A max-level player in Jade Dynasty: Awakening the Innate Dao at the start.

"Xiao Fan, let's... let's go find Dad quickly..."

Tian Ling'er's voice changed, and she gripped Zhang Xiaofan's sleeve tightly, her nails digging into his flesh.

As she watched the enormous creature approaching step by step from five zhang away, her teeth chattered uncontrollably.

Zhang Xiaofan, however, stood motionless.

He stared at the water unicorn, at the undisguised killing intent churning within its vertical pupils.

The anger that had been building up inside me for two years suddenly surged up.

Going mad from cultivation? That's an act.

To swallow one's anger? That's only out of necessity.

Even a clay figure has some earthy charm; do you really think he's a pushover?

This beast attacked him for no reason. What right did he have?

"Senior sister, step back." His voice wasn't loud, but it was heavy and weighty.

"Xiao Fan! Don't..."

"Step back." Zhang Xiaofan repeated, leaving no room for negotiation in his tone.

Tian Ling'er was stunned.

She had grown up with Zhang Xiaofan since she was a child, and had never heard him say such a thing before.

It wasn't his usual mild tone, nor was it an occasional joke; rather, it was a commanding tone that was completely unfamiliar to her and left no room for argument.

The oppressive feeling made her subconsciously loosen her grip and take two steps back.

The water unicorn growled softly and took another step forward.

Four zhang (approximately 10 meters).

Zhang Xiaofan's hand rested firmly on the fire poker at his waist, and spiritual energy began to flow through his meridians.

At the highest level of spiritual cultivation, the dual practice of Buddhism and Taoism has achieved a delicate balance between these two conflicting forces.

And with this stick that seemed to have quite a history... he felt a bit more confident.

Whether we can win or not is another matter.

Do you want him to run away with his tail between his legs?

No way.

Even if we can't win, we should at least tear off a few bloody scales from this beast.

Just then, a gray shadow darted out from the bridgehead and landed squarely in front of Zhang Xiaofan.

It's Little Gray.

This monkey is nowhere near its usual mischievous self.

It bared its teeth, and its fur stood on end.

Its tail was taut and it squeaked wildly at the mountain-like water unicorn.

That posture even had a hint of resolute determination, as if they were risking their lives.

Looking at the tiny figure blocking his way, Zhang Xiaofan felt a sharp pang in his heart.

You can't see into someone's heart.

Qi Hao, that seemingly gentle and refined senior brother, who knows what he's plotting behind the scenes.

But Little Gray, this monkey, is greedy, playful, and unserious, yet when it matters, he can completely entrust his back to you.

He suddenly recalled those jumbled fragments of memories in his mind.

The Heavenly Emperor's Nether Stone... that treasure that later caused chaos throughout the world.

If I ever have the chance to get my hands on it in the future...

Then let's leave it to Little Grey.

He bent down and rubbed the monkey's furry head.

"Get out of the way, this is none of your business."

Little Gray squeaked, its claws digging into the ground, refusing to budge an inch.

The water unicorn moved.

It happened so fast, without any warning!

The colossal body, ten zhang long, transformed into a streak of azure light and pounced in front of him in the blink of an eye!

The claw, covered in blue scales, tore through the air with a piercing shriek, and slammed down on Zhang Xiaofan's head!

If that claw strike lands squarely, it would flatten even a piece of iron, let alone flesh and blood, into a pancake!

Instead of retreating, Zhang Xiaofan took half a step forward to meet the claw.

He held the fire poker horizontally above his head with both hands.

The azure spiritual energy cultivated through the Taiji Xuanqing Dao surged forth from his palm, but it was not ordinary pure and righteous energy.

Instead, a dark, blood-red light shield instantly formed on the staff.

On the surface of the light shield, strange runes flowed rapidly, and an extremely fierce and malevolent aura faintly emanated from it.

"boom--!!!"

The claws slammed hard onto the light shield.

The loud noise made people's ears ring, and the entire Rainbow Bridge shook violently.

The bluestone slabs on the bridge surface cracked with a "crackling" sound, and the cracks spread wildly like a spider web.

The crimson light shield lasted for less than half a breath before shattering into pieces with a "bang".

