Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 294 Soul Stealing
This aura was incredibly powerful. Even the aftershocks of it caused many Qi Refining soldiers at the edge of the canyon to feel as if they had been struck by a heavy hammer, their blood and qi surging violently.

Even the Foundation Establishment cultivators like Song Yan felt a sudden tightness in their chests.

Wu Yun and Wei Zhi stepped forward simultaneously, shielding Wu Caidie behind them.

A pseudo-Core Formation Realm?!

Could he be a rebel leader?

However, the aura did not linger; it merely grazed the edge of the newly formed array at an extremely high speed, shooting out from the depths of the canyon and flying towards the horizon.

As the dust rose, Song Yan activated a bit of sword energy, enveloping his body. At the same time, a golden light surged into his eyes.

Observe the void!

Since the other party had no intention of lingering, it gave Song Yan a chance to observe.

This stream of light carried a heavy aura of malevolence, and vaguely resembled the aura of a Golden Core cultivator, indicating it was at the Pseudo-Core stage.

However, upon closer inspection, this aura was extremely weak, like a flickering candle flame in a storm, which could be extinguished at any moment.

Perhaps for this reason, there is a sense of chaos, a feeling of being on the verge of death, rapidly decaying and burning with the will to survive, which is unsettling.

Its aura fluctuated violently, sometimes strong and sometimes weak, as it flew rapidly through the sky, heading straight for the outside of the canyon.

It seems this man is indeed the rebel leader, but how could he have escaped from Vice General Luo, a Golden Core cultivator...?

Did Luo Zheng soften his heart?
Not too possible.

But none of that is the point. The point is...

This is a pseudo-core realm rebel, on the verge of death.

He didn't know what had happened in the canyon, but he was guessing how much spiritual energy the golden-red ancient talisman could absorb if he could take the opportunity to kill this person.

This person is truly in imminent danger; even maintaining the escape light seems extremely difficult.

That overwhelming murderous aura was chaotic and violent, likely stemming not only from the accumulation of bloodshed on past battlefields.

It also contains secret techniques that forcibly stimulate spiritual power and sacrifice life streams, resulting in backlash.

At this moment, these malevolent energies were like a bone-deep infection, accelerating the decay of his already weak aura.

A thousand thoughts flashed through my mind, yet only for a fleeting moment.

The moment the thought arose, the sword energy around Song Yan began to surge rapidly.

Its figure swayed slightly and then disappeared like a reflection in the water.

"Fellow Daoist Song... no, Captain Song!"

Li Yan seemed somewhat lost, and the others exchanged bewildered glances.

"Hmph, if he wants to die, let him go."

Wu Yun sneered: "To have established a foundation at such a young age, I originally thought you were a smart person."

"I never expected him to be so overconfident and court death."

"Gentlemen!" A glint of light flashed in Chen Li's eyes, and without further hesitation, he immediately spoke.

"When the king left, he strictly ordered us to defend this place to the death. Suddenly, something happened in the canyon. The enemy may have come to our aid."

He straightened his back and looked around at everyone: "Fellow Daoist Song is also a smart man. I believe he will not pursue rashly. Perhaps he has other plans. But we have duties to perform and cannot abandon our posts!"

However, he changed the subject, his tone becoming somewhat worried: "But Fellow Daoist Song is pursuing alone, and I fear he may be ambushed. I am truly uneasy about this!"

"Alright then, everyone, continue to guard this place strictly and make sure there are no more mishaps. I, Chen, will go to meet Fellow Daoist Song. If we encounter any danger, I can also warn and report in time. It's better than Fellow Daoist Song going into danger alone!"

His words were spoken with righteous indignation, as if he were entirely concerned for the safety of Song Yan and everyone else.

Before anyone else could react, Chen Li swayed and used his magical artifact to give chase.

Once he was far from the temporary camp, his aura suddenly became somewhat blurry and uncertain, as if shrouded in a flowing shadow.

Following the lingering bloody aura in the air, it silently disappeared into the forest on the east side of the canyon.

"This is truly a stroke of luck..."

He certainly wasn't there to help; Song Yan's combat prowess still made him somewhat wary.

His goal was to remain hidden in the shadows, like a cicada waiting for its chance to strike and reap the benefits.

……

"Cough cough...cough!"

The blood-red escape light became increasingly unstable and sluggish.

He didn't know how much time had passed when his body suddenly became unsteady, and the light surrounding him dissipated.

Having barely escaped from the clutches of a Golden Core cultivator, his injuries were now extremely horrific.

They couldn't even stop themselves from doing so.

Bang!
A dark shadow crashed into the forest, breaking several trees and tumbling for a while before finally coming to a stop.

Stir up a cloud of dust.

"cough……"

Blood flowed from every part of his body, turning him into a blood-soaked figure.

My throat was dry, and I coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood, which aggravated my wound.

