As the dwarf, confident in his victory, reveled in his power, Han Li's eyes gleamed with greed. He had been observing the flying gray light, and his mind raced with thoughts of taking the treasure for himself.
At that moment, two figures from the Seven Celestial Sect leapt from the crowd. The two men, both wearing sorrowful expressions, rushed toward the dwarf without a word. Their anger was evident, driven by the grief over the death of their comrade, the burly man. They were determined to avenge him, no matter what the dwarf's true nature might be. Revenge consumed them, and they cared little for whether the dwarf was a legendary sword immortal or not. Their minds were fixed on retribution.
King Zhenchao, the leader of the Seven Celestial Sect, initially wanted to stop their reckless charge but hesitated. After a brief pause, he realized that this dwarf, skilled in sorcery, would need to be dealt with sooner or later. These two men were the only ones capable of confronting him. Instead of intervening, he decided to let them take the lead and settle the matter once and for all, especially since they were so driven by their desire for revenge.
The Golden Light Taoist, learning from his previous encounter, didn't underestimate his opponents this time. He wielded the gray light and pointed at the two men. The gray light immediately transformed into a long rainbow, shooting toward them with lightning speed.
The scholar among the two, seeing the gray light coming, raised an eyebrow. He swiftly extended his hand, sending a fine silver thread from his sleeve toward the oncoming light. The silver thread collided with the gray light, causing it to falter for a moment, but the gray light continued on its path, seemingly unaffected.
While others were puzzled by the silver thread, Han Li, with his enhanced vision thanks to the Changchun Gong, recognized it instantly. The silver thread was composed of several dozen silver needles connected end to end. Han Li marveled at how the scholar had managed to shoot these delicate needles with such force. This technique intrigued him greatly.
The scholar, seeing the silver thread had no significant effect, remained calm. He bent his body slightly and began spinning like a top. As he spun, countless flashes of cold light shot out from his body—some large, some small. The cold light split into two groups. One path formed a silver stream that collided with the gray light, producing a series of sharp clashing sounds. The gray light halted in mid-air, unable to proceed. The other path shot directly toward the dwarf's golden shield, hitting it with a series of loud clangs.
The onlookers were astonished by the display of various hidden weapons—flying daggers, prayer beads, iron lotuses, and money darts—all striking the golden shield. Though the gray light was temporarily delayed, the scholar's cold stream seemed to have no effect on the shield, as it merely bounced off harmlessly.
Golden Light Taoist, slightly taken aback, sneered. He didn't believe that mere mortal weapons could withstand the power of his protective spell for long.
"Enough!" The voice of the gray-clad man thundered across the battlefield, causing everyone to flinch. The man, who had been moving alongside the scholar, suddenly drew his sword and began marching toward the gray light.
On his sword's tip, a chilling white aura glowed, extending about two inches. The cold air from the aura radiated, sending a palpable wave of frost through the air.
"Sword Aura!" Someone gasped in recognition, and a hushed awe spread across the crowd.
The appearance of the sword aura—an unparalleled technique coveted by all sword practitioners—shocked the onlookers. It was a mythical technique, a martial legend. And now, the moment had arrived: a clash between flying swords and sword auras. How could anyone remain calm in such a situation?
While the spectators were on edge, Jia Tianlong, on the other hand, was frozen in fear. He had never anticipated that the Seven Celestial Sect's experts would be so powerful. He had assumed that the Golden Light Taoist would be the decisive factor, but now he realized the terrible mistake he had made. The man wielding the sword aura alone could likely wipe out his entire group.
The gray-clad man finally reached the gray light and, without hesitation, leaped into the air. With his sword in hand, he swung the sword aura toward the gray light.
The impact was sharp and intense. Clang! The man was sent tumbling to the ground, staggering backward several steps. He coughed up blood, his face pale and weary. His sword, once sharp and deadly, now had its tip sheared off and turned into a blunt iron fragment.
Despite this, the gray light remained unscathed. It continued to wriggle and pulse with energy, as though alive, its brilliance unwavering even after the clash.
Everyone stared, wide-eyed. The dwarf, his gaze flickering between the fallen man and the still-active gray light, hesitated for a moment. Then, without warning, he lunged toward the golden shield and made a quick calculation in his mind.
Meanwhile, the scholar—seeing his companion fall—had a brief flash of hesitation. But after glancing at the dwarf, he quickly made up his mind and flew toward him, intending to finish the fight.
But just as the scholar was about to advance, a shout rang out behind him. "Watch out!"
Startled, the scholar tried to react, but before he could, something cold and sharp swept past him. He turned his head just in time to see a decapitated body stumbling forward a few steps before collapsing to the ground. The lifeless figure had been none other than his own companion, the gray-clad man.
It was at this moment that the Golden Light Taoist's voice rang out, full of triumph. He sent the gray light back into the air, aiming it once again at the remaining man.
However, just as he prepared to destroy the last of the Seven Celestial Sect's elite, an unexpected voice rang out from the other side of the battlefield: "I quite like that thing you're flying around. Mind if I play with it?"
Before the words were even fully out of his mouth, the Taoist felt a sudden, forceful presence overpowering him. The gray light, which had been under his control, abruptly severed its connection to him and flew toward the crowd, disobeying his commands.
Everyone gasped in surprise, with some of them ducking to avoid the erratic flight of the gray light. But among the crowd, one young man—seemingly no older than seventeen or eighteen—stood perfectly still. He flashed the Golden Light Taoist a grin, revealing a set of bright white teeth against his dark skin. Then, with a single finger, he directed the gray light to gently land in his palm.
"A cultivator!" The dwarf's heart froze in fear, his face paling instantly as he realized the truth.