Chapter 556: Chapter 555: Subduing
With one swing of the saber, the radiating golden blade lit up every corner of the cave. The horrifying saber aura was like countless steel nails drilling crazily into Shi Xiaole’s body.
"Watch out, big brother!"
The Silver Sword Gentleman warned telepathically.
If Shi Xiaole could sneak quietly into the array system, it indicated that he possessed an astonishing mental strength, perhaps stronger than his own. Such a person could often exploit his strength better than most, thus he couldn’t afford to underestimate him.
Not to mention that the Golden Saber Elder had been injured before, and his combat power was drastically compromised, this was why the Silver Sword Gentleman felt the need to warn him.
Witnessing the golden saber, that was originally his arm, attacking with great momentum, the astounding fact was that Shi Xiaole did not draw his sword. Instead, he used his arm as if it were a sword, courageously counterattacking.
"Arrogant."
The Golden Saber Elder laughed in anger.
Clang!
The sword and saber clashed directly, colliding dozens of times in an instant. Each spark was like a sharp weapon, capable of easily piercing through a mid-level lord’s body shield of vigorous air.
"He actually blocked it?"
The Golden Saber Elder couldn’t believe his own eyes.
"Again, Golden Flash Slash!"
Backing up then rushing forward abruptly, the Golden Saber Elder appeared like a phantom behind Shi Xiaole. This time he drew the golden saber from his waist; a slender blade of light flashed briefly then disappeared.
However,
Without even looking, Shi Xiaole also drew his Hidden Edge Sword from its scabbard, and waved it backward. The sword edge precisely countered the saber’s accumulated power, breaking the saber’s momentum entirely, reducing its power from full force to sixty percent in an instant.
"Impossible, Xuanyuan Ruthless Slash!"
With a furious roar, the Golden Saber Elder fused all his strength into this one attack. Even before the release of the saber’s aura, the violent energy permeated the air, shaking the entire cave as though it was about to collapse.
"Stop!"
"Don’t!"
The Jade Axe Lady and the Silver Sword Gentleman both shouted to stop him at the same time.
They didn’t know whether Shi Xiaole could withstand this attack or not, but they knew for certain that they would get affected. Given their current state, they would have difficulty evading.
A streak of sword light, faster than their voices, struck into the unbreakable saber aura like a silver lightning bolt followed by a gentle upward flick.
With a clang, the golden saber fell to the ground, its edge pointed at the Golden Saber Elder’s throat.
Hiss!
The cave turned incredibly silent - or rather, it was deathly silent.
In just three moves, the prestigious Golden Saber Elder, one of the top hundred fighters in the Shuntian capital and a top-level lord, was unable to withstand more than three attacks from this young man.
The Jade Axe Lady and Silver Sword Gentleman were dumbstruck, unable to help but question if all that had just happened was real.
They had been on the run every day recently, with no time to pay attention to the matters of the martial world. They weren’t aware that Shi Xiaole had killed the Eight Fingers Mysterious Lord and the Yellow Springs Lord, otherwise, they wouldn’t be so shocked.
"You, you..."
The Golden Saber Elder’s lips trembled, he didn’t know what to say.
He was startled by Shi Xiaole’s mid-stage Heavenly Sword realm, more so by his keen foresight and precise judgement, each strike hitting his weakest points, rendering him helpless.
Of course, in his peak state, the Golden Saber Elder was confident he could forcefully break free, but there were no ifs and buts now.
"Elder, can we have a proper conversation now?"
Shi Xiaole smiled.
"Hmph, I admit defeat. Do as you please."
The Golden Saber Elder replied stubbornly.
Sheathing his sword, Shi Xiaole said, "I have no grudge or grievance against the three elders, I see no reason to kill you."
The Jade Axe Lady, a mature woman still brimming with charm, sneered in response: "Doesn’t Young Master Shi have his eyes on my Jade Moon Axe?"
