Chapter 84: Sudden Attack

The instant Lin Ruofeng and Hua Xu met, Hua Xu immediately ducked into Lin Ruofeng’s Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light. The Great Purity Qian Flame Divine Thunder erupted instantly, filling the sky with firelight. Mu Yuan and Chu Yunfei also joined forces, but sadly, their techniques didn’t harmonize. Unlike the master and disciple duo whose power instantly multiplied when combining, even though they had seized the opponent’s Immortal Swords, their own magical treasures were also entangled by these stolen blades. When facing off, they didn’t gain much advantage. Fortunately, Mu Yuan attacked unexpectedly, sending the Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens forward. Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder crisscrossed fiercely. Chu Yunfei’s Five Fires Yin Thunder and the black smoke and evil energy from the Profound Yin Gathering Beast Banner rolled and twisted together, all pouncing down!

Lin Ruofeng’s Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light offered incredibly strong defense, while Hua Xu’s Great Purity Qian Flame Divine Thunder was exceptionally good at attack. Not to mention the painful loss of their Immortal Swords, Lin Ruofeng had even been coerced and tricked by Mu Yuan into revealing the divine light technique secret. He was burning with fury, desperate to finish them both off right then. Unfortunately, Mu Yuan was truly too formidable. Although the Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens hadn’t trapped the duo, its flying sword energies swept violently and irresistibly, further amplified by the domineering ferocity of the Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder. Chu Yunfei’s Profound Yin Gathering Beast Banner excelled at corroding flying swords. Originally, the luminous rainbows of their stolen Immortal Swords didn’t care much, but now, using their own swords, it became a huge effort. They had to divert a massive amount of focus to use sword energy to counter the black gas, feeling deep frustration that was hard to voice!

After only a few exchanges, Lin Ruofeng and Hua Xu also felt it was truly difficult to win. Mu Yuan and Chu Yunfei were equally frustrated – their opponents hid inside a tough turtle shell, yet occasionally stuck their heads out to bite. Neither side voiced surrender, though, as neither felt clearly at a disadvantage. While locked in this stalemate, a streak of blood-red light streaked across the horizon with tremendous force. Even the seawater disturbed by its passage churned into hundred-zhang high waves, roaring and surging, front connected to back, like giant mountains racing and the sea standing up. The four fighters shuddered in shock and hurriedly broke off their attacks, using their skills to protect themselves!

When Mu Yuan saw that blood radiance, his shock exceeded the others. Its appearance instantly made him think of Bimo! Back then, Bimo’s Ming Mo Undying True Body was pure white and jade-like in smoothness. Later, after using the Blood Reversion Divine Technique to form his Primordial Spirit, it became a dense mass of bloody light. Thankfully, Mu Yuan had been posing as an Ice Soul Sect disciple then, using Tidal Flow to simulate the Ice Soul Divine Light. Now, with the Dragon King’s Dynamic Force coursing through him, his aura had changed drastically, so he wasn’t afraid of being recognized!

The bloody radiance covered nearly a hundred zhang in radius. Arriving above Chongming Island, it also sensed the auras of the four, splitting off four threads of bloody light to sweep down at them. Compared to that vast, churning bloody radiance, these threads were insignificant, but to the four, it felt like being hit by a waterfall torrent, a reversed Milky Way crashing down! They hurriedly used their methods to block!

Mu Yuan wrapped the Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder light of Dragon King’s Dynamic Force around his whole body and also set up the Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens around him. Chu Yunfei himself was somewhat resource-poor; his Demon Banner had coiled around one Immortal Sword, leaving only a few unimpressive Profound Yin Gathering Beast Banners. His Yin Element Sword provided inadequate protection. He suddenly ducked into Mu Yuan’s sword formation, released his Five Fires Yin Thunder, and only looked up at the bloody light above!

Lin Ruofeng and Hua Xu were even more terrified, their hearts pounding. Such a ferocious, giant demon figure was truly rare in their lifetime. Lin Ruofeng deployed the Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light at full strength, the Five-Colored Divine Light shining brilliantly and colorfully. Hua Xu also wildly bombarded the sky with Great Purity Qian Flame Divine Thunder to resist that bloody radiance!

