Chapter 556

Chapter 556: Not True Qi

Jun Ruolan’s eyes turned crimson as spiritual energy from the blood-colored river surged entirely into her body, instantly channeling into her blood-colored long sword.

With a casual swing, the world blurred into bloody hues, every movement releasing a metallic scent that choked the air.

Within the crimson haze, an enormous sword materialized above her head before vanishing and reappearing above Ye Yun, slashing downward.

Ye Yun sensed an unprecedented force gathering around him. The faint blood-tainted air entering his nostrils stirred discomfort and unexpected mental turmoil.

Though Ye Yun possessed an exceptionally strong soul rarely shaken by adversity, this blood-tainted energy managed to unsettle him—proof of its power to influence the mind and a testament to the might of the Blood Slaughter Demon-Breaking Sword.

Yet no trace of fear crossed Ye Yun’s face. His eyes blazed with fighting spirit, kindled not by recklessness but by witnessing the technique’s ferocity.

He knew this was Jun Ruolan’s ultimate strike. Blocking it would crush her confidence, leaving her powerless to resist his counterattack.

The Purple Shadow Sword quivered violently in Ye Yun’s grip. Though the descending blood-colored blade moved neither fast nor slow, it would reach his skull within two breaths.

Dodging was impossible.

The strike radiated arcane energy, sealing all escape within tens of zhang. Any attempt to evade would immediately plunge one into vulnerability, exposed to wild strength capable of rending flesh.

Ye Yun never considered retreat. He saw only one path: meet force with force.

“Sword of the Thunder God!”

He raised the Purple Shadow Sword and slashed upward.

Thunder detonated across a hundred zhang. Lightning claws ripped through the sky as crackling energy flooded the air—yet hidden within the storm flickered threads of coldness, permeating the atmosphere unnoticed.

The strike appeared simple, devoid of flashy edge. But its overwhelming authority demanded attention.

This plain thrust fused thunder and profound ice—two elemental mysteries—propelled by sword intent. Mere elements alone meant little, but sword intent transformed it into something transcendent.

Ye Yun’s sword intent differed from Du Jianyin’s razor-focused brutality that sought to sunder heavens. His resembled a blazing sun—radiant, righteous, purging all corruption.

Perfected, such intent could command the Three Realms alongside cosmic law. Though still fledgling, its purity magnified the Sword of the Thunder God’s power.

Countless lightning strands interwove overhead. As electricity flared, the Purple Shadow Sword’s brilliance erupted, clashing against the blood-colored blade.

Boom!

The collision birthed an explosion of blood-hued mist laced with purple light shadows. Shockwaves shredded cliff walls and ancient trees hundreds of zhang away, reducing all to dust.

Clouds around Divine Grace Peak vaporized instantly, unveiling clear skies across hundreds of zhang.

Above Divine Grace Palace, Ye Yun and Jun Ruolan flickered within chaotic light and shadow, their positions shifting rapidly.

“Elder brother, who won?” Zhuge Chong whispered.

Shu Anshi—having delivered Cheng Yuweng’s compensation to Tian Yunzi—shook his head. “Unclear. Junior brother’s strike carried sword intent and Ice Spirit Qi. That may tip the balance.”

Kun Huazi grimaced. “I never imagined Junior brother this strong. That sword would’ve shattered me.” The man who’d once matched Kuang Wuwei in physical combat stared upward, awestruck.

“I couldn’t withstand it either. This surpasses the Golden Core stage. Only Ancestors at the Nascent Soul stage might contend with it,” Zhuge Chong nodded, sharing the same sentiment.

“You’re all too weak. Ye Yun and Jun Ruolan’s swordplay is truly formidable,” snorted the Divine Feather Vulture King nearby.

“Big bird, could you withstand it?” Kun Huazi asked skeptically.

Zhuge Chong also turned, curious. The Divine Feather Vulture King’s strength barely matched theirs—how could he endure Jun Ruolan and Ye Yun’s strike?

