Chapter 527: Chapter 526: Illusion Lord’s Cave Mansion, Three Strange People
"My overt strength, it’s not even close to a middle-rank Lord."
Despite Shi Xiaole easily defeating Thirteenth Elder, their strengths were really not that far apart.
Firstly, they clashed using their secret moves, each exerting their utmost effort. Secondly, Shi Xiaole was able to discern the flaw in Thirteenth Elder’s moves, effectively suppressing the latter’s strength.
If another swordsman of similar prowess to Shi Xiaole were to face Thirteenth Elder, victory wouldn’t come so easily.
Due to familiarity, killing a low-rank Lord didn’t particularly impress Shi Xiaole. However, Lian Yi and the Elder proficient in Arrays were shocked to their core.
"Green robe, Wind True Intent, Hidden Edge Sword, could you possibly be..."
Lian Yi pointed at Shi Xiaole, stuttering in disbelief.
"You’ve guessed right."
With a wave of his hand, he removed his facial disguise and revealed a handsome and charming young face. Lian Yi prided himself as a handsome man in the martial world, but compared to Shi Xiaole, he felt inferior.
"Shi Xiaole, you really are Shi Xiaole?!"
Lian Yi’s face contorted.
The second issue of the martial world magazine detailed Shi Xiaole’s actions in Kuangyun City, which immediately shocked a large part of the young circle of Shuntian Capital when the news came out.
Many people said that Shi Xiaole, at only twenty-four years old, already possessed the strength equivalent to a top-ranking disciple and rightfully earned the title ’Number One Genius’.
But who would have thought, just after a few months, this young man had accomplished the daunting task of killing a Lord. If this news were to get out, it would shock a lot of people.
"Let me go, consider today’s events as having never occurred. I will swear by my martial heart."
As expected of a Young Master from the Blood Emperor’s subdivision, once getting over his initial panic, Lian Yi quickly composed himself and coldly said: "Shi Xiaole, if you kill me, it will definitely draw the attention of the Blood Emperor’s cave. At that time, your secrets and those of Tiantai Cliff will be exposed, it’s a disadvantageous situation for everyone!"
Shi Xiaole nodded: "You’re correct." Before Lian Yi could break into a smile, Shi Xiaole continued, "But, I have other methods."
Shi Xiaole lunged at Lian Yi with repeated slashes. Despite Lian Yi’s furious roars, Shi Xiaole managed to subdue him quickly.
The Elder proficient in Arrays tried to intervene, only to be instantly suppressed by an array energy that emerged from the void. He was defeated more swiftly than Lian Yi.
A graceful fragrance wafted in the air, and Shui Lingping appeared behind Shi Xiaole. She asked: "I wonder what Young Master Shi’s plan is?"
"I am skilled in mental secret skills; I can disconnect their memories."
Severing memories might work in theory, but strongly executing the act remained an uncharted territory for Shi Xiaole. It could potentially decimate Lain Yi’s sanity, but it was still a better choice than letting a tiger return to the mountains.
As for the Unrivaled Soul Transformation and the Selfless Heart Transformation, Shi Xiaole surreptitiously tested them, finding that it worked on the Elder proficient in Arrays but not on Lian Yi. The latter’s mental power was only two grades lower than his, so it wouldn’t be successful.
Of course, Shi Xiaole did not actually turn the Elder proficient in Arrays into a puppet either. After multiple successful attempts, he realized that employing both transformations drains his mental power, and using them on worthless individuals would be wasteful.
"Young Master Shi, I have an idea, but you’ll need to lend a hand."
Shui Lingping opened the wooden box and passed him some silver needles. Majestically, she began to recite, "A half inch into the Fengfu acupoint, one inch and three fen into the Tanzhong acupoint..."
At each recitation of an acupoint, Shi Xiaole would insert a needle. When the two were each pricked with dozens of needles, he used Vigorous Air to shake off the silver needles and carried the two to the foot of Tiantai Cliff.
