Chapter 332: Shenxiao Decree

Divine Artifact Incarnations are formidable, but certain things can stand against them under specific circumstances.

For example, after Wan Guiyuan infused it with Greedy Wolf Demon Qi, Chen Yuan’s Demon-Drinking Saber could clash directly with a Divine Artifact Incarnation.

And Gu Lichuan, blessed by great fortune, was a Loose Cultivator with no background, but he had more than a few trump cards up his sleeve.

That one sword strike, empowered by the Heaven-Shocking Sword Intent, was overwhelmingly powerful. It not only shattered the Jingyun Lingxiao Sword, but its momentum continued unabated. Before Fang Zhibai’s horrified eyes, it sliced him clean in two, his body crashing to the ground!

However, after unleashing that strike, Gu Lichuan was completely exhausted. He collapsed to the ground, and the five Celestial Soldier Longswords clattered down beside him.

His face was deathly pale, with only a sliver of Vitality left in his body. Alarmed, Yue Ling’Er rushed over to check his breathing and stuffed his mouth full of various Elixirs to restore his Qi Blood.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xuanzhong had already fled into the maze. But his injuries were too severe; even pushing his True Qi to its absolute limit, he couldn’t shake Chen Yuan off his tail.

Seeing Chen Yuan draw closer and closer, a look of despair filled Zhang Xuanzhong’s eyes.

As the number one prodigy of the Shenxiao Sect’s younger generation and a top-ten expert on the Hidden Dragon Rankings, Zhang Xuanzhong’s ambition was to surpass Qingchen of Yellow Court Temple and Zhong Li of True Martial Temple, becoming the undisputed number one of the Daoist Sect’s new generation.

But he had never imagined he would suffer such a miserable defeat at the hands of this Chen Jiutian.

Perhaps after being defeated in a single move by Chen Jiutian outside, he should have given him a wide berth upon entering the Heaven-Reaching Tower. If he hadn’t provoked him again, he wouldn’t have ended up in this state.

Regret began to fester, completely shattering Zhang Xuanzhong’s will.

He spun around abruptly, a Golden Thunder Pattern Token already in his hand.

This was the Divine Artifact Incarnation of the Shenxiao Sect’s Shenxiao Decree.

The Shenxiao Decree was incredibly powerful. Once issued, it could instantly summon a sky full of Shenxiao Tribulation Thunder. Its terrifying might made it one of the Divine Artifact Demon Soldiers with the widest area of attack in the Jianghu.

But as Zhang Xuanzhong held out the Shenxiao Decree, he didn’t have the slightest intention of fighting Chen Yuan to the death.

“Chen Jiutian! I have the Shenxiao Decree with me! If you keep pushing me, we’ll just take each other down! Yue Ling’Er used the Smoke and Mist Heaven-Mending Net to block the Heaven-Encompassing Mixed Element Bell for you before, but what do you have to block the Shenxiao Decree now?”

Zhang Xuanzhong’s threat was fierce in appearance but timid in heart, and his tone suddenly softened.

“I admit I underestimated you. Though you’re not in the top ten of the Hidden Dragon Rankings, your true strength is enough to rival the top five prodigies. I am utterly convinced by my defeat at your hands.

My arm is crippled, and I no longer have the strength to contend with you in the Heaven-Reaching Tower. Why waste your energy on me?

If you insist on killing me, it will only end in mutual destruction!

Oh, right. Your friends Luo Lie—Luo the Thirteenth Lang—of the Sun-Swapping Alliance and Lu Chuanshan of the Jianghai Alliance… I received word before I came here that they are trapped in the Endless Immortal Palace. You should save your strength to go rescue them.”

Zhang Xuanzhong had completely lost the courage to perish together with Chen Yuan. He clutched the Shenxiao Decree, but he didn’t dare use it. It was his trump card for survival within the Heaven-Reaching Tower.

A cold smile touched Chen Yuan’s lips. “Back then, Zhang Zhilan was just like you. He tried to take the Shenxiao Evil-slaying Sword, and when that failed, he attacked, only to flee in a panic right before he died. And you, Zhang Xuanzhong, are even worse than him.

