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Chapter 199: Cangling Debate of Swords (7)
Chapter 199: Cangling Debate of Swords (7)
Shi Yanran had mastered the unique hidden weapon techniques passed down through her family since childhood, her martial arts foundation deeply rooted in generations of expertise. Ten years ago, she married Gongsun Qian, a man old enough to be her father, primarily for status in the martial world and the luxuries it brought. But thirdly—and naturally—she had also coveted the secret techniques of the Wanxia Tower, which were never shared outside the sect. Over the past decade, Shi Yanran had not only refined her family’s hidden weapon skills to perfection but had also integrated the Wanxia Tower’s supreme martial arts with her own internal cultivation. Her current martial prowess, though still slightly below the level of grand sect masters, could confidently overpower sect masters from second- and third-tier factions like the Sea Sand Sect or Qinghai Sword Gate.
Undoubtedly, she had secured her place among the top-tier martial experts.
Feng Bu Jue in his Spirit Sense Body state, however, matched this level in sheer speed alone. Of course, this wasn’t due to his martial arts skill or inner energy, but rather the abilities granted by the game. Though his dynamic vision, reflexes, and agility could keep up with Shi Yanran’s, he remained light-years behind in combat techniques and experience.
Faced with the incoming attack, a true martial artist would evade the projectile and immediately counterattack, even turning the tables. But Feng Bu Jue could only dodge and do nothing else. He needed more probing before deciding his next move.
This, in itself, highlighted the wonder of martial arts as a concept… Opponents like K3-Cheiron, while formidable, had their strengths clearly displayed—pure combinations of power, speed, energy, and characteristics.
In the world of Eastern martial chivalry, however, the criteria for judging experts were vague and uncertain. Terms like "top-tier", "quasi-top-tier", "innate", or "peerless" were broad strokes. Rankings on the martial artists’ list were relative, and no one could definitively claim that someone ranked higher would always defeat a lower-ranked individual.
Superior techniques could allow a weaker cultivator to defeat a much stronger opponent, while profound inner energy could empower a frail elder to shatter stone with bare hands. Li Xunhuan’s flying daggers, Lu Xiaofeng’s fingers, or Chu Liuxiang’s lightness skills—no one questioned "how much force or speed" they possessed. It was this Eastern subtlety and romance that formed the charm of the martial world.
Feng Bu Jue had never fought an Npc wielding "martial arts" before. He couldn’t predict what Shi Yanran would do next or what capabilities she possessed. Caution was his only recourse, aiming to strike after the opponent.
His reasoning wasn’t flawed. Shi Yanran’s previous move had been a technique with two variations, each capable of adapting whether the opponent dodged or blocked. Had Feng Bu Jue advanced recklessly, the danger would have been far greater.
But before he could react, a white shadow flashed. Shi Yanran’s fingers flicked out, unleashing another sudden wave of projectiles. Despite her appearance as a delicate woman wielding tiny weapons, her external martial arts combined ferocity, danger, and merciless precision, her movements accompanied by thunderous, wind-like force.
Three more terrifying projectiles flew in a straight line from Feng Bu Jue’s throat downward, targeting the Tiantu, Zigong, and Shanzhong acupoints on his chest.
Shi Yanran’s follow-up move was ten points unexpected. Judging by her throwing gesture alone, one could never guess where she aimed. An experienced martial artist evading the first projectile would rely on instinct and experience to assume her next strikes would target the waist, abdomen, or limbs. But that assumption would be a trap. A half-step premature movement would make dodging the next three projectiles nearly impossible.
But Feng Bu Jue… had no such preconceptions.
If martial artists’ clashes were like chess, Shi Yanran’s side played with chess pieces, while Feng Bu Jue’s board was filled with animal tokens.
"You move a cannon? I’ll release an animal to bite it. You charge your chariot? I’ll release another animal. You jump your knight? That’s just free food for my beasts…
"How many moves you calculate is your business. My side has no concept of chess strategy."
Thus, Feng Bu Jue once again made an unpredictable move. His expression was focused, yet he made no premature movements. Only after the projectiles left Shi Yanran’s fingers did he react, dodging once more. Though it seemed perilous, he still emerged unscathed.
