Daoist Competition
Chapter 142 - 37: Slaying the Demon and Seizing the Token, Xie Family Bestows the Jiao

Chapter 142: Chapter 37: Slaying the Demon and Seizing the Token, Xie Family Bestows the Jiao

Xie Zongyuan watched Fang Zhen leave, snorted coldly, a disdainful expression showing on his face. With a wave of his hand, a streak of white light flew out from his sleeve, heading straight in the direction of the Mingcang Sect.

He then turned to glance at Zhang Yan a few times, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you, Brother Zhang. However, this demon cannot be subdued with a Dharma Treasure. If you stay behind, your life might be in danger for no reason. It’s better if you leave early."

Zhang Yan looked ahead. He saw that the two Xuan Guang Practitioners were barely holding on under Qu Chang’s Beast-faced Great Saber, struggling left and right and appearing unable to resist any longer. He said, "Brother Xie, if you leave now, there’s still a chance."

Xie Zongyuan let out a faint smile. "As a child of the Yu Xuan Xie Family, how could I possibly flee the battlefield like Fang Zhen? If I were to die here today, someone from my family would avenge me. I would not bring shame to my family’s name. There’s no need for more words, Brother Zhang, please take your leave."

Luo Xiao spoke softly, "Master, Xie Zongyuan must have just used a token talisman to summon experts from his family. He already has something to rely on in his heart."

Zhang Yan shook his head slightly and said, "Even if they are experts, they might not arrive in time. This act serves little purpose right now. Still, Xie Zongyuan’s courage doesn’t seem feigned."

He then turned his eyes toward the vibrating Sea Suppressing Tablet and asked, "Luo Daoist, what treasure do you think is holding the Sea Suppressing Tablet in place?"

Luo Xiao replied, "Master, the Sea Suppressing Tablet is a High-grade Spirit Treasure, not inferior to the Soul-shattering Inkstone. To hold it in place, it must be a Mystical Artifact."

"Oh? A Mystical Artifact?"

Zhang Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. Although he had many Spiritual Artifacts on him, he had never seen a Mystical Artifact before. He thought to himself, "This item must not slip through my fingers. I’ll need to find a way to obtain it."

After some thought, he had a plan and said, "I see that Xie Zongyuan has a certain level of responsibility. Though anxious, he keeps his composure. He’s quite a character. We could lure Qu Chang elsewhere, kill him, and seize the Mystical Artifact. In doing so, we’d also leave Xie Zongyuan a favor along the way."

The situation below was growing more critical. Qu Chang, still seething with anger after being pinned down by the Sea Suppressing Tablet earlier, refused to let Xie Zongyuan go. One of the Xuan Guang Practitioners failed to dodge in time and lost an arm to Qu Chang’s blade. Qu Chang then lifted his leg and stomped on the man’s chest. Even with the protection of Xuan Guang energy, the man’s chest bones shattered instantly, and he spat out blood as he was thrown back.

The two practitioners had already been struggling to hold Qu Chang off. With one injured, the remaining Xuan Guang Realm Cultivator was left in imminent peril. With no suitable Dharma Treasure or superior mysterious skill, he was almost powerless against a foe like Qu Yue. Managing to hold Qu Chang up for even a moment was the best he could do.

Qu Chang swung his blade again, forcing the man back several steps. Then, he strode forward as if the dozens of Powerful Warriors before Xie Zongyuan were mere air. He barreled through them in a violent charge, bringing about another wave of blood and carnage.

As Qu Chang finally cut through the last few Powerful Warriors standing in his way, a sudden streak of blue light flew toward his eyes. Sensing the danger, Qu Chang instinctively tilted his head. With a sharp "screech," the light grazed his forehead, leaving a long gash. Blood immediately streamed down, blurring his vision.

Qu Chang roared and reached out to grab the blue light.

Yet, the blue light twisted at an angle, slipping past his grasp. With a sharp "slash," it left a shallow cut on his neck. The blue light swirled continuously in midair, aiming for his eyes. Qu Chang howled repeatedly, using his hands to shield his face as he retreated several steps to avoid the assault.

The blue light leapt into the air and returned to Zhang Yan’s hand.

He couldn’t help but nod in approval. This sword ball, forged from Star Essence Sand, lived up to its reputation. Were it not for his insufficient cultivation, he could have slain Qu Chang on the spot without needing any other treasures. As it stood, he could barely break Qu Chang’s skin.

Qu Chang wiped the blood off his face and glared at Zhang Yan. With a furious roar, he leapt into the air, brandishing his blade as he charged toward Zhang Yan. A gray light flickered; the token that had been suppressing the Sea Suppressing Tablet returned to his body.

Zhang Yan smiled faintly, turned his Flying Boat around, and flew off. He had already observed that, although Qu Yue possessed great strength, his eyes were dull, his mind clouded, and he seemed to act purely on instinct. Moreover, flying was not his strength; his speed wouldn’t necessarily surpass that of the Flying Boat. Since Qu Yue was now chasing after him, it was the perfect opportunity to lead him to a remote area and finish him off using his Dharma Treasures.

With Qu Yue lured away, the pressure on Xie Zongyuan eased slightly. He raised his hand and summoned the Sea Suppressing Tablet back to himself. Holding this treasure gave him a sense of composure and focus.

The remaining Xuan Guang Practitioner hurried forward and said, "Fourth Son, now that this person has lured the Demon Cultivator away, you don’t need to linger here. Let’s leave, shall we?"

Xie Zongyuan glared at him coldly and said, "I’ve already sent a Communication Talisman; reinforcements will arrive soon. What’s there to fear from this demon? Besides, Brother Zhang risked his life to help me. How could I abandon him? Do you think I am the likes of Fang Zhen?"

