Chapter 414: The Strongest Generation's Power Showcase

Noticing the arrival of the three Sword Holders behind him, Xu Qing decided to finish the fight quickly. All three of them were at the Five Heavenly Palaces cultivation level, and while they might have had their own methods, they were clearly no match for the Saintly Ocean Clan’s Black-Clad Guard, who possessed Seven Heavenly Palaces combat power.

Upon seeing the Saintly Ocean Clan’s Black-Clad Guard emerge from the shadows, the expressions of the three Sword Holders turned grave. The honor and regulations of being Sword Holders meant they had no choice but to stand and fight. They immediately moved closer together, circulating their cultivation, and one of them quickly spoke.

“Kid, let’s hold him off together for now.”

“You can’t hold me,” the Saintly Ocean Clan Black-Clad Guard declared, his expression filled with contempt and cruelty. Just as he moved to attack, a fierce glint rose in Xu Qing’s eyes.

“Shadow Prison Confinement, Ghost Scion Edict.”

“Immortal Art: Spirit Rend, Heaven and Earth My Life.”

These sixteen words were something Xu Qing had asked the patriarch of the Vajra Sect to devise, specifically so he could merge with his shadow without arousing suspicion when outsiders were present. As he spoke, with a thought from Xu Qing, the shadow instantly spread out from his dagger, forming a coffin that enveloped him.

The next instant, Xu Qing’s entire body turned dark, emitting a dense, anomalous aura. Even in the surrounding darkness, the occasional flash of lightning across the sky revealed the distortion in the void around Xu Qing. Furthermore, a terrifying sensation instinctively arose in the hearts of all who watched, as if their very life essence had been shaken. However, because of Xu Qing’s ambiguous words earlier, this entire scene appeared to onlookers as a strange secret art. Even though the anomalous aura was unsettling, most still perceived this secret art as simply mysterious and arcane.

As the three Sword Holders watched in shock, Xu Qing suddenly raised his head, and a violent surge of physical power erupted from his body. The Shadow-Merging Art sacrifices cultivation power in spells to achieve extreme physical prowess. When Xu Qing was at the Four Heavenly Palaces, he could already display Six Heavenly Palaces of physical power with this art. Now, having reached the Five Heavenly Palaces, his erupting physical combat power had reached the Seven Heavenly Palaces level. Seven Heavenly Palaces physical combat power was far more formidable than spell-based abilities, and its destructive force and explosive power were astonishing.

Now, as the secret art unfolded and a violent aura erupted from him, a storm immediately raged around him, echoing with thunderous roars in all directions. Invisible airwaves rolled outwards, causing the three Sword Holders from the field office to feel immense shock. They all retreated simultaneously, their expressions filled with horror. As for the Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator, his expression also changed dramatically.

The next instant, Xu Qing moved. Like a streak of lightning, his speed was almost impossible for others to discern. Amidst the violent reverberating sounds, Xu Qing’s figure appeared directly before the Seven Heavenly Palaces Saintly Ocean Clan Black-Clad Guard and he launched a punch. The first punch, imbued with Xu Qing’s full physical strength, was world-shattering.

The Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator’s pupils contracted. The human before him had changed too drastically, now permeated with an anomalous aura. His heart sank, and as he formed hand seals, a protective barrier materialized around his body, and he also drew out a magical artifact to block the attack. In the blink of an eye, the two clashed. With a thunderous roar that shook the heavens, the Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator’s body shuddered. He felt his internal organs churning, and he gasped for breath, stumbling back rapidly.

Xu Qing did not pause. He took a step, suddenly caught up, and continued to punch. A second punch, then a third. They shattered clouds and split stone. The Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator dared not be careless. He formed hand seals again, and immediately, a monstrous black hand formed by his imperial-level cultivation technique, radiating terrifying fluctuations, descended with overwhelming force towards Xu Qing.

Xu Qing made no attempt to dodge, delivering a full-strength strike. A fourth punch, a fifth punch, then a sixth. Thundering roars echoed through the clouds as the Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator was forced back repeatedly, his face growing paler. All his external defenses crumbled one after another, and even the gigantic black hand print was unable to withstand Xu Qing’s sharp assault at that moment. Xu Qing’s speed increased further. He unleashed a seventh punch, an eighth punch, until the ninth punch landed.

With a crisp crack, the Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator vomited a torrent of blood. One of his spiritual orifices directly collapsed, and a Heavenly Palace simultaneously crumbled with a loud bang. His body spun backward, his expression filled with terror as he cried out in alarm. “What kind of cultivation technique is this?!”

It was precisely the Nine Springs Below. This move, though appearing to be a spell, was in fact a physical secret technique! Foundation Establishment could destroy spiritual orifices, and after Golden Core, it could shatter Heavenly Palaces.

Now, with a Heavenly Palace collapsing, the Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator truly felt Xu Qing’s terrifying power. A strong sense of life-or-death crisis urged him to flee and avoid battle. His mission was to prevent Sword Holders from this direction from breaking through, or at the very least, to delay them. But life was more important than the mission. He retreated rapidly now, but… he had realized too late.

