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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Sixty-Six: The Clouds Unfold
"I'm really sorry to interrupt your musings, Sima. I can barely hold on any longer. Could you speed things up a bit?"
Lin Feng coughed between his words, seemingly from excruciating pain, yet also appearing somewhat embarrassed for interrupting Sima Shangshan's moment.
He had no idea how much blood he had coughed up; the cracks on the Xuanjia were weaving into a spiderweb. He didn't know how much longer he could endure. If he had known, he wouldn't have disrupted Sima Shangshan's thoughts.
The bond between men is often so carefree.
"I'm done for."
After speaking, Sima Shangshan put away his handkerchief. Clearly, his reflections had only just begun, but they abruptly halted at a moment of necessity.
The bond between men is often so carefree.
Dressed in a white robe, Sima Shangshan appeared exceptionally handsome under the moonlight. The Cloud-Swallowing Sword was also white, its blade thin and soft like a wisp of cloud. All of Sima Shangshan's Vital Energy surged outward, and behind him, the sound of rushing water echoed.
Beneath the moonlight, a stream emerged. The water was condensed from Vital Energy. Then, wisps of cloud rose from the stream, ultimately forming five clouds. They were gentle and ethereal.
"Flowing Cloud Sect, Manifestation of Divine Powers, The Clouds Rise from the Stream as the Sun Sets Over the Pavilion."
At the back of the Demon Clan Armored Soldiers' ranks stood a young man in black robes. He wore a hat that obscured his face, making it impossible to discern his age.
His name was Tu, ranked eighth among the Seventy-Two Demonic Followers. Thus, he also went by the name Mo Eight. It was he who spoke.
As the phenomenon unfolded, a terrifying aura radiated outward. No one dared to approach within two yards of Sima Shangshan.
Tu promptly commanded all Armored Soldiers to cease their attacks and retreat. Those who failed to withdraw in time were instantly reduced to ashes by Sima Shangshan's Manifestation of Divine Powers.
Lin Feng had no choice but to keep his distance from Sima Shangshan, feeling a twinge of envy. He did not understand what an anomaly was; no one had taught him. Yet, he could sense Sima Shangshan's Vital Energy burning rapidly.
If the Manifestation of Divine Powers involved consuming a person's Vital Energy, Primordial Spirit, soul, and everything else that constituted their being, then it was clear that Sima Shangshan could not hold on much longer. The only possible outcome was death.
He could not eliminate everyone in an instant; after all, Tu was not to be underestimated. Lin Feng finally understood why Sima Shangshan had expressed such deep emotion earlier—this was a farewell speech, and Lin Feng regretted interrupting him even more.
Under Tu's command, the Demon Clan Armored Soldiers formed a conical shape, with the tip aimed at Sima Shangshan. Tu stood at the back of the formation.
Sima Shangshan remained still, yet he exuded an otherworldly aura, like an immortal. He gently waved the Cloud-Swallowing Sword, and a beautiful cloud floated behind him, drifting toward the Demon Clan Armored Soldiers.
The Armored Soldiers turned pale with fear; they abandoned any thought of attacking and huddled closely together to form a Xuanjia wall.
The cloud appeared soft and graceful. However, upon touching the wall of Armored Soldiers, it erupted with a Thunderous Roar. The sound was deafening, as if it were about to shatter everything. Then dozens of Armored Soldiers were reduced to a puddle of blood.
Sima Shangshan's expression remained cold and detached as he lightly swung his sword again. The second cloud floated gently toward the wall of Demon Clan Armored Soldiers.
The Armored Soldiers were terrified beyond measure, yet none attempted to flee. They knew they were afraid and that death awaited them, yet they stood tightly together.
Lin Feng had no time to concern himself with this breathtaking yet terrifying battle. Seizing the moment, he sat cross-legged and focused on breaking through.
To others, it seemed as though he was recovering his cultivation, nurturing his severely injured body.
Thunderous Roar...
The second cloud exploded again, claiming the lives of several more Armored Soldiers. Blood stained the white snow, creating a hauntingly beautiful scene under the moonlight.
Sima Shangshan swung his sword once more; the third cloud shot forth. Only two clouds remained behind him.
Tu revealed a bloodthirsty expression as he unhesitatingly activated the Demonic Blood within him. His body grew wildly, tearing through his clothes and even breaking the Xuanjia armor.
Then, an illusion of an Ancient Beast appeared behind Tu.
The beast resembled a monkey, with a white head and red feet, its face fierce and towering over ten feet tall. It was the manifestation of the ferocious beast Zhu Yan. Zhu Yan roared, its voice echoing through the skies, instilling deep fear in both of their hearts.
