Chapter 123: A Desperate Counterattack

Senior Brother Yun’s bloodied head tumbled to the ground, sending a chill through the hearts of the remaining disciples from both sects. Even the most powerful among them, the eldest senior brother, had fallen by this man’s hand. The few disciples left barely exceeded the sixth level of Qi Refinement; how could they possibly stand against a martial cultivator at the Spirit Refining stage?

With the strength of the yellow-faced martial cultivator, cutting down fewer than ten Qi Refinement immortals must be effortless.

At this moment, a wave of deathly crisis spread through everyone’s hearts, their bodies stiffening with cold dread.

Yang Xiaoqian’s delicate face paled, her whole body trembling with helpless despair. Beside her, Le Feng’s eyes flickered with hatred; his hands clenched tightly as his inner power gathered, exuding a resolute aura of readiness to face death.

Only Nie Han stood proudly, unmoving, his eyes devoid of any fear, instead radiating a fierce, astonishing light.

The calmest of all was Xu Xuan, who remained outwardly indifferent and silent, his mind silently summoning the remnants of his past life.

“The yellow-faced martial cultivator is at the third level of Spirit Refining. Even if severely injured with depleted vitality, his strength is comparable to a first-level Spirit Refiner. It seems you are truly facing a grave crisis,” the voice of his past life’s remnant pronounced gravely, estimating the yellow-faced warrior’s power.

“What are the odds of victory?” Xu Xuan’s face was calm as he stared up at the yellow-faced man perched atop the great tree, whose genuine energy surging from his body made one’s heart tremble.

“Under normal circumstances, you Qi Refinement cultivators of fourth or fifth level would be slaughtered without a chance. However, with you and that sword cultivator Nie Han here, the situation defies logic. If you cooperate fully, there might still be a chance to fight,” the voice gave a tentative assessment.

A chance to fight!

Xu Xuan took a deep breath. At this moment, they were racing against time; delaying even a moment would bring more enemies rushing in. Then, they might face two or three Spirit Refining immortals—or even more powerful elders from the Eastern family. That would mean utter annihilation for the two sects on Star Feather Mountain, with no hope of survival.

The remaining disciples were also filled with despair. Everyone understood: time was life itself.

To survive, they had to kill the yellow-faced warrior quickly, but this was almost impossible.

The yellow-faced warrior knew this well, his face mocking, watching the others as if enjoying a show.

“There is only one choice,” Nie Han said, taking a deep breath. His eyes blazed with a fierce light as he turned to Xu Xuan.

Among all present, he looked only at Xu Xuan.

“You and I—if only one of us can escape alive, in a few years, we will surely wipe out the Eastern family,” Nie Han said solemnly, his gaze steady.

Xu Xuan understood his meaning. Both he and Nie Han were not to be measured by ordinary standards; their potential and destiny were limitless. If even one survived, in a few years, they could uproot the Eastern family completely.

But the problem was, they were still in their infancy—if they clashed now, they would both die.

Therefore, the only option was...

“One of us must stay behind to delay them, giving the other a chance to survive.”

Nie Han proposed this startling choice—the final choice.

Xu Xuan’s heart tightened, and he took in a sharp breath.

That meant one of them must be sacrificed.

“Do you dare?” Nie Han’s fearless gaze dimmed the night sky, sending a tremor through the remaining disciples’ hearts.

Xu Xuan hesitated—if he stayed, death was certain; all that he held dear would be lost.

“All right, I’ll stay! You lead them away...” Nie Han’s face revealed a faint smile as he stepped resolutely from the crowd.

Clang!

A cold, silver sword light flashed forth. One man, one sword, standing proudly to face the yellow-faced warrior high atop the great tree.

The other disciples trembled in their hearts. One sword sect disciple even shed tears, shouting, “Senior Brother Nie!”

Xu Xuan’s expression grew complex as he stared at the heroic figure standing tall. At that moment, he finally understood why Nie Han was suited to be a sword cultivator, and why he could become an elite—even a sovereign among sword cultivators.

“Go!” Nie Han shouted sharply, his sword tracing a dazzling silver star as he charged at the yellow-faced warrior on the tree.

“Xu Xuan, remember this: if you escape alive, your life is mine to give. Within a hundred years, the Eastern family will be destroyed...” Nie Han’s voice was resolute.

“I will fight to the death alongside Senior Brother Nie!” Le Feng’s eyes gleamed with hatred, ignoring Yang Xiaoqian’s attempts to stop him as he prepared to charge back.

“Go!” Xu Xuan’s gaze was icy as he slapped Le Feng sharply, his expression cold. He shouted, “Preserve your life—only then is anything possible!”

He grabbed Yu Qin and led the others hastily down the mountain.

“How can we leave Senior Brother Nie alone against such a powerful enemy?” The disciples of the sword sect looked ashamed and hesitant.

“Everyone, move! Anyone dawdling will not be spared!” Xu Xuan’s glare cut through the night, his fearsome aura sending chills through them. An invisible heat spread, and the sword sect disciple shuddered, hastening his pace.

At this moment, Xu Xuan had clearly become the leader of the remaining disciples from both sects. When he unleashed the power of the physical cultivator’s “Momentum,” there was no equal in spirit among them.

Meanwhile, on the other side—

“You really overestimate yourself. You think you can hold me off even for a moment?” The yellow-faced warrior stood arrogantly on the tree, sneering at Nie Han.

A sword cultivator at the fifth level of Qi Refinement—could he cause the slightest harm?

