Daoist Competition
Chapter 300 - 17 Two Phase Descent Technique _2

Chapter 300: Chapter 17 Two Phase Descent Technique _2

Zhang Yan, though locked in an intense duel with Lu Ge, maintained a cold and calculating demeanor in his eyes.

He could roughly surmise Lu Ge’s strategy, but with a large supply of elixir pills on hand, he had no fear of exhausting his resources.

Every hour, he would take out an elixir pill, consume it, and channel the medicinal essence through his Qi Sea, refining it into energy. The 81 streams of spiritual energy within his chest rotated ceaselessly, continuously generating golden fire mysterious light. To force him to deplete his spiritual energy was an impossibility.

The two were both resilient and patient, engaging in a relentless back-and-forth as if entangled in wind and fire. After half a day, neither showed signs of fatigue or retreat, much like when they first started the battle.

However, despite the prolonged duel, Zhang Yan felt something amiss, as if there was a detail he had overlooked. After careful contemplation, his eyes flickered, finally catching a trace of hidden mystery.

If Lu Ge hadn’t noticed him consuming the elixir pills, it would be understandable. But having clearly seen it and remaining calm and composed, there were only two possibilities: either he was exhausting all his methods and aiming to wear Zhang Yan down gradually, or he had another hidden plan.

In their prolonged battle, Lu Ge’s every move landed with accuracy, akin to a masterful chess player calculating multiple steps ahead. Each action was deliberate, leaving no room for missteps. It was clear he had encountered sword cultivators like Zhang Yan before. Zhang Yan couldn’t believe Lu Ge had no means to deal with him; most likely, he was setting up something in the shadows.

Carefully observing, Zhang Yan indeed found signs of irregularity.

Though the green-colored mysterious light blanketed the battlefield, flowing through every corner like an omnipresent veil, its movement was never stationary and usually in constant rotation. This was to minimize the damage when confronted by Zhang Yan’s golden fire mysterious light. Yet now, certain areas seemed rigid and unnaturally static.

Frowning slightly, Zhang Yan flicked his fingers, sending out a droplet of You Yin Heavy Water. After flying dozens of meters, it abruptly halted as if colliding with a solid barrier.

A chill ran through his heart. He drove the droplet in several directions for further testing and discovered that the east, west, north, and upper positions were sealed like iron walls, leaving only the south side without obstruction.

If his conjecture was correct, the south side was deliberately left open as a passage. Should he advance in that direction, it would likely be walking straight into Lu Ge’s trap.

While Zhang Yan possessed several Dharma treasures capable of breaking out of this situation, he was concerned not only with escaping but with finding a way to flip the passive state into an advantageous one.

To achieve that, he would have to wait for Lu Ge to make a mistake. But facing such a seasoned adversary, the chance of an error seemed nearly impossible.

Scanning Lu Ge’s surroundings, Zhang Yan noticed Qi Yelan and Mu Hongchen standing behind him. Lu Ge had evidently captured these individuals for some specific purpose and hadn’t harmed them, indicating their value went beyond mere discipleship. Realizing this, Zhang Yan’s eyes glinted. He glanced at the Heart Protecting Lamp overhead and suddenly came up with an idea, smiling discreetly as he prepared to seize the opportunity.

Years ago, Lu Ge had suffered greatly at the hands of a Shaoqing Sect disciple. As talented as he was, Lu Ge had narrowly escaped death several times under the opponent’s sword, but during their final encounter, he was gravely wounded, his Dao Foundation severed by a single strike. Despite his subsequent efforts, he was ultimately only able to condense a Small Golden Core.

Since then, Lu Ge had focused all his energy on discovering ways to counter sword cultivators.

He knew that even if sword cultivators couldn’t defeat their opponents, they could often escape with their flying techniques, becoming untouchable. Thus, he sought to create a Dharma treasure capable of capturing enemies and simultaneously blocking escape routes. Even a brief delay could lead to victory.

Over 30 years, he painstakingly devised a True Technique known as the "Two Phase Descent Technique." Once deployed, the method could manifest six Xuan Guang talismans.

In combat against sword cultivators, these talismans could seamlessly alternate between tangible and intangible states. Just as at the south gate, where a Xuan Guang talisman blocked the path—it currently existed in a virtual form, undetectable. If Zhang Yan attempted to break through this area, the talisman would instantly solidify, blocking his way. At that moment, the remaining five talismans would encircle him, followed by the Dharma treasure descending to capture him, making victory highly probable.

Despite devising this method, Lu Ge had never had an opportunity to use it. To ensure success, he continued wearing down Zhang Yan’s energy.

Another half hour passed before Lu Ge suddenly heard a startled cry. Turning his gaze, he saw the Heart Protecting Lamp flickering out.

At that moment, Mu Hongchen was suppressed by the green light, and Qi Yelan couldn’t aid her. Both were already struggling to resist the mysterious light and had no energy to fight against the enveloping Netherworld Qi. Once the lamp extinguished, their deaths were but moments away.

Glancing at Zhang Yan, Lu Ge saw his expression unchanged, indifferent to the plight of the two women, showing no intention of intervening. Sneering inwardly, Lu Ge thought, "I went through such trouble to trick these people into coming, all of them Xuan Guang Practitioners. They’ll be of great use in the future—they cannot die here."

Since he held the upper hand, Lu Ge acted freely without restriction, securely trapping Zhang Yan while extending two streaks of mysterious light to protect the two women.

But the moment Lu Ge acted, Zhang Yan made his move!

With a loud cry, Zhang Yan unleashed sixteen sword balls, which ferociously struck the three Great Steles shielding Lu Ge, causing them to sway chaotically as if on the verge of shattering.

Alarmed, Lu Ge knew that if the sword balls descended, he would surely face dismemberment. Panicking, he unleashed spiritual energy in quick bursts in an attempt to stabilize the stele.

Simultaneously, the mysterious light above Zhang Yan surged as he forcibly tore open a path through the green-colored mysterious light. Wielding the Cloud Pattern Red Pen, he swiped it across the front-facing Xuan Guang talisman, dimming and destabilizing it, rendering it nearly ineffective.

With a shout, Zhang Yan leaped forward, transforming into a streak of golden fire rainbow light, smashing through the talisman. At the same time, he recalled the sixteen sword balls into his body, turning into a piercing sword light that thunderously charged toward Lu Ge.

This series of actions was as swift as lightning, catching Lu Ge entirely off guard. Zhang Yan unexpectedly broke through from the center, and within seconds, his flying slash reached Lu Ge’s face. Witnessing the front stele shatter effortlessly, Lu Ge’s expression changed drastically. In the face of impending death, he abandoned all pretense of composure, hurriedly throwing out an object while shouting, "Move!"

The object—a flying disk—collided with the incoming sword light, generating a thunderous boom in midair. In an instant, both the disk and Zhang Yan vanished.

Wiping cold sweat from his brow, Lu Ge grimly smiled, having sacrificed an unrefined Dharma treasure to teleport Zhang Yan into an array he had previously prepared.

Exhaling deeply, he closed his eyes and contemplated several strategies, realizing none could subdue Zhang Yan completely. He said with a sigh, "Fine, if I cannot capture you, I’ll simply refine you instead."

...

...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian.com to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)