Chapter 497: Defeat Zhao Kuo!
Translator: Noodletown Translated Editor: Noodletown Translated
Swoos.h.!.+ Swoosh… Hundreds of green sword energies swept across the ocean surface.
Hao Ren stood steadily on a grey sword energy above the ocean surface.
Boom!
One hundred twenty black sword energies shot up from the ocean, and Hao Ren flew up swiftly and shot out 160 red sword energies from his hand.
Swoos.h.!.+ Swoosh… More white sword energies glistened in the high sky.
In his grey robe, Zhao Kuo stood on the ocean wave.
Hundreds of colorful sword energies fought with each other under and above the ocean surface.
Hao Ren’s clothes were in torn, but the sword energies emitted from his body weren’t something to be taken lightly.
Bang! Zhao Kuo released a strong aura.
Hao Ren tempered his body with heavenly lightning bolts while Zhao Kuo toughened his body with the five-elemental essences. Hao Ren’s lightning cultivation technique could break everything that was comprised of the five elements while Zhao Kuo’s five-elemental technique could absorb everything of the five elements.
Bang! Hundreds of sword energies collided with each other in the center of the ocean.
The collision left a crater in the ocean, and huge waves surged up while ocean water rushed back into the crater.
Hao Ren focused his attention and shot out sword energies from more than one hundred acupoints on his body. The sword energies formed a sword array formation and crashed toward Zhao Kuo.
Standing on the waves, Zhao Kuo laughed wildly while his hands shot out hundreds of sword energies to block Hao Ren’s!
Both Hao Ren and Zhao Kuo cultivated the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll, and only Hao Ren could fight Zhao Kuo with sword energies in such a magnificent way!
In the past 30 days, Zhao Kuo spent two hours answering Hao Ren’s questions on cultivation every day and another hour fighting with him with the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll.
Each time they fought, the ocean around Purple Bamboo Island would turn dark, and the generals and soldiers guarding the area would immediately keep clear of them.
Bang!
Hao Ren’s sword energies and Zhao Kuo’s sword energies crashed into each other again.
The nearby ocean surface hissed with green smoke; the powerful energies evaporated hundreds of tons of ocean water!
Ding! Ding… Hao Ren’s 320 sword energies were bounced off.
Zhao Kuo’s 320 sword energies formed a line and dashed toward Hao Ren. Zhao Kuo who had reached Dui-level was reserving his strength and didn’t release all 640 sword energies.
“Third Uncle, watch out for my attack!” At this critical moment, Zhao Yanzi suddenly flew up from the ocean.
With a silver longsword in her hand, she stepped on the ocean waves and slashed the sword toward Zhao Kuo.
Walking on waves was the basic technique of dragon cultivators, especially the water-elemental dragon cultivators. Without using flying swords, Zhao Yanzi could move swiftly by maneuvering the ocean waves.
Zhao Kuo stepped aside to dodge her attacks, and two huge waves over 30 meters tall exploded around him like two water bombs, drenching Zhao Kuo.
Tianshu!
The Tianshu Sword Technique in the Big Dipper Constellation Scroll was used. The nature essence circulated in her body and unleashed great power.
Since Zhao Yanzi’s Purple Green Treasure Sword was left on Fifth Heaven, she borrowed this sword from Zhao Hongyu.
“Third Uncle, there’s more!” Seeing Zhao Kuo trying to dodge her attacks, Zhao Yanzi changed her sword technique and stabbed at Zhao Kuo.
Tianxuan!
The second technique of Big Dipper Constellation Scroll!
As the name of the scroll indicated, each sword technique represented the unique feature of the seven stars in the Big Dipper Constellation. Tianxuan had an ancient name of Greedy Wolf, meaning that this technique was direct and magnificent in damage, and Tianxuan had an ancient name of Giant Door, signaling that this technique was great at defense as well.
After Zhao Kuo’s devoted tutoring sessions in the past month, Zhao Yanzi had reached mid-tier Foundation Establishment Realm, and she learned the second chapter of the Big Dipper Constellation Scroll.
