Chapter 83: Chapter 81: One Word Determines Life and Death, The Battle of Saber and Sword
A beautiful, nimble melody flowed from her jade-like fingers, like a gentle stream trickling through the heart—soft, tranquil, and comforting.
But a sudden eagle’s cry shattered the peace, startling the Nine Heavens.
On the ground and in the sky, all eyes turned upward.
They were jolted from the sublime music, and then, they witnessed a sight they would never forget.
A Cyan-Scaled Eagle soared high, approaching from the east.
Its wings spread wide like broadswords. Its body was massive, hard as steel, with a hooked beak that was sharp and gleaming black. A cold, cyan light flowed across its form as it rushed toward them.
It moved faster than an arrow, tearing through the air and creating a visible shockwave.
"My god, that’s a Cyan-Scaled Eagle! Its ferocity is ranked among the highest of all Demon Beasts. How could someone have tamed it?"
Someone’s voice trembled. This scene had stunned countless people.
As the Cyan-Scaled Eagle flew over, everyone below in Luoyang City who saw it was utterly shocked.
"I heard that Wang Jiangshi of the Wang Family once caught a Cyan-Scaled Eagle, wanting to tame it as a mount. But he ended up beating the eagle to death because it refused to submit. These Demon Beasts are incredibly proud; they can’t be used by humans. How did *he* manage it?"
Someone brought up this old story, sending shockwaves through the crowd.
Even an Innate Limit Strong Person couldn’t tame a Cyan-Scaled Eagle, so how had Ning Jiang managed it?
"So majestic, so glorious! Is this the White Head Sword Sect? An entrance like this is truly unprecedented!"
Countless gazes converged on the back of the Cyan-Scaled Eagle, on the white-haired youth. All previous doubts now turned into stunned gasps and swallowed words of awe.
Ning Jiang had arrived!
And he had used the most ostentatious method possible to tell everyone—
He was here!
Who would dare call him a coward now?
Who would dare laugh at him for hiding?
Who would dare mock or question him?
"Hahahaha! Seeing is truly believing. What a man, this White Head Sword Sect!" Luo Haisheng, the Pavilion Master of the Tianya Pavilion branch, let out a long laugh.
In his life, he had seen no small number of talented youths, but Ning Jiang’s aura was one of a kind.
He knew this trip would not be in vain!
’The White Head Sword Sect, Ning Jiang... Who is that woman beside him? If only I could be the one standing with him right now...’
Countless women in the crowd stared, infatuated, their hearts secretly stirring with envy for Ning Yu’an.
Ning Jiang was already handsome, and he was the Young Sword Sect. Combined with his dramatic entrance that shook all of Luoyang, he had instantly captured the hearts of many young women.
Even a figure like Sword Master Bai Yueru let out a breath, her heart slightly stirred.
She had remained unmarried her entire life, devoted to the Sword Dao. Yet now, such a young man had tugged at her heartstrings, causing her to blush.
WHOOSH.
A strong wind howled as the Cyan-Scaled Eagle swiftly flew above Star Moon Lake, looking down upon everyone from its lofty perch.
From such a height, even an Innate Limit Strong Person could only look up, unable to reach it.
Atop its back, Ning Jiang’s gaze fell, his dark eyes reflecting the myriad faces of the crowd below.
’Looks like I made it just in time.’
Ning Jiang reached out and gently wrapped his arm around Ning Yu’an’s willow-like waist. "Sister An, let’s go down."
"Mm."
Ning Yu’an’s pretty face grew warm, but she didn’t struggle.
In her heart, she felt mostly joy.
She knew that her little brother would be the main character today.
Her little brother would outshine the entire younger generation of Luoyang!
"He’s jumping!"
The people cried out in alarm.
In everyone’s line of sight, Ning Jiang, with one arm around Ning Yu’an, took a step and leaped from the sky.
