"This..."
For a moment, Elder Tian Jian's soul nearly departed his body.
What was so profound about Bai Zihe's sword strike that it solidified the surrounding aura, making escape impossible?
This was terrifying!
"Swish..."
At the critical moment, Elder Tian Jian unleashed various sword energies, attempting to shatter the surrounding space and thus escape.
As for Bai Zihe...
Although he had reached the Mahayana realm, this move still strained him.
He fell into a brief state of weakness, unable to unleash the next move.
"Swish..."
"Boom..."
"Whoosh..."
Elder Tian Jian employed all his means.
However, the surrounding space was already locked down, not budging in the slightest.
Seeing Bai Zihe's world-destroying sword energy drawing ever closer, Elder Tian Jian gritted his teeth and made a difficult decision.
"Pfft..."
He struck his own chest with a palm and spat out a mouthful of blood.
But...
This blood was not crimson red; it was dark and murky, as if left out for three days and three nights, emanating a potent killing aura!
Bai Zihe even sensed...
Within this killing aura, there was a familiar scent.
That was...
Bai Zihe furrowed his brow slightly, and quickly recognized the familiarity. It came from the Blood of Hell, yes, the Blood of Hell!
This!
Bai Zihe's expression changed drastically.
After all, the incident in Shangjing that year, where everyone perished for the Lin family's Blood of Hell, was still fresh in his mind.
And the Blood of Hell...
Although the false emperor at the time obtained a significant amount, it was inferior and diluted, having little effect.
He himself had consumed the pure, top-grade Blood of Hell.
But now.
Bai Zihe suddenly realized that this Blood of Hell also had a connection to demonic energy. Didn't that imply that demonic energy was also hidden within him?
That's right.
A thousand thoughts flashed through Bai Zihe's mind instantly.
Why was it that after consuming the Blood of Hell, he would sometimes lose control, and the possibility of becoming a killing machine arose!
Didn't this correspond to demonic energy?
What in the world was going on?
For a time, a tempest raged within Bai Zihe's heart, leaving him restless.
Meanwhile, Elder Tian Jian.
The mouthful of black blood he spat into the air quickly dissipated into mist, filling the area with a thick scent of blood.
"Demonic Blood Rebirth!"
Elder Tian Jian roared, his aura surging once more.
He now possessed...
An imposing aura that seemed to verge on becoming immortal or demonic!
"Swish..."
However, this feeling lasted only for a fleeting moment.
The next instant, at the peak of his power, Elder Tian Jian unleashed a fierce palm strike around himself.
"Crash..."
An inaudible sound reverberated.
Like a stone dropped into water, or glass shattering under immense force, a ripple spread out.
"Pfft..."
Elder Tian Jian coughed up another mouthful of black blood.
But a smile appeared on his face, a joyful one.
Because he had succeeded!
He had successfully broken through Bai Zihe's sword energy's blockade of the surroundings. Although he was also suffering backlash and severe injuries, it was infinitely better than dying here!
"Swish..."
The next moment, Elder Tian Jian fled in haste.
However...
Bai Zihe's sword energy arrived as promised.
"Pfft..."
In just a single exchange, Elder Tian Jian's left leg, which he hadn't managed to withdraw in time, was struck by Bai Zihe's sword energy and instantly turned into nothingness.
Just nothingness!
Not even a splash of blood appeared, nor a sliver of bone remained!
However.
After destroying Elder Tian Jian's leg.
The sword energy continued forward, missing Elder Tian Jian's direction.
Elder Tian Jian thus managed to escape.
"Too terrifying..."
Elder Tian Jian was already scared out of his wits by Bai Zihe's sword strike.
After all, he had been demonized, his strength increasing countless times, yet he was still devastated by Bai Zihe's sword that destroyed his physical body...
This was simply insurmountable.
"No."
"Once I recover, Bai Zihe must be the first one I kill!"
Elder Tian Jian glanced back at Bai Zihe, his eyes filled with apprehension.
"Huh?"
Elder Tian Jian suddenly noticed.
Bai Zihe was standing in mid-air, seemingly unable to move.
"Could it be..."
A thought flashed through Elder Tian Jian's mind.
Could it be that the previous sword strike was so powerful that it consumed all of Bai Zihe's essence and spirit, leaving him incredibly weak?
This was highly probable!
In Elder Tian Jian's centuries of cultivation, many had mastered numerous techniques, but the more powerful the technique, the stricter its conditions for use.
And the more terrifying the price.
For example.
When he was only in the Integration realm, he had practiced the Sky Sword Art and, in his excitement, unleashed it, only to be incapacitated for a full day before slowly recovering.
The current Bai Zihe was likely in such a situation!
"In that case..."
The light in Elder Tian Jian's eyes flickered intensely.
If Bai Zihe had truly fallen into a state of weakness, now was the best time to kill him.
After all, he was completely defenseless.
Although Elder Tian Jian appeared severely injured, for cultivators, losing an arm or leg was not a major problem. As long as their true essence was sufficiently potent and their internal injuries healed, they could easily recover with some elixirs.
Conversely...
Injuring the soul would take a long time to heal.
"Kill!"
After a moment of deliberation, Elder Tian Jian became increasingly eager and decisively turned back.
"Bai Zihe..."
He stared coldly at Bai Zihe and said sinisterly, "I admit, you are indeed powerful, but after that sword strike of yours, you are completely defenseless!"
"Today..."
"Is your death day!"
He stopped dozens of feet away from Bai Zihe.
He joined his fingers and suddenly pointed them at Bai Zihe.
A powerful sword energy shot out, heading towards Bai Zihe with unparalleled speed.
Thirty feet.
Twenty feet.
Ten feet...
The speed was at its extreme.
Below.
Wanwan, Shangguan Xianling, Murong Mingyue, and the others' faces changed drastically.
They could all tell.
Their junior brother was currently in a state of weakness and defenseless. If he were to take this sword strike, he would surely die on the spot!
"Whoosh!"
"Swoosh..."
"Swish—"
At this moment, everyone leaped up, intending to block this incredibly powerful sword strike for Bai Zihe.
But at this very moment.
"Swish..."
A treasured sword, like autumn water, suddenly blocked in front of Bai Zihe.
That sword...
Its surface shimmered like autumn water, its light was subdued, yet it possessed an infinite magical charm that captivated the eye.
And Elder Tian Jian's sword energy...
Upon colliding with this treasured sword, it directly dissipated without causing any damage.
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"This is..."
Bai Zihe's senior sisters were stunned.
Where did this sword come from, and who wielded it?
While they were still in doubt.
Upon seeing the sword, Elder Tian Jian's heart trembled violently, and he choked out a few words: "This is... the Heavenly Fiend Divine Sword, Ji Xianjuan's personal sword!"
Ji Xianjuan possessed three top-tier treasures!
The Heavenly Fiend Divine Sword was one of the most renowned among them!
"Escape!"
Elder Tian Jian completely caved, and he immediately charged in one direction, transforming into a streak of rainbow light that quickly ascended into the heavens.