With that thunderous crash, the spectators on South Peak felt their hearts shudder.

Someone muttered palely:

“Two Vajras, plus that even stronger expert in the sky—Constable Xu is in grave danger in this battle.”

The crowd fell silent. Even those who blindly worshipped Xu Qian could see the current situation.

“There must be other reinforcements coming.”

Someone offered consolation.

Rong’er took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and pressed her lips together, her face full of tension.

Young Master Liu silently sighed, worried for Constable Xu while turning to look at his master, wanting to say: See, this is why I don’t pursue her.

Rong’er, like him, had given her heart to someone, thinking of one she shouldn’t.

The difference was that the person Rong’er longed for was even more unattainable.

But the middle-aged swordsman tightly gripped his beloved sword, staring unblinkingly at the distant battlefield, not noticing his disciple’s inner turmoil.

At this moment, Cao Qingyang and the others flew through the air, arriving at South Peak’s summit.

“Alliance Leader!”

A group of martial artists hurried to welcome them.

“Alliance Leader, are there more reinforcements coming?”

“Can the old Alliance Leader emerge from seclusion? We can’t let Constable Xu fight alone—he can’t defeat so many experts.”

“Who is that woman in the sky?”

A string of questions poured forth as everyone spoke at once.

Cao Qingyang frowned, sitting cross-legged at the cliff’s edge in silence.

Xiao Yuenu said sternly:

“Quiet!

“When has Constable Xu ever lost?”

This simple question seemed to have a definitive effect, instantly silencing the surrounding clamor.

They silently recalled Constable Xu’s rumors and deeds, realizing he had indeed never lost.

Whether it was the Buddhist magical battle, the Yun Province rebellion, defending Yu Yang Pass alone, or slaying the foolish emperor—among others.

He had never been defeated, as if blessed by heaven and earth, carrying fortune upon his person.

Miss Rong exhaled, releasing her clenched fists.

The women of Wanhua Palace gathered around their mistress, clustering at the cliff edge to watch the battle.

“Rustle rustle…”

Amidst rolling soil and rubble, Xu Qian “pulled” himself out, his expression unprecedentedly grave.

Whether it was Dufan Vajra, Dunnan Vajra, or Rain Master Nalan Tianlu, all were stronger than his current self. If his cultivation had been restored, he might have been able to overpower one of the Vajras.

But now, facing all three at once was too demanding.

“They don’t know my purpose in delaying—that’s my greatest advantage. One-quarter hour, I just need to hold them for one-quarter hour. Once the old Alliance Leader emerges from seclusion, we can join forces to turn the tables and kill them.

“Hmm, I’m not fighting alone either. I still have the Nation-Stabilizing Sword and Great Peace Blade.”

His thoughts stopped there, as rolling dark clouds overhead once again sent down a water tank-thick pillar of lightning.

Simultaneously, Dong Fang Wanrong once again extended her hand, launching the Curse-Killing Art at him.

“Boom!”

Brilliant blue-white lightning engulfed him.

Xu Qian appeared dozens of zhang away, having avoided the lightning bolt. He had just relied on his “luck” to evade the Curse-Killing Art’s effects.

This type of Curse-Killing Art cast without any medium not only had reduced power but was also easily blocked. However, Nalan Tianlu had previously succeeded in hitting Xu Qian through the suppression of his higher rank.

This time, Xu Qian relied on his “fortune’s blessing” to make Nalan Tianlu’s attack “miss.”

Then he used shadow jumping to escape.

He had barely steadied himself when Dunnan Vajra completed his charge, leaping with all his might. Using the “thrust” of the collapsing ground, he pounced at Xu Qian, his knife hand chopping toward his neck.

“Buddha’s son, since you refuse to convert to Buddhism, then return to the cycle of reincarnation!”

Energy concentrated in his blade-like palm, as sharp as the world’s finest divine weapon.

Indeed, with the Vajra’s physical prowess, this chop was no different from the strike of a supreme divine weapon.

Even a Third-Rank martial artist’s defenses would break if struck.

