"Careful! This old bastard’s going all out."
Illusion Dragon True Monarch growled the warning, unleashing streams of Red Dragon Souls that formed a protective barrier around him. Sea Dragon True Monarch and Tian Long True Monarch gritted their teeth, their expressions grim as they too unleashed their divine might, not daring to be careless.
However, the Thousand Thoughts Instant Prison Kill could be called Elder Wei’s most powerful offensive technique at present. Wherever his Divine Soul reached, his Divine Thought blanketed the area, transforming into specks of starlight—myriad blades that were all-pervasive and impossible to defend against.
Upon unleashing this attack, even with his Purple Mansion Peak Divine Soul, Elder Wei’s face turned pale and he staggered slightly.
Illusion Dragon True Monarch shook his head, his Sea of Consciousness wracked with stabbing pains that left him dizzy and disoriented. The all-pervasive Divine Thought was like a thousand needles, constantly assailing his Divine Soul.
As a result, his Perception grew dull. After casually swatting away the Extinction Divine Wind conjured by the Black Wind Spirit Dragon, his face paled. A faint sense of unease began to surface, rapidly escalating into an intense premonition of life-and-death danger that exploded through every cell of his body!
"This is bad!"
Illusion Dragon True Monarch’s expression changed drastically. His eyes flew open as he bit down hard on his tongue, using the sharp pain to clear his mind—but it was already too late!
An blindingly brilliant Sword Light was closing in on him from behind!
Of the three from the Spirit Dragon Sect besieging Elder Wei, Illusion Dragon True Monarch was at the Mid-stage Purple Mansion, while the other two were at the Early-stage Purple Mansion.
As for Elder Wei, though his Cultivation had not yet recovered, his Purple Mansion Peak Divine Soul was genuine. Coupled with his three terrifying Spirit Beasts, holding these three opponents off for a time was not an issue.
But this wasn’t a long-term solution. After all, even the most terrifying Divine Soul would eventually be exhausted. What they needed was a game-changer.
Thus, Yu Changsheng, who had been observing from the shadows, was waiting for an opportunity. After secretly communicating with Elder Wei and coordinating their efforts, Elder Wei had unleashed all his Power of Divine Soul to execute the world-shaking Thousand Thoughts Instant Prison Kill.
This technique specialized in attacking the Divine Soul to extinguish the spirit. Under normal circumstances, if any of the three Purple Mansion True Monarchs from the Spirit Dragon Sect had faced this attack alone, the consequences would have been dire.
But with the three of them combined, the attack’s power was greatly dispersed and wasn’t enough to threaten their lives. Even so, it was still capable of making them dazed and careless for a split second.
And Yu Changsheng was waiting for precisely this opportunity!
After all, the Perception of a Purple Mansion Cultivator is incredibly sharp. ’If I just hide without attacking, it’s fine. But if I get close and launch an attack, they’ll detect me instantly, and all will be for naught.’
In that fleeting moment of distraction, Yu Changsheng unleashed his most powerful strike.
"Spiritual Beast Four Extremes Formation!"
The Colorful Star Deer, the Red Purgatory, the Golden-Winged Eagle, and the Profound Turtle each took up a position in the four cardinal directions—east, west, south, and north—with Yu Changsheng at the very center.
A towering forest, a surging Vast Sea, roiling Flames, a tempestuous gale... The four Spirit Beasts unleashed their strongest auras, and through the link of the Spiritual Beast Four Extremes Formation, all of their power converged upon Yu Changsheng... and into the Purple Spirit Emperor Sword in his hand!
In an instant, the Zi Ling Emperor’s small body swelled slightly, its little face flushing red. The Purple Spirit Emperor Sword trembled, its cry ringing through the air. With a solemn expression, Yu Changsheng gripped the Spirit Emperor Sword and slashed upwards violently!
"Taichu, Heaven-Opening Sword!"
SHRRRIIIP!
Space tore open, and from the rift, a boundless, gentle Light of Taichu emanated. This light continuously condensed, forming a hundred-zhang Sword Aura that seemed to connect heaven and earth. Carrying the Power of Opening Heaven, it shot viciously toward Illusion Dragon True Monarch’s back!
This one sword strike contained all the power of Yu Changsheng and his five Spirit Beasts. The moment it was unleashed, Yu Changsheng staggered, quickly swallowing an Elixir he had been holding in his mouth. Without waiting to see the result, he immediately flew off into the distance.
