Chapter 535 - 509: A Brazen Attack

Ximen Lie Fire had cultivated for several hundred years. He wasn’t just a formidable fighter; he was a master schemer, a truly cunning old fox. Zhaang Ye, on the other hand, was young, but having lived two lives, he was ruthless, decisive, and possessed incredibly high comprehension. He was in no way inferior to Ximen Lie Fire.

Now, the two masters—one old, one young—attacked in unison. A fiery red Sword Gang and a brilliant golden Long Whip tore through the void, each intent on obliterating the other.

BOOM!

The Punishment Whip and the Long Sword clashed violently, unleashing a heaven-and-earth-shaking roar. As the two forces collided, the Innate True Qi and the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi ignited, erupting into a ball of light dozens of meters wide. Terrifying power surged in all directions. The impact was so great that half the mountain collapsed, and the resulting pillar of dust could be seen from hundreds of miles away.

Zhaang Ye felt as if tons of explosives had just detonated before him, or as if a volcano were erupting. The instant the Punishment Whip and the Long Sword clashed, a scorching heatwave washed over him, turning every stone within a radius of dozens of meters into molten magma. Even with a body as tough as his, the intense heat made him feel an unbearable agony, as if he were about to burst into flames.

While Zhaang Ye was in agony, Ximen Lie Fire wasn’t faring any better. Zhaang Ye’s Punishment Whip was a Fifth-Grade True Artifact, and it contained two different Realms. Guided by these Realms, the natural forces of wind and water transformed into a berserk power that slammed violently into his body!

SPIT!

SPIT!

Ximen Lie Fire’s cultivation had reached the True Dao Fifth Layer. His True Qi was immense, and his every move held boundless might. Although the Celestial River Righteous Qi in Zhaang Ye’s body was less vast, he had comprehended two Realms and possessed an incredibly tough physique capable of withstanding immense power. Their head-on confrontation ended in a stalemate—both were injured, spitting blood at the same instant.

BOOM!

Both Zhaang Ye and Ximen Lie Fire were cunning and resourceful, never missing an opportunity to strike at their opponent during a fight. The blood they had just spat simultaneously transformed into sharp Blood Arrows that shot toward each other. The arrows collided in mid-air with a tremendous boom.

Ximen Lie Fire’s Blood Arrow was immensely powerful, enough to pierce a mountain peak. But Zhaang Ye was a master of the Water Control Technique, making his Blood Arrow even more formidable. The moment the two projectiles met, Zhaang Ye’s instantly crushed Ximen Lie Fire’s and continued onward, streaking toward him like a bolt of lightning!

"Hmph!"

Ximen Lie Fire snorted in fury. A sheet of flame erupted from his body, incinerating Zhaang Ye’s Blood Arrow. But just as he dealt with the arrow, Zhaang Ye’s second whip strike was already upon him!

BOOM!

As expected of a True Dao Fifth Layer master, even though Zhaang Ye had seized the initiative, Ximen Lie Fire still neutralized his attacks with his own vast Innate True Qi. The Innate True Qi in his body transformed into a raging inferno, erupting like a volcano and instantly shattering the Celestial River Righteous Qi contained in Zhaang Ye’s Punishment Whip.

After shattering Zhaang Ye’s Celestial River Righteous Qi, Ximen Lie Fire’s raging inferno burned madly onward, swiftly dispersing the Power of Wind Zhaang Ye had unleashed.

Finally, with a deafening roar, Ximen Lie Fire’s inferno unleashed its ultimate power, completely annihilating Zhaang Ye’s Power of Water.

A single strike from Zhaang Ye’s whip contained the Celestial River Righteous Qi, the Power of Wind, and the Power of Water. Amplified by the Punishment Whip, any one of these forces was enough to obliterate a True Dao Fourth Layer master. Yet Ximen Lie Fire had neutralized all three terrifying powers in one fell swoop. His own combat strength was absolutely horrifying!

BOOM!

After the second clash, Ximen Lie Fire and Zhaang Ye were once again evenly matched. They both spat more blood, which again collided in mid-air with a boom.

A smile touched the corners of Ximen Lie Fire’s lips. ’I might not be able to kill this "Water Monster" right now,’ he thought, ’but as long as I can wear down some of his strength, my partner will strike. When we join forces, killing this "Water Monster" will be as easy as flipping my palm!’

Just as Ximen Lie Fire was gloating to himself, the unexpected happened.

The Punishment Whip in Zhaang Ye’s hand, having clearly spent its power, was hanging limply. But then, for some unknown reason, the limp whip suddenly flared with a red glow!

SWOOSH!

The Punishment Whip sprang to life, transforming into a long Fire Dragon. With a speed so fast one couldn’t even cover their ears, it suddenly coiled itself around Ximen Lie Fire!

Startled, Ximen Lie Fire instantly burned his Innate True Qi, unleashing his full potential. His Long Sword transformed into a streak of red light that slashed toward the Punishment Whip. But the whip seemed to have a life of its own; like a Fire Spirit, it deftly dodged the sword and wrapped itself around Ximen Lie Fire’s body.