His white hair, tied up with a simple grass circlet, billowed in the wind. His white robes fluttered like a great banner, snapping loudly.
He was falling from an immense height, yet he seemed as light as a paper kite, utterly weightless.
Finally, under countless unblinking gazes, he landed on Star Moon Lake.
The lake’s surface was calm.
His feet touched down upon it as if on solid ground, not creating the slightest ripple.
"What incredible Lightweight Skill!"
The first to react was Xu Tengfei of the Shadowless Step, his voice filled with shock.
Among the Ten Great, his Lightweight Skill was number one.
But he asked himself honestly, if he were to fall from that immense height, he couldn’t have landed without causing a single ripple.
What’s more, Ning Jiang was also carrying Ning Yu’an.
This feat alone was enough to show how extraordinary Ning Jiang was.
CAW!
High in the sky, the Cyan-Scaled Eagle let out a long cry, as if bidding farewell to Ning Jiang.
Ning Jiang waved at it. The Cyan-Scaled Eagle circled a few more times, reluctant to leave, before finally departing.
This confirmed everyone’s suspicions. Ning Jiang had actually tamed a Cyan-Scaled Eagle!
"Sister An, leave the rest to me."
"Okay."
Ning Yu’an glanced around and noticed the jealous stares of many women fixed on her. She couldn’t help but smile faintly as she walked toward the eight Alchemy Masters.
On the vast Star Moon Lake.
Only two young figures remained.
Ning Jiang stood with white clothes and white hair. Across from him, Zhou Wenhao was also a handsome man with sharp brows and star-like eyes, but compared to Ning Jiang at this moment, everyone could feel the difference.
Ning Jiang gave off an impression of being pure and untainted, like the bright moon in the sky. His aura was devoid of any worldly air—vast, empty, and as profound as the night sky.
’The moon is so full tonight.’
Ning Jiang looked up at the night sky, his gaze as ethereal as mist and clouds. Countless emotions swirled within as he recalled events from a hundred thousand years ago. His thoughts seemed to fly into the past, seeing old friends one by one.
A bright moon rises over the sea; from world’s end, we share this moment.
Gazing at the moon, he thought of them.
After a long moment, he reined in his thoughts.
His gaze slowly lowered.
From the sky, to the ground, and finally to the person before him.
Zhou Wenhao, dressed in a green robe, had his eyebrows arched high. He looked at Ning Jiang, all traces of disdain gone from his eyes.
He stared intently at Ning Jiang, treating him as a formidable foe.
But Ning Jiang’s gaze merely swept past him, not lingering for even a moment.
"Zhao Feng, Wu Wen, come out."
Ning Jiang’s voice was like a gentle breeze skimming across the lake’s surface, but as it spread, it became like rolling thunder, booming across the entirety of the massive Star Moon Lake.
In the crowd, the faces of Zhao Feng and Wu Wen stiffened.
They lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
"Zhao Feng, get out there! Weren’t you the one who called Brother Ning a coward?" Zhou Chuchu shouted, a wide smile on her face. She just knew Ning Jiang would come.
Hearing this, Zhao Feng’s body began to tremble slightly.
All eyes focused on Zhao Feng.
But Zhao Feng’s face was pale. He stayed with the members of the Zhao Family, not daring to step out at all.
He was confident that as a member of the Zhao Family, Ning Jiang couldn’t do anything to him even if he refused to go out.
On the other side, Wu Wen, who had no family backing, had already lowered her head and started trying to escape.
She was terrified.
’Why did I have to offend Ning Jiang?’ The moment Ning Jiang descended from the sky on the Cyan-Scaled Eagle with Ning Yu’an, she had begun to regret it.
’Why did I even come here today?’ When Ning Jiang landed on Star Moon Lake and called her name, she was shaken to her core.
But no one Ning Jiang wanted to kill could escape!
Not even if they fled to the heavens or burrowed into the earth!
Wu Wen had only taken two steps before she was blocked. Xie Baichuan’s expression was cold. "Go up there, or die!"
