Chapter 543

Chapter 543: Two Madmen (3)

Boom!

One hundred and eight Dao fruits of the Star Master hovered within Feng Wuji’s Great Dao World, channeling an endless stream of power. His cultivation surged wildly, his small thousand worlds constantly evolving into middle thousand worlds.

In almost an instant, Feng Wuji advanced to the World Master realm.

While he relished the thrill of power ascension, his mind remained utterly lucid.

The Star Master was a Four Tribulations Dao Sovereign whose fully sealed cultivation resided within his own body. Once completely refined, it could at least propel him to the Dao Sovereign Realm.

Yet, the faster his strength grew, the nearer his death approached.

Feng Wuji gazed into the distance at Yan Changkong.

Separated by space, the two locked eyes, their lips involuntarily curling into identical smirks.

"Yan Changkong!"

Just then, Su Mu, the Third Young Master, and Xu Taishou arrived almost simultaneously. Su Mu didn’t strike immediately, but the instant Xu Taishou locked onto Yan Changkong, he summoned a celestial sword.

Clang!

The celestial sword swept across the world, dominating and peerless. Sword energy spanning a hundred thousand miles fell in an instant. Within it, wrathful ghosts wailed and divine-demons roared. Where the sword energy passed, the mortal realm became purgatory.

"Not bad."

Yan Changkong gave a faint smile. With a light flick of his finger, a wisp of sword qi, fine as a strand of hair, pierced into the oncoming sword energy.

Boom!

The sword qi detonated, obliterating the divine-demons and wrathful ghosts to nothingness. Yan Changkong shattered Xu Taishou’s technique with a mere flick of his finger.

Whoosh!

The next second, Xu Taishou took a step and vanished midway through the air. A ripple stirred in the void behind Yan Changkong, accompanied by the clang of a blade.

"Bury the Divine!"

Xu Taishou’s hair flowed wildly as his blood qi surged. He drove his blade straight toward Yan Changkong’s skull.

The power of the Path of Death enveloped the space, manifesting a silent world of extinction. His sword technique was bizarre and ghost-like. The celestial blade cleaved deep into Yan Changkong’s head.

Crack!

Yan Changkong was split clean in two.

"Junior Brother!" Yan Ruyi cried out in shock.

"Yan Ruyi?" The Third Young Master’s eyes sharpened, lethality flaring within them.

However, in the mere blink of an eye, Yan Changkong’s severed halves fused back together. The Path of Death was crushed under his countering grip, unable to pose even the slightest threat.

"Let me return the favor."

Yan Changkong chuckled softly. His right palm abruptly pressed downward.

Rumble!

In that instant, a hundred zhang of the sky collapsed. Splinters of space transformed into divine swords. Ten thousand swords emerged simultaneously, howling as they soared through the air. They coalesced into a sword formation where the forces of life and death perfectly intertwined, grinding relentlessly towards Xu Taishou.

The Third Young Master’s expression turned grave. Yan Changkong’s perfect control of power, without the slightest leak, demonstrated mastery that bordered on the miraculous.

With just this one move, Xu Taishou was simply no match for him.

Xu Taishou’s pupils contracted sharply.

He operated his mystical arts without hesitation. His Great Dao World unfurled, his Dao fruit trembled, and his Great Dao transformed like dragons, turning into countless heavenly blades that formed a blade array to meet Yan Changkong’s strike.

Blades and swords intertwined.

Great Daos clashed.

After several breaths, an aged figure fell from the sky. Xu Taishou’s Great Dao World lay shattered, and fine cracks emerged upon his Dao fruit.

Xu Taishou was seized by inexplicable terror.

His strength no longer existed on the same level as Yan Changkong’s.

"You’re too weak," Yan Changkong said indifferently. "Both Five Tribulations Dao Sovereigns, yet you cannot even withstand a single blow from me. If you persist, I’ll end you."

"Scram!"

Xu Taishou withdrew resentfully, not daring to defy.

After all, this man was a cast-off disciple of the Time Palace, one who would dare defy even a Celestial Lord. Why would he fear the immortal court backing Xu Taishou?

"Yan Changkong, the Star Master had no grudge against you. Why kill him?" The Third Young Master said coldly. "Do you not know he was mine?"

"Do I need your permission to kill?"

Yan Changkong laughed. His figure shot like a stream of light, appearing before the Third Young Master. He looked down upon him with contempt, remarking, "Emperor of the Immortal Court?"

"Nothing but a bully hiding behind power."

"Were you at my level, killing you would be as simple as turning over my hand."

The Third Young Master burned with shame and rage.

As the ruler of the immortal court, revered as Emperor, he had never suffered such profound humiliation since embarking on his cultivation path.

"Emperor, impatience spoils great plans," Xu Taishou transmitted his voice.

Though the Third Young Master possessed the Celestial Lord’s Talisman within his Purple Palace, it could only activate passively. It wasn’t worth wasting the Celestial Lord’s power over Yan Changkong.

"Were we equals in realm, I would cut you down," The Third Young Master calmed himself, his voice cold.

"I await that day."

Yan Changkong’s expression remained detached.

"Old Xu, let’s go." The Third Young Master felt his heart bleeding.

For the sake of this Star Master, he had expended vast resources and spent billions of divine stones at Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, yet the Star Master ultimately failed to escape death.

Lost the Star Master and wasted money!

The two withdrew into the distance.

