In the blink of an eye, Jin Guan took a step forward, his face showing a mix of determination as if facing life and death, and an indescribable despair.
He raised his hand towards the sword talisman in front of the two.
At the same time, Xie Jiang's painful cries and wails echoed in the air.
"Junior Brother!"
Each word seemed to bleed tears!
At this moment, only Xie Jiang could truly understand Jin Guan's endless despair and immense courage.
Regardless of the fact that Chun Yu Huai currently identified herself as "Grandma," exuding a soft and charming aura, it was unclear what madness she intended to unleash.
However, as a cultivator of the Ting Chang Mountain, Jin Guan had set up an array altar using various symbols without regard for his own physical injuries.
He forcibly gathered the elemental qi from the Four Directions Tree Sea, enhancing his cultivation base and suppressing others with his momentum.
As a sacred place of the Jade Marrow River in the north, the Qian Yuan Sword Sect, where both of them were direct disciples, it was unreasonable for them not to have a means of counterattack!
The most obvious method lay within that sword talisman.
This was no ordinary sword talisman of the sword path.
At first glance, Jin Guan could already see it clearly!
This was the lifeblood magic treasure of Qing Quan Dao Ren, an elder of the Jie Yun Peak and a Golden Core cultivator!
As a Great Cultivator, his essence and life were both contained within the elixir and the artifact!
This seemingly ordinary sword talisman, invisible to the naked eye at ordinary times, was understood only by Xie Jiang and Jin Guan to harbor terrifying power.
And when necessary, as practitioners of the Jie Yun Peak lineage, cultivating the White Tiger Lying Cloud Sword Qi, Xie Jiang and Jin Guan could almost seamlessly tap into the lifeblood magic treasure of a Great Cultivator, harnessing the Great Cultivator's Dao Fruit brilliance to elevate their cultivation temporarily, preparing for a life-and-death battle!
To be able to come into contact with the lifeblood magic treasure of a Golden Core cultivator was truly an unparalleled opportunity!
And to receive the illumination and refinement of the Dao Fruit brilliance was a great fortune for cultivators!
However, there were no perfect things in this world.
Such profound opportunities, although they could almost make a cultivator's path smooth before reaching the Nine Refinements of the Elixir Field, obscuring any bottleneck, the process of refining the elixir after the Nine Refinements, condensing the Golden Core, could almost become an insurmountable barrier for cultivators!
Because although the lineage's methods had been passed down through the ages, there had never been the birth of identical Dao Fruits!
Because before reaching this stage, the brilliance of a Great Cultivator had already illuminated this path, leaving indelible marks of another person's aura and Dao Fruit!
The path had already been walked, how could one walk it again?
The Dao had already been achieved, what more was there to achieve?
Therefore, this step was almost like a heavenly moat, almost imprisoning one, preventing any further progress!
They had all misunderstood, thinking they would be facing Chun Yu Huai in the Qi Refining stage and a more unbearable escapee from the Demon Sealing Cave.
But now, before the latter had even appeared, such a change had occurred in the former.
In the blink of an eye, in order to survive, to reverse the situation, someone had to pay such a price.
Now, it seemed that this fate was about to fall on Jin Guan.
As he took that step, it was as if a sword was unsheathed without regret.
Jin Guan's outstretched fingertips were just inches away from the floating sword talisman.
In an instant, a silent sigh echoed in the gentle spring breeze of the Tree Sea.
At the same time, a hazy halo emanated from the sword talisman.
Upon closer inspection, the previously minuscule distance had almost become an insurmountable gap.
Jin Guan's figure froze in mid-air, and upon closer inspection, in that moment, it seemed as if the world stood still, even the swaying of the Tree Sea halted in that moment.
Time seemed to rewind, freezing the passage of years.
Only within the sword talisman, as the halo burst forth, the radiance intensified.
Looking again, a vast sword aura swept out, becoming the sole existence in the vast Tree Sea!