Smiling in a relaxed way, Zhao Kuo released five sword energies from his palm.
Dang! Dang… Zhao Yanzi blocked all five sword energies with her sword.
Meanwhile, Hao Ren’s 320 sword energies returned with water, forcing Zhao Kuo to retreat three steps.
Under the cover of Hao Ren’s sword energies, Zhao Yanzi dashed forward and used Tianxuan and Tianshu together!
The greatness of the Big Dipper Constellation Scroll didn’t only lie in the fact that the sword techniques was the same as the cultivation techniques, where improvement in one would lead to improvement in the other. In addition, all seven techniques could work together in different combinations!
Zhao Yanzi had just reached mid-tier Foundation Establishment Realm and was not familiar with Tianxuan Sword Technique, but to her pleasant surprise, the nature essence injected into the longsword was very powerful.
Hao Ren’s 320 sword energies and Zhao Yanzi’s sword techniques worked with each other and forced Zhao Kuo back another three steps.
Standing on the viewing deck of the Summer Palace, Premier Xia turned to look at Zhao Guang and said cheerfully, “Princess Zi is a rare cultivation genius. Congratulations!”
Standing by Zhao Guang, Elder Lu also nodded and added, “Princess Zi has gained great progress recently. It seems that she will reach the Core Formation Realm in a short while.”
Watching the battle on the ocean surface, Elder Sun nodded gravely. “Princess Zi’s sword techniques are indeed exquisite. Fuma must have taken great efforts to acquire this set of techniques for her.”
Zhao Guang stared at the battle for a few seconds before asking Elder Xingyue who was standing by Zhao Hongyu, “Elder Xingyue, what do you think of Zi’s recent progress?”
Elder Xingyue was responsible for the cultivation of all the female members in the East Ocean Dragon Clan, and her status was equivalent to the princ.i.p.al of a female-only school. Since she had taught Zhao Yanzi in latter’s earliest cultivation days, her appraisal of Zhao Yanzi’s cultivation progress would be the most accurate.
Elder Xingyue focused her attention on the battle for a few seconds. “Princess Zi has great cultivation talent, but she was a lazy cultivator. From what I can see, her talent and intelligence are no less than Su Han’s. She uses the sword techniques swiftly but carefully and steadily, knowing how to reserve her strength and hide the changes in techniques, which is not an easy task.”
Hearing Elder Xingyue’s words, Zhao Hongyu smiled with satisfaction. She knew that Zhao Yanzi was talented, but she couldn’t force Zhao Yanzi to cultivate hard when the latter was reluctant. Now that Zhao Yanzi lost her dragon core and felt the urgency put on her by Xie Yujia, she was eager to learn.
While they talked, Hao Ren suddenly withdrew his 320 sword energies into his palm and formed a solid sword made from essences.
The sword energies from the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll were made of five-elemental essences, and everything in the world was made of the five elements.
This sword that appeared in Hao Ren’s hand was like a natal dharma treasure with balanced five elements, which was connected with Hao Ren’s spiritual senses and mind.
With the five-elemental sword in his hand, Hao Ren stood by Zhao Yanzi’s side and struck toward Zhao Kuo.
His sword techniques came from the Mystic Water Sword Techniques. In the past month, Hao Ren jogged around the island while dragging tires behind him during the day, received Zhao Kuo’s tutorials on cultivation in the evenings, and stayed alone in a small hut in the forest during the night, cultivating and understanding the contents in the jade slip.
After one month, Hao Ren understood the first six variations of the first sword technique, and he could practice them with proficiency.
He didn’t know if it was an illusion or not, but when he used the Mystic Water Sword Technique, he had a vague feeling of connecting with heaven and earth, which had never happened even when he practiced the powerful Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll.
Hao Ren’s nature essence entered the five-elemental sword abruptly through his meridians while some essences from the surrounding got sucked in.
