Nine Phoenix was a proud and overbearing person. Yet, the human Itinerant Immortal sitting in the restaurant below was threatening her?"Haha, Wu Zhiqi? He was only a force to be reckoned with while the Three Realms was still in its inchoate state. In this present era, what does he amount to? Qin Yun! Is killing a mere Wu Zhiqi something to brag about? Back when we demons ruled the Three Realms, three pinnacle mighty figures died under my hand." Nine Phoenix looked down and sneered. "Don"t brag with just your mouth. If you have the guts, fight me. If you are afraid, get out of my sight!"
Sitting by the table, Qin Yun nodded. "Oh, you are right. The fist is what matters."
"Yuluo."
Qin Yun handed her the rope in his hand. "Watch this junior named Phoenix Voice well."
"Yes." Qin Yuluo received it nervously, but she could not help but say, "Grandfather, there"s really no need to do this for me…"
The situation was escalating.
The fame of the ancient Sagedemon, Nine Phoenix, came from her numerous exploits! Including the ancient demons" Celestial Thearch of that era, Nine Phoenix was ranked fifth among the powerful demons. Although she reclused herself when humans came to rule over the Three Realms, she did not stay isolated from the world completely. She was still cultivating and creating techniques with different Dharmic formulations.
She would only become stronger, not weaker.
She was unlike the bunch of Chaos G.o.dfiends like Wu Zhiqi who were isolated after being sealed. They did not manage to come into contact with the numerous divine powers and mystic arts which were produced by the Three Realms over time.
"Yuluo, this is not only for you." Qin Yun smiled at Qin Yuluo. "I want to let the Three Realms know that I, Qin Yun, am not dead yet!"
Qin Yuluo was taken aback.
"And even if I die," said Qin Yun. "I will absolutely not tolerate the bullying of my family! I will give the realms an example of my power, and Phoenix Voice is that example. Same with Nine Phoenix!"
With that said, Qin Yun got up and looked at Nine Phoenix.
He flew up into the sky with a whoosh.
Nine Phoenix"s expression was ugly as she glared at the incoming Qin Yun. "I"m an example? You want to make an example out of me? What an audacious tone! I hope your strength is enough to support your claim, or I"ll be beating you into pulp!"
With that said, Nine Phoenix reached out her hand, producing a black spear. At that moment, she had absorbed the ma.s.sive energies of the sun. Instantly, an area spanning 5000 kilometers was enveloped by fiery flames. Bathed in the flames, Nine Phoenix"s red hair flailed. Her spear emitted heart-chilling killing intent as she stared at Qin Yun intently.
"Watch your front!" Nine Phoenix transformed into a fiery beam and swooped down at Qin Yun at an astounding speed.
The few experts in the Three Realms who were adept with fire had astounding speeds. For instance, the ten Golden Crow princes of the past, the imprisoned Zhurong, and Nine Phoenix all had tremendous speeds. Extremely horrifying speeds accompanied by tempestuous rage, that was how the black spear had been thrust forward.
Qin Yun stood in midair as he watched the scene silently. He did not move; all he did was gently wave his hand.
Three flying swords flew out from his sleeve. They were none other than his Intrinsic Flying Sword"s three Heaven, Earth, and Man swords.
The three flying swords flew out and formed a world in and of themselves. When the spear stabbed into the formless world membrane, it failed to proceed any further.
Simultaneously, there was a drizzle which enveloped 50,000 kilometers of the surroundings. The Misty Rain domain easily repressed the blazing flames, reducing the range of the flames Nine Phoenix released to only 10,000 feet.
"Show me your best, or you will no longer have another chance." Qin Yun looked at Nine Phoenix calmly.
He was planning to make an example out of her.
Naturally, he had to crush Nine Phoenix!
Nine Phoenix was an example! And experts in the Three Realms with particular ideas about the Qin family would be the spectators!
…
At the moment Nine Phoenix released her terrifying flames, the horrifying blast attracted the attention of many mighty figures in the Heavenly realm.
"Oh?"
"It"s the demons" Nine Phoenix?"
"Nine Phoenix and that Sword Immortal Qin are fighting?"
