Chapter 278: Always Arriving Just in Time
Shen Yue looked at the cyan great flag in Wei Tianxiong’s hand and immediately felt that something was wrong. He sensed an extreme danger from it, which inexplicably reminded him of the Soul Refining Banner in the Sect Master’s hand.
This fellow was also a demonic cultivator!
Sure enough, he could not be trusted!
Wei Tianxiong raised the cyan great flag and laughed. “Junior from a forsaken land, let me show you the might of the Divine Origin Sect!”
Hu—hu—hu—
The banner of the cyan great flag began to billow violently. Ten-thousand-jun lightning burst forth, like Heaven’s Net covering the sky above the mountain forest. At the same time, the thunderclouds overhead turned exceptionally violent, as though countless ferocious beasts were roaring within them. The thunderclaps were deafening.
Shen Yue was caught between two layers of lightning domains. The oppressive pressure he faced was something Yan Daozong and Bai Ning’er simply could not imagine.
In the eyes of Yan Daozong and Bai Ning’er, Shen Yue appeared so small—he could be reduced to ashes by lightning at any moment. The sight filled them with anxious dread.
“Do you feel this resplendent heavenly might?”
Wei Tianxiong laughed wildly, his voice carrying through even the rolling thunder.
Standing within the two layers of lightning domains, Shen Yue indeed felt miserable. He could sense that the moment he moved, countless bolts of lightning would intertwine around him. From every direction came killing intent—there was nowhere to escape.
He had to admit that the gap in strength between himself and Wei Tianxiong was far too great—so great that he did not even have the qualification to compete.
Even so, Shen Yue had no thought of begging for mercy. He took a deep breath and held his wooden sword horizontally before him.
His Sword Intent began to surge, and sword light burst forth from his body.
Even in the face of certain death, he felt no fear. At the final moment of his life, he would display his strongest sword. Only then would he be worthy of all that he had learned and comprehended in this lifetime.
When Wei Tianxiong saw Shen Yue’s action, he did not strike immediately. Instead, he revealed an appreciative expression.
Suddenly—
He seemed to sense something. Turning his head slightly with the corner of his eye, his pupils abruptly widened.
A figure shot toward him like an arrow, striking out with a palm.
Boom—
Wei Tianxiong’s Vital Energy roared like blazing flames. His white hair was whipped backward, and for the first time, shock appeared on his face.
The one who had attacked him was Yan Daozong!
At this moment, Yan Daozong radiated a powerful aura. His face looked ferocious—he had never been this enraged before.
“You… how is this possible…”
Wei Tianxiong had never imagined that Yan Daozong could break free from his spell suppression and even unleash such a powerful aura.
He could clearly see that Yan Daozong was not an Immortal Cultivator at all—merely a mortal with formidable martial arts.
How had he accomplished this?
Yan Daozong roared in fury. His aura actually grew stronger still, pressing Wei Tianxiong’s Vital Energy backward, causing it to waver.
Wei Tianxiong was instantly enraged. With a forward push of the cyan great flag in his right hand, his immense Vital Energy crashed down like mountains and seas, forcing Yan Daozong to cough up blood and be blasted away into a distant forest.
Bai Ning’er’s eyes widened, yet he could not, like Yan Daozong, unleash hidden potential.
At that very moment—
Shen Yue struck with his sword.
Within the two layers of lightning domains, he slashed outward. Myriad strands of sword energy tore through the lower lightning domain like a torrential storm. Amid the vast sword energy, sword shadows emerged one after another, like a rain of swords descending—magnificent beyond compare.
Illuminated by the sword light, Wei Tianxiong instinctively turned his head—only to see the overwhelming assault.
His pupils contracted, and he immediately waved the flag.
When the flag moved, wind and thunder were shaken!
The two lightning domains that sandwiched Shen Yue erupted with terrifying lightning, instantly dispersing his sword rain before striking toward him.
Lightning flashed across Shen Yue’s face, and a trace of regret appeared in his eyes.
