Inside Undying Mountain.
Ye Qiu and the others stared at the changes in the nine heavens. After that azure sword intent appeared, the black clouds rapidly dispersed. In the next instant, the sword intent vanished, the coffin lid slammed shut, and the world returned to silence.
Then, the golden coffin gently drifted down from the void and landed with a thunderous boom beside the broken cliff, shaking the ground.
“Ye Changsheng, hurry and claim the opportunity!” Little White Fox urged.
Before Ye Qiu could move, several Qingyun Sword Sect disciples were already striding toward the cliff.
Yet they had taken fewer than ten steps when an invisible, terrifying pressure stopped them in their tracks.
It was nearly identical to the pressure released when the golden coffin first appeared, only this time it carried no killing intent—just pure, immense weight, yet softened considerably.
Even so, it was like an iron wall; the disciples could advance no further.
“Ye Changsheng, you have the War God Armor protecting you—go!” Little White Fox pressed.
Ye Qiu fixed his gaze on the golden coffin. Though he knew his chances were slim, he decided to try.
If all else failed, he still had the Qiankun Cauldrons.
After all, Old Ninth had said that once he gained the golden coffin’s acknowledgement, he could roam the entire cultivation world unchecked.
Enemies surrounded him on all sides. He needed this coffin as another life-saving trump card.
He tossed Elder Longbrow’s primordial spirit to the ground. “Old thing, hurry and reconstruct your body.”
Then he prepared to set Little White Fox down too, but the fox clung to him desperately.
“Ye Changsheng, you are not allowed to abandon me!”
“If you put me down, what if they try to kill me?”
“Ye Changsheng, you have to protect me!”
Ye Qiu couldn’t help laughing. “You always talk like an ancient granny, yet you’re this afraid of death?”
“Ye Changsheng, you dare mock me?” Little White Fox fumed. “Watch out or I’ll beat you up!”
“With your pitiful cultivation? You beat me? Be careful or I’ll…” Ye Qiu wiggled his fingers threateningly.
Little White Fox immediately shrank back, puffing up its cheeks and glaring furiously while cursing inwardly.
Just you wait, Ye Changsheng.
The next time you dare poke me with those fingers, this empress will chop your hand off!
Oblivious to the fox’s inner monologue, Ye Qiu turned to Yun Xi. “Xi’er, wait here for me.”
“If anything unexpected happens, leave Not-Dead Mountain immediately. Do not linger.”
“Even if I’m in danger, do not intervene.”
He knew full well the limits of Yun Xi and the others’ strength. If even he couldn’t handle it, their help would be meaningless.
“Be careful,” Yun Xi said softly.
“Mm.” Ye Qiu gave a quiet acknowledgment and stepped toward the golden coffin.
His pace was slow; with every step he tested the pressure.
By the tenth step, it felt as though ten thousand jin pressed down on him. To him, though, it was nothing.
He continued forward.
The pressure grew heavier.
At the thirtieth step, it felt like a hundred thousand jin boulder rested on his shoulders.
Still, Ye Qiu did not stop.
Twenty more steps.
Now the pressure doubled again; his spine began to bend.
Without hesitation, Ye Qiu activated the Nine Revolutions Divine Dragon Art.
Buzz!
Golden light flared around him. In an instant, his back straightened, and he pressed onward.
This time he walked another five steps before the pressure stopped increasing.
Yet Ye Qiu’s vigilance only heightened. A strong premonition told him approaching the golden coffin would not be so simple.
And he was right.
Suddenly, the golden coffin trembled. A strand of golden light transformed into sword qi and shot toward him with a shriek.
This sword qi carried no killing intent, yet it pressed down like an entire mountain, suffocating.
Ye Qiu instantly used his movement technique to dodge, but the sword qi followed him as though it had eyes.
“Can’t shake it off?”
With no choice, Ye Qiu met it head-on. He threw a Dragon-Slaying Fist.
BOOM!
The sword qi shattered.
Pain exploded in Ye Qiu’s fist. Looking down, he saw a sword wound; golden blood seeped out.
“Just a strand of non-lethal sword qi injured me?”
Ye Qiu was shocked.
His current physical body was monstrously tough; ordinary divine weapons couldn’t scratch him. Yet this sword qi had cut him effortlessly.
Soon, though, relief followed.
“Good thing it held no killing intent. Otherwise I wouldn’t have blocked it,” he muttered.
Little White Fox spoke from his arms. “Ye Changsheng, don’t be afraid. Keep going boldly. The coffin is testing you. Reach it, and you pass.”
Ye Qiu said nothing more and advanced again.
Whoosh!
The golden coffin trembled once more. Another strand of sword qi streaked out.
This one was several times stronger than the last. Though still devoid of killing intent, its speed was unimaginable—like lightning.
Ye Qiu dodged frantically, but again the sword qi pursued him relentlessly.
Still impossible to evade.
“Fine—hard clash it is!”
Seeing escape impossible, Ye Qiu stopped. His right index and middle fingers pressed together, and he thrust forward rapidly.
Whoosh!
Sword qi burst from his fingertips.
First form of the Grass-Word Sword Art!
Clang!
His sword qi shattered instantly. The golden sword qi continued straight for his heart.
At the critical moment, Ye Qiu swung his sword fingers again, simultaneously unleashing the second and third forms.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two more sword qis shot out and collided with the golden one.
This time his sword qis held, but the golden sword qi’s power was overwhelming. It forced both of Ye Qiu’s attacks back toward him.
At the same time, Ye Qiu himself was pushed backward.
Step, step, step…
He retreated dozens of steps in one breath, nearly back to Yun Xi.
“Hmph!”
Ye Qiu snorted coldly. He poured everything into the Nine Revolutions Divine Dragon Art and unleashed thirty-six consecutive punches, finally shattering the golden sword qi before charging forward again.
This time he advanced sixty steps in one go before stopping.
“Ye Changsheng, don’t stop! Hurry to the coffin!” Little White Fox urged.
Ye Qiu remained silent, eyes locked on the golden coffin. He calmed his breathing and secretly circulated his power.
Behind his back, his hands rapidly traced over a hundred lightning talismans.
He took a deep breath.
Whoosh!
One Step, A Hundred Li!
His body turned into a streak of light, tearing through the resistance.
Finally—he stood directly before the golden coffin.