Dunnan Vajra’s target was clear—to take his head.

Third-rank martial artists were called Immortal Bodies, but when first entering this realm, decapitation still meant death. Only by mid-stage, when their vitality had settled and become more profound, could they overcome this weakness.

But if decapitated and sealed, a martial artist would gradually exhaust their vitality in futile attempts to regenerate, ultimately perishing completely.

Dufan Vajra silently appeared behind Xu Qian, likewise forming his palms into blades, stabbing toward Xu Qian’s back heart, targeting his actual heart.

Nalan Tianlu, controlling Dong Fang Wanrong, again opened his palm to cast the Curse-Killing Art. This time, he succeeded.

Just as shadows were about to cover Xu Qian’s body to interrupt the attack, they receded like the tide.

The three transcendent beings coordinated to kill in one strike, seeking a quick victory.

At this critical moment, a figure riding a flying sword whooshed like the wind—Li Lingsu, who had been lying in ambush nearby, seized the opportunity and aimed the Universal Mirror in his hand at Xu Qian and the two Vajras.

Dufan and Dunnan’s bodies suddenly stiffened, their eyes showing momentary confusion as half their celestial souls were forcibly pulled out.

That force seemed to lack follow-through and failed to complete its task.

But this gave Xu Qian a moment to breathe. He calmly moved sideways, slipping between the two knife hands while spinning like a windmill.

The Nation-Stabilizing Sword and Great Peace Blade swept out.

Clang clang clang clang… The blade storm created dazzling sparks at the two Vajras’ necks. Finally, with a “pfft” sound, Dunnan and Dufan’s necks were cut, dark golden blood gushing forth.

Where the dark golden blood fell, any vegetation it touched quickly withered.

The celestial soul separation effect passed in an instant. Having lost their initiative, the two Vajras covered their necks and retreated.

By this time, Li Lingsu had already fled far away.

He cleverly escaped beyond the dark clouds’ coverage, avoiding death by Nalan Tianlu’s lightning strike.

“Don’t recognize me, don’t recognize me…”

Li Lingsu rode his flying sword, weaving through the dense forest, using trees to conceal his form.

“I hadn’t even had time to disguise myself. Damn you, Xu Qian, I shouldn’t have saved you. Wouldn’t it be justice for a scoundrel to die by heavenly tribulation?”

Li Lingsu muttered while fleeing into the distance.

“Constable Xu broke through the Vajras’ physical bodies…”

This scene appeared to the South Peak spectators as a dramatic turn of events, their eyes brightening.

Cao Qingyang and others’ expressions relaxed.

At least they knew Constable Xu had a chance of victory and wasn’t just taking a beating.

Rong’er felt joy in her heart, suddenly noticing her master beside her had stiffened, staring fixedly into the distance with an expression mixing joy, sorrow, and anger.

Rong’er followed her gaze to the mountaintop where the sword-riding man had disappeared.

That person had seemed somewhat familiar… Rong’er frowned slightly, but the distance was too great to see that person’s face.

“Master?”

Rong’er asked softly.

The beautiful woman, already past forty, suddenly awakened, shaking her head to indicate she was fine but seemingly unwilling to speak.

“Qixian Danxiang, control the nearby beasts to search for Li Lingsu’s tracks. White Tiger, you can ride the wind and are fastest—once Qixian Danxiang finds that damned Daoist’s trail, immediately show your true form and take us to hunt him down.”

Seeing how Li Lingsu had descended like divine intervention and nearly changed the battle’s course, Liu Hongmian quickly gave orders.

White Tiger and others had no objections; Liu Hongmian’s suggestion matched their intentions perfectly.

“Slurp…”

Xu Qian licked the dark golden blood from the Nation-Stabilizing Sword, his eyes brightening with delight.

“Such rich Vajra power. If I could drink dry the blood of one of you, my Vajra Divine Art would reach great completion.”

When Vajra Divine Art reaches the great completion stage, skin and blood turn dark golden, with essence blood containing Vajra divine power.

