Chapter 52: Ruthless Hands Destroy the Flower

Though talismans and formations each had their unique merits, they ultimately served the same purpose.

As external tools, they allowed cultivators to overcome stronger opponents and achieve victory through weakness.

A ninth-grade formation alone could grant Lü Yang the upper hand in a duel.

Even a ninth-grade talisman, while perhaps not as formidable as a formation, was enough to make Yun Miaozhen treat it with utmost caution—it was not something to be taken lightly.

Not to mention, Lü Yang had just unleashed nearly five hundred talismans at once, all activated simultaneously, their combined power causing the very heavens and earth to change color.

Although talismans turned to ash after use and couldn't be preserved, making them consumables that many cherished, Lü Yang was an exception.

If he ran out of talismans, he would simply have the Banner Spirits work overtime to produce a new batch.

Boom!

In an instant, sword energy filled the sky, thunder roared, and countless talisman lights flashed like lightning, surrounding Yun Miaozhen as if thousands of blades were upon her.

Seeing this, Yun Miaozhen had no choice but to retreat defensively.

The next moment, a surge of energy transformed into a silver canopy above her, shielding her from all the talismans.

However, this was only temporary.

While talismans didn't drain Lü Yang's spiritual power, Yun Miaozhen's use of the 'Taiyi Golden Radiance Pill Book' consumed a significant amount.

As her energy waned, the protective light around her was shredded by the talismans, forcing her to summon another layer of light to barely protect herself.

"Slash!"

Lü Yang, without a hint of mercy, unleashed sword energy and thunder talismans, instantly tearing apart Yun Miaozhen's protective garment.

In a flash, her garment shattered, scattering like rain and revealing vast expanses of snow-white skin.

"Ah!"

Yun Miaozhen's face turned crimson with anger, her jade-like body trembling violently.

Instinctively, she tried to cover herself, but Lü Yang's relentless attacks left her no room to do so.

"Fiend! You're courting death!" Yun Miaozhen's expression twisted in fury.

Having reached the ninth level of Qi Refining at a young age and mastering the great divine abilities of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion, she was a true disciple and a Foundation Establishment seed of the sect.

Always aloof and proud, she had never found herself in such a humiliating situation.

Lü Yang, noticing this, smirked slightly.

"Fellow Daoist, you truly possess a heavenly beauty—so ample, so fair, and so smooth."

Though Yun Miaozhen tried her best to conceal herself, it was futile against Lü Yang's discerning eyes; he saw everything, whether he should or not.

Yun Miaozhen, extremely sensitive to his gaze, became even more frantic.

What infuriated her further was Lü Yang's disdainful expression: "In broad daylight, such indecency. Is this what you call a righteous sect?"

As he spoke, Lü Yang continued to direct talismans at Yun Miaozhen.

His words were merely a tactic to unsettle her mind, with the ultimate goal of defeating her.

As expected, being humiliated by Lü Yang and having previously held the advantage only to be reduced to such a state by his extravagant use of talismans, Yun Miaozhen's emotions ignited, causing a slight crack in her Dao heart.

"Now's the time!"

Lü Yang seized the moment when Yun Miaozhen's Dao heart wavered and her mind became distracted, immediately forming a hand seal.

Suddenly, a circular light appeared behind his head.

As the light illuminated, Lü Yang's vision changed dramatically.

The area where he had just battled Yun Miaozhen was now filled with numerous traces of her energy—remnants she had left behind.

"Profound Yin Shape Capturing, Nail-Head Life-Claiming."

With a thought, Lü Yang directed the circular light onto one of Yun Miaozhen's energy traces, capturing it and projecting her graceful figure.

The next second, without hesitation, Lü Yang slashed with two fingers.

The circular light split in two, and the image of Yun Miaozhen within was also divided.

An invisible force immediately acted upon Yun Miaozhen's real body.

Crack!

Suddenly, a soft tearing sound was heard, and a clear blood mark appeared on Yun Miaozhen's snow-white, ivory-like forehead.

The blood mark began to widen.

"You wish!"

In an instant, Yun Miaozhen's pupils contracted, her fair skin flushed, her brows arched, and a golden light burst from her beautiful eyes.

The next moment, she retracted the 'Divine Light' that had been contending with the 'Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light', and simultaneously gathered the 'Qi Light' and 'Essence Light'.

The three lights merged into a brilliant golden light, soaring into the sky, making her appear like a celestial maiden descending from the heavens.

Three lights combined—Taiyi Golden Flower!

At that moment, Lü Yang felt that Yun Miaozhen had suddenly become 'taller'—not in a physical sense, but in terms of dimension.

'This is the Great Divine Ability!?'

Previously, Yun Miaozhen had only been using superior divine abilities that comprised the Great Divine Ability.

Now, she had managed to activate the true Great Divine Ability.

It was an entirely different sensation.

With the blessing of Taiyi Golden Flower, Yun Miaozhen seemed to transcend the mortal realm, gradually ascending to a level beyond Lü Yang's reach.

The two stood—one high, one low.

This disparity was all too familiar to Lü Yang.

Though not as terrifying as that day, it still reminded him of the initial shock he felt upon meeting Daoist Hong Yun!

