Ji Yuan glanced around and, sensing the opponent's aura, felt a slight sense of relief.
Of the four people before him, only one possessed a cultivation base in the middle stage of the Spirit Sensing realm, while the others were all in the early stage.
Furthermore, two of them had chaotic magical energies, with pure and turbid energies intertwined, clearly indicating they were mere rogue cultivators from mountains and marshes.
As for the remaining person, although their aura was purer, it was nowhere comparable to the disciples of renowned sects. They were likely from a minor sect, or even a lone cultivator.
Only the last elder, whose aura and magical energy were integrated and flowed without any stagnation, seemed to be either from a prestigious sect or a core member of a well-established force.
If one were to rank them, this elder undoubtedly posed the greatest threat, followed by the rogue cultivators and the mountain-marsh dwellers.
Having made his assessment, Ji Yuan turned to glance at the middle-aged man behind him, gently tugging at his robe, pulling the blood-stained hem out of the man's grasp.
"Thank you..."
His gaze inevitably met the girl's. She first paused, then instinctively spoke.
Hearing this, the corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily, his expression one of helplessness.
The next moment, the girl's face changed drastically. Her lips, pale, seemed to want to cry out something, but in her panic, not a single word could escape.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan remained unperturbed, even a smile appearing on his face.
Sensing the whistling wind approaching, he raised his hand above his head and gently flicked the seven-story pagoda floating in the air. Instantly, countless rays of light condensed and swept out silently.
At the same time, he looked back and saw a beam of light sweep out, knocking away a short sword no longer than his forearm.
As the light appeared, the two mountain-marsh rogue cultivators moved simultaneously, scattering to the left and right, then swiftly formed hand seals. One condensed a phantom of a millstone-sized grotesque face, while the other unleashed a phantom of a fierce tiger filled with sharp energy.
Ji Yuan's expression was calm. He did not underestimate the two mountain-marsh rogue cultivators but treated them with full vigilance.
Seeing the two spells approaching, he made no visible move. The Xuan Tian Devouring Spirit Pagoda above his head flew out on its own, wisps of light cascading down, instantly freezing the grotesque face and the fierce tiger!
The small pagoda, mere inches in size, spun in the air. The light it cast was absorbing the magical energy contained within the two spells!
In just a moment, the grotesque face and the fierce tiger shrunk by several circles. When the magical energy within them was significantly depleted, they exploded and shattered, ultimately being completely swallowed by the Xuan Tian Devouring Spirit Pagoda.
The expressions of the two mountain-marsh rogue cultivators changed, their faces turning pale. Their spells were broken, and their blood and qi churned within them, with a few streaks of fresh blood flowing from the corners of their mouths.
He glanced at the two mountain-marsh rogue cultivators whose auras had clearly weakened considerably, then focused his gaze on the elder not far away.
At this moment, the Xuan Tian Devouring Spirit Pagoda flew back on its own, hovering above his head and casting down wisps of light, protecting him within.
Then, Ji Yuan flicked his wrist, and the six Heavy Water Beads slowly revolving in his palm were hurled forward fiercely!
In a flash, his pupils turned blue, and his expression gradually became calm and composed, appearing rather expressionless.
The immense magical energy within him surged and rushed out, pouring into the six Heavy Water Beads.
The sound of roaring rivers suddenly arose. The few Heavy Water Beads seemed to have stirred up towering tidal waves, with surging water light and magical energy vibrations rippling outwards like waves.
The elder with the mid-stage Spirit Sensing realm cultivation immediately changed his expression, not daring to be careless. He immediately revealed his trump card.
As he waved his sleeves, palm-sized flags of various colors flew out. There were eighteen small flags, nine pairs, which scattered around him.
In a mere blink of an eye, the five different spiritual energies of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth surged, guided by the eighteen small flags, intertwining with each other and forming rays of light that enveloped the elder.
He gazed at the surging torrent of water light and the six peerlessly powerful Heavy Water Beads. He then pointed his finger down forcefully. The paint on the eighteen small flags around him moved without wind, and among the five different spiritual energies, the earth element suddenly intensified!
