Chapter 590: Chapter 589: Help to Achieve
Some swordsmen prefer to strike their enemies with precision, delivering significant damage. Some stress the importance of momentum, using their power to suppress others. Others emphasize technique, managing to shift large weights with a small force.
In the eyes of the middle-aged man in white, Shi Xiaole seemed to possess all these traits.
His swordsmanship was incredibly fierce, each attack aimed at the enemy’s weakest point without any unnecessary movements. Furthermore, he possessed great momentum. This was not only reflected in his swordsmanship but also in his spirit - the sword is the man, and the man is the sword.
All of these elements were encapsulated in his extraordinary technique. As soon as he found an opening, he would seize it, launching a barrage of attacks and not giving his opponent a moment to breathe.
This is a genius swordsman, seemingly with no weaknesses. He had significantly underestimated his opponent!
Stumbling backward, the middle-aged man in white zigzagged, desperately trying to widen the gap between him and Shi Xiaole.
In this back and forth, the curved sword light intertwined.
With the augmentation of the Life and Death True Intent, Shi Xiaole’s Phantom Demon Body Method had reached its peak. He always managed to intercept the middle-aged man a step earlier, launching his attack first.
Clang, clang, clang...
The middle-aged man continuously created a shield of light in front of him, but the speed of the sword surpassed that of the shield’s formation. His right sleeve was torn open by another strike.
"Great upheaval!"
With a desperate roar, the man in white, regardless of his exposed defenses, forcefully gathered seventy percent of his strength, transforming it into an overpowering punch, effectively trading injury for injury. Never had anyone forced him into such a corner at the same level.
Shi Xiaole retreated like a ghost, but as soon as he barely escaped the fist force’s range, he quickly advanced again, the surging aura of the Illusion True Intent pressing forward in mid-air.
"This move is ineffective against me."
Although he was able to suppress every aspect to the same level, the middle-aged man could not suppress Shi Xiaole’s mental strength. The impact of the Illusion True Intent left no ripple on him.
However, he soon realized something was wrong.
The Illusion True Intent was merely a feint. Among the seemingly gentle water currents hid sharp blades. It was the sword Qi condensed from complete Wind True Intent, slashing towards him at lightning speed.
"Two True Intents combined and used simultaneously, how is this possible?!"
The man in white was so shocked that he was at a loss for words. Because of his surprise, his reaction slowed, and his neck was almost slashed by the sword Qi. Thankfully, he was just a spirit body with incredible strength, able to dodge at the critical moment.
"This..."
Zi Yuansheng at the side was dumbfounded, doubting his own eyes.
How was it possible that Gu Nanfeng, ranked among the top twenty of the golden generation, found himself retreating? He had always fought against higher-ranked opponents, repeatedly defeating exceptional experts from his own realm. When had he ever been cornered like this?
If Shi Xiaole’s swordsmanship, technique, and reaction speed were unbelievable to Zi Yuansheng, then witnessing the combination of two True Intents nearly made him scream out loud.
True Intent is different from the body. If the body can simultaneously perform different moves, it’s common multitasking. Deploying two types of True Intent at the same time indicates the division of mental power.
This is not multitasking, but applying mental power in two directions.
Could there exist such a unique prodigy in the world?!
"Heaven-Shaking Power Hand!"
Pressure mounting, the middle-aged man in white, Gu Nanfeng, finally resorted to his ultimate technique.
He spun his body, his right arm erupted in a white lustrous light, propelling his body forward. As he advanced, each step stirred anomalous fluctuations around him. This was not the effect of Vigorous Air, but the resonance of the void caused by the vibration of his fist’s force.
Gu Nanfeng had perceived the principle of power at the Dragon Gate Realm, thus reaching the True Intent of Vibration.
Boom...
The sword Qi and the fist force exploded upon impact.
"Gale Blade!"
While retreating, Shi Xiaole, taking advantage of the shift between the Life and Death Dual Qi, swiftly slashed out his sword without needing to accumulate power. The green sword light condensed into a thin line, moving at an incredible speed.
Swish!
Raising his right arm in a futile attempt to block, Gu Nanfeng’s Vigorous Air was shattered by the sword Qi. The ensuing sword strike hit his arm, making a harsh, metallic clashing sound.
Gu Nanfeng fell back seven steps, staring blankly at Shi Xiaole.
He had lost.
Although he was not able to breach his defenses, that was only due to his exceptionally high level of cultivation. If it had been a fair fight, he would have lost already.
In fact, from the moment he had applied his final technique, his defeat was imminent. For his momentum, his rhythm, had all been controlled by his opponent, like an invisible force leading him by the nose.
"Are you only a mid-ranked genius of this era?"
Gu Nanfeng quivered as he questioned Shi Xiaole.
Shi Xiaole remained silent, and Zi Yuansheng answered with a bitter smile, "Brother Gu, didn’t you hear the young man’s words just now? His ambition is high."
As a master of the Void Origin Realm, Gu Nanfeng had an extraordinary memory. He immediately recalled all the words Shi Xiaole had said before, his eyes subtly shifting.
"Young man, how old are you?"
Gu Nanfeng asked.
"I am twenty-six," Shi Xiaole replied.
"When did you start practicing martial arts?"
After a brief pause, Shi Xiaole said, "It was probably when I was fifteen."
