CHAPTER 535: 276, WHAT IF HE WINS THE NETHERFLAME FIRE?_2

"What Daoist Nan said is right. Our Sect indeed fears Xu Xing establishing a foothold in the North Wilderness. See, I was specifically sent here to observe the conflict between these two sects..."

The ghost-faced mysterious man didn’t refute it, merely nodding slightly, agreeing with Nan Ling’s words.

For intelligent and powerful people, excessive sophistry is useless.

Xu Xing is currently only a Dao Lord, and the several Dao Lords under the Butian Sect are merely a collection from various other sects. However, his momentum is already established. As long as he overcomes this Dragon Transformation Tribulation, he will become a top figure in East Huangzhou.

This is all predictable.

"Sect Leader Xu... is different from ordinary sword immortals. No matter how strong a sword immortal is, they might only kill a few Dao Lords of our Sect. But Sect Leader Xu... he could uproot our Sect’s very foundation..." he said with emotion.

Hearing these heartfelt words, Nan Ling’s expression softened slightly. "You are an honest person, Daoist friend. However, it’s not certain you alone can deal with Xu Xing..."

Since Xu Xing poses such a significant threat to the Yin Wind Gate, it’s conceivable they aren’t here with good intentions this time, but rather planning to take advantage of Xu Xing’s potential defeat to launch an attack nearby.

"What Daoist Nan said is right," the ghost-faced mysterious man nodded. "This time, besides myself, the Yin Wind Gate also has several elders lying in ambush outside, just waiting for Xu Xing to be defeated and walk right into our trap."

The Righteous Path and the Demonic Path are as incompatible as fire and water, and Nan Ling and Xu Xing didn’t seem to have any connection, so he wasn’t worried that Nan Ling would leak the Yin Wind Gate’s ambush to Xu Xing.

Besides, information about the Yin Wind Gate’s ambush on Xu Xing wasn’t exactly a great secret. Anyone with insight could see at a glance the threat the Butian Sect posed to the Yin Wind Gate. The Yin Wind Gate wasn’t a Righteous Path sect; it would be abnormal if they didn’t seize this golden opportunity to strangle Xu Xing in his cradle.

And Xu Xing happened to be the most strategic mind in the Butian Sect. How could he not anticipate the Yin Wind Gate’s killing intent and ambush? He must have made preparations.

"What you’re saying, Daoist friend," Nan Ling’s words took a turn, her burning gaze fixed on the ghost-faced mysterious man, "are all schemes based on the assumption that Sect Leader Xu will be defeated and become like a stray dog... But what if Xu Xing wins?"

She continued, "If Xu Xing successfully breaks the array and wins this battle, he’ll have a legitimate reason to recuperate at the Nanhua Sect, rendering the Yin Wind Gate’s arrangements useless. Dealing with a defeated Xu Xing, the Yin Wind Gate’s ambush might still have a chance of success. After all, when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. At that point, the Butian Sect’s framework would have collapsed, and not many Dao Lords would continue to follow Xu Xing. But if the Butian Sect wins, even more Dao Lords will undoubtedly join their ranks. At that point, how could a few Dao Lords from the Yin Wind Gate possibly succeed in an ambush against a Butian Sect riding the momentum of a great victory?"

"Impossible!" The ghost-faced mysterious man shook his head. "He... is not an Immortal!"

The Nine Suns Fire Pillar Array, jointly established by thirteen Nascent Soul Dao Lords, had an offensive power that had already reached the level of a Primordial Spirit Sage Monarch. And Primordial Spirit Sage Monarchs are close to Immortals!

On the Immortal Path, the higher one’s realm, the more difficult it is to defeat enemies of a higher cultivation level. Each major realm breakthrough represents a qualitative leap, one that is hard to achieve merely through a strong foundation. Moreover, cultivators of both the Nascent Soul and Primordial Spirit realms are Prides of Heaven, not mediocre people.

"Yes, he’s not an Immortal!" Hearing this, Nan Ling was momentarily dazed, then nodded her head in agreement.

The Immortal Path is about longevity, not temporary superiority in realm. Even if Xu Xing was a step ahead of her, becoming a Nascent Soul Dao Lord who stirred up storms in East Huangzhou, arrogance inevitably invites disaster. When one is in the limelight, one must also consider the possibility of having one’s edge blunted, of perishing, one’s Dao extinguished.

However, just as their words fell, the Netherflame Fire within the array was completely driven out by the Sun True Fire that Xu Xing expelled from his mouth.

The crimson fire serpents and the golden-red fire serpents chased and collided, causing everyone in the vicinity, even the cultivators outside the array, to feel a searing heat, as if they were being steamed. Their meridians, physical bodies, and skin felt scorched by the fierce flames.

Some cultivators with low strength were accidentally caught in the aftermath of the collision of these two divine fires and passed out on the spot, suffering serious physical injuries.