With just a bit of careful thought, one would find many loopholes in this method. Nevertheless, Shi Xiaole did not question Shui Lingping. Given her quick wit and intelligence, she would not carry out a plan without due consideration.
Shui Lingping took the initiative to explain her actions: "The needle technique I just instructed is the long-lost Soul Binding Technique. The person affected will forget all occurrences within the past year; however, the symptoms will appear as though they had been affected by the Soul Extinguisher spell of the Nether Demon Hall. As it happens, a high-level practitioner of the Devil Path passed by here about half a month ago, I have neatly diverted him off course."
"What a crafty strategy!"
Shi Xiaole was amazed by her intelligence and her tactics, but he had to admit, without her extensive knowledge, many strategies would not be feasible.
"By the way, Brother Shi, you may be blessed with photographic memory, but you must not use the Soul Binding Technique on others. This method requires pinpoint accuracy, the effect could vary dramatically with the varying depths at which the needles were inserted."
Shi Xiaole nodded, and he did not question how Shui Lingping knew the depth respective to Lian Yi and the other Elder. Having spent a considerable amount of time together, she had left a deep impression on him, a uniquely memorable one.
If in the past Ren Mengzhen was someone Shi Xiaole considered a challenge amongst his peers, now he must add Shui Lingping to that list.
In a certain sense, she was more mysterious than the former.
Shi Xiaole chuckled wryly, thinking about how he was initially expected to take care of her, yet ended up being the one taken care of. He cupped his hands, "I have overstayed my welcome, Miss Shui, I plan on taking my leave now."
Hearing this, Shui Lingping’s face revealed a trace of sadness, she said: "Suddenly being left alone again, I feel somewhat lonely." The refreshing mountain breeze blew across them.
Shi Xiaole gazed into her eyes, still twinkling like stars: "I have something on my mind, I want to express my thoughts, but I’m apprehensive of being presumptuous."
"Brother Shi, please speak your mind, there’s no harm."
"With your talent and intelligence, Miss Shui, if you use them for good, I believe you can greatly benefit the world. However, if used for evil, I fear... I hope you will make the right decision."
Shui Lingping lightly brushed her hair and laughed, "You worry too much. I have sworn never to leave Tiantai Cliff in my lifetime. The name ’Lingping’ is my oath!"
Shi Xiaole was deeply moved. He watched the stunningly beautiful, proud and independent young woman walk up the steps and disappear among the array formations.
With a sigh, he departed without looking back.
On Tiantai Cliff.
Shui Lingping stood on the edge of the platform, only one step away from the abyss. She murmured to herself, "Brother Shi, you advise me against making mistakes, not knowing that I did a divination for you. This lifetime, you will face tough choices between the righteous and the Devil Path. At that time, will you still be the person you are now?"
With a light sigh, which was soon carried away by the wind.
Not long after Shi Xiaole had left, Liu Niansheng finally found Tiantai Cliff and immediately spotted the anomaly in the mountain, "An external nine, an internal nine; the ability to set such an array system implies a hidden expert. This time, it would be interesting to test its strength.
Fascinated by his recent findings, Liu Niansheng attempted to break the array.
Shi Xiaole had no idea that at this moment, the array in the mountain suddenly became much more dangerous than he had perceived - by an indeterminable amount.
Half a day later, Liu Niansheng fled from Tiantai Cliff with a loud cry, looking utterly defeated, "Sorry, for the disturbance, Elder. I have committed many faults, I beg for forgiveness!"
Liu Niansheng privately vowed that he would never visit this place unless he achieved a significant breakthrough in the future.
...
The scorching sun cast its rays across the boundless desert, making it like a melting pot crafted from gold. A mere glance was enough to irk the eyes from the intense brightness.
This was the most famous dangerous spot in Xuanwu State, the Boundless Sandborder.
Legend says the Boundless Sandborder was originally a lake until an earth-shattering battle took place, turning it over time into an untraversable desert.
