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Chapter Thirty Four: From Chu
writer:无罪      update:2022-07-21 15:26
  Only one grandmaster from Jiaodong Commandery was still unharmed in the air. His lips were pursed, and the primal energies of the universe were pushed through his lips, creating a whistling sound.

  This sound was not loud or sharp, but rhythmic and very penetrating. The sound rippled through the air, like countless arrows moving through the air, even creating white vortexes, like white foam on the ocean.

  Like an echo, there were many strange shouts in the distant forest. Rows of moisture, and some lights went in and out. Twisted figures of light seemed to dance in the world.

  “What is this?” Zhangsun Qianxue frowned deeply, and turned to look in confusion at Ding Ning. In her perception, following those twisted figures, there was almost an ancient and terrifying presence.

  “They are the Soaring Snakes.” Ding Ning had not yet had time to speak when Tantai Guanjian said softly.

  “Is it……,” Zhangsun Qianxue said two words.

  The soaring snakes were not snakes but monsters of legend. They were one of the strongest beasts of the ocean and a kind of serpent dragon. Most of the serpents able to fly relied on wings, flaps, or wide fins to slide just like some other fish of the sea. But such beasts were like giant snakes. Other than the triangle black scales that they were wrapped up in, they did not look any different from other snakes. They could easily fly relying on their control of the primal energies of the universe. Their control of some primal energies could let them gather the wind and rain, and make their enormous bodies grow light. Their hard scale armor had been made by cultivators very early in history into armor. They were impenetrable against most sharp objects, and could even fend against some of the primal energies.

  Night demon apes could not be discussed in the same terms as them. Simply speaking, the serpent dragons were a reference that cultivators used to delimit between realm six and seven power. Most realm six cultivators were not able to kill a serpent on their own. Only realm seven grandmasters could go into the storm, into the cold lakes and deep ocean to fight the serpents.

  What caused Zhangsun Qianxue to have such complicated emotions was that there was not just one or two terrifying presences coming from the flickering shadows. In the cultivation world of more than a decade in age that she was familiar with, Jiaodong Commandery had the ability to create some powerful ocean beasts but not such a swarm of soaring snakes. What made her furious and displeased was that the woman she hated the most in Changling always had a trick up her sleeve. Whenever she felt the other was out of moves, the other would always have another move, like they were endless.

  “Do not!”


  At this time, the Jiaodong Commandery cultivator who had been forced by Tantai Guanjian to explode his energies looked up at the other Jiaodong cultivator who was summoning the soaring snakes. Then he shouted, “There is no use here!”


  His status seemed to be greater than the Jiaodong Commandery grandmaster in the air.

  At his shout, the grandmaster furiously whistling in the air suddenly stopped. This was undoubtedly the right choice.

  These soaring snakes were powerful, but Tantai Guanjian’s strength had not been worn down. When Tantai Guanjian was still at his peak, his sword essence would be able to kill many soaring serpents. But when he was as weak as Zhangsun Qianxue, such serpents could express their power.

  Hearing the conversation and shouts among these people, Fu Su’s mind was shaken. Changling was like a hot bed, and this place of life and death was urging him to grow by the second. People like Zhangsun Qianxue and Tantai Guanjian appeared so strong in his eyes, as though if there was one of such cultivators, they could change the situation by themselves. But when facing the power of all of Jiaodong Commandery, cultivators like them appeared small.

  Now, the situation was likely going to be, when these powerful enemies were worn down, there were the serpents, equal to realm six cultivators, still circling and would join the battle then. At that time, the serpent’s scale armor and strength would show their power.

  “I really do not want to kill you.” Tantai Guanjian looked at the figures fading quickly into the forest, and then at the Jiaodong Commandery grandmaster who was almost at the end. He said, “We are both Qin, and it is hard to cultivate.”


  There was no exaggeration or pretense. Because he had held him back when attacking before this. He had just pierced the energy seas of the two cultivators, and did not just kill them.

