Chapter 1370: Red Talisman

Flames surged, intensely hot, twisting even the void itself. Then, the conflagration turned violent and erupted with a thunderous roar!

The immense power of the explosion made Lu Ye stumble, leaving him in a disheveled state. As the flames vanished, a barrage of ruler shadows, intermingled with various magical techniques, came roaring towards him.

Zhao Tianmu possessed extensive combat experience and an exquisite grasp of battle rhythm. This continuous sequence of attacks caught even Lu Ye off guard, largely because he hadn't anticipated the peculiar power of the opponent's oil lamp spirit treasure, which could be unleashed remotely and without any trace.

This particular set of tactics was clearly one Zhao Tianmu had perfected over time, consistently proving effective. Once he unleashed it, he could seize complete control of the battle's tempo and gradually build his advantage.

Lu Ye sighed inwardly, realizing that no one should ever be underestimated. Earlier, during his pursuit, he had nearly incapacitated Zhao Tianmu, leaving him with no room to retaliate. However, once Zhao Tianmu managed to create distance and gained the space and time to deploy his abilities, the true depth of a late-stage Constellation Realm spellcaster's power became evident.

Watching from a distance, Qin Yuandai silently nodded. Despite the brief engagement, she could discern that this unparalleled cultivator, Li Taibai, was utterly outmatched by Zhao Tianmu.

The four other peerless Constellation cultivators appeared visibly concerned. However, they had previously agreed not to intervene in the battle, regardless of its progression. Thus, despite their worries, they could only observe.

The clash between the two Constellation cultivators grew more intense. Zhao Tianmu unleashed the full might of both his spirit treasures, casting a ceaseless volley of spells. Lu Ye, roaring in defiance, parried the onslaught while frantically trying to reduce the distance between them.

However, in this type of combat, the closer a martial cultivator gets, the greater the pressure they endure. This is because a spellcaster's abilities become significantly more potent at close range.

This led to a straightforward outcome.

The further Lu Ye pressed forward, the heavier his movements became. Initially, he closed the gap from forty *li* to thirty *li* in what felt like an instant.

From thirty *li* to twenty *li*, it took him ten breaths.

Yet, a full thirty breaths had now elapsed, and the distance between them remained at fifteen *li*. Under Zhao Tianmu's powerful and relentless assault, Lu Ye's forward progress had slowed to a glacial crawl.

Zhao Tianmu's confidence grew with each passing moment. He had previously been at a disadvantage against Lu Ye, and still harbored some lingering apprehension about this enemy. However, now it seemed Lu Ye was not as formidable as he remembered, and Zhao Tianmu felt he might have overestimated him.

Perhaps this was due to the opponent being injured!

If this stalemate continued, he had no doubt he could win, but killing his opponent would prove difficult.

He would need to employ other tactics. With a shift in thought, Zhao Tianmu looked at Lu Ye's position and taunted, "You dare to boast with such meager ability? I thought you were truly formidable."

From his recent observations, Li Taibai clearly exhibited a volatile and easily provoked nature, acting with extreme impulsiveness. This was consistent with his past behavior, such as severing Junior Sister Sun Ying's arm over a minor disagreement. What normal person would act in such a way?

Therefore, he didn't need to do much; a few verbal provocations would inevitably provoke impotent rage from his opponent.

Indeed, as his words faded, Lu Ye's roars grew louder, and a layer of crimson mist began to emanate from his body.

With the appearance of the blood mist, Lu Ye's posture became noticeably more feral. His body, which had previously been unable to advance even an inch, now began to move forward once more, and his aura surged incrementally.

Zhao Tianmu was delighted. Gazing at the sudden appearance of the crimson mist, he knew that Li Taibai had likely employed a secret art to temporarily boost his power; otherwise, he wouldn't be exhibiting such a performance.

However, such secret arts typically carried severe side effects. As long as he could prolong the fight, Li Taibai's power would inevitably plummet once the secret art's duration expired, presenting a prime opportunity for a killing blow!

To this end, he deliberately eased some of his attacks, allowing Lu Ye to breach the ten-*li* mark!

Thirty *li* behind him, Qin Yuandai observed intently, vaguely sensing that Li Taibai's surge in aura was unsettlingly intense, almost too violent. Moreover, the crimson mist swirling around him seemed unusually dense.

While she noticed this phenomenon, she didn't dwell on it, simply assuming it was a potent, explosive technique mastered by her opponent.

Across the starry void, such techniques were common. The Azure Dawn Dao Realm also possessed similar methods, rarely employed unless absolutely necessary. However, comparatively, her opponent's technique appeared more formidable.

But in the next instant, a scene that astonished her unfolded. Zhao Tianmu, who had previously maintained complete control, now showed signs of faltering under Li Taibai's sudden, explosive power.

Zhao Tianmu was equally dumbfounded. He had deliberately allowed Lu Ye to approach within ten *li*, only to find his opponent's momentum surging like a rainbow. Once within that range, Lu Ye became unstoppable, relentlessly closing in with overwhelming force.

Zhao Tianmu deeply understood the true essence of spellcasters engaging martial cultivators and absolutely dared not allow Lu Ye to get close. He swiftly retreated, simultaneously unleashing spells to obstruct his advance.

