"Pin him down. If he successfully possesses you, you will be plunged into an endless abyss, damned for all eternity."

The clear voice of the woman in white rang in the ears of Xu Yunfan, who had been watching from the sidelines.

Upon hearing this, Xu Yunfan was keenly aware of the danger. If not for the Relic Shell of the Celestial Sword Pavilion’s Yuu Congling, he would already be in dire straits.

In that instant, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He hesitated no longer.

The Dragon Scale Armor Leaves covering Xu Yunfan’s body suddenly flared open. Crimson patterns flowed like lava across the Armor’s surface, emitting a low dragon’s roar.

The Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace in his right hand hummed and trembled as the crimson flames coiling around it flared out to three feet.

The moment his left hand formed the Linn Character Seal, his Blood Qi surged like a Furious Tide. He instantly entered the "Linn Character State," causing his five senses to sharpen dramatically and the circulation speed of the Strength within his body to double!

The depths of his potential were being rapidly squeezed, detonated, and unleashed by the Linn Character Technique at an unimaginable speed.

"BOOM!"

The ground beneath his feet shattered in a web of cracks as his figure shot toward the young man from the Primordial Demon Sect like a cannonball.

Wielding the Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace with the force of a thunderclap, he brought it crashing down toward the man’s skull with the technique, "Kanglong Youhui"!

The young man sneered and flicked nine black seals from his sleeve. Their surfaces were engraved with soul-eroding Demon Patterns, and they formed the Nine Nether Soul Locking Array in mid-air, forcefully halting the mace’s momentum.

"Mere Martial Dao dares to obstruct my Primordial Secret Technique?!"

The young man chuckled, his expression filled with contempt.

He formed a seal with his fingers, and the black seals suddenly exploded, transforming into nine sinister chains of Demon Qi that coiled toward Xu Yunfan’s limbs.

Before the chains even reached him, their bone-chilling aura was already causing stabbing pains in Xu Yunfan’s meridians!

Xu Yunfan’s expression remained unchanged. He naturally understood the immense threat this move posed.

’But a different judgment formed in my mind. It wasn’t that I couldn’t dodge, and it seemed that even taking it head-on wouldn’t be fatal...’

The unimaginable processing speed granted by the Linn Character Technique allowed him to quickly determine that while his opponent was very likely a legendary Immortal Dao Cultivator, the gap in their power Realms wasn’t ridiculously large.

He had only suffered before because he’d been caught off guard by the difference in their Cultivation Systems. If he had been in his Linn Character State, with his Blood Qi surging like waves and his Strength erupting, it wasn’t impossible that brute force could work miracles.

The power of these two was not much greater than that of the Martial Dao. Perhaps the Ninth Realm of the Martial Arts Nine Realms was on the same level as these two Cultivators he was now facing.

The only disadvantage was the difference in their combat systems.

’But this possession technique is truly bizarre.’

At the critical moment, the white-robed woman, Yuu Congling, pointed her sword fingers to the sky and let out a clear cry, "Celestial Sword Decree: Spirit Slash!"

The White Bone Altar trembled violently as nine pillars of blood shot into the sky, transforming into nine massive, blood-colored swords that hung in the firmament.

Her Sword Technique shifted, and the giant swords fell like meteors, severing all the Demon Qi chains!

The young man’s expression changed drastically. He hastily summoned an ancient Bronze shield engraved with a skull. Billowing black fog spewed from the shield’s face, barely blocking the blood-red Sword Aura.

A flicker of change finally appeared in Yuu Congling’s eyes.

"An Essence Spiritual Artifact. You’re quite lucky. No wonder you’ve holed up in this world, willing to fall into a slumber for two thousand years rather than leave."

As she said this, a rare trace of ridicule appeared on Yuu Congling’s face.

"Jiaang Xu, are you afraid your master would snatch it from you? Your Primordial Demon Sect is ruthless. If anyone found out, I’m afraid your body and soul would be extinguished the very next day."

"Primordial! It’s the Primordial Sect!"

Jiaang Xu corrected Yuu Congling’s wording, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You sword-wielding lunatics actually think about such things?"

"Back then, my master performed a divination and said my karma lay within this world. To achieve Refining Form and Ascending and walk the path of Longevity, I must do what others cannot."

"Refining Form and Ascending?" Jiaang Xu laughed. "You certainly dare to dream."

Now!

Seizing the moment of the young man’s distraction, Xu Yunfan’s gaze turned almost tangible. With a CLANG, the Dragon Scale Armor Leaves all stood on end, and a dazzling golden light burst from the gaps in the armor.

Under the full power of his Red Flood Dragon Mountain Coiling Strength, he revealed the appearance of Golden Flesh and Jade Bones!

His muscles bulged like a Qiu Long, and his skin took on a metallic sheen. He actually broke through the residual Demon Qi and charged right in front of the young man. Switching from a slash to a thrust, the tip of his Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace condensed into a point of crimson light and aimed straight for the young man’s heart!

