Chapter 123: The Sword Sphere Transforms Into a Sword
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Correct!” the well-built middle-aged man answered proudly with a cold, dispa.s.sionate expression. “I am the fourth elder of the imperial court of Yunyang, the commander of the imperial guard, Xiao Jiancheng!”
Xiao Jiancheng was not only the commander of the imperial guard of Yunyang, but also the fourth elder of the imperial court of Yunyang, one of the Great Consummation adepts of the imperial court of Yunyang, and moreover one of the strongest.
It could be said that in the country of Yunyang, anyone who was not hopelessly out of touch would know of Xiao Jiancheng, the accomplished Great Consummation adept of Yunyang country.
“Never heard of you.”
The youth spoke casually, causing Xiao Jiancheng’s expression to turn serious immediately. The arrogance Xiao Jiancheng displayed earlier was shattered to bits.
“But… I don’t like having someone standing above me.”
The youth spoke again, and suddenly he was toying with a small metal ball which seemed to have appeared from nowhere. He raised his arm gently, and a small metal sword that gleamed coldly flew out.
Swis.h.!.+
The small metal sword cut through the air with an ear-piercing whistle.
Pak!
The moment the whistling sound died away, the youth’s right hand, which he had not even had time to lower, opened as though to catch something, and the small metal sword which had returned transformed back into the small metal ball was caught in his hand.
In the same instant, the Petty Consummation flying demon Cloud Condor which had been circling in the air plunged to the ground under the shocked gaze of the four men led by Xiang Xiong
Cras.h.!.+
Accompanied by a deafening crash, the body of the Cloud Condor smashed heavily into the courtyard, and because the man on its back had given it a push before it hit the ground, its body was smashed out of shape.
Upon close inspection, a b.l.o.o.d.y hole could be clearly seen on the Cloud Condor’s head from which warm blood was still spurting.
Obviously, this was the fatal wound.
Cras.h.!.+
At the same time, the man who plunged down with the Cloud Condor as it died had slapped its back decisively, reducing the speed of his fall and landing soundly before the four men of the Chu royal family.
The speed of his reaction was too fast for the eye to follow.
To the extent that the four men from the Chu royal family were questioning themselves whether they would have fallen together with the Cloud Condor and died, or at least suffered serious injury if they were in the same situation.
Immediately, the four men subconsciously glanced respectfully at the back of the well-built man.
However, very quickly, when they took a second look at the youth in white lounging at the stone table, they recalled the previous scene and came to their senses as their expressions changed.
Earlier, a sword had shot out as the youth had raised his arm casually and cleanly killed the Petty Consummation Cloud Condor.
It was only sometime after the entire event that the four men from the Chu royal family, and Xiao Jiancheng who had been on the Cloud Condor’s back, were able to regain their wits. They were so frightened that they broke into a cold sweat.
“You… what did you do?!”
Although Xiao Jiancheng had landed soundly without a scratch, he looked at the youth who was still casually sipping tea at the stone table with a grave expression.
Before setting off that day, he had already obtained confirmation directly from the Chu king Xiang Xiong that the youth before him was indeed born in a small inferior-level prefecture within the Western Ridge of the Chu King. Moreover, he had grown up in that small inferior-level prefecture. Because of this, he could conclude immediately: This youth had indeed probably had gained some treasure from a magnificent pract.i.tioner of the Primal Core stage.
That morning, he had arrived on the Petty Consummation demon Cloud Condor, supposing that he could easily kill those two golden-crowned eagles before capturing the youth and bringing him back to the imperial court of Yunyang.
But he never imagined in his wildest dreams that the youth would strike and kill the Cloud Condor immediately, and the speed of that sword was so great that neither the Cloud Condor nor himself could not react in time.
In any case, faced with Xiao Jiancheng’s solemn question, the youth had no intention of responding and sat there silently sipping his tea as though no one else was present as he toyed with the small metal ball in his hand.
Seeing this, Xiao Jiancheng’s expression darkened.
He, Xiao Jiancheng, had attained Great Consummation of the Qi-Gathering ten years ago, and even in the imperial court of Yunyang, his position was extremely high.
Now, a youth dared to show him disrespect?
If he had not been so fearful of the trick that the youth had just used, and which he knew he could not defend against, he would have struck long ago and captured the youth.
“Zhou Donghuang, do you think that you are invincible since you have some secret weapon?”
A moment later, seeing that the youth continued to ignore him, Xiao Jiancheng could no longer control himself and became thoroughly frustrated as he stared icy daggers at the youth.
Although the trick that the youth had just used had caused a sense of dread in him, he was still the only Great Consummation adept among all the Great Consummation adepts of the imperial court of Yunyang who specialized in defense, and he was known to have the strongest defense in the entire country of Yunyang.
Thinking back on it, if he was prepared and was on guard against the youth’s trick, he was confident that he could block it.
Earlier, the youth was able to get the better of him only because he had been unprepared.
After all, he was riding the Cloud Condor as it circled in the air, and had been guarding mainly against the two flying demon golden-crowned eagles. Who would have thought that the youth on the ground could pose a threat to him and the Cloud Condor in the air?
