Chapter 452 - 231: Crystal, Part 5

Chapter 452: Chapter 231: Crystal, Part 5

Qian Yangsheng gritted his teeth. His Blood Qi boiled, and the surrounding lake water churned violently.

He used all his strength to pull his sword back, narrowly parrying Xie Yuan’s Sword Edge. But a bloody gash was still carved across his chest, almost disemboweling him.

His eyes turned cold. He lashed out with a kick like a scorpion’s tail, the motion creating an afterimage as it shot directly toward Xie Yuan!

Xie Yuan’s expression changed slightly as he felt the swift current. A brilliant golden light erupted from his body before condensing around his lower half. This was a trick he had reverse-engineered after his fight with Huie Jue—the idea of focusing the Golden Bell Shield on a specific area.

The technique was difficult to control, but after only ten days of recalling how Huie Jue had used it, Xie Yuan had managed to grasp the basics. He could at least shift the shield from his upper body to his lower, doubling its defensive strength.

The full-force kick from a Third Transformation Realm expert slammed into Xie Yuan’s Golden Bell Shield, instantly sending him flying over a hundred feet. The shield flared brilliantly before dimming.

Xie Yuan let out a muffled grunt. He tumbled through the water several times before kicking his legs to stabilize himself. He had managed to block the kick.

Looking at the dim golden light around him, his expression grew grim. ’The strength of a Third Transformation Realm expert is no joke. If I hadn’t learned that trick from Huie Jue, the shield might have been shattered. I wouldn’t have been seriously injured, but a minor wound would have been unavoidable.’

However, Xie Yuan’s Blood Qi surged, and the golden light brightened once more. He charged toward Qian Yangsheng, who was now tied up by Zhang Junyi again.

Qian Yangsheng had just sent Xie Yuan flying when he had to face the advancing Zhang Junyi. The Peach Wood Sword moved like an azure dragon, carrying a potent and fierce Profound Skill as it repeatedly chopped toward Qian Yangsheng.

Qian Yangsheng’s expression was grim. The two of them coordinated seamlessly, and both were incredibly strong. The relentless, back-to-back attacks left him overwhelmed, with no room to breathe. Even though his cultivation level was clearly higher than theirs, he couldn’t unleash his full power and was instead forced onto the defensive.

Zhang Junyi’s attacks were manageable; though powerful, they were ultimately a notch weaker due to the suppression of his higher cultivation.

’But that Xie Yuan’s Swordsmanship is something else entirely. After just a few exchanges, I actually feel my heart pounding with fear!’

’This can’t go on. It’s time to retreat!’

Qian Yangsheng’s expression flickered as his hand stealthily moved toward his Jade Pendant.

’If this gets any worse, I’ll just activate the Jade Pendant and get out of here. It’s enough to confirm that this is him. Besides, Xie Yuan will most likely be trapped here to die anyway.’

’He’ll probably rot here, unable to escape... I’m not about to risk my life for this. Wiping out the root of the problem? Unnecessary.’

Qian Yangsheng feinted a few times to shake off Zhang Junyi, then sidestepped and instantly darted forward. Just as he broke free from the entanglement and was about to create some distance, he suddenly sensed a faint ripple ahead of him.

The hairs on his body stood on end. Unable to stop his momentum, he instinctively swung his sword sideways to block, but he hit nothing but water.

Xie Yuan materialized. Seeing Qian Yangsheng’s swinging sword, a stroke of inspiration hit him. He lowered his sword tip by three inches, plunged it directly into his enemy’s side from under the ribs, and then viciously sliced upward.

"AHHH—"

Qian Yangsheng shrieked. His Qi and Blood erupted, and blood spurted from the wound as he violently raised his Long Sword.

A flash of lightning seemed to streak through the murky lake, illuminating the entire area as it scraped past Xie Yuan’s shoulder.

"Be... careful."

Before Zhang Junyi could even finish his warning, he saw Xie Yuan gracefully drift aside in the water, dodging a strike that was infused with all the Blood Qi of a Third Transformation Realm expert and was nearly impossible to counter.

’What? How did Brother Xie react so fast?’

Xie Yuan twisted his body to dodge, then abruptly retreated, evading Qian Yangsheng’s frenzied, wild swings.

He clutched his shoulder, frowning slightly.

Although he had dodged the enemy’s Sword Edge, the sheer force of the desperate blow had grazed him, and the residual energy had injured his shoulder.

Seeing blood slowly seeping between his fingers, he circulated his energy to seal his blood vessels and stop the bleeding. His left shoulder felt a bit stiff.

’Good thing the fight is over.’

After a few more futile swings, Qian Yangsheng’s vitality instantly faded, and a look of horror appeared on his face.

"N-No, impossible..."

He clutched his stomach. Not only had Xie Yuan sliced it open, but his internal organs had been completely shredded.

He was only still alive thanks to the terrifying physique of the Qi Blood Third Transformation Realm, but even that wouldn’t last much longer.

Qian Yangsheng dropped his sword and fumbled frantically for a life-saving pill.

If he took the medicine now, he might still be able to hang on to life.

However, an undercurrent struck, knocking the porcelain vial from his hand. The pills scattered, drifting helplessly in the water.

Qian Yangsheng’s movements were already sluggish; he tried to grab them but couldn’t. Watching the pills drift away, his eyes filled with panic. He could feel his life force rapidly draining away, with no hope of recovery, and his face slowly twisted in despair.

Xie Yuan watched all of this silently and raised his sword again. He could not let this man leave alive.

Qian Yangsheng looked at Xie Yuan, his face contorted with venomous hatred as he stared fixedly at his opponent.

"Xie Yuan, you’ll die a dog’s death! A dog’s death! If I... can’t live, then you can die here with me!"

His eyes flew wide open. With a final burst of Blood Qi, just before the Sword Qi struck him, the Jade Pendant on his body abruptly shattered.

Then, the Sword Qi ran him through completely. Qian Yangsheng’s breath ceased, but his eyes remained fixed, reflecting Xie Yuan’s figure. A faint curve appeared on his lips.

’He won’t be able to leave now either...’

Xie Yuan’s brows furrowed. After confirming that the Third Transformation Realm enemy was truly and completely dead, he swam closer to inspect the body, only to find that the man had shattered everything he was carrying.

Including the key to leave the ruin.

He let out a breath.

’This guy... Wasn’t his surname Qian? For a man named after money, he was awfully defiant.’

Xie Yuan had noticed Qian Yangsheng’s intention to slip away and had set up an ambush beforehand with his Celestial Concealment Skill, just as he had done to ambush Mr. Qian the other day.

And sure enough, Qian Yangsheng had charged right into it. All one could say was that the Qian family style ran deep.