Slaying Yu Yufeng

Li Tongya stood outside the array with his form concealed. Inside, Yu Yufeng was still shrieking in terror. Li Tongya merely looked down, keeping watch for anyone approaching from the surrounding area. Between Xiao Chuchou and his companions—one at the peak of Foundation Establishment and two in the mid-stage—handling a single late Foundation Establishment cultivator like Yu Yufeng was more than easy. They had not asked Li Tongya to fight, telling him instead to stand watch outside. "Strike!" Within the array, Nanshan Weng had already cast out a flawless white jade seal. Radiating bursts of brilliant white light, it crashed straight down toward Yu Yufeng. Yu Yufeng's expression turned grim as he thrust out both hands to meet it. The two forces collided with a thunderous roar in midair, locking in a tense deadlock. "Nanshan Weng! It's you! It's the Xiao family... Not good!" The two bursts of magical radiance collided in the air, scattering sparks of flowing light that spilled down from Yu Yufeng's palms as he caught the jade seal. Nanshan Weng drove his incantation with his eyes tightly shut, forcing Yu Yufeng backward step after step, both of Yu Yufeng's arms straining under the weight. Even as Yu Yufeng was struggling against Nanshan Weng at the peak of Foundation Establishment, he felt a chilling draft behind his head. Dozens of saber rays surged forward like rolling waves, crashing with the roaring sound of the sea. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw a middle-aged saber master closing in, blade in hand, gray robes flapping fiercely in the wind. Left with no choice, Yu Yufeng activated his immortal foundation, bracing Nanshan Weng's jade seal with one hand while freeing the other to sweep a backhand strike against the incoming saber light. Chen Taojing also practiced the River Unity Qi Formula. His magic power was vast and deep, and the dozens of saber rays poured down as if consuming no energy at all, each broad, bright, and majestic. Yet unexpectedly, Yu Yufeng's backhanded palm strike arrested the saber light. With a twist and a squeeze of his fingers, a shower of crystal-clear water droplets burst into the air, raining down toward the ground as the sheets of saber light dissolved into thin air. "Yu Yufeng truly lives up to the moniker 'White Jade Hand.' His prowess is indeed not to be underestimated." Now that Li Tongya was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator, endowed with years of experience, he could discern depths and strengths. Though Yu Yufeng was merely in late Foundation Establishment, he was able to parry the simultaneous attacks of the peak Foundation Establishment Nanshan Weng and the mid-Foundation Establishment Chen Taojing. Even though neither of them had unleashed their true trump cards, it was still far beyond what an ordinary cultivator could withstand. He was unquestionably formidable. Below, Xiao Chuchou, having roamed the world for many years, had no intention of observing any chivalrous decorum with Yu Yufeng. The patterned bronze staff in his hand whistled through the air, smashing straight toward Yu Yufeng's head, cloaked in surging magic power and dripping with murderous intent. Despair surged through Yu Yufeng. He could only gather his magic power, shove the jade seal aside with a palm strike, and whip around to clash with Xiao Chuchou. Using the recoil to push himself back, he thought grimly, *With the three of them joining forces, I can't even feel out their immortal foundations. Forget it, I can only force my way through!* Clapping both hands together, six beams of white magical radiance rose from his body. Faint red lines emerged across his skin, stretching outward from his elbows and earlobes and drifting in the air like hanging tassels, exuding a subtle bloody qi. Yu Yufeng shut his eyes and wrenched them open; both pupils had taken on the translucent sheen of jade. His clothes hung in tatters, revealing chiseled, sculptured muscles beneath. Spitting out a bolt of bloody radiance, his two terrifying eyes stared straight at Chen Taojing. "What kind of immortal foundation is that?!" It had all unfolded in the span of a single breath. Chen Taojing stole a glance and asked in a low voice. Had this been an ordinary battle, the moment Yu Yufeng revealed his immortal foundation, Xiao Chuchou would have braced himself as if facing a mortal foe, casting spells or summoning magical treasures to fight. But now, Yu Yufeng was like a bird in a cage, a fish in a net. He felt no fear at all, even having the leisure to chat. "'Jade Court General,'" Xiao Chuchou answered with a grin. "An immortal foundation forged by the White Jade Court beneath Yuehua Yuan Mansion in days past. The 'Mortal Dust of the Court' was lost long ago, so it is quite a novelty to see it again today." "Indeed," Nanshan Weng nodded slightly, pushing forward with both palms as he replied, "Back when he came to Lixia Commandery to issue challenges, it was precisely with this 'Jade Court General' that