Ji Lie truly found it laughable.
What a joke! An Azure-token Inspector Heavenly Ambassador dared to make the claim in front of him that he didn't have the right to be presumptuous?
"Brother Qin Yun, what are you doing?" Hong Lingtong was left a little flabbergasted. He hurriedly sent a voice transmission. "That is Ji Lie. Even the Connate Golden Core realm sword immortal, Deacon Yuan was not his match! You want to resist him?"
"Deacon Yuan was no match because Ji Lie and Bai Junyue were joining forces. But in the end, didn't Deacon Yuan still escape?" said Qin Yun through a voice transmission.
"But you aren't Deacon Yuan! Deacon Yuan is still a Connate Golden Core realm sword immortal after all. Brother Qin Yun, you are being too rash." Hong Lingtong found it inexplicable. Why was he clashing with the strongest Ji Lie? Didn't he see that the Bai family, the Zhu family, and the rest were maintaining their silence?
Standing by the side, Bai Junyue and Bai Junyu were also somewhat astonished.
"Interesting." Bai Junyue watched the scene unfold before her indifferently.
"Sister, is that what's called love? Love makes one go blind?" Bai Junyu asked with a voice transmission.
"Watch." Bai Junyue looked at how Qin Yun was protecting Yi Xiao while standing in front of her. This could not help but stir up memories of her past. The coldness in her face also seemed to melt slightly.
Zhu Feng and Eighth Zhu stared with widened eyes as the situation unfolded.
Fang Yu held his breath as he dodged to the side. He was afraid of being implicated. He was the weakest person present and had no backing. All he wished was to scavenge the benefits, afraid of involving himself in any of the conflicts.
Sixteenth Prince was standing aside. He had an ugly expression after being rebuked. At that moment, he was shooting a glance at Qin Yun, who was protecting Yi Xiao behind him, and thinking to himself, "Fool. I haven't even dealt with you, but you have volunteered to send yourself to your death. Are you trying to contend for her favor by standing up for Yi Xiao at this moment? If you don't have the strength to resist, don't you go blaming others when you lose your life."
All the parties present were astonished at Qin Yun's actions. They believed that he was overestimating his strength and that it was a pointless endeavor.
After all, the difference was truly huge.
"Hahaha…" At that moment, Ji Lie was still guffawing to the point of tears brimming in his eyes.
"Interesting, truly interesting. A junior at the Connate False Core realm dares to be this arrogant after having a lucky chance of becoming an Azure-token Inspector Heavenly Ambassador. As expected of an itinerant cultivator, you really do not know a thing." Ji Lie looked at Qin Yun. "Kid, do you know that many Purple-token Inspector Heavenly Ambassadors are not my match. That Deacon Yuan is also a Purple-token Inspector Heavenly Ambassador. If not for him escaping quickly, I could have smacked him to death!"
"Deacon Yuan is a sword immortal and can engage in Sword Kinesis Flight. He naturally can escape quickly," said Qin Yun. "This is the advantage of the sword immortal lineage after all."
"He is a Connate Golden Core realm sword immortal, while you are only at the Connate False Core realm. Do you think you can escape from me?" Ji Lie's expression gradually sank. He smiled hideously as he said, "Alright, since you want to be a hero in front of a woman and have a death wish, I'll grant you your wish! Die!"
With that, he decisively showed no mercy. He struck out with his palm as his arm expanded to several hundred feet. His hill-sized palm began to blanket the area as his eyes were filled with coldness.
He had previously agreed to the Sixteenth Prince's request of finding an opportunity to have Qin Yun killed.
Killing Qin Yun was a trivial matter, so even though Sixteenth Prince had rebutted him, he was still planning on fulfilling his promise.
However, in his original plan, he wanted to use the immortal abode's array formations as they searched for the transcendent-grade Dharma treasure and Numinous treasure. In a dangerous situation, he could secretly give Qin Yun a nudge that would send him to his death. Others would not know of it and it would be done cleanly. Wasn't that better? However, with Qin Yun challenging him defiantly as though he was courting death, Ji Lie had no qualms about giving him the killing blow.
After all, he was only a mere itinerant cultivator. There were no repercussions from killing him at all.
"Go!"
A sharp glint flashed in Qin Yun's eyes as he released his Intrinsic Flying Sword. At the same time, he sent the cloud that Yi Xiao, Yi Fenggu, and Hong Lingtong were standing on backward. He opened up a gap between them while protecting them.
"Boom!" Thundering sounds rumbled as the flying sword flew out like a bolt of lightning or a tidal wave. It was ferocious in might and even the flying sword's body turned into a blur. It directly and powerfully clashed with the massive palm.
Half a year had passed since he had slain the three demon monarchs of Evil Dragon Mountain. Qin Yun's sword intent domain had already increased its range to eighty feet. From one angle, this reflected Qin Yun's insights into the Heavenly Dao. Even the Misty Rain Sword Art had turned more complete and its strength had improved. The move that improved the most was Lightning Tide. This strike was extremely domineering!
At the moment the flying sword clashed with the palm—
Boom!
Visible concentric shockwaves blasted outward. Even the cloud beneath the feet of those watching from afar vibrated vigorously.
Ji Lie could sense that the palm he struck out received waves that inundated his palm, penetrating it when it clashed with the flying sword. Each wave was stronger than the other, as though they contained the might of the Heaven and Earth! It caused his strike's might to drastically reduce.
"How is his flying sword art so powerful?" Ji Lie was alarmed. "He is only a mere Connate False Core realm sword immortal. Why is his flying sword's might not inferior to Deacon Yuan's?"
However, he was unaware.