Mighty figures watched remotely. They even pa.s.sed the news to their best friends. Soon, many mighty figures who resided in the various dominions began to watch the battle.
"Interesting. On one side is the ancient demon, Nine Phoenix. She was one of the strongest few back during the ancient demons" Heavenly Courts. After being in remission for so many years, she has probably acc.u.mulated a great deal of insight and experience. The other is Sword Immortal Qin, also a pinnacle mighty figure. He"s also a sword immortal who is known to destroy all Dharma with a single sword. Although he has not been cultivating for long, he has the Connate Cardinal treasure Qingping Sword in hand."
"Such a major battle is rare."
"This Nine Phoenix is foolish as well. That human Qin Yun is a Daoist Itinerant Immortal. With the Itinerant Immortal tribulations, he only has a few millennia left to live. Why is she being calculative towards an Itinerant Immortal?"
"Why did they end up fighting?"
"I did an inference. It has to do with their juniors. The demon Phoenix Voice wanted to teach the Qin family"s Qin Yuluo a lesson by slapping her a hundred times. Sword Immortal Qin happened to be present and saw everything. Naturally, he was angered. He wanted to punish Phoenix Voice severely and imprison her in the Qin family dungeons for a hundred thousand years. Nine Phoenix with her intractable temper was naturally enraged by Sword Immortal Qin"s tyranny."
"What kind of temper does Sword Immortal Qin have? For his homeworld, he was willing to face the tribulations ahead of time to become an Itinerant Immortal! That kind of temper and his concern for his family, matched with the present circ.u.mstances, definitely infuriated him. He"s doing it to shock the juniors."
"Did you hear it? Sword Immortal Qin mentioned that he wanted to make an example out of them. Nine Phoenix is supposed to be that example. He sure is gutsy!"
"That"s what you call strength. You are just a mere ordinary Golden Immortal. Would you dare to say such a thing in front of Nine Phoenix?"
Mighty figures in the Three Realms, apart from a handful, were mostly inferior to Qin Yun and Nine Phoenix.
This battle thrilled many mighty figures as they watched eagerly for the outcome.
******
Above Red Fish City.
The smoke-like rain enveloped an area spanning 50,000 kilometers. It was Qin Yun"s Misty Rain domain. Nine Phoenix, who was suppressed by the domain, failed to do anything to the Misty Rain domain with her spear.
"Show me you best, or you will no longer have another chance." Qin Yun"s words infuriated Nine Phoenix.
She had not been belittled in such a long time.
"Isn"t it just the Misty Rain Array? I heard that you managed to fend off Patriarch Blood Sea with it," said Nine Phoenix with an angry scoff. "I admit that the Misty Rain Array is rather powerful at defense. But defense is not going to defeat your opponent. I might not be able to do anything if you hide away in the Misty Rain Array like a turtle, but since you have bragged about me not having a chance, I would like to know what you mean by that."
If Qin Yun chose to hide himself inside the Misty Rain Array, an array which Guangchengzi had deemed as the best defensive array among pinnacle Golden Immortals, it was true that Nine Phoenix could do nothing to him.
Therefore, she had to goad Qin Yun into attacking.
"As you wish." With that said, Qin Yun waved his hand.
"Whoosh."
Three flying swords rapidly flew out at unimaginable speeds. The speed of weapons was much faster than the speed mighty figures were capable of reaching.
Instantly, the three Heaven, Earth, and Man swords split into three directions and enveloped Nine Phoenix within.
"Back then, Wu Zhiqi and company were trapped inside my Misty Rain Array and eventually perished," said Qin Yun.
"Do you plan on trapping me with this c.r.a.ppy array?" Nine Phoenix was in no way fl.u.s.tered.
Array formations.
Attacking one from the outside was typically difficult, but attacking from the inside was relatively easier.
"Boom." Nine Phoenix"s body phased away, revealing her true form.
It was a nine-headed phoenix formed completely of fire. After Nine Phoenix"s true body appeared, the might of the fire she controlled also clearly increased to a whole new level. The void in the Heavenly realm was burned into the finest atoms as she spread her flaming wings and transformed into a glaring beam of light. She struck the Misty Rain Array with a pair of sharp claws that appeared to be capable of tearing through anything.
