Chapter 1043: My Fate Is Determined by Myself, Not by Heaven

Zhuang Hetong, who was standing nearby, was shocked. Just a second ago, he had seen his companion, a Grandmaster, bullying a junior and holding the absolute advantage. How had the situation suddenly reversed in the blink of an eye? And it looked like Bai Wen was in mortal danger?

Without time to think, he instantly sent a brick flying towards Zu An’s back. He couldn't just stand by and watch his companion die here.

Feeling the whistling golden brick grow larger as it approached, Zu An gritted his teeth, taking the hit squarely on his back. Then, with a wave of his hand, he directly summoned the Azure Luan above Zhuang Hetong's head. This golden brick was incredibly powerful; he could withstand one or two hits, but continuous blows would gravely injure him, if not kill him. He had to severely wound his opponent in a short amount of time to focus solely on Jian Taiding. Otherwise, if the two recovered and teamed up, he would be in danger.

Just as Zhuang Hetong was about to control the golden brick to continue its pursuit, his hairs suddenly stood on end. At that instant, he felt the fear of death. He hastily recalled the golden brick and simultaneously pulled out all sorts of hidden magical artifacts to block above his head. At that moment, countless sharp sword qi rained down from the sky, truly like a deluge of arrows. His defensive artifacts were completely pierced through after only a few breaths, and many sword qi penetrated his entire body.

"Puff!" Blood spurted from all over Zhuang Hetong's body. Fortunately, the golden brick finally managed to return and shield him, blocking the remaining sword qi. Even so, he was still severely wounded. He staggered and collapsed to the ground. A figure swiftly flew over and pulled him back.

Zu An, with a glance from the corner of his eye, recognized the figure as Tang Tian'er. After a slight hesitation, he didn't attack Zhuang Hetong again, instead pouring all his strength into attacking Jian Taiding.

Jian Taiding gritted his teeth, a white light emanating from his body. Immediately after, he became enveloped in ice and snow, and almost instantly, a thick layer of ice formed around him. Ordinarily, he used this move to freeze his enemies into ice sculptures. He never expected to have to freeze himself for defense today, and the frustration and terror he felt were immense.

Rage points from Jian Taiding +777+777+777…

Zu An frowned. This guy had retreated into a shell, which was indeed troublesome. However, he dared not give his opponent a moment to breathe. Phoenix Flame ignited on the Tai'a Sword, and with a flick of his wrist, the Tai'a Sword rapidly spun, drilling into the ice shell like a drill. Under the enhancement of several buffs, the ice, which was originally as hard as profound iron, began to crack, and the Tai'a Sword slowly penetrated inch by inch.

Jian Taiding’s pupils contracted sharply. He hadn't expected that the most powerful defense he learned from his sect couldn't stop the opponent's sword! It was known that the flames of ordinary fire cultivators would almost instantly extinguish upon contact with such ice, making it impossible to cause even the slightest damage. Yet, the opponent's sword was slowly piercing through, and although the speed was slow, it would eventually break through the entire ice layer. What kind of flame was this, anyway?!

At this point, he had no retreat. He could only continuously channel his Yuan Qi to strengthen his defense, seeing who could outlast the other. Unfortunately, the injury from that recent sword strike was too severe; his flesh was torn open, revealing bones, several of which were severed by the sword qi, and even his internal organs were heavily damaged. His robes were now drenched in blood, and because he was desperately channeling his Yuan Power, his wounds continued to bleed profusely. For an ordinary cultivator, such severe injuries would have long been fatal. As a Grandmaster, his physical resilience and recovery abilities were naturally extraordinary. However, a cultivator's recovery speed has limits, and such injuries would require half a year or more of quiet recuperation in seclusion to heal. But now he was fighting, desperately resisting, and under these circumstances, his recovery rate couldn't even keep up with the constant blood loss.

He felt waves of dizziness in his head, experiencing the fear of death for the first time. I, the esteemed new Duke of Yunzhong Commandery, the Grand Governor of the Governor's Mansion, wielding military power in the northwest, a powerful figure who could turn the tide in Yunzhong Commandery, am actually going to die at the hands of an unknown bandit? And the opponent wasn't even a Grandmaster! Thinking of this, he felt both shame and confusion. Was there something wrong with this world?

Yet, his survival instinct made him desperately gather his remaining Yuan Qi for defense. But seeing the fiery red sword tip drawing closer and closer, he ultimately despaired. He wanted to open his mouth and negotiate, tell the opponent his identity, use his power to make them hesitate, and offer any price to save his life. Unfortunately, he was growing weaker and weaker, unable to even muster the strength to speak. Because once he opened his mouth, his energy would dissipate, his defense would crumble, and the opponent's longsword would instantly pierce his heart. What would be the point of begging then?

