In the gloomy quiet room, footsteps sounded heavy and powerful, seemingly resonating with the veins of heaven and earth. Every movement carried an invisible, surging pressure.
Undoubtedly, this was a formidable enemy.
He had red lips and white teeth, holding a spiritual sword overflowing with brilliance. Dressed in white robes with a golden crown on his head, his brows naturally held an arrogant bearing.
As his gaze fell... an invisible killing intent instantly locked onto Lu Yang and Patriarch Nether Whisper, as if two killing swords hacked directly into their seas of consciousness!
Clang!
Lu Yang's expression was grave. He erupted with [Sword Intent], neutralizing the mighty power contained in the opponent's gaze into nothingness. This kind of gaze that could kill invisibly was obviously a peak application of [Sword Intent]. If it were a Foundation Establishment Perfected One with lower cultivation, the person before him could probably kill them with just a glance!
He's stronger than Hong Ju...
Although Hong Ju was also at Foundation Establishment Perfection, he had no Golden Nature or Blessed Land, a blank slate among blank slates. His combat power in the same realm wasn't considered too strong.
But the sword-wielding youth before him was different.
He possessed a wisp of Golden Nature from Perfected Lord Chengtian Zhengde and was a Perfected Lord's manifestation body himself, he perfectly compatible with it. This boosted his combat power immensely.
Regardless, this was a formidable enemy!
"Who are you people?"
Finally, the sword-wielding youth spoke faintly: "What exactly happened outside? Daring to trespass into my Ye Family's important ground... what is Ye Guangji doing?"
"Still relying on Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon?" Lu Yang smiled coldly. Although this matter had nothing to do with him, and he didn't quite approve of Perfected One Vanquishing-Demon's persistence, this didn't stop him from despising these people of the Sword Pavilion: "Fellow Daoist better stop thinking too much. Today, no one can save you!"
After speaking, Lu Yang didn't forget to drag the Saint Sect into the water as well.
"My Saint Sect invaded the Sword Pavilion this time to eliminate demons and defend the Dao, upholding justice in the world. After today, there will be no Sword Pavilion in Jiangnan!"
Once these words came out, the atmosphere suddenly became murderous.
"...Ignorant junior, you courting death!" The sword-wielding youth's gaze turned grim. Without any visible movement from him, a white light suddenly flashed at the bottom of Lu Yang's eyes.
Accompanying it was a rustling cold wind.
Clang!
A crisp sword cry resounded in Lu Yang's mind in an instant, but stopped just before it struck him, less than three inches from his throat.
Behind Lu Yang, a circle of white, jade-like brilliance was expanding outward, splitting into countless spiderweb-like patterns that rooted into the surrounding heaven and earth, firmly binding Lu Yang with the world. It was precisely this connection that made the sword-wielding youth stop his action at the last moment.
[One with the World]!
What a pity...
Seeing the sword-wielding youth stop in the nick of time, Lu Yang couldn't help sighing secretly. After all, someone who could cultivate sword intent had long mastered sending and retracting sword arts at will.
This was much harder to pit than Tian Qiu.
Moreover, with Buddha Child Guang Ming as a precedent, Lu Yang absolutely didn't doubt that the sword-wielding youth before him could break open [One with the World]; it would just take a little time at most.
However, just then, Patriarch Nether Whisper suddenly took a step forward:
"Let me do it."
At this moment, Patriarch Nether Whisper's voice had returned to calmness, but his tone was incomparably firm.
"...Alright."
Lu Yang nodded upon seeing this. Taking a step back, he smashed the Myriad Spirits Banner in his hand heavily onto the ground, instantly stirring up a golden ring of light that expanded outward.
[Incense Offering Divine Dao]!
In an instant, the entire quiet room was filled with the scent of sandalwood. Illusory figures emerged one after another, and monstrous incense power enhanced Patriarch Nether Whisper's body.
Whoosh...
Although Foundation Establishment Perfection enhanced by the Incense Offering Divine Dao was far from Patriarch Nether Whisper's peak state, at least his stature stood on the same level as the sword-wielding youth.
That was all, but it was enough!
After all, back then, he didn't even have the qualification to stand on the same level as the opponent before being exterminated by a single sword... Until now could he truly fight a battle in the same realm!
