Chapter 9

"Psychological quality is too poor!"

Inside the green jade shield, Wang Tong took deep breaths, his expression gradually relaxing, but his face was burning hot. This was truly embarrassing, utterly embarrassing. He really lived up to the nickname 'Rabbit Kiss Man.' When he saw Xu Yang's sword light approaching, he didn't even think of drawing his sword to defend himself. He had been practicing swordsmanship for a while, and with the foundation laid by the original Wang Tong, there was no reason for him to be so weak. After all, he came from a peaceful world, a society where even knives were regulated. Suddenly being asked to wield a sword and cut someone down, he was indeed a bit scared. In the end, it was still a matter of psychological quality. Especially when facing Xu Yang, he was completely intimidated by his aura. If it weren't for the green jade shield, he would have been severely injured or even killed by Xu Yang's sword light just now. However, after catching his breath, he came to his senses and realized that this couldn't go on. Even if he escaped today, he would still die in the next Five Peaks Competition.

"No, I can't be afraid. I have a magical artifact, I have sword techniques, and I have the green jade shield. If the situation turns bad, I can still save my life. Why should I be afraid?"

With this thought, Wang Tong finally mustered the courage, drew the Dragon's Journey Sword from his waist, and tightly gripped the green jade pendant in his left hand.

He raised his head and stared intently at Xu Yang.

Xu Yang was surprised that his attack had been blocked by the green jade shield, especially when he saw the green jade shield, his expression turned to shock.

"Nine-patterned green jade shield? This is impossible."

"What's impossible? Don't forget, I'm the son-in-law of the Zhou family!" Wang Tong grinned, his tone somewhat frivolous, but deep down, he was giving himself a pep talk, suppressing the fear that rose in his heart. The Seven Plum Blossom Sword Techniques ran through his mind, and his right hand, holding the Dragon's Journey Sword, trembled slightly. His heart was racing, and he could hear the thumping of his own heartbeat. The blood in his body began to boil.

Avoidance was not a solution. If he avoided today, he couldn't avoid the future. This was not the Heavenly Dynasty; this was the world of cultivation, a world where martial power was supreme. The Boundless Heaven Great Power had already paved a path to the heavens for him. The path was there, but he needed to walk it. If he couldn't handle such a situation, if he didn't dare to draw his sword, how could he walk this path?

Seeing Xu Yang say something, he didn't pay attention, nor did he need to. The Seven Plum Blossom Sword Techniques flowed slowly through his mind, and his heart gradually calmed down. His left hand tightened, cutting off the true qi input to the green jade shield, which immediately disappeared.

Xu Yang, who had been blocked outside the green jade shield, had no way to attack and no method to use. The Nine-patterned green jade shield was a high-grade magical artifact, specifically a defensive one. Even against a Spirit Root Heaven cultivator, its defense was very strong. Xu Yang was only at the Eighth Level of the Mortal World, and his Flowing Light Sword was only a low-grade magical artifact. Even with all his strength, he couldn't affect the green jade shield. Wang Tong, hiding inside the shield, left him at a loss. He shouted a few times, but it had no effect. Wang Tong stood inside the green jade shield, his expression strange.

"Hmph, coward! I don't believe you can hide in there forever!" Xu Yang snorted angrily and turned to check Xu Ming's injuries. Unexpectedly, as he turned, a cry of alarm came from behind him, followed by a wave of scorching sword qi.

"Bold, to dare to sneak attack!" Xu Yang was thoroughly enraged this time and turned to strike with a move from the Snowfall Sword Technique, Cloud Rising and Snow Flying.

Compared to the Seven Plum Blossom Sword Techniques, the Snowfall Sword Technique was much more advanced, a technique that had made Xu Yang's master famous. However, because it was so advanced, it was also very difficult to cultivate. Xu Yang had spent many years mastering it, but he had only reached a level of proficiency. This level, though seemingly not high, was enough to deal with Wang Tong.

Wang Tong's Seven Plum Blossom Sword Techniques were still in the early stages of learning. Although he had practiced for some time, he was not yet proficient. Seizing the moment when Xu Yang turned, he thrust his sword, using the opening move, Snow Plum Bud.

