Chapter 7: Qiu Dragon Swallows the Sword and Roars

Red flames and white sword gleams clashed incessantly, producing violent explosions. Xuanyi City below was engulfed in a sea of fire as a result.

The duel between the two did not last long. Kou Hong's cultivation was already inferior to Dao Xuanzi's, and his vitality had been further drained by the Immortal-Mortal Miasma, quickly putting him at a disadvantage. Dao Xuanzi, showing no mercy, intensified his sword attacks.

Just then, the aged voice resounded once more. "Dao Xuanzi is treacherous and vindictive. If he triumphs, we will surely perish. My lads, heed my command: assist Immortal Master Kou Hong in defeating Dao Xuanzi!"

Kou Hong was instantly overjoyed upon hearing this. He swiftly darted away from Dao Xuanzi. Watching Dao Xuanzi become overwhelmed by a barrage of incoming projectiles, Kou Hong triumphantly shouted, "As the saying goes, those who commit many wrongs will perish by their own hand! I never imagined Dao Xuanzi, who always prided himself on his integrity, would also prove treacherous and suffer such a terrible backlash!"

Dao Xuanzi was already infuriated by the tactics of this hidden individual. Hearing Kou Hong's words now, he was so enraged he felt like spitting blood.

"You imbecile!" he roared at Kou Hong, no longer able to restrain himself.

"Aha! So you finally speak your mind!" Kou Hong retorted, showing no weakness. "You pride yourself on your intelligence, yet now you're abandoned by everyone, and even the mortals you painstakingly recruited have betrayed you! This is what happens when you're too clever for your own good!"

Dao Xuanzi was speechless. Deciding to simply ignore the oaf, he unleashed waves of sword light, cutting down the mortal soldiers who dared to attack him. However, these mortals were like an endless swarm of locusts. After one group was eliminated, another quickly emerged from nowhere to replace them. Furthermore, Dao Xuanzi had to be cautious of the Immortal-Mortal Miasma, forcing him to rely on energy-intensive ranged attacks. For a time, the battlefield descended into a strange stalemate.

Just then, the aged voice, persistent like a lingering spirit, echoed once more. "Immortal Master Kou Hong, our kinsmen are on the verge of being wiped out. Once Dao Xuanzi slaughters us all, do you truly believe you will be spared? If you don't act now, when will you?!" The voice was urgent, tinged with a hint of desperation.

Prompted by the voice, Kou Hong immediately came to his senses. He looked at Dao Xuanzi, his expression grave. "That's precisely it. Dao Xuanzi, you and I have been acquainted for a century. Though we became adversaries over the Core Formation technique, it's understandable for each of us to rely on our own abilities in pursuit of immortality. I'll offer you one final opportunity: if you abandon the Core Formation technique and withdraw, I will not pursue you. Otherwise, I fear only one of us will emerge alive."

Dao Xuanzi let out a soft sigh, but remained silent, simply raising his sword to confront Kou Hong.

"Very well. During my recent escape, I've managed to comprehend a new Dao technique—perfect for sending you on your way!" Kou Hong declared with a serious expression. He then drew a symbol with his hand, chanting, "Dao Technique: Imprisoning Dragon!"

Immediately, lines of fiery shackles materialized in the space around Dao Xuanzi, subtly forming an array that coalesced into a massive cage, trapping him in its center.

"Break!" Dao Xuanzi commanded, his expression grim as he felt the immense, sudden pressure. He took a deep breath, and behind him, the faint phantom of a rust-covered iron sword began to emerge. Empowered by the phantom, the sword light he unleashed seemed to gain a profound boost. Upon striking the fiery cage, the roaring flames instantly froze, then rapidly dimmed.

Kou Hong seemed to have anticipated this, letting out a hearty laugh. "Dao Xuanzi, you and I have known each other for a century, battling countless foes side by side. Outsiders claim my cultivation pales in comparison to yours, and that is indeed the truth. However, cultivation is one thing, and combat is another. In a true fight to the death, the victor remains to be seen! Now that it has come to this, you need not hold back. Let me see whether your Dao Xuan sword is more formidable, or if my Dao technique proves superior!"

Infinite battle intent erupted in Kou Hong's eyes as he declared, "Dao Technique: Swallowing Dragon!"

The previously dimmed flames abruptly extinguished, but Dao Xuanzi's expression drastically changed with the fiery cage's disappearance. It turned out that beneath the flames of the cage lay hidden countless dark brown branches. Like venomous snakes, they had been lurking in wait, patiently anticipating their moment to strike. Now that the flames had abruptly vanished, these branches shot towards Dao Xuanzi with lightning speed. As they moved, they wildly expanded and intertwined, instantly forming a monstrous, frantically writhing mass, poised to consume Dao Xuanzi!

"Dao Xuan!" At this critical juncture, Dao Xuanzi, though startled, remained composed. In the sky, the colossal phantom of the rusty sword fully materialized.

The Coiling Dragon Branches seemed to have encountered their natural predator, instinctively pausing for a moment. But then, as if their inherent ferocity had been ignited, they surged even more wildly towards Dao Xuanzi. Dao Xuanzi swung his sword, and the phantom behind him mirrored his movements precisely. The space before him solidified layer by layer, like water gripped by intense cold. The wildly twisting Coiling Dragon Branches collided with the colossal Dao Xuan sword, holding their ground for only a moment before being decisively repelled. The Coiling Dragon Branches shattered into glistening fragments. Despite their menacing appearance, they were no match for a single strike from the Dao Xuan sword!

His meticulously prepared Dao technique proved utterly vulnerable. As the colossal sword phantom hurtled towards him, Kou Hong neither dodged nor flinched, his eyes devoid of fear.

"Dao Technique: Transforming Dragon!"

With Kou Hong's furious roar, a small portion of the Coiling Dragon Branch fragments, scattered across the sky, instantly reanimated. They swiftly converged, forming a completely new Coiling Dragon Branch. Its color was even deeper than the previous contorted monstrosity, and at its tip, two protrusions resembled a dragon's horns! Like a piercing blade, the Coiling Dragon Branch lunged unhesitatingly towards Dao Xuanzi, subtly accompanied by a faint dragon's roar!

A flicker of admiration crossed Dao Xuanzi's eyes, yet his colossal Dao Xuan sword showed no intention of retreating. In a struggle to the death, it all comes down to who is more decisive, who is more ruthless! The victor lives, the vanquished perishes—nothing more.

At this critical juncture, the aged voice, persistently echoing above Xuanyi City, resounded once more. "Immortal Master Kou Hong, we shall lend you our aid!"

Before the words even faded, long streaks of fiery exhaust, as if premeditated, whizzed and impacted Dao Xuanzi from all directions, erupting into a crimson spray across the sky!

"Ah!" Caught completely off guard, Dao Xuanzi let out a pained cry as his aura drastically diminished. The Dao Xuan phantom also visibly dimmed. Seizing this chance, the Coiling Dragon Branch surged forward, piercing through the solidified space and embedding itself in Dao Xuanzi's body! Meanwhile, the sword shadow unleashed by Dao Xuanzi, now akin to a spent arrow, merely caused Kou Hong to cough up a few mouthfuls of blood before it faded away.

"Cough, cough..." Dao Xuanzi let out a bitter laugh, attempting to speak but finding himself unable to utter another word. Within moments, consumed by the Coiling Dragon Branch, he was reduced to a skeleton.