Chapter 124: Surviving the Aftermath

Xu Xuanfei soared into midair, assuming the form of a dragon, his entire body enveloped in a fierce crimson glow. Dominating the sky, he concentrated all his primordial energy and a drop of his essence blood, channeling the burning power of the Study Pavilion to its utmost limit. From his mouth, he expelled a trembling, unstable orb of red flame, a destructive, searing aura that surged downward like a spreading tide, causing nearby beings to tremble with unease.

This was the secret technique Xu Xuan had once comprehended after mastering the tenth transformation—Dragon’s Wrath Breath.

From the moment he appeared, he unleashed his trump card without reservation. Facing a Spirit Refining Realm martial cultivator, conventional methods were futile.

Now, the Dragon’s Wrath Breath had changed significantly since its first use.

Firstly, its power had greatly increased, imbued with the spiritual might of "Momentum," allowing the attack to lock onto the enemy immediately upon release.

Thus, as Xu Xuan expelled that destructive flame, the yellow-faced martial artist’s body stiffened momentarily. Yet, due to the vast difference in their realms, Xu Xuan found it extremely difficult to lock onto him completely.

Secondly, in terms of energy output, Xu Xuan wielded full control over the technique this time, compressing and restraining the otherwise overwhelming aura of the Dragon’s Wrath Breath. This not only enhanced its power but also prevented alerting bystanders.

“What a terrifying aura… What kind of forbidden martial art is this?”

The yellow-faced warrior broke out in cold sweat. That destructive, blazing aura, like thunder and fire, pierced directly into his spirit.

Even a powerful Spirit Refining Realm martial cultivator dared not face this attack head-on.

He instinctively prepared to evade, but at that moment, in front of him, Nie Han’s eyes burst forth with a fearsome sword-shaped divine light. With a cold shout, the cold starlight flickering upon his ancient sword blossomed into a magnificent sword light like a starry river—only to vanish instantly within the blade.

Vanished!

Accompanied by countless sword chimes and an icy, bone-piercing aura.

“No good!”

The yellow-faced martial artist’s body shook violently, nearly losing his footing, his face paling.

The instant Nie Han unleashed that unfathomable strike, the yellow-faced warrior’s spirit trembled. He felt a dazzling, icy starlit point coalesce into a cold star river that cleaved heaven and earth, transforming the sword intent into a majestic momentum like a galaxy. One could scarcely imagine the immense power and profound essence contained in Nie Han’s strike.

Though Nie Han’s current cultivation and sword intent strength meant his simulated sword attack was but a mere semblance before true masters, at the third stage of Transcendence, it was astonishing.

Even the yellow-faced warrior’s heart was slashed, his body stiffening momentarily.

Under normal circumstances, this blow would not have been fatal.

However, the truly destructive attack came from Xu Xuan, who had leapt to the rear midair.

With a muffled sound—

Gathering seventy percent of his primordial energy, utilizing the essence, spirit, and even sacrificing blood of the Study Pavilion Flame, Xu Xuan’s crimson flame orb carried a trace of forbidden aura as it fiercely struck the yellow-faced warrior.

The warrior had just recovered and barely managed to activate forty to fifty percent of his true power defense when his spirit and body trembled simultaneously. The fiery, destructive aura exploded instantly.

Boom!

The nearby ground shook violently, a wave of scorching destructive energy sweeping a radius of over a dozen yards.

Fear erupted within the yellow-faced warrior’s heart, but before he could scream, he was directly reduced to ashes.

Where the Dragon’s Wrath Breath struck, it left a gaping pit of four to five yards in diameter, radiating a fiery aura that sent chills through the soul.

Nie Han, who had just delivered the strongest sword intent strike, was equally startled. The violent heatwave knocked him several yards back, his eyes filled with suspicion and uncertainty as he gazed at Xu Xuan descending from the sky.

Xu Xuan’s breath was rapid, his face pale. Even with the improvements to Dragon’s Wrath Breath, compressing the attack’s range and consuming only seventy percent of the Study Pavilion Flame’s primordial energy, this strike nearly exhausted him.

“Tsk, tsk, the power of your move is truly unexpected. Any Immortal cultivator below the fourth spirit refinement stage could hardly withstand it head-on.”

The remnant soul from his past life remarked with faint admiration.

In this lifetime, Xu Xuan’s constitution leaned toward fire affinity, and his mastery of ancient body cultivation bestowed immense destructive power.

“The power is great, but without Nie Han’s cooperation, locking onto the target is difficult. Also, this move can only be used once every three days and consumes a great deal of energy.”

Xu Xuan felt both joy and worry.

The Dragon’s Wrath Breath was nearly a forbidden secret art for body cultivators, its destructive power terrifying but at great cost.

If one could master it perfectly, no one below the Spirit Refining Realm could survive its strike.

“Let’s go!”

The moment they landed, Xu Xuan leapt forward, pulling Nie Han along as they fled down the mountain.

Rustle, rustle!

Supporting each other, they swallowed several pills to restore their energy, leaving Star Feather Mountain behind and heading toward the wilderness.

Moments after their departure, an elderly Spirit Refining Realm immortal cultivator arrived with several disciples.

“Oh my! What battle occurred here?”

Several Eastern Clan descendants, including the elder immortal, stared at the massive scorched pit still radiating heat. Trees and stones within a twenty-yard radius were charred black.

