Chapter 2259: The Top Among Those Below Half-step Nether Realm

Chapter 2259: Chapter 1203: The Top Among Those Below Half-step Nether Realm

As the sense of oppression approached, Duan Jiqing finally faced the reality before him. Yet, he was quite the ruthless individual. After a brief panic, he quickly steadied himself, picking up the Jade Ruyi and taking the initiative to attack Yang Xiao.

The easiest way to deal with a puppet is to kill the one controlling it.

No matter how strong the puppet is, once the controller is dead, it’s just an empty shell.

Duan Jiqing moved incredibly fast, flashing a few times to reach Yang Xiao, who seemed startled and didn’t immediately retaliate but instead retreated to create distance.

As Duan Jiqing prepared to charge forward again, he seemed to notice something amiss, and his movements turned strange, forcibly twisting his body mid-air to avoid the original direction.

This caused him to lose balance, stumbling and almost falling.

Yang Xiao seized the opportunity, flashing to the water puddle behind him, swinging the Ring-Headed Saber down.

At the critical moment, Duan Jiqing turned and swung the Jade Ruyi, fiercely clashing it with Yang Xiao’s blade.

The force was immense, cracking Duan Jiqing’s tiger’s mouth, almost causing him to drop the Jade Ruyi, but he managed to earn precious breathing time.

Seizing the moment, Yang Xiao lifted his foot for a fierce kick, leaving Duan Jiqing with no chance to dodge. Yang Xiao’s kick landed hard on Duan Jiqing’s waist, throwing him off balance and knocking him diagonally onto the ground.

Duan Jiqing showed remarkable agility, using his rotund body to roll swiftly along the ground.

Before Yang Xiao could gather strength to swing his saber again, Duan Jiqing had already escaped using the space artifact on him after rolling more than a meter.

“Damn, you’ve got some moves…” Yang Xiao held the saber with one hand, panting slowly. The blade had been heavily affected by the opponent’s artifact. He had to admit, this guy certainly had some tricks up his sleeve.

If the opponent hadn’t changed his attack route last minute, he would’ve run into the knife trap Yang Xiao set with the Ring-Headed Saber, and the only outcome would be being sliced in half.

Close combat skills, danger perception, combat experience… this guy ranks among the best of the Ghost-level Apostles Yang Xiao has faced.

Coupled with excellent artifact configuration and the two Upper Ghost-level bodyguard puppets… even a Half-step Nether Realm Apostle would find it difficult to take him down easily.

In terms of comprehensive strength, this guy could rank among the top three Apostles below the Half-step Nether Realm that Yang Xiao has encountered.

The first naturally is Jiu Shan Shayue, indisputably ranked first, followed by Beiyu Ye.

The former Jiu Shan Shayue is a Ghost Slayer secretly nurtured by Japan’s Kusunoki Family, possessing an extremely powerful Demon Sword.

Whereas Beiyu Ye is an outstanding figure among the young generation of Taoist Dragon Tiger Mountain, a direct disciple of Master Yun Lan.

Being comparable to these two shows the formidable nature of the Master of the Ruyi Sect, and Yang Xiao’s assessment of him.

Jiu Shan Shayue and Beiyu Ye both have enough sect background to support them, being unparalleled talents.

Among them, Jiu Shan Shayue is several years younger than Yang Xiao, with limitless future potential, while the Master of Ruyi Sect is an old fellow of advanced age.

Moreover, having encountered Yang Xiao, this life’s journey seems to have reached its end.

Not far away, Duan Jiqing appeared rather disheveled. He stood while staring cautiously at Yang Xiao. His left hand clutching the Jade Ruyi trembled slightly, with blood continuously dripping down his fingers.

His lower robes were torn, and his upper body was covered in mud from rolling on the ground. After all, in his space world, it was a peculiar space where it constantly rained.

Yang Xiao’s formidable power exceeded his imagination. This was not a power an Upper Ghost-level Apostle should possess, and it was only by chance that he ran into himself. If it were a different Peak Ghost-level, they’d be having a feast at home now.

Though young, this kid had a belly full of dirty tricks. If not for his quick reaction and altering his attack route, he’d have stepped into the trap he’d set.

Although he didn’t understand what the trap was, it was evidently complex, as he vaguely sensed something at the last moment.

Others may not know, but he understood. The reason he was favored by the Big House Master and taken in as an adopted son was precisely due to his extremely sharp perception, more a talent than granted by the artifact.

He was highly compatible with the Jade Ruyi, able to maximize the artifact’s potential.

The duel between the two remained unresolved, but the battle involving puppets was nearing its end, with the Mirror Ghost suppressing the opponent’s puppet throughout.

It inherited Yang Xiao’s character deeply, preferring sneak attacks despite overpowering strength, mainly targeting the lower body, nearly breaking the puppet with no room to fight back.

And for the samurai puppet, the battle was one-sided. The opponent’s puppet’s strikes were like tickles against the samurai puppet, which caught its arms and literally tore it to pieces with brute force.

Seeing the opponent’s decline, Yang Xiao reversed with the Ring-Headed Saber, wrapping the Power of Strangulation around the blade. He lifted the saber, the blade tip pointing right at Duan Jiqing’s nose, arrogantly saying, “Great Sect Master Duan, what’s wrong, why aren’t you speaking? Not fond of talking? You seemed pretty impressive outside, feel free to use whatever tricks you have.”

“Yang Xiao, you brought this upon yourself.” Duan Jiqing gritted his teeth.

The next moment, Yang Jing cooperatively tossed the battered puppet next to Duan Jiqing, splashing a puddle of mud.