Half a year ago, Qin Yun's flying sword art was enough to match a Connate Golden Core realm sword immortal. If not for Deacon Yuan having the first-grade flying sword, White Ape, he was probably weaker than Qin Yun.
"Impressive."
"He's only slightly at the disadvantage?"
"Ji Lie probably will not be able to take down Qin Yun with only one hand."
Watching from the side, Eighth Zhu, Zhu Feng, and company were rather astonished.
Hong Lingtong was astounded, "I only sensed that Qin Yun is very strong but I never expected him to be this strong. But Ji Lie had only used one palm because he was overly confident. If he were to turn serious, Qin Yun would be in trouble." Hong Lingtong remained worried.
Yi Xiao secretly heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the situation. She had a little confidence for she knew that Qin Yun's strongest sword move was Bright Moon Over River.
"Take another one of my strikes!" Ji Lie bellowed. This time, he did not dare to go easy. He struck out with both his hands, with arms expanding to what seemed like two towering pillars! The two gargantuan palms enveloped the area.
"Kill!"
As Qin Yun watched the two massive palms hurling at him, his mind stirred. The misty rainlike flying sword suffused a redness and turned extremely harsh. The air seemed to smell of blood as combat roars sounded. Shoo! Shoo! The blood-colored sword beam flashed in a distorted fashion in midair as it directly struck the two gigantic palms only to be sent tumbling away eventually.
It was like a brave warrior in the battlefield that charged forward fiercely, only to be eventually sent retreating helplessly.
Misty Rain Sword Art's Blood Runs Cold!
"The difference is still too great," thought Qin Yun. "Once this Ji Lie turns serious, my ordinary flying sword arts pose no threat to him."
"For an itinerant cultivator to have such strength, you are truly talented. Unfortunately!" Ji Lie's eyes suffused coldness as his hands showed no mercy. Two of his massive palms continued smacking forward.
"Please receive another one of my attacks," said Qin Yun loudly.
Following that, a flying sword streaked across the sky. It was too fast, so fast that it transformed into a dazzling beam of light. Even the spectators could feel that the sword resembled a bright moon that rose after splitting a river apart.
A bright moon rose above the river.
The strike was as beautiful as a dream.
This was no longer a technique to kill but a piece of art, a poem. It left people involuntarily attracted to it and be intoxicated by it.
A sword beam began to rise like a bright moon as it instantly appeared in front of Ji Lie.
"That's fast." Ji Lie could not help but panic as he used all his strength to strike forward with his palms. Boom!
The flying sword was blocked!
Shoo!
However, the flying sword continued its barrage. It formed a moon-like sword beam, attacking time and time again. Ji Lie frantically brandished his palms, blocking in every direction. Thankfully, his palms were large enough. But even so, he had to use all his strength to ensure an impenetrable defense so as to prevent Qin Yun's flying sword from coming within thirty feet from him.
The reason why he maintained a thirty feet radius was to protect Sixteenth Prince,
"It's too fast. His flying sword is too fast. How is it so fast?" Ji Lie did not even dare to increase the size of his arms any further. If it became too long, the region he needed to defend against increased. He lacked the confidence of having a successful defense.
It was too fast.
It was even too beautiful, so beautiful that it touched one's soul.
"This… This…"
"Ji Lie is only defending?"
"He has been forced to defend?"
Everyone was stunned agape.
Bai Junyu could not help but say, "Sister, why do I feel that Qin Yun's flying sword is stronger than Deacon Yuan's flying sword?"
"You aren't wrong. Qin Yun's flying sword is faster. Ignoring the previous flying sword moves, this attack is truly beautiful." Bai Junyue nodded. "In terms of state, this flying sword strike of Qin Yun's is on a higher level than Deacon Yuan's flying sword. However, his Quintessential Essence Dharmic powers are weaker; if not, this attack would be a lot more terrifying."
"That powerful?" Bai Junyu was taken aback.
Bai Junyue nodded. "Even I find this sword art so beautiful that it seems otherworldly. I believe that not only has Qin Yun reached the realm of intent domain, he has also perfectly fused his strong emotions and sword intent insight. Under certain opportunities, he managed to create such a perfect sword art."
Just like when an artist's skill reached an extremely high level, the art they produced would be of a rather high level when they put their mind to it. But works that were truly at the pinnacle numbered one or two in one's life. The creation of such works depended on unique circumstances, special opportunities, state of mind, and the right feelings.
There were also legendary cultivators that might create many attacks but the truly powerful and legendary attacks were just one or two.
Bright Moon Over River was one of those moves.
"Qin Yun."
Yi Xiao looked at Qin Yun who was in front of her. He had used his sword art, Bright Moon Over River, standing up for her, and as a results, forced Ji Lie to only be capable of defense.
At that moment, Yi Xiao felt sweet joy in her heart.
She also knew the origins of the sword move.
"Great!" Ji Lie laughed as a result of his extreme anger. "What an impressive Qin Yun for you to create such a flying sword art. I have underestimated you. However, do you think this flying sword can do anything to me?"
Ji Lie suddenly unleashed a barrage of attacks with both his palms.
He completely ignored Qin Yun's flying sword and allowed it to strike at him.
He cultivated in the Godfiend lineage and at his physical cultivation's level, he could withstand the flying sword. He wanted to deal with Qin Yun even at the cost of injury. As long as he ignored the flying sword, he was confident that his body could withstand the flying sword. As for the Sixteenth Prince? Who was to protect him?
"Hongyi, His Majesty bestowed you with life-preservation items. Hold on for a while. You just need to do so for about five seconds," said Ji Lie with a voice transmission.
The color in Sixteenth Prince's face drained. "What, Elder Lie, are you abandoning me?"