The gap was simply too great!
He did not close his eyes. He would face his death head-on.
At that instant, a hand landed on Shen Yue’s shoulder. His vision blurred. He blinked instinctively. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Bai Ning’er’s back standing before him.
Rumble—
Deafening thunder roared from above. Shen Yue looked up and saw the two lightning domains filled with terrifying lightning, occupying most of the sky. The surrounding mountains were illuminated as if they could be destroyed at any moment.
Faced with such world-ending magic, Shen Yue’s heart was filled with awe.
He wondered how many years of cultivation it would take for him to reach such a level.
Without turning his head, his gaze fixed on the lightning domains above as he said, “How do you always arrive just in time? Have you been following us the whole time?”
Upon hearing this, Bai Ning’er suddenly realized the suppression on him had vanished. He turned around instinctively. When he saw the person behind Shen Yue, his eyes widened, and he cried out, “Sect Master! Why have you come?”
Standing behind Shen Yue was none other than Li Qingqiu.
Li Qingqiu’s journey from the Clear Sky Sect had not been easy. Along the way, he continuously used the Extreme Movement Technique. The journey alone had consumed more than half of his Vital Energy.
Of course, he would not say that. Putting on a calm and indifferent demeanor, he said, “I calculated that you would face a tribulation, so I came.”
Hearing this, Shen Yue could not help but curl his lips.
No wonder he was the Sect Master—so good at putting on an act.
Yet in his heart, he had to admit he felt relieved. If one could live, who would want to die?
This damned sense of security—I am almost won over by him.
Shen Yue sighed inwardly. Looking again at Wei Tianxiong, his eyes turned teasing.
Now he wanted to see whether Wei Tianxiong could continue being arrogant in front of Li Qingqiu.
Although Wei Tianxiong was very strong—his magic was the most powerful Shen Yue had ever witnessed—Li Qingqiu’s arrival meant he could handle Wei Tianxiong.
“Unknowingly, even I trust him this much…” Shen Yue mused inwardly, feeling that he had lost once again.
If even he felt this way, there was no need to mention Bai Ning’er. Bai Ning’er was overjoyed, standing beside Li Qingqiu and waiting for him to act.
High in the sky, Wei Tianxiong turned with the flag in hand. The lightning domains gradually dispersed, causing light and shadow to shift across heaven and earth. His gaze fell upon Li Qingqiu, and he frowned.
Li Qingqiu had appeared too quickly—so quickly that even he could not discern his movement technique.
A Divine Art!
Only a Divine Art left no trace of Vital Energy trajectory.
Wei Tianxiong had heard Bai Ning’er address Li Qingqiu as Sect Master. The Sect Master of a sect could not possibly be simple.
“What is the name of your sect? Where are you based?” Wei Tianxiong asked.
Li Qingqiu stepped forward and drew out a Clear Sky Sword.
He could sense that Wei Tianxiong was very strong—but also that the man was severely injured. His Vital Energy was chaotic.
Seeing that Li Qingqiu did not answer, displeasure flashed in Wei Tianxiong’s eyes. He snorted coldly. “Very well. I’ll make you speak soon enough!”
With that, he dove down toward Li Qingqiu.
Li Qingqiu moved as well, leaping upward like a long sword piercing the heavens.
The two collided instantly. Wei Tianxiong waved the flag, unleashing myriad lightning bolts. Yet Li Qingqiu did not dodge. He passed straight through the lightning and swung his sword at him.
Sword energy covered Li Qingqiu’s blade. He slashed swiftly, each stroke more fierce than the last, like crashing waves. Wei Tianxiong dared not receive it head-on and could only block with the cyan great flag, countering each move.
“How is this possible… The Azure Thunder cannot harm him?”
Wei Tianxiong was inwardly shocked. The cyan great flag in his hand was called the Divine Origin Azure Thunder Flag—one of the Divine Origin Sect’s guardian magic implements. It could stir the power of heaven and earth, strengthening spells.