Zhang Xiaofan flew backward like a kite with a broken string, still tightly protecting Tian Ling'er in his arms.

He twisted and flipped in mid-air, his toes barely touching the bridge railing.

Using the momentum, it glided backward for more than three zhang (approximately 10 meters), landing with a stagger.

He coughed up a mouthful of blood, the bright red stain at the corner of his mouth was quite glaring.

That's fucking awesome!

Zhang Xiaofan cursed inwardly. Is this all the power a thousand-year-old divine beast can offer?

A casual swipe of his claws is more powerful than a full-force attack from a cultivator in the Upper Clarity Realm who is risking his life!

If it weren't for the fire poker, I probably would have lost half my life from that blow.

The water unicorn landed on all four hooves, its front hooves leaving two deep dents on the bridge surface.

It stared at Zhang Xiaofan, the killing intent in its vertical pupils almost freezing into ice.

It used seven-tenths of its strength in that last claw strike.

I thought I could smash this annoying little bug into mincemeat, but I was actually blocked.

What a shame!

An angry growl rolled from its throat, and a sudden surge of blue light erupted from its body.

Visible blackish-red malevolent energy even seeped from the gaps between the scales, condensing into a thin halo on the body surface.

With a sudden burst of power from its four hooves, a large section of the bridge collapsed with a deafening roar.

Its entire body is like a cannonball fired from a gun.

With an aura of crushing everything, it crashed fiercely into Zhang Xiaofan!

This collision was even more dangerous than the previous claw strike!

Zhang Xiaofan's eyes sharpened.

He suddenly shoved Tian Ling'er to a safe spot, and at the same time bit his tongue.

With a "poof," a mouthful of essence blood, imbued with primal power, was sprayed onto the fire poker.

The stick trembled violently.

It wasn't a slight tremor, but a violent, frantic shaking!

It was as if the ferocious beast imprisoned inside was finally about to break free of its cage!

The surface of the jet-black stick gleamed with an eerie, chilling crimson light.

The red light grew brighter and brighter.

In the end, it transformed into a tangible blood-red mist, spreading from the stick and carrying a nauseatingly sweet and pungent odor.

The most evil! The most ferocious! The most bloodthirsty aura erupted with a deafening roar!

The water unicorn's vertical pupils instantly shrank to pinpoints! This aura... it was all too familiar!

A thousand years ago, a hundred years ago, those demonic cult leaders who were torn apart and devoured by it...

Those cultivators who practiced evil arts to the point of madness emitted this nauseating smell before their death!

But this kid in front of me is clearly wearing a Taoist robe from the Qingyun Sect!

The thought flashed through his mind like lightning, and its momentum was already in front of Zhang Xiaofan.

The enormous head suddenly lowered, revealing the single horn on its forehead that gleamed with a cold light.

Like the sharpest spear, it was aimed at Zhang Xiaofan's chest, about to pierce through him!

Zhang Xiaofan gripped the fire poker with both hands and raised it high.

The image of Wan Jianyi teaching "Slaying Ghosts and Gods" in the Ancestral Temple flashed through his mind.

That longsword, gleaming with emerald light, that peerless sword light that seemed capable of cleaving heaven and earth and severing reincarnation...

And then there's that powerful and domineering sword incantation that resounded throughout the ancestral hall.

"I don't seek the Immortal Slayer Sword..."

The blood-red light on the fire poker reached its peak at this moment!

"But I'll slay demons and gods—!"

A blood-red staff slashed down fiercely!

That wasn't chopping, it was more like smashing, it was grinding!

The staff seemed to expand the moment it was swung out, transforming into a ferocious, roaring, blood-red dragon shadow!

The dragon's head was ferocious, its fangs bared, and its body coiled around, exuding a murderous aura. With a sweep of its tail, it seemed as if even space itself would be shattered!

The Blood Dragon opened its gaping maw, seemingly capable of devouring everything, and bit down hard on the Water Kirin's thick neck!

The water unicorn let out a deafening roar, and the blue light on its single horn surged to a blinding intensity as it charged forward without flinching!

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

This explosion was more than ten times more violent than the previous one!

The entire sturdy rainbow bridge snapped in two at the point of impact with a "crack"!

