Chapter 1229: Slaying the Twin Dragons
Zhang Ruochen flew out of Dragon Spirit Island, standing above the vast, boundless lake. His white Daoist robe was spotless, his sleeves fluttering, his demeanor both ethereal and otherworldly.
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
Two dragon roars echoed from the island.
In an instant, the lake's surface, as smooth as a mirror, churned with waves several zhang high.
Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, and Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, flew out. One wielded a Thunder God Trident, the other a Dragon Bone War Spear, and they attacked Zhang Ruochen from left and right.
In this stretch of heaven and earth, sacred qi trembled violently, causing the air to erupt in continuous explosions.
"Whoosh—"
Zhang Ruochen held a sacred sword and traced a circle.
Immediately, a circular water wall thirty li in diameter formed on the lake, rising over ten zhang high. The space within the water wall split into half daylight and half night, resembling a Yin-Yang Taiji world.
It was condensed from sword qi and sword intent.
The cultivators of the Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan rushed out of Dragon Spirit Island, gathering at the shore to gaze at the massive black-and-white sword qi domain in the distance.
"Day and night alternate, and the powerful sword intent has altered some of the heaven and earth rules. Is he executing Sword Two?"
"How could Sword Two create such a formidable presence?"
"Different people executing Sword Two naturally produce different levels of power."
The same sword dao intent contained in Sword Two, when unleashed by a Sword Saint versus a cultivator who had just mastered Sword Two to Great Perfection, was worlds apart.
Zhang Ruochen had already begun comprehending Sword Seven, making him the highest sword dao cultivator below the Sword Saint realm. The Sword Two he executed naturally carried earth-shattering power.
Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, and Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, were deeply cultivated and fearless, directly charging into the black-and-white sword qi domain.
"Youngster, if you hadn't opposed this Holy Dragon Envoy, with a few more years of cultivation, you might have become the new Sword Saint of the human race. Unfortunately, you no longer have that chance," said Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy.
"Truly a pity," added Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy.
The Thunder God Trident struck down, unleashing hundreds of thick lightning bolts aimed at Zhang Ruochen's head.
The power Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, unleashed was astonishing, shaking the black-and-white sword qi domain as if it were about to shatter.
Zhang Ruochen merely raised his arm, and the black-and-white sword qi domain spun rapidly.
From the sky, looking down, it resembled a Taiji mark rotating, releasing a vortex-like force. The powerful energy extended five hundred li away.
The attack from Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, was shattered by the dense black-and-white sword qi.
"How can he be this strong?"
Under the impact of the sword qi, Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, couldn't maintain his balance and had to retreat, trying to escape the black-and-white sword qi domain.
Zhang Ruochen naturally wouldn't give him the chance to withdraw. He and his sword flew out simultaneously, transforming into a dazzling sword beam aimed at Ye Yun's brow.
"Dragon Soul Seal Technique."
Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, spread his arms, and a black dragon soul burst from his chest, swirling around him, forming a dragon shadow light shield.
The moment the sacred sword touched the dragon shadow light shield, a circular shield imprint appeared on its surface.
"Boom." The shield imprint shattered.
The dragon shadow light shield couldn't withstand the sacred sword and caved inward. The sword tip grew closer and closer to Ye Yun's brow.
Facing death, even Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, showed terror. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he mobilized all his sacred qi to resist with utmost effort.
Zhang Ruochen also used all his strength, opening all one hundred and forty-four apertures, emitting a brilliance as dazzling as the stars in the sky.
"Chi!"
Gradually, the sword tip pierced into Ye Yun's brow, creating a small crack.
Just as Ye Yun was about to die by Zhang Ruochen's sword, Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, rushed over, roaring, "Die!"
The Dragon Bone War Spear thrust out, aimed at the back of Zhang Ruochen's head.
Zhang Ruochen sighed inwardly. The sacred sword in his hand was still a Thousand-Mark Sacred Artifact, but it couldn't compare to the Abyssal Ancient Sword.
If he had been using the Abyssal Ancient Sword, Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, would have already perished.
To protect himself, Zhang Ruochen twisted his wrist, causing the sacred sword to spin rapidly and withdraw from the dragon soul light shield.
Then, Zhang Ruochen slashed horizontally, sending Ye Yun, along with the dragon soul light shield, flying away.
After doing this, Zhang Ruochen turned to face Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy.
"Plop."
Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, flew out of the black-and-white sword qi domain and plunged into the lake, splashing a large wave.
The Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan cultivators on Dragon Spirit Island naturally saw this.
"Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, seems to have suffered considerable injuries."
"That inheritor of the Liangyi Sect is truly formidable, fighting two Holy Dragon Envoys alone and still gaining the upper hand."
...
Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, flew out of the water, not only looking disheveled but also bearing a bloody crack on his face, extending from his brow to his nose.
His head had nearly been split in two by the sacred sword.
"Dragon Transformation."
Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, roared, and then scales emerged on his face, neck, and head.
In an instant, his human head transformed into a massive dragon head.
The next moment, a winged dragon, its body larger than a mountain, appeared, half-submerged in the water and half above. It extended a ferocious dragon claw and struck at the black-and-white sword qi domain.
"Boom."
The black-and-white sword qi domain couldn't withstand the dragon claw's power and shattered, causing waves dozens of zhang high to rise on the lake.
Zhang Ruochen and Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, flew out from the chaotic sword qi.
Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, landed on the winged dragon's back, panting heavily, with eight bloody sword wounds on his body. However, the wounds were shallow and not fatal.
Zhang Ruochen held his war sword, standing dozens of zhang in the air, his eyes as calm as water, exuding a serene aura.
"Who exactly are you? How can someone so young have such high sword dao attainment?" Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, now regarded Zhang Ruochen with some wariness.
He clearly sensed that his own power surpassed Zhang Ruochen's, yet his opponent seemed flawless, using every ounce of strength skillfully, causing him to suffer some injuries.
Ao Yi and the high-ranking members of the Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan also showed contemplative expressions, all feeling that the Liangyi Sect's inheritor was abnormally powerful.
Among the young saints of the entire human race, one could barely pick out ten such figures.
"Who is he? Is he truly a secret inheritor cultivated by the Liangyi Sect?" Ao Yi wondered.
Zhang Ruochen didn't bother with further words from the two Holy Dragon Envoys. He re-erected his sword dao sacred form, condensing a massive sword-shaped phantom, and roared, "Today, I will slay dragons."
The sword dao sacred form surged out of the water, slashing down at the winged dragon opposite.
After revealing his true form, Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, indeed gained immense power, but his massive size made it hard to evade Zhang Ruochen's attacks.
"Pfft."
The sword dao sacred form struck the winged dragon's head, breaking through the scales and cutting off a large chunk of flesh. Crimson blood gushed from the wound, flowing into the lake, turning the water red.
"This saint will tear you to pieces."
Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, and Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, assumed dragon and human forms respectively—one attacking, one defending—launching a fierce assault on Zhang Ruochen.
This time, Zhang Ruochen fell into a disadvantage, forced to defend passively.
The battle among the three saint-level beings was exceptionally fierce. The lake water surged to the sky, and the heavens alternated between rolling black clouds and countless sword qi condensing into a rain of swords. They fought for three hours without a decisive outcome.
"Boom, rumble."
Cultivators below the saint realm couldn't clearly see the moves of the one man and two dragons, only hearing thunderous sounds from the lake.
After the prolonged battle, Zhang Ruochen was also injured.
He had to hide his identity, rendering many of his techniques unusable. He could only unleash sixty to seventy percent of his peak combat power.
Zhang Ruochen swung his war sword, fending off the attacks of the two Holy Dragon Envoys, thinking, "It seems I'll have to use the Time Sacred Form and Space Sacred Form to end this battle."
Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, sneered, "It's impressive you've lasted this long alone. But everything ends now—die!"
Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, spat out a black dragon pearl, like a black sun flying through the air, hurtling toward Zhang Ruochen.
The black dragon pearl was Ye Hong's origin dragon pearl and his strongest attack.
The black light radiating from the pearl plunged a thousand li into darkness, causing all the Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan members to panic.
Ao Xinyan's face changed. She looked at Ao Yi and said, "Grandfather, Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, has used his origin dragon pearl. That Liangyi Sect inheritor won't be able to withstand this strike."
Ao Yi sighed softly and nodded, "He has done his best, but the two Holy Dragon Envoys are too powerful. This old man must intervene."
Ao Yi knew that once he acted to kill the two Holy Dragon Envoys, no matter how cleanly he handled it, traces would remain.
When the Ancestral Dragon Mountain investigated those traces, it would spell disaster for the Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan.
"No... what is that power?"