As four clouds exploded, all the Demon Clan Armored Soldiers perished without a single survivor. Behind Sima Shangshan, only the last cloud remained.
Tu looked at Sima Shangshan with a chilling smile and said, "Flowing Cloud Sect's Sima Shangshan, ranked fifth on the monument. Is that all? You will die by my hand today."
"Using countless subordinates' lives to exhaust my Yuan Yun, the methods of the Demon Clan are indeed as notorious as they say," Sima Shangshan replied coldly.
"To the victor go the spoils; once things have come to this point, who will care about the process?"
Sima Shangshan swung his sword, unleashing the last cloud. As he did so, the phenomenon behind him dimmed significantly, and his aura weakened. His complexion turned pale, whiter than moonlight.
"Lin Brother, hurry and leave," Sima Shangshan urged.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng was deeply engrossed in meditation, having reached a state of forgetfulness in his Foundation.
Not far away, Hu Bing watched the unprecedented battle in shock, witnessing the unique Manifestation of Divine Powers belonging to Fate Realization. After a moment of stunned silence, he came to his senses and asked, "Commander Chang, should we strike now?"
Chang Long wore a serious expression as he replied, "If we had a hundred men, we could still engage and wear down some Cultists' cultivation. But with just fifty men going up there, it would have no effect."
"What should we do then?"
"We wait for Lord Lin's instructions; all we can do is trust in Lord Lin."
The last cloud surged toward Tu, just as it was about to strike. Zhu Yan leaped from behind Tu, landing before him like a mountain, causing the ground to tremble violently.
The cloud crashed against Zhu Yan's massive leg, accompanied by a thunderous explosion. Zhu Yan let out a pained howl, and the brilliance of his phantom dimmed slightly.
"Five clouds exhausted, at the end of their strength; you can die now."
With that command, Tu and Zhu Yan sprang into action, rushing toward Sima Shangshan. Zhu Yan's body, weighing an unknown amount, thudded against the ground with each step, producing a series of thunderous roars.
Before Zhu Yan's illusion, Sima Shangshan appeared as fragile as a finger.
In no time, Zhu Yan reached Sima Shangshan and opened his gaping maw, ready to swallow him whole.
Seeing that his energy was nearly depleted, Sima Shangshan suddenly leaped backward and spat out a mouthful of Essence Blood, narrowly avoiding Zhu Yan's strike. The Essence Blood sprayed into the air, transforming into a setting sun.
The sunset emitted a faint red glow; it had just risen but was already beginning to sink.
"The Clouds Rise from the Stream as the Sun Sets Over the Pavilion. You actually know my Flowing Cloud Sect's Manifestation of Divine Powers; you should understand that this Divine Ability is most powerful above the Sunset Pavilion."
As the sun gradually descended, a wave of destructive power spread forth. Sima Shangshan's face turned ashen, weakened to the brink of collapse.
"Essence Blood transforming into the setting sun; you truly are reckless. Then I shall grant your wish."
Tu revealed a fierce expression and then dove into Zhu Yan's illusionary body. The dimming Zhu Yan suddenly blazed with light again. Enduring the destructive force emanating from the sunset, Zhu Yan swung his massive fists repeatedly at the sun.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
It sounded like soldiers beating a war drum. The noise was astonishingly loud. Nearby, the Hengdao Camp Armored Soldiers quickly activated their cultivation defenses but still found it hard to withstand and had to retreat swiftly.
Zhu Yan's fist, as large as a human, struck the setting sun, hastening its descent. Meanwhile, Zhu Yan's own radiance gradually dimmed.
This assault continued for half a stick of incense, until the sun finally sank below the horizon. Sima Shangshan let out a deep sigh, feeling utterly exhausted. With the last trace of a cruel smile, Sima Shangshan collapsed straight down.
"Killing Sima Shangshan, I wonder if my rank on the monument will improve a bit."
Tu also sighed. Facing Sima Shangshan's final fusion of Essence Blood and Manifestation of Divine Powers with the setting sun was incredibly taxing for him. After all, his cultivation was weaker than that of a Foundation stage practitioner, even though he had activated Demonic Blood Power.
Zhu Yan lifted his foot, preparing to crush Sima Shangshan like an ant.
At that moment, an unexpected change occurred. The remnants of the setting sun that had sunk into the snow did not completely dissipate; instead, they exploded like clouds. A large pit appeared in the ground, and countless snowflakes danced in the air, obscuring visibility.
In that instant, Shujian pierced through the void, aiming directly at Zhu Yan's brow.
This was Sima Shangshan's carefully arranged killing move. As for whether this move would be effective, he had already lost consciousness and could not know.
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