Countless huge boulders crashed down into the churning sea of ​​clouds below, like dumplings being dropped into a pot.

A violent shockwave swept out in a ring, covering an area of ​​a hundred feet.

Trees as thick as a bowl were uprooted, and hard rocks were instantly reduced to dust!

Tian Ling'er was violently thrown back by the blast wave, tumbling uncontrollably in the air.

It was only thanks to the timely unfolding of the Amber Crimson Silk that it transformed into a red light shield that enveloped her.

She managed to steady herself in mid-air and looked up anxiously—

The phantom of the blood dragon shattered.

Zhang Xiaofan felt as if he had been struck by an invisible giant hammer, and he was sent flying backward.

Blood gushed from his mouth as if it were free, leaving a gruesome trail in the air.

He crashed into the distant mountain wall like a bird with broken wings.

He managed to adjust his posture at the moment of impact, using his back to absorb the force.

With a muffled "bang," the rocks on the mountainside shattered.

He spat out another mouthful of blood and slid down the steep rock face.

What about the water unicorn? It's definitely not having an easy time either!

The enormous body was blasted sideways by the force of the clash and crashed into the broken section of the rainbow bridge.

With a loud crash, the remaining, relatively intact half of the bridge surface was completely destroyed.

The ten-zhang-long body lost its support and plummeted straight down into the blue pool below, creating a towering wave tens of zhang high with a "splash".

When it struggled to the surface of the red-stained pool, a shocking wound appeared on the side of its neck—

It was over a foot long, with the skin torn open and the flesh ripped apart; in some places, you could almost see the bone!

Scalding hot beast blood gushed out, staining a large area of ​​the emerald green pool red.

A thousand years!

It had never suffered such a serious injury since the ascension of the Qingye Ancestor!

When the demonic sect attacked Qingyun Mountain, it hid at the bottom of the pool.

They only came out to clean up the mess after Dao Xuan and the others had finished fighting. When had they ever suffered such a loss?

But today, I was actually hurt to this extent by a mere greenhorn from Qingyun!

"roar--!!!"

The water unicorn roared to the sky, its sound waves causing the entire Tongtian Peak to tremble.

It went completely mad, leaping out of the pool, its four hooves pounding the air.

Following the thick, pungent smell of blood and the malevolent aura it loathed, it chased after it madly.

Tian Ling'er had already caught Zhang Xiaofan as he fell.

She glanced back at the direction from which the water unicorn had come, and her pretty face instantly drained of color.

A flash of red light appeared on the amber silk ribbon, tightly enveloping the two of them. It transformed into a streak of light and flew swiftly down the mountain without looking back.

When the water unicorn chased the creature halfway up the mountain, it was stopped by someone.

Dao Xuan Zhenren stood in mid-air, his black Daoist robe fluttering in the night wind, yet he remained as steady as if nailed to the ground.

He simply extended one hand, a blue light emanating from his palm.

In an instant, it transformed into an incredibly solid shield of light, firmly blocking the enraged water unicorn.

The Spirit Lord let out a deafening roar, lowered his head, and slammed his single horn into the light shield!

"Thump—!"

A deafeningly loud bang.

The light shield remained completely still, without even a ripple.

Dao Xuan Zhenren stood there, not even the hem of his robes fluttering, but his eyes, as calm as still water,

A hint of doubt flashed across his face: "Spirit Lord, what has caused your anger?"

The water unicorn was even angrier; it felt it had been slighted.

Time and again, it used all its strength to ram its head down and crash into the ground!

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Each impact was like a landslide, the shockwaves uprooting the surrounding old trees.

But that seemingly thin shield of blue light was like a mountain that had existed there since time immemorial.

No matter how wildly it charged and crashed, it remained unmoved.

Taiqing Realm.

This is the seemingly insignificant, yet in reality, gap between the peak of the Taiqing Realm and the Shangqing Realm.

Even though the Water Qilin is a thousand-year-old divine beast with a physique far surpassing that of human cultivators, it still appears powerless in the face of absolute power suppression.

At that moment, a series of sharp, piercing sounds rang out.