  The Jiaodong Commandery grandmaster knew his meaning, but facing Tantai Guanjian’s gaze, he said directly, “I am prepared to die, and also, you killing us will not change the result. There are still people to command the remaining night demon apes and those soaring snakes. She will avenge us.”


  As Tantai Guanjian frowned slightly, this Jiaodong Commandery grandmaster said with determination, “From now, the Min Mountain Sword Sect will be the great gnome of Jiaodong Commandery. Min Mountain Sword Sect will quickly be uprooted from Changling, and no longer exist.”


  When his determined and hostile voice sounded, the night demon apes that had been diving down flew in all directions, and left this space.

  Light flashed in Tantai Guanjian’s eyes. He attacked.

  The last remaining Jiaodong Commandery cultivators in the sky howled and the air behind him shattered like mirrors.

  With a soft pop, there were three of Tantai Guanjian’s figures appearing around him. The soft sound cape from his energy sea. A bloody mist bloomed on his energy sea like a flower.

  Tantai Guanjian’s figure returned to Ding Ning’s side in the next moment, but there was still a sword essence moving in the darkness.

  A soft sound came again from the Jiaodong Commandery grandmaster who had used up his energy sea. He was pierced by the sword essence. Tantai Guanjian did not kill a person, but destroyed the cultivation of all these people.

  “How many more are there?” Zhangsun Qianxue looked at Tantai Guanjian who was paling, and asked.

  Tantai Guanjian answered, “Two.”


  “You cannot use the sword more than seven times.” Zhangsun Qianxue looked at him and said, “This is something people back then judged of you. They speculated with your greatest strength, at most, you can kill seven realm seven cultivators in succession.”


  Tantai Guanjian was silent for a moment and said, “This is correct.”


  “Back then, the people who speculated this was the Jiaodong Commandery Zheng Family who we all thought were just country people.” Zhangsun Qianxue took a deep breath and said, “If their speculation about you is correct, it will be the same for the other people of Min Mountain Sword Sect.”


  Tantai Guanjian knew the meaning behind this. After a moment of silence, he said, “But I still know that Senior Sect Brother Baili will still make such a choice.”


  Ding Ning took a deep breath. He slowly looked up. He thought of many past events, he thought of that jar of wine, and he felt tears rise.

  At this time, there was a soft sound.

  This sound came from the sitting Donghu monk. This sound came from his energy sea.

  Before this, this sound represented the energy sea being pierced, and many years of effort slipping away. But now, such a sound came from deep within his energy sea. It was like something being remade after being broken, and a wave of energy swelled up in his body.

  Volume 2 34 - The Last Daughter of the Shang Family

  This chapter has been brought to you by me, and larkspur.

  In the morning, the wind at the peak of Deer Mountain was slightly cold. The ceremonial officials of the four dynasties had prepared for the conference for multiple years and rehearsed multiple times.

  With the four dynasties existing together, it was akin to four tigers hunting a deer. They naturally were hostile towards each other. However, these ceremonial officials cooperated well, and did not even speak in raised voices.

  In the imperial camp of the Qi Dynasty, the man in black robes walked out of the black-roofed sedan. He watched, as all kinds of banners, flags, golden axes, gourds, scepters and other items appeared.

  Placed closer to the thrones were fly-whisks, golden cauldrons, incense boxes, wooden basin, spit-pots, golden vases of various colors along with other elaborate items.

  "This kind of conference only needs a battle platform, but they have to make it so complicated. Such hypocrisy."

  He stated a cold judgement which landed in the ears of the emperor of Qi next to him.

  The emperor of Qi smiled in an almost perverse manner. "It is not hypocrisy. The more complicated the ceremonies, the more dignity and gravity it will add. At least, it will remind us that governing the world is not a game, and we will be more cautious in our words and decisions."

  The beautiful man in black robes frowned slightly, thought for a moment and said, "This is reasonable."