In the next moment, Jin Guan staggered back, supported tightly by Xie Jiang's arm.
In front of the two, the boundless divine radiance dispersed and converged, under the illumination of the sword talisman, forming the figure of a weathered young man.
The figure appeared blurry, seemingly real yet illusory, swaying in the wind as if it would shatter in the next moment.
But regardless, the vigorous aura belonging to the Golden Core cultivator, Qing Quan Dao Ren, was undeniably real, sharp and fierce like a storm!
After the figure was revealed, Qing Quan Dao Ren let out another sigh.
He looked towards the direction of the river mouth, then glanced back at Xie Jiang and Jin Guan behind him.
"They are both good children, Senior Brother. It shouldn't have come to this..."
As he spoke, Qing Quan Dao Ren flicked his sleeve, and a sleeve of sword light turned into a gentle breeze, carrying the two straight towards the banks of the Jade Marrow River.
At the same time, Qing Quan Dao Ren turned to face Chun Yu Huai standing in mid-air.
"Both our families have broken the rules. Let's not blame each other. What just happened, what you said, I'll pretend I didn't see or hear. However... the spiritual object belonging to our Jie Yun lineage, I will take it!"
As his words fell, Qing Quan Dao Ren was about to take a step forward, raising his hand to grasp the sword talisman, enveloped in a surge of sword qi, ready to probe towards Chun Yu Huai.
Chun Yu Huai seemed to stand in despair, ready to surrender.
But as his gaze passed beyond Qing Quan Dao Ren, he looked towards the river mouth, towards the direction of Ting Chang Mountain.
After exhausting all human efforts, one must look to the will of heaven.
Otherwise, in front of a Golden Core cultivator, resistance or submission no longer made a difference.
Seemingly understanding Chun Yu Huai's thoughts, Qing Quan Dao Ren's movements seemed to slow down, as if waiting for a certain outcome from afar.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, changes began to unfold in the distant sky.
As the crimson morning glow rolled with the vast sea of clouds, the colors became more vividly golden.
Almost imperceptibly, when one looked again, within the rolling clouds, there was nothing but a divine radiance of cinnabar!
A cloud seemed like a seal, and the vast sea of clouds seemed like a law altar constructed from nine layers of clouds!
At the same time, the voice of the Danxia Old Mother descended from the clouds of symbols.
It seemed like a turbulent storm, like the will of heaven descending.
"Why can't things be discussed properly? No matter how great the reason, since when can an elder of a sect casually attack a young child?"
"The bloodline of the Dongshan Chun Yu family, the lineage personally passed down by this seat..."
"Ask yourselves, you group of sword maniacs, do you truly see no one else around?"
Responding to the Danxia Old Mother's words was the aged voice of Qing Hai Dao Ren.
It seemed that just as the Danxia Old Mother's words fell, suddenly, in the sky, a clear blank space appeared in front of the sea of clouds, cutting across from east to west, dividing the clouds.
To the north of this division was the tinted divine radiance of Danxia, and to the south was the natural sky.
In the center of the division, Qing Hai Dao Ren, flicking his dusting cloth, gazed northward with icy eyes.
"When the Sword Sect wanted to reason, your family was unreasonable and disrespectful! Now that you want to reason, you need to ask whether we are willing to listen!"
"Qing Hai, it was your two families who first broke the rules. Don't blame this seat for not giving you any face!"
"From the beginning, your people shouldn't have destroyed the trees that this seat painstakingly nurtured, and in the end, you even spilled three bowls of blood at this seat's doorstep!"
"Provoking the impatience in this seat's heart, let your two families bear the consequences!"
"Danxia, don't even think about speaking. Qing Hai is always talking about the end of his life, but now that he's fighting desperately, he wants to continue living!"
"But this seat is different. In terms of lifespan, this seat should have died last winter. Now, dragging on, this seat must go north before dying. Today, let's see which of you has the most foul mouth. This seat is prepared to die on whichever mountain you choose..."
