On the vast plain, millions of Qi-eating Insects sward the sky in endless waves. The resulting cacophony was as deafening as a thunderclap.
More importantly, these Qi-eating Insects seed to have a natural counter to the Myriad-Soul Banner.
The Myriad-Soul Banner was unable to convert them into Banner Spirits!
’They don’t have Souls...’
High above the battlefield, Lü Yang regulated his breathing and extended his Divine Sense to survey the scene below. "It seems only one of these Qi-eating Insects truly possesses a Soul."
A hint of regret crossed Lü Yang’s face. He had hoped to use the Qi-eating Insects to bolster his Myriad-Soul Banner.
A few million of them would have been a powerful tool against future enemies. But now, it seed that was no longer an option—not unless he could subdue the Insect King hiding in the shadows.
"Have you found its location?"
Before Lü Yang had even finished speaking, a helpless sigh ca through. "Apologies... these things are just here to die. There’s no way to trace them back to their source."
The speaker was Xu Xin.
He had planned to use a tracking technique to implant a Qi trace into one of the Demon Insects. Then, when it returned to report to the Insect King, he could follow the trail.
Unfortunately, the insects were on a suicide mission, with no intention of ever returning.
Then, Daoist Jiao Long’s voice ca through as well. "The stench of blood is too thick. It’s overwhelming my sense of sll, so I doubt I’ll be able to find our target."
A mont later, a ssage finally ca from Bi Feiyuan:
"I’m sensing sothing, actually."
"I think a Dao Court Cultivator is observing from the shadows. The distance is too great to pinpoint their exact location, but I can point out a general area..."
Imdiately, a stream of spiritual perception floated up toward him.
Lü Yang swept his Divine Sense across it, read the contents, and instantly locked onto a region spanning tens of thousands of miles... but the area was still far too large.
He needed sothing more precise.
’At least the search area has been narrowed down considerably.’
With this in mind, Lü Yang took out the Eight Trigrams Disc Chongming had given him. He channeled his Mana into it and began to silently scry for karmic links within the designated region.
The results, however, were less than ideal.
Even with Su Nu empowering him with her Foundation Establishnt Position, he only managed to narrow the search from tens of thousands of miles down to a radius of ten thousand miles.
’...Should I risk it?’
Lü Yang glanced at the Blood Sun Sword Pill in his hand. Hidden within it was a Legendary Technique he had been saving for a long ti—his trump card to decide the battle.
He estimated that if he unleashed this Legendary Technique, fully empowered by Su Nu’s Foundation Establishnt Position, its attack could cover a radius of five thousand miles.
But he only had enough power for a single strike... If he used it now, it would be a gamble. And if he lost, it would introduce far too many new variables.
Just as Lü Yang was hesitating, a voice suddenly rang out:
"...I did it!"
It was Qin Tianhe.
The next second, a stream of spiritual perception arrived. High above, Lü Yang followed the connection and instantly located his target within the ten-thousand-mile area he had just defined.
"Well done."
As he spoke, a crisp CRACK echoed from the Blood Sun Sword Pill in his hand. It shattered piece by piece, a light like the Sun’s corona erupting from the fissures.
...
A short ti earlier, at the Dao Court’s hideout.
"Fellow Daoist Wang, I accepted the Dao Court’s invitation to this Battle for the Dao to fight the Demon Sect, not to cower here and waste my ti!"
"Fairy Miaozhen, please, calm yourself."
Facing the striking woman who was glaring at him, her face filled with displeasure, Wang Jinting could only manage a bitter smile. "The Demon is cunning. A Foundation-Stage Cultivator has appeared..."
"Impossible!"
Yun Miaozhen shook her head without the slightest hesitation. "A Foundation-Stage Cultivator can’t get in here. He might possess a special Position, but he absolutely is not a Foundation-Stage Cultivator."
’...These stubborn, block-headed sword lunatics!’
Wang Jinting cursed inwardly. Strictly speaking, the Dao Court was part of the Righteous Dao, just like the Celestial Sword Pavilion. But even so, the Dao Court was deeply wary of the Sword Pavilion.
Internally, the Dao Court bluntly referred to Sword Pavilion disciples as "sword lunatics."
