Wuwangyuan - End

The demonic power around Ling Gu fluctuated uncontrollably for a moment.

He was indeed wary, wary of Bu Jiu's crazy determination to protect Ji Wang at all costs, wary of the increasingly obvious variables in Ji Wang and that annoying tenacity that was exactly like Yun Shen's.

"Look at me, little tailless fox," Ji Wang mocked while he was stunned, and then darted behind a towering rock to the side.

"You're courting death..." Ling Gu roared, his figure following closely like a leech, his sharp claws aimed straight for Ji Wang's back.

Just as they were about to touch, Ji Wang suddenly ducked and slid, narrowly avoiding the attack, while simultaneously thrusting his sword at a certain spot on the rock.

"Splash—!"

The rock, already loosened by the previous explosion, was pried open by his sword, and mixed with gravel and dust, it crashed down towards Ling Gu.

Ji Wang released the talisman he had prepared in his left hand, which flew straight towards several stalactites on the top of the cave.

Several sharp stalactites snapped in response, whistling through the air, and crashed down towards the area where Ling Gu was located, like giant stone spears.

Even with his strong bones, Ling Gu couldn't withstand such a chaotic impact. He snorted angrily, shaking off the largest boulder that was hurtling towards his head, and dodging the falling stone spears, looking somewhat disheveled.

Before the smoke and dust had cleared, Ji Wang emerged from within, his sword tip gleaming with a cold light, aiming straight for Ling Gu's heart.

The sword, however, became immobilized in the next instant.

Yueyuan had appeared between the two of them without them noticing, casually pinching the tip of the sword between his two fingers.

He turned to look at Ling Gu: "Ling Gu, what did I say? My junior brother's spiritual power is just awakening, and his body is weak. How can he withstand your torment?"

He slightly bent his knuckles, and a supple yet irresistible force traveled along the sword, pushing Ji Wang back several steps.

Yueyuan then slowly turned around, facing Ji Wang completely.

"It's been years since we last met." He spoke gently, his gaze sweeping over Ji Wang's tense face before settling on Bu Jiu, who was forcing himself to stay upright. His smile deepened. "With everyone gathered here, it saves me the trouble of searching everywhere."

Bu Jiu's figure suddenly blurred, and in the next instant, he had already rushed to Ji Wang's side.

Yueyuan's eyebrows twitched slightly, then his smile deepened.

His gaze returned to Ji Wang's face: "Junior Brother, you still have feelings for him?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Wang showed no trace of the anger that Yue Yuan had expected.

He merely tilted his head slightly, his eyes revealing pure confusion, and asked in a steady voice, "What's it to you?"

The perfect smile on Yueyuan's lips froze.

Ji Wang not only didn't retreat, but instead took a small half step forward. He frowned slightly, looked Yue Yuan up and down in his luxurious black robe and smiling face, his impatience almost overflowing, as if he were being forced into a conversation by some strange stranger: "Nonsense."

A flicker of pure doubt crossed his eyes, followed by the question: "You have no one to love you?"

Bu Jiu lowered his eyes, and the smile vanished in an instant.

The moment the words left his mouth, a crack finally appeared on Yueyuan's face.

It wasn't anger, but something more subtle—like a chess piece that had been completely out of place suddenly being thrown onto a perfectly functioning game of chess.

Yueyuan remained silent, his eyes as deep as a frozen pool.

"You." After a long while, Yueyuan finally managed to utter two syllables.

He scrutinized Ji Wang like a sculptor finally beginning to seriously examine a completely unexpected rough jade—or rather, a stubborn rock.

Ji took half a step forward, slightly raising his sword. His gaze met Yue Yuan's unfathomable eyes.

"What?" He didn't even raise an eyebrow, as if stating a fact unrelated to himself. "Kill me?"

He slightly turned his wrist, and the dim sunlight leaked in through the crack in the cave, casting a cold glint on the blade.

“I can beat you once…” Ji Wang’s tone was completely flat, and the knuckles of his fingers gripping the sword hilt turned slightly white from the force. “There will be a second time.”

The moment the words fell, a dark streak of light flew in from the blind spot ahead without warning.

Ji Wang's wrist, holding the sword, bent to the side with an extremely slight movement, and the end of the sword hilt precisely struck the side edge of the dart.

