Chapter 55: Uncovering The Roots Of The Old Arts
Old Chen stuck his black longsword in the frozen ground. His aura mirrored the coldness of the silver mask he wore, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.
The two Grandmasters approached with slow steps. An invisible wind swept up the rocks, causing them to spin in mid-air before inexplicable forces shattered them. Ordinary people would not even be able to get close to them without being torn apart by the invisible force!
“Do you both want to fight me individually or together?" Old Chen asked calmly. He remained unfazed even when facing two Grandmasters.
The middle-aged man named Mo Hai, dressed in pristine white, remained untouched by the swirling dust and flying gravel. Despite the wind, his clothes remained perfectly still. A radiant white light began to emanate from his body, enhancing his sacred and unapproachable presence, evoking a sense of reverence.
It was not an illusion. Many people nearby were creeped out, as they wondered if the man could manipulate the emotions of others. They were baffled by their own inexplicable desire to get closer to the man, some even finding themselves compelled to kneel in reverence.
“A Devil?!” someone whispered in a low voice. Both practitioners of the Old Arts and New Arts were strong-willed individuals; it was impossible for them to worship any gods!
“Please take a brief respite, Mr. Chen. I shall be your opponent later,” the man in white said with kindness. Although there were whispers of him being a devil, it was undeniable that he exuded an ethereal presence in his pristine white attire.
“What a gentleman. It looks like Old Chen’s situation isn’t as dire as we imagined,” a middle-aged practitioner of the Old Arts remarked. They were all prepared to join the battle at any given moment. Should the two Grandmasters decide to attack at the same time, all of them would unite in a desperate effort to eliminate them.
Even Wang Xuan was fully focused and prepared to rescue Old Chen at a moment’s notice. However, Old Chen’s calm demeanor suggested he could handle one or two Grandmasters on his own.
Wang Xuan was unaware of Old Chen’s physical issues. During his youthful and impulsive days, Old Chen believed he could succeed and dedicated himself to practicing the secret techniques of the Taoist Ancestral Court. Regrettably, this pursuit resulted in unforeseen complications that he carried with him.
For some reason, Wang Xuan’s heart was filled with intense unease. The two Grandmasters displayed an unusual calmness, as if they were absolutely certain of their ability to eliminate Old Chen. This unwavering certainty left Wang Xuan feeling unsettled.
“No need for that. Let’s do this together!” Old Chen rejected the suggestion, knowing that the longer he dragged it out, the more unfavorable it would be for him. He kept his sword sheathed and walked toward the man in white empty-handedly.
“I apologize in advance!” Mo Hai said in a deep voice, his aura intensified as his white clothes billowed around him. A blinding white light erupted from his body and slashed towards Old Chen, who swiftly moved to stand in front of him with a single fluid motion. With a powerful swing of his bare hand, Old Chen shattered the white light with an explosive force from his palm.
The collision created a thunderous sound that shook everyone’s eardrums.
In the distance, spectators were rendered speechless as the white light from Mo Hai clashed with Old Chen's palms, creating a startling effect akin to a sudden thunderclap on a clear day.
Old Chen’s palm shattered the white light, turning them into a shower of light. Like laser beams fired from an energy weapon, they struck the frozen ground, leaving behind numerous holes and destruction.
Furthermore, a portion of the white light cut through rocks as tall as a man, like incomparably sharp blades effortlessly slicing through decaying wood.
In an instant, Old Chen appeared before his opponent. Fearless of the mysterious white light, he swiftly raised his bare hand to slash through the air.
The two Grandmasters engaged in a fierce battle, their bodies moving with incredible speed. They clashed repeatedly, creating explosive thunderous sounds that reverberated through the clear sky. The noise was so intense that it made the spectators’ ears ring and their heads spin.
Many people found it hard to believe. The thunderous sounds produced by their clash surpassed anything they had ever heard before. The sheer intensity of their fight created an inexplicable energy field, causing debris to fly and large stones to hover and spin around them before exploding with a resounding bang.
“He’s Grandmaster Mo Hai!” Beside Qing Mu, Old Wu finally recognized the identity of the other grandmaster. His expression turned grave as he had heard that Grandmaster Mo Hai was a renowned figure in the field of New Arts.
“Mo Hai could control a type of purification beam, capable of extending a person’s life by several years at a price. This had earned him great fame among the magnates,” Wu Chenglin explained.
Even so, Old Wu had never anticipated that Mo Hai’s Purification Beam could also be transformed into such a devastating attack. Any other Old Arts experts would have been swiftly annihilated by this technique. The Purification Beam was truly divine, causing him to question if it was a form of transcendent power.
As the two Grandmasters moved at incredible speed, thunderclaps echoed through the air. Lightning bolts streaked across the sky, seemingly intent on obliterating any demons that dared to tread on the Pamir Plateau.
Suddenly, an astonishing phenomenon occurred. Strange white lights came out of Mo Hai’s mouth and nose, forming chains that snaked their way toward Old Chen. Not only that, beams of light also emerged from Mo Hai’s other orifices, transforming into seven white chains of light. These chains blocked all of Old Chen’s escape routes, effectively trapping him in place!
Many spectators gasped in horror upon witnessing this. The practitioners of Old Arts were all anxious, deeply concerned for Old Chen’s safety. It seemed like he was in grave danger!
