Chapter 10: Fierce Battle

Zhuang Yunzhen? Has this man finally arrived? But his arrival changes nothing. In truth, Zhuang Yunzhen wanted to appear at the very last moment, but in the end, he chose not to. He feared he would regret it. A hero? He, Zhuang Yunzhen, was never a hero; he was just an ordinary man. When he saw a friend being bullied, he felt he should intervene. Otherwise, what was the purpose of all those years spent mastering divine skills? Was it all just for show?

"Miss Dongju, you have suffered. Rest assured, now that I am here, no one can harm you. Whether it is you or Chu Yun, the reason things have turned out this way is because of me. I am not worthy of being called your friend!"

Dongju never expected that the one to emerge would be Zhuang Yunzhen; it was truly a shock. In reality, this man had absolutely nothing to do with the Yishui Sect. Or did he? Chu Yun was now a disciple of the Poison Sect, and Zhuang Yunzhen was the Young Master of the Poison Sect. Bullying his own members—that certainly made it his business.

Dongju had lied earlier about there being reinforcements, never imagining that heaven would truly make it a reality. This brought her a sense of relief; this man was indeed reliable when it mattered most.

At this moment, Zhuang Yunzhen channeled the Power of Heaven. While the "Solidification of Space" technique was formidable, it proved utterly useless in the face of the Power of Heaven!

"Boom!"

A fierce sword aura swept directly toward Zhuang Yunzhen!

With a disdainful gaze, Zhuang Yunzhen lifted Dongju and moved away from the spot. Simultaneously, he reached out with his right hand, grabbing at the incoming sword aura without the slightest fear!

"Bang!"

The sword aura shattered instantly. This move, for the current Zhuang Yunzhen, was completely ineffective!

After stepping back three steps, he gently set Dongju down. Having been an orphan since childhood, the only thing Dongju had ever felt within the Yishui Sect was endless cold and relentless missions. As for warmth, only her sister, Chu Yun, had ever provided it. Consequently, for many years, Dongju’s feelings toward Chu Yun had been deeply conflicted—on one hand, she craved the warmth her sister gave her, while on the other, she constantly yearned to surpass her. She truly hated herself for this.

Yet, just now, while in Zhuang Yunzhen's arms, she had felt none of that. She felt entirely relaxed, as if, with this man present, any problem could be easily resolved. In that moment, Dongju looked upon Zhuang Yunzhen as an older brother.

"Oh? You can crush my sword aura with one hand? That is quite impressive. What? Do you intend to fight me? But are you even my opponent?" A look of contempt flashed in Yishui's eyes. Hmph, crushing a sword aura with one hand—was that supposed to be remarkable? Trash will always be trash; this man didn't even have the qualifications to make him draw his weapon!

"What else do you have—"

"Bang!"

Before Yishui could finish his sentence, Zhuang Yunzhen delivered an incredibly powerful punch, striking him squarely in the face! A single blow was enough to distort Yishui's features. Zhuang Yunzhen immediately leapt up, launching a sweeping kick aimed at Yishui's neck. Had that strike landed, it would have surely snapped his neck!

However, Zhuang Yunzhen had clearly underestimated Yishui. How could the man who became the strongest sect leader in the history of the Yishui Sect be a mediocre figure?

"Bang!"

Zhuang Yunzhen's punch and kick were completely overwhelmed by Yishui's counter-attack! In the face of absolute power, all techniques were useless—a philosophy Yishui had always believed in.

The simplest of punches had erupted with such terrifying force! Zhuang Yunzhen was sent flying. Yishui surged forward, slamming an incredibly domineering Flame Fist into Zhuang Yunzhen’s body. At this moment, Yishui had used his Fire Avatar; it seemed he intended to annihilate Zhuang Yunzhen completely.

"Boom!"

The punch was too fast, leaving Zhuang Yunzhen no time or opportunity to react. His body took two consecutive blows before slamming heavily into the small hill behind him, instantly pulverizing it.

After landing these two strikes, Yishui’s face returned to its previous relaxed expression. He rubbed his cheek—good, his face wasn't marred. Beneath the casual expression lay a deep, murderous intent. This brat, Zhuang Yunzhen, must not be allowed to live today. Chu Yun’s betrayal was entirely this man's fault! Today, this man had to die!

