Chapter 173 - 88: Jiang Xuan: What of the Daozi Courtyard? You Are the Challenger

Chapter 173: Chapter 88: Jiang Xuan: What of the Daozi Courtyard? You Are the Challenger

In the Scorched Earth Purgatory, because of the environment, Jiang Xuan had never activated his Frosty Winter Sword Intent.

However, this didn’t mean that his Nether Abyss Dharma Eye and his primary Frosty Winter Sword Intent were mutually exclusive. On the contrary, the two could complement each other.

Such was the case now. The gravity field rooted his enemies in place, making it difficult for them to move, while a howling cold wind eroded their Magical Power and Vitality.

With the gravity locking their bodies and the cold wind eroding their essence and Qi, the cultivators of the Rooster Daoist School were plunged into an icy hell, their suffering instantaneous and unbearable under the overlapping fields.

WHOOSH—!

The first to succumb were the ordinary cultivators, who had been crushed to the ground by the Gravity. Before they could even stand, the all-pervasive cold wind howled, seeping into their limbs and bones, their meridians and Dantian.

—As the wind swept over their bodies, it carried away their condensed Magical Power, the lifeblood that nourished their Flesh Bodies, and the foundational Vitality that sustained their very lives.

All of it was brutally stripped away and scattered by the biting cold wind.

HISSSSSS...

The excruciating pain of their rapidly draining Vitality, coupled with a wave of profound weakness, swept through their bodies. The cultivators began to shiver uncontrollably, their sharp hisses from sucking in cold air rising one after another.

"This is bad! Attack now!"

After battling their way through the Road of Purgatory, they were already in poor condition.

Now, battered by a frigid wind that seemed capable of snuffing out their very Vitality, they felt their strength scatter, leaving them as weak as if they were gravely ill.

The realization that Jiang Xuan didn’t even have to lift a finger—that if this wind continued to blow, their Vitality would be snuffed out completely—struck fear into the hearts of the Rooster Daoist School’s cultivators.

However, the overwhelming fear of death that gripped their Heart Spirits paradoxically gave rise to a sliver of courage. Amid their shock and terror, they all roared, desperately trying to activate their techniques and fight back.

But this was no easy task. A mountain-like Gravity pressed down on them, making every step a struggle.

They managed to muster their Magical Power and struggle to their feet—a feat made easier for them than for the Molten Rock Giant Demon, as the Gravity was affected by body weight, not just a set multiplier. But even as they stood, something far more despairing awaited them.

However, once they were on their feet, they looked upon Jiang Xuan. He just stood there, exuding a mountainous aura, the very incarnation of winter’s abyss. Paralyzed by terror, not a single disciple from the Rooster Daoist School dared to approach for close-quarters combat.

All they could do was grit their teeth, gather their power, and unleash a furious barrage of their unique long-range techniques at Jiang Xuan.

"Innate Qi of the Spiritual Void Hand Seal!"

"Sharp Gold Armor-Piercing Needle!"

"Shadow Servant..."

To have survived the many deadly trials of Purgatory, even as Tang Yinzheng’s subordinates, meant they were by no means ordinary.

The techniques they cast were not the commonplace Ice Blades and Fireballs of the Cultivation Realm.

The Spiritual Void Hand Seal, wreathed in spiritual light, was not only powerful but also applied a technique-sealing effect upon impact.

The Sharp Gold Armor-Piercing Needle was incomparably sharp and was particularly effective against all kinds of defenses.

The last technique, Shadow Servant, was especially wondrous. Once cultivated to the Great Success realm, a Cultivator could rely on the connection between their body and their shadow to transfer all of their injuries into it.

Even at the Minor Success realm, short of Great Success, the shadow could bore into an enemy’s body to control them, in addition to performing conventional attacks.

Of course, its actual effectiveness depended on the relative strength of the caster and the target.

Though limited and far from the Great Success realm, each of these techniques had its own unique traits.

It was with these Magic spells that they had passed through numerous trials to reach this final confrontation.

Unfortunately, this time, they were facing Jiang Xuan.

Without him having to do a single thing, the rampant, biting chill and the all-pervasive wind simply tore their three techniques apart mid-flight toward Jiang Xuan, scattering their Divine Will and causing their Magical Power structures to collapse.

This sight filled the cultivator who had used the Spiritual Void Hand Seal with despair. ’We can’t even get close...?’

It was the same for the cultivator who had used the Golden Needle. His technique was indeed specialized for piercing armor and was highly condensed. Unfortunately, the cultivator himself was lacking. He hadn’t even cultivated the technique to the Minor Achievement Realm; the Divine Will within it was feeble, and its Magical Power was not sufficiently focused.

Swept by the cold wind, the Golden Needle disintegrated before it could unleash even a sliver of its power.

Only the Shadow Servant, thanks to its trait of slinking along the ground, managed to avoid the brunt of the scouring wind. Its Shadow Chain even successfully latched onto the shadow at Jiang Xuan’s feet.

"It worked!"

The sight brought a look of glee to the final cultivator’s face.

However, his joy lasted for only a single moment.

"Go down!"

As he roared, he tried to manipulate the shadow and trip Jiang Xuan.

But it was useless.

To his senses, Jiang Xuan was as heavy as a mountain, while his shadow had the strength of an ant. Despite pouring all his power into the attempt, he failed to budge Jiang Xuan in the slightest.

’Is the gap... really this vast?’

A gap as vast as heaven and earth utterly shattered the three cultivators’ mental defenses.

And in the very instant their minds were reeling in shock, SCHLICK, SCHLICK, SCHLICK... three consecutive sounds suddenly echoed from their chests.

The sudden sounds and searing pain made them look down. They discovered that, at some point, the Magical Power defenses around their bodies had been extinguished by the cold wind. Colorless, transparent Ice Swords had silently pierced through their chests.

THUD...

’So strong!’

And just like that, the three of them died, collapsing with eyes wide open, filled with endless regret.