The Capital Immortal Dao to which Guan Gongxiao belonged was itself an Eastern Sea Dao lineage, and he had studied more demonic techniques than the Li Family had ever seen. The Armor Cycle Soul-Refining Halberd Art that Li Zhouwei cultivated originated in the Liang Dynasty and was, truthfully, not far removed from a devil technique.
But no sooner had that thought crossed his mind than black flames rained down on him, and the Da Sheng Halberd thrust forward with sudden speed. Although the heavenly light on the halberd was blocked by his small mirror dharma artifact, the surging black shadow was clearly not that easy to handle. He quickly formed a seal and released a burst of white light.
This white light, known as Evening White Origin Dispersal, was designed specifically to counter cultivators skilled in artifact combat. It dissolved sharp energy and repelled dharma artifacts. Guan Gongxiao had always found this spell invincible in battle, and it had indeed helped him resist the halberd's strikes earlier.
Yet when the white light was released this time and rose before the halberd, a surge of black flame erupted from the weapon, causing the light to collapse like air leaking from a punctured bladder. The Da Sheng Halberd broke straight through, and the heavenly light upon it slipped free from the mirror artifact's restraining field, shining brilliantly.
Clang!
Caught off guard, Guan Gongxiao yanked his Daoist scripture before him. Its pages turned without wind, spraying streams of pure qi that barely managed to hold back the halberd. Guan Kan and Gongsun Baifan broke out in a cold sweat as they hurried to assist.
But Li Zhouwei, having finally seized the initiative, had no intention of relinquishing it. The Yang Radiant Red Sparrow Banner surged at full power, sending five kinds of Radiant Fire crashing down. The heavenly light pouring from the celestial gate pulsed as well, and the two pinned Guan Kan in place.
On the other side, Gongsun Baifan, skilled in the blade, had barely stepped forward when a black-shadow halberd ripped through the air and clashed against his blade. The rain-cloaked blade cultivator exchanged over a dozen blows in a heartbeat, then glanced upward to see that same shadow-wreathed man forcing Guan Gongxiao down with a single halberd strike. His face flushed as he teetered on the verge of falling from the sky.
Gongsun Baifan was nearly the pinnacle of what a grassroots rogue cultivator could achieve. Ordinary family cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm were no match for him. Yet he still bore the common flaw of rogue cultivators, ignorance of spell arts and shallow Daoist attainment. He had clawed his way up relying on a single blade technique. He could hold his own against anyone, but he lacked any means of breaking through a stalemate.
Perhaps if he served the Capital Immortal Dao as a guest cultivator for fifty or sixty years, he might have transformed himself and soared like a great peng[1]. But for now, he remained a rogue cultivator, nothing more.
Looking at the state of the battlefield, Gongsun Baifan knew that he would face harsh reprimands even if he returned alive. However, if anything happened to Guan Gongxiao, the consequences would be far worse. Guan Kan would surely be fine regardless, but what did Gongsun Baifan himself have to rely on? He had no choice now but to fight with everything he had.
So he slapped his storage pouch, and three scarlet pills shot out, landing in his mouth. Biting his tongue, he spat a mouthful of blood essence onto his blade, causing lines of runes to flare instantly to life.
In that brief instant, Li Zhouwei narrowed his eyes and said with a faint smile, "So it was merely a support dharma artifact!"
Guan Gongxiao had always presented himself with a Daoist scripture, and anyone who fought him would naturally be wary of it as his trump card. But Li Zhouwei, who had struck unexpectedly with a halberd strike, had forced him into a desperate situation and discovered that the scripture was nothing more than a support dharma artifact used for casting spells and releasing water techniques.
The black bell is his true weapon, and it's already suppressed beneath the gate! thought Li Zhouwei.
His halberd flipped and thrust forward, breaking through the scripture's protection and driving straight in. Heavenly light surged along the Da Sheng Halberd, its scorching heat igniting flames across Guan Gongxiao's face with a sizzling hiss.
Not good!
Guan Kan turned out to be the most surprised. The old man had clearly never imagined that the young gate heir he placed such high hopes on would truly have his life endangered by a single halberd strike. Startled out of simply observing, he immediately began gathering a spell in his mouth.
Hum!
