Chapter 86: Chapter 84: After Today, Who in Luoyang Will Not Know You?
The Short Fork. It was a type of Exotic Weapon, with a long, sharp central blade and two shorter, horn-shaped prongs on either side.
It could be hidden up a sleeve, its killing intent concealed. It was a weapon that drew blood with every strike.
Shadowless Step Xu Tengfei’s skills were all focused on his Body Technique. When he moved, he was without a shadow, without a trace. The moment he got close was the moment his Short Forks reaped a life.
SHIING!
His two Short Forks stabbed toward Ning Jiang’s back. The tips were razor-sharp; even a Body Refining Master would be heavily wounded by such a vicious blow.
Yet as his forks pierced Ning Jiang’s back, he felt no sensation of impact at all.
’Not good!’
Xu Tengfei realized it was an afterimage and immediately retreated.
"You’re the one whose Body Technique is nothing special."
Just as Xu Tengfei pulled back, a Sword Aura flashed and vanished.
Ten Steps of Impermanence, where life and death were his to command.
Within ten steps, Ning Jiang was the Sovereign of life and death, the harbinger of doom.
PFFT.
Blood blossomed from Xu Tengfei’s chest where a sword mark had appeared. If he had been even a fraction of a second slower, that strike would have claimed his life.
CRACK!
Before Ning Jiang could press his advantage, the air violently exploded. A long, black whip lashed down from above his head, swift as thunder, disdaining all who stood in its way.
The whip was covered in rows of sharp, dense barbs, like a bear’s tongue, enough to make one’s blood run cold.
When a bear ate fish, a single lick from its tongue would scrape the flesh from the bones with those barbs.
If such a whip struck a person, it wouldn’t just tear their skin, but would scrape away a huge chunk of flesh and blood.
Life-taking Whip, Lin Qiuye!
Of the two women among the Ten Great, one was Cloud-Shocking Sword Liu Xianyu, and the other was Life-taking Whip Lin Qiuye.
Her Whip Technique was incomparably vicious. Anyone who fought her either died or was grievously injured. In terms of sheer ferocity, she ranked in the top three among the Ten Great. Most people were completely unwilling to cross her.
WHOOSH.
From the left, three throwing darts shot forth like arrows loosed from a bowstring, aimed at Ning Jiang’s throat, heart, and the space between his eyebrows—three vital points.
It was Cloud-Piercing Eye Bai Qi.
His eyes, which had undergone special training, shone with a faint white light. He was adept at seeing through weaknesses and seizing the perfect opportunity.
A man like him either didn’t act, or when he did, it was for a guaranteed kill.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
The lake’s surface exploded as Iron Leg Peng Zhuang took eight consecutive steps. He leaped high into the air above Ning Jiang, like a galloping steed kicking its hooves, and stomped down viciously.
"Tiger and Wolf Break!"
The roars of a tiger and a wolf echoed from his legs as his Innate Gang Qi took on a lifelike form. His left leg was a tiger, his right leg a wolf.
With the pounce of a tiger and a wolf, his attack could shatter a wall of bronze and iron into dust.
"Golden Rain Sword Skill."
"Gale Swordsmanship."
Gao Jin and Wang Ziming attacked with their swords at the same time, one from the left and one from the right. One’s sword was like a golden rain, a torrent that blotted out the sky.
The other’s sword was like a gale, both fast and fierce. Every strike was sharp, enveloping the entire area.
Gale Swordsmanship was Wang Ziming’s signature Sword Technique. With it, he had even managed to suppress Liu Xianyu, making him the number one young Sword Cultivator in Luoyang.
"Bursting Fist!"
The other member of the Ten Great from the Wang Family, Wang Chen, unleashed a savage punch. His arm was like a fierce dragon emerging from its cave, a straight, hard thrust.
POP! POP! POP!
A series of explosions ripped through the air. The force of his fist was simply unstoppable.
"Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique."
Wang Tao let out a great shout, activating a Secret Technique to boost his power. His aura instantly surged, and the blood in his veins boiled as if set aflame.