“I, Xiao Jiancheng, have perfected the highest levels of the imperial court of Yunyang’s second-grade technique ‘Crazy Bull Strength,’ and also the third-grade defensive techniques that I have integrated with Crazy Bull Strength into a defensive technique that is almost the quality of a first-grade defensive technique.”
Xiao Jiancheng stepped forward, looking humorlessly at the youth as he said, “In the country of Yunyang, the number of people below the Connate stage who can break through my defense can be counted on one hand, and all of them are Great Consummation adepts who are at the threshold of the Connate stage.
“Today, I would like to see whether your underhand methods can break through my defense!”
As soon as he finished, Xiao Jiangcheng advanced suddenly. He seemed to be transformed into a raging bull, charging towards Zhou Donghuang who was still sipping tea, accelerating all the while.
Everything happened without warning, such that even the four men from the Chu royal family did not expect Xiao Jiancheng to make any move.
As he approached Zhou Donghuang, his speed was great enough to distort the air and produce clearly audible sonic booms.
Sonic booms could only be produced by moving through the air with a thousand jin of strength.
This was evidence that Xiao Jiancheng’s offensive was all out, and that he was putting everything he had into this attack!
Obviously, although Xiao Jiancheng claimed that he did not fear the youth’s secret weapon, he was actually fearful in his heart. Otherwise, he would not have struck without warning immediately after making his empty boast.
“Now, I would like to see how you use your secret weapon!”
As he forced his way forward till he was inches away from the youth, a cold look came into Xiao Jiancheng’s eyes. He did not think that this youth before him could still have time to deploy his secret weapon to attack him.
Whoos.h.!.+
Xiao Jiancheng shot out a clawed hand, aiming for the youth’s right hand, which was holding the metal ball, intending to restrain the youth’s and prevent him from activating that secret weapon which was so incredibly fast.
In Xiao Jiancheng’s view, attacking without warning and using the imperial court of Yunyang’s national technique Crazy Bull Strength to increase his speed, the youth would definitely not be able to react in time.
“Decent speed, but too bad it’s too clumsy.”
Faced with Xiao Jiancheng’s ferocious attack, Zhou Donghuang remained unfazed, and as he spoke casually, he sprang up and rose into the air as though he was ignoring gravity.
Cloud-scaling ladder, a first-grade technique.
This technique was one that Zhou Donghuang had obtained by coincidence on Earth’s Wudang mountain. It was supposedly the ultimate skill of the Wudang sect of the ancient times.
“How is this possible?!”
Seeing Zhou Donghuang seeming to rise up as though he was stepping on thin air, rising above him in a flash and dodging his attack, Xiao Jiancheng’s eyes went wide with shock as his expression changed.
“A first-grade swiftness technique! You actually know a first-grade swiftness technique!”
Xiao Jiancheng’s shocked and fearful voice rang out and echoed around the courtyard.
Xiao Jiancheng had experienced a second-grade swiftness technique, and it was definitely not as fearsome as this, therefore, there was only one possibility… the youth was demonstrating what even the imperial court of Yunyang did not have—a first-grade technique!
A first-grade technique?!
Xiao Jiancheng’s cry reached the ears of the four men of the Chu royal family, and their eyes widened.
Even the Valley of the Medicine Masters, which looked with contempt upon the imperial court of Yunyang, only had two first-grade techniques.
And this youth could actually demonstrate a first-grade technique?
Swis.h.!.+
As Zhou Donghuang demonstrated Cloud-Scaling Ladder, he flicked out his right hand once more, and the sword sphere once again transformed into a small sword that gleamed coldly and whistled as it flew out straight towards Xiao Jiancheng.
“Ahhhh—!”
Before Zhou Donghuang flicked his arm out, Xiao Jiancheng had already used brute force to check his inertia, bringing himself to a halt and putting all his strength into defense, his muscles swelling and the surface of his skin faintly gleaming with light.
His body was saturated with Qi.
This was the hallmark of an adept at the threshold of the Connate stage.
Of course, Xiao Jiancheng was only at the threshold of the Connate stage because he had concentrated on defensive techniques, although he fell far short in other aspects.
Seeing this, Zhou Donghuang smiled condescendingly. “Parlor tricks!”
As soon as Zhou Donghuang finished speaking, the coldly-gleaming small metal sword that the sword sphere had transformed into had already pa.s.sed easily through Xiao Jiancheng’s chest and went cleanly through his body with a spray of b.l.o.o.d.y mist.
It was as though Xiao Jiancheng’s defense was nonexistent.
Even then, the small sword bore no trace of blood and circled in the air before transforming back into a small metal sphere and returning to Zhou Donghuang’s hand.
“Big Brother… this was the small metal sphere you mentioned earlier?”
Previously, Little Gold had already been frightened by how Zhou Donghuang had killed the Cloud Condor, and now, seeing how Zhou Donghuang killed Xiao Jiancheng in a similar manner, his eyes widened and he could not help being overcome by terror.
“Yes.”
Big Gold’s serious tone carried more than a hint of dread.