Chapter 83: The Exchange

The disciple from Mount Shu trapped by Mu Yuan’s sword formation was named Lin Ruofeng, a fairly decent disciple in the sect. He had mastered the cultivation of the Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light and often teamed up with another disciple named Hua Xu. With one attacking and one defending, they fought seamlessly together. Recently, Lin Ruofeng had obtained an Immortal Sword, and both were feeling proud and confident. After acquiring some Mind-Stabilizing Pills, they planned to find a quiet place overseas to refine the spiritual connection between their two Immortal Swords using their sect’s secret method. Passing over Chongming Island, they saw dark energy blanketing the sky and decided to test their swords’ power there. Never did they expect to suffer such a severe loss!

Seeing Mu Yuan’s smiling gaze and hearing his question, Lin Ruofeng’s face hardened. He ignored Mu Yuan completely and instantly unleashed the authentic Mount Shu Sword Qi Soaring Art. He hated this man intensely—not only had his Immortal Sword been taken, but he was also trapped within this sword formation. As a disciple who cultivated the sword path, Lin Ruofeng knew the formidable power of such a formation and the difficulty involved in setting it up. Once established, escaping was no simple feat!

Among the sword arts of the various sects, Mount Shu’s Sword Qi Soaring Art was renowned as the fiercest. Even though Lin Ruofeng was backed into a corner, Mu Yuan dared not underestimate it. With a simple motion of his hand, space around them fractured, and countless sword energies blossomed, interweaving to block his opponent.

The sword energy unleashed by the Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens was inferior to Lin Ruofeng’s Mount Shu technique in intensity, yet its sheer abundance was overwhelming. Endless streams of Gengjin Evil Energy filled the air. Mu Yuan casually controlled the formation, causing countless sword energies to erupt into piercing radiance that encircled Lin Ruofeng. A rapid clashing sound erupted as Lin Ruofeng swung his sword with astonishing speed, swirling in defense. His body became a whirlwind of flashing colored blades supplemented by the protective Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light. With sheer force, he burst out of the encirclement, charging directly at Mu Yuan!

Mu Yuan, however, remained calm and unhurried. In fact, the greater the power Lin Ruofeng displayed with his technique, the more pleased he seemed. He took only a slight step backward, yet the surrounding space warped violently, making it seem as though he had leaped back thousands of feet. Mu Yuan lightly flicked his fingertips: the Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder stretched into a colossal net of lightning that rolled across the sky, utterly trapping Lin Ruofeng within its crackling grasp!

While the Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens primarily drew upon power stored within its condensed spectral swords, requiring minimal expenditure of his own Zhenqi, the Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder was a manifestation of his core Dragon King’s Dynamic Force. Though it consumed his vital energy, its control was exquisitely precise, and its destructive power far exceeded that of the formation alone. The sword formation was adept at containment, wearing down an opponent over time, but Mu Yuan lacked that patience. He directly activated the Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder Fire, a technique derived from the Dragon King’s Dynamic Force!

Blazing thunderbolts smashed against Lin Ruofeng’s Primordial Divine Light, shattering into fragments of radiant, crystal-like light. These colorful shimmers dispersed and coalesced repeatedly. Mu Yuan felt no urgency; he knew this Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light was an extraordinary Divine Ability fueled by Lin Ruofeng’s core Yuanjing. His own Zhenqi reserves were vast and deep—he could afford to outlast his opponent.

Meanwhile, the sword energies of the Great Reincarnation Sword Formation continued to pierce through the thunderous net. With focused intent, Mu Yuan condensed countless hair-thin streams of sword energy, attaching them like deadly threads to the flashing lightning bolts, intensifying the pressure on Lin Ruofeng exponentially.

Mu Yuan understood that only severe pressure would compel the other to surrender the desired Divine Ability. He relentlessly increased the bombardment. Hardening his heart, his hands moved through empty space as if turning a wheel. Azure-blue radiance streamed from his hands, intertwining and twisting into a spinning, wheel-like structure formed from layered, interlocking Zhenqi constructs. With a casual flick, Mu Yuan pressed this wheel of luminescence down upon Lin Ruofeng’s protective Divine Light!

