Volume 2 – Chapter 8: Breaking Through the Clouds and Comprehending the Truth behind the Red Cloud Qi (Part 2)
A sudden pain sensation throbbed in w.a.n.g Pan’s soul as he lost the connection with the flying sword. It made him startled and curse in anger, “Zhang Yan, I know that Dao Master Sun is an expert at the concealing art by using fog. Your Senior Brother Ning has certainly pa.s.sed onto you a few secret techniques, but don’t you ever dream that because you’ve learned a few techniques to hide in the fog, that I could do nothing to you!”
He loudly shouted as he extended his hands out and made a grasping move, then a sucking force suddenly pulled all sand and pebbles within a 10 feet radius. Dead branches and stones were floating and revolving around him. Because he was at the Second Stage of Radiant Qi Realm, he was able to pull any objects weighing hundreds of pounds and made it float in midair within a 10 feet radius, let alone these small rocks and branches. As soon as his sleeve waved, innumerable stones and leaves suddenly flew out in all directions.
This venting-anger destruction lasted for half an hour, but w.a.n.g Pan was still unable to trace Zhang Yan’s silhouette in the slightest bit. This mountain was covered with dense vegetation and coupled with the thick fog enveloping the air, it was easier said than done to find a cultivator that deliberately hid himself.
w.a.n.g Pan couldn’t help but feel some regret, and also blamed himself for his previous excessive boasts. He said that it would take at least an hour that he would beat Zhang Yan today. He now had lost his magic treasure, while his enemy had disappeared without a trace. If this situation were to be dragged on, not only would it take one day, it may even last a few days and nights, he might not be able to take on the opponent.
Calculating for a while, w.a.n.g Pan then thought, “What magical tools have Ning Chongxuan given to Zhang Yan? He even could s.n.a.t.c.h my flying sword head on. But if he has the ability, he should have come down to kill me, so why would he hide? It seems that he’s afraid to fight me head on.” After thinking about it, he touched the Amethyst Bronze Short Spear and spoke with a vicious tone, “It seems today, for the first time I must use this!“
His hands formed a seal and then yelled toward an empty place, “Zhang Yan, look at my treasure!!!”
As he had expected, the short bronze spear was responding to the opposite party, as in a split second after, he could feel that he lost the connection with this magic tool. But he also didn’t hope that this magic tool could cope with Zhang Yan, so as soon as he could trace Zhang Yan’s approximated position, he loudly yelled, “Zhang Yan, young brat, you’re dead now!!!”
w.a.n.g Pan’s Dantian’s gate was opened and 18 strands of reddish-brown colored gases were emitted out from his mouth, resembling a turbid scarlet cloud full of fierce and powerful energy. In an instant, the ground he was standing on, was burnt and covered with layers of a black scorched color, even the vegetation around him was ablaze in flame. In a blink of an eye, the flame surrounded the 10 feet radius of Zhang Yan’s position and encircled the spot.
w.a.n.g Pan practiced a cultivation law in the “Coiling Fireblaze Cloud Manual”. It was a fire-based cultivation technique collected by his family. Practicing this profound technique to the highest extreme could even melt steel easily. However, he only had a half volume of this manual and it only had the “technique and power” but without &ldquo
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;law and method”, causing him to be unable to freely manipulate his fire-based qi.
Therefore, for this reason, he had always been looking for many methods and means before he was finally accepted as an apprentice under Du De. However, since he only just entered the apprenticeship for a few months, Du De only pa.s.sed onto him an offensive fire-based technique called “Violent Yang Brazier” which used 9 strands of fire qi inside the body to attack the enemy. Once this technique was cast, the place hit by this technique would become a scorched earth.
However, he had yet to practice this technique to its peak and had to use 18 strands of his spiritual qi to barely be able to cast it.
After these 18 strands of fire qi spread out, each flame occupied a certain position and was submerged underground. Blazing flame then rose to the air and quickly burning up the tree where Zhang Yan was standing in a flash.
w.a.n.g Pan’s estimation was actually very good, which could even be said that it only had small flaws. However, since he didn’t proficiently master this technique, he could only cast it around the flat land. On the other hand, Zhang Yan was able to ride on the fog, and upon seeing the scorching blaze, he only smiled and with a flick of the tip of his toe, he soared along with the billowing smoke and instantly came out of the technique’s scope area.
Looking at the blazing inferno underneath, the fiery flame was blazing and indefinitely moving back and forth like Formation Array was being stirred. Astonishment covered Zhang Yan’s face as his intention was aroused to try the might of w.a.n.g Pan’s blazing flame. He then opened his mouth and released his Pure Yang qi above. He didn’t expect that he would only hear a “boom” sound as the two energies then collided and both were extinguished completely.