The yellow-faced warrior slowly raised a hand, channeling his true power to kill instantly.

But in the next instant, his mind shuddered. “Whoosh!” Nie Han’s sword slipped from his hand, transforming into a dazzling silver cold star, infused with a death-defying sword intent, piercing the spiritual realm. The yellow-faced warrior felt a chill throughout his body.

“Sword intent! To have comprehended sword intent at Qi Refinement stage—this man cannot be left alive...” The yellow-faced warrior’s expression shifted as he waved his arm, unleashing a roaring wave of true power. Branches and leaves shattered into powder as they collided with the icy star midair with a loud crack.

The cold star sword technique, wielded with such powerful sword intent, shattered instantly. The sword that attacked from afar was flung over ten yards away with a clatter.

The sword landed cracked and soon shattered into fragments.

A single strike to decide the battle!

Sword cultivator attacks were formidable, arguably supreme among all cultivation methods. Nie Han’s death-defying sword intent pushed his attack beyond the seventh level of Qi Refinement, nearly the eighth. Yet under overwhelming force, the yellow-faced warrior shattered his weapon with a single blow.

Nie Han groaned softly. Although the sword had attacked from a distance, it embodied his sword intent. The shockwave even affected his mind.

Once a sword cultivator lost his sword, what else was left?

“Heh, now you understand how insignificant and ignorant you are,” the yellow-faced warrior sneered coldly, smiling disdainfully. Channeling his true power, he leapt down from the tree, his overwhelming Spirit Refining pressure crashing down.

Crack!

At the critical moment, Nie Han suddenly slapped his storage pouch. “Buzz,” an ancient, mottled sword appeared in his hand.

Driven by his ruthless death-defying sword intent, the ancient sword emitted a terrifying wail. The yellow-faced warrior, charging at him, felt an inexplicable shudder in his spirit.

With the ancient sword fused, Nie Han’s sword intent power doubled. A slash through the void erupted a dazzling sword light, clashing fiercely with the yellow-faced warrior’s attack.

Pattering sounds of impact followed.

Nie Han spat blood, retreating several steps, while the yellow-faced warrior’s palm strike was barely deflected.

“This sword... is actually a treasured artifact?” The yellow-faced warrior’s eyes widened in shock, quickly replaced by greed.

Since returning from the secret realm, Nie Han had been contemplating this ancient sword, merging its sword intent into his own, causing his sword intent to surge far beyond what it was inside the secret realm. Yet, when he last clashed with Xu Xuan on the Celestial Viewing Terrace, he had not prevailed, and his sharpness suffered greatly. This drove him to delve deeper into meditation and cultivation.

Generally, treasures of artifact level were beyond the use of Qi Refinement immortals, and even Spirit Refiners might struggle to control them. Yet Nie Han, having comprehended and integrated the sword intent, was an exception—barely able to wield it.

With the ancient sword’s aid, Nie Han’s attacks neared the peak limits of Qi Refinement, but still fell short against the yellow-faced warrior.

Nie Han shouted fiercely, slashing again. The cold sword qi flickered like countless icy stars.

Despite the clear disadvantage, he kept attacking.

The yellow-faced man sneered, striking with fists and palms that generated thunderous explosions in the void, each blow earthshaking.

Bang! Bang! Crack!

After several rounds, Nie Han was blasted back by a surge of true power, crashing hard against rock, coughing blood and looking near death. The yellow-faced man groaned as well, his previously grievous wounds stirred anew.

“Die!” The yellow-faced man roared, channeling thick true power to launch a final deadly strike.

“Is it about to end?” Nie Han’s mouth curved bitterly, then hardened into a resolute, cold expression. Closing his eyes, he slowly raised the ancient sword, instantly condensing his greatest sword Dao: before the blade fell, countless sword cries rang out in the void, the ancient sword shimmering with innumerable cold star lights, like a vast river of stars cascading.

The yellow-faced man sensed the terrifying power of the coming strike but was confident. Even at great cost, he would seize this treasure. If the fight dragged on and more Eastern family experts arrived, they would lose the chance.

At this critical moment—

“Hah!”

A thunderous roar turned into a sharp wave of energy surged from behind toward the yellow-faced man.

“What!” He paused his attack, his blood and spirit trembling. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a tall, well-proportioned youth behind him.

“You... how did you get here?” Nie Han, concentrating on his final strike, was stunned.

“Because I wanted to come, so I came,” Xu Xuan breathed deeply. His body shimmered with a bronze hue, an invisible “Momentum” radiated from him, and his eyes burned with red light like flickering flames. “I refuse to regret a lifetime of cowardice a few years from now. Everything I do is to follow my true heart—without blame or regret!”

“That brat...” The yellow-faced man was suddenly trapped in a pincer attack, sensing a burning heat from the youth behind him spreading through his heart.

Kill!

Fighting against time!

Xu Xuan struck without hesitation. A fierce gleam flashed in his eyes as he soared like a cannonball into midair. His vital energy surged like tides, his entire body blazing like a fiery light figure. The scorching, violent aura merged with the ancient physical cultivator’s “Momentum.”

At that instant, Xu Xuan took the form of a fiery dragon shadow, halting midair as if the surrounding void solidified, pressing down to the extreme.

He gathered all his vital energy, focusing a drop of essence blood at his mouth. Opening wide, he spat out:

A torrent of terrifying crimson flames, like those spewed from an ancient celestial dragon’s maw, surged from the rear sky toward the yellow-faced warrior.

The yellow-faced man froze, feeling the destructive, blazing danger behind him—