As the Zhenqi wheel formed, countless emerald glows converged from all directions. Simultaneously, numerous points of scintillating light surfaced on Lin Ruofeng’s body. This was the manifestation of the Heaven and Earth Reincarnation, the most domineering Divine Ability from the Longevity Palace!

This technique drained life force to crush opponents. True Lord Qinghua of the Longevity Palace had perfected it, condensing it into the form of a wheel which he then bestowed upon Qi Wei!

This was Mu Yuan’s first time utilizing this profound Divine Ability. He watched, profoundly shocked, as Lin Ruofeng’s own vital life force seemed to vaporize through his Divine Light! The combined assault of the Great Reincarnation Sword Formation and the Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder struggled to dissipate the light, yet the Heaven and Earth Reincarnation effortlessly penetrated it. The sheer, paradoxical potency of this Divine Ability left him speechless!

Of course, this was partly due to Lin Ruofeng’s severely diminished state – his essence was depleted under the relentless pressure of multiple Divine Abilities. Overjoyed by the effectiveness, Mu Yuan allowed the spectral wheel phantom to spin above Lin Ruofeng. Finally, Lin Ruofeng’s expression changed dramatically. He shouted wildly, releasing Sword Qi Soaring Art blasts in all directions. Metallic clangs rang out as thick purple light enveloped his Flying Sword, yet he couldn’t break free. Within moments, he felt a terrifying emptiness spreading within his core! Surrounded by purple lightning and raging thunder flames, his vital Essence and Soul Qi were visibly being siphoned away. Unlike Zhenqi, which could be replenished, the loss of these fundamental energies was catastrophic; recovery could take immensely long, potentially crippling his future path to immortality and severing all hope of Eternal Life. Gnashing his teeth, he cried out, “Fellow Daoist, please show mercy! Let’s talk this through!”

A satisfied smile spread across Mu Yuan’s face. As expected, the carrot and stick works best, he thought. He dispersed the spectral wheel, though the web of Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder remained, flickering menacingly. He slowly chuckled, “Fellow Daoist is wise indeed. Such Divine Abilities are external tools. Why cling to them overly much? Risking your own cultivation for their sake would be like ‘protecting the casket but losing the pearls’ within – you’d lose more than you gained!”

The pressure on Lin Ruofeng lessened slightly. Straining his eyes, he could still not discern Mu Yuan’s features beneath the blinding corona of magical light and crackling energies. Mu Yuan had come prepared: though intervening in this fight, he employed techniques from the Dragon Palace (Dragon King’s Dynamic Force), sword arts from the Wu Clan (Great Reincarnation Sword Formation), even a magical device from Bimo himself. Shielded in lightning, his identity remained obscured, clearly intending to avoid future pursuit.

“What do you want? You’ve taken my Immortal Sword! Do you truly mean to exterminate me utterly?” Lin Ruofeng challenged coldly.

Mu Yuan laughed softly, his tone unnervingly calm. “The Divine Light emanating from you, Fellow Daoist, is truly marvelous. Surely this must be Mount Shu’s Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light?”

Lin Ruofeng’s face darkened another shade. “What is your intention?” he demanded curtly.

Mu Yuan lightly fiddled with his fingers, a flickering ball of dazzling purple light pulsing in his palm. “As the saying goes, ‘Under the Great Dao, all belongs to the world’. Why hoard this treasure like a worthless broom? Wouldn’t sharing it be far more beneficial? Incidentally, I happen to possess the cultivation manual for the Ice Soul Divine Light… Perhaps we could arrange an exchange?”

Mu Yuan understood the wisdom: an exchange was far better than coercion. Offering a technique he barely valued himself – the Ice Soul Divine Light – in trade for the Primordial Divine Light, essential to his plans, significantly increased the odds of success. Coercion stripped the opponent of dignity. An exchange, while functionally similar, offered a psychological concession, making the other feel they acted based on a semblance of equality, not pure extortion.

Lin Ruofeng sneered. “The Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light is my sect’s secret technique, strictly forbidden to outsiders. You reek of lightning force and seem connected to the Dragon Palace. The Ice Soul Divine Light, however, belongs to an insignificant little Daoist Sect in the Central Plains. Fellow Daoist seems to strike a very favorable bargain!”

