"Master Ancestor, hasn't the backup arrived yet?"
Bai Yichen silently transmitted this thought while crushing the healing pill hidden beneath his tongue, hoping to restore at least a little bit of energy.
Seeing the bitter expression on Real Person Yun Shou's face, a rare chill crept into Bai Yichen's heart.
At that moment, a figure burst in.
The three looked up, some surprised, some relieved.
This person held a blood-stained sword, their clothes somewhat disheveled, yet without any visible injuries. Their hair was held up in a bamboo pin, styled into a mixed bun.
It turned out to be Daoist Mo Qiu from Yukun Mountain.
"It seems the old ghost Qingsong is dead. I didn't expect Qingliu to be caught up in this as well; what a shame. But the thing..."
The Wheel King noticed there was no one behind him and, staring at Mo Qiu, couldn't help but express a sigh, though his tone was much more relaxed.
"It was a struggle to achieve this; with insufficient strength, this was bound to happen." Mo Qiu replied expressionlessly, pulling out a torn piece of silk cloth and waving it.
"Hahaha, good. But aren't you still resentful that Qingliu led you down this path?" The Wheel King initially rejoiced but suddenly began to probe.
Mo Qiu retracted the silk cloth, glancing at Yan Bei, who was still cultivating on the ground, before ignoring him and turning to look at Yun Shou and Bai Yichen.
"Now that it has come to this, there's no need for more words. Is it just those two left?"
"Will you kill the old ghost Yun Shou or this future star of the Xuanzhen Temple?" The Wheel King's cold eyes swept over the two, his words laced with disdain.
Upon seeing that the newcomer was Daoist Mo Qiu, disappointment flashed in Yun Shou's eyes. After several changes in expression, he finally let out a long sigh, revealing a hint of determination.
He transmitted to Bai Yichen, "Little Chong, find the right moment to escape quickly! I'll hold them off."
Before Bai Yichen could dissuade him, an aura burst forth from Real Person Yun Shou, not any weaker than the Wheel King's.
Both the Wheel King and Mo Qiu showed a hint of surprise.
Yun Shou had actually opened his Ren and Du meridians in an instant? No, that was the final move of the "Shattered Jade Formula," which embodies the idea of preferring to be shattered like jade than to remain whole like pottery.
This move was an ultimate technique; although using the Shattered Jade Formula in a normal way would only result in severe injury, employing this move meant decisively exchanging vitality for a temporary elevation in realm.
Bai Yichen couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
However, he was not one to be overly sentimental; given that the strength of the two opponents was clearly superior to his own, remaining behind would only lead to futile outcomes.
Seeing that Real Person Yun Shou had made his decision, Bai Yichen no longer spoke, but instead began looking for an escape route.
Suddenly, Bai Yichen's expression changed; he did not spring into action immediately.
Real Person Yun Shou charged forward, intending to block the two.
The Wheel King immediately sensed his intent and called out, "Not good, that old man seems to want to let that little one escape!"
Like a ghost, he moved in front of Real Person Yun Shou and blocked him with a finger.
Upon hearing this, Mo Qiu leaped up like a white crane spreading its wings, his sharp sword energy aimed straight at Bai Yichen.
At this moment, Bai Yichen seemed to finally realize the danger and retreated repeatedly to his right side.
He barely managed to use the "Heaven Enclosing Palm" to deflect the sword energy.
Before Bai Yichen could counterattack, the second strike came at him with overwhelming force, giving him no chance to catch his breath.
As the sword came within a few centimeters of Bai Yichen, he secretly gathered strength in his left hand, seemingly preparing for something.
But at that moment, the sword attack halted suddenly, as Mo Qiu was hit from the right side by a "Heavenly Iron Fist," and with a loud "crack," he bent and flew sideways.
In that same instant, the Four Symbols revolved, enveloping Mo Qiu entirely, and the Heaven Enclosing Palm came crashing down upon his skull, shattering it!
