Chapter 73: Cao Rong's Fear!

Chapter 73: Cao Rong's Fear!

At the Canglang Martial Academy.

Wang Jin saw Cao Rong in the distance, his bowstring fully drawn.

"Oh no!"

His heart skipped a beat.

The next moment, Wang Jin's body suddenly surged forward, covering a distance of three zhang in a single step.

Swish—

The long sword in a law enforcement officer's hand was instantly snatched away and landed in Wang Jin's grasp.

At this moment.

Cao Rong released his bowstring again.

Bang—

The arrow split the wind and waves, leaving a long white trail as it shot towards Jiang Ning's face.

With a distance of less than two hundred meters, at the speed of Cao Rong's arrow, it would only take about a quarter of a breath to reach Jiang Ning's face.

Jiang Ning didn't have time for excessive thought; his vital energy instantly coursed through his legs, and his entire body's muscles and bones erupted with all their might.

His organs were functioning at full capacity, unleashing his potential and providing him with overwhelming support.

"Faster!"

"Even faster!!!"

Sensing the arrow rushing towards him, Jiang Ning's mind was filled with this single thought.

Facing Cao Rong's arrow, he could only do his best to dodge.

He had no qualifications to block it head-on.

This arrow, capable of creating a sonic boom, would cause blood and flesh to fly with a mere graze, let alone a direct hit.

On the other side.

After seizing the sword, Wang Jin's body seemed to defy inertia, instantly changing direction, and leaping into the air with the sword in hand.

His gaze was fixed on the incoming arrow.

Suddenly.

The Five Levels of Power overlapped.

Buzz—

The sword trembled incessantly under the vast and mighty power, emitting a continuous hum.

"Break!"

Wang Jin let out a loud shout, and the long sword in his hand instantly parted the air.

The air currents seemed to flow apart at Wang Jin's command.

Then, as the sword blade met the arrowhead.

Boom—

A loud rumble echoed in mid-air.

Wang Jin's body was sent flying in the opposite direction of the arrow's trajectory under the impact.

At this moment, the long sword in his hand was already ruined, twisted beyond recognition.

Wang Jin's right arm, hidden beneath his robe, also trembled.

"The might of a single arrow is so terrifying; no wonder he's the Cao family's Phoenix Son! Already at the Seventh Stage of the Martial Dao and the Bone Tempering Level, he truly lives up to his name." Wang Jin's heart was filled with awe.

At this moment, his arm felt weak, and his palm went numb.

He could sense that, with such powerful arrows, he could only withstand two or three head-on shots at most.

Normally, facing Cao Rong's arrows, he wouldn't need to block them directly; dodging would suffice.

He could even use the art of power manipulation to divert the attack with minimal effort.

But now, it was impossible, for Cao Rong had already realized.

Jiang Ning was his weakness; as long as he aimed at Jiang Ning, Wang Jin had to block the arrows.

Wang Jin's heart sank with a bitter smile.

He hadn't felt this stifling feeling in a long time.

He wanted to rush over and show Cao Rong his true strength.

The Tideblade Technique, at the Mastery Level, allowed him to accumulate and unleash the Five Levels of Power, which, in Wang Jin's eyes, was enough to dominate any opponent.

As long as he got close, a single strike would be enough to secure victory.

But at this moment, Wang Jin could only imagine it in his mind.

Unless he disregarded Jiang Ning's life, he couldn't charge out of the academy's gates.

On the other side.

Cao Rong smiled, "As expected, that small fry Jiang Ning is your soft spot, old man! I never thought you'd value him so much, even at the cost of antagonizing my Cao family."

His gaze then shifted, "Regardless of the reason, this boy must not be allowed to live!"

Then.

Cao Rong drew his bowstring again, locking his arrow on Jiang Ning, his face exuding confidence.

Archery experts like him relished this kind of scenario.

Having an opponent with someone they must protect meant that the enemy couldn't close the distance or choose to dodge, leaving them no choice but to engage in a head-on confrontation.

In this situation, even if Wang Jin were a Seventh Stage Grandmaster like him, he would dare to fight.

With a weakness to exploit, an archery expert like him was virtually invincible, able to press the advantage and retreat to attack the weakness if necessary.

Just then.

Suddenly, a strong sense of foreboding enveloped Cao Rong, and he felt that he was in a precarious situation.

If he dared to release the arrow, he would unleash a force powerful enough to crush him.

The next moment, Cao Rong turned his gaze to a street below.

"Shen Congyun!!!"

He then noticed a woman in a green dress beside Shen Congyun, and his pupils contracted again, "Lin Qingyi!!!"

"Why are these two Deputy Lords of the Wan Hua Tower here, and why is Shen Congyun's aura locked onto me?"

Cao Rong's gaze fell on Shen Congyun again, focusing on the green leaf between his fingers.

He saw the green leaf enveloped in white mist, and his pupils contracted once more.