With a soft "ding," the dart veered off course, grazing Bu Jiu's sleeve before embedding itself in the rock wall, corroding a small hole.

In the blink of an eye, the dart was deflected—

Yueyuan moved.

He didn't look at Ling Gu, nor did he move his feet. He simply flicked his finger casually at the trajectory of the dart that hadn't completely dissipated.

Several invisible, sharp energies, following the path left by the dart, pierced straight at the opening slightly exposed by Ji Wang's parry with several times the speed.

This attack was faster than reaction time could go; it seemed more like a pre-anticipated killing blow.

"Step back." Bu Jiu's body instantly collapsed inward, the air distorting slightly around him, as if an invisible abyss was about to open its jaws and devour all incoming power. Even severely injured, his imposing presence instantly made Ling Gu, who was watching from the sidelines, tense up.

This instinctive counterattack was abruptly thwarted by Ji Wang in the next instant.

Ji Wang thrust his sword into the center of the formation and pulled Bu Jiu behind him. He raised his free left hand, and a burst of spiritual light emanated from his fingertips.

Several sharp energies collided with the tiny array that had formed in an instant, but were steadily blocked. Ripples spread out, and then both were annihilated.

Yue Yuan stared at the rapidly dissipating array pattern phantom in front of Ji Wang: "Kun Yuan Array?"

Ji Wang slowly lowered his left hand, which trembled slightly as the spiritual energy within his body surged violently due to the hastily cast array.

His face was slightly pale, but he tried his best to keep his breathing steady, and he met Yueyuan's gaze without flinching.

Seeing this, Bu Jiu stopped trying to rush forward and instead adjusted his breathing, turning his remaining strength into a greater reserve.

Like a sharp blade sheathed, hidden behind the shield forged by Ji Wang, waiting for the moment when it is time for him to be drawn.

Upon seeing this, Yueyuan's last trace of feigned gentleness vanished completely: "Take him down."

The moment the command was given, countless eerie green, phosphorescent lights seeped from the cave entrance, rock crevices, and even the ground, whistling as they transformed into a dense cascade of arrows that enveloped Ji Wang from all directions, sealing off all space for escape.

The piercing shriek, tearing at eardrums, was aimed straight at Ji Wang's throat.

A pincer attack from both sides, seemingly a hopeless situation!

Faced with this overwhelming offensive, Ji Wang merely raised an eyebrow.

Now!

He silently shouted in his heart, and his right hand suddenly pressed down, pouring all the remaining spiritual power into the longsword in his hand. The sword emitted a mournful cry as if it could not bear the weight, but in an instant, a layer of clear light flowed through it.

Just as Ji Wang was about to be caught off guard and his defenses were completely exposed, Bu Jiu behind him took a half step forward.

He completely enveloped Ji Wang behind him, then pressed his palm down in mid-air. A dark golden halo rippled out from his palm, quickly expanding into a transparent barrier as thin as a cicada's wing.

Countless eerie green arrows of demonic energy struck the barrier, only to be scrambled into it, their speed drastically reduced and their trajectories distorted. Ling Gu's determined claw slashed fiercely at the barrier's surface, but failed to advance an inch.

Bu Jiu's already pale face instantly lost another layer of color, and a streak of glaring crimson spilled from the corner of his lips. But his hand, pressed against the void, remained as steady as a rock, firmly supporting the barrier forcibly constructed with primordial demonic power.

At this moment, the silver light from the sword tip at Ji Wang's feet finally touched the formation.

There was no explosion, only a buzzing sound that seemed to come from the depths of the earth.

Centered on the point of impact, silver ripples spread silently, rapidly engulfing the ground within dozens of feet. Wherever the ripples passed, the withered bones and remains buried deep underground, weathered by three hundred years of wind and rain, trembled slightly at the same time.

One point, ten points, a hundred points… countless faint yet persistent specks of light, like slumbering stars being awakened, rose from the white bones and the depths of scorched earth.

That was the lingering obsession, the undiminished fighting spirit, the unwillingness to die in peace... Everything left over from that fierce battle three hundred years ago resonated with the most primal spiritual power of Daoist Yun Shen at this moment.

"Clang!"

A clear, resonant sound rose from Ji Wang's arms.

The Reverse Scale Shuttle, which had been lying quietly inside his clothes, trembled, revealing layers upon layers of runes.

