Bai Yichen's expression grew solemn. He was well aware of the effects of the Sorrowful Breeze Dispersing Powder. If not expelled in time, it would block the flow of internal energy, making it increasingly difficult to circulate smoothly.
He hadn't expected the Wheel King to have used it already, meaning there was little hope of relying on Qingsong Zhenren. Worse, it was uncertain when more Innate enemies might appear.
This time, they were truly facing a dire situation.
At this thought, Bai Yichen glanced at Yun Shou Zhenren. Seeing that his expression remained calm, there might still be a chance to turn the tide.
Then, Bai Yichen pulled out a small vial from his sleeve and threw it forcefully in Yan Bei's direction.
"Take it quickly!"
It was a healing pill he had prepared. While it couldn't directly cure the effects of the Sorrowful Breeze Dispersing Powder, it could provide some assistance.
"Hmph!"
The Wheel King noticed the bottle being thrown and immediately dashed forward at breakneck speed, aiming a finger strike at the pill.
Yun Shou Zhenren unleashed a series of palm strikes, but each time, he was a fraction too late.
"How dare you, you eunuch thief!" A thunderous voice roared in fury!
Accompanying the shout was the sharp gleam of a treasured sword, brimming with immense force and murderous intent, cutting through the air towards the Wheel King.
At the very moment Bai Yichen threw the medicine bottle, his mind, in a state of heightened clarity, anticipated the Wheel King's actions. Without holding back, he unleashed his full power in a devastating Hundred-Pace Flying Sword technique!
He abandoned all the complexity and flourishes of previous techniques, opting for the purest, simplest sword thrust to unleash maximum power, aiming for a one-hit kill.
The flying sword emitted a cold gleam, and the endless sword energy surged forth like crashing waves!
The Wheel King, hearing the furious shout, couldn't help but glance at Bai Yichen with a look of pure hatred, his rage evident.
However, he was indeed a top-tier expert. In an instant, his other hand stretched out, and his five fingers formed a qi vortex. The chilling yin energy swirled, layer upon layer, like a dense net attempting to entangle and dissipate the incoming sword energy.
But Bai Yichen's Hundred-Pace Flying Sword, infused with his utmost strength, was no easy attack to defend against. This sword strike, guided by his simplified sword techniques, empowered by the Dragon Elephant Vajra Divine Force at eightfold strength, and utilizing his concealed weapon techniques, reached the pinnacle of precision.
As the sword pierced forward, it was like a dam bursting or the surging tides of Qiantang. It charged ahead with unstoppable force!
In the Wheel King's astonished gaze, the sword finally broke through the layers of dark energy, leaving tiny red marks on his fingertips and palm.
Under the pull of the yin energy, the sword's trajectory shifted slightly and buried itself three feet deep into the ground.
Meanwhile, though poisoned, Yan Bei was still very much alive. Seizing the opportunity, he leaped forward, catching the medicine bottle. As the Wheel King was momentarily distracted by his sword wound, Yan Bei rolled on the ground, narrowly avoiding the fatal finger strike.
At that point, the Wheel King could no longer bother with Yan Bei. He stared at the small red marks on his right hand, where sword qi had pierced through, and the lingering dark energy swirling around them, refusing to dissipate.
The five fingers surrounded by cold, ruthless energy suddenly pulled the Water-Splitting Sword from the ground.
A sharp "snap!" resonated through the air. The Water-Splitting Sword let out a mournful wail, breaking under the immense external force. The sound of its breaking echoed, lingering with an endless desolation, as if a renowned sword had met its final end.
"Hehe, without your sword, let's see how you strike!" The voice was chilling and eerie, as if a malevolent spirit were about to tear him apart.
Bai Yichen sighed inwardly; after all, it was a rare famous sword. The Wheel King truly lacked the appreciation for valuable resources, unlike how he had once carefully managed his own possessions. Furthermore, it seemed the Wheel King was quite sensitive about his deficiencies.
Bai Yichen smirked mockingly, "It seems you're afraid, you castrated thief!"
This was akin to how martial artists in the jianghu always loudly declared their opponent's techniques and flaws before a fight, attempting to undermine the opponent's morale. Even though the Wheel King was powerful and held a high status, he was still just a eunuch. By bringing this up, Bai Yichen aimed to deliver a strong blow to his spirit, ensuring he could not gather his momentum.
In a contest between Innate experts, if one side's spirit was diminished, there was almost no need to continue fighting.
But the Wheel King was no ordinary opponent, standing at the pinnacle of the jianghu. This second round of taunts had significantly less effect on him than the first.
He remained silent, and in an instant, he seemed to dissolve into blue smoke, charging toward Bai Yichen.
At that moment, both Bai Yichen and Real Person Yun Shou swiftly extended their hands.
Starting as two, they transformed into four, then eight, instantly scattering into eight shadows of palms!
The two elements gave rise to the four symbols, and the four symbols branched into the eight trigrams. At times, they appeared like a Green Dragon extending its claws, at times like a White Tiger carrying a corpse, at times like a Vermilion Bird soaring, and at times like a Black Tortoise bowing its head.
Before long, the shadows of the palms in midair had multiplied from sixteen to thirty-two, even to an endless number!
The shadows of palms spread out, dense and overwhelming, covering the entire sky!
The Wheel King's throat, eyes, chest, lower abdomen—all his vital points were entirely enveloped by the shadows of their palms.
"Good! Talented martial artists are indeed like a flood of river carp! Tonight, the two of you can evolve the Four Symbols Opening Heaven Palm to this extent; you're almost catching up to the Celestial Master! It won't be in vain to die at my hands!"
As his voice fell, it seemed as though a dozen of the Wheel King's figures emerged, each launching a finger attack. In an instant, it was impossible to count how many strikes were unleashed—hundreds, even thousands.
The continuous curtain of palm strikes met the lightning-fast finger jabs.
After dozens of exchanges, the red maple leaves swirled in the air, dazzling the spectators.
However, the more terrifying aspect was that each of the Wheel King's finger strikes was imbued with a subtle warmth hidden within that continuous cold energy, making them extremely lethal.
As the saying goes, beneath endless attacks, there was still a way to escape.
It was precisely that flicker of warmth that could pierce through the palm shadows!
He had begun to cultivate the transition from yin to yang—could it be that he had comprehended the transformation into the heavenly and human state and was about to ascend to the Master level?
But soon, Bai Yichen dismissed this idea. If that were true, the Wheel King wouldn't need to expend such great resources to seize the Ming Sect's treasure map. He could simply retreat into seclusion to break through, then wield the supreme authority of a Master to dominate the jianghu, taking whatever he wanted at will.
Gradually, Bai Yichen sensed that the warmth at the Wheel King's fingertips was waning, and he felt a slight joy in his heart. Indeed, he had not fully reached the state of yin transforming into yang.
No wonder he sought that Ming Sect relic; it was known that the Ming Sect's famed technique was the "Nine Yin Nine Yang Universe Canon," which would perfectly reflect the Wheel King's current state.
At the same time, Real Person Yun Shou also began to show signs of strain; after all, his age was showing.
The shadows of the palms became illusory, their strikes slowed, and the synchronization of their steps and breathing with Bai Yichen's began to falter, no longer as flawless as before.
They had gradually moved from an endless state toward a dead end!
The Wheel King sensed this as well. With a sneer, he reignited his internal energy, kindling the fire of yang. This was his opportunity to shatter the palm force of the two!
As expected, just a few exchanges later, the once unbroken curtain of palm strikes was ruthlessly pierced through.
Bai Yichen and Yun Shou were forced to retreat three feet in succession.