The previous Wang Tong would never have done this, as it was a sneak attack, completely against his values. But for the current Wang Tong, a sneak attack was nothing to worry about. After all, he had plenty of time and reasons to justify himself. Moreover, he had knocked out Xu Ming with one punch, and Xu Yang, enraged, had attacked without holding back. If it weren't for the green jade pendant, he would have been destroyed by Xu Yang. Since they were now mortal enemies, there was no need for any courtesy.

However, Xu Yang's sword skills were far superior. Even though it was a sneak attack, he didn't gain much advantage. Instead, he was caught off guard by Xu Yang's counterattack, which left him flustered.

The Cloud Rising and Snow Flying move was incredibly fast in Wang Tong's eyes. Before his sword could reach Xu Yang's back, a white expanse of sword light appeared, and the cold sword qi made his blood almost freeze.

Instinctively, he wanted to use the Nine-patterned green jade shield again, but when he saw the vicious look in Xu Yang's eyes, he changed his mind.

He could escape for a moment, but not forever. The Five Peaks Competition was approaching, and if he couldn't overcome his fear, what was the point of competing?

His tightly clenched left hand relaxed, and his wrist turned slightly, shifting from Snow Plum Bud to Three Plum Blossom Melodies.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Three crisp sounds of sword strikes echoed, and Wang Tong staggered back, his shirt torn, revealing a sword wound about half a foot long. The wound extended from his right shoulder to his left chest, bleeding profusely. However, Wang Tong didn't care because the wound wasn't deep. Xu Yang, on the other hand, looked surprised. His previous strike was meant to severely injure Wang Tong, and he hadn't expected Wang Tong's cultivation to have increased so much. The Three Plum Blossom Melodies move, with its powerful force, easily deflected Xu Yang's Flowing Light Sword. Because he had underestimated Wang Tong, Xu Yang almost lost his sword.

"Level Eight of the Mortal World, it seems you've taken all the Zhu Huang Pills. Hmph, a piece of mud is still mud, it can never be shaped into a wall!" Sensing Wang Tong's cultivation, Xu Yang instantly understood.

Thinking that the legacy of Chang Yangzi had fallen to this waste of a person, he felt a surge of jealousy. What was Wang Tong? Just a waste. Such a waste could obtain a celestial connection, truly a sign of heaven's blindness. If this celestial connection had been his, he would have already broken through to the Spirit Root Heaven and gained the qualifications to compete for a True Disciple position, or even been directly accepted as a True Disciple. After all, the Golden Light Fiery Sword was not just any technique; it was a minor divine ability!

What was a True Disciple? In a sect like Xiaohan, the greatest advantage of a True Disciple was the ability to learn a minor divine ability. If he had obtained the Golden Light Fiery Sword, broken through to the Spirit Root Heaven, and condensed the Golden Light Fiery Sword Life Symbol, he would have been a True Disciple.

Such an opportunity, such a celestial connection, had been obtained by this waste of a person. What right did he have?

Once jealousy arose, it was hard to suppress. The Flowing Light Sword moved, creating a flurry of snowflake-like light, and fiercely attacked Wang Tong.

Wang Tong took a deep breath and did not retreat. With the experience of their first encounter and the memories of the previous Wang Tong, his mind was completely calm. As the sword light approached, he flipped his wrist, and true qi surged, meeting the attack with the Five Plum Blossom Openings move.

Whoosh!

Under the influence of the Fire Spirit true qi, the tip of the Dragon's Journey Sword turned a deep red. The sword light drew a beautiful plum blossom in the air, colliding with the snowflakes.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Wang Tong retreated again, with another sword wound on his body. Xu Yang's expression was stern, and he pressed forward, like a leech, tightly following Wang Tong. The Flowing Light Sword left a white trail in the air, aiming for the center.

Wang Tong's heart tightened, and he poured true qi into his feet, spinning to avoid the strike. The Dragon's Journey Sword swung, deflecting the Flowing Light Sword. Xu Yang, not to be outdone, exerted more force, stopping the Flowing Light Sword's momentum and forcing it to change direction, the blade slashing upward, aiming for Wang Tong's right hand.

"Good move!"

After a few exchanges, Wang Tong had gradually adapted to the confrontation. He used the Three Plum Blossom Melodies move again, striking the body of the Dragon's Journey Sword. Three more light sounds echoed, and the two separated. Wang Tong's arm had another wound, but Xu Yang was still unharmed, though his hand holding the sword was trembling slightly.

