**Chapter 204: The Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies**
A chill swept over Yun Zhonghe like the cruelest winter wind, the kind that feels like a sharp ice pick suddenly stabbing at the wrong end, making him gasp for cold air.
At first glance, the black demonic energy seemed harmless, floating lightly in the air. Yun Zhonghe didn’t think it could break through his protective spiritual energy. But suddenly, the Book of Prophecy in his sea of consciousness blared a warning.
**Touch it, and you’re toast!**
Yun Zhonghe had planned to use the Eight Desolations Sword Technique to drive his opponent back. But to his surprise, the guy seemed immune to pain and fearless of d*ath. Even when Xue Yunjian, his sword, pierced through the man’s body without mercy, the dude was still staring blankly, his eyes filled with determination and madness, resolutely slapping a hand thick with demonic energy toward Yun Zhonghe.
Even crazier, when Yun Zhonghe realized things were going south and tried to retract his Xue Yunjian, the guy clutched the sword’s body tightly, refusing to give Yun Zhonghe a moment to retaliate, locking the sword in place like a bad Tinder date—no escaping this!
It was as if that sharp blade was nothing more than a mirage to him.
With the sword stuck, Yun Zhonghe’s combat prowess took a nosedive!
The madness unfolding before him made his eyelids twitch uncontrollably, his heart racing with indescribable horror.
In this critical moment, he knew he had no time to waste. He poured all his remaining spiritual energy into conjuring a glittering golden spiritual sword.
“**Infinity Sword Technique!**”
The golden sword erupted under his mental command, weaving a delicate net of sword qi to block the invading demonic energy.
**Technique inside a technique!**
Transforming qi into a sword while using the Infinity Sword Technique!
It was his first time trying this combination, but thankfully, he had practiced with Lin Zhongyu a few times, so he managed to hold the demonic energy at bay.
The move caught his opponent off guard, clearly not expecting a lowly Foundation Establishment like Yun Zhonghe to pull that off.
Seizing the moment, Yun Zhonghe yanked Xue Yunjian free with a fierce pull, executing the Eight Desolations Sword Technique again. The sword light surged like a dragon, forcefully creating space between them as he dashed back.
**Weird! This guy is too bizarre!**
Yun Zhonghe realized he couldn’t afford to tangle with this lunatic. His body swayed as he instinctively dashed for the door, hoping to escape the demonic cultivator and seek reinforcements from his sect.
But just as he took a few steps, he slammed into something solid. It felt like he had run into an iron wall—a jarring impact reverberated through him.
**Buzz—**
A deep hum resonated, wrapping Yun Zhonghe’s residence in a bl**d-red half-sphere. The surface of the sphere flowed with eerie patterns, shimmering ominously.
Even with Yun Zhonghe’s sword qi slicing through the air, it was like throwing a stone into the ocean—no ripples, no scratches on the sphere!
“d*mn it!”
Yun Zhonghe blinked in shock.
It seemed his opponent came fully prepared.
**Boom!**
Suddenly, a deafening roar exploded behind him, and a wave of surging black demonic energy surged forth like a tsunami, devouring the entire house.
Yun Zhonghe whipped around, eyes wide, as the house crumbled into a pile of rubble cloaked in smoke. Through that rolling black haze stood a tall, thin figure.
Yun Zhonghe remembered him—the guy who was behind him when he checked in!
Now, the cultivator looked drastically different. His eyes were bloodshot, almost indecipherable, and he was panting as if he just returned from a hellish vacation.
Those once slender arms now bulged like they were pumped full of steroids, muscles bulging in stark contrast to his once lean physique, creating a grotesque spectacle.
This disciple appeared to be at the early stages of Foundation Establishment, yet he wielded demonic energy that could rival any Golden Core!
Yun Zhonghe felt his pupils quiver.
How was it possible for a prestigious sect like the Xuantian Sect to suddenly produce a demonic cultivator?
Before he could ponder further, the demonic cultivator let out a low growl, raising his thick, dark-red right arm like a giant swinging a hammer, barreling towards Yun Zhonghe with all his might.
