I cultivate the Chaos Technique

Chapter 159: Fighting the Mysterious Man

Seeing the mysterious figure descend from the sky, his tone cold and hard, clearly intending to prevent him from obtaining the Starry Grass, Zhang Yifan inwardly groaned. But things had come to this point; his loved ones were in imminent danger, and the Starry Grass was within reach. How could he easily give up? Immediately, his eyes sharpened, he gripped his longsword tightly, and his spiritual energy surged rapidly within him like a raging torrent, ready for battle.

"Hmph, then don't blame me for being impolite!" Zhang Yifan sneered and launched the first attack. His figure flashed, rushing towards the mysterious man like a ghost. His longsword instantly shone brightly as he unleashed a masterful sword technique from the Xuanqing Sword Art. A sharp sword aura, like a rainbow piercing the sun, aimed directly at the mysterious man's heart. This sword strike gathered all his strength and determination; its speed was like a shooting star streaking across the sky.

The mysterious figure remained calm and composed. Facing the menacing sword strike, he simply raised his hand and flicked his sleeve. A surge of black mist instantly emerged, forming a black barrier that easily blocked Zhang Yifan's sword energy. As the mist churned, eerie runes flickered, emanating a chilling aura. This mysterious mist seemed to be formed from some extremely sinister technique; the dark power it contained seemed capable of devouring all life, sending a shiver down Zhang Yifan's spine.

"Is that all you've got?" The mysterious man scoffed, his voice low and hoarse, as if it came from the deepest hell. Then, with a swift movement, he vanished from his spot. Zhang Yifan was startled and quickly looked around warily, only to find the mysterious man already behind him, a hand like an eagle's claw reaching for his back, so fast that he had no time to dodge.

At the critical moment, Zhang Yifan lunged forward, rolling on the ground to narrowly avoid the fatal blow. He stood up smoothly, swinging his longsword in a backhand motion, unleashing a sword aura behind him in an attempt to force the mysterious man back. Seeing this, the mysterious man flashed through the air, easily dodging the sword aura, and then hovered in the air, coldly watching Zhang Yifan.

Zhang Yifan thought to himself, "This mysterious man is indeed incredibly strong. Just from those two exchanges, I can tell his cultivation is far superior to mine; he's at least a Void Refining Realm expert. Moreover, his techniques are strange and unpredictable. Among all of Zhang Yifan's enemies, besides the man in black robes, he's the strongest. If I continue to passively take the beating, I'm doomed. I must find a way to exploit his weakness and launch a preemptive strike."

Thinking this, Zhang Yifan took a deep breath, adjusting the flow of his spiritual energy to enter a state of tranquility. His eyes sharpened, fixed intently on the mysterious man's every move, trying to find a flaw in his actions. Suddenly, he noticed that before each attack, the hem of the mysterious man's black robe would flutter slightly, seemingly a sign of gathering power.

Zhang Yifan's heart stirred, and a plan formed in his mind. He deliberately created an opening, feigning a loss of spiritual power, staggering slightly, and letting his long sword droop a little. Seeing this, the mysterious man thought he had an opportunity, snorted coldly, and pounced on Zhang Yifan again, the hem of his black robe fluttering as he had expected.

Just as the mysterious man was about to strike Zhang Yifan, a glint flashed in Zhang Yifan's eyes, and his spiritual power erupted instantly, unleashing the ultimate move of the Xuanqing Sword Art—"Gentle Breeze Breaks Through the Clouds." He transformed into a streak of light, his longsword gleaming brilliantly, thrusting towards the mysterious man's abdomen like a gentle breeze piercing through the clouds. This sword strike was incredibly fast and powerful, embodying Zhang Yifan's do-or-die determination.

The mysterious man sensed the danger and tried to dodge, but it was too late. With a muffled "thud," the longsword pierced his abdomen, and blood gushed out instantly. The mysterious man let out a painful scream, staggered backward a few steps, and his face showed shock and anger.

