Chapter 727: Drinking to Death

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Guan Gongxiao's Du Xiandao was originally a lineage from the Eastern Sea. He had read more demonic cultivation techniques than the Li family had ever seen. The "Sixty-Year Soul-Refining Halberd Art" practiced by Li Zhouwei was originally a technique from the Liang Dynasty; to call it a demonic art wouldn't be far off the mark.

However, just as this thought crossed his mind, dark flames rained down before him, and the Great Ascent Halberd suddenly thrust forward. Although the celestial light on the halberd was blocked by his small mirror artifact, the surging dark shadows clearly indicated it would not be easy to deal with. He hurriedly formed hand seals, releasing a burst of white light.

This white light was called "Evening White Dispersing Essence," specifically designed to counter cultivators skilled in artifact combat. It could neutralize sharp energies and push away artifacts. Guan Gongxiao had always found this technique effective in his usual fights, and it had previously helped him resist the halberd.

But as soon as the white light was released, blocking the halberd, a burst of dark flames immediately rose from the halberd. The white light withered like a deflating balloon, and not only did the Great Ascent Halberd pierce forward, the celestial light on the halberd also broke free from the mirror artifact's binding range, shining brilliantly.

“Clang!”

Caught off guard, Guan Gongxiao pulled the scripture in front of him closer. Its pages flipped by themselves, rustling as they spewed out clear energy, barely holding back the halberd. Guan Kan and Gongsun Baifan broke out in a cold sweat and rushed to assist.

Having finally seized the initiative, Li Zhouwei wouldn't easily relinquish it. He fully activated the Yang-Departure Scarlet Sparrow Flag, unleashing five types of Departure Fire, which, combined with the celestial light emerging from the Heavenly Gate, held Guan Kan back.

Meanwhile, Gongsun Baifan, who specialized in saber techniques, had just taken a step forward when a dark-shadowed halberd ripped through the air and struck his saber. The saber-wielding man in the straw cloak instantly parried over a dozen blows. He glanced up to see that the man shrouded in dark shadows had already pressed Guan Gongxiao, whose face was flushed red, to the point of nearly falling from mid-air with a single halberd strike.

Gongsun Baifan was almost at the peak achievable for a grassroots rogue cultivator. Ordinary clan cultivators in the Foundation Establishment realm were no match for him. However, he still suffered from the common ailments of rogue cultivators: a lack of knowledge in sophisticated techniques and a shallow cultivation base. He had climbed up solely relying on a single saber technique. He could hold his own against anyone, but he lacked any means to break out of a disadvantageous situation.

Perhaps if he served as a guest elder in Du Xiandao for fifty or sixty years, he could undergo a complete transformation and soar like a great roc. But for now, he was still just a rogue cultivator.

Seeing the situation on the field, Gongsun Baifan knew that even if he wasn't severely punished upon returning, he would still be thoroughly scolded. If something happened to Guan Gongxiao, it would be even worse! Guan Kan naturally wouldn't care, but what reliance did Gongsun Baifan have?! He had to fight with all his might now!

Without hesitation, he slapped his storage bag. Three bright red pills immediately flew out from it, dropping into his mouth. He bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of vital blood onto his saber. Immediately, streaks of runes lit up.

In that brief moment, Li Zhouwei narrowed his eyes and chuckled:

“So, it's an auxiliary artifact!”

Guan Gongxiao had always displayed this scripture publicly, and whenever anyone fought him, they would naturally be wary of this trump card. But Li Zhouwei, catching him off guard, had forced him to a desperate situation with a single halberd strike, only then revealing that the scripture was merely an artifact for assisting spellcasting and releasing water domains!

‘That black bell is his most proficient artifact! It was suppressed at the pass long ago!’

He flipped and thrust his halberd, already breaking through the scripture's protection and driving straight in. Celestial light surged on the Great Ascent Halberd, causing flames to rise from Guan Gongxiao's face, sizzling.

‘Not good!’

Guan Kan, surprisingly, was the most surprised one. The old man clearly hadn't expected that his sect's young master, on whom so much hope was placed, would actually have his life endangered by a single halberd strike. He had still been observing while casting spells, but now, horrified, his eyes turned sharp, and he immediately began to condense a spell in his mouth.

