077 True Transmission (Part One)
Li Xi'an cast a glance at Pang Yue and asked, “If an inner disciple wishes to apply for the direct disciple examination, he must spar with three direct disciples and earn their approval before passing. Are you aware of this?”
“I am aware, Master,” Pang Yue replied.
“During the spar, you are forbidden from using magical artifacts, golden core talismans, spirit beasts, or any external aids. You must rely solely on your own strength. Are you aware of this?”
“I am aware, Master.”
“Although the examination emphasizes restraint and forbids deadly combat, injuries are inevitable. Are you aware of this?”
“I am aware, Master.”
Pang Yue answered three times in a row, his voice clear and calm, neither hurried nor slow.
Li Xi'an swept his gaze around, then called out, “Where is Ning Daozhen?”
“Disciple present!”
From where the sea met the sky, a thread of firelight streaked like a silken thread, a moment ago distant as the horizon, now suddenly before their eyes.
The speed of that escape light was astonishing.
That wisp of flame swelled with the wind, transforming into a white-robed young man in his early twenties. He was slender, his expression cold and severe, his spotless robes unstained by dust.
He was none other than Ning Daozhen, a direct disciple of the Flame Demon Hall, a formidable cultivator at the ninth stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm. He was the most outstanding member of his generation in the Ning family, and the Hall Master himself had praised him as a genius with a future chance at the Golden Core!
“You may begin,” Li Xi'an said, and in a flash he appeared high up in the sky, standing atop the clouds, watching the two of them.
Ning Daozhen looked Pang Yue up and down, sighing, “Such is the way of karma—a lonely devil's talisman.”
“It was my own carelessness that caused my brother's death, and let you survive for nearly thirty years. It is the greatest regret of my life.”
Pang Yue, disinclined to waste words, simply replied, “Enough idle talk—let us begin!”
Ning Daozhen's expression was cold and composed, but a murderous intent flickered dangerously in his eyes. Though he appeared calm, his killing intent had long since boiled over within.
“Very well! Today, I shall end your path!”
He let out a cold snort, and at the sweep of his sleeve, his whole body erupted in blazing light, as if a burning sun had appeared in the sky, its brilliance dazzling to the extreme.
In that moment, even the sun hanging high above seemed to lose its color.
...
At Zhuoguang Mountain, within a cave dwelling belonging to the Thunder Demon Hall.
The flower garden was fragrant, with hundreds of blossoms vying for beauty. Beside a stone table, three men sipped tea leisurely, their eyes fixed on a water-mirror hanging on the wall.
The scene reflected in the mirror was the sky above the distant sea, a thousand miles away.
Among the three, a burly man with a thick beard chuckled, “Ning Daozhen is angry—right from the start, he’s going all out.”
This was Ping Taiyin.
Beside him sat two men of extraordinary bearing: one was his master, Immortal Luoshan, deputy hall master of the Thunder Demon Hall; the other was the current head of the Ping family, Ping Shanyue.
Both were Golden Core cultivators, but at this moment their auras were restrained, appearing no different from mortals.
Ping Shanyue remarked coolly, “I hear the Luo family prepared many means for their new son-in-law. I wonder what he’s truly worth?”
“Let Ning Daozhen test him first. The Luo family would not have taken such a son-in-law for nothing,” Immortal Luoshan said with a smile.
“To reach the sixth stage of Foundation Establishment with inferior aptitude in just over thirty years—he’s certainly accomplished something,” Ping Taiyin’s gaze flickered with a flash of greed. “He must have encountered some extraordinary fortune, otherwise it makes no sense.”
“Let’s see what he can do. Taiyin, don’t underestimate him,” Ping Shanyue replied.
...
Deep within the Hall of Enforcement, in a simple and ancient cave dwelling.
Two boys, eight or nine years old, stood before a bronze mirror, watching the scene within intently.
They too were observing the battle from afar.
...
In the main hall of the True Demon Hall, a man sat cross-legged, quietly watching the water-mirror floating before him.