Zhang Zhilan didn’t have the Shenxiao Decree. You do, yet you still don’t dare to risk it all in a desperate fight. Your courage is gone, and your heart is filled with cowardice. Even if you live, your journey as a cultivator is over. Forget rivaling Qingchen of Yellow Court Temple; even within the Shenxiao Sect, you will eventually be surpassed by those who come after.”

Chen Yuan wasn’t just mocking him; he was stating a fact.

Zhang Xuanzhong’s life had been too smooth. This made him overly arrogant, unable to bear the price of failure.

It would have been fine if he had remained undefeated for his entire life, but once he failed, a person like him would find it impossible to get back up.

In the original story, the Shenxiao Sect produced another true genius who could merge the Shenxiao Evil-slaying Sword and the Purple Sky Demon Slaying Sword. This person rose from behind to become the true heir of the Shenxiao Sect.

And Zhang Xuanzhong was likely defeated by this genius junior brother, after which he never recovered. He didn’t even become an ordinary Elder, let alone the Sect Leader of the Shenxiao Sect.

“Chen Jiutian! You’ve gone too far!”

Zhang Xuanzhong’s face twisted with rage as he clutched the Shenxiao Decree. “Do you really want us both to perish?”

“Perish together? You’re not worthy!”

Chen Yuan sneered and drew the Nine Nether Demon Sword from his Qiankun Bag.

The moment he saw the Nine Nether Demon Sword, Zhang Xuanzhong’s mind reeled in shock.

‘How is this possible!?’

‘How could Shen Wugui’s Nine Nether Demon Sword have been taken by this Chen Jiutian?’

Zhang Xuanzhong had suspected it before. Shen Wugui had been missing for a while, and he wondered if he had been killed by Chen Jiutian in the maze.

But he later dismissed the idea.

The reason was simple. Even if Shen Wugui was weaker than Chen Jiutian, he still had the Nine Nether Demon Sword, a Divine Artifact Incarnation.

If pushed into a corner, Shen Wugui could have used the Nine Nether Demon Sword. Even if it couldn’t kill Chen Jiutian, it would have surely wounded him severely.

But Chen Jiutian had appeared without any significant injuries, so Zhang Xuanzhong had concluded that he couldn’t have been the one who killed Shen Wugui.

A prodigy from the Hidden Dragon Rankings wielding a Divine Artifact Incarnation shouldn’t have died so silently.

Who would have thought the reality was even worse than his suspicions?

Not only had Shen Wugui died at Chen Jiutian’s hands, but his Divine Artifact Incarnation, the Nine Nether Demon Sword, had been taken, giving his enemy yet another trump card!

Right now, Zhang Xuanzhong wanted nothing more than to drag Shen Wugui back from the Underworld and cut him into a thousand pieces.

It was one thing for Shen Wugui to die such a pathetic death, but now he had put Zhang Xuanzhong in this impossible position.

Just as Zhang Xuanzhong’s mind reeled in shock, completely at a loss, Chen Yuan made his move.

Silently, Chen Yuan gathered nearly all his Spiritual Power and formed a Seal Technique. The next instant, a dazzling golden Buddha Light erupted. The Dorje Guanyin appeared, performing the Hand Seal of Wishing, and in a flash, ten thousand lotuses bloomed as a deafening Brahma Sound filled the world.

The Doroduma Barrier-Breaking Curse!

As the Spell was cast, the Buddha Light instantly enveloped Zhang Xuanzhong. The Brahma Sound entered his ears, and his mind went blank, filled with nothing but the resonant hum that sought to break his karmic obstacles.

Furthermore, since Chen Yuan had already shattered Zhang Xuanzhong’s state of mind, the Doroduma Barrier-Breaking Curse was even more effective than when it was used on Shen Wugui.

Shen Wugui had managed to break free from the Spell’s restraint by biting his own tongue, but Zhang Xuanzhong was completely immersed in the barrier-breaking Brahma Sound, a look of struggle on his face.

