Shi Xue chimed in loudly, "Indeed! There has never been any sense in forcing Dao companions apart!"
Tong Lingyu tapped her finger lightly on the table and remarked impassively, "Lineage Master Shang was indeed somewhat reckless."
Hall Master Yin and the others exchanged glances, finding it awkward to press the issue aggressively.
Once one attained the Nascent Soul realm and became Dao companions, cultivating dual-cultivation arts or secret techniques inevitably bound one's strength closely to the other's. If separated, it was only natural that their prowess would suffer greatly.
There truly was no justification for forcing Dao companions to fight separately.
With Snow Listening Tower and the Grand Elder standing behind them, and given that Shang Lu had been the one to cause trouble at the wedding ceremony, they could not press them too hard either.
If Shang Lu brought in a helper and let an outsider interfere, it would lack legitimacy and justification. The pretext of "true devotion" they had just flaunted would turn into an outright joke.
Since Daoist Qingfeng was willing to swallow the indignity and face the ridicule, they truly had no good recourse.
Hall Master Yin and the others looked toward Shang Lu, only to find him frowning in silence. Could he really intend to fight one against two? Unless Shang Lu could somehow produce a Dao companion of his own right now.
Before everyone's astonished eyes,
Shang Lu stepped down from the cloud couch without the slightest hesitation. Flickering forward to the cloud platform, he faced Qin Sang and Liuli directly and gave a slight nod. "Very well! We shall proceed as the Daoist says."
He was actually going to fight one against two!
No one had anticipated this.
Although this was Elder Qingfeng's first public appearance, he had already gained considerable renown within Xuantian Palace.
It was a proven fact that he had infiltrated the demon lair alone to send back intelligence, helping Xuantian Palace seize the initiative and avert many pointless casualties.
That alone proved his strength was extraordinary.
As for Liuli, she was the last disciple of the previous Snow Listening Tower Lineage Master and the junior sister of the current one. Lacking neither cultivation arts nor divine abilities, it was only natural that she could fight above her realm.
Shang Lu was effectively challenging two cultivators of the same realm at once—and what was more, they were dual-cultivation Dao companions whose minds supposedly moved in unison, which meant far more than a simple addition of strength.
A preposterous thought could not help but cross everyone's minds: could this lineage master truly be so ensnared by love that he proposed this sparring match merely to bring peace to his troubled heart?
Or perhaps it was both—killing two birds with one stone.
Otherwise, why be so persistent?
If this were for the dispute over the Body Cleansing Pool,
with Shang Lu fighting one against two in what was not a fight to the death, as long as Daoist Qingfeng intentionally held back, Shang Lu could never sound out his true trump cards. The sparring match would be completely pointless.
Some glanced toward the cultivator surnamed Yue who had arrived with Shang Lu.
Yet that man sat composed on his cloud couch, holding a jade cup with utter serenity, looking entirely confident.
This stirred fresh doubt among the crowd: had Shang Lu already anticipated this situation before proposing the match and made preparations beforehand?
Given Shang Lu's intellect, it was certainly possible.
Qin Sang narrowed his eyes slightly.
He too had considered this possibility. For Shang Lu to be so decisive, he had to have something to rely upon.
Since the words had already been spoken, it would be improper to back out now.
In that case, there was no need to refuse. It just so happened that he also wished to witness the methods of this Tianshan Lineage Master. Who would be testing whom remained to be seen.
After conferring secretly with Liuli, Qin Sang nodded toward Shi Xue.
With both sides in agreement, bystanders had no ground to object further.
Shi Xue cast a cold glance at Shang Lu and flicked her horsetail whisk. The cloud couches in the north drifted toward the south, clearing the northern space of the cloud altar.
"Since this is a sparring match, the boundary shall be set by this cloud wall. If anyone falls outside the cloud wall, they shall be deemed defeated."
Shi Xue swept her whisk again. A cloud wall materialized out of thin air, cordoning off a circular arena in the void that was plenty large enough for the three to battle.
Shang Lu frowned slightly, but ultimately raised no objection and was the first to flash into the cloud wall, taking his stance.
