Chapter 762: Chapter 762

The young man had mistakenly believed that Qin Sang was involved in some hidden secret of the ancient divine platform. Suspecting that other powers were secretly backing him, he had hesitated, wanting to investigate further.

But once he realized it was all a misunderstanding, he no longer held back.

The ground suddenly split open beneath the young man's feet. A rift surged toward Qin Sang with astonishing speed.

Dense green light surged from within, and a green vine shot up, growing rapidly like a giant python. Its target didn’t seem to be Qin Sang, but rather the Two-Headed Hou.

The Two-Headed Hou tensed, its body hunched, head lowered with a snarl as it locked eyes on the approaching rift.

The vine tore free from the crack and shot out with a sharp whoosh. Qin Sang caught only a blur of green before the vine pounced directly at the Two-Headed Hou.

Its fur stood completely on end. Without hesitation, it activated its Shadow-Splitting Technique. Its figure flickered and split into several dashing shadows that scattered in every direction.

Unexpectedly, the vine lashed out with a sudden twist. Several branches sprouted from its tip, moving like serpents—quick and sinuous, faster than lightning.

The illusory bodies of the Two-Headed Hou were caught and instantly shattered. Fortunately, its true body evaded the vine and escaped.

The vine, relentless and unyielding, continued its pursuit.

Suddenly, a sword light flashed, cleaving the vine apart.

Qin Sang darted backward alongside the Two-Headed Hou. The ebony sword weaved like a swimming dragon. Slicing the vine once wasn’t enough. It plunged straight into the rift, swiftly cutting the vine into multiple sections and uprooting it completely.

Yet instead of joy, a tightness gripped Qin Sang’s chest.

A vine capable of forcing the Two-Headed Hou to use its Shadow-Splitting Technique couldn’t be that easy to sever. Unless the young man had allowed it to happen.

That thought sent a surge of alarm through Qin Sang. His gaze sharpened. He noticed something odd about the young man, who stood unmoving in the distance. Without hesitation, he activated the Nine-Dragon Heavenly Chariot Talisman.

Jiao coiled around him, and his body was enveloped by the spirits of Jiao. His speed surged dramatically. In a flash, he vanished from his original spot and reappeared several zhang away.

At that very instant, the ground where he had just stood exploded. A green beam of light shot skyward.

At its center was a bizarre spiritual sword. The blade appeared to be carved from a piece of ancient bark, rough and dull gray in appearance, yet radiating a vibrant green glow teeming with life.

The gray sword had shown no sign of emerging. It had lain in wait beneath the earth before erupting without warning.

Had Qin Sang still been standing there, he would have been cleaved in two.

The young man let out a quiet hum of surprise, his eyes showing a hint of astonishment. "So your evasion technique is even better than I thought. But it’s still not enough."

Before his words faded, he quickly performed several hand seals. The gray sword trembled and let out a low, muffled cry. The green light it emitted grew brighter and more intense.

As the green glow surged, the gray sword’s physical form began to fade. Eventually, it vanished completely.

From the barren ground, blades of grass and saplings began to sprout.

In an instant, the space around Qin Sang transformed from the desolate Purple Mist End into a green wilderness.

Of course, it was all an illusion.

The gray sword had disappeared, now hidden within the wilderness. But every blade of grass and every sprout radiated sword qi. Any of them could be the gray sword in disguise, impossible to defend against.

If the Sky-Eyed Butterfly had completed its third metamorphosis, Qin Sang would have seen through the illusion with ease. At present, however, he could only prepare for battle.

This kind of illusion, formed purely from sword qi, had many flaws. It was flashy but lacked substance. Unless the wielder had profound mastery over the Sword Dao, it was mostly for show. Unfortunately, the gap in strength between Qin Sang and the young man was too vast. He couldn’t break through it with brute force and found himself suppressed.

The rampant growth of plants was gradually shrinking his room to move.

Qin Sang knew he couldn’t sit and wait to die. He pointed at the ebony sword in the distance, not to call it back, but to direct it to pierce the young man's true body.

At the same time, he retrieved a scroll and lightly tossed it. Petals and leaves scattered like fluttering snow, blending perfectly into the surrounding illusion.

Qin Sang’s figure shimmered briefly, then vanished without a trace.

His ability to merge seamlessly into the illusion and hide in the most dangerous area was due to one key reason. Like the young man, Qin Sang also specialized in wood-based spiritual power.

The young man lost sight of Qin Sang and could no longer sense his presence within the sword qi illusion. Realizing he had overplayed his hand, he let out an angry roar. "Explode!"

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The entire illusion shattered simultaneously. The seemingly lifelike plants revealed their true nature as they fractured like glass.

All the shards rapidly converged and reformed into the gray sword’s true body.

As the illusion shattered, the scroll was struck by the impact, causing the falling petals to tremble. Qin Sang’s true body was revealed at once. The gray sword quivered and seized the opportunity to slash toward the back of his neck.

Sensing the swift approach of the gray sword, a chill shot down Qin Sang’s spine. He had no choice but to dodge once more.

From the very beginning of the battle, he had been completely suppressed by the young man. All he could do was respond defensively to each move. He dared not confront him directly. The difference in their cultivation realms had become painfully clear.

If he couldn’t find a way to turn the tide, he would eventually be exhausted and defeated.

While Qin Sang continued maneuvering around the gray sword, the ebony sword had already flown toward the young man. At the same time, the Two-Headed Hou charged forward as well.

The young man’s calm expression faltered for the first time the moment thunder rumbled in the distance.

"Sword Qi Thunderclap..."

The ebony sword shot forward like a bolt of lightning, aiming straight at his throat. The young man reacted with astonishing speed. He stamped his foot and swiftly retreated while raising his arm and casting out a beam of golden light from his palm.

The golden light came from a golden ring. Initially the size of a finger ring, it rapidly expanded to the size of a bangle the moment it was released. It spun swiftly through the air, heading directly for the ebony sword, as if to ensnare it.

"Another middle-grade astra!"

Qin Sang’s expression darkened slightly. The gray sword the young man had summoned earlier was likely his life-bound spiritual sword. Given his cultivation realm, it was no surprise that he had refined his life-bound astra to the middle grade.

But to so casually summon another middle-grade astra spoke volumes about how formidable this opponent truly was.

Not knowing the golden ring’s ability, Qin Sang dared not let it touch the ebony sword. His hand formed a new hand seal, and he swiftly used the Sword Light Division.

As the ring closed in, the ebony sword came to a sudden halt in mid-air, then instantly split into two.

The young man was caught off guard. The golden ring only ensnared the sword light, while the true form of the ebony sword continued its charge unabated.

"Sword Light Division!"

The young man cried out in surprise, and a flicker of envy and jealousy crossed his face.

Though he had studied the Sword Dao for many years, he had never succeeded in comprehending the Sword Light Division. Yet Qin Sang, even with just a single instance of sword light, had already passed an obstacle the young man had never been able to pass.

Though astonished, the young man remained composed. The gap in strength between them was not something a single Sword Dao supernatural ability could bridge.

The ebony sword was now within a few feet of him.

The Two-Headed Hou also sensed this was their chance. Its vertical pupils widened, and it unleashed its full power. Blades of wind shot out in rapid succession, merging into a raging storm that surged forward.

In a sudden reversal, the young man found himself the one caught between the ebony sword and the Two-Headed Hou’s assault.