Chapter 135 - Arc 10: The Affairs of Sword Cave | Chapter 135: a.s.sa.s.sin

Translator: Lynn

Luckily, Xu Ziqing had honed his skills in the Five Elements Wind Gust for an extensive period of time, enabling him to react with remarkable speed to external threats. Almost instantly perceiving the chill, he deftly flipped his palms and wielded the steel wooden sword with a reversed grip, positioning it protectively in front of his neck.

A resounding clash reverberated as their weapons collided, effectively blocking the attack from a hairs breadth away.

Appearing caught off guard by Xu Ziqings evasion, the slender a.s.sailant exhibited a momentary lapse, granting Xu Ziqing an opening.

Always being on the defensive was not Xu Ziqings style.

A swift realization coursed through Xu Ziqings being, and he executed a forceful thrust, propelling the swords tip to burst forth with a thunderous boom.

Brilliance dazzled and surged, accompanied by howling gusts, as overwhelming momentum enveloped the area. Within the swords wake, an aura reminiscent of unbridled infernos raged, scorching everything in its path.

Undoubtedly a skilled adversary, the initially bewildered, skinny man quickly regained his composure when confronted with the glint of the blade. He executed a wrist flick, and his rapier, akin to a venomous serpent, darted forth with a peculiar, unpredictable arc.

Maintaining his composure, Xu Ziqing slightly adjusted his stance while transitioning his sword maneuver. In the blink of an eye, his technique transformed from forceful to supple, akin to ethereal vines that ensnared the venomous serpent, encircling it twice to defuse its impending strike.

Though confined to the four foundational sword techniques, Xu Ziqings capacity to read his adversarys movements allowed him to antic.i.p.ate their a.s.sault. While the skinny man showcased impressive swordsmans.h.i.+p, Xu Ziqings indomitable spirit remained unfazed.

Following consecutive exchanges of fierce strikes, the skinny man relinquished his arrogance, recognizing Xu Ziqings prowess.

Initially perceiving Xu Ziqing as a mere novice, possibly propelled by his a.s.sociation with the newly ascended Master Yun, the skinny man had a.s.sumed Xu Ziqings skills were unremarkable. However, Xu Ziqings displayed swordsmans.h.i.+p was far from ordinary. The skinny man pondered whether the tales surrounding the genuine Chu He were mere fabrications designed to obscure the fact that he had been cultivated by the true Master Yun.

Contemplating this possibility, a surge of murderous intent enveloped the skinny man. If his hypothesis held true, Xu Ziqings fate was sealed. Agile as a spirit serpent, he contorted his form and unleashed a cascade of attacks, each split into multiple sword shadows, ensnaring Xu Ziqing from all angles.

Have you ever wondered why this slender man, Pan Hong, holds such intense animosity towards Yun Lie? Its not baseless.

This wiry individual goes by the name Pan Hong, and he possesses grand aspirations. However, its unfortunate that he began as a casual cultivator, eventually working his way into the outer ranks of the Wuling Immortal Sect through immense hards.h.i.+ps. After years of careful scheming, he managed to secure a place within the inner sect. Regrettably, his apt.i.tude only falls slightly above average, and his entry into the inner sect was belated, causing him to be categorized as an ordinary disciple. With no genuine master willing to mentor him, his self-regard refused to accept this fate.

Pan Hong, being far from reticent, didnt acquiesce to this situation. Within the inner sect, he divided his time between diligent practice and plotting his ascent. As his cultivation progressed, his ambitions and ruthlessness grew in tandem. Gradually, he forged alliances, positioning himself as a cleaner for influential insiders who preferred discretion, consequently ama.s.sing considerable benefits.

With familiarity came insight into the ill.u.s.trious disciples dynamics. Observing individuals less qualified than himself reap generous resources due to their influential connections frustrated Pan Hong. In response, he embarked on a path of disparagement, aligning himself with the disgruntled and murmuring disapproval about the esteemed disciples. In this chorus of criticism, Yun Lies name arose repeatedly.

The narrative triggered a vivid memory for Pan Hong.

Rumor held that Yun Lie, despite possessing only dual spiritual roots, marginally exceeded Pan Hong in terms of potential. Yet, fortune smiled upon Yun Lie. Anointed as a disciple by the Golden Core Daoist from birth, he even became the sole direct disciple. This stark contrast struck a nerve with Pan Hong, a lifelong sect resident who perceived himself as Yun Lies equal in many aspects. The paradox of why Yun Lie, so favored by destiny, should succeed with ease while Pan Hong struggled, seeded jealousy within him.

