Chapter 467: Engagement (Part 2)

Xiao Yongling's calm expression finally clouded over with a hint of gloom. The East Feather Mountain, formed by spiritual energy in the clouds, slowly pushed forward, suppressing the flow of magical power and weakening the might of his halberd. His long sword burst forth with brilliant light, parrying the attack.

The Xiao family's ancestor, Xiao Xianyou, had died overseas back then. Even the Xiao family's signature spell was of no use. Relying on their past connections, the Xiao family desperately sought help from a True Master of the Purple Smoke Sect. They only managed to conjure a circular image with a spell, inquiring everywhere, but found no results.

Decades later, True Master Yuanwu made several moves, and his magical artifact was precisely a circular ring. The Xiao family dared not inquire, but they harbored secret suspicions in their hearts. Now, Tang Shedu's words were practically trampling the Xiao family's dignity into the ground.

These veiled words were even more sarcastic than using Li Chijung's defense of the Southern Border to mock the Li family. It had been agreed beforehand that Xiao Yongling would block Tang Shedu. Xiao Yongling, without hesitation, activated his immortal foundation and, sword in hand, fully committed to stopping him.

Following Tu Longjian's spiritual message, the black and red token finally erupted with fierce gray flames, making the magical shields hiss and crackle. Yu Muxian held one hand in a lotus shape, warding off Tu Longjian's golden hammer, while with the other, he recalled the magical shields.

As the golden shields retreated, the surging flames immediately rushed forward. Tu Longjian raised an eyebrow, his spiritual consciousness stirring:

“First, get rid of the golden cymbals above his head! With that item, Senior Yuanjiao cannot get close! He comes from a sword immortal family, so he must have talismanic swords!”

As he sent his spiritual message, the flames immediately surged up, veering slightly upwards, coiling towards Yu Muxian.

Yu Muxian carefully discerned it with a glance, already understanding:

“Six Ding Conjoined Flames! They shorten life and harm vitality, transform artifacts and dispel evil, primarily causing dispersion, destruction, and burning the void. In this Grotto-heaven, where yin and yang are balanced, they should be countered with water from a manor.”

He flicked out a jade bottle from his sleeve, changed his hand seal technique, pressing under his ring finger for Ren and under his middle finger for Gui. With a forceful flick of his sleeve, he unleashed a pale blue radiance.

The jade bottle also poured out a drop of jade dew in mid-air, which, upon interacting with the radiance, spectacularly transformed into a torrent of seawater, pouring down from the sky. As the Six Ding Conjoined Flames surged upwards to collide, Yu Muxian gently cast his spell, already having secured the full advantage of the array's imagery.

Unfortunately, the gray flames were, after all, the Six Ding Conjoined Flames. They still completely incinerated his seawater, and a rather precious spiritual item was thus expended to block a single attack.

Yu Muxian felt no remorse. The golden ring in the sky spun rapidly, blocking each golden ray that streaked across the void like a meteor. Li Xuanfeng was already trapped by a golden arrow; the arrows he released, condensed from golden qi, were confined within the golden ring, constantly being worn down.

Yu Muxian's eight golden rhombuses also swiftly arrived, colliding with Tu Longjian's golden hammer. For a moment, empowered by the Purple Mansion spiritual artifact "Zhigge" (Stop War), they managed to forcefully stabilize the situation.

Tu Longjian's golden hammer rotated back, and flames rose from beneath his feet. He finally stopped concealing his immortal foundation; Vigorous Baleful Fire was unleashed, and streams of baleful fire emerged from his golden hammer.

The center of these flames was bright, while their edges were hazy, like looking at flowers through a mist. Each bloom spun individually, circling around him. As this fire emerged, the surrounding area experienced a reversal of yin and yang, with yang overpowering yin. The lotus flowers on Yu Muxian's body flickered faintly, and a golden hammer immediately arrived.

"Boom!"

Yu Muxian's palm went numb, unable to hold the hand seal. The lotus petals around him instantly scattered like willow catkins in the wind. Tu Longjian's immortal foundation disrupted the balance of yin and yang, and he seized the opportunity to shatter Yu Muxian's spell in one blow, leaving Yu Muxian slightly horrified:

“Vigorous Fire…Conjoined Fire…why are they all things that burn gold!”

Just as he moved his finger, Tu Longjian's second hammer followed closely, striking towards the Celestial Golden Cymbals above his head.

His spiritual consciousness was faintly throbbing with pain. A quick glance in his peripheral vision showed the gray Conjoined Flames rapidly approaching from behind. He immediately made a decision in his heart.

“Li Xuanfeng can no longer injure me, and these Celestial Golden Cymbals are of no further use against him. It's better to abandon them... to save the effort of maintaining them.”

At that moment, he allowed Tu Longjian to swing his hammer and reached out to summon the Zhigge Ring.

The Zhigge Ring was already slightly sluggish, having taken over a dozen arrows, with golden qi swirling within it. Yu Muxian decided to turn the tables, bringing the spiritual artifact down to suppress the Conjoined Flames.

