Chapter 180: Add One More… You!

The night was deep as Jiang Changkong journeyed alone toward the Taiyin Cold Pool.

For the sake of Essence, he planned to play the good Samaritan a few times, using Jiang Changyue’s identity. Saving a few more would be enough.

After walking for a while, Jiang Changkong suddenly halted, his expression grave as he looked ahead.

A middle-aged man stood with his back to him, hands clasped behind, his aura restrained and unfathomable.

A sheathed longsword stood beside him, faint wisps of mist floating around the blade.

“Who blocks the way?” Jiang Changkong spoke coldly, his long blade already in hand.

“Swear loyalty to the Yun family, and all grievances will be erased,” the middle-aged man said indifferently.

“A member of the Yun family?” Jiang Changkong narrowed his eyes. “I’m afraid you don’t have the capability.”

“Then, step into the Yellow Springs.”

The middle-aged man abruptly turned, his right hand gripping the hilt as the sword’s edge flashed coldly from its sheath.

Sword light tore through the darkness—a boundless azure glow like an ocean, accompanied by the thunderous roar of waves.

Jiang Changkong gripped his long blade, all five Power Runes vibrating as the Star Power within him transformed into blazing solar energy.

The evening glow burned like fire, crimson as blood.

Clang!

Blade and sword clashed. Two figures passed each other, blood droplets falling as the evening glow dissipated.

Mist billowed, the sound of waves unceasing. The black-clad figure paused, a trace of gloom flickering across his expression.

The hand holding the blade trembled, golden blood dripping continuously. Jiang Changkong’s body shuddered slightly as Xuan Yang manifested beneath his feet, carrying him away from the scene.

“Do you think you can escape?”

The middle-aged man spoke coldly, his figure moving instantly, slightly faster than Jiang Changkong.

“Hmm? He’s catching up?”

Jiang Changkong’s thoughts raced, but he wasn’t surprised.

If the other party wanted him dead, they wouldn’t give up easily.

With the strength of a late-stage Star Spirit, if he pursued relentlessly, Jiang Changkong might not be able to escape far.

However, reaching the Taiyin Cold Pool would be enough.

Jiang Changkong channeled the Spirit Control Art and Xuan Yang Step with all his might, while the middle-aged man pursued closely behind.

The two moved swiftly, one after the other, charging toward the Taiyin Cold Pool.

“The three families truly won’t relent. They’ve given chase.”

In the shadows, someone watched coldly, keeping their distance with no intention of intervening.

“I hope he can survive this. Who exactly is behind these three families?”

Li Changtian stood in the night, a hint of gravity in his expression.

Investigating the Sin Domain’s poison had yielded no leads on the mastermind so far.

Now, with the appearance of a large mineral vein, the other party would certainly not miss the opportunity.

If they were already sending a late-stage Star Spirit at the start, they might later dispatch a Star Spirit Peak.

“Will Changkong be alright?” Tang Ruoxi stood outside the research institute’s outpost, her expression filled with worry.

“I’ve already given him the battle armor. He can protect himself,” Professor Yun reassured her. “Don’t worry, get some rest.”

“Ah,” Tang Ruoxi sighed softly. Why was Jiang Changkong unwilling to hide?

Elsewhere, two figures rapidly closed in. Countless blade lights shot forth, attempting to block the middle-aged man.

“A futile struggle.”

The middle-aged man spoke indifferently, sword energy dispersing to sweep away the blade lights.

The distance between the two continued to shrink. Jiang Changkong’s blade lights could only delay the pursuit momentarily.

“Stop obediently, and I’ll leave your body intact.”

The middle-aged man called out calmly.

“I advise you not to chase further, lest you die here.”

Jiang Changkong snorted coldly, his body pausing slightly—the Taiyin Cold Pool had arrived!

The middle-aged man’s expression remained calm. In almost a single breath, the distance between them had closed to within a hundred meters. “A cornered beast still fights. Do you plan to risk your life by the cold pool?”

“Heh.”

Jiang Changkong sneered and leaped directly into the cold pool.

“This method will only hasten your death.”

The middle-aged man stood at the edge of the pool, not entering: “Then be buried here.”