“Buzz!”

At this critical moment, a white halo sprang forth from Guan Gongxiao's body. The runes on his chest lit up, driving away all the celestial light and flames from his face. With a clang, it simultaneously blocked the Great Ascent Halberd.

Li Zhouwei was not surprised in the slightest. After all, how could someone of Guan Gongxiao's status not possess some life-saving artifacts or protective items? Let alone Guan Gongxiao, even Li Zhouwei himself had three such life-saving items!

However, he would not let his efforts be in vain. His halberd slid upward, clanging and jamming onto the mirror artifact with lightning speed. Although Guan Gongxiao was unharmed due to the talisman, his qi and blood surged, leaving him no chance to react.

The artifact struggled twice, then was pulled back by the Great Ascent Halberd, knocked over with a single thrust, and landed beneath the Heavenly Gate, firmly suppressed. Li Zhouwei had no time to press his advantage. As his halberd turned, Gongsun Baifan had already broken through the entangled dark shadows and was charging fiercely!

With a resounding clang, Li Zhouwei stepped back, slightly surprised. He knew the man before him was fighting with all his might. The Great Ascent Halberd directly parried the long saber, as two dark shadows swirled around. The halberd pulled back, forcing from the side. Gongsun Baifan, having taken the pills, was utterly fearless. Three shadowy water dragons surged from behind him, blocking the dark shadows on both sides as he shouted:

“Elder!”

Guan Kan, alerted by his call, knew this was a perfect opportunity. The spell he had accumulated for a long time burst forth from his mouth, transforming into refined Kan Water in mid-air, which then moved toward Li Zhouwei. However, he saw celestial light surge from Li Zhouwei's brow, and Gongsun Baifan's hair stood on end. This person's "Upper Luminous Subjugating Light" didn't block the refined Kan Water; instead, it came straight for his own face!

“He!”

Gongsun Baifan fought desperately to avoid being condemned by Ye Gui's cold gaze, not to sacrifice his life! He immediately retreated, lifting his long saber. Li Zhouwei's Great Ascent Halberd, however, naturally and purposefully withdrew, heading straight to block the refined Kan Water...

“Why go to such unnecessary trouble?”

Gongsun Baifan's long saber was struck by the Upper Luminous Subjugating Light, and he felt a tremendous force. Had he not been proficient in saber techniques and exceptionally skilled in defense, he would have collapsed from that blow. The entire back of his saber instantly became hot, almost making him vomit blood. Yet, he felt confused.

But the next moment, Gongsun Baifan and Guan Kan immediately understood.

They watched as the refined Kan Water struck Li Zhouwei's halberd, shrouded in dark flames. Immediately, white mist surged, splitting into several streams that spread out, retreating a few steps, then dispersed further, sluggishly spreading southwards. Guan Kan's long-accumulated spell shattered into dust, as if white snow had melted under a scorching sun.

“What is this phenomenon?!”

Gongsun Baifan stared in dumbfounded amazement, while Guan Kan's face drastically changed. Guan Gongxiao, the young master, finally caught his breath and shouted:

“Those dark flames are a Profound Qi technique of the Great Liang Dynasty!”

Guan Kan instantly understood. Looking at Li Zhouwei, who was engulfed in surging dark flames, he immediately felt a sense of dread.

‘Profound Qi can transform Kan (Water) and dissipate Li (Fire), and after the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang, it can also subdue and weaken… This will be difficult to deal with now!’

Li Zhouwei was also surprised by the power of this halberd strike. The "Sixty-Year Soul-Refining Halberd Art" he practiced contained a hidden power to break spells. That was why he had been able to catch Guan Gongxiao off guard and force out his trump card earlier. Now, he immediately realized:

‘I originally intended to use the spell-breaking power of this technique set, but Profound Qi can even break Kan Water! Excellent, excellent!’

Having gained such a significant advantage, he immediately pulled back his halberd and turned it around, disregarding the red light Guan Gongxiao urgently spewed forth to relieve the situation, and thrust it toward Gongsun Baifan.

