As the words were spoken, several blood holes suddenly appeared out of thin air on Zhao Ji's dying body.

Thud, thud, thud!

Zhao Ji let out a weak, pained scream and died completely, with a wisp of his remnant soul rising from his head, aimlessly flying toward the monstrous fish in the river.

Yunqi's eyes brimmed with fury, knowing that it wouldn't be long after Zhao Ji's death before he would face the same fate.

Who among those present could escape such a fate?

Though he came here determined to die, such a meaningless death was hard to accept.

Yunqi immediately gripped the sword in his hand tightly, recalling all his experiences since beginning his cultivation, especially the pain and transformation he endured after being frustrated by Chen Xu in Jichuan County, and instantly made a firm decision.

"Brother Chen, Brother Chen, I wonder where you are. Could it be that you're still dreaming due to exhaustion from the exams?

If so, then today let me, Cui, be the hero for once!"

He mustered the courage within his chest, gathered his Qi into his Dantian, and channeled it into the sword in his hand, ready to laugh heartily.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

Chen Xu was experiencing the rapid flight of the Cloud Boat, feeling countless inspirations surging in his heart, and the world before him seemed like a multidimensional painting being quickly analyzed.

Suddenly, the Cloud Boat, which was weaving through the sky like light, came to an abrupt stop.

Chen Xu's ears buzzed, and the world in front of him seemed to be twisting and sketched in countless lines, almost making it impossible for him to see what was happening.

He saw a hazy mass of white light rapidly approaching. The white light was fierce and grand, initially appearing human-shaped, but upon closer inspection, it had two antennae!

Red-black mist was faintly flowing in the center of the white light, resembling the gates of Hell or the mouth of an abyss.

Chen Xu felt an indescribable sense of immense pressure and heard Wen Daoyuan's furious voice: "Xuan Wei, is it you... that stands in my way today?"

An old and composed voice replied: "Friend Wen, with your keen eyes and vast knowledge, many things cannot be hidden from you even today.

You should know that this matter must proceed today!

Neither the current emperor, nor Minister Liu, nor I, shall allow you to disrupt it.

Friend Wen, after a century in turmoil, do you not seek immortality?

You..."

Wen Daoyuan interrupted him: "Today you come here to aid the dragon of misfortune, acting against heaven's will. I simply ask you if Master Xuan Ming is aware of this. Does he agree or disagree?"

Xuan Wei's voice hesitated and said: "If we gain anything, we will surely share it with our senior brother."

"Nonsense!" Wen Daoyuan blurted out coarsely, raising the Fighting Brush in his hand.

Xuan Wei's face slightly darkened, and he said: "Friend Wen, are you truly going to oppose the great trend?"

Wen Daoyuan pushed his Fighting Brush, which transformed instantly into a long sword reaching the heavens.

The Great Scholar angrily said: "What great trend? Pure nonsense!

Dare you, followers of the unsanctioned path, question your Dao Heart and debate with the ancestors of the Daoist Sect, or with all beings under heaven?

You, who vainly seek immortality, deceive only yourselves.

Take my Vast Qi Sword!"

As the Fighting Brush transformed into a sword, the sunlight in the sky shone brilliantly, piercing through the wind, rain, thunder, and clouds.

Wen Daoyuan's voice was grand and solemn: "I nurture my Vast Qi well...

It is as great and unyielding, cultivated directly without harm, thus filling the space between heaven and earth."

The giant sword transformed into thousands of Qi swords, shooting straight at Xuan Wei.

But Xuan Wei remained unhurried, waving his horsetail whisk, causing his surroundings to suddenly ripple with water-like, strange patterns.

Simultaneously, in a radius of several dozen feet centered on him, encompassing the Cloud Boat,

the same strange patterns emerged, spreading all around.

All the patterns gently trembled, and at that moment, the thousands of Qi swords shot forth.

Although they were aimed only at Xuan Wei, for some reason, a considerable portion of the Qi swords seemed beyond Wen Daoyuan's control—

These uncontrolled Qi swords appeared to be attracted by the surrounding trembling water patterns, abruptly changing direction to shoot towards Wen Daoyuan and Chen Xu on the Cloud Boat!

In a flash, in a critical moment.

Only to see Xuan Wei's eyes filled with a smile, he sighed and said:

"Friend Wen, I had long anticipated you would want to ruin things, so I set up the Illusory Water and Moon Reversal Formation within these heavenly clouds.

No matter how earth-shattering and powerful your magic is, any attack towards me will also inevitably strike at you.

This sword of Vast Qi, I wonder how much you can withstand, friend Wen?"

Countless sword Qi surged in the sky, and Wen Daoyuan's face was as dark as water amid the sword light.

The sword Qi attacked him, and the Cloud Boat shook.

All changes occurred like the sun and moon spinning in chaos, time losing order.

Wen Daoyuan made up his mind, raising his hand to summon a thick book with a faint purple glow out of thin air.

This book was authored when he attained enlightenment, the foundation of his achievement as a Great Scholar.

Bringing out this book in battle meant Wen Daoyuan was ready to fight desperately.

Initially, he intended to save his effort for performing the critical magic needed for the South-to-North Water Diversion.

Now he had to use it in a life-and-death struggle, truly out of necessity.

After all, if he did not fight desperately, he would not be able to overcome the obstacle posed by Xuan Wei, and any future plans for the water diversion would be mere fantasy.

Wen Daoyuan's hand caressed the Daoist Book, and Vast Qi surged around him like the bright light of the sun and moon, fiercely shining.

Sadly, at this moment, he had to fight desperately against his own sword Qi, how absurd was this?

Seeing his hand about to open the Daoist Book, Wen Daoyuan shouted lowly: "Chen Xu..."

Why was he calling Chen Xu?

He wanted to tell Chen Xu to flee—

But at this moment, from behind him, a hand suddenly extended at an inconceivable angle.

That hand leapt suddenly, instantly pressing down on the cover of Wen Daoyuan's Daoist Book.

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