Qin Sang and Liuli also advanced side by side, taking their positions at the opposite end of the arena to face Shang Lu from afar.
Aloft on the cloud couches,
the guests from all quarters beamed with excitement.
Never had they imagined that tonight would offer not only a grand wedding ceremony, but also such a spectacle: the Lineage Master of Tianshan setting aside his dignity to personally take the field. Everyone inwardly felt the trip had been well worth it.
Steering their cloud couches, they sought out good vantage points and settled in to watch intently.
Tong Lingyu looked toward Hall Master Yin and said, "Hall Master Yin, why don't we move closer to the arena and keep a close eye on them? Today is an auspicious day, so let us ensure neither side gets carried away and harms the harmony within our sect."
"Very well!"
Hall Master Yin propelled his cloud couch forward to hover near the cloud wall.
Tong Lingyu flew to the opposite side.
Hall Master Jiang, Shi Xue, and the others all took their posts, watching on guard.
Inside the cloud wall,
Shang Lu took a deep look at Liuli and said solemnly, "Liuli, as I said before, I have no wish to fight you. That remains true now, so I will have to trap you for a while first."
Before the words faded, Shang Lu lightly tapped a brocade pouch at his waist.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
Three streaks of white light shot forth in swift succession.
Following closely behind were piercing, screeching hisses.
The hissing sounded like a demonic voice; upon hearing it, low-realm cultivators immediately felt dizzy and light-headed, nauseated and thoroughly miserable.
"Tianshan snow pythons!" someone suddenly cried out in surprise.
Peering closely, the onlookers saw the three streaks of white light swell with the wind, instantly revealing their true forms above Shang Lu's head—three giant pythons, each over a hundred feet long.
The giant pythons looked similar, clad entirely in pristine, snow-white scales. Yet scarlet tongues flickered from their gaping, blood-red maws, and their eyes gleamed with savage ferocity, appearing exceptionally terrifying.
They were already on the verge of becoming flood dragons, their auras on par with the flood dragon that had drawn Qin Sang's carriage.
"Three Tianshan snow pythons, all in the late Demon Core stage! Breeding snow pythons is arduous, and with such high cultivation, there probably aren't many more on Tianshan. What a grand display by Lineage Master Shang! No wonder he dared accept this match!" someone marveled aloud.
Among the guests present were no shortage of Nascent Soul Patriarchs; three late Demon Core snow pythons, while rare, would not normally cause them too much concern.
However, the Tianshan lineage possessed a type of python banner. Supported by the divine abilities of snow pythons, its power would prove troublesome even to Nascent Soul cultivators.
No wonder Shang Lu was brimming with confidence!
Ignoring the gazes from outside the arena, Shang Lu waved his sleeve the moment he released the Tianshan snow pythons. A cluster of white light flew out, transforming into a python banner.
The design painted upon the python banner was none other than the Tianshan snow python.
Amid the hissing of the snow pythons, the python banner flew above Shang Lu's head, its streamer fluttering in the wind.
As if summoned by a call, the Tianshan snow pythons thrashed violently, their massive bodies shooting straight toward the banner.
At that moment, a bizarre scene unfolded.
The bodies of the three snow pythons rapidly turned translucent, looking as though they were carved of ice. The instant they struck the python banner, instead of knocking it away, they melted entirely into the fabric and disappeared!
In an instant, the python depictions on the banner came alive, gaining three more snow pythons.
Thick dark clouds had gathered above the arena at some point.
Each flutter of the python banner whipped up a bone-chilling wind, streams of frigid air gushing forth without cease as the snow pythons swam freely across the surface of the banner, exhaling icy vapor.
Ghastly white gales swept across the entire arena, until the figures of the three combatants could no longer be seen with the naked eye.
Without a word, Shang Lu pointed across the way. "Go!"
The python banner whirled at extreme speed, pressing down from above with tremendous momentum!
At the other end, Qin Sang and Liuli quickly conferred via divine sense, gaining a general understanding of the situation.
Because breeding snow pythons was so difficult, few had seen the python banner with their own eyes. In the past, cultivators of the Tianshan lineage raised at most a single snow python, yet Shang Lu had produced three in one go.