As expected, the seven white chains of light emitted a thunderous sound and an incredibly fearsome aura upon contact with Old Chen’s body.
Yet, in that critical moment, a deafening rumble erupted from Old Chen’s chest. A faint white light burst forth, shattering all seven chains of light with a resounding impact. The force of his counterattack struck Mo Hai, causing his body to tremble violently before he desperately pulled back to evade Old Chen’s onslaught.
Old Chen moved like a shadow, his speed unmatched. Like two streaks of light, both of them swept across the barren place. The air exploded with a deafening noise as a brilliant red haze materialized in Old Chen’s heart. It resembled a rising sun, radiating a bright red and dazzling light.
Finally, with a tremendous boom, the red haze in his chest surged, as if the great sun was ablaze. It bloomed fully, transforming into a beam of red light as thick as an arm. Its brilliance was unparalleled, marking the pinnacle of Old Chen’s power.
BOOM! Shocking thunder shook the plateau as a red beam of light pierced through Mo Hai’s body. A large, bloody hole appeared in his chest as his body was sent flying through the air.
Old Chen’s chest heaved violently, but after a moment of composing himself, he pressed forward with determined strides. The grandmaster in alloy armor stopped him and helped Mo Hai to his feet.
Her name was Xia Qing, a rare female grandmaster in the field of the New Arts. She was half a head taller than most men, with a slender yet powerful figure. “Go and tend to your wounds,” she said in a low voice.
Mo Hai’s injuries were severe, evident from the gaping hole in his chest where his heart had been ripped and a piece of his lung was missing. Without timely treatment, his cultivation would be greatly affected.
“None of you are allowed to leave,” Old Chen said indifferently, his voice devoid of mercy. He had no intention of showing mercy to those who had come to push him to his limits so that his lingering health issue could kill him. Even if his opponent was a renowned grandmaster of the New Arts, Old Chen remained resolute in his determination to spare no lives!
Mo Hai clutched his chest, his body emitting a white light as he stopped the bleeding with New Arts. He reassured Xia Qing that he could hold on and would not retreat. He was determined to wait for the battle to reach its conclusion and even make a powerful move if opportunity allowed.
Xia Qing’s alloy armor gleamed with an icy metallic luster as she spoke coldly, “Mr. Chen, I must admit, your skills are impressive. Rest and calm your boiling blood. We shall battle each other in a short while.”
This time, Old Chen did not refuse. He stood there silently, everyone on the Pamir Plateau fell silent too as they all waited with bated breath.
Near the Pamir Plateau, many airships had gathered that day. Among them was a massive, powerful and sleek-looking super battleship.
Inside the battleship, a supreme grandmaster was talking with an old man. Three Grandmasters of the New Arts were present today, and the last one had just arrived. On the other hand, the old man was a prominent figure within the megacorporations.
“The path of the Old Arts is incredibly challenging, filled with numerous obstacles. Apart from Chen Yongjie, no one else has risen to prominence. It’s unrealistic to place all hope on P;d Chen to progress further and extend your life. Even the Grandmasters in the field of the Old Arts have hit a wall and are unable to attain such extraordinary heights. On the other hand, you have personally witnessed the outcome of our two years of research. Your vitality is thriving, and the changes are evident...”
“I’ve been feeling dizzy and lacking energy lately. Am I dying?” The old man sat comfortably, his legs draped in a blanket crafted from the skin of a legendary creature. Owning such a rare material served as a testament to his strength.
His question left the grandmaster of the New Arts with an immense headache. He was Chen Kai, a man in his fifties.
In Chen Kai’s opinion, the old man was healthy and had at least five years of worry-free life ahead of him. However, the old man stubbornly refused to acknowledge the benefits he had received from them and intentionally made things difficult for Chen Kai. Negotiating with him was exhausting and challenging, even more so than facing a grandmaster in combat.
“In today’s era, there’s no one in the field of the Old Arts who can reach those heights. Deciphering the golden bamboo slips is impossible, unless a practitioner or a sect ancestor figure from the Early Qin dynasty returns to life. Why not let us analyze them with the New Arts? We may be able to unravel its secrets and extend your life.”
“I’m tired, my energy is waning and my body is falling apart. I fear that I will die soon. If you want to uncover the roots of the Old Arts, you must show sincerity. Let me experience the vitality in my body, give me hope that I can live for at least twenty more years. Only then will I consider waiting for the results of your work.”
The old man's eyes gleamed with vigor, his voice full of life. However, he had made it clear that no further negotiations could take place unless he received another ten years of life extension.
Chen Kai was taken aback. He briefly felt the urge to beat the old man to death, but he quickly regained his composure and realized he lacked the courage to do so.
“Chen Yongjie has emerged victorious,” the old man informed Chen Kai.
Turning his attention to the large screen, Chen Kai remarked, “Old Chen is indeed formidable. He’s considered the last hope of the Old Arts. However, his time is running out.”
Unspoken words lingered in the air. Regardless of the battle’s outcome, Old Chen would die due to the detonation of his five major viscera. His victory or defeat was inconsequential; death was inevitable.
The old man questioned, “Aren’t you worried about your two companions?”
“No matter. I will personally go over there shortly,” Chen Kai replied as he observed Old Chen’s physical condition through the screen.
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