Everyone on the field understood, but Gongsun Baifan alone remained bewildered. He only knew that Guan Kan's spell had inexplicably shattered. Before his astonishment could subside, he saw the Great Ascent Halberd thrusting toward him, and his emotion turned to horror.

But Li Zhouwei held on relentlessly. The Upper Luminous Subjugating Light from his brow grew stronger, condensing into a tangible white light pillar that locked him in place. If Gongsun Baifan were to withdraw his saber and flee, his head would surely be blown apart.

With a muffled thud, Gongsun Baifan's Qi Refining-level, self-made straw cloak emitted a ripping sound like tearing cloth. He spat out a mouthful of blood that immediately vaporized in mid-air. The three water dragons were simultaneously severed by a single halberd strike, and then extinguished by the celestial light. Gongsun Baifan plummeted like a bird with broken wings.

Rising dark flames leaped from his body. Guan Kan's eyelids twitched as he watched:

‘This saber user cultivates the Jing Dragon King path, which is also of the Kan Water lineage. With that one halberd strike... he's in for it!’

Li Zhouwei forcefully struck down this person, but could no longer evade Guan Gongxiao's spell. His two arms below the ribs extended their halberds, slightly blocking the red light. He took the full force of the spell, letting out a muffled grunt. His scales rippled all over his body, and he turned around, pulling his blood-stained halberd back. With a sweeping glance, Guan Kan felt a chill run down his spine:

“He's coming for me!”

Gongsun Baifan on the ground was as good as dead. Since Li Zhouwei knew that his "Sixty-Year Soul-Refining Halberd Art" countered Kan Water, he naturally chose to press his advantage against the weak, advancing with celestial light, despite his internal injuries. Frightened, Guan Kan quickly discarded the Yang-Departure Scarlet Sparrow Flag, which had been flickering erratically in mid-air from the blows, and with a flick of his sleeve, unleashed several shadows.

As these shadows shifted before him, Li Zhouwei didn't even glance at them. His Great Vein Golden Eyes activated, seeing through them instantly. He took a step through the void, closing the distance.

At this critical juncture, Guan Gongxiao, rushing with all his might, finally arrived nearby. His gray water-transformed body emerged within the water currents condensed by Guan Kan. He took out a copper coin and flicked it gently.

“Geng Metal holds sway, protect my body!”

A large golden shield immediately appeared in the air. It took a strike from the surging dark-flame halberd, emitting a tremendous roar. Its light dimmed instantly, but the two men stood firm.

Seeing him pull out a Golden Virtue artifact, Li Zhouwei immediately activated the Yang-Departure Scarlet Sparrow Flag, unleashing Departure Fire to refine the metal with fire. Meanwhile, his halberd swept across, dispelling spells. These two direct descendants of Du Xiandao were now in a difficult predicament.

There was no other reason: both their artifacts were suppressed by the Bright Pass Heavenly Gate, unable to move. Furthermore, Li Zhouwei's halberd light possessed the power to break spells. Guan Gongxiao was somewhat better off, but Guan Kan was in even greater distress and suffering.

After only a dozen exchanges, the two men were unable to advance or retreat. The Golden Virtue artifact was already sizzling, turning bright red from the heat, clearly on the verge of breaking. Guan Gongxiao finally gritted his teeth and said:

“This demonic rogue specifically prepared Profound Qi techniques to target our sect. Gongsun Baifan's incompetence led us to this situation. What should we do now?”

Du Xiandao's power far surpassed that of the Li clan. Even without Elder Guan Kan on the field, they still held a significant advantage. Guan Gongxiao only wanted to hold back Li Zhouwei, confident that his side would have the last laugh… He absolutely did not want to summon more people!

Guan Kan heard his words and understood what the young master Guan Gongxiao meant. Matters requiring desperate measures naturally fell to him, the elder, and absolutely not to Guan Gongxiao. So he said in a weary voice:

“Young Master, rest assured, this old man still has some strength left.”

The old man took out several talismans from his sleeve, and stuck them on his ribs and cheeks. He bit his tongue, spitting vital blood into his palm. Li Zhouwei had already scorched the golden shield, and now looked on with golden eyes.

