Do You Want Me to Step In?

As Fang Yishan was now, if Cao Yan or Ye Feng were caught alone, neither would likely last ten exchanges against him! Cao Yan's eyes narrowed, his figure violently retreating dozens of zhang! He bit his finger until it bled, using the blood to swiftly sketch something in his palm. Seeing this, Ye Feng and Li Guanqi surged toward Fang Yishan in unison! A vast power of fire welled up within Cao Yan, and as primal energy surged, his hands rapidly wove several hand seals! His eyes wide with rage, Cao Yan roared furiously, "Spirit Incantation! One hundred eighty-eight! Sacrifice: Flame Guardian!!" Boom! In an instant, a flaming golem over twenty zhang tall condensed into existence! Clad in blazing armor, the Flame Guardian radiated an aura comparable to a mid Core Formation cultivator! Cao Yan pressed his palms together, controlling the Flame Guardian to abruptly raise a fist and smash it toward Fang Yishan. Bang! Under that terrifying force, this single fist punch broke clean through the Wind Thunder Wings protecting Fang Yishan! As the fist blazing with searing flames punched through the wings, Fang Yishan's face fell, and he instantly withdrew his sword to defend. Yet that fist still sent him flying dozens of zhang! Seizing the opening, Li Guanqi closed in instantly, appearing behind Fang Yishan like a ghost. "Soul Release, Red Lotus!" Boom! Red Lotus abruptly unleashed an immense wave of power, crimson light gleaming along its edge. Li Guanqi cast his eyes downward, whispering in a chilly voice, "Seven Fiends... Fiend-Slaying Sword!" "Second, Startling Fiend!" "Third Fiend, Pursuing Fiend!!" In the shortest span of time, Li Guanqi slashed three times in virtually the blink of an eye! The sky roared as ear-piercing sword keens rang out in succession! Sword rays a zhang long surged from Red Lotus, and three purple sword lights wrapped in thunderous might cleaved toward Fang Yishan! Fang Yishan twisted his waist to dodge another fiery fist from the Flame Guardian, his wrist snapping as his sword executed over a dozen rapid slashes. His face twisted as he roared, "Great Yuan Tiger-Subduing Sword!!" Roar! Amid the raging sword lights, the roar of a tiger broke out, sharp sword rays cleaving forth abruptly! Boom, boom, boom! Violent explosions rang out. Midair, Li Guanqi shifted his position over a dozen times, his speed so fast it left multiple afterimages. Fierce sword rays grazed past his vitals. Even so, several sword wounds were carved into his body, fresh blood soaking his robes. One strike had nearly lopped off his arm! "Old Ye!" Boom! A dazzling golden sword light, concealed in the shadows, struck forth in an instant! A figure shot out from the blast. Ye Feng held his longsword, his chest heaving violently, traces of blood clinging to the blade. The three stood together, gazing up at the midair space as the smoke and dust dispersed. Fang Yishan's Wind Thunder Wings had vanished, and two bone-deep sword wounds now marred his body! One was inflicted by Li Guanqi's Pursuing Fiend, while the wound on his back had been dealt by Ye Feng! Fang Yishan's eyes were bloodshot as he glared sinisterly at the three in the air. Ferocity flashed in his eyes. Light gleamed beneath his feet, the air rippling slightly, and he vanished from the spot in an instant! Almost by instinct, Li Guanqi kicked Cao Yan beside him, sending him tumbling over ten zhang away! A sword light flashed, shearing off a chunk of flesh from Cao Yan's thigh! That strike had been blindingly fast; had Li Guanqi not kicked him out of the way, Cao Yan's head would have already parted from his shoulders. Li Guanqi and Ye Feng drew their swords and surged forward at once, and the four were locked in a chaotic melee once more. "Spirit Incantation! Thunder Spear Rampage!" Li Guanqi's primal energy surged wildly. Without the aid of any hand signs or seals, several dark thunderclouds abruptly materialized across the sky! Each thundercloud was nearly a hundred zhang across. Colors shifted across heaven and earth, and Cao Yan felt a jolt in his chest, thinking to himself: "Boss is so strong! He doesn't even need hand seals to cast such a terrifying spirit incantation!" In an instant, gale-force winds and torrential rains swept through heaven and earth as over a dozen thunder spears and lightning chains all assaulted Fang Yishan! Fang Yishan moved with extreme speed; even with divine sense guiding them, not a single thunder spear found its mark. By now, Li Guanqi also realized that the Flame Guardian summoned by Cao Yan could only last for an incense stick's time at most. The flaming guardian could barely even protect Cao Yan himself. If