Chapter 88: The Talisman of a Mighty Army

With the amplification of the first cycle of the Profound Arts, Ye Yun’s strength surged in an instant. Coupled with the purity and might of the Scarlet Flame True Qi, Xu Zhou and Xu Long, both late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, were utterly incapable of withstanding even a single exchange with him.

Upon landing, Ye Yun’s figure abruptly transformed into a fierce Scarlet Flame Tiger. With a sweeping strike of his claws, he sent Xu Long’s treasured seal flying. In a flash, Ye Yun was upon Xu Long, his fist crashing savagely into the latter’s chest.

The sickening sound of bones breaking echoed, followed by Xu Long’s anguished scream as he was flung backwards, blood spurting from his mouth before he collapsed unconscious on the ground.

Ye Yun was a dual cultivator of martial and magical arts; his Scarlet Flame True Qi was not only pure but his physical body was formidable. The force of that punch could rival the full blow of a low-grade magical treasure.

A thunderous roar resounded. Ye Yun leapt high into the air, descending like a colossal Scarlet Flame Elephant. With a single step, he shattered Xu Zhou’s flying sword treasure beneath his foot, the blade splintering midair.

Witnessing this, Xu Zhou’s expression changed drastically. The moment his flying sword was destroyed, the spiritual imprint he had left upon it was also obliterated, reverberating back to his mind and leaving him dizzy and pale.

“Die!” Xu Zhou, panicked, flung out handfuls of radiant talismans—dozens in all, their lights flashing as they transformed into fireballs, ice arrows, wind blades, and other magical attacks.

Previously, Xu Fa had used a thunder-element talisman, suggesting the Xu family practiced the art of talisman crafting. However, compared to Xu Fa’s thunder talisman, the ones Xu Zhou wielded were but low-level spells, posing no real threat to Ye Yun.

A clear chime rang out as the golden treasure bell suspended above Ye Yun’s head sang of its own accord. Waves of tangible sound rippled outward from him, dispersing the approaching low-level talisman spells before they could reach him, dissipating them under the force of the bell’s resonance.

Simultaneously, Ye Yun spread his arms, resembling a Scarlet Flame Phoenix as he closed the distance to Xu Zhou in an instant. A flying sword leapt into his grasp, and with a sweeping arc, he severed Xu Zhou’s head, sending it spinning through the air in a spray of blood that soared several yards high.

At that moment, Xu Fa, who had been clashing hand-to-hand with the Azure Light Sword and the Jade Seal, managed to break free from their entanglement. Moving with the speed of a thunderbolt, he charged directly at Ye Yun.

Xu Fa’s aura was fierce, killing intent blazing in his eyes. The pitch-black longsword in his grip thrust forward, radiating a chilling aura so sinister that even Ye Yun felt a shiver run down his spine—clearly, this blade was no ordinary treasure.

Ye Yun’s brows furrowed as he activated his movement technique, transforming into a Scarlet Flame Roc and swiftly withdrawing.

But at that instant, Xu Fa’s speed increased dramatically. He seemed to blur, and in the blink of an eye, was upon Ye Yun. Ye Yun’s face shifted as he hurriedly raised his sword to block. A metallic clang rang out, and a tremendous force sent him skidding backward several meters, his feet gouging trenches in the earth.

“A mid-grade treasure?” Xu Fa’s eyes narrowed as he regarded Ye Yun deeply, his expression dark. “Who would have thought a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like you would possess so many mid-grade treasures?”

First the Azure Light Sword, then the Golden Treasure Bell, and now yet another mid-grade flying sword in hand—even some of the Xu family’s Core Formation experts would not be so extravagantly equipped.

What Xu Fa did not know, however, was that Ye Yun possessed even more than these. Within his Dragon-Phoenix Pendant were two more mid-grade flying swords. The Azure Light Sword was taken from Wu Ying, the Golden Bell from the former Lord Ye Haiyi, and after Lü Mengqiu’s death, three more mid-grade flying swords had been acquired.

Commanding four treasures at once, three of which were mid-grade, Ye Yun found his true qi draining rapidly and knew he could not sustain this indefinitely.

Xu Fa, at the peak of Foundation Establishment in martial cultivation, was swift and powerful—a formidable foe not easily overcome by sheer numbers of treasures alone. Ye Yun immediately beckoned, recalling the Azure Light Sword and the Jade Seal to his Dragon-Phoenix Pendant.

Now with only the Golden Treasure Bell above his head and a single mid-grade flying sword in hand, Ye Yun dashed wordlessly toward Xu Fa.

“Want to fight me in close combat?” Xu Fa sneered coldly, his tone mocking. “You may cultivate both magic and martial arts, but I am a pure martial cultivator—engaging me in close quarters is suicide!”

Even as he spoke, Xu Fa produced a thunder-element talisman, but this time, instead of hurling it at his opponent, he slapped it onto his pitch-black sword. The talisman fused into the blade, which quivered and sang with a piercing note as its color shifted from black to blue, arcs of electricity crackling wildly.

Though Ye Yun had never studied talisman arts, he had heard tales from his master, Ye Yuting. The talisman Xu Fa wielded not only contained a thunder spell but also functioned as a weapon-augmenting talisman, a rare and valuable kind.

Xu Fa slashed forward, unleashing arcs of lightning that shot toward Ye Yun. Ye Yun’s expression was grave as he stamped his feet, steadying himself and rapidly forming hand seals. Real flames of scarlet leapt between his palms, gathering with a formidable aura.

Xu Fa grinned wickedly. With a thunder talisman augmenting his weapon, no one below Core Formation could withstand him. The early-stage Foundation Establishment youth before him was as good as dead.

“Scarlet Flame Demon Body!”

A cold glint flashed in Ye Yun’s eyes. Gritting his teeth, his aura soared again. With both the Scarlet Flame Demon Body and the first cycle of Profound Arts empowering him, his hand seals quickened further.

As Xu Fa’s sword and the flying arcs of lightning bore down upon him, Ye Yun thrust both hands forward, unleashing a torrent of blazing scarlet flames.

“Heaven-Scorching Seal!”

This was the mightiest martial divine art Ye Yun possessed. Though its casting consumed a vast portion of his true qi, its power was overwhelming. The surging flames crashed upon Xu Fa, hurling both man and sword back in a fiery wave.

As for the lightning arcs, they were swiftly consumed by the raging blaze, evaporating within the inferno.

Xu Fa tumbled through the air, landing heavily and stumbling back more than a dozen paces before he could steady himself, fear flashing in his eyes.

Gone was the composure of a peak Foundation Establishment martial master. His robes had been burned to ash, leaving him naked and hairless, with the stench of scorched flesh rising from his body.

“Young master, run!” Xu Fa did not press the attack. Instead, with a flash, he seized Xu Shaodong and sped toward the nearby forest.

Ye Yun sneered, forming a seal as three fireballs shot out in a line, streaking toward his fleeing foes.

Sensing the destructive power of the fireballs closing in, terror gripped Xu Fa. He felt Ye Yun’s spiritual sense lock onto him—no matter how he dodged, the fireballs would pursue him relentlessly.

At that critical moment, Xu Shaodong produced a jade talisman, crushing it in his grasp. Instantly, a green barrier sprang up, enveloping both him and Xu Fa.

The three fireballs struck the barrier, but instead of shattering it, only sent ripples across its surface, the glow fading but holding firm.

“A protective talisman crafted by a Core Formation expert?”

Ye Yun’s pupils contracted slightly. His fire spells could rival those cast by Core Formation cultivators; to withstand his fireball technique, the protective arts invoked from that jade talisman must indeed have originated from the hand of a Core Formation master.