CHAPTER 379: CHAPTER 379 BATTLE FOR POSITION (NINE)_1

"GULP!"

Tian Zhiyu took out a handful of Elixirs and stuffed them into his mouth, swallowing them. The tremendous medicinal effect was refined into Mana, continuously replenishing his nearly exhausted Spirit Sea. As soon as he recovered slightly, he continued to enhance the power of the Ruyi Soul Stealing Needle.

However, the Artifact Spirit informed him through their mental connection of the Soul Stealing Needle’s current predicament!

It was as if it had drilled into a prison made of white bones, and each bone was as hard as a treasure forged through a thousand trials, confining it and rendering it immobile. The Spiritual Qi and True Yuan supplied by the Elixirs were again more than half consumed.

Tian Zhiyu exhausted all his strength, yet he only managed to urge the Soul Stealing Needle forward a knuckle’s distance.

The Artifact Spirit was wailing, his Dantian was trembling, and he was running out of strength!

"Impossible! Are you a demon or a Human Cultivator... How could any Human Cultivator temper their physical body to such a degree?"

The relaxed confidence on Tian Zhiyu’s face had vanished completely, replaced by shock and unwillingness.

"WHOOSH!"

Shen Mo reached out to recall the twelve Mountain Pearls. Holding the Demon Slaying Sword, he slowly walked towards Tian Zhiyu, step by step.

"Mr. Tian, have your decades of cultivation all gone to a stray dog?"

"Is there anything truly impossible in cultivation? It’s merely a lack of the means to turn the impossible into the possible."

"This time, my methods surpass yours. It is only natural that you have been defeated."

"Universal Starfall!"

As he spoke, Shen Mo had already slashed forward with his sword. The Starfall Sword Qi was exceedingly swift, like a white rainbow streaking across the sun as it struck at Tian Zhiyu.

At this moment, Tian Zhiyu had no time to bolster the Ruyi Soul Stealing Needle. He unleashed defensive magic, summoned defensive magic artifacts, and erected multiple layers of shields before him.

He shook his sleeve, and a dozen or so Grade IV talismans fluttered out, along with a Grade V Flame Zone Talisman gifted to him by Tian Zhaoquan!

Beneath the dazzling, eye-catching radiance of various magic, all the barriers were torn asunder by the sword Qi. Only when the Flame Zone Talisman activated, forming a tremendous sea of fire, was Shen Mo momentarily obstructed.

The fierce flames roared, relentlessly licking towards Shen Mo.

"A Grade V Talisman! You certainly have many tricks up your sleeve." Shen Mo’s sword Qi surged, forcing back the billowing heatwave.

Once a talisman reaches Grade V, it possesses the power to threaten even a peak Spirit Sea Realm cultivator. If such a cultivator isn’t careful, they could be engulfed by the monstrous waves of fire and burned to cinders.

However, nothing is absolute!

Besides Cultivation Realm, a cultivator’s combat strength is also determined by their magic, Vitality, magic artifacts, talismans, and many other factors. As long as one responds appropriately and has a targeted countermeasure, even a cultivator who has just entered the Spirit Sea Realm can neutralize the terrifying flames produced by the Flame Zone Talisman!

"Constellations Palm of the Western White Tiger: Beak!"

Shen Mo’s second pair of arms formed intricate seals. As he chanted softly from his left mouth, a strange radiance overflowed from his hands.

A phantom of an ancient Beak Fire Monkey roared and charged out!

Similar to the effects of the Can Palm, the Beak Palm was a fire-suppressing seal. Under the power of the Beak Fire Monkey phantom, wherever Shen Mo passed, the fierce waves of fire dimmed and extinguished.

After breaking out of the Flame Zone, Shen Mo held back no longer. Sword shadows danced, and streams of Universe Sword Qi shot forth. In an instant, he had sealed off Tian Zhiyu, a core disciple, in all six directions: up, down, left, right, front, and back.

The very next instant, the man was engulfed by a sky full of sword light!

By this point, Tian Zhiyu was unlike the other middle-stage Class III demon heads Shen Mo had slain, who were typically gravely wounded or killed in the blink of an eye. All the treasures on his person flared to life, displaying their power simultaneously! There were magic treasures that shielded like clouds and mist, ingenious magic that defended like a water shield, and magic robes and inner armor shimmering with spirit light...

