Chapter 2654: The Peerless Sword Strike
Peach blossom petals, crimson as blood, surged in tens of thousands, rushing swiftly into Linglong Fairy's pupils like a dense swarm of flying blades.
"So arrogant! Take this strike!"
Xiang Chunan held a metal demon crown, channeling its supreme power. Instantly, countless supreme inscription runes manifested on the crown, erupting with a divine-demon aura like crashing waves.
"Boom!"
The metal demon crown collided with the dragon of peach blossom petals, shattering the front petals into fragments.
At the same time, Feng Yan, with six arms each wielding a divine relic ancient artifact, stepped on chaotic mist and charged toward the dragon of peach blossom petals. His six arms swung with domineering force, unleashing one peerless battle technique after another.
Some sent sword light cascading like waterfalls, others had war halberds dancing like phoenixes, and still others released divine light from precious mirrors.
"Whoosh!"
The dragon of peach blossom petals recondensed into a mass of black shadow. With a single hand wave, it carved a long scar. The scar transformed into an ancient witch god river, striking Feng Yan and shattering two of the divine relic ancient artifacts in his hands into pieces.
Feng Yan flew backward, a long bloody gash appearing on his chest, deep enough to reveal bone. Ancient witch power eroded his flesh, causing unbearable pain.
"So terrifying..."
Feng Yan spat a mouthful of black blood, his mental state plummeting.
On the other side, the metal demon crown Xiang Chunan had unleashed was swept into the ancient witch god river, seemingly about to be forcibly taken. Xiang Chunan's face flushed red, stars pulsating within his realm form as he strained with all his might to resist and reclaim control of the crown.
Ao Xukong, Linglong Fairy, and the remaining few strong ones from the Heavenly Dragon Realm all unleashed sacred arts, attacking the peach blossom.
Yet their attacks could not lock onto the peach blossom, all evaded by its unparalleled speed. This left everyone shocked beyond measure—such combat power was like a god descending into the world.
"Help me activate the full power of the divine talisman!" Linglong Fairy's eyes turned cold, locking onto Ao Xukong.
Ao Xukong spat golden dragon qi from his mouth, surging toward the divine talisman.
Linglong Fairy pressed her palms together, the divine talisman between them radiating rings of divine light. The light rippled like waves of the heavenly river, shaking the void itself.
At this moment, Linglong Fairy was utterly sacred, golden light radiating from her body, her delicate form like carved jade, her power surging straight to the nine heavens.
"Pfft!"
Two palm-sized peach blossoms flew toward Ao Xukong and Linglong Fairy respectively. The next instant, blood splattered from both, all their protective secret treasures pierced through, unable to block the blossoms for even a moment.
Ao Xukong's sacred armor shattered, a bowl-sized bloody hole appearing in his chest as he collapsed to his knees.
Linglong Fairy let out a pained cry, her right arm severed. The divine talisman clutched in her right hand flew up along with her snow-white arm.
The peach blossom transformed into a black light, soaring upward to grab the divine talisman.
"Stop him!"
On the ground, the Great Saints of the Heavenly Dragon Realm, Xiang Chunan, and Feng Yan all roared, chasing after it.
If the peach blossom seized the divine talisman, it would be like adding wings to a tiger—who could still oppose it?
Just as the black shadow and the divine talisman were within reach, suddenly, a poised and refined figure appeared above the talisman, swinging his sword downward.
This sword strike was dazzling and breathtaking, like a falling star streaking across the sky.
The sword intent locked onto the black shadow, harmonizing with the rules of heaven and earth, resonating with the natural great dao.
Even with the black shadow's incredible speed, it could not evade, letting out a faint sound of surprise.
"Whoosh!"
The azure sword light slashed through the black shadow, splitting it in two.
The shadow dissipated.
A foot-long peach blossom branch fell from midair.
The branch was severed in the middle.
All killing intent faded away. Zhang Ruochen, holding Linglong Fairy's severed arm, landed on the ground, walked before her, and reattached the arm.
Linglong Fairy lay on the ground, her face pale, too weak to stand. Her shimmering eyes fixed on Zhang Ruochen, she bit her lip and said, "Thank you."
Xiang Chunan fully activated the supreme inscription runes of the metal demon crown, suspending it above everyone to form a supreme power light barrier, protecting all cultivators. His eyes scanned the surroundings with grave vigilance.
Feng Yan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his body drenched in gore. He walked to the broken peach blossom branch, picked it up, and his expression shifted repeatedly. With great difficulty, he said, "That wasn't the peach blossom's true body—just a false body condensed from a branch. Inside the peach blossom, there was a battle soul fused, but it has been extinguished by Brother Shu's peerless sword strike just now."
The surviving cultivators of the Heavenly Dragon Realm were all terrified, trembling as they spoke, "The peach blossom is just an assassin—how could it be so powerful? A mere false body was this strong. If not for Mr. Shu being here, we would have been completely wiped out."
"If the peach blossom's true body had come, who in the world could stop it?"
"Thankfully, Mr. Shu was here, or we might never have even discovered the peach blossom, dying without knowing how."
...
Everyone looked at Zhang Ruochen with respect and admiration.
Just now, under the threat of the peach blossom, even with everyone joining forces, they had no power to fight back. Only Shu Qianchi had held the line, cutting down the peach blossom's false body with his sword.
Such strength, such cultivation—truly unparalleled in the world. How could they not revere him?
