Chapter 26 Torture (Thanks to the cloud-hidden patron Ying Tian Shen Yin~~)
"Are you a Body Refiner?"
Xu You was also somewhat surprised.
He had originally thought that Xie Zhen was just a Cultivator who understood only the art of talismans, but he didn't expect this youngster to be a Flying Sword Cultivator. In the recent clash, however, he felt something was off...
How could a Sword Cultivator be easily approached by an opponent!
Moreover, this guy had taken a spear strike with his physical body... and seemed completely unhurt.
"I know a little,"
Xie Xuanyi said with a light laugh.
He stealthily pulled out a talisman from his sleeve and flicked it out as fast as lightning—it was a Taoist Primordial Energy Talisman.
As soon as the talisman ignited with a spark from the Divine Soul in midair, it was struck by Xu You's spear!
There was a "boom" sound!
A clear area of about thirty feet in radius spread out within the cloud sea and mist. The Primordial Energy Talisman exploded, engulfing Xu You, who swiftly retreated backward, continuously tapping the ground with the tips of his toes to dissipate the shockwave of the explosion. But in the next moment, another figure flashed behind him. Xu You didn't turn his head; he twisted his spear and thrust back at a treacherous angle.
Another "clang" noise.
Xie Xuanyi joined his hands together and trapped the spear tip between his palms, the two men instantly locked in a struggle of strength.
Xu You reacted extremely fast, switching instantly from his aggressive killing mode. He let go of his spear and closed in on Xie Xuanyi, throwing out a fierce punch.
Thump!
The punch landed on Xie Xuanyi's shoulder, sounding like a gong being struck, hammering out a muffled thud!
Xie Xuanyi grunted but didn't dodge. He forcefully took the blow with his hands crossed, using the opportunity to wrest away the Sixth-grade Treasure.
"Heh."
Xu You sneered with disdain.
The reason it's called a Lifebound Magic Sword is because, under the heavens, only one person can command this artifact!
Even if it's released from one's hand, even if it's seized.
The connection between him and the artifact remained!
All it took was a single thought for the Cloud-breaking Spear to change hands again!
"Come!"
With a fierce shout, Xu You lifted his hand.
The spear in Xie Xuanyi's grasp trembled violently, like a True Dragon awakening to consciousness; the spear's vibrations resembled the dragon's body. Even though Xie Xuanyi tightly gripped the spear with both hands, exerting all his might in a Dragon-subduing stance, after a few breaths, he was still unable to control the force and was forced to release his grasp... The cold iron spear flew up into the air of its own accord, returning to the grasp of Xu You's palm.
The two collided again, like two fierce stallions charging at each other!
Xu You's moves were ferocious.
Xie Xuanyi, on the other hand, gave up on defense and directly collided head-on with Xu You's spear technique using his physical body. He completely discarded the advantage of the Sword Cultivator's hit-and-run tactics and engaged Xu You in close combat, relying purely on physical prowess.
The cold iron spear burst forth with specks of golden light!
These were all struck by Xie Xuanyi's punches and kicks!
The more they fought, the more "unbelievable" Xie Xuanyi felt.
This physical body was indeed a great opportunity, a great blessing!
This was simply a perfect body, born in accordance with the spiritual fortunes of heaven and earth...
Sword Cultivators didn't have just the path of the 'Flying Sword.'
Some pursued the quantity of Flying Swords by cultivating their Divine Soul, executing encirclement and assassination tactics.
Others cultivated their physical body, using the sword as an auxiliary, and throughout their lives, they focused on refining only one Lifebound Magic Sword, which could still exhibit a terrifying killing power that shocked the world!
The latter required a high degree of physical prowess to achieve.
In his previous life, Xie Xuanyi had developed a great ambition after reading through the Sword Palace's Dao repositories.
He wanted to attempt to cultivate both paths. However, this ambition ended in failure.
No matter how hard he cultivated, his physical prowess was never sufficient.
Bound by the limits of his body, there were many forbidden techniques on this second path that Xie Xuanyi couldn't perform.
But this time was different!
This new body seemed to be born for the second path, requiring the use of golden Primordial Energy even for the most basic task of igniting acupoints, which spoke volumes of the new body's formidable prowess!
Xie Xuanyi fought more and more smoothly.
And Xu You felt increasingly uneasy as the battle dragged on.
This youngster kept seeking battle, kept meeting obstacles, yet Xu You didn't feel the slightest joy of "gaining the upper hand." Because Xie Zhen became more brave and fierce as he fought... Many of the spear moves that could have been dodged, he didn't avoid and received them head-on without flinching, and he was still full of life afterwards. What kind of terrifying close-combat ability was that?
"Who exactly are you?"
Xu You stared intently at the young man in white.
"Do you really want to know?"
Xie Xuanyi chuckled.
A sense of foreboding surged in Xu You's heart.
The two clashed once more.
This time, the Cloud-breaking Spear did not land on Xie Zhen... The latter no longer continued to take the hits head-on but grasped the spear tip and exerted force from his palm.
A robust surge of strength traveled along the spear shaft to Xu You's palm.
"???"
Xu You instantly felt a surge of blood churning over his heart.
Glancing down, he saw a hand as white as jade resting on his chest.
