Chapter 272: The Immortal-Brahma Sword Battle Begins With Me!

A one-on-one duel? Wang Ping, Xianfu, and Kunlun exchanged another glance, smiling even more broadly. They shared a sense of profound relaxation, like gorging on food and drink after a grueling workout.

"Sure."

Xianfu gave a slight nod. "Who do you want to duel?"

Luan Phoenix Khan's divine sense spun into overdrive. He scoffed inwardly at the pedantry of these cultivators. I ask for a one-on-one duel, and you actually agree?

Of course, they could also be trying to trick him.

But that didn't matter. He had never planned to duel them anyway; he intended to unleash a Venerable's divine will the moment they clashed, break the blockade, and flee on his ship.

Naturally, it would be even better if he could kill one of them in the process... From that angle, picking the weakest-looking one offered the highest chance of success.

With that in mind, Luan Phoenix Khan's gaze swept over Xianfu, Kunlun, and Wang Ping before coming to a slow halt on Kunlun. The reason was simple: this person looked like a child. He appeared to have reincarnated only recently and had likely not yet recovered his peak strength.

His odds of winning were quite good!

"You, the brat with the collar around your neck, step forward!" Luan Phoenix Khan pointed a finger at Kunlun, a sinister sneer tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I'll make you my first victim today!"

Kunlun raised an eyebrow.

He unleashed his recently recovered Tribulation Transcending Third Layer aura without reservation. The faint image of a precious furnace surfaced behind his head, falling directly into Luan Phoenix Khan's line of sight.

Thud!

Luan Phoenix Khan dropped to his knees on the spot, sweat pouring down his face as he cursed frantically in his mind. A destiny form? The destiny form of the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer? Are you kidding me?!

Why would a major figure at the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer be in a place like this? Did the Immortal Gate have a mole near the Brahma Nation's Venerable who had secretly leaked the information?

"What's this? Do you still want to fight me?"

Kunlun chuckled.

Luan Phoenix Khan immediately offered an ingratiating smile. "You misunderstand, my lord. How could my meager cultivation level possibly be worthy of your attention? I wasn't calling you just now. I was actually calling..."

His eyes darted between Xianfu and Wang Ping.

They finally settled on Xianfu. This person's aura felt rather weak, and he had the distinct look of a pampered cultivator who lived comfortably day to day.

He shouldn't be good at dueling.

Thinking this, Luan Phoenix Khan quickly shifted his tone and pointed at Xianfu. "...Right, I was calling you. If you're weak, admit it. Stand tall and take your beating. Get out here..."

Xianfu instantly rolled up his sleeves. "Junior Brothers, leave this one to..."

"...Wait!"

Junior Brothers?

A bead of cold sweat slid down Luan Phoenix Khan's temple. This guy was the senior brother of the one from earlier? Could the senior brother of someone at the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer have a lower cultivation level than the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer?

Damn it, he had picked wrong again!

For a moment, Luan Phoenix Khan's heart swelled with grief and indignation. Why were these people from Biyang all so insidious? He hated dishonest people more than anything else in the world!

Right then, Wang Ping suddenly clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Cough, cough..."

The metallic tang of blood immediately filled the air. Luan Phoenix Khan snapped his head toward him, finally noticing something off.

This guy... seems to be a martial artist?

That's right, I can't be mistaken. That was definitely the Blood Qi True Gang. He seems to be injured, and the aura leaking from him feels like the Tribulation Transcending Second Layer?

Luan Phoenix Khan almost burst into tears.

He had finally found an easy target he could bully!

Without a second thought, he immediately shifted his finger again. "My apologies, Senior, my hand slipped just now. I was actually pointing at this martial artist."

Aiming his finger squarely at Wang Ping, he shouted angrily, "Martial artist! I've been putting up with you for a long time! Get out here!"

"Me? All right then..."

Wang Ping looked up and took a step forward. The towering illusion of a Mind Monkey materialized behind him, hoisting the colossal, heaven-spanning Divine Treasure Iron high into the air...

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!"

Staring at the Divine Treasure Iron that was even larger than his true Totem form, Luan Phoenix Khan felt his scalp go numb. He frantically waved his hands. "My lord, you've misunderstood!"