This is just the periphery, yet it has such power. How dangerous must it be inside?

Nan Ling retreated several steps, her expression somewhat uncertain. In that instant, she finally understood the immense gap between herself and Xu Xing.

She looked up, her gaze meeting that of the ghost-faced mysterious man. Though neither spoke, everything was understood in that silence.

In this lifetime, perhaps neither of us will have the chance to catch up to Xu Xing’s current strength and realm. Yes, Xu Xing isn’t an Immortal, but... neither are we, and we’re even further from it!

I need to reevaluate my relationship with Xu Xing, Nan Ling’s eyes flickered several times. The growth of the Butian Sect poses a threat to the Yin Wind Gate in the North Wilderness and a danger to the Flying Feather Immortal Palace of the Wangchuan Sea... The decline of the Flying Feather Immortal Palace, however, is a good thing for my Mingquan Sect.

In fact, her mission from the Mingquan Sect in coming here was quite similar to that of the Yin Wind Gate’s ghost-faced mysterious man: to stifle Xu Xing, this Pride of Heaven from the Righteous Path, and prevent his rise. The Mingquan Sect wouldn’t fear the Flying Feather Immortal Palace even if it endured for another ten thousand years; they were old adversaries. However, Xu Xing was different. With his potential, if he truly grew, he alone could annihilate an entire Higher Teachings!

"What?"

"Xu Xing actually..."

Before Nan Ling could finish contemplating how to handle her relationship with Xu Xing, she saw the situation within the array change dramatically. Her beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.

"Sect Leader Xu actually possesses such boldness..."

"Unimaginable..."

In the crowd, the other cultivators were also greatly shocked, unable to believe their eyes.

Just as the Li Fire transformation of the Nine Suns Fire Pillar Array concluded, Zhongtai Dao Monarch brandished the Array Banner, initiating another change within the formation. The thirteen giant fire serpents recoiled, transforming into chains that resembled glazed glass. These glazed glass chains shimmered with divine light, seemingly indestructible, forming a Sky Prison that moved to bind the Dao Lords of the Butian Sect.

Simultaneously, Zhongtai Dao Monarch took the Feather Token-shaped, five-colored Immortal Sword from his back. He employed his Daoist arts, transforming it into one hundred and eight thousand sword projections that flew out to attack.

But at this critical juncture, an unexpected event transpired within the array. A Xuanhuang Giant Hand abruptly shot out, lunging straight for Zhongtai Dao Monarch without the slightest pause.

In that flash, Zhongtai Dao Monarch had no time to react before the Feather Token-shaped, five-colored Immortal Sword hovering before him was instantly seized by the Xuanhuang Giant Hand.

"Stop that hand!"

"It’s Cui Tong! The Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand from the Heavenly Saint Sect!"

Witnessing this, the Dao Lords of the Flying Feather Immortal Palace grew frantic. Some unleashed Daoist arts to intercept the Xuanhuang Giant Hand, while others abandoned their immediate opponents to attack Cui Tong directly.

Instantly, the great array dissolved into chaos.

The Tide Feather Sword was one of the tokens of the Sect Master of the Flying Feather Immortal Palace. It was not merely a Half-Immortal Artifact; its significance was extraordinary.

"No, that’s not Cui Tong’s Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand! It’s Xu Xing’s..." As the Xuanhuang Giant Hand swept past the intercepting Nascent Soul Dao Lords and arrived a hundred feet before Xu Xing, Zhongtai Dao Monarch, dumbfounded and uncertain, muttered in a daze, "How could he? How could he have learned this technique of the Heavenly Saint Sect? How could this divine power possibly be learned in such a short time?"

The Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand was an ultimate technique mastered by successive generations of Heavenly Saint Sect leaders. This divine power was the Sect’s ultimate technique not only because its use could easily offend many, inviting trouble and covetous glares. After all, no cultivator would willingly endure having their artifact snatched away during a battle. Another reason was that this divine power was extremely difficult to learn; only those with exceptional talent could master it.

As far as Zhongtai Dao Monarch knew, Xu Xing had only known Cui Tong for a few years...

A Dao Lord less than three hundred years old... Only someone this exceptionally, brilliantly talented could learn the Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand in just a few short years...

At this moment, Zhongtai Dao Monarch felt a genuine admiration for Xu Xing’s aptitude. Simultaneously, his resolve to oppose Xu Xing wavered considerably.

"Forget it, just forget it," he sighed, shaking his head.

The Tide Feather Sword was a Half-Immortal Artifact. With his current strength, he couldn’t fully refine it, only manage a rudimentary level of control. Now that the Immortal Sword was in Xu Xing’s hands, he had no way to forcibly retrieve it; after all, he hadn’t learned the Heavenly Saint Sect’s Xuan Yellow One Qi Controlling Crane Hand.