Zhong Liang stood there, speaking without any concern, pretending to be a good man without spending a single coin, but Xu Fengnian dared not take things lightly. When the clam and the sandpiper fight, the fisherman gains. Zhong’s senior devil would earn great merit for the Northern Liang if he could kill Xu Fengnian in Qingcang City, regardless of the means. Therefore, Xu Fengnian had to be cautious about the sword formation of the Tang Hua Pavilion, and especially vigilant against Zhong Liang’s opportunistic attacks. Moreover, there was still a revered guardian from the Dragon Mansion who had yet to reveal himself.
Tang Hua Pavilion placed a hand on the ground and slowly rose. Soon after, the sword-hanging peach trees began to wobble precariously. The tips of the more than forty unsheathed swords hanging from the branches all pointed unerringly at the unwelcome visitor standing in the center of the square. Tang Hua Pavilion’s free hand began to form sword seals, changing them as deftly as plucking a konghou, creating a dazzling spectacle. Since Xu Fengnian had personally witnessed the martial prowess of the Nanhai Guanyin Sect’s cultivators at Youyan Villa, he had taken a keen interest in the art of Qi manipulation. He was certain that Tang Hua Pavilion’s current method of summoning and controlling spirits must be the ancient Taoist technique known as “Silent Thunder,” from the Difei Mountain lineage. Purple lightning crackled between Tang Hua Pavilion’s fingers, though it was naturally far inferior to the “Thunder Pool” conjured by Liu Haoshi. Still, this alone was more than sufficient for him to serve as a revered guardian in Qingcang City.
In principle, cultivators were like siege catapults, their long-range attacks formidable beyond comparison. The proper strategy was to find an opportunity to engage them in close combat. If one merely defended, one would be constantly overwhelmed. Xu Fengnian’s calm and poised stance with his spear drew some silent mockery and derision from Yu Yourou and others at the threshold, who regarded him as a naive novice, possessing only cultivation skills but lacking understanding of the martial world’s depths.
However, those who could see beyond appearances, experts like Zhong Liang, did not wear expressions of mockery. This unsettled Yu Wanghou, who was particularly skilled at reading people’s expressions.
Mao Bishan and Gu Feiqing were swordsmen who had earned their reputations in the blood-soaked battlegrounds of the refugee lands. Compared to the sword heroes of the Central Plains, they were far more genuine. Witnessing the strange sight of Tang Hua Pavilion summoning lightning between his fingers, they were naturally taken aback. Forgetting their usual rivalry, Mao Bishan whispered, “Is that young man just watching Tang the Great Guardian build up to his peak strength? Is he overconfident due to some hidden advantage, or is he simply ignorant?”
Gu Feiqing replied solemnly, “This prince is notorious, but if he could make that young butcher willingly leave Beiliang and then successfully inherit his title, he must be far from the shallow figure the outside world believes him to be. It’s more likely that he truly possesses the ability to challenge Tang. Although Tang’s techniques are indeed profound, the Beiliang King might still have a chance to fight back, and the outcome is uncertain.”
Mao Bishan caught on and nodded thoughtfully, stroking his beard. “Indeed, anyone with an unscathed mind wouldn’t come to Qingcang just to offer their head. Either Xu has hidden masters supporting him, or his cultivation is truly profound. His previous sword manipulation might not have been his full strength. Honestly, I never expected that the ‘Butcher of Men’ himself was merely a second-tier martial artist at the Xiao Zongshi level, yet his two sons have surpassed him. I must say, with such talent and the Wutower as a martial treasure trove, why bother being a laborious Beiliang King? It would be better to roam the martial world, where the Zhao Emperor might even grant him a golden plaque declaring him the best under heaven. Wang Laoguai likes to call himself second best, so this way, both would have legitimate titles.”
Yu Wanghou, hearing such naive political commentary, gave a seductive sidelong glance, a privilege of a woman of exceptional beauty, for even a scornful glance could carry allure. When Mao Bishan caught sight of Wanghou’s “seductive” glance, he nearly lost his soul, shifting his feet closer to the door. From his higher vantage point, he could clearly see the deep cleavage formed by the ample curves of the queen’s chest. Though Mao Bishan had a lifelong fondness for women, even more than swordsmanship, he had not reached the point of risking his life for lust. He dared only feast his eyes on the queen’s “scandalous” exposure before him. Even if Yu Yourou stood naked before him, Mao Bishan, as much as he might yearn, would not dare to touch her. This was the power of authority, more formidable than any swordsmanship. Mao Bishan had come to understand this truth rather late in life, leading to a profound realization that made him prefer being the head of a chicken rather than the tail of a phoenix, abandoning his old ambitions of competing for rankings among the martial heroes of his homeland in the former Dongyue, choosing instead to serve the Dragon Mansion in the refugee lands.