It flew out of Ji Wang's arms and transformed into a ray of clear light.

Instead of attacking the nearest Listening Bone, it seemed to possess its own will, drawing an arc in the air and trailing a tail composed of countless obsessions behind it, shooting straight at Yue Yuan, who had been standing quietly by the sidelines, at a speed beyond the comprehension of those present!

Yue Yuan's pupils contracted sharply, and layers upon layers of barriers instantly appeared.

But that clear light embodied the resentment and anger of this land, the resolute determination of Daoist Yun Shen, and the obsession of all living beings.

It swept through the enemy lines with unstoppable force, piercing through barriers that could withstand thousands of troops, layer by layer.

"Pfft!"

Yueyuan's body trembled violently, and he slowly lowered his head.

The tip of the shuttle was pinned right to his heart, most of the shuttle body was submerged in his black robe, only the end was still trembling and emitting a low hum.

No blood flowed from the pierced wound; wisps of black energy and silver light intertwined fiercely before finally dissipating.

Ling Gu froze in shock, forgetting to retract his attack stance.

Bu Jiu paused slightly in supporting the barrier, his eyes reflecting the piercing light and the shuttle handle in Yue Yuan's heart.

Ji Wang raised his head, his breathing rapid due to the complete depletion of his spiritual energy. Only his eyes shone brightly as he stared directly at Yue Yuan, who had been pierced by the Reverse Scale Shuttle.

Yueyuan slowly raised his hand, as if he wanted to touch the foreign object in his heart.

His movements were somewhat sluggish, and a kind of almost fanatical excitement appeared on his face.

He looked up at Ji Wang, his voice slightly hoarse from his injuries: "Using the soul from that time to draw upon the thoughts of this place... what a skill. You truly deserve to be my junior brother."

His body began to tremble slightly, but the Reverse Scale Shuttle remained firmly embedded in his heart, and the clash between the silver light and the black energy intensified.

"This time, you win a move." Yueyuan's figure gradually faded amidst the ripples, but his voice came clearly, "We have a long future ahead of us."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure, along with Ling Gu, completely disappeared from the spot. The light of the Reverse Scale Shuttle dissipated, and it fell to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Did we win?" Ji Wang's gaze was still fixed on the spot where Yue Yuan had disappeared. His voice was a little unsteady, as if he were confirming something, or perhaps just talking to himself.

The next second, he turned around abruptly, a bright smile spreading across his face: "I'm so awesome—cough!"

His boasting was cut short by a series of heart-wrenching coughs. The aftereffects of the internal turmoil surged up like a tidal wave; he coughed so hard he bent over, his vision blurred, yet he still managed to laugh intermittently.

But he didn't fall. Instead, he used the momentum of his staggering as he lunged straight at Bu Jiu beside him.

Just as Bu Jiu removed the barrier, his aura was disordered due to the backlash of demonic power, and he was suddenly and firmly embraced by Ji Wang. The force of the impact made him groan and almost lose his balance.

"Ji...!" Bu Jiu was both shocked and angry, and quickly caught the person in front of him.

But Ji Wang, like a puppy that has found its owner, buried its fluffy head in Bu Jiu's neck without saying a word and took a deep breath.

Then, he raised his face again, rubbing his forehead against Bu Jiu's forehead, his nose brushing against Bu Jiu's straight nose, and finally turned his face to the side, pressing his warm cheek against Bu Jiu's cheek, rubbing back and forth in a sticky and cuddly manner.

"I'm awesome, right...hehe..." Ji Wang's voice was muffled on Bu Jiu's shoulder, filled with the excitement of surviving a close call and a childlike boastfulness. He tightened his arms around Bu Jiu, "Were you scared? Consider this my protection..."

Bu Jiu's every attempt to refuse froze at Ji Wang's vague "I've protected you."

This person had just exhausted his spiritual power, which triggered the obsession of three hundred years of battlefield dead souls, and severely injured Yueyuan with a single blow.

At this moment, however, she was like a child who wanted praise and desperately needed reassurance, clinging to him tightly and refusing to let go.

"Impressive." Bu Jiu turned his head, trying to make his voice sound calm, but the slightly trembling tone at the end and his burning red ear tips completely betrayed him.

His hand, which was hovering behind Ji Wang's back, tightened slightly, providing a small but firm point of support.