Chapter 100: Still Brothers

Over a hundred soldiers were mentally shattered. No matter how much courage they summoned, facing a certain death, their hearts sank in despair. At this moment, Ao Fei’s courageous stand was undoubtedly a blessing from heaven, yet that hope was fleeting. Following it were two layers of hell. If the first, Ao Yun’s layer of hell, still offered a glimmer of hope for some to scatter and escape, the second, Qing Xu’s layer, was utterly unforgiving. This series of changes was even more agonizing than immediate death.

Between life and death lies great terror, and these soldiers had just endured it multiple times in quick succession; it was no wonder they were on the verge of collapse.

“Everyone, scatter and flee!” someone shouted. Instantly, over a hundred soldiers dispersed in all directions, willing to burn their life essence and cultivation to escape. Before their eyes, the sky was filled with dazzling rays of colorful light.

So many cultivators at the Immortal Transcendent realm fleeing desperately—Ao Yun himself lacked the power to kill them all. But Qing Xu was different. As a Grand Dao Golden Immortal, not only could he disregard the void and parallel spaces to move at will, but his treasures and divine arts could do the same. Distance held no meaning to such a mighty figure. Once he caught even a trace of his enemy’s aura, he would pursue relentlessly until death.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!...

With a flick of his finger, over a hundred golden rainbow beams shot out in all directions, each one chasing down a soldier. Exactly one beam per person.

The speed of the Immortal Transcendents was beyond comprehension—covering thousands of miles in an instant, especially when fleeing for their lives, like a streak of light and a flash of a rainbow. Yet before Qing Xu’s golden rainbow beams, they were no different from stationary targets. The golden beams darted through dozens of layers of parallel space, attacking the soldiers in the blink of an eye—without exception.

Crack! Bang!...

Blinding sparks flashed, and all the soldiers were annihilated utterly and silently, not even a scream escaping their lips.

From Ao Yun’s perspective, it was a different scene. He only saw Qing Xu’s void-catching hand explode like a firework, releasing over a hundred golden rainbow beams that vanished instantly, followed by a thunderous crack that reduced the soldiers to dust.

Is this truly the power of a Grand Dao Golden Immortal? It’s terrifying! Ao Yun could clearly feel that even if he could easily slay those soldiers, in Qing Xu’s eyes, it made no difference.

Seeing the awe in Ao Yun’s eyes, Qing Xu was unoffended. Without reaching the Grand Dao level, one could never comprehend its terror. The Grand Dao Golden Immortal was the pinnacle of post-immortal cultivation, while the Taiyi True Immortal was merely an entry-level rank. The difference was like that between an adult and a baby—no exaggeration.

Not long after, Ao Fei opened his eyes while recuperating. Though the restriction of the Dragon-Slaying Needle remained, his wounds had healed completely. The soreness and numbness in his body had mostly dissipated, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. It was like a parched land meeting sweet rain, or a traveler encountering an old friend far from home—beyond description in its relief.

“Let’s begin! Although my strength is still above the early stage of Taiyi True Immortal, I will suppress it to give you a fair and just duel!” Ao Fei smiled.

“Very well,” Ao Yun replied with a bright smile, “You need not use any treasures. Let us decide the victor purely by spear technique, divine arts, and Daoist methods!”

An indescribable atmosphere washed over them, as if all grudges had dissolved, and the bond of brotherhood restored.

“Watch my spear!” Ao Fei struck first, shaking the silver spear in his palm, instantly conjuring dozens of blossoms that enveloped Ao Yun’s vital points.

“Good!” Facing Ao Fei’s exquisite spear technique, Ao Yun was not alarmed but delighted. He shouted and countered, sweeping his silver spear to dispel the illusions. They clashed—one against one.

First round—no victor!

Second round—no victor!

Third round...

Before long, Ao Fei and Ao Yun had exchanged over a hundred rounds of combat without a clear winner. Ao Fei’s spear moved like a dragon and snake, avoiding the void and striking the real, mighty as the ocean’s waves, unstoppable. When swift, it was a silver flash, like mercury spilling on the ground. Ao Yun was no less skilled—feinting east then striking west, thrusting upwards and sweeping downwards, piercing, flicking, slashing, and slicing. Their spearsmanship was masterful. Occasionally, they employed some divine arts and Daoist methods to cover their own flaws, perfectly timed and executed.

“These two are not weak in cultivation, and their spear skills are extraordinary. If I hadn’t taken a detour, cultivating divine clones to cheat, I’d be far behind them. Even now, I only surpass them in cultivation. Their spear skills, divine arts, and Daoist methods surpass mine,” Qing Xu thought, undeterred. Ao Fei and Ao Yun had been cultivating for over a year, while he only had a century of experience. He believed that under the same conditions, he would not be inferior to them. Ao Fei’s cultivation was of the Dragon Clan’s supreme techniques, and Ao Yun’s was not far behind. Qing Xu’s own Jade Void Daoist methods were vast and profound but emphasized gradual progress and accumulation, making it hard to cultivate quickly, unlike the Dragon Clan’s techniques, which were simple and easy to learn early on but difficult in the later stages.

“Good! I didn’t expect that even using the Dragon Clan’s supreme technique ‘Nine Dragons Transformation’ moves and divine arts wouldn’t surpass you.”

“Brother, you’ve always focused on cultivation and neglected combat skills. That’s your shortcoming. I’ve tried hard to overcome that but still can’t gain the upper hand. Perhaps I’m destined never to surpass you this lifetime. But even if I die today, I won’t give up.”

“Those involved are confused, but the bystander sees clearly. You know me better than I know myself. Though this duel seems without winner, you’ve won. If we cultivate ‘Nine Dragons Transformation’ together, I wouldn’t stand a chance against you.”

“Not entirely. Without this grinding, I might be no different from you—only focused on cultivation and neglecting techniques and divine arts.”

“A loss in the east is a gain in the west. Everything has two sides. You’ve lost much but far surpass me in intellect, strategy, perseverance, and diligence.”

Suddenly, a sharp sound of metal piercing flesh reached Qing Xu’s ears. At that moment, time seemed to freeze; the duel halted, leaving only two pairs of shocked eyes—Qing Xu’s and Ao Yun’s.

Ao Yun stood frozen, staring at the silver spear that had pierced through his chest and heart, blood dripping down.

“You could have dodged this spear—why didn’t you?” Qing Xu’s voice trembled, his heart shaking.

“If there’s an afterlife, let’s be brothers again!” Ao Fei smiled brightly through the blood streaming from his mouth, then howled to the heavens, severing his own life force. His body, along with his Dragon Orb soul, began to slowly dissipate.

“No! Brother, don’t!” Ao Yun tried to stop him but was powerless. His gaze quickly shifted to Qing Xu.

“Don’t look at me either. He has severed his own life force; even a Grand Dao cannot save him,” Qing Xu sighed.

“Afterlife brothers? Afterlife brothers? Afterlife brothers? Hahaha, brother, I have envied and admired you my whole life, only now do I know what is most precious. Don’t go far; I’m coming!” Ao Yun wept and laughed madly, then also severed his life force, his body and Dragon Orb soul vanishing.

“Sigh! If only I had known today’s outcome earlier! But now, I stand to profit—from their treasures and that ancestral Dragon relic,” Qing Xu mused. Though he had his own code of honor, he was not so strict as to never take advantage when opportunity presented itself.