Mu Yuan swept his sword formation outward and only felt an immense devouring force. His whole body swayed, his footing unstable, seeming about to be lifted off the ground. The Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens ran at full power, Gengjin Killing Energy overflowing and sweeping wildly, buffeting away the blood radiance. Yet his entire body felt like Mount Tai crushing him, then like being caught in a raging whirlpool. The strength in his hand slackened, and he didn’t even know how many flying swords were swept into the blood radiance! With a clattering sound, they were ground into fragments and scattered down!

It happened so fast Mu Yuan had no time to withdraw the spiritual sense attached to the swords. His mind was filled with a roaring thunderclap, his heart trembling. He blasted Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder towards the sky, focusing his mind, guarding his vital gate, deeply shocked at the Nascent Soul Level cultivation exhibited! Through the churning mass of bloody light, he saw clearly a child’s face within, deathly pale – it was Bimo. Fear seized Mu Yuan, his confidence weakening, making him feel diminished.

The arrival was indeed Bimo. Meeting resistance upon sensing the four auras on the island, he had intended to sweep them all away to devour for replenishment, never expecting them to be so tough. Landing upon the encircling Five-Colored light, although he submerged it, he failed to break through the colored light and smoke. Worse, a blast of thunderfire hammered against him, pure Yang and fiercely rigid, suppressing his own Blood Reversion Divine Technique. He merely swept away the pair of flying swords from that group and sent those two men tumbling away!

The other group actually swept away over fifty flying swords! Although numerous, they were inferior to the two earlier. Entangled by his blood radiance, they shattered into powder. Hindered like this, he also failed to smash down his attack. Worse, his opponent unleashed two more distinct thunderfires. Bimo cursed inwardly; after a millennium out of the world, indeed the ways of the Dao were exquisite and divine abilities were abundant! Failed in his first strike, he prepared to gather momentum again when a thin line of brilliant light chased after him like lightning from behind. Bimo swore silently and vanished on the spot with a whoosh!

This sudden attack by Bimo felt like Mount Tai crashing down on the four present, yet it came and went in an instant, greatly alarming them all. Mu Yuan personally had over fifty flying swords swept away instantly. Though he didn’t regret the loss, the spiritual sense painstakingly refined and attached to them was his own; he still suffered some injury!

Chu Yunfei was fine, thankfully shielded by Mu Yuan’s sword formation. Lin Ruofeng and Hua Xu didn’t get off lightly either – the flying swords they personally refined were snatched away. They exchanged glances, lingering fear in their hearts, stunned into silence!

The brilliant light chasing after Bimo swept past effortlessly, ignoring the four entirely as it rushed away like urgent lightning. Mu Yuan also let out a sigh of relief. No idea who great figure Bimo had provoked in such a short time! If it was some lofty master from a renowned sect who descended and exchanged pleasantries for a moment… maybe revealing that he and Chu Yunfei were Mount Shu disciples… they might have been casually obliterated right there and then!

Coming back to their senses after Bimo’s surprise attack, Lin Ruofeng and Hua Xu were indeed in a pitiful state. Not only had their Immortal Swords been seized by Mu Yuan and Chu Yunfei, even their own flying swords had been snatched by that bloody light! Apart from their flying swords, all they had left were their innately cultivated Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light and Great Purity Qian Flame Divine Thunder. Their means to face the enemy were severely reduced, putting them in a difficult situation!

Seeing the two opponents also now empty-handed and deeply distressed within their fading brilliant light, Mu Yuan’s own fighting spirit also waned. He released his energy field, and once again, over fifty flying swords separated from him, converging with the remaining few dozen to reform the Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens. Sword Qi instantly flooded out again, pressing down on the scene!

This move startled not only Lin Ruofeng and Hua Xu, but even Chu Yunfei was amazed at Mu Yuan’s means. Among cultivators, those refining swords, especially matched sets of flying swords, were rare. Someone like Mu Yuan, with endless flying swords pouring out, simply hadn’t been heard of!

