Chapter 1199: Time to Settle the Score

Chapter 1199: Time to Settle the Score

The old grudges of the past are finally due for some cleaning.

To be fair, there was only resentment, not gratitude.

Back then, I was sent by him to be the scapegoat; now it’s time to collect his head after making the Xuanyun Sect a chaotic mess.

This may seem like his territory, but Lin Nuo was well-prepared.

After all, he had lived a life before, so he had more than just a little preparation.

Zhang Yuanxu’s forbidden technique could create a battleground shrouded in dark mist, and in here, his strength would be reinforced, but he’d also have to pay the price for that power.

It would result in unimaginable suffering and innocent casualties; everything caught in the dark mist would be doomed.

Moreover, it would drive one’s consciousness into madness, leading to endless slaughter.

Simply put, it’s a slippery slope to madness—easy to get carried away and see red.

That’s why the various sects that preach righteousness prohibit practicing it; becoming mad is far worse than becoming a demon.

Zhang Yuanxu also prattles on about righteousness as a cultivator, having once heeded the earnest teachings of his seniors.

But now, well, those seniors are all retired, he’s the master, and he’s tossed those rules out the window, seeking power at any cost, even if it meant going astray.

He always thought he was on the right path; those stubborn, decaying cultivators had failed to bring peace to the world for so many years and had instead repeatedly been suppressed by the demonic side. Thus, he mustn’t tread the old paths; innovation is essential.

If it sounds nice, it’s innovation; if it sounds harsh, it’s a decision against his ancestors.

He wants to become the ruler of this world, but no matter what he turns into, he’s now in charge of the Xuanyun Sect, and approaching the throne of the world is no longer far off.

To eliminate someone like Lin Nuo, who touches the demonic path, he must not follow ordinary routes.

Zhang Yuanxu’s body bore signs of purpleness, even showing some bulging veins—completely contrary to the image of a cultivator.

“Ha, as a senior, I shall give you some guidance.”

Zhang Yuanxu smirked coldly, raised his hand slightly, and in an instant, a blood-red ghostly hand emerged from the ground, aiming to catch Lin Nuo.

Lin Nuo reacted quickly, leaping up as the blood hand locked onto him like it had a tracking mechanism, chasing him relentlessly.

Lin Nuo’s Spirit Sword split apart into multiple Spirit Swords, binding the blood hand, preventing its advance.

“Ha, you can bind one; can you bind a second?”

Zhang Yuanxu scoffed; this was his domain, and he could summon as many blood hands as he wanted.

Soon, another blood hand emerged beside Lin Nuo, palm wide open, aiming to crush him.

As expected, it got bound by Lin Nuo’s swords as well.

Lin Nuo could control multiple swords; as long as a blood hand approached, he could bind it, immobilizing it.

Zhang Yuanxu found Lin Nuo too naive. He could summon those blood hands infinitely; could Lin Nuo continuously use multiple sword intents to bind them?

Eventually, he’d exhaust him; Lin Nuo’s death was merely a matter of time.

That works too; draining him looked good—Lin Nuo had drunk from the fountain tainted by the Demon Star, his cultivation was high; if he could seize that power, it would be an added bonus for him.

So, Zhang Yuanxu didn’t rush into a head-on clash; Lin Nuo didn’t advance either, both repeatedly playing cat-and-mouse with the blood hands.

Before long, the battlefield was filled with blood hands and swords; they avoided a direct fight, like a master training a disciple, with Zhang Yuanxu serving as the sparring partner.

But Zhang Yuanxu knew he was wearing down Lin Nuo’s spiritual energy; the longer Lin Nuo stayed in this place, the worse it would become for him—he’d soon be drained dry.

Why go for aggression if one could play it safe? That was Zhang Yuanxu’s steady approach.

The number of swords piled up more and more, and Zhang Yuanxu could clearly sense Lin Nuo starting to weaken. A bit more time, and he would unleash a fierce assault, causing Lin Nuo to collapse quickly.

Hehe, boy, you think playing it safe will help? You’re mistaken; this is not your territory.

Seeing the blood hands piling up, ready to drain Lin Nuo significantly, Zhang Yuanxu took a deep breath, preparing to unleash a big move.

Lin Nuo had to control so many swords, meaning his focus was spread thin. If he delivered a multiple assault now, he would naturally be overwhelmed.

Die, boy!

Zhang Yuanxu prepared to make a bold move, when suddenly, black whirlwinds swirled around, aiming to bombard Lin Nuo violently.

However, just then, Lin Nuo had completed his trap.

Zhang Yuanxu thought he was consuming Lin Nuo with his blood hands, but while he was indeed binding those hands with multiple Spirit Swords, he had unwittingly accumulated a wave of swords—exactly the moment Lin Nuo awaited to strike.

All swords, break apart!

In an instant, all the Spirit Swords binding the blood hands shattered into fragments, floating in the air as the blood hands broke free. Zhang Yuanxu, focused on delivering a ferocious strike, had left no safety net as the blood hands, like wild beasts, charged back at him recklessly.

Boom!

The ground shook violently from the fierce impact of the blood hands; the scene was chaotic, and Zhang Yuanxu’s impact cannon hit his own blood hands, causing an uproar.

Amid the rolling smoke, Lin Nuo vanished from sight for a moment.

What is that kid planning?

But even if he had some scheme, it would be hard to pull off here. His swords were already overwhelmed by the pressure and had shattered.

There was no escaping; the black mist wasn’t something one could flee from in an instant. Misjudging the timing to escape would lead to a quicker demise.

“Hm? I thought you were scared and running away.”

Zhang Yuanxu sensed Lin Nuo was behind him; he immediately turned around, yet amidst the recent chaos, the shards of Lin Nuo’s swords had floated near him, and Zhang Yuanxu hadn’t realized the severity of the situation.

“No, I’m afraid you’ll escape. You didn’t run just now; now you have to run.”

Lin Nuo smirked coldly, and all the fragments transformed into sharp swords, surrounding Zhang Yuanxu and swiftly piercing toward him.

The speed of the assault was staggering; Zhang Yuanxu didn’t even have time to react before he was directly struck by Lin Nuo’s keen swords.

Lin Nuo had aimed for Zhang Yuanxu’s vital areas—like the heart and head—those places that could be fatal.

And indeed, he struck true, with Lin Nuo’s sharp swords embedded throughout Zhang Yuanxu’s body, rendering him motionless.

“Old fool, you won’t die that easily, so what’s with the act?”

Lin Nuo quickly fell back, realizing he hadn’t instantly taken Zhang Yuanxu’s life. The multitude of swords was forcefully expunged by his internal energy.

But it wasn’t damage-free; this tactical maneuver hit Zhang Yuanxu hard, as Lin Nuo’s swords indeed had the ability to consume spiritual energy—the moment they pierced, they burned away his life force.

Zhang Yuanxu was peppered with wounds but quickly used healing techniques to restore himself, visibly unscathed.

Yet, his spiritual energy had been severely depleted, and the black mist had begun to contract.

“You!! It was my carelessness, but how long can you sustain this?!”

Zhang Yuanxu panicked, realizing he had underestimated Lin Nuo. He mustn’t waste time; swift victory was essential to eliminate Lin Nuo before the black mist vanished and put him at a disadvantage.

Just wait until you’re too anxious.

Lin Nuo still had tricks up his sleeve.