Qin Sang would never underestimate any opponent, let alone the master of one of Xuantian Palace's lineages.
Light flashed from his fingertips, and the Jinchen Sword broke through the air.
After being re-refined, the form of the Jinchen Sword was completely different from before, and what Qin Sang displayed now was the sword intent of the Green Bamboo Sword Scripture. Even with Elders Mei and Lan present outside, they would not easily spot any flaws.
At the same time, Qin Sang awakened the Heavenly Eye Butterfly to search for flaws in the python banner.
Just as the spirit sword emerged,
the python banner swooped down, riding the icy gale.
Qin Sang originally intended to maneuver his sword to shield Liuli—first, because he was unsure of the banner's full power and wished to prevent Shang Lu from dividing and conquering them; second, to create an opening for Liuli to strike.
Yet at that moment, Liuli's voice reached his ears.
Moved by her words, Qin Sang abandoned that plan.
The trajectory of the Jinchen Sword shifted abruptly, blazing with an edge of extreme sharpness. An earth-shattering arc of sword light slashed forth out of nowhere, incomparably dazzling and brilliant.
This indomitable, forward-pressing sword intent was so pure that the watching guests were visibly moved.
This was the sword Dao that Qingzhu had comprehended.
He had relied on his own strength to break through to the Nascent Soul realm, and thereafter his sword Dao had gradually cast off the shackles of the Origin Soul Sword Nurturing Chapter, infusing his own temperament into it. The final stances of the Green Bamboo Sword Scripture were the culmination of his mastery.
What Qin Sang unleashed at this moment was one of those very stances.
Though the power of the Green Bamboo Sword Scripture did not match the sword formation of the original cultivation manual, it unquestionably ranked as a formidable sword art. It was only a pity that Qingzhu had died before his time, never reaching his peak.
*Swish!*
The Jinchen Sword cleaved through the void, its light resembling a cold moon as it drove straight toward the python banner.
Frigid air surged wildly, yet could not impede it in the least.
The python banner snapped violently in the wind. The snow pythons writhed restlessly across the fabric, violently spewing frigid air.
The chill coalesced into an expanse of jade-white profound light.
*Pfft!*
The sword light struck, sinking into the jade-white profound light.
In the next moment, the sword light and the jade-white profound light both dissolved simultaneously. With no earth-shattering spectacle, they vanished into thin air, returning to total stillness.
From this single clash, Qin Sang gained a clear sense of the python banner's power.
Just then,
the python banner pressed on relentlessly. The jade-white profound light resurfaced, flashed briefly, and melted into the icy wind.
In an instant, countless phantoms of snow pythons appeared in the void, baring fangs and brandishing claws as they lunged toward them.
Seeing this, Qin Sang narrowed his eyes. Just as he was about to recall his sword to protect himself, his expression shifted. Changing his sword art again, he inverted the Jinchen Sword and slashed diagonally downward!
*Clang!*
A crisp ring echoed.
A jade ruler materialized from illusion into reality.
At the same time, the void rippled, and a figure was forced into view—none other than Shang Lu.
Once deployed, the python banner could be left under the control of the snow pythons, leaving Shang Lu free to focus entirely on Qin Sang. He had steered the jade ruler close under concealment, never expecting Qin Sang to notice.
Even without relying on the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, detecting the jade ruler was no difficult feat given Qin Sang's divine sense.
After the Heavenly Eye Butterfly broke through to the mid-fourth metamorphosis, the potency of its Heavenly Eye divine ability had grown once more, something Qin Sang had specifically tested.
Had the Heavenly Eye Butterfly possessed its current realm when entering Jinghai Sect, it surely could have detected Old Man Hunmo's traces before Old Man Hunmo noticed anything.
Of course, a Great Cultivator's spiritual sense was exceptionally keen, so the butterfly would need to keep its distance rather than stare recklessly.
Shang Lu's divine sense was still far inferior to that of a Great Cultivator; his movements had been uncovered the instant he stirred, and Qin Sang had merely delayed his strike by half a beat on purpose.
Forced to reveal himself, Shang Lu showed no dismay. Instead, a slight smile touched the corners of his lips.