"You... how dare you hurt me!" the mysterious man roared, his voice filled with resentment and hatred. He suddenly waved his hand, and a powerful black spiritual energy wave swept towards Zhang Yifan in a final struggle. Zhang Yifan dared not be careless and quickly dodged to the side, while simultaneously wielding his longsword to block the spiritual energy wave one by one.

After this fierce exchange, Zhang Yifan had also exhausted a large amount of spiritual energy, and his aura had become somewhat disordered. He knew that although he had temporarily injured the mysterious man, he had not completely defeated him, and this battle was far from over. Moreover, the mysterious man's strength was unfathomable, and he would definitely retaliate even more fiercely next, so he had to be careful.

Taking advantage of the mysterious man's injury, Zhang Yifan swiftly retreated to the side, creating distance between them. While circulating his spiritual energy to recover his strength, he warily observed the mysterious man's movements, preparing for the even more brutal battle to come.

After catching his breath, Zhang Yifan knew he couldn't give the mysterious man too much time to recover, otherwise he would be in even greater trouble once the man regained his strength. He suppressed the surging of his spiritual energy, gripped his longsword again, and charged towards the mysterious man with unwavering determination. This time, he changed his tactics, no longer resorting to brute force, but instead employing agile and varied sword techniques, attempting to use speed to disrupt the mysterious man's rhythm.

Zhang Yifan moved with lightning speed, his swordplay swift and unpredictable, unleashing a barrage of sword energy from all directions towards the mysterious man. Though severely wounded, the mysterious man's strength was still formidable. He struggled to his feet, his hands moving rapidly, causing black mist to once again spread, forming defensive barriers that neutralized Zhang Yifan's sword energy. However, Zhang Yifan's attacks were like surging waves, one after another, giving the mysterious man no chance to breathe.

In the fierce exchange, Zhang Yifan keenly noticed that the mysterious man's wounded abdomen was a weak point in his defense. A surge of joy filled him, and seizing the opportunity, as the mysterious man raised his hand to block a sword strike, Zhang Yifan suddenly sidestepped and thrust at the mysterious man's abdomen with incredible speed. The mysterious man sensed the danger and hurriedly dodged, but he was too slow; the sword grazed his abdomen, leaving another bloody gash.

The mysterious figure roared furiously, his eyes bloodshot, like a beast utterly enraged. Ignoring his injuries, he clasped his hands together abruptly, chanting incantations. An even more powerful black spiritual energy surged from his body, coalescing into a massive black sphere in the air. Runes flickered on the sphere, emanating a chilling aura of destruction.

Seeing this, Zhang Yifan was greatly alarmed. He knew the mysterious man was about to unleash his trump card. Without hesitation, he quickly retreated, simultaneously channeling all his spiritual power to form a sturdy spiritual energy shield in front of him. Just as he completed the shield, the mysterious man's black sphere hurtled towards him like a cannonball.

With a deafening roar, the black sphere collided with the spiritual energy shield, creating a thunderous explosion. The powerful impact sent Zhang Yifan flying backward, crashing heavily into a large tree that snapped in two. Zhang Yifan coughed up blood, his face pale, and his spiritual energy became chaotic and disordered.

Seeing this, the mysterious man revealed a sinister smile. He assumed Zhang Yifan was too weak to fight any longer, so he dragged his injured body step by step toward Zhang Yifan, intending to deliver a fatal blow. However, Zhang Yifan was not one to give up easily. He struggled to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes burned with an indomitable flame.

"You think you can kill me? Not so easy!" Zhang Yifan roared. Ignoring his injuries, he gripped his longsword tightly once more, his remaining spiritual energy surging wildly as he unleashed the final killing move of the Xuanqing Sword Technique—"Sword Piercing the Sky." He soared into the air, his longsword radiating brilliant light, like a heaven-cleaving sword, slashing towards the mysterious figure. This strike carried all his hopes and resentment, its power beyond imagination.

