C43 Both of Them Ran away

After the resonant dragon's roar, a colossal Azure Dragon, hundreds of zhang in length, coiled majestically in midair.

"Azure, strike him down!" Qin Buyi bellowed from below.

With its increased size, Azure's voice shed any hint of immaturity, now echoing with the inherent majesty of the Dragon Clan. "As you wish, Master."

The dragon's head pivoted, charging towards Woo Qiankun.

Mid-flight, it opened its vast maw and engulfed Woo Qiankun's powerful grappling strike.

Rooted in shock, Woo Qiankun stood motionless, murmuring in disbelief, "A dragon... an actual dragon, long thought extinct, and not just any, but an Azure Dragon skilled in combat."

On Blue Star, where spiritual energy was depleted and the cultivation environment harsh, even the Kunlun Secret Realm harbored only a flood dragon—true dragons were unheard of.

Now, confronted with a living Azure Dragon, Woo Qiankun's astonishment was palpable.

Once the initial shock subsided, he eyed the Azure Dragon with fervent desire, contemplating, "If I could subjugate this Azure Dragon, the profits from its blood, scales, and saliva would be immense, a fortune each year."

A single flood dragon had already brought wealth to the Kunlun Secret Realm; the prospect of a true dragon was beyond measure.

The Azure Dragon, perceiving the avarice in Woo Qiankun's gaze, felt a deep disdain. Throughout history, the Dragon Clan had been coveted by cultivators, some of whom would even capture and slay true dragons for their own use in crafting weapons and elixirs.

This threat and enmity were etched into the very essence of every true dragon, their noble stature beyond reproach.

An incensed roar tore through the air as the Azure Dragon lunged at Woo Qiankun.

"Azure Dragon Battle Technique: Devour the Heavens!"

The Azure Dragon's jaws gaped wide, attempting to swallow the very sky enveloping Woo Qiankun.

Woo Qiankun, witnessing the Azure Dragon's advance, tensed, fully aware that the Dragon Clan had vanished from Blue Star ages ago. Legend spoke of their immense power, unrivaled within their tier, capable of transcending boundaries to vanquish their foes.

And among them, the Azure Dragon Clan was renowned for their prowess in battle—one could only guess at the limits of their strength.

"Kunlun Secret Skill: Annihilation..."

Before Woo Qiankun could release his attack, the Azure Dragon clamped down fiercely with its jaws.

The sky around Woo Qiankun was plunged into an abyss of darkness, devoid of even the faintest glimmer. Then, it was as if the entire heavens had been devoured, vanishing without a trace.

Woo Qiankun's world turned pitch black. He looked around, only to find himself engulfed in the same oppressive darkness.

Within this void, Woo Qiankun felt an alienating force, as though he had been exiled from Blue Star.

"Kunlun Secret Skill: Sword of Immortal Annihilation!"

"Kunlun Secret Skill: Sword of Immortal Execution!"

"Kunlun Secret Skill: Sword of Immortal Slaying!"

"Kunlun Secret Skill: Sword of Immortal Entrapment!"

"Kunlun Secret Skill: Immortal Killing Sword Array!"

Woo Qiankun expelled four miniature swords from his mouth, which swiftly expanded to over ten feet in length.

Positioned at four points around him, they formed a protective barrier, securing Woo Qiankun within.

It was then that the majestic voice of the Azure Dragon echoed throughout the dark expanse.

"Azure Dragon Secret Technique: Netherworld!"

The sensation of rejection Woo Qiankun felt intensified exponentially, rushing at him from all directions.

The feeling of repulsion soon morphed into one of compression, as if he were a sponge being relentlessly wrung out.

Using his Divine Consciousness, he maneuvered the Immortal Killing Sword Array to counter the relentless pressure, and the crushing weight lifted from him.

Woo Qiankun breathed a sigh of relief, but the spiritual energy within him was rapidly depleting amidst the struggle...

Qin Buyi watched the aerial clash with a touch of helplessness. Having the Azure Dragon enter the fray was a reluctant choice, as his own fighting prowess had taken a severe hit after parting with the Killing Saber.

Without the Killing Saber, facing Woo Qiankun meant nothing but watching powerlessly.

To Qin Buyi's surprise, the Azure Dragon's formidable strength was evident; despite being in the early stages of Void Refining, it stood its ground against Woo Qiankun, who had achieved Void Refining Perfection.

Even at the outset of their attack, the Azure Dragon's offensive was so swift and enigmatic that not even Qin Buyi could discern it.

