Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 385 Entering the painting
Zhang Xingming hovered above the battlefield, with rolling demonic clouds above his head.

"finally found you."

Only by killing Song Yan and truly completing the task entrusted to him by his superiors could he breathe a sigh of relief.

In an instant, almost the moment Song Yan was seen, the immense pressure of the Golden Core cultivator suddenly descended, completely locking onto his figure.

At the same time, he raised his right hand, his five fingers spread wide, and the surrounding demonic energy surged back and gathered wildly, turning into a dark vortex.

At the center of the vortex, a blinding red light shone, radiating an aura of destruction. Immediately, the spiritual power of a Golden Core cultivator was poured into it without reservation, and the vortex instantly transformed into a condensed black handprint.

Demonic patterns swirled, and vengeful spirits howled.

In fact, Zhang Xingming really wanted to interrogate Song Yan, to ask him where the Asura Dharma Body came from and how he cultivated it to this level.

However, after thinking it over, it's safer to kill him first; at worst, I can just search for it in his storage bag later.

The main reason is that the nine demonic infants in the forbidden area have not yet emerged, making this a very good opportunity.

If this drags on for too long, and those senior members of the Asura Path notice, they will take away Song Yan's Qiankun Bag.

Then he won't get anything.

Therefore, it would be better to kill Song Yan as soon as possible.

"die!"

The handprint disappeared right before everyone's eyes.

Of course, it didn't truly disappear; it just moved so fast that it was beyond the visual range of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.

One moment it was in his palm, the next it had appeared above the head of the Asura Dharma Body, its terrifying power pressing down on him!

Zhang Xingming wanted to smash Song Yan and that Dharma body into dust together.

Under the pressure of the Golden Core, it would be difficult for anyone else to even move a finger, let alone dodge.

Zhang Guangyuan and the others were filled with rage and their hearts sank to the bottom, as if they could already foresee the scene where Song Yan and that Dharma body would be reduced to ashes in the next moment.

However, the fact that ordinary cultivators cannot detect it does not mean that Song Yan cannot see it.

Now that he is facing the Golden Core cultivator head-on, how can he afford to relax even slightly?

Guanxu Sword Eyes was already operating at full power. In an instant, golden light shone brightly in his eyes, and sword energy circulated around his body. You Taixu was also ready to strike.

A deafening roar, accompanied by violent spiritual energy, echoed across the battlefield.

But just as the palm print was about to strike, the four-zhang-tall Asura Dharma Body's patterns lit up with dazzling light. The Dharma Body gripped the Heart Demon Ruler with both hands and slammed it upwards with great force.

It actually collided violently with the palm print.

Bang-!
The immense impact caused the massive body of the Dharma Body to suddenly sag, its feet sinking deep into the ground, and cracks instantly spreading outwards.

As expected, under the pressure of the Golden Core Realm, the illusory Dharma Body began to crumble inch by inch from the huge heavy ruler in its hand, demonic flames scattered, and the golden patterns around its body flickered uncertainly.

Even so, it managed to hold out for a breath.

You Taixu!
Just before his Dharma body shattered and the palm print was about to fall completely, Song Yan's figure vanished in an instant, like a reflection in water, and reappeared a dozen feet away, flying towards another direction at the foot of Dragon Head Mountain.

In everyone's eyes, the figure was like a ghost moving in a flash, or a fleeting shadow.

boom--!
As Zhang Xingming's large palm descended, his Dharma body shattered completely, transforming into countless demonic energies that surged towards Song Yan.

All they saw was a white streak moving at incredible speed, followed closely by countless dark demonic flames, disappearing into the distance.

"Hmm?" Zhang Xingming hovered in the air, his brows furrowed.

His palm strike, unleashed with rage and without reservation, should have been as easy as crushing ants and insects for someone at the Golden Core stage to crush someone at the Foundation Establishment stage.

Moreover, he had already locked onto the opponent with his aura, and it was already unbelievable that the Dharma Body could withstand it for a breath. How could Song Yan still escape alive?

"Escape? Where can we escape to?"

Song Yan's actions truly puzzled Zhang Xingming.

He had thought that this person had given up hiding and that his appearance this time was to show some backbone and die here with his fellow elders and disciples.

But now, he only stepped in to help a few fellow disciples out of a predicament, and when he saw me, he still turned around and ran away.

What's the point of all this?

Although he was puzzled, he still released all his divine sense to cover the direction in which Song Yan had fled.

He casually sensed it for a moment, but it really startled him.

Song Yan's strange escape technique was so fast that it startled him. In terms of speed alone, it was almost the same as the speed at which he, a Golden Core cultivator, could fly using objects, only slightly slower.