But ultimately, none of them could withstand Shen Mo’s Universe Sword Qi!

With a series of deafening cracks and booms, every treasure on his body was obliterated. His own body was then ravaged by the sword light, leaving him mangled and bleeding profusely! He didn’t even have time to cry out before he plummeted from midair.

However, Tian Zhiyu seemed to possess yet another treasure. Just then, a cloud of emerald-green smoke erupted, completely enveloping him and arresting his fall!

"Hmm?"

Shen Mo pondered for a moment, then swapped "Insight into All Beings" for "Bright Vision" on his Destiny Disc.

Earlier, he had used "Insight into All Beings" to scrutinize Tian Zhiyu. Although he hadn’t found any information or weaknesses beyond what he already knew, he was aware that this man didn’t possess any extraordinary cultivation methods or Talents similar to "Nirvana".

This must be his final life-saving measure, likely intended to rapidly heal his injuries.

As "Bright Vision" took effect, Shen Mo quickly discerned the essence of the emerald-green smoke: it was a vibrant, life-filled celestial Spiritual Qi. This Qi was continuously seeping into Tian Zhiyu’s body, rapidly mending the damage to his physique and soul.

Seeing this, a ruthless glint flashed in Shen Mo’s eyes, and his Demon Slaying Sword shot directly towards the emerald-green mist.

The next instant, a figure descended from the clouds, shattering the terrifying sword light with a powerful palm strike.

The newcomer was none other than Tian Zhaoquan, the Hall Master of the Affairs Hall and the patriarch of the Tian Family! After his fierce palm energy dispersed the Universe Sword Qi, its momentum undiminished, it continued to bear down on Shen Mo with overwhelming might.

"How dare you, old scoundrel?!"

The furious voice of Zhou Shili, the Stars Peak Master, boomed from the clouds above. He unleashed a palm shadow from the same "Constellations Palm" technique, projecting the phantom of an ancient Wall Water Badger, which interposed itself between Shen Mo and the incoming palm energy. Compared to Shen Mo’s Palm techniques, Zhou Shili’s protective Palm seal, though its phantom was not as vivid, was far more substantial and possessed an imposing momentum.

In a flash, Shen Mo understood the crucial point! To prevent any complications, he had attacked the emerald-green smoke with his Universe Sword Qi, aiming to stop Tian Zhiyu from recovering. And Tian Zhaoquan, the Hall Master of the Affairs Hall, had personally intervened to protect Tian Zhiyu. However, Tian Zhaoquan was not the one overseeing this battle. Yuan Jing, the Bright Moon Peak Master, had not yet rung the Daoist bell, meaning the fight was not over, and the victor was still undecided! If Tian Zhiyu fully recovered from his injuries, there would undoubtedly be disputes over the outcome. Furthermore, while Tian Zhaoquan’s palm strike seemed to casually disperse the sword light, it clearly carried the intent to injure him. Even if Yuan Jing eventually declared Tian Zhiyu the loser, Tian Zhiyu wouldn’t appear too disgracefully defeated. Moreover, if he, Shen Mo, were severely injured, even if he secured the ninth core disciple seat, he would face challenges from other candidates in the future. He might even suffer the same fate as Tian Zhiyu: losing his core disciple position and being demoted to a sect Elder...

"What a despicable old scoundrel!" Shen Mo cursed inwardly.

Peak Master Zhou Shili had naturally understood everything Shen Mo had just realized, which was why he had intervened to protect him. However, if a Peak Master and a Hall Master became directly involved in this battle, then even if he, Shen Mo, won, there would inevitably be talk that his victory wasn’t entirely fair or clean.

With a swift change of mind, Shen Mo darted out from the protection of Zhou Shili’s Palm technique, directly confronting the fiercely approaching palm energy.

"The outcome of this battle is not yet decided, Hall Master Tian! Forgive my offense!"

As his words fell, the Demon Slaying Sword in Shen Mo’s hand blazed with a dazzling light. Boundless Mana surged into it like a torrential flood, quickly reaching the absolute limit the sword body could endure.

With his "Reaching the Peak" attainment in cultivation methods, augmented by his Carefree Sword Intent, and the Skills "Sword Body" and "By the Stars", Shen Mo unleashed a cataclysmic slash.

The sword light erupted, and in that instant, the very sky and earth seemed to change color!