Two at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer and two at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer. One had to admit, Chang Tianhua was giving Song Changsheng a lot of credit, but for Song Changsheng, this level of opposition was still not worth mentioning.
"Most of you from the Earth Fire Sect specialize in Fire Magic. Perfect. My own Water Magic happens to be passable. Today, I'll see what you're really made of!"
Song Changsheng roared, his hands forming a rapid series of seals. An immense amount of Water Spiritual Power converged around him, materializing out of thin air into two lifelike Water Dragons that radiated a terrifying power.
This was the state one could only achieve after cultivating the Water and Fire Manipulation Technique to Great Success: Elemental Transformation. Although these two Water Dragons were composed of pure Water Spiritual Power, their combat power was comparable to a mid-to-high-grade Tier One Demon Beast.
"The kid talks tough." A cultivator whose face was covered in fiery boils grinned menacingly. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a three-foot-long sword and charged at Song Changsheng.
"Be careful," Song Changhu couldn't help but call out.
Song Changsheng's expression remained unchanged. "Get clear of the battlefield and protect yourselves," he said calmly.
He finished speaking and waved a hand. A pillar of water shot out, instantly swatting the flying sword back the way it came.
"Go!" He thrust his hands forward, and the Water Dragons coiled around him instantly shot toward the two Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivators.
As for Song Changsheng, he took on the two Qi Refining Eighth Layer cultivators himself. He curled his hand into a claw, and one by one, orbs of water condensed behind him. With a mere flicker of his will, all the orbs shot toward the duo, blanketing them.
"Together!" one of the Earth Fire Sect disciples cried in alarm. They hurriedly joined forces to erect a Spiritual Shield.
But just as the orbs were about to strike the shield, Song Changsheng made a slight grasping motion with his hand. All the orbs instantly detonated, shattering into countless tiny water beads.
The dense storm of beads slammed into the shield. In an instant, the seemingly fragile projectiles riddled the shield, turning it into a sieve.
The two Earth Fire Sect disciples suffered a terrible fate. Their bodies were peppered with countless small holes from the exploding beads, and they collapsed, completely incapacitated.
Meanwhile, the two Qi Refining Seventh Layer disciples were still locked in a desperate struggle with the two Water Dragons. With but a thought from Song Changsheng, the dragons suddenly swelled at an incredible speed, enveloping the two cultivators before they could react.
The world spun around them, and in the next moment, they suffered shattering fractures all over their bodies. They collapsed to the ground, barely breathing.
The entire battle was over, and Song Changsheng hadn't even moved an inch. All four Earth Fire Sect disciples were finished.
This display shocked not only the disciples of the Earth Fire Sect but also the members of the Song Clan watching from the side. 'Those were four Late-stage Qi Refining cultivators! How could they be defeated so easily?'
'Useless trash!' Chang Tianhua cursed internally. He narrowed his eyes at Song Changsheng, killing intent already welling up inside him. 'A genius like this must be nipped in the bud!'
The Song Clan already had Song Xianming, who had dominated Ling Province for decades. They absolutely could not allow another figure like that to emerge.
CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.
Chang Tianhua clapped as if no one else were around, the corners of his mouth curling into a smirk. "Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. As expected of the foremost expert of the Song Clan's younger generation. You do have some skill. Do you dare try me, the Young Master?"
Chang Tianhua mockingly beckoned to Song Changsheng with a hooked finger, the provocation palpable.
"And who do you think you are?" Song Changsheng refused to take the bait. Though he wasn't afraid of Chang Tianhua, the enemy had superior numbers. He had to conserve his Spiritual Power and wait for reinforcements.
"Heh, scared already? Like grandfather, like grandson, I see. That old bastard Song Xianming has been cowering in his shell for over ten years, too afraid to show his face. And you, his grandson, are clearly a turtle too."
But Chang Tianhua continued to play with fire, determined to provoke him. He was dead set on forcing Song Changsheng to attack first. That way, he would have the perfect excuse to cripple him.