The difference in strength!

Both were at the Eighth Level of the Mortal World. Although Xu Yang had been at this level for two or three years, in terms of cultivation, he was still inferior to Wang Tong, who had just entered this level.

The Boundless Heaven Great Power's magic lay in the true qi it condensed, which was not only pure but also powerful. The powerful true qi naturally possessed great strength, so even though Wang Tong had just entered this level, his true qi was not weaker than Xu Yang's, and in some ways, it was even stronger.

Xu Yang's sword skills were a step above Wang Tong's, and the Snowfall Sword Technique was of a higher grade than the Seven Plum Blossom Sword Techniques. However, unfortunately, Xu Yang had only reached a level of proficiency with the Snowfall Sword Technique. While he was proficient, it did not give him a decisive advantage over Wang Tong. Another key factor was the difference in the quality of their swords. One was a mid-grade magical artifact, and an excellent one at that, while the other was only a high-grade treasure. Therefore, when their swords clashed, Xu Yang was at a disadvantage. After a few rounds, Wang Tong looked battered, but these were only superficial wounds. Xu Yang, on the other hand, appeared unharmed, but the Fire Spirit true qi had invaded his meridians. This Fire Spirit true qi, enhanced by the Boundless Heaven Great Power, was extremely pure and unreasonable. At first, Xu Yang didn't notice, but after a few rounds, he was shocked to find that the Fire Spirit true qi, which he thought should have dissipated, was actually growing stronger in his body. With each sword strike, a thread of Fire Spirit true qi entered his body, and after multiple strikes, it had formed a significant presence, hindering the flow of his Cold Snow true qi.

"Damn, how many Zhu Huang Pills did this waste take to cultivate such pure true qi? If all those pills had been mine, my cultivation would be much stronger, perhaps even stable at the Spirit Root Heaven level!"

At this point, Xu Yang was still thinking about the question that made him jealous.

After a few rounds, Wang Tong, despite his injuries, became excited. He realized that these were only superficial wounds. The Cold Snow true qi mixed with the sword wounds posed no threat to him. Once it entered his body, it was driven out by the Fire Spirit true qi, unable to cause any harm. These superficial wounds had no effect on him.

"Ha, Xu Yang, isn't your Snowfall Sword Technique supposed to be the third best? How can it have so little power? It can't even break my Seven Plum Blossom Sword Techniques, truly undeserved fame!" Laughing, Wang Tong advanced with his sword, the Dragon's Journey Sword glowing brightly, and a fiery red plum blossom enveloped Xu Yang.

This move was fierce. Normally, Xu Yang's best choice would be to retreat, but Wang Tong's words had pushed him to the brink. If he didn't respond strongly to Wang Tong's taunt, the Snowfall Sword Technique would be labeled as undeserved. This was a price he couldn't afford, so he had no choice but to advance with his sword.

"Undeserved fame, damn you, if you want to die, I'll grant your wish!" Xu Yang, agitated by Wang Tong's provocation, didn't hesitate. Snowflakes formed in his sword light, covering a ten-meter radius in an instant. Within this area, the cold was intense, and it seemed as if a heavy snow was falling.

The Three Absolute Snowfall Sword Technique

Snow Filling the World

The snowflakes enveloped the fiery red plum blossom, causing it to disintegrate instantly. Wang Tong was alarmed because each snowflake was actually a sharp sword light. His pupils shrank to pinpoints, and he retreated, almost activating the Nine-patterned green jade shield again. However, the Seven Plum Blossom Sword Techniques quickly ran through his mind, and a flash of inspiration struck him. He stepped forward, infusing his foot with Fire Spirit true qi, and leaped to meet the snowflake-like sword light.

Strangely, the sword light that covered the ten-meter radius did not harm Wang Tong. His figure moved like a butterfly among the flowers, evading the attacks. This movement was familiar yet strange to Xu Yang.

"Hmph, not bad, the Seven Plum Blossom Sword Techniques have improved, but it's too late!"

Xu Yang was surprised but not panicked. He waved his sword, and the snowflake-like sword light condensed into a white ribbon, aiming for Wang Tong's throat.

A white ribbon shot out, aiming for Wang Tong's throat.

