Tu Xuan finished his words, then immediately commanded his Xuan Guang and launched a sudden strike. This move was not due to impatience but was meticulously planned after careful deliberation.
He knew well that Zhang Yan was highly skilled in the Sword Escape Technique. Once Zhang Yan unleashed his Sword Force, his movements would become unpredictable and elusive, making it impossible to entangle with him. Thus, Tu Xuan intentionally chose this Luanming Cai Rock as the battlefield for their clash.
Nonetheless, as Zhang Yan made his way here earlier, the overwhelming aura he exuded—like the midday sun—made Tu Xuan feel uneasy.
In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and he immediately acted on the idea to take Zhang Yan down within the shortest possible time.
Tu Xuan was someone known for his cunning and ruthless nature. For the sake of achieving his goal, he would never care about trifles like honor. Even though he believed his cultivation exceeded Zhang Yan’s, he still chose to strike first, leaving the opponent without the slightest chance to counter!
Therefore, from the onset, he exerted his full strength.
With a loud shout, the fiery Xuan Guang above him spiraled and danced in motion, scattering into thousands of blazing flames. These fierce flames radiated with overpowering heat, flying through the air before descending like a rain of stars. In an instant, everything within a hundred feet was enveloped by these flames.
He saw that Zhang Yan remained motionless, his facial expression unreadable, almost as if stunned by the strike. Tu Xuan couldn’t help but reveal a hint of joy on his face, thinking to himself, "Let’s see how you escape this!"
Why did Tu Xuan purposely arrive at the battlefield earlier? The reason was that his current position, flanked by fragmented rocks, rendered him incapable of tunneling away instantly! Once Zhang Yan approached him, he would inevitably fall into Tu Xuan’s trap.
At that moment, Tu Xuan’s aura surged violently. Flames engulfed the sky, boiling and raging explosively. Suddenly, he unleashed a presence that resembled the might of a Hua Dan Cultivator!
The Luanming Rock appeared as if lit by a fiery cloud of star-like sparks, painting the sky in a blazing red hue.
Those spectating were visibly shaken, their faces changing color. None had expected that Tu Xuan’s Xuan Guang would be so domineering in its power. Judging from the explosive force released, it was in no way inferior to a strike by a Hua Dan Cultivator.
As the fierce, overwhelming flames descended upon Zhang Yan, they instantly engulfed him entirely. The spectating Qiu Hanyue gasped in shock, her delicate face going pale as she instinctively grasped Fan Changqing’s sleeve tightly.
Xie Zongyuan furrowed his brows deeply, the silver cup in his hand already twisted out of shape from his grip. Meanwhile, Feng Ming abruptly stood up, inwardly muttering, "This is bad!"
Although Liu Yan Yi knew her master had experienced countless battles and wouldn’t fall so easily, the current scene still filled her heart with unease. Qin Nan, her bright eyes unblinking as she stared at the fight ahead, reflexively grasped Liu Yan Yi’s slightly trembling wrist. She gently shook her hand, murmuring softly in reassurance, "Sister, don’t worry. Brother Zhang will surely be fine."
Feng Zhen and Mo Daoist exchanged a glance, seeing surprise reflected in each other’s expressions. Neither had expected Tu Xuan to have secretly mastered their sect’s technique, the "Stove Dragon Manifestation Seed."
This Dao Technique, passed down by Du De, required the cultivator to channel all their True Power to a single point before releasing it explosively in an instant. It was the only technique in their sect that left no room for retreat.
It is known among cultivators that unless there is a significant disparity in cultivation realms, numerous factors influence the outcome of a duel. No one dares to completely bet everything on a reckless, all-out move.
This type of extreme technique, though immensely powerful, is riddled with drawbacks. Few in the sect ever invested the effort to master it. To everyone’s surprise, Tu Xuan had secretly trained in it.
Had Tu Xuan not been limited to a Small Golden Core formation, he wouldn’t have necessarily trained in this Daoist Skill. Additionally, this Spell was exceedingly dangerous and rarely used, meaning no one knew about Tu Xuan’s mastery of it until now—until this moment when it was revealed in an attempt to defeat Zhang Yan in a single strike.
Mo Daoist gazed at the roiling flames with a meaningful expression and remarked, "It seems that Brother Tu hasn’t been slacking these past years."
Most Small Golden Core Practitioners struggle to ascend to the Great Dao, not only because their next attempt at Elixir Formation often results in low-grade pills, but more critically due to setbacks compromising their Heart Realm.
Many cultivators lose the confidence and composure they once had after failing their first attempt, causing them to falter on their Daoist path. Yet Tu Xuan, on the contrary, mastered this path-breaking Dao Technique, demonstrating that his spirit remained unyielding, still aspiring to glimpse the Great Dao, contrary to his outward indifference.
Feng Zhen’s gaze, sharp as a blade, scanned the scene ahead before he burst into laughter. He slammed his fist onto the wooden railing and declared, "Zhang Yan is bound to lose this battle!"
Mo Daoist studied the undying flames for a moment, stroked his beard, and nodded in agreement, "Indeed, Zhang Yan is destined to lose."