The instant he retreated, he failed to notice the countless small black insects that had already permeated his body. They were now biting frantically, and as they erupted, the Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator’s expression changed completely, and he let out a miserable shriek. Black blood gushed uncontrollably from him, and his face turned bluish-black. As horror and panic intensified in his eyes, Xu Qing, like a grim reaper, closed in on him. Xu Qing did not greedily pursue the opponent's Golden Core, thereby delaying his killing blow; this was not Xu Qing’s character. His dagger, without the slightest hesitation, plunged directly towards the Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator’s chest.

However, this Saintly Ocean Clan Black-Clad Guard was formidable. He forcibly recoiled to evade, and as he formed hand seals, he took out a magical artifact fragment, forming a turtle shell-like defense. While fully blocking, a black line on his forehead also split open, and black threads radiated from within, shooting like needles straight towards Xu Qing.

The opponent evaded in time, and Xu Qing’s remaining momentum dissipated, making it difficult to continue the stab. But his reaction was equally swift. He violently rolled, lunged forward, and as his hands braced on the ground to propel him up, his feet gathered all his strength and directly kicked the Black-Clad Guard’s chest. The turtle shell radiated light, and the point of contact with Xu Qing’s kick dented and cracked, but it ultimately held. However, the immense force from Xu Qing’s impact still sent the Black-Clad Guard airborne slightly, and the black threads emerging from his forehead were also somewhat scattered.

Seizing this opportunity, Xu Qing also leaped into the air, closing the distance once more. The cold glint of his dagger flashed as it plunged into the dented spot on the turtle shell, aided by the shroud’s ability to ignore defenses. With this double assurance, it pierced straight through. The Black-Clad Guard let out a shrill cry. It was too late to retreat. The instant Xu Qing’s dagger pierced him, he leveraged the momentum and flicked it upwards. The dagger ripped directly upwards from the Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator’s chest, tearing through his neck, his mouth, and finally emerging from his forehead! Amidst gushing blood, the Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator, who possessed Seven Heavenly Palaces combat power, was split into two halves from the upper body, falling apart as he drew his last breath.

This series of attacks, astonishing in their speed, fully showcased Xu Qing’s combat style. Looking at the corpse, Xu Qing’s expression shifted. He sensed a familiar aura within the Saintly Ocean Clan’s body. The purple moon in his Fifth Heavenly Palace also trembled slightly at that moment. “A Red Moon aura?”

A strange look appeared in Xu Qing’s eyes, but it quickly faded. He knew this was not the time to ponder such matters. He then collected the opponent’s storage bag and turtle shell fragment, and examined the dimmed Heavenly Palaces within the corpse. “In the shadow-merged state, the Ghastly Dao Seizing Art cannot be unleashed. Furthermore, after a cultivator dies, their Sea of Consciousness collapses, their Heavenly Palaces disintegrate, and their Golden Core becomes tarnished, rendering it unusable.”

Xu Qing felt no regret. If there had been no outsiders present and he wasn’t on a mission, he could have employed poison bans or other methods, dragging out the fight to slowly extract the Golden Core while the opponent was still alive. However, with others present, delaying the fight, though allowing him to seize the Golden Core, would inevitably endanger the three Sword Holders from the field office. Moreover, if other Black-Clad Guards arrived as reinforcements, the final outcome would be uncertain. Weighing the options, it was better to finish quickly. After all, there would be many other opportunities to obtain Golden Cores.

Having finished the kill, the shadow covering Xu Qing’s body rapidly gathered at his brow, transforming into an eye. He nodded to the three awestruck Sword Holders, and with a flash, vanished into the night.

The three looked at the brutally slain Saintly Ocean Clan cultivator on the ground, then at the direction Xu Qing had departed. They exchanged glances, each taking a deep breath. They had once been the prodigies of their respective provinces, but upon arriving in the county capital, they realized that there were always people stronger and more talented than themselves, far too many. Whether it was Kong Xianglong, Shan Hezi, or now Xu Qing, all of them filled the three with a sense of awe and reflection.

“They all say this batch of new Sword Holders surpasses previous ones, with several monsters among them. It’s true!”

However, the three did not lose confidence because of this. Their eyes hardened with determination as they sped forward, choosing a different direction than Xu Qing’s.

Meanwhile, Xu Qing’s figure, still speeding, reached the center of the fortress. The battle here was equally fierce. A considerable number of Saintly Ocean Clan Black-Clad Guards were ambushed here. At this moment, Shan Hezi, code-named 'River Channel', erupted with blood qi as he attacked, shrouded in a chilling aura. Wherever he passed, thunderous roars echoed in all directions, his killing prowess astonishing. And the more he killed, the denser his blood aura became, his combat power continuously increasing. This was a secret art of the Blood Chill Sect, cultivating a killing aura. As long as this aura remained, he would grow stronger with every kill. Later, he even started laughing heartily, as if falling into a frenzy, a stark contrast to his usual grim demeanor.