Dongju, watching from the side, had not expected that Zhuang Yunzhen, who had shown such strength earlier, would be so easily suppressed by the Sect Leader. Her small face turned deathly pale. If Zhuang Yunzhen were defeated, what would happen to her?

"Don't worry. Once this Zhuang Yunzhen is dead, as the Sect Leader, I will take good care of you. Dongju, you should have known long ago that if I don't let you go, no one can take you away! You think that by placing all your hope in Zhuang Yunzhen, he can defeat me? Keep dreaming!"

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!*

Several fist-sized stones flew through the air!

Yishui didn't care in the slightest, glancing at the incoming stones with indifference before waving his broad sleeve. A gust of wind, like a tiger descending from a mountain, pounced upon the stones.

"Boom!"

The stones shattered, kicking up a light cloud of dust.

"Aren't you the Young Master of the Poison Sect? Why use a child's parlor trick now? Hmph, that really doesn't look like you. Or perhaps the people of the Poison Sect haven't taught you any real skills? Why not switch sides? After all, that’s something you’ve always done. Become my disciple, and I will surely teach you formidable techniques. How about it? It’s quite a good idea; you should consider it."

Yishui’s tone was flippant. He knew, of course, that someone like Zhuang Yunzhen would never betray the Poison Sect, but he chose to say it anyway to further provoke the man’s anger.

However, Zhuang Yunzhen had already realized what the man was planning, so he kept his composure. He walked slowly out of the dust; aside from his clothes being dirty and a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, he bore no other injuries.

Zhuang Yunzhen stopped, his feet slightly apart, before suddenly pushing off the ground. He surged toward Yishui like an arrow released from a bow! His speed was truly astonishing! At the same time, flickers of flame danced in his left hand, while lightning crackled in his right—this was clearly the "Thunderous Motion" and "Burning Heaven" from the *Sun and Moon Radiance Palm*!

Yishui maintained his relaxed, mocking expression. He had heard this boy’s palm technique was quite good; today, he would get a taste. He arched his body, instantly springing forward, his palm emitting a sharp blade of light!

"Bang!"

An astonishing collision echoed once more!

Yishui’s palm, transformed into a blade of piercing white light, slashed toward Zhuang Yunzhen’s neck. His gaze had become razor-sharp, as if telling Zhuang Yunzhen that this hand-blade strike was an absolute death blow!

Zhuang Yunzhen reacted quickly, turning and countering with "Burning Heaven," striking Yishui squarely in the back. Dongju, watching from the side, cheered, "Big Brother, well hit!" In her emotional outburst, Dongju had let the title slip. Only afterward did she realize it might have been inappropriate!

Yishui let out a cold snort. After his strike missed, he showed no concern; instead, the corner of his mouth curved upward, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

"Bang!"

"Burning Heaven" hit Yishui’s back, but the sensation was wrong. In an instant, the Yishui before him faded away. This man was a phantom? Where was the real one?

"Go to hell!"

Yishui suddenly appeared from behind Zhuang Yunzhen’s right side, a fierce iron fist slamming into his abdomen. Yishui had used his full strength for this strike. Zhuang Yunzhen’s determined face finally showed a trace of agony; it seemed he was badly hurt! Yet, he was a true tough man, uttering not a single sound.

Seeing this, Yishui was immensely pleased. After taking that iron fist, no matter how powerful the opponent's cultivation was, it was now useless! With his other hand, he formed another blade, slashing toward Zhuang Yunzhen’s neck. With the boy already severely wounded, how could he possibly defend against this?

Dongju hated herself. Why was she so useless at such a critical moment? *Damn it, move!* But the internal injuries she had sustained were too severe; she couldn't even manage the slightest movement.

"Hahaha, Zhuang Yunzhen, I admit you are a respectable opponent. What a pity that in the end, a man like you must die at my hands. Because this is your destiny—something no one can change. Die!" Yishui’s face was twisted in madness. This Zhuang Yunzhen was finally going to die!

*Clang!*

The vicious hand-blade struck an incredibly resilient defensive barrier, producing a long, metallic ringing sound. It was the "Immovable Golden Body" that had come into play at the critical moment.

Though injured, Zhuang Yunzhen still possessed immense power. His hands landed gently on Yishui’s shoulders like a breeze. This was "Clear Breeze, Jade Dew" from the *Sun and Moon Radiance Palm*—a technique that dealt supreme damage through soft palm strikes. While the power was unmatched, it had a fatal flaw: it could only be unleashed at close range! Therefore, performing this move meant leaving oneself open to injury.