"It seems that the seniors of the Yellow Springs Path have a reason to ask me, a Golden Core cultivator, to kill this person."

If it were a cultivator below the Golden Core stage, let alone whether they could defeat Song Yan, even if the opponent had no fighting spirit and only wanted to escape, judging from his escape technique, it would be impossible for an ordinary Foundation Establishment or Pseudo-Core stage cultivator to catch up with him.

"This person's methods are strange, so it's best to be careful."

Thinking this through, and considering that this person was similar to Chen Linyuan, Zhang Xingming became even more cautious.

But... where exactly is he going?
At this moment, the space beneath the demonic clouds has been sealed off by the Nascent Soul elders of the Demon Ruins, rendering all teleportation artifacts and teleportation methods ineffective.

The entire Dongyuan Sect is a dead end where you can only enter and not exit. Does he really think he can fly out of this giant urn?
Zhang Xingming also transformed into a streak of light and chased after Song Yan.

While locking onto Song Yan, he also cautiously scanned the surrounding area with his divine sense.

Many questions arose in my mind.

Where...where was he hiding before?

This question had been on Zhang Xingming's mind ever since Song Yan suddenly appeared.

He was absolutely certain that before this person appeared, his divine sense had swept across the entire battlefield again and again, and no Foundation Establishment cultivator could completely escape his detection.

Zhang Xingming knew perfectly well that he was somewhere in this chaotic battlefield, but he still couldn't pinpoint his exact location.

Until he showed up on his own initiative.

"This is no ordinary technique of concealing one's aura..."

This discovery stirred a strong sense of curiosity in Zhang Xingming, beyond his murderous intent and caution.

"Unfortunately, whatever secrets you are hiding, you are doomed to die today!"

Zhang Xingming's eyes flashed even colder, and he suddenly increased his speed, rapidly closing the distance between himself and Song Yan.

They followed the streaking light at breakneck speed, relentlessly pursuing it.

Until that figure suddenly disappeared into a forest and vanished from Zhang Xingming's sight.

However, the Golden Core Realm cultivator's divine sense remained firmly locked onto the other party, detecting his movements.

"sucker Punch."

Zhang Xingming hovered above the forest floor. To his slight surprise, near Song Yan, he clearly detected another aura with his divine sense.

"Do you have help?"

He was even more confused, because his divine sense told him that this aura was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, even weaker than Song Yan's.

Zhang Xingming's body slowly descended, no more than ten feet above the ground.

The immense pressure of the Golden Core enveloped the area where the two were located, causing the trees to droop.

However, to his surprise, Song Yan did not collapse and flee under the pressure; instead, he stopped.

Then, in the dim light, it emerged from the forest and walked step by step toward him, who was hovering in mid-air. Flying swords began to flow out one by one from the endless treasure behind it.

Seeking Benevolence, Offering Sacrifices to the Unicorn King, Weeping Moon, Binding Edge, Returning Man of Jin, Unmoored Boat...

In addition, there are nine other flying swords that Song Yan usually collected, all of which are high-grade magic weapons or even spiritual weapons.

Fifteen flying swords hovered slowly above the mountains and forests, seemingly following a peculiar trajectory.

A look of surprise flashed across Zhang Xingming's eyes.

"Why don't you run away?"

He spoke coldly, and it seemed that Song Yan had given up and was planning to fight a losing battle, hoping for a desperate and mutually destructive outcome.

Almost instantly, Zhang Xingming produced a uniquely shaped bell, surrounded by demonic energy. This was his magic weapon, the Illusionary Soul Bell.

His magic weapon's greatest effect is actually in terms of illusion, but for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, that's really unnecessary.

Using a magical artifact to amplify demonic energy is already the greatest respect one can show to a Foundation Establishment cultivator. If word gets out, it will likely be met with disdain from his colleagues in the Demon Ruins.

Song Yan did not answer his question, but continued to wield his flying sword.

It seems there's no intention to resist.

"go with!"

A black light suddenly shot out from the Illusionary Soul Bell, heading straight for Song Yan's face.

In that instant, a hand holding a paintbrush suddenly fell.

"Entering the painting."

Om-!
Zhang Xingming felt a strange ripple spreading from somewhere unknown.

Immediately afterwards, the surrounding mountain and forest scenery spread out like ink wash painting, and then surged violently.

Sturdy ancient trees, jagged rocks, gnarled vines, and even scattered withered branches and leaves were transformed into raging waves in the blink of an eye.

The change happened incredibly fast; almost instantly, a massive wave of mountain colors crashed down, engulfing Zhang Xingming and his attack.

