Li Tongya concealed himself outside the formation, listening to Yu Yufeng's terrified shouts from within. He kept his head down, scanning the surroundings for any signs of intruders.
With Xiao Chuchou and his group—one at the peak of Foundation Establishment Realm and two at the mid-stage—dealing with Yu Yufeng, who was only at the late stage of Foundation Establishment Realm, they did not need Li Tongya's help at all. They had just asked him to stand guard outside the formation.
"Take this!"
Nanshan Weng launched a pristine white jade seal toward Yu Yufeng, which burst forth with brilliant white light. Yu Yufeng's face twisted in both alarm and terror as he reached out to intercept it. The collision produced a violent and thunderous sound, locking them in a stalemate while in midair.
"Nanshan Weng! It's you! It's the Xiao Family... this is not good!" Yu Yufeng cried out. The collision of lights produced sparkling radiance which trickled down from Yu Yufeng's palms as he withstood the jade seal. Nanshan Weng, eyes closed and focusing intently, pushed Yu Yufeng back step by step, his arms straining.
While dealing with the peak Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator Nanshan Weng, Yu Yufeng sensed a chilling breeze behind him. Dozens of sword beams surged like waves, producing a sound similar to the roar of raging oceans.
Turning, Yu Yufeng saw a middle-aged swordsman approaching him rapidly with a sword, his gray robe billowing in the wind. Yu Yufeng, forced to divert his attention, held Nanshan Weng's jade seal with one hand and used his other to counter the sword beams.
Chen Taojing, practicing the River One Qi Technique , wielded robust mana. Dozens of sword beams poured down with unstoppable force, each radiant and powerful.
Unexpectedly, Yu Yufeng's reverse palm strike halted the sword beams. He then grabbed and crushed them, causing a burst of clear droplets to rain down on them, dissipating the sword beams entirely.
"Yu Yufeng truly lives up to the name of White Jade Fist... his strength is formidable!"
Li Tongya, now a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator with years of experience, could easily gauge the strength of the combatants. Despite being at the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, Yu Yufeng could simultaneously fend off the peak Foundation Establishment Realm Nanshan Weng and mid-stage Chen Taojing. Even though they weren't using their full power, his ability to resist and defend himself was impressive.
Below, Xiao Chuchou, having wandered the world for years, showed no regard for honor with Yu Yufeng. He swung his patterned copper rod with lethal intent, aiming directly for Yu Yufeng's head, his mana surging fiercely.
In a moment of desperation, Yu Yufeng quickly gathered his mana, pushing away the jade seal with one palm and turning to clash directly with Xiao Chuchou. He used the momentum to repel himself away.
These three together make it impossible for me to gauge their strength... I have no choice but to go all out!
He clapped his palms together, releasing six beams of white light. Red lines soon emerged on his skin that extended from his elbows and earlobes, resembling dangling tassels and emitting a faint blood qi.
Yu Yufeng's eyes shut and reopened, now glowing with the luster of jade, his tattered clothes revealing his sculpted muscles. He spat out a blood-red streak, his fierce and feral gaze fixed on Chen Taojing.
"What kind of immortal foundation is this?!" Chen Taojing asked in a low voice, stunned as everything happened in the space of a breath.
If Yu Yufeng revealed such an immortal foundation under normal circumstances, Xiao Chuchou would be on high alert, performing hand seals or summoning dharma artifacts to prepare for battle. But now, with Yu Yufeng like a bird in a cage or a fish in a net, Xiao Chuchou wasn't worried and even had the leisure to chat.
" Jade Court General ," Xiao Chuchou answered with a smile. "Back then, it was the immortal foundation forged by the White Jade Court, subordinate to the Moonlight Origin Mansion. The Courtly Red Dust Qi required to cultivate it has long been lost... Seeing it today is quite rare indeed!"
