Chapter 55

As the crisp wind blew, the green leaves on the branches rustled, as if infected by the atmosphere, the clear leaves fell from the branches, drifting down in a grand and graceful manner.

Deng Yuanjue stood alert, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his entire body brimming with condensed energy. He tightly gripped the steel staff in his hand, which was unusually damp with sweat. Throughout his life, he had faced over a hundred life-and-death battles, but none of them compared to this young man, who simply stood there.

He could feel the momentum building up around Chen Ang, like the rising sun, magnificent and vast, swallowing the clouds and dyeing the land red. The pressure grew bit by bit, almost suffocating him.

When things reach their peak, they must decline. Deng Yuanjue had been waiting for the moment when Chen Ang's energy would weaken. He would rather face a shocking and earth-shattering blow than a vigorous and ascending Chen Ang, whose momentum continued to burn and surge in battle.

However, this time, he miscalculated.

Chen Ang simply stood there, but his aura had already connected with the surroundings. The wind, the trees, and the falling leaves were all part of him, carrying his will and momentum, gradually eroding Deng Yuanjue's fighting spirit.

Shi Bao struggled to lift his borrowed saber, sweat blurring his vision. Facing Chen Ang, he dared not wipe it away. The prolonged exertion of his internal energy made his meridians throb with pain.

Both men realized that, regardless of their chances of victory, they must act in the next moment, or they would never have another opportunity. They might never see the moment when Chen Ang's momentum would wane.

"May the Venerable One protect me, to subdue demons and eliminate evil!" Deng Yuanjue shouted, lifting his hundred-pound staff as if it were a piece of paper. In a state of madness, the usually calm and composed Deng Yuanjue seemed possessed, his staff like a dragon emerging from the sea, undulating and swaying, creating a powerful force.

It was enlightenment, it was transcendence. Deng Yuanjue's actions were wild, his staff sweeping the sky, fully embodying madness and shock. His face, however, was peaceful and joyful, his eyes half-open, revealing a transcendent wisdom and enlightenment.

"Staff madness, my heart is like the Buddha. The more mad, the more transcendent. When madness is exhausted, wisdom is born!" Chen Ang laughed, stepping into the heavy shadows of the staff, finding a way to survive in the midst of despair. Despite the precarious situation, no matter how mad Deng Yuanjue was, his staff always fell short of Chen Ang's vital points by a hair's breadth.

"I didn't expect you to be a Shaolin disciple!" Chen Ang's hand cut through the heavy shadows of the staff and pressed against Deng Yuanjue's staff, as solid as Mount Tai, preventing the iron staff from moving an inch, no matter how much force was applied.

A fine layer of sweat appeared on Deng Yuanjue's forehead. His monk's robe was half-open, revealing the steel-like muscles on his chest. His expression was solemn and imposing, embodying the essence of the Arhat subduing demons in the mad staff technique. In the thousand-year tradition of Shaolin, who could surpass Deng Yuanjue in the mastery of the mad staff technique?

"I have received great grace from Shaolin, but our paths differ. How can I endure it? I don't want to be like the enlightened Buddha or the compassionate Bodhisattva, enduring everything for the greater good. I prefer to be like the fierce Vajra, overturning the unjust world with a single staff!" Deng Yuanjue laughed loudly, "I kicked the golden Buddha, demolished the temple, and came down the mountain to live freely with my brothers, overturning the unjust world."

He shouted loudly, his expression bold, disregarding life and death, his staff technique even more unrestrained. In Chen Ang's palm, he charged left and right, overturning the mountain of five fingers, his iron staff like a green dragon's tail, striking straight at Chen Ang's face.

"Come on!" Chen Ang, full of spirit, saw this formidable blow and was not alarmed but delighted. He slightly rubbed his fingers, and a hint of the internal energy from the *Jingui Yaolue* quietly touched the iron staff. Deng Yuanjue was surprised to find that his staff, infused with his powerful internal energy, suddenly trembled, and the feeling of control vanished.

A chaotic and complex internal energy disrupted the staff's aura, causing Deng Yuanjue's attack to hesitate, revealing an unexpected weakness.

Chen Ang lightly tapped, his finger piercing through the layers of energy around Deng Yuanjue's chest and touching it.

