Chapter 46: Death, Burning Lifespan, Godslaying
You raised your head and glanced at the Spirit Transformation cultivator who had made his move, fury surging in your heart.
You lifted the Broken Sword in your hand and once again charged at the Nascent Soul Sect Master!
You deployed the Blood Shield Art and suddenly appeared behind the Nascent Soul cultivator, swinging your sword with all your might!
"Mas—" Before he could finish a single word, his head hit the ground.
The moment his Nascent Soul left his body, you blasted it apart directly!
The Nascent Soul cultivator's blood sprayed all over you, dyeing your white robes crimson.
Your cold, sinister gaze was fixed on the two Nascent Soul Sect Masters in the distance.
Having used the Blood Shield Art repeatedly, more than half your vital blood had been consumed. Add to that the severe injuries just inflicted by the Spirit Transformation cultivator, and though you still had spiritual power within you, you were at the end of your rope.
The three of you faced off in this standoff, when suddenly Ouyang Xiu charged forward. "At the end of your rope — die!"
Ouyang Xiu swung the Purple Gold Hammer, an Earth-rank lower-grade spiritual artifact, straight at you.
The Spirit Sound Sect Master even took out an Earth-rank lower-grade zither string and began to play.
The melody was elegant, yet hidden within it was a deadly trap.
A wave of sound poured into your mind, attacking your divine sense directly!
Facing the attacks of both, you took out the Soul-Refining Banner to counter the zither music, while at the same time swinging the Broken Sword to take Ouyang Xiu's blow head-on.
The tremendous force from Ouyang Xiu's Purple Gold Hammer actually knocked you back three steps.
As the force transmitted into your body, your old injuries flared up, and you spat out another mouthful of blood.
"Hand over the Heavenly Lightning Body-Refining Art, and I'll spare your life!" Ouyang Xiu transmitted to you.
"Cough, cough… dream on!" You forced down the piercing pain within your body and circulated your body-refining art to engage Ouyang Xiu in close combat.
Though you were gravely wounded, was Ouyang Xiu any better?
Without the complete Heavenly Lightning Body-Refining Art, Ouyang Xiu could only briefly suppress his internal injuries. He simply could not use the power of his physical body in prolonged battle.
After a few exchanges, he was coughing blood just like you.
"The complete Heavenly Lightning Body-Refining Art? Where did you get it!" Ouyang Xiu, his old injuries flaring, pulled back a distance and demanded.
"You want it? Then trade your life for it!" You threw another punch and clashed with Ouyang Xiu once more.
After dozens of exchanges, Ouyang Xiu's internal injuries erupted in full, and he could no longer fight you.
You came to Ouyang Xiu's side and were about to strike him dead.
"Master, watch out!" Shangguan Lan's voice came from beside your ear. You suddenly raised your head, and saw a force you could not withstand descending from the sky, about to hit you.
But Shangguan Lan suddenly appeared above your head, blocking the Spirit Transformation cultivator's full-powered strike for you!
Shangguan Lan's body drifted down, and you reached out to catch her.
You looked at Shangguan Lan in your arms, her life force severed, about to die, and a sharp pain twisted in your heart.
"Wh-why?"
Shangguan Lan smiled bitterly. She wanted to reach out and wipe your tears, but could not lift her hand no matter how she tried. She could only say, "To die in Master's arms… Lan'er has no regrets."
"If there is a next life, Lan'er will repay Master…"
Looking at Shangguan Lan dead in your arms, you did not speak. Only a single tear slid down your cheek, falling onto her corpse.
"Had you handed over the technique earlier, would your disciple have died?" The gravely wounded, dying Ouyang Xiu spoke from far away.
"If you still refuse to see reason, next time no one will be able to save you!"
The words had barely left his mouth when the pressure of a Spirit Transformation cultivator descended, pinning you down so tightly you could not move.
"Hand over the techniques you have learned, and I'll spare your life!"
The battle above between the Spirit Transformation cultivators was about to reach its conclusion. One of them made his move, pressuring you.
You looked at Shangguan Lan, long since dead in your arms, and a fury surged out from within you.
At this moment, you had only one thought. Revenge! Deicide!
Your lifespan began to burn rapidly. Strand by strand, your hair turned white. Your face aged at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Your cultivation began to climb, quickly breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage. It did not stop, continuing to rise.
Nascent Soul second layer, Nascent Soul third layer, Nascent Soul fourth layer…
"This is the Art of Burning Longevity! Ancestor Xuanyang, stop him quickly!" As the Sect Master of the Body-Refining Sect, Ouyang Xiu saw through your technique and could not help but call out to the Spirit Transformation Ancestor.
"No matter. I want to see just how far his lifespan can burn." Ancestor Xuanyang was unconcerned. His own overwhelming strength left him fearing nothing.
Nascent Soul fifth layer, Nascent Soul sixth layer, Nascent Soul seventh layer, Nascent Soul eighth layer…
In the end, your cultivation reached Nascent Soul ninth layer, unable to advance a single step further.
Your lifespan of more than four hundred years had been burned away entirely, leaving almost nothing.
When this battle ended, whether you won or lost, you were certain to die!
"Hm, not bad. To actually accomplish this much — a genius." A flicker of surprise passed through Ancestor Xuanyang's eyes, then he added, "What a pity. This seat's favorite thing is hunting down geniuses who haven't grown up yet!"
Ancestor Xuanyang struck without hesitation. A golden palm condensed from spiritual power slammed directly toward you.
Having reached Nascent Soul ninth layer, you directly ignored the pressure of the Spirit Transformation cultivator. One sword strike, and you shattered the Spirit Transformation attack outright.
Afterward, you no longer hid anything, deploying one of the five great secret arts: the Life-Seizing Origin-Restoring Art.
Within a hundred li, all spiritual power and the essence of vegetation were absorbed by you, rapidly restoring your internal injuries.
In a single breath, most of your injuries had healed. As your cultivation rose, the secret art's effect grew stronger as well.
Ancestor Xuanyang watched this scene with a face full of shock. "This seat has lived over a thousand years, yet I have never seen such a technique!"
Ancestor Xuanyang did not move to interrupt your recovery, because he too wanted to see just how terrifying this technique of yours was.
The faster your internal injuries healed, the thicker the greed in Ancestor Xuanyang's eyes grew.
When your internal injuries had fully recovered, you raised the Broken Sword and slashed at him.
Today, you would commit deicide! The deicide of a Spirit Transformation!
With your Nascent Soul ninth layer cultivation, you could already unleash a sliver of the Immortal-rank Broken Sword's might. Though it was only a sliver, its power surpassed anything before.
The Immortal-rank Broken Sword paired with the Perfection Realm Startled Swan Sword Art — even Ancestor Xuanyang's face flickered with a hint of solemnity.
You swung your sword, and the surrounding void itself seemed on the verge of shattering!
That single strike had already reached the might of Spirit Transformation!
Ancestor Xuanyang took out his life-bound treasure, which turned out to be an Earth-rank bow!
Ancestor Xuanyang drew the bow to full. An arrow condensed from spiritual power rested on the string. With a swoosh, it shot toward you at incredible speed!