Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King-Chapter 246 - 236: Certain Death? Turning the Tide!
Li Quan’s face turned liver-blue, his body trembled, and his attacking momentum halted abruptly. He cried out, "Oh no, I’ve been too reckless, my life is over!" A gloom filled his heart, his hands and feet turned cold, knowing he had little chance of survival. Yet to resign to fate was ultimately unwilling. He put his life on the line, using the "Thousand Jin Fall" technique.
His body burst with dark beams as he plummeted downward, crashing into the ground. Within ten yards around him, flowers and grass were crushed, their roots ground into dust, and the plants turned to powder. His feet were deeply embedded in the ground, reaching up to his knees.
"Fool, you’ve fallen into a trap!" Su Qiuyu cursed.
Li Quan realized his body was unharmed, comprehended what had happened, and was extremely angry at being tricked. Hearing Su Qiuyu call him a fool, he replied fiercely, "Su Qiuyu, if you’re not afraid, come and chase me using your ’Floating Three Steps’!"
Li Xian stepped in the air again. By then, he was already over five zhang high, having taken two of the seven steps. However, the seven Qi Balls within his body: Huangting, Mud Ball, Danzhong, Life Gate, Jiaji, Hundred Meetings, tailbone... were the key to gathering the "Light Force" for the Seven Stars Step.
Like a light boat on a lake, its interior hollow, gathering Light Force to float on the water. If flooded with water, it would immediately sink. The so-called ’Lightweight Skill’ follows a similar principle. The body acts as the light boat, surrounded by ’water’, while the Qi Balls within are the source of ’Light Force’. Every time Li Xian broke a Qi Ball, he could step through the air and ascend another level, but the Light Force would decrease.
Like cutting logs halfway through while leisurely boating on the lake, when the boat is punctured and ruptured, it naturally sinks into the lake.
The Qi Balls at the tailbone and Hundred Meetings were already broken.
Li Xian focused again to step. The Qi Ball at Jiaji broke, and stepping in the air, he reached a height of seven zhang. Devoid of leverage, ascending in the air, this was already considerable strength.
Su Qiuyu said, "What kind of trick is this kid playing? Does he think he can fly over the cliff? With such ascension, there must be a fall, is it not a futile effort?"
Deeply suspicious, but reconsidering, he thought, "Anyway, he can’t escape, it’s a desperate struggle, using baffling moves is not surprising." And he calmed his mind.
Zhao Zhiyuan said, "Heh, whatever." As he flicked his longsword, he killed a disciple from the Taixin Sect, his wrist lightly trembling, silently channeling the ’Yellow Sand Heart Scripture’, drawing the disciple’s essence dry, turning him into a withered corpse. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the withered corpse flying.
Li Quan delivered a punch. Zhao Zhiyuan parried with his sword, angrily shouted, "What are you doing!" Li Quan said, "Why did you kill a disciple of my sect!"
Zhao Zhiyuan said, "He was just the closest in proximity. I didn’t see which sect he was from, kill is kill."
Li Quan snorted coldly, unable to pursue further. The withered corpse flew toward Li Xian, coming with incredible momentum, containing extremely strong inner Qi.
Wen Caishang said, "Use the ’Alternation of Sun and Moon’ technique." In the First Layer of the Setting Sun Bloodsword, there is a move ’Alternation of Sun and Moon’, involving both Yin and Yang Swords.
The sword technique is gentle, deeply understanding the principle of the yin-yang interaction.
Li Xian followed the instruction and thrust at the withered corpse. The sword tip spun slowly, evolved to the extreme, his body sometimes dim, sometimes sharply bright. Then with a final kick, he sent the corpse flying.
Zhao Zhiyuan’s eyebrows furrowed, deeply impressed. The withered corpse contained extremely powerful inner Qi inside. If Li Xian had split it open, the inner Qi would burst instantly, the corpse’s ’bones’ turning into countless sharp spikes, piercing into his flesh.
This move is named ’Sacrifice for Righteousness’, an extremely sinister move of the Yellow Sand Sect. Often used in first encounters to probe, swiftly establishing supremacy.
Li Xian’s ’Alternation of Sun and Moon’, enveloped with Soft Qi, stabilized the inner Qi within the corpse, then unravelled it like peeling silk. Neutralized the killing force through strikes, eliminating further potential danger. Proving Wen Caishang’s sharp martial insight, quick judgement, strong techniques, and brilliant responses.
Zhao Zhiyuan suddenly grew apprehensive, "What a formidable woman, this move has never failed me, very few have caught its subtleties. Even in her weakened state, unable to move much, she easily pointed it out in words. If I were to fight her, I wouldn’t stand a chance."
