Chapter 842 - 583: Reunion!

"Cough—cough—!"

Li Yan coughed violently, a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed onto the bluestone slab, staining it red.

His breath grew increasingly weak, his eyes full of exhaustion and helplessness.

Jin Taiyin was slippery, not giving a chance at all.

"It seems I can only use that move..."

A hint of determination flashed in Li Yan’s eyes.

He knew that only by using the secret technique to gain a moment of pinnacle combat power would he have a chance to kill Jin Taiyin.

Yet once he performed this technique, his Golden Core would be completely shattered, and his essence, energy, and spirit would completely dissipate after the peak, whether he could survive would be unknown.

Perhaps, Jin Taiyin might not be dead yet, but he himself would already be exhausted.

"Enough..."

Li Yan gently closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, only determination remained in his eyes:

"Let’s bet! Pill Shattering!"

The Golden Core inside him shattered violently!

The shattered Golden Core transformed into countless golden light spots, merging into his limbs and bones.

His previously hunched back instantly straightened, his gray hair and beard moved automatically without wind, his turbid eyes became clear and sharp.

His aura soared to a peak state, a pressure so tangible that it made the surrounding air ripple.

"Kill!"

With one word, carrying endless resolve, the Youquan Flying Sword emitted a deafening sword hum, the sword light surged several times, transforming into a bright white long rainbow, striking towards Jin Taiyin!

"What?!"

Jin Taiyin’s face changed dramatically, scared out of his wits, no longer finding any joy from before:

"There is actually such a secret technique!"

He didn’t have time to think more, quickly pulled out a blue Wind Banner from his Storage Pouch, swung it with a large shout:

"Wind Shield!"

"Whoosh—whoosh—!"

The fierce wind suddenly arose, turning into a huge Wind Shield, blocking in front of him.

Simultaneously, his eyes turned fierce, his gaze swept toward the panicking fleeing citizens below, he shouted:

"Li Yan! If you dare step forward, I will make these commoners bury with me!"

Ah—!

The onlooking citizens instantly exploded into fearful screams, retreating like a tide, stumbling and knocking down street debris, faces full of despair.

Many elderly, weak, women, and children directly prostrated themselves on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing, crying and begging:

"Immortal forgive us! Immortal forgive us!"

But Li Yan’s eyes did not waver in the slightest, cold eyes like ice, resolute as iron.

His mind was as clear as a mirror.

The opponent was inherently a villain, if not dealt with today, he might return even more brutally, slaughtering neighbors and harming innocents.

"Nonsense!"

Li Yan coldly shouted, ignoring Jin Taiyin’s threats and suddenly shaking his wrist.

Buzz—

The long sword emitted a clear and high hum, the blade suddenly shone with dazzling golden light, like the sun in the sky.

"Snap—!"

With a crisp sound, the Wind Shield was instantly shattered by the sword light, dispersing into the wild wind.

Seeing that the hostage threat was completely ineffective, Jin Taiyin’s eyes instantly filled with ruthlessness, a cold light of extreme malice flashed in his eyes:

"Such a heart of stone! Since you don’t care about the citizens’ lives, don’t blame me for being callous!"

He suddenly flipped his right hand, a small White Jade Seal engraved with obscure runes leapt into his palm, heavy and profound earth-type Spiritual Qi erupted.

Jin Taiyin’s arm shook wildly, throwing the Jade Seal fiercely into the sky, roaring with all his might:

"Suppress!"

Rumble—

The White Jade Seal swelled wildly in the wind, transforming instantly into a towering hill ten zhang tall, earth and stones rolled, pressure like a prison, crushing towards the area most densely populated by citizens!

The ground trembled violently, gravel and sand rolled down, the world filled with an apocalyptic scene.

It was clearly an attempt to stir Li Yan’s resolve with the blood of compatriots, hoping that if he hesitated and went to save them, it would be all the better!

However.

Li Yan’s expression remained unchanged, not even his brows moved.

His gaze stayed locked on Jin Taiyin, without the slightest deviation.

The Youquan Flying Sword’s sword light did not diminish, its charge became even more fierce, piercing straight at Jin Taiyin’s throat without the slightest pause.

His attention was entirely focused on Jin Taiyin, the Youquan Flying Sword continued its fearless advance without any interruption.

Jin Taiyin’s sinister smile instantly froze:

"You...you really won’t save them?!"

"Those are your compatriots! People from your homeland!"

He couldn’t believe Li Yan could truly be so ruthless!

He thought that even if Li Yan did not save them, there would be a moment of hesitation or even slight emotion.

Just as the ten zhang hill was about to crush the citizens!

"Buzz——!"

Two streaks of golden light suddenly burst forth from the temple beside them, instantly illuminating the entire sky and dispelling the dark clouds that covered the heavens.

One of the golden lights transformed into a giant golden Dharma Net, instantly enveloping the ten-foot hill firmly.

The hill struggled, emitting a thunderous rumble, but was never able to break free from the constraints of the Dharma Net, ultimately being compressed back into a small jade seal that fell to the ground.