At that moment, Yun Miaozhen moved.

With a graceful wave of her hand, the 'Profound Yin Shape Capturing Technique' that had been acting upon her was forcibly redirected to another person with a similar energy signature.

Her twin sister, Yun Miaoqing!

The next second, the blood mark on Yun Miaozhen's forehead rapidly healed, while Yun Miaoqing, still unconscious outside the cave, suddenly split open.

"Truly ruthless and decisive."

Witnessing this, Lü Yang mocked, "Fellow Daoist, you act swiftly—resorting to fratricide at the first sign of danger to save yourself. Is this the righteousness of the Sword Pavilion?"

"This is Miaoqing's tribulation; do not distort the truth."

Yun Miaozhen's tone returned to its usual indifference: "You disrupted her cultivation, causing her tribulation to remain incomplete, leading to today's calamity. You are the true culprit."

Lü Yang laughed heartily: "Fellow Daoist, your shamelessness is unparalleled. You're wasted in the Sword Pavilion; you should join our Saint Sect!"

Yun Miaozhen remained unmoved, but the killing intent in her eyes grew colder.

She said coldly, "Sharp-tongued fiend, today I shall act on behalf of the heavens!"

The next moment, the Taiyi Golden Flower she had condensed collapsed with a roar, sweeping towards Lü Yang and all his activated talismans.

In an instant, Lü Yang's figure and hundreds of talismans were obliterated, as if they were mere mantis arms trying to stop a chariot, all swept away!

This kind of transformation was just like the words on a book being erased by a rubber eraser.

There was neither a corpse, nor any lingering Qi; not even a trace was left behind, as if it had never appeared in this world to begin with.

Immediately after, the Taiyi Golden Radiance disappeared, revealing Yun Miaozhen's staggering figure; however, at this moment, this proud daughter of heaven wore a face that was deathly pale.

"Pu! Ugh—"

As soon as Yun Miaozhen landed, she suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood.

Immediately after, the brilliance enveloping her body collapsed with a loud crash, and she could no longer gather even the slightest bit of radiance.

"It's gone… all gone…" Yun Miaozhen's red lips trembled lightly, without a trace of victory’s joy.

This was the price she had paid for forcibly activating the Taiyi Golden Radiance through a secret technique without having reached the peak of Qi Refining—her essence, energy, and spirit, the three forms of brilliance, all shattered.

Decades of painstaking cultivation had gone up in flames.

The once-bright path to Foundation Establishment now carried a shadow of uncertainty.

Yun Miaozhen sighed in sorrow, and was about to leave the cave-heaven.

But just at that moment, she saw a figure suddenly appear—one she could hardly believe.

"Fellow Daoist, the outcome hasn't been decided yet, and you're already leaving?"

Lü Yang appeared handsome and poised, his sleeves fluttering.

Though he too had suffered great depletion of true Qi and heavy losses in magical power, there was not a single wound on his body!

"That's impossible!"

Yun Miaozhen's flower-like face turned pale with horror.

Her usually crisp and pleasant voice now turned sharp: "That was Taiyi Golden Radiance! How could you possibly have blocked it?"

Naturally, Lü Yang would not tell her.

Indeed, if relying solely on his own divine abilities, Lü Yang would not have been able to withstand that Taiyi Golden Radiance.

Such a grand divine power already held the might of Foundation Establishment.

What blocked it—was his talent.

【Purple Talent · Some Skill】

【Some Skill: No matter how terrifying the attack, as long as it falls within your ability limit, you can handle it freely—twice.】

In his previous life, after angrily drawing his sword and slaying the Peak Master of Mending Heaven Peak, this was the talent he obtained upon restarting!

If Yun Miaozhen had been able to unleash Taiyi Golden Radiance four or five times in succession, he would have died without question.

But she could only unleash it once… so she had no one to blame for his cheat!

Although it was only twice—it really was twice!

Lü Yang smiled calmly, first picking up the Taiwei Mirror, then stepped in front of Yun Miaozhen and used the mirror's light to immobilize her completely.

Yun Miaozhen instinctively began to struggle, glaring angrily at Lü Yang: "What do you intend to do!?"

"To be honest, I'm quite interested in the 『Taiyi Golden Radiance Pill Book』."

"I won't tell you anything!"

"Relax. You will."

Lü Yang sneered coldly: "After all, I'm a disciple of Mending Heaven Peak in the Primordial Saint Sect."

Much later, as the clouds scattered and the rain ceased.

"…What a pity, it’s not complete."

Lü Yang closed his eyes and contemplated for a moment, then shook his head helplessly: "Only one-third of it. The remaining parts are restricted, impossible to extract."

In the next second, he looked again at Yun Miaozhen.

Seeing this, Yun Miaozhen clenched her silver teeth tightly, yet dared not show the slightest trace of resentment.

She could only force a flattering smile: "You've already had me… isn’t that enough…?"

Lü Yang looked disgusted: "What use are you?"

Boom!

Before Yun Miaozhen could finish her sentence, Lü Yang flicked the Taiwei Mirror.

In an instant, wind and thunder raged—on the spot, that enchanting figure was shattered into dust.