  The emperor of Qi looked at the thoughtful expression of the man in black robes and was slightly happy. Then he immediately became worried and said, "There are at least two crucial people among the people of Qin who have followed Yuanwu here."

  The man in black robes glanced at him, but did not seem very interested.

  The emperor of Qi continued. "Li Si and Hu Hai have followed Emperor Yuanwu out of Changling but they are not on Deer Mountain."

  "You do not need to worry about anything." The beautiful man in black robes turned to glance at the tent of the Yan Dynasty. He said coldly, "Victory and defeat is not here. Even if one has to stand up, it will not be you."

  The emperor of Qi was shocked. He looked in incomprehension at the clear features of the man in black robes. As he saw the direction of the man in black robes, his eyes widened in disbelief, "Would it be ……"

  "Enough!" The man in black robes shouted coldly and interrupted his words.

  The flutes and drums sounded in unison and up rose a purple smoke.

  In the campsite of the Yan Dynasty, a man rose out of a steaming bath tub. The droplets of water rolled down his smooth skin, like dew from grass.

  The two female palace attendants were extremely beautiful, youthful and pale. Seeing the man walk out naked from the bathtub with his flawless and perfect figure, the two palace attendants couldn’t help but blush. However, their eyes did not hold much bashfulness, but unusual respect.

  The man was not shy at all. Helped by the two attendants, he put on a clean silk robe, and then he nodded slightly in thanks.

  "Teacher Xie." A general dressed in golden armor had been waiting outside the tent. Seeing this man walk out, he immediately bowed, and then led the way.

  In front of a bright yellow canopy, the four emperors started seat. This man closely followed the emperor of Yan.

  Emperor Yuanwu’s gaze collided with the other three emperors.

  In the spring of Yuanwu Year Twelve, the Deer Mountain Conference formally started on the peak of Deer Mountain.

  The four emperors were the highest existences in the world and did not exchange bows. Previously, ceremonial officials had sacrificed to the heavens, earth, ghosts, and gods. Each emperor had a personal attendant next to them. Huang Zhenwei sat next to Emperor Yuanwu. However, Consort Zhao Xiang did not sit next to the emperor of Chu, but the newly established crown prince Li Lingjun.

  The person sitting next to the emperor of Yan was the man who had just bathed. Sitting next to the emperor of Qi was naturally the beautiful man in black robes.

  All the formalities were complete. The field was completely silent.

  Other than these four emperors and their four attendants, everyone present wore an extremely serious expression and were waiting for the emperor of Chu to speak.

  In that great war in the third year of Yuanwu, the emperor of Chu and his Chu Dynasty had won against the Qin, forcing the Qin Dynasty to sign an agreement with the Chu, Qi, and Yan dynasties. Regardless of how old he appeared now, he was still the host of this conference.

  The most important matter of the agreement was naturally the ownership of the Chu Dynasty’s war spoils, Yangshan Commandery.

  "I need three years." Previously, everyone had speculated to what the emperor of Chu would start with and what he planned. But he gave no opening speech and immediately answered the question.

  He looked calmly at Emperor Yuanwu and said, "I need time to evacuate."

  The emperor of Qi frowned slightly. But when he thought of the words the man in black robes had previously said, he pursed his lips and did not speak.

  Returning Yangshan Commandery was naturally the greatest guarantee to avoid war. However, the concession of three years of buffer, without any other conditions, seemed to be too immense.

  Emperor Yuanwu nodded slightly.

  The emperor of Yan, who Mo Shoucheng had described as the most cautious, was on the verge of speaking.

  Everybody felt that Emperor Yuanwu would immediately agree.

  "No need for three years."

  But Emperor Yuanwu spoke in refusal.

  Before the first word fell, the emperor of Yan sensed something amiss and suddenly looked up.

  "Yangshan Commandery has returned to the Qin." Emperor Yuanwu calmly continued to speak, his voice landing like thunder on people’s ears.

