After the icebreaker, the three elders of the Ye family were clearly angered by Duan Liang's actions.
"Form the array!"
The long-browed elder roared, and the other two elders understood.
The three performed hand seals, and dense lightning descended from the clear sky.
The lightning engulfed Duan Liang, intending to strike him to death.
This lightning was not ordinary lightning; each bolt was as thick as a water bucket.
When the lightning struck the ground, it blasted large craters.
Facing the lightning strike, Duan Liang paid it no mind. He raised the Yin-Yang Bone-Illuminating Mirror, and its beam shone upon the lightning, instantly extinguishing it.
The cold light from the yin side illuminated the lightning, freezing it instantly. It fell to the ground and turned into shattered ice.
As expected of a high-grade Profound tier magical artifact, it didn't even fear lightning. Such an artifact made everyone's eyes gleam with envy.
The three elders of the Ye family knew that Duan Liang wasn't afraid of lightning.
Their true intention was not to kill Duan Liang with lightning.
Instead, while Duan Liang was dealing with the lightning, the three of them moved swiftly and changed positions. In an instant, countless flying swords appeared throughout the courtyard.
Sword light soared into the sky, and a chilling aura permeated the air.
The courtyard was now enveloped by an unknown formation, with sword Qi crisscrossing like a meat grinder.
Any living thing caught within the range of the sword Qi would be instantly minced into unrecognizable flesh and blood.
Duan Liang was trapped within. His tattered clothes were instantly shredded, revealing only a golden silk bellyband.
This bellyband emitted a dazzling golden light, and under the shredding of the sword Qi, it produced sounds like hammering iron.
The sword Qi raged, sharp and immense, constantly tearing at Duan Liang's body.
Fortunately, with the bellyband protecting him, Duan Liang wasn't completely torn apart by the sword Qi.
But even so, Duan Liang paid a heavy price.
His face was covered in blood, his hair disheveled, and his yellow bellyband had numerous cuts.
Clearly, the bellyband wouldn't last much longer.
As soon as the bellyband's defense failed, Duan Liang would be instantly minced to death by the sword Qi.
"Damn it, you three old geezers, daring to use the Immortal Sword Annihilation Array! You truly want to kill this Daoist!"
Duan Liang roared in anger.
The Immortal Sword Annihilation Array was a very cruel and deadly formation.
Once formed, it could kill all things, and even cultivators of higher realms would die with regret.
To unleash such an array, the caster would also pay a heavy price, with their true qi almost depleted in an instant.
If the array couldn't kill the opponent, they would be crushed by the opponent instead.
Therefore, the three elders of the Ye family had truly made a costly gamble, intending to annihilate Duan Liang with the Immortal Sword Annihilation Array.
"We told you long ago, those who offend our Ye family will surely be punished."
"The formation is complete, and nothing you say now matters. Prepare to die!"
The long-browed elder laughed heartily, continuously channeling his true qi to increase the array's strength.
The other two elders also continuously poured vast amounts of true qi into the formation.
They were covered in sweat. As true qi was continuously injected, the entire courtyard was filled with blood-red light and surging killing intent.
The scene was like a battlefield. Flying birds that passed through the sky were engulfed by the sword Qi and instantly turned into pools of black blood.
Duan Liang, trapped within the formation, became a bloodied figure.
The light from his protective bellyband grew weaker, reaching the verge of collapse.
Seeing Duan Liang in mortal danger, Lin Feng also broke out in a sweat for him.
If Duan Liang died in the formation, his only reliance would be gone.
Most importantly, he felt indebted to Duan Liang.
He had only intended to use Duan Liang to suppress the Ye family, but he hadn't expected to see Duan Liang die at the hands of the Ye family!
Just as Lin Feng was getting anxious, Duan Liang gritted his teeth, and an ancient ring on his finger suddenly emitted a dazzling light.
Subsequently, an object resembling a pagoda appeared out of thin air.
As this object appeared, a ball of black energy enveloped Duan Liang entirely.
The black energy spread, and wherever it passed, everything began to return to peace.
"Break for me!"
Duan Liang roared, and the black energy, like a frenzied black bear, began to madly devour the sword Qi within the Immortal Sword Annihilation Array.
The sword Qi was devoured clean.
Duan Liang, with disheveled hair, rushed out of the killing array. Only then did everyone see the object in Duan Liang's hand clearly.
It wasn't a pagoda, but a pitch-black jar.
"Die for me!"
Duan Liang, filled with murderous intent, channeled the jar. A ball of black energy from the jar transformed into a black panther, madly tearing at the three elders of the Ye family.
Seeing the situation turn dire, the three elders countered the panther with their fists and kicks.
However, this panther could not be broken or dispelled. With one bite, it tore off the arm of the long-browed elder.
"Ah!"
The long-browed elder cried out in pain, raised his hand, and hurled a flying sword at the panther's body.
But the flying sword passed right through the panther's body, failing to wound it at all.
This panther was formed from black energy and was an incorporeal entity, how could it be harmed by a sharp sword?
"Junior Brother, help me!"
Seeing the situation worsen, the long-browed elder, disregarding his pride, quickly sought help from the other two elders.
The other two did not dare to delay. They jointly pushed out a wall of true qi, repelling the panther.
"It's useless! Look carefully at what I have in my hand!"
"You still want to kill me? Do you really think I'm easy to bully?"
Duan Liang held up the black jar, bit his index finger, and dripped blood into the jar.
Instantly, the black energy within the jar transformed into more black panthers.
From a few at the beginning, they multiplied to over a hundred.
A hundred panthers densely covered the sky above the courtyard, roaring and crashing against the true qi wall.
"Can't hold on!"
"This is the Netherworld Demonic Jar, a Heaven tier magical artifact!"
The Ye family elders spat out blood, their bodies retreating continuously. They could no longer withstand the panther's assault.
"Please, Daoist friend, desist. If you insist on using the demonic jar to kill us three, then we can only self-detonate our Dan Tian and perish together with you."
The long-browed elder had lost his previous arrogance and pride. Realizing the terror of the demonic jar in Duan Liang's hand, he began to speak in a conciliatory tone.
"Hmph, you know fear now? Should have peed yourself earlier."
Duan Liang cursed, and seeing that the three had conceded, he waved his hand and withdrew his attack.
As Duan Liang withdrew, the three elders immediately collapsed on the ground, panting heavily.
The long-browed elder clutched his severed arm, his gaze towards Duan Liang filled with unprecedented apprehension.
There was nothing he could do. Duan Liang possessed the Heaven tier magical artifact, the Netherworld Demonic Jar, and he dared not risk mutual destruction with Duan Liang.
"Brother Lin Feng, let's go. If this Ye family dares to provoke you again in the future, this Daoist will directly exterminate their entire clan."
Duan Liang wiped the blood from his face and called out to Lin Feng to leave.
Lin Feng saw that Duan Liang was not lightly injured and without further ado, followed Duan Liang to leave quickly.
"Ancestor, you're just letting them go?"
Ye Lingtian hurried over and asked unwillingly.
"Do not pursue. The three of us are no match for him. If we truly resort to mutual destruction, the Ye family will be finished."
"Lingtian, your second uncle and third uncle need to go into seclusion to recover from our injuries. During our absence, you must not cause trouble, nor should you provoke those two."
The long-browed elder warned sternly, then quickly vanished from the spot.
At this moment, Ye Lingtian was completely stunned.
He hadn't expected that even with the three Ye family ancestors making a move, they couldn't subdue Duan Liang, and were almost killed by Duan Liang.
How could this old Daoist be so strong?