Chapter 128: The Other Sword
As Ding Ning spoke, a scream sounded from within the heated wave.
Accompanied by the scream, the steam suddenly paused. Then a terrifying power exploded, turning the steam into white threads that shot outwards.
Xia Song’s figure appeared at the center of the exploding steam. Energy flowed and beat rhythmically around his body. Many watching students felt trepidation at the scene and thought that Xia Song had managed to fend off Zhang Yi’s blow with an astounding tactic.
Yet, in the next moment, when they clearly saw Xia Song’s face, these people unconsciously gasped.
Xia Song’s previously white and handsome face was covered in sparkling blisters that seemed to painfully ooze.
“Is not this a bit too sentimental?”
Seeing this scene, Xu Lianhua frowned and could not help but say to Ding Ning.
While Xia Song looked terrifying, as another cultivator in realm four, Xu Lianhua was certain the other had expelled all the primal energies of the universe in his body to avoid being cooked. Yet, Xia Song was still standing, and could still fight.
As long as he could fight, even if he used up all of his primal energies, Xia Song had stronger vital energy. As a realm four cultivator, he had more fighting tactics than Zhang Yi.
In his view, since Zhang Yi’s move had been effective, he should not have given Xia Song the chance to breathe. Zhang Yi should have attacked, but right now, he seemed to not bear it upon seeing Xia Song, and did not take the opportunity to attack again.
Most of the people present, including Dugu Bai, Xia Wan, and Yi Xin, had the same thoughts as Xu Lianhua. They thought that Zhang Yi’s pause and waiting had completely lost the advantage his move had given him.
“Waiting for what? Does he feel that this one attack has defeated Xia Song?” At the other end of the hut, someone sneered.
“My senior sect brother is trustworthy.”
Facing such questions, Ding Ning shook his head and said calmly, “Since my senior sect brother promised me to not be sentimental, he must be waiting due to some other reason, and because of sentiment.”
Xu Lianhua frowned slightly. He did not quite agree with Ding Ning’s thoughts. A problem in personality was usually the hardest to overcome.
At this time, Xia Song spoke. “I admit I have underestimated you.”
Xia Song did not look towards his skin, yet from the glow he saw out of the corner of his eyes, he knew the state of his face and skin. The feeling of being under everyone’s gaze like this was more uncomfortable than the pain itself. His usually steady hands were trembling.
“But you should not be so proud as to think you can defeat me with one blow.” He gritted his teeth and squeezed out as he faced Zhang Yi who was several dozen feet away.
For some inexplicable reason, when he said those words, all the students, including the student who had sneered and asked what Zhang Yi was looking for, felt that something was amiss.
However, Xia Song did not give these students the time to consider. Having said his piece, he gave a harsh cry.
Five bright lines of light appeared behind him.
His sword did not move, and no one knew how the wing-like lines of light formed. In a split second, five white cloud energies seemed to appear in the air, descended at astounding speed and gathered around Xia Song’s sword.
His slightly yellowed sword seemed to gain a layer of white armor. He attacked.
His figure and the white-armored sword broke through the air and attacked Zhang Yi at a direct line.
“What sword form is this?”
Xia Wan immediately changed her expression and shouted in incredulity.
This attack seemed like a move that only Mountain Moving Realm cultivators would have. Primal energies of the universe were truly gathered around Xia Song’s blade… even if this was not true Mountain Moving Realm, this was something similar to Mountain Moving Realm.
The sword light moved, and the air in front of the blade slammed towards the slide in waves, making muffled sounds.
Because there were large amounts of primal energies of the universe gathering like Mountain Moving Realm, this simple sword form became the most violent sword form she had ever seen.
“Heaven and earth in Harmony… when the heaven is in harmony and the earth is not, the strongest and most powerful move of the Heaven Awareness Sword Manual becomes a foolhardy sword.” Jin Liuli shook her head from inside the hut, her eyes flashing with contempt.
She looked down at Xia Song’s attack, but most of the students and cultivation teachers thought that Zhang Yi could not fend off this blow.
From the start, Zhang Yi’s reaction seemed to be too slow.
When Xia Song’s sword essence had formed, Zhang Yi had been standing at his spot so he could not dodge this blow and could only accept it.
.
