The young man sprinted through the forest, his mind racing as he ignored Yang Lie's taunts.
I have to deactivate this stone and send it to the young master immediately. He must know about all of this bastard's hidden abilities, he thought, clutching the Shadow Recording Stone tightly as he darted between trees.
"Take this," Yang Lie's voice rang out behind him, steady and brimming with confidence.
"Cloud Slashing Sword Technique...
Second Form—Cloud Drifting Slash!"
SWOOSH!
Yang Lie's sword cleaved through the air, its blade radiating a brilliant burst of Golden Sword Aura, magnified by the Peerless Sword Body's First Ability: Sword Affinity Amplification.
The atmosphere seemed to shift under the sheer force of his strike. A gentle breeze swelled into a raging tempest, and the world blurred as the slash surged forward like an unstoppable wave.
"Damn it! That move again!" the young man cursed under his breath.
"Shadow Fang Assassination Art...
First Style—Wind Ghost Step!"
Whoosh!
The young man activated his assassination technique, his body becoming light as a feather. With a graceful leap, he darted into the nearby trees, narrowly evading the deadly slash.
The force of the attack, however, shook the air around him, scattering leaves and leaving deep scars across the forest floor.
Yang Lie smirked as he observed the scene. "Oh? You managed to dodge that?"
"Impressive," he remarked, his tone a chilling mix of amusement and menace. "But let's see if you can evade what comes next."
With a sharp gleam in his eye, Yang Lie adjusted his stance, his sword radiating an even greater intensity as he pursued his prey.
"Cloud Slashing Sword Technique...
Third Form—Falling... Rain... Strike!"
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Yang Lie swung his sword towards sky, unleashing a barrage of slashes infused with the radiant Golden Sword Aura.
Like a storm of shimmering blades, the strikes rained down from the sky with terrifying speed and precision, converging toward the young man in an unrelenting assault.
"Damn it! What kind of attack is this? Every single strike carries the force of Sword Aura! While each one isn't as strong as the previous attack, they still possess considerable power," the young man thought, his mind spiraling into panic as he frantically darted through the relentless onslaught. "I can't dodge them all... If even one of these hits me, I'll be torn to shreds!"
His heart pounded like a war drum, his breath ragged as he strained to evade the relentless rain of slashes. Think! Damn it, think quickly!
His mind raced for a solution, but his options were slipping away with every passing second.
Whatever happens, I need to send this first... His eyes flicked toward the Shadow Recording Stone in his hand.
With a surge of determination, he shouted into the device, his voice trembling but resolute. "Y-Young Master Niu! All of this bastard's hidden abilities are stored in this Shadow Recording Stone. I don't think I'll survive this attack... but please, avenge my death!"
Buzz!
Buzz!
The Shadow Recording Stone emitted a faint hum as it deactivated, its light dimming.
Stun!
As the stone fell silent, an eerie stillness enveloped the room, the air heavy with tension for a few breathless moments.
.
.
"Thank the heavens! This Shadow Recording Stone didn't capture any evidence of our dealings with Xue Taiyang and the White Tiger. Now, we can shape the truth to fit our desires," Gao Jin sighed inwardly, relief washing over him like a tide.
Behind him, the group collectively exhaled, their tension visibly dissipating.
"But to think that bastard Yang Lie is this terrifying, wielding so many legendary abilities... I'm grateful we only had to deal with Xue Taiyang. At least he let us live," Gao Jin thought, his brows furrowing.
His thoughts darkened as he recalled Xue Taiyang's ominous Dark Sword Aura. That aura... it's too terrifying, too mysterious. Its speed and destructive force surpassed even the Golden Sword Aura. How is that even possible?
A shiver ran down Gao Jin's spine as he remembered the sensation of losing his hand. He hadn't even realized it was severed until ten agonizing seconds later.
Could it be because that was a Pinnacle Stage Sword Aura? Gao Jin mused, his expression grim. Regardless, I need to ensure Xue Taiyang and the White Tiger remain a secret from Young Master Niu. That information must never reach him or I will be doomed.
At that moment, seated on his grand chair, Niu Ling's face twisted with unrestrained fury. The once-calm and dismissive young master, who had viewed Yang Lie and Xue Taiyang as mere ants to crush, was now gripped by seething rage.
With a thunderous crack, his hand crushed the handle of the grand chair. "H-How is this possible?! How does that bastard possess so many legendary abilities that we've only read about in ancient manuscripts?!" he roared, his voice trembling with disbelief and anger.
His mind raced. "C-Could it be...? Could the two phenomena that occurred this month be connected to him? One of them must have been triggered by his Peerless Sword Body. There were also two instances of Sword Aura Awakening, one of which was the Golden Sword Aura—it had to be his."
Niu Ling's words sent ripples of shock through the room.
Ning Shao, standing quietly to the side, couldn't help but reflect on those legendary phenomena. The two great phenomena this month... One sixteen days ago, and another just a week ago. Both shook the entire Supreme Dao Sect and beyond.