Like Wang Chen, he also cultivated a Fist Technique. After activating the Secret Technique, the force of his fists grew even more ferocious. He threw a punch, and a sudden clap of thunder echoed on a clear day—the sound of the air itself being blasted apart by his fist.
At the same time, Iron Vajra Hong Tai and Shadowless Step Xu Tengfei, who had been repelled earlier, closed in once more.
Among the ten, however, the most terrifying attack came from Xue Wuhen.
He was the leader of the Ten Great, his Cultivation having reached the Innate Middle Stage. None of the others were his match.
"Ning Jiang, you should be proud that it took all of us teaming up to kill you!"
Xue Wuhen was dressed in white, with a handsome, jade-like bearing. He held a green fan, and with a *SHING*, he flicked it open.
"Myriad Needles Piercing the Body!"
Xue Wuhen gripped the fan and swung it out.
WHOOSH!
A great wind rose, as sharp as knives.
This was no ordinary gale, but one formed from Innate Gang Qi. It manifested as countless Wind Blades, a gentle gust of which could destroy swathes of thousand-year-old trees.
What was even more terrifying was that within this incomparably fierce gale, silver needles were hidden.
On the surface, he used a fan as his weapon, but it concealed a deadly secret. The fan’s ribs had a hidden compartment containing rows of silver needles, which he rarely used.
But this time, facing Ning Jiang, even he felt it was a troublesome affair. Thus, he attacked with his full power, leaving no room for survival.
Hidden weapons like silver needles were already fast, but aided by the force of the wind, they became several times faster, giving no one a chance to dodge.
At that moment, Ning Jiang was beset by attacks from all sides—front, back, left, and right.
The combined strike of the ten was like a great net cast for a fish, trapping him inside with no way to escape.
This was a kill-trap.
Even if Ning Jiang used Ten Steps of Impermanence, he couldn’t escape such an encirclement.
Ten Steps of Impermanence required space for him to maneuver, but these people knew of his fast Body Technique. So, from the very beginning, their attacks sealed off every inch of space, pressing in like a solid wall.
The only escape route he had now was the lake water beneath his feet. But even if he fled into the water, his movements would be hindered, and he would die even faster.
There was no path to the heavens, no gate into the earth.
A perfect kill-trap!
Ning Yu’an’s hands clenched involuntarily, a thin layer of sweat drenching her palms.
Even Liu Xianyu, who had always been supremely confident in Ning Jiang, hadn’t expected the attack to be so ferocious and felt a pang of nervousness.
The sisters Zhou Lingwei and Zhou Chuchu didn’t dare to breathe, their hearts in their throats.
The three beauties, Liu Shiyi, Wei Yanran, and Yan Shuangying, were all silent.
’His Body Technique is so strong. Before the encirclement was complete, he should have used it to fight on the move, picking them off one by one. He never should have let himself get trapped in such a dangerous situation.’
Luo Haisheng frowned. Although the combined attack of the ten was fierce, it wasn’t perfectly simultaneous. With Ning Jiang’s Body Technique, he should have been able to seize the opportunity to escape.
And yet, he just stood there.
Many of the Martial Artists in the crowd covered their eyes, unable to bear watching.
In this moment of unbearable tension, the sound of a qin suddenly rang out.
It was Yue Lianxi.
This was the second time she had played today.
The first time, the music was like a spring, soothing the heart. But this second time, it was the sound of clashing iron and warhorses—a symphony of slaughter.
ROAR!
Along with Yue Lianxi’s music, an earth-shattering roar echoed.
Ning Jiang inhaled and opened his mouth. With a series of CRACKS and POPS, every bone in his body chimed in unison as a great roar erupted from his throat.
A visible golden shockwave swept out from his mouth, expanding to a radius of a hundred feet.
Vajra’s Fury!
When he had killed Zhao Feng and Wu Wen, he had only used thirty percent of its power. Now, he held nothing back, unleashing it completely.
