In these sharp cries, Ji Yuan even let go of his sword-holding hand and retreated a few steps holding his head.
He let his long sword fall to the ground, groaning in pain. Even with the Xuan Tian Devouring Spirit Pagoda protecting him, it couldn't completely block the sound that seemed to drill directly into his head.
And just as his consciousness began to blur, from the corner of his eye, he saw the three figures dressed like Bai Wuchang once again approaching with wooden sticks.
They exuded a cultivation aura of the early stage of the Spirit Convergence realm, but their attack methods were as simple and direct as those of mortal warriors, merely carrying wooden sticks adorned with white paper strips and smashing down heavily, one after another!
The light cascading from the Xuan Tian Devouring Spirit Pagoda was already trembling under the immense force. The bright radiance flickered uncertainly, as if it could collapse at any moment.
Within Ji Yuan's body, under such an onslaught, blood and qi inevitably surged, as if every blow struck his heart!
He raised his head with some difficulty, looking at the three deathly pale faces that were within arm's reach. He then gritted his teeth and mustered a bit of his consciousness with all his might.
"Rise!"
With a voice as faint as a mosquito's hum, the long sword that had fallen to the ground suddenly flew up on its own, flashing with cold light, and slashed towards the back of one of the Bai Wuchang figures!
However, as the long sword descended, a clang of metal on metal suddenly rang out. Sparks flew, as that Bai Wuchang figure had sensed the attack and turned to block it with the wooden stick in his hand.
This object was actually a magical artifact of no small quality. Although it didn't exhibit any other divine effects for the moment, its sheer hardness was enough to block the sharpness of Yuan Bao!
Although the attack was ineffective, the absence of one Bai Wuchang's attack immediately made Ji Yuan feel a bit lighter, and he finally had the chance to consolidate the dispersed spiritual power that had been shaken.
He hurriedly circulated the fundamental mantra of the Xuan Tian Dao Scripture, channeling all the gathered spiritual power into the Xuan Tian Devouring Spirit Pagoda above his head.
Immediately, the small, seven-story pagoda, only a few inches tall, began to emit a powerful radiance. Not only did it stabilize the collapsing light, but a strong spiritual pressure also erupted!
With a tremor of the pagoda's body, three beams of light, as heavy as ten thousand jun, descended. Even with the astonishing strength of the three Bai Wuchang figures, they could barely withstand it. Their legs bent slightly, and their feet sank into the ground!
"Get lost, Daoist brother!"
Ji Yuan roared. The small pagoda above his head trembled again, and a surging spiritual pressure swept out, forcefully blasting the three figures away!
At this moment, the strange cries that had been echoing in everyone's minds stopped, and the immense pain receded like a tide.
Wu Chengqing, enduring the residual pain, gritted his teeth and roared as he swung his large banner with all his might, immediately unleashing a howling gale!
The rolling wind surged forward, immediately engulfing two Bai Wuchang figures and sweeping them high into the sky. Razor-sharp wind blades spun rapidly, shredding their white robes and staining them with crimson blood!
At the same time, Ji Yuan's expression turned grim as he advanced. The Xuan Tian Devouring Spirit Pagoda above his head streaked forward, its body flickering to become severalzhang in size, and then it pressed down with the wind!
BOOM!!!
A deafening roar echoed. The pagoda, severalzhang in size, fell to the ground, crushing one Bai Wuchang figure beneath it. The radiance on its surface flowed, clearly having activated its spirit-devouring power to refine the suppressed individual!
Just as Ji Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, reached out to grip Yuan Bao in his palm, and prepared to deliver a fatal blow to the other two who were swept into the sky by the wind, a sound of tearing through the air suddenly rang out beside his ear.
Without thinking, he immediately gripped his long sword and turned, slashing horizontally!
CLANG!!
