"The Five Spirits Life Plate of our temple is indeed on you all. I’ve been searching high and low for it, only to find it now effortlessly." Seeing the combined strike of a few people, Gai Huangji’s face showed a look of joy, and then he slashed out with his sword.

A massive force surged out from his ancient-looking longsword. Mu Hanyan felt a heaviness in her chest, being forced back several steps until her back hit a wall. She barely steadied herself, but her chest surged with blood and Qi was difficult to circulate.

Huayue and the others were even worse off, hitting the stone wall with no ability to resist, each spitting a mouthful of fresh blood, their faces becoming exceptionally pale.

"Thunder Sound Sky Shake, what is Hua Guanyu that traitor to you!" Gai Huangji even took a step back, looking at Huayue with a face full of murderous intent after getting over his surprise.

With Mu Hanyan and the others’ current strength, they should have posed no threat to a Ninth Rank Sword Master like him, but he was actually forced back a step. One reason was the power of Mu Hanyan’s Nine Heavens Star Fall far exceeded his expectations. Another was Huayue’s innate skill, Thunder Sound Sky Shake, whose terrifying shock force bypassed defenses, directly impacting internal organs, forcing even him to retreat to dissipate the force.

Such an innate divine ability he had only ever seen on one other person, Hua Guanyu, who like him was a Divine Guardian Priest but defected from the temple to Holy Court Continent.

"He’s my father," Huayue said proudly, raising her head. Although she had no memory of her father, the bond of blood was irreplaceable.

"So you are the spawn Hua Guanyu left behind. Very good. Very good. That traitor died too early, escaping the temple’s God Slaying Order. Today I’ll use you to complete the order and also give the Lord Divine an explanation." Gai Huangji laughed loudly.

Mu Hanyan felt a twinge in her heart. If she remembered correctly, Yue Ji did say Hua Guanyu crossed the forbidden land with great difficulty to reach the Holy Court, only to die under the pursuit of temple experts. Why did Gai Huangji say he died too early, escaping the temple’s God Slaying Order? What was going on?

However, Mu Hanyan didn’t have much time to think as Gai Huangji raised his longsword to strike at her again.

Huayue and the others’ faces changed dramatically, wanting to step in but the previous strike, though not causing severe injuries, had forced them to boost their power using the Five Great Magical Instruments again. Even with some Qi recovered, they could no longer lift their swords.

Mu Hanyan’s condition wasn’t much better; with most of her Qi exhausted, she couldn’t even muster the combat power of a Sword Master First Rank.

Just as Mu Hanyan was about to fall under Gai Huangji’s sword, a swift silhouette suddenly leapt up, stabbing at Gai Huangji with a sword.

"Heavenly Star, Sword Dance!" With Yan Yuchu’s soft call, a streak of sword light swept by, like myriad blinking stars.

His figure, like a meteor, rushed directly towards Gai Huangji.

Though the might of his sword couldn’t compare to Huayue and others at their peak, nor match Jiang Yuzhe and Zirong’s mysterious sword techniques, his speed far exceeded theirs.

Mu Hanyan had to admit, even if her strength was unhindered, unless forcibly reaching the Sword Saint Realm, she couldn’t compare to Yan Yuchu’s speed.

The Yan Family among the Eight Great Families could rival the Mu Family, showing the distinctiveness of their cultivation skill.

As the saying goes, ’nothing is unbreakable except for speed.’ Despite Gai Huangji’s power being far above Yan Yuchu, faced with Yan Yuchu’s speed, beyond cultivation limits, he was startled, forced to retreat.

"Quickly, go!" Yan Yuchu shouted loudly.

Mu Hanyan didn’t hesitate, turning to carry the slumbering Ye Yanran, sprinting towards the outer courtyard. With Yan Yuchu’s speed, even if he couldn’t injure Gai Huangji, he should be able to escape safely. Staying would only burden Yan Yuchu. When decisive action is needed, Mu Hanyan would not dwell on emotional ties. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Unfortunately, she underestimated Gai Huangji.

"Truly, the only Heavenly Gifted Genius in the Yan Family to awaken their bloodline in centuries, you have some skill, but only to this extent." Gai Huangji said dismissively, as his left hand formed a series of hand formations, an invisible Qi Light suddenly burst forth.

Yan Yuchu’s body, swift as a meteor, suddenly stiffened, as if an invisible large hand had caught him by the throat, his face flushed red, gasping for breath.

With him at the center, a radius of a zhang’s air began to distort, draining all Heaven and Earth Power, even the air, into lifelessness.

"This is the Lifeless Prison! It’s not something your power can withstand," Gai Huangji said proudly.

Although he hadn’t broken through the continent’s sealing barrier, his power was suppressed at Ninth Rank Sword Master. But still, as a Sword Saint and one of the best, his mastery of strange and mysterious arts wasn’t something Yan Yuchu could compete with.

Mu Hanyan and the others had already reached the courtyard wall, ready to leap and flee, but stopped in their tracks.

With Yan Yuchu’s astonishing speed, he might have escaped, but he stayed to help them escape. Now at the brink of death, how could they abandon him?

Mu Hanyan gritted her teeth, cutting with her longsword, attacking Gai Huangji again. Huayue and the others hesitated not, clenching their long swords tightly, following close behind.

"Looking for death!" Seeing them return, Gai Huangji sneered repeatedly, slashing out with his sword.

Previously, with their powers forcibly boosted, even Mu Hanyan and others couldn’t withstand him. Now that Mu Hanyan’s power had slipped to Sword Master First Rank, and Huayue and the others were even worse off, how could they withstand Gai Huangji’s lethal strike?

Seeing Mu Hanyan and Huayue about to perish under Gai Huangji’s sword, Yan Yuchu was anxious and enraged, eyes nearly bursting, but trapped within the Lifeless Prison barrier, he couldn’t even breathe, let alone save them.

"Stop!" At this moment, a cold voice echoed, and a black silhouette descended like a spear.

The sword was drawn, two streaks of sword light slashing head-on, with a loud noise, forcing Gai Huangji to step back, dispersing the sword light slashing at Mu Hanyan.

"Who are you?" Looking at the young man before him, Gai Huangji’s expression slightly changed.

"Leave. These people are not for you to kill," the young man said calmly.

"Hmph, I admit you do have some skills, but thinking you can make me stop with just one sentence, you’re overestimating yourself," Gai Huangji snorted coldly.