Chapter 257: Xuan Yin Sand

At Wang Changsheng’s command, the Ice Flood Dragon Flag glowed brightly, transforming into a massive white ice flood dragon that lunged at the middle-aged scholar.

The middle-aged scholar didn’t remain idle. He first cast a white protective shield on himself, then conjured a red scroll painting, striking it with a magic incantation. The scroll unfurled in mid-air, revealing a flock of lifelike red swallows. As the middle-aged scholar chanted an incantation, the scroll glowed brightly, and hundreds of red swallows flew out, spreading their wings to dive at the white ice flood dragon.

Each red swallow spewed a stream of crimson flame. Hundreds of crimson flames struck the white ice flood dragon, transforming into a rolling inferno that engulfed it. However, a large surge of white frost soon emerged from the flames, causing them to dissipate. The white ice flood dragon then exhaled a vast cloud of white frigid air, freezing over a dozen red swallows. Meanwhile, the four giant eagle puppets simultaneously unleashed azure light swords, attacking the middle-aged scholar.

The Hundred Swallows Returning Home Painting conjured by the middle-aged scholar was also a high-grade magic artifact, but the fiery swallows it released were simply no match for the white ice flood dragon. A hint of fierce determination flashed in the middle-aged scholar's eyes. He conjured a two-foot-long red flying sword, clearly a high-grade magic artifact, with a swallow pattern on its hilt. His fingers rapidly formed incantations, sending several spells into the red flying sword. With a flash of red light, the sword transformed into a massive crimson fiery swallow that spread its wings and lunged at Wang Changsheng.

"Artifact transformation?" Wang Changsheng calmly smiled. With a raise of his hand, a large quantity of fine black sand shot out, swirling as it transformed into a massive black eagle. It spread its wings and soared to meet the crimson fiery swallow.

The Profound Yin Sand was a high-grade magic artifact. During his journey to the Ghost Abyss, Wang Changsheng had acquired a good amount of Jade Scale Ore. Due to his limited artifact refining skills at the time, it had remained in his storage bag. Once his artifact refining skills reached the second-tier high-grade, he used the Jade Scale Ore along with other second-tier earth-attribute materials to forge this Profound Yin Sand.

Profound Yin Sand was a unique artifact, capable of both offense and defense. It could transform into various objects, and its power was comparable to that of the Ice Flood Dragon Flag. Since the crimson fiery swallow was a physical entity and the black giant eagle merely a transformation, the eagle was naturally no match. It was torn to shreds by the fiery swallow in a single clash, dissipating into a mass of fine black sand.

Wang Changsheng’s lips curled into a slight smile. He chanted an incantation, and the fine black sand rapidly transformed into a large black net, swiftly engulfing the crimson fiery swallow. A large burst of crimson flames erupted from the fiery swallow's body, but they quickly vanished. The crimson fiery swallow's spiritual light flickered wildly before it soon reverted to its true form: a dim red flying sword, appearing to have lost much of its spiritual essence.

The Ghost Abyss was saturated with dense Yin energy, and over countless years, the Jade Scale Ore had absorbed an immense amount of it. When refined into an artifact, this ore imbued it with a defiling effect. This was the Profound Yin Sand's greatest power: its ability to corrupt other magic artifacts. Of course, the Profound Yin Sand would be ineffective against artifacts of extreme Yin or Yang. However, defiling common magic artifacts posed no issue.

Upon witnessing this, the middle-aged scholar was both shocked and enraged. He had planned to refine this Crimson Swallow Sword into his soul-bound artifact, its value far exceeding that of the Hundred Swallows Returning Home Painting. He hastily cried out, "Stop! I surrender! Fellow Daoist, quickly withdraw your artifact!" The middle-aged scholar knew that even with Wang Changsheng commanding four second-tier puppet beasts and two high-grade artifacts, continuing the fight would still leave him with slim chances, and if his Crimson Swallow Sword was destroyed in the process, it would be a huge loss.

Hearing this, Wang Changsheng chanted an incantation. The black net dissolved into a cloud of fine black sand and flew back into his sleeve, disappearing from sight.