Li Xian seized this gap, successively breaking open the Qi Balls at Life Gate, Danzhong, and Mud Ball. His figure was already nearing eleven zhang away, breaking through the mist.
The crowd saw that his momentum seemed about to stop, unsure of what trick he was playing. Even Wen Caishang was confused.
Li Xian flipped his body, head facing the ground, feet toward the sky, putting away his sword to draw his bow and arrows. He nocked two arrows, aiming at Su Qiuyu and Zhao Zhiyuan. But the moment the arrows were about to leave the bowstring, their direction completely changed, shooting toward a distant cliff instead.
"What is this..." Su Qiuyu was astonished, his heart tightened as he shouted, "Stop him!"
Li Xian’s lip curled up, the bowstring tightened as he released the two arrows. The arrow intent was extremely strong, flying out together, breaking through the sky, and the tail of the arrows was attached with extremely thin silk. Li Xian, head down feet up, was already in an upside-down position, hooking the silk in the middle with his toe.
Performing ’Light Word Mystery’, his whole body actually flew out with the arrow, a thrilling ride. Wen Caishang was greatly amazed, "So this was the plan, flying with the arrow. Such skill! Such thought! Such strategy!"
Ordinary people, even with similar thoughts, would find it extremely difficult to replicate. As the arrow left the bowstring, it flew extremely fast. Ordinary Martial Artists would find it extremely difficult to catch up. Even if they caught up, the moment they touched the arrow, the arrow momentum would be damaged, the speed would decrease substantially, how could it carry a person out? Even if it could, it would only be a few zhang.
But Li Xian’s precise setup was extraordinary. At the moment of archery, he was upside-down, head down, feet up. Holding the bow with both hands, hooking the silk with his toes, every posture and movement were meticulously calculated.
Moreover, his Archery was exceptionally brilliant, having reached the Peak! The more perilous the situation, the more spirited he became. Li Xian’s brows were filled with confidence, though he did not speak, it was as if he was saying: No matter how heroes emerge, what can they do against me?
The arrows shot were mighty in strength first, and rich in intent second.
Immediately performing ’Light Word Mystery’, his body became light.
But even so, with numerous setups, the arrows flew only a few zhang, due to carrying two people, the momentum had significantly lessened. Relying on the arrows alone to escape, still seemed like a fool’s dream.
Wen Caishang already found it dazzling; any further escape, whether time or fate, she thought, "Enough, he’s done his best, in such circumstances, how can he reverse the situation on his own?" Her heart slightly dimmed.
Su Qiuyu was filled with dread as the unexpected events unfolded. He dared not sit and wait for death. With a leap, he stepped several times in the air, intent on killing. Li Xian laughed, "Old fool, finally come to meet your death."
Su Qiuyu cursed, "Hmph, you think you’re worthy of speaking to me?" Hands behind his back, he tapped his toes, moving with great elusiveness. This was the "Three Steps of Illusion," extremely evasive but slightly lacking in ascent.
However, with Third Realm strength, the body is like the heavens and earth, evolving Martial Arts. Not something Li Xian could compare to. Seeing him rapidly closing in, there was no more room to evade. Li Xian remained calm, putting away his bow and drawing his sword, instantly unleashing the "Yang Yuan Sword Qi." The scorching Yang Fire surged forward.
Su Qiuyu dodged swiftly, just about to sneer. Suddenly, he felt the surging heat waves, growing even more intense. Turning his head, he witnessed a shocking scene.
The Yang Yuan Sword Qi struck the colored mist. That mist, formed by "pollen," was densely scattered like countless fine particles. Being extremely fine, it ignited the moment it touched fire. A spark would ignite, like a prairie fire, creating an explosive force of unimaginable killing power in an instant.
Forming an explosion.
The Yang Yuan Sword Qi’s fire raged fiercely.
A thunderous "boom" was heard, the power was immense. Ordinary disciples of the Yellow Sand Sect, Sword Rain Tower, and Taixin Sect were instantly burned or scorched to death. Calm and composed, confident in victory, Su Qiuyu, Zhao Zhiyuan, Xi Kairen, and others were swept by the explosion, blasted away, hair, skin, and clothing instantly destroyed.
Su Qiuyu focused on dealing with Wen Caishang, but by the time he realized, it was too late. He was immediately caught in the explosion, blasted away, crashing into a massive rock. Embedded deeply, his clothing caught fire.
Li Xian practiced Swordsmanship, blooming with the Splendid Sun. The scorching Yang Yuan Sword Qi, with its blazing heat waves, rolled forward.
