The golden hand swung forward as if channeling the power of the dark void. A black vortex appeared beside the hand, swallowing all the air around it.
Buzz…
The atmosphere trembled, emitting a constant buzzing sound. The red-haired c0rpse monster seemed to sense the might of that blow. With a roar, it swung its right hand—teeming with c0rpse insects—toward Tian Fan’s golden palm.
Bang!
A hurricane of wind swept through, scattering sand and stones. A nearby large tree was blown nearly ninety degrees off its axis, almost uprooted, and in some places its roots were exposed.
Tian Fan staggered backward.
D*mn, this palm strike had no effect on the old monster—as if someone were standing there for you to hit but you just couldn’t connect. That feeling was unbearably frustrating.
“Raarrr…”
The red-haired c0rpse monster bellowed, its mouth wide open, and even its stomach—infested with c0rpse insects—spilled them all over the ground with a sharp smack.
The two Shangguan brothers began to vomit again.
“D*mn it, I just won’t take defeat!”
Furious, Tian Fan unleashed his Divine Cloud Step and instantly appeared directly above the red-haired c0rpse monster. His golden fist descended from the sky, accompanied by the roaring sound of wind and thunder that nearly shattered spacetime.
Bang!
Yet the red-haired old monster, though seemingly clumsy, moved with lightning speed once in action. Its massive hand, covered with c0rpse insects, swung back and sent Tian Fan flying.
“Damn it, you two—can you stop vomiting already and lend a hand?”
Tian Fan gritted his teeth in pain as he stood up, shouting furiously at the two brothers who were idly watching by the large tree.
“Uh…”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, the two brothers stepped forward. Together with Tian Fan, they formed a triangular formation to surround the red-haired c0rpse monster.
Boundless golden radiance burst from the three of them. The two Shangguan brothers, at that moment, were like two divine swords unsheathed—radiating brilliant sharpness. They swung their swords one after the other, and dazzling golden sword light filled the space between heaven and earth. The impact caused massive tremors; tree branches swayed and then broke off piece by piece. This momentum was too overwhelming, obliterating everything in its path.
Boom!
Countless golden beams surged forward, relentlessly striking toward the red-haired monster. Mushroom clouds of dust appeared all around, and trees behind them fell in rows. Tian Fan was left dumbfounded. With such dense and powerful sword techniques—damn, how much vegetation had to be destroyed? They were truly two destruction maniacs.
When the dust finally cleared, the ground was riddled with countless wounds and cracks, with small holes left everywhere by the light swords. The two men’s techniques were identical, leaving Tian Fan awestruck. No wonder it was known as the unsurpassed divine sword technique “Sword Twenty-Three”—it was truly formidable.
On the battlefield, the red-haired monster was being pummeled by myriad sword rays, nearly falling apart. Holes marred its body, and in some places, bone fragments could even be seen. Its eye sockets were deeply sunken.
“Haha, this monster is a piece of cake.”
Shangguan Jingyi laughed heartily, admiring the masterpiece he and his companion had crafted, and taunted Tian Fan. But in the next moment, his mouth started twitching.
Countless c0rpse insects wriggled and surged, and in an instant, the red-haired monster reverted to its original form.
“F*ck…”
The red-haired c0rpse monster’s eyes, filled with c0rpse insects, fixed on the two Shangguan brothers. A massive aura radiated from it, flinging both of them away. Although they weren’t injured, the two discovered a terrifying fact: in life, this person must have been an unparalleled powerhouse of the Immortal Ascension realm—very likely someone who stood at its pinnacle. After all, the airflow from just now was merely an instinctive reaction from this c0rpse.
The red-haired monster didn’t use any divine power—in fact, it seemed to have none at all. Instead, only circles of dark, swirling mist enveloped it. The c0rpse insects scrambled over the mist as if it were their ultimate nourishment.
Boom!