These aged elders possessed their own unique methods. Like Yu Yuwei and Jiang Huzi, with little lifespan left, they had no qualms about expending their essence or whether they might achieve the Purple Mansion realm; they should not be underestimated. He immediately moved his halberd, thrusting it towards the spell forming in the elder's hand.

Guan Gongxiao's scripture flipped, and the Southern Sorrowful Water circulated. Several spells were unleashed with full power, hoping only to block the dark flames for a little longer, causing spiritual energy to surge. Guan Kan, only spurting out refined Kan Water, shouted:

“Kan Gold Four-Directional Water Ropes, entangle!”

From his sleeves, several light gray water ropes burst forth. Soft and winding, they leaped onto the halberd's shaft with extreme speed, coiling around Li Zhouwei's arms. Li Zhouwei spun his halberd, dispersing the water ropes, but they immediately reformed. Though their light dimmed slightly, they quickly recovered under the opponent's full spiritual energy.

“Not merely a Kan Water technique…”

In just one breath, Guan Kan's expression turned grim. Under his desperate spiritual energy input, the water ropes were both agile and tenacious, firmly coiling around the Great Ascent Halberd. Guan Gongxiao was overjoyed at this sight, as his spell finally found its use. He slightly condensed it and struck toward Li Zhouwei's back.

“Clang!”

Li Zhouwei immediately struggled fiercely. Guan Kan's face turned ashen. This blow, after all, had solidly landed on his back, causing Li Zhouwei to falter. The water ropes immediately moved up with the halberd, first coiling around his two arms below the ribs.

For a moment, the scene was quite spectacular. The old man, expending almost all his vital essence, used all his strength to entangle the fierce young man engulfed in dark flames. Beside them, the young master in his Daoist robe condensed spells, suppressing the fierce flames.

Du Xiandao's spells were not only immensely powerful, but also excruciatingly painful when they landed. In just a few exchanges, Li Zhouwei's momentum waned. Guan Kan, meanwhile, had grown visibly thinner.

Guan Gongxiao found Li Zhouwei's armor terrifyingly hard. He changed his target to his face. Although Li Zhouwei's magical robes could protect his entire body, his face was less covered. The blows caused his temple to crack open, revealing white bone. The old man cried out:

“Just force his immortal foundation to rally!”

If they dragged this on any longer, Guan Kan would die first!

Their goal should not have been to kill Li Zhouwei at all, but to hold him back. As long as the "Kan Gold Encirclement Chain" and the "Du Dao Bell" artifacts were released, holding back Li Zhouwei would be no problem!

But as the old man spoke, his aura slightly loosened. Li Zhouwei, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly erupted. Both arms exerted force simultaneously, and the water ropes instantly tightened. Guan Kan subconsciously tried to pull them, but Li Zhouwei pulled and loosened, then suddenly lunged forward.

‘Not good!’

With this lunge, he not only dodged Guan Gongxiao's red light, but Li Zhouwei also appeared before Guan Kan in a single step. The old man saw a face of stark white bone and intertwined blood instantly expand before his eyes. Reacting with astonishing speed, he immediately pushed out two water shields, blocking Li Zhouwei's hands.

In an instant, all movements seemed to slow down. He watched with wide eyes as countless shimmering white scales emerged from Li Zhouwei's neck. His golden pupils were streaked with blood from the extreme pain. His two hands pressed against the shields, emitting a grinding sound.

A lingering thought surfaced in Guan Kan's mind:

“Is Li Zhouwei truly the reincarnation of a White Qilin?!”

The next instant, Li Zhouwei's stark white teeth bared, and he let out a violent roar, like a beast:

“ROAR!”

Guan Kan didn't have time to close his eyes. The skin on his face tore apart and flew off in shreds, rapidly disappearing. Veins, blood, and cartilage all detached from his face one by one. All the flesh on the old man's entire head instantly separated from his facial bones, flying in all directions.

Only a lone white skull remained on his neck.

Only at this moment did a white light shield spring up from his body. Guan Gongxiao, standing nearby, was so shaken by the roar that blood spurted from both his ears. He glanced and saw the skull under the shimmering shield, and finally, abandoning all pretense, shrieked:

“Quickly, send reinforcements!”

The original domain name has been compromised; please remember the new domain name.