Chapter 3, Red Banner, Red Flame Golden Lion

In the intertwining of the two black and gold flying swords, the Real Person of the Blazing Sun felt that he might not be able to withstand the combined efforts of these two individuals. After a moment's hesitation, however, several brilliant sword lights had already illuminated the vast sky from within the distant, dark, towering mountains.

This life-and-death duel is inherently perilous, allowing for not the slightest error. Just as the thought of my impending doom flashed through Kong Tong's mind, Mi Luo in mid-air let out a sinister laugh, and a surge of black energy erupted from his hand, coalescing into a massive black claw that descended with a swipe.

"This person is in grave danger now!" The three from Qingcheng saw the golden sword light of the Real Man of the Blazing Sun chasing from behind, immediately entangling ahead, and the black clouds that Mi Luo had just gathered were dispersed in an instant. Just as Mi Luo was unable to escape, a beam of black light suddenly descended from the sky, revealing a three-foot-long flying sword surrounded by swirling black mist.

This flying sword appears quite ordinary, yet its cultivation is not easy. Generally, the method of wielding a flying sword requires a powerful sword as the core, which must be nurtured with one's own vital energy. Gradually, one must differentiate their spiritual essence upon it, achieving a connection of mind and spirit, allowing it to be used as if it were one's own limbs, which is considered the initial stage of mastery. Although the Red Flame Golden Lion Sword wielded by Master Lieyang is not an extraordinary item, the mysterious and dark Yin Phosphor Sand of Mi Luo has directly adhered to the sword body, burning the vital energy. Currently, the brilliance of the Red Flame Golden Lion Sword has significantly diminished, and the lost vital energy will require at least a thousand days of effort to recover.

The people of Mount Shu will eventually become aware of it

"You brat, even if your master were to come in person, he wouldn't dare to speak to me in such a tone. Facing death, you are still so arrogant!" The Real Man of the Blazing Sun was furious, and the sword light surged like a bolt of lightning, crashing towards Mi Luo with a thunderous roar.

"The Flying Sword of Qingcheng is indeed extraordinary!" Mi Luo's expression fluctuated between dark and light. Previously, Mi Luo had fought against other sword immortals with magical flying swords, but the flying swords of this prestigious sect, which had a history of a thousand years, were completely incomparable to those of ordinary loose cultivators. The material of Songhezi's flying sword was unknown, yet it showed no fear against Mi Luo's specialized technique for breaking flying swords. The silver light was the Thunder Silver Pearl that Mi Luo had just retracted; although the stored lightning had already been expended, this pearl itself was also a magical artifact, capable of delivering a tremendous force with a single strike. However, Ao Ming's flying sword easily blocked the successive attacks, and the coordination of the three was extremely methodical. With a single blow, Mi Luo realized that he was not their match. Yet, the Miaocha Pearl was right before him, and it was incredibly difficult for Mi Luo to give up at this moment. As the Yin Sha Hand swiftly retreated while reaching for Shui Wuyue's sword light, Mi Luo's mind raced with thoughts on how to respond.

Mi Luo, with a single claw, killed Kong Tong. Suddenly, his expression changed. In the northern sky, several beams of sword light, like startled dragons, broke through the air with astonishing speed. It seemed that in the blink of an eye, three figures had already appeared in the arena: two men and one woman. All three were dressed in white robes adorned with silver thread. One of the men had thick brows and fierce eyes, and was tall in stature, while the other had a long beard and wore his hair in a black bun atop his head. Although the woman appeared to be over thirty, her figure was enchanting, as if she could be swept away by the wind at any moment. Three beams of sword light—black, red, and white—swirled around their respective bodies, flickering and fluctuating unpredictably.

"What is it?" Although Ao Ming and Shui Wuyue were unaware of the exact situation, the three shared a deep connection and understanding. As Song Hezi's sword light emerged, Ao Ming and Shui Wuyue's sword lights also shot forth with pride. Shui Wuyue's sword sheath was green, but as her mind stirred, the sword light flew out, appearing entirely crimson, complementing Ao Ming's black sword light as they swiftly circled around the two.