He wore deep blue Daoist robes, a jade belt at his waist, and his wide sleeves billowed like clouds. His expression was solemn.
Though seated, his posture was tall and upright, imposing as a great mountain, with eyes shining and spirit radiant.
Behind him, a dozen streams of invisible currents swirled, emanating a potent demonic aura.
Within the mirror, Ning Daozhen and Pang Yue began their duel.
Ning Daozhen swept his sleeve, and flames blazed forth, a torrent of fire surging skyward.
From afar, it looked as though a massive bonfire had been ignited in midair, turning half the sky crimson.
Within the flames, countless fire sparrows—each three feet long—fluttered and swooped toward Pang Yue.
This was one of the seven great divine abilities of the Flame Demon Hall—the Fire Sparrow Grand Array.
The Heaven Demon Path Seizing Technique of the Demon Talisman Sect was far too dangerous; a single misstep could lead to demonic possession and destruction.
Among direct disciples, most used the Secret Tome of Chaotic Profound Demon Talismans to temper their divine arts, continually enhancing their power.
Only after reaching the Golden Core stage would one attempt the Heaven Demon Path Seizing!
Ning Daozhen had chosen this route.
He had refined the Fire Sparrow Grand Array to the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment, further enhancing it with the Pure Yang and Li Flame true fires. His strength was unfathomable.
A tide of fire sparrows descended upon Pang Yue, radiating a terrifying heat.
Beneath Pang Yue’s feet appeared a bridge of white bone, while dazzling glazed light shimmered around him. He let the fire sparrows swarm toward him.
His body moved like a phantom—the sparrows passed through him, then soared away behind.
Ning Daozhen’s fingers flashed through a series of incantations; the fire sparrows exploded, becoming a torrent of molten fire rushing down upon Pang Yue.
The bridge of white bone trembled; Pang Yue’s form flickered between real and illusory, then was “squeezed” from the void by an invisible force.
In the next instant, the Divine Light of Parting Sorrow swirled about him, dissolving the molten fire into resplendent radiance that vanished without trace.
Then he pointed lightly at Ning Daozhen.
A crimson-gold talisman sword flashed across the void, slashing down before Ning Daozhen!
Ning Daozhen’s expression did not change. He flicked his finger; the Heaven-Scorching Finger shot out, colliding with the sword-light.
Boom!
Both their divine arts contained true fire, and their power was immense.
A burst of fire exploded in midair with a thunderous roar, leaving those of lesser cultivation among the spectators with ringing ears.
Within the firelight, three more sword-lights appeared, twisting like dragons, exquisitely changing form, and slashing straight at Ning Daozhen.
The crimson-gold talisman sword was incomparably sharp—a single hit would mean annihilation.
The crowd of cultivators in the sky watched with relish, but inner disciples like Zhao Mengyuan were tense to the breaking point.
Ning Daozhen’s ten fingers flashed in a dizzying pattern, shattering the three talisman swords—yet another thirteen appeared.
Sword-lights split and interwove like a tide, and in an instant, the momentum of attack and defense shifted between the two.
Suddenly, Ning Daozhen let out a long cry. A ten-zhang-long fire sparrow spread its wings arrogantly, breaking through the barrier of sword-light.
His mana surged, and he formed an intricate seal, shouting, “Fire Sparrow Grand Array!”
The enormous fire sparrow, trailing blazing flames, split into ninety-nine sparrows in a blink, filling the sky.
The ninety-nine great fire sparrows swiftly assembled into a flaming grand array, descending upon Pang Yue.
Ning Daozhen had used his killing move.
Pang Yue merely chuckled. His Bridge of Forgetfulness stretched beneath his feet, dodging the edge of the array, while forty-nine crimson-gold talisman swords shimmered with golden light, forming a sword array brimming with murderous intent.
The Seven Slaughter Sword Array.
The two grand formations collided with a thunderous roar, spiritual power surging between sea and sky like tides.
