Chapter 83: The Eccentric Sword

“Alright, let’s end this farce here. You will die beneath my pride and joy, the Qianshan Guipo (Thousand Mountains Ghost Breaking).”

The figure in the black robe broke the silence with a cold voice. He raised both hands, and a terrifying force surged out, visually warping the surrounding space. Immediately afterward, a cacophony of thousands of piercing screams erupted from the black-robed figure. Centered on him, nearly all nearby birds and beasts began fleeing for their lives.

“So, you kill people cruelly and then collect their resentment to use for yourself?”

Li Tan focused intently on the black-robed figure, whose face now bore a cruel smile seemingly influenced by the resentment. Li Tan couldn’t help but grow more tense.

Throughout their prolonged battle, the black-robed figure had used very few martial techniques, most of them weak and low-level. But this move was clearly far from simple. How would it attack this time?

While thinking, Li Tan slowly stepped back.

Since the black-robed figure’s cultivation was only at the level of Xiantian Fumo (Prenatal Reversal), his Qi would lose power if it traveled too far from his body. Therefore, the effective range of this technique should be small. The best way to deal with it was to dodge; directly confronting it would be no different from suicide.

However, the black-robed figure seemed to sense Li Tan’s thoughts. Strangely, instead of attempting to close the distance, he simply laughed mockingly at Li Tan.

They remained locked in this standoff for about a minute. Without any warning, the black-robed figure launched his final attack. It was unclear what the Qianshan Guipo actually did, but his speed and strength seemingly hadn’t increased much. Only the Qi armor wrapped around his body turned completely black.

At this moment, Li Tan, who had been looking for an opening, suddenly brightened. A confident gleam flashed in his eyes as he advanced using the Moye Steps.

Just as before, Li Tan skillfully dodged the black-robed figure’s attack and precisely seized the moment when his opponent couldn’t strike back.

But just as he was about to unleash his spiritual storm and execute the Panlong Quan (Coiling Dragon Fist), something unexpected happened.

The black-robed figure tilted his head, staring at Li Tan with a grin. Then the Qi covering his shoulder came alive, transforming into a fist-like shape that shot out violently. Unprepared for the sudden attack, Li Tan was blasted backward and crashed into a stone wall with a loud thud. Blood trickled uncontrollably from the corner of his mouth.

“What… what just happened?”

He was horrified, recalling the incident. He was certain that the black-robed figure hadn’t had time to react to his attack immediately. That fist had seemed to have eyes of its own.

“What was that just now?”

Li Tan anxiously confronted the black-robed figure standing not far away.

“It’s a great existence beyond your comprehension!”

The black-robed figure gave a cryptic reply, his gaze suddenly becoming fervent.

Li Tan clenched his teeth tightly.

Was he really going to perish here?

Was death the punishment fate imposed on those who tried to resist?

Perhaps so. He loosened his tightly clenched teeth, deeply feeling helpless, his body extremely exhausted, and his spirit overwhelmed.

Step by step, the black-robed figure approached him, his smile growing increasingly arrogant.

Li Tan wanted to dodge, but realized there was nowhere left to retreat. He then let out a self-mocking laugh.

“What a rare chance to start over, yet I let it slip away like this. Is this really all the strength I have?”

If he hadn’t come to save Li Yang tonight, perhaps the outcome would have been different. But even if he had the chance to relive it, he would still rush over without hesitation.

Li Tan turned his gaze toward the pitch-black night sky in the nearby direction.

“Le Yin, I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you again. And Cui Xiong, I won’t be able to help you with Jiang Xin’s matter either.”

“Die!”

The black-robed figure reached Li Tan and gathered his Qi in his palm, forcefully striking out. The Qi indeed seemed alive, transforming into sharp weapons like blades and spears.

Panlong Quan! Li Tan silently muttered, preparing for a final desperate fight.

However, at this very moment, the HUANGTA (Desolate Pagoda) inside Li Tan’s Dantian gently trembled. The previously sealed third level had unknowingly cracked open slightly.

What’s going on?

Li Tan’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. At the moment he was about to clash fists with the black-robed figure, he released all his remaining spiritual power, abandoning the chance to sneak in with the Panlong Quan. He managed to gain a second to increase the distance between them again.

