Chapter 157: Descending from the Heavens, One Man Against Four Hundred Thousand

Atop the Jiangnan Mountains, the winds roared and thunder cracked through the tumultuous skies! The howling of the wind, the pattering of rain, and the booming thunder created a grandiose atmosphere, yet they could not drown out the fierce sounds of battle raging below.

Beside Ouyang Xiaobai, thirty loyal warriors lay fallen in a pool of blood—none survived. Guo Quan’s strategy was cunning; without his sworn warriors, Ouyang Xiaobai’s devastating sweeping attack had no room to manifest. The “Sweeping Army” technique, a wide-range offensive move, required a moment of charge and thus had a delay upon execution. During that window, countless disciples from various sects surged forth, hacking him down with a flurry of blades before he could unleash the attack.

Deprived of the “Sweeping Army,” Ouyang Xiaobai could only rely on his “Overlord’s Might,” continuously striking with relentless blows. Such exertion inevitably consumed vast amounts of his strength. The more he fought, the more frenzied he became; each slash sent forth a streak of crimson blood. His garments were soaked red, transforming him into a figure of bloodshed.

Though the disciples could not yet break through his protective aura, Guo Quan and the elders harassed him with covert strikes, never giving him a moment’s peace. Their combined might was enough to threaten him, forcing Ouyang Xiaobai to remain cautious.

Beneath his feet lay mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Yet enemies pressed on relentlessly. Above, Guo Quan and his allies lurked in the shadows, seizing every chance to strike. A profound sense of despair and helplessness crept into Ouyang Xiaobai’s heart. Forty thousand troops opposed him; he had slain fewer than twenty thousand and faced thirty-eight thousand still to come. His spiritual energy was nearly depleted, reduced to less than a third. It was unlikely he would last an hour before exhaustion claimed him.

After beheading two disciples of the Absolute God Hall with a single slash, Ouyang Xiaobai roared toward the heavens. “Heavens! Do you truly wish to doom me? I will not accept this!” As his furious cry echoed, a golden light began to shimmer across his body.

At the brink of death, Ouyang Xiaobai comprehended the defiant fighting spirit beyond the natural order. His internal “Overlord’s Heart Method” surged forward, advancing once more. Both “Overlord’s Might” and “Sweeping Army” evolved directly into “Sky-Rending” and “Earth-Shattering.” His strength also recovered slightly.

Guo Quan narrowed his eyes. “Damn it! This bastard actually broke through his limits and enhanced his cultivation and techniques at the critical moment?”

The elders exchanged worried glances. “The Fourth Young Master of the martial world truly possesses extraordinary talent. Young Master Guo, if this continues, won’t he escape?”

Guo Quan snorted coldly, “What’s there to fear? Even if he is the reincarnation of a Great Dao Golden Immortal, we still command forty thousand soldiers. There’s no way he can defy the heavens.”

Despite his words, they could see that Ouyang Xiaobai’s combat power had clearly increased. Each slash could claim the lives of a hundred foes; within moments, thousands fell as if harvesting wheat.

Seeing this, Guo Quan spat harshly, then drew two golden talismans from his pocket. “These are the Absolute God Hall’s treasures—the Nine Suns Soul-Severing Talismans. They can instantly kill a fifth-stage Martial Sovereign expert. Even I have only two. Looks like I have no choice but to waste one today.”

The others shuddered upon seeing the talismans, eyes filled with dread. A small talisman capable of instantly killing a fifth-stage Martial Sovereign was terrifying beyond measure. The Absolute God Hall was truly the eighth-ranked sect in the martial world; their methods were nothing short of defying nature.

Ouyang Xiaobai grew more exhilarated with each kill. “Hahaha... Guo Quan, you seek to kill me, but instead you strengthen me! Just wait—this debt, I will personally collect from you! Hahaha... Prepare your neck for washing!”

Guo Quan sneered. “You won’t live long enough to see that day!”

With that, he squeezed a drop of essence blood from his fingers, his face paling. Taking a deep breath, he dripped the blood onto the talisman, formed hand seals, and chanted a strange incantation: “All laws return to one, Nine Suns annihilate souls! Kill!”

The golden talisman blazed with radiant light, then transformed into a hundred-meter-long golden dragon that roared fiercely as it charged toward Ouyang Xiaobai. The golden dragon’s killing intent was overwhelming; it swept away even members of the Absolute God Hall’s alliance in its path without mercy.

The elders in the heavens’ assembly changed expression. “Young Master Guo, those are our disciples! You...?”

Guo Quan snorted. “Enough nonsense! I sacrificed a precious talisman and a drop of essence blood for this. Should I avoid hitting them? That would undermine the talisman’s power. If Ouyang Xiaobai uses our people as shields, what good is the talisman then? Everything will be settled after he dies! Your sacrifices will be compensated with greater resources!”

As his words fell, the golden dragon neared Ouyang Xiaobai.

Ouyang Xiaobai dared not slacken. His expression grim, he summoned all his strength and slashed with one mighty blow. “Heaven-Splitting!”

The blade’s light extended for ten thousand meters, piercing the darkness and streaking a flash of brilliance across the mountaintop. Moments later, a violent explosion erupted over the entire Jiangnan Mountain, the dazzling radiance turning night into day and banishing all darkness. The immense power instantly evaporated the falling rain.

Seconds later, the rain resumed, and calm returned, but the sounds of battle ceased atop the mountain. Ouyang Xiaobai knelt, his tattered clothes shredded beyond recognition, his body infused with fresh blood. Yet his protective aura had been shattered; the previous strike had severely wounded him.

Guo Quan descended slowly, hands clasped behind his back, standing two meters above Ouyang Xiaobai and looking down like a victor. “Ouyang Xiaobai, it seems even a Fourth Young Master of the martial world is nothing special! No matter how formidable, you will die by my hand! The outcome is decided—do as you wish. What is there to say to a despicable scoundrel like you?”

He laughed coldly. “You’re quite defiant—facing death and still so arrogant. When the sun rises tomorrow, everyone will know that I, Guo Quan, Young Master of the Absolute God Hall, slew Ouyang Xiaobai, Young Master of the Blade Emperor Sect! I will become the new Fourth Young Master of the martial world, and you will be my stepping stone!”

Ouyang Xiaobai snorted, as if resigned, closing his eyes. “Sister, forgive me... I cannot return to accompany you.”

Witnessing this, Guo Quan’s heart swelled with pride. Yet no one noticed the figure emerging on the horizon of Jiangnan’s skies—a silhouette strolling leisurely, stepping upon the wind and clouds. Each stride spanned ten thousand meters, covering a hundred steps each second. The speed was staggeringly formidable.