Chapter 1860: Killing Bao, Beheading Hu

Hu Guang’s face turned pale with shock. The secret technique of the Six-tailed Demonic Fox clan was an exceptionally subtle illusion art, and being a master of illusions himself, he instantly realized what was happening the moment he sensed something amiss. To his surprise, Lu Ye from Three Realms Island also mastered illusion arts, and was even superior to him in that field!

A wave of bitterness washed over him; he never imagined such an outrageous situation. How could a mere human combat cultivator practice such profound and exquisite illusion arts? It was laughable that he had just been thinking of attracting Lu Ye's attention to maximize the power of his own secret technique, unaware that this played right into his opponent's hands. Furthermore, had he not also been activating his own secret technique, even an opponent with deep mastery in the art wouldn't have affected him so violently. He was, after all, a late-stage Moon Splendor realm cultivator with an extremely powerful soul; how could he be so easily defeated?

Hu Guang's thoughts were accurate. If Lu Ye had merely employed the Blood Eye Spirit Mark against him, it might have caused some influence, but certainly not the terrifying effect he was currently experiencing. However, both were activating secret techniques of the same type, which was akin to a power struggle in that domain. Lu Ye's skill proved superior; after all, the Blood Eye Spirit Mark was inherited from the Blood Ancestor, how could the Six-tailed Demonic Fox clan's secret technique compare? Consequently, Hu Guang was not only influenced by the Blood Eye Spirit Mark, but a greater portion of his distress came from the backlash of his own broken secret technique. This dual assault made his situation incredibly dire.

From Bao Youyou's perspective, after Hu Guang's fierce shout, he surprisingly stood frozen and motionless, simply staring blankly at Lu Ye. Lu Ye, on the other hand, held his long blade high, magic power surging on its surface, poised to strike! If that strike landed, Hu Guang would surely be doomed.

Bao Youyou's eyes, initially filled with anxiety, were quickly replaced by resolute determination. Her body, which had been rushing towards Lu Ye, suddenly pivoted. In an instant, she lunged in front of Hu Guang, letting out a leopard's roar as she abruptly revealed her true demonic form: a lithe, long-bodied leopard covered in patterns, its left forelimb missing from the previous battle. She opened her mouth, and a dazzling ball of light materialized within, ready to be spewed towards Lu Ye. That was her demonic core, cultivated for over a millennium, and a technique used only as a last resort. Under normal circumstances, demonic beasts would never use their demonic cores in battle unless absolutely desperate, as the risk was too immense. Any damage to the demonic core would harm their foundation, and its destruction would lead to an even worse outcome.

It must be said that Bao Youyou's reaction was incredibly swift, and this was her only immediate means of saving Hu Guang. The demonic core shot out, its core compressed with violent energy, meeting the incoming long blade. The moment they collided, Lu Ye's expression turned grim. An immense pressure emanated from the front, a terrifying force that prevented his blade from striking down swiftly, even showing signs of being pushed back. Truly, a desperate technique of the demonic race could not be underestimated.

"Ugh..." Bao Youyou suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Her demonic core, used to meet the Panshan Blade, had sustained damage the instant they touched, the feedback directly impacting her true form. Her heart was utterly aghast; how incredibly sharp was that opponent's long blade, to have actually pierced through the dense demonic energy condensed around her demonic core and carve a gash into it. She had no way of knowing that Lu Ye's Panshan Blade was a manifestation of a powerful Weapon Clan member, and it had undergone a transformation after his ascension to the Moon Splendor realm. Inherently unparalleled in sharpness, it was further enhanced by Lu Ye's Divine Edge Spirit Mark. One could say that if her demonic core hadn't been exceptionally tough, this single strike would have cleaved it apart.

At this moment, her wisest course of action would undoubtedly have been to maneuver her demonic core away from the Panshan Blade's edge. However, she couldn't do so, for directly behind the demonic core was herself, and behind her was Hu Guang. If she truly dodged, the Panshan Blade's sharpness would ensure that one strike would claim both their lives. Not only could she not evade, but she had to activate her demonic core even more desperately. Fortunately, the feedback from her demonic core indicated that she had the upper hand in this clash, and Lu Ye appeared to be struggling to maintain his grip.

However, in the next instant, Lu Ye's blade momentum abruptly shifted. The power on his long blade layered repeatedly, like surging waves. Tidal Sea, Ten Thousand Waves! This reward, acquired from the Star Palace, had greatly aided Lu Ye during his Star Constellation phase, granting him the ability to somewhat contend with the magic power of Moon Splendor cultivators using spiritual energy. However, as Lu Ye's cultivation and strength advanced, he had rarely needed to use it. Yet, there are no useless secret techniques in this world; it merely depends on the timing of their application. Against that incredibly volatile demonic core, this secret technique would undoubtedly prove remarkably effective.

The pressure from the long blade rapidly diminished. Lu Ye twisted his blade, and the dazzling, pearl-like demonic core was sent flying. Bao Youyou's face abruptly paled as she watched helplessly the long blade descending towards her, utterly powerless to resist. In a desperate scramble, she could only raise her right forelimb to shield her head, while simultaneously her long leopard tail whipped sharply behind her. As the Panshan Blade descended, the enormous leopard's body stiffened. Immediately afterward, its right forelimb dropped, and its entire body split into two.

