Chapter Eighty-One: The Contest (Part Two)

“Heavenly Demon Divine Sound!”

The Azure Dragon Spirit Armor began to tremble lightly in the wind. Bai Qiu’s heart raced; he immediately channeled his true energy to steady the Azure Dragon Talisman floating before him. Yet his chest felt stifled, and with a thought, he activated the armor and darted to the side, appearing south of Xi Men Shuai.

As soon as he moved south, the pressure vanished. Xi Men Shuai turned to face Bai Qiu, and instantly Bai Qiu felt a heavy weight descend upon him, the pressure intensifying.

So this is the Heavenly Demon Divine Sound?

Bai Qiu battled the pressure with his true energy. Suddenly, the force disappeared. Xi Men Shuai looked up and said, “You may activate the Daoist Heavenly Eye.”

Bai Qiu nodded and opened the Heavenly Eye. Layer upon layer of endless waves radiated from Xi Men Shuai’s body, surging toward him. As soon as the Azure Dragon Spirit Armor touched those waves, it began to tremble incessantly.

Bai Qiu extended his hand from the talisman, touching the waves with his index finger. In the blink of an eye, his finger was blasted to dust.

Even with true energy protecting his body and the Azure Dragon Talisman shielding him, the pressure continued to increase. Bai Qiu could not break through; if he attacked, the talisman would suffer the brunt of the waves, but if he did not, he could only keep fleeing.

“It begins!” Xi Men Shuai suddenly shouted.

The waves shifted, and within them, lines shot toward Bai Qiu.

Bai Qiu summoned his armor to block. Invisible ripples struck the armor, forcing Bai Qiu back half a step.

“What overwhelming suppression!”

Bai Qiu squeezed out a drop of essence blood and pressed it onto the armor.

A brilliant green light surged from the Azure Dragon Spirit Armor, and Bai Qiu felt much lighter. In a flash, he vanished from his place, evading the suppression of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sound.

He realized the pressure only existed when facing Xi Men Shuai head-on, so Bai Qiu moved at full speed, darting behind Xi Men Shuai to strike directly at his true body.

“Heavenly Demon Possession!” Xi Men Shuai cried. A massive black shadow emerged behind him, and Xi Men Shuai immediately withdrew.

Bai Qiu’s twin dragon claws slashed at Xi Men Shuai’s body, causing him to stagger.

The giant black shadow followed Xi Men Shuai, as if he were a vessel. The demonic energy transformed into black mist, pouring ceaselessly into his body.

Sun Fanbai stared at the looming demonic shadow in shock. “A method of the Divine Communion Sect? No... It’s not the same.”

Little Jin grinned from the side. “This is Heavenly Demon Possession, Xi Men Shuai’s exclusive secret art. If young Bai Qiu doesn’t defeat him before the demonic energy fully merges with Xi Men Shuai, he may never get another chance.”

Little Jin’s words, a minor cheat, reached Bai Qiu’s ears.

Bai Qiu, ever perceptive, could not predict the outcome of Heavenly Demon Possession, but he knew he must attack at once. In the center of the Azure Dragon’s massive maw, white spiritual energy began to condense.

Xi Men Shuai seemed powerless, yet a faint black mist enveloped his protective energy, growing thicker by the moment.

Both were gathering their spiritual power.

Bai Qiu was quicker. The Azure Dragon’s breath coalesced first; with a flash of white light, a powerful stream shot from its mouth toward Xi Men Shuai.

Xi Men Shuai roared, his right arm’s skin corroding. His long hair scattered in the wind, and his skin dried, cracked, and bled.

Suddenly, the muscles of his right arm bulged, transforming into an enormous black limb!

That black arm exuded waves of black energy, its surface unnaturally hard, like stone.

Xi Men Shuai’s eyes now blazed red. He licked his lips with a wicked smile, swinging the massive arm to meet the dragon’s breath head-on.

“Boom!”

The dragon’s breath struck his arm, unleashing a fierce gale that whipped Xi Men Shuai’s hair. The white light of the dragon’s breath illuminated his face in a fearsome, savage glare.

Moments later, the breath faded.

Xi Men Shuai’s black arm steamed, but appeared otherwise unharmed.

“Again!”

Excited, Xi Men Shuai shouted and stepped forward, swinging his right arm to attack Bai Qiu.

Bai Qiu focused, forming a hand seal. Instantly, the Azure Dragon Spirit Armor scattered into hundreds of talismans, floating around him.

He shaped three fingers into a seal, pressing them to his chest.

“Azure Dragon Sword!”

Bai Qiu cried, then pointed forward.

The talismans circling him obeyed his command, gathering together and rushing at Xi Men Shuai.

As they flew, the Azure Dragon talismans merged, forming a massive sword.

“Excellent! Hahaha!”

Xi Men Shuai laughed.

“Heavenly Demon Slash!”

His right arm glowed blood-red, the black limb streaked with crimson light, crashing into the Azure Dragon Sword.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

Wild winds erupted, sonic booms echoing. Little Jin hurriedly cast a defensive spell to shield everyone.

After several breaths, the noise abruptly ceased.