"Go!" A silver light shot directly towards the seemingly weakest among the three, Shui Wuyue. With a sound of '刺', Ao Ming's black flying sword blocked the silver light shot from Mi Luo. Upon impact, black scales shimmered on the black flying sword, and the black and silver glows scattered like liquid gold. Meanwhile, Shui Wuyue's red flying sword twisted directly towards Mi Luo.

As Mi Luo's sinister hand reached out, the black mist and the sword light made contact, producing a hissing sound akin to hot oil splashing onto a red-hot iron plate, transforming into blue smoke. However, Mi Luo remained unperturbed and simply remarked, "Do you think the people of Mount Shu are all just dead pigs?"

"What a sinister hand! Command the Thunder Silver Pearl! Are they disciples of the North Mang Yin Xiao Daoist?" As soon as the three appeared, they saw Mi Luo strike down Kong Tong with a claw, and upon retracting the Thunder Silver Pearl, they immediately recognized Mi Luo's identity, momentarily taken aback. "How could it be someone from Qingcheng?" Mi Luo was also secretly astonished, first, because he did not expect anyone to arrive so quickly, and second, from the attire and appearance of the three, he recognized that they were not disciples of Shushan, but rather disciples of the Qingyang Sanren from Qingcheng: Ao Ming, Song Hezi, and Shui Wuyue. All three were renowned experts, and in a flash of thought, Mi Luo concluded that he might not be a match for these three. Without waiting for them to speak, the foul black mist reformed and directly reached for the youth within the red banner.

"Mao Cha Zhu? Wait a moment!" Ao Ming, Song Hezi, and Shui Wuyue were merely passing by by chance. Upon seeing the strange light flashing in this place and realizing that someone was engaging in a battle of magic, they hurried over. It was only now that they discovered Mi Luo was from the lineage of the Beiming Yinxiao Daoist. They were still unclear about the situation, but as Mi Luo suddenly attacked the young man, Song Hezi, with his keen eyes, caught sight of the orb in the young man's hand and immediately exclaimed in surprise. Just as the exclamation began, a white sword light had already leaped three times, intercepting Mi Luo's sinister hand.

Ao Ming, Song Hezi, and Shui Wuyue were all taken aback, and even the Real Man of the Fierce Sun hesitated for a moment. Suddenly, Mi Luo flicked his hand and released a stream of green smoke, which emanated a chilling aura. "What a cunning trick!" The three from Qingcheng furrowed their brows, immediately recognizing it as the extremely venomous Xuanming Yinlin Sand. At the same time, they realized that Mi Luo had deliberately shouted that one word to disrupt the Real Man of the Fierce Sun's focus, creating an opportunity to unleash the Xuanming Yinlin Sand under the assault of the Real Man's flying sword.

This is He Tu, the eldest disciple of Master Yin Xiao

"My life is at an end!" Kong Tong desperately urged the red banner to hold its ground against the enemy, yet within him, his primordial spirit suddenly trembled violently. In his mind, a vast sea of blood surged, and in an instant, several cold, shadowy streams darted through his body like serpents. In that moment, he became completely stiff, the red glow of the banner abruptly extinguished, and the astonishingly fierce ghostly entity was instantly shredded by the intertwining bolts of lightning.

Miro's thoughts were originally sound; the Miao Cha Pearl was indeed a great temptation for the Radiant Sun True Person. Upon recognizing the Miao Cha Pearl, the Radiant Sun True Person's primordial spirit trembled violently, as if he had fallen into the greedy hell of Buddhist cultivation. He nearly lost control of the flying sword he had cultivated with his life. However, Miro did not anticipate that the Radiant Sun True Person had an extremely fiery temperament. "What if I do not want this Miao Cha Pearl!" Upon catching a glimpse of the mocking intent at the corner of Miro's mouth, the Radiant Sun True Person was suddenly consumed by an unnamed rage. Without a second thought, he unleashed a burst of sword light, illuminating the area before everyone like a golden sun, making it as bright as day within a radius of several zhang.