With a ‘Heh’ of amusement, the electrical arcs swirling around Mu Yuan’s hand transmuted instantly into flakes of icy frost. The air abruptly turned biting cold. White radiance swirled, and intense frigid energy erupted—the unmistakable signature of the Ice Soul Divine Light technique. Though Mu Yuan hadn’t profoundly studied it, his mastery of the Tidal Flow possessed underlying similarities, making this superficial emulation relatively simple to achieve.

“Though the Ice Soul Divine Light may lack widespread fame, its power must not be underestimated,” Mu Yuan began, his voice taking on the patient tone of a lecturer. “Fellow Daoist possesses the Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light for defense, making you incredibly resilient. Yet perhaps your offensive power feels somewhat lacking? While Mount Shu’s Great Purity Qian Flame Divine Thunder is undoubtedly mighty, mastering it must consume considerable time and effort. Wouldn’t acquiring the Ice Soul Divine Light be a much simpler path to enhancing your combat power?” Mu Yuan laid out the argument smoothly, almost like a seasoned advisor.

“Fellow Daoist plans everything very meticulously!” Lin Ruofeng retorted cynically.

Mu Yuan let the emulated Ice Soul Divine Light fade. Simultaneously, the oppressive force radiating from him surged dramatically. The Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder merged seamlessly with the encompassing pressure of the Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens. Lin Ruofeng’s protective Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light visibly contracted under the mounting strain. Mu Yuan chuckled darkly. “Understanding the situation is wise, Fellow Daoist. Some matters… I’d rather not state too plainly.”

Lin Ruofeng fell silent. After a long, heavy pause, he finally looked up. “Later, you must cooperate with me. We pretend I broke free of the formation myself. There was no exchange of techniques.”

Mu Yuan sensed opportunity and immediately agreed with a smile. “Of course! I too have no wish for Fellow Daoist to leave any evidence in the hands of your fellow disciples.”

Mu Yuan instantly grasped Lin Ruofeng’s intention: he wanted to conceal the transaction from Hua Xu. He readily consented.

Seeing Mu Yuan agree, Lin Ruofeng gathered light around his fingertips. A complex tapestry of chants and incantations drifted through the air towards Mu Yuan. This method of transferring knowledge via Zhenqi was commonplace among various sects. Mu Yuan grasped the glowing thread of energy. The chants and instructions sank directly into his Sea of Consciousness. Now that he had reached the stage of Condensing Evil Energy, memorizing such knowledge was effortless. He quickly scanned it mentally, made a slight adjustment to his Zhenqi flow, and a faint shimmer of multi-colored light briefly encircled his form, vanishing instantly. Confirming its authenticity, Mu Yuan transmitted the cultivation method for the Ice Soul Divine Light across to Lin Ruofeng.

Lin Ruofeng, however, stored it passively within his Sea of Consciousness without any immediate attempt to verify its validity. He immediately asked, “What now?”

Mu Yuan’s smile returned. “Simple. Just use your Sword Qi Soaring Art to ‘fight’ your way out dramatically. I’ll act defeated.”

No sooner had Lin Ruofeng heard this than he felt the oppressive force of the thunder net and sword energies instantly lessen significantly. Swinging his Flying Sword forcefully, he charged outward. Mu Yuan theatrically cried out in surprise, as if staggered by the assault. Lin Ruofeng ‘forced’ a path through the Great Reincarnation Sword Formation of the Heavens. Mu Yuan promptly emerged after him, shouting loudly in feigned distress!

Chu Yunfei was locked in fierce combat with Hua Xu, but found himself immensely frustrated. Hua Xu’s opponent’s absolute Yang thunder and fire countered his own abilities perfectly. Though Chu Yunfei’s Five Fires Yin Thunder was potent, it struggled against this specific Thunder Method. He was silently cursing Mu Yuan for remaining within the sword formation when a disturbance rippled behind him. Suddenly, Lin Ruofeng burst out sword-first, breaking free! Startled, Chu Yunfei threw himself backward. The chilling radiance of his Yin Element Sword slashed against the newly arrived opponent, merely sparking against their defenses without causing harm. Lin Ruofeng quickly joined forces with Hua Xu!