Line between Life and Death

Line between Life and Death . . .

In the span of a heartbeat, a cataclysmic encounter unfolded, mere moments from catastrophe. The swiftness of Purgatory and Little Rascal's reactions was all that stood between life and death. The malevolent saber had swung perilously close, and had their movements been even slightly delayed, Little Rascal's fate would have been sealed, his head severed from his body.

Although Little Rascal had narrowly avoided decapitation, his peril was far from over. The enigmatic figure concealed within the sinister black robes, shrouded in darkness, launched another devastating assault. With an uncanny swiftness, the void itself seemed to cleave in twain. Little Rascal, now transformed into a resplendent golden-winged great roc, issued a resounding roar, streaking skyward in an iridescent blur, leaving ephemeral phantoms in his wake. Simultaneously, an immortal-ranked sword manifested in his talons, wielded fervently in a desperate bid for defense.

—BOOM!— The immortal sword splintered under the relentless pressure, yet the devilish saber loomed ever closer. Simultaneously, other Qin Sect disciples had arrived on the scene, brandishing their own immortal weapons. The air quivered with their formidable auras, conjuring a tempestuous maelstrom of power.

At this critical juncture, Qin Wentian materialized, his presence a towering colossus, eyes ablaze with icy resolve. The demon sword hummed with anticipation, but in an instant, a lengthy spear manifested, piercing the firmament in a blistering trajectory aimed at the enigmatic figure within the black robes.

Recognizing the grim predicament, the shadowy figure discerned the need for an expeditious retreat. Soaring into the heavens, a fearsome saber strike was unleashed, radiating a cataclysmic tribulation force capable of rending the very fabric of reality. Qin Wentian's spear was powerless to repel this overwhelming onslaught. Undeterred, the black-robed figure hurtled in pursuit of Little Rascal, resolute in capturing his elusive prey. However, the golden-winged great roc was a blur of motion, averse to confrontation. Little Rascal had no intention of engaging such a formidable adversary; he understood the peril all too well.

"Mo Xie, reveal yourself!" Qin Wentian's voice thundered, his demon sword poised for battle. The collective might of the Qin Sect's experts congealed, encircling the area to ensure escape was impossible. They yearned to ascertain the true identity of this enigmatic assailant.

"How treacherous... He infiltrated the Qin Sect without leaving a trace, his obscurity seemingly a gift from those voluminous black robes. Attempting to sense his presence yielded naught but an eerie void, bereft of any human aura."

"It's highly likely that he was Zi Daoyang's murderer," the Qin Sect's experts conjectured, their gaze locked on the black-robed figure. They could not help but ponder if this shadowy assailant was indeed Mo Xie.

"You wished to face me, did you not? Today, I have honored your request," a voice emanated from within the shroud of black robes. Subsequently, the cloak receded slightly, revealing hands and a face. The spectators peered intently, their eyes narrowing upon recognizing the countenance that had materialized.

"Mo Xie!"

"It's unmistakably Mo Xie! He's the one responsible for Zi Daoyang's demise. This Mo Xie is an absolute menace."

"The audacity! He dared to launch a sneak attack. Senior Brother, let's confront him together. There's no need for a one-on-one duel." Jun Mengchen and the rest of the group had swiftly arrived on the scene. Fortuitously, Qin Wentian had taken precautions, preventing Little Rascal from meeting an untimely end.

"Qin Wentian, shall we engage?" Mo Xie's grip tightened on his devilish saber as his unwavering gaze bore into Qin Wentian. His deep golden eyes gleamed with an icy resolve.

The members of the Qin Sect turned their attention to their leader, awaiting his response. Qin Wentian chuckled sardonically, "Since you crave battle, Mo Xie, then I, Qin, shall oblige. My brothers of the Qin Sect, seal off this area and bar his escape. If he seeks a confrontation, I'll accompany him until the bitter end."

"Understood."

"A bold stance," the Qin Sect disciples praised in unison. Qin Wentian had previously triumphed over Zi Daoyang in combat, but Mo Xie had achieved Zi Daoyang's downfall through a treacherous ambush. The forthcoming duel between the top two contenders in the Immortal Ascension Rankings would determine who would stand as the unrivaled peak among all geniuses in the City of Ancient Emperors.

A tempestuous surge of energy erupted from Mo Xie, the enigmatic shroud of his black robes billowing with unrestrained might.