Tian Buyi was the first to arrive. Before he even arrived, the flames of the Crimson Flame Immortal Sword had already illuminated half of the night sky.

He first saw the sect leader and the Spirit Venerable facing off in mid-air.

When his gaze fell upon the gruesome wound on the water unicorn's neck, which was still oozing blood, his pupils suddenly contracted.

Following that, Cangsong, Shuiyue, Zeng Shuchang...

The heads of each branch and the elders with high standing within their respective sects arrived one after another.

Everyone stared at the unmistakable wound on the water unicorn's body.

They looked at each other, their faces filled with barely suppressed shock.

"Who could... injure the Spirit Lord like this?" Zeng Shuchang murmured unconsciously.

Master Cangsong's face was so gloomy it seemed like it was about to drip water. He stared at the wound and slowly said:

"The Spirit Lord's strength is comparable to the peak of the Upper Clarity Realm, coupled with its powerful divine beast physique..."

For an ordinary cultivator at the Shangqing Realm, let alone injuring it, they would be lucky to even survive.

unless……"

"Unless what?" someone pressed.

Cangsong spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice icy cold:

"Unless, a top expert from the Demonic Sect has already infiltrated my Qingyun Mountain without a trace."

Moreover, this person's strength is at least at the peak of the Upper Clarity Realm, and perhaps even... the Supreme Clarity Realm.

These words were like a piece of ice thrown into boiling water, making everyone present feel a chill, and the atmosphere instantly became extremely tense.

Dao Xuan Zhenren suddenly turned his head, his deep gaze fixed on a seemingly peaceful dark place at the foot of the mountain.

Zhang Xiaofan changed into a clean Taoist robe and reappeared in everyone's sight after an incense stick had burned.

He walked at a leisurely pace, calm and composed, with his hands behind his back.

I walked up the stone steps from the foot of the mountain with measured steps.

His face was still a little pale, but his breathing was steady, his eyes were clear, and he showed no signs of the disheveled state he had just experienced in a life-or-death battle.

Tian Ling'er followed half a step behind him with her head down, her eyes red and swollen, clearly having had a good cry.

Almost everyone's eyes immediately turned to him.

Zhang Xiaofan seemed completely oblivious to the astonishment, scrutiny, and disbelief in those gazes.

He walked straight to Dao Xuan Zhenren's side before stopping, then slowly turned his head to look at the water unicorn that was still roaring wildly despite being blocked by the light shield.

He suddenly chuckled very softly.

There was no respect, no fear in that smile.

There was not even anger, only an almost indifferent calm.

Then, to everyone's utter astonishment, he raised his right hand.

He extended his index finger and gently beckoned to the ancient mountain-guarding beast.

His movements were as casual as if he were calling to a disobedient stray dog ​​on the roadside.

The water unicorn's rage reached its peak at this moment!

It recognized him! It was definitely him!

That malevolent aura that made its very soul tremble with disgust, that chillingly calm gaze...

And this extremely humiliating and provocative gesture!

"roar--!!!"

The roar was so loud it seemed to tear the night sky apart!

The water unicorn completely lost its mind, stomping its four hooves wildly on the ground.

Ignoring Dao Xuan Zhenren's indestructible light shield, he charged out again, even at the risk of injury, and frantically pounced on Zhang Xiaofan!

The murderous aura, so solid it was almost tangible, caused the temperature within a radius of several dozen feet to plummet, and even caused a layer of white frost to form on the ground!

Tian Buyi, Cangsong, Shuiyue... all the chief disciples' expressions changed, and they were almost about to make a move immediately.

But then they both stopped moving at the same time.

Because their gazes involuntarily shifted back and forth between the two sides—

On one side was the terrifying wound on the water unicorn's neck, deep enough to expose bone, and still slowly oozing blood.

On the other side was the calm and collected disciple who had just beckoned to the divine beast with his finger, now seemingly "possessed by demonic possession."

An absurd yet undeniable thought.

Like poison ivy, it grows uncontrollably in everyone's heart, leaving them with cold hands and feet and a chilling feeling on their scalp—

Is it...

The severely injured Spirit Venerable

This is the person they considered to have regressed in cultivation and become a cripple.

Zhang Xiaofan of Dazhu Peak?!