Cao Qingyang absorbing his essence blood and gaining Vajra Divine Art was an example.

“Arrogant!”

Dunnan Vajra shouted.

Vajras don’t possess martial artists’ flesh regeneration ability, although their life force is extremely powerful… Xu Qian was about to press his advantage.

“Dong Fang Wanrong” in the sky again spread both arms, this time not targeting Xu Qian but the two Vajras.

Waves of blood light rose from Dunnan and Dufan Vajra’s bodies. The terrible wounds carved by the Great Peace Blade and Nation-Stabilizing Sword writhed with flesh, quickly healing.

Blood Spirit Art!

This was a Ninth-Rank Blood Spirit Master’s ability.

It could stimulate the potential of targets or oneself, usually used to create fearless, pain-immune death soldiers.

Nalan Tianlu stimulated the two Vajras’ life force, temporarily increasing their regenerative ability to rival Third-Rank martial artists.

“Troublesome, these shamanic techniques are so flashy. Ten minutes left…”

Xu Qian took a deep breath, calming his emotions.

After helping Dunnan and Dufan recover, Nalan Tianlu no longer just provided support. He formed hand seals, summoning a phantom from heaven and earth.

This phantom had blurry features, with what seemed to be a vertical eye on its forehead. Its upper body was human while its lower body was serpentine—a demon race being.

In terms of blood relations, this phantom was the grandfather of the great demon Zhu Jiu.

A serpent demon with divine and demonic bloodline.

Four hundred years ago, he had been slain by Rain Master Nalan Tianlu in the northeastern wilderness.

After summoning the phantom, “Dong Fang Wanrong” raised her hand, and lightning bolts from the clouds wove together in her palm, forming a thunder spear.

“Xu Qian, Wei Yuan first destroyed my physical body, then killed my only son.”

“Dong Fang Wanrong” looked down at him, speaking slowly:

“He died in Jingshan City—that was karmic retribution. But my revenge remains incomplete. You are his most trusted junior, today I shall slay you!”

She held the thunder spear and dove down, carrying countless fine electric arcs.

Simultaneously, Dunnan and Dufan Vajra became golden afterimages, attacking from both sides.

“One day, I’ll raze Jingshan City to the ground, slay your Shamanic God, and end your shamanic lineage… Suppress!”

Xu Qian roared.

The Pagoda Treasure trembled, bursting with dazzling golden light. An immense and mighty aura bearing supreme majesty descended, pressing upon Dong Fang Wanrong.

It interrupted her fierce dive.

Clang clang clang!

In this interval, Xu Qian wielded a blade and sword, engaging in close combat with the two Vajras.

The mystical abilities of a Force-Converting martial artist allowed him to easily divide his attention, resisting the two Vajras’ attacks.

The extraordinary endurance and vitality of his Immortal Body meant that as long as he avoided decapitation, even if struck by the Vajras’ heavy blows, he could recover instantly—his sustainability several times greater than the Buddhist Vajras.

In contrast, the two Vajras quickly became covered in fine sword wounds, like normal people cut by small knives—though merely flesh wounds, they bled profusely.

This was the most the Nation-Stabilizing Sword could achieve.

The Vajras’ physical defense exceeded that of Third-Rank martial artists at the same level.

Behind Dong Fang Wanrong, the phantom’s vertical eye on its forehead trembled repeatedly. Suddenly, a black light shot forth, striking the Pagoda Treasure.

The majestic aura faltered, and then Dong Fang Wanrong reached out, casting Curse-Killing Art on the Pagoda Treasure.

Boom!

The Pagoda Treasure’s interior shuddered violently, ringing like a struck bell.

The Curse-Killing Art could affect artifact spirits as well.

After the Curse-Killing Art took effect, Nalan Tianlu didn’t struggle with this treasure. He swung the thunder spear, violently striking the pagoda’s body.

With a thunderous “boom,” the golden light scattered into particles. The Pagoda Treasure spun away, crashing into a distant peak. Millions of tons of rock and earth sprayed outward in an awesome display.

This was a battle of transcendents.