A layer of earth-yellow light rose, the earth element spiritual energy swelling severalfold, then transforming into mountains several dozen feet high, blocking the endless water light.
*Boom!!!*
A sound like giant waves crashing forth, turbulent magical energy fluctuations spread in all directions. Within a radius of over twenty feet, the earth churned, and dozens of large trees were broken in half!
This extraordinary phenomenon lasted for a full quarter of an hour before abruptly stopping with a thunderous roar.
The elder pointed his finger down several times, and the five elemental spiritual energies surged out from the small flags, stabilizing the surrounding phenomena, and then, with a shake of his magical power, they completely dissipated.
Ji Yuan beckoned with a 'poker face'. The six Heavy Water Beads immediately flew back, hovering around him and rotating slowly.
A flicker of surprise flashed in his blue eyes, a hint of unexpectedness, as he hadn't anticipated the opponent possessing the means to manipulate the five elements.
The five elements in the world are divided into metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Ordinary cultivators can at most use spells of one to two different elemental affinities.
It's not that they don't want to master more, but each person's innate spiritual roots are different, thus determining how many elemental affinities they can possess.
Only those with extraordinary talent have the possibility of simultaneously mastering all five elemental affinities through their special spiritual roots. Like the elder before him, and Ji Yuan himself.
However, having more elemental affinities doesn't necessarily grant greater power. More often than not, it becomes a burden.
Being proficient in everything doesn't equate to omnipotence; it more likely leads to mediocrity!
Although every cultivator will engage in various auxiliary methods, they still have their priorities, specializing in their strongest areas. Only then can they walk further on the path of cultivation.
For instance, Ji Yuan's spiritual roots, while allowing him to refine different elemental energies and possess the ability to cast five-element spells, have always focused on water element due to his innate affinity for water.
However, this doesn't mean that having more skills leads to mediocrity. Like the elder before him, who possesses special techniques that allow him to control the five elements as if they were his own limbs, making them complement each other and unleash greater power!
There are even legends of a Five Element Spiritual Body, born with the ability to fuse the five elements, where the operation of the five elements imbues every movement with natural Dao rhythm, and any spell is comparable to a full-force strike from a cultivator of the same realm!
"Artifact cultivator?"
After observing for a moment, Ji Yuan suddenly muttered to himself.
The eighteen small flags he was using, though appearing to be the methods of a formation master, were actually unrelated to them.
He was entirely relying on the restrictions within the small flags to achieve formation-like effects, allowing the five elemental energies to flow harmoniously and complement each other, avoiding the scenario of elemental clashing.
"Hand over that half-melted furnace, and I will let you leave, how about that?"
After a prolonged stalemate, the elder suddenly spoke.
Although he was confident in his abilities, the young Daoist before him also gave him considerable pressure. If possible, he naturally did not wish for a full-blown battle.
Otherwise, even if he were to win in the end, his condition would be greatly diminished, and he might even be severely injured.
Not to mention the others, there were still three individuals eyeing them covetously, eagerly awaiting an opportunity for both to be injured.
Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan shook his head, naturally unwilling to agree.
This item was extremely important to him, concerning his qualification to enter the forbidden grounds of the Nine Mysteries Sect, so how could he easily hand it over?
"If that's the case, then let's see whose cultivation is higher!"
The elder's brows furrowed, a hint of anger surfacing in his tone.
As his words fell, the eighteen small flags around him moved without wind, and the five elemental energies surged out, with colorful spiritual lights vying for dominance.
He swiftly extended a palm, and the surrounding five-colored spiritual lights converged, condensing into a five-colored palm the size of a zhang out of thin air!
The elder spoke no further and immediately manipulated the five-colored palm to strike. With a whistling sound, it stirred up rolling gusts of wind.
Ji Yuan, bearing the immense spiritual pressure of the incoming attack, spun the Xuan Tian Devouring Spirit Pagoda above his head rapidly, sweeping out layers of dense light, barely blocking the five-colored giant hand.