"Have you all thought it through! Opening your mouths now will only bring disaster upon your sect!"
"As for the matter at hand..."
"Hey! This seat will teach you a lesson."
"If you don't want to undergo the tribulation and refine your essence, if you want the younger generation to succeed, then it's up to their abilities!"
As his words fell, the old man waved his flag, and in an invisible instant, layers of divine light seemed to brush down.
In a swaying moment, Qing Quan Dao Ren's figure became increasingly blurred, his mouth opening and closing, yet unable to utter a single word.
Seeing Qing Quan Dao Ren's increasingly pale complexion, it seemed as if his mind had been wounded, suffering a hidden loss in the old man's hands.
But Qing Quan Dao Ren was of no use, Qing Hai Dao Ren still stood in the sky.
Shaking his face again, Qing Hai Dao Ren finally spoke.
"Senior Dao Brother..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the old man raised his flag again, seemingly about to brush it towards the sword talisman.
Qing Hai Dao Ren quickly stopped himself.
Seeing the old man's murky gaze sweep across the sky, finally landing not far from the Jade Marrow River.
"Qing Hai, it was your two families who first broke the rules, so don't expect this seat to give you any face!"
"From the beginning, your people shouldn't have destroyed the trees that this seat painstakingly nurtured, and in the end, you even spilled three bowls of blood at this seat's doorstep!"
"Provoking the impatience in this seat's heart, let your two families bear the consequences!"
"Danxia, don't even think about speaking. Qing Hai is always talking about the end of his life, but now that he's fighting desperately, he wants to continue living!"
"But this seat is different. In terms of lifespan, this seat should have died last winter. Now, dragging on, this seat must go north before dying. Today, let's see which of you has the most foul mouth. This seat is prepared to die on whichever mountain you choose..."
"Have you all thought it through! Opening your mouths now will only bring disaster upon your sect!"
"As for the matter at hand..."
"Hey! This seat will teach you a lesson."
"If you don't want to undergo the tribulation and refine your essence, if you want the younger generation to succeed, then it's up to their abilities!"
As his words fell, the old man waved his flag, and in an invisible instant, layers of divine light seemed to brush down.
In a swaying moment, Qing Quan Dao Ren's figure became increasingly blurred, his mouth opening and closing, yet unable to utter a single word.
Seeing Qing Quan Dao Ren's increasingly pale complexion, it seemed as if his mind had been wounded, suffering a hidden loss in the old man's hands.
But Qing Quan Dao Ren was of no use, Qing Hai Dao Ren still stood in the sky.
Shaking his face again, Qing Hai Dao Ren finally spoke.
"Senior Dao Brother..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the old man raised his flag again, seemingly about to brush it towards the sword talisman.
Qing Hai Dao Ren quickly stopped himself.
Seeing the old man's murky gaze sweep across the sky, finally landing not far from the Jade Marrow River.
"Qing Hai, it was your two families who first broke the rules, so don't expect this seat to give you any face!"
"From the beginning, your people shouldn't have destroyed the trees that this seat painstakingly nurtured, and in the end, you even spilled three bowls of blood at this seat's doorstep!"
"Provoking the impatience in this seat's heart, let your two families bear the consequences!"
"Danxia, don't even think about speaking. Qing Hai is always talking about the end of his life, but now that he's fighting desperately, he wants to continue living!"
"But this seat is different. In terms of lifespan, this seat should have died last winter. Now, dragging on, this seat must go north before dying. Today, let's see which of you has the most foul mouth. This seat is prepared to die on whichever mountain you choose..."
"Have you all thought it through! Opening your mouths now will only bring disaster upon your sect!"
"As for the matter at hand..."
"Hey! This seat will teach you a lesson."
"If you don't want to undergo the tribulation and refine your essence, if you want the younger generation to succeed, then it's up to their abilities!"