Song Changsheng's sharp brows shot up. His eyes locked onto Chang Tianhua as he said in a menacing tone, "Are you trying to die?"
"Changsheng, calm down! He's already at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer and has many Magical Artifacts. You're no match for him! He's deliberately trying to provoke you."
Song Changxiu had just arrived. Seeing Song Changsheng on the verge of erupting, she still forced herself to intervene.
Song Changsheng paid her no mind. A chilling killing intent radiated from his eyes as he glared at Chang Tianhua. He pointed at his opponent and said coldly, "I'll grant your wish. Get over here, and I'll take your head."
"Hah! What a joke!" Chang Tianhua sneered, snapping open the folding fan in his hand. With a wave, a cloud of needles as fine as an ox's hair shot toward Song Changsheng.
Under the dazzling sun, the needles glinted with a faint blue light, clearly coated in a deadly poison. He was going for the kill with his very first move.
"Watch out for the hidden weapons!" Song Changxiu cried out in alarm.
But Song Changsheng was faster than her warning. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the Treasure Gourd. The gourd spun rapidly, enlarging dozens of times in front of him and deflecting every last one of the poisoned needles.
SWOOSH!
At the same time, Chang Tianhua lunged forward. The folding fan in his hand had somehow been replaced with a long hook, which he swung directly at Song Changsheng's head.
"Get back!"
Song Changsheng roared, commanding the enlarged Treasure Gourd to slam into the long hook. The collision unleashed a scorching blast of air that flattened a large swath of the surrounding vegetation.
The two combatants were completely unaffected, commanding their Magical Artifacts to clash again and again.
Although Song Changsheng's Cultivation was a layer lower and he had already consumed a significant amount of Spiritual Power, his power had been purified, greatly reducing its consumption rate. He felt no pressure at all as they traded blows.
Instead, it was Chang Tianhua who was gradually losing ground. A flash of anger crossed his eyes. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a Treasure Bead and a Glazed Mirror.
The three Magical Artifacts struck as one, immediately forcing the Treasure Gourd back. Just as Song Changxiu and the others were breaking out in a cold sweat for Song Changsheng, his expression remained perfectly serene.
He suddenly called out to Chang Tianhua, "I'm a decent Artifact Refiner, you know. But do you know why I'm only using one Magical Artifact?"
Chang Tianhua asked reflexively, "Why?"
"You can think it over on your way to the Yellow Springs." Song Changsheng's hands flew through a new set of seals, and the Treasure Gourd instantly spewed forth a massive Water Dragon.
The Water Dragon instantly shattered all three of Chang Tianhua's Magical Artifacts. Stunned by this sudden turn of events, Chang Tianhua was bound tightly by the Water Dragon in the blink of an eye.
"Young Master!" the Earth Fire Sect disciples cried in alarm, about to rush forward.
"Take one more step, and you die!" Song Changsheng ordered the Water Dragon to open its massive jaws. With a single command, Chang Tianhua would become a headless corpse.
The Earth Fire Sect members froze, terrified that something would happen to Chang Tianhua.
Song Changxiu and the others were completely stunned. No one had expected Song Changsheng to capture the Young Master of the Earth Fire Sect alive with such ease.
Just as the Earth Fire Sect members were hesitating, afraid to act for fear of harming the hostage, an aged voice suddenly rang out from a short distance away. "Young friend, release our Young Master, and I will personally guarantee your safe departure."
Song Changsheng looked into the distance, where an old man in a black robe had appeared at some point without anyone noticing.
'A Foundation Establishment Cultivator.' Song Changsheng's expression hardened, and he immediately tightened his grip on Chang Tianhua's neck.
Even though he was a captive, Chang Tianhua flashed a confident smile, taunting, "You're dead meat this time."
SLAP!
But Song Changsheng wasn't having any of it and hit him with a resounding backhanded slap.
The slap didn't just stun Chang Tianhua; the disciples from both the Song Clan and the Earth Fire Sect were left completely dumbfounded.
'To do that at a time like this... is he not afraid to die?'
...