"Inner Breath!"

"This... Inner Breath!!!"

At this moment, fear filled Cao Rong's heart.

As the Cao family's Phoenix Son, having participated in the military examination in Dongling City, Cao Rong naturally recognized the inner breath permeating the green leaf held by Shen Congyun.

Shen Congyun's Inner Breath was condensed.

The Inner Breath attached to the leaves, even ordinary flying leaves, could shatter rocks and cut through metal.

Moreover, it could change direction mid-air and strike invisibly.

At this moment, how could he not know that he was clearly locked onto by Shen Congyun's aura?

As long as he dared to shoot this arrow, it would trigger a chain reaction, and the leaf in Shen Congyun's hand would fly straight towards his face.

Normally, Inner Breath was a symbol of a Fifth Stage Martial Artist.

He knew that as long as Shen Congyun made a move, even with just the Inner Breath contained in that leaf, he would be severely injured, if not killed.

Moreover, this represented Shen Congyun's intention, a warning to him.

At the same time, Shen Congyun saw Cao Rong looking at him, a faint smile appeared on his face.

His lips moved slightly, and his voice seemed not to travel through the air, but it immediately rang in Cao Rong's ears.

"Cao Rong, how about giving me some face and letting that little guy live?" Shen Congyun asked.

Upon hearing this, Cao Rong's thoughts raced through his mind.

Then, he slowly loosened the tension on the bowstring and completely stopped.

"Since Shen Tower Lord has spoken, I will give him face!" Cao Rong laughed.

He hung the bow and arrow on his back and jumped off the roof, walking towards Shen Congyun.

On the other side, Lin Qingyi frowned slightly as she watched Shen Congyun.

"Are you sure about this? By suddenly getting involved in the conflict in Luoshui County, you're breaking the Tower Lord's taboo. You know you'll be punished, right?" Lin Qingyi asked.

Shen Congyun smiled and shook his head, "Qingyi, since I've decided to get involved, I've already considered the consequences."

"I don't understand!" Lin Qingyi shook her head. "How could a young man who hasn't even entered the first rank of martial arts be worth your effort?"

Shen Congyun smiled and shook his head, "There's nothing to understand! I just like that kid, and seeing him in a pitiful situation, I want to help him."

"You're not like that in my eyes!" Lin Qingyi shook her head, but she didn't press further.

Having worked with Shen Congyun for many years, she naturally understood his temperament and personality. If he didn't want to talk about something, there was no point in forcing him.

At this moment, she felt a strong curiosity about Jiang Ning.

It was this curiosity that had led her to follow Shen Congyun out of the Wan Hua Tower.

On the other side, Cao Rong's thoughts were complex and filled with doubts.

The sudden appearance of Shen Congyun and Lin Qingyi, both Deputy Tower Lords of Wan Hua Tower, caught him off guard.

Especially Shen Congyun's intentions were beyond his comprehension.

Wan Hua Tower's neutrality was the reason for its presence across the nine provinces of Great Xia.

Shen Congyun's actions today clearly violated the rules of Wan Hua Tower.

He couldn't understand this at all.

Especially when Shen Congyun intervened for someone so insignificant in his eyes, it made it even harder for him to comprehend.

Then he thought about Wang Jin's performance earlier.

"Could that kid be an undiscovered genius?"

A moment later, Cao Rong appeared before Shen Congyun.

"Deputy Tower Lord Shen, Deputy Tower Lord Lin!" Cao Rong bowed.

Shen Congyun smiled, "Thank you, Brother Cao, for giving me some face."

Cao Rong smiled, as if the previous tension had never existed.

"Since Brother Shen has spoken, how can I not give him face?" Cao Rong asked.

Shen Congyun nodded slightly, "It's him!"

"So that's it!" Cao Rong exclaimed.

"Brother Cao, shall we go together?" Shen Congyun asked.

"Together!" Cao Rong nodded.

Then Cao Rong asked, "I'm curious, what's your relationship with that kid that makes you stand up for him like this?"

Shen Congyun slightly nodded, understanding the true intention behind Cao Rong's words.

"It's nothing, I just like that kid!" Shen Congyun replied.

"Impressive!" Cao Rong exclaimed, "Deputy Tower Lord Shen, you're a man of character!"

Cao Rong sighed softly, "I was born into the Cao family and received their cultivation, but I'm also bound by family responsibilities. I can't be as free-spirited as you."

Shen Congyun smiled again, not saying more.

Lin Qingyi, the other Deputy Tower Lord of Wan Hua Tower, quietly followed beside Shen Congyun, like a silent observer.

The three of them walked down the quiet street, heading towards the Canglang Martial Academy.

The brief conflict had caused the surrounding streets to be empty for a short time, as people had hidden in their houses to avoid being caught in the aftermath.

Now, as the commotion outside subsided, they peered out from their windows and doors, curious about what had happened.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end