Chapter 58: Cruel Hands Destroy the Blossom

Yan Qichang’s mind raced with countless thoughts, and a desire to retreat arose within him.

A gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even after ten years.

The truth was, that previous sword strike had been so breathtaking that it left a crack in his Dao heart.

Suddenly—

From one of the remaining two teleportation arrays, yet another figure appeared.

This person had barely materialized before she was surrounded by a flowing aura of aquatic true light, thoroughly shielding herself.

All eyes turned toward her and saw that she was an incomparably beautiful female cultivator—tall, slender, with a gentle and sweet demeanor, and the profound power of the arcane arts swirling about her. She looked for all the world like a fairy descended to the mortal realm.

Her radiant eyes swept across the scene, and anger immediately colored her lovely face.

“Junior Brother Yan, don’t panic! I’m here to help you!”

She raised her hand and released a pair of jade bangles. They shone with pure, crystalline light as they hurtled toward Pang Yue and his companions.

These were first-tier magical treasures!

This beautiful woman was a core disciple of the Heavenly Sea Sect, and with such treasures at her side, her strength exceeded even Yan Qichang’s.

Delight flashed across Yan Qichang’s face, and he felt a measure of relief, though he couldn’t help but call out, “Senior Sister Chu, be careful! That man’s swordsmanship is formidable!”

The beautiful cultivator nodded at him, replying, “Junior Brother Yan, hold on for a moment. Once I deal with these fiends, I’ll come to your aid.”

As the jade bangles came crashing down, Pang Yue smiled faintly. The Bridge of Forgetting shifted through the void, carrying him far away.

Meng Zitao formed a complex seal, and behind him appeared the vague image of a great bird. In an instant, he vanished, carried away on its wings.

The three remaining disciples of the Demonic Talisman Sect were caught off guard. Two were struck squarely by the jade bangles—their protective auras shattered, and their skulls split open.

Only one managed to escape, his heart pounding with terror, yet he couldn’t help but glance back at the beautiful woman, seemingly entranced by her beauty.

She snorted coldly, pointed a slender finger, and the two jade bangles each twisted in the air, flying separately toward Pang Yue and Meng Zitao.

Pang Yue stood calmly at the end of the Bridge of Forgetting and swept his sleeve, releasing eighteen scarlet-gold talisman swords.

The sword-lights twisted and interwove in the blink of an eye, forming a sword formation that trapped the jade bangle within.

Meanwhile, Meng Zitao guided the bird’s phantom behind him, turning into a wisp of clear wind that darted to and fro, always remaining just half a step ahead of the pursuing bangle.

The beautiful cultivator’s brows knit in vexation, and her flawless face flushed with anger and shame as her hand gestures changed abruptly!

Suddenly, the jade bangles split into countless afterimages in midair, descending upon Meng Zitao.

Meng let out a peculiar cry and hurriedly summoned a green jade talisman.

Whoosh!

A green whirlwind appeared out of nowhere, enveloping Meng Zitao.

The phantom bangles struck the whirlwind and were swept aside by a powerful surge of wind.

“A Golden Core talisman?” the beautiful cultivator murmured in surprise, her phoenix eyes flashing. She flicked her wrist, recalling the bangles, and sent them hurtling toward Pang Yue.

Pang Yue thrust out a palm, and in midair an Infernal Flame Handprint shifted and changed, meeting the bangles head-on.

The fiery handprint, made of condensed light, blocked and flicked at the bangles. A mysterious force drained all their momentum, trapping them in place.

“Miss, receive my sword!” Pang Yue called out crisply.

A streak of scarlet and white light flashed forth, speeding like lightning, curving toward the beautiful woman’s slender waist.

With a snort, the woman reached out with a graceful hand and reclaimed the bangle locked in combat with the Infernal Flame Handprint.

As it left her hand, the bangle split into a hundred afterimages, each ringing with the sound of rushing water, crashing down with tremendous force toward the sword-light.

In that instant, the scarlet-white sword-light accelerated, leaving a trailing shadow as it dodged the bangles and appeared directly before her.