As his words fell, the old man waved his flag, and in an invisible instant, layers of divine light seemed to brush down.
In a swaying moment, Qing Quan Dao Ren's figure became increasingly blurred, his mouth opening and closing, yet unable to utter a single word.
Seeing Qing Quan Dao Ren's increasingly pale complexion, it seemed as if his mind had been wounded, suffering a hidden loss in the old man's hands.
But Qing Quan Dao Ren was of no use, Qing Hai Dao Ren still stood in the sky.
Shaking his face again, Qing Hai Dao Ren finally spoke.
"Senior Dao Brother..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the old man raised his flag again, seemingly about to brush it towards the sword talisman.
Qing Hai Dao Ren quickly stopped himself.
Seeing the old man's murky gaze sweep across the sky, finally landing not far from the Jade Marrow River.
"Qing Hai, it was your two families who first broke the rules, so don't expect this seat to give you any face!"
"From the beginning, your people shouldn't have destroyed the trees that this seat painstakingly nurtured, and in the end, you even spilled three bowls of blood at this seat's doorstep!"
"Provoking the impatience in this seat's heart, let your two families bear the consequences!"
"Danxia, don't even think about speaking. Qing Hai is always talking about the end of his life, but now that he's fighting desperately, he wants to continue living!"
"But this seat is different. In terms of lifespan, this seat should have died last winter. Now, dragging on, this seat must go north before dying. Today, let's see which of you has the most foul mouth. This seat is prepared to die on whichever mountain you choose..."
"Have you all thought it through! Opening your mouths now will only bring disaster upon your sect!"
"As for the matter at hand..."
"Hey! This seat will teach you a lesson."
"If you don't want to undergo the tribulation and refine your essence, if you want the younger generation to succeed, then it's up to their abilities!"
As his words fell, the old man waved his flag, and in an invisible instant, layers of divine light seemed to brush down.
In a swaying moment, Qing Quan Dao Ren's figure became increasingly blurred, his mouth opening and closing, yet unable to utter a single word.
Seeing Qing Quan Dao Ren's increasingly pale complexion, it seemed as if his mind had been wounded, suffering a hidden loss in the old man's hands.
But Qing Quan Dao Ren was of no use, Qing Hai Dao Ren still stood in the sky.
Shaking his face again, Qing Hai Dao Ren finally spoke.
"Senior Dao Brother..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the old man raised his flag again, seemingly about to brush it towards the sword talisman.
Qing Hai Dao Ren quickly stopped himself.
Seeing the old man's murky gaze sweep across the sky, finally landing not far from the Jade Marrow River.
"Qing Hai, it was your two families who first broke the rules, so don't expect this seat to give you any face!"
"From the beginning, your people shouldn't have destroyed the trees that this seat painstakingly nurtured, and in the end, you even spilled three bowls of blood at this seat's doorstep!"
"Provoking the impatience in this seat's heart, let your two families bear the consequences!"
"Danxia, don't even think about speaking. Qing Hai is always talking about the end of his life, but now that he's fighting desperately, he wants to continue living!"
"But this seat is different. In terms of lifespan, this seat should have died last winter. Now, dragging on, this seat must go north before dying. Today, let's see which of you has the most foul mouth. This seat is prepared to die on whichever mountain you choose..."
"Have you all thought it through! Opening your mouths now will only bring disaster upon your sect!"
"As for the matter at hand..."
"Hey! This seat will teach you a lesson."
"If you don't want to undergo the tribulation and refine your essence, if you want the younger generation to succeed, then it's up to their abilities!"
As his words fell, the old man waved his flag, and in an invisible instant, layers of divine light seemed to brush down.
In a swaying moment, Qing Quan Dao Ren's figure became increasingly blurred, his mouth opening and closing, yet unable to utter a single word.
