Heaven-Defying Rebel Sage-Chapter 70 - Intensively Practicing Staff Technique

In those two days, Wu Aotian was everywhere hunting down solitary Taiyi Golden Immortals.

The auspice above his head grew denser, and his ranking rose to second place. When the remaining few Taiyi Golden Immortals saw the trend had turned against them, they shattered their auspices, dividing the remaining luck among just Wukong, Emperor Gou Chen, and Wu Aotian. Wukong contemplated the Emperor’s Path Ranking for a moment before saying, “Now, only three people are on the Emperor’s Path Ranking. First is myself, second is Wu Aotian from the Xuan Wu Clan, and third is Emperor Gou Chen!”

Yuan Hong could not help but frown, saying, “It’s extremely difficult to deal with people from the Xuan Wu Clan. Their defense is unparalleled. If they summon their life-bound magical treasure, it will be very hard to break through.”

Wukong replied, “Don’t forget my Sun Shooting Divine Arrow. It’s a magical treasure crafted by a Saint. Even though it was made casually by the Saint, it still has been stained with the battle blood of the ancient Golden Crow, and its power is immense. When the time comes, I will hand this treasure to you, and with full strength, a single arrow will pierce through anything! With that, are you still worried it won’t break his shell?”

Wukong felt somewhat puzzled. The second Crown Prince Wu Kuang of the Xuan Wu Clan had already joined Water Curtain Cave, so what was this older generation’s Wu Aotian doing meddling in the Emperor’s Path Ranking? Unable to figure it out, he did not dwell on it further.

After some thought, Yuan Hong said, “Although it’s difficult to deal with, he can indeed be defeated. With so many mighty magical treasures at your disposal, as long as their mana is not too much greater, they can all be dealt with.”

Wukong chuckled to himself. In the past, all he had was a broken iron rod, but now he possessed all kinds of powerful magical treasures, and his combat power was countless times higher than before.

Yuan Hong said, “Since there’s nothing pressing at the moment, both of us use staffs. How about we have a contest of our staff technique today?”

Wukong, ever competitive, rubbed his hands together and declared, “Very well!”

Yuan Hong nodded, saying, “We shall only compare staff technique, and not use mana to avoid wasting it and giving others an opportunity to exploit our weakness.”

Wukong drove his Buddha Beating Staff into the ground and said, “Good, I’ll listen to you!”

The two of them then retreated several steps, squared off, lifted their staffs, pushed them forward so the tips crossed in salutation, and then began to fight! Staves whirl as shadows flew, and their figures flipped and spun like the wind.

Yuan Hong, a personage from the Ancient times, had been trapped inside the Mountain and Rivers Sheji Map for one hundred and twenty thousand years but had never neglected his skills, practicing his staff technique daily. Now, unleashing his staff technique, it was enigmatic and formidable, seeming to change yet not changing, not changing yet still changing.

Wukong found it difficult. With a flick of his wrist, he flourished his staff, parrying thirty-six incoming strikes, then seized the moment Yuan Hong withdrew his staff to flip forward, pressing the attack with a vigorous staff technique!

Wukong’s staff technique emphasized adaptability and sharpness, with his Buddha Beating Staff varying in length and visibility, overwhelming and unceasingly targeting vital points. After executing “Night Battle on All Sides,” he enveloped Yuan Hong entirely in the shadow of his staff. With a soft cry, he brought the staff down towards his head.

Yuan Hong was fearless, deflecting the staff shadow strike by strike, rolled away to dodge, and then, releasing one hand while swinging with the other, sent his iron rod sweeping across. Wukong quickly planted his Buddha Beating Staff down, just blocking it! Yet, Yuan Hong pushed off the ground with his foot, somersaulted over, and his rod spun around him like wings, glittering gold.

Wukong blocked as he retreated. When Yuan Hong’s momentum was spent, Wukong thrust his staff forward.

Suddenly, Yuan Hong laughed heartily. With a tap of his foot on Wukong’s staff, he steadied himself, extended his long staff, and pressed it against Wukong’s chest.

“Wukong, your staff technique is indeed formidable. Ordinary people might find it hard to withstand, but it still falls short compared to mine. Haha, I haven’t been idle these one hundred and twenty thousand years; I’ve been practicing and refining my staff technique every day. But for you to last over forty rounds against me is quite remarkable. It shows your immense talent,” Yuan Hong tapped Wukong’s chest with his staff and then retracted it, flipping backward off Wukong’s staff.

Wukong’s staff technique was exceedingly rare in the world, but how could it stand against this ancient relic who had lived through four great eras? The Long-Armed Ape’s staff technique was highly unpredictable and vastly more complex than Wukong’s intuitive style. With every move, Yuan Hong accounted for the next ten changes and movements. Had Wukong used a different weapon, he might have lasted a few more rounds. But Yuan Hong, with his hundred and twenty thousand years of mastery of the staff, naturally knew it best. After so long, he might have pondered all the staff techniques in the world… Thus, Yuan Hong was crisper than crisp with every move Wukong made.

“As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and that’s exactly the case.”

