For both cultivators and warriors, this kind of pure power-on-power clash was simultaneously the simplest and most brutal, yet also the most perilous, method of engagement.
A moment's carelessness could lead to significant injuries even if one ultimately prevailed in such a contest, unless one possessed an absolute advantage or a special means.
At this moment, Ji Yuan was enveloped in circulating water-light, each ripple expanding outwards. The spiritual energy surging from within him roared like a mighty river.
Against any ordinary opponent, even one from a renowned sect with considerable heritage, their spiritual energy would have already been overwhelmed by his potent force, leaving no room for suspense.
However, Yang Qianhe, standing opposite him, possessed spiritual energy only about twenty to thirty percent more robust than that of a typical disciple from a major sect. Yet, its purity was on par with Ji Yuan's.
Furthermore, the burning heart flame continuously eroded his spiritual energy, incinerating it and then using it to replenish his own expenditures.
As a result, Yang Qianhe's spiritual energy not only didn't deplete but even slightly increased!
Witnessing this, Ji Yuan frowned slightly, his mind already contemplating a solution.
"Save your effort. If the heart flame were so easily extinguished, my Crimson Flame Mountain would have been annihilated by righteous cultivators long ago!"
A voice gradually reached his ears.
He gazed with his spiritual eyes, his sight piercing through the rushing water-light, the surging fire waves, and the thick white mist, finally settling upon the other person.
Yang Qianhe was currently shrouded in crimson flames, with demonic energy constantly erupting from his body, serving as fuel for the heart flame.
As if sensing his gaze, the other party suddenly grinned, his eyes, filled with red light, locking onto Ji Yuan.
Their gazes met mid-air, and like the water-light and fire waves they unleashed, they stirred up a gust of wind, scattering some of the mist between them.
Though reluctant, Ji Yuan had to admit that from a cultivation technique perspective, he couldn't break the heart flame. But who said he couldn't use other methods?
He took a deep breath, and the boundless water-light rippling around him flowed in, forming three streams that entered his mouth and nose.
Within mere breaths, a water-blue light began to emanate from his body, and even his pupils quietly transformed into a clear blue hue.
The six Heavy Water Pearls silently accelerated their rotation, soon creating a whirlwind that, along with the infinite water-light, formed a vortex.
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth converged, and even the white mist rising from the surroundings was drawn into the vortex.
His sword was, at some unknown time, sheathed behind his back. Ji Yuan formed a mudra with his hands, and the Nine Essences Heavy Water Scripture circulated within him to its extreme.
His entire aura became as turbulent as a raging river, now imbued with the profound and vastness of an ocean.
This spectacle naturally drew Yang Qianhe's attention. His expression immediately changed, and he also pushed his cultivation technique to its limit. With the infusion of surging demonic energy, the heart flame intensified by several notches.
Ji Yuan raised his eyelids, his eyes now containing a boundless majesty. He dispelled the mudra he had formed, switching to a single-handed one, and slowly extended his left hand forward.
In a flash, the six Heavy Water Pearls flew towards him, slowly hovering and circling in his palm.
As streams of spiritual energy poured into them, the Heavy Water Pearls suddenly radiated brilliance. Under the vibration of their internal formations, they began to resonate with each other.
"Go," he uttered slowly, his voice devoid of any emotion.
As his words fell, the six Heavy Water Pearls shot out one after another, their water-light interweaving into a vast expanse, like an ocean slowly moving forward.
Seeing this, a glint flashed in Yang Qianhe's eyes. He continuously formed hand seals and mudras, controlling the fire waves formed by the heart flame to surge forward layer by layer.
However, under the might released by the six Heavy Water Pearls, one layer of fire waves after another was extinguished, and the water-blue light began to overpower the crimson glow.
Within mere moments, as the Heavy Water Pearls arrived, the layers of fire waves collapsed, and wisps of heart flame scattered outwards, unable to ignite the surging spiritual energy any longer.
Ji Yuan's gaze swept over them, knowing that the other party's heart flame could no longer burn his spiritual energy but would be forcefully extinguished by the boundless water-light.
He then willed, and the six Heavy Water Pearls, carrying immense spiritual energy, crushed forward, suppressing the heart flame to within half a丈 of Yang Qianhe's body.
Just one step away!
A sharp light flickered in his eyes. He was only one step away from complete suppression, and the fiercely burning heart flame could completely subdue this person!
However, at this very moment, several extremely fast approaching auras ascended from below the mountain peak, and soon appeared at the summit.
"As expected!"
Someone shouted, their voice filled with boundless rage and a hint of excitement.
In just a moment, several terrifying spells were unleashed. Yu Qingling and others quickly stepped forward to help resist!
"Attack!"
Seeing that the Nine Profound Sect disciples were all defending against the incoming spells, the handsome young man from the Moon Gazing Sect immediately gave a low shout.
The four disciples beside him immediately activated their respective moon wheels, causing them to shoot out at maximum speed, targeting Ji Yuan, who appeared unable to spare any attention!
To unleash their most powerful strike at this moment, they had secretly prepared for a long time and had finally found their opportunity!
In the chaos, even if they attacked by surprise, no one would pay them much attention. Even if word got out, with a little maneuvering, it would be dismissed as slander from their rivals.
In this way, the matter would eventually be dropped, and no one would pursue it further.