  With the gathering of the four emperors, no one else had to consider the matters. So the cultivators of the dynasties were all silent. When Emperor Yuanwu said the words, all of Deer Mountain vibrated with a warlike and murderous presence. All of the dewdrops were shaken off the grasses and were ground into fine mist by the chaotic presences.

  Li Lingjun’s face was snowy white, his hands tightly clenched as he shook.

  The ownership of the Yangshan Commandery was the most important matter of the Deer Mountain Conference. Who would have thought that Emperor Yuanwu would attack Yangshan Commandery before the Deer Mountain Conference.

  At this time, no news had reached Deer Mountain. This meant that the great battle had occurred last night.

  The emperor of Chu frowned slightly. His skin was covered in age spots and wrinkles. When he frowned, he immediately seemed much older.

  But his expression was still calm and he said calmly, "We made an agreement in the past not to wage war on each other. You have broken the agreement."

  At the emperor of Chu’s words, clouds roiled and wind danced on Deer Mountain with more murderousness.

  Emperor Yuanwu shook his head and said, "Yangshan Commandery was borrowed, not given. This was stated in the previous agreement. The agreement only stated we could not invade the lands of other dynasties. Yangshan Commandery belongs to the Qin. The army did not cross into Chu lands. How was the agreement broken?"

  To everybody present, this was naturally chicanery and a forced argument. But everybody knew that Yangshan Commandery returning to the Qin Dynasty, was an established truth.

  What shook everybody from the Chu Dynasty from within was that the Chu Dynasty had stationed a large number of soldiers in Yangshan Commandery.

  "Spectacular!"

  A new voice sounded.

  Just one word, but everybody present was shocked.

  Only the emperor of Qi’s eyes shined.

  He knew that the man in black robe’s words had become the truth.

  The one who had spoken was the emperor of Yan, whose sitting posture was especially dignified and cautious.

  "While all experts gathered here, you sent an army to take back Yangshan Commandery. This plan is spectacular."

  "Yet even if you managed to catch a loophole in the agreement, we have gathered here to discuss the ownership of Yangshan Commandery. You doing this beforehand is to mock all of us."

  Everybody present was aware that the emperor of Yan was the most cautious. Even if there were any objections, he would likely be the last to speak. No one had thought he would be the first to go on the offensive. When he spoke up, many people in the Yan Dynasty were unusually surprised.

  As Emperor Yuanwu spoke, his expression remained unchanged. "I am not mocking, I have just taken care of a bother."

  "Bother?"

  "A mere brother, how many people have died in foreign lands?"

  "I am an ordinary man, but I dare to die with my blood sprayed five paces wide. Please."

  The emperor of Yan did not speak but the clean man next to him stood up, and tore his sleeve.

  This gesture, in the Yan Dynasty, was an invitation to a duel.

  The sky above Deer Mountain seemed to dim. The air and the light seemed to freeze. Most people had completely stopped breathing.

  While everybody knew that a scene like this would definitely occur, no one had expected it to occur so early; the first being the Yan Dynasty and their attitude so clearly declared.

  In this kind of circumstances, this clean man represented the emperor of Yan. Emperor Yuanwu naturally could not refuse an invitation to a duel. In this heavy atmosphere, everybody wondered if Emperor Yuanwu would accept the duel in person.

  Emperor Yuanwu did not pause. He only said calmly, "General Fang, accept for this Lonely One."

  Fang Xiang, who had been sitting silently at the rear, was not surprised. He leaned slightly and said, "Yes!" Then he methodically stood up.

  A cracking sound pealed.

  The ceremonial officials of the four dynasties had prepared for this event for many years. Naturally, they had prepared for a scene like this too.

  The musical instruments quickly moved away. A clearing appeared a hundred paces next to the four emperors."

  "It’s the Yan."

  On the mountain where Ding Ning was, Pan Ruoye turned to look at Mo Shoucheng, saying coldly, "The Yan Madman Li Caitian."

  Mo Shoucheng sank into deep thought.

  He started to speculate of all kinds of possibilities.