"Bang!"

"Clear Breeze, Jade Dew" sent the previously triumphant Yishui flying! Yishui was finally shocked. What had happened to this man? After taking such a powerful blow, he should have been spent, yet he only grew stronger with every setback!

"A fine move, 'Clear Breeze, Jade Dew'!"

Yishui praised him. Although Zhuang Yunzhen was his enemy, he was a worthy opponent, far superior to the weaklings he had faced before. He couldn't help but feel a tinge of envy toward the Poison Sect for producing such a man.

Both men knew that the other’s cultivation was formidable, certainly not inferior to their own. Their expressions turned solemn. After their intense exchange, both were wounded. Yet, after a brief moment of gravity, they both burst into loud laughter—it seemed they had earned each other’s respect!

The laughter rang out like thunder across the sky. Dongju didn't understand why they were suddenly laughing, nor why the laughter carried even more intense battle intent and killing aura. Today, only one of them would leave this place alive!

Autumn leaves drifted down.

*Whoosh!*

Zhuang Yunzhen and Yishui charged at each other at the exact same moment! In their hands, they both wielded what seemed to be divine weapons, though in reality, they were merely ordinary iron swords. It was the wielder who imbued these blades with extraordinary power!

Their eyes were cold and ruthless. They had only one goal: to kill the other! Even if it meant using their very last ounce of strength, they would see it through.

The fierce cyan sword aura Zhuang Yunzhen unleashed was like a beast that had been starving for years, charging at Yishui with a violent momentum, as if it would devour him in the next second!

Yishui showed no fear, gripping his sword with both hands. A domineering sword light formed a blinding white glow, clashing head-on with the cyan aura.

"Boom!"

The cyan and white energies collided, the resulting shockwave causing the ground to tremble violently! The barren hill could no longer withstand their powerful techniques and was on the verge of collapse!

"Boom!"

Sure enough, moments later, the hill was reduced to rubble by the impact. Zhuang Yunzhen and Yishui stood atop two separate stone pillars, while on a third lay the heavily wounded Dongju, which brought Zhuang Yunzhen a sense of relief. Despite her severe injuries, her willpower was immense; she had managed to crawl onto a massive pillar before the hill collapsed. This simplest of actions had exhausted all her strength, and she had fallen into a deep sleep, but a smile graced her lips. One couldn't tell what she was smiling about, but she looked strangely content.

The standoff resumed! After two rounds of fierce combat, Zhuang Yunzhen and Yishui remained evenly matched. It seemed that to decide the victor, they would have to unleash their final trump cards!

"Zhuang Yunzhen, you are the first man to force me to use my ultimate technique. If you die to this move today, consider it your final glory!"

As a top-tier assassin, speed was everything. What happens when speed reaches its absolute limit? Yishui knew the answer, for he was the only man to have pushed speed to its ultimate extreme!

A breeze began to stir in the surroundings. Soon, it grew stronger, eventually forming a hurricane. Four tornadoes now encircled Yishui; they were not there to devour him, but rather served as four guardians protecting him.

"Don't be impatient; I will be out shortly. It has been a long time since I used the Power of Wind, so I am a bit rusty. But it will suffice."

Lightning flickered around the four hurricanes. Zhuang Yunzhen sensed danger, but he wanted to see exactly where this threat originated!

"Big Brother, run! This is the Power of Wind; do not underestimate it. I never imagined the Sect Leader would use the Power of Wind. I had always heard that one who masters the Power of Wind would eventually become the King of Assassins. I thought it was just a rumor, but it is true!"

"Run? Things have come to this; it is impossible for me to leave. I must see what kind of power this man truly possesses. The Power of Wind, hmph—let me witness it!"

"Boom!"

The hurricanes dissipated in an instant, finally revealing Yishui. The man had transformed: his hair was now white, and his body appeared almost translucent. Every breath of wind was now under his control. "The final battle begins now. Zhuang Yunzhen, die!"

Yishui slowly extended his hands, and two incredibly powerful hurricanes coalesced in his palms. Like sharp blades, they shot toward Zhuang Yunzhen! At the same time, Yishui himself turned into wind, his palms gathering the strongest force of the gale, intending to kill the man in one blow.

Forcing him to use his final power was a testament to how impressive Zhuang Yunzhen was, but this was the end of the road for him.