This light tap, fleeting and precise, left Deng Yuanjue feeling a coolness on his chest as Chen Ang quickly retreated.

Shi Bao, who had been in a standoff with Huang Shang, saw an opportunity and roared, his long saber extending several yards, aiming for Chen Ang's neck. He dared not directly confront Chen Ang's sharp edge but was not averse to taking advantage of the situation. As Chen Ang's energy subsided, his overwhelming momentum receded like a tide.

A wise person like Deng Yuanjue could sense the deep, ocean-like aura behind Chen Ang, but someone like Shi Bao only saw the surface of the receding tide, unaware that after a great retreat, a massive wave would follow.

Chen Ang retracted his hand, his arms forming an arc, trapping the long saber between them. The saber's momentum was immobilized, and Shi Bao realized the danger, trying to retreat but finding his saber stuck between two streams of energy. Hesitating, he missed the best opportunity to withdraw.

It was the same simple finger strike. Shi Bao was shocked, feeling that none of his limbs and organs were working together. His eyes could not judge direction, his ears misheard the wind, and his entire body felt disjointed, as if all his organs were rebelling. When the finger struck him, he realized that everything he saw and thought was an illusion. The true strike inverted yin and yang, disrupted the five elements, and defied all common sense. With his martial arts skills, he could not understand the principle and knew he could not escape it again.

In fact, there was nothing magical about it. Chen Ang simply disrupted Shi Bao's energy, affecting the flow of qi and blood in his body, which followed the principles of yin and yang. This inversion of yin and yang most effectively interfered with one's senses, making it easy for those with uncoordinated senses and dull perceptions to fall victim.

Shi Bao, a man skilled in external martial arts, had once broken several steel sabers on his body during boasts and bets. He channeled his energy under his skin, making his internal energy bulge, so even a heavy hammer could not seriously injure him. But when Chen Ang struck, his muscles and bones instantly twisted together.

He let out a惨叫, convulsing and collapsing on the ground, his muscles torn and twisted, preventing him from moving freely. As he stopped, the yin and yang energy within him began to rebel, further disrupting his qi.

Under the combined attack from inside and outside, Shi Bao's eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

Deng Yuanjue struggled to stand, leaning on his iron staff, his face complex as he looked at Chen Ang. His profound skills meant that Chen Ang's strike only leaked his essence, causing him to suddenly feel drained and weak. In a short time, he recovered some strength through his profound skills.

But he could only勉强move, not a match for anyone here.

The *Jingui Yaolue* was most terrifying for its unpredictable and varied energy, often rendering an opponent powerless in a single move. If Chen Ang were to fully unleash his power, the interplay of yin and yang energy and unpredictable finger strikes within a ten-foot radius would be insurmountable for anyone below his eight-tenths strength.

Deng Yuanjue understood this. He said calmly, "I am powerless. Do with me as you will, but if you think I will reveal a single word, you are dreaming!" He closed his eyes, accepting his fate.

"Monk, don't panic. I still have something to ask of you," Chen Ang said, his gaze on the unconscious Shi Bao. "Please deliver a message to Fang La, the leader of the White Lotus Sect!"

Deng Yuanjue lowered his eyes, his expression unchanged, and said slowly, "If it is a message of surrender, there is no need to speak. For any other message, I will not fail to deliver it to the leader personally."

"Tell him, I have come!" Chen Ang laughed, leaving this short message, leading his group, mounting their horses, and disappearing into the horizon, leaving Deng Yuanjue leaning on the ground and Shi Bao, like a dead dog, lying limp.

Deng Yuanjue helped him up. Chen Ang's message was not just a verbal message but also included the person on the ground. Together, they formed a complete message.

"I have come. Are you ready?"

And Shi Bao was the calling card, representing the court, using a Dharma King to signify its presence in this land, and representing Chen Ang, using his martial arts to issue a challenge to Fang La.

A challenge to a duel.

At the right time, a battle with you. To determine the winner and the loser, and to decide life and death.

Hearing the holy fire of the White Lotus Sect, the scenery is beautiful and picturesque, I yearn for it and will bring my followers to visit at the right time! Chen Ang left.