Another chorus of gasps erupted from the cultivators observing from a distance. All that had just transpired, though seemingly complex—from Hu Guang's frantic cry of Lu Ye's name, to Bao Youyou's desperate interception and suicidal demonic core attack, and finally to Lu Ye striking her down—actually occurred within a mere two breaths. In just two breaths, a powerful demonic Moon Splendor realm cultivator had been slain in plain sight! Everyone witnessed Lu Ye's composure and was terrified by his formidable power, finally comprehending the profound significance of being the "Foremost under Sunlight."

Bao Youyou's body split open, blood gushing out like blossoming flowers, revealing Hu Guang, who had been shielded behind her. Only then did a flicker of clarity gradually return to Hu Guang's eyes. It was thanks to Bao Youyou that, in her dying moments, she struck him with her tail. The force of that blow was remarkably skillful, not only helping Hu Guang break free from the illusion but also causing him no harm whatsoever. Bao Youyou had even sent him several hundred zhang away. The instant his vision cleared, Hu Guang witnessed a sight that made his eyes almost burst from their sockets. The enormous leopard's body was split down the middle, blood and internal organs strewn about. He was momentarily dazed, murmuring, "Junior Sister Bao?"

As his words faded, an intense, almost tangible killing intent descended, accompanied by Lu Ye's figure, who was rushing directly towards him from several hundred zhang away. Although Hu Guang didn't know the exact details of what had just transpired, he knew Bao Youyou had died for him. His heart was consumed by profound grief, yet he forcibly suppressed it, for the brief exchange had already made one thing clear: he was absolutely no match for Lu Ye. Therefore, seeing Lu Ye approach with lethal intent, he didn't hesitate, turning to flee immediately. He had already spotted Lionheart's figure rapidly approaching from a distance, so if he could hold out for just ten breaths, he would have a chance to survive! In the midst of battle, turning one's back on an enemy was incredibly foolish, but Hu Guang had no other choice at that moment.

Seeing Hu Guang begin his escape, Lu Ye's eyes, already in pursuit, flickered. Immediately, his soul power surged, using it as a foundation to swiftly outline the Divine Edge Divine Mark! The spirit marks he had obtained from the Talent Tree in his early years could primarily be outlined only with spiritual energy, making them the most orthodox type of spirit mark. However, after being refined by the transformed Talent Tree, these spirit marks were no longer confined to a single mode of expression. Taking Divine Edge as an example, if Lu Ye outlined it with magic power, it manifested as a spirit mark, but if outlined with soul power, it became a divine mark.

Lu Ye rarely employed divine marks when engaging enemies, as regardless of the opponent, soul protection was always highly valued. Even those who didn't cultivate defensive soul secret arts would possess soul treasures guarding their Sea of Consciousness. Rashly activating soul power to manifest divine marks in a confrontation was often a thankless effort and could even hinder his own performance. Only when cultivators reached the Sunlight realm, experiencing a qualitative leap in soul power, would they frequently activate their soul power during confrontations.

Under normal circumstances, even if Lu Ye used divine marks against Hu Guang, the effect wouldn't be very significant, as Hu Guang, being from the Six-tailed Demonic Fox clan, undoubtedly possessed considerable soul power. However, his secret technique had just been broken, incurring a substantial backlash. At this moment, his soul was likely in turmoil, and his soul defenses undoubtedly riddled with holes—precisely a weakness that could be exploited. Invisible soul power took shape, transforming into an arrow unseen by the naked eye, hurtling towards the fleeing Hu Guang. Any demonic Star Constellation cultivators foolish enough to block his path were effortlessly cut down by Lu Ye.

Hu Guang grunted ahead, yet his speed didn't falter in the slightest. Seeing this, Lu Ye held nothing back, continuously outlining Divine Edge Divine Marks, sending them forth like a relentless tide. Hu Guang's soul defenses indeed proved incapable of withstanding such an onslaught. After Lu Ye consecutively activated nearly twenty Divine Edge Divine Marks, Hu Guang suddenly shrieked and collapsed to the ground. Lu Ye swiftly covered the several hundred zhang distance, placing a foot on Hu Guang's back. He sensed that Hu Guang's aura had become extremely weak, his entire body drenched in sweat and trembling uncontrollably—undoubtedly a sign of severe soul trauma. At this moment, Hu Guang's consciousness was likely blurred. Otherwise, he would still possess the strength to fight and wouldn't be trampled so easily by Lu Ye.

This was the perfect moment to dispatch the villain! Lu Ye raised his long blade high, ready to bring it down.

"Stop!" An enraged shout echoed from afar. It was Lionheart, who had sensed something was amiss and was frantically rushing back. In fact, while Lionheart was hurrying back, the Talent Tree clone had attempted to obstruct him, but the clone's abilities were limited without the Sword Gourd. Moreover, Lu Ye's main body was fully engaged in battle here, leading to insufficient control over the Talent Tree clone, rendering it utterly incapable of hindrance. Lionheart had witnessed Bao Youyou's tragic demise from afar, his heart bleeding, yet he was powerless to intervene. Now, seeing Hu Guang on the verge of death, he could no longer bear it. Unfortunately, he had just been lured away, and it would take some time to return, making rescue impossible.

Lu Ye tilted his head, observing Lionheart's enraged and frenzied appearance from afar. He then crouched, reached out, and seized the hair of the unconscious Hu Guang, pulling him upright. With another kick to Hu Guang's calf, he forced him to kneel with his back towards Lu Ye, facing the direction from which Lionheart was approaching. Lu Ye then stood behind Hu Guang, placing the Panshan Blade horizontally against Hu Guang's neck.