Chapter 208: A Generation's Genius

The Gold-Silver Taiji Diagram’s power exceeded Jiang Changkong’s expectations.

Under normal circumstances, he could redirect sixty percent of an attack from an opponent one minor realm higher. But with the Gold-Silver Taiji Diagram, even when facing a prodigy like Yun Bugui, he could redirect eighty percent!

If he faced a Star Spirit Peak cultivator below the prodigy level while activating the Gold-Silver Taiji Diagram, he could make them kill themselves.

Now, he finally understood why this guy had sought out Jiang Changyue and willingly followed him here.

After all, Jiang Changkong had annihilated the Yun family!

Though not the entire clan—since the rest of the Yun family remained in the city, and only the elites had come—wiping out the elites was practically the same as exterminating the whole clan.

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Yun Bugui’s expression turned cold, tinged with self-mockery. “A sinner? How much do you truly know about what happened back then? Long Cloud Pierces the Sun!”

Sword light erupted once more, its power even stronger. Jiang Changkong keenly sensed that this sword strike held a faint restraining effect against Blazing Sun Star Power.

“Qiankun Shift, Blade Rises Like a Flash.”

Jiang Changkong spoke calmly, and the Taiji Diagram instantly transformed. Taiyin and Taiyang unleashed endless blade light.

The flash-like blade concealed yin and yang, leaving only pure blade radiance.

Hum

The sun-piercing sword light reversed once again, this time with nearly eighty percent of its force redirected.

But it was enough.

The flash-like blade moved at its limit, faster than Yun Bugui’s sword!

Squelch

Blood sprayed as the blade light pierced through without leaving a wound, only yin and yang lingering within the body. The blood he spat out was mixed with ice shards and chilling cold.

Lunar and Solar Power clashed inside him, and his surging Star Power struggled to suppress them.

Yun Bugui’s face turned deathly pale, like his clouds. The forces within his body surged wildly as he abandoned suppressing the two extreme powers. “A new generation surpasses the old. After years of secluded cultivation, I am still inferior to a junior.”

“You live up to the name of a prodigy, but this is where it ends.”

Jiang Changkong’s expression remained indifferent. With the union of Lunar and Solar and his full combat power unleashed, he could now effortlessly overpower so-called prodigies.

“Jiang Changkong, Jiang Changyue—their strengths are nearly identical. They’re the same person, aren’t they?”

Yun Bugui suddenly looked up, his eyes shooting out three feet of white light as clouds reappeared around him. “If back then, I could have split myself into two like you, how could I have fallen to this state!”

Jiang Changkong’s expression remained calm. “I gave you a chance to flee. You won’t take this secret with you.”

Spurt

Under the impact of Lunar and Solar Power, Yun Bugui spat another mouthful of blood, his body covered in blade and sword wounds. “Back then, I lost to Taiyin and Taiyang, and I was unwilling. This time, I am still unwilling. Die!”

“Long Cloud Pierces the Sun, Piercing Clouds and Moon, Sever Yin and Yang!”

Yun Bugui abandoned his sword, ignoring the forces within his body. His palms stirred a tidal wave of clouds, converging into a single strike.

Jiang Changkong was astonished—these palms actually held a faint restraining effect against both Taiyin and Taiyang.

Had this guy spent the past decade researching how to counter Taiyin and Taiyang?

But his own Taiyin and Taiyang also contained the Mystical Tai Chi Art!

“You… are truly not weak!”

Jiang Changkong’s expression turned solemn. He channeled all the power within him into the Taiji Diagram, solely to repay this prodigy’s final strike.

Boom

Boundless Star Power erupted. Most of the two palm forces reversed back, while two blade rays shot out from the Taiji Diagram, piercing through Yun Bugui’s body.

The surging Star Power shook heaven and earth, dimming the sun and moon, scattering the white clouds.

Jiang Changkong trembled, golden blood spilling from him.

Bang

With a resounding explosion, flesh and blood scattered, severed limbs flying in all directions.

A prodigy of his generation had met his end.

“The Yun family’s… Yun Bugui.”

Jiang Changkong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his expression still tinged with shock.

Just now, Yun Bugui had already broken through the Taiji Diagram’s defense, but that was all he could manage.

With Taiyin and Taiyang erupting simultaneously, Jiang Changkong’s strength far surpassed Yun Bugui’s.