"The peach blossom's true body must be nearby."
Zhang Ruochen said this, causing the breath everyone had just caught to choke again, plunging them back into tension.
Zhang Ruochen used his Wuji Sacred Intent to sense the surroundings, searching for the true body's location. He shook his head slightly, "It has already retreated."
"Boom!"
A divine mist descended from afar, landing in the Green Pear Garden.
The divine mist condensed into a towering figure in black armor.
He stood like a majestic divine mountain, his aura vast, his tiger-like eyes surveying the surroundings.
Everyone bowed in unison, "Greetings, Divine General!"
This man was one of the false gods of the Red Dust Peerless Tower, the Mysterious Case Divine General.
The Mysterious Case Divine General glanced at the scattered peach blossoms and the dried-up Great Saint corpses, fury blazing in his eyes as divine might shook the surroundings, "The peach blossom again. Unfortunately, I arrived too late."
Ao Xukong was severely injured, supporting his broken body, his eyes cold, "The Red Dust Peerless Tower claims to know all under heaven. Can't you even find a single assassin on your own turf?"
The Mysterious Case Divine General said, "The peach blossom's stealth technique is too formidable, and its strikes and retreats happen in an instant. Capturing it is extremely difficult."
"Can the Tower Lord be asked to act?" Ao Xukong said.
The Mysterious Case Divine General showed displeasure, "The Tower Lord is of what status? How many great matters await his sole judgment? How could he waste energy on such trivialities? Rest assured, Third Prince, I will take full responsibility. If the peach blossom appears again and disturbs the Red Dust Archipelago, I will surely strike it dead."
With that, the Mysterious Case Divine General turned into divine mist and flew away.
Ao Xukong looked at the sacred corpses on the ground, gritted his teeth, and slammed his fist into the wall, forcing the divine patterns within to fully manifest, yet the fury in his heart remained hard to vent.
An elder Supreme Realm Great Saint of the Heavenly Dragon Realm said, "Third Prince, should we send a message back to the Heavenly Dragon Realm, asking the Five Dragon God Emperor to dispatch dragon clan false gods?"
"Far water cannot quench a near fire. By the time the dragon clan false gods arrive, we'll all be dead at the peach blossom's hands," Ao Xukong said.
Another dragon clan Great Saint said, "If the Second Prince were to act, could he slay the peach blossom?"
Ao Xukong's expression grew heavy, "What worries me most now is my second brother. Tonight, he duels Chu Jian at the Divine Moon Beach. If the peach blossom attempts an assassination, the consequences would be unthinkable."
Clearly, Ao Xukong did not believe Ao Yi had the ability to withstand the peach blossom's assassination.
The terrifying moment just now had left a deep psychological shadow on Ao Xukong. Aside from gods, he had never seen such a fearsome figure.
But gods would not act against him; the peach blossom would.
Feng Yan said, "Third Prince need not worry so much. The peach blossom may not necessarily assassinate the Second Prince, nor does it have any reason to. Its appearance here and killing of many Heavenly Dragon Realm Great Saints is more about forcing the Heavenly Dragon Realm to withdraw, warning you not to meddle in the Book Realm's affairs."
Ao Xukong snorted coldly, "The cultivators of the Heavenly Dragon Clan never fear death, even in defeat. From now on, the peach blossom is an enemy of our Heavenly Dragon Realm dragon clan."
Linglong Fairy gazed at the contemplative Shu Qianchi, a strange light flashing in her beautiful eyes, "What is Mr. Shu thinking?"
Everyone turned to look at him.
This Mr. Shu was too mysterious, his cultivation unfathomably deep.
That sword strike just now had left a deep impression on Linglong Fairy. It didn't seem like a sword technique a Saint realm cultivator could perform—like a celestial sword from beyond the heavens, a sword god descending, peerless and unmatched.
Though he claimed to be a cultivator from the Kunlun Realm, no one had yet confirmed this.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze was heavy, "I may already know who the peach blossom is."
"Who?" Xiang Chunan asked.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Just a guess, not a firm conclusion. Unless I can fight its true body and force it to reveal its real power, I can't be certain."
Linglong Fairy said, "Does Mr. Shu mean the peach blossom is not just a simple assassin but has a second identity—one known to all under heaven as a great figure?"
Zhang Ruochen did not answer, still lost in thought.
Feng Yan said, "Without a doubt, the peach blossom is closely tied to the Heavenly Realm Faction. Its assassination attempts are all in service of the Heavenly Realm Faction's schemes. Now, Third Prince, do you still think the peach blossom won't act?"
Ao Xukong showed an apologetic expression, bowing to everyone, "I misjudged the enemy. My apologies."
"What matters most now is understanding the Heavenly Realm Faction's true goal. Is it really just to avenge Gongyang Mu? Or is it to help the Confucian Realm annex the Book Realm?" Linglong Fairy said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Their biggest target is me."
Everyone was startled, unsure why Shu Qianchi, an outsider, had become the enemy's primary objective.
Feng Yan understood something, a look of realization dawning, "Brother Shu is a towering figure from the Kunlun Realm, indeed a formidable enemy the Heavenly Realm Faction most wants to eliminate."
"Not just that."
Zhang Ruochen gazed into the sky, "I exposed a flaw, one that piqued their intense interest. First, they want to eliminate me; second, they want to uncover my identity. The peach blossom's false body appeared to test me."
"What flaw?" Xiang Chunan asked.