"That’s exactly why I didn’t kill you. If you had used the Jade Moon Axe to attack me, your heads would have already hit the floor."
Shi Xiaole’s words made all three of them blush with embarrassment.
Little did he know, the three Elders hadn’t intended not to ambush him; it was just that the Jade Moon Axe, a medium-grade spiritual weapon, demanded an unexpectedly high amount of vigorous air.
The vigorous air quality of the Jade Axe Lady and the Silver Sword Gentleman was such that even at their peak, they could only activate it three times. As for now, they couldn’t activate it at all.
The Golden Saber Elder, on the other hand, was convinced from the start that he could easily defeat Shi Xiaole, so he didn’t grab the Jade Moon Axe either.
A minor oversight ended up saving their lives.
"Recently, you three elders must have found life hard. I happen to have a big opportunity in hand and I’m willing to share it with you."
Shi Xiaole smiled.
Intrigued by his words, the Silver Sword Gentleman asked, "What opportunity?"
"I plan to establish a sect on Nine Heavens Mountain and am currently lacking some powerful experts who could hold their own. Are any of you interested?"
All three of them were taken aback. The Jade Axe Lady and Silver Sword Gentleman neither confirmed nor denied, but the Golden Saber Elder burst into a hearty laugh.
"Well, what a surprise! You wretch, actually trying to get us under your control. Truly, I wonder what thoughts run through that head of yours! We trio, the three eccentrics, have been freely wandering the Martial World for half our lives, earning a reputation far and wide. Major, superior powers have come to us with offers before, all but to be turned away by us. What makes you any different?"
Golden Saber Elder scoffed repeatedly.
He fully understood that his life was now in Shi Xiaole’s hands but his naturally hot-tempered personality wouldn’t let him take the situation lightly. A mere youngster in his twenties trying to act as if he were his boss was just ridiculous!
Even if he did agree, the young miss and the disguised scholar wouldn’t consent to it. The three of them had long known each other’s thoughts. At the most, they had another twenty years of life, so what difference would it really make if they died earlier?
"Young Hero Shi, we’ve grown accustomed to our freedom. We regretfully decline your generous offer."
Silver Sword Gentleman maintained his smile.
Shi Xiaole was silent for a moment, then asked, "If you manage to escape this manhunt, what will your next moves be?"
"Well, we all know our times are about to arrive, so naturally, we’d search for some scenic place to comfortably spend the rest of our days."
"Is Nine Heavens Mountain not beautiful enough?"
The trio was momentarily stunned; Jade Axe Lady laughed, "Young Master Shi, don’t get confused. Freedom and the forced servitude to others are different."
"The East Victory Continent is an endless place of wonders. After exploring it for over two hundred years, you’ve only managed to cover a corner. Surely, you must not be content with that. If given the chance to live for a few hundred more years, would you be willing to lend me a hand?"
"What do you mean by that?"
Golden Saber Elder shouted out.
Everyone knew that martial artists who reached the Dragon Gate Realm could only live up to three hundred years. To exceed this number, they must upgrade to the Divine Barrier Realm, which would give them an extra two hundred more years to live.
Unfortunately, for most people, reaching the Divine Barrier Realm was no different than trying to ascend the sky itself. This is why, both in Xuan Wu State and Shuntian Capital, there’s not even a single known expert in the Divine Barrier Realm.
Deliberately slowing the pace, Shi Xiaole suggested, "How about this; we make a wager. You three briefly join my sect for two years. Within these two years, I will provide you with a top-grade exceptional martial art."
Boom!
It’s as if a thunderbolt had struck them all, leaving the trio slightly dazed.
If a mid-grade exceptional martial art skill set was considered an extraordinary power in Xuan Wu State, worthy of the fierce competition amongst the superior powers; then a top-grade exceptional martial art skill set would be considered a legendary item. Upon its discovery, it would cause anyone in the Martial World within Shuntian Capital to go insane.