Seeing Qing Quan Dao Ren's increasingly pale complexion, it seemed as if his mind had been wounded, suffering a hidden loss in the old man's hands.
But Qing Quan Dao Ren was of no use, Qing Hai Dao Ren still stood in the sky.
Shaking his face again, Qing Hai Dao Ren finally spoke.
"Senior Dao Brother..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the old man raised his flag again, seemingly about to brush it towards the sword talisman.
Qing Hai Dao Ren quickly stopped himself.
Seeing the old man's murky gaze sweep across the sky, finally landing not far from the Jade Marrow River.
"Qing Hai, it was your two families who first broke the rules, so don't expect this seat to give you any face!"
"From the beginning, your people shouldn't have destroyed the trees that this seat painstakingly nurtured, and in the end, you even spilled three bowls of blood at this seat's doorstep!"
"Provoking the impatience in this seat's heart, let your two families bear the consequences!"
"Danxia, don't even think about speaking. Qing Hai is always talking about the end of his life, but now that he's fighting desperately, he wants to continue living!"
“But I’m different. If you count my years, I should have died last winter. Now, clinging to life, I want to make one last trip north. Today, I’ll see whose head I’ll die under…”
“Think it through! If you speak now, you’re inviting disaster upon your sect!”
“As for the matter at hand…”
“Heh! I’ll make you all uncomfortable.”
“Isn’t this about transcending tribulations and letting the juniors handle it? Then let them prove their worth!”
As he finished, the old man struck the space beside him with his banner again.
In an instant, Qingquan Daoist’s form shattered like a dream, a cracking sound echoing.
When they looked again, a crack appeared on the sword-shaped jade talisman, splitting through most of the dragon and phoenix engravings.
Qinghai Daoist gestured, and the talisman, glowing with spiritual light and emitting a mournful sound, flew towards him.
The old man didn’t stop it, instead turning to sweep his black banner, causing a gust of wind to carry the unconscious Xie Jiang and Jin Guan to the muddy ground.
After this, the old man casually waved his banner, causing Chunyu Huai’s array of talismans around the forest to dissolve like melting snow.
Chunyu Huai’s face turned ashen, his once-bulging aura dissipating like a deflated bellows.
Finally, as the talisman fan in Chunyu Huai’s hand turned into a stream of light and vanished, he stumbled, unable to stay aloft, and fell straight to the ground before Zhaiyu Tower.
The old man grinned again.
“I admire a girl who fights for her own survival. If you can’t survive under your Grandma Danxia, you can always return to Henan and join the demonic sects. After all, your mountain lord’s actions back then would make it a fitting conclusion.”
“But girl, if you dare destroy my grove again, be careful, or I’ll use your true spirit to light a lamp!”
With that, the old man raised his hand, and the black banner turned into a black light that merged into his forehead.
The old man then stepped into the air, staggering.
“Alright then! Isn’t it about transcending tribulations and completing the scripture? Go ahead and transcend, go ahead and complete the scripture!”
“Let me see something new and enjoy the spectacle!”
“If there are any more who don’t know their place…”
“Heh—!”
As his words fell, the old man’s figure had already vanished.
In the distant sky, the divine light of Danxia seemed frozen in the sea of clouds.
Qinghai Daoist stood dazed, holding a dust whisk in one hand and the broken jade in the other.
The rift in the sea of clouds, which he had created, now seemed like a cage preventing him from advancing!
In front of Lingqiu Mountain Market, on a large rock.
For a long while, Chu Weiyang struggled to catch his breath.
He couldn’t see the true form of a Golden Core cultivator, but the waves of fierce energy rising to the sky were undeniable.
“Manager, let’s talk seriously.”
“What is your true identity?”
“A runaway groom from Tingchang Mountain? Or the illegitimate child of a Sword Sect elder?”
“I’m just a fugitive from a small sect, carrying a sword I picked up from the Demon Suppressing Cave…”
“What kind of situation is this…”