This was the true killing move of the Snowfall Sword Technique, Snow Piercing the Clouds.

Snow Piercing the Clouds, one strike to the throat!

As the sword approached, Wang Tong's pupils shrank to pinpoints, but his sword did not retreat.

The Dragon's Journey Sword, under the influence of the Fire Spirit true qi, flashed with a red light, which concentrated at the tip, forming a beautiful red glow. It collided with the white ribbon.

Seven Plum Blossom Sword Techniques, Cold Plum Blossom in Bloom!!

Clang!

The tips of the Dragon's Journey Sword and the Flowing Light Sword met without any pretense, producing a clear and resonant sound. This time, Wang Tong did not retreat; it was Xu Yang who took three large steps back to steady himself. However, the powerful force from the sword did not disappear but surged into his body, wreaking havoc with the Fire Spirit true qi already inside his meridians.

For a moment, his blood vessels burst, and the Fire Spirit true qi felt like countless small, red-hot knives cutting through his meridians. Unable to bear it, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

The sight of the blood was not pleasant, but he felt much lighter. He looked up, seeing the equally surprised Wang Tong. He hadn't expected his strike to be so powerful, but after a moment of thought, he understood.

He had broken through!

Not in cultivation level, but in the proficiency of the Seven Plum Blossom Sword Techniques. Facing Xu Yang's Snow Filling the World, he had, in a moment of inspiration, advanced from the initial stage to a level of proficiency. In terms of proficiency, his Seven Plum Blossom Sword Techniques could now match Xu Yang's Snowfall Sword Technique. While the power of Cold Plum Blossom in Bloom might not match Snow Piercing the Clouds, the overall effect of the move, combined with other factors, gave him an advantage. The Dragon's Journey Sword was a mid-grade magical artifact, while the Flowing Light Sword was only a high-grade treasure. Wang Tong's true qi, enhanced by the Boundless Heaven Great Power, was superior to Xu Yang's. Both moves concentrated true qi at a single point to achieve great destructive power. Snow Piercing the Clouds aimed to strike the throat, but it failed. Instead, it clashed with Wang Tong's sword. Additionally, Xu Yang had used this move under duress, already injured internally. All these factors combined gave Wang Tong the upper hand, leading to his victory.

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap...

Just as the two were in a standoff, something even more embarrassing happened to Xu Yang. His Flowing Light Sword, heavily damaged, shattered on the ground without any warning.

With his flying sword broken, himself injured, and his true qi depleted, Xu Yang tried to gather his strength to attack again but found he couldn't. In a fit of rage, he blacked out and fell backward.

The Crane Release Market was not a deserted place; it was usually the most crowded area in the cultivation world. The conflict between Wang Tong and the Xu brothers had attracted everyone's attention from the start. Most of the people out at this late hour were disciples of Xiaohan Mountain. Given Wang Tong's fame in Xiaohan Mountain, even those who didn't know him had heard of his name. When they heard that Wang Tong was in conflict with the Xu family, they all thought Wang Tong was in trouble. But they never expected this outcome. The crowd was in an uproar, and some even cheered, making the market very lively.

Xu Yang's defeat was sudden. Not only did the onlookers not expect it, but even the Xu family members, who were maintaining order, were caught off guard. By the time they realized something was wrong and tried to intervene, Xu Yang had already fallen.

This was serious. This was the Crane Release Market, the Xu family's territory. How could they let the Xu family suffer a loss? A Xu family outer sect elder shouted, "Wang Tong, you have great audacity to disrupt the Crane Release Market. Come with me to face the consequences!"

An outer sect elder was a Spirit Root Heaven cultivator. His angry shout sent a storm-like aura toward Wang Tong.

Wang Tong's face changed. Despite his recent increase in cultivation, he had no intention of facing a Spirit Root Heaven cultivator. Seeing the elder's hand approaching, he quickly retreated, but the elder wouldn't give him that chance. His hand created multiple illusions in the air, trapping Wang Tong from all sides, leaving him no place to hide.

Just as the hand was about to grab Wang Tong, a series of sword lights appeared around him, forcing the hand back. A clear voice rang out, "Wang Tong is my Lianyun Peak disciple. If he is to be punished, it must be done at Lianyun Peak. When did it become your Xu family's business to meddle in such matters?"

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