The unsheathed swords pointing at the spear-wielding youth finally broke free from their restraints, leaving the peach trees and converging from the east and west toward the center of the square. The swords detached from their branches, slicing through many Pale gold tinged with violet petals, creating a breathtaking sight. The radiant glow of the more than forty swords harmonized with the lightning swirling around Tang Hua Pavilion’s hands, creating a similar yet distinct beauty. Xu Fengnian felt a slight regret. Outside Shenwu City, several flying swords gifted by Deng Tai’a had been destroyed by the “Human Cat,” leaving gaps in the twelve-hour cycle, diminishing the power of his Thunder Pool Sword Formation. Otherwise, no matter how fierce Tang Hua Pavilion’s sword formation appeared, Xu Fengnian could stand firm without even needing an iron spear, using his sword formation to counter another, his “shield” being far more solid, rendering the “spear” of Zhao Gou’s old spy ineffective.
In fact, the essence of the twelve The Spiritblade Crypt swords did not lie in the swords themselves, but in the hidden sword techniques each contained. This insight came to him when he observed the shifting hues of dawn on the rooftop of Dunhuang City, watching the morning light inch by inch into the city. Later, after acquiring the ancient Qin sword from behind the Longbi of the Yellow River, each of the twelve swords resonated with divine harmony. Destroying a few flying swords was no great loss, as he could recreate them. Although he had made a pact with the cultivator master of the Nanhai Guanyin Sect, “Drip Water,” and the young girl selling charcoal, to use an ancient sword of the same material as the Muma Niu for Youyan Villa to forge eighty-one Rune Sword, in principle, even without using burial swords from tombs, he could still obtain materials from the The Crimson Armored Warrior of Fu intercepted in the Reed Marsh and Iron Gate Pass. However, Xu Fengnian had other plans. He had entered the highly secretive Beiliang Ji Zao Bureau in Liangzhou multiple times, issuing orders as both the Prince and the new Beiliang King, instructing the bureau to abandon all ongoing tasks under the leadership of the leader of the Mohist school to focus on a grand project. He was unwilling to “waste” even a few ounces of the The Crimson Armor of Fu on forging flying swords. This secret matter was beyond the knowledge of his second sister and Chu Lushan, and since Xu Wei Xiong, who had once shared a master-apprentice relationship with the Mohist leader, had completely distanced herself from the Ji Zao Bureau after taking charge of the Wutong Courtyard, transferring it to Xu Fengnian, who had always loved playing at the Ji Zao Bureau since childhood, no one knew the young prince’s hidden plans.
Although Xu Fengnian had spent these years cultivating only the saber and secretly learning sword techniques, he was accompanied by the daughter of Wang Xiu, the “Spear Immortal,” who wielded the “Momentary Spear.” He also had Xu Yanbing and Han Laoshan, two experts in spear techniques ranked among the top three in the world. Through constant exposure, wielding an iron spear, he could create a howling wind, exuding a might like thunder and lightning. Each time he thrust his spear, it shattered an approaching sword. The more than forty Thunder Rune swords shattered like paper under the iron spear. Tang Hua Pavilion’s expression grew serious, and even Yu Wanghou, Mao Bishan, and Gu Feiqing were amazed. Zhong Liang remained composed, casually plucking a few petals from the peach blossoms torn apart by the sword qi, chewing them in his mouth. When he saw a sword being deflected by the iron spear toward his head, the Northern Liang expert, his mouth full of peach petals, let out a muffled snort of disdain. He allowed the sword, imbued with talismanic energy, to pierce directly toward his head. Unexpectedly, as the sword’s tip approached Zhong Liang’s forehead, he made no move, not even a flicker of energy. The sword, however, spun joyfully like a swallow returning to its nest, circling around Zhong’s shoulders until its magical energy dissipated, then fell lifelessly to the ground.
This feat, which left Yu Yourou, Mao Bishan, and Gu Feiqing, all sword experts, bewildered, and even Tang Hua Pavilion himself unable to comprehend its subtleties, was clear to Xu Fengnian. There was once a legend in the martial world that a dragon girl from the South Sea possessed sword skills so refined they approached divinity, capable of traversing a thousand miles with a single stroke amidst high winds and swift waves. The barefoot young woman known as the “Charcoal Girl” had once displayed a technique similar to Zhong Liang’s at Youyan Villa. At that time, even Xu Fengnian’s sword, which had reached the pinnacle of sword embryo cultivation, had been unusually docile, nearly defecting to her side. This was because the “Charcoal Girl” was a once-in-a-century “sword embryo,” naturally beloved by famous swords, as if they were meeting an old friend. Xu Fengnian had originally intended to test the situation slightly, roughly gauging Zhong Liang’s strength. He hadn’t expected Zhong to be so genuine, openly revealing his sword embryo talent.