He couldn’t refrain but stared blankly as he immediately let out a wry smile and shook his head to see the result showed by a strand of his Pure Yang qi.
While Zhang Yan somewhat regretted it, shock and an ached feeling engulfed w.a.n.g Pan’s heart.
Those 18 strands of fire qi were refined qi from the pure and impure qi. Originally, he was planning to use it as part of the 36 strands of qi to break through into the Third Stage of Radiant Qi Realm. He didn’t expect that Zhang Yan inadvertently spat out a strand of his refined qi and completely extinguished it. If he went back to practice again, it would take 2 months of cultivating to make it up, much less that it wouldn’t be as pure as the ones that he had been constantly refining in his body.
However, the key point that was missing from his calculation was that Zhang Yan seemed to have a technique that contained fire qi. He couldn’t help but hesitate, would it be better to continue using magic arts and retract back his fire qi?
Having carefully calculated for a short while, he clenched his teeth and stimulated his fire qi again. He didn’t believe that Zhang Yan was really able to face his fire qi. In the end, he must go all out today. Even if his qi was exhausted, at the worst he just had to practice again. Could even this loss be compared with the true disciple’s position?
Zhang Yan on the other hand, was determined to see the disparity between his two types of refined qi. At this time he spat out the Billows Cloud pure qi. It was like snow rolling in the boiler as it instantly evaporated and was gone.
He shook his head. It seemed that this Billows Cloud pure qi condensation was nowhere near the Pure Yang qi.
But at this time, his complexion changed, by his keen sense, he was quite sensitive to the qi fluctuation. Only then did he realize that a thread of spiritual qi was not dissipated and was seemingly floating in there.
His eyes flashed as he spat out a Pure Yang spiritual qi to wrap that thread of spiritual qi and absorbed it into his chest to examine it.
From his initial observation he found out that his pure qi had lost a large part of its energy, however, this wisp of spiritual qi was extremely pure and had even nearly reached the pureness level of the Pure Yang spiritual qi refined from the Golden Phoenix Blazing Inferno. At present, a brilliance flashed from his eyes, as a bold idea sprouted in his mind.
He decided to try again.
He waved toward the spot underneath where the Billow Cloud qi was emitted. As soon as this spiritual qi was brushed by his Pure Yang qi, a large part of its energy had left it as he wrapped and absorbed it again into his chest to examine it carefully. He discovered that its pureness was several folds higher compared to the original. The previous accidental discovery truly was not a coincidence.
If he wasn’t in the middle of battle, Zhang Yan might perhaps let out a wild laughter. Because he suddenly thought that he didn’t need to necessarily use his True Primordial Qi to refine Yang spiritual qi. Such a method was really time consuming and laborious. Fortunately, the Evil qi eruption occurred 3 times a day here, so he could use it to practice the Billows Cloud pure qi first. The refining method for this type of qi was simple, not to mention that the practicing time to refine the Pure Yang spiritual qi was 3 or 4 times longer than the Billows Cloud spiritual qi. After which, he could use the method described in the Taiyi Golden Manual to refine it with the Golden Phoenix Blazing Inferno. He calculated that its pureness could perhaps be improved by at least two folds.
One must know that regardless of the better quality the Pure Yang spiritual qi had than other Pure Qis, its nature characteristic was still the same. However, the refinement and utilization methods were different. One must use one’s own True Primordial Qi to directly temper it, which was naturally the basic to finally circulate it through. As long as one found the correct method, the winding tortuous road would become straight and smooth, which could be said as a shortcut.
With this harvest, he was really eager to try the idea as quickly as possible; making his interest to play with w.a.n.g Pan plummet. He then took out the Fate Decree Pen, and spoke, “GO!”
The Fate Decree Pen then came out as it moved in a circle to then brush and extinguish half of the 18 fire qis, immediately destroying w.a.n.g Pan’s techniques.
w.a.n.g Pan was greatly shocked and apprehensive and realized that something was not right. Restlessness filled his heart as he didn’t think for long as to retract the rest of his fires and then turned around to run away. Zhang Yan who was standing on the fog could clearly see it and quickly flung his sleeve as an azure light flew and directly went straight to chase after w.a.n.g Pan’s back.
“Puff” sounds sounded twice as w.a.n.g Pan could only feel that his two Jade Age Medals were broken to pieces, making him quickly awaken that Zhang Yan had an extraordinary treasure. He didn’t dare to have a second to hesitate as he desperately rushed down the mountain.