Everything happened in mere moments, abruptly unfolding and then quietly concluding.
Meanwhile, Yan Bei, witnessing this, let out a long sigh of relief before collapsing to the ground.
That punch had already exhausted all of his strength.
Bai Yichen was also panting heavily; he had just come over after Yan Bei transmitted a message to him.
But in this battle, he was already utterly exhausted.
Bai Yichen looked up at the battlefield between Yun Shou and the Wheel King, and indeed, the clash of their Innate full-formed powers was extraordinary.
However, even though Real Person Yun Shou had suddenly experienced a surge in cultivation, he still seemed to be lacking somewhat.
Bai Yichen glanced at his left hand, feeling a twinge of hesitation and conflict in his heart, but then suddenly smiled.
Bai Yichen, oh Bai Yichen, have you been a eunuch for too long that you've truly become rootless? Can you only hide behind and scurry like a fly?
As a swordsman, if there is a chance of victory, then one should step forward to give it a try. How can one seek the true path while cowering in fear!
After casting aside all those concerns, Bai Yichen felt a sudden clarity in his heart.
This moment of enlightenment brought good fortune to his spirit. As the Sitting and Forgetting Heart Refinement method revolved, he had already broken through his bottleneck, entering the third level of "Washing Dust," bringing his Dao nature closer to perfection.
His innate spiritual light shone brightly, and he suddenly felt lighter, even the flow of his internal energy became smoother, and he instantly connected with a vital meridian.
At the same time, Bai Yichen gained a deeper awareness of the world, as if he had tapped into the ability of a Master to sense and absorb the Essence Qi of the heavens and earth after opening a crucial gate.
Of course, this merely indicated that he was beginning to resemble a Master; it did not mean he could break through yet. Only by opening the remaining extraordinary meridians, achieving unity between knowledge and action, could he truly break through.
However, why was the Essence Qi of heaven and earth so thin? Could it be...
Suddenly, Bai Yichen sensed something and immediately darted towards the place where the Wheel King and Real Person Yun Shou were clashing.
He saw the two of them facing off, locked in a fierce battle, when a flying claw shot out from the darkness, without any warning, leaving both of them unable to defend.
Though it appeared slow, it was laced with lethal intent; the slower it seemed, the more dangerous and terrifying it became.
"Speed dictated by the heart? Snowy mud and flying swan claws! It's you!"
That claw shot directly towards the Wheel King's face. Seeing this, Yun Shou's eyes flashed with a hint of joy, and he desperately entangled the Wheel King even more.
As the claw struck, it first shattered the mask, revealing a pale, beardless face, regal and noble, and then it clawed at the face, as if intending to tear off the entire skin.
The Wheel King could only brace himself against Real Person Yun Shou's palm, enduring the pain while forcing himself to retreat under the pressure of the palm.
Yet, even so, five bloody streaks were left across his originally fair visage, making him appear like a malevolent ghost against the backdrop of the deep night and the red maple leaves.
Before he could react, a powerful palm strike came sweeping in, overwhelming and all-encompassing. It was Bai Yichen who seized the opportunity to strike.
"You dare come at me? Overestimating yourself!"
A single finger, carrying a faint hint of Yin within Yang, pierced through the Heaven Enclosing Palm.
However, a dazzling silver light suddenly shot out from Bai Yichen's left sleeve, quick as a serpent, and in a blink, its fangs were already at the Wheel King's throat.
It was the Silver Serpent in his sleeve!
Condensed sword energy shimmered with silver light, and a drop of red blood fell.
A face full of unwillingness and confusion collapsed to the ground.
The person who had just intervened, along with Real Person Yun Shou, also arrived shortly after.
"I thought you wouldn't come," Real Person Yun Shou sighed.
"How could I forget the kindness of saving my life and teaching me, Daoist? But before coming here, I had to stop by Prince Liang's residence under imperial orders."
As he spoke, the man glanced at the Wheel King's body on the ground.