Whether the Fire Sparrow Grand Array or the Seven Slaughter Sword Array, both amplified the already immense power of their respective sword-lights and fire sparrows at least tenfold.
The grand formations focused these forces into one, giving rise to even grander, more mysterious transformations.
At this moment, as both men fought with all their might, those with sharp eyes could immediately discern the difference between them.
Ning Daozhen’s mana was deep and vigorous; his Fire Sparrow Array, with its ninety-nine sparrows, was terrifying in power. Any inner disciple of the Demon Talisman Sect caught in that array would be instantly reduced to ashes.
Yet Pang Yue’s mana was clearly less abundant, but his sword-light was fierce and profound. His sword array possessed not only fearsome offensive power, but also a surging murderous intent that battered Ning Daozhen’s sea of consciousness.
On the strength of this sword array alone, he could stand proud among all the direct disciples, not falling behind in the least.
The terrifying sword-qi and fiery might erupting from the collision of the two arrays left the onlookers awestruck, their hearts pounding.
Especially among the elders of the Xu family, who now finally understood the meaning behind their ancestor’s earlier words.
Only now did they realize that the Xu family elder of years past had become a towering tree far beyond their reach.
Aboard the Ning family’s flying vessel, Kui Shanshui and Zhuang Buxiu exchanged glances, both looking troubled.
“His strength has grown yet again.”
Faced with such techniques, the two of them would last only a few breaths if thrown into the fray.
The Ning family, too, was grave-faced.
Madam Ning Shuang stared fixedly at the two locked in battle. The nephew she had considered invincible at the Foundation Establishment stage was now being matched by another’s equally invincible might.
In the distance, Huang Luxi watched the contest intently, murmuring, “When did the Flame Demon Hall produce such a formidable figure?”
“Brother Pang has always been impressive,” Meng Zitiao replied, splitting his attention between admiring Ye Xue’s beauty and recording the duel on a jade slip.
He smiled, “Brother Pang’s mana may be average, but his offensive arts rival those of any cultivator at this stage.”
“Isn’t that a bit exaggerated?” Huang Luxi’s eyes gleamed, a hint of fighting spirit in his look.
Ye Xue’s serene and cool face also showed a trace of surprise.
Her knowledge of Pang Yue was limited to his fourth-grade artifact and the heritage he revealed during the Nine Nether Demon Sect’s trial.
She had never imagined Pang Yue’s swordsmanship would be so astonishing.
Aboard the Moon-Swallowing Golden Toad, a Luo family Golden Core elder sighed softly. “If he becomes a direct disciple, he may well contend for chief of the Demon Talisman Sect.”
“Qingyuan, you’ve truly found a treasure this time.”
Originally, the Luo family had agreed to all of Luo Qingyuan’s requests because they valued the fourth-grade Yuan Yang Axe in Pang Yue’s possession.
Now, seeing Pang Yue display such momentum—overcoming the strong with the weak—the Luo family Golden Core elder could not help but reevaluate their son-in-law.
Among the crowd, Zhao Mengyuan and her beautiful senior sister stood dumbfounded. After a long while, the senior sister finally asked, “Junior, are you sure Brother Pang was just an outer sect elder thirty years ago?”
...
Within moments, the two arrays underwent countless transformations.
Sword-lights interwove, thunder rolled.
Fire sparrows flew wild, flames billowed to the sky.
The pride vanished from Ning Daozhen’s cold face.
Unleashing the Fire Sparrow Grand Array consumed vast amounts of mana and spirit; maintaining it required immense soul power.
He had planned to overwhelm Pang Yue in one stroke with the force of a landslide.
But Pang Yue’s techniques were in no way inferior—even surpassing his in the agility and intricacy of his sword array.
At this point, Ning Daozhen’s soul had no strength left for other offensive techniques.
By contrast, his opponent remained calm and unhurried.
Resolute, Ning Daozhen poured all his being into the Fire Sparrow Grand Array, hoping to exhaust his opponent’s mana before his own failed.