The Sword Aura was so resplendent it seemed eternal. The moment it appeared, it became the focus of the world, the sole existence between heaven and earth. Even amidst the might of the Purple Mansion experts, it remained dazzling and impossible to ignore.
For a moment, even those locked in combat couldn’t help but divert a sliver of their focus to cast a sidelong glance at the attack.
Before this sword, space fractured into fine threads, carving a long scar across the world. And at the end of that scar was Illusion Dragon True Monarch.
"!!!"
In that instant, Illusion Dragon True Monarch’s face contorted. The feeling of a blade at his back was becoming terrifyingly clear. As he whipped his head around, the sword was already upon him. An overwhelming sense of crisis exploded within him.
BOOM!
The void trembled. The Sword Light was like a tidal wave, completely submerging Illusion Dragon True Monarch. All of his defenses shattered inch by inch before this single strike.
"AAAAHHHH!!!"
A bloodcurdling scream echoed from within the blast. When the Sword Light dissipated and Illusion Dragon True Monarch’s figure was revealed once more, he was a completely different sight.
His white robes were stained with blood, his hair was a mess, and his eyes were crimson. Blood dripped uncontrollably from his forehead and all seven facial orifices. Everything above his shoulders was a bloody, mangled ruin.
One of his arms was completely gone. A gaping hole ran straight through his chest, revealing the grisly sight of his still-beating heart next to exposed bone and raw flesh. Terrifying Sword Light still rampaged within the wound, shredding his internal organs.
This sight brought an even deeper level of shock and astonishment to the other Purple Mansion cultivators, striking a heavy blow to their psyches.
’Illusion Dragon... How is this possible? Is that guy Yu Changsheng?! How long has it been? How could he have reached such a level already?’
’Impossible! Impossible! Didn’t that bastard die? It’s one thing for him to come back, but with this level of power... This time, we must cut him down, root and stem, to prevent any future trouble!’
Whether they were Cultivators from the Wanxiang Sect or the invading enemies, everyone was stunned by this world-shaking sword strike. Even as they continued to fight, their minds raced, a sense of absurdity and disbelief echoing in their thoughts.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Mouthful after mouthful of blood mixed with organ fragments spewed from Illusion Dragon True Monarch’s mouth, staining the void. His aura instantly plummeted to a pathetic low. Swaying on his feet, his crimson eyes locked onto Yu Changsheng, and a voice filled with such bitter resentment it sounded as if it had come from the Nine Netherworld echoed through the air.
"YU CHANGSHENG!!!! I’LL KILL YOU!!"
"You two hold off Elder Wei! I’m going to kill this brat, and I’ll be right back!"
Illusion Dragon True Monarch steadied himself, and with a flicker, he left a trail of afterimages as he shot toward Yu Changsheng.
At that moment, he couldn’t care less about anything else. His one and only thought was to make Yu Changsheng pay the ultimate price—total annihilation!
’As for being unable to defeat Yu Changsheng? Impossible.’ In his mind, even though he was severely injured by a sneak attack and couldn’t use his full power, a Purple Mansion was still a Purple Mansion. He was more than a match for a mere Golden Core Cultivator like Yu Changsheng!
At the same time, Illusion Dragon True Monarch was also secretly planning to use this as a chance to temporarily withdraw from the battlefield and recover from his injuries. ’Otherwise,’ he worried, ’in my current Status, Elder Wei might seize the opportunity to kill me, no matter the cost!’
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH...
The wind howled as the scenery blurred past beneath Yu Changsheng’s feet. He glanced back at the pursuing Illusion Dragon True Monarch, his expression unchanged. Shaking his head slightly, a vicious glint flashed in his eyes.
"Yu Changsheng, you’d better pray I don’t catch you! Because when I do, I will flay your skin, grind your bones, and rip out your soul! I’ll light a Soul Lamp with it and make you suffer the agony of your heart burning in a Sea of Fire, day and night, for all eternity, never to find peace!"
Illusion Dragon True Monarch’s sinister, screeching voice rang out from behind Yu Changsheng, its tone thick with a killing intent and resentment so palpable it was bone-chilling.
Right now, despite looking utterly wretched and pathetic, Illusion Dragon True Monarch’s burst of speed was still far beyond what a Golden Core Cultivator could match. In this chase, the distance between them was closing fast.
Yu Changsheng, however, simply continued to fly forward without looking back. His brow furrowed slightly as he completely ignored the other man’s threats.