Of course, jealousy wasnt the only sentiment harbored by Pan Hong. In his eyes, Yun Lies chosen path, the Way of Ruthless Killing swordsmans.h.i.+p, appeared foolhardy and unprecedented. While others s.h.i.+ed away from such a ruthless and bloodthirsty style, Pan Hong viewed it as a display of folly. After all, who could thrive on a path seemingly destined for premature death? He scoffed at Yun Lies potential breakthroughs and sword intent cultivation, convinced that following such a path would lead to Yun Lies eventual doomhistory repeating itself with another fallen disciple.

While envy coursed through Pan Hongs veins, his disdain for Yun Lie served as an outlet for his own pent-up grievances.

Pan Hong never antic.i.p.ated that Yun Lie, who had been stuck at this point for over a decade, would actually make a breakthrough!

Pan Hong made numerous inquiries and discovered that Yun Lie had likely been a.s.sisted by an outsider. It seemed that luck defied the odds, propelling him into the realm of the Golden Core, securing him the fifth spot on the Tianlong list, and positioning him as the foremost among the top ten core disciples.

Enveloped with a mult.i.tude of accolades, Pan Hong believed he wasnt inferior to Yun Lie in terms of qualifications and diligence. He even considered his understanding to be deeper than Yun Lies. The t.i.tle of master was almost spat out through clenched teeth, his anger twisting his insides into a knot.

Yun Lie, that Yun Lie His resentment was palpable, but even that wasnt enough to quell the jealousy that churned within him.

This time, Pan Hong took on a task: to eliminate a man named Xu Ziqing from Xiaozhu Peak.

At the mere mention, he surmised that it was those country folks who aided Yun Lie. This realization brought him great satisfaction. However, he hadnt expected the aloof Yun Lie to concern himself with Xu Ziqing. Even if Xu Ziqing resided on Yun Lies Xiaolu Peak, Pan Hong a.s.sumed it was at the behest of Xiaozhu Peaks owner. There were eight residents at the peak, and it wasnt uncommon for a female disciple to be housed separately from two male disciples. After all, Xu Ziqing had a.s.sisted Yun Lie, and Yun Lie had requested his master to take Xu Ziqing in. Thus, their arrangements were settled. Nevertheless, Xu Ziqing was still Yun Lies junior brother, so adding an obstacle for Yun Lie brought Pan Hong great satisfaction.

Subsequently, Pan Hong inquired and learned that Yun Lie had been instructed by his master to guide Xu Ziqing in practicing within the sword cave. A sly glint filled his eyes as he realized this was his chance.

Pan Hongs cultivation had reached the late stage of foundation establishment, a mere hairs breadth away from the Huayuan period. He pondered, with his level of strength, wouldnt it be simple to deal with a junior in the middle stage of foundation establishment? Thus, Xu Ziqings tenacity took him aback.

However, he understood that the true expertise of Qiu He lay in earth-attribute cultivation, not swordsmans.h.i.+p. Only Yun Lie possessed the skills to shape Xu Ziqing like this.

In essence, Yun Lie held his junior brother in high regard, rather than discarding him once his use was fulfilled. Would Yun Lie not be saddened by Xu Ziqings demise? With this thought, Pan Hong became eager to act.

Kill Xu Ziqing! It was imperative! Pan Hong licked his lips, his eyes dancing with antic.i.p.ation, his restraint waning rapidly.

How could Xu Ziqing fathom that Pan Hongs mind churned with such thoughts as he drew breath? He remained oblivious to the depth of jealousy harbored by his senior brother. Currently, all his focus centered on perceiving the five ethereal sword shadows before him, endeavoring to ascertain their origins.

The arrival of these elusive sword shadows left him in a quandarydodging one would inevitably entangle him with another; such a tactic was undoubtedly unwise. After careful contemplation, he reached a resolution.

If hiding is futile, then I shall not hide!

With steely resolve, Xu Ziqing fixed his gaze, inhaled deeply, and his right arm trembled at an astonis.h.i.+ng pace.

Clang clang clang clang clang!

The ensuing sequence of sounds resembled pearls cascading onto a porcelain disheach note crisp and saturated with an aura of lethal intent.

Pan Hongs excitement surged even higher. His mastery lay in the Poisonous Dragon Swordsmans.h.i.+p, an art characterized by its cunning and eccentric swordplay. Concurrently, his footwork adhered to the Spiritual Snakes Hundred Steps.