As for Ye Ling, code-named 'Demoness', she was equally impressive. From the Grand Void Demon Transformation Sect, she now transformed into a three-zhang-tall green-skinned demon. Her body exuded green mist and appeared semi-transparent, allowing her to phase through anything. She targeted only hearts and brains, displaying extreme brutality. Her special cultivation technique allowed her to ignore all physical attacks, and her methods were exceptionally cruel, occasionally opening her maw to directly devour opponents. And anyone who fought against her would find their body covered in fleshy pustules.

Wang Chen, code-named 'Solar Spirit', was also formidable. His true body did not emerge from the coffin; instead, he controlled a Smokemist Clan body. That clone was a natural assassin, merging into all auras, appearing and disappearing unpredictably. Occasionally, it would dissipate and then reform inside an enemy, tearing directly out of their body. Blood would stain the misty form, but with just a shake, the blood would splatter away, and the Smokemist body would continue forward. Furthermore, streaks of heavenly lightning were drawn by him from the sky, descending in all directions, barraging the area. As a disciple of the Primordial Thunder Vein, his combat power was three parts stronger than usual in this lightning-filled weather. Xu Qing felt the formidable power of each of these three after witnessing their attacks. Similarly, at this moment, these three noticed Xu Qing’s arrival. Seeing the strange eye on his brow and sensing the Seven Heavenly Palaces physical power emanating from him, their hearts were also shaken.

But what Xu Qing felt most intensely was Kong Xianglong in the sky. Even though four Saintly Ocean Clan Black-Clad Guards with Eight Heavenly Palaces combat power had trapped him using imperial-level cultivation techniques and magical artifact fragments, even drawing down heavenly lightning tribulation that repeatedly crashed down, they were still helpless against him. Furthermore, after noticing his companions had all arrived and showcased their killing prowess, Kong Xianglong seemed to feel his dignity was a little compromised. He glared, letting out a loud roar. All ten Heavenly Palaces on his body simultaneously erupted. Golden dragons roared, soaring into the clouds and tearing through the sky. As the cloud layers were ripped apart, he slapped his forehead, and immediately, a blood-red robe flew out from his crown, manifesting externally and draping over him.

The moment the blood robe adorned him, an overwhelming blood mist erupted, turning the dark night into a night of blood. Kong Xianglong’s combat power surged dramatically at this moment, and an earth-shattering murderous aura rose from him, sweeping outwards with a violent surge. Amidst the roar, all four of the Saintly Ocean Clan’s Eight Heavenly Palaces Black-Clad Guards vomited blood. The gigantic black hands formed by their imperial-level cultivation techniques crumbled, their own magical artifact fragments recoiled, and they all rapidly retreated, attempting to escape.

But it was too late. Kong Xianglong’s body flickered, appearing directly before one of them. With a cruel expression, he slammed a palm onto the opponent’s head. With a bang, the Black-Clad Guard’s head exploded, and his upper body also disintegrated. Kong Xianglong flickered again, appearing before the second Black-Clad Guard. As the opponent stared in horror, Kong Xianglong raised his hands and plunged them directly into the opponent’s chest, ripping violently outwards. Amidst a mournful scream, the man was torn in half alive. The other two were also unable to escape. One was devoured by a roaring golden dragon, while the other was directly enveloped by the blood mist. In a scream of unimaginable horror, he was corroded into a pool of blood, becoming part of the blood mist.

Witnessing this scene, Xu Qing recalled his captain’s words about Kong Xianglong’s extreme cruelty towards foreign races. On that blood robe, Xu Qing sensed the fluctuations of the Robe Clan.

“That’s Brother Long’s forbidden magical artifact fragment, refined five times,” Wang Chen’s Smokemist body materialized beside Xu Qing, looking at him with a ghostly gleam in its eyes. “Kid, your physical secret technique… it’s very strong! How about we spar sometime?”

“You’d better stay far away from me,” Xu Qing replied calmly.

“What if I don’t?” Wang Chen raised an eyebrow.

“Then I won’t suppress my natural toxins. You might need a new clone,” Xu Qing stated candidly.

The next instant, Wang Chen vanished, reappearing already far away, letting out an awkward cough towards Xu Qing.

At this moment, Kong Xianglong also returned from the sky, landing on the ground with a thud. His gaze swept over everyone, and finding that although the Sword Holders from the field office had injuries, some of them serious, none had died, he felt relieved. He then looked at Xu Qing, nodded, and roared at Wang Chen. “Solar Spirit, just because you got a Smokemist Clan clone, you’re getting arrogant? Huh, you haven’t learned anything else, but you’ve learned pride awfully fast. Do you want to spar with me?!”

“Brother Long, I was wrong,” Wang Chen quickly said.

“Then hurry and fix the teleportation array!”

“Understood.” Wang Chen hurried off to begin repairing the array.

Watching this scene, Xu Qing suddenly felt that at this moment, Kong Xianglong subtly resembled the Palace Master when he criticized them.