Shi Qi and the others looked to the center. Xi Men Shuai’s lips bled, and he knelt, his black arm resting on the ground.

Bai Qiu, utterly exhausted, knelt as well, his face pale, gasping for breath as sweat dripped from his cheeks.

After a moment, Xi Men Shuai slowly rose.

Bai Qiu tried to stand, but failed—his true energy was completely depleted.

Seeing Xi Men Shuai standing firmly before him, Bai Qiu knew he had lost.

Xi Men Shuai shook his right arm, which reverted to normal. He walked over to Bai Qiu and extended his left hand.

Bai Qiu stared in disbelief, then extended his own left hand.

Xi Men Shuai grasped it, hauling Bai Qiu upright.

He turned to Little Jin. “Little Jin, I concede!”

“Huh?!”

Bai Qiu stared, incredulous.

Xi Men Shuai patted Bai Qiu’s shoulder and laughed. “Hahaha, I just wanted a good fight. Winning or losing doesn’t matter!”

Bai Qiu protested, “But, Senior, I lost.”

Xi Men Shuai shook his head. “Though I only partially summoned Heavenly Demon Possession, I still used forbidden arts. I cheated in this match.”

Bai Qiu hesitated. “But…”

Xi Men Shuai waved it off. “Enough fuss. I say you win, so you win. Kid, you’ve got talent—I like it.”

Bai Qiu bowed. “Thank you, Senior.”

Xi Men Shuai smiled. “Raise your head.”

Bai Qiu looked up at him.

Suddenly, Bai Qiu noticed Xi Men Shuai’s eyes turn crimson. Then, with a buzzing in his mind, Xi Men Shuai’s eyes transformed into swirling vortices, making the entire world spin. Bai Qiu failed to notice his own eyes growing red.

Shi Qi and the others watched, confused, but Little Jin stopped them with a raised hand.

Shi Qi asked, “Senior Jin, what’s…”

Little Jin placed a finger to his lips. “Shh, don’t disturb his fortune.”

Bai Qiu and Xi Men Shuai stood opposite each other, both eyes blood-red, motionless.

After a while, they returned to normal.

Bai Qiu asked, “Senior Xi Men, what…”

Xi Men Shuai waved him off. “I could tell at a glance your temperament matches mine—impulsive, fearless. My Heavenly Demon Method has lacked a worthy successor. Fighting you today was a joy. It’s fate.”

He continued, “The Heavenly Demon Method was created by my master, the Demon Lord. I don’t want the lineage to end, so I’ll pass it on to you. Though you cultivate the Primordial Heart Sutra, the Heavenly Demon Method can be practiced alongside it, and your nature suits it well.”

Bai Qiu stood stunned, unsure what to say. In that instant, a new cultivation method appeared in his mind—Xi Men Shuai had just transmitted the Heavenly Demon Method to him.

In their brief clash, Bai Qiu had already experienced the method’s terrifying power, but never imagined Xi Men Shuai would pass such a divine art to him so readily.

Bai Qiu immediately knelt to acknowledge his master.

Xi Men Shuai waved his hand, lifting Bai Qiu to his feet.

“No need for such ceremony. We are fated, it’s destined. I’ve never cared for mundane rituals. Enough—go on.”

With that, Xi Men Shuai turned and walked away.

Bai Qiu watched his retreating figure, noticing his body growing translucent, almost transparent.

Little Jin shook his head. “Ah, it’s just a projection. After passing on his arts, the last vestige of Xi Men Shuai in this world will fade.”

Hearing this, Bai Qiu did not hesitate. He kowtowed three times to Xi Men Shuai’s back, then shouted, “Master, your disciple will spread the Heavenly Demon Method far and wide, restoring its glory across the twelve provinces!”

Xi Men Shuai waved behind him, returned to his place, and said no more.

Little Jin called out, “Who’s next?”

Shi Qi leaped forward. “I’ll go! Which senior will challenge me?”

As soon as Shi Qi finished, Zhang Tongyuan stepped forward.

Shi Qi saluted, but before he could speak, Zhang Tongyuan said, “Boy, you carry the aura of Bai Li Jian.”

“Huh?!” Shi Qi was shocked. He hadn’t even made a move, yet Zhang Tongyuan already sensed Bai Li Jian’s aura.

Little Jin explained from the side. “Shi Qi, before you stands the sword hero of old. With two divine swords, he bested nearly every swordsman across the twelve provinces, except for one…”

“Hmph!” Zhang Tongyuan cut him off. “He and I walked different paths. He cultivated the sword core and sword infant, his heart full of swords. I mastered sword through man, merging man and sword into one.”

Shi Qi whispered, “That sounds like the other senior was more profound.”

Zhang Tongyuan replied coldly, “Profound, indeed—so profound he became obsessed with swords… Enough, no more of him. Boy, I will strike with a single sword. After that, I concede. Let’s see if you can withstand it.”

Shi Qi beamed. “Senior, do you have any inheritance to pass on?”

Zhang Tongyuan scratched his head. “I wandered the world with two swords and no legacy. Enough talk, let’s begin!”