Just as Chen Yuan was about to finish Zhang Xuanzhong with a single strike, the Human Skin Evil Book in his Qiankun Bag suddenly stirred.

Chen Yuan frowned slightly. ‘Why is the Human Skin Evil Book acting up at a critical moment like this?’

Still, to be safe, Chen Yuan brought his saber down. But the strike didn’t aim for Zhang Xuanzhong’s head; it targeted his left arm.

The next moment, blood splattered. Zhang Xuanzhong’s left arm, which was tightly gripping the Shenxiao Decree, was instantly severed. The excruciating pain finally jolted him back to his senses.

But before he could even let out a full scream, Chen Yuan slammed a palm into his Dantian, shattering his Dantian and Reincarnation Sea.

Zhang Xuanzhong coughed up a mouthful of blood and fainted.

Chen Yuan took the Shenxiao Decree, placed it in his Qiankun Bag, and then took out the Human Skin Evil Book.

A line of text immediately appeared on the cover of the Human Skin Evil Book: “Master! Don’t kill this Shenxiao Sect kid yet! I have a way for you to get the Purple Sky Demon Slaying Sword!”

But Chen Yuan wasn’t pleased. He asked coldly, “Acting up again? Why didn’t you say this before?”

The Human Skin Evil Book trembled. “Master, you misunderstand! The method I’m talking about isn’t one of those Soul-Searching Secret Techniques.

Those two Monks from Militan Temple earlier were imposters, but the treasures they threw were genuine Secret Treasures from Militan Temple.

One of those items was the Soul-Catching Drum. If you strike it using a Buddhist Cultivation Technique, you can shatter the target’s Divine Soul into fragments. Then, using your Spiritual Power as a guide, you can gather the fragments and read the information within. That’s how you can obtain the Purple Sky Demon Slaying Sword.”

Chen Yuan frowned slightly. “Divine Soul Fragments? If they’re already in fragments, who knows which piece is related to the Purple Sky Demon Slaying Sword?

If I read all of these Divine Soul Fragments, wouldn’t that be like inheriting all of Zhang Xuanzhong’s memories?”

A sense of caution rose in Chen Yuan’s heart.

‘Memories aren’t something you can read casually. If I were to inherit all of Zhang Xuanzhong’s memories, would I still be Chen Yuan?’

“Master, you possess the Shenxiao Evil-slaying Sword. This technique and the Purple Sky Demon Slaying Sword are twin cultivation techniques.

When the time comes, you just need to reveal a hint of the Shenxiao Evil-slaying Sword’s aura, and it will automatically attract the Divine Soul Fragments related to the Purple Sky Demon Slaying Sword.

Besides the fragments about the technique itself, there might also be some Shattered Divine Soul pieces that record the process of Zhang Xuanzhong’s cultivation and his insights. This would make it more convenient for you to practice, Master.”

Chen Yuan nodded in understanding.

However, he didn’t really think much of Zhang Xuanzhong’s insights on cultivating the Purple Sky Demon Slaying Sword.

Zhang Xuanzhong’s comprehension was good at best, but far from astonishingly brilliant.

He had surely spent more time cultivating the Purple Sky Demon Slaying Sword than Chen Yuan had spent on the Shenxiao Evil-slaying Sword. But, aside from the difference in their foundational power, Zhang Xuanzhong’s insight into his sword technique wasn’t even as strong as Chen Yuan’s. ‘Why would I need to follow his insights to cultivate?’

Chen Yuan swallowed a handful of Elixirs and took out the Prayer Wheel, spinning it to recover his Spiritual Power.

He would soon need to use the Soul-Catching Drum to shatter Zhang Xuanzhong’s Divine Soul Fragments and then read them. Both tasks were extremely draining on his Spiritual Power, so he had to be at his peak.

A quarter of an hour later, Chen Yuan’s Spiritual Power was fully restored. He then dragged the unconscious Zhang Xuanzhong back into the main hall.