Zhang Yan paid no heed, his eyes closed as if perceiving something unknown. When all the sounds gradually faded away, the world around him seemed to consist of only himself. His spiritual mechanism sensing reached unparalleled purity and clarity, untouched by any impurity. Within his consciousness, he distinctly felt that a dense cloud was drifting toward this place.
Yes, it is this moment!
He abruptly opened his eyes and leapt forward. In an instant, a golden rainbow streaked downward, cutting through the sky!
Below, the Demon General, previously lounging indifferently, suddenly changed his expression with a roar. He raised the Great Axe in his hands to fend off the attack, only for a golden light to smash directly against it!
With a deafening "boom," reminiscent of heaven’s collapse, the disciples spectating from below staggered and fell to the ground, unable to steady themselves. Instantly, mist dispersed, golden flames surged, and countless talismans exploded into the air.
The people within the hall had been coldly observing the screen. But suddenly, clouds billowed, thick fog obscured the sun, and amidst the chaos, a faint flash of lightning streaked by. Following this, a thunderous clap rang in their ears. Emerging from the fog, a shout reverberated as Zhang Yan proclaimed, "The Demon General’s head is here! Shall it suffice to honor the spirits of our two fallen brothers in heaven?"
Fan Changqing stood up abruptly, his face alight with joy.
Ren Mingyao’s expression, however, turned grim. As if recalling something, his countenance grew so dark it seemed one could squeeze water from his face.
The onlookers were all stupefied, shocked to the core. Such a formidable Demon General had been slain by Zhang Yan within mere moments. Was the strength of a True Disciple truly so overwhelming, their skills undeniably a cut above the rest?
For a time, silence enveloped the main hall.
Footsteps approached, and Zhang Yan casually entered the hall. His wide sleeves billowed with effortless elegance, as if he had merely gone for a leisurely stroll earlier.
At this moment, a figure stepped forward to block his path.
"Junior Brother Zhang slaying the demon in such a short time is indeed worthy of celebration. However, I, as your senior brother, have one question I’d like to ask," Ren Mingyao stepped forward, locking his eyes onto Zhang Yan’s gaze. He asked, "How exactly did you kill that Demon General, Brother Zhang?"
Zhang Yan half-smiled, looking at him. "Does Senior Brother Ren wish to know?"
He casually lifted his hand. Ren Mingyao saw a streak of golden light fly toward his face. Realizing he couldn’t dodge in time, he rolled desperately to the ground. However, the golden light burst into flame without any fuel in midair and quickly disintegrated into ashes, scattering harmlessly.
Ren Mingyao got up, visibly disheveled, and pointed at Zhang Yan, his face filled with surprise and suspicion. "You..."
Zhang Yan, with his hands behind his back, smiled and said, "Senior Brother Ren need not be alarmed. That was merely an ordinary sword talisman. As someone well-versed in Sword Qi, such trivialities shouldn’t trouble you." He stepped forward and helped Ren Mingyao to his feet, whispering near his ear, "Had I used the talisman meant for that Demon General, you would have been well beyond saving now."
Ren Mingyao froze in shock, gasping audibly. Though anger boiled within him, he knew this was not the time to act rashly. He forcibly suppressed his fury and allowed a faint smile to surface on his face. "I see now. My understanding was lacking, and I must apologize for offering Junior Brother only a laughable display of ignorance."
Zhang Yan’s eyes glimmered for a moment—interesting. Ren Mingyao had been publicly humiliated, yet he managed to refrain from retaliation. It seemed he was no ordinary individual; he would warrant greater attention in the future.
While Ren Mingyao may have lost face earlier, his ability to adjust his demeanor was exceptional. By the time he returned to his seat, his expression betrayed no trace of the incident, as if what had occurred moments ago had never even happened.
However, his heart was shrouded in shadow.
What had just happened? Zhang Yan had clearly done nothing, yet Ren felt a murderous intent overwhelming him, as though the man truly had the capability to kill him in one stroke. Could this have been merely an illusion?
Gathering his thoughts, a seed of doubt lingered in his mind: "Sword talisman? That seems to be a talisman from the Guangyuan Sect. Its power is said to be immense. How did he come to learn this? Zhang Yan’s foundations are shallow, and although he became a disciple of Zhou Chongju, there’s no chance he learned profound Dharma techniques. He must have picked up such quick paths from some second-rate sect. Well, he may appear impressive now, but he’ll never surpass me in the long run."
Zhang Yan resumed his seat. His attack had directly annihilated the Demon General’s physical body using the Golden Fire Mysterious Light. He had specifically waited for the dense cloud to obscure everyone’s view. The talismans he scattered were merely a ruse to mislead. After all, the Mingcang Sect didn’t forbid disciples from learning techniques from other sects.
Still, his words to Ren Mingyao weren’t entirely false. Genuine sword talismans possessed formidable power, not too far from his Star Sword Ball. Yet crafting such a talisman was prohibitively expensive, even for him. Without the Refining Skill from the five talisman arts, it would be limited to only a single-use regardless.
Fan Changqing visibly relaxed upon seeing Zhang Yan return safely to the hall, as though freed from an invisible shackle. He chuckled, "Junior Brother Zhang has returned unharmed and even slain the Demon General. A truly fortunate event!"
Before he finished speaking, a vibrating golden sword suddenly flew into the hall. Fan Changqing froze momentarily, then raised his hand to summon it. He retrieved the message tucked within the sword, and after reading it, his face lit with joy. "Excellent! Tomorrow, the sect will dispatch Master Ning and Senior Brother Fang aboard the Spirit Core Flying Palace to assist us. With their support, we’ll have greater certainty in dealing with the Bixue Pond demons."
Zhang Yan showed slight astonishment and asked, "Master Ning? Would that be Ning Chongxuan?"
Fan Changqing laughed heartily and replied, "Indeed. The letter also states that Master Ning successfully broke through the bottleneck with Brother Qi’s assistance and has condensed his Golden Core. What’s more, his Elixir Formation achieved Second Grade. Henceforth, our Mingcang Sect gains another Hua Dan cultivator!"
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om