Chapter 139: Victory

Chapter 139: Victory

"Sizzle... crackle..."

The spirit armor on Ximen Shang’s body shattered into several pieces and fell away.

With Lu Tiannan dead, Ximen Shang’s focus faltered for a fleeting moment. Jiang Yan’s divine sense immediately seized the opportunity, piercing through the defensive barrier of Ximen Shang’s armor and striking him directly in the chest.

The searing pain in his heart jolted Ximen Shang back to his senses. His mind racing, he retreated without hesitation, his palms crossed. A beam of golden light erupted from between his hands, severing Jiang Yan’s encroaching divine sense and forcing him back.

Though he retreated in time, Ximen Shang’s chest was still wounded. Where the spirit armor had been breached, his clothes were shredded, revealing a deep, gaping wound. The flesh was turned outward, and the blood flowing from it instantly stained his brocade robe.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

Having finished off Lu Tiannan, Tang Wan leaped gracefully, redirecting her Azure Wood Arrows toward the young master Ximen, who was still locked in combat with her. Seeing himself surrounded, Ximen panicked. He shifted his focus from Zisu’s golden sword to deal with Tang Wan. The golden sword collided with the Azure Wood Arrows, creating a rapid, rhythmic clatter.

"Pfft..."

After the first wave of Tang Wan’s arrows, the young master Ximen could no longer hold his ground. The light on his golden sword dimmed, and as blackness clouded his vision, he spat out a mouthful of blood. The sheer power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was ultimately beyond what a Refining practitioner could withstand.

"Go!" Zisu’s clear, sharp cry rang out. The water shuttle at her feet surged forward, transforming into a streak of light as it charged toward the bleeding Ximen.

Seeing the young master spitting blood, Ximen Shang’s face turned deathly pale. If this spoiled brat were injured, how would he answer to Elder Ximen of the Outer Sect once they returned to Xixia? Thoughts of the sect’s brutal punishments made his face even whiter.

Distracted, Ximen Shang suddenly retreated, his feet tapping the ground as he vaulted backward. He raised his right palm and slashed at the void in front of him, releasing another burst of golden light.

Jiang Yan, who had been leaning forward, paused slightly, inwardly cursing. Ximen Shang was too alert; his attempt to strike while the man was distracted had failed again. Because of the golden light Ximen Shang had unleashed, a portion of Jiang Yan’s divine sense was severed. Ximen Shang was truly worthy of being a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Despite being wounded by Jiang Yan’s initial surprise attack, once he regained his composure, Jiang Yan’s invisible "Divine Cocoon" technique could no longer easily overwhelm him.

Ximen Shang kept his eyes locked on Jiang Yan in the distance, not daring to let his guard down for a second. Twice already, his own lapse in concentration had allowed Jiang Yan’s divine sense to injure him. The first time, it had nearly gutted him; the second, it had left a bloody gash on his face. This time, he had reacted just in time to avoid further injury, but he no longer dared to relax. Even though he knew the young master Ximen was on the brink of death, Ximen Shang had no idea how to bypass Jiang Yan to save the brat.

"Clang!" The young master Ximen’s golden sword collided with Zisu’s water shuttle, creating a thunderous boom.

The water shuttle tumbled through the air before its tip dipped, driving itself directly into the ground. The golden sword spun wildly, flying far past Ximen before finally falling to the earth with a heavy thud.

"Swish, swish..."

Tang Wan moved like a butterfly through the air, spinning as she unleashed another wave of azure-glowing arrows toward the young master Ximen on the ground. With his sword gone, the timing was perfect.

"Hum..."

The Azure Wood Arrows struck the young master, triggering the spirit armor on his body. The armor manifested a spherical translucent shield, trapping him firmly inside. The arrows skidded off the surface of the barrier.

"Boom! Boom!"

Without hesitation, Tang Wan channeled the arrows to detonate right beside him. In the process of killing Lu Tiannan, she had developed a crude method for dealing with spirit armor: using the shockwaves from the detonating arrows to injure the target. Once the person was hurt, the armor’s effectiveness was greatly diminished.

"Boom! Boom!" The sound of successive explosions rang out around the fallen youth.

"Go!" Zisu cried out. Her water shuttle traced a brilliant arc, plunging toward the youth lying on the ground.

A trickle of blood escaped the corner of Tang Wan’s mouth, looking like a bright red plum blossom against the frozen, snowy landscape—a startling sight. She had overexerted herself by detonating the arrows, damaging her own heart meridians.

"Explode!" Tang Wan glanced at the fading light around the young master, wiped the blood from her lip with a slender hand, and continued to force the arrows to detonate against the shield.

...

"Clang, clang..."

"Shing!"

The Azure Wood Arrows finally shattered the youth’s defensive shield.

A barrage of arrows followed, tracing a beautiful azure arc as they pinned the young master Ximen to the mountain rock. The water shuttle followed suit, cutting a bloody path as it drove him deep into the stone.

"Hum..."

As his body was pierced through, a brilliant, snow-white light erupted from the young master. It wrapped around his body, flickered a few times, and then flared intensely. When the light vanished, the corpse on the ground disappeared with it.

"Pfft..."

Ximen Shang, still locked in a standoff with Jiang Yan, suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed onto one knee before him.

"You old wretch, you actually planted a Heart-Rotting Curse on me! Your grandson is dead, and you still want to drag me down with him!" Though he knelt, Ximen Shang’s gaze remained fixed on Jiang Yan, his voice filled with venomous vitriol.

"Boom..."

A bright golden light flared from Ximen Shang’s body. A round bead floated from his robes, shedding a translucent golden radiance that enveloped the blood-stained man, shielding him from Jiang Yan’s divine sense.

"Hum..."

With a flick of his wrist, Ximen Shang produced a golden jade talisman. He crushed it, and a layer of golden light hummed around him. Wrapped in this glow, he looked at Jiang Yan with a face full of sorrow. "Jiang Yan, you’ve forced me to use my Soul-Bound Talisman today. Next time, I will make you pay."

"Whoosh..."

With a flicker, Ximen Shang vanished into thin air, just as the young master Ximen had before him.

"Awoo..."

The roar of the Golden-Winged Tiger echoed down from the high cliffs above.