His imposing body was covered with gruesome wounds, ripped apart by gunfire, so deep that the bone was visible.

The most serious injury was a large, bowl-sized hole in his chest, located slightly to the left, that almost pierced through his entire upper body.

Vitality and spiritual energy are leaking and dissipating wildly.

My whole body is in excruciating pain, and it feels like a million ants are gnawing at my heart.

But even worse than the excruciating pain was the endless, overwhelming resentment and unwillingness that threatened to burn through his soul.

He caught his breath briefly, then struggled to his feet, swaying as he stood, gripping a tree for support, and looked back towards the canyon.

Although he couldn't sense it, he could imagine that the auras of his generals were disappearing one by one.

"Luo Zheng..."

"I, Xu Duan, swear to kill you!"

He staggered, walking step by step into the distance, slowly adjusting his breathing, trying his best to recover quickly.

However, his consciousness became increasingly hazy.

My past life flashed before my eyes like a revolving lantern.

How did I get to this point...?

Suddenly, this question popped into Xu Duan's mind.

But this strange thought only lasted for a moment before he had the answer.

"It's all Luo Zheng's fault!"

He was a Core Formation Realm general in the Immortal Qin Tiger Wolf Army, under General Wang He, but later General Bai took command of the troops...

Luo Zheng must have been a sycophant, which earned him a lot of favor from General Bai.

He claimed publicly that his reason for defecting was that he disagreed with General White's ideology.

But only he himself knows the real reason.

"Why... Luo Zheng, who does he think he is?"

"A spineless opportunist who only knows how to flatter and fawn, a despicable person!"

Xu Duan was already somewhat delirious, his heart filled with resentment, and he began to curse.

"Just because... he knows how to cater to the general's thoughts? I, Xu Duan, have risked my life for the Tiger Wolf Army for so many years?"

"Slaying generals and capturing flags, fighting bloody battles! In what way are you inferior to him?!"

"Why... has Luo Zheng become your capable deputy, receiving continuous promotions and rewards!"

This jealousy of talent and ability, this resentment and bitterness at being ignored, are the true reasons deep in his heart for his betrayal of Xian Qin.

The so-called conflict of ideas and the claim that it is against the natural order are nothing more than a fig leaf for him to incite people and flaunt his own power.

In order to take revenge and to prove General Bai and Luo Zheng wrong, he almost sacrificed everything.

"The people of Yan...you worthless bastards!"

Xu Duan coughed up a mouthful of black blood mixed with fragments of internal organs, and his hatred for the Yan people reached its peak.

He also had dealings with that general from the Yan state.

He knew that the Tiger and Wolf Army would come to quell the rebellion in the coming days, so he risked his life to make all the necessary arrangements.

The plan was to lure the enemy into a trap and catch the Qin army off guard.

But no one from the Yan state came.

General Bai didn't come either. Only Luo Zheng showed up.

It seems that no one in this world cares about his actions, and no one respects him.

The immense anger and humiliation, coupled with the severe damage caused by forcibly unleashing a secret technique to break through, caused Xu Duan's aura to weaken once again.

Consciousness began to blur, the world before my eyes flickered between light and darkness, and the flame of life teetered on the brink of extinction.

"I can't die yet. I have to escape, I have to go to the State of Yan... then I can make a comeback..."

Even a cornered beast will fight back when it's cornered.

Suddenly, he trembled and looked to the side.

Luo Zheng? No, impossible, the great formation hasn't been broken yet!
At this moment, he was on edge, seeing threats everywhere.

He heard some faint noises and turned around abruptly to look at the person who had come.

A young cultivator was seen, dressed in a black robe and wearing a mask.

His body was surrounded by surging sword energy, and his eyes were full of vigilance.

Judging from the direction he was heading, he must be being pursued by the Tiger Wolf Army.

A casual glance reveals the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Xu Duan was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing.

He was really pissed off and laughed.

Has it really come to this?
Now even someone at the mere Foundation Establishment stage dares to cause me trouble; it's truly a case of a tiger fallen into the plains being bullied by dogs.

Do I have any grudge against you?

Song Yan gently shook his head.

He did not immediately make a move. Without a doubt, Deputy General Luo Zheng must have already seriously injured him, and the injury was still worsening.

We should try to stall for as long as possible.

"Then do you know who I am?"

Song Yan initially wanted to nod, but then realized he didn't even know the man's name, so he shook his head.

Anger finally surfaced on Xu Duan's face, which was covered in blood.

"You're just a Foundation Establishment cultivator. You don't even know who I am or why you've chased me here alone!"

Song Yan thought for a moment, realizing that explaining the ancient talisman to him would be too much trouble, so he casually said, "Deputy General Luo has ordered that no rebel soldier be allowed to escape."

Xu Duan's eyes immediately turned cold.

Song Yan sensed something was wrong. Even though the opponent was seriously injured and on the verge of death, he dared not be careless when facing a fake pill.

