The two energies faced off in spherical form in midair for nearly a quarter hour. The seawater was deeply affected, gradually forming a huge sunken pit. The water flowing in from all sides would be instantly evaporated as soon as it touched the edge.

“Crack crack crack!”

The surrounding space suffered violent brilliance, and the range of collapse and rupture spread from dozens of miles to hundreds of miles.

No one would have thought that a high-level battle would unfold in the depths of the Western Sea, much less that an island that had existed for a very long time would turn to nothing.

Actually, in terms of realm alone, the fierce battle between Jun Changxiao and Liu Sinan was far inferior to battles between high-level Seeking Truth Realm warriors. They hadn’t even used much True Spirit power, but because both mastered spatial attributes, the spectacle of their fight was still impressive.

“Bang——”

The two forces were locked in stalemate for a long time, then exploded like fireworks in midair. Countless rays of flowing light and fireballs frantically flew out, presenting an even more magnificent scene!

“Whoosh!”

“Whoosh!”

The flowing light was like blades, severing space.

“Sizzle sizzle sizzle!”

The scorching fireballs fell into the seawater, producing rolling white smoke that drifted through the explosion zone like a thin veil, beautiful and dreamlike as a fairyland.

However, when the mist dispersed and the fragmented space appeared, it instantly transformed into hell.

“Pff!”

Liu Sinan, suspended in midair, spat out a mouthful of blood, his face gradually turning pale.

Though the earlier clash lasted less than half an hour, it greatly depleted the energy in his dantian, leaving him as if completely drained.

“Big Brother Liu.”

Standing opposite him, Jun Changxiao said, “In this battle, you……”

“Pff pff pff!”

Unable to suppress the churning blood in his body, it was like opening a floodgate—frantically spewing from his mouth.

At this moment, the Death Scythe in his hand flashed with a gleam of light, quickly returning to its miniature form, and the black robe draped over him also dispersed like smoke.

The Difficult to Retrieve Blade’s usage time had ended.

Without the fourth form’s enhancement, the domineering and ruthless aura around Jun Changxiao completely vanished. He instantly wilted, and from his condition, he looked even worse than Liu Sinan.

This wasn’t due to side effects—this was being exhausted to the point of collapse.

In fact, the Difficult to Retrieve Blade in its fourth form, though it had a side effect mechanism, would leave sufficient buffer time after ending, but Jun Changxiao had frantically burst out energy, accelerating this stage.

“Sect Master Jun……” Liu Sinan smiled and said, “You… you lost……”

“No!”

Jun Changxiao said, “I… didn’t lose… I can still fight……”

“Whoosh!”

Forcibly speaking consumed what little strength remained. His body immediately lost balance and fell toward the sea, and he gloriously passed out.

Liu Sinan condensed what little spatial power remained, forming an invisible large hand that caught Jun Changxiao, then flew with him toward the small island thousands of miles away where he had stored the stone coffin.

The battle was over.

However, the destruction it brought was massive. Hundreds of miles of space were fragmented, and self-repair would also require time.

As for Lingyin Island, it was completely finished.

Who won this match?

From Liu Sinan still having the strength to fly, it showed he won, but he won with exceptional difficulty, because after flying to the distant small island, he fell to the ground along with Jun Changxiao, then could no longer stand up.

A mid-level Seeking Truth Realm warrior possessing a Spatial Spirit had been reduced to such a sorry state by a peak Core Formation Realm warrior. If you say he won, it really seems quite inappropriate.

……

Demonic Delusion Domain.

When Gou Sheng passed out, the Demon Ancestor had just regained consciousness.

He stood up in a disheveled state, struggling to recall what had just happened. After confirming the formation had completely exploded, he could no longer control his emotions and roared toward the sky, “How do I get out!”

“Calm down, calm down!”

The Demon Ancestor took deep breaths, calming his agitated state of mind, and said, “It should be that the formation deteriorated with age and experienced two transmissions before exploding. As long as I set it up again and establish contact with Lingyin Island, I can still get out!”

