Master Yuanjue

Years ago, Master Yuanjue had left on his travels, departing the Great Sui, and had not been heard from since. Rumor held that he had gone in search of an opportunity to break through the Xiantian realm, while others claimed that his life span was nearing its end, and unwilling to resign himself to death, he had set out seeking immortals. Who could have guessed that Master Yuanjue would return to the Great Sui at this very moment—and that Qin Sang would happen right into him? That roar just now had to be the Xuanji Temple's renowned supreme technique, the Lion's Roar. Manifesting true qi into tangible form to shatter the air with a fist—this was the first time Qin Sang had ever witnessed such a display. Qin Sang's figure flickered repeatedly as he drifted backward. The Reckless Monk snorted coldly and whipped his arm forward. Whoosh! A chain of refined iron tore through the air, glinting beneath the moonlight like a crystalline streak of water as it shot straight toward Qin Sang at blinding speed. Unexpectedly, halfway along its path, the chain suddenly lost its force. After drifting forward a short distance, its momentum died entirely, clattering to the ground. The Reckless Monk rolled his eyes back and fell straight backward without the slightest warning. Thud! The Reckless Monk's corpse struck the earth, kicking up a puff of dust and a few fallen leaves. His breath was entirely gone. All of this had transpired in the blink of an eye. Master Yuanjue cast a glance at the Reckless Monk's corpse, then whipped his head around to stare intently at Qin Sang and the black banner in his hand, a sharp gleam bursting from his eyes. "You are an immortal cultivator!" Qin Sang gripped the Yanluo Banner and came to a halt in the distance. With a cold gaze and an even tone, he said, "Old monk, I have no wish to needlessly shed more blood. If you leave now, I will spare your life." Though his words sounded grand, Qin Sang was inwardly groaning. After Yanwang killed the Reckless Monk, Qin Sang had commanded it to kill Master Yuanjue, but Yanwang had actually defied the order. Normally, whenever Yanwang encountered living people, it was like a beast beholding an irresistible feast; even without an order from Qin Sang, it would eagerly rush forward to devour their fresh souls. Yet now, facing this old monk, it seemed terrified, cowering to one side and not daring to step forward. Although the old monk was aged, the vitality and blood within him were astonishingly vigorous, the likes of which Qin Sang had never seen in his life. Moreover, the monk's true qi was extraordinarily peculiar—his fist silhouettes blazed crimson as fire, and his entire person was like a scorching sun, the natural nemesis of ghostly entities. The fiend in black had used the Yanluo Banner to drag a sword-flying Immortal Master to the grave with him, yet now it feared a mere Xiantian expert among mortals. Qin Sang could faintly guess the reason. Even on the battlefield, Qin Sang had never allowed the banner to devour too many souls. First, he feared exposing his identity; second, he worried that if the entity grew too strong, it would turn and devour him instead. Qin Sang had long discovered a property of the Yanluo Banner: if Yanwang consumed enough souls, the tattered holes on the banner's surface would mend on their own. Presumably, when the cloth of the Yanluo Banner was fully restored, Yanwang's strength would also return to its peak. Qin Sang did not know what realm the fiend in black had reached in life, but it was certainly higher than his own. While the fiend could suppress Yanwang at full strength, the jade Buddha might not be able to. Out of caution, each time Qin Sang let Yanwang devour only several dozen souls before calling it back. At that point, Yanwang could produce three Soul Pills, which was enough to last him for a while. He had originally planned to advance to at least the fifth layer of the Nether Scripture before gradually enhancing Yanwang's power, never expecting that the robust blood vitality of a Xiantian expert would terrify it to such an extent. Qin Sang had long heard Bai Jianglan speak of how Xiantian experts could slay Immortal Masters with sword auras. It seemed that even cultivators could not underestimate mortals—especially since he was merely a half-baked amateur who knew almost nothing. From beyond the courtyard gates came shouts and the pounding of fists. Someone yelled