On the other side, Ji Yuan, sensing the four moon wheels hurtling towards him, didn't even glance at them. With a mere thought, the Xuan Tian Spirit Devouring Pagoda above his head immediately blazed with light.
Streams of radiance cascaded down, and despite the impact of the four moon wheels, they remained unmoving. Instead, they rapidly absorbed the spiritual energy and essence from the moon wheels through their spirit-devouring power.
In just two or three breaths, the essence within the moon wheels was greatly diminished. The four individuals from the Moon Gazing Sect quickly recalled them, their eyes filled with distress.
After dealing with the troublemakers, Ji Yuan let out a cold snort with a blank expression, immediately increasing the infusion of spiritual energy, aiming to completely subdue Yang Qianhe with the six Heavy Water Pearls in the shortest possible time!
However, at this moment, more and more cultivators were heading towards the mountain peak. Besides those who arrived first, another five or six individuals reached the summit. After a mere glance at the situation, they ferociously charged towards the two individuals locked in a spiritual energy contest.
One of them leaped high into the air and landed beside Ji Yuan. His vital energy and protective aura erupted as he wielded a heavy saber, striking directly at the protective spiritual light of the Xuan Tian Spirit Devouring Pagoda!
*Clang!!*
Amidst the deafening sound, even the ground trembled, and surging energy swept out in all directions!
At this moment, Ji Yuan's vision went black, as if a bell had struck directly in his mind. His entire head buzzed, and his brow felt as if it were about to split open.
Seizing the moment of his distraction, Yang Qianhe forcefully blasted open a gap in the water-light surrounding him and then hurled out the broken furnace in his hand!
"I don't want this thing anymore!"
He roared with all his might, his voice carrying a hint of laughter.
As his words rang out, numerous cultivators instinctively looked up, only to see the broken furnace thrown into the air and rapidly descending into the crowd.
The several cultivators who had attacked in unison immediately began to fight amongst themselves, with various magical artifacts and spells flying, each wanting to seize the broken furnace.
A short distance away, Ji Yuan recovered from the shock and saw that the broken furnace had been snatched by a middle-aged cultivator.
His heart tightened. Glancing at the warrior about to swing his saber again, the Xuan Tian Spirit Devouring Pagoda above his head immediately swept out a beam of light, sending him flying several feet away.
Then, uncontrollably, he let out a great roar. His spiritual energy surged, and the six Heavy Water Pearls immediately abandoned Yang Qianhe, hurtling towards the group of cultivators.
This sudden attack caught the unprepared cultivators off guard, and they immediately spat blood, flying backward. One of them, with worse luck, had a Heavy Water Pearl strike him directly on the head.
"Unite!"
Ji Yuan grunted low, his palms slamming together forcefully.
In the next instant, the six Heavy Water Pearls paused, then sharply converged on the middle-aged cultivator who had seized the broken furnace. The astonishing weight made him struggle to move, as if a mountain were pressing down on him, making evasion impossible.
Even under the relentless onslaught of water-light, all his protective measures crumbled, and blood began to flow from his nose, mouth, and other orifices.
"Here!"
The middle-aged cultivator spoke with difficulty, using all his spiritual energy to propel the broken furnace in his hand into the high sky.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan flicked his right hand towards his waist, and a long whip appeared in his palm.
He swung his arm forcefully, and the pale blue whip flashed, accurately coiling around the broken furnace and then rapidly recoiling!
Seeing this, the assembled cultivators unleashed their magical artifacts, unwilling to let him easily obtain the treasure.
However, Ji Yuan was not alone. The disciples of the Nine Profound Sect around him attacked in unison, doing their utmost to block the barrage of magical artifacts.
But still, seven or eight spells bypassed the group and struck Ji Yuan!
*Boom!!!*
The earth shook, and dust filled the air, causing everyone's hearts to leap into their throats.
However, as streams of light swept through, dispelling the dust, a figure appeared, a small cyan pagoda atop his head, one hand holding a whip and the other supporting the broken furnace.
Ji Yuan scanned his surroundings, and with a slight thought, the six Heavy Water Pearls flew over, rapidly circling him, releasing awe-inspiring water-light and fluctuations.
At this moment, even with his composure, his expression couldn't help but darken.
He could sense that the many cultivators who had dispersed were continuously converging towards this location, and their numbers were thirty to forty percent greater than before!
To take this broken furnace away under the watchful eyes of nearly a hundred cultivators was an impossible feat, even with his cultivation and skills.
The only way forward was to forcibly tear open a path before all the cultivators gathered, using the most powerful means to intimidate those blocking his way, giving him a slim chance of survival.
Otherwise, he would have to abandon the broken furnace and miss the opportunity to enter the Nine Profound Sect's forbidden grounds.
With this thought, Ji Yuan's aura erupted, and he darted towards the direction with the fewest people!
Seeing this, the cultivators immediately joined forces to intercept him. The middle-aged warrior who had previously wielded a saber directly blocked his path!
He raised his saber and chopped down, his mid-stage Muscle and Bone Realm vital energy erupting. A saber light, brilliant and dazzling, seemed poised to cleave the young Daoist in two!
Ji Yuan's expression was calm. With a mere thought, two Heavy Water Pearls shot out, colliding directly with the sharp saber edge without any pretense!