However, although the Misty Rain Array trembled, it managed to withstand the blow.
It was indeed easier to attack an array formation from the inside and Nine Phoenix was indeed much stronger than Wu Zhiqi, even to the point of being Xiangliu"s equal.
However, Qin Yun"s Misty Rain Array was already capable of trapping and killing Wu Zhiqi back at Mt. Three Blades. Back then, he had just made a breakthrough. Now, having cultivated for another two thousand plus years, he had converted his insights into actual strength! His strength had been elevated again. Having infused the new insights of the Seven Stars Great Dao into his Sword Dao, the array formation"s strength had increased exponentially again.
"How is that possible?" Nine Phoenix was alarmed when she failed to tear through the array with her true form"s swipe.
"Begone!" Nine Phoenix"s true form let out a sharp shrill cry as billowing flames incinerated the area. Even the void shattered amid the Misty Rain Array due to the sweeping flames. She attacked again and again, but the Misty Rain Array continued imprisoning her.
"Shrink, shrink, shrink," said Qin Yun softly.
The Misty Rain Array shrank.
The billowing flames within shrank as well. It went from 100,000 feet to 10,000 feet, until it was eventually reduced to a small one hundred feet. Nine Phoenix was trapped within, unable to escape no matter how much she struggled.
"Don"t bother struggling. It"s useless," said Qin Yun.
Her nine heads glared at Qin Yun ferociously. She said in a shrill voice, "I might not be able to escape, but my Nine Phoenix true form was born from the flames. Even if you use the Qingping Sword, you will not be able to injure me at all."
"Yuluo." Qin Yuluo shouted out loudly.
"Grandfather."
Qin Yuluo, who was holding onto the bound Phoenix Voice, was already feeling extremely nervous from watching the battle. When she heard Qin Yun call out to her, she immediately answered.
"In the second volume of the Seven Stars Sword Dao I gave you, there is the Seven Stars Combo recorded at the end. Watch carefully." As Qin Yun spoke, he waved his hand as a wisp of green light flew out from his sleeve.
Shoo!
An extremely bright green beam of sword flash flew into the Misty Rain Array.
Nine Phoenix flew up and blocked with her claws, but not only was the sword flash fast, its trajectory was unpredictable. It felt like the constantly changing trajectories of the planets in the sky. Nine Phoenix felt that she had fended it off with her claw, but the sword flash appeared ethereal. It managed to penetrate her body, immediately making her aware of a force causing damage to her body.
Nine Phoenix"s true form was made out of flames. It was a Nine Phoenix True Fire unique to her, but at this moment, an extremely sharp power was decimating the flames within her. When the flames were completely extinguished, it would mean her death.
"Shoo! Shoo! Shoo!"
The green beam tore through Nine Phoenix and turned around to make another penetration.
One strike followed another.
Gorgeous sword trajectories left scars behind in mid air. The scars resembled the Big Dipper.
Nine Phoenix revealed a look of horror. "Why is each sword faster and stronger than the last?"
Indeed.
If the first strike was said to trouble Nine Phoenix a little, the strikes that followed became more terrifying. It was like a spate she found indefensible. The sixth strike"s strength was equivalent to the strength of the first five strikes combined. It left her severely injured as her purple blood splattered.
"Whoosh." Qin Yun beckoned his hand as the Qingping Sword flew into his sleeve.
Qin Yuluo, who was watching from below with eyes alit, was stunned and somewhat depressed. "Grandfather, where"s the seventh strike of the Seven Stars Combo?"
Qin Yun had only cast the first six strikes of the Seven Stars Combo.
"She will die if I cast the seventh strike." Qin Yun looked at the heavily injured and terrified Nine Phoenix inside the Misty Rain Array. He turned his head towards the void and said, "Demon Emperor Bai Ze would not permit me to release the seventh strike either."
"Hahaha, as expected of Sword Immortal Qin. In terms of sword arts, you are truly the number one sword immortal of the Three Realms." A white-haired and white-browed man in fluttering white clothes walked out of the void.