The Master of the Blazing Sun laughed heartily, pointing with his hand. The Crimson Flame Golden Lion Sword was forged from the finest gold deep within the earth, tempered by the true fire of the blazing sun. Its power was immense, and it was impervious to the filth of dark spirits. With a single sweep, it scattered the black mist in all directions.

A silver light struck directly at the face of the Real Man of the Blazing Sun. It was Mi Luo who, sensing the situation was dire, once again hurled the Thunder Command Silver Pearl. "Hmph!" The Real Man of the Blazing Sun did not dodge or evade; suddenly, he opened his mouth, and with a loud bang, expelled a wave of white energy. With a crash and a swirl, the Thunder Command Silver Pearl was drawn into the mouth of the Real Man of the Blazing Sun. Meanwhile, Mi Luo suddenly trembled all over, his face pale, nearly struck directly by the sword light of the Real Man of the Blazing Sun.

"Not good!" The Real Man of the Blazing Sun also instantly regained his senses, but as the green smoke quivered, it had already intercepted his Scarlet Flame Golden Lion Sword. By the time he hurriedly retracted the flying sword, the blade was already flashing with a greenish-red phosphorescence.

That place is Mount Shu

These six red banners, known as the Chi Luo Banner, are rare treasures of the esoteric tradition that possess both offensive and defensive capabilities. Those with profound cultivation can condense into a Fearsome Yaksha, akin to the external manifestations that only great sages are said to achieve. However, the power of the Chi Luo Banner's formation derives from extracting the dark demonic energy from beneath the earth, and the caster is extremely susceptible to the backlash of the demonic illusions. Kong Tong, lacking sufficient cultivation, did not dare to use this treasure when confronting He Tu that day. Now, in a desperate struggle, there is no luck to be found; his primordial spirit is countered by the blood sea's malevolent illusions, and the original ghostly energy within him can no longer be suppressed, erupting all at once.

At the moment when Mi Luo's surprised voice sounded, a man with a sinister appearance had already appeared beside him, coldly gazing at the Real Man of the Blazing Sun

The yellow-green cloud, even before approaching, already exuded a foul stench. The Real Man of the Blazing Sun recognized that this yellow-green cloud was a toxic gas formed from the mingling of the miasma of countless decaying corpses and the venom of myriad insects. In a panic, he hurriedly activated the method of the *Book of Maps*, enveloping himself tightly in a sphere of red light.

No matter how high your cultivation is, upon seeing this Miao Cha Pearl, you are still like this

"Is there another flying sword? Who could it be?!" At that moment, a golden light shot through the sky like a flowing flame. Before it even reached their eyes, waves of oppressive force cascaded down. Sensing the momentum of the approaching figure, the flying swords of Ao Ming and the others swiftly returned, each of them focusing and standing guard.

The short and stout old man remained silent, his gaze fixed on Mi Luo, "Will you end it yourself, or do you want me to do it?"

At this moment, Mi Luo also recognized that the short and stout old man was the friend of Kong Tong, the Real Person Lie Yang. Just by observing the cultivation of Lie Yang's flying sword, Mi Luo understood that he was no match for him. However, Mi Luo, being inherently sinister and ruthless, felt no fear. After snorting softly, he chose to remain silent, merely gazing coldly at Mi Luo.

"You little short and stout gourd!" Upon seeing this, Mi Luo was immediately taken aback, quickly waving his short staff, and dark energy burst forth.

The flying sword technique of the Fierce Sun Master is indeed domineering, having instantly seized the opponent's magical treasure! Just as the three from Qingcheng had this thought flash through their minds in the blink of an eye, they suddenly heard Mi Luo's loud shout: "What, do you intend to take the opportunity to snatch the Miao Cha Pearl?"