With one strike of his sword, it seemed like all six variations were used at the same time.
Hua! Hua!
Zhao Yanzi used Tianshu and Tianxuan in one breath.
Zhao Kuo retreated half a step. With a splash, he fell into the ocean.
“Haha! Third Uncle lost!” Zhao Yanzi yelled cheerfully, “Hao Ren can live in the palace now!”
The moment she said it, she turned her head to look at Hao Ren by her side and said with a straight face. “I… I didn’t defeat Third Uncle for you!”
Hao Ren smiled and dissolved the five-elemental sword which turned into sparks before returning into his body.
On the viewing deck of the Summer Palace, Premier Xia laughed while stroking his goatee in a pleasant surprise. “I’m surprised that Fuma and the Princess could force back Third Lord!”
Zhao Guang shook his head with a smile. “Zhao Kuo lost the fight on purpose to make Zi happy.”
Elder Xingyue looked at the ocean surface and remained silent, thinking that Zhao Kuo was indeed forced back at that moment, but he didn’t want to hurt Hao Ren and Zhao Yanzi and chose to fall into the ocean.
Hua… Drenched all over, Zhao Kuo rose from the ocean waves and instantly dried his clothes with fire-elemental nature essences.
Since Zhao Kuo had reached a certain realm by tempering his body with five-elemental essences, his body could change to different elemental attribute freely, and he could use any kinds of dharma spells. He was on a different path compared to Hao Ren who tempered his body with lightning.
Holding Zhao Yanzi’s hand, Hao Ren flew up onto the viewing deck of the Summer Palace.
In the past month, he had lived in the forest. According to Zhao Kuo’s condition, if Zhao Yanzi and Hao Ren could defeat him one day, Hao Ren could live at the palace.
To reach this goal, Hao Ren and Zhao Yanzi had joined forces to fight with Zhao Kuo each day. For Zhao Yanzi, she was just being rebellious toward her third uncle for being mean to her, and Hao Ren treated it as a test of his strength and mastery of the Light Splitting Sword Shadow Scroll.
Now that Hao Ren and Zhao Yanzi had forced Zhao Kuo into the ocean, Hao Ren finally was qualified to enter the palace.
Back on the viewing deck, Zhao Hongyu smiled at Hao Ren who looked like a wild man and turned to Premier Xia. “Go and get some clothes for Ren.”
“As you wis.h.!.+” Premier Xia immediately backed out of the viewing deck.
“You’ve worked hard recently,” Zhao Hongyu glanced at Hao Ren and comforted him.
Not to interrupt his cultivation, while Hao Ren lived in the Purple Bamboo Forest, no one had ever visited him.
However, in the last month, Hao Ren had gained great progress, jumping from low-tier to mid-tier Gen-level with 182 openings unlocked.
In the past, he had been bothered by all kinds of mortal business. Now, he finally truly experienced the great benefits of cultivating in seclusion.
Zhao Kuo was at peak Qian-level before, and he was very experienced in cultivation. He had helped Hao Ren understand the proper speed of cultivation and gain better control of his dragon core.
“Mom, I’ve worked hard too!” Looking at Zhao Hongyu, Zhao Yanzi asked for compliments.
“Ok, ok. You’ve worked hard as well,” Zhao Hongyu said with a smile as she patted her daughter’s head.
She could see that Zhao Yanzi had indeed worked hard judging from her use of the two sword techniques and her mid-tier Foundation Establishment Realm.
After all, without her dragon core, it was difficult for Zhao Yanzi to make progress. The dragon cultivator could only slow down after reaching Dui-level, which was equal to low-tier Nascent Soul Realm.
Stepping on a golden light beam, Zhao Kuo returned to the viewing deck as well.
Zhao Yanzi was about to tease her uncle when he cupped his hands at Zhao Hongyu and Zhao Guang with an especially serious expression. “Big Brother, Sister-in-law, I’ve broken through to top-tier Dui-level, and I plan to use the mystic crystal today!”