"You are not the main body, and I am not at my peak."
"That's fair enough."
Before his voice fell, Patriarch Nether Whisper had already made a move! He didn't use the many dao arts he imitated before but formed a simple hand seal:
"[Nine Heavens Seal Secret Demon Yin Thunder]!"
Lu Yang recognized it at a glance. This was a minor divine ability of the Shaman Ghost Dao, specifically countering souls. back then, Patriarch Nether Whisper even used this Divine Ability to fight him.
The next second, lightning flashed and yin demons howled, smashing directly toward the top of the sword-wielding youth's head. However, even though Patriarch Nether Whisper exerted this lightning technique to the highest realm, the foundation of the divine ability lay there—it was a method at the qi refining level. How could it compare to a real divine ability?
Boom!
With a loud noise, the sword-wielding youth lunged forward. Sword light tore through thousands of yin thunderbolts. Before the Sword Qi arrived, the sword intent had already cut bloody marks on Patriarch Nether Whisper's face.
However, just then, Patriarch Nether Whisper's figure suddenly dispersed.
"[Drowning Land]!"
The dispersed figure turned into rolling [Zi Water], fitting the principle of "metal is cold and water is frigid, the child is prosperous and the mother is weak." It was a divine ability used to bury metal and iron!
The sword-wielding youth fell into it. Though startled, he wasn't panic. He similarly activated a colorful divine ability—
[Aiding Golden Brilliance]!
Under the illumination of the divine ability, the [Geng Metal] stern killing aura all over the sword-wielding youth was transformed into [Xin Metal]. And [Xin Metal] is born in [Zi Water]. Gaining the rippling of [Zi Water] to wash away floating sand allowed it to shine. He actually broke the predicament before him using the principle of "Water aids golden brilliance."
Patriarch Nether Whisper wasn't surprised upon seeing this. Retreating a certain distance, he opened his mouth and spat.
This spit actually spat out a divine light that seemed light as flying rosy clouds but was actually heavier than mountains, showing the profundity of water and fire aiding each other, yin and yang participating together!
[Gold-Melting Treasury]!
This was a [Chou Earth] Divine Ability!
[Chou Earth] is yin earth, ridden by cold and damp water, yet it is also the time when two yang energies burst forth, so it also has the fire of warm sun. Thus, it combines the profundities of water and fire.
Water can give birth to metal, but also trap metal.
Fire can forge metal, but also destroy metal.
The changes within depended entirely on the user's dao comprehension. With Patriarch Nether Whisper's realm, displaying it at this moment naturally became the nemesis of metal and iron sword qi.
In an instant, the sword-wielding youth's body froze in place. The sky-filling sword qi melted like ice and snow—first drowned by water, then refined by fire. In an instant, it broke inch by inch. All killing intent vanished into nothingness instantly, forcing the sword-wielding youth to sheath his sword and retreat, his body gaining a few more wounds from the circulation of water and fire.
"You also cultivate [Wall-Top Earth]?"
Only then did the sword-wielding youth look directly at Patriarch Nether Whisper. Because just now, the two sides competed not only in divine ability but also in each other's dao comprehension.
The result was self-evident.
He was forced back.
More importantly, the opponent's divine ability configuration was clearly also [Wall-Top Earth]. But regarding [Wall-Top Earth] dao comprehension, he should be number one in the world!
How could this be?
"What? does Fellow Daoist Zhengde not recognize me anymore?"
Patriarch Nether Whisper sneered. Wiping away the mist covering his face to reveal his true appearance, he also revealed his own karma for the first time.
Then Lu Yang saw—
In an instant, the originally calm and composed sword-wielding youth froze on the spot. His eyes widened into circles, his shocked appearance as if seeing a ghost in broad daylight.
Immediately after, he actually took a step back subconsciously.
"Nether Whisper..."
Of course, the sword-wielding youth recognized Patriarch Nether Whisper. He inherited a wisp of Golden Nature from Perfected Lord Chengtian Zhengde and was also instilled with a large amount of related memories.
That culprit who caused psychological trauma for almost half of his Perfected Lord's life, even once forming a Heart Demon that made it difficult to advance for a long time... Perfected Lord Chengtian Zhengde's goal in creating him back then was to transfer the Heart Demon onto him!
How could he not recognize him!?