As a disciple of the Xie Family, how could he allow his comrades to buy him time to escape, only for him to leave them behind? If word got out, wouldn’t he be ridiculed?

The practitioner, seeing Xie Zongyuan’s sharp gaze, dared not say more and quickly backed away.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yan fought while retreating. In the air, he continuously provoked Qu Chang with the sword ball, luring him deeper into the dense forest of Little Lang Mountain. Before long, they arrived at an area thick with trees.

With a flicker of black light from his sleeve, Luo Xiao emerged and stood behind Zhang Yan, scanning his surroundings carefully. In a low voice, he said, "Master, this place is ideal for making a move."

Zhang Yan’s eyes gleamed. He nodded, handed Luo Xiao the Soul-shattering Inkstone and Proclamation Pen, and descended with the Flying Boat to the forest floor.

Qu Chang, seeing this, let out a loud roar and dove down after them.

Zhang Yan raised his finger, and the Star Sword Ball flew up again. Having suffered earlier, Qu Chang immediately raised a hand to cover his eyes. Zhang Yan smiled faintly, then threw a massive, vibrant hammer into the air.

Qu Chang’s sight was obscured, and he was unprepared. With a thunderous "boom," the Heart-Hitting Hammer smashed heavily onto his skull. His vision darkened, and he plummeted straight down, crashing through several thick trees before hitting the ground.

Seizing the advantage, Zhang Yan swung his sleeve, sending a streak of green light hurtling toward Qu Chang’s throat.

The Ruyi Divine Shuttle exuded a piercingly sharp aura that seemed to thirst for blood. At this life-and-death moment, Qu Chang’s previously dull eyes sparked with clarity. He barely managed to raise an arm to block. With a loud "slash," the shuttle embedded itself into his thick arm, sinking only a few inches before halting altogether.

Frowning slightly, Zhang Yan silently noted that it was the first time the Ruyi Divine Shuttle had failed him. Clearly, his current cultivation was insufficient to fully unleash its potential.

Qu Chang, having suffered repeated blows, was dazed. Just as he struggled to rise, he suddenly sensed an even greater danger looming behind him. A Cloud Pattern Red Pen appeared silently, freezing him in place. At the same time, the token on his body sprang into action and intercepted the descending Proclamation Pen.

But before he could catch his breath, Zhang Yan waved his hand again, sending the Heart-Hitting Hammer hurtling straight toward him. Qu Chang let out a furious roar, sitting up and barely managing to block with his blade. The Beast-faced Great Saber was knocked flying with a metallic clang, leaving him unarmed.

Without his divine weapon, Qu Chang was as helpless as a declawed tiger. Luo Xiao wasted no time. With a swift incantation, the Soul-shattering Inkstone flew up and bore down on Qu Chang.

A shadow cast over the sky. Qu Chang looked up to see the five-zhang-wide inkstone descending like a mountain. Letting out a final roar, he raised both hands as if to futilely block its fall.

Seeing this, Zhang Yan could only shake his head.

With a tremendous "boom," the entire forest seemed to tremble. Leaves fell like rain, and a cloud of dust rose into the air. Without a sound, Qu Chang was crushed into a bloody pulp.

With his death, the token he had carried lost its master and began to flee. Luo Xiao, quick-eyed and quick-handed, snatched it from the air. Watching it struggle in his palm, he exclaimed with delight, "Master, it is indeed a Mystical Artifact! However, this item has gained a trace of Spiritual Truth. It will need thorough refining before it can be put to your use."

Zhang Yan chuckled, "Now that it’s in my possession, there’s no rush. Let’s first clean up the area to avoid leaving traces that sect members might notice during their investigation."

Luo Xiao nodded and meticulously tidied up the surroundings, collecting even the Beast-faced Great Saber.

Once the scene was cleaned thoroughly, Zhang Yan ordered Luo Xiao to transform and slip back into his sleeve. Then, he made his way back toward the original location.

When Zhang Yan returned to the foot of the mountain, he was slightly surprised to see that Xie Zongyuan had not left.

However, by Xie Zongyuan’s side now stood a middle-aged cultivator. The man had a keen, penetrating gaze that occasionally emitted a flash of light. Deep wrinkles etched his forehead, and his large nose made him strikingly memorable—he was undoubtedly the reinforcements from the Xie family.

Xie Zongyuan’s expression brightened when he saw Zhang Yan. "Brother Zhang, you’ve returned safely! I’m relieved. May I ask where the Demon Cultivator is now?"

Zhang Yan shook his head. "I led it around the forest and managed to lose it there. The demon seemed somewhat dazed, as though its mind was muddled. I’m not sure where it fled afterward."

Disappointment flickered briefly in Xie Zongyuan’s eyes as he let out a cold snort. "A pity. If it dares to return, I’ll make it pay!"

The middle-aged man beside him coughed lightly and said, "Fourth Son, since the danger has passed, we should return promptly to avoid causing Uncle further worry."

"Wait! There is still one matter to address. Brother Zhang, please remain here," Xie Zongyuan said, gesturing behind him. "Bring it forward."

Over a dozen Powerful Warriors stepped forward, presenting the Golden Flood Dragon bound tightly with the Yuan Yang Gold Lock.

Xie Zongyuan approached Zhang Yan and solemnly cupped his hands. "Brother Zhang, you stayed to help me today, and I cannot thank you enough. Please accept this Golden Flood Dragon as my token of gratitude! Should you ever need assistance in the future, simply ask, and I, Xie Zongyuan, will do my utmost to help!"

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