The Divine Feather Vulture King shot them a cold glare. “With your talent and cultivation, of course not. But why should I withstand it? I’d fly away instantly.”

Kun Huazi and Zhuge Chong froze. They’d assumed the vulture king possessed some secret art to block the attack—not that he’d simply flee.

“Your judgment’s flawed, big bird. This strike covers dozens of zhang. At its center, any movement triggers devastating attacks—no escape possible,” Kun Huazi retorted, exasperated.

“So you’re just running away. How impressive,” Zhuge Chong scoffed, shaking his head.

“Why argue with a country bumpkin? All it does is boast. What’s the Golden-winged Roc’s bloodline worth? Divine dragon or phoenix blood might matter,” Tongtong drawled with her usual condescension.

Rage flashed in the vulture king’s eyes, but Shu Anshi’s voice cut through: “Enough! Look—Ye Yun and Jun Ruolan are dueling to the death!”

All turned to see the two hovering midair, swords locked together. Light and shadow erupted from their clash—each beam could pierce stone, slice ancient trees. Combined, they’d pulverize mountains instantly.

To everyone’s shock, the battle had become a raw contest of true qi strength.

Ye Yun’s immense true qi enabling cross-realm challenges was well-known. Tongtong, Zhuge Chong, and Shu Anshi understood his qi wasn’t just vast but supremely pure—purity dictating potency.

Jun Ruolan, a Moon Goddess Palace disciple wielding shape-shifting top-quality Immortal artifacts, needed no introduction. Selected for her peerless talent, she enjoyed elite cultivation techniques and resources—her true qi’s quality matched her status.

That they’d abandon techniques for pure qi combat stunned all observers.

Logically, higher-realm Jun Ruolan should prevail—at least Cheng Yuweng thought so.

Yet some in Misty Sect disagreed. Murong Wuqing knew Ye Yun’s history: while others struggled against foes one level higher, Ye Yun treated four-level gaps as mere challenges.

Though Jun Ruolan reached sixth-level Golden Core, lacking heavenly tribulation weakened her foundation. The Golden Core heavenly tribulation tempers the core, purges impurities, and multiplies qi quality.

Murong Wuqing doubted Jun Ruolan’s victory. Ye Yun’s peerlessly pure qi made this clash unpredictable.

“Unexpected. Intriguing,” murmured Divine Grace Palace Master Yu Qingzhi, though less familiar with Ye Yun’s capabilities.

“Is the boy mad? No wonder Tian Yunzi took him—all his disciples lack sense!” Yan Rushui exclaimed. Challenging a higher realm with pure qi? Suicide!

Tian Yunzi smiled. “My disciples have flaws, yet surpass Demon Suppression Peak’s youths.”

Yan Rushui’s face darkened, but she swallowed her retort with a cold snort.

“Tian Yunzi, Yu Qingzhi! Had you not challenged Misty Sect’s fools, Su Xin wouldn’t be injured! If her soul damage lowers her cultivation, you’ll answer for it!”

Yu Qingzhi nodded gently. “Naturally. Su Xin is Divine Grace Palace’s rising star—a future Palace Master candidate.”

Tian Yunzi added calmly, “This trial may focus her cultivation. As you said—with dedication, she might surpass Shu Anshi.”

Yan Rushui blinked, surprised by Tian Yunzi’s faith in Yin Suxin. “Then keep Shu Anshi away from her—or I’ll thrash him myself!”

Tian Yunzi fell silent, observing the duel. Ye Yun and Jun Ruolan remained locked palm-to-palm, bodies blazing with light—invisible to weaker cultivators.

Within the glare, Ye Yun grimaced. Relentless qi surged from him—any lapse would let Jun Ruolan’s strange energy invade, shattering his meridians instantly.

Unseen by others, Jun Ruolan’s qi felt alien—siphoning, erosive, carrying a terrifying aura that would cripple lesser minds. Ye Yun’s iron will barely resisted it.

