Chapter 119: A Narrow Escape

Two sharp streaks of light, one gray-white and one deep green, slashed across the void with incredible speed, instantly blocking the entrance to the ley line passage. Their murderous aura was so intense it chilled the heart and soul, striking with the swift, terrifying grace of a startled swan.

As famous killing-type primordial treasures of the Great Primordial World, the ferocity of the Yuantu and Abin swords far exceeded Qingxu’s expectations. Having memories of his past life, Qingxu knew that in the current Primordial World, likely only the God-Killing Spear—which rivaled primordial treasures—and the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords, the premier killing weapons of eternity, could suppress these two companion treasures of Ancestor Minghe. Facing the combined blockade of Yuantu and Abin, Qingxu was undoubtedly in trouble. Given his current cultivation and artifacts, breaking through the blockade to escape would not have been an issue, but the crisis was compounded by Minghe’s presence behind him.

It had to be said that Minghe’s calculations were precise. He used the two swords to obstruct Qingxu and buy time for his capture. Even though Minghe was not exerting his full effort, his quasi-sage cultivation meant that a mere early-stage Great Void Golden Immortal could not break through such a defense in a short time. And time was all Minghe needed.

Minghe was brimming with confidence; he had no doubt about capturing Qingxu. The gap in their cultivation was absolute, and no matter how great a "surprise" Qingxu might be, it was not enough to defy the heavens and contend with him.

Trapped between the wolf in front and the tiger behind, Qingxu suppressed the fear in his heart and struggled to remain calm. Panic was the last thing he could afford.

"To escape, I must at least break past the Yuantu and Abin swords. Once I reach the ley line space, I must hold out against Minghe long enough for other quasi-sages to react." Both tasks were daunting, bordering on impossible. The first step alone was a major hurdle, especially since he could not afford to lose time. Even if he succeeded, the second step—facing a furious, embarrassed Minghe in the ley line space—would be even more perilous.

Since his rebirth, Qingxu had devoted immense effort to the path of the sword. Combined with the theories of his past life and the Yuxu Daoist arts of the Primordial Lord of Heaven, his developing "Qingxu Sword Dao," though still in its infancy, was profound and vast. Whether it was the reactive techniques like the "Nine Swords of Dugu" or the proactive "Evil-Warding Sword Technique," he possessed a wealth of essence. Under normal circumstances, his mastery of the sword was equal to, if not higher than, Minghe’s. Even though Minghe possessed the Quasi-Sage Hunyuan Loose Immortal realm—which allowed him to turn decay into magic and defy common logic—Qingxu’s keen perception could still spot the flaws in his sword forms. His only trouble was that his eyes and speed could not always keep pace.

In an instant, he identified the weaknesses in the two swords blocking the passage. Though he couldn't pinpoint them with absolute precision, it was enough.

The Yuantu and Abin swords transformed into shimmering ribbons of light, weaving a web that sealed the entrance. The oppressive killing intent caused Qingxu’s courage to falter, but with his life and honor at stake, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and fight with all his might.

He had only one chance; success or failure would be decided in a blink.

One strike! Qingxu only had the strength for one decisive blow. If he successfully broke the web, his chances of shaking off Minghe would increase significantly; if he were delayed, his fate would be sealed.

With his life on the line, Qingxu held nothing back. He unleashed his Daluo Blood-Transforming Qingming Sword, attaching a low-grade Mysterious Ice Spike to it, ready to detonate it into a burst of extreme freezing energy. Simultaneously, he funneled all the divine flames he could draw from the Yuxu Palace Lantern to envelop both the sword and the spike.

"Man proposes, Heaven disposes. I have done all I can; the rest is up to fate," he thought. The Daluo Blood-Transforming Qingming Sword shot like lightning toward the approximate weak point of the sword web. Because he couldn't be certain of the exact spot, he had to settle for a wider attack, which naturally reduced its power, but he had no other choice.

The defense at the weak point was at least half as strong as the rest of the web. If he wanted to break through, this was his only hope.

