Xu Taiping gripped the demonic spear tightly with both hands and forcefully thrust it into the ground. No matter how much it trembled, he refused to let go.

Soon, Xu Taiping felt the Ghost-Sealing Talisman on his left hand awaken. It began to devour the demonic energy from the spear like a ravenous beast.

Eventually, a twisted demonic face appeared on the spear, roaring and threatening Xu Taiping. However, it was quickly consumed by the talisman.

With the disappearance of the demonic shadow, the murderous aura on the spear vanished, turning it into an ordinary long spear.

Seeing this, the blood-soaked Xu Taiping sighed in relief.

But soon, his brows furrowed again as he felt the talisman start to rapidly consume his own blood energy.

“Let it consume. Better to die from blood loss than be killed by a demonic cultivator.”

Thinking this, he swallowed a packet of Eight Treasures Powder and a Qi Preserving Pill to suppress the blood loss.

“Boom, boom, boom, boom!…”

At that moment, the courtyard ground trembled violently again.

Looking up, he saw the golden-haired demonic cultivator sprout another pair of arms from his back, using all four to pound the barrier of the Golden Scales Formation.

Xu Taiping frowned and glanced at the formation flag in the courtyard, noticing the spiritual energy around it was depleting rapidly.

If this continued, the Golden Scales Formation would break before it could fully activate.

Determined, he looked at the Ghost-Sealing Talisman on his left palm and made up his mind. “Rather than waiting here to die, I might as well take a gamble.”

He picked up the now ordinary spear, swallowed a few Recovery Pills, and aimed at the golden-haired demonic cultivator preparing to strike again. He leaned back and hurled the spear with all his might.

“Boom!” The spear shot straight towards the demonic cultivator’s head.

In a flash, the demonic cultivator dodged and caught the spear with one hand.

“Bang!” Though he caught it, the force of the spear made him stagger back a few steps.

The strength behind Xu Taiping’s throw exceeded ten thousand pounds.

As a demonic cultivator also restricted by the Immortal Mansion within the Cloud Dream Marsh, he couldn’t underestimate such a powerful throw.

However, his surprise at Xu Taiping’s strength quickly turned to anger over his destroyed weapon.

“You brat, you destroyed my Night Demon Spear?”

The golden-haired demonic cultivator glared at Xu Taiping.

“Believe it or not, I can destroy not just your spear but you as well.”

Xu Taiping looked up at the demonic cultivator, his tone filled with provocation.

“Arrogant!”

The demonic cultivator leaped from the demonic flood dragon and punched the barrier above Xu Taiping’s head.

Seeing this reaction, Xu Taiping immediately deduced that this demonic cultivator followed the path of rage-induced madness.

According to Duan Tianya’s preface in the “Demonic Severing Blade,” such demonic cultivators easily lose their sanity due to their emotions, but their power also increases with their rage.

A double-edged sword.

“Dare to fight me one-on-one!”

The golden-haired demonic cultivator coldly stared at Xu Taiping.

“Why wouldn’t I? But I will only compete in physical strength and blood energy. If you agree, swear to bind yourself.”

Xu Taiping confidently looked at the demonic cultivator.

“You want to trick me into binding myself to buy time for these cultivators, don’t you?”

The demonic cultivator sneered.

“Of course. Why else would I risk my life to duel you one-on-one?”

Xu Taiping replied matter-of-factly.

Seeing Xu Taiping’s straightforward answer, the demonic cultivator hesitated, knowing his mission was to annihilate all Qingxuan Sect disciples in the ruins.

“What, are you, a demonic cultivator known for your physical prowess, afraid of a mere human cultivator?”

Xu Taiping continued to provoke.

His provocation was based on Duan Tianya’s assessment in the “Demonic Severing Blade”—”Strong limbs, simple mind.”

“Afraid of you?”

The demonic cultivator sneered, then drew a sigil with his blood and declared:

“To duel you, this body alone suffices!”

He then patted the demonic flood dragon’s head and said:

“Keep attacking the barrier. I’ll be back after taking his head!”

With that, he leaped to the courtyard entrance.

“Brat, come out. My patience is limited. If you’re not out by the count of ten, our agreement is void, and I’ll break this formation and tear you apart!”

The demonic cultivator roared like thunder.

“Taiping, don’t be rash. Your body may be strong, but how can it compare to a demonic cultivator!”

Hearing the roar, Xu Ziyan anxiously called out to Xu Taiping.

“That’s right, we only need to hold on for half an incense stick’s time, and the Golden Scales Formation will fully activate. We won’t need to fear him then.”

“Taiping, wait a bit longer!”

Other senior sisters also urged Xu Taiping.

The golden-haired demonic cultivator knew this, which is why he agreed to the duel.

Xu Taiping didn’t respond. He glanced at the formation flag, now devoid of spiritual energy, and thought, “It won’t last half an incense stick.”

If possible, he wouldn’t want to face the demonic cultivator now, but he had no choice.

He looked at the Ghost-Sealing Talisman in his palm, clenched his fist, and thought, “If it’s a contest of martial skills and physical strength, I don’t fear the Demon Lord. Otherwise, I’d be letting down Fairy Lingyue’s teachings.”

Confident in his body, he decided to use this method to buy time.

The talisman and the unsealed turbid energy in his acupoints were his trump cards.

With this in mind, he stepped out of the courtyard without a word.

“To master my blade technique, the first principle is fearlessness.”

As he stepped out, he recalled Duan Tianya’s words in the preface of the blade manual.

He placed his trembling hand on the hilt, exhaled deeply, and recited the latter half of the phrase: “The fearless are invincible.”