"That's right!" Nanshan Weng nodded in agreement, pushing his palms forward, continuing, "Back in the day, he made a name for himself in Lixia Prefecture with this Jade Court General . It has been many years since then, but seeing it again is still impressive."
While the two elders chatted happily, Chen Taojing was struggling. Yu Yufeng, spotting him as the youngest and weakest, closed the distance between them in two swift steps. Each of his palms struck down with force as heavy as Mount Tai, clashing against Chen Taojing's sword, producing a series of sharp, metallic sounds and bright red sparks.
Chen Taojing didn't dare to hold back any longer. He activated Boundless Ocean , and clear, thick river water rose around him like two dragons, continuously dissolving the incoming mana suppression. His sword techniques were adept, and though he was consuming a lot of mana, he managed to withstand Yu Yufeng's attacks.
"Seniors! This old scoundrel has gone mad! Come quickly to assist!" Chen Taojing shouted out through gritted teeth.
Meanwhile, Yu Yufeng felt a deep sense of regret within him. He finally recognized the Boundless Ocean from the famous River One Qi Technique of the Lingyu Gate, common around Moongaze Lake. Cursing his bad luck, he thought to himself dejectedly, I didn't expect this guy's immortal foundation to be the Boundless Ocean! What rotten luck... Now I've lost the advantage and can't even take down one of them !
Xiao Chuchou laughed heartily and said loudly, "Junior's immortal foundation is extremely robust; you can easily hold on for another quarter of an hour. You are being too humble!"
As he spoke, wisps of cloud and fine frost, along with flashes of lightning, appeared around him. Dark runes formed on his rod, and his already white temples turned frosty. He stepped forward, swinging his rod at Yu Yufeng.
Nanshan Weng also joined in, clapping his hands and retrieving a pinewood staff from a pouch at his waist. The three of them surrounded Yu Yufeng.
Yu Yufeng, overwhelmed, struggled to defend against the sword and staff. Nanshan Weng's jade seal and staff alternately struck him solidly, yet drew no blood. Instead, pieces of jade chipped off his body, falling to the ground and transforming into bloodstains.
"Hmm?"
After a few exchanges with Yu Yufeng, Xiao Chuchou sensed that something was off. He noticed that Yu Yufeng's mana was strange, almost as if it had been corrupted. It was no wonder that Chen Taojing, known for his robust and enduring Boundless Ocean , had called for help within mere moments.
Observing the blood qi emanating from Yu Yufeng's immortal foundation, he muttered, "Yu Yufeng, it seems you have consumed sacrificial offerings for your immortal foundation... No wonder you have been stuck at the late Foundation Establishment Realm for years! Such reckless consumption explains why you have not advanced."
Yu Yufeng remained silent, fighting the three for an hour. His strength waned, nearing exhaustion and the brink of backlash from his own immortal foundation. Desperate, he threw dozens of talismans into the air which transformed into flames, green wood, and lightning, attacking his opponents. Taking the opportunity, he quickly flew westward.
However, the talismans only hindered them momentarily. Xiao Chuchou and the others immediately pursued him with renewed vigor. Yu Yufeng barely managed to strike at the formation a couple of times, causing a ripple before they closed in again. Forced to turn back and fight, more pieces of jade fell from his body, and Chen Taojing sliced off half a jade finger with his sword.
Yu Yufeng opened his mouth but couldn't speak. Xiao Chuchou nodded slightly and continued, "Your family's techniques are impressive, likely higher than Grade Three. If you had achieved the Purple Mansion Realm, your divine abilities would truly be formidable in combat."
Yu Yufeng remained silent, his tongue stiff in his mouth. Pills he had attempted to swallow rolled out from the corners of his mouth, his eyes unable to move. Xiao Chuchou seized this moment of his vulnerability, smashing Yu Yufeng's head with his rod, scattering more jade fragments into the air. The now frail body swayed and finally collapsed to the ground, breaking into four pieces, and scattering debris everywhere.