Chapter 263: Treasure for Life

Jiang Fan faced the incredibly destructive sound waves, completely unfazed. He lightly raised his black sword and, just before the sound waves reached him, suddenly unleashed a strike.

"Heaven and Earth Starfall!"

It was like a clap of thunder exploding right beside their ears. Every single disciple present felt a sharp pain in their eardrums from the shock. Their ears were filled with nothing but a buzzing din.

Ji Ruyue, who had prepared in advance, had already sealed her ears with spiritual energy. Yet, the moment the sword was swung, the terrifying thunderous roar still pierced through this layer of spiritual energy, causing excruciating pain in her ears. Her beautiful eyes widened in astonishment. "His swordsmanship is far more powerful than it was a month ago!"

When he had displayed it in the room that day, its power was already astonishing. But compared to now, it was simply insignificant! If even she, who was prepared, was affected like this, what about the others? The disciples of the Joyful Union Sect, who had just been mocking Jiang Fan for overestimating himself, all gasped in shock. They inwardly admitted that they couldn't possibly withstand the power of this single sword strike!

Xie Liushu's hand, gripping the reins, flinched violently, startled by the terrifying thunderous explosion. "What kind of swordsmanship is that?" "Its power is truly astonishing!"

The incomparably powerful thunderous roar not only startled everyone present, but also dispersed the incoming sound waves. Fu Chaojun's fingers, strumming the zither, also trembled, causing a few discordant notes.

He looked surprised. "You... what's with your sword technique?" Although Ji Ruyue had warned him, he never expected the technique's power to be so immense.

Jiang Fan said indifferently, "Do you think I need to tell you?" Fu Chaojun's heart tightened. How could he possibly underestimate Jiang Fan again? Immediately, he pressed all ten fingers onto the zither strings, plucking them rapidly, and declared, "Then try my strongest sound technique!"

"Phoenix Nirvana!"

In an instant, dozens of sound waves, whistling as they cut through the air, surged towards Jiang Fan from all directions, encircling him. Each sound wave was terrifying. There was no doubt they could easily sever limbs. What about so many of them?

The hearts of Yi Lianxing and the other two women immediately tensed. Fu Chaojun was using all his might! He sneered, "Let's see how you handle this!" His hands moved ceaselessly, unleashing wave after wave of sound, like a torrential storm. Under such a dense barrage, who among those of the same cultivation level could possibly resist?

At this moment, Xie Liushu's forehead was slick with cold sweat. "I underestimated him!" Ji Ruyue also felt the terror of the attack and swallowed, asking, "Senior Brother, if it were you, would you have a chance?"

Xie Liushu gritted his teeth. He shook his head reluctantly. "No chance at all!" "Against such an impenetrable and powerful attack, unless one possesses a supreme defensive treasure, defeat is certain!" After saying this, feeling that he was losing face, he added by way of excuse: "But, not just me—looking across the lands of the Nine Sects, only Xia Chaoge and a few other prodigies could withstand this strike among their peers."

Ji Ruyue gasped. Was Fu Chaojun's full-power attack truly this terrifying? Would Jiang Fan surely be defeated then? However, as her gaze followed him, she saw no ripple of emotion in Jiang Fan's eyes.

He casually swung his black sword, and successive thunderous explosions dispersed the approaching sound waves. But Fu Chaojun's fingers moved faster and faster. A morbid delight appeared on his face. "Do you know why my melody is called Phoenix Nirvana?" "Nirvana means rebirth." "Once this melody begins, it continues endlessly until the enemy is extinguished by the sound waves!" "I've never fully unleashed it before!" "You, Jiang Fan, are the first!" "So, even in death, you can be proud!"

Jiang Fan remained unmoved. He steadily swung his black sword, unharmed by the sound waves. With his other hand, he discreetly circulated spiritual energy.

Seeing Jiang Fan still putting up a futile struggle, Fu Chaojun's smile grew more unrestrained. "Your swordsmanship is useless now!" "Die in despair!" To his surprise, Jiang Fan calmly stated, "Who said I only know swordsmanship?"

His left hand, brimming with spiritual energy, suddenly unleashed a finger strike at him from across the distance. "Purple Qi from the East!"

*Swoosh—* A purple beam of light pierced through the air like lightning. It struck the ancient zither in Fu Chaojun's hands.

With a loud bang! The ancient zither instantly shattered! The incredibly powerful purple beam, its momentum undiminished, then slammed into his chest.

*Gah—* Caught off guard, Fu Chaojun was struck directly in the chest. He was sent flying backward from his seated position.

Fu Chaojun winced in pain and looked down at his chest. A finger-sized bloodied hole had appeared there! Looking at the shattered ancient zither, his heart pounded with fright! This zither was a rare mid-grade spiritual artifact. Yet, it had been smashed to pieces by a single finger technique from Jiang Fan!

If it hadn't blocked most of the purple beam's power, his heart would have been pierced, and he would have died on the spot! Seeing Jiang Fan shatter the remaining sound waves with his black sword, and having lost his strongest zither, his heart trembled. How could he dare to continue fighting? He immediately turned and fled!

Jiang Fan destroyed the last incoming sound wave, then looked up at Fu Chaojun, who was trying to escape. His eyes narrowed. "Trying to run?" Spiritual energy circulated under his feet, and his movement technique activated instantly. With a single leap, he covered dozens of feet. Leaving behind an afterimage, he appeared behind Fu Chaojun.

Feeling the approaching presence behind him, his scalp tingled. He viciously drew a gleaming dagger and, turning, thrust it forward!

However, what made his pupils contract sharply was this: Jiang Fan casually extended his palm and firmly grasped the dagger. With a single clench of his five fingers, the dagger was twisted out of shape!

Then, clenching his hand into a fist, he punched Fu Chaojun's arm. *Crack—* An incomparably crisp snapping sound echoed throughout the area. Fu Chaojun was sent flying back again, crashing heavily into a stone stool in the pavilion.

*Hiss!!* Having suffered heavy blows one after another, Fu Chaojun lay on the ground, groaning in pain. Jiang Fan, holding his sword, approached unhurriedly and said calmly, "I told you, you're not as strong as you imagine."

"Before, you provoked me repeatedly, but I merely chose not to bother with you." "However, you kept seeking death!" He pointed his sword at Fu Chaojun's neck. With just a flick of his wrist, he could slit his throat and end his life.

At this moment, Fu Chaojun finally realized he had provoked someone he absolutely should not have. This seemingly ordinary Jiang Fan was an extraordinarily powerful individual! He suddenly understood why Gong Caiyi held Jiang Fan in such high regard. It was because Jiang Fan was truly exceptional!

"Wait, don't kill me! We can talk this over!" Faced with death, Fu Chaojun no longer cared about his dignity. He repeatedly bowed and begged for mercy.

Jiang Fan remained unmoved, a murderous intent surging in his eyes. "You framed us, almost causing us to be devoured by demonic beasts, then shamelessly tried to claim our spoils, and even bullied and injured Senior Sister Yi Lianxing!"

"Did you ever feel regret then?" "Begging for mercy now is too late!" Immediately, he twisted his wrist, intending to mercilessly slit his throat.

But at that moment, Ming Youlian, who was incredibly weak nearby, forced out a breath and said, "Wait!" "Young Master Jiang... I'll use a treasure... to spare his life!"