Chapter 28: Three Swords United, Azure Light Ring

Crystal-clear snowflakes fell densely, as if an invisible hand on the firmament were pressing down forcibly.

Even with protective spiritual light shielding them, the many cultivators couldn't help but narrow their eyes when they looked up.

Lan Bing raised his head the fastest; when his gaze turned to the high sky, he froze for a moment.

How young!

He's probably even younger than his own younger sister.

That vigorous aura can't be faked, and his cultivation is only at the late stage.

Observing the color of his protective spiritual light, it clearly leans toward a wood-attribute technique!

It's over, Lan Bing felt a wave of despair; originally hearing the other mention the Wang family, he had thought help had arrived.

Who would have thought the other's cultivation was actually about the same as his, late-stage Qi Refining.

Such strength is utterly useless; he doesn't even qualify to offer a sacrificial blade to others.

Most infuriating was Jia Li; that brat actually hovered in midair above his head, and when he tilted his head up, a pair of large feet came into view.

Jia Li replied in an unfriendly tone: 'Kid, you'd better get lost before I lose my temper!'

Wang Ping floated in midair, paying no heed to Jia Li's words.

Instead, gazing at the surrounding wind and snow reminded him of the day he left his sect, which had also been such a heavy snowfall.

Just now, after stepping out of his seclusion cave, seeing such a snowy season made him want to recall past events.

But Jia Li's loud laughter interrupted him, instantly dispelling the nostalgic atmosphere.

He deliberately stood on his head just to disgust him, never expecting to hear the news that the Wang family was about to be annihilated by the Soul Refining Hall.

For a moment, he couldn't help but speak up to ask.

Seeing his question ignored, Jia Li, who cared most about his face, flashed a hint of anger; his spiritual power surged suddenly, and a burst of late-stage Qi Refining cultivation erupted.

The powerful energy fluctuation cleared all wind and snow within a three-zhang radius around him.

Then he formed a seal with his right hand, and amidst the dense wind and snow a large fireball slowly appeared.

Its temperature was so high it directly vaporized the ice and snow; the continuously radiating heat kept pushing the cultivators back.

Wang Ping curiously stared at the fireball, which was as big as his head, and couldn't help but ask softly: 'Is this the intermediate fireball spell? Why is it so huge?'

Jia Li below gave a cold smile: 'This is an improved version of the fireball technique, called the Fire Yang Technique! It's the most powerful among intermediate spells. To die under this technique, kid, you can close your eyes in peace!'

Before his words even finished, the huge fireball came roaring up from below, its scorching heat melting the surrounding wind and snow.

It formed a three-meter-wide vacuum zone devoid of wind and snow.

Even protective spiritual light couldn't block that scorching heat.

Wang Ping, standing high in the air, looked down at the huge fireball resembling a small sun, and a glint flashed in his eyes.

In the next instant, the color of his right hand suddenly turned like that of precious jade.

The change didn't stop there; his jade-like right hand expanded in a brief moment to the size of a palm-leaf fan.

Then, amid the astonishment of the many cultivators below, he ruthlessly pinched toward the huge fireball.

Lan Bing stared dumbfounded; was this obviously knowing he couldn't win, intending to commit suicide?

Jia Li curled his lip in a cold sneer: 'You've dabbled a little in body refinement and dare to directly clash with my Fire Yang Technique; I'll blast your arm off.'

Imagining the scene of the opponent's forthcoming painful wails, Jia Li's smile grew ever more cruel.

The cultivators following behind Jia Li looked at the young cultivator about to reach out and touch the fireball with the gaze one reserves for an idiot.

If it weren't for the pressing time, they would have started betting on how many seconds he could endure.

The fireball's speed was extremely fast; everyone's thoughts merely flickered, and Wang Ping's palm had already struck the fireball.

Bang!

Despite the cultivators' disdain and laughter still hanging on their faces, the huge fireball had already been pinched and exploded, bursting out with a tremendous booming sound; faster than the sound were the tiny fireballs scattering everywhere after the explosion.

Carrying the explosive force, their speed was even greater, plus the high temperature contained within.

A few cultivators with slightly weaker protective spiritual light were instantly struck by the fireballs, collapsing to the ground and immediately wailing in pain.

Many more cultivators scattered to dodge; those who couldn't avoid in time were deploying magical artifacts to block.

Among these cultivators, only Jia Li had attained late-stage Qi Refining Great Perfection; the remaining three were only late-stage Qi Refining, this even including the Eldest Young Master of the Lan Family.

Thus, after the huge fireball imbued with the spiritual power of a late-stage Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivator was pinched and exploded, those residual attacks could not be blocked by the many mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

Jia Li's cruel smile froze instantly after the fireball was pinched and exploded; he paid no heed to the small fireballs shooting toward him.

Those fireballs capable of piercing the protective spiritual light of mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators struck his spiritual light without even causing a ripple.