loudly for the instructor, but with no reply from inside, the heavy doors were rammed open by force. The old monk's long roar earlier had drawn over the yamen runners and local militia patrolling around the county office. At this point, Qin Sang could no longer afford to hesitate. He had to cast aside his previous caution and let Yanwang out to devour souls and bolster its strength, while he suppressed the panic in his chest, putting on a calm front in hopes of bluffing the old monk. Yet to his dismay, when Master Yuanjue heard Qin Sang's words, not only did his face show no fear, but an eager light flared in his eyes. Qin Sang suddenly realized something: if Master Yuanjue had traveled abroad in search of immortality, what would he do when he truly encountered an immortal cultivator putting on an empty bluff before him? Those words just now had been entirely superfluous, needlessly exposing his weakness before an old veteran of the jianghu! Sensing the old monk's gaze turn increasingly covetous, Qin Sang felt deep regret. Sure enough, Master Yuanjue narrowed his eyes, scrutinized Qin Sang for a moment, and suddenly scoffed, "Playing tricks!" Qin Sang instantly sensed danger, alarms blaring in his heart. Stamping hard against the ground, his body drifted up into the air. In a flash, Master Yuanjue appeared where Qin Sang had just been standing. A fiery red burst of power coalesced in his palm as he struck out fiercely, snapping an old tree behind them clean in two. Crack! The trunk splintered through the middle, its massive canopy crashing down. What a terrifying Xiantian expert! The sight sent chills down Qin Sang's spine. Knowing full well that he stood no chance against Master Yuanjue, he spun around and fled. Seeing this, Master Yuanjue was overjoyed, his eyes glittering as he broke into wild laughter. "Where did an insolent whelp like you come from? Hand over your cultivation method, and this poor monk will spare your miserable life!" The first sentence was still behind him. The second was right at his ear. By the time the final sentence rang out, a figure blurred before Qin Sang. Walking as if taking an idle stroll, Master Yuanjue took a single step that overtook Qin Sang, blocking his path. A withered palm reached toward him, appearing slow yet striking with incredible swiftness. Qin Sang's hairs stood on end. Pushing the Shadowless Steps to their absolute limit, he darted frantically left and right like a headless fly. Yet no matter how wildly he dodged, that palm remained right in front of him. "Get back here, you damn cur!" Qin Sang frantically recited the Yanluo Banner's incantation, cursing inwardly in desperation. But seeing that palm rapidly expand before his eyes, a surge of bitterness and profound unwillingness flooded his heart. I'm finished! To his surprise, Master Yuanjue did not snap Qin Sang's neck; instead, he snatched the Yanluo Banner straight from Qin Sang's hand. Master Yuanjue glanced down at the Yanluo Banner, an expression of ecstatic fervor in his eyes. Looking at Qin Sang as if gazing upon a treasure trove, his fingers shot out like lightning, about to strike Qin Sang's acupoints and seal his movements, when his body suddenly went rigid. Overjoyed, Qin Sang let out a low roar and lunged forward. He knocked Master Yuanjue's arm aside, snatched back the Yanluo Banner, and drove it viciously into the vital spot of the old monk's neck. Throwing every ounce of strength into the thrust, he drove almost the entire pole of the banner in. Spurt! Blood sprayed across Qin Sang's face. A fountain of blood erupted from Master Yuanjue's neck, and he collapsed backward onto the ground. Qin Sang dropped onto his backside, panting heavily like a pair of bellows. Staring at Master Yuanjue lying motionless on the ground, a lingering dread still gripped his heart. Master Yuanjue was the most terrifying enemy he had encountered since arriving in this world. A Xiantian expert was truly frightful. Once the terror subsided, Qin Sang could not help but reflect on himself. Over the past year, he had been unstoppable. No matter how powerful an expert was, none could withstand Yanwang. His mindset had inevitably shifted; he had looked down on mortals, believing that the world was vast and he could roam wherever he pleased. Having nearly lost his life this time, he was jolted back to vigilance. No matter what opponent he faced in the future, he had to remain cautious at all times.