Two streams of crimson light shot out from its eye sockets, exuding an unparalleled malice that sent chills down everyone’s spine. It threw a punch that made the very void tremble. Unlike Tian Fan’s formidable physical strength, this was an aura—the aura of a peerless powerhouse, though now far from its former glory.
C0rpse insects swarmed everywhere, wriggling on the ground and surging toward the monster at the center, as if it were their mother.
Shangguan Jingyi summoned thousands of sword radiance, resplendent in golden light, colliding with an invisible aura and producing a series of humming sounds—like a chainsaw slicing through iron.
But in the end, Shangguan Jingyi couldn’t hold out. The shock blasted him backward, and with blood surging inside, he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
“I just won’t believe that a rotting c0rpse can beat me!”
Boundless golden radiance emanated from him, and a dominating aura that could subdue heaven and earth rolled out from his body. His clothes moved as if stirred by an unseen wind, and suddenly nine treasured swords of various shapes appeared by his side. Each sword radiated a different hue as they slowly rotated around him. With the nine swords unveiled, his aura grew even more formidable.
“Be careful…”
Shangguan Yunfeng murmured softly before stepping aside. Tian Fan was profoundly astonished. This aura was far too powerful—well beyond that of ordinary peak-level Cloud Heaven experts. No wonder he was from the Shangguan family. “Sword Twenty-Three” truly lived up to its reputation; those nine swords even seemed to possess their own spirit, emitting a constant humming sound.
“Sssss…”
Countless tiny electric arcs appeared, crackling incessantly. A series of powerful energy storms radiated outward from Shangguan Jingyi, and nearby trees continuously snapped and fell.
“Go!”
Shangguan Jingyi shouted, and the nine treasured swords transformed into nine beams of light, whistling as they charged toward the red-haired monster. They carried thunder and lightning, piercing nine massive holes into its body and dislodging the swarm of c0rpse insects from the ground. Its body was exposed—its flesh and blood rotting, yet not completely eroded by time. Countless black, fine strands, seemingly the source of its power, were visible, with even more c0rpse insects spewing black qi from within.
“You think I still can’t k!ll you! Hey…”
Shangguan Jingyi laughed triumphantly, but the outcome soon left him horrified. The old monster, as if nothing had happened, its dark pupils now emitting two streams of red light, took a single step and appeared by his side. With its right hand raised, it struck, and an invisible aura completely sealed off Shangguan Jingyi.
Bang!
At this critical moment, a golden sword aura flew in from afar. It didn’t show an overwhelming force of qi, but it immediately struck the old monster, sending it flying backwards with a loud bang as it crashed onto the distant ground.
Zi Ying returned just in time to witness the scene and immediately unleashed a sword aura. Mind you, she was a powerful figure from the Primordial Unity Realm—even a casually released sword aura was something that ordinary people couldn’t handle.
But to everyone’s surprise, the old monster stood up again, and the red glow in its eye sockets intensified. It fixed its gaze on Zi Ying unblinkingly, as if it had discovered prey. An extremely malevolent aura began to emanate from it.
“Raarrr…”
The old monster bellowed and, as if unfazed, took giant strides charging toward Zi Ying. One c0rpse insect after another fell from its body—disgusting indeed. The others, being battle-hardened themselves, quickly grew accustomed to it; only Zi Ying felt repulsed, after all, she was a girl.
“Be careful!”
All three shouted in unison. Even though they knew Zi Ying was a powerful figure from the Primordial Unity Realm, they couldn’t help but worry for her—this monster was no ordinary creature.
Golden radiance spread like the sea around Zi Ying, with clusters of golden light emerging by her side. Though it was the same technique, Zi Ying seemed to have developed a different method of cultivation. Unlike Shangguan Jingyi’s domineering style, Zi Ying exuded a holy aura.
Boom!
The red-haired monster was blasted away on the spot. Delicate golden lotuses floated out gently and landed lightly on its body. They carried no murderous intent, yet they caused it to emit a piercing, agonized scream…
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