He had never encountered such a situation. Whenever he deployed the Divine Origin Azure Thunder Flag in the past, any evil entity or enemy that failed to evade would be reduced to ashes.
His wariness toward Li Qingqiu instantly reached its peak.
What he did not know was that the Azure Thunder did indeed affect Li Qingqiu—but it was swiftly absorbed by the Heavenly Thunder Spiritual Root, even restoring a portion of Li Qingqiu’s Vital Energy.
Li Qingqiu realized that the Heavenly Thunder Spiritual Root still held untapped potential.
If he could withstand heavenly thunder, then ordinary thunder in this world was naturally nothing!
Seeing Li Qingqiu unafraid of Wei Tianxiong’s lightning, Shen Yue and Bai Ning’er were both invigorated.
The Sect Master truly would not disappoint them!
Wei Tianxiong was forced entirely onto the defensive, which enraged him.
He had figured it out. Although Li Qingqiu possessed a Divine Art and was unafraid of his Azure Thunder, the young man was still merely a Spirit Perception Realm cultivator.
A Spirit Perception Realm cultivator of such youth was undoubtedly a genius—but he should not be Wei Tianxiong’s match!
His own cultivation realm exceeded the Spirit Perception Realm. Even severely injured, he could not allow himself to be humiliated by someone at that level.
“Insolence!”
Wei Tianxiong roared. He forcefully waved the flag, driving Li Qingqiu back with his Vital Energy. Then he stowed the Divine Origin Azure Thunder Flag into his Storage Pouch and drew out a great blade.
Gripping the blade with both hands, he shifted from defense to offense and slashed furiously at Li Qingqiu.
His black robes snapped in the wind, white hair whipping wildly. Wei Tianxiong seemed to transform into a demonic fiend of the mortal world, his ferocious aura rising ever higher.
Li Qingqiu raised his sword to block. Blade and sword collided, shaking the clouds. The Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth trembled violently, stirring up raging winds that swept across all directions. The forest churned like a green ocean, and the mountains quaked as if struck by an earthquake.
Li Qingqiu had not expected Wei Tianxiong’s physical strength to be so immense. Fortunately, he cultivated the Heavenly Gang Golden Body Art.
Wei Tianxiong likewise had not expected Li Qingqiu to withstand his furious slash. His anger flared further.
Boom—
Once again, Wei Tianxiong forced Li Qingqiu back with Vital Energy. Leaping into the air, he raised the great blade high with both hands. Vital Energy poured endlessly into the blade as strange cyan runes manifested around it, rapidly expanding.
Under the watchful eyes of Shen Yue and Bai Ning’er, the great blade condensed into a vast cyan phantom. Upon closer inspection, it was a gigantic azure serpent, its coiled body terrifying to behold.
A fierce gale swept through heaven and earth. Countless leaves were torn free and surged toward the great blade.
This slash seemed to draw upon the power of heaven and earth itself. An immense pressure enveloped the mountain range.
Within the raging wind, Li Qingqiu began casting his technique as well. The flood-like Vital Energy within him surged forth, condensing into a massive silver sword shadow above his head.
Immortal Severing Three Swords, Third Sword!
Wei Tianxiong could tell at a glance that this was no ordinary spell. He even sensed danger.
After being suppressed for hundreds of years, could it be that upon revival he would lose to a junior at the Spirit Perception Realm?
Impossible!
Wei Tianxiong’s face twisted as he brought the blade down.
As the slash fell, the forest below was flattened by the pressure. The giant azure serpent unfurled and dove downward, jaws gaping wide. Its fangs alone were five zhang long.
Li Qingqiu struck at the same time. The silver sword shadow above his head burst with dazzling brilliance, dimming heaven and earth.
An overwhelmingly tyrannical sword might surged upward, cleaving through the serpent’s phantom and pressing forward unstoppably toward Wei Tianxiong.
Wei Tianxiong’s eyes widened, disbelief on his face. The crushing pressure left him unable to evade.
“No—”