Everyone was shocked by Shangguan Shimingâs courage and obstinance! She even dared to challenge Langya, risking a confrontation with the formidable aura of the Zilian Immortal. Such persistence!
Perhaps this was the reason why Shangguan Shiming could travel the world and become a Banished Immortal Seed! some in the crowd thought. But they had no idea that Shangguan Shiming had been ordered to attack.
"Attack now. Aim for Langyaâs heart! Strike her heart with killing intent!"
This was the command Lin Mu had given her. Shangguan Shiming was puzzled, but she could only obey and strike.
"Shangguan Shiming, you dare to attack me! Do you really think being a Banished Immortal Seed is such a big deal?" Langya was furious.
A Banished Immortal Seed is just a seed! Its strength lies in the future! Perhaps, in the near future, Shangguan Shiming could advance to the Qi Cultivation Twelfth Level and achieve complete Foundation Establishment! But right now, sheâs only at the Tenth Layer of Qi Cultivation! How dare she challenge me! She must be dizzy with her own title!
Langya lashed out with a whip kick, aiming straight for Shangguan Shimingâs neck. With a lithe and graceful movement, Shangguan Shiming arched backward, effortlessly dodging the strike.
BANG!
The air cracked from the force. An Eight Trigrams pattern flashed and vanished. A trace of surprise flickered in Langyaâs eyes.
She actually dodged it!
BOOM!
Langya kicked out again, another Eight Trigrams pattern manifesting. At the same time, the Sixty-Four Hexagrams reappeared. But Shangguan Shiming was completely different from her previous opponents. Her presence was exceptionally strange, preventing the Sixty-Four Hexagrams from locking onto her. Every time the runes were about to weaken Shangguan Shiming, she would evade them with her exquisite movements.
Left with no choice, Langya could only continue her assault. Her speed was phenomenal; ordinary Qi Cultivation Realm cultivators, even those at the peak of the Eleventh Level of Qi Cultivation, couldnât keep up with her.
But Shangguan Shiming could. Every time, she managed to evade the attacks with her uncanny movement technique, at the last possible moment.
Below the arena, the disciples of the Celestial Northern Dipper Pavilion were dumbfounded. They never expected that Shangguan Shiming, at the Tenth Layer of Qi Cultivation, could challenge Langya of the Eleventh Level and fight her for so long. Langya, whose speed could utterly dominate even Juling Yin, couldnât even touch the corner of Shangguan Shimingâs clothes!
"Shangguan Shimingâs movement technique... itâs very strange!" Li Duanjian, the Proud Son of Heaven from the Sword Control Sect, watched intently, his eyes glued to the two women.
The two combatantsâone fierce and direct with astonishing speed, the other with a mysterious presence, lithe and graceful. Their battle was so spectacular that the spectators became completely captivated, even forgetting to watch the fight between the Foundation Building Immortals.
"That girl is incredible," Juling Yin said, her face still a little pale. She looked at Shangguan Shiming with a newfound sense of awe. She had personally experienced Langyaâs terrifying speedâit was faster than sound, surpassing the limits of a Qi Cultivation Realm cultivatorâs Divine Sense! And now, that girl on the stage, a cultivator at the Tenth Layer of Qi Cultivation, was actually keeping up.
"Is this the gap between a Proud Son of Heaven and a Banished Immortal Seed?" Juling Yin felt a surge of resentment, but she had to admit that she and Shangguan Shiming were not on the same level.
The faces of the other three Proud Sons of Heaven were also solemn. When they first heard the rumors that Shangguan Shiming, a mere itinerant cultivator, had been designated a Banished Immortal Seed, they were all skeptical. After all, she was only at the Tenth Layer of Qi Cultivation. On what grounds could she be called a Banished Immortal Seed?
Now, they had to face the facts. At the Tenth Layer of Qi Cultivation, none of them would have been Shangguan Shimingâs match. This woman was truly remarkable.
Lin Mu watched the fight between Langya and Shangguan Shiming, his brow gradually furrowing.
Just as I thought. I was right! The Celestial Northern Dipper Pavilion truly is rotten from top to bottom!
Watching Langyaâs lightning-fast speed, a cold glint entered Lin Muâs eyes.