Just as Zu An was about to push the sword through in one decisive move, a shard of ice crystal suddenly shot from the side, striking the Tai'a Sword's blade. It was so fast that he had no time to react.

*Clang!*

A sharp clang, mixed with the dragon's roar of the precious sword, made everyone else in the field cover their ears, feeling their blood and Qi surge violently. Jian Taiding’s hard ice shell was also completely shattered by the high-frequency sound. Zu An, who bore the brunt of the impact, almost lost his grip on his longsword and was sent reeling backward. He felt his Yuan Qi surging within him, and only after spitting out a mouthful of blood did he feel a little better. Because he hadn't let go of the sword, the web of his hand between thumb and forefinger was bleeding profusely from the vibration.

"A'Zu!" Qiu Honglei rushed to Zu An's side, checking his injuries from head to toe. She held his hand, continuously channeling her Yuan Qi into him to heal his wounds.

"I'm fine," Zu An reassured her. With his physical strength and recovery ability, although he had suffered significant injuries, his life was not in danger. He then turned his head to look at the nearby rooftop, where a woman in white Daoist robes had appeared. The woman had graceful, almond-shaped eyes, snow-white skin, and vermillion lips. Her figure was slender and elegant, and she stood lightly on the very edge of the eaves. Her Daoist robes fluttered, as if she had stepped out from beyond the mortal world, untouched by any worldly trace, making one feel a sense of reverence just by looking at her. Her crystalline, jade-like face was flawless, yet her eyes were a little too deep and cold, exuding a formidable presence that commanded respect without anger.

"Who is this woman?" Zu An was somewhat horrified, as the Yuan Qi fluctuations emanating from her seemed to indicate she was a Great Grandmaster!

Upon seeing the woman, Jian Taiding was visibly excited: "Senior Sister!"

"Senior Sister?" Zu An's expression was odd. This woman was actually Jian Taiding's Senior Sister? Today might just be the end for him. He was already using all his strength against one Grandmaster and a few ninth-rank experts. With another Great Grandmaster, how could he possibly fight?

"Silence! You're a disgrace!" The Daoist nun-like woman coldly snorted, clearly not thinking much of Jian Taiding.

Jian Taiding lowered his head, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes, but he dared not retort in the slightest. Zu An, however, had a very strange feeling at that moment. The Daoist nun before him gave him a strong sense of familiarity. It wasn't that she looked familiar, but rather her aura; there was an indescribable sense of familiarity and closeness about her. What the hell? Why did he feel this way?

At this point, Jian Taiding spoke again: "Senior Sister, this person stole our confidential information. Please, Senior Sister, help me get rid of him."

The stunning Daoist nun said indifferently, "You, a dignified Grandmaster, were almost killed by someone of a lower rank. And now you still have the nerve to ask me to step in?"

Jian Taiding's old face flushed. He quickly said, "I know I've disgraced the sect, but this matter is of great importance. If it's leaked, the sect will suffer unbearable losses. Please, Senior Sister, consider the greater good."

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. Could Jian Taiding have a powerful force backing him?

The beautiful Daoist nun was silent for a moment, then looked at Zu An: "Young man, I will only make one move. Whether you live or die depends entirely on fate."

As soon as her voice fell, Zu An felt a powerful Qi locking onto him, causing his hairs to stand on end. What was the concept of a Great Grandmaster? Although she said she'd only make one move, that single move would surely be world-shattering. Yet, he showed no fear. Holding his sword horizontally in front of him, he laughed heartily: "My destiny is my own, not heaven's! Old Daoist nun, you're still too green to kill me."

No matter how powerful she was, she was still just a Great Grandmaster. He had personally fought against an Earth Immortal and had even encountered figures on par with or even superior to the Emperor. How could he be intimidated by a mere Great Grandmaster? Furthermore, he intentionally said this to provoke her and gauge her true strength.

As expected, even a woman as serene as she was slightly ruffled upon hearing the words "old Daoist nun." "What an arrogant young man! You should know that medicines only take form when they meet their kind, and the Dao lies in nothingness, naturally harmonizing. Who in this world dares to say, 'My destiny is my own, not heaven's'? You truly don't know your place!"

Rage points from Yan Xuehen +122+122+122…

Zu An frowned slightly. Yan Xuehen. He had never heard that name before. He'd have to ask Xiao Jianren later; having spent so long in the Embroidered Tower archives, he should know.

Seeing that the Daoist nun was about to strike, Qiu Honglei quickly spread her arms, blocking Zu An, and said, "Abbot Yan, you are a venerable senior. How can you attack a junior?"