Two poofs came from under Zhang Yi’s feet. His body bowed slightly as he flicked the burning Zhao Sword Furnace sword upwards.
Heat immediately formed in the air.
Everyone seemed to see a crimson and curved goat horn facing Xia Song’s sword.
The White Goat Hanging Horn meant to lock into stalemate. What Zhang Yi was performing now was the most defensive sword form of all the White Goat Cave sword manuals.
He had once been taught personally by Xue Wangxu, and his personality caused him to easily understand the meaning of the move. So, when he performed the move, the sword essence was unusually immaculate.
There was a dull and loud sound.
Xia Song’s armored sword light shook and was halted by this crimson goat horn.
Under the violent shocks, all the blisters on Xia Song’s skin ruptured, and droplets flew like sweat from his body.
Xia Song was in even more pain.
He gave a harsher shout, and pressed forward with his right hand sword.
The crimson goat horn tilted upward, Zhang Yi’s feet seemed to go slightly off the ground like a mountain goat unable to hold, about to be thrown off the cliff by a stronger opponent.
The longsword quality of the Zhao Sword Furnace was the best in the world, and under such pressure, it only curved and did not snap.
Because it did not snap, Zhang Yi let go.
Among uncomprehending gasps, Zhang Yi decisively related his right hand that held this Zhao Sword Furnace sword.
Zzt.!
The crimson red longsword flew backwards, and brushed past his face like flame. It even burnt the hair by his ear, but his gaze remained calm.
As the sword left his hand, it was like the horn of a mountain goat snapping off. The force could not transfer to his body at this moment, so his feet landed back on the ground. Just like a goat paying the price of a snapped horn, he temporarily was not thrown off the cliff by his opponent.
At the same time, his left hand, which had been hiding in his sleeve, stretched out like lightning. His sleeve split apart and a slightly curved sword light moved upwards.
Louder gasps sounded.
Even Xia Wan could not help but cover her mouth, her eyes wide.
The sword in Zhang Yi’s sleeve was extremely short, small and dim without any luster. Yet, the sword light still formed a thick goat’s horn curving upwards.
Another White Goat Hanging Horn. Just the change of a hand, the change of a sword.
Another explosion rang throughout the air.
Xia Song’s anger and fighting spirit turned to shock and disbelief. He felt his sword stop like his sword hit a mountain.
That short and small sword which felt like it was carved from ordinary stone was even stronger in Zhang Yi’s hands than that Zhao Sword Furnace sword.
“How is this possible!”
His breathing stopped completely as did his advancing body. His sword was completely blocked by Zhang Yi. Unconsciously, he did not admit defeat now. He felt he could still win against Zhang Yi.
His sword suddenly dropped downwards and as he moved his wrist, the sword hilt hammered towards Zhang Yi’s abdomen like a hammer.
Zhang Yi, stuck to the ground, moved a step back. Because his feet had been rooted deep into the ground, earth exploded underneath him as he moved.
As he retreated, the tip of his short sword in his left hand stabbed towards the mid-part of Xiao Song’s sword. Xia Song’s sword hit changed direction and floated to the left side of Zhang Yi’s abdomen.
At the same time, Zhang Yi stabbed towards Xia Song’s neck with his fingers.
Xia Song shouted in shock, his left hand punching towards Zhang Yi’s right hand.
Yet, with a hiss, many bloody marks appeared on his feet along with a bloody spray.
Zhang Yi’s fingers had turned to claws in a flash and grabbed towards his fist.
With this grab and pull, Xia Song lost his balance slightly.
For the first time since battle started, Zhang Yi shouted. His body advanced abruptly, returning to his original position. He cut straight into Xia Song’s center line and collided into his chest. His right shoulder smashed towards the center of Xia Song’s chest.
There was a loud bang.
Most of the students watching felt their eyebrows jump and their mouths dry up.
Pew!
Xia Song vomited blood. His sword hilt in his right hand was smashing towards Zhang Yi’s back but his body was already flying out so his sword hit only brushed past Zhang Yi’s shoulder.
“This is Sect Master Xue’s lifebond sword?”
Seeing Xia Song fly back through the air, Xu Lianhua’s frown eased. He took a deep breath and his eyes landed on Zhang Yi’s sword as he whispered.