  Ding Ning focused on the peak of Deer Mountain, also speculating about the possibilities.

  Unable to contain his shock, Fu Su said, "The top seal master of the Yan Dynasty, how is that possible!"

  Translator Ramblings: When one is powerful, they can be aggressive and break the spirit of the law.

  Volume 4 34 - Endure

  The flames in the middle-aged man’s eyes flickered a few times. His flying sword turned around again, and urgently sped up, pointing straight at Ding Ning who was more than sixty feet away. When his yellow sword was dozens of feet away from him, it reached a peak in speed. There was a soft pop, and a visible sound wave erupted.

  At the same time, the power inside the middle-aged man’s body was poured into the flying sword. The flying sword was completely out of his control, no longer a sword, but an arrow faster than the speed of sound.

  No one expected what Ding Ning chose to do.

  When the flying sword started to accelerate, Ding Ning took a step back. He did not make a normal retreat, but stepped forcibly on the back edge of the chariot with his right foot.

  The heavy chariot was tipped up. Before the terrifying arrow arrived, the chariot with its front edge tipped up had become an enormous shield in front of him.

  Bam!

  A hammering sound resounded again. The bottom of the heavy chariot protruded towards Ding Ning’s body and caused a dome. At the same time, a wave of energy exploded on the protruding metal.

  The heavy seal chariot vibrated countless times at this moment. On the other side, the thin yellow sword shattered into countless pieces like it had hit a thick wall, and became outwardly shooting lines of metal under the sunlight.

  “Wind!”


  “Gale!”


  Furious roars sounded from the army behind Ding Ning.

  The sound of ballistas being rewound sounded again. A metal tide appeared in the sky again.

  The middle-aged man coughed up blood. His body shone metal-grey under the shine of the metal in the sky.

  “Go!” He once again shouted, not towards the two attendants near him, but towards the two cultivators who had charged out of the ground previously.

  Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!

  There was a wave of sounds of metal piercing flesh. Sprays of blood came out of the middle-aged man and his two close attendants. In the next breath, this scene disappeared from everyone’s sight. The three lost the form of their bodies, and there was only the sound of impacts and flying flesh and blood.

  The two cultivators who had come out of the ground did not listen to the middle-aged man’s last order. Like wild beasts they howled, drawing afterimages on the grass as they charged in a frenzy towards the Qin Dynasty army.

  No one sent an order. There were countless turbulent air whirlpools behind the two cultivators. Within the whirlpools were sword lights.

  These sword lights were faster than the two cultivators so they easily caught up.

  Bloody waves appeared on the two cultivators. The sword light entered their bodies which disintegrated and collided onto the ground as they ran.

  This was a bloody and cruel scene. Nangong Caishu felt she wanted to vomit but she forced herself to look. She knew that she had to adjust to such scenes. In the future, she would have to face more such scenes. Only by getting used to this would she not be affected by her emotions in future battles like this and avoid making mistakes in judgement.

  Boom!

  When the remnant limbs of the two cultivators fell to the ground, the tipped chariot finally crashed back to earth.

  Because no one was certain if other cultivators were in the grass, no one cheered. But the commanders in the army who controlled the flying swords unconsciously showed joy in their eyes.

  No one liked spilling blood, especially seeing their own people’s spilled blood. Everyone knew what kind of price an army would pay upon encountering an ambush like this. Yet now, the enemy had seven dead cultivators and their army had not even had one fatality.

  “Why?” Nangong Caishu looked at the pieces of limbs on the grass, struggled to breathe in, and turned to ask Ding Ning.

  Bringing Nangong Caishu along was to let her learn about leading armies and fighting from him. So Ding Ning glanced back at her and said, “Five hundred feet behind us is the area that our army’s cultivators cannot sense clearly. Since these cultivators decided to attack here, they would definitely have cultivators hiding behind our army to attack from behind. This will cause the most chaos.”


  “What if these cultivators were not there?” Nangong Caishu thought and asked with a frown, “Then would not our best seal weapons gathered together all fail?”