Tang Hua Pavilion’s lips moved slightly, silently chanting incantations. With a downward press of both hands, a second wave of flying swords emerged from the depths of the Dragon Mansion—just over fifty in number. However, Xu Fengnian truly had the confidence to underestimate the scale of this sword formation. He had once participated in a grand sword-borrowing feat at Youyan Villa, wielding thousands of snowflakes as swords. Tang Hua Pavilion’s sword formation, relying on talismans, was naturally considered trivial by today’s sword masters. Although Xu Fengnian looked down upon it, he did not forget to attempt to learn the current method of “falling banners and exorcising demons” passed down from the Demon-Slaying Platform of Longhu Mountain. However, the great immortal Qi Xuanzhen had used heavenly thunder as a banner to suppress several celestial demons from Zhulu Mountain. Tang Hua Pavilion’s exorcism techniques were but a pale imitation, perhaps not even a thousandth of the grandeur displayed at the Lotus Platform.
When Zhong Liang saw Xu Fengnian, under the onslaught of the flying swords, execute the arc-spear technique, he let out a surprised “Hmm.” In the past, one of the Four Grand Masters, Wang Xiu, had ventured deep into the heart of Northern Liang, as if entering an uninhabited land. Countless Northern Liang heroes had fallen beneath Wang Xiu’s four-character techniques. The first two techniques, Collapse and Drag, were already brutally ruthless, but the third, the arc-spear, had terrified the Northern Liang martial world. Zhong Liang, who had wandered the martial world for many years, had a particularly eclectic martial knowledge and was a rare martial genius. He was the only one in Northern Liang whom the great warrior Toba Junshen had praised as possessing talent surpassing his own. Unfortunately, Zhong Liang was naturally free-spirited and undisciplined, rarely valuing what others held dear. He had no particular interest in power or the pursuit of martial excellence, which prevented him from entering the ranks of the top ten martial experts in the world.
Zhong Liang rubbed his eyes and said with a smile, “So it really is Wang Xiu’s arc technique. Good lad, learning anything and making it his own, you’ve got my flair.”
Zhong Liang watched for a moment, then turned to the queen at the threshold, gesturing for an iron spear.
Three arcs formed a formation, three formations formed a small circle, three small circles formed one great circle, endlessly cycling. In the past, Wang Xiu had fought against one of the Four Grand Masters, the armored figure of the The Talisman General, Armored Warrior, for three full days and nights. The last arc of Wang Xiu’s technique was said to encompass a radius of three miles, killing all birds and leaving not a blade of grass alive.
“I shall die when the arc-spear ceases to be!”
Zhong Liang, who had long hidden his identity in the refugee lands, found himself unusually eager to fight for the first time.
The arc-spear technique was accompanied by the Collapse Lei and Drag Spear techniques. Tang Hua Pavilion’s two sword arrays quickly collapsed under the pressure. Xu Fengnian’s final arc encompassed the entire square. Yu Yourou and the others saw only the peach blossoms swirling rapidly with the fierce gales, dazzlingly beautiful. Xu Fengnian twisted his spear around his body, employing the Thunder Spear Technique (Thunder Spear Technique) of the Northern Liang demon, using the air manipulation technique of the Wu Clan Sword Grave internally and the Collapse Word Formula (Collapse Character Technique) of Wang Xiu externally, hurling it toward Tang Hua Pavilion, the great guardian of the Dragon Mansion. After throwing the spear, Xu Fengnian narrowed his eyes, puzzled. The old guardian’s desperate escape attempt was too hasty. Usually, when someone was desperate, they fled for their lives, but this old spy of Zhao Gou actually took no care for his life, allowing the iron spear to pierce through his abdomen before leaping forward to stab Xu Fengnian with a sword.
Xu Fengnian sidestepped the sword, gently extending an arm faintly wrapped in red threads, pressing Tang Hua Pavilion’s head down, forcing him to kneel before him.
Before his death, Tang Hua Pavilion, blood flowing from his seven orifices, moved his lips with difficulty. There was no hatred in his eyes, only a sudden sense of relief. The old man silently uttered his final words.
Two words.
“Zhi.”
“Go.”
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