Back on the stage, Shangguan Shiming fought with increasing valor. She had assumed she would be no match for Langya, but to her surprise, the Rainbow Feather Dress Technique that Lin Mu had taught her was terrifyingly powerful. She was holding her own against Langya despite being a full level weaker!
BOOM!
Shangguan Shimingâs graceful footwork shifted as she threw a punch straight at Langyaâs heart!
Langya mouthed, "You fell for it!" She snapped her arms together, attempting to restrain Shangguan Shiming.
If her footwork is that bizarre, Iâll just lock her down!
Langya had intentionally revealed an opening to bait Shangguan Shiming.
Just as her arms were about to close, a sharp pain erupted from her heart! The agony caused Langyaâs body to freeze for an instant.
BOOM!
Seizing the opportunity, Shangguan Shiming was relentless, landing another palm strike on Langyaâs heart. Langyaâs body trembled once more, and an unnatural flush crept across her face.
Impossible! I have a heart-protecting mirror magical treasure over my heart! Even someone at the Foundation Establishment Stage couldnât hurt me...
When Shangguan Shimingâs third strike landed on her heart, Langya found she couldnât move at all. The next moment, an utterly foreign power threatened to erupt from within her heart.
"Zilian! Stand down now!"
Just then, a great shout thundered from the sky. The resonant voice made both Shangguan Shimingâs and Langyaâs souls tremble. Shangguan Shimingâs attack was halted. The bizarre energy in Langyaâs heart receded once more.
Damn it! What in the world is that energy? Why do I have such a bizarre power inside me?
More than the defeat to Shangguan Shiming, Langya was terrified by the abnormal state of her own body.
RUMBLE!
A massive Tai Chi diagram descended from the sky, crashing down on the Zilian Immortal. The Zilian Immortal coughed up a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward.
A Foundation Building Immortal wielding a Peach Wood Sword descended from the sky. It was none other than the Pavilion Master of the Celestial Northern Dipper Pavilion, Zhuge Jingyun. With a single strike, he had gravely injured the Zilian Immortal, a Proud Son of Heaven of the Foundation Establishment Stage.
After defeating the Proud Son of Heaven in one blow, Zhuge Jingyun paid the Zilian Immortal no further mind.
"Shiming, you have finally returned to the sect!" Zhuge Jingyun said with a smile, reaching out to grab Shangguan Shiming, as if to pull her to his side.
Shangguan Shimingâs face changed drastically. Her body went stiff, unable to move. As a disciple of the Celestial Northern Dipper Pavilion, she had grown up hearing of Pavilion Master Jingyunâs fame. His name was legendary. Facing Zhuge Jingyun, she couldnât even twitch. Her will was completely overwhelmed by his presence.
"You want to touch her? Did you ask for my permission?"
SMACK! A large hand knocked Zhuge Jingyunâs hand away. A figure in white appeared on the Life-and-Death Arena of the Celestial Northern Dipper Pavilion!
"You are..." Zhuge Jingyun frowned, quickly noticing the dense aura of the secular world on the newcomer. "Lin Mu, Lin Wudi! Youâre Lin Wudi, the Proud Son of Heaven from the secular world!"
Zhuge Jingyun was quite surprised. He had heard of Lin Wudi before but hadnât paid it much mind.
Just a Proud Son of Heaven from the Qi Cultivation Realm. Whatâs more, heâs from the secular world! No matter how arrogant he is, any Elder in the Middle or Late Foundation Establishment Stage could kill him with ease.
It was only when Lin Wudi appeared just now, repelling his grasping hand with a single move and snatching Shangguan Shiming away, that Zhuge Jingyun realized something. This Lin Mu, this Lin Wudi, was not as simple as a mere Proud Son of Heaven from the secular world.
"You are Lin Wudi!? Give me back my sisterâs life!"
To everyoneâs surprise, the Zilian Immortal, who had just been wounded by Zhuge Jingyunâs strike, suddenly burst into action. The Zilian Sword transformed into a flurry of lotus flowers made of Sword Qi, shooting toward Lin Mu.
Zhuge Jingyun was stunned once again.
The Red Lotus Sword Immortal was killed by Lin Wudi?
Although the Red Lotus Sword Immortalâs aptitude was inferior to the Zilian Immortalâs, she was still at the peak of the Initial Foundation Establishment Stage, infinitely close to the Middle Stage. Yet Lin Mu had been able to slay the Red Lotus Sword Immortal