Chapter 23: Chapter 22: Clearing Consecutive Stages
When Wen Qingye walked up and reached the second level, three scarecrows stood before him. The three scarecrows were identical to those on the first level, their bodies made of a special wood, their eyes glinting with a cold light, and holding unsheathed blades.
The lead scarecrow charged forward. The sound of its blade preceded its arrival, accompanied by a whistling, chilling wind that assaulted the senses. Wen Qingye’s sword instantly flew from its sheath.
"Snake Shadow Ten Thousand Gifts!"
In an instant, it was as if ten thousand snakes had lunged forth at once. Countless sword shadows transformed into myriad streams of Sword Qi, each possessing a strange yet piercingly sharp quality.
The lead scarecrow was struck down by Wen Qingye’s attack and collapsed to the ground. The other two scarecrows seized the opportunity to strike. Although their blades were incredibly fast, their attacks were completely without form.
Wen Qingye’s footwork was like that of a graceful butterfly flitting through woods and fields. With steps like a dance, he dodged the two scarecrows’ attacks.
Suddenly, Wen Qingye pivoted like a pirouetting butterfly. The light from his sword flashed coldly as the two scarecrows exposed their backs to him.
"Spiritual Snake Lightning Strike!"
The sword in Wen Qingye’s hand was as fast as a bolt of lightning and as deadly as a venomous snake, striking before one could react.
"SWISH! SWISH!"
The two scarecrows fell to the ground, motionless. Wen Qingye calmly sheathed his sword and continued forward.
Wen Qingye stepped onto the third level. Before him were no longer scarecrows, but a single wooden man. The wooden man was very similar to a human in shape, its body the color of natural wood, giving it a sturdy and robust appearance.
The wooden man pushed off its feet, rushing in front of Wen Qingye in the blink of an eye. Then, its bowl-sized fist smashed directly toward Wen Qingye’s head.
"CRACK!"
Wen Qingye caught the Fist Force with his palm. The explosive Primordial Qi forced him back a step, and a moment later, an immense pain spread through his entire palm.
Wen Qingye looked down and saw that his palm had turned bright red.
’This wooden man seems to have the cultivation of the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer Heaven,’ Wen Qingye thought with a frown.
The wooden man, feeling no pain, transformed its fist into the shadow of a tiger and swept it toward Wen Qingye, generating a mighty gust of wind.
"Cyan Mountain Fist!"
A cyan mountain range appeared behind Wen Qingye, giving rise to an ancient and proud aura. A vast, majestic pressure crushed down.
"BANG! BANG!"
Rapid, continuous impacts echoed throughout the room on the third level.
"Celestial Hand!"
The wooden man rapidly retreated. A sharp glint flashed in Wen Qingye’s eyes as he leaped into the air. A massive palm materialized in the sky and slapped down with astonishing momentum.
"THUD!"
Wen Qingye’s move was incomparably swift, striking like lightning. The wooden man, its body unstable, was unable to dodge in time. Wen Qingye’s palm struck it in the chest, sending its entire body flying into a wall.
After hitting the wall, the wooden man did not get up again. Wen Qingye strode forward.
Upon reaching the 4th Layer, as expected, he was faced with three wooden men, exactly the same as the one on the previous level.
Wen Qingye’s expression grew solemn. ’If three of these wooden men coordinate their attacks, it will be extremely troublesome.’ He lunged forward, his sword already drawn.
The wooden man on the left threw a punch. Its Fist Force carried a piercing wind, and faintly, the might of a tiger’s roar could be felt within it. For a moment, its power was truly astonishing.
"Golden Light Snake Shadow!"
Wen Qingye’s sword danced, creating several dazzling flourishes in an instant. The blade transformed into flashes of golden light, resembling a golden snake striking straight for the center of the wooden man’s fist.
"SCHLINK!"
The wooden man on the left, which had attacked first, was driven back by Wen Qingye’s sword. At that moment, the other two wooden men lunged at him from the front and the right. With nowhere to retreat, Wen Qingye had no choice but to meet them head-on.
"Spiritual Snake Transforming Dragon!"
Wen Qingye unleashed the strongest move of the Spiritual Snake Sword. His blade circled once, then spun rapidly, causing the Primordial Qi in the air to crackle like thunder. The sword in his hand seemed to transform into a long, golden snake that slowly emerged and then charged toward the two wooden men.
As the golden snake flew through the air, it began to metamorphose, transforming into a nascent dragon before crashing into its targets.
"BANG! BANG!"
The two wooden men were forced back by Wen Qingye’s sword strike. He, too, staggered back four or five steps before regaining his balance.
’This wooden man’s Fist Technique is so domineering and fierce. It must be a Fourth-Grade Martial Arts,’ Wen Qingye thought to himself.
Just then, the wooden man on the far left recovered and charged at Wen Qingye again, as if it knew neither fatigue nor pain.
"Tear Monument Hand!"
Wen Qingye’s palm shot forward. A massive Hand Seal, looking as if it could tear apart heaven and earth, lunged directly for the wooden man’s body.
The wooden man didn’t retreat an inch, meeting the massive Hand Seal with its fist.
Wherever the fist wind passed, it was like a tiger’s claws pouncing, stirring up a powerful gale.
"BANG!"
The Hand Seal and the Fist Qi collided. The Fist Qi was instantly shattered. One must know that although Wen Qingye’s Great Heaven-Tearing Monument Hand was only a Fifth-Grade Martial Arts, it was one he had created himself, so its power when he used it was extraordinary.
The wooden man took the full force of Wen Qingye’s Tear Monument Hand, its body freezing for an instant. Wen Qingye seized the opportunity; the light of his sword shifted, and with a single slash, he cut across the vital point of the wooden man’s throat.
"THUMP!"
After defeating one wooden man, Wen Qingye quickly slid backward, evading the attacks of the other two.
Wen Qingye watched the two remaining wooden men, not daring to be the least bit careless. ’Although their teamwork is disorderly, they are fearless and feel no pain, which makes them quite difficult to deal with.’
"Snake Trapped in Sorrow City!"
Wen Qingye’s Swordsmanship was peerlessly fierce. His blade flashed with a faint golden light, which then emerged in circles, like a giant golden python coiling endlessly.
"BANG!"
Wen Qingye’s sword struck one of the wooden men, forcing it back several steps. He swung his sword again, and a bolt of golden light shot out with intimidating momentum.
"SWOOSH! SWOOSH!"
With two strikes, Wen Qingye forced both wooden men back. Instead of retreating himself, he advanced, flipping through the air. He pointed his sword, the tip aimed straight for one of the wooden men’s throats.
"THWACK!"
Struck in the throat, that wooden man immediately went still. With only one remaining, Wen Qingye swung his sword again.
Wen Qingye’s Swordsmanship had reached a state of perfection. Using his Golden Snake Swordsmanship, he defeated the last wooden man in short order.
Wen Qingye gasped for air, taking a long moment to catch his breath. That entire series of attacks had been executed in one fluid sequence, relying completely on his own calculations.