“The mountain collapsed…”

The crowd on South Peak watched dumbfounded, clearly feeling their insignificance.

The Pagoda Treasure can only contain, not fight a Second Rank… Xu Qian’s heart trembled. Though he had never underestimated Rain Master Nalan Tianlu, the combat prowess displayed still made one’s heart pound in fear.

This was truly an expert who could kill him.

At his peak, Nalan Tianlu was a peak Second-Rank Rain Master.

After losing his physical body, his cultivation decreased slightly, but a shaman’s main power came from the primordial spirit, so the decline was minimal.

But Xu Qian was grateful he was a shaman, not a martial artist or sword cultivator like Luo Yuheng, as the latter two were renowned for their killing power.

Shamans were famous for their bizarre methods and leadership, excelling on battlefields rather than in direct combat.

Sizzle sizzle…

The thunder spear slashed down from above. Xu Qian’s body quickly “dissolved” in the lightning, reappearing in the tree shadows dozens of zhang away.

As soon as Xu Qian landed, Nalan Tianlu seemed to have predicted his landing spot. The phantom above his head suddenly turned to look, its vertical forehead eye shooting out black light.

It struck him squarely, dissolving the flesh of his chest and making his whole body stiffen.

“Before divination arts, your shadow jumping is already under my control.”

Nalan Tianlu said calmly.

At this moment, Dunnan Vajra opened his palm, revealing a trace of fresh blood.

Xu Qian’s blood.

This was deliberately collected during their earlier exchange.

Nalan Tianlu lightly touched his fingertip to it, taking the blood, then opened his palm toward Xu Qian.

This time, it was Curse-Killing Art using blood as a medium—Curse-Killing Art cast by a Second-Rank Rain Master.

With a Second-Rank Rain Master’s status, using flesh and blood to cast Curse-Killing Art on a Third-Rank martial artist might not kill in one shot, but could at least cause severe injury on the spot.

Most crucially, with blood as a medium and the Rain Master’s status, it could effectively prevent Xu Qian’s “fortune’s blessing,” achieving 100% accuracy.

Thump thump thump… Amid slight tremors, the two Vajras naturally wouldn’t miss such a good opportunity. They charged forward, one punching toward Xu Qian’s chest corroded by black light, the other forming his palms into blades to sever his neck.

The three transcendent realm experts once again combined forces to create a deadly trap.

This time, Li Lingsu couldn’t appear in time.

Whoosh!

The paper page burned silently.

“Ineffective!”

A clear light rose from beneath Xu Qian’s feet, Orthodox Qi enveloping him, repelling all evil.

The paper page gifted by Zhao Shou contained the magical power of a peak Third-Rank expert.

The Curse-Killing Art failed to take effect, and Xu Qian’s body “dissolved,” appearing in the distance.

He had once again escaped certain death.

With early Third-Rank cultivation, he had fought two Vajras and a Rain Master until now.

The spectators on South Peak broke out in cold sweat for him.

Dunnan Vajra’s eye twitched, anger rising uncontrollably in his heart.

The combined force of three people had repeatedly failed to trap him, unable to take him down.

So difficult to deal with.

Rakshasa Vajra pressed his palms together: “Amitabha!”

He used the chanting of Buddha’s name to calm his inner rage.

“Five minutes left. The Confucian magic can last two more minutes. During this time, I don’t need to worry about Nalan Tianlu’s Curse-Killing Art, can engage in some close combat…”

Xu Qian wielded the brass sword and Great Peace Blade, actively moving to meet the three.

In this battle, there had been no back-and-forth, no intense fighting.

Because with Second-Rank Rain Master Nalan Tianlu present, if he caught and controlled Xu Qian, death would be immediate.

He was like walking a tightrope over an abyss, death possible at any moment.

This was the price of single-handedly resisting three transcendents.

But now, with the Confucian Orthodox Qi protecting him, he could block the phantom’s black light and Curse-Killing Art. At this moment, Nalan Tianlu was equivalent to a Third-Rank martial artist (Heroic Soul Summoning).