"PFFT!"

The mace’s tip pierced through the Bronze shield. The young man twisted aside in haste but was still run through the left shoulder.

Yuu Congling said coolly, "This shield can stop Primordial Spirits and essence spirits, but not the Body Refining Dao. Didn’t you know that, Jiaang Xu?"

Jiaang Xu roared in fury, but what spewed from his wound was not blood, but a dense swarm of black Gu-insects!

The Gu-insects grew upon contact with the air, transforming into thumb-sized Heart-Eroding Leeches that crawled up the mace’s shaft toward Xu Yunfan’s arm.

"Heart-Eroding Gu?!"

Yuu Congling’s pupils shrank. Her sword fingers swiped through the air, and a brilliant flash of a sword light slashed down on the insects. As the insects burst, their juices splattered on the ground, making a SIZZLING, corrosive sound.

Xu Yunfan took the chance to retreat rapidly, only to see the young man’s wound had already healed completely. The Demon Qi around him grew even stronger, and the phantom of a three-headed, six-armed Demon God appeared behind him.

Primordial Dharma Aspect: Asura!

The Demon God’s six arms each held a saber, a sword, a halberd, a whip, a hammer, and a mirror. The moment the mirror shone upon Xu Yunfan, he felt as if his Divine Soul was being crushed by an immense weight, and his movements slowed by half a beat.

The young man seized the opportunity to close the distance, swinging his Demon Saber horizontally at Xu Yunfan’s neck!

"CLANG!"

A shower of sparks erupted from the neck guard of the Dragon Scale Armor. Xu Yunfan was sent flying over a hundred feet by the tremendous force, and a sweet taste rose in his throat as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Just as the young man was about to pursue, Yuu Congling had already drawn a talisman in the air. Countless White Bone arms rose from the Sea of Blood, firmly grabbing the legs of the Demon God Dharma Aspect.

She bit her fingertip and used her blood as ink to write an ancient sword seal in the void.

"Celestial Sword, execute the demon!"

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi gathered frantically, forming a crystalline sword shadow a thousand feet long. The blade was wrapped in hair-thin strands of purple lightning.

This was the Celestial Sword Pavilion’s Sect’s Ultimate Skill, specializing in slaying Primordial Spirits and essence spirits. In addition to their Body Protection Flying Sword, every Celestial Sword Pavilion Cultivator also refined a Lifebound Flying Sword that could slay the spirit but not the body!

The young man finally showed a look of fear. He bit off the tip of his tongue and spat out a mouthful of Essence Blood.

As the blood mist exploded outward, the young man’s figure blurred as he tried to flee, attempting to use an Escape Technique to leave this Sea of Consciousness.

’Once I get out, I can make another plan. If I stay here, I’ll most likely be trapped and killed.’

Xu Yunfan didn’t hesitate for a second. This Sea of Consciousness was his home turf, so naturally, he could create all sorts of Anomalies.

He opened and closed his hand, and as his Strength pulsed, the Dragon Scale Armor Leaves twitched. Strands of golden thread emerged from the gaps, suffusing the area with a golden glow.

The golden light spread like a net, enveloping the blood mist and forcefully interrupting the young man’s Escape Technique.

The young man staggered into view. Before he could even regain his footing, Xu Yunfan had already appeared behind him like a phantom. The Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace was now wreathed in blood-red Sword Qi—he was secretly channeling the Triple Jiao Sword Nurturing Technique he had stolen from Pei Yan!

The mace’s tip spun like a drill as it thrust forward. The young man’s protective Demon Qi shattered like paper.

The moment the mace’s tip pierced the back of his heart, Xu Yunfan roared, pouring all his Blood Qi into the weapon. The Red Fire Dragon-Swallowing Mace transformed into a fiery dragon and burst out from the young man’s chest!

Xu Yunfan raised an eyebrow.

’Is this really an Immortal Dao Cultivator?’

’So fragile?’

"AHHHH!"

The young man’s Primordial Spirit shrieked in agony as it was bitten and burned by the fire dragon.

With a flick of her sword fingers, Yuu Congling directed the demon-slaying sword shadow to chop down, completely obliterating his essence spirit!

’You have successfully killed an Immortal Dao Cultivator. Your Skill Level in the Triple Jiao Sword Nurturing Technique has greatly increased.’

’Your Triple Jiao Sword Nurturing Technique has reached Minor Achievement.’

’Your Triple Jiao Sword Nurturing Technique has reached Great Success.’

’You have learned the Empty Clarity Sword Washing Technique.’

’...’

By instantly killing Jiaang Xu, the notifications on Xu Yunfan’s Attribute Panel flooded his vision. The Triple Jiao Sword Nurturing Technique jumped three stages straight to Great Success, and in the same instant, he even learned the Empty Clarity Sword Washing Technique.

He looked up at the Celestial Sword Pavilion’s Yuu Congling, who was staring right back at him.