Instantly, golden light and fire intersected within the ring, creating a commotion. Thick smoke erupted, fiery gold flowed, and golden-red specks of light darted everywhere. It continuously spewed out several puffs of thick smoke, singeing Yu Muxian's feather robes slightly red.

He used this tactic brilliantly: the Conjoined Flames and golden qi ground against each other within the ring, mutually depleting. He then chanted a spell to summon the six golden shields, redirecting them to defend against Li Xuanfeng.

Yu Muxian calculated clearly in his mind that Xiao Yongling was no match for Tang Shedu. As long as he could stall, the final victor would certainly be his own side:

“It all depends on whether the Six Golden Spirit Plates can firmly block Li Xuanfeng!”

His face paled slightly. The Celestial Golden Cymbals above his head had already been shattered into fragments, transforming into streaks of light and vanishing. Yu Muxian activated his spells to maneuver the golden rhombuses to defend against Tu Longjian, but his expression changed again.

Tu Longjian, enveloped in bright flames, sent a section of golden magical artifacts flying several feet backward with a single hammer strike. His golden hammer flipped up and down, smashing these artifacts, sending them scattering everywhere, creating a sense of irresistible force.

What was worse, a sharp buzzing sound resumed in his ears, and both ears stung as if about to bleed. Yu Muxian stepped back, raising the six golden shields.

"Boom!"

A violent collision roared. Yu Muxian felt a heavy force strike his side. The magical shield covering his side trembled slightly, seemingly without much effect.

Yu Muxian wiped the blood flowing from his ears. He didn't relax because of the magical shield's excellent performance; instead, his heart sank to the bottom once more. His spiritual consciousness swept across, and he was slightly startled.

"Crack..."

The magical shield hesitated for a breath, then cracked loudly. A fragmented trace slowly appeared on its back. Yu Muxian lowered his eyebrows, wondering:

“It shouldn't be... although this attack is incomparably sharp, it shouldn't cause a Six Golden Spirit Plate to crack with a single strike...”

But the situation gave him no time to ponder; he could only frantically defend against Tu Longjian's attacks. His spiritual consciousness peeked, seeing that the two Purple Mansion spiritual artifacts in the air were already locked in a fierce battle, seemingly determined to determine superiority.

The Six Ding Conjoined Fire Command needed no control, continuously spewing gray flames that swept forth like a long gray river. Meanwhile, the Zhigge Golden Ring spun constantly in the air, absorbing all the gray flames into itself like a long whale drawing in water, its body already glowing faintly red from the heat.

In the center of this golden ring, golden-red light flickered alternately, occasionally spouting plumes of black smoke. Both spiritual artifacts had long since broken free from their masters' control, fiercely battling each other.

Turning to Tang Shedu's side, after over a dozen rounds of rapid close-quarters combat, Xiao Yongling had already vomited blood, relying solely on his magical power for a desperate resistance. Tang Shedu, however, appeared relaxed and carefree, even occasionally having the leisure to look up and observe.

Catching Yu Muxian's gaze, Tang Shedu realized he could no longer delay. His halberd hung inverted, gleaming with white light. Xiao Yongling's face before him gradually changed. Tang Shedu gave him a cold glance. The halberd, which had always been used for sweeping and thrusting, was finally raised high, and a dazzling, brilliant glow rose from it.

"Enough playing around!"

Tang Shedu's armor gleamed dazzlingly. Xiao Yongling, however, suddenly raised his head, neither dodging nor raising his sword to defend. He circulated his magical power and pressed the jade hook hidden in his sleeve.

A verdant radiance rose, forming a barrier. At the same time, the buzzing in Yu Muxian's ears intensified. Tu Longjian had already smashed apart all eight magical artifacts and swung his hammer directly at Yu Muxian's face.

An alarm blared in his heart, and he finally flicked his sleeve, throwing something out.

“Go, Cloud!”

This item left only a faint white light in the air before vanishing. In contrast, Tu Longjian across from him let out a muffled grunt. The bright flames on his golden hammer extinguished instantly, and the hammer flew out of his hand.

"Pffft!"

Tu Longjian's face paled, and he retreated dozens of yards. Only then did the sound of a blade entering flesh reach from the air. He swallowed the blood in his mouth, and with a movement of his spiritual consciousness, he saw clearly.

Before Yu Muxian, a short sword was floating. It appeared ordinary, shaped like a small rhombus, with two patterns carved on its hilt, gently hovering in the air.

He gasped slightly, but Yu Muxian opposite him hurriedly recalled the golden ring. The Zhigge Golden Ring reluctantly retreated a mere two inches, yet a series of roars suddenly erupted.

"Boom..."

Yu Muxian's face turned slightly pale. The six round shields around him emitted a series of crisp cracking sounds. Golden qi penetrated these six magical artifacts, clanging against his feather robes with a ringing sound.

He had just relaxed, but blood dripped from his chin, and his hands twitched nervously. Yet his spells and artifacts were all preoccupied, unable to return to aid him. His heart was finally filled with great horror, and a thought drifted through his mind:

“How could this be…”

“I miscalculated! This Grotto-heaven has a lower realm!”