"I, I..."

His eyes swept over Wang Ping, Xianfu, and Kunlun once more.

What the hell was going on? Not a single one of them seemed human! Was this still the Great Shun? Had he taken a wrong turn and stumbled into the Immortal Gate's Eight Immortal Peaks?

In a split second, Luan Phoenix Khan finally made his decision.

"...Fuck!"

Instantly, blinding golden light erupted!

Without a shred of hesitation, he activated all four strands of Venerable divine will he carried. He hurled three at Wang Ping's group and used the final one to carry himself away.

Then he saw the world below him growing smaller and smaller. The surrounding ocean, the sky above—everything was plummeting toward a single point. Terrified, he hastily revealed his true Totem form, a five-colored peacock, but it was all in vain. His consciousness instantly plunged into darkness.

Clang!

The furnace lid clamped shut. Wang Ping held the Ten Thousand Gods Terrestrial Chart—which had taken the shape of a pill furnace—in the palm of his hand. He gave it a few firm shakes. Inside, Luan Phoenix Khan had already been reduced to a pool of bloody water.

As for the four strands of Venerable divine will?

With a wave of Xianfu's hand, the Spiritual Treasure, the Unified Mind Hall, gladly swallowed all the strands of divine will. From beginning to end, they failed to stir even a single ripple in the Eastern Sea.

Right after, Xianfu reached out.

The Frontier-Expanding Void-Crossing Ship beneath their feet instantly lifted into the air. It rapidly shrank down to the size of a palm and was just about to land in Xianfu's grasp...

But a second later, his hand grasped nothing but empty air.

"Junior Brother...?"

Xianfu turned his head to look at Wang Ping, who had suddenly used the Object-Stealing Thief to snatch the treasure ship. "This ship is extremely important. You can't just use it recklessly..."

"May I ask, Senior Brother, that monster cultivator just used this dharma treasure to cross over from the Brahma Nation, correct?"

Wang Ping gently stroked the treasure ship, his expression unreadable.

Xianfu nodded. "Correct. I recognize this treasure as well. It's called the Frontier-Expanding Void-Crossing Ship. It allows for free travel across the borders of the Immortal Gate and the Brahma Nation."

"But you can't use it carelessly."

Seeing Wang Ping's odd expression, Xianfu offered a quiet warning. "Using this treasure to travel to the Brahma Nation is incredibly dangerous. There's an extremely high chance of being discovered by their almighty figures."

"The best way to utilize it is to trace its history and lock onto the exact location of the Brahma Nation's Eight Treasure Table during this Immortal-Brahma Sword Battle. Then, we can sneak over using our own methods. That's the only way to maximize secrecy and avoid walking straight into an ambush the moment we arrive."

"Is that so?"

Wang Ping smiled even more brightly.

It was truly a case of beyond the dark willows and bright flowers, another village appears. Just as he had been agonizing over how to fulfill the conditions for his compromise plan, someone had delivered exactly what he needed—like being handed a pillow right as he was falling asleep.

In the very next second, Wang Ping injected his dharma power into the ship.

The treasure ship that Xianfu had just compressed expanded once more. Brilliant light shimmered across its hull, and even Wang Ping, who was controlling the ship, began to turn ethereal.

"Huh?"

Seeing this, it was as if Xianfu finally remembered something. His eyes widened, and the calm, indifferent expression he had worn the entire time finally rippled with shock.

"Junior Brother Dousheng, you wouldn't..."

Wang Ping flashed a wide grin. "Oh, but I would."

Kunlun: "..."

What are you two talking about? What wouldn't he, and what would he? Can you speak plainly? There are three of us traveling together, so why do I feel like a complete outsider?

Looks like I can only rely on my earth-shattering intellect to figure this out.

Senior Brother Gan!

Kunlun called out in his sea of consciousness, burning with curiosity. What is this Dousheng trying to do? He's covered in injuries and just failed his breakthrough. What else can he possibly achieve?

What can he do?

At that same moment, the figure of the Heaven-Stealing Thief materialized within the sea of consciousness. He stared intently at Wang Ping before something seemed to click in his mind, and he suddenly burst into roaring laughter.