"I accept your concession." Wang Changsheng put away his Ice Flood Dragon Flag and puppet beasts, then descended from the arena.

Meanwhile, on another platform, Wang Ruyan was controlling five second-tier puppet beasts, attacking a middle-aged man at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment. The middle-aged man struggled against the assault of the five second-tier puppet beasts. The two second-tier spirit beasts he had released were immobilized by a burst of azure light, unable to move.

Wang Ruyan then conjured a second-tier Flame Python Talisman, which transformed into a massive crimson fire python. It slammed into the blue light barrier around the middle-aged man, erupting into a large expanse of crimson flames that engulfed him. With a loud bang, two giant ape puppets burst through the sea of flames, revealing the middle-aged man. He held a shimmering blue talisman, but before he could activate it, a white spider web descended from above, enveloping him. The web rapidly constricted, and the two giant ape puppets swung their fists towards his head.

"I surrender! I surrender!" the middle-aged man cried out. He felt utterly dejected. He had won several matches in a row relying on his two second-tier mid-grade spirit beasts. He hadn't anticipated Wang Ruyan conjuring an azure mirror to immobilize his spirit beasts, leading to his defeat.

Wang Ruyan smiled charmingly, put away her puppet beasts and artifacts, and descended from the arena. Since Wang Ruyan's personal strength was relatively weaker, Wang Changsheng had given her the Azure Light Mirror and Golden Flood Dragon Cauldron for self-defense. They had agreed that in combat, Wang Changsheng would be the primary attacker, with Wang Ruyan providing support.

"Boom!" A deafening explosion echoed from one of the arenas. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan both looked towards the sound's source, witnessing an arena shattered by a giant red sword several yards long. A beautiful woman was cut in half, lying in a pool of blood.

"Hmph, so stubborn! Did you really think I wouldn't dare to kill you?" A cold voice came from a red-robed youth in his early twenties, who was at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment. The red-robed youth was tall and slender, with a refined and scholarly appearance. He chanted an incantation, and the giant red sword broke apart into nine smaller red flying swords, which then flew back into the red sword scabbard on his back.

From yet another arena, a man's agonizing scream echoed. A man lay decapitated, his blood staining the platform red, while a young woman with eyes as clear as stars stood on the arena. The young woman wore a blue palace gown, her features delicate, and an uncommon heroic spirit shone in her eyes. She was also at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment.

Wang Changsheng was secretly astonished. Both individuals were highly skilled in swordsmanship, and in their previous matches, they hadn't resorted to killing. He wondered if their current opponents had been particularly troublesome, forcing them to use lethal force this time. Although life-and-death waivers had been signed, participants had generally exercised restraint, refraining from taking lives. These two, however, had killed ruthlessly. Wang Changsheng wondered if they had some powerful backing or were cultivators from other nations.

Wang Changsheng speculated they were more likely cultivators from other nations. Their young age combined with their eighth-level Foundation Establishment cultivation strongly suggested they were elite disciples from a major sect or power.

Yang Zongyan immediately dispatched people to collect the bodies and comforted the gathered cultivators, saying, "Life and death are fated, and prosperity is in heaven's hands. Though these duels are meant to be light, accidents are inevitable. If anyone is afraid, it's not too late to withdraw now. Otherwise, if no one wishes to withdraw, the final round of matches will proceed tomorrow, where we will select the ten strongest fellow Daoists from the remaining fourteen."

After hearing this, the cultivators present gradually dispersed. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan returned to their lodging to rest.

"Husband," Wang Ruyan suggested with some worry, "if we encounter those two sword-wielding cultivators, let's surrender early! Spirit water can be found again if lost; there's no need to risk our lives for a few dozen catties of it. It's not worth it."

"Don't worry, my dear," Wang Changsheng reassured her, "if I encounter them, I know what to do."

Sword cultivators were reputed to be invincible among their peers. They were at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment, while Wang Changsheng was only at the fifth. In a head-on confrontation, he truly had little confidence in defeating them. Given their young age and eighth-level Foundation Establishment cultivation, they certainly originated from a major power, not rogue cultivators. They likely possessed powerful trump cards, and Wang Changsheng saw no need to engage them in a head-on battle.