“Jejejeje!”
Mao Yahui’s aura surged, blanketing the room in a palpable demonic wave.
The air thickened with his oppressive presence, a tangible reminder of his power as a late-stage Foundation Builder.
‘Damn this old geezer. He really is a big shot,’ Aksai thought to himself as he was exposed to Mao’s aura. He felt as if he was forcefully immersed in the depth of a blood pond while removing his ability to breath.
Every other participant in the meeting felt the weight of Mao’s cultivation base, including Calla. The room, once filled with hushed conversations, fell silent as the intensity of Mao’s aura settled over them like a dark cloud.
Though Mao was old, nearly on the verge of death, and severely injured, his cultivation base as a late-stage 2nd realm cultivator made him a formidable opponent. His reputation as a ruthless killer only added to the fear. Plus, the fact that he was about to die made him even more dangerous.
Who would engage in a death battle with someone who had nothing to lose?
Mao was known for his strange talismans and even stranger demonic Spirit spells. Despite several attempts by the Big Five Sects to trap and eliminate him, Mao had killed all his attackers, leaving a trail of blood and fear in his wake.
Calla’s face paled, her composure strained as she felt the full force of Mao’s aura. She bowed her head slightly and addressed Aksai. “Fellow cultivator, you are on your own,” she said apologetically.
Turning to Mao, Calla’s voice wavered but held firm authority. “Darkshade, all of us will not get between you and seat number 16. However, if you decide to harm any of us, we will all forget about our safety and attack you.”
Calla only wanted to conduct a safe and secure private exchange meeting. If she knew she would attract the attention of a demonic cultivator of Mao’s caliber, she would have called off the meeting long ago.
Even while serving as an elder for the Purple River Sect, she was never exposed to such danger. She had always acted just and fair. However, that was only when her safety was assured. She gave up on protecting Aksai right away after learning who her opponent would be if she decided to support Aksai.
Calla’s eyes gestured to everyone in the room, and soon, the low-stage and mid-stage Foundation Building participants moved away from the center of the spacious hall. They created a wide berth, providing plenty of space for Aksai and Mao to settle their duel.
The atmosphere became tense, each cultivator’s gaze fixed on the impending confrontation.
‘Did I just run into more trouble because I wanted to avoid trouble? That’s… that’s just life I guess,’ Aksai sighed to himself.
He then stood, his gaze locked onto Mao. Despite the situation’s gravity, he remained calm, his mind racing with potential strategies. He needed to stay focused and alert.
Mao’s laughter echoed through the hall, a chilling sound that sent shivers down the spines of the other participants. “Jejejeje,” he cackled, “Look at you all, so frightened, so eager to step aside. But you, boy, you interest me.”
Aksai’s expression remained hidden behind his mask, but his eyes narrowed. “I’m not interested in accepting any master,” he repeated firmly. Meanwhile, he subtly saved the healing-type talisman in his storage ring. He intended to use it on Mao himself after finding the right opportunity.
Mao’s eyes glinted with a mix of amusement and malice. “Jejejeje. You think you can dictate terms to me, boy? You have some nerve. But let’s see if you have the strength to back it up. I’ll just turn you into a cursed disciple.”
With a swift motion, Mao’s talismans appeared in his hands, glowing with a dark, demonic energy. Aksai felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He knew he had to act quickly and decisively.
Mao’s talismans acted like the containers of his Spirit spells that he had cast in advance. This was a standard practice when it came to the use of talismans in battle. However, what caught Aksai off guard was that the elemental attacks unleashed by Map through talismans seemed to have been stacked, which increased their damage potential.
Waves of dark fire roared towards Aksai, while blades of dark wind sliced through the air with deadly precision. Aksai quickly summoned his wood and water element Spirit spells to counter the onslaught, creating a barrier of intertwining vines and swirling water to absorb the impact. However, the sheer difference in their cultivation bases became evident as Mao’s attacks easily overpowered Aksai’s defenses.
“Jejejej— ~~cough cough cough~~!”
Mao laughed and coughed simultaneously, spewing blood. His eyes glinted with a maniacal light as he used his dark red blood to fuel his Spirit spells further. The dark fire intensified, and the wind blades grew sharper. In a swift motion, Mao drew two daggers and coated them with his blood, turning them corrosive and poisonous.
Aksai, recognizing the gravity of the situation, unsheathed Celestial Echo—his newly crafted black sword with silvery runes etched over it. The blade gleamed ominously in the dim light of the hall. As their spells collided, the ground sank, and cracks spread in all directions, climbing up the pillars and walls.
Calla regretted allowing Aksai and Map to attend the private exchange meeting. Her villa was getting destroyed for no reason. However, she kept her feelings aside and made use of the Array Formation of her estate. With a few adjustments from her end, Aksai and Mao were isolated.
‘Fight each other to death and die, both of you,’ she cursed, assured that the damage caused by them would be kept to minimum after erecting the barrier.
***
The two cultivators clashed in the middle of the hall, their weapons sparking as they met. Mao’s daggers moved with deadly precision, coated in his poisonous blood, while Aksai wielded the Celestial Echo with a mix of skill and determination.
‘This old devil… he is overpowering me?’
Despite his achievements in body cultivation, Aksai found himself being overpowered by Mao’s relentless attacks. Only now did he truly realize the suppression effect of a higher Cultivation base.
He gritted his teeth as Mao’s daggers managed to slice into his shoulder and waist, drawing blood. It was only thanks to his druid bloodline and his Argent realm body cultivation that he could still battle with late-stage 2nd realm Spirit cultivator. Any other cultivator in his shoes would have succumbed to the side effects caused by Mao’s attacks.
This was not all.
‘This shameless old demon. He… he is using forbidden skills to bully a junior.’
Aksai realized that Mao was using forbidden techniques to empower his attacks and Spirit spells. The demonic cultivator had nothing to lose and didn’t care about the repercussions. Aksai knew he was at a disadvantage and had to act quickly.
‘Damn it. I can’t let this fight drag on. Time to send this old man on his way.’
Drawing upon his bloodline ability, Aksai invoked Druid’s Curse silently. A phantom demon tree appeared behind him, its dark vines extending towards Mao.
Startled, Mao tried to block the vines, but they were spectral in nature and could not be stopped. The dark vines pierced through Mao’s defenses and wrapped around his body.
“What… what kind of technique is this?”
Mao’s eyes widened in shock as a manifestation of his soul appeared behind him. The spectral vines penetrated his soul, splitting it in half.
Mao let out a final, guttural scream before his soul was torn apart. Using Aksai’s own life force as a tribute, Mao’s lifeline was cut short. Though it seemed impossible, the old man aged even more than before in a split second. And then his body was dropped to the floor.
The old demonic cultivator practically died a natural death.