"So, you have only been training for eleven years?"
Gu Nanfeng and Zi Yuansheng’s eyes widened at his answer.
In just eleven years, Shi Xiaole had reached the peak of the ninth stage of the Dragon Gate Realm. This progress could only be described as inconceivable. Initially, they didn’t pay much mind since they themselves were exceptional talents and had seen numerous geniuses. However, now it bore a significant meaning.
But now, they were filled only with shock.
Gu Nanfeng took a long breath, he felt somewhat relieved. If a prodigious talent like Shi Xiaole were only of average level in this era, he would really question the meaning of life. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
Although he could not accurately judge Shi Xiaole’s talent, he was sure that the latter would be a prominent figure in this era. Even if he wasn’t famous now, he would become well-known in the future, with nobody not knowing his name!
If given enough time, Shi Xiaole might be the main force to stop the Devil’s ravages on the world in the future.
"Young man, you defeated me, according to our agreement, this is yours."
Pulling out the Wanhua Jinsi Grass, Gu Nanfeng threw it at Shi Xiaole without hesitation.
Shi Xiaole caught it and thanked him repeatedly, feeling somewhat dazed when considering that he had obtained this rare item in such a manner.
But he quickly pulled himself together, after storing the item safely, he hesitated slightly before speaking: "Senior, I have a presumptuous request."
"Oh, let’s hear it."
If it were an ordinary person, Gu Nanfeng wouldn’t bother. But Shi Xiaole was no ordinary person, he was curious about what request the latter had.
"During my battle with you earlier, I had some realizations. I was wondering if you could do me the favor of exchanging fists and palms with me again?"
"You mean you want to use me to make a breakthrough?"
Gu Nanfeng narrowed his eyes, not in anger but surprise.
Thinking about the scenes from the previous battle, he seemed to understand what Shi Xiaole was implying. He laughed heartily: "Little brother, I’m quite curious about how amazing your talent is. Very well, I accept."
Boom!
Just as his words fell, he threw out a punch.
"Thank you, senior."
Shi Xiaole raised his sword to meet him.
Very quickly, the sounds of intense fighting erupted once again.
One 2-hour period.
Two 2-hour periods.
A day and a night passed.
At the beginning, the sounds were mixed between sword Qi and fist energy. Later on, the frequency of the fist energy decreased while the sword Qi echoed louder. Eventually, even the sound of sword Qi gradually lowered, subtly giving off a sense of tension in the air, as though something was about to explode.
"I want in on this fun."
Seeing Gu Nanfeng getting beaten to the point of exhaustion, Zi Yuansheng laughed out loud, emitting rays of purple light from both palms. He joined forces with Gu Nanfeng to attack Shi Xiaole together.
Phut phut phut!
The combined forces of the top twenty geniuses of two great golden generations immediately changed the situation.
Shi Xiaole felt an immense pressure. Just as he dodged one punch, a palm enveloped in purple Qi surged towards him. Their attacks were timed so accurately that there was barely a gap in between them.
"Gale Blade!"
He swung out his sword, but its Qi was shattered on contact with the energetic palm and punch. The remaining energy hit him and sent him flying.
Like a tiger and a wolf, Gu Nanfeng and Zi Yuansheng pounced, not giving him a chance to breathe.
"Just a little bit more, just a little bit more."
Shi Xiaole waved his longsword, fighting the two great masters while looking for that elusive feeling.
"Brother Zi, if the two of us can’t defeat this kid together, it would be too embarrassing."
"Nonsense, don’t hold back, use all of your trump cards."
Gu Zi communicated telepathically, both of them intensified their attacks, using every bit of their strength.
Three figures split into ten, then ten into a hundred. Soon, the entire courtyard was filled with a dense mass of shadows. Some were of fists and swords clashing, others were interlocking fingers and palms. Some were of Shi Xiaole getting knocked back, and others were of Gu Zi getting scratched by the sword Qi...
"Force Heaven Form Intent Fist!"
"Purple Light Divine Flame!"
After exchange hundreds of moves and still not being able to take down Shi Xiaole, Gu Nanfeng and Zi Yuansheng, one on the left and one on the right, simultaneously launched their special techniques. With each other as support, they had ample time to drive their techniques to the peak state.
The booming fist energy shook the void, wave after wave of ripples emerging. Each wave capable of killing high-level Lords of Tian State. In the center of it all, were spheres of purple flames, burning the surrounding area like a furnace, causing the air to twist violently, blurring everything within a hundred feet radius.
This was the strongest attack that these two great masters could launch at the same level as Shi Xiaole.
As the sword Qi was torn apart and Shi Xiaole was about to be struck down, his pupils suddenly shone with two points of cold light. Immediately afterward, a layer of ethereal sword patterns radiated from him, rapidly spreading around.
Clink!
Like a sword being unsheathed or a divine sword being brandished, Shi Xiaole’s sword intent ascended exponentially. A sharp aura formed an invisible barrier around him, reaching up into the clouds.
The trembling fist energy and purple fire were immediately shattered as they drew near this invisible barrier.
Shi Xiaole took the opportunity to swing out his sword.
Swipe!
The twisted air was split in two, cut into an upper and lower half, and two human figures were sent flying simultaneously.
"Late-stage Heavenly Sword!"
Gu Nanfeng and Zi Yuansheng cried out in unison.
