Chapter 278: Normalizing
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Both of them became sluggish then they began to react. Jiang Hengchuan protected his body with his left palm and pushed his right palm out. It was difficult for Meng Qi to withdraw his long saber. Meridian was drawn with sword light across the heaven like lightning. They almost made their move at the same time out of bodily instinct and combat experience, even before the intention came up in their minds.
Drawn by the Qi activity, both of them reacted before they even realized.
The long sword stabbed Jiang Hengchuan’s right palm wrapped with genuine Qi, drawing out the surging inner force with an inclined slice.
The momentum of Jiang Hengchuan’s palm was drawn away, but only by a bit. The Genuine Qi and heavy wind were twisted into a ma.s.s, slapping Meng Qi on the side of his left chest.
Meng Qi’s clothes were torn apart like flying b.u.t.terflies, exposing the left side of his body. Except for the chest and abdomen which were protected by the scale internal armor, the other parts were covered by a flowing dark gold glow which resisted the injury.
As the light faded away, there was a half palm print on Meng Qi’s left chest. The half of it was counteracted by the scale internal armor, while the other half was naturally embedded in his bronze chest with a smooth edge.
Meng Qi was an inch shorter than before because his feet sank into the muddy ground of the courtyard. It was caused by the Immortal Pressing Art unloading its strength on the ground.
In terms of close combat, Meng Qi was far worse than Jiang Hengchuan. After all, Jiang Hengchuan was more skilled in boxing with higher strength. However, Meng Qi’s Eight Nine Mysteries, Golden Bell s.h.i.+eld and the Immortal Pressing Art made him more skilled in a hand-to-hand combat than Jiang Hengchuan who had Protective Upstanding Qi. Meng Qi’s Golden Bell s.h.i.+eld was damaged while Jiang Hengchuan’s right palm bled. It was difficult to tell who would win at the moment.
Nevertheless, Meng Qi knew that Jiang Hengchuan had hastily made this move. It was not close to the Gist of Trueness of the palm. If he let Jiang Hengchuan do it for several times after making adjustments with each move, it would put him in a dicey situation.
However, at this point, he could not consider it too much. In front of such a powerful opponent, how could he think about holding back? With a sense that not a few masters were coming, Meng Qi took a deep breath and made up his mind. He directly activated Sacrifice Formula!
It had been almost 3 months since he had begun to practice “Supernatural Power of Shaking Heaven and Hitting Earth”. His extremely quick spiritual growth enabled him to normally perform two and a half moves of the Ananda Oath-breaking Bladesmans.h.i.+p or the Purple Thunder Bladesmans.h.i.+p. However, the spirit and physical strength consumed by activating a Precious Weapon and performing the “Violent Thunder Shocking the Sky” were more than just simple addition.
If Meng Qi was in good condition, his spirit and physical strength would almost be exhausted after he waved his knife this way. After carrying out the “Peace Quietude Split” once, he could only seek help from the “Sacrifice Formula”.
The rapidly rising spirit made him feel like there was warm blood spreading through his body. He was not tired any more. Integrating all his Energy, Qi, Spirit and Will into the “Heaven Inflicted Pain”, Meng Qi gave a loud shout and waved his long saber.
The night sky suddenly turned darker. Dark clouds gathered, covering the moon. The wind danced wildly, as if it wanted to rise to the Ninth Heaven and ask when would the full moon rise.
The wind was so strong that it made people feel pain in their face. With a bang, a beam of silver Thunder Light streaked across the sky.
Against the Thunder Light, the “Heaven Inflicted Pain” released bright lights like thousands of Thunderbolt Pythons intertwining. Raindrops fell down around the Knife Momentum.
The gurgling heavy rain poured down around the View Garden. The lightning and thunder were either silver or blue, and they all inclined to the “Heaven Inflicted Pain” one after another, like dancing snakes.
The Sky Thunder guided the knife!
With the help of the Sky Thunder, the “Heaven Inflicted Pain” turned into a giant thunder dragon, pouncing fiercely at Jiang Hengchuan.
One, two, three… Meng Qi clenched his teeth, swiftly waving his knife nine times. The Purple Thunder dragons emerged and were integrated end to end into a giant purple wheel which targeted the opponent firmly.