The mysterious man sensed the power of the sword strike, his face filled with terror. He tried to dodge, but found his body sluggish due to his severe injuries. Left with no other choice, he gritted his teeth and raised his hands, attempting to use the black mist to block again. But this time, Zhang Yifan's sword technique was too powerful; the black mist was instantly torn apart, and the longsword slashed straight towards the mysterious man's head.

Just as the longsword was about to strike the mysterious man, the man suddenly pulled out a black jade pendant from his robes. The pendant instantly shone brightly, forming a powerful protective shield that enveloped him. Zhang Yifan's longsword struck the shield, producing a piercing scraping sound, but it could not penetrate it.

Zhang Yifan's heart sank. He knew this mysterious man must possess many treasures, and winning this battle would be no easy feat. But he didn't give up. Before the light barrier dissipated, he quickly adjusted his strategy, moving rapidly around the mysterious man while his longsword continuously attacked the same spot on the light barrier, attempting to break through it from one point.

The mysterious figure inside the light barrier had a grim expression. He maintained the barrier's operation while simultaneously channeling his remaining spiritual energy, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to Zhang Yifan. The two remained locked in a stalemate, the situation becoming extremely tense, with neither daring to relax their guard in the slightest.

As time went on, Zhang Yifan's spiritual energy was increasingly depleted, and his attacks gradually became slower. Seeing this, the mysterious man was overjoyed. He seized the opportunity, and when Zhang Yifan's attack paused briefly, he suddenly removed the light shield, revealing a black dagger in his hand, which he thrust towards Zhang Yifan's chest.

Zhang Yifan couldn't react in time and could only watch helplessly as the dagger pierced towards him. In this life-or-death moment, he suddenly remembered a survival technique he had comprehended while practicing the Xuanqing Sword Art—"Spiritual Reversal." This technique could compress the remaining spiritual energy in his body to its limit in an instant, unleashing extraordinary power, but after using it, his body would suffer a great backlash.

At this moment, Zhang Yifan had no other choice. He decisively used "Spiritual Reversal." The remaining spiritual energy within his body was instantly compressed wildly, and a strange light emanated from his body. Just as the mysterious man's dagger was about to pierce him, he suddenly turned to the side, and at the same time, his longsword slashed at the mysterious man's wrist at an incredible angle.

The mysterious man felt a sharp pain in his wrist, and the dagger flew from his hand. His eyes widened in horror, unable to believe that Zhang Yifan could still retaliate in such a desperate situation. Zhang Yifan seized the opportunity to pursue, his longsword flashing, unleashing a barrage of sword energy towards the mysterious man. The mysterious man frantically dodged, sustaining several more wounds.

However, Zhang Yifan's use of "Spiritual Reversal" caused a severe backlash; his legs buckled, and he nearly collapsed. Seeing an opportunity, the mysterious man lunged at Zhang Yifan again. Zhang Yifan gritted his teeth, bracing himself to withstand the attack.

At this critical moment, a dazzling light descended from the sky, illuminating the entire battlefield. Within the light, an elderly man dressed in white slowly appeared. The old man had a kind face, deep eyes, and exuded a powerful yet peaceful aura. He gently raised his hand, and a soft fluctuation of spiritual energy emanated, separating Zhang Yifan from the mysterious figure.

"Stop!" The old man's voice wasn't loud, yet it resounded like a booming bell. Upon seeing the old man, the mysterious man's expression changed drastically, seemingly extremely wary of him. He snorted coldly, clutching his wound, and vanished into the night in a flash.

Zhang Yifan stared at the old man, his heart filled with doubt, but he was too weak to think any further. His body swayed precariously, and he finally collapsed to the ground. Seeing this, the old man sighed softly, walked to Zhang Yifan's side, helped him up, and then flew off in a certain direction with him.