Qin Wentian stepped forward, invoking the God's Hand technique. He didn't dare to underestimate Mo Xie. The latter, initially ranked second on the Immortal Ascension Rankings, now possessed three-ninths of the Brahma Heavenly Emperor's inheritance, an impervious physique, and had undergone the Sacred Luminance's baptism. It was evident that Mo Xie's combat prowess had surpassed that of Zi Daoyang.

—Bzz!— A palpable aura emanated from Qin Wentian as he executed the incarnation burst technique, manifesting multiple doppelgängers that surged toward Mo Xie. These ethereal figures unleashed star-seizing palm strikes, imbued with a crushing annihilative force.

Mo Xie cocked his head, dark golden palms delivering rapid barrages as sinister runes filled the heavens. Their formidable attacks clashed mid-air, ensuing in a mutual annihilation of power.

"Show me the true power of the God's Hand," Mo Xie taunted with a sinister sneer. A monstrous aura of malevolence surged from him, and his dark golden eyes exuded a terrifying malevolence.

"If you insist," Qin Wentian retorted, soaring into the sky and positioning himself directly in front of Mo Xie. This time, they opted not to call upon their constellations to augment their strength. Qin Wentian, in a choice emblematic of close combat, wielded the God's Hand to engage Mo Xie head-on.

Mo Xie reciprocated with a powerful palm strike, his dark golden handprint concealing a nightmarish demonic tribulation force, as if it originated from the abyss itself. The moment his palm thrust forth, an ominous vortex materialized, hungrily siphoning the energies from its surroundings.

"What a formidable palm strike," murmured the onlookers, their hearts quaking with dread. When Qin Wentian's and Mo Xie's palm prints clashed, the impact reverberated through the heavens and the earth, causing their qi and blood to surge. Nonetheless, their resolute forms remained steadfast, neither yielding an inch as they unleashed consecutive strikes with their other palms.

In the ensuing instant, thunderous explosions rang out, resonating through the entire space. Swirling layers of destructive brilliance enshrouded them as they engaged in a fervent clash. Each blow they traded left spectators feeling their own vitality roil. Their close-quarters combat was undeniably awe-inspiring.

"It appears that Mo Xie's palm technique harbors a consuming force that can assimilate, transform, and even counter Qin Sect's leader's attack. Is it possible that by absorbing the insights and power from Zi Daoyang's legacy, he has gained a fragment of understanding regarding the Thousand Autumns Emperor Art?" someone exclaimed in astonishment.

"If that's the case, it implies that Mo Xie's inheritance from the Brahma Heavenly Emperor has gradually started to take shape."

Their relentless battle raged on. Observers marveled at how their attacks grew increasingly potent, and the impact of their collisions became progressively more fierce. Qin Wentian, spurred on by his bloodline power, unleashed crushing, overpowering strikes capable of rending all asunder. In opposition, Mo Xie's demonic tribulation force reached new heights, surging with overwhelming force, turning the sky a kaleidoscope of colors.

"The leader of the Qin Sect seems to be gaining the upper hand. He appears to be slightly stronger than Mo Xie."

"Mhm, it's becoming apparent that Qin Wentian's perfected God's Hand and his bloodline power wield such tremendous might that they can even shake Mo Xie's supposedly indestructible physique. Despite Mo Xie's possession of three portions of insight from the Brahma Heavenly Emperor's inheritance, it's evident that Qin Wentian has now surpassed him," one spectator remarked in awe.

"You're right. If that's all Mo Xie can muster, he's already lost!" Qin Wentian's voice resonated like the battle cry of a supreme war deity. The profound, desolate power inherent in his demonic bloodline surged, preparing to unleash an even more formidable attack.

"Is that so?" A mocking smile played across Mo Xie's lips. This expression sent a shiver of uncertainty down Qin Wentian's spine. Their clash generated another earth-shattering explosion. However, this time, Mo Xie's response was different. A cataclysmic surge of destructive energy erupted from him, meticulously dismantling Qin Wentian's God's Hand piece by piece with his destructive tribulation energy.

At this moment, a malevolent tribulation force blanketed the space where they battled, relentlessly shattering the God's Hand. Qin Wentian's expression turned increasingly grim. Mo Xie's strength...

"This..." Shock and disbelief crept across the faces of the Qin Sect's experts. Waves of malevolent tribulation energy inundated Qin Wentian's body, roiling his insides. Meanwhile, Mo Xie extended his shadowy hand toward Qin Wentian's head. The ominous black runes coalesced into a menacing black vortex, poised to consume all of Qin Wentian's power.

