Chapter 326 - 156: Huang Tiancheng Dies

「Three days later.」

First Peak, in a private courtyard.

Liang Cheng sat cross-legged in the Quiet Chamber. The True Pill in his Dantian slowly revolved as intertwining rays of ice-blue and fiery-red light shone. The Crossing the Sea True Intent Fragment circulated furiously, converting the elixir’s Medicinal Power for his own use.

Suddenly, the Communication Token at his waist vibrated.

Liang Cheng’s Divine Sense probed it. It was a message from Jin Mantang, the Chief Shopkeeper of the Treasure Pavilion.

"Liang’s Direct Disciple, Huang Tiancheng has been found."

"Eight hundred miles southeast of Chi Xiao Island, on an unnamed deserted island. Huang Tiancheng was spotted there three days ago and has not been seen leaving."

Liang Cheng opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing within them.

He put away the Token and rose to his feet, heading out the door.

In the courtyard, Lady Ning was hanging clothes to dry while Yang Wei held Yang An, cooling off in the shade of a tree.

Seeing Liang Cheng emerge, Lady Ning smiled. "Cheng’Er, lunch is almost ready..."

Liang Cheng shook his head.

"Mother, I have to go out for something. I’ll be back soon."

Lady Ning started, but before she could speak, Liang Cheng had already taken a step forward. The Cloud-Piercing Shuttle swelled in the wind, transforming into a streak of light that tore through the sky and vanished.

...

「Half a day later.」

Eight hundred miles southeast of Chi Xiao Island.

An unnamed, deserted island sat isolated in the sea.

The island was covered in dense vegetation and jagged reefs. In its center stood a low mountain with the faint outline of a cave entrance on its slope. The Cloud-Piercing Shuttle hovered a thousand feet from the island’s shore.

Liang Cheng put away the Cloud-Piercing Shuttle and used Cloud Soaring Step to flit across the surface of the sea, landing on a reef at the island’s edge.

He activated the Turtle Breath and Spirit Concealment Technique, and his aura vanished completely, allowing him to merge with Heaven and Earth. He crept along the reefs, sneaking toward the mountainside cave.

「Inside the mountainside cave.」

Huang Tiancheng sat cross-legged, his expression grim.

He had been hiding on this island for two months.

He had fled the Situ Family ever since news arrived of Liang Cheng’s successful escape and subsequent entry into the Penglai Sect. After moving from place to place, he finally went into hiding on this deserted island.

For the past few days, a persistent sense of unease had been gnawing at him, impossible to shake off.

’It couldn’t be...’

He muttered to himself.

’That brat should be busy stabilizing his Realm right now. How could he have time to look for me? Still, I need to find a chance to leave as soon as possible.’

’If only I’d used Qian Wanjing back then and had him use a Treasure Pavilion merchant ship to get me out of the Penglai Sect’s jurisdiction...’

The thought had barely faded when a figure in green robes walked slowly into the cave entrance.

Huang Tiancheng’s pupils contracted. He shot to his feet.

"Liang Cheng?!"

Liang Cheng looked at him, his gaze calm.

"Huang Tiancheng, you certainly know how to hide."

Huang Tiancheng’s face turned ashen. Pill Qi erupted from his body. Seeing that Liang Cheng was alone, however, he breathed a momentary sigh of relief.

"How did you find me?!"

The words had barely left his mouth when he struck first.

Seeing Liang Cheng’s arrogance in coming alone, Huang Tiancheng decided to strike first to gain the upper hand. He took a single step, and the entire cavern trembled violently!

He thrust out both palms. The Fake Pill in his Dantian spun wildly as a tide of grayish-black Pill Qi surged forth, coalescing before him into a massive claw shadow thirty feet in diameter!

Profound Yin Claw: Shattering Mountain!

This claw attack used Core Formation Pill Qi to manipulate the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. The claw shadow was so solid it seemed tangible. Wherever it passed, the rock of the cave walls silently crumbled into dust!

Under the might of this single claw, the entire mountainside cavern seemed on the verge of collapse!

Liang Cheng’s eyes narrowed.

’So this is the power of the Core Formation Realm.’

’If it weren’t for my Perfect Dao Foundation and my numerous trump cards, and the fact that Huang Tiancheng wasn’t using his full strength back then, wouldn’t I have already been killed?’

Faced with Huang Tiancheng’s lethal attack, he did not retreat. Instead, he took a step forward.

The Zhenxian Saber was already unsheathed.

The moment the blade flashed, the True Pill in Liang Cheng’s body roared to life. Pill Qi of intertwining ice-blue and fiery-red surged out and poured into the body of the saber!

Nine Heavens Mountain-Breaking Saber!

Mountain-Breaking!

Now that he was in the Core Formation Realm, he unleashed a single slash. The Saber Aura transformed into a giant blade a hundred feet long, stirring the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi as it hacked toward the massive claw shadow!

BOOM—!!!

The saber and claw collided, unleashing a roar that shook the heavens and the earth!

Rampant Pill Qi swept out in all directions. The cavern walls crumbled layer by layer as if made of paper, and countless massive boulders came crashing down!

Under the force of this single exchange, the entire low mountain began to collapse from the inside out!

On the mountain’s surface, countless cracks spread like a spiderweb as boulders tumbled down!

Amidst the billowing dust and smoke, two figures burst out from the mountain at the same time and shot into the sky!

...

「In mid-air.」

Huang Tiancheng’s face was dark as he continuously swiped with his claws.

Each swipe unleashed a grayish-black claw shadow a hundred feet wide that tore through the sky toward Liang Cheng. Wherever the claw shadows passed, the air shrieked piercingly, and the powerful winds pressed ravines dozens of feet deep into the surface of the sea below!

Liang Cheng used the Cloud Soaring Step, his figure weaving through the sky full of claw shadows.

At the same time, he slashed out again and again with his saber.

Each slash sent a cerulean Saber Aura, over a hundred feet long, cutting through the air to collide with the claw shadows!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—!!!

Explosions echoed endlessly across the sky!

For ten miles in every direction, the clouds were torn to shreds by the aftershocks of their battle!

On the sea below, the remnants of their Pill Qi stirred up colossal waves over a hundred feet high that swept out in all directions!

This was a battle between those in the Core Formation Realm, where the Martial Dao approached the divine.

With every move, they wielded the power to shatter mountains and break rivers!

「After thirty exchanges.」

A light sheen of sweat had appeared on Huang Tiancheng’s forehead.

It wasn’t that his energy was depleted; rather, he was shocked that Liang Cheng could so steadily withstand his all-out assault.

He began to regret not fleeing the moment he had the chance.

But Liang Cheng, his breathing steady, simply looked at him and suddenly spoke.

"Is this all you’ve got?"

Hearing this, Huang Tiancheng’s face turned livid, but he didn’t reply.

He abruptly pulled back his claws, retreated a thousand feet in an instant, and formed a Double-Handed Seal!

Profound Yin Claw: Celestial Net!

In an instant, the sky in a three-thousand-foot radius around Liang Cheng filled with countless grayish-black claw shadows!

These claw shadows no longer flew in straight lines. Instead, they interwove into a massive Celestial Net that closed in on Liang Cheng from all directions, seeking to annihilate him!