“Such incredible destruction… The attacker must be at least Spirit Refining Sixth Stage. Even if we pursue, we stand no chance.”

The elderly immortal’s face showed shock as he instructed a nearby disciple, “Send for reinforcements immediately!”

The group, fearful, dared not chase too quickly.

Boom, boom…

At that moment, earth-shaking explosions echoed from high above Star Feather Mountain. The two Condensation Core-level combatants’ battle was nearing its end.

“You old wretch, your lamp is nearly out. How much longer can you hold on?”

A slender, strange man in silver robes emitted a sharp, eerie voice, slicing through the night sky.

Elsewhere, Xu Xuan and Nie Han fled from Star Feather Mountain into the desolate wilderness.

At this moment, the killing energy from Star Feather Mountain gradually faded; the colorful magical lights dimmed.

At the horizon, dawn crept in, faintly tinged with a pale red glow.

Xu Xuan and Nie Han halted suddenly, their hearts jolted by a tremendous roar from above Star Feather Mountain.

In the distance, a pale blue-white light circle bloomed like petals, sweeping across twenty miles. At its core, an explosion leveled the land within a mile, leaving destruction and death in its wake. Winds and waves surged over twenty miles.

“There’s good news and bad news.”

The voice of the remnant soul from the past life came casually.

“Condensation Core realm… has fallen.”

Xu Xuan’s voice was hoarse as he forced out the words, already suspecting the bad news.

It was easy to imagine that the Star Feather Patriarch hiding on Star Feather Mountain had perished in this small-scale war within the cultivation world.

The fall of this Condensation Core ancestor marked the end of the once-flourishing Star Feather Sect centuries ago. The remaining two factions of Star Feather Mountain were doomed; a resurgence was impossible in the near future.

“The good news is, when a Condensation Core cultivator self-destructs, even peers of the same level find it difficult to emerge unscathed. Another Condensation Core enemy is too preoccupied to interfere. You’re basically out of danger.”

The remnant soul spoke leisurely.

“I never expected that a single mistake by Senior Brother Jiang, the traitor, would lead to the Star Feather Sect’s annihilation.”

Xu Xuan turned away, sighing bitterly.

After all, the conflicts among major cultivation factions were essentially struggles for resources and power.

A secret realm with potential to restore stability was a double-edged sword for small sects—it could revitalize them or spell their doom. Moreover, Senior Brother Jiang had taken a Condensation Core expert’s storage pouch from the secret realm and handed it to the Eastern Clan.

Since leaving Yellow Dragon City, Xu Xuan had suspected this to some extent. The Eastern Overlord had attempted to kill him at first meeting; failing that, they sent assassins after him while simultaneously attacking Star Feather Mountain.

The Eastern Clan’s destruction of Star Feather Mountain had nothing to do with Xu Xuan, yet in fate’s design, he hastened this disaster’s arrival.

“I didn’t expect the two of us to escape from such a desperate situation.”

Nie Han took a deep breath, feeling a profound sense of survival after calamity.

“Heh, it seems heaven intends to destroy the Eastern Clan.”

Xu Xuan smiled lightly.

With the potential and destiny of both himself and Nie Han, even if only one escaped, years later the Eastern Clan would face misfortune. Now that both had escaped, their confidence in revenge soared.

“Today, we survived disaster. Let’s make a pact—within twenty years, whoever destroys the Eastern Clan first, or if we both come back to slaughter them together...”

Nie Han’s eyes blazed with fierce confidence and fighting spirit.

“Whoever destroys the Eastern Clan first?”

“All right, consider it a wager.”

Xu Xuan laughed heartily, brimming with confidence. “I will never lose to you.”

Both were full of determination.

Since it was a wager, naturally, there had to be stakes.

As they fled, they quickly agreed on the terms. What exactly they wagered was known only to them.

Though still on the run, they began betting on who would first wipe out the Eastern Clan. If the clan’s leaders learned this, who knew what they would think?

After a short distance, a familiar group appeared ahead: Le Feng, Yu Qin, Yang Xiaoqian, and others from the Sword Sect, including two disciples, Bai Pan and Zhong Hong.

“Thank goodness! You both made it out alive!”

The surviving disciples from both factions rejoiced.

“Senior Brother Xu!”

Yu Qin’s eyes were swollen and red, shining with tears of joy upon seeing Xu Xuan.

Amid the surprise, some wondered how Xu Xuan and Nie Han had escaped the Eastern Clan’s pursuit in such a desperate situation.

“How did you escape the Eastern Clan’s martial cultivators?”

Zhong Hong’s eyes showed disbelief, especially seeing Xu Xuan alive; he felt somewhat disappointed.

“Escape?” Nie Han sneered coldly, “If we hadn’t fought to the death, do you think we could have escaped the Spirit Refining Realm cultists?”

The crowd gasped.

With their Qi Refinement Stage five cultivation, their speed was no match for Spirit Refining immortals. Escape was impossible.

“Could it be... that you actually slew the Spirit Refining Realm cultivator?”

Le Feng’s eyes widened in shock.

In such dire straits, time was life. The only way to survive was to kill the enemy, even if it meant annihilating them quickly.

Nie Han and Xu Xuan remained silent, exchanging a knowing smile.

Two Qi Refinement Stage five practitioners working together to slay a Spirit Refining Realm cultivator—such a feat was unheard of in the Yellow Dragon City region.

(End.)