What he didn’t know was that Mu Yuan currently couldn’t voice his troubles. Smashing over fifty flying swords at once was also a significant shock to him. He was just thinking of using this show of force to scare off the opponents—sure enough, Lin Ruofeng and Hua Xu exchanged a look, then with a burst of wind left the ground and fled far away, no longer engaging Mu Yuan and Chu Yunfei!

Chu Yunfei intended to give chase but was stopped by Mu Yuan, who said, “Enough!” Chu Yunfei himself didn’t have many usable items at the moment. He reasoned it was better to first refine that Immortal Sword, freeing up the Demon Banner and the Profound Yin Black Fiend Great Capture for combat, so he let it go. Though born of the demon path and naturally not walking the righteous way, having refined the Profound Yin Gathering Beast Banner which had certainly cost many lives, he wasn’t a pushover. But he wasn’t one to take excessive risks. While the Mount Shu pair had fled in disarray, their divine powers remained considerable; giving chase might not yield any real benefit.

Once the strong enemy retreated, Mu Yuan also let out a long sigh of relief, thinking to himself that this outcome was for the best. He immediately took Chu Yunfei back to the Jade Sunken Dragon Boat!

Naturally, Qi Wei had also clearly witnessed the fierce battle. Seeing her eccentric junior act so, she didn’t bother much. She watched as Mu Yuan returned with a man named Hei Pao, didn’t ask, didn’t interfere, just seeing Mu Yuan himself unharmed was seemingly enough. She headed straight back into the cabin, showing not the slightest curiosity about the recent events or asking any questions, saving Mu Yuan a lot of unnecessary explanation!

The two of them stood at the bow. Chu Yunfei looked around the Dragon Boat, clicking his tongue in admiration. “Got this from the Dragon Palace, right? Grandly beautiful, and very practical. Much better than me leaving empty-handed!”

Mu Yuan gave a quiet chuckle, letting Chu Yunfei’s comment pass. He turned the Dragon Boat towards the direction of Round Pot Mountain, then sat cross-legged himself, starting to refine the Immortal Sword inside the Black Water Gourd!

Seeing him like this and knowing Mu Yuan was undoubtedly refining an Immortal Sword too, Chu Yunfei didn’t say anything more. He gave a quiet laugh of his own, also sat down cross-legged, sent his spiritual sense deep into the Demon Banner, and began inspecting his own captured Immortal Sword!

Inside the Black Water Gourd, a band of white jade light flew wildly through the sky. A large, five-colored, starlit hand circulated and grabbed. At its center was that Immortal Sword, still jerking and jumping relentlessly. Mu Yuan guessed that the two Mount Shu disciples hadn’t given up hope, still calling it back. He paid no mind. Raising his hand, he unleashed Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder, wrapped inside the Primordial Qi Grasping Hand, violently bombarding the chaotic purple light surrounding the Immortal Sword!

This particular Immortal Sword was the one Hua Xu used. Without his control, though powerful, it couldn’t escape Mu Yuan’s methods. The Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder blasted randomly, while Mu Yuan simultaneously activated the Tidal Flow technique! His spiritual sense transformed into a sheet of icy frost energy and pressed onto the blade!

The body of this Immortal Sword shone with brilliant starlight. Even though Hua Xu was a Mount Shu sword-refining disciple, he had never completed the refinement of this Immortal Sword. After all, who knows where he got it? Having neither the harmonizing Zhenqi nor sufficiently profound magical power was a problem. It was like when Mu Yuan refined the Longevity Sword – usable at will, but to refine it to spiritual comprehension would require untold labor!

The Immortal Sword was formidable, but expunging its original mark turned out to be simpler than removing Hua Zhenzi’s spiritual imprint from the Green Wood Thunderblade that day. Bombarding it with Thunder Method and freezing it with the Ice Soul Divine Light channeled by Tidal Flow didn’t take much effort. The sword soon grew calm. It transformed into billions of starlights itself, resembling a milky way encircling space. Mu Yuan then imprinted his own spiritual sense upon it, easily suppressing this Immortal Sword!