Chapter 36: Someone Always Seeks Death

The spirit sword sliced through the air, crackling with lightning. Its incredible speed twisted space, emitting a low, sizzling hum as it shot towards Xu Yang.

These two spirit swords represented the desperate, life-burning final strike of two Nascent Soul cultivators. They were impossible for an ordinary person to block.

*Boom!*

Xu Yang extended a single finger and abruptly caught both rapidly flying spirit swords between them.

With a flick of his wrist, he sent the two spirit swords hurtling back even faster than they had come.

Zhao Bai's two guards stared, their pupils widening in terror at everything that had unfolded in that lightning-fast instant.

Only they knew the true power of their life-sacrificing final strike. An ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator wouldn't have even had time to react before dying.

But... how had Xu Yang caught their spirit swords? Was he even human?

Astonishingly, they felt their demise here was somehow justified.

*Thwack!*

The two spirit swords plunged into the foreheads of Zhao Bai's two guards.

Both guards' heads exploded like watermelons, and their life force extinguished instantly.

The curious onlookers only saw Zhao Bai's two guards desperately hurl their spirit swords, only for the swords to reappear lodged in their own foreheads moments later. The intervening complex events had unfolded so quickly that they didn't even comprehend what had truly transpired.

"This is terrifying! I thought I was strong, but now I see I can't even withstand one of Xu Yang's moves," one person stammered, trembling. Xu Yang's presence shattered his understanding of power.

"It appears no one has ever managed to withstand a single move from Xu Yang," another added.

A sudden silence descended, as everyone tried to guess Xu Yang's true cultivation level. Yet, they couldn't fathom it, for Xu Yang consistently declared himself to be only at the Qi Refining stage. Even in battle, he never needed to reveal his true cultivation, making it seem as if he truly was merely at the Qi Refining stage. However, anyone who genuinely believed Xu Yang was merely at the Qi Refining stage would be considered a complete fool.

"Xu Yang killed Zhao Bai, so the Demonic Cloud Sect won't let this rest. When Xu Yang eventually clashes with them, we'll finally learn his true cultivation."

"And what about the Spirit Treasure Auction House? Xu Yang wiped out their branch in Qizhou. Do you really think they'll simply let that go?"

Immediately, many concluded that Xu Yang's days were numbered and he wouldn't last much longer. After all, either of the two powers mentioned could effortlessly dominate all of Qizhou.

Of the three Nascent Soul old monsters, only Zhang Shuangtian remained.

Xu Yang approached Zhang Shuangtian and unexpectedly stated, "Tell me, who is your backer? What reason do you have for me not to kill you? If your explanation is good, and you satisfy me, I might consider sparing your life."

Zhang Shuangtian glared indignantly at Xu Yang, remaining silent.

"If you refuse to speak, then I'm afraid I won't have a choice," Xu Yang said.

"I grant you... oblivion!"

His large hand suddenly reached for Zhang Shuangtian. A brilliant white flame erupted, engulfing the surroundings in blinding light. The intense heat instantly vaporized Zhang Shuangtian. With a soft *poof*, he was utterly reduced to dust and blown away by the wind.

The gathered onlookers stared blankly at Xu Yang. Zhang Shuangtian, the strongest cultivator in all of Qizhou, had died so easily, so effortlessly — nothing like a Nascent Soul cultivator should.

After resolving the situation with the Spirit Treasure Auction House, Xu Yang returned to the Skyfall Sect. However, a sweep of his divine sense over the Skyfall Sect instantly hardened Xu Yang's recently relaxed, cold expression.

"Why are there always so many people in this world who seek their own demise!?"

As soon as Xu Yang finished speaking, he transformed into a bolt of lightning and streaked towards the Skyfall Sect.

Meanwhile, outside the Skyfall Sect, sixteen Golden Core cultivators stood at the base of the mountain, exchanging uneasy glances. They intended to enter the Skyfall Sect but found themselves blocked by its mountain-protecting formation. Sixteen Golden Core cultivators, stymied by a mere small, dilapidated sect like the Skyfall Sect, would be utterly ridiculed if this news got out. Thus, they decided to launch a direct assault and dismantle the Skyfall Sect's mountain-protecting formation.

The only thing that truly perplexed them was Xu Yang's absence. Eventually, they concluded that Xu Yang, intimidated by the presence of sixteen Golden Core cultivators, was likely trembling in fear and dared not show himself.

"Yu Sanniang, why aren't you acting? Let's dismantle this pathetic mountain-protecting formation together and kill a few of his disciples. I wonder if that old Xu Yang will finally show himself then."

One of the Golden Core cultivators, a stout man, spoke with eyes full of disdain, clearly holding Xu Yang in utter contempt.

"Precisely. If he still refuses to show himself, we'll simply slaughter everyone in the Skyfall Sect. I refuse to believe he won't emerge then."

Yu Sanniang, however, frowned. Remembering Xu Yang's ruthless methods, she couldn't imagine him cowering in fear within the sect. It was more likely that Xu Yang wasn't in the sect at all, but had left.

"No, I think it would be better if we waited," Yu Sanniang said, a frown creasing her brow. "Xu Yang is likely not in the sect right now. If you dismantle the Skyfall Sect's mountain-protecting formation and he returns, how will we explain ourselves?"

Xu Yang had left a profound impression on her. In Yu Sanniang's estimation, Xu Yang was almost certainly a Nascent Soul cultivator. However, when she relayed this thought to the Lord of Tianwu Commandery, he utterly dismissed it. He argued that a small place like Qizhou couldn't possibly harbor a Nascent Soul cultivator, insisting that Xu Yang must simply be an exceptionally strong Golden Core cultivator. Furthermore, the Lord of Tianwu Commandery had specifically sent their group of Golden Core cultivators to Qizhou to recruit Xu Yang. Yet, their current posture seemed more like an invasion than an attempt to recruit him. Yu Sanniang harbored an unsettling premonition about this entire venture.

At that moment, inside the Skyfall Sect's mountain-protecting formation, Ling Qingshu watched the dozen Golden Core cultivators outside with a grim expression. The Golden Core cultivators relentlessly poured their spiritual energy onto the mountain-protecting formation that enveloped the Skyfall Sect.

*Boom, boom!*

The mountain-protecting formation trembled slightly under the barrage of attacks from the Golden Core cultivators, emitting crisp rumbles and occasional flashes of dazzling light. Ling Qingshu watched the mountain-protecting formation with growing anxiety.

This mountain-protecting formation had been erected by their Ancestor, who had simply picked some materials from the warehouse and casually set it up. According to Ancestor Xu, it was merely a temporary solution.