Chapter 723: Chapter 722: Meeting the Three Talents Association Again (Seeking Subscription)
On the plains, the wind howled.
The sentiments of the crowd were stirred by the words in the wind, their eyes fixed firmly on the two figures in the depression. The deciding moment of victory was about to come, but it was unclear who would gain the upper hand.
"Heaven and Earth Double Kill!"
"Thousand One!"
Shen Canghai’s pupils dilated, rising power surged through his right arm, the black chain whip turning white, as if it were a voracious dragon, baring its teeth and claws.
With a snap!
Within the glaring silver light, the thirteen-section chain whip, loaded with dozens of iron rings, suddenly exploded in midair, drawing comet-like brilliant light trails everywhere, shooting directly towards Shi Xiaole.
In terms of attack power, Heaven and Earth Double Kill was not stronger than the Chain of Sentiment, they were both of a high Fourth Tier level, what made the former surpass the latter was its diversified and ingenious attacks, which left the opponent no chance to resist.
The pale-faced Xu Zhongting in the distance could see countless trajectories from this move, which he could neither block nor withstand. This was a finishing move!
Just as the thought of Shi Xiaole’s defeat sprang up, it was shattered by the abruptly approaching chilling Sword Qi.
Amidst the sky full of silver light, Shi Xiaole, holding the sword with both hands, made a horizontal slash. The Vigorous Air overpowering his entire body was entirely expelled by this movement.
What kind of Sword Qi was that!
It was like a formidable wind, omnipresent, existing wherever the naked eye could see. It was a tangible presence.
Everything happened so fast.
One moment prior, people were still immersed in the infinite shock brought about by Shen Canghai’s lethal move.
Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang...
The next moment, all the silver lights were knocked down and deflected. The scattered Sword Qi consolidated into one, abruptly crushing Shen Canghai’s protective Vigorous Air into pieces.
Throughout the process, Shen Canghai had not even reacted. By the time the Sword Qi had dissipated and countless holes had been torn in his green shirt, he only then realized that he had just escaped death by a hair’s breadth. His face turned ashen, a drop of cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
Clang!
The sound of the long sword sheathed back echoed through the air.
Whew!
At this point, it was noon, and the sun was scorching. However, everyone felt an icy chill run through their bodies.
"Good, what a terrifying swordsman."
Shen Canghai’s followers lost their colors, completely devoid of their initial arrogance, all that was left was infinite terror.
As rumored, Kirin was indeed a Kirin. Every time people assumed he was assured defeat, he would always make a counterattack and overturn everyone’s imaginations.
Technically speaking, Shen Canghai still had the advantage in today’s duel, whether it was age or cultivation. However, he was still defeated by Kirin’s sword.
Being invincible on the same level wasn’t just lip service.
"The Martial World places hundred-year-old Terrestrial Immortals on the same level, which is quite unfair. But even so, Kirin is definitely among the top fifteen of the Earth Immortal ranking. He indeed possesses a unique flavor in the vast world."
"Among the five great prodigies, Kirin takes the lead. Tihs talent, his rate of improvement, if not unprecedented, is absolutely unique in the Martial World for centuries."
"I concede both in mind and in speech."
People either admired or were amazed; even those who had hoped Kirin would lose were speechless.
"Young hero Shi possesses talents bestowed by Heaven!"
Hua Yiyun laughed heartily, seeming even happier than he had won himself.
Yuan Yuying, standing at the side, was also laughing.
Previously, she hadn’t paid much attention to Kirin. It was only because of Senior Brother Hua that she had some understanding. But after watching this battle, even she couldn’t help but admire the composed elegance and divine tranquility of the other party, becoming one of his worshippers.
Xu Zhongting gave a bitter smile, and then another.
In just two encounters, he suddenly had a terrifying idea of not daring to challenge Kirin again. The fear before the battle, it was a taboo for martial artists, but he couldn’t control it. The opponent was far more formidable than he thought, far more formidable than anyone else imagined.
"Temporary victory means nothing, don’t get too smug!"
Amidst the chorus praising Shi Xiaole, Shen Canghai’s face burned like fire, both resentful and furious. Yet, all he could do was look at Shi Xiaole and say with a firm tone, "It was my mistake this time, I should thank you, in fact."
"I’ve been winning for too long. You reminded me of my shortcomings. When I’ve improved further, when I’ve truly become stronger, I hope you will still be interested in me!"
Shen Canghai was not a man to concede defeat. A single setback could not crush his inner confidence. He believed that this setback would only push him to reveal his true potential and become stronger.
"Many people say that," said Shi Xiaole in a mild tone, "and I hope you won’t be forgotten like them."
"You..."
Shen Canghai’s eyes twitched, and he laughed, "The future will prove everything, you, are surely just a stepping stone on my path to growth."
Without further ado, he turned around and departed swiftly.
His followers also cast a glance at Shi Xiaole and followed suit without saying a word.
Shi Xiaole didn’t take Shen Canghai’s words to heart.
The opponent was indeed strong, and his final move, Heaven and Earth Double Kill, focused too much on change and skill, neglecting speed. If he could balance the two, his lethality could rise to a higher level.
Unfortunately, as the opponent was improving, he was also improving, and he would only improve faster. Any overly arrogant words were nothing more than a cover-up for his own insecurity.
Fearing that he would be surrounded by the crowd, Shi Xiaole transformed into a rainbow light and disappeared into the distance, leaving behind a crowd full of regret.
"Senior Brother, let’s go back to the Yinfeng Inn."