Shi Yanran grew increasingly astonished at Feng Bu Jue’s strength. In all her life, she had never encountered someone who could respond so uniquely in their first encounter with her. Every martial artist she had faced previously would have moved early against such a follow-up. Some, with high-level skills, could still recover even if they realized their mistake. But Feng Bu Jue’s approach was like that of someone utterly ignorant of martial arts—yet his speed at evading the attack at the last moment was uncanny…
Doubt bred hesitation. Though Shi Yanran’s offensive didn’t cease, her decisiveness was gone. She thought: If this kid can last twenty moves against me, the outcome will be uncertain… His companions seem like trash, but if they’re all like him…
Of course, thoughts were one thing—combat was another. After hurling the projectiles, Shi Yanran closed the distance to Feng Bu Jue, exploiting his unstable footing. She channeled her inner energy and struck with a flat palm.
This technique, "Soft Wind Penetrating the Glow", seemed ordinary at first glance but concealed a sinister secret. A sticky inner force coiled around her palm. If the opponent countered by channeling their own energy, Shi Yanran’s hidden force would seep into their body, racing toward their dantian. At that point, retreating or withdrawing would be impossible. If the opponent’s internal skills were weak, their hand would be stuck fast, their dantian searing like boiling water—resulting in lost cultivation at best, death at worst.
Shi Yanran used this move precisely because she couldn’t sense any inner energy from Feng Bu Jue. She wanted to test his strength. If his previous dodges were pure luck, this palm would surely kill him. If he had hidden his energy with a unique technique, this strike would reveal his true power.
But what happened next…
In an instant, golden light erupted. Shi Yanran’s palm struck an invisible barrier as large as a door panel. This defensive move was undoubtedly the special effect of Death Poker—Card Shield.
As Shi Yanran closed in, Feng Bu Jue had already sensed danger. He thought, I can dodge or block ranged attacks, but these martial artists’ real close-range moves are no joke. Earlier, Ye Hai, that old ghost, blocked one of my skills with bare hands, and I still lost 30% of my vitality. Now this woman is attacking directly. How can I risk taking the blow head-on?
Thus, Feng Bu Jue instantly activated his Psionic Weapon and used its special effect without hesitation.
Their exchanges had been lightning-fast, lasting only about ten seconds. By now, his teammates had arrived to assist.
The first to charge forward wasn’t Xiao Tan, known for his speed, nor Si Yu, the strongest among them, but Ji Bu Shao Ye. Seeing combat unfold, he immediately became eager. After all, he was the party’s highest-leveled member and a "Classplayer." How could he keep letting Feng Bu Jue mock him? He needed to show off his strength.
Ji Bu Shao Ye immediately unleashed his title skill, "High-Profile Assault"—Flash Impact.
[Name: Flash Impact]
[Special Ability Type: Active]
[Consumption: Stamina Value 300]
[Effect: Transform into a stream of light, rapidly charging the target with a powerful slash. After the skill, you will appear two meters behind the target, facing away (cooldown 5 minutes; requires a bladed cold weapon. Can be used from 2–20 meters away but cannot pass through obvious obstacles).]
[Background: If you encounter an enemy far weaker than you and want a stylish, decisive way to kill them instantly, this is the move you need.]
Incidentally, Ji Bu Shao Ye’s weapon was a massive folding fan about 65 centimeters long, with iron bones and steel ribs. When opened, its edge was razor-sharp. In this martial world scenario, very few could wield such an artifact effectively.
This weapon, combined with Ji Bu Shao Ye’s title techniques, was like adding wings to a tiger. Normally, using such a heavy weapon would restrict speed, but during the skill’s charging slash effect, any weapon he could lift became a tool for high-speed attacks.
As Shi Yanran was baffled by Feng Bu Jue’s inexplicable defense, she caught a flash of light from the corner of her eye. A human-shaped shadow had already surged forward like a storm. Startled, she hastily leapt backward to evade.
Unfortunately for her, this instinctive reaction was the perfect counter to dash-type skills. The weakness of Flash Impact was that if the target leapt upward just before contact, the attack would likely miss.