The speed was unreal, almost faster than the eye could see, and Yun Zhonghe felt a breath of d*ath envelope him—there was no dodging, no escaping! Especially trapped within that bl**d-red barrier, he had no choice but to face him head-on.
**Spiritual root activation! Sword qi unleash!**
Now that Xue Yunjian had upgraded to a magical treasure, Yun Zhonghe’s combat power skyrocketed. Even wielding a single sword, his strength rivaled his previous two-sword style of the Eight Desolations Sword Technique.
The dual-wielding style required both swords to be of equal quality. If one was stronger than the other, it was like having mismatched arms—difficult to maintain power and control, risking all sorts of calamities!
Too bad Yun Zhonghe only had Xue Yunjian, a low-grade magical treasure. If he had two of them, he could have been unstoppable.
The Eight Desolations Sword Technique sliced through the air with a lethal essence, making space feel desolate, draining life from everything around it.
Yun Zhonghe sensed something different about the Eight Desolations Sword Technique today; it felt… off.
But as Yun Zhonghe’s thoughts raced, he had no time to analyze too deeply. The demonic cultivator’s onslaught came like a storm, each attack drenched in a vicious intent, as if determined to send him to an early grave.
The demonic cultivator was unpredictably crafty, sometimes drifting like a ghost and then, thunderously fierce with wild abandon, attempting to tank Yun Zhonghe’s attacks with sheer brute force.
When the cultivator’s resilient body collided with the sharp spiritual sword, it made a deafening ring, echoing as if the heavens themselves were trembling.
The clash released a might that rivaled the Golden Core level, sending a piercing chill through the air. The already destroyed house shook once more, crumbling into even finer debris.
Nearby, Lin Zhongyu and the others instantly sensed something was off. They turned and saw Yun Zhonghe, a picture of dire distress within the bl**d-red barrier, facing off against the demonic cultivator.
“Not good! Brother Yun!”
Lin Zhongyu called out, quick as a flash.
But Tao Jiu’er was even faster. Her face contorted with unprecedented urgency and fury.
“Young Master!”
No sooner had she cried out than she became a blur, charging straight toward the bl**d-red barrier without a second thought.
Two sharp spikes materialized from who-knows-where, infused with swirling spiritual energy as they shot towards the barrier with lethal speed.
This was the first time Tao Jiu’er revealed her weapons—two spikes with spinning chains for maximum versatility, allowing her the freedom to attack.
The spikes concentrated all of her spiritual energy into the points, while the chains catered to her style for swift, decisive kills!
But even with her fierce offensive, she couldn’t breach the bl**d-red barrier.
The overwhelming spiritual energy condensed at the tips of her spikes collided against the barrier, producing a crisp chime but not a single crack!
Tao Jiu’er stared in disbelief. “How can this be?!”
Lin Zhongyu and Su Xiaoxiao were both amazed by Tao Jiu’er’s strength.
Tao Jiu’er usually played it cool, appearing gentle and harmless, yet here she was, revealing an unexpectedly profound level of cultivation!
But with time slipping away, there was no time for Lin Zhongyu to analyze Tao Jiu’er’s abilities further.
Seeing the barrier hold steady, Lin Zhongyu drew her sword and even brought out talismans to combine with Tao Jiu’er’s attacks.
Two beautiful maidens unleashed their combined might, determined to force the barrier open and rescue Yun Zhonghe.
Yet despite barely visible cracks in the barrier, it still showed no signs of breaking.
Su Xiaoxiao watched this unfold with both hands pressed together, feeling incredibly tense, realizing her own lack of strength.
Without any combat ability, she felt utterly redundant.
“Xiaoxiao, hurry and find the elders from the sect for help!”
Lin Zhongyu urged, desperate to save Yun Zhonghe while trying to rally reinforcements.
Su Xiaoxiao hesitated, but in a moment of panic, threw aside all her insecurities and shyness.
She was extremely worried about Yun Zhonghe—beyond worried!
Right now, saving Yun Zhonghe was the priority.
“Okay! I’ll go right now!”
Su Xiaoxiao turned and sprinted away.
