Chapter 2022: Gourd Swallows the Sword

His expression changed, and the black-robed figure quickly retreated. To his surprise, the opponent's sword qi had been merely a feint; the true killing move was hidden within it! It was this longsword!

"A Sovereign-tier weapon!"

The opponent's sword, imbued with a chilling killing intent, had actually reached the Sovereign tier! Such weapons, each possessing its own sentience and a proud spirit, would they submit to a mere Pseudo-Immortal? How was that possible? However, this was not the time to ponder such things. Raising his arm, he rapidly retreated backward.

"Where do you think you're going!"

With a raised eyebrow, Zhang Xuan immediately activated the Divine Sword Intent within him. The longsword in his hand instantly blurred, appearing like a phantom, like clouds drifting across the horizon, coming and going with the wind, leaving no trace.

Splurt!

Blood splattered, and the black-robed figure let out a cry of agony. Looking up, he saw one of the opponent's arms had been severed, bleeding profusely. Having severed the opponent's arm, Zhang Xuan felt no joy. Instead, his expression grew even grimmer.

Using the sword qi, employing the Wutong Robe Sword, and even activating the Divine Sword Intent, he had almost used all his trump cards... He had expected a single strike to be fatal, but never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he would only sever an arm! Even Kong Shiyao, at the same cultivation level, seemed far inferior!

"You... you actually managed to injure me?"

Staring at his severed arm on the ground, the black-robed figure seemed equally incredulous. His face twisted into a ferocious scowl, he let out a roar, and a longsword suddenly appeared in his other hand. He hadn't used a weapon earlier, thinking his opponent wasn't worth it. Now he finally understood that if he didn't use his sword, he would surely die.

Whoosh!

The longsword appeared, and with a gentle sweep through the air, the space itself seemed to tear, emitting a wailing sound. Golden sword qi, stretching for dozens of meters, slashed down towards Zhang Xuan.

"A Sovereign-tier weapon?"

Zhang Xuan retreated once more. The sword in his opponent's hand had actually reached the Sovereign tier, just like the Wutong Robe Sword! Sovereign-tier weapons were immensely proud. If not for the Gourd, he wouldn't have been able to tame one. Yet, his opponent, a peak True Immortal, had actually managed to successfully refine one... It was simply terrifying!

He once again took out two high-grade Immortal Yuan Pills and swallowed them. Although he had broken through to early-stage True Immortal, his opponent's power was evident. Defeating even one was difficult, let alone with three more remaining. While dodging the sword light, he glanced at the remaining figures, fearing they might seize the opportunity to launch a sneak attack. However, he saw all three standing not far away, expressionless, as if their dismembered comrade didn't exist, completely indifferent.

"This is for the best..."

Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, dodged the sword light, and with a flick of his longsword, unleashed a continuous barrage of slashes.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

As the two swords clashed, the air around them exploded. Zhang Xuan circulated all his soul power, true qi, and physical strength. The power in his arm seemed capable of tearing apart planets, yet every move was blocked by his opponent... The strength of this individual seemed boundless; no matter how he attacked, it would be parried. His expression grew increasingly grim.

From the very beginning of his cultivation, he had practiced Heavenly Dao cultivation techniques, establishing an exceptionally solid foundation. He had also undergone the Conferred Saint Tribulation and cultivated the techniques of Master Kong... With his cultivation, it was effortless for him to defeat opponents above his level. Yet, against this person before him, at the same cultivation level and with the same tier of weapon, he was actually evenly matched... This was simply too powerful! Although he was still a few minor levels below his opponent, as a True Immortal, he was not at a disadvantage at all... He Jingxuan, the top core disciple of the Cloudsoaring Sword Pavilion, could definitely not achieve this! It was even uncertain if Sect Leader Han Jianqiu could accomplish it!

It seemed there was no need to guess; they must be from the Spirit Temple. Aside from this formidable power that even the Six Great Sects feared, it was impossible for such powerful experts to appear anywhere else.

"If this fierce battle continues, let alone killing them, I might... truly die here!" Feeling his true qi rapidly depleting, and even with high-grade Immortal Yuan Pills, the replenishment speed was far from enough, Zhang Xuan's expression grew increasingly solemn. The opponent's strength surpassed his imagination. If this continued, his true qi would be completely exhausted, and he wouldn't even be able to escape.

"I must quickly find a loophole in this folded space, and find a way to escape..."

The opponents still had three untouched members, and one of them was a Sovereign-tier expert. If he was already struggling like this against one True Immortal, not escaping meant certain death! To escape, he had to leave this place. If he succeeded, relying on the miraculous disguise talismans from Luo Ruoxi, he could blend into the crowd, and it would be nearly impossible for the opponents to find him again! Since his opponents had used this thing to capture him, it meant they didn't want more people to know. Escaping this place would essentially mean safety.

But... the Library of Heaven's Path couldn't be used here... How could he find a flaw?

"Eye of Insight!"

Patterns appeared in his pupils, and he began searching his surroundings. He soon shook his head. This thing could even suppress the Library of Heaven's Path; although the Eye of Insight was not weak, it still couldn't detect a loophole.

"I have comprehended spatial power before. Although the space in the Master Teacher Continent can't compare to this place... there are still commonalities..."

He meticulously recalled the spatial laws he had comprehended earlier, and looked forward again. In a blink of an eye, under the illumination of the Eye of Insight, the confined space seemed to transform back into special particles.

"This spot seems a bit weak..."