This wasn’t because the disciples of the Celestial Sword Pavilion were all passionately devoted to the Sword Dao, but because the Dao Court simply considered them a bunch of sword-wielding madn!
Even the insidious Demons of the Stain Sect were negotiable if you appealed to their interests. The Celestial Sword Pavilion, however, was a different story entirely.
They followed their own brand of logic. No matter what you said, you had to play by their rules. If you couldn’t, they’d simply draw their swords.
This was a perfect example.
In Yun Miaozhen’s mind, a Foundation-Stage Cultivator could not possibly join a Battle for the Dao ant for those in the Layers of Qi Refining. Therefore, no matter what, her opponent could not be a Foundation-Stage Cultivator.
But to Wang Jinting, the facts spoke for themselves.
Even if Lü Yang wasn’t truly a Foundation-Stage Cultivator, what difference did it make? Given the power he displayed when he annihilated the Pure Land Buddhist Cultivators, he was still completely unbeatable!
Yun Miaozhen, however, thought differently.
She was a prodigy among the current generation of Direct Disciples of the Sword Pavilion. Having reached the Final-phase of Qi Refining and mastered a Legendary Technique, she was but a single step away from becoming a Perfected.
Even the Sect Leader of the Sword Pavilion himself had praised her, seeing great promise in her future.
She had joined this Battle for the Dao as outside support for the express purpose of slaying demons, forging an invincible Sword Heart, and using it to charge into the Foundation Establishnt Stage.
As such, she carried an unshakeable pride in her heart.
As long as her enemy wasn’t at the Foundation Establishnt realm, she was confident she could face them. A Sword Cultivator would sooner break than bend. Even if she were truly outmatched, she still had to possess the courage to draw her sword.
’How could I just cower in hiding?’
’This stagnation will beco a knot in my heart, impeding my Dao!’
At this thought, a hint of killing intent crept into Yun Miaozhen’s eyes as she looked at Wang Jinting. To obstruct her will was to obstruct her Great Dao.
And if he was obstructing her Great Dao, what did it matter if they were both of the Righteous Dao? To forge an invincible Sword Heart, one must have the will to sever all ties.
How could she be constrained by sothing as trivial as reputation? She would even kill her own parents, children, or sisters! It would be the perfect way to sever her karmic links and achieve a Clear Sword Heart!
"Fairy Miaozhen, please, be patient."
Seeing the subtle shift in Yun Miaozhen’s expression, Wang Jinting felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly said, "I happen to be on my way to et a fellow Daoist from the Pure Land."
"He should know the details about this Demon."
"Why don’t you accompany , Fairy, to speak with this fellow Daoist from the Pure Land first? We can learn the details from him. After that, should you still wish to battle the Demon, I will not stand in your way."
Only then did Yun Miaozhen lower her gaze, retracting her killing intent. She gave a slight nod. "...Very well."
Wang Jinting finally let out a breath of relief. He and Yun Miaozhen imdiately left the hideout. A short while later, a bald man in the crowd caught his eye.
Upon seeing him, Wang Jinting imdiately put on a sorrowful expression and stepped forward. "Fellow Daoist... ah, we heard what happened to the Pure Land. It is truly a tragedy..."
He expected the man, having narrowly escaped death, to look utterly wretched, his heart dead with grief.
But who could have guessed that the mont Wang Jinting appeared, the surviving Pure Land Buddhist Cultivator’s face would light up with ecstatic joy? He pointed a finger at Wang Jinting and bellowed:
"That’s him! That’s the one!"
Wang Jinting froze. ’Why is he reacting like this...?’
"...This is bad!"
In that instant, Wang Jinting reacted. As he shot backward, he whipped out his Panorama Map to check for changes.
’The mont the Demon’s Qi trace appears, I’m out of here!’
Then he froze, subconsciously rubbing his eyes in disbelief.
On the Panorama Map, in a five-thousand-mile radius centered on himself, everything else had vanished. Only a single Qi trace remained.
The next second, he looked up.
It wasn’t just him. Every Dao Court Cultivator was now looking up, their gazes fixed on the horizon. From the depths of the endless Cloud Sea, a second sun was rising.
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