Bang-!
It felt like being slammed into the seabed by a huge wave, with a buzzing in my ears and a dazed feeling.

Zhang Xingming subconsciously tried to elevate himself and escape this eerie area.

However, at that moment, a young voice entered his ears.

"This world within the painting has its own rules. My cultivation level is too low, and even if I were to force my way in, I would not be able to bind cultivators whose cultivation levels are far higher than mine into it..."

Lin Qing sat cross-legged atop the mountain, facing Zhang Xingming high in the sky.

"However, someone like you... who came in on your own initiative, is a different story!"

Junior Brother Song, my cultivation is low and I have no earth-shattering abilities.

But in any case, you should believe that the Golden Core senior who refined the Leisurely Wandering Scroll and the Truth-Repenting Brush is the one.

"Please, senior, step into my painting and take a look!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Kui Zhen's brush trembled violently, as if a huge canvas had been instantly pulled away.

Zhang Xingming felt the scene before him suddenly change!
Everything about Dongyuan Sect receded rapidly like the tide.

Instead, there is an unfamiliar space.

The demonic clouds in the sky dissipated, and the clamor of the battle faded away. The scenery here was beautiful, just like a scene from a painting.

However, Zhang Xingming, as expected of a Golden Core cultivator, showed no panic upon seeing this scene. Instead, he looked around with great interest.

"I see. It seems that Song Yan was hiding here before, which is why he was able to evade my divine sense."

After looking around, he finally fixed his gaze on the pen and scroll in Lin Qing's hand.

This is a very interesting treasure; I never expected it to fall into the hands of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

But it's fine this way, it'll be a free lunch for him.

"I'm quite curious, how do you two intend to confront me? With... this?"

Zhang Xingming really wanted to know how these two little insects planned to kill the elephant.

"Or are you saying, based on you and him?"

Song Yan had already been expelled from the painting and was no longer in the world within it. The "he" that Zhang Xingming was referring to was naturally the illusory Dharma body that was currently hidden in Lin Qing's shadow.

The illusory form did not intend to evade the detection of the Golden Core cultivator and took the initiative to reveal its form.

At this moment, his Dharma body had returned to the size and appearance of Song Yan, except that he was dragging the Heart Demon Heavy Ruler in his hand.

Lin Qing raised her pen and said slowly, "How will you know if you don't try?"

……

At this moment, outside the painting, Song Yan's figure is suspended in mid-air, with fifteen flying swords swirling and turning above the entire mountain forest.

They formed small groups of three or five, vaguely resembling a sword formation.

However, this sword formation sometimes resembled a ring around the moon, sometimes a roaring sun, and sometimes a shifting star, but it never took shape. It simply moved slowly along a certain special trajectory.

Song Yan's body was filled with surging sword energy, which flowed continuously toward the center surrounded by the fifteen flying swords.

The quantity of sword energy far exceeded all the sword formations Song Yan had ever used before, yet he still did not stop.

He continuously channeled his sword energy into it.

Normally, his sword energy would have been exhausted by now, but the wisp of spiritual energy within him has not yet dissipated, so his sword energy continues to flow.

So he never stopped.

The sword energy gradually filled the space.

"Not enough, not enough, far from enough."

As Song Yan continuously infused sword energy into them, the movements and trends of those flying swords were constantly changing and simulating in his eyes.

Senior Brother Lin Qing, can you really hold on?
Even Song Yan was worried for Lin Qing.

The sword technique he wanted to use was something that a Foundation Establishment cultivator couldn't possibly perform, but thanks to the spiritual energy within him, he could take the risk and give it a try.

Either way, it's a dead end. If we don't try now, when will we?

However, someone still needs to buy him enough time.

Senior Brother Lin frankly admitted that if a Golden Core cultivator could be allowed to enter the painting, then by exerting all their strength, they should be able to delay the enemy for more than eight breaths.

If the other party takes it lightly and starts arguing with you, this could take even longer.

In fact, with Lin Qing's Foundation Establishment cultivation, it would have been impossible for him to bind the Golden Core cultivator. However, the Leisurely Wandering Scroll has a secret technique that can unfold the scroll and project the scenery in the painting into the real world.

If the person drawing the picture is skilled enough, it can theoretically be mistaken for the real thing.

If a Golden Core cultivator can be lured here at this time, the scroll can be closed to forcibly "trap" the cultivator inside.

The good news is that, amidst this chaotic battle, the opponent's divine sense was constantly monitoring Song Yan's movements, and indeed paid no attention to any clues in the surrounding scenery. The two of them also followed their plan and bound the Golden Core cultivator into the world within the painting.

Now, it all depends on whether Senior Brother Lin can buy enough time.

(End of this chapter)