The other golden light transformed into a massive golden Palm Seal, with five fingers like five towering Divine Peaks, moving even faster than the ghostly spring Flying Sword, striking fiercely towards Jin Taiyin!

"No—no—no!"

Jin Taiyin let out a howl of despair.

Facing Li Yan’s ghostly spring Flying Sword, he still had some room to struggle, but in the face of this golden Palm Seal, his heart was filled with nothing but despair.

He had no time to dodge, nor to resist.

"Bang——!"

A dull roar sounded as the golden Palm Seal slammed hard onto Jin Taiyin.

Jin Taiyin didn’t even have time to let out a scream before being crushed into a puddle of flesh by the Palm Seal, with blood and shattered bones splattering onto the bluestone slabs, shocking to see.

The gourd at his waist also shattered, leaving the remaining red sand scattered all over, instantly losing its Evil Qi.

At the same time, Li Yan’s ghostly spring Flying Sword also arrived just in front of the golden Palm Seal, trembling slightly from the pressure of the Palm Seal, unable to advance any further.

Li Yan went limp, staggering back a few steps, a large mouthful of blood spurting from his mouth once again, his aura plummeting to rock bottom, even more desolate than before.

He quickly pinched a Spell to control the ghostly spring Flying Sword, allowing it to slowly fly back to his hand.

The Golden Core was completely shattered, and his essence, spirit, and energy were about to be exhausted. He could clearly feel his life rapidly slipping away—at most, he had three to five days of lifespan left.

Li Yan chuckled lightly, "Not bad!"

Compared to perishing directly in battle, having three to five days to fulfill his wishes was already considered a good outcome.

He composed himself and respectfully cupped his hands towards the incense-filled temple:

"Which esteemed person lent a helping hand? Li Yan of the Sword Sect seeks an audience to express my gratitude in person!"

Within the temple, it was silent.

There was no response, no movement, as if the two golden lights earlier were mere illusions.

Li Yan stood there, waiting for a moment, yet there was still no sound.

He came to an understanding in his heart, thinking that this esteemed person did not wish to meet him, perhaps because they did not like his previous merciless strike!

Li Yan shook his head helplessly, cupped his hands once more towards the temple, and then, leaning on a cane, left step by step.

...

In the depths of the temple, incense smoke curled, mists shrouded.

A red light emerged within a deity statue, from which a palace-clad woman walked out, her skirt trailing to the ground, without a single crease.

Her name was Mei Sanniang, the one sitting in this place as the [Messiah of Passing Dao].

Her fingertips gently condensed a wisp of pale golden light floating in front of her, within the light was the complete scene of the magical combat just now.

The woman’s eyes were cool and her expression indifferent, only when gazing at the moment when Li Yan resolvedly struck with his sword did her brows knit almost imperceptibly.

"Hmph."

She was not unaware that Li Yan’s choice at that time was the most rational and resolute one, sacrificing the few to save more of the living.

But she simply didn’t like Li Yan.

She didn’t like his nearly ruthless rationality, nor the Immortal Dao aura that was at odds with her.

Her fingertips flicked lightly, and the wisp of light carrying the scene of the magical combat transformed into a streak of flowing light, quietly merging into the Dharma Net’s node.

After completing this, she closed her eyes once more, merging back into the deity statue.

...

Meanwhile, in the depths of the Infinite Sea.

Here, far from worldly clamor, there was no sight of stormy waves, only a quiet purple bamboo forest, reflecting a faint glow under the dim light of the deep sea.

Mist drifted among the bamboo, the wind stirring the bamboo leaves produced a soft rustling, melodious but not noisy.

At the center of the bamboo forest, by a bamboo table, Min Rou sat quietly sipping tea.

She wore a plain cloth dress, her long hair bound by a Wooden Hairpin, her demeanor gentle, her temperament serene, blending seamlessly with the tranquility of the deep sea bamboo forest.

When the light and shadows from the Dharma Net came through, Min Rou’s pupils abruptly contracted:

"Brother Li!"

[Name: Min Rou]

[Sequence: Five・Xuantan Palm Seal]

[Corresponding Authority: Under the Profound Yin・Master of the Altar]

[Abilities: Communication with the Divine of Xuanpin, Enlisting Warriors, Mobilizing the Dharma Net...]

[Next Sequence: Sequence Four・God of Life Officer]

[Promotion Conditions: ...]

A century’s time passes in the blink of an eye.

These years, she plunged headlong into the mundane world that the Cultivators least valued.

Walking through streets and alleys, preaching to mortals, guiding the lost, she gradually accumulated good karma, strengthening the foundation of the Supreme Dao.

From the initial [Sequence 9・Returning to the Profound Faith], she naively entered the Dao.

To [Sequence 8・Returning to the Profound Guide of the Good], guiding others into the Dao.

Then to [Sequence 7・Calm Heart Reader of the Dao], calmly cultivating, purifying her heart.

Thereafter to [Sequence 6・Messiah of Passing Dao], traversing the mundane world, spreading Daoist techniques widely.

She finally reached [Sequence 5・Xuantan Palm Seal], overseeing the altar of the Supreme Dao, comparable to a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator in this realm.