A sound like a heavy bell striking was heard, and amidst a shower of sparks, a wooden stick adorned with black paper strips could be seen held by a figure dressed like Hei Wuchang.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan was not surprised at all. Since someone appeared dressed as Bai Wuchang, it was natural for someone dressed as Hei Wuchang to appear. He had already prepared for this.
He let out a cold snort and was about to shake off the Hei Wuchang in front of him, but from the corner of his eye, two more figures flashed by.
"Be careful!"
Liu Donglai exclaimed.
Before his words had even fallen, he had already streaked forward, appearing about a zhang away from Ji Yuan, blocking a Hei Wuchang figure with his long sword.
However, the moment they made contact, Liu Donglai was at a disadvantage. No matter how brilliant his swordsmanship was, even if it was considered impeccable, under the myriad of illusory wooden stick strikes, he still appeared somewhat powerless.
If no accident occurred, his defeat was only a matter of time!
Ji Yuan's heart tightened. He quickly shook off the Hei Wuchang in front of him, then flicked his sleeve, and three copper coins flew out, landing in the three corners around Liu Donglai.
Almost at the moment when his sword shadow collapsed and he was about to be struck on the head by a wooden stick laden with black paper strips, spiritual light surged from the ground at his feet, forming layers of curtains to protect him!
Even though the wooden stick was heavy and imbued with immense power, it could only make the spiritual light curtain shake violently, unable to break through it completely in a short time.
"Array activate!"
At this moment, Wang Xiaoxuan finally caught her breath. After letting out a sharp cry, she reactivated the array.
She poured most of her spiritual power into the array disk and then pointed repeatedly towards Ji Yuan's side. Immediately, array flags erupted with spiritual light, forming streaks of silk that flew out and bound a Hei Wuchang figure.
Ji Yuan, who was about to deliver a fatal blow, suddenly felt a chill down his spine, with a faint stinging sensation.
He quickly moved to the side, and his peripheral vision caught sight of a wooden stick thrusting towards him, coated with a dense black light!
If he hadn't reacted in time, this black light-coated wooden stick would have already pierced his heart!
Several near-death experiences had already accumulated a lot of anger in Ji Yuan's heart. Seeing this scene now, he could no longer hold back and erupted.
"Since you're seeking death, this Daoist will send you to see the Buddha!"
He roared and slammed his palm forward fiercely. Water energy emerged from his palm, and blue light bloomed.
Vaguely, a spherical bead the size of a palm appeared, emitting the sound of surging waves and an immense sense of weight!
The expressionless face of the Hei Wuchang figure who had just launched a sneak attack couldn't help but change slightly!
He formed a strange hand seal with one hand, and then the black light on the wooden stick quickly retracted, transforming into intricate runes that were branded onto the stick.
This Hei Wuchang figure swung his wooden stick with all his might, unleashing power comparable to that of a martial artist in the Bone and Muscle realm. An ordinary cultivator would suffer at least broken bones and fractured limbs from such a blow!
However, Ji Yuan's expression remained unchanged. He still slammed his palm forward fiercely, and the heavy water bead that appeared in his palm released all the spiritual energy contained within it!
CRACK!!!
A cracking sound rang out, but it didn't come from Ji Yuan's arm, but from the wooden stick in the Hei Wuchang's hand!
Amidst the flying debris, the Hei Wuchang figure's face showed shock. He looked at the broken wooden stick in disbelief, seemingly unable to understand how his treasured artifact could be so easily broken by someone else.
But before he could figure out the key to this, a searing pain flooded his mind, interrupting all his thoughts.
At this moment, after breaking the wooden stick, Ji Yuan didn't stop. Instead, he fiercely urged the spiritual power within his body, which poured continuously into the heavy water bead in his palm.
The innate restriction within it had been activated. Although it was only the first level, it made this heavy water bead weigh a thousand jun!
With a thousand jun of weight and the surge of spiritual power, the Hei Wuchang's arm immediately emitted a 'creaking' sound!