At the same time, his aura abruptly stagnated, dropping in an instant. But after a few blinks of an eye, it suddenly surged upwards again!
A sharp, piercing intent emanated from his body and rapidly intensified, like a divine sword slowly being unsheathed!
At this moment, Ji Yuan switched the cultivation technique he was circulating from the Nine Yuan Heavy Water Scripture to the Xuan Tian Sword Art!
The six Heavy Water Beads immediately returned to his acupoints. He held the half-melted furnace in his left hand, then slowly reached behind him and drew his long sword from its sheath.
*Clang!!!*
As a cold light flashed, the bright sword body cut through the air, and the piercing intent within his body reached its peak!
The Xuan Tian Devouring Spirit Pagoda seemed to sense it and immediately flew back to hover above his head, rotating slowly, casting down wisps of light.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, a brilliant glint flashing within them. Gazing at the swiftly descending five-colored giant palm, he raised his long sword silently and then slashed down fiercely!
A crescent-shaped sword energy cut out, instantly flashing past and shooting towards the elder.
The five-colored giant palm behind him froze in mid-air. In a mere blink of an eye, a fine crack appeared on its palm, then it split into two and shattered with a bang!
The five elemental energies surged, instantly losing their balance and scattering in all directions.
And at the same time, a crescent-shaped sword energy descended silently, its speed so fast that no one could react in time.
In a desperate move, the elder formed hand seals and then clapped his palms together. The magical energy around him surged out, all pouring into three of the five-colored small flags.
Countless colorful spiritual lights surged out from the remaining fifteen small flags, pouring into the three five-colored small flags. With a loud shout from the elder, waves of five-colored light were unleashed.
However, these beams of light, capable of heavily wounding early-stage cultivators of the second realm and instantly killing all cultivators of the Enlightenment realm, were successively severed by this sword energy!
"Stop... stop..."
The elder's eyes widened, as if he didn't expect that in an instant, he would face death.
However, when he opened his mouth, only a sound like a mosquito's hum could be emitted, because the sword energy before him had already passed through.
A bloody gash appeared from the top of his head and rapidly spread downwards, eventually splitting him into two. He was utterly dead, his life force completely extinguished!
*Boom boom boom!!!*
After killing the elder, the crescent-shaped sword energy continued to fly for dozens of feet before finally dissipating in the air. Along its path, trees shattered and were shredded by the rampant sword energy!
*Swish!!!*
Ji Yuan's gaze fell, sword energy flowing ceaselessly around him, and he looked at the other three with murderous intent.
At this moment, the lone cultivator who had remained silent until now was the most decisive. He immediately turned and fled, his speed even faster than when he had arrived.
The two mountain-marsh rogue cultivators, however, hesitated. Even though they saw Ji Yuan, with a single sword strike, kill the elder, who possessed mid-stage Spirit Sensing realm cultivation, they were still unwilling to leave just like that.
But under that icy gaze, their hearts trembled. After exchanging a glance, they fled at their fastest speed, lest they be cut down by a single sword if they were any slower.
Only after flying two to three miles did they heave a sigh of relief, feeling as if they had narrowly escaped death.
As for why the young Daoist did not pursue them relentlessly or attack as they fled, the two did not find it strange at all.
No one's magical energy came from nowhere. Moreover, in such an environment, and holding a treasure, it was natural to conserve as much as possible if it wasn't necessary.
On the other side, after the remaining three had departed, the sword energy on Ji Yuan's body immediately receded, and his aura gradually returned to a stable state.
As he sheathed his long sword, there was no longer any trace of piercing intent on his body, only a residual trace of sword energy slowly dissipating.
Under the watchful eyes of the middle-aged man, the young man, and the girl, he slowly walked to the side of the slain elder. Frowning, he sent out waves of magical energy, collecting the eighteen small flags scattered around, as well as the Mountain and River Pouch and other items on the elder.
After completing all this, he then walked towards the three behind him. Each step he took seemed to land directly on their hearts.
However, after a moment, Ji Yuan bypassed the three without even glancing at them and stood before the mountain-marsh rogue cultivators who had come to chase them.