He also turned a blind eye to the miserable state of his numerous subordinates, merely solemnly gazing at the young man still hovering in midair.

His right hand had at some point already gripped the hilt of the blade on his back.

After crushing the fireball emitted by a late-stage Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivator, Wang Ping was quite satisfied with the defensive effect of his jade-like body.

Looking down at Jia Li, who gripped his blade's hilt, a strange hue flickered in the depths of Wang Ping's eyes.

Many in the cultivation world wield flying blades, but Wang Ping was still the first sword-user he had ever seen.

Without needing heavenly sight, one could perceive the opponent's cultivation; this is a distinctive aura unique to late-stage Qi Refining Great Perfection.

'Who are you, sir? Why are you obstructing the Soul Refining Hall's business!'

Jia Li's face grew solemn, and he spoke in a low, deep tone.

He was quite clever, directly invoking the Soul Refining Hall; with hundreds of Foundation Establishment powers having fallen, no cultivator in the West Droop Three Kingdoms is unaware of the Soul Refining Hall's prestige.

Moreover, no one dares to meddle in the affairs of the Soul Refining Hall.

Since the Three Slaughter Sect submitted to the Soul Refining Hall, this is still the first time anyone has dared to obstruct their affairs.

However, Jia Li also wasn't worried; he believed that by invoking the Soul Refining Hall, that young cultivator would naturally know what to do.

As a late-stage Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivator, he too is an old hand in the cultivation world.

After thirty years of arduous cultivation, he had finally glimpsed hope of reaching Foundation Establishment; if he were to suffer heavy injuries in a battle here, he would not want that.

So don't look at him gripping the sword hilt—he's merely putting pressure on the opponent, making them back off.

Wang Ping slowly descended; having cultivated the Soul Refining Heart Sutra, his spiritual power is now extremely strong, having reached the level that Heitian once had.

He could sense that the opponent actually had no fighting spirit.

Wang Ping inwardly nodded; this is right—after all, we're all cultivators, why must we fight and kill?

Upon landing, Wang Ping gave a slight smile, conveying a hint of goodwill, and spoke gently:

"I'm not trying to stop you from doing your business, Fellow Daoist; I just came out of seclusion after ten years, and as soon as I left my cave dwelling I heard that the Wang Clan might soon be exterminated, which shocked me greatly, so I asked."

Ten years of seclusion?

Jia Li found it hard to believe—how could such a coincidence exist in the world?

But recalling the scene where he just crushed the Fire Yang Technique, he could only tentatively believe it.

He slowly loosened his grip on the sword with his right hand, gave Wang Ping a respectful salute, and grinned:

"Ah, I see. I was wondering why anyone would dare obstruct the Soul Refining Hall's business these days—turns out you just left seclusion, so it's understandable."

As they spoke, Lan Bing kept looking at the young man before him, finding him increasingly familiar.

He had the feeling he'd seen him somewhere before.

Yet for a moment he couldn't recall where.

Then a voice came from behind that frightened him out of his wits: "Is that Brother Wang Ping?"

"Why is my little sister still here?"

Lan Bing turned his head back with a fearful expression, and indeed Lan Xue'er, who had already fled, had run back again.

Seeing this, he nearly spat out three liters of blood and shouted angrily: "Xue'er, who let you come back?"

Seeing her brother's angry expression, Lan Xue'er felt a little afraid and spoke through tears:

"If we're going to die, let's die together—our home is gone. If you leave me again, Brother, I'll be terrified all alone in this world! I don't want to live in the world all by myself, lonely and helpless!"

At the end of her words, there was even a hint of resolute determination.

Lan Bing's furious expression gradually faded, and he let out a long sigh to the heavens: "Forget it—if Heaven truly intends to destroy the Lan Clan, then we siblings will go together to the Yellow Springs."

Cultivators seize fate from heaven; my life is mine, not heaven's—I never believed in heaven, yet now Lan Bing says heaven wants my life, clearly he has truly fallen into despair.

"May I ask your surname, sir?"

Just as the siblings were in grief, Jia Li suddenly spoke again.

This also brought Lan Bing back to his senses—just now his sister seemed to have said that this young cultivator was called Wang Ping?

Strange, why does he seem so familiar?

Wang Ping sighed; he never imagined he would be recognized.

He felt he had little to do with the so-called Lan Clan.

"What, you dare not answer?"

Wang Ping chuckled and said offhandedly, "Actually my surname is Jia."

"Really? I, Jia Li, have never heard of such a figure in the cultivation world of Zhao State."

Wang Ping's smile grew brighter as he replied, "Didn't I say that? I've been in seclusion for years, so Fellow Daoist naturally wouldn't know my name."

"Hehe! Really? Did Fellow Daoist say that?"

"I did! Maybe your ears are stuffed with donkey hair!"

*Pfft*—Lan Xue'er in the back tried not to laugh and let out a sound.

Lan Bing also almost couldn't help laughing, but he held it in.