The opponent's sleeve instantly turned into countless fragments, his pale skin was torn, and a large amount of blood spurted out. Simultaneously, one arm became extremely twisted, and its hard bones were shattered into countless pieces.
The Hei Wuchang figure's eyes widened, and he was about to let out a scream, but the next moment, the round bead, flowing with dense water light, landed on his chest with a small palm!
No scream was heard, only the abnormal sound of bones breaking and flesh being shattered.
Under everyone's gaze, the Hei Wuchang figure fell heavily to the ground several zhang away like a sandbag. His body was contorted, and he was truly devoid of any life!
"This Daoist is very angry now!"
Ji Yuan scanned his surroundings and then said coldly.
As soon as his voice fell, the acupoints on his body lit up, and then spheres of water-glowing beads flew out. Including the one in his palm, a total of six heavy water beads slowly revolved around him.
He pointed towards the Hei Wuchang figure who was attacking Liu Donglai. The heavy water beads beside him immediately shot out one after another. After the first layer of innate restriction was activated, they were instantly covered with a thick water light.
Seeing this, the Hei Wuchang figure immediately retreated. Without thinking, he abandoned Liu Donglai in front of him and threw the wooden stick in his hand forward. His hands rapidly formed hand seals.
As the last hand seal was formed, the wooden stick in front of him erupted with astonishing spiritual pressure. The four layers of acquired restriction contained within it were activated, and a chilling force swept out.
The Hei Wuchang figure pointed forward, and the wooden stick immediately shot out. Then, it rotated in mid-air and fiercely smashed down towards a heavy water bead!
CRACK!
However, a crisp sound suddenly came. The wooden stick was instantly broken into two pieces by a heavy water bead!
CRACK CRACK!!
CRACK CRACK CRACK!!!
Following that, crisp sounds continued to occur. Five heavy water beads flew past successively, completely smashing the wooden stick, which had already been broken in two, into countless fragments!
PUFF—!!!
The Hei Wuchang figure immediately spat out blood, his aura becoming extremely weak. Clearly, the destruction of his life-bound artifact had caused him to suffer an extremely severe backlash!
"No!!!"
He gazed at the six heavy water beads that were growing larger in his eyes and let out a despairing wail.
Ji Yuan didn't watch the opponent's fate. While waving his hand to recall the six heavy water beads, he swung his sword down, killing the other Hei Wuchang figure who was bound by the array.
When the six heavy water beads returned and circled around him, he finally looked up at the sky, at the two Bai Wuchang figures struggling to hold on in the gale.
These two were already covered in blood and their auras were very weak. If not for using spiritual power to protect their vital areas, they would have already been killed by the razor-like wind.
However, the two Bai Wuchang figures were only a matter of time away from death. The opponent could last for at most another quarter of an hour, which would be considered profound cultivation.
Ji Yuan didn't intend to delay any longer. With a raise of his hand, two heavy water beads flew out, spinning rapidly in his palm.
He unhesitatingly threw out the two heavy water beads, which directly smashed into the howling gale, cracking the skulls of the two Bai Wuchang figures and ending their lives.
Only at this point did the battle, which had lasted for less than a quarter of an hour, finally come to a complete end.
Within the array, dozens of handyman disciples breathed a sigh of relief. The ten outer disciples looked with complicated expressions at the figures who were putting away their artifacts and magical treasures. Some looked excited, others looked yearning.
Even the three of Wu Chengqing were now filled with emotion. Originally, they thought that the other party being able to ascend to the second realm and return the missing fortune for the Nine Xuan Sect was purely by sheer luck.
If it were any of them, with such luck, they would definitely have done better!
However, only now did they realize that the person before them was not just lucky, but his own talent and strength were beyond their reach.
Wu Chengqing even discovered that Ji Yuan showed no unusual expression after killing several Hei and Bai Wuchang figures.
He knew that the first time he himself took a life, he took several days to recover, and it took nearly two months to expel the impact on his state of mind.