As the fierce wind howled, a layer of Gentle Breeze Villa’s ground was directly lifted by it. Gra.s.s flew and trees were uprooted.
The wall was snapped by the Thunderbolt Pythons.
The wing room where Jiang Tabo’s body was placed collapsed instantly, and everything inside was burned by the thunder.
This wave had the power of an Exterior level!
Nine purple thunder dragons which were integrated into a giant wheel that pressed down on Jiang Hengchuan, along with the momentum of the heaven and earth, which made it impossible for him to escape.
When Meng Qi drew his knife, Jiang Hengchuan’s face changed. However, as a man with such state and cultivation, he soon calmed down and raised both his hands, neither attacking nor defending, as if he was farming and planting trees. He looked at ease.
He quickly ran, going around in circles, flying like a bird and standing like a tree. It looked childish, but every movement was full of joy. He was integrated with the surrounding heaven and earth as a part of the environment, and kept changing his role!
When Meng Qi was observing the situation through his knife, Jiang Hengchuan’s figure became mysterious in Meng Qi’s mind. Sometimes he was with the trees, luxuriant. Sometimes he turned into the earth, loaded with everything. Sometimes he flew like a bird, free from the shackles. Sometimes he hid in the ninth earth like a dragon, accompanied by insects. The “Violent Thunder Shocking the Sky”, which had been targetting him, immediately lost him.
Actually, it did not lose its target. It simply could not grasp it and catch up with the change!
Carrying out the “Violent Thunder Shocking the Sky” and activating the “Heaven Inflicted Pain” could perform the power which was close to the Exterior level. However, Meng Qi was not of the Exterior level, so he was barely qualified to control this move!
That was a reason for spreading the power which involved the houses as well as piles of thunders and clouds which covered a wide area.
That was the reason why Meng Qi failed to pinpoint Jiang Hengchuan’s specific location and catch up with his change when facing his uncanny state and Body Movements!
The falling long saber and the wheel-like Purple Thunder were so formidable that they seemed to be able to destroy everything.
At a critical moment, Jiang Hengchuan avoided the front attack. But the “Violent Thunder Shocking the Sky” and the “Heaven Inflicted Pain” were very terrifying that avoiding it was not enough!
He pushed his right palm out and waved his long saber from the side with all his strength.
In Meng Qi’s perspective, Jiang Hengchuan’s right palm became extremely big with five fingers stretching out and drawing back unpredictably. It constantly changed as if it contained all the possibilities of the palm smas.h.i.+ng arts.
Suddenly he clenched his five fingers together. All the changes were integrated into the Five Gist of Trueness and concentrated into a fist, which was indescribably wonderful!
Seeing that the fist was about to hit the front of the giant wheel of Purple Thunder, Jiang Hengchuan suddenly stretched out his index finger in order to transform the fist into a finger. The Five Gist of Trueness were integrated into a whole, which showed the constancy among all changes!
He made this move by first pus.h.i.+ng out his palm, then transforming it into a fist and stretching out a finger from the fist. All changes were finally integrated into a whole. Both the realm and the changes of the move had a bit of the Dharma and Logos that everything was inconstant, but the inconstancy itself was constant.
“Puff!”
As Jiang Hengchuan’s index finger hit the side of the giant wheel of the Purple Thunder, it immediately shrank like a water bag being punctured.
Countless Thunder Lights and changes were all integrated into a whole. The noumenon of the “Heaven Inflicted Pain” which was like a huge wound emerged.
“Normalizing Finger”, Jiang Hengchuan’s reserved supreme art saved him from danger time and again.
No one knew where he learned this move. Perhaps he had had a fruitful adventure. Anyway, the Six Fan School’s comment about him was: “if he consummated this move, he could at least reach the peak of the Exterior level.”
Jiang Hengchuan spat blood and took three steps back, leaving deep footprints. As his pleasant expression faded, his face turned pale. He could no longer maintain his natural interest and the state of the Oneness of Heaven and Men.
He was still a bit away from the consummated Oneness of Heaven and Men.
Nevertheless, except for the large consumption, he was not badly hurt. He preserved his strength well without any other losses. He could even use the Normalizing Finger again!
