Wang Sheng and Erlang had stepped forward together. The Heavenly Court didn't send a Golden Immortal, a clear sign of their confidence in the two.

The Heavenly Court's enemy faction found themselves hesitating.

Their proposal for this duel had been a trap from the start. They wanted to lure Wang Sheng into action, then kill him through careful planning.

Now, a new problem had surfaced. Who would face Erlang? One misstep, and a cultivator who had trained for countless years could fall to his long saber.

"I will be your opponent, True Lord Erlang."

A burly general stepped out of the crowd, wielding two massive hammers that shimmered with drifting stardust. He was built like a black bear spirit, the pressure he exuded weighing heavily on the surroundings.

Erlang leveled his long saber and shot straight into the depths of space. The general followed close behind, hammers in hand. They quickly vanished into the distance.

It was an unspoken rule of the Immortal Saint Realm. When powerful beings fought, they avoided the armies to ensure the shockwaves of their clash would not wipe out entire forces.

At that moment, Wang Sheng stood alone between the two armies. Clad in golden armor, he remained silent and still.

His eyes flashed like lightning. Under the outline of his helmet, his face emitted faint divine light. His aura was still at the Golden Immortal Realm, which the experts around them easily detected.

Doubt, confusion, and disbelief spread among them. Even so, the Heavenly Court's enemies could sense the presence behind Wang Sheng. If anyone dared strike now, it would trigger a full-scale battle.

Wang Sheng had already made his stance clear. He would be their representative for the duel between Taiyi Golden Immortals.

Naturally, the opposing side did not hold back. They had long chosen their representative: a peak Taiyi Golden Immortal who was just half a step away from the Grand Dao Golden Immortal Realm. Several great experts gave him detailed instructions through telepathy.

The man's Daoist name was Chang Lanzhi. He was a general under the Vermilion Emperor of the Heavenly Court until he surrendered during the war that destroyed it. Later, he turned and joined the pursuit against the Heavenly Court's surviving members.

Chang Lanzhi was in gray immortal armor and wielded a long saber. A treasured lamp floated beside him.

He appeared middle-aged, with long, loose hair and a lean frame. Fine lines at the corners of his eyes hinted at a life of hardship.

He took one step forward. With Ground Shrinker, he crossed the distance instantly and faced Wang Sheng from afar.

"I am Chang Lanzhi. Let us have an honorable fight."

Beside Wang Shan, a Heavenly Court immortal suddenly burst into curses. "You traitor! How dare you still show your face?! Just wait till I come and cut you down!"

Chang Lanzhi remained calm, his expression as still as an ancient well. His gaze remained fixed on Wang Sheng as his lips curved into a faint sneer.

"This fight is mine. General Li, you may settle your accounts with him later," Wang Sheng calmly remarked. After a brief pause, he added, "If he is your enemy, I will deal with him for you."

Wang Shan said, "Grand Marshal, that man has slaughtered countless Heavenly Court immortals. He once served the Vermillion Emperor, but he betrayed him in battle."

A sharp glint flickered in Wang Sheng's eyes. "Oh?"

Chang Lanzhi's sneer softened into a faint smile. "Those who commit injustice bring about their own downfall. The Immortal Emperor invited disaster, brought forth the Five Heavenly Declines, killed countless of my brothers, and caused the deaths of my wife and children. Why should his faction not be opposed? Why should that emperor not be betrayed?"

Wang Sheng nodded slowly. "If you say so. Regardless, we shall decide who lives today."

"Make your move, sacred spirit of the Ancient Era." Chang Lanzhi's eyes narrowed. "You have already slain six Taiyi Golden Immortals. I will not hold back in the slightest. If you die by my hand today, do not blame me!"

Wang Sheng's thoughts stirred as he recalled Xu Zhongliang's earlier warning.

"The secret code is: If you die by my hand today, do not blame me."

He could not help but admire Xu Zhongliang. Somehow, the Star Deity had set everything up perfectly on the enemy's side.

Then again, it was not that difficult to arrange. There were many Taiyi Golden Immortals, but only a few at their peak were present here.

Wang Sheng pushed those thoughts aside. He had to focus on the battle and fight with everything he had. After all, only a brutal clash would make the self-wounding stratagem convincing. Holding back before the watchful eyes of so many experts would waste their three hundred years of effort.

He cast his spell. Raising his left hand high, five streaks of golden light were drawn down from space, which poured into him.

The Heavenly Ziwei Sword Intent also transformed into a massive star as it rose behind him. The countless stars across space resonated, gathering strands of starlight toward him.

They had answered his call!

Wang Sheng's aura instantly reached the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm.

Those who had witnessed the Divine-Possession Art before showed signs of realization. Their understanding of the sacred spirit deepened further.

Three hundred years to advance from the Heavenly Immortal Realm? How is that even possible? Emperor Ziwei has already fallen, and this boy's Great Dao lies in the stars and Pure Yang. There are no signs of inherited power.

The Heavenly Court's enemies conversed telepathically.

"Is that what heavenly fate looks like?"

"That child has to die!"

"We have to plan together after this. He cannot be allowed to live!"

Xu Zhongliang stood beside the flood dragon chariot, his lips curved into a faint smile. His eyes showed calm confidence, tainted with not even the slightest trace of tension.

The hilt of Spiritless released strands of immortal light, wrapping around Wang Sheng's arm and merging with him. Wang Sheng had merged with Yaoyun.

His aura rose again. In terms of cultivation alone, Wang Sheng had now reached the mid-stage of the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm.

He was fully capable of fighting Chang Lanzhi.

Chang Lanzhi raised a hand and made a "bring it on" gesture. From his sleeve, dozens of slender blue nails shot out in streaks of light and assumed a formation in midair.