"Explode!"

Boom!

With a thought, the attached Mysterious Ice Spike detonated, releasing a terrifying, immense surge of extreme freezing energy. At the same time, massive amounts of blood-transforming power surged from the Daluo Blood-Transforming Qingming Sword. The three forces—the freezing energy, the blood-transforming power, and the divine flames—merged into one, striking the weak point of the sword web with unstoppable momentum.

"Oh no!" Seeing Qingxu’s move, Minghe’s stoic face shifted in shock. He had not expected Qingxu to be this capable. The combination of the blood-transforming power and the divine flames, further catalyzed by the extreme freezing energy, created a chemical reaction of immeasurable power. Minghe regretted his negligence; had he used his full power as a quasi-sage, Qingxu would have been at his mercy.

Clang! Boom!

Amidst the constant flashes of fire and light, Qingxu’s peak strike slammed directly into the weak point of the sword web. Although the power was somewhat dispersed, it was still more than the casually constructed web could withstand. Two mournful cries rang out, and the sound of metal hitting the ground reached Qingxu’s ears.

"Huh? All show and no substance?" Qingxu realized he had been too cautious and had overestimated the strength of Minghe’s web. It turned out that the swords were relying solely on their own inherent power; Minghe hadn't truly been controlling them, as his focus was entirely on capturing Qingxu. The swords, while powerful, were not invincible, and having been struck directly at their weak point, they suffered immediate, severe damage.

With his companion treasures heavily damaged and their spiritual radiance dimmed, Minghe—as their master—suffered the backlash. His primordial spirit trembled, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale. The injury was moderate, but to prevent it from worsening, he needed to rest and regulate his breath. It would take at least two or three breaths of time. In normal circumstances, this was trivial, but in the current situation, it was a significant setback that might cost him the chance to capture Qingxu.

With the sword web gone, Qingxu recalled his Daluo Blood-Transforming Qingming Sword. While he had successfully damaged the two swords, the cost to him was high. The Mysterious Ice Spike was annihilated, the Yuxu Palace Lantern was damaged, and his Daluo Blood-Transforming Qingming Sword was on the verge of shattering, its blade covered in spiderweb-like cracks. A significant portion of its blood-transforming power had been exhausted.

The loss was great, but the goal was achieved. Without the obstruction of the sword web, Qingxu quickly passed through the ley line channel and entered the ley line space. The first hurdle had been cleared!

Qingxu had briefly considered swiping the two primordial treasures to compensate for his losses, but reason told him it was impossible. The Yuantu and Abin swords were bound to Ancestor Minghe, refined over countless eons; they were one with his spirit. For anyone without quasi-sage cultivation, attempting to seize them would be suicide.

Watching Qingxu disappear, Minghe was so angry he nearly spat blood again. He had never expected that he, who spent his days hunting geese, would be pecked in the eye by one this time. He could still pursue and capture Qingxu, but it wasn't worth it. With other quasi-sages gathering and the God-Killing Spear about to appear, he needed to preserve his state.

"Forget it. I don't believe there won't be another chance. There will be a struggle when the God-Killing Spear emerges. I'll seize the opportunity then; this boy will be easy pickings," Minghe reasoned while regulating his breath.

He had no choice. The damage to his companion treasures had injured his spirit. If he fully healed now, it would take only a few breaths, but by suppressing the injury to keep moving, it would take days to recover later.

Qingxu’s mystery had piqued Minghe’s curiosity, but the God-Killing Spear was far more important. A weapon with offensive power rivaling a primordial treasure would make even a Hunyuan Saint envious, let alone a quasi-sage. Minghe had great ambitions—the goal of proving his path as a Saint. The God-Killing Spear would help him achieve that by allowing him to contemplate the Daoist rhymes within it and by boosting his strength. In the current world, only primordial treasures and the finest acquired treasures were of any use to him.

Given the choice, Minghe would rather give up on Qingxu than on the God-Killing Spear. He immediately set about healing his injuries.