy source from “Su Wan’er” to “Gong Jiwang” for higher cultivation boost]
Lai Li’an saw the prompt, and his heart rate spiked.
A mid Nascent Soul Stage cultivator with a fantasy value of one hundred toward him—how much cultivation could that give him?
A slow arc curled up at the corner of Lai Li’an’s mouth.
“Fellow Daoist Gong, do you truly believe that This Venerable relied on some treasure to take your sword strike?”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried far, far across the silent night sky.
Lai Li’an threw his head back and laughed.
The laughter echoed through the night sky, carrying an indescribable sense of exhilaration.
When he’d had his fill of laughing, his gaze landed on Gong Jiwang’s face.
“Hahaha!”
“Enough, enough.”
He shook his head.
“Would you like to… take another look at This Venerable’s cultivation?”
The instant his words fell, his aura changed.
Late Core Formation…
Early Nascent Soul…
Finally settling at Peak Nascent Soul.
[Detected Host breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm. Novice gift pack triggered!]
Lai Li’an had no time to pay attention to that at the moment. A surge of spiritual pressure erupted from his body, like a mountain flood bursting through a dam, crushing outward in every direction.
The Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Blood Lotus Sect camp fell to their knees one after another, faces pale, bodies trembling all over.
Gong Jiwang stood in place, as if nailed to the spot.
He felt that spiritual pressure crashing toward him, felt that trembling rising from the depths of his soul.
Peak Nascent Soul—just one step away from Divine Transformation.
Gong Jiwang’s knees buckled, and he fell to the ground with a thud.
He raised his head, looking at that figure standing with hands clasped behind his back.
“N-No… possible…”
His lips were trembling.
“How is this… possible…”
Another mouthful of blood sprayed out.
He had cultivated for centuries, believing himself to stand at the pinnacle of cultivators in the Cangwu Realm.
Mid Nascent Soul Stage, wielding a Divine Transformation-grade ancient sword—he thought there were few people in this world who could make him bow his head.
But tonight, he had met someone—someone who turned every trump card he had into a joke.
The sword strike he had poured everything into, the other party couldn’t even be bothered to dodge. His proudest technique was nothing more than a child’s game before this person.
Gong Jiwang knelt on the ground, looking up at Lai Li’an, his eyes filled with nothing but terror.
Lai Li’an glanced at the notification of his Peak Nascent Soul cultivation, and silently stuck out his tongue.
“What the heck? Why didn’t I even reach Divine Transformation?”
He looked at the kneeling Gong Jiwang, his gaze calm as still water.
“Fellow Daoist Gong, do you still remember what This Venerable said earlier?”
Gong Jiwang’s body jolted violently, then a flash of viciousness appeared in his eyes.
“Worst case, I die! I’ll fight you to the end!”
Gong Jiwang roared and flew straight at Lai Li’an.
“No wait, what are you doing?! I’m telling you to retreat, not to throw your life away!”
“Someone save me!”