Fierce Battle, Slaying Zhao Beichen in Fury!

Han Tiange's pupils contracted slightly, and his origin energy domain instantly unfolded beneath his feet. A terrifying pressure raged across the heavens as he faced the old man without the slightest fear. He then turned toward Lu Kangnian, who stood where he was, and sneered, "Don't worry, I have prepared plenty of great gifts for your Great Xia Sword Sect!" "Come forth!" *Hum!* Beside Han Tiange, a white-browed elder suddenly appeared. The old man wore a purple robe, had triangular eyes, and sported a goatee. Lu Kangnian's pupils quivered at the sight of him, and he murmured in disbelief, "Guan Youzi!" Even Ling Daoyan narrowed his eyes at the white-browed elder. In a mercilessly mocking tone, he said, "To think that Guan Youzi, a dignified rogue cultivator of the Northern Region, has been reduced to someone's lapdog now?" The purple-robed elder looked down at the Ziyang Palace robe he wore. Tucking his hands into his sleeves, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepened as he chuckled softly. "It can't be helped. I didn't want to either. "But they really... offered too much. "How about this? I've heard all about the matter. Why don't I act as mediator and propose a compromise? "Hand over that little blind brat, and I'll put in a word on my end. We can just let this whole matter drop." At those words, the onlookers watching from afar were taken aback. This white-browed old man was no nobody. For a rogue cultivator to reach the Soul Formation Realm in the Northern Region, who wouldn't treat him with utmost respect upon seeing him? In the cultivation world, nothing was more troublesome than a rogue cultivator with nothing to lose, fearing neither heaven nor earth. Countless people had hunted him over the years, yet he remained alive and kicking. Yet the way the old man spoke gave everyone the illusion that Ziyang Palace was backing down. Still, it seemed reasonable. Compared to Ziyang Palace, Great Xia Sword Sect was more like the one with nothing to lose. If they won, they gained immensely; if they lost, they had little left to lose. Ziyang Palace, on the other hand, could not bear the slightest consequence of defeat. Guan Youzi's appearance as a middle Soul Formation cultivator immediately escalated the tension. Originally, Great Xia Sword Sect relied on the advantage of having two Soul Formation cultivators to stand fearless against Ziyang Palace. Even though Ziyang Palace had numerous Nascent Soul elders, they ultimately could not withstand the lethality of a Soul Formation cultivator. Yet now... Beneath the barrier, the disciples of Great Xia Sword Sect tightened their grips on their swords, their burning gazes fixed on the back of the figure in the sky. For that was their Sect Master. At that moment, Lu Kangnian looked back at the youth carrying a sword casket among the crowd. Feeling Lu Kangnian's gaze, Li Guanqi lowered his head, a wry smile surfacing at the corner of his lips... Shifting his feet, he was even prepared to step forward himself. Just then, the sword spirit's voice sounded in his mind: "It's quite simple, really. Just go out there and let those two idiots kill you." Li Guanqi paid no heed to the sword spirit's advice. Taking a deep breath, he was just about to speak when he heard the man in the sky grin. Turning and pointing his sword forward, Lu Kangnian said in a deep voice: "If I hand him over today, I might as well have buried my head between my crotch to hide my face from the start! "Enough of your nonsense!!" *Boom!* The man took a fierce step forward, and boundless earth-element origin energy erupted from his body! "Disciples of the Great Xia Sword Sect, hear my command! "Kill!!!" *Boom!* *Roar!* In an instant, every single disciple of Great Xia Sword Sect soared into the air! Ling Daoyan charged straight at Han Tiange, while Lu Kangnian clashed directly with Guan Youzi. A great battle concerning the sect's very survival erupted in an instant! In an instant, various spells and streaks of light exploded across the sky, arcs of colorful radiance colliding in midair. Li Guanqi stood stunned where he was, surrounded by the roaring whoosh of his fellow disciples flying through the air. At this moment, Li Guanqi felt as if a fire were blazing in his chest! His blood seemed to boil, yet his consciousness was clearer than ever before! Within his mind's eye, countless sword-riding figures swept into the sky, clashing fiercely with the purple-robed figures. Amidst the crowd, Li Guanqi suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure. In that instant, the killing intent in his heart peaked! "Zhao Beichen!!" The sword casket on his back trembled slightly, the Red Lotus sword instinctively yearning to burst free! *Clang!