Hahaha! Good disciple, truly worthy of being my disciple! Does he dare? If he actually dares to pull this off, that would be to risk the great taboo of the immortal sects! He'll truly be defying the heavens!

Kunlun was even more confused.

Do what?

Looking at the junior brother who had fought alongside him for so long, the Heaven-Stealing Thief was in an excellent mood. He explained, The Great Rebellion Exploits on his body haven't dissipated yet.

It was true. Wang Ping's severe injuries this time were the result of failing to break through to the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer. While it was somewhat related to his clash with a True Person, he hadn't been defeated by someone of the same Realm, nor had he been killed by someone at a higher Realm. Because of that, the Great Rebellion Exploits within him were still active... but even so, Kunlun couldn't figure it out.

What's the point?

Right now, he's so weak he's practically a mess. Any random cultivator with a Major Divine Ability could defeat him and completely sever his Great Rebellion Exploits.

And before his injuries could heal, the Immortal Gate would definitely send someone over to deal with him.

However—

Kunlun, oh, Kunlun. Have you forgotten? The Heaven-Stealing Thief shook his head. The Great Rebellion Exploits aren't just effective against the immortals; they work against the Brahma Nation too!

Within the Immortal Gate, bounded by the previous life-stealing incident involving the Wood Qi, many Qi Refining practitioners are wary of acting rashly. They would naturally protect him and give him the chance to fight opponents at his own Realm. But in the Brahma Nation? Those bald donkeys who always bully the weak and fear the strong won't care about any of that. If they can't beat him at the same Realm, they will absolutely use higher Realms to crush him.

So what if they do... Ah.

Kunlun finally realized it.

Exactly! If he were killed by a Brahma Cultivator using a higher Realm, the consequences would be exactly the same: the Great Rebellion Exploits would be negated, and all Qi Refining practitioners would suffer a loss to their lifespans!

Therefore—

"Every single one of them will have to protect me!"

Wang Ping looked up at the sky. High above the firmament, brilliant lights flared. Star after star ignited in broad daylight, and countless gazes crashed down from above.

Yet, all the mighty forces that sought to intervene were blocked outside the heavens by a blazing sun.

The Heaven's Will Profound Blade!

"Hahaha!"

Wang Ping's laughter grew even more ecstatic. That was right—this was his so-called most vicious compromise plan. Without another word, he was going to dive headfirst right into the Brahma Nation's main stronghold!

They didn't want him to be instantly killed by an Ascetic Monk of the Brahma Nation, which would cause the lifespans they had fought so hard to seize to vanish?

Then they would have to come along with him!

They could either protect him or drag him back. However, the Brahma Nation was also aware of the life-stealing incident from that day. They undoubtedly knew that he was the key to it all.

So, they would absolutely do everything in their power to make him stay.

One side wanted to leave, and the other side wanted to keep him.

The result would inevitably be an all-out war between the Immortal Gate and the Brahma Nation!

After all, his life and death directly affected all the Qi Refining practitioners. They had to come. And if the Qi Refining practitioners all rushed into the Brahma Nation, how could the True Persons and True Monarchs sit idly by?

By the same logic, he was carrying the schemes of Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang. It would be one thing if he was far beyond their reach, but he was choosing to jump right under the Brahma Nation's nose. With such a godsent opportunity, would the entities in the Brahma Nation who rivaled True Persons and True Monarchs—such as the Four Great Wisdom Kings—simply ignore it?

Impossible!

If a True Person's scheme only faced a single opponent, it would naturally be as stable as Mount Tai, allowing them to easily manipulate lower-level cultivators. But what if there were three, five, or even ten opponents?

The situation would inevitably devolve into absolute chaos!

Once all sides started placing their pieces on the board, he would definitely find a chance to seize victory amid the turmoil.

Use me as a chess piece? Make me part of your scheme?

Lock my Divine Powers and ruin my path to the Dao?

Without a single ounce of hesitation, Wang Ping raised his hand, pointed his middle finger straight up at the stars lighting up across the sky, and screamed the words he most wanted to say in that moment:

"Fuck your mothers!"

With that said, Wang Ping's figure, along with the Frontier-Expanding Void-Crossing Ship, abruptly vanished from the spot.

The Immortal-Brahma Sword Battle begins today, starting with me!