If Yun Bugui had faced a practitioner of either Taiyin or Taiyang Star Force alone, even a prodigy, he would have undoubtedly won.

“What a pity.”

Jiang Changkong descended through the air, scanning his surroundings until he found a ring.

Fortunately, this guy had brought a Space Ring, which likely contained quite a few Star Stones.

Infusing it with Star Power, he found a mountain of Star Stones piled inside, along with some stones carved with intricate patterns and a secret manual.

“Nine Heaven Nine Cloud Art? Created personally by Yun Bugui?”

Jiang Changkong examined the manual, flipping it open to read: “Nine heavens high, obscuring the sun and moon; clouds shrouding the heavens, severing yin and yang…”

Had this guy spent over a decade in the Sin Domain just to wash away his shame and defeat practitioners of Taiyin and Taiyang?

He had modified the Yun family’s ancestral martial art to counter yin and yang, waiting for an opportunity to challenge the prodigies of both families again?

Unfortunately, Yun Bugui was only a Star Spirit and had only managed to develop a sliver of countering power. To delve deeper, he would have needed to reach a higher realm.

Later, Yun Bugui only managed to develop half a move—”Clouds Obscuring the Sun and Moon”—which remained incomplete. Had he succeeded, even if he couldn’t break into a higher realm, he could have inflicted heavier injuries.

As for the carved stones, they were used by Yun Bugui during his research in the Sin Domain to record martial techniques. He had brought them all with him this time.

The latter half of the manual also documented the situation in the Sin Domain and some related matters.

Jiang Changkong stored the manual away and turned his attention to the Star Stones—a massive pile, all unprocessed.

These were Star Stones brought from the Sin Domain!

“Yun Bugui, you’ve given me quite a gift.”

Jiang Changkong sighed softly, waved his hand, collected the scattered flesh, split the earth, and buried the corpse.

He would not be handing this martial art over to the Yun family.

It posed a significant threat to him. While he wasn’t afraid of practitioners at the same minor realm, he feared those stronger than him.

Moreover, this was still an incomplete research. If certain factions wanted to target the Heng and Nan families, they would undoubtedly use this as a foundation for further study.

For his own sake, and for the sake of the Heng and Nan families, this martial art must not be allowed to spread.

“Let’s check on the research institute.”

Jiang Changkong soared through the air. Although he knew Professor Yun had many trump cards, since it concerned Tang Ruoxi, he still wanted to see for himself.

From a distance, he saw Professor Yun and Tang Ruoxi safe and sound, with all the Star Spirits tied up.

Only then did he go to find Heng Xueyue.

The Taiyin aura surged into the sky. Yao Meng, Nantian Pang, Li Changtian, and Ji Chengming had arrived with their protectors, and Heng Xinming was also there.

They assisted Heng Xueyue in suppressing the black-clad figure.

“You won’t escape the Extreme Yin Star Array,” Heng Xueyue said coldly.

With the support of the peculiar array, her strength was no weaker than the black-clad figure’s.

“Surrender now. I want to see where you learned the Nine Yang Heavenly Art,” Nantian Pang said with a grim expression.

The martial art used by the black-clad figure was the ancestral secret technique of his Nan family.

“Surrender?”

The black-clad figure sneered, his voice sinister. “I only need to delay you. Once he returns, none of you will leave.”

“Yun Bugui has already embarked on a path of no return.”

A calm voice rang out as Jiang Changkong descended from the sky, joining the battle with overwhelming force. A single palm strike enveloped the black-clad figure.

“You… Agh!”

The man in black was startled, and in his haste, could only raise his palm to meet the attack. A surge of immense Star Power struck him, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood as his body was sent flying backward.

Moonforce followed closely behind, as five Star Spirit Peak experts unleashed their ultimate techniques, pressing down to suppress him.

Boom!

Star Power rained down from the sky, shattering the earth. The man in black was directly blasted into the ground, his breath as faint as a thread.

Jiang Changkong descended from the air, grabbed the man in black, flew back to the surface, and threw him onto the ground.

Heng Xueyue directly tore off the black robe, revealing a rugged face.

“Fifth Uncle? How could it be you?” Nantian Pang trembled, his voice filled with disbelief.

Everyone present was equally horrified.

Heng Xueyue’s third uncle from the Heng family, and Nantian Pang’s fifth uncle from the Nan family!

Both were high-ranking members of their respective families, yet now they were targeting them.