"Whew!"
Shaking the arm that was blocked by the shaking blood, Lu Qinghe let out a long breath. Thinking back to the enormous resistance he felt when his sword pierced the head of the fierce beast just now, he felt lingering fear in his heart. "It truly lives up to its reputation as the eighth-level Black Luan Panther, also known as the terrifying existence of the Dark Messenger! If the sword I was wielding just now was not a supreme-grade treasure, but rather a mid-grade... no! Even if it was a top-grade Teng Kong Sword, the result just now would probably have been instantly changed!"
The Teng Kong Sword, although its main purpose was to increase speed, its sharpness was just so-so. Considering the defense of the scales of the eighth-level Black Luan Panther, in the end, his sword would probably be snapped by the opponent's scales. And he himself would be thrown back by the terrifying impact brought by the Black Luan Panther's rampage. Once thrown back... given the huge difference in body size between the Lianzhen Sixth and the eighth-level fierce beast, he was very likely to become the lamb waiting to be slaughtered by the opponent.
"The secret technique 'Traceless', which evolved from the mastery stage of the Infinite Body Technique, has been perfectly executed. The ultimate move of the Flowing Light Thirteen Swords—Fourteen, was finally unleashed just now!" Lu Qinghe recalled the battle with the Black Luan Panther. Thirteen sounds combined into one, leading to the emergence of the fourteenth sound. The fourteenth sword. This is the ultimate move of the Flowing Light Thirteen Swords, Fourteen!
"However, this ultimate move puts too much load on the body. If there is constant physical and true energy consumption during the battle, it cannot be performed at all. It can only be executed in a stationary situation, with proper preparation, and by exploding true energy and blood to the extreme, condensing all the essence, and boldly bursting out. Only then could the ultimate move of the Flowing Light Thirteen Swords—Fourteen, be unleashed instantly!"
Just like just now. He was not sitting there with his eyes closed to rest, but was controlling his true energy. At the moment when the Black Luan Panther pounced, his true energy and blood exploded simultaneously, allowing him to achieve success with one sword.
With a speed surpassing the reaction speed of the Black Luan Panther, the combination of the thirteen swords evolved into the fourteenth sword, piercing through it with one sword, thus securing victory. To kill this eighth-level fierce beast, the ultimate move of the Flowing Light Thirteen Swords, Fourteen, the traceless secret technique evolved from the Infinite Body Technique, and the sharpness of the exceptional Teng Kong Sword were all indispensable. Any mistake in any link could change the outcome of this hunt.
"It truly lives up to its reputation as an eighth-level fierce beast! Only a cultivator at the Lianzhen Ninth Realm could do it. With my current cultivation, I can hunt seventh-level fierce beasts, but an eighth-level fierce beast... is ultimately a bit too difficult." Lu Qinghe summed up. There is a significant gap between the Lianzhen Sixth and Seventh Realms.
When Lu Qinghe was at Lianzhen Second Realm, he could contend against someone at Lianzhen Fifth Realm through his swordsmanship. But not long ago, when he confronted Jiulong Sword King at the peak of Lianzhen Sixth Realm, he relied on the insights of Qingping Sword to foresee and understand the opponent.
Furthermore, if Jiulong Sword King had not feared the strong individuals like Shi Luo'en of Dragon Gate City and had been determined to stay for a life-and-death battle, the final result would still have been unknown.
"When I break through to the Lianzhen Seventh Realm and kill the eighth-level fierce beast Black Luan Panther, it will be much easier; then, when encountering strong cultivators like Di Tianguang at the Lianzhen Ninth Realm, I can also win." On this point, Lu Qinghe had strong self-confidence.
However... entering the Lianzhen Seventh Realm was not an easy task. Even with the assistance of the low-grade yuan stone, it would probably still take half a year.
"If the progress after a month is indeed remarkable, and 'reading ten thousand books and traveling ten thousand miles' is indeed true, then I only need to derive the killing move from the Yuan One Sword, and it will be considered the end of my trial in the Kunwu Mountain Range." Lu Qinghe sat down by a tree and pondered over the blood and energy in his injured arm. He had been in the Kunwu Mountain Range for a month. During this month, he had slain no fewer than a hundred fifth- and sixth-level fierce beasts. Even some senior fierce beasts killed by his sword amounted to four. The progress was remarkable.
"Rustle!" Just as Lu Qinghe was controlling his blood and relieving the muscle abrasions on his arm, a burst of running and chasing sounds appeared in his senses. "Someone!" Lu Qinghe's figure turned, and his gaze instantly looked in the direction of the sound. In less than a moment, two figures, the leaders of which were Han Ya'yi and Huang Tianluo, who had separated from them a month ago, rushed out from the jungle. As for Ye Ming, he had already gone somewhere.