“What was that just now?”

The black-robed figure’s smile receded somewhat, and his gaze toward Li Tan once again carried a hint of wariness.

Naturally, Li Tan wouldn’t be foolish enough to explain anything to him. He distractedly exchanged some irrelevant taunts while focusing his attention inward toward the HUANGTA.

The young eagle had no idea what was happening, still hugging a spirit stone and sleeping soundly. The Soul Jade was also safely placed on the ground.

At the entrance leading to the third level, the crack that had appeared earlier closed again, but in front of the door now lay an ancient sword, covered in rust, seemingly so fragile that it might break with just a touch.

Why had the third level’s door opened at this moment?

It definitely couldn’t be a coincidence. Could it be that the HUANGTA knew he was facing an insurmountable problem and had done this on purpose?

If this assumption was correct, it would suggest that the HUANGTA actually possessed self-awareness. A bunch of chaotic thoughts surged through Li Tan’s mind, which he quickly suppressed, turning his focus back to the sword on the ground.

Although this sword looked worn and old, anything intentionally released from the HUANGTA couldn’t possibly be ordinary.

With time pressing, Li Tan quickly confirmed this possibility. Without worrying about the sword’s specific usage, he directly took it out, replacing his previous dagger.

“Do you think changing weapons makes you my equal?”

The black-robed figure sneered.

“We’ll see.”

Li Tan felt the weight of the sword. It was heavier than it looked, though nothing else was immediately apparent.

“Do you know why I’ve been wasting words with you? Because I was wary of that dizzying martial technique of yours. If you used it a few more times, I wouldn’t be able to handle it. But now I’ve figured it out—it must consume a lot of energy. Otherwise, why would you wait until now to use it again?

So, at most, you can use it once more, and once won’t be enough to threaten me!”

The black-robed figure looked at Li Tan smugly, cracking his knuckles loudly, completely ignoring the rusty sword.

At this moment, Li Tan had no intention of exchanging words with the black-robed figure. He anxiously focused on the sword.

He didn’t know what effect it might have. If it turned out to be just an ordinary sword, it wouldn’t change the situation at all.

“Here I come!”

In the end, Li Tan chose to take the initiative.

The black-robed figure sneered coldly, standing still as he infused his Qi into his sword and swung forcefully toward Li Tan.

He was fully prepared. Even if Li Tan used that dizzying technique again, the Qi on his sword blade would react automatically, allowing him to repeat the process and torment Li Tan to death.

Li Tan, too, was ready for a life-or-death struggle. All the remaining Qi in his Dantian gathered into the sword. Unlike the black-robed figure, however, his Qi could only exist within the sword’s interior, simply increasing its force.

Crash! Crack! Sizzle! At the moment their swords clashed, the black-robed figure’s sword snapped in two like tofu, and the tip of Li Tan’s sword effortlessly sliced through his throat.

“This is impossible!” The black-robed figure’s face changed drastically as he clutched his throat and staggered backward.

Li Tan was equally shocked. He stared at the rusty sword in his hand, stunned.

But upon reflection, he found this understandable.

The black-robed figure’s sword was merely a lowly mundane weapon. Although this sword of his was rusted, it must have been a spiritual weapon crafted by a master artisan. The two were simply incomparable.

Li Tan gathered his thoughts, his eyes blazing as he stared at the black-robed figure and coldly declared,

“Next move—I’ll take your head.”

With these words, a terrifying killing intent surged toward the black-robed figure, tightly gripping the deepest fears in his heart, refined over a thousand years.

The black-robed figure’s hand loosened, and the broken sword fell to the ground, stained with blood. His heart pounded wildly. His reason told him that Li Tan’s Qi was about to run out. What difference did it make even if he had a divine weapon?

But his body wouldn’t obey him.

If Li Tan was this calm, what if he had other tricks up his sleeve?

On the other side, the frosty-faced Li Tan concealed a trembling hand behind his back. He was already at the end of his strength and couldn’t fight any longer. This expression was merely an act, but it was performed so well that almost no one could detect the flaw. After all, that terrifying killing intent was real.