Two hundred miles from the outskirt of the Boundless Sandborder, two individuals appeared with tension written all over their faces.
One was a ruddy-faced, white-bearded old man, whilst the other was a gaunt-looking elder.
"Spirit Mist Lord, how is it advancing?"
Gazing at the slightly depressed sandy front, the gaunt old man asked. He was none other than the Shadow Lord who managed to escape from Kuangyun City.
"We’re one step away."
The Spirit Mist Lord spoke calmly, but his dilated pupils betrayed his real feelings.
Spending over a month studying the array system in this boundless sandy region was enough to drive anyone mad.
Happily, his efforts were finally paying off. Just a moment ago, the Spirit Mist Lord spotted the last flaw in the outlying array system, "Break for me!" He thrust out both his hands, blasting array patterns towards the sand.
Blub, blub, blub.
With each burst, the sandy ground began to cave in from the center of the array pattern, spreading outwards like a collapsing hourglass, raising clouds of dust hundreds of meters high.
The affected area kept enlargening, soon covering hundreds of meters around.
The Spirit Mist Lord and the Shadow Lord quickly retreated at the first sign of trouble. To their surprise, even with their Lord Level strength, their retreat was outpaced by the rapid sinking of the sandy ground, a truly shocking sight.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The endless flurry of dust rose thousands of meters high, appearing to pierce the sky. The desert finally calmed down a little when the affected range reached an area of a thousand feet in diameter.
The Spirit Mist Lord and the Shadow Lord retreated to the periphery, staring wide-eyed at the gigantic black hole that had suddenly appeared, their hearts pounding in their chests.
"The Illusion Lord’s residence, with this grand set-up, it must be the Illusion Lord’s residence below!"
With the initial shock over, the Shadow Lord suddenly burst out laughing.
Although the Illusion Lord was the foremost array master of Shuntian Capital during the past six hundred years, he himself was also a top-class Lord. The treasures he would be buried with should be plentiful. If he were lucky enough to obtain such loot, there was hope for further advancement.
The Spirit Mist Lord was all smiles, too.
This spectacle, albeit grand, was deep-seated and further compounded by the constant sandstorms in the Boundless Sandborder, a place rarely traversed. It was unlikely to be discovered for a significant amount of time, which lowered the possibility of competition.
The Spirit Mist Lord looked at the Shadow Lord, suppressing the urge to kill.
He had already vowed in his martial heart not to strike, reassured by the fact that the other party posed little threat. Besides, given the hefty trap mechanisms sure to be present inside the Illusion Lord’s residence, he might have an opportunity to use the other party to his advantage.
Without any delay, both of them started operating their powers and cautiously leaped into the large black hole, disappearing without a trace.
The wind howled, and tranquillity returned to the Boundless Sandborder.
One day.
Two days.
Very quickly half a month had passed.
One day, three figures zipped by, and the enormous black hole quickly caught their attention; subsequently, they halted their steps.
Upon closer inspection, all three were extraordinary individuals.
On the left, a stumpy and obese old man with golden hair, clad in gold, with a golden knife hanging on his waist.
On the right, a middle-aged man so different from the old man, with snow-white hair, in silver clothes, wielding a silver sword, and of a comparatively lean stature.
In the middle of them was a gorgeous young lady. She was dressed in green, with two tiny jade axes dangled as her earrings. Strikingly, a splendid small green axe, identical to her earrings but much larger, hung at her waist.
If any Martial World practitioner from Xuanwu State were here, they would be scared stiff at their sight.
That’s because the old man was known as the Golden Saber Elder, the middle-aged man was the Silver Sword Gentleman, and the gorgeous lady was the Jade Axe Lady. The trio was collectively referred to as the Three Marvels and were ranked amongst the top hundred experts in Shuntian Capital.
The three always acted together, with their conducts being neither good nor evil. They were ten times as fearsome as the Black and White Impermanence!