Indeed, when Ji Bu Shao Ye reached Shi Yanran’s original position, the skill’s effect vanished. He struck nothing, halting mid-air. At the same time, a sharp whistling sound came from behind—two projectiles had arrived.
Shi Yanran’s combat rhythm was thrown into chaos by the players. Confused about how to proceed, she adopted a "hit-where-you-can" mindset. Mid-air, she twisted her body twice, sending two projectiles toward Ji Bu Shao Ye’s Spirit Platform Acupoint on his back. Might as well test it. Can’t hurt to try.
Unexpectedly… Clang! Clang! They hit…
Since Ji Bu Shao Ye had charged forward into the space between Feng Bu Jue and Shi Yanran, the latter couldn’t block the projectiles in time.
Fortunately, as a "Classplayer", Ji Bu’s armor was no slouch. The clanging sounds weren’t the projectiles piercing his spine but merely striking his armor.
The projectiles clattered to the ground, and Ji Bu Shao Ye staggered backward, nearly falling. Though the armor blocked penetration, it wasn’t Echo Armor, which nullified impact with sound barriers. Thus, the force still transferred to his body, costing him 16% vitality.
Landing, Shi Yanran grew even more perplexed. In her eyes, the players wore ancient young martial artists’ robes—modest cloth attire. There was no way they could be wearing armor underneath. Yet the sound and the projectiles’ deflection suggested they had struck something hard…
The pinnacle of the Golden Bell Armor… Adamantine Qi defense? Shi Yanran thought. Impossible… This kid looks frail. How strong could his physical training be? Even if he practiced Golden Bell Armor, he’d need to plant his feet and gather energy to withstand my darts. But he didn’t even take a horse stance. How could my iron-forged projectiles fail to pierce his body?
At this point, Shi Yanran had already considered retreat. If these five were from the same sect, no matter what strange martial arts they used, her specialty—hidden weapons—would be useless. Switching to close-range combat, she could never defeat five opponents alone.
The problem was… it was too late. Even if she begged for mercy, they might not spare her. She cursed herself for underestimating them and speaking too arrogantly earlier. Now that she had failed to kill them… fighting might lead to her death. Fleeing would expose the murder of Wang Ao by dawn, sealing her fate either way, and leaving her with the stain of infidelity.
Shi Yanran’s despair deepened, her face pale, a surge of fury rising in her chest. She gently bit her red lip, resolve hardening—she would fight to the death.
At that moment, a figure charged forward—none other than Wang Tan Zhi, wielding a dagger.
Xiao Tan didn’t think much of it. He simply decided to rush forward and attack, closing the distance as usual. He didn’t expect Shi Yanran, her mind clouded with rage, to ignore everything else and channel all her energy into a punch aimed at the nearest enemy.
Her fist roared toward Xiao Tan, crackling with explosive sound even before contact. The punch wasn’t necessarily more refined than her previous techniques, but its pure power alone could send a player back to the login screen.
Xiao Tan’s luck was poor this time, but he still had strength.
At the critical moment, his eyes flashed with chilling calm. Demon Bat Phantom activated immediately. Xiao Tan’s figure instantly split into two, two illusory silhouettes darting past Shi Yanran’s sides like lightning.
Shi Yanran’s full-force punch missed entirely. The shockwave from her fist sent dust and stones flying within a zhang (three meters) radius. Stunned, she froze, slowly turning her head to see Xiao Tan standing several meters behind her, shocked. What is this now…? Could it be the lost "Heavenly Net Formation"?
Just as she was startled, Si Yu’s Sealed Sainthood blade silently descended toward Shi Yanran’s neck.
"Stop!" A thunderous shout echoed from a dark alley.
Simultaneously, a small stone struck Si Yu’s incoming blade. The impact didn’t cost her vitality, but it numbed her arm, halting her movement.
Shi Yanran snapped back to reality, hastily retreating. Hope flickered in her eyes. Though she didn’t know who had aided her from the shadows, the situation had undeniably taken a new turn.
(End of Chapter)
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