* A sword cry echoed across the sky. The sword coffin snapped open, and trailing a streak of crimson light, Red Lotus swept through an arc in the air before landing straight into Li Guanqi's grasp! *Boom!* Purple arcs of thunder wrapped around the blade. Light flashed beneath Li Guanqi's feet. Like a primordial beast, his figure leaped past the crowd, charging straight for Zhao Beichen! Holding his sword, Zhao Beichen stood in place with an even gloomier expression. After awakening, he had been unable to accept his defeat at Li Guanqi's hands. Thus, defying the objections of his sect, he had shown up here today. *Boom!* Golden light flared, and Zhao Beichen surged toward Li Guanqi like a golden bolt of lightning! *Clang!* Two blindingly fast sword lights collided instantly! Li Guanqi and Zhao Beichen were less than a palm's span apart! Swords crossed, their eyes locked! Zhao Beichen said nothing, his heart filled only with boundless killing intent. And Li Guanqi felt the exact same! In an instant, their sword light erupted, forcing both back more than ten zhang before they lunged at each other once more! *Swish! Swish! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!* *Ding! Ding! Clang! Clang!* Li Guanqi's left-handed swordsmanship reached its absolute peak! Ten strikes in a single breath! His entire left arm swelled from the rush of blood, its terrifying power and sword speed instantly overwhelming Zhao Beichen! As origin energy roared within his dantian, it seemed to vent the fury raging in his chest! In a flash, Li Guanqi's sword light rained down upon Zhao Beichen like a torrential storm. Talented and monstrous though Zhao Beichen was, even as he fought desperately to parry such horrifying speed, countless bloody slashes broke across his body. Suddenly, a cold gleam flashed across Li Guanqi's face. Slashing out with his sword, he roared: "Soul Release! Red Lotus!!" *Boom!* In an instant, the blade turned a deep crimson, and the black along the spine crept outward until it covered the entire sword. The entire weapon now radiated an eerie, demonic crimson hue! *Boom!* Violent lightning spiritual energy churned the atmospheric origin energy within a radius of ten zhang around them into utter chaos. With killing intent surging in his heart, Li Guanqi's sword momentum suddenly shifted! In its Soul Release state, the Red Lotus sword was steeped in slaughterous aura. Its simplest and most direct trait was boosting the sword's sheer lethal power! "Ziwei Demon-Cleansing Sword!!" Holding nothing back, Li Guanqi opened instantly with the Rushing Thunder Sword-Drawing Stance! *Slash!* As the sword light flashed, Zhao Beichen's chest tightened violently, a chill shooting straight to the crown of his head! Almost on instinct, he forcefully arrested his momentum and took half a step back! *Swish!* The sword light sliced past! This strike nearly sheared Zhao Beichen's arm clean off. Yet the moment he stepped back, Zhao Beichen's expression changed drastically! For the face he could never forget even in his dreams was right behind him; he could even feel Li Guanqi's breath against his ear! With his left hand, Zhao Beichen violently crushed the jade ring on his index finger. *Bang!* The crimson sword light wrapped in thunder crashed abruptly into an icy-blue light barrier. *Bang! Crack!* The barrier shattered. Reeling backward, Zhao Beichen suddenly saw an incomparably profound sword technique driving straight at him! And these were none other than the final three strikes of the Ziwei Demon-Cleansing Sword! All the preceding sword momentum converged into these three blows! In Zhao Beichen's eyes, those ghastly white eyes grew larger and larger. Like the eyes of a beast craving prey, they were filled with bloodlust and killing intent! Gathering the greatest strength in his body, he unleashed a slash in an instant! Golden light flashed, and a violent golden sword light surged forth. Yet no sooner had that sword light appeared than a purple sword light, swift as lightning, flashed across the air! "This strike... cleanses demons!" *Spurt!* The world before Zhao Beichen's eyes gradually blurred, everything spinning rapidly. He saw his own body... *I... lost... again.* *Such... a fast... sword... So strong!* Li Guanqi stood where he was. Blood flowed from the sword wound on his chest, scalding hot, yet not as fiery as the flame burning in his heart.