Ao Yi's pupils blazed with golden flames as he sensed two unusually strange power fluctuations near the Liangyi Sect inheritor, like two massive vortices.
However, the peripheries of the two vortices were shrouded by a spiritual power barrier, making it impossible to discern what kind of powers they were.
The black dragon pearl spat out by Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, struck but failed to harm Zhang Ruochen. Instead, it was swept into the vortex formed by the Time Sacred Form.
With a bang, the dragon pearl exploded, turning into a cloud of black mist.
"Pfft!"
Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, spat blood, his entire being becoming extremely lethargic, as if all his spirit and energy had vanished in an instant.
"You... that was... ti..."
Ye Hong, the Holy Dragon Envoy, was close to the Time Sacred Form and sensed the fluctuation of time power. He guessed Zhang Ruochen's identity, his eyes filled with extreme shock.
Zhang Ruochen didn't give him a chance to continue. He swung his sacred sword, forming three sword qi streams that cut Ye Hong into four pieces.
Before Ye Hong could flee, he fell under Zhang Ruochen's sword.
From another direction, the Space Sacred Form flew out and struck the winged dragon. Half of the dragon's body collapsed inward, turning into a cloud of blood mist.
The winged dragon struggled free, reverted to human form midair, and fled into the distance.
Now, Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, was left with only half a body—one head, one arm, and one leg. But his dragon pearl was intact, and his vitality remained tenacious; he hadn't fallen.
"Space power—he's Zhang Ruochen."
Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, sensed the power of space and recognized the identity of the young man in the white Daoist robe, feeling both fear and shock.
"No wonder even His Highness, the Devouring Demon Dragon, suffered a great loss at his hands. Even the human emperors in their youth might not have been as powerful as him."
Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, only wanted to escape immediately and report the news of Zhang Ruochen's arrival in the barbarian lands to His Highness, the Devouring Demon Dragon.
"Holy Dragon Envoy, didn't you say earlier that whoever flees is a coward? Stay, and let's continue fighting."
Zhang Ruochen mounted his sacred sword and gave chase.
He couldn't let Ye Yun escape under any circumstances.
Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, said nothing, gritting his teeth and flying at full speed, but Zhang Ruochen behind him was drawing closer.
"It seems I have no choice but to use the Ancestral Dragon Mark."
Knowing he couldn't escape the Divine Dream Marsh with his own strength, Ye Yun stopped, raised a hand, and slapped his own head.
"Whoosh—"
A dragon shadow mark flew from his head, wrapping around his battered body. Then, he transformed into a beam of light, shooting toward the horizon.
"Not good! Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, actually carried an Ancestral Dragon Mark. This is terrible—even the twenty-seven defensive formations of the Divine Dream Marsh can't stop him."
Ao Yi's face changed drastically, regretting not having acted earlier to kill the two Holy Dragon Envoys. He shouldn't have given them the chance to activate the Ancestral Dragon Mark.
But who could have guessed that the two Holy Dragon Envoys carried an Ancestral Dragon Mark?
"Boom, boom."
After activating the Ancestral Dragon Mark, Ye Yun's speed became astonishingly fast and unstoppable. He broke through sixteen layers of formation barriers without any reduction in speed.
"With the Ancestral Dragon Mark, who in this world, aside from Saint King-level beings, can stop me from leaving? Zhang Ruochen, Divine Dragon Half-Human Clan—just wait. Once this Holy Dragon Envoy returns to Ancestral Dragon Mountain, it will be your death sentence."
Ye Yun, the Holy Dragon Envoy, was filled with hatred but let out a cruel laugh, believing no one could prevent his escape.
Suddenly, his eyes widened in terror as he saw a handsome young man in a white Daoist robe standing before him.
It was Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen had naturally used Great Space Teleportation to cross space and catch up ahead of Ye Yun.
"It's over."
Zhang Ruochen swung his sword, tracing a graceful sword qi.
The next moment, Ye Yun's body was severed in two and fell into the lake.
...
(Huang Yi is arguably my favorite author and the one I admire most. Hearing of Huang Yi's passing, my mood has been heavy all day. "A Step into the Past," "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer," "The Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty"... all such classics, read more than once.
I still remember the line from "The Smiling, Proud Wanderer" by Lang Fanyun: "The bright moon was there then, once shining on the returning clouds. It's another anniversary of Xixi's death!"
And now, the moon is hard to get drunk on again, and the clouds never return. Everything has passed...
Alright, to the point—just one chapter today!)