Yuan Yuying pulled at Hua Yiyun, urging impatiently.
"But...
Having already mustered up courage, Hua Yiyun was even more hesitant to approach his idol after witnessing Shi Xiaole’s strength and grace, fearing being ignored by the latter.
He hesitated for a long while and only under Yuan Yuying’s scornful encouragement, did he return to Yinfeng Inn.
...
"Although Thousand One’s attack power is not on the top level of the Fourth Tier, my strength should be able to surpass most top-level Fourth Tier Terrestrial Immortals. I wonder how it would be against Fifth Tier Terrestrial Immortals?"
From his battle with Shen Canghai, Shi Xiaole learned much.
First off, weapons.
Weapons are part of one’s strength.
His current long sword is just the most common low-grade spiritual sword. The Red Dragon Sword and Autumn Water Sword are evidently not usable. If he were to face other Terrestrial Immortals in the future, particularly those with high strength and robust backgrounds, he’d undoubtedly be at a disadvantage.
Therefore, it is necessary to forge a suitable sword.
In fact, as early as when he completed the Demon Alliance’s sea task, Shi Xiaole had obtained three pounds of Twinkling Star Stone. He only needed to buy a few more materials, then he could try to create a medium-grade spiritual sword as taught by Nine-Colored Granny.
The delay until now was only due to being continuously held up by various matters and his unfamiliarity with the forging method. It seems now, he needs to start working on this.
Secondly, the Flying Skill.
If Shi Xiaole had mastered a top-grade first-class Flying Skill, perhaps he could have easily defeated his opponent today without the need to use Thousand One. It would also give him an additional means to save his life in dangerous situations in the future.
Of course, in addition to these two, comprehending the sword art in Sword King Valley is also of utmost importance.
In short, all three cannot be neglected.
During the two days of rest at Yinfeng Inn, Shi Xiaole met two young people. The male was called Hua Yiyun and the female was called Yuan Yuying. It took them a long time to muster up the courage to come to his dinner table and start a conversation.
Shi Xiaole laughed secretly and invited the two of them to sit down.
He was polite, and Yuan Yuying was lively by nature. Coupled with the fact that all three of them were young, after the initial unfamiliarity, they quickly started to chat about everything under the sun.
Hua Yiyun was very nervous at first, but gradually he regained his composure. He happily conversed with his idol. Emboldened by the alcohol, he occasionally asked a few difficult questions about cultivation and felt greatly enlightened.
The people around them were greatly envious. Damn, why didn’t they take the initiative to start a conversation in the first place!
But when these people finally plucked up their courage, Shi Xiaole had already said goodbye to Hua Yiyun and Yuan Yuying and returned to his room.
"How was it?"
Yuan Yuying smiled and asked Hua Yiyun, whose face was flushed with excitement.
"Junior Sister, I owe you a lot this time. Thank you."
Hua Yiyun had drunk quite a bit of alcohol and kept bowing in gratitude. He only felt that today was the happiest day he had had in years. Being able to sit and chat casually with his idol was truly a joy in life!
Shi Xiaole entered the Sword King Valley again. This time, fearing being discovered by others, he slightly altered his appearance.
In the blink of an eye, another half month passed.
Thanks to the Sword Qi and Tortoise Shell around him, the power of the Heart Sword within Shi Xiaole’s body had grown from one strand to three. Although his cultivation base hadn’t improved significantly, he had laid a solid foundation for a thorough understanding of the Heart Sword.
But at the beginning of the second month, the Tortoise Shell suddenly stopped glowing.
"What’s going on?"
Shi Xiaole was confused for a moment. Without the Tortoise Shell, he didn’t know how long it would take to comprehend the power of the three strands of the Heart Sword. He didn’t want this thing to be broken.
But no matter how he injected Sword Qi, it was of no use.
Having an idea, Shi Xiaole took the Tortoise Shell and walked deeper into the Sword King Valley. To his delight, the Tortoise Shell lit up again. However, a blurry Humanoid Light Shadow appeared in the second box.
Swosh, swosh, swosh...
The deeper he went, the stronger the Sword Qi in the air. Before the Humanoid Light Shadow in the second box became clear, Shi Xiaole could no longer withstand it.
"It seems that there is a time limit for each of the nine boxes on the Tortoise Shell. After the effect of the first box is gone, to illuminate the second box, a stronger Sword Qi is needed."
Having vaguely figured out the reason, Shi Xiaole breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the Tortoise Shell wasn’t broken, it was alright.
Yet, if he wanted to continue comprehending the Heart Sword, he had to raise his cultivation level and strengthen his Sword Qi.
Not sure whether to feel disappointed or excited, Shi Xiaole put the Tortoise Shell back into his system space and decided to leave the Sword King Valley first.
But just then, he suddenly saw a familiar figure. This figure was covered in blood, hair dispersed, as if searching for something.
"Brother Hua."
Removing his disguise, Shi Xiaole called out.
"Brother Shi, I’ve finally found you."
The person was indeed Hua Yiyun. At this moment, his handsome face was pale, and his breath was at its lowest point. Once they were close to each other, he yelled in a transmitted voice: "Go, Brother Shi, run! Someone wants to harm you!"
"Brother Hua, what’s going on? If there’s something, say it slowly."
After a spiritual scan, Shi Xiaole didn’t detect any suspicious persons for the time being.
"It’s the Three Talents Association, the Terrestrial Immortals of the Three Talents Association want to capture you, and they’ve planned everything. You must leave quickly!"
Hua Yiyun urgently said.