Qin Sang's face shifted slightly. Stamping down, he sprang into the air.
The very moment he moved, countless lotus petals coalesced around him. Each petal was as sharp as a razor, viciously closing in like a grinding wheel and turning into a blizzard of ice.
Qin Sang reacted swiftly, pulling away in time.
Yet Shang Lu had still achieved his objective of separating his opponents.
The python banner had appeared overhead without anyone noticing. The snow pythons reared their heads, and rolling waves of jade-white profound light formed a vortex in the void, where Liuli's figure flickered in and out of sight.
A phoenix-shaped treasure sword hung inverted above her, guarding her body.
The snow pythons thrust their heads forward, pouring forth endless jade-white profound light. Though arc after arc of sword Qi slashed out consecutively, she remained unable to break free of the python banner.
"Now we can spar without distraction," Shang Lu said with a smile, glancing at Liuli, who was entangled by the python banner.
"Lineage Master Shang's methods are impressive indeed."
Qin Sang's expression did not waver in the slightest. Before his voice fell, he swung his sword to strike.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
Almost simultaneously, the Jinchen Sword unleashed three consecutive arcs of sword light. Each carried astonishing momentum, not inferior in the least to the very first strike.
*Whoosh!*
The three sword lights formed a triangular formation and appeared before Shang Lu in a flash.
Pulling his gaze back, Shang Lu looked solemn and praised, "Fine swordsmanship!"
Then he tapped an empty finger toward the jade ruler before him.
The jade ruler sprang up and abruptly swelled into a colossal ruler, planting itself squarely in front of the three sword lights and smashing down with immense, crushing weight!
If this blow struck home cleanly, not only would the sword lights be scattered, but the Jinchen Sword itself would suffer damage.
Standing in the void, Qin Sang watched with an expressionless face.
At this moment, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's focus was directed toward the python banner on the other side, searching for its vulnerabilities.
Qin Sang himself maneuvered against Shang Lu.
With a slight shift of his will, the three sword lights suddenly merged into one.
Outside the arena, the onlookers unconsciously squinted, seeing only an incomparably radiant beam of light that seemed capable of piercing the heavens, meeting the jade ruler head-on without the slightest hint of retreat.
In Qingzhu's Dao, the word "retreat" had never existed.
*Boom!*
A thunderous roar rang out, deafening the ears.
The cloud couches outside the arena shuddered, and everyone's nerves tautened as they watched anxiously for the outcome.
The white light dispersed.
Qin Sang and Shang Lu still stood where they were, seemingly evenly matched.
Yet all the guests understood that this was merely an appetizer. Both sides were still in the testing phase, neither having unleashed their greatest divine abilities.
Qin Sang did not look at Shang Lu.
His gaze fell upon the Jinchen Sword.
In the next instant, the Jinchen Sword vanished. Points of starlight flickered in the void, coalescing into countless arcs of sword light like an ocean of swords.
Qin Sang waved a hand forward. Waves rose across the sword sea, and ten thousand swords stirred in unison, shooting toward Shang Lu with a momentum bent on destroying everything in their path.
Seeing this, Shang Lu's eyes flickered.
Knowing full well his opponent's attainments in the sword Dao were formidable, he was keen to test his swordsmanship.
Glancing to the other side to confirm that Liuli could not break free of the python banner in the short term, Shang Lu swept his hand. The jade ruler likewise split into thousands of copies, engaging Qin Sang in combat.
Sword lights and ruler shadows filled every corner, clashing and devouring one another.
For a time, Qin Sang shifted sword arts in rapid succession, the Jinchen Sword chiming clear and true as it traded blows with the jade ruler through countless exchanges without either gaining the upper hand.
Shang Lu's expression grew increasingly relaxed. The corner of his mouth curved up in a cold sneer.
"Is this the limit of your swordsmanship?"
The words had barely left his lips when a faint crackling sound drifted from the side.
The sound was exceedingly faint, yet to Shang Lu's ears, it was nothing short of a clap of thunder.
Shang Lu's expression changed drastically, and he snapped his head toward the python banner.
Chapter 1478