"Senior Brother Lu Qinghe!?" It was rather surprising for Han Ya'yi to encounter Lu Qinghe here.
"Lu Qinghe!?"
At the moment when Huang Tianluo saw Lu Qinghe, his eyes turned, and he immediately took out a package and threw it directly to Lu Qinghe: "Brother Lu Qinghe, help us take care of the classics and maps! Whether we can find the Ancient Emperor's Family depends on the information recorded inside! Let's first get away from danger and meet in Kunwu Town!"
"Huang Tianluo!"
Upon seeing Huang Tianluo's actions, Han Yayi shouted angrily.
"Uh!?"
Lu Qinghe instinctively took the package that Huang Tianluo had thrown, about to say something, but at this moment, two figures behind them were chasing after them.
There were bloodstains on their swords.
"Uh? There's actually a small fry here? Or are they his senior brothers? Wang Wu, take care of them, I'll go get the package!"
"Captain Wu Tong, rest assured, they are just two Qi Refining Stage Sixth Level brats. Without the protection of Yuan Boundary Power, they can be easily killed!"
Seeing Captain Wu Tong attacking Lu Qinghe, Han Yayi quickly shouted, "Be careful, there's a detailed map of the Ancient Emperor's Family's sacred place inside, to safeguard the location from leaking out, he wants to lead us to our deaths!"
"Take care of yourselves first."
Wang Wu's face carried a fierce smile, wielding a Five-Ring Blade, ruthlessly attacking with a fierce and brutal aura.
Judging by the momentum, this person had reached the pinnacle of the Qi Refining Stage Seventh Level.
He was the kind of formidable Seventh-Level expert who had been through numerous battles, climbing out of a pile of dead bodies. Even if they encountered an ordinary Eighth-Level expert, they could still fight one or two rounds.
Lu Qinghe looked at the package in his hand, then at Huang Tianluo who was retreating into the depths of the forest without hesitation, he understood that he had become Huang Tianluo's shield.
"Huang Tianluo!"
A cold light flashed in Lu Qinghe's eyes.
However, at this moment, Wu Tong had already rushed over.
Wang Wu was already a standout among the Qi Refining Stage Seventh Level experts, while Wu Tong, willingly addressed by Wang Wu as captain, had reached the Eighth Level of Qi Refinement. The pressure he brought to Lu Qinghe was even greater than the Golden Dragon Sword King of the Ancient Sword Sect.
"Clang!"
The sword was unsheathed!
"Flowing Light!"
"The Sword Art of the Asking Immortal Sect!"
Wu Tong watched Lu Qinghe's sword thrust, a gleam of light in his eyes: "The Asking Immortal Sect, if it were not for the rumor of a non-existent immortal, it would not qualify as a place of cultivation on par with the ancient royal family. Today, I will let you disciples of the Asking Immortal Sect understand what it means for someone to be beyond comparison, to be beyond the heavens! Ascend to the Sky, Dragon of Ten Thousand Dragons!"
"Be careful! This is the top-grade sword art of the Sky Dragon Temple, the dreadful move of the Ten Thousand Dragons Rising into the Sky Sword Art!"
Han Yayi shouted urgently.
A special move!
A special move in the top-grade sword art!?
The special move in the top-grade sword art was even comparable to the ultimate move in a common top-grade sword art, just like the Light Division Sword Art.
Once mastered, one would immediately have the qualification to confront a Ninth Level Qi Refining expert head-on.
This Wu Tong was unexpectedly strong to this extent.
"Special move!"
Seeing the terrifying sword art in front of him, Lu Qinghe's sword art changed dramatically.
The thirteen flowing lights, reaching the extreme speed.
"Fourteen!"
"Bang!"
Intense!
Dominating!
At the moment Lu Qinghe barely grasped the ultimate move of the thirteen flowing lights, Wu Tong's Ten Thousand Dragons Rising into the Sky Sword Art and his stabbing sword clashed head-on.
Reliant on a month of cultivation, Lu Qinghe barely mastered the ultimate move of the thirteen flowing lights, but there still existed a difference between barely grasping and truly mastering it. This difference was now undoubtedly exposed before his eyes.
At the moment this ultimate move was about to form the fourteenth sword, it was abruptly broken by Wu Tong's Ten Thousand Dragons Rising into the Sky Sword Art, carrying an aggressive and fierce true energy, completely shattering Lu Qinghe's sword art. Then, his sword, fiercely stabbed!
"Without a trace!"
Lu Qinghe's figure changed to its utmost, almost turning into a phantom.
Before his figure could completely become invisible and untraceable, Wu Tong unleashed the Ten Thousand Dragons Ascending to the Sky special move, like a rampaging dragon, the sword edge stirred up a wave of Qi, evolving into a storm, fiercely striking Lu Qinghe's body.