The long sword hummed, waves crashed against the shore, and azure starlight transformed into a flowing river.

Star Power condensed, forming a sword aura several zhang in length.

He had no intention of going down; he knew something of the dangers here.

Rather than risking descent, he would send the sword aura down to bury Jiang Changkong directly.

Rumble—

The several-zhang-long sword aura descended, plunging into the cold pool. The water surged skyward as the immense sword aura ravaged the entire pool.

“Jiang Changkong, how could he be so foolish? The Taiyin Cold Pool has no second exit,” someone hidden in the shadows lamented.

“With this sword strike disturbing the Star Demons in the pool and that man blocking the exit above, Jiang Changkong has little chance of survival.”

“Good that he dies. A mere genius from a small province, thinking himself invincible, daring to interfere in the mineral vein struggle.”

Whispers filled the shadows as the Taiyin Cold Pool shook violently.

But the next moment, an extreme cold energy spread from the pool, freezing the water into silvery-white ice.

The sword aura’s vibrations subsided, and the water calmed, while terrifying Lunar Cold Energy rose.

“Hmm?”

The middle-aged man’s expression changed, a flicker of caution crossing his face as he retreated several steps.

Could the Star Demons inside have emerged?

Splash—

The water stirred again, the silvery ice melting, but the cold grew ever stronger.

The cold began spreading across the ground, freezing the earth and weeds within hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye.

A vast area of hundreds of meters transformed into a frigid domain.

A figure clad in black rose from the cold pool, bathed in hazy Moonlight Essence and radiating Taiyin Star Power.

Behind him, a sword and a blade, adorned with Moon Laurel Leaves, hovered in the air, releasing even more Taiyin Star Power.

“You are Jiang Changyue, the one who killed Yuntian Mountain?”

Seeing the black-clad figure, the middle-aged man actually relaxed.

No matter how strong this person was, he hadn’t reached the late Star Spirit stage. Compared to the unknown dangers within the cold pool, this was far less concerning.

“Add one more… you!”

Beneath the black robes, Jiang Changkong’s Star Power had fully transformed into Taiyin Star Power.

“Huh? Who gave you such confidence?”

The middle-aged man was momentarily stunned, unable to resist a mocking remark—he was, after all, a late-stage Star Spirit.

He had already investigated: Jiang Changyue was slightly stronger than Jiang Changkong, but only marginally.

Even if there were two of them, they would only meet defeat and death at his hands!

“Kill!”

With sword and blade in hand, Jiang Changkong hesitated no longer. Moonlight Essence cascaded as the Moonlight Sword swept forth.

The Taiyin Blade struck like a fleeting shadow, elusive as a mountain goat’s horns, leaving no trace.

“Such strength is still far from enough.”

The middle-aged man shouted softly, his azure long sword erupting with torrents of water-attributed Star Power.

Clang!

The two swords collided. The middle-aged man repelled the Taiyin Sword, his heart skipping a beat as he swiftly retreated.

The Taiyin Blade slashed past, missing his chest by only two inches.

Jiang Changkong frowned, releasing the Taiyin Blade from his grip.

“Abandoning your blade? That is your greatest folly.”

The middle-aged man sneered, azure light blazing as vast Star Power surged, shaking the surroundings.

“Moon Mist.”

The moonlight grew hazy, and so did the sword aura. The Taiyin Sword resembled a silver moon in the sky, yet veiled as if behind a gauzy curtain, indistinct and elusive.

Boom!

The two swords clashed again. Jiang Changkong staggered back, the tiger’s mouth of his hand splitting once more, golden blood dripping down.

The middle-aged man, undaunted by the Star Power impact, was about to press the pursuit when an extreme sense of danger struck. He hastily raised his sword to block.

The Lunar Yin Blade, which had been knocked from his grasp, had somehow attacked from behind without him detecting the slightest sound—utterly bizarre.

Nevertheless, his profound skill allowed him to twist his longsword and accurately intercept the Lunar Yin Blade.

Clang!

As blade met sword, the long blade was sent spinning back and soared into the sky.

The middle-aged man’s body stiffened as an extreme chill penetrated through the sword and invaded his own body.

A blade technique that kills without leaving a wound!