At that critical instant, a white halo burst from Guan Gongxiao's body, and the runes on his chest lit up, repelling all the heavenly light and flames from his face. A metallic clang rang out as the barrier stopped the Da Sheng Halberd just in time.
Li Zhouwei was not the least bit surprised. A man of Guan Gongxiao's status could not possibly be without protective life-saving items. Even he himself possessed three such treasures. But he had not missed his mark.
The halberd slid upward at blinding speed and slammed into the mirror dharma artifact. Guan Gongxiao might have escaped injury thanks to the talisman, but his blood surged violently, leaving him no time to react.
The dharma artifact struggled twice before being pulled back and pinned beneath the heavenly gate by a sweeping strike of the Da Sheng Halberd. But before Li Zhouwei could press his advantage any more, he was forced to turn his halberd as Gongsun Baifan broke free of the entangling black shadows and furiously charged in.
A sharp clash rang out, forcing Li Zhouwei back a step. He was slightly surprised, but quickly understood that the man before him was fighting with his life on the line. He locked the Da Sheng Halberd with his long blade as two waves of black shadow spread outward. The halberd pulled back and swept in from the side, but Gongsun Baifan, having taken his pills, showed no fear. Three water-dragon shadows surged from his back, blocking the black flames from either side.
At the same moment, he shouted, "Elder!"
Prompted by the call, Guan Kan realized this was his best chance. The spell art he had been accumulating surged from his mouth and transformed into the essence of Pit Water in midair as it swam rapidly toward its target. But heavenly light flared between Li Zhouwei's brows, and Gongsun Baifan's hair stood on end.
Heavenly Radiance, Hidden Light was not moving to block the essence of Pit Water at all. It was heading straight for him.
"Him!"
Gongsun Baifan had risked his life so that Ye Hui's Dao would not watch him die with cold eyes. But he was not prepared to throw his life away outright. He immediately retreated and raised his long blade. At the same moment, Li Zhouwei's Da Sheng Halberd shifted with practiced ease, like an ambush long prepared, and drove straight toward the essence of Pit Water...
"Why go to such pointless lengths?"
The long blade in Gongsun Baifan's hands was struck by Heavenly Radiance, Hidden Light, and an immense force slammed into him. If not for his mastery of blade technique and skilled defense, that single blow might have toppled him. Even so, the blade's spine burned with heat, nearly forcing blood from his lips, and confusion stirred within him.
But a moment later, both Gongsun Baifan and Guan Kan understood.
When the essence of Pit Water struck the black flames surrounding Li Zhouwei's halberd, white vapor surged forth and split into several streams that scattered in different directions. After retreating several paces, they dispersed further, flowing southward in disarray. Guan Kan's long-prepared spell art had disintegrated like snow melting under the blazing sun.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Gongsun Baifan stared in shock, while Guan Kan's expression turned grave.
Guan Gongxiao, the young gate heir, finally caught his breath and shouted, "That black flame is the Great Liang's Boundless Essence spell!"
Guan Kan understood immediately. When he saw Li Zhouwei wreathed in surging black fire, a sense of dread welled up within him.
Boundless Essence transforms Pit Water into Radiant Fire. Refined through the Liang martial era, it can now suppress, merge, and subdue... this just became troublesome! thought Guan Kan.
Li Zhouwei himself was astonished by the power of this halberd strike. The Armor Cycle Soul-Refining Halberd Art he practiced contained a hidden ability to break spells, which was how he had earlier forced out Guan Gongxiao's trump card so suddenly. Now a realization flashed through his mind, I only intended to use the spell-breaking ability within this technique, yet Boundless Essence can even shatter Pit Water. Excellent, excellent!
Now that he had such an advantage, he immediately drew his halberd back and swung it around, ignoring the crimson light Guan Gongxiao spat out in a desperate attempt to relieve the pressure, and thrust straight toward Gongsun Baifan.
Everyone on the field now understood the situation clearly, except Gongsun Baifan. He only knew that Guan Kan's spell art had been inexplicably shattered. His astonishment had yet to fade before the Da Sheng Halberd bore down upon him, and shock gave way to sheer terror.
1. 鹏 (péng) is a giant mythical bird from Chinese mythology that transforms from a fish called Kun and soars across the heavens. It symbolizes great ambition and limitless potential. ☜