Then there was a loud bang!
Xu You was sent flying backward, the spear slipping from his hand, tracing an arc in the air before planting itself in the ground.
He kneeled on one knee, looking toward the distance with a sense of shock.
Unknowingly, the cloud sea and mist had grown denser again.
The figure of Xie Zhen was swallowed up by the mist of Green Yuan Pill's Primordial Energy.
Only a vague outline remained.
Xu You's complexion gradually turned pale. He raised his hand, and from a distance, the Cloud-breaking Spear ripped out of the ground, streaking towards his palm... The Lifebound Magic Artifact was in hand, but the unease in his heart did not dissipate; instead, it intensified!
The next moment, he suddenly saw a pair of golden eyes, bright as the blazing sun!
The youth enveloped by the sea of clouds radiated golden light, with several major acupoints twinkling with the sound of wind and thunder.
Xu You's pupils instantly constricted.
Wait a minute...
Golden light?
Was that the golden Primordial Energy that only a rare few in the Cave Heaven Realm could condense?
The Cave Heaven Realm, is Xie Zhen in the Cave Heaven Realm?!
Without time to react, Xu You saw a palm extend from the midst of the sea of clouds and fog, and in an instant, it pressed down on top of his head—
Thud!
Xu You was pressed down, headfirst into the ground, and when he lifted his head, it was already covered in fresh blood.
Xie Xuanyi looked down at Xu You.
This was a worthy opponent, far stronger than the Daoist veiled in heavy mist.
The recent skirmish had made Xie Xuanyi recall the years from over a decade ago.
If he hadn't used Primordial Energy... then this battle might not have been so simple, perhaps that was the source of the "sense of danger" in his Heart Lake.
However.
Everything was over now.
Xie Xuanyi took out the second Green Yuan Pill.
A crisp sound.
"Crack!"
The second Green Yuan Pill... shattered directly!
The vast Primordial Energy was not absorbed by Xie Xuanyi but coiled around his arm instead!
Boom!
Xie Xuanyi struck again with his palm, hitting the top of Xu You's head, who used his spear to block, and was pressed directly into the ground!
Xu You, who had been unstoppable just a moment before, now suddenly lost all momentum. The strong and domineering air was scattered by Xie Xuanyi's murderous intent, and the Deputy City Lord of Tai'an City, his face covered in blood and pale as gold paper, gritted his teeth, standing with his spear, his feet leaving two deep pits in the ground.
Fear filled Xu You's eyes as his knees bent, almost kneeling on the ground—
An unprecedented despair overwhelmed him.
He mustered all his strength and roared as he thrust his spear!
The spear, like a giant dragon, shot out and slammed against the front of Xie Xuanyi.
Just before he struck with the spear, Xie Xuanyi let out a light laugh.
The hundreds of sword lights that had been chosen in the sky all swept back, dissolving their sword forms into minute scales of Primordial Energy, forming a barrier in front of Xie Xuanyi, meeting the spear tip in collision!
It was the simplest armor, yet the most solid bulwark!
Desperation made Xu You's spear tremendously powerful, tearing apart ninety percent of the summoned Primordial Energy scales, but in the end, there was still ten percent it could not breach.
This was a chasm. It was also destiny.
The great spear, futilely pressed against the white clothes of Xie Xuanyi, couldn't draw any closer. As Xie Xuanyi stepped forward, the iron-cast spear began to bend.
Finally, with a loud bang!
The cold iron spear uncontrollably flew from his grip, deeply embedding itself into the ground yonder, its body trembling wildly!
Xu You's hands were dripping with blood, the flesh of his palms burst, shaking uncontrollably.
He gazed at the youth, both unfamiliar and familiar, in an incomprehensible way.
"Deputy City Lord Xu, it truly chills the heart. Just two hours ago, we were still drinking and chatting merrily..."
Xie Xuanyi spoke faintly, "What grudge, what grievance, compels you to kill me?"
Without waiting for an answer.
Xie Xuanyi released the hand that had been pressing on Xu You's head.
At the same time, he delivered a nonchalant punch!
Bang!
Encasing the energy of the Green Yuan Pill in his fist, Xie Xuanyi struck directly at Xu You's abdomen. The Deputy City Lord of Tai'an City's expression changed drastically as he bent like a shrimp, his knees smashing into the ground, and he vomited a mouthful of blood and several broken teeth.
Xu You's vision was somewhat blurred.
He raised his head, disbelievingly staring at the white-clothed youth.
He confirmed it again.
Qi Refinement Realm.
Is this the Qi Refinement Realm?!
"This Broken Origin Array is well-cast, who taught you? The matter with Shen Yan was also your doing, right... Speak, who is behind you?"
Xie Xuanyi crouched in front of Xu You, and after asking, he waited for a moment without getting a response.
Seeing the other's unclear, dazed eyes.
Xie Xuanyi did not hesitate.
He raised his hand and slapped him across the face.
Slap!
A Primordial Energy-infused slap hit the face, producing an unprecedentedly loud smack!
The entire Broken Origin Array resonated with the sound of this slap!
Xu You instantly regained clarity.
Xie Xuanyi's voice rang in his mind like a great bell.
"You will answer truthfully to every question I ask you next!"