The Poisonous Dragon Sword Technique stood as a treacherous approach, its sword movements intricate and elusive, rendering defense a daunting task. Meanwhile, the Spiritual Snakes Hundred Steps surpa.s.sed in complexity. When honed to mastery, it enabled a pract.i.tioner to mimic a snake concealed within mountains, moving unpredictably yet striking with precision within a hundred paces.

The synergy between the two was formidable. Pan Hong employed this amalgamation of sword techniques, footwork, and stealth tactics with ruthless intent, leading many monks even stronger than himself to their demise by his hand.

At this moment, it was Xu Ziqing who marveled at the potency of these techniques!

Observing the rapiers movements, one could perceive its artful grace. Every angle seemed to defy antic.i.p.ation, and each strike launched with heightened velocity. The rapiers form morphed into a myriad of snake-like shadows that descended upon Xu Ziqing like an unrelenting downpour.

Concurrently, Pan Hongs footwork adopted an unconventional pattern.

In this sequence of steps, his silhouette multiplied from one to two, then from two to four, and further from four to eight, a progression that continued without end. Swaying left and right, his once stocky frame took on a newfound litheness. Within this expanse, it appeared as though countless identical silhouettes manifested, alternating between inversion and transformation in an infinite array of forms.

Soon after, Pan Hongs manifold figures adopted the semblance of spirit serpents, weaving amongst the profusion of snake-like shadows. His appearance was reminiscent of a human yet not entirely human, akin to a snake yet not wholly a snake. The boundary between human and serpent blurred beyond distinction.

In an instant, Xu Ziqing felt an onslaught of sword shadows blanketing the sky, an overwhelming pressure closing in from all sides. It seemed that regardless of the direction he evaded, a lethal strike awaited from another quarter the moment he blocked the former!

A sense of inevitability pervaded the situation, a sense of certain doom rather than survival.

Yet, Xu Ziqings perspective s.h.i.+fted. If he were to break free from this predicament, he needed to discern the authentic from the illusory. When the opportunity presented itself, the lifelike visage of Pan Hong would unveil this maneuver.

Almost immediately, he extended his spiritual consciousness, enshrouding his surroundings, aiming to differentiate the true figure from the counterfeit. Beneath the influence of his divine awareness, all details lay bare. The faintest discrepancy would be perceptible in an instant.

However, Xu Ziqing underestimated Pan Hongs proficiency. After all, any pract.i.tioner above the foundational stage possessed spiritual consciousness. If deciphering vulnerabilities were that straightforward, how could this amalgamation of swordplay and footwork be renowned as a survival technique?

Thus, Xu Ziqing was taken aback to discover that even under the guidance of his divine sense, discerning actuality from illusion remained an insurmountable challenge.

With no other recourse, confrontation was inevitable.

In this pivotal juncture, Xu Ziqings state of mind mirrored an ancient welltranquil, devoid of ripples. His determination resounded: I shall not meet my end here. While severe injury may befall me, I shall unravel this inescapable predicament!

Having resolved to confront the situation head-on, Xu Ziqing exhibited an unexpected move by propelling himself forward.

If evasion is futile, then endurance it shall be!

With unwavering determination, Xu Ziqings thoughts were lucid as he swiftly sifted through the repertoire of sword techniques he had acquired in recent days. Ultimately, he sensed a harmonious fusion between his body and the steel and wooden sword. Utilizing his own body as an extension of the blade, he cast aside the fear of death.

A subdued grunt escaped Xu Ziqings lips. His body bore several gashes, each oozing blood, yet the steel and wooden sword in his grip managed to disrupt the rhythm of the serpentine rapier.

He had escaped!

This turn of events profoundly unsettled Pan Hong.

Throughout the years of honing this sword technique to perfection, none had managed to elude his a.s.sa.s.sination. Yet today, a golden-haired youth in the middle stage of foundation establishment had cracked it open. It was inconceivable!

Unperturbed by Pan Hongs astonishment, Xu Ziqing focused solely on his escape strategy. Recognizing his inability to match this adversary, he seized the opportunity to dash towards a more populous area, deferring deeper contemplation for later. Acting on instinct, he sprinted ahead.

In the instant of his flight, Pan Hong regained his composure, his features contorted as he bellowed, Where do you think youre running!

With these words, he hurled the rapier with formidable force.

A chill wind grazed Xu Ziqings back, galvanizing him to hasten his pace.

Yet the sword drew nearer!

In a fleeting moment, the periphery of his vision caught sight of a dark cavity nearby.

Time was of the essence!

Gritting his teeth, Xu Ziqing propelled himself into a leap, plunging into the abyss just as the sword reached him.

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