Chapter 1191: The Death of Lu Yang

High in the sky, master and disciple held their breath, swords drawn, facing each other. Their powerful aura silenced the world around them. As the two strongest sword cultivators of their generation, their duel would involve thousands of exchanges in a flash, with victory or defeat decided by the slightest lapse in concentration.

After the Eldest Disciple Sister finished speaking, Daoist Buyu looked at Lu Yang with satisfaction, realizing his young apprentice had grown so much without him knowing. "Very well," he thought, "it's time to let go."

"I've thought it over carefully," Daoist Buyu began, "since I've never conceded defeat in my life, perhaps I should try the taste of it. I've decided, I concede..."

*Whoosh*—

A sharp sword qi surged towards him, forcing Daoist Buyu to raise his spiritual energy to defend. Before he could speak again, Lu Yang instantly appeared in front of him.

*Clang*—

Their eyes met, their swords clashed, and the heavens and earth trembled!

"Master, what did you just say? I didn't quite catch it. Were you saying you're sure you'll win? I thought so too, Master, you'll win..."

"Good disciple, your master is old now, I can't beat you!" Daoist Buyu, who had been holding his sword with one hand, suddenly gripped the hilt with both, exerting immense force to push Lu Yang onto the defensive, cutting him off mid-sentence. Then, he exerted even more force. Lu Yang felt as if he wasn't facing a person, but an endless mountain range, impossibly heavy. Every time he tried to speak, he felt his master's strength increase, interrupting him!

The Chengying Sword and the Seven Star Sword Array flew out from the Qingfeng Sword's minor world, forming the Immortal-Slaying Sword Array, which enveloped Lu Yang from above. Daoist Buyu was wary. He had heard that this was a trophy Xiao Zhi had obtained from Emperor Yu Wu Yao, and that this Immortal-Slaying Sword Array could even be traced back to the Qilin Immortal! This alone showed the immense power of this sword array!

With the Immortal-Slaying Sword Array hovering above him, Lu Yang felt his body lose control and he dropped to his knees with a remarkably standard posture.

"Your disciple is, after all, inferior to Mast—"

"Sword Cleaves Heavenly Gate!" Daoist Buyu roared, his sharp sword gleaming with brilliance like a rainbow and piercing coldness like ice. He thrust it skyward, causing the Immortal-Slaying Sword Array to dissipate. Lu Yang then plunged like a meteor shower, straight into the ground, creating a bottomless crater.

Daoist Buyu coughed up a mouthful of blood, propping himself up with one hand on the ground while clutching his chest with the other, trembling like a sieve. "Although 'Sword Cleaves Heavenly Gate' is my ultimate technique, its cost is immense. I no longer have the strength to..."

Along with a dragon's roar, the ground trembled. Lu Yang used Ground Shrinkage to appear beneath Daoist Buyu's feet, his sword qi transforming into a dragon that carried Daoist Buyu soaring into the sky. Daoist Buyu's body quivered, shattering the dragon-shaped sword qi, and he returned to the ground.

Both realized that a direct concession was impossible; they would always be interrupted. The only way to concede was to defeat the other, rendering them speechless. If that was the case, it would be simple.

"Let's decide it with one move!"

"I was just thinking the same!"

"Sword Cleaves Heavenly Gate!"

"Immortal Sword Art!"

Both accumulated power, their auras simultaneously reaching their peak as they unleashed their strongest sword techniques! The majestic sword arts illuminated the night as if it were day, and the entire Asked Dao Sect could feel the clash of their two sword qis! Space vibrated, and dust flew everywhere.

Lu Yang, unable to withstand Daoist Buyu's attack, was sent flying backward as if completely drained of strength. He crashed through two mountains and became embedded in the cliff face of a third. Seeing Lu Yang motionless, Daoist Buyu proudly flew over to gloat.

"Good disciple, you are, after all, inferior to..."

Just as Daoist Buyu was about to concede, his expression suddenly changed. Lu Yang, still stuck in the cliff, was rapidly losing his aura! "What's wrong with you?!"

Lu Yang, barely alive, raised his hand, trying to reach out to Daoist Buyu, but he was too weak to move. "Master is master, after all... This disciple's skills are inferior... I die without regrets..."

Daoist Buyu frantically poured spiritual energy into Lu Yang's body, but Lu Yang was like a deflating balloon; whatever was poured in immediately drained away. Those who had been eating and watching the duel rushed over to check the situation. Seeing the scene, they all fell silent.

"Xiao Zhi, quickly save him!" Daoist Buyu exclaimed anxiously.

Yun Zhi shook her head helplessly; even she couldn't reverse such a situation. Immortal Fairy Undying flew out from Lu Yang's body and wailed loudly, clinging to his chest. "Xiao Yangzi, how could you just die like this—" "It's all this immortal's fault for not protecting you!" "How can this immortal live without you!" She wept profusely, her eyes blurred with tears, moving all who heard her.

The entire scene was deathly silent, save for Immortal Fairy Undying's cries. The master and disciple had fought fiercely over the position of sect leader, and it ended with Daoist Buyu slaying his young apprentice. A struggle for power, infighting among family, a tragedy of the mortal world — nothing could be more heartbreaking.

"Oh, right! This immortal can give you the prototype of an Undying Dao Fruit!"

"...That won't be necessary." Lu Yang used his last ounce of strength to stop Immortal Fairy Undying from reviving him. He stammered out his final instructions: "Master... before dying, your disciple has no other wish... just that you be a good sect leader... and lead our sect to glory..." "Eldest Disciple Sister is quite tired... don't let her continue as acting sect leader..."

"Yes, yes, I promise, your master promises you everything!" Daoist Buyu said quickly, holding Lu Yang's gradually chilling hand. Hearing this, Lu Yang seemed to be relieved of a burden. His body went cold, his wrist dropped limply, and he died with a smile.

He had no breath, clearly dead. Daoist Buyu fell silent.

"Wait, no, Master, since you've agreed, I don't need to pretend to be dead anymore." Lu Yang, who had been playing dead along with the solemn atmosphere, suddenly realized something was wrong. His master had won, so why was he still pretending?

"He's back from the dead?!" Daoist Buyu quickly pushed Lu Yang back down. "Your master will fulfill all your dying wishes. Rest in peace, good disciple."

Lu Yang pushed against Daoist Buyu's hand and got up, with Daoist Buyu unable to keep him down. "I'm really still alive," he said. They looked at each other. Daoist Buyu asked uncertainly, "Playing dead?"

"Playing dead."

They fell silent again, then Daoist Buyu drew his sword and slashed. "You rascal, how dare you trick me!"

Lu Yang flipped over to dodge the lethal strike. "Master, you're the one who taught me to outwit and outmaneuver in battle!"

"I never taught you to outwit *me*! I'll chop you to pieces, you wicked disciple!"

"Heavenly Law!" Lu Yang transformed into an ethereal energy being, causing Daoist Buyu's sword strike to miss.

"Don't you dare dodge!"

"Don't you dare slash!"

The two ran circles around the bewildered onlookers, bickering for a long time until they finally ran out of strength and settled down.

Daoist Buyu stopped, pointed at Lu Yang, and burst into laughter. "Alright, you little scamp, you're even more devious than me!" He shook his head. "I always said you didn't even need my teaching! I couldn't teach someone to be this way." He then declared, "So, as we discussed earlier, I'll still be the sect leader!"

Seeing his master laugh, Lu Yang couldn't help but laugh too. The laughter of master and disciple echoed through the mountains.

"Then all sect affairs will be entrusted to Master's care," Yun Zhi said from the side.

Daoist Buyu immediately stopped laughing.