Zhang Yan sneered and said, “How could you escape?”
He quickly formed a seal as the momentarily blocked azure light shot forward again while the Demon Guard Jade Pendant on w.a.n.g Pan’s body automatically jumped and protected its Master again. Quickly, the sound like a thin brick struck broken sounded as the Divine Shuttle’s unimpeded striking force hovered in a circle to then cut off w.a.n.g Pan’s feet. A shrill screaming voice sounded, followed by the sound of a body falling to the ground.
w.a.n.g Pan’s will was quite tenacious, knowing that his life was at stake at this moment and in spite of the severe pain coming from his feet, he used his hands to continue running away.
But he didn’t have the opportunity again as darkness immediately shrouded his eyes while a 5 feet sized Ink-Stone came and fell onto his upper body. Half of his body was still outside and he didn’t have the time to even let out any voices as the upper half of his body and Primordial Soul then crushed into a pulp completely extinguishing his body and soul.
Zhang Yan picked the magic tool and gently floated down from the fog as he walked forward toward w.a.n.g Pan and fumbled on his body.
This w.a.n.g Pan seemed to be poorer than Du You. He had no Universe Pouch and only had an ordinary one.
Zhang Yan took a few things, and except for the Scarlet Cloud Island’s Token Seal, it seemed that there were no other valuable things. The precious flying sword and the short bronze spear had already fallen into his hands. After he continued searching for a while, he finally found a bottle of concocted pills that attracted his attention.
“Is this the Hornless Dragon Life Pills?”
A joyful expression was glowing on Zhang Yan’s face, “I heard that in the Third Stage due to the unification of Yin and Yang, would have an unrefined different qi mixed in, which would disrupt one’s spiritual qi circulation. Causing him to be unable to reach the peak of his apt.i.tude. He would have to face big difficulties and spend huge efforts to break through this predicament, and this Hornless Dragon Life Pills was able to eliminate that different qi and save a lot of efforts for me.”
He immediately put these pills away carefully as he turned around and walked down the mountain.
“Thank you for waiting the long time ladies and gentlemen!”
The mists and clouds started to disperse as Zhang Yan’s figure was then revealed. He stood on a treetop that swayed by the blowing wind, as his turban and robe were dancing while his robe’s belt flowed like the wind, leaving the soaring flame and the billowing smoke from the ground behind him. His face was as bright as the clear sky with neither sadness nor happiness on his expression. Even though he was not an immortal his gracefulness and bearing even surpa.s.sed the celestial beings.
Everyone looked at each other in dismay, it was like they were being in a dream while a disbelieving astonished expression was drawn on their faces. This… this means that w.a.n.g Pan had unexpectedly lost? Losing his life and all of his possessions? More and more people’s eyes were staring blankly, feeling helpless and not knowing what to do.
Feng Zhen’s complexion was hidden in the shade as if it was enveloped in a layer of cold frost. But he did not notice that his younger sister at his side was looking at Zhang Yang without blinking as brilliance radiated from her beautiful eyes.
Zhang Yan turned around toward all warriors coming along with w.a.n.g Pan and spoke, “w.a.n.g Pan has lost to me, not even his bones and soul is left. From now on, you’re all under my command. Today, you are to settle down here while I’ll go for a few days to Scarlet Cloud Island and let your family pack up your private properties. If anyone of you refuses to obey, by means of the Sect’s rules I will punish you. Do you understand what you hear?”
Since he had won the Deathmatch Duel with w.a.n.g Pan, all of his wealth, including his warriors and chamberlains, concubines and child servants, Immortal Cave and concocted pills, magic tools and flying boat, and all of his entire possessions belonged to him.
He was even thinking that how about he took the initiative to challenge some rich and affluent disciples. This was absolutely the two-way access as to lay down his fortune and become rich.
But as soon as this idea rose in his heart, he quickly suppressed it down. Excessive fullness as well as severe deficiencies often ironically exposed the tip of the spear and was not necessarily good. Being excessively casted in the limelight would become troublesome and one must know that even the most elegant tree in the forest would eventually be destroyed by the wind. Moreover, even the wealth left by w.a.n.g Pan could perhaps suffice for his uses for a long time.
As for those warriors who followed w.a.n.g Pan, how could they even dare to deny him? They were a cultivator’s private property. Even if he killed them, n.o.body would have asked anything about it. Had they dared to rebel against their masters, not only would they be punished as per the Sect’s rules, they could be hunted and suppressed by each and every faction in the world. This was beyond their control and they had no choice but to obey immediately, “We will be waiting for Master’s arrival on the island.”