Zhuang Yunzhen had no other tricks. His only option was to push the *Sun and Moon Radiance Palm* to its limit. Victory or defeat would be decided now.

Reflecting on the days since he first learned the *Sun and Moon Radiance Palm*, this was the most dangerous battle yet. The palm technique consisted of eight moves, yet he had never mastered the final two. Forget it—he didn't care why. All he could do now was perfectly merge the six moves he had mastered. Merging palm techniques—he had never even considered such a thing before!

Doing so carried inherent risks, but if he didn't, he would surely lose. Zhuang Yunzhen’s eyes became resolute; it was the only way.

"Big Brother, don't be afraid. I will help you. I have recovered forty percent of my cultivation; that should be enough to buy you some time! Trust me, I can do this."

Dongju had risen to her feet; she wanted to do something for Zhuang Yunzhen. Her face was deathly pale; just standing was difficult enough. In her current state, she couldn't possibly fight. Claiming to have recovered forty percent was a lie—she hadn't even recovered one!

"Dongju, since you call me Big Brother, I must complete this task today. As an older brother, how can I let my sister protect me? Just watch. I will return the Yishui Sect to its original state for you both!"

Zhuang Yunzhen pressed his palms together. When merging techniques, he couldn't afford a single moment of distraction. The only thing he could do now was dodge!

"Boom!"

The terrifying hurricane swallowed Zhuang Yunzhen in an instant. It was too fast, offering no time to prepare!

"Hahaha, Zhuang Yunzhen, you are truly arrogant. I have unleashed the Power of Wind, and you didn't even put up a defense? What? Do you really believe you can withstand my power?"

"Of course he can withstand it! Because he has me by his side!"

After the dust settled, a clear female voice rang out. It was Chu Yun. She had finally arrived. Originally, this should have been Li Moqing’s task, but after settling her affairs in the Poison Sect, she had set out to return to the Suyi Pavilion. As the Pavilion Master, she couldn't stay away for too long. Her uncle understood this, and as a junior, Li Moqing should understand her elders!

Before leaving, she had sensed that the Taiyun Golden Valley would not remain quiet. In truth, all these events were tied to them, and the only person who could intervene in a crisis was Chu Yun.

Chu Yun had once wanted to kill Zhuang Yunzhen, but now she was here to help. People truly do change. Dongju finally felt at ease; with her sister here, what was there to fear?

"Dongju, you have suffered in this battle. But now that I am here, everything will reach its conclusion. As long as I am here, this man will not harm any of you!"

"Brother Zhuang, thank you for protecting my sister. I will repay your kindness now. Looking at you, you must be preparing a powerful technique. Rest assured, while this man’s Power of Wind is formidable, I have a way to suppress it!"

"Hurricane Sword!"

A sharp sword of wind coalesced in Chu Yun’s palm. Suddenly, sword auras filled the air. Chu Yun, too, possessed the Power of Wind; it was likely the first time she had used it in years! This power was meant to protect her friends, yet she never imagined she would have to use it against her former sect-mate!

"Bang!"

The clash of powerful sword auras made Yishui’s expression turn grim. He had never been able to bring himself to harm Chu Yun, but he never expected this woman to actually raise her hand against him. It pained his heart.

"This Power of Wind... I taught it to you personally. I had hoped you would use it to protect yourself, yet here you are, using it against me. Hmph, you truly are my best disciple! But you know full well that since I taught it to you, I alone understand how to use it. You dare use my own techniques against me? You are courting death!"

"Every breeze in this world is under my control. To die for a man like Zhuang Yunzhen—is it worth it? Are you in love with him?"

Absurd. Truly, utterly absurd. Yishui, a master of a generation, had become like a gossiping shrew—truly detestable. "Sect Leader, this is the last time I will call you that. You know better than anyone that a battle between us was inevitable. In the past, it was because I was timid and had too many concerns that Brother Zhuang had to step in. But now, I see clearly that this is my own battle!"

"Your own battle? You know full well you are no match for me. You have severe internal injuries. If you keep fighting, you will die. Do you truly have no fear of that?"

Chu Yun had no choice. She had to unleash every technique she possessed to buy Zhuang Yunzhen more time.

Zhuang Yunzhen felt as if he had entered a realm beyond reality. The six moves of the *Sun and Moon Radiance Palm*—from "Proud Winter Ice Dance" to "Burning Heaven"—appeared before his eyes as human figures! "Good lad, we know that after all these years of hard work, you have finally reached this step. It hasn't been easy for you, has it?"

