Pay-to-Win Cultivation: I Get 10,000x Returns

Chapter 244: I Have a Lot of Fire to Vent

The next instant, blinding golden light swallowed everything inside the shield.

At the exact moment the teleportation triggered, Zhang Xian, standing outside the barrier, and the Half-Demon King’s fading phantom inside, moved with astonishing synchronization.

The Five Elements Nascent Soul within Zhang Xian’s body spun madly. The pitch-black radiance of the [Shadow Flame] and the fluid water-light of the [Yunmiao Sword Scripture] compressed to their absolute limit, fusing into a thin, grey streak of light that seemed capable of severing causality itself.

Simultaneously, the Half-Demon King gathered every ounce of her remaining power, igniting a point of brilliant crimson-gold fire at her fingertip.

The two attacks struck with pinpoint precision, converging on the shoulder joint of the Metal Puppet’s raised right arm.

Crack!

Caught in a pincer attack from inside and outside the spatial distortion, the joint—forged from an indestructible, mysterious alloy—snapped.

The massive metal right arm, along with the shining character “Su” (蘇) imprinted on its palm, separated from the main body.

In that same split second, the golden light vanished.

The puppet, Lin Liuli, and Wang Meng were gone. The only thing left was the severed arm, which hit the floor with a heavy, dull clang.

The Half-Demon King’s phantom was now transparent, her voice as faint as a candle flickering in the wind.

“I severed one of its arms during the spatial transfer, when its defenses were weakest. I hope this variable… changes the outcome. That is the last thing this concubine can do.”

“Human cultivator… good luck.”

Her figure dissolved into specks of fluorescent dust, merging into the secret realm she had guarded for thousands of years, leaving no trace behind.

Zhang Xian stood in silence. After a long moment, he walked forward and bent down to retrieve the cold metal arm.

It was incredibly heavy. The material was unlike anything he had seen, containing an energy structure that defied analysis. The glowing “Su” mark on the palm slowly dimmed.

BOOM!

A deafening explosion erupted behind him. The entrance to the secret realm was blasted open by brute force, the barrier shattering into fragments.

Xuanzhao floated in through the breach, his face twisted with arrogance and impatience. Sharp golden light swirled around him, his aura oppressive.

His gaze swept over the empty chessboard before locking onto Zhang Xian’s back. A cold, mocking sneer curled his lips.

“Hmph. Little beast, where will you run now? Did you really think a few puppets could stop This Seat? Delusional.”

Zhang Xian slowly turned around. He stowed the metal arm away, then raised his eyes to look at Xuanzhao, who was blocking the exit.

His voice was flat, devoid of any fluctuation.

“You arrived at the perfect time. I have a lot of fire to vent right now.”

As the words fell, two spirit swords materialized behind him, their tips trembling as they locked onto Xuanzhao.

Xuanzhao scoffed, his expression full of disdain. “Two little flying swords? You dare show off such toys in front of me?”

Brilliant light erupted from his back. Twelve highly condensed rays of Golden Profound Light materialized, orbiting his body like a deadly halo. The pressure was suffocating.

“Watch closely as This Seat carves off your limbs and extracts your soul!” Xuanzhao shouted, his fingers forming a sword seal.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The twelve golden lights screamed through the air, converging on Zhang Xian from all directions in a strangling formation.

Zhang Xian stood his ground, neither dodging nor evading. He simply uttered a single syllable.

“Web.”

A giant net woven from countless arcs of purple lightning sprang into existence between him and Xuanzhao.

The twelve golden lights slammed into the lightning net, exploding into showers of sparks, their momentum completely halted.

In that instant, Zhang Xian moved.

His figure blurred. His true body, wielding dual swords, closed the distance to Xuanzhao in a heartbeat.

In his left hand, the [Yunmiao Sword Scripture] flowed like endless azure waves—dense, heavy, and impenetrable. In his right hand, the [Heavenly Palace Azure Cloud Sword] unleashed a beam of sharp, domineering golden light, aiming straight for the vitals.

Blue and gold sword lights intertwined, instantly engulfing Xuanzhao.

Xuanzhao hadn’t expected Zhang Xian to be bold enough to initiate a melee assault. He was startled for a split second, but then his shock turned into manic laughter.

“Haha! Excellent! Just what I wanted! The Guiyuan Sect has never feared anyone in close-quarters combat!”

Laughing wildly, he recalled his golden lights to form a protective armor. Geng Metal spiritual power surged like a tide, crashing head-on against Zhang Xian’s twin swords.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of metal clashing rang out like a torrential rain. The two figures became blurs of light, crossing and colliding in mid-air with terrifying speed.

But after only a dozen exchanges, the contempt in Xuanzhao’s heart vanished, replaced by growing shock and suspicion.

The power transmitting from Zhang Xian’s swords was profound and heavy, his technique exquisite. It was… troublesome.

“Not bad! To force This Seat to use fifty percent of my strength! But now, I will show you true despair!” Xuanzhao shouted, his verbal skills apparently as practiced as his swordplay.

Zhang Xian responded coldly.

“Trash always talks the most.”

BOOM!

Towering black flames erupted from Zhang Xian’s body. [Shadow Flame] activated!

The pitch-black fire didn’t consume his sword light; instead, it coiled around the blades like living serpents, infusing his strikes with a destructive, domineering weight.

Xuanzhao’s pressure skyrocketed.

He was forced to raise his output—seventy percent, eighty percent… one hundred percent! His Nascent Soul spun madly, pouring every drop of Geng Metal spiritual power into the fight.

And yet, to his horror, he couldn’t gain the upper hand. He couldn’t even suppress the younger cultivator.

How is this possible? He is only in the early Nascent Soul stage!

Xuanzhao’s mind reeled. He forcibly comforted himself: This must be a secret art that burns his life force. He cannot last! He will burn out before I do!

But his fantasy was quickly shattered. Zhang Xian’s offensive was a violent storm that showed no sign of flagging. If anything, it was becoming sharper, fiercer.

Unable to break the deadlock, a seed of retreat finally sprouted in Xuanzhao’s heart.

And in that split second of distraction—

Zhang Xian seized the opening.

His left hand, wielding the water-blue spirit sword, swept aside Xuanzhao’s defense from a deviously tricky angle. Then, with a fluid twist of his wrist, he turned the blade flat.

THWACK!

The broad side of the heavy sword slapped Xuanzhao squarely in the face.

Xuanzhao’s vision went black. His nose shattered in a burst of sour pain, and his body was sent spinning uncontrollably backward.

BOOM!

He crashed through the already damaged barrier, flying out of the secret realm and smashing into the scorched earth of the small world outside.

He tasted copper in his throat and forcibly swallowed the blood rising to his mouth, his face twisted in humiliation and rage.

Zhang Xian followed him out, stepping onto the burnt soil. He felt the scorching Fire Spiritual Power permeating the air, and a belated realization struck him.

The Metal Puppet was pure Metal attribute. And Fire overcomes Metal.

The Drifting King and the Half-Demon King had chosen this small world, abundant in fire energy, and used the chessboard array to gather it specifically to suppress the puppet.