Her expression shifted minutely; a shimmering water curtain surged around her, and she flickered backward, floating away.

The bangles spun protectively around her.

Clang, clang, clang!

A rapid succession of impacts rang out.

The scarlet-white sword-light faltered, its spiritual energy greatly diminished.

After all, it was only a supreme-grade magical weapon. Against treasure-grade bangles, it was still outmatched.

Pang Yue sighed softly, and the Infernal Flame Sword of Slaying Immortals exploded.

Scarlet and white light blazed forth, expanding!

The woman cast a wave of water-light before her, blocking the white glow.

Just then—a warning flashed in her heart.

She twisted away just in time.

Her protective layer of aquatic true light shimmered—and a thin white line appeared across it!

A moment later, her gauzy skirt split at the waist, and a bloody line marred her alabaster skin.

She stared in shock, searching for any trace of a flying sword, but saw nothing.

Suddenly, her protective aura trembled.

She felt a premonition and tilted her head just in time to avoid an invisible, chilling force.

A thin line of blood appeared upon her snow-white throat.

A margin of an inch more, and her head would have been lost!

She uttered a low cry, her powers surging, and the water-light wrapped her body even more tightly.

Then, a bridge of white bone silently materialized beneath her feet.

Pang Yue appeared behind her with eerie swiftness, stretching out a hand. The resplendent, glass-like Severing Regret Divine Light dissolved her aquatic aura with ease.

Rip!

She frowned in disbelief and looked down.

A hand had thrust through her chest, blood pouring forth!

Suddenly, crimson flames erupted from that hand.

The fire blazed higher and higher.

In the next moment, she was engulfed in flames and, in the blink of an eye, reduced to ashes!

It was the True Flame of Dry Radiance.

Even with brief refinement, its destructive power was immense.

Pang Yue reached out and caught a delicate, embroidered storage pouch adorned with images of birds, flowers, and fish.

At the same time, the scarlet-gold talisman swords swept up the pair of jade bangles and brought them to him.

This journey to the Buddha’s Grotto had indeed been most fruitful.

“Alas... such ruthless destruction of beauty is truly a waste,” sighed the last remaining disciple of the Demonic Talisman Sect.

From the moment he had seen Pang Yue, he’d lamented the extermination of the alluring female cultivators from the Joyful Union Sect.

Now he mourned the fate of the Heavenly Sea Sect’s beautiful disciple Chu.

Meng Zitao barked, “Junior Brother Zhang, that woman nearly killed you just now—what nonsense are you spouting?!”

Meng Zitao was still shaken. If not for his many life-saving techniques, he would have died moments before.

Junior Brother Zhang shook his head repeatedly. “That’s not the point. I just think that a rare beauty like her should have been captured alive, her spiritual power suppressed, brought back to the cave to cherish and adore—killing her is such a pity!”

Meng Zitao frowned, images not fit for children flickering in his mind, then nodded. “You’re not entirely wrong.”

Elsewhere, the duel between Hong Ren and Yan Qichang had reached its climax.

Yan’s face twisted with malice as his entire cultivation surged. In a final act, he self-detonated his physical body, a sphere of water-light a hundred feet wide appearing in midair.

Within, a blue jade talisman sheltered Yan Qichang’s soul, which then shot off into the void.

Hong Ren was unable to intercept him, but a victor’s smile played on his lips.

He put away his Divine Wind Fan and approached Pang Yue with measured steps, bowing respectfully. “Brother Daoist, my heartfelt thanks!”

According to the customs of the Demonic Talisman Sect, seniority was determined by the order of entry into the inner sect. Latecomers would call earlier initiates “Senior Brother,” and inner disciples addressed core disciples the same way. But in this sect, strength reigned above all else. Among peers, the strong were always honored as “Brother Daoist,” regardless of rank.

Meng Zitao had done so, and now, having witnessed Pang Yue’s methods, Hong Ren set aside status and, with a measure of awe, addressed him as “Brother Daoist.”