36. Seizing the Pure Immortal Body

He had watched the battle between the woman in the bridal gown and Yu Nanfei; she had completely dominated him, her attacks fierce and overbearing. The jade-bone finger, appearing neither quite jade nor glaze, was a small object, yet it had managed to force Lin Fan back—a result he had not anticipated.

"Boom!"

The woman’s hand-blade struck Lin Fan’s shoulder, sending blood spraying instantly. The wound was so deep that the white bone beneath was visible.

"Shh!"

Lin Fan’s expression remained unchanged. He countered with a backhanded swing of his sword, his internal energy surging. The woman was forced back; her neon-colored dress was a magical artifact capable of deflecting damage, otherwise, that strike would surely have drawn blood.

"There is no enmity between us," he said, staring at her. "Leave now, and I will act as if nothing happened."

"Those who stand in the way of my enlightenment must die!"

The woman was a woman of few words, and her resolve was clear. She was determined to take the Pure Immortal Body; it was a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. Lin Fan’s rapid growth had instilled a sense of crisis in her. Perhaps in a few more days, she would no longer be his match.

"Swish, swish!"

As she spoke, she moved again. Her form was like a falling leaf—graceful and ethereal. In the blink of an eye, she was upon him. It was a highly advanced movement technique, and she was so familiar with it that she didn't even need to expend internal energy, which caught Lin Fan off guard.

Her hand-blades rained down like a howling autumn gale, vast and overwhelming. The force of her strikes vibrated the ship’s deck until it creaked. Her robes fluttered with her movements. Lin Fan did not panic; he channeled his internal energy. Since he could not persuade her, he would have to kill her. He swung his long sword, the tip shimmering like a sky full of stars. His movements were swift, parrying every one of her attacks with precision.

The Pure Yang Sword absorbed his energy, glowing bright like the moon in the night sky, or the morning sun dispelling the mist. As he swung the sword, he pushed out with his palms, striking the woman’s body. He shifted his stance, his movements reminiscent of a white crane spreading its wings, leaping ten feet into the air before diving down like a swallow skimming the sea. His energy surged, one powerful technique following another—the secret arts of Zhenwu Mountain had become his lethal weapons!

"Boom, boom, boom..."

If not for the woman’s protective robes, her body would have been shattered long ago.

Lin Fan had opened fifteen silver meridians, granting him at least two thousand pounds of force. Each punch landed like the impact of a small mountain. The woman gradually grew passive, while Lin Fan became more proficient, slowly seizing the rhythm of the battle. If this continued, not only would she fail to take the Pure Immortal Body, but she might also lose her life here.

"Jiang Yuelan, what kind of person are you looking for?" she asked, a question so bizarre it left him bewildered.

"Heh heh! Who would have thought that after all these years, you and I could team up again? Lingyu, oh Lingyu! You begged me for this, but I want that Pure Immortal Body."

Suddenly, a cold voice rang out. Another figure appeared: Fan Yijun. However, her temperament was completely different, as if she were possessed by a ghost.

"Fan Yijun!" Qin Fen cried out, then immediately corrected himself: "No, that’s not Dr. Fan! That’s the evil spirit!"

Lin Fan had told them that Fan Yijun was possessed and warned them to stay away. It was true; her aura was entirely transformed, as if she were another person.

"Boom!"

Simultaneously, Fan Yijun stepped forward, appearing before Lin Fan in an instant. She struck his chest, her internal energy as sharp as a blade, and blood splattered immediately. She followed up with another strike, a cold, lethal blow aimed at his neck, intending to decapitate him.

After successfully possessing Fan Yijun, the Purple Spirit girl had found a suitable vessel, allowing her to channel internal energy, increasing her combat power manifold.

"Hum!"

Lin Fan tilted his head, shifting his target to Fan Yijun. He swung the Pure Yang Sword from bottom to top. Her movements were fast, but his were no slower. His blade struck her hand, and drip, drip—blood fell like blooming red lotuses.

"It only grazed her?" Lin Fan was shocked. He pushed out a punch that felt like a falling mountain, heavy and immense. It hit Fan Yijun, but she merely took a small step back, her brows furrowing. "You’ve opened fifteen silver meridians? Your strength has increased so much, and this fist technique is already at the perfection level. How surprising!"

"Release my companion!" Lin Fan swung the Pure Yang Sword, the energy roaring like a dragon emerging from the sea, making the very air hum. He followed up with a left-handed strike, stepping forward like a dragon and a tiger.

One woman in a bridal gown was already terrifying enough; he hadn't expected a second.

"What are you? How dare you use that tone with me!" Cold light flashed in Fan Yijun’s eyes. Yu Nanfei had once dared to address her by name, which had annoyed her, and now Lin Fan dared to speak to her in this manner as well. She could not tolerate it.

Fan Yijun tilted her body to dodge the sword. Her jade-like hand acted as a blade, cutting through everything. The terrifying sword qi struck his fist. Fortunately, Lin Fan pulled back quickly, or his hand would have been severed. It didn't end there; she lunged again, a light, piercing hand-strike that sliced through his abdomen as if it were paper. A ghastly, blood-red wound appeared, and Lin Fan retreated further.

Unexpectedly, her onslaught intensified. Without a sword in hand, she was even more formidable; her swordsmanship was transcendent, capable of manifesting shocking blade-light even without a weapon.

"Whoosh! Swish!"

The air was filled with the sound of blades cutting through space. Lin Fan’s body trembled as he raised his sword to block. Upon contact, his hands shook; their strength was not on the same level.

The cold blade-light was determined to strike him down. Lin Fan retreated again and again, sustaining several more wounds.

Drip. Drip.

Blood splashed onto the ground. Qin Fen and Chen Cunyuan watched with heavy, sinking hearts.

"Fan Yijun, wake up! It’s Lin Fan! We’re from Earth!" Qin Fen roared, trying to awaken her soul.

"Evil spirit! Die!" Seeing Lin Fan injured, Chen Cunyuan took long, heavy strides. Relying on his massive frame, he stomped toward the woman in the bridal gown. Over the past few days, they had come to rely on Lin Fan as their core, and they could not bear to see this.

"A freak! A lowly bloodline, and you dare to attack me?" The woman spat out words in an ancient language. Though Chen Cunyuan could not understand them, he could see the contempt in her eyes, and he pressed his foot down with even greater force.

"Boom!"

The woman struck out with a simple punch. It appeared basic, but its force was immense, the technique having returned to its most fundamental and powerful state. The overwhelming power sent Chen Cunyuan flying, blood spraying from his mouth until he slammed into the iron pole at the bow of the ship and came to a halt.

With just one attack, he had lost his ability to move. Chen Cunyuan was filled with resentment; he had become like this, and there was nothing he could do.

Feelings of helplessness, self-reproach, and fury surged through his mind.