"Stealing my inheritance?" A cold grin curved Mo Xie's lips.

"Senior Brother!" Jun Mengchen rushed forward. Little Rascal and Purgatory roared, and Qing'er's expression transformed drastically as she radiated boundless power while soaring toward Qin Wentian. Nanfeng Yunxi was enshrouded in flames, her voice echoing with rage, "Mo Xie, you've already established your immortal foundation, and yet you stoop to one-on-one combat with a lower realm cultivator? You're despicable scum!"

"Immortal foundation. Mo Xie has already established his immortal foundation..." It was only now that the others comprehended the gravity of the situation. Their countenances morphed with shock. Mo Xie had concealed his breakthrough, first attempting to devour Little Rascal and subsequently luring Qin Wentian into this battle to absorb his power.

A tribulation cloud materialized in the sky, heralding the City of Ancient Emperors' law energy's appearance. Displeasure etched across Mo Xie's face; his time was running out. The black robes that concealed his presence were an invaluable treasure, allowing him to remain undetected by the law energy. A few days ago, he had achieved his immortal foundation in the city and utilized these robes to evade discovery. Every move he had made was calculated to advance his own agenda, regardless of the cost.

"Get lost!" The power of his immortal foundation surged forth, generating torrents of destructive energy that pushed away the surrounding law energy. With his devil saber in hand, Mo Xie infused his immortal foundation's power into it and swung wide, creating a barrier that kept everyone at bay.

Qin Wentian stared intently at Mo Xie, his eyes shimmering with a brilliant light. The Yuanfus within him rumbled, amassing copious amounts of astral energy that coalesced into Greater Demons resembling true dragons. One... two... a multitude of Greater Demons emerged within his body. His demonic bloodline's power erupted with such intensity that it seemed as though Qin Wentian was a descendant of an ancient primordial demon god.

A resounding roar erupted from Qin Wentian, akin to the furious bellow of a vengeful demon god. His bloodline protection sprang into action, conjuring the spectral form of a supreme Greater Demon that enshrouded him. This phantom roared with raw power, its commanding gesture summoning all the Greater Demons conjured by Qin Wentian to manifest in the physical realm, hurtling towards Mo Xie.

Mo Xie's brows furrowed as he wielded his devil saber in his left hand to parry the onslaught. He had no choice but to retract his right hand from Qin Wentian's head. The immense power of his immortal foundation surged, unleashing an unparalleled force that swept through the Greater Demons, shaking the very heavens and earth. While the Greater Demons met their explosive end, the sheer impact forced Mo Xie to stagger backward. Seizing the opportunity, Qin Wentian swiftly unleashed a sword strike with his demon sword, releasing a potent beam of immortal light.

In a desperate gambit, Mo Xie abandoned his devilish saber and focused on both palms, directing them outward while channeling the might of his immortal foundation.

"BOOM!" A torrent of destructive runic energy erupted, annihilating the immortal beam of light from the demon sword.

However, at that critical juncture, the City of Ancient Emperors' law energy finally descended, weaving layers of luminescence that ensnared Mo Xie. An expression of profound displeasure marred Mo Xie's face as he locked eyes with Qin Wentian, his reluctance palpable.

"I should have terminated you immediately. Count yourself fortunate today," Mo Xie uttered icily. The radiant layers enveloping him intensified. Qin Wentian understood that the moment the law energy of the City of Ancient Emperors sensed the exuding immortal power of someone at the first level, it would expel them from the city.

Mo Xie had relied on those enigmatic black robes to shield himself from the city's law energy, and now he was exposed.

Under the compulsion of the city's law energy, Mo Xie's body floated into the air. Qin Wentian regarded him with an icy stare. "Mo Xie, we shall meet again in the immortal realms." Mo Xie's eyes flickered with a similar coldness. He, too, anticipated their next encounter.

Mo Xie vanished from sight, but the hearts of onlookers remained far from tranquil. The previous #1 ranker, Zi Daoyang, had met his end at Mo Xie's hands, and the current #1, Qin Wentian, had teetered on the brink of death. Mo Xie was an embodiment of sheer peril.

Even after Mo Xie's silhouette faded, Qin Wentian's gaze lingered upon his trajectory. Qing'er and the others gathered around him, only to hear Qin Wentian murmur, "It's time for us to depart the City of Ancient Emperors as well."