As long as your thinking doesn’t falter, solutions always outnumber difficulties!

“Swish!”

He sat cross-legged, recalling the formation, and said, “Setting up the formation doesn’t require realm cultivation level, but because it’s too complex, it will take at least one or two months.”

He’d already waited a hundred thousand years to be resurrected—how could he care about a few dozen days?

It must be said that as a former big shot of the Demonic Delusion Clan who dared to fight hard against the Ten Great Immortal Sects, his mentality was truly powerful!

……

On the nameless small island.

A gentle breeze blew, warming the heart.

Jun Changxiao couldn’t feel it because he was still unconscious, and also because his falling posture was wrong, he was hanging from a tree.

Liu Sinan beneath the tree attempted to stand up multiple times but all failed. He could only lie there like mud, worrying, “I hope Sect Master Jun will be alright?”

He’s fine.

Gou Sheng is durable.

“Cough cough!”

A day later, Jun Changxiao, hanging from the tree, opened his eyes. Finding that the scenery in his view was all upside down, his heart jumped in alarm. His whole body instantly fell down, his head crashing right into Liu Sinan’s skull.

“Hiss!”

“Hiss!”

……

Because they’d fought too fiercely, the two lay neatly side by side beneath the tree like pitiful wretches, unable to move. Fortunately, both were lying flat, so when they had nothing to do they could look at the azure sky.

“Big Brother Liu.”

After recovering a bit of strength, Jun Changxiao said, “We’re both completely spent. Let’s call it a draw.”

“……”

Liu Sinan fell silent.

This guy is clearly more exhausted than me—how can he have the nerve to say it’s a draw?

“Of course,” Jun Changxiao said, “I also held back at the start. Otherwise… you would have lost long ago.”

Indeed.

Gou Sheng had held back.

He could have killed like he did with the Moon Burial Pavilion members and demonic beasts, using absolute spatial binding power to restrain, but in the end, considering their friendship, he chose to give up.

Liu Sinan didn’t deny this.

When arriving, the spatial vibrations were extremely obvious, making him deduce a powerful expert, but during the actual battle with Jun Changxiao, the use of spatial power was obviously not as intense as before.

“Sect Master Jun.”

Liu Sinan said bitterly, “Since Liu began cultivating the martial dao, no one has ever gone easy on me. You’re the first.”

“Big Brother Liu is also the most troublesome opponent I’ve encountered since I started martial dao,” Jun Changxiao said with a dejected expression. “At the same time, it reminds me of my sworn brother.”

“Who?”

“Gu Zhaoxi.”

“The elder who sacrificed himself for the common people of the world?”

“That’s right.”

Liu Sinan knew quite a bit about Gu Zhaoxi. He originally wanted to use the term “traitor,” but considering the other party had sacrificed himself righteously and destroyed the entire warship, he changed his words.

“He and I became sworn brothers after an initial clash,” Jun Changxiao reminisced about the past, his eyes full of acting skill.

Liu Sinan said, “Your brother dedicated himself for the common people. This spirit deserves to be remembered by future generations.”

“Indeed.”

Jun Changxiao said proudly, “The first tenet of my Eternal Ancient Sect is to work tirelessly for the common people of the world!”

“Splat!”

A bird flew overhead. Its stomach hurt and it expelled waste, which coincidentally and unfortunately landed right on Gou Sheng’s forehead as he was spouting nonsense.

“Ha ha ha!” The system’s laughter came through.

Because of his weakness, Jun Changxiao had no strength to lift his hand to wipe it away. He could only continue with a pile of bird droppings on his head, “Big Brother Liu, we cultivators should have righteous hearts!”

“Correct.”

Liu Sinan agreed.

He not only had a righteous heart, but was also personally practicing chivalrous justice.

“Since that’s the case.”

Jun Changxiao said, “Why not join the Eternal Ancient Sect, take over my brother’s vacant elder position, and continue his great righteous spirit!”

“This……”

Liu Sinan fell into silence, a ripple stirring in his heart.

—