Upon hearing this, Master Lieyang's sword light flickered. "Master Yinxiao's spells are always insidious. This young man is his disciple; if it comes to a life-and-death struggle, it may not be easy to subdue him. We are close to Mount Shu, and these three from Qingcheng are not to be underestimated. If we are not careful, we might fall into their trap." With a flash of insight, Master Lieyang hesitated even more.

The Radiant Sun True Man severed the connection between Mi Luo and the Thunder Silver Pearl using his own true essence, seizing this magical treasure and injuring Mi Luo's primordial spirit. Now, Mi Luo retaliates with the Xuanming Yin Phosphor Sand, similarly scorching the Radiant Sun True Man's primordial spirit and damaging his flying sword, effectively returning the favor immediately. However, to the Radiant Sun True Man, Mi Luo is merely a junior; after a few exchanges, he finds himself unable to subdue him, and instead, his flying sword suffers damage. The Radiant Sun True Man is infuriated, his three corpses in a frenzy, declaring, "If I do not kill you today, I vow I shall not be human!" In a flash of sword light, Mi Luo swings his short staff to block, but it is merely a feint. With a series of thunderous booms, golden light and thunder erupt in the air, electric serpents twisting and turning as the five beams of golden thunder released from the Radiant Sun True Man strike Mi Luo directly. Mi Luo lets out a strange cry, the black smoke surrounding him dissipating by more than half, and his body is sent flying through the air like a windmill.

The sword light cascaded down like a waterfall, revealing a figure: a bald, short, and stout old man with thick ears and narrow eyes, lacking the demeanor of a master. Yet, in the blink of an eye, his gaze flashed with an electric brilliance. "Ultimately, I have arrived a step too late!" The short and stout old man sighed deeply as he scanned his surroundings, noticing the small flames flickering on the golden flying swords around him. Suddenly, Song Hezi recalled someone and was taken aback. "The Crimson Flame Golden Lion Sword, are you the Real Man of the Blazing Sun?"

Senior Brother!

This Hetu and Mi Luo share the same lineage, yet there are significant differences in their magical practices. Not only does he possess flying swords, but his cultivation level also seems to surpass that of Mi Luo by a considerable margin, which explains why Kong Tong is no match for him. Moreover, judging by the expression between his brows, this person's malice and ruthlessness can be said to exceed that of Mi Luo.

A trace of disdainful laughter suddenly appeared at the corner of Mi Luo's mouth

"Mou Cha Zhu?" The Sword Light of the Real Man of the Blazing Sun surged dramatically, and just as he was about to take action, his gaze suddenly caught sight of the blue radiance emerging from the boy's fingers, causing him to be taken aback.

Observing the eerie black cloud energy on this flying sword, which is similar to the true essence of Mi Luo, the Real Man of the Blazing Sun immediately deduced that the visitor was an enemy rather than a friend. Before the black radiance could ensnare his flying sword, he had already readied a Fire Cloud Shuttle in his hand. However, before this Fire Cloud Shuttle, which possessed power comparable to an ordinary flying sword, could be unleashed, the Real Man of the Blazing Sun saw a yellow-green cloud mass descending upon him.

The Miro's coveted Mouchazhu was already in the hands of the astonished youth, who had been stunned by the duel between the two. Moreover, Kongtong, known for her cunning tricks, showed no mercy in her attack. Miro's sinister technique, originally designed to counteract magical flying swords, was filled with malicious and filthy energy, containing substances like stardust and diamond sand, capable of shattering gold and stone. Unfortunately, Kongtong had no means to defend herself; with a single grasp, both her and the coffin were crushed to pieces like a brittle cookie.

"How is it that you only now realize this is the Mouchazhu?" Mi Luo sneered upon seeing this, "Kong Tong sent you to rescue him, yet did he not inform you that it was because of the Mouchazhu that he fell into this predicament?"