Part of Meng Qi’s mental energy had been depleted. He began to feel physically exhausted, even though his genuine Qi was still at the peak. However, the effect of the Sacrifice Formula would not last long, so he was in a much worse condition than Jiang Hengchuan. Yet the knife move which he waved with all his strength finally gave him an opportunity for survival. While Jiang Hengchuan stepped back, he tapped his feet on the ground like he was moving forward, but was actually stepping back. He suddenly crossed the ruin as quickly as a wisp of smoke.
The rain was still pouring down, and the dark clouds had not cleared away. In the darkness, Meng Qi’s figure was like an illusion. He rushed out of the encirclement before nearby masters came.
Jiang Hengchuan stood on his feet, coldly grunted and pushed a palm out with homicidal intent.
He pushed his left palm out right after his right palm. The force of the two palms surged forward with an unimaginable speed like undulating waves. They instantly crossed the heaven and hit Meng Qi on his back.
The backside of Meng Qi’s clothes was damaged. The scale soft armor rattled, and his bronze skin faded again.
However, his figure did not halt but instead moved quickly. Driven by the palm strength, he pushed himself to the Jin River like a sail, with the help of the wind.
Jiang Hengchuan wanted to chase Meng Qi, but he did not expect that Meng Qi could take advantage with strength to quicken the Body Movements and threw him off all at once. He could only see the darkness caused by the dark clouds and heavy rain.
After a splash, there were no other sounds in the river.
The heavy rain stopped, the lightning disappeared, the dark clouds cleared away, and the moon reappeared.
The waves undulated and the cold moonlight scattered on the river. The sparkling river looked somewhat peaceful without Meng Qi’s figure.
It was like viewing the Jin River from a villa which kept flowing throughout the ages.
…
Against the current of the Jin River, Meng Qi dived upstream and changed directions several times in case that Jiang Hengchuan would catch up.
A moment later, as the Sacrifice Formula lost its efficacy, he shuddered due to a lack of physical strength. He was only sustained by the genuine Qi.
At this moment, he found a big s.h.i.+p on the river, so he swam towards it. He grabbed the gap between the 0s.h.i.+p plates and hid himself in the shade. Then he swallowed an elixir, avoided enemies and harmonized Qi-circulation.
Meng Qi felt relieved anyhow after recovering a little, although he still felt like he was suffering from a dangerous illness. Since Jiang Hengchuan had not yet caught up by now, he probably would not be able to catch up to him. After Jiang Hengchuan had calmed down, it would not be difficult for him to find the oddity with his disposition and capability. It was only then that Meng Qi could explain it clearly.
As a Rogue Cultivator who could reach such a level, Jiang Hengchuan was definitely not a person who thinks with his muscles. It was normal for him to be controlled by rage occasionally. However, he would have died long ago if he kept being controlled by it.
“Dong! Dong! Dong!”
All of a sudden, a sound of knocking came from the s.h.i.+p plates behind Meng Qi’s back!
His pupils slightly shrank. He grabbed the Samsara Talisman with a backhand grip, and held his breath while waiting.
“Childe, there should be no danger outside. First senior sister asks you to meet her in the cabin.” An immature and pleasant voice came from outside.
Meng Qi quizzically asked her, “Do I know this first senior sister? Or does she know me?”
“No, but my first senior sister says it’s predestined since we met each other here.” The little girl seriously explained.
“That’s so strange…” Meng Qi thought, gritting his teeth.
He only had the strength which was less than one tenth of that in his prime. He could only rely on the Samsara Talisman in any dangerous situation. Thus, he could not resist and had to proceed without a plan. At least at this moment, they did not show hostility.
Soon, there was a rope ladder lowered from the prow. Meng Qi forced himself to uplift a breath then swiftly climbed up. There was a little girl was in front of him. She was in a light green dress, fresh and sweet.
“How should I address you?” Meng Qi said, trying to delay the time.
The little girl said with a pout on her face, “How can a girl’s name be known by any man? Follow me quickly. First senior sister is waiting for you.”
“Which sect are you from?” Meng Qi said with his lips twitching.
Since the little girl called her first senior sister, they had to come from a certain sect.
“I don’t know either…” The little girl obviously paused, then continued, “Our master said it does not matter.”