  Ding Ning glanced at her and said seriously, “You have to know, fighting a war is like a battle between cultivators. There is nothing completely certain. You have to pursue the greatest possibility. If none of these people are in the rear, then the strongest attack of our army will be wasted and useless. But the greatest possibly is …… to avoid being sensed by our cultivators, the strongest people best at hiding will detour behind the army and attack at any moment. That is also their greatest strength.”


  Nangong Caishu nodded. She pondered this and organized her thoughts. Then she asked, “In the end, in the view of most of us, that middle-aged man has no more avenues left. His assassination failed and he cannot return to report so he wanted to throw his lot in with us. In that moment, he was full of murderousness when he forced out the two hiding cultivators. I saw no flaws. Why did you order to attack them then?”


  “On the battlefield, no judgement can depend just on the momentary picture we see. What we see is often false.”


  Ding Ning said slowly and patiently, “Previously, the cultivators had some conflict after they learned we had already detected them. But in the end, these cultivators still chose to fight here, especially after I waited so long. After I told them that I knew the battle would occur here, they still did not give up. This means there is a strong leader among these people. This strong leader does not just have iron tactics and determination, but can suppress all of their cultivation. Of the cultivation these people displayed, the middle-aged man was the strongest. Thus the middle-aged man was the leader, and the one forcing all other cultivators to fight here.”


  After a pause, Ding Ning looked at Nangong Caishu whose expression was slowly stiffening. “So all his efforts, even sacrificing those two cultivators, was to see his orders through to the end, to get near me and kill me.”


  Nangong Caishu struggled to swallow. She looked deeply at Ding Ning and could not understand how this youth from a wine shop had such brains and insight.

  “How did you discover they had a conflict?” Nangong Caishu asked something that puzzled even Guo Feng and the other commanders.

  “If a cultivator’s feelings have problems, then his actions will inadvertently be different than usual.”


  “For what?”


  “For example, the vibrations coming off the body, their path of travel and the distance they maintain, or the marks they would not originally leave behind …… many similar things. Sometimes, negative emotions are vented on things along the way, like snakes and insects passing by.”


  “You noticed even such things?”


  “You remember the falcon I killed yesterday night with a flying sword?”


  “It’s related?”


  “That falcon grabbed a bamboo rat which had been decapitated.” Ding Ning looked at the disbelieving Nangong Caishu and said coolly, “Firstly, the bamboo rat is adorable, harmless, and fears people. It flees if it senses people. It is not threatening like poisonous snakes, and does not have to be killed with a sword. Bamboo rats have tasty meat, but if it was killed and not eaten, then it means that the cultivator has only swung his sword because he was not feeling right.”


  Nangong Caishu looked dazedly at Ding Ning. “How can you notice these details?”


  “Look at the people behind you.” Ding Ning did not turn his head and said softly to Nangong Caishu. “Just think of how their lives are in your hands. If you do not pay attention, these people may become corpses …… you will naturally become more careful.”


  Nangong Caishu instinctively turned around to look at the soldiers standing behind her. Her body inexplicably trembled.

  “Last question.” Nangong Caishu said after a long while of silence, “His last blow was very fast, but you clearly predicted it. So you were able to use the chariot to block. How did you predict it? Since you predicted it, why did you not just dodge, but blocked and destroyed a chariot?”


  “Because I gave him and my flying sword a chance to fight.”


  Ding Ning looked at Nangong Caishu and his expression grew serious. He said softly, “I am seriously injured and have not recovered. If he chose to fight me in the end, he would worsen my wounds, but he chose such an attack. Facing the entire army, his attack could not kill me. This meant that he wanted to see if there are powerful cultivators hiding in the army. But such a test has no meaning to him because he will die soon after. So he is testing to show others, for example, stronger assassins.”


  Nangong Caishu understood this and her expression grew unpleasant.

