Zhang Yan raised his head and saw that Huo Xuan and Xun Huaiying were more than enough to handle the situation, so he didn’t need to intervene for the time being. He nodded and said, "With me here, Senior Luo, there’s no need to worry."

Luo Qingyu cupped his hands towards him and immediately sat cross-legged to meditate and regulate his breathing.

At this moment, above the heavenly vault, Huo Xuan was fearlessly clashing head-on with the raging tribulation water. In mid-air, the sound of collisions continued to echo, making quite a commotion.

Choosing such a method of combat was not because he was sacrificing the long term for the short, but because it was a decision made after careful consideration.

After being caught up by Feng Haiyang, he fought fiercely with him. On the verge of being overwhelmed, Luo Qingyu arrived in time, allowing him to retreat into the array diagram to recuperate. Now, his mana was fully restored, and he was at the peak of his essence, spirit, and qi.

He had secretly estimated that, after Feng Haiyang broke away from Zhang Yan and Xun Huaiying, he pursued relentlessly. Then, after battling Zhong Muqing and Luo Qingyu, even as a Nascent Soul Third Realm Cultivator, his mana would eventually deplete. At this moment, compared to himself, Feng Haiyang might not be much better. Now with four of them here, they didn’t believe they couldn’t overpower him.

Feng Haiyang, of course, knew Huo Xuan’s strategy, but he didn’t mind. The remaining Xuanmen members were all here. As long as he could hold them off, there was no need to push hard. Even if his mana was insufficient, he could retreat in time, as no one could catch up with him.

He redirected his mana, stirred the tribulation water, and conjured thousands of devils, driving them forward.

Huo Xuan shouted loudly and, without retreating, charged forward with bravery. His entire body was surrounded by golden fire brilliance, extending tens of feet, resplendent like the scorching sun. The fire cloud golden flames spread within a three-mile radius, and the thousands of devils, like moths drawn to a flame, collided with a swoosh, exploding into flying golden stars. Most of them were burnt to ashes before even reaching the inner circle.

Just as Feng Haiyang was about to urge his mana again, suddenly, a sword light shot forth like a startling rainbow, coming swiftly. Even before it arrived, its killing intent pierced through Hua Gai, causing a slight pain in his eyes. He couldn’t help but frown slightly. Facing this Slaughter Sword technique, there was no better way to counter it other than counterattacking.

With a low shout, the tribulation water beneath him rose, hiding his body from view. However, as the sword passed, it tore the tribulation water into two segments. The half-segment of tribulation water, spinning as if losing control, roared and spilled towards Zhang Yan and Luo Qingyu.

Seeing this scene, Huo Xuan waved his sleeve, sending golden fire soaring into the sky, dissolving much of the tribulation water. But, as momentum like the Heavenly River crashing down, it wasn’t something he could block with rushed effort.

Unperturbed, Zhang Yan watched the surging tribulation water. With a shrug of his shoulder, yellow energy rose behind him, forming a hundred-zhang-large hand that banged, holding up the incoming tribulation water. The water, heavy and turbid, broke through the spiritual energy, leaking through the fingers. Yet, before he could act again, a thunderous roar filled the air, and it was shattered from thin air.

Zhang Yan turned to see Luo Qingyu had already stood up beside him, his expression spirited, clearly indicating his mana had fully recovered.

The tribulation water in the sky seemed to sense a change, suddenly dissipating and turning into a wisp of yellow smoke, rising into the heavens until it vanished.

Zhang Yan felt the pressure above him lighten and waved his sleeve to disperse the mana.

Observing Feng Haiyang’s retreat, Huo Xuan called out to Xun Huaiying, "Daoist Xun, pursuing him is futile."

Xun Huaiying nodded slightly. The Netherworld Escape Technique was not inferior to the sword escape, and the opponent also had the Forbidden Locking Heaven and Earth Skill. Without the four of them moving together, pursuit would be futile.

The two each collected their cultivation techniques and descended from the sky, landing in front of Zhang and Luo.

Luo Qingyu stepped forward and said, "Senior Brother, Junior Brother Zhang..."

But Huo Xuan raised his hand to stop him, saying solemnly, "Feng Haiyang surely hasn’t gone far. This is not the time for discussion; we must find another appropriate place to strategize."

Zhang Yan smiled and said, "No need for such concerns. Watch me perform a small technique."

He formed a spell gesture, and with a flick of his fingers, a heavy mist rose before the four of them, spreading out instantly. Shortly, the surroundings turned into a boundless white expanse, like a sea of clouds.

Huo Xuan nodded in approval, "Good technique, now we needn’t fear him spying on us."

Luo Qingyu cupped his hands, looking invigorated, "Senior Brother, Junior Brother Zhang has already retrieved the Junyang pot."

Upon hearing this, Huo Xuan remained calm, showing no excitement. Looking at Zhang Yan, he said, "Junior Brother, may I take a look?"

Zhang Yan smiled and nodded. He took the Junyang pot from his sleeve, holding it in his palm, "The treasure pot is here."

Xun Huaiying, realizing that the Junyang pot had been acquired by Zhang Yan, couldn’t help but glance at him in surprise, his eyes moving slightly.

Huo Xuan scrutinized it for a moment, confirming it was genuine, then said solemnly, "Junior Luo, Master Xun, no time should be wasted. Quickly extract the essence q to avoid future complications."

Luo and Xun had no objections. They each took out a token talisman and slightly activated it, drawing a thin stream of essence qi from the pot’s mouth and then withdrawing a jade bottle they carried to store it.

Once the three had stored the essence qi, Zhang Yan said, "Senior Brother Huo, Senior Brother Luo, Daoist Xun, now that we’ve secured the Junyang essence, it seems we have no further worries. Why not join forces to eliminate Feng Haiyang in one fell swoop, making our Xuanmen the victors of this sword duel? What do you all think?"

Luo Qingyu looked somewhat moved. If they won, they could cultivate here for several more years, which would be beneficial. However, Huo Xuan contemplated for a moment and shook his head, "With the Junyang essence in hand, there’s no need to cling to the outcome of the swordfight. Retreating now is the best option."

As the leader among the ten disciples of Mingcang, his primary goal was to return safely with the swordfight disciples to the sect.

Feng Haiyang’s divine skills and daoist skills were exceptionally advanced, and his mana surpassed theirs. Previously, they had fought him out of necessity. Now that they’ve obtained the essence qi, continuing the battle might lead to casualties, which would be counterproductive.

... 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

...(To be continued. If you like this work, please support it on Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation tickets and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)