A flash of anger crossed Jia Li's face; Wang Ping asked in surprise, "You're not going to attack? Oh, I get it—you're waiting for everyone to gather before striking, right?"

Jia Li finally changed his expression, decisively issuing the order: "Attack!"

He stepped forward first to block Wang Ping; aside from himself, none of the many cultivators present could stop this young man.

Wang Ping, without turning back, asked: "Maybe I can hold out for the time it takes to finish a cup of tea."

As soon as he finished speaking, a blade of azure light appeared before him.

Lan Bing stared for a moment, then hurriedly replied: "Sure!"

No sooner had he spoken than he found himself surrounded by two late-stage cultivators and a dozen or so mid-stage cultivators at his back.

Lan Bing acted decisively, taking a blue-green jade ruyi from his storage bag, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood; the green ruyi instantly emitted a hazy green light, enveloping both siblings.

Seeing this, Lan Xue'er abandoned her weak demeanor and also bit her tongue to spit out a mouthful of essence blood.

"Brother, I'll fight the enemy alongside you!"

Lan Bing's heart swelled with emotion; he nodded vigorously, pouring his spiritual power into the green ruyi without reservation.

Meanwhile, on another battlefield, Wang Ping continually employed the Azure Light Sword Technique, clashing head-on with Jia Li.

After ten years of cultivation, he had cultivated three sword lights.

Now, under his control, the three sword lights continually attack Jia Li from all sides.

Jia Li's protective spiritual light is clearly inferior to Heitian's, even though he is at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

Therefore he continually blocks the flying swords' attacks with the long sword in his hand.

Wang Ping has now fully cultivated those three sword lights; with his pure spiritual power and having broken through to the late stage of Qi Refining, his Azure Light Sword Technique actually possesses the might of an intermediate-grade spell.

In their battleground, sword qi crisscrosses and blade light flies.

Wherever they pass, the snow accumulated four feet deep is torn apart by the overwhelming sword qi and blade light, revealing the hard, dark earth beneath.

Unfortunately, even this hard ground is cut into a three-foot-deep trench by their attacks.

On the boundless snowy plain, the azure sword light and crimson blade light clash; Wang Ping, relying on his pure, thick spiritual power and his fully mastered low-rank Azure Light Sword Technique, is evenly matched against Jia Li.

Jia Li, aside from his great sword, used no other magical implements.

He merely relied on his great sword to parry left and right against the three sword lights.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The three sword lights were recalled by Wang Ping to his side, continually flying around him.

"As it turns out, fellow Daoist, you are a disciple of the Azure Moon Sect; this Azure Light Sword Technique can actually produce three sword lights, but its grade is too low—even if the three sword lights unite, its power is still insufficient!"

Wang Ping remained silent; the Azure Light Sword Technique is ultimately a low-grade spell, and the Azure Light Sword is ultimately a low-grade magical artifact—the grade difference is too great, so it inevitably falls short of the opponent.

However, he only used the sword technique to test its power.

Upon hearing that, he laughed and said: "Then, fellow Daoist, catch this!"

As soon as the words fell, the three azure sword lights sped up faster and faster, eventually linking head to tail, forming an azure light ring around Wang Ping.

Jia Li was somewhat bewildered by the sight before him; he had also seen the Azure Moon Sect's Azure Light Sword Technique—doesn't the union of three sword lights form a single sword light?

Why would the cultivator opposite form such a strange azure light ring?

Wang Ping, however, was not at all surprised; this was him, after mastering the Azure Light Sword Technique, attempting in a cultivation session to rely on his formidable mental power to make them fly faster and faster.

In the end, this formed such an azure light ring.

Wang Ping opened his right hand and pushed upward; the azure light ring rose with it, continually shrinking.

When it hovered above Wang Ping's right hand, it had already shrunk to a deep azure light ring twenty centimeters in diameter.

Woo! Woo! Woo!

The rapidly spinning azure light ring emitted a low, wailing sound.

"Since fellow Daoist wants to see the three-sword-combined Azure Light Sword Technique, why not give it a try?"

Saying that, he threw the light ring in his hand forward.

Whoosh!

The azure light ring, upon leaving his hand, instantly vanished, leaving only a fissure in the snow that was two meters deep and four meters long.

Jia Li almost cursed aloud, "This is the three-sword-combined Azure Light Sword Technique—are you messing with me, kid?"

However, his expression became extremely solemn, completely lacking the earlier ease and leisure.

The azure light ring's speed was too fast for the naked eye to see.

So he closed his eyes and suddenly slashed with his right hand, which held the knife, toward an empty spot.

There was clearly nothing there, but when Jia Li's knife struck that spot, it emitted a piercing metallic clang.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The knife and ring collided, and Jia Li staggered back three steps.

That azure light ring also disintegrated in this impact; the sword light vanished, directly revealing the true form of the Azure Light Sword.

Wang Ping recalled it, gazed at the sword's body, and let out a sigh.