It was as if a thousand thunderbolts had detonated, as if ten thousand Golden Bells were booming. The entire Star Moon Lake was filled with this roar, as loud as Celestial Thunder.
Many of the Martial Artists around Star Moon Lake were instantly deafened, unable to hear a thing.
The Ten Great, closest to Ning Jiang, bore the brunt of the terrifying impact.
All of their attacks were destroyed by the sound wave. Furthermore, the shockwave penetrated everything, invading their bodies and causing their blood to boil, their organs suffering a violent impact.
One roar to break the kill-trap.
"Great Sun Sword Technique, First Form..."
It wasn’t over. With his Wind Chasing Sword in hand, Ning Jiang swept it in a circle as he uttered four words from his lips.
"Broken Mountains and Rivers!"
He swung his sword, sweeping across everything.
No one could describe the sharpness of this strike!
Within everyone’s pupils, only a single golden line of light remained.
The golden line, about the thickness of a finger, spread outwards like a tidal wave.
Before this golden light, Wang Chen, Wang Tao, Peng Zhuang, Gao Jin, and Bai Qi were the first to be cut down.
PFFT.
Their bodies were sliced in two like tofu, blood spraying everywhere.
The remaining five—Xue Wuhen and the others—had managed to block the attack with their weapons, but they were all gravely injured.
One sword strike defeated the Ten Great, killing five!
"The Great Sun Sword Technique is truly worthy of its name."
Ning Jiang murmured softly. His entire body pulsed with golden blood and qi, like Taiyang’s Son holding a Divine Sword to punish evil.
That single use of the Great Sun Sword Technique had just drained half of the Postnatal Gang Qi in his body. And one had to know, since he cultivated the Heaven-Devouring Demon Skill, his Gang Qi was far more abundant than an ordinary person’s.
Had it been an ordinary Innate Realm expert, they would likely have their Gang Qi completely drained before they could even execute the move once.
This Great Sun Sword Technique was Profound Level Top Grade, but its power far surpassed the Instant Sword Technique.
Even within Ning Jiang’s vast library of memories, the power of the Great Sun Sword Technique ranked among the top five of its level.
However, he could only execute such a powerful Sword Technique twice at most.
Seeing the five who had fallen, the faces of Xue Wuhen and the others turned completely ashen.
"Monster! You’re a monster!"
Xue Wuhen was frantic, all his will to fight gone. The others were just as pale-faced.
"Since you came to kill me, then you can leave your lives behind," Ning Jiang said, his tone devoid of any emotion.
The moment the ten chose to attack him, they were already dead men in his eyes.
He was not a bloodthirsty person, but neither was he merciful.
He was decisive. Those who needed to be killed, would be killed.
With a flicker, Ning Jiang’s body moved like a phantom.
Xue Wuhen, Wang Ziming, Lin Qiuye, Hong Tai, and Xu Tengfei were already scared out of their wits by his sword strike. Gravely injured, how could they possibly be a match for Ning Jiang?
With Ten Steps of Impermanence and the Instant Sword Technique, Ning Jiang was truly the harbinger of doom.
The five retreated frantically, but no matter how fast they were, they couldn’t outrun Ning Jiang’s sword.
One instant, one sword strike.
After five strikes, a bloody hole appeared in each of their throats, blood gushing like a spring.
Their eyes filled with regret and unwillingness as they slowly collapsed.
Watching all of this, the entire scene fell into a dead silence. Countless people stood frozen.
The Ten Great had joined forces to create a perfect kill-trap, yet Ning Jiang had slaughtered them all?
With a sword in hand, he was unrivaled!
In the dead silence, only the sound of Yue Lianxi’s qin echoed faintly, as if cheering for Ning Jiang.
「The fifteenth of the first month.」
「Star Moon Lake.」
Ning Jiang shattered the kill-trap with a roar and defeated the Ten Great with a single sword strike.
「Thereafter, it was one man, one sword.」
「The Ten Great, utterly annihilated!」
"After today, who in Luoyang won’t know your name?!" Yue Lianxi said with a radiant smile.