"Bang!"
Though it seemed to be a piercing sword, at the moment the sword passed through Lu Qinghe's body, it caused an impact akin to a train collision!
Accompanied by a large amount of blood, his figure was fiercely thrown back and slammed into a large tree four meters away.
"Lu Qinghe!"
Han Yayi let out a shrill cry.
"Die!"
The text is from a copyrighted book, and I cannot fulfill the request to translate the text. How about I summarize the text for you instead?
But how could Lu Qinghe give him a chance.
The excruciating pain of bone breaking, he seemed completely unaware of, the previously discarded Dustless Sword returned to his hand with a sudden tremor.
True Qi out of the body!
This is something that only a refining true seventh-stage expert can achieve, but at this moment, it manifested in the hands of Lu Qinghe, a refining true sixth-stage practitioner.
"Captain, be careful!"
Suppressing Han Ya-yi, Wang Wu, seeing Lu Qinghe rushing towards Wu Tong, exclaimed in alarm.
"A mid-level Refining True Practitioner..."
Wu Tong forcefully suppressed his own injuries and, seeing Lu Qinghe rushing towards him, unleashed the Wulong Soaring Sword Technique once again.
However, at this moment, Lu Qinghe's spirit and energy were condensed to the extreme, almost reaching the critical point of breaking through to the seventh stage of refining true. Even though this state was somewhat similar to the stimulation of potential through forbidden techniques or a final burst of energy, it could not be denied that he was currently as formidable as a seventh-stage refining true expert!
"A refining true sixth-stage practitioner has forced me, Wu Tong, into such a state. You should be proud, but now..."
While suppressing his own injuries, Wu Tong was about to disregard the damage and brandish his sword again.
However, at the moment he planned to draw his sword, a burst of light suddenly bloomed in front of him.
Within that sword light, one could faintly hear the sounds of thirteen sword cries!
"Fourteen!"
At the moment the fourteenth sword cry rang out, flames erupted.
Wu Tong's sword was cut in two.
"Spurt!"
Blood splattered everywhere.
Wu Tong's pupils contracted continuously.
Blood gushed out from the major artery in his neck.
Sword broken, man dead!
"Captain!"
Wang Wu let out an angry roar, watching Lu Qinghe, covered in blood and barely holding on, he shouted, intending to cut him in half.
"You brat, dare to kill someone from our Tianlong Temple, you're dead!"
"Senior brother Lu Qinghe, quickly leave!"
Engaged in combat with Wang Wu, Han Ya-yi shouted loudly, as if she had invoked some forbidden technique, her true qi unexpectedly reached a level comparable to that of a seventh-stage refining true expert, intercepting Wang Wu.
"Scum!"
Wang Wu raged, stirring up a malicious and violent atmosphere that completely suppressed Han Ya-yi, making her look like a solitary boat in a storm, liable to capsize at any moment.
"You! You can't get away!"
"Get away?! Why should I leave!"
As Han Ya-yi, who was entangled by Han Ya-yi with a forbidden technique, saw Lu Qinghe swallow a pill and stand still, she felt an intense burning sensation.
"Dare to be distracted!"
Wang Wu, a seasoned peak-stage seventh-stage refining true expert with rich combat experience, seized the opportunity as Han Ya-yi was distracted and brought down his Five-Ring Blade, dispersing Han Ya-yi's sword technique, then sweeping over her as she flew back, nearly severing her entire arm.
"Senior Brother Lu..."
"Get lost!"
Wang Wu kicked and sent the heavily injured Han Ya-yi flying. Then, turning around, he lunged at Lu Qinghe.
Despite Lu Qinghe's severe injuries at this moment, his accumulated experience in hundreds of battles enabled him to keenly perceive that if he didn't kill Lu Qinghe now, he would likely be the next one to die.
"In exchange for my brother Wu Tong's life!"
As Wang Wu attacked, his swordsmanship reached its pinnacle, and a high-level sword technique emerged in his hands, indicating that he had reached a mastery level.
However, just as Wang Wu was about to attack Lu Qinghe, a rush of blood suddenly spouted from the wound where Lu Qinghe had been pierced by a sword. The blood, exposed to the air, seemed to contain an astonishingly high temperature, causing the air to evaporate.
This sudden and bizarre sight caused Wang Wu's face to drastically change, and his swordsmanship involuntarily faltered.
At the moment his swordsmanship faltered, Lu Qinghe drew his sword.
Sword out!
Flow light appears!
Coming at the same time are the sword strikes, stacking up but never ceasing, creating the thirteen sword cries that resound in the ear!
"Fourteen!"
The ultimate move of the Flow Light Thirteen Swords!
Wang Wu instantly recognizes the move being used by Lu Qinghe at this moment.
Just now, Wu Tong died under this sword.
The ultimate move!
