Chapter 43 Chapter Forty-Three — Treasure Belongs to Him of Affinity

In Li Daoxuan's bones ran a ruthless streak; even though the other was a living man and no demon, since he had struck first to seize the demon core and borne killing intent toward him, Li Daoxuan saw no reason to spare him.

Fail to kill the snake, and you leave a future trouble; either do nothing, or do it utterly!

"Sever!"

Li Daoxuan thrust at the middle-aged Daoist's heart — fast and fierce, with his resolve to kill.

Clang!

Sparks flew; a black long sword blocked Li Daoxuan's Fish-Intestine.

The young Daoist, seeing his master fixed in place, had stepped forward and taken the blow.

The young Daoist retreated several paces, his arm slightly numb, secretly startled at the other's strength — unaware that Li Daoxuan had long practiced the Purple-Qi Nourishing-Yuan Art, drawing misty purple qi to temper the body, so his flesh was long since transformed.

"With you, block me?"

Li Daoxuan sneered; the middle-aged Daoist was mid-Bigu and yet pinned at a disadvantage — how much less a young Daoist not yet in Bigu?

The Fish-Intestine swung in thrust, side-slash, and downward-chop; Li Daoxuan and the young Daoist joined in sword-skill.

Clang, clang, clang, clang…

Sparks flashed and metal clashed without end.

The young Daoist gave ground step by step; his tiger-mouth split and his hand ran with blood — plainly at an absolute disadvantage in strength.

What pained him more was that his own sword, nurtured from childhood, now bore nicks, and was clearly less keen than the Fish-Intestine.

But he had practiced the sword since childhood and his skill was refined; though Li Daoxuan held the upper hand, he could not quickly take him.

The Paralysis Talisman trembled; under the middle-aged Daoist's mana-assault it was near to falling.

Li Daoxuan gave a cold hum and roused his whole strength and mana, bringing a heavy chop down on the young Daoist!

Clang!

The young Daoist's sword-hands trembled; the black long sword flew from his grip, disarmed.

Then Li Daoxuan, ignoring the crestfallen youth, came to the middle-aged Daoist and thrust!

Thud!

Blood spattered; the Fish-Intestine pierced the middle-aged Daoist's shoulder.

Li Daoxuan started — for he had aimed at the heart, yet the other had dodged the vital spot and taken it in the shoulder.

The Paralysis Talisman fell, its mana spent.

Rage blazed in the middle-aged Daoist's eyes; he had never imagined being driven so low by a junior, near to death!

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"I'll kill you!"

The middle-aged Daoist drew a deep breath; his blood and qi surged, and he hurled a fist — with a sonic boom.

Boom!

Li Daoxuan's body flew backward tens of zhang, at last crashing into a great boulder before he fell.

Crack!

The boulder Li Daoxuan hit crawled with fissures like a spider-web.

"Cough, cough!"

Li Daoxuan rose with the Fish-Intestine; he was not badly hurt, for the protection talisman had lit and borne most of the damage.

Even so, his five organs shook and he coughed several times before feeling better.

He was shocked within — so this is mid-Bigu divine strength?

His master had said that early Bigu bursts the Huangting for endless vigor, while mid-Bigu bursts the Jianggong, the hub of blood and qi; once opened, the blood and qi within are like a flood, a rolling river, granting boundless strength.

Now it seemed the master spoke no falsehood; this middle-aged Daoist was mid-Bigu, and that punch was of inconceivable force — likely even a tiger could not have borne it.

Clang!

The red treasured sword rose again, breathing flame-like sword-qi, faintly gathering into the shape of a fire-dragon.

The middle-aged Daoist's killing intent was grim; he had already worked the secret art, resolved to slay Li Daoxuan utterly!

But Li Daoxuan showed a trace of a smile.

Seeing that smile, the middle-aged Daoist felt, a chill.

In the moonlight, a Five-Thunder Talisman had been stuck to the middle-aged Daoist's side, quite hidden.

Though Li Daoxuan had taken the punch, he had not done nothing — at the critical moment he had stuck a Five-Thunder Talisman.

"Hmph, ghost-tricks — see me sever you!"

The middle-aged Daoist formed the sword-seal; the red sword, like a dragon, shot at Li Daoxuan, faster than before.

Li Daoxuan made no move to dodge; he pinched the Heaven-Thunder Seal and silently intoned.

"Five thunders, five thunders, hasten to Huang Ning; mist and change, roar of lightning and thunder; at my call you come, swift send the yang sound — swiftly, swiftly, as the law commands!"

Boom-rumble!

Clouds gathered in the sky, and a green thunder as thick as an arm fell straight upon the middle-aged Daoist — like heavenly punishment!

For a time thunder-light and sword-light answered each other, lighting the night sky.

The middle-aged Daoist's eyes showed shock — at last he recognized this talisman: the Longhu Tianshi's Five-Thunder Talisman!

This boy is a Longhu heir!

Now regret welled in him; Longhu is famed for protecting its own, and though his Wanshou Palace has some name, how can it compare with Longhu?

And the other had even comprehended the Five-Thunder Talisman — surely a genius disciple within Longhu!

But whoever the other was, the arrow was on the string and must fly!

Yin!

The red treasured sword turned its edge, no longer at Li Daoxuan but at that green thunder.

In the middle-aged Daoist's view, he was a dignified mid-Bigu cultivator; trading life for life was unwise.

Boom!

Sword-qi and thunder collided with a huge hum that made the ears ache and the head spin.

An invisible current rippled out; shards rained like stone, dust flew, and Li Daoxuan could not open his eyes.

A long sword spun through the air and at last planted itself exactly before Li Daoxuan.

It was the middle-aged Daoist's red flying sword!

Now somewhat dim, with a scorched-black mark upon the blade — plainly struck hard by the heavenly thunder.

Li Daoxuan's eyes lit; he slapped the Three-Realms Gourd.

Be seized!

The flying sword trembled, as if to struggle, but in the end to no avail, and was drawn into the gourd.

Li Daoxuan's eyes showed a smile — this flying sword was a fine treasure, already beyond an artifact, at the magic-treasure tier.

For how many years had the middle-aged Daoist nurtured it with mana, how much heart's-blood poured in, to reach such keenness — in value far above that yellow-skin's demon core!

Profit, profit!

As Li Daoxuan had seized the flying sword, a furious roar rang out.

"Brat, how dare you steal my flying sword!"

The middle-aged Daoist's eyes were round with rage, his heart in panic — in that instant he could no longer feel his bond with the flying sword, and it terrified him.

To a sword-cultivator like him, the flying sword is his very life-root; it must not be lost!

"Steal?"

Li Daoxuan gave a laugh. "Treasure belongs to him of affinity — those were your own words, Daoist; have you so soon forgotten?"

The middle-aged Daoist was near to vomiting blood — these were the very words he had spoken after taking the demon core, now returned to him intact.

"Return my sword, and I will give you the demon core!"

The middle-aged Daoist raged, "Else I shall never let you go!"

Li Daoxuan laughed aloud, mocking. "That demon core was mine to begin with; you trade my own things to buy it back — Daoist, your abacus clicks a little too well."