Chapter 17: A Turning Point

This was one of the core martial arts legacies of Xuanzhen Temple, the "Four Symbols Opening Heaven Palm."

A few days ago, after the temple had already discovered its origin, Yun Shou had preemptively passed down this martial arts legacy.

This martial art was traditionally only passed down after reaching innate mastery.

However, perhaps seeing that his talents were indeed extraordinary compared to ordinary people,

Bai Yichen merely glanced at it and already knew that this palm technique was exceptionally profound, far beyond what an ordinary acquired realm individual could understand.

Even among the many martial arts he practiced in his previous two lives, only a handful could rival it.

This further heightened his anticipation for the mystical techniques within Xuanzhen Temple.

But due to the pressing time, Bai Yichen had only just begun to grasp it, feeling an urge to fully understand it when witnessing Yun Shou use it today, yet he still felt a long way from fully mastering it.

As he watched the two figures change and begin to clash again,

The wind from their swords howled, slicing through the air with a sharp screech.

Yun Shou immediately leaped to evade this fierce blow.

Then, his palm technique surged like electricity as he struck out with the Four Symbols Opening Heaven Palm.

With the wind howling from his palm, it seemed as if an azure dragon was raising its head to roar, and a torrent of power surged forth.

Hei Lin's figure flashed, approaching like a ghost. With a sweep of his longsword, the sword's aura shone with a fierce cold light, as if countless raindrops were striking down.

Yun Shou, the true man, lightly shifted his feet, his palm wind howling like a black tortoise defending itself and a vermilion bird spreading its wings—agile and swift, carrying endless might.

Hei Lin's gaze sharpened, and with his sword following his movements, he danced forth, creating a rain of sword strikes that intertwined with the gusts of Yun Shou's palm wind.

The two exchanged blows, and the battle intensified.

Bai Yichen observed the situation in the other two areas of combat; it seemed that they were in a stalemate.

No, it appeared there was something ominous brewing.

He noticed that Hei Lin's "Fine Rain Sword Technique" had already reached a certain mastery, not inferior to what he had in his past life. This sword technique was considered one of the top martial arts, and it might not be any less formidable than the Four Symbols Opening Heaven Palm.

But that wasn't all.

The issue was that the most powerful practitioner on the Xuanzhen Temple side, Yun Shou, was advanced in years, especially when compared to the young and skilled Hei Lin. As the battle progressed, it would likely become increasingly difficult for him to maintain comparable strength.

Even innate masters cannot be considered extraordinary; they only live longer because their internal breath allows them to nourish their bodies, extending their lifespan by about ten to twenty years compared to ordinary people.

However, in a fight, physical conditioning and age can affect combat effectiveness.

In his past life, after reaching the peak of innate mastery, Bai Yichen had grown old and still hadn't entered the perfected state, which is why he had not dared to recklessly challenge those great martial sects for opportunities.

However, this current leader might already…

If this person were also a eunuch, having learned the "Yin Kui Classic" and acquired that ghostly speed, combined with the Fine Rain Sword Technique, his attacks would likely be extraordinarily unpredictable.

This was a turbulent time.

But the immediate priority was to resolve the pressing problem at hand.

Bai Yichen's eyes narrowed, his expression grave as he fell deep into thought.

After a long while, he suddenly opened his eyes, a glimmer of surprise flashing within them as he glanced down at his dark outfit.

A solution to this tricky problem formed in his mind.

It was only a small risk—he was already ninety steps into this plan, just ten steps away.

"Snap! Snap!"

Bai Yichen's bones cracked, his physique subtly changing, and with the mask covering his face, even Daoist Guanzhi and the others would hardly recognize him.

He then focused his gaze on the battlefield where Yan Bei and Old Lady Wen had already fought their way out of the courtyard.

In an instant, he flashed forward, lightly tapping the ground, and his figure leaped several feet away.

This was it; he had learned enough of the poisons I left behind, and today was the time to return the favor.

In his past life, to treat a certain injury, he had studied medicine extensively; consequently, medicine and poison are often intertwined, and he had concocted some poisons.

After a moment, both Yan Bei and Old Lady Wen turned towards the left side.

It was precisely the direction Bai Yichen was coming from.

"Lord Wen, I've finally found you! I am An Sha, the master of the Qingzhou branch!" His voice trembled slightly, as if he had found a lighthouse in a vast sea, seeing hope.

He quickly pulled out a token from his pocket and held it aloft.

Seeing this, Old Lady Wen relaxed slightly, saying, "You're quite good to have come through this Feng Shui formation."

"It seems that during the battle between you two lords, the formation weakened, allowing me to escape."

Bai Yichen quickly added.

Indeed, the battles between the six had disrupted much of the courtyard's arrangement, causing the mist and light rain within the formation to gradually fade.

Seeing this, Yan Bei would not miss the opportunity; he suddenly punched out like a dragon, striking towards Old Lady Wen.

"I've been waiting for you!"

Old Lady Wen was prepared, her cane striking like a snake.

A wave of energy erupted.

Bai Yichen's eyes sparkled with excitement, and he shouted, "My lord, let me lend you a hand!"

Yan Bei hesitated for a moment,

"Okay." Old Lady Wen showed a hint of joy.

After all, the two of them were already evenly matched, and with an innate perfection helping, the tide should turn in their favor.

Moreover, once they won, they could then help Hei Lin secure victory, and at that point, she could...

Huh?

Old Lady Wen looked down and found a sword had pierced her chest without her noticing; it was indeed An Sha's sword.

Before she could react, Yan Bei seized the opportunity, his arms outstretched, and unleashed a devastating punch to her head!

In mid-air, as Old Lady Wen was struck, her eyes opened wide in disbelief, realizing that the person claiming to be the master of An Sha was wearing a night outfit that was not even a uniform of that rank.

No wonder he wanted to make the first move; no wonder he held up the token; no wonder...

Old Lady Wen utilized all her remaining inner breath, suddenly pressing the mechanism on her cane and launching a final blow, hurling it at the culprit who had caused her demise.

Then, she bit down on her false teeth and collapsed to the ground, somewhat satisfied.

But how could Bai Yichen not be prepared? As an innate master, he would always have the advantage over An Sha.

The moment Yan Bei's fist struck Old Lady Wen, he moved without hesitation, gathering his sword and retreating like a cicada.

As an old assassin, he knew all too well the principle of striking once and retreating a thousand miles. However, that flying cane seemed infused with its owner's lingering resentment and all remaining strength, soaring exceptionally far.

Even though Bai Yichen had long retreated, it felt like he was just barely going to be hit.

Before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, he saw the snake head explode, with shattered scales flying in all directions, accompanied by a wave of green poisonous mist spreading out. Where the cane fell, the grass and trees instantly withered.

Danger!

Bai Yichen quickly retreated!

At the same time, he held his breath and urgently activated the Dragon Elephant Diamond Power Technique, a dark golden color flashing across his body.

In that same moment, the longsword in his hand sliced through the air like a torrential storm, weaving a dense sword net.

He moved gracefully with the sword, the glimmering light reflecting a soft rain-like shine!

The series of movements flowed smoothly, like clouds drifting and water flowing, seamlessly integrating.