The crimson flames clashed with the white sword aura, creating violent explosions that reverberated through the air.
Xuanjing City below was caught in the aftermath, engulfed in a sea of fire.
The battle between the two did not last long. Kou Hong's cultivation was originally inferior to Dao Xuanzi, and he was also weakened by the Immortal-Mortal Miasma attack from before, so he quickly fell into a disadvantage.
Dao Xuanzi showed no mercy despite this, as his sword techniques pressured Kou Hong relentlessly.
Just then, the old voice sounded once again.
"Dao Xuanzi is fickle and vindictive. If we let him win, there is no way for us to survive. Soldiers, obey my order and help Immortal Master Kou Hong deal with Dao Xuanzi!"
Kou Hong was overjoyed when he heard this.
He hastily distanced himself away from Dao Xuanzi, watching as Dao Xuanzi was swarmed with bullets. Triumphant, he shouted, "As the saying goes, you reap what you sow! I never expected that despite your veneer of righteousness, you would resort to betrayal and suffer a tragic backlash!"
Dao Xuanzi was already frustrated by the scheming of the hidden puppeteer, and when he heard Kou Hong's words, he was infuriated to the point of spitting blood.
"You stupid fool!" He couldn't stand it anymore and cursed at Kou Hong."At last, your true colors are emerging!" Kou Hong did not show any weakness and counterattacked, "You've always prided yourself as being particularly clever, but look at you now. You've been forsaken by the very mortals you controlled and manipulated! Your clever plan has backfired spectacularly!"
Dao Xuanzi heard this and was left speechless. Unable to argue any longer, he simply ignored Kou Hong and instead launched deadly sword attacks, reaping the lives of the mortal soldiers who dared to attack him.
However, these mortals were like locusts, their numbers seemingly endless. No matter how many he slaughtered, more would swiftly take their place, putting tremendous pressure on Dao Xuanzi, especially since he also had to be wary of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma. Because of this, he could only use energy-consuming ranged attacks to avoid being infected.
As a result, the battlefield entered a strange stalemate.
At this critical moment, that old voice echoed again relentlessly.
"Immortal Master Kou Hong, my clan's soldiers are on the brink of being wiped out. After Dao Xuanzi kills all of us, will he spare you? If you don't make a move at this time, when will you?!" The voice conveyed a tone of anxiousness and fear.
Kou Hong was awakened by this voice and instantly came to his senses.
He looked at Dao Xuanzi with a solemn expression, "You're right. Dao Xuanzi, you and I have been friends for a hundred years. Although we have turned against each other because of this Golden Formation technique, we're only both pursuing the path to longevity. I'll give you one last chance: if you give up the technique and flee, I won't bother you anymore. If not, I'm afraid that only one of us will survive."
Dao Xuanzi sighed softly, but he did not say a word, responding by raising his sword and facing Kou Hong.
"Very well. Recently, as I was fleeing, I comprehended a new Dao Art. It's only fitting that I use it to end this!" Kou Hong said sternly.
He then performed a hand seal. "Dao Art: Imprisoning Dragon!"
Flames formed into fiery shackles that surrounded Dao Xuanzi in all directions, forming an intricate formation that created a massive cage, trapping Dao Xuanzi within.
"Break for me!" Dao Xuanzi, who felt an enormous pressure suddenly weighing on him, carried a grave expression. He took a deep breath, and the shadow of a rusty iron sword faintly emerged behind him.
Under the sword's shadow, the sword aura he unleashed seemed to be empowered. As he struck the fiery cage, the originally blazing flames instantly came to a standstill before rapidly fading away.
Kou Hong seemed to have anticipated this outcome as he laughed, "Dao Xuanzi, you and I have been friends for a hundred years, and we have fought together side by side countless times. Others say that my cultivation is inferior to yours, and that is indeed the case. However, cultivation is cultivation, and combat is combat. If we were to truly fight to the death, it is still uncertain who would win or lose between us!"
"Since it's come to this, you don't have to hold back anymore. Let me see if your Dao Xuan Sword is more formidable, or if my Dao Arts are superior!"
In Kou Hong's eyes, endless battle intent erupted. "Dao Art: Heaven-Devouring Dragon!"
The flames that had previously faded away suddenly went out completely. On the contrary, Dao Xuanzi's face changed drastically with the disappearance of the flame cage.
It turned out that hidden behind the flame cage was a gnarled, dragon-shaped branch, waiting for the right moment to strike. After the flames suddenly extinguished, the branch shot towards Dao Xuanzi with a thunderous momentum as even darker flames began to grow around the branch. In an instant, the flames formed a massive, blazing dragon that was about to devour Dao Xuanzi!
"Dao Xuan!" At the moment of life and death, Dao Xuanzi did not panic despite his shock.
In the sky, the giant shadow of the rusty sword was completely revealed.
The gnarled dragon branch paused momentarily as if it had encountered a formidable foe, but then, as if provoked, swept towards Dao Xuanzi in an increasingly ferocious manner.
Dao Xuanzi swung his sword, and the shadow behind him mirrored his movement.
The space ahead solidified like a water surface freezing.
The fiery dragon collided with the enormous Dao Xuan Sword for only a moment before being forced back.
The Heaven-Devouring Dragon shattered into crystalline fragments. Despite its appearance, it was no match for the Dao Xuan Sword!
The carefully prepared Dao Art proved to be fragile in the face of the giant sword shadow flying towards Kou Hong, but he neither panicked nor dodged away.
"Dao Art: Dragon's Rebirth!"
Under Kou Hong's furious shout, the crystalline fragments that had scattered upon the previous defeat instantly ignited once more.
They then coalesced together, forming a brand new blazing dragon.
Its flames burned brighter than ever before, and its prominent horns signified its proud heritage.
Like a sharp sword, the newly formed dragon surged relentlessly towards Dao Xuanzi, accompanied by the sound of a dragon's roar!
Dao Xuanzi's eyes flashed with a trace of appreciation, but the Dao Xuan Sword above him showed no sign of retreating.
In a life-and-death struggle, whoever was more decisive and ruthless would come out on top!
However, at this crucial juncture, the old voice sounded out once more, like a lingering specter.
"Immortal Master Kou Hong, we shall lend you our aid!"
Before the voice even faded, long cannonballs with fiery trails bombarded Dao Xuanzi from all directions and erupted into a rain of blood!
"Ah!" Caught off guard, Dao Xuan Zi let out a miserable scream as his imposing aura plummeted.
The shadow of the Dao Xuan Sword also became dim, and the blazing dragon was able to take this opportunity to overcome the Dao Xuan Sword, breaking through the distorted space and piercing through Dao Xuanzi's body!
On the other hand, the sword shadow wielded by Dao Xuanzi was at the end of its line, only forcing a few mouthfuls of blood out of Kou Hong before dissipating.
"I... I..." Dao Xuanzi coughed miserably, desiring but unable to express his final words.
In mere moments, swallowed by the Heaven-Devouring Dragon, Dao Xuanzi's body turned into a pile of bones.