Fang Yishan closed the distance, Cao Yan would surely die! Ye Feng could only assist Li Guanqi from the sidelines; without that exquisite prior opening, he stood no chance of withstanding Fang Yishan's attacks directly. Though Li Guanqi appeared calm on the surface and his strikes remained sharp and fierce, they posed very little threat to the current Fang Yishan. Li Guanqi licked his dry lips, his mouth filled with the coppery taste of blood. Steeling his resolve, his golden core hummed as primal energy roared through him! "Spirit Incantation! Binding Lightning!" Rumble! Clang, clang, clang! Bang! Boom! In the four-man battle, Fang Yishan completely suppressed the three of them through his power alone. As time passed, more and more wounds accumulated on the three youths, and the drain on their primal energy grew heavier and heavier. Yet as a half-step Nascent Soul cultivator, Fang Yishan remained imposing and grand! Swish! "Die!" Fang Yishan thrust his sword straight at Ye Feng! The strike was too fast, but Li Guanqi thrust out his sword violently, tapping the tip right onto Fang Yishan's blade! "Blade Break!" Boom! Amid Li Guanqi's roar, the sword in Fang Yishan's hand shattered upon impact! Flipping his wrist, Red Lotus slashed horizontally toward Fang Yishan's head. Yet the man whose sword had shattered kicked the broken hilt, sending the fragmented weapon shooting like a streak of light to pierce right through Ye Feng's shoulder! Splurt! "Ahhh!" Ye Feng let out a muffled groan of agony, his body plunging rapidly. Meanwhile, Fang Yishan pulled out another spirit tool sword and turned to assault Cao Yan! Fang Yishan unleashed an overwhelmingly powerful pressure, his sword slashing out repeatedly, swift as lightning. Though the Flame Guardian fought desperately to defend, it still burst apart with a deafening bang! Two sword lights instantly impaled Cao Yan's arm and thigh, and just as a third strike was about to run him through the heart— A thunder whip tightly coiled around Cao Yan's waist and yanked hard! Deathly pale, Cao Yan struggled even to stay airborne; the high-intensity combat had pushed him past his limits. Both Cao Yan and Ye Feng were grievously wounded, with barely any primal energy left in their bodies. Fang Yishan stood on thin air, pointing his sword at Li Guanqi as he sneered, "You brats really thought you could kill me?" "Ignorant fools who don't know the breadth of heaven and earth!" Buzz! "Guanqi! Hold on, I'm almost there! Stall him!" Hearing Elder Qin Xian's anxious voice, Li Guanqi could not help a bitter smile. He wanted to buy time too, but his opponent would never grant him the chance. Swish! Li Guanqi shifted horizontally, interposing himself before Ye Feng and Cao Yan, his left hand gripping Red Lotus tightly, his mind utterly calm. Fang Yishan kicked against the air, shooting directly toward Li Guanqi! Li Guanqi drew a deep breath. In an instant, he went all out, pushing his sword speed to its absolute pinnacle! Every strike carried tremendous might, and he even unleashed the Ziwei Demon-Cleansing Sword. Just as his sword momentum reached its ultimate peak, however, a mocking glint flickered in Fang Yishan's eyes. The fractured Wind Thunder Wings appeared once more, coordinating with his movement technique to withdraw over a hundred zhang in a flash! Li Guanqi's final strike, gathering all his strength, struck nothing but empty air! Boom! Where the sword light passed, space distorted faintly, and the summit of a distant mountain a hundred zhang away was sliced clean off by this single slash! Boulders tumbled, dust billowed, and rumbling echoed without end. Yet Li Guanqi's heart sank. That full-powered strike had felt like hitting a wad of cotton. Fang Yishan sneered and murmured, "Just a few wet-behind-the-ears brats. Heh, did you really think you could roam the cultivation world on youthful hot-bloodedness alone?" "You're far too green!" A flicker of indignation flashed through Ye Feng's and Cao Yan's eyes. A hundred zhang away, Li Guanqi's face was as pale as paper. Over a dozen sword wounds covered him from head to toe, and his night-stalking robes were shredded into ragged strips. Qin Xian was still nearly a hundred li away; he wouldn't make it in time... The primal energy in his body was completely depleted, and even with spirit stones in his robe, he had no time to absorb them. A look of frustration crossed Li Guanqi's face. He had yet to comprehend the fourth strike of the Seven Fiends Sword. And even if he had, he doubted a single strike could kill his opponent. Right then, however, the sword spirit's voice abruptly rang out in his mind: "Do you want me to step in?"