In an instant, the weapons in everyone's hands hummed in unison. The sea of clouds receded like an ebbing tide. The East Feather Mountain, which Xiao Yongling had suppressed in the air, instantly turned to ashes and smoke. The Conjoined Flames dispersed, and the golden ring pulsed.

"Buzz..."

Everyone felt a sharp pain in their ears, and blood flowed from them. They saw a heaven-piercing golden light rising from beneath the sea of clouds.

"Buzzing..."

By the time this golden light appeared in their field of vision, it had already reached the sky, fading into the boundless night. Everyone in the Grotto-heaven looked up in shock at the light.

Yu Muxian stood quietly in the air, several talismans incinerated to ash appearing beside him, slowly falling like dust.

Five or six shields formed by magical arts stood before him, all riddled with cracks, each bearing a round hole. Only now, as if suddenly reacting, they slowly transformed into white streams of light and dispersed.

Yu Muxian's feather robes fluttered down like willow catkins, revealing his thin inner garment. A circular hole had appeared on his chest, where the golden light had passed through his abdomen and exited from behind his neck.

There was no trace of blood in the hole; the starry night sky behind him was clearly visible. His high-bridged nose, handsome face, and even his slender body were covered in countless small and large holes, densely gaping open like tiny infant mouths. Faint array patterns appeared on his exposed skin.

"Junior Brother!!"

Tang Shedu let out a hoarse roar. He had just taken a step back when Xiao Yongling's protective verdant radiance, which had just been dispelled, suddenly surged, turning from defense to offense, assailing him from head to toe.

The golden light was mighty and dazzling, making everyone feel as if their faces were being cut by knives and their six senses failed. Tu Longjian paused slightly, but Yu Muxian abruptly stopped, and a white light suddenly rose from his body.

Yu Muxian suddenly opened his eyes. His pupils had split into four petals, and bloody tears finally flowed from them. An array pattern lit up between his eyebrows, and he curled the corner of his mouth into a slight smile.

His usual caution and years of reclusive living, treating Yuanwu as his imagined enemy, had saved his life. He had placed dozens of Foundation Establishment talismans on his chest, meticulously outlining array patterns over the years, solely to withstand that one attack during a life-or-death escape.

He hadn't expected this attack not to be spent on Yuanwu, yet it still saved his life in a crisis. In that instant, dozens of talismans accumulated over years activated simultaneously, which then constrained and weakened the golden ray, preserving his life.

At this moment, the pain in his body was extraordinarily intense. However, he was accustomed to having blades and swords traverse his meridians daily, so he didn't feel much hindrance. Furthermore, with the enhancement of a jade buckle, he swiftly consumed several precious medicines. He lowered his blood-stained eyes, staring coldly at everyone.

Yu Muxian's body slowly coalesced and healed like mud. His four-petaled eyes gradually closed. Streaks of flowing light ascended from his Ascendant Yang Mansion, and four talismans flew out from his sleeve, forming a light barrier that enveloped him.

His magical power was mixed with vital blood. Although he appeared unaffected on the surface, he was as fragile as a porcelain doll. Tang Shedu, clad in golden armor and with a face full of vexation, was already standing before him, halberd held horizontally.

Yu Muxian, far from showing any gratitude, spoke with a cold voice:

“Elder Brother, have you had enough fun? If I were to die here, you would see how Master torments you.”

Tang Shedu, who was usually incredibly overbearing outside, was so startled by these words that his face was covered in cold sweat. He frantically pulled out several talismans from his storage bag and handed them to his junior brother, Yu Muxian. White patterns appeared on his face as he watched the figures ahead with grave seriousness.

"Buzzing..."

Several golden rays pierced through the air but were all restrained within the Zhigge ring, emitting a clanging sound that was particularly jarring amidst the stalemate.

Xiao Yongling's face was pale; he was the weakest among them, having sustained considerable injuries to stall Tang Shedu. Tu Longjian's expression was somewhat grim as he silently clutched a wound on his abdomen, seemingly deliberating something.

Yu Muxian briefly scanned, knowing the crisis had passed. Yet, being cautious, even with several Foundation Establishment magical shields protecting him, he still manipulated the talismans, summoning a wisp of magical power, preparing to use them. But then he suddenly froze.

Just three feet from his side, the clouds and mist suddenly dispersed, revealing a middle-aged man standing quietly. His sword was pressed against his chest, emanating a pale blue light so dense it seemed about to drip.

His roar was just forming in his throat when the middle-aged man suddenly drew his sword.

A gentle breeze swept through the heavens and earth. The precious sword at Xiao Yongling's waist clattered and vibrated with intense excitement, as if it were about to leap out at any moment.

On the peaks of the Grotto-heaven, in the clouds, and within the great halls, the Qingfeng swords at the waists of various cultivators all trembled, clanging as if to leap from their scabbards. They thoughtfully raised their heads:

Within the Grotto-heaven, the stars dimmed, and a pale blue crescent moon rose from amidst layers of light gray clouds.