he made quite a name for himself. Many years have passed since then, but seeing it again, it remains startling." While the two old men chatted merrily, Chen Taojing to the side was suffering bitterly. Yu Yufeng had singled him out as the youngest and the one with the shallowest cultivation, closing the distance in two strides. Palm strike after palm strike came crashing down like Mount Tai, pounding against his saber with ringing clashes of metal, sparking blooms of bright red fire. How could Chen Taojing dare hold back any longer? He had already unleashed his Vast Sea. Clear, heavy river waters surged around him, swimming like a pair of flood dragons to continuously dissolve the oppressive magic power bearing down on him as his blade lashed out repeatedly. Fortunately, the immortal foundation he cultivated was exceptionally sturdy, and his saber technique was fairly exquisite. Regardless of magic power expenditure, he managed to stubbornly withstand Yu Yufeng's assault. "Seniors! This old scoundrel has gone mad! Come help me quickly!" Chen Taojing shouted through gritted teeth. Yu Yufeng, on the other hand, was filled with bitter regret. The River Unity Qi Formula of the former Lengyu Sect had once been quite famous, and the Vast Sea had appeared from time to time around Lake Wangyue. Now, he finally recognized it and cursed internally, *To think this man has the 'Vast Sea'! What damn rotten luck! Now I've lost the initiative again; I'm afraid I won't even be able to take one of them down with me.* Xiao Chuchou laughed heartily and called out, "Brother Chen, your immortal foundation is the most profound and sturdy of all. Holding out for another quarter of an hour wouldn't trouble you in the slightest—you're truly being modest!" With that, wisps of mist coalesced around him, mingled with specks of frost and flickers of lightning. Dark runes materialized in speckles upon the long staff, and his already pale temples turned pure white as if glazed in frost. Taking a step forward, he smashed the staff toward Yu Yufeng. Nearby, Nanshan Weng also clapped his hands, patted the embroidered pouch at his waist, and drew out a pine cane. With their strength combined, the three surrounded Yu Yufeng in their midst. Two fists could not fend off four hands; having blocked the blade, Yu Yufeng could hardly ward off the staff. Nanshan Weng's jade seal and cane struck down in turns, landing solidly upon his body. No blood splattered forth; instead, shards of broken jade chipped and fell away, turning into bloodstains as they hit the ground below. "Hmm?" Having traded blows with Yu Yufeng several times, Xiao Chuchou faintly sensed something amiss. The magic power of the man before him felt bizarre, carrying a corrosive, tainted quality. No wonder Chen Taojing's Vast Sea, renowned for its vast magic power and durability in attrition, had called for aid within a mere dozen breaths. Looking closely at the bloody qi billowing from Yu Yufeng's externalized immortal foundation, Xiao Chuchou said in a low voice, "Well, well, Yu Yufeng. It seems you consumed sacrificial offerings for your immortal foundation, didn't you? No wonder you've remained stagnant in late Foundation Establishment for so many years. Consuming such things so recklessly, it's no surprise you haven't made an inch of progress all this time." Yu Yufeng did not utter a word. After clashing with the three for half an hour, his condition had deteriorated drastically. His lamp was out of oil; the wick was spent, and his immortal foundation was on the verge of backlashing. In desperation, he flung out several dozen talismans, which manifested in the sky as fire, wood, and lightning, hurtling toward their faces. Seizing the opening, he hastily took flight on the wind and fled westward. The talismans delayed them for only an instant. Xiao Chuchou and the others immediately took to the wind in pursuit. Yu Yufeng managed to bombard the array twice, causing it to ripple, before the others closed in once more. Forced to turn back to fight, more and more jade fragments sloughed off his body. Chen Taojing even cleaved off half a jade finger with a slash of his saber. Yu Yufeng opened his mouth but could make no sound. Xiao Chuchou gave a slight nod and continued, "Your clan's cultivation method is quite impressive—likely higher than the third rank, isn't it? If you were to attain the Purple Mansion, your lifebound divine ability would also serve as a body divine ability, granting you formidable combat strength." Yu Yufeng was incapable of speech, his tongue frozen stiff in his mouth. The medicinal pills he had thrown in rolled out from the corner of his lips, and his eyes could no longer turn, staring fixedly in a single direction. Spotting an opportunity, Xiao Chuchou struck with his staff and shattered Yu Yufeng's head, sending a flurry of jade dust billowing into the air. The headless torso wobbled and plummeted to the earth, breaking into four pieces with a heavy thud, scattering shards across the ground.