What’s more significant is that after practicing a top-grade exceptional martial art, the chances of breaking through to the Divine Barrier Realm would be at least ten times more than if one were to practice a mid-grade exceptional martial art.
The reason why places like Tian State and Azure Dragon State lack no experts in the Divine Barrier Realm is because the major sects there have a heritage of top-tier exceptional martial art, which provides their sect elites with innate advantages.
The fact that the trio of eccentrics had made it this far with their inferior-grade exceptional martial arts spoke volumes about their talent levels. If they could get their hands on a top-tier incredibly thoughtful martial art...
Golden Saber Elder began laughing uncontrollably, unable to contain himself. He finally spoke once the laughter subsided, "What a mouth you got, young man! Do you think such martial arts grow on trees?"
Jade Axe Lady and Silver Sword Gentleman also shook their heads, not believing a word of Shi Xiaole’s claims.
"I won’t waste words. If you agree, I’ll help you through this crisis, and within a month, I’ll provide you with mid-grade exceptional martial art. If you refuse, I’ll leave immediately. The choice is yours. Do you want to wager your fate for two years on the chance for a life worth more or risk dying in the hunt?"
After a long silence, Shi Xiaole threw a casual smile and turned to leave.
"Wait."
Jade Axe Lady suddenly called out to stop him. After exchanging glances with the other two, she said, "Young Master Shi, your eloquence is as stunning as your swordplay. We agree to your terms, but both sides must swear an oath."
As Shi Xiaole said, given the current momentum, the trio wouldn’t possibly escape the manhunt. In that case, why not take a gamble on their fate?
If they could survive, they likely wouldn’t mind losing two years.
Of course, what truly moved the trio was Shi Xiaole’s promise to deliver them a manual of a mid-grade exceptional martial art within a month. If they could manage to get it, they might be capable of breaking through to the Divine Barrier Realm.
"Fine, but I have an additional term. If I can bring out the manual within two years, you three must serve me for fifty years."
Shi Xiaole revealed his true intentions.
At this stage of creating a sect, strong sect members are essential, but unfortunately, everyone in Lele City was too weak. Seeing the trio of eccentrics, Shi Xiaole had an idea to cultivate their support.
During the critical transition period of sect development, having the backup of three top-level experts will undoubtedly alleviate many potential crises.
After a slight hesitation, Jade Axe Lady gritted her teeth. "Deal."
If they break through to the Divine Barrier Realm by practicing the top-tier exceptional martial art, fifty years of serving would be nothing in the grand scheme of things. If they didn’t, well, it’s merely a baseless promise, causing them no losses.
The four immediately took the oath. Upon its completion, Shi Xiaole led them back towards the peak of Nine Heavens Mountain.
Jade Axe Lady was poisoned, significantly reducing her power. Claiming expertise in medicine, Shi Xiaole quickly prepared a concoction, secretly adding his own blood, and handed it to Jade Axe Lady.
She chugged the mixture without suspicion, believing that if Shi Xiaole really wanted them dead, he wouldn’t need to resort to such underhanded tactics.
Not long after, Jade Axe Lady was surprised to find that the strange poison that had troubled her for days was actually cured!
"This kid... "
Golden Saber Elder’s mouth hung wide open.
Meanwhile, Silver Sword Gentleman still had serious injuries. Shi Xiaole ordered the two eccentrics to defend while he tried to treat him with the Undying Seven Illusions skill, transforming death energy into life energy.
The treatment was surprisingly successful. In just half a day, Silver Sword Gentleman’s injuries had healed by sixty percent.
"Sect Master Shi, everybody knows you’re a prodigy in the Martial World but now I realize they really didn’t understand the full extent," Silver Sword Gentleman, deeply looking at Shi Xiaole, then bowed.
If initially, he agreed to serve under Shi Xiaole due to their predicament, now he had genuinely begun admiring the man.
Setting aside his talent and strength and merely looking at his means, Shi Xiaole commanded respect and admiration.