No records described such qi. Known types included Thunder/Fire/Ice/Golden Spirit Qi—but this blended malice, grandeur, netherworldly taint, and righteous might.

In any case, Ye Yun had never seen, heard, or encountered such true qi before, not even in ancient texts.

Ye Yun could sense Jun Ruolan’s true qi wasn’t particularly overwhelming – it matched his own in strength. His Golden Core contained three types of rare spiritual energy along with sword intent, making his destructive power in a true qi duel far beyond ordinary imagination.

Yet despite this, Ye Yun found himself helpless against Jun Ruolan’s bizarre true qi. The alien energy kept invading his body through their connected palms, defying all his resistance.

His face hardened as numbness first claimed his hands. Dark web-like patterns crawled up his arms, blocking blood flow and clogging meridians. Muscles and bones became foreign objects beyond his control.

Jun Ruolan watched coldly, her blood-red eyes flickering eerily. With each pulse of light, more strange energy poured from her palm into Ye Yun’s body.

Panic surged through Ye Yun. If this continued, the invading energy would engulf his entire being. Dark webs would claim his flesh, his six senses would fail, his soul would shatter – true death without reincarnation.

"Ancestor!" Ye Yun shouted urgently.

The Ancestor of the Sword Path responded after brief hesitation, "Calm yourself. This energy… I’ve seen it before."

Ye Yun’s spirits lifted. His anxiety stemmed from complete unfamiliarity with this energy – knowing its nature meant finding countermeasures. Though slightly stronger than his own, it wasn’t insurmountable.

"This…" The Ancestor’s voice trembled before turning grave. "This isn’t true qi!"

Ye Yun nearly lost control, the invading energy surging deeper. "Not true qi? Then what?"

"It resembles demonic energy from the ancient Battle of Immortals and Demons," the Ancestor explained. "Though mostly true qi, even slight contamination by demonic energy will eventually corrupt it entirely."

Never before had Ye Yun heard fear in the Ancestor’s voice. The usually arrogant old man who disdained even Nascent Soul stage experts now sounded shaken.

"Old man, you’re afraid?"

"Of course! Demonic energy is the Three Realms’ most potent force. Mental Demons themselves are demonic seeds – they appear silently when cultivation advances, destroying everything with single misstep."

Ye Yun gasped. He’d always considered Mental Demons as psychological hurdles, not actual demonic manifestations.

"They’re not Heavenly tribulations," the Ancestor continued. "They’re Demon Realm seeds in the Human Realm. When triggered, they turn cultivators into demons or puppets."

This revelation shocked Ye Yun. Historical records claimed demons were eradicated ten thousand years ago when immortals, humans, and the Demon Race united to seal the Demon Realm.

"Are you saying Jun Ruolan’s a demon puppet?" Ye Yun asked through gritted teeth. The arrogant girl showed no signs of being controlled.

"Uncertain. With my complete soul, I might discern her cultivation techniques and bloodline. But she’s definitely acting voluntarily."

Dark webs reached Ye Yun’s elbows. "How to expel this?"

"Fuse your thunder mysteries and Earth Fire Spirit." The Ancestor’s voice tightened. "Perfect union might block the invasion."

"For how long?"

"Two hours should drain her true qi. The demonic energy will vanish naturally."

Ye Yun’s eyes snapped open with determination. "Think a wisp of demonic energy can defeat me? Dream on!"

Focusing inward, he summoned thunder from his Golden Core. A spark blossomed into raging flames, intertwining with lightning. Yet despite his efforts, the elements refused to merge.

"Use your basic true qi!" the Ancestor prompted.

Realization struck – his three spiritual energies had originally fused using true qi as catalyst. Channeling ordinary true qi, thunder and fire finally merged seamlessly.

The combined force surged through meridians to his shoulders where dark webs crawled. The invasion halted abruptly, demonic energy meeting impenetrable defense.