"Emperor, do not be disheartened," Xu Taishou spoke. "Your cultivation does not match his, yet your foundation far exceeds his. When you ascend to Five Tribulations Dao Sovereign, killing him will not be difficult."

The Third Young Master nodded.

Watching them depart, Yan Ruyi also breathed a long sigh of relief and hid her traces.

Yan Changkong walked toward Feng Wuji.

"You… don’t come any closer!" Huang Zimo transformed into her human form, blocking Feng Wuji’s path, gripping two divine swords with unwavering resolve.

Feng Wuji’s expression softened slightly.

"Palace Master, step aside," Feng Wuji moved in front of Huang Zimo, turning back with a smile. "He won’t kill me. I still hold value to him."

Feng Wuji looked directly at Yan Changkong.

"Daoist friend, you surely recognize Feng Wuji."

"In the past, it was your sword that ended his path."

Whoosh!

Huang Zimo’s eyes turned icy, a surge of grief and fury welling in her heart. Killing intent surged, her hands trembling faintly—she knew exactly who Feng Wuji the Mad Daoist spoke of.

The one her heart had always adored.

He wasn’t the Mad Daoist at all.

"How ironic," Yan Changkong studied Feng Wuji, chuckling lightly. "But in the end, you are not the same person. You’re more arrogant, bolder, and far wilder than he ever was."

"You flatter me, Daoist friend."

Feng Wuji remained utterly composed. "Care for a drink?"

"Only fair."

Yan Changkong laughed.

Their gazes met, locking in shared understanding—they were truly cut from the same cloth.

"Palace Master, Wudao, both of you wait outside with Su Mu. I’ll return shortly," Feng Wuji left that instruction and strode side by side with Yan Changkong into Falling Star City.

Su Mu furrowed his brow deeply.

Yan Changkong seemed to have no intention of harming Feng Wuji. Looks like that jade sword wouldn’t be needed—at least for now.

The two entered a tavern like old friends reunited, camaraderie radiating between them.

"Years ago, I was a disciple of Time Palace. One day, quite unexpectedly, an idea for a unique technique struck me," Yan Changkong raised his cup, drained it in one gulp, his eyes distant and clouded.

For so many years, he’d walked alone, never sharing a moment like this, with anyone.

His entire life had long been devoted to the Dao.

"So I sought my master’s guidance."

Crack!

Yan Changkong clenched his hand slightly, and the wine cup shattered instantly. He laughed, a sharp, bitter sound. "Yet that venerable elder dismissed it as heresy. Threatened to cast me out of the sect."

"I suppose that technique was… the Dutian Dao Xuanjing?" Feng Wuji ventured.

Yan Changkong gave a slow nod.

"The path of cultivation knows no absolute piety or evil. Where, then, do such labels—demon, heretic—even come from?"

Feng Wuji countered. Deep down, he and Yan Changkong were kin.

Two utter fools for the Dao.

Perhaps it was more accurate to describe them as madmen.

"Hahaha…"

A look of appreciation flashed in Yan Changkong’s eyes. "Daoist friend, those are wise words indeed."

"To that!"

They raised their glasses and drank together.

"After my expulsion from our sect," Yan Changkong continued, "I spent millions of years perfecting the Dutian Dao Xuanjing before imparting it to the world for others to cultivate."

"That Feng Wuji," he said, "was truly extraordinary. His talent was a match for my own." Speaking of the old excitement, a brilliant starlight seemed to ignite in Yan Changkong’s eyes. "I honestly did not wish to kill him. I wanted to raise glasses with him too. But he had to die."

The brightness in Yan Changkong’s gaze gradually dimmed.

"Only by devouring him could I achieve true perfection, advancing into the Dao Sovereign Realm."

"In the long ages since, I have never encountered another genius capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with me."

The next instant, Yan Changkong’s eyes glinted brilliantly once more as he looked at Feng Wuji, like beholding a priceless treasure. "But Heaven has not forsaken me."

"Today, I have found another who can be called a Daoist friend."

"Indeed…" sighed Feng Wuji, emotion washing over him.

"The title ‘Daoist friend’ is not one that everyone deserves."

Only those with shared goals and aspirations could truly be called Daoist friends.

At the very least, before this day, Feng Wuji had never known a true Daoist friend.

Yan Changkong absolutely was one.

"Hahaha…" Yan Changkong laughed heartily, gazing at Feng Wuji with increasing satisfaction. He stared directly at him and declared, "The Dutian Dao Xuanjing you cultivate, the method I devised… possesses a critical flaw."

He did not conceal it.

With Feng Wuji’s outstanding talent, he would inevitably uncover the flaw once he reached a profound level of cultivation.

"Daoist friend," Yan Changkong continued, his tone not resentful, but rather tinged with excitement, "If you can remedy that flaw… perhaps one day it will be you who devours me. My centuries of arduous cultivation would then only work to your advantage."

He voiced this possibility without the slightest hint of despondency.

"Whether it is you devouring me, or me devouring you," Yan Changkong said, his fervor almost zealous, "whomever triumphs will reverse the inherent limitations, ascending to the Celestial Lord Realm! This will be proof that my theory is sound!"

"I will not lose," Feng Wuji stated calmly.

His eyes were fathomless, like deep abysses.

The two men fixed their gazes upon each other. Suddenly, a shared smile touched their lips.

After finishing their cup,

Yan Changkong disappeared.