He quickly noticed that the particles in one area were distinctly different from others. Zhang Xuan thrust his longsword, forcing the black-robed figure to retreat repeatedly, then, with a backhand, he thrust it towards the weak spot. A metallic clang echoed, and Zhang Xuan felt a tremendous force surge from the other side, gushing towards him, making him involuntarily take a few steps back.

The spot he had just struck twisted, and a figure abruptly appeared.

"Elder Qiu Huo?"

Zhang Xuan was startled. It was none other than Elder Qiu Huo of the Cloudsoaring Sword Pavilion, who had once sparred with him and been severely beaten. Elder Qiu Huo had been following Zhang Xuan, protecting him. Upon seeing Zhang Xuan dragged into the folded space, he had tried to rush over. Unfortunately, even as a Sovereign-tier expert, he couldn't find a way into the opponent's space. It was only when Zhang Xuan struck the spatial loophole that he was able to successfully enter.

Entering the space, Elder Qiu Huo, holding his longsword, saw Zhang Xuan was still unharmed and immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good that you're alright!" After speaking, he positioned himself in front, facing the several figures before them.

"The esteemed Spirit Temple's Sovereign-tier and True Immortal experts, ganging up on a mere Pseudo-Immortal, wouldn't that damage your reputation if word got out?" His eyes flashing, Elder Qiu Huo said.

Zhang Xuan was still somewhat unsure if the opponents were Spirit Temple experts, but Elder Qiu Huo recognized them at a glance.

"Kill them! Don't let the news leak!" Without answering him, the Sovereign-tier black-robed figure turned to face the two True Immortal realm experts before him.

"Understood!"

The two simultaneously clasped their fists.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Without the slightest hesitation, two longswords simultaneously appeared in their palms. Like the black-robed figure from before, both had reached the Sovereign tier. Swords drawn, they moved. The next moment, they appeared before Elder Qiu Huo, one on his left, one on his right.

Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink!

The three engaged in battle.

"This..."

Taking a glance, Zhang Xuan's eyebrows twitched again. These two peak True Immortals, battling Elder Qiu Huo, a peak Sovereign-tier expert, were surprisingly not at a disadvantage at all. In fact... they even seemed to have a slight edge! Under normal circumstances, True Immortals and Sovereign-tier experts, much like Grand Sages and Ancient Sages, had a vast, incomparable difference, and could not be mentioned in the same breath! An early-stage Sovereign-tier expert could easily sweep aside more than a dozen peak True Immortals. Yet two True Immortals were contending against a peak Sovereign-tier expert like Qiu Huo... Even seeing it with his own eyes, he found it hard to believe.

However, time didn't allow him to watch further. The black-robed figure whose arm he had severed earlier returned, rapidly thrusting his sword repeatedly. Zhang Xuan continuously retreated. His opponent, despite being heavily injured, not only showed no decrease in combat power, but seemed to have activated something within him, becoming even stronger, striking sword after sword, almost madly.

"Gourd! Stop playing dead..." His arm numbing from the impacts, Zhang Xuan could no longer hold back, and sent a telepathic message.

"What's up?" The Gourd lazily floated in his dantian.

"Don't you want to eat longswords? Go swallow this guy's sword for me..." Zhang Xuan said. This fellow had eagerly devoured the Wutong Robe Sword before. Now, with the opponent's attacks so fierce, if it just swallowed the sword, killing him with his current methods shouldn't be difficult!

"Alright..." The Gourd wiggled slightly. "You said it, don't make me spit it out after I've eaten it..."

"I won't!" Zhang Xuan said.

"You want me to swallow a Sovereign-tier longsword, right? I'm really going to do it now..." The Gourd continued.

"Stop talking nonsense, hurry up..." Zhang Xuan's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. This fellow was truly verbose. If he didn't know its true level, and his axe couldn't cleave it open, he would have surely taught it a good lesson by now.

"Mmm..." Seeing his agreement, the Gourd wriggled again, revealing intense excitement.

"The humiliation you've given me, you must repay..."

While Zhang Xuan was communicating with the Gourd, the black-robed figure opposite him, seeing him seemingly lost in thought, was so enraged his teeth nearly ground to dust. With a roar, his longsword furiously slashed down again. His swordsmanship was fierce and aggressive. Every strike carried a unique trajectory; different from Heavenly Dao sword techniques, yet possessing immense power. It must be a unique technique of the Spirit Temple.

As he continuously slashed downwards, his vision suddenly blurred, his grip loosened, and the longsword in his hand vanished as if it had never existed.

"Huh?"

Stumbling, the black-robed figure almost fell. He stared with wide eyes, quickly looking at his hand, as if he had seen a ghost. This sword was something he had refined with countless efforts. It was just in his hand a moment ago, how could it vanish in the blink of an eye? He quickly turned his head, searching his surroundings, but found nothing. There was no trace of it. He had been performing his sword art, holding the sword firmly in his palm... Yet, the sword was gone! Who could tell him what had happened? Where was the sword?

"What strange move did you use?"

"Damn you, you seek death..."

As he wondered, he suddenly heard two roars. He quickly looked over, and saw that the longswords in the hands of his two True Immortal comrades had also vanished. Their hands were empty, as if the swords had never been there.

"It wasn't me... mine's gone too..."

Immediately after, a stunned voice sounded from the opposite side. He quickly looked, and saw that the sword in Elder Qiu Huo's hand had also disappeared.