Almost the instant he sensed the killing intent, a purple aura surged from his body, merging with the sword energy.

He Xu.

At the same time, within the Sword Palace, surging sword energy instantly erupted and converged on the blade of the Unmoored Boat.

The color in his golden eyes grew even more intense, and a dreamlike glow gathered behind his head.

Gray clouds and yellow earth, a boundless mist.

Suddenly a long wind came, and amidst the sand and dust, the pagoda and the floating pagoda vanished in the clouds.

An unmoored boat hangs in front of him, and countless sword energies surge around him.

Purple mist blends with the void, like a reflection in a mirror or the moon in the water.

Xu Duan's anger surged even higher, and coupled with his severe injuries and impending death, his consciousness gradually became hazy.

But it was precisely this state that reignited his fighting spirit.

This rage was fiery and frenzied, like a spark thrown into boiling oil.

"Roar--"

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Song Yan.

A agonizing roar erupted from deep within Xu Duan's throat.

A massive longsword slowly materialized in his right hand: "Just a dog under Luo Zheng's command..."

"You dare covet my head?!"

The long-handled sword hummed in his hand, and the rust and bloodstains peeled off piece by piece under the blade's aura, revealing its sharpness.

There were no techniques, no rules, only the most primal killing intent, a desperate strike when on the verge of death.

Xu Duan gripped his hands tightly, pouring all his remaining spiritual power into the longsword in his hands, and slashed down fiercely!
A flash of sword light, and a raging sea erupts.

The blade energy, fan-shaped, erupted overwhelmingly, tearing apart the air and producing a deafening roar wherever it passed.

With unparalleled ferocity, it swallowed up everything in its path.

Song Yan's thinking was very clear: even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Even if the opponent was seriously injured and on the verge of death, he was still a fake elixir.

Therefore, he used his strongest killing move, combining the Purple Qi Merging with the True Technique with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Sword Intent.

They didn't even activate the sword formation.

In order to maximize the power of this sword strike, not a single ounce of sword energy was wasted.

A bright sun shines behind me.

Zheng——!
The pagodas floating in the clouds, layer upon layer, merged into a beam of light that was sharp and unstoppable.

Where the sword light passed, the crimson blade energy fluctuated violently and split to both sides.

The unmoored boat is like carving out a straight path in a raging ocean, heading straight for Xu Duan!
At this moment, Xu Duan was truly exhausted, but upon seeing this sword, his mind, which had been filled with chaos, cleared up for a moment.

"What kind of magic is this!"

A hint of horror flashed in Xu Duan's cloudy, crazed eyes.

Only now, with the sword at his mercy, did a sense of fear arise in his heart.

Am I, Xu Duan, destined to die at the hands of one of Luo Zheng's lackeys?!

However, clarity lasts only a moment.

The blade, having exhausted all its strength, had already struck. With all old power depleted and no new power generated, coupled with his near-death injuries and immense mental strain, his physical movements were completely unable to keep up with the lightning-fast reactions.

He could only watch helplessly as the sword light rapidly enlarged in his pupils, gradually obscuring his entire vision.

"My fate..."

hum-

The sword light pierced through his head in an instant.

Xu Duan's expression froze in a moment between lucidity and horror.

Immediately afterwards, the mangled body shattered like a broken glass lamp.

Xu Duan's shattered body transformed into a sky full of scarlet spiritual energy.

At the same time, Song Yan's body trembled violently, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

The torrent of sword energy was incredibly violent; although the sword intent could ride the wind and waves, it could not completely erase it.

As the sword energy surged forth, countless sword energy marks and bloodstains instantly appeared all over his body.

Despite being resisted by the sword energy, Song Yan was sent flying backward in a sorry state, crashing heavily into the remains of a giant tree that was now just a half-stump.

He managed to steady himself and landed, collapsing to the ground.

"call……"

As the purple aura dissipated, a sense of weakness welled up from the depths of my heart.

At this moment, the sword energy was exhausted, and the Zhendao Sword Mansion was completely empty. A sickly flush appeared on his face.

"Cough cough..."

Even a pseudo-core cultivator, barely clinging to life and on the verge of death, nearly lost their life in their death throes.

Adding to the previous encounters with Xinshan Sanren, Song Yan realized that the gap between these realms was unimaginably vast.

To call it a contest would be overestimating myself.

He tried to regulate his breathing, took out the golden-red ancient talisman, and crimson spiritual energy slowly gathered towards Song Yan.

This rebel leader, who was at the pseudo-core level, split off a total of 128 scarlet spiritual energies, which surged into the ancient talisman, and the red color had begun to turn black.

Just then, a figure emerged from the shadows of the forest like a ghost.

"Whoosh-"

Without uttering a word, it launched a fierce attack on Song Yan the instant the crimson spiritual energy was completely absorbed by the ancient talisman.

(End of this chapter)