"Not good!"
Tian Buyi's eyes widened as he saw the azure beam shoot from Cangsong's fingers. He could clearly feel the surging power within it.
Cangsong had used his full strength .... this was a killing blow meant to end Xiaofan's life.
With Xiaofan only at the ninth level of the Yuqing Realm, there was absolutely no way he could withstand it.
On the throne, Dao Xuan Zhenren also sprang to his feet, shock written across his face. He clearly hadn't expected Cangsong to attack so suddenly.
And not just a casual strike .... this was an all-out attempt to take Zhang Xiaofan's life.
Truly ruthless!
What's more, Dao Xuan was too far away, while Cangsong stood so close to Zhang Xiaofan that even he couldn't stop the blow in time.
It seemed Zhang Xiaofan's death was inevitable.
A rare genius… about to die at Cangsong's hands?
"Die!"
Cangsong's mouth twisted into a feral grin as the azure beam streaked toward Zhang Xiaofan.
But Zhang Xiaofan's eyes stayed fixed on the fast-approaching light.
It was too fast, too close ... there was no way to dodge.
His two strongest techniques were the Divine Sword Yulei True Art and Slaying Ghost God.
The Divine Sword Yulei True Art had devastating power, but the preparation was too long .... he'd be dead before he could even leap into the air.
Only Slaying Ghost God could be unleashed instantly.
Yet even with that, at Yuqing ninth level, he could never block Cangsong's all-out strike.
After all, Cangsong was at the peak of the Shangqing Realm .... a killing blow from him was no small matter.
Which meant… in order to survive, he'd have to reveal his true cultivation: the Shangqing Realm.
This decision flashed through his mind in an instant.
The next moment, Zhang Xiaofan's eyes turned blood-red.
Gripping the Firestick tightly, a crimson light erupted from it.
"Slaying Ghost God!"
He roared, swinging the staff down toward the oncoming azure beam.
In an instant, a blood dragon surged forth, crashing head-on into the beam.
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, both blood dragon and azure beam shattered into nothingness.
Tian Buyi darted to Zhang Xiaofan's side, the worry in his eyes fading into joy.
"Shangqing Realm ...you're actually in the Shangqing Realm!"
That blood dragon's aura was unmistakable .... only someone at the Shangqing Realm could have withstood Cangsong's attack.
Even most first-level Shangqing cultivators would have been gravely injured.
Tian Buyi clapped Zhang Xiaofan on the shoulder.
"Xiaofan, it's great you're unharmed."
Zhang Xiaofan's gaze stayed locked on Cangsong.
"Master, that dog Cangsong still can't kill me."
"Hahaha… yes, he can't kill you," Tian Buyi laughed, then asked,
"But Xiaofan, you hid this from me well .... to have already reached Shangqing Realm in secret!"
Zhang Xiaofan gave a bitter smile.
"I had no choice.
This is my trump card. If I'd told you earlier, that dog Cangsong would have used an even more vicious attack just now — I might not be dead, but I'd be badly injured."
In his mind, Zhang Xiaofan recalled the scene from the original story where Cangsong tried to assassinate Dao Xuan using a Seven-Tailed Centipede.
If Cangsong had known he'd reached Shangqing Realm, he might well have used the centipede's venom on him.
Even without it, using a stronger Daoist art with his sword could have left Zhang Xiaofan gravely wounded.
After all, in the Shangqing Realm, the gap between levels was enormous.
And Cangsong was a prodigy who had mastered many of Qingyun's top techniques .... even the Divine Sword Yulei True Art to perfection.
Still, Zhang Xiaofan had no intention of revealing that Dao Xuan himself was a spy for the Demonic Sect.
Without evidence, no matter what he said, Dao Xuan would never believe that a junior brother who had grown up in Qingyun under his eye for over three centuries could be a traitor.
In his previous life, Zhang Xiaofan had seen too many transmigrators simply tell Dao Xuan the truth .... only for him to believe it instantly. It was absurd.
Without proof, no one would believe such a thing.
And if he told Dao Xuan now, it would interfere with an important plan he had for the future ..... one that concerned obtaining the second volume of the Demonic Sect's Heavenly Book.
The Heavenly Book was the most mysterious and supreme technique in this world; only by collecting all its volumes could one hope to become immortal.
On the dais, Dao Xuan's heart finally eased as he saw Zhang Xiaofan block the attack.
At the same time, his eyes shone with astonishment.
Two years ago, he had sent Zhang Xiaofan to train under Wan Jianyi at the Ancestral Hall.
He had expected the boy to advance from Yuqing eighth to ninth level at most .....yet in less than two years, Zhang Xiaofan had broken through to the Shangqing Realm while learning Wan Jianyi's skills on the side.
A true prodigy.
Even in his youth, Dao Xuan himself could not compare.
Even his prized disciple Xiao Yicai, first place in the previous Seven Peaks Tournament, had not broken into the Shangqing Realm in sixty years.
But Zhang Xiaofan had done it in under two.
Perhaps the future prosperity of Qingyun would rest on Zhang Xiaofan's shoulders ... more so than on Lu Xueqi or Lin Jingyu.
Because Zhang Xiaofan not only had greater talent, but a mature mind: a boy of barely over ten years who, after reaching the Shangqing Realm, did not boast or reveal it, but hid it as a trump card.
And today, that decision had saved his life.
"You… you're actually at the Shangqing Realm?"
Cangsong stared in disbelief. The aura rolling off Zhang Xiaofan's body was proof enough.
Only at that level could he have blocked the attack.
Zhang Xiaofan's voice was cold.
"Dog thief, if I weren't at the Shangqing Realm, I'd be dead because of you today."
"Sooner or later, I'll make you wish for death."
His killing intent was palpable.
Cangsong's eyes narrowed, murderous thoughts surging.
He knew that if Zhang Xiaofan lived, he would one day kill him ...and would succeed.
Drawing the sword from his waist, Cangsong snarled,
"Today, I'll rid the world of you, Demonic Sect spy!"
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