Chapter 764: The Tables Turned

Qin Sang knew the young man was about to go all out.

He stayed hidden inside the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions, refusing to step out no matter what.

The Devilish Flames of Nine Hells surged out from the array, engulfing the golden ring.

For a time, the golden light was completely covered by the devilish flames. Though they appeared to be merging, the truth was that a fierce contest was raging between them, both forces vying for dominance within a narrow space.

The golden ring possessed the power to restrict astras, yet before the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells, it seemed clumsy and constrained. Each ring phantom it launched was instantly burned away.

Though Qin Sang's cultivation was lower than the young man’s, he had the Poison-Warding Armor and didn’t need to worry about the poisonous mist. He prioritized caution. The young man, however, was forced to split his focus to resist the mist while frantically trying to kill Qin Sang.

The three Yan Luo Banners of Ten Directions, arranged in array, were far superior to ordinary middle-grade astras. As Qin Sang's advantages grew, the more the young man tried to force the issue, the harder it became for him to gain the upper hand.

Boom! Boom!

The Devilish Flames of Nine Hells trembled under the golden ring’s relentless assault, their burning light surging and flickering, yet never faltering.

Qin Sang’s expression was grim. Though he had seized the upper hand by destroying the jade bangle, the difference in their cultivation was still a threat. He could not let down his guard, or he risked being taken down in a final desperate counterattack.

Earlier, while the jade bangle was still intact, the young man had been cautious, holding back to protect it and avoiding a direct clash. Now that it was gone, he had no reservations left.

His eyes burned with murderous fury. Every move struck with full force.

Qin Sang's strength had far exceeded his expectations. For someone merely at the middle stage of the Core Formation Realm, his mastery of the Sword Dao was extraordinary, and the power of his astra was formidable.

With such an astra in play, it would be nearly impossible to defeat Qin Sang in a short time.

Now having witnessed the true might of the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions, the young man grew more ruthless. He did not retreat. Instead, he poured out his true essence without hesitation, pushing the golden ring in a wild and frenzied assault.

His offense came like a raging storm.

Qin Sang concentrated fully on driving his astra. The Two-Headed Hou stood beside him, panting briefly before unleashing more wind blades to ease the pressure on Qin Sang.

Man and beast joined forces, and gradually began to suppress the golden ring.

Just then, an abrupt change occurred.

Green light burst from the ground, spreading like a verdant carpet. Grass and trees grew at an unnatural speed, swarming toward Qin Sang’s location. But these were no ordinary plants. They were countless strands of razor-sharp sword qi!

Swish! Swish!

The Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions was surrounded by surging sword qi. The young man was determined to pierce Qin Sang’s heart with a thousand swords!

Qin Sang tensed. He knew the young man had gone completely all-in. With such reckless attacks, he could no longer afford to focus on resisting the poisonous mist. He wouldn't last long.

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Once the poison invaded his internal organs, not even the immortals could save him.

Qin Sang and the Two-Headed Hou roared at the same time. The Devilish Flames of Nine Hells reversed course and scorched the plants. The Two-Headed Hou did its utmost, shooting out stormy blasts from its vertical pupils to fend off the golden ring alone.

But the young man’s onslaught was too intense. Even together, Qin Sang and the Two-Headed Hou couldn’t hold their ground for long.

Qin Sang knew he couldn’t afford to stand in place and be slaughtered. His advantage lay in his evasion techniques. When layered with the Sword Qi Thunderclap, his speed could even surpass the young man’s.

Seeing that he was no match in direct confrontation, Qin Sang recalled the Two-Headed Hou and began to maneuver, dodging and weaving, stalling for time until the young man could no longer resist the poison’s corrosion.

And the strategy proved effective.

Even the most ferocious wave of attacks failed to bring Qin Sang down. The young man’s complexion was worsening by the second. The poisonous mist had already penetrated his protective true essence. Purplish-red streaks began to spread across his skin, seeping into his meridians, and waves of searing pain swept through his body.

In the end, the young man broke first. He had no choice but to retreat. If he didn’t, he would die from the poison before he ever landed a fatal blow.