  “As to why destroy a chariot ……” Ding Ning turned to her and said, “This is a simple question just like the other ones. His sword is very fast, very strong. If I just dodged ……”


  When he said this, Nangong Caishu understood thoroughly — behind Ding Ning were many soldiers.

  She had no other questions now, but before Ding Ning had the army advance, he said seriously to her, “Do not spend effort on pondering these people’s origins. When leading an army and unable to leave the battle, a commander only needs to consider how to deal with everything the army will encounter along the way. There are only enemies to be encountered, and never faraway enemies.”


  “Why do you seem focused on training her into a commander?”


  When Ding Ning returned to Zhangsun Qianxue to the carriage cabin, Zhangsun Qianxue’s cool voice sounded in his ears.

  “Because she is suitable to be a commander, and her life seems to be arranged to become a commander,” Ding Ning said softly and slowly. “Also, this is what is present. There will be more battles to be fought next.”


  Volume 5 34 - Shine The Sword

  A white true seal fell behind the falling Su Qin and turned into a peaceful white cloud. The cloud did not just support his body, it also eased his impact falling backwards so he slowly landed on the ground.

  The one who had acted was a teacher of Celestial Seal Sect, this seal easily showed his powerful culvation, but even this teacher had an ugly expression. In the senses of this teacher, the threads of light coming from Yellow Heaven Daoist Sect youth were numerous seals. In his senses, the power of these seals were existing outside the youth’s body, but they were not activating or dissipating, just moving along to the youth’s thoughts.

  Su Qin’s body fell to the ground soundlessly under the gentle cloud energy’s support. Blood spurted silently out of his mouth. His eyes were filled with extreme disappointment and shock.

  For him, this was a chance to be recognized and respected by the young people of Celestial Seal Sect. He had not expected this Yellow Heaven Daoist Sect’s youth to display such tactics. Because of his great shock and disappointment, he could not help but show a slightly resentful expression.

  **

  The threads of light coming off the youth did not disappear. As the youth’s hands slowly fell down, the lines of light pulled the yellow sky lower above him.

  These lines of light seemed to have grown out of his body, emanating an eerie and foreboding feeling.

  All of Celestial Seal Sect’s young students were unable to speak as they looked at the profound lines of light. They could not understand the seal essences in these lines of light. This meant that this Yellow Heaven Daoist Sect youth’s understanding of seals and the primal energies of the universe were far above theirs.

  There were several burn wounds on the youth’s body. Large pieces had been burned and he was undoubtedly in pain. But he still continued to breathe deeply and then said slowly, emphasizing each word, “Who else?”


  His voice echoed amid the surrounding threads of light and passed into the ears of these Celestial Seal Sect youths. These youths inexplicably felt suffocated. That voice seemed to change and shove balls of energy into their chests.

  Yet, as the voice reached Zhang Yi’s ears, a part in his sea of energy seemed to light up. A certain energy had produced resonance, he felt something in his sleeve also shine and heat up.

  Zhang Yi’s mind seemed to hear thunder. He suddenly reacted and instinctively spoke, “He is the seal.”


  At this moment, on this clearing inside Celestial Seal Sect, other than the echoes of the youth’s voice, there was only heavy breathing. His Qin-accented words seemed very abrupt at this moment.

  Murong Xiaoyi suddenly turned around. She could not understand the meaning of these words and unconsciously thought Su Qin had spoken, but after she turned around, she realized the speaker was the one they all looked down upon, Zhang Yi.

  The Yellow Heaven Daoist Sect youth suddenly looked up towards Zhang Yi standing behind the crowd.

  Under everyone’s burning gaze, Zhang Yi uneasily hung his head. But in his perception, his energy sea and the sword in his sleeve were growing hotter and brighter. This light and heat in his perception started to remind him of his responsibilities.

  “I want to try,” he gripped the burning sword in his sleeve and said seriously.

  Complete uproar!

  Everyone looked at him like he was an idiot, especially his fellow students who had walked out of the classroom with him just now.

  “Do you know what you are doing?”