He faced only three Third-Rank martial artists.

As everyone knew, martial artists were crude.

No need to fear!

The four-way battle thus began. Xu Qian relied on the Great Peace Blade and Nation-Stabilizing Sword’s edge, fighting three alone. Though fighting desperately, he made the three enemies pay a bloody price.

Their battle caused landslides, destroying half the main peak.

This was even with Xu Qian occasionally taking to the air, moving the battlefield skyward.

Two minutes quickly passed, and the clear light surrounding Xu Qian dispersed.

Seeing this, Nalan Tianlu decisively withdrew from battle, smeared his palm with Xu Qian’s collected blood, and cast Curse-Killing Art on him.

Whoosh!

Another paper page burned, the dispersed clear light rose again, and the Curse-Killing Art failed.

Xu Qian took out a stack of papers, held them in his mouth, and smiled:

“Please continue.”

The two Vajras erupted in anger.

“You underestimate me too much.”

Nalan Tianlu said calmly: “You think Rain Masters can only command wind and rain?”

“Isn’t that so?”

Xu Qian asked back, happy to delay time with conversation.

“That’s because you don’t know the essence of Rain Masters. The next rank above Rain Master is Grand Shaman, and Grand Shamans can use heaven and earth’s laws, merge themselves with heaven and earth, and use heaven and earth’s authority as their own.

“They can even drain the power from this piece of heaven and earth, turning thousand li of fertile land into desert. Rain Masters can make rain because they’ve initially mastered heaven and earth’s power.”

Nalan Tianlu sighed: “Having lost my physical body, I didn’t want to forcefully use this realm’s power, as it would cause a backlash.”

He spread his arms and said deeply:

“Wind, come!”

A hurricane arose within a hundred li of Mount Quanrong, with flying sand and rolling stones.

“Rain, come!”

Within Mount Quanrong’s bounds, dark clouds covered the sky, thunder and lightning flashed, and torrential rain poured.

In this terrible storm, Xu Qian saw trees rapidly wither, saw fertile soil turn to sand, saw rocks decay… The Five Elements’ power was stripped away, and transformed into pure power, flowing into Nalan Tianlu’s body.

He was like the sovereign of this world.

The same technique had been used once before when the Grand Shaman dealt with Wei Yuan.

Godlike abilities… Cao Qingyang and others shivered in the wind and rain.

“Thump…”

Someone couldn’t hold on and knelt in the wind and rain, head bowed low, like confessing or begging for mercy.

Lower-ranked martial artists all knelt one by one, not because they wanted to, but because before heaven’s might, they could no longer straighten their knees.

Cao Qingyang and other Fourth-Rank martial artists didn’t kneel, but their bodies trembled continuously as they struggled to endure.

It’s impossible to win… This thought flashed through everyone’s minds.

Constable Xu’s undefeated legend had no authority before such power.

Despair!

Feelings of despair rose in Xu Qian’s heart.

The heavy rain on his head was like endless cold water, extinguishing his fighting spirit.

The wind on his body seemed to urge him to flee quickly.

A martial artist’s sense of crisis activated, every cell screaming frantically “Run away.”

Xu Qian felt he faced not enemies, but the entire heaven and earth.

At this moment, he seemed to return to Yu Yang Pass, return to that night of sitting alone on the city wall.

Below the wall were eighty thousand enemy troops, behind him was Emperor Zhende.

No future visible, no way out visible.

One in desperate straits has nowhere to retreat!

In such circumstances, he had comprehended Jade Shattering.

“Hum!”

The Nation-Stabilizing Sword began to vibrate violently.

The Great Peace Blade automatically left its master’s hand, floating quietly to one side.

“Orthodox Qi!” he said softly.

Whoosh… All paper pages burned, transforming into Orthodox Qi, layering protection upon protection.

In wind and rain, dark skies, Xu Qian stood in mid-air, looking down at the godlike Rain Master.

“Nalan Tianlu, dare you bet your life against mine!”

The deep roar echoed like thunder through heaven and earth.