Twelve points of light appeared all over Wang Sheng. Before long, twelve longswords slowly emerged from those glowing points.

God Slayers!

Having been refined with Spiritual Dawnlight, the entire set now rivaled Primordial Spiritual Treasures in power. Wang Sheng had also brought out all the treasures that he had rarely used before.

Xu Zhongliang's brow furrowed. Have the flying swords advanced?

The two combatants used Ground Shrinker and charged forward at the same time. The two vanished at once. As the ripples of their attacks collided, a violent explosion rang out in space.

Wang Sheng and Chang Lanzhi reappeared less than a hundred zhang apart. Chang Lanzhi formed signs rapidly with his left hand, firing the long nails toward Wang Sheng.

The twelve flying swords around Wang Sheng trembled lightly. Their sword souls had only formed a little over ten years ago, yet they could already move on their own. They spun rapidly around him and formed a tight, impenetrable barrier, blocking every incoming nail.

Chang Lanzhi pressed his left hand forward. Another Qiankun Art technique was unleashed, forming chains in the surrounding space and locking down Wang Sheng.

However, Wang Sheng had already swung his longsword, sending out dozens of crossing arcs of light. He had unleashed the Heavenly Ziwei Sword!

Spiritless also seemingly split into hundreds of clones in a single moment, striking each of the chains at once.

A crisp crack echoed through space as the chains shattered.

A river of stars surged out and swept toward Chang Lanzhi. Meanwhile, Wang Sheng split into phantasms that merged into the starry flow, filling Chang Lanzhi's vision with nothing but sword phantasms.

"What a fine sword technique!"

"It's Emperor Ziwei's sword technique!"

Even the telepathic conversations from the sidelines were focused on Wang Sheng's swordsmanship, not the fight itself.

Chang Lanzhi should have withdrawn or evaded, yet he roared instead. Blood-red patterns spread across his body as he charged straight into the starry river with his long saber. The collision shattered the starlight. He then cut apart the river itself.

He cultivates both spiritually and physically?

Wang Sheng's spirit jolted. Even though his momentum was slowed, he did not back down.

He countered his opponent's brute force with speed, making Spiritless elusive and agile. The vast starry river scattered and turned into a sea of stars.

Chang Lanzhi swung his long saber repeatedly. Each strike shattered nearby stars, yet he could not lock onto Wang Sheng.

Moreover, sword energy bloomed within the starlight. Like comets streaking by, the twelve God Slayers repeatedly harassed Chang Lanzhi.

The flying swords now played a crucial role. Since Wang Sheng could not close in, he instead made sure they remained sharp enough to cut into Chang Lanzhi's flesh.

However, Chang Lanzhi was well prepared. The lone lamp circling him released streams of light that reinforced him physically. Though thin lines of blood appeared all over him, the wounds were too shallow to cause any real harm.

Wang Sheng suddenly recalled his battle with Tan Lang of the Celestial Wind Sect.

He completely calmed down. Lightning flickered in his eyes as another sword intent took shape behind him, formed from condensed lightning.

The Heavenly Tribulation Sword Intent appeared.

Bzz—

Within space, inside the starry expanse, bolts of lightning struck down at Chang Lanzhi.

Lightning wrapped around the flying swords. Blood-colored light surfaced around Chang Lanzhi, and the God Slayers tore into his flesh once more.

The power of heavenly tribulation purified karmic debt!

If Qinghua's Great Dao of Death were to have a natural counter in the future, it would be the Dao of Heavenly Tribulation—it would be Wang Sheng!

The moment heavenly tribulation power appeared, Chang Lanzhi fell into a disadvantage. His karmic debt appeared on his body, and devilish disturbances arose within his Dao Heart.

Wang Sheng pressed forward expressionlessly, wielding Spiritless in a relentless assault. Lightning flashed constantly within the starry field. Every clash between Spiritless and the long saber appeared only as fading afterimages.

With no intention of dragging this fight out, Wang Sheng unleashed the full power of the God Slayers.

Sword-Controlling Art: Sword Shakes the Nine Heavens!

Nine flying swords transformed into azure dragons and shot toward Chang Lanzhi. A tenth of Wang Sheng's immortal power was instantly drained.

Chang Lanzi, who could barely bring out a fraction of his vast enchanted power and physical strength, sensed the incoming danger. With a furious roar, he unleashed countless saber phantasms and charged to meet the dragons. His blood-stained face twisted as he let out a silent cry.

The opening had come.

Wang Sheng drew in a slow breath. He had already sensed another aura emerging from Chang Lanzhi, yet he still followed behind the God Slayers and rushed forward.

The azure dragons roared as the long saber cut them apart.

Ripples spread through space. Wang Sheng used Thousand Instants into One, another Qiankun Art, and used Spiritless to hit his opponent with a Heavenly Ziwei Strike!

Wrapped in heavenly tribulation power, the path of his charge turned into a trail of divine lightning.

One Strike! One slash!

Wang Sheng's thrust drove back Chang Lanzhi's spiritual saber. However, the impact also eliminated Spiritless's momentum.

At that moment, the two combatants' Great Dao erupted. Cracks spread through the surrounding space.

Chang Lanzhi staggered half a step backward, his guard completely open.

Wang Sheng gripped the scabbard over his shoulder with his left hand. Capitalizing on his momentum, he flipped down, dragging along his Great Dao and immortal power. Simultaneously, he drew free not the Dragon Sword but the Great Dao sword case!

From the scabbard, a silver-white broken sword emerged. On its blade, the characters for "Slaughter" shone with blinding clarity.

The Great Dao of Slaughter and the heavenly tribulation power converged upon the broken sword.

Swiiiish!

Chang Lanzhi's expression darkened drastically. A shadow suddenly appeared behind him and slipped into the back of his head.