“If a mere mortal without the Spirit Root for Immortal Cultivation lived for one hundred and twenty thousand years, they’d likely be an extremely formidable character by then. Isn’t there a saying that ‘ginger gets spicier with age’? It means that the older people get, the craftier they become!”

Wukong bowed and said, “Brother Yuan is indeed formidable; I am far from comparable.”

Yuan Hong chuckled and replied, “Ah, Wukong, you’re too modest. Your Staff Technique is also quite fearsome, and if it comes to close combat, I’m afraid many wouldn’t be your match. I have studied the Staff Technique for one hundred and twenty thousand years, almost an entire eon, and have reached a complete understanding of its essence. If it weren’t for the scars left by the laws of the Great Path hindering me, I’m afraid my Cultivation Level would have already been pressing close to that of a Saint by now.”

Wukong nodded in agreement, as if enlightened.

Visit frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓ for the b𝘦st novel reading experience.

Yuan Hong said, “The skill of close combat must be practiced! The more you practice, the better you get, and sparring with masters helps you improve even faster.”

After hearing this, Wukong lifted his staff and declared, “Let’s go again!”

The two of them picked up their staves and battled once more; Wukong found himself unable to resist after about forty moves each time. Although his own Staff Technique was formidable, it was far inferior to Yuan Hong’s. From the moment he made his first strike, it seemed as though Yuan Hong had already calculated Wukong’s subsequent moves, leading him step by step toward a lethal final blow.

“Excellent!”

With a loud shout, Wukong transformed his Buddha Beating Staff into a Longsword three feet and seven inches long and lunged at Yuan Hong.

Swordsmanship emphasizes a sharp edge, vigorous and relentless advancement, never retreating, never bending!

Only a sword wielded in such a manner can be considered a true sword!

Within the cycle of Reincarnation, Wukong had comprehended the grand path of the Sword Master. His swordsmanship was naturally executed with exceptional sharpness. With a flick of his wrist, a myriad of sword flowers bloomed, enveloping Yuan Hong like a sky covered with tempestuous blooms. Yuan Hong, well-versed in Staff Technique, was not acquainted with Swordsmanship. Only in this way did Wukong stand a chance of winning.

Yuan Hong shook his staff, causing a surge of staff blossoms that intertwined with the sword flowers, sparking embers flying everywhere.

“Back when we tried to slay Tang Sanzang, Yan Shisan’s life-taking thirteen swords were unpredictable like thirteen shooting stars tearing through the darkness; Ximen Chuixue’s swordplay was the fastest, and even at the Cultivation Level of a High Immortal, it was incredibly fast and could pose a threat to a Taiyi Golden Immortal; Ye Gucheng’s sword was peerlessly sharp, his Celestial Swordplay as if a Sword Immortal had descended, the concept profound; Xie Xiaofeng’s sword…” As Wukong fended off Yuan Hong, he carefully considered those four individuals who had taken swordplay to the ultimate level.

Even though they had not used swords in that day’s battle, every move they made implicitly contained the utmost truth of the Sword Dao!

“A sword from the West!” When Wukong stabbed out with this move, Yuan Hong saw only a flash of Sword Qi moving at extreme speed. His iron staff was too late to block, and he had to throw his head back to avoid it narrowly.

Wukong followed with thirteen consecutive sword thrusts, thirteen streaks that seemed to tear through the darkness like meteorites, casting a somber Sword Qi from every direction.

Yuan Hong secretly exclaimed, “What a crafty sword move!”

He then abandoned his complacency and cautiously engaged, managing to withstand all thirteen strikes.

Seeing that victory was elusive, Wukong executed several more peerless and fierce sword moves, but Yuan Hong countered them all once again.

Wukong then somersaulted out of the fray and said, “Let’s stop, let’s stop. I cannot beat you!”

Yuan Hong’s Staff Technique was truly divine; in close-quarters combat, there seemed to be no one who could match him. Only if Ximen Chuixue were present, using his sword moves that were fast to the extreme, might there be hope—Wukong’s impromptu imitation of Swordsmanship was insufficient.

Yuan Hong marveled, “Brother Wukong, you truly are extraordinary, worthy of being the foremost among the four Divine Monkeys, wielding even sword moves with such fierceness!”

Wukong, the Intelligent Stone Monkey with unparalleled talent, who also cultivated the Primordial Three Thousand Transformations intending to assimilate the Three Thousand Great Paths, naturally had a rudimentary understanding of all kinds of paths. His comprehension of the Sword Dao during Reincarnation was thorough. Although his swordplay could not compare with the four great Sword Masters, including Ximen Chuixue, it was also exceedingly formidable.

Wukong said with a wry smile, “Even if I’m fierce, I still can’t beat you.”

Yuan Hong laughed and replied, “If everyone could defeat me, then what would have been the point of my one hundred and twenty thousand years of effort?”

Wukong thought about it and said no more.

The two sat on the ground right there, and Yuan Hong shared all his insights into the Staff Technique with Wukong, who listened with rapt attention, his thoughts clear and fluid. Yuan Hong’s exposition on the Staff Technique was incredibly subtle and complex, varying unpredictably, and exceedingly powerful.