In a flash, the situation changed entirely. Li Xian used the thrust to ride the arrow’s momentum, soaring high into the air, two long arrows pinned in the middle of the cliff, leaving Li Xian hanging upside down on the face of the cliff.
This place was dozens of feet from the ground and the top, neither up nor down. Wen Caishang’s beautiful eyes widened in wonder, flashes of insight continuously dawning, "So that’s it, so that’s it... Yesterday he asked me about pollen, preparing for this scenario. Using the explosive nature of the pollen mist, he designed it so they’d enter and then ignite it in one go. Thus distancing themselves with the burning momentum and arrow trajectory. This youth has a deep mind and far-reaching strategy. That’s to be expected, but... his imagination is wild, without bounds, each tactic astonishing all. Truly remarkable."
"Li Xian... not only have you fooled me terribly, but you have also tricked others awfully."
Putting herself in the same place, Wen Caishang felt despondent. Li Xian, though, found another way, crafting a path to survival. In an instant, she felt deep admiration, a faint inclination of reverence rising within.
But the sea of flowers turned into a sea of fire, burning fiercely. Miserable wails and chaos everywhere. Zhao Zhiyuan, Su Qiuyu... all those present were wounded, their bodies blackened, in extreme distress.
Su Qiuyu, in shame and anger, gazed into the distance. Seeing Li Xian hanging upside down on a sheer cliff, neither up nor down, he shouted in anger, "Go after him! There’s still a chance!"
Li Xian laughed aloud, "Old man, isn’t my sea of flowers beautiful?" Su Qiuyu had considered himself flawless, exceptionally cunning. Looking down on Li Xian, who would have known the first major fall he took was handed to him by Li Xian.
Su Qiuyu said, "You brat, you won’t live long!"
Li Xian coldly retorted, "Oh, really?" His foot hooked on silk, hanging upside down from the cliff, his bow drawn like a full moon. Wen Caishang’s eyes sparkled, and she said, "Shoot the Qi Gate Acupoint!"
Li Xian squinted slightly, his Heavy Pupils faintly manifesting, fixing his gaze on the enemy. Loosing the string, he shot, the Yellow Dao Bow fully displaying its killing momentum, the arrow attached with a yellow glow. Su Qiuyu raised a hand to grab it, feeling the sharp arrow intent, greatly shocked.
Wen Caishang said, "Spirit Ruins Acupoint, Heavenly Spring Acupoint, Stone Gate Acupoint..." Li Xian shot as instructed, each arrow precise, with endless intent hidden in the quiver.
Su Qiuyu dealt with several arrows, initially with ease, but the more he intercepted, the colder he felt, gradually sensing "Sword Intent" within the arrows!
Wen Caishang sneered, "Inadequate skills, disgraceful. Shoot his Hua Gai Acupoint."
This arrow shot forth, rendering all of Su Qiuyu’s Martial Arts useless. Everything was effortlessly dismantled by a single sword, his defeat inevitable, he miserably called for help, "Come quickly and help me!"
Qian Jinghao, wielding a large whip, came forward to assist. Wen Caishang remarked, "What use are more incompetents?"
Wen Caishang spoke of acupoints, and Li Xian shot with precision. The two worked in unison, their mutual understanding growing, the more they fought, the more unspeakable joy they found. Wen Caishang’s misfortune had haunted her, facing great setbacks, feeling quite stifled. Now unleashing her frustration, she felt utterly delighted.
Su Qiuyu, Qian Jinghao, Li Quan, Zhao Zhiyuan, and others were heavily at a loss, getting dragged further, growing more alarmed as they fought. Initially only realizing Wen Caishang’s strength in Martial Arts, yet no matter how fast the arrow’s momentum, there was always a time gap between the shot and its near arrival.
But as they fought, they felt the illusion of a sword duel with her. This revealed... Wen Caishang’s Martial Arts strength, overwhelmingly crushing them. Predicting several moves ahead, if not more. The gap was enormous!
Moreover, they felt Li Xian’s prowess in archery, with unending arrow momentum and unmatched precision, his intent unrivaled. Each arrow impeccable, astonishing the world.
In the end, amazed by the two’s tacit understanding. After several exchanges, suddenly the arrows stopped. The five gathered close, not daring to separate.
If they did, they would surely be shot to death.
After a moment, arrows came shooting again. The five banded together, backs against each other, utterly embarrassed. The sea of flowers wailed endlessly, the fire raged fiercely, black smoke rose, and most of the disciples they brought along had died.
More hidden arrows shot.
Tricky! Too tricky!
Impressive! So impressive!