Wait for me, Brother Yun! You must hang in there!
—
Within the barrier, Yun Zhonghe was panting heavily.
He was already not in top shape, having battled through the night with Xue Yunjian. His spiritual energy felt drained, his legs weak.
“Women really do slow down my sword-drawing speed…” That line rang true.
Right now, Yun Zhonghe’s sword speed and precision were slightly diminished. If it weren’t for Xue Yunjian now being at the level of a low-grade magical treasure that bolstered his power, he’d likely already be crushed by this demonic cultivator.
And even then, several tears marred his robe, and he had taken some hits.
A single mistake would lead to an overwhelming disaster.
“It seems I have no grievances with you; why are you targeting me?”
Yun Zhonghe chose to distract his opponent with words, trying to create an opening for an attack.
The demonic cultivator suddenly chuckled, their voice impossible to tell if male or female, but tinged with a teasing undertone: “Young Master doesn’t need to know so much.”
That tone…
Could it be a woman?
Looks like this is just a puppet being controlled, not the real deal—kind of like the puppet townsfolk he encountered in Qingzhu Town, only this one’s a higher-tier model.
While Yun Zhonghe’s brain raced on how to keep chatting to buy time, he noticed that Su Xiaoxiao had gone off to fetch help and that Lin Zhongyu and Tao Jiu’er were trying to break the barrier.
“Are you trying to stall for reinforcements while we chit-chat?”
“Why would I want to doom myself while having a lovely conversation with you?”
Upon hearing that, Yun Zhonghe’s heart sank—it felt like a d*ath knell!
“Ah—!!”
The puppet’s androgynous voice suddenly snapped back to a male tone, though it now emitted a sound of utter anguish.
Fueling the air was an even more intense, murderous intent and a terrifying sense of pressure.
Whoa! Turns out they were just saving their big move!
No wonder the guy was willing to chit-chat; while Yun Zhonghe was waiting for friends, the puppet was waiting to unleash hell.
After the scream, the puppet lunged at Yun Zhonghe, a surge of demonic energy exploding from its palm, racing toward him!
This strike was more vicious than any prior attack!
It was almost touching Yuan Ying territory!
Yun Zhonghe’s pupils dilated!
**Boom!**
A tremendous explosion tore through the air, kicking up a storm of dust that enveloped the bl**d-red barrier, obscuring the situation within.
“Brother Yun!”
“Young Master!”
Lin Zhongyu and Tao Jiu’er gasped, their hearts in their throats, faces drained of color.
Nearby disciples peered curiously, too wary to move closer.
As the dust slowly dissipated, visibility returned, revealing Yun Zhonghe standing tall.
He held Xue Yunjian, radiating golden light, his aura cold as he met the puppet’s thrust with unyielding resolve.
Yun Zhonghe was unharmed!
“He’s fine!”
The two girls were overjoyed.
Lin Zhongyu’s eyes sparkled with happiness. But soon, she sensed something was peculiar about Yun Zhonghe’s aura.
While he was striking the Eight Desolations Sword Technique pose, the way he wielded it was… different!
That’s right! Different! The perfect harmony of man and sword had transcended into a new domain, transforming his technique entirely.
“**Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies Sword Technique… that’s what I’ve named my newfound sword technique!**”
Yun Zhonghe murmured, eyes sharp, expression solemn, staring down the puppet.
He didn’t even move the sword; a mere flicker of spiritual energy from Xue Yunjian resonated, unleashing sword qi pressure that forced the puppet back several steps.
The puppet was wide-eyed in shock!
N-no way! That last attack packed all its power and was comparable to a Yuan Ying strike! But Yun Zhonghe not only blocked it—he turned the tables?!
The puppet’s bl**d-red eyes gaped in disbelief at Yun Zhonghe’s sword technique, feeling an invisible aura wrapping around him.
It was a sensation that pierced to the bone, like the sharpness of a blade.
“This is… Sword Intent…?”
She was dumbfounded, totally baffled! Was the form of Sword Intent beginning to manifest?!
Originally, she had come to k*ll Yun Zhonghe, but instead, she pushed him to unleash his potential?!