  Among his classmates closest to him, a pale young woman said coldly to him, “You think what you are doing can cause people’s opinions of you to change in the slightest?”


  This young woman’s feelings now represented the feelings of all the young Celestial Seal Sect disciples. If this were on the battlefield, when multiple senior brothers fell down and you advanced, this could be called courage and fearlessness, but each additional student’s defeat was an additional humiliation on Celestial Seal Sect.

  Zhang Yi was not stupid. He understood what this young woman and all the classmates thought. He was usually a very humble person yet he did not retreat at this instant.

  “I want to try.” Facing the young woman blocking him, he said sincerely, “I may be able to win.”


  “You can win?!” Someone heard his answer and could not stop himself from shouting angrily. “You cannot comprehend the seal essences all students can easily understand, and you say you can win?”


  Zhang Yi was slightly ashamed but the burning little sword in his hand reminded him he could not retreat. So he took a deep breath and said, “If you can win, then I will not have to try.”


  He spoke his mind, but when the words reached all of his fellow classmates, it evoked greater fury.

  Murong Xiaoyi could not even breathe smoothly. She gritted her teeth and was about to scold Zhang Yi when a voice sounded ……

  “I will fight him.”


  “Regardless of what you think, I will fight him.”


  The Yellow Heaven Daoist Sect youth faced everyone’s gaze and slowly repeated.

  “I really cannot understand.” This youth still appeared very awkward and pedantic. He looked at the people in front of him and said, “Even I can see he really is a humble person, and he has the confidence to try. Why can you not see?”


  “He has always been the worst among us.” One of Zhang Yi’s classmates could not help but speak.

  The Yellow Heaven Daoist Sect youth glanced at him and said, “Before this, Yellow Heaven Daoist Sect, in your eyes, was many times worse than Celestial Seal Sect.”


  No one else spoke.

  Zhang Yi had started to walk. He was a gentleman and knew when to be modest, but few knew that when he had decided on something, he would continue down the path with more determination than anyone else.

  He walked out under the furious and hateful gazes of many. He walked in front of this Yellow Heaven Daoist Sect youth and then bowed to the youth in thanks. He then asked, “This one is Zhang Yi, Senior Sect Brother, what is your name?”


  The youth bowed in return and said, “Le Yi.”


  In the crowd, Murong Xiaoyi was stunned. She finally realized now, while she had watched two battles already, no one had been concerned with the youth’s name, and none of them had called this youth “Senior Sect Brother” like Zhang Yi did.

  “Senior Sect Brother Le is too strong, so I will attack,” Zhang Yi looked respectfully at Le Yi of Yellow Heaven Daoist Sect and said.

  Le Yi’s expression turned serious and he said, “Please.”


  Murong Xiaoyi’s heart beat rapidly. Before this, she never thought highly of Zhang Yi, but inexplicably, she felt something unusual was about to happen.

  A person’s intuition, especially that of a woman, was often correct.

  As Zhang Yi nodded again in greeting, everyone saw a blinding light. A dazzling light came out of his right sleeve.

  Murong Xiaoyi tried to keep her eyes open. She saw Zhang Yi’s right hand grip a small sword. This small sword felt like a rough stone sword at first glance, one made from a stubborn stone. Yet it was giving off light that was like moonlight but brighter than the sun.

  Holding this stone sword emanating clean light, half of Zhang Yi’s body seemed to be burning and merged into this light. Amidst a wave of uncontrollable gasps, he solemnly attacked.

  There was no finesse. He simply flew upwards, and stabbed straight at Le Yi.

  Le Yi’s expression grew extremely serious. He shouted and then waved both hands forward.

  Countless crystal lines of light, containing profound power, swept towards Zhang Yi like waves of water.

  Zhang Yi’s movements did not change at all. Those lines of light that seemed to come from different directions were surprisingly making contact with his sword.

  There was a soft sound.

  When the first line of light swept his sword, or rather when his small sword stabbed into the light, his sword dimmed slightly.