The golden ring abruptly froze in mid-air. The illusionary scene surrounding them receded like a tide.

The young man withdrew his astra.

Qin Sang suppressed his evasion light. His breath came in heavy bursts. Sweat drenched his back. But he had made it through.

Something was clearly wrong with the young man. His all-out gamble had failed, and the poison had turned against him.

No doubt, this was the most formidable opponent Qin Sang had ever faced. He was extremely difficult to deal with.

Yet just as Qin Sang was about to catch his breath, he noticed something strange. The withdrawing gray sword, without the slightest warning, suddenly reversed direction and stabbed straight back at him.

It burst into a brilliant green glow, sword qi slicing through the air, its energy sharp enough to split the skies.

"You haven’t expelled the poison. At this point, you're running on fumes. What’s the point of this?"

Qin Sang fixed his gaze on the gray sword, puzzled by this last-ditch strike. Just as the thought surfaced, a deep sense of unease crept in. His expression changed drastically.

A moment later, his Jiao spirit and sword qi burst forth. He threw himself backward in a sudden retreat.

At the same time, he swung his arm and hurled the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells forward with full force.

Boom!

The gray sword plunged into the devilish flames.

Qin Sang’s expression was filled with urgency, as if something truly dangerous had just been unleashed.

In the next moment, a burst of green light exploded from within the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells, shattering the devilish fire completely.

Boom!

A thunderous roar echoed, sending waves rippling through the Purple Mist.

The young man seemed struck by lightning. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face drained of all color, and his aura plummeted into weakness.

Qin Sang was startled. He quickly withdrew the Yan Luo Banners of Ten Directions, but the instant he did, a tremendous shockwave surged toward him. He was struck hard, sent flying backward, and staggered to a stop upon landing, barely managing to stay upright.

Without pause, he summoned the Yan Luo Banners of Ten Directions again and inspected it carefully. Only after confirming it was undamaged did he finally let out a long breath of relief.

That explosion just now had been the result of the young man decisively self-destructing his life-bound spiritual sword.

Had Qin Sang not been on high alert, and if his evasion technique hadn’t been exceptional, he might have escaped with his life, but one or two banners could have been destroyed. Without the full set, the array would have collapsed.

It was clear the young man hadn’t yet reached total desperation. If he had tried to escape from the Purple Mist End, there might still have been a chance.

Even so, Qin Sang hadn’t expected him to go so far as to destroy his own life-bound spiritual sword at this stage.

A life-bound astra was connected directly to a cultivator’s mind and spirit. When it self-destructed, the cultivator would suffer a backlash. Those with special cultivation arts might even face a realm drop.

Once destroyed, a life-bound astra couldn’t simply be replaced. While spiritual materials could be gathered again, what truly mattered was the prolonged nourishment process. Refining a new one would cost the cultivator countless hours of painstaking effort.

The young man swallowed a pill, his aura stabilizing slightly, and looked at Qin Sang with anticipation.

When he saw that Qin Sang was merely injured, disappointment flashed in his eyes. But a moment later, he brightened, because the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells had been completely scattered by the explosion of the gray sword.

That had been his true target.

His gaze had been sharp enough to see that the key to the Yan Luo Banners of Ten Directions lay in the devilish flames. Without the devilish flames, Qin Sang would lose his only tool capable of contending with him.

Unfortunately, Qin Sang had reacted too quickly and retreated too swiftly. The explosion had failed to destroy the astra.

Qin Sang also took a pill to suppress his injuries. He sneered coldly, then pointed a finger at the Yan Luo Banners of Ten Directions. Black flames surged, and another wave of Devilish Flames of Nine Hells emerged.

Within the banners was sealed the origin of the devilish flames. As long as the banners remained intact, the Devilish Flames of Nine Hells would never cease, no matter how many times the young man destroyed them.

Seeing this, the young man’s eyes dimmed. He realized that he had failed to seize his only chance. A counterattack was no longer possible, and the thought of retreat rose in his heart.

He made a decisive choice, retracted the golden ring, and retreated at once.

But after such a hard-fought victory, how could Qin Sang let him go? Without hesitation, he gave chase.