On the other side.
Alchemy Masters Lü Dong and Highland walked up to Zhao Feng, completely ignoring the ugly expressions of the Zhao Family members. "Go up there, or die!"
"Huh? What’s going on? Why are these Alchemy Masters standing up for the White Head Sword Sect?"
"Maybe this White Head Sword Sect, Ning Jiang, is now a member of Kunlun?"
"It’s very possible. As a recent rising star, it would be normal for the White Head Sword Sect to be noticed and recruited by Kunlun."
Someone’s guess was met with agreement from the crowd.
No one, however, dared to guess that he might be the Lord of Kunlun.
Zhao Feng and Wu Wen were pale. A knife was at their throats now, leaving them with no choice.
Forced into a corner, the two reluctantly walked onto Star Moon Lake.
"Zhao Feng, Wu Wen, two months ago, did you ever imagine this day would come?" Ning Jiang’s tone was crisp and cold.
It was precisely this tone that sent a deep chill through Zhao Feng and Wu Wen.
To him, it was as if they were already dead.
"What happened before... it was just a misunderstanding," Zhao Feng’s voice trembled.
"Right, just a misunderstanding," Wu Wen quickly added.
"Make your move. I won’t use my hands or feet. If you can survive for a single breath, I’ll spare you," Ning Jiang said, his hands clasped behind his back.
The surrounding crowd looked on in astonishment.
’How can he fight without his hands and feet?’
But as a Sword Sect, he would never go back on his word.
"Kill him!"
Zhao Feng and Wu Wen knew there was no way out. Their expressions turned icy as they each gripped a sharp blade and charged at Ning Jiang.
Wu Wen was at the Postnatal Middle Stage of Cultivation. Zhao Feng’s Cultivation was originally the same as hers, but after two months, he had reached the Postnatal Late Stage.
But in Ning Jiang’s eyes, even someone at the Peak of Postnatal was nothing more than an ant.
Just as the two, their faces twisted with ferocity, stepped within three zhang of Ning Jiang...
The bones in Ning Jiang’s body vibrated faintly, and he exhaled a single word.
"Die!"
In the next instant, their bodies shuddered and froze in place.
Then, with a BANG, their heads exploded like watermelons, splattering red and white everywhere.
Vajra’s Fury.
A single word to decide life and death.
Ning Jiang had only used thirty percent of his power to kill them instantly.
Staring at the bloody scene, countless people in the crowd turned pale.
’This man... just how many people has he killed?’
Seeing Ning Jiang’s calm and indifferent expression, countless people were secretly horrified.
And his ability to end lives with a single word made Zhou Wenhao’s pupils constrict.
"Zhou Wenhao, it’s your turn."
There was no emotion in Ning Jiang’s eyes, no fluctuation in his voice. He spoke with the cold indifference of Yama, the master of life and death.
Zhou Wenhao’s expression was grave. He drew a blade that was three chi and six cun long, weighed a hundred jin, and was blood-red from hilt to tip, radiating a chilling light.
"This blade is called Blood-Drinker. When my blade is drawn, it drinks human blood."
Zhou Wenhao gripped the Blood-Drinking Blade, and the very air around him turned frigid. He pointed the Blood Blade straight at Ning Jiang. "Draw your sword. Today, this blade will drink its fill of your blood."
"You’re not actually worthy of me drawing my sword. Besides, I’d rather not get my hands dirty killing you."
Ning Jiang’s tone was leisurely as he drew a sword. It was entirely cyan and three chi, three cun long. "Wind Chasing Sword. The sword that will kill you!"
SLASH!
The very instant Ning Jiang’s words fell, Zhou Wenhao’s blade moved.
The Blood-Drinking Blade sliced forward, a streak of blood-red light as fierce as a thunderclap, aimed to take a life.
All around, the air fell silent.
This battle of blade and sword.
Who would win?