The wick of the oil lamp spirit treasure, hovering beside him, flickered ceaselessly. Each flash unleashed a burst of power, battering Lu Ye until he was disheveled and covered in wounds, resembling a phantom.

In a flash, twenty to thirty *li* were covered.

Zhao Tianmu knew he could retreat no further. If he continued to fall back, he would be pushed towards Qin Yuandai, which would be an utterly embarrassing situation.

Just as he stabilized himself, preparing to unleash his next move, his heart suddenly lurched. An ethereal sense of immense disaster descended upon him, sending a chill down his spine. He looked up to see Lu Ye bathed in crimson light, gripping his saber's hilt and raising it high, both arms trembling violently.

It was as if he clutched not his familiar saber, but a colossal, struggling dragon!

His already outrageously violent aura reached new heights in that instant. Its overwhelming power and ferocity made even a late-stage Constellation cultivator like Zhao Tianmu feel utterly insignificant.

Ten *li* behind him, Qin Yuandai also felt an immense sense of dread in that same instant, as a terrifying energy locked onto her. The situation had shifted too rapidly; by the time that energy locked on, she knew there was no escape.

She finally understood the true nature of all the peculiarities she had observed about Li Taibai earlier!

A Red Talisman!

Li Taibai actually possessed a Red Talisman, forged by a Sun-Illuminated Realm expert! The intense crimson glow she had seen emanating from him earlier was indeed a sign of the talisman's activation. However, it had been masked by his own blood-infused light, making it difficult for her to identify at first. Moreover, the fierce battle's residual disturbances had further obscured the signs of the talisman's deployment.

Primarily, she had never imagined that in such a place, an early-stage Constellation cultivator could possess a Red Talisman crafted by a Sun-Illuminated Realm expert.

So that was it!

No wonder the opponent had proposed a duel between two Constellation cultivators; they had clearly planned all along to use this battle as a means to activate a Red Talisman. And the true target on this Peerless Continent was, astonishingly, herself!

Thus, from the very beginning, the opponent had no intention of a peaceful resolution, nor of forming ties with the Azure Dawn Dao Realm. Everything had simply been a facade.

Having grasped the truth, Qin Yuandai let out a cold huff, her expression remaining calm and unruffled.

Red Talismans were indeed invaluable, as they could only be refined by Sun-Illuminated Realm experts who also possessed mastery of talisman crafting. Among a hundred Sun-Illuminated cultivators, perhaps not even one would be capable of forging a Red Talisman.

Theoretically, a Red Talisman's ultimate power could rival the direct intervention of a Sun-Illuminated master. However, that was merely theoretical.

In practice, the actual power of a spirit talisman ultimately hinged on the strength of the cultivator who activated it.

If a Moon-Reflecting cultivator were to activate a Red Talisman at this moment, she might struggle to resist it. But currently, the talisman was being unleashed by a mere early-stage Constellation cultivator. Even if he exerted his full might, how much power could he truly unleash?

Since escape was impossible, she would not attempt it!

As myriad thoughts swirled in Qin Yuandai's mind, Lu Ye's Mountain-Slaying Saber was already wreathed in crimson light, and the blade itself emitted a strained cracking sound.

He could feel that his Mountain-Slaying Saber, which had been his companion for years and only reforged two years prior, was already showing signs of damage. In other words, despite its quality, the saber was struggling to withstand the Red Talisman's immense power!

He had received only two Red Talismans from Su Yuqing, and they were of different types. One was an offensive Red Talisman, which, when activated, could unleash a magical technique of immense power.

Lu Ye was activating the other one at this moment—a Red Talisman specifically suited for a martial cultivator like himself.

It must have been specially prepared for him by Su Yuqing!

All the prior planning and tactical adjustments had been meticulously orchestrated for this single moment of eruption.

At this very moment, he was less than twenty *li* from Qin Yuandai!

The instant his aura locked onto her, the incessantly vibrating saber swung downwards.

As the saber descended, Lu Ye felt as though his entire essence, energy, and spirit had been completely drained. This sensation was eerily familiar to him, reminiscent of how he felt after sustaining the Dragon Throne for an extended period.

He forced himself to rally, quickly stuffing a handful of pre-prepared spirit jade into his mouth, his gaze fixed unblinkingly ahead.

Success or failure hinged on this very moment.

A crimson flash streaked through the air, arcing like a crescent moon.

In his periphery, Zhao Tianmu, who bore the brunt of the attack, didn't even have a chance to activate his small bell spirit treasure. As the crimson light swept past, his entire body disintegrated into dust. Immediately after, a scene that perplexed Lu Ye unfolded.

He had expected Qin Yuandai to either attempt an escape or deploy defensive measures after he unleashed his attack. Instead, the old woman neither fled nor activated any defenses; she actually reached out her hand towards the incoming crimson light.

At this point, Lu Ye was utterly spent, dizzy and disoriented, momentarily wondering if he was experiencing an illusion.

What was this old woman trying to do?

Qin Yuandai had no particular intention. In her estimation, a Red Talisman activated by an early-stage Constellation cultivator, while potent, wouldn't pose a mortal threat to her. This was why she made the puzzling move that baffled Lu Ye.

However, the instant her withered hand stretched out, she realized something was terribly wrong. The Red Talisman's power was far greater than she had ever imagined!