"Boy, do you know the consequences of perfectly merging the six moves of the *Sun and Moon Radiance Palm*? The strength will be beyond your imagination. Do you truly have the confidence to control it? In other words, how far are you willing to go to master this final power?"

Zhuang Yunzhen didn't know what to do. "Respected seniors, what do you mean? Is there truly danger in merging these techniques?"

"Indeed. Merging these six moves is at a critical juncture. If you succeed, you will be invincible. If you fail, you will die. Even so, does it not matter to you? We are asking you: if you could obtain absolute power, but the price was your life, would you be willing?"

"Boy, you've heard the saying: 'Seek life in the jaws of death.' How will you choose?"

Many people claim they would sacrifice everything for power, but when the choice is actually placed before them, they retreat. Compared to life, power is nothing. They had seen this countless times, yet seeing Zhuang Yunzhen, they couldn't help but hold expectations for him.

Does mastering a divine skill mean sacrificing one's life? Is this what life is? But how should he choose? It was simple. "Respected seniors, I already know my choice."

"If I cannot master this power to protect my friends, living or dying makes no difference. I am willing to pay the price of my life for this power. I hope you will grant it, seniors!"

"Hahaha, now you see, all of you. This Zhuang Yunzhen has always been this way. For the sake of his friends, he can truly do this. We have seen many who betray their trust, but I always believed that not everyone is like that. Some people always hold to their principles."

"You are right. We believe in you now. Very well, then everything can be solved perfectly. The six moves are merging. I don't know what kind of power this will unleash, but once you finish, you must take my place and deal with Yishui properly. He has become far too arrogant, thinking no one in this world can touch him."

"Pfft!"

Chu Yun vomited a mouthful of blood. She had been severely injured and hadn't recovered. Why had she come here?

"Look at yourself. Chu Yun, you are in such a state, yet you still want to fight? Are you not afraid of death? Is it worth it for a man like this? Look at how he has left you—if this had happened to me, I would never have done it. But you have never trusted me all these years. It breaks my heart!"

"Yet, even now, I am willing to give you a chance. Just admit you were wrong, and I will let you go. Don't you want freedom? Come back, and I will give it to you. It’s the simplest thing, so why won't you?"

"Why won't I? I was never a tool. I want what I want—is that wrong? You know perfectly well that if I wanted to, even if I couldn't beat you, I could end my own life. Do you think I can't? Or do you think I’m afraid?"

"No. As long as I live, I will never allow you to do that. Very well, I will tell you now: I have loved you for years. I was waiting for the right moment to tell you, but I never expected that you would never love me back! We grew up together—have you truly forgotten all of that?"

"I haven't forgotten. You were very good to me once. But that is all in the past. Why can't you understand? I told you years ago that I would never love you. You are the one who has remained deluded. I did all this just to get away from you. Do you really think you can stop me? You know it's impossible!"

"So what now? I will fight you until the very last moment. I will protect Zhuang Yunzhen. I don't love him; I respect him as a brother. But you will never understand that. Since you cannot understand, you should just die!"

"Hahaha, so you are finally angry? You know, I have been waiting for this. You never disappointed me. Now, my task seems to be complete. Big Brother, I can no longer go on. I must leave the rest to you."

"Yes, I know. You have suffered greatly over the years. But you can rest easy now; everything will finally be solved!"

"Bang!"

The strike was incredibly fierce and fast—far faster than he had expected! Zhuang Yunzhen had seemingly finished his fusion, though the true extent of the power remained unknown.

"Pfft!"

Yishui was severely wounded again. *Damn it!* He had forgotten how powerful Zhuang Yunzhen truly was. He had given him too much time to complete his final move. Was there truly no other way?

"Though I haven't fully mastered this move, it is more than enough to deal with you. Yishui, I am your true opponent. It is time for us to settle this. You have no strength left. You were never meant to walk this path of no return. My heart is heavy—why did you choose this?"

"Never mind. It is useless to speak of such things now. What will you do? Either you fight me, or you die. But I know clearly that you have no other choice, do you?"

"You have become a hollow shell. You wanted the Yishui Sect, but you know in your heart you are not qualified. So tell me, what will you do now?"

"Now that you have become this, no one can help you. It truly saddens me. But do not worry—Chu Yun will handle everything that follows in your stead!"