With a single bite from the Azure Dragon, Woo Qiankun, along with the swath of sky he occupied, seemed to vanish from sight.

He shot the Azure Dragon a look of encouragement, then with a hint of worry, he cautioned it to prioritize safety. If it found itself outmatched, it was to flee without hesitation.

Qin Buyi soared over to the agonized Zhang Feng and extended his hand to summon back the Killing Saber that had wreaked havoc within Zhang Feng's sea of consciousness.

Internally, Qin Buyi mused, "I need to acquire another combat technique. Relying on a single approach is a tactical weakness I can't afford."

This thought led him to recall that among the rewards for completing the war mission and annihilating the Kunlun Secret Realm, there was indeed a cultivation technique included.

"I need to expedite the completion of this mission," he resolved.

Meanwhile, Zhang Feng was in dire straits. Although the Killing Saber hadn't shattered his sea of consciousness, it had left it teetering on the brink of collapse.

Once Qin Buyi retracted the Killing Saber, Zhang Feng, grappling with the excruciating pain, opted not to engage further in battle but instead, turned and made a swift escape.

Confronted with such a formidable Divine Consciousness attack and his defenses proving futile, Zhang Feng knew another strike from Qin Buyi would obliterate his sea of consciousness, relegating him to the Nascent Infant or even the Golden Core level—a fate more unbearable than death, as such damage to the sea of consciousness was essentially irreversible.

To his knowledge, there was no precedent of a sea of consciousness being restored once shattered.

Factoring in all these elements, Zhang Feng's fear of Qin Buyi had reached its zenith, and he was even willing to set aside his vengeance for the death of his grandson.

As Zhang Feng turned tail, Qin Buyi was not about to let him off the hook. Clutching the Killing Saber, he bellowed:

"Killing Swordsmanship: Slaughter!"

With his power now ascended to the Void Refining Early Period, the potency of Slaughter had markedly intensified, escalating from tens of thousands to fifty thousand vibrations per second.

The rapidly oscillating Killing Saber bore down on Zhang Feng, who, with gritted teeth, hurled the Immortal Slashing Flying Dagger in a desperate attempt to thwart Qin Buyi's assault.

"Clang!"

The Killing Saber struck the gourd with a heavy blow.

"Crack!"

"Crack!"

Cracks spider-webbed across the gourd's surface where the Killing Saber had hit.

Zhang Feng retrieved the gourd, his eyes filled with distress, as he pressed on, fleeing with all his strength.

"Killing Swordsmanship: Slaughter!"

Unsatisfied with the ineffectiveness of the first strike, Qin Buyi switched from gripping to throwing. He hurled the vibrating Killing Saber at high speed, aiming straight for Zhang Feng's head.

"Whoosh!"

The Killing Saber sliced through the air, its passage marked by a whistling sound.

Zhang Feng, hearing the noise behind him, turned around and nearly had his soul scared out of him.

The rapidly vibrating Killing Saber was bearing down on him like the Grim Reaper himself.

With no other choice, Zhang Feng clenched his teeth and ignited his blood essence, instantly boosting his speed exponentially.

He had means to counter Qin Buyi's attacks, but to do so would likely result in being ensnared by his adversary.

Should he become entangled in combat, a subsequent Divine Consciousness attack from Qin Buyi would spell disaster.

While blood essence could be replenished, a shattered sea of consciousness was irreparable.

As Zhang Feng finally broke free from the range of Qin Buyi's assault and shrank to a mere speck before vanishing from sight,

Qin Buyi summoned back the Killing Saber and returned to the Azure Dragon, feeling a twinge of regret.

"Indeed, someone at the peak of Void Refining is not so easily vanquished. It's unfortunate; had I succeeded in killing him, it would have cut the difficulty of obliterating the Kunlun Secret Realm by a third."

Yet Qin Buyi wasn't overly disheartened. He knew the damage to Zhang Feng's sea of consciousness would require considerable resources and time to mend.

This effectively meant that Zhang Feng's combat effectiveness would be halved for the foreseeable future. A toothless tiger, after all, is hardly a threat.

No sooner had Qin Buyi rejoined the Azure Dragon than it opened its mouth and expelled a disheveled figure.

Woo Qiankun emerged and, without a backward glance, immediately took off in a desperate escape.

Qin Buyi's fury reached its boiling point. Escaping once might have been forgivable, something he could rationalize, but twice? That was nothing short of futile effort squandered.

Qin Buyi bellowed, "Wu, you old specter, since you've made the trip, you might as well stay for good!"