With the Punishment Long Whip coiled around his body, Ximen Lie Fire was horrified. Sensing the power within it, he cried out in terror, "A Fire Spirit! How can such a creature possibly exist in this world?!"

Ximen Lie Fire was shocked, confused, and above all, horrified. Driven by terror, he suddenly grabbed the Punishment Whip with one hand, intending to rip it off.

GAAH!

Ximen Lie Fire’s cultivation was profound; his every move held boundless power. His grip was so strong that despite being a being of pure flame, the Fire Spirit was squeezed until it cried out in pain. But the Fire Spirit was no pushover. Its cultivation might be inferior to Ximen Lie Fire’s, but it had lived for ten thousand years and inherited part of the Phoenix’s legacy. Its Fire Control Technique was even more incredible than his.

BOOM!

The moment Ximen Lie Fire’s palm closed around the Punishment Whip, the Fire Spirit attacked. He suddenly felt his own Innate True Qi and the raging flames he commanded go out of control, beginning to burn wildly within his very own flesh and blood!

Ximen Lie Fire cultivated a Fire Element Technique and had worked with flames for centuries. He could control fire and unleash raging infernos capable of melting the hardest rock into magma, turning solid metal into a molten river, and transforming a small lake into a boiling cauldron.

But if those same terrifying flames were to burn inside his own body, he would be incinerated to ash. Not even an immortal could save him; his death would be certain!

’This is bad!’

Ximen Lie Fire was scared out of his wits and tried to extinguish the flames inside his body. But at that very moment, a brilliant golden Sword Gang flashed past, severing his head.

While Ximen Lie Fire was occupied with the Fire Spirit, Zhaang Ye had seized the perfect opportunity to strike. His slash was lightning-fast and sudden. Distracted by the Fire Spirit and with his concentration shattered, Ximen Lie Fire was caught completely off guard. Zhaang Ye’s surprise attack succeeded, and he decapitated him with a single slash.

Seeing that Ximen Lie Fire was dead, the Fire Spirit used the Punishment Whip to retrieve the Storage Pouch from his body. It then flew back to Zhaang Ye’s hand and said, "Master, our fight caused a huge commotion. Someone will be here soon. We need to hurry and get into the Ancient Cave Mansion!"

Zhaang Ye nodded. He swiftly put away the Punishment Whip and Ximen Lie Fire’s Storage Pouch and was about to fly toward the Ancient Cave Mansion. Just then, a flash of red light caught his eye. He focused his gaze and saw Ximen Lie Fire’s severed head flying toward him, wreathed in a raging inferno!

"Huh?"

’The Celestial River Righteous Qi I cultivate is incredibly tyrannical,’ he thought. ’Anyone struck by my Sword Gang should have their life force completely extinguished. For Ximen Lie Fire to be decapitated and still not be completely dead... this is far beyond my expectations!’

Zhaang Ye was a veteran of countless battles. Though Ximen Lie Fire’s attack was unexpected, he remained perfectly calm. Just as he was about to strike out and shatter the head, the Fire Spirit suddenly cried out in his mind, "Master, look out!"

The Fire Spirit had barely finished its warning when the situation changed in an instant. A figure suddenly appeared from behind Ximen Lie Fire’s head. Wreathed in roaring flames and radiating a blazing battle intent and murderous rage, the figure threw a punch at Zhaang Ye!

It turned out this person had used a set of marvelous Treasure Armor to completely conceal his aura, hiding motionlessly on the mountain peak. He had planned to strike alongside Ximen Lie Fire to kill Zhaang Ye. He never imagined that Zhaang Ye and the Fire Spirit would team up to kill Ximen Lie Fire in the blink of an eye, leaving him without a single opportunity to make a move.

Having lost his chance to coordinate an attack, the man simply continued to lie in wait. He waited for the moment Zhaang Ye let his guard down, then used Ximen Lie Fire’s head as a distraction. Hiding behind the flying head, he launched his own attack, intending to kill Zhaang Ye in a single, decisive blow!

Zhaang Ye had no idea another enemy was lurking on the mountain, let alone one so terrifying. Shocked, he let out a great roar and threw a punch purely on instinct!

BOOM!

Zhaang Ye’s punch shattered Ximen Lie Fire’s head from a distance before colliding with his attacker’s flame-wreathed fist. The impact was like two mountains crashing together. Zhaang Ye felt an endless tide of flame surge into him, scorching his entire body instantly. Smoke billowed from his eyes, mouth, and nose.

SPIT!

Caught by the sneak attack, Zhaang Ye was grievously wounded. The blood in his veins began to boil from the heat, and his internal organs and Meridians were instantly damaged. It was only thanks to his tough physique and his comprehension of the Water Realm, which suppressed the fire, that he hadn’t already combusted into a pile of ash!

"Hahahahaha!"

The one who had attacked Zhaang Ye was a young man dressed in red. Having grievously wounded Zhaang Ye with a single punch, the red-clad youth let out a booming laugh. He stared greedily at Zhaang Ye and declared, "Water Monster, today, I, Ximen Lieyan, will kill you with my own hands! Hahahaha, and after you’re dead, the Fire Spirit you carry will be mine!"

--(To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian.com to vote with Recommendation Tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)