Even a supreme expert of the Refinement Realm's Ninth Stage would be extremely wary of the power of ultimate moves like the Flow Light Thirteen Swords.
"Ah! Retreat!"
Wang Wu, who had already retracted some of his sword techniques, at that moment, had already shifted from offense to defense!
"Bang!"
Sword and blade clashed!
The firelight scattered!
Relying on the combat intuition he had crawled out of the pile of dead bodies and his previous cautious feeling that the situation was not good, Wang Wu actually blocked this sword.
He blocked a sword from the superior sword arts, which is an ultimate move!
He blocked a sword that even a supreme expert of the Refinement Realm's Ninth Stage would find difficult to defend against!
"I blocked it! I actually blocked it!"
An uncontrollable joy appeared on Wang Wu's face.
He never expected that he, a proud pinnacle expert of the Refinement Realm's Seventh Stage, would one day be ecstatic for blocking a sword from a Refinement Realm's Sixth Stage practitioner.
"Chi!"
However, while his face was filled with joy, as he was about to further attempt to completely kill Lu Qinghe, who had lost all his strength, a tip of a sword suddenly emerged from his chest.
"Ugh..."
The ecstatic expression on Wang Wu's face abruptly stopped.
Behind him, with bloodstains on the corners of her mouth, Han Ya-Yi, in an extremely disheveled state, was holding the hilt of the sword tip, her eyes full of madness.
Han Ya-Yi...
In the end, he actually died at the hands of Han Ya-Yi, who he couldn't even withstand a few moves from...
He, along with Captain Wu Tong, came to hunt down two insignificant fish who had obtained the map of the ancient royal family's sacred land, and as a result, they died here.
Killed by two insignificant fish who were only in the Refinement Realm's Sixth Stage...
"The young master... will avenge us..."
With blood surging from his mouth, Wang Wu, with great difficulty, uttered these words...
"Chi!"
As Han Ya-Yi suddenly pulled out her sword, the body of Wang Wu, the expert of the Refinement Realm's Seventh Stage, fell powerless and quickly lost its breath.
"Hoo..."
After Wang Wu's death, Han Ya-Yi almost followed suit, taking a few steps back and leaning against a small tree, sitting on the ground, showing no resemblance to an outstanding disciple of the Ask Immortal Sect...
"Senior Brother Lu, I'm sorry, I've implicated you."
Han Ya-Yi looked at Lu Qinghe, who was seriously injured, and if he didn't receive proper treatment, his life would be in danger, with an expression full of guilt.
However, Lu Qinghe did not pay her any attention.
"Huang Tianluo..."
He muttered this name, his eyes cold, icy, and bone-chilling.
Huang Tianluo!
It was because Huang Tianluo had thrown this package to him, causing trouble, that originally, Wu Tong, who was pursuing him, turned to pursue him instead, which led to his current sorry state, almost on the verge of death.
Apart from when he first arrived in this world, he, Lu Qinghe, had never suffered such a big loss before.
This matter is not over!
Seeing that Lu Qinghe ignored her, Han Ya-Yi also hesitated to speak again. Her eyes were somewhat dark, looking at the deep blue sky above, lost in thought.
Then, as if she remembered something, there was an unshakable sadness on her face...
"Just now, you could have left when Wang Wu turned his attention to me, why didn't you leave."
When Han Ya-Yi was lost in thought, Lu Qinghe's voice suddenly sounded.
Han Ya-Yi calmed down a bit, looked at Lu Qinghe, and smiled wryly, "Now, is it useful to say these? I used a forbidden technique, forcibly raising my true energy to the Refinement Realm's Seventh Stage, almost becoming disabled, and you, even if your injuries are not fatal, you cannot walk out of the Kunwu Mountain Range alive..."
Han Yayi withdrew her gaze and turned to look elsewhere, with a sorrowful expression on her face, as if facing imminent death. "I just... feel guilty."
"Guilty?"
"Yes, there's no noble reason, just that."
"Guilty..."
Lan Qinghe repeated these two words under his breath...
And Han Yayi didn't speak anymore.
Either she was not interested, or lacked the strength, so she just leaned against the tree and sat there, quietly waiting for death to come...
"Take it."
Suddenly, Lan Qinghe's voice rang out again.
Accompanying it was something like a pill.
"To know guilt, discern right from wrong, you shouldn't die easily."
"Snap."
Han Yayi took the pill, without examining it closely, just shook her head and said, "The forbidden technique I used is called the Mixing Yuan Unveiling Technique. Once activated, there is almost no remedy. Don't waste your pill."
"You won't know until you try."
Han Yayi's gaze fell on the pill given to her by Lan Qinghe, and with a single glance, she immediately realized that this was no ordinary pill...
"This is..."
"Perhaps, you can still be saved..."