Chapter 257: The God-Slaying Single Slash (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Inside the Xinyin Sect Dao Field.

Four Demon Sect experts knelt on one knee, their voices filled with trepidation: "We subordinates have failed in our task; we beg the Heavenly Venerable for punishment."

Yu Liancheng sighed and shook his head: "You few have indeed disappointed me. Four against one and you still couldn't win. Go back to the Punishment Hall to receive your punishment yourselves. If there is a next time, I can only let you accompany the previous Sect Leader."

The four hurriedly said: "Many thanks to the Heavenly Venerable for your mercy, many thanks to the Heavenly Venerable for your mercy."

Yu Liancheng waved his hand, signaling them to withdraw, and then turned his gaze toward Yagyu Tajima no Kami.

This Xinyin Sect Grandmaster was like thunder and lightning when he moved, and like a mountain or peak when he stood still.

Yet this was a living volcano, one that could at any moment erupt and surge with endless, all-destroying power.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami was also looking at Yu Liancheng, sizing him up from head to toe, especially that slender, clean right hand. It was this very hand that had flicked a pebble earlier, shattering his blade light.

Such astonishing finger strength and precision—under heaven, those who could achieve this were truly few and far between.

He naturally also saw Liusheng Piaoxu, who was being held in Yu Liancheng's arms, and his heart felt a wave of dread.

He had exhausted his heart's blood to teach Liusheng Piaoxu, so he naturally knew her strength.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami reckoned that even if he were to act personally, he might be able to slay her within fifty moves. And that was under the premise of being familiar with the other's martial arts moves.

But if he wanted to capture Liusheng Piaoxu without a single hair harmed, it would undoubtedly be harder than ascending to heaven.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami did not strike blindly; he merely looked at Yu Liancheng with those cold, ruthless eyes and said in a deep voice: "Are you the leader of this group?"

Yu Liancheng nodded.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami said: "I wonder why you would strike against the disciples of the Xinyin Sect?"

"I didn't just strike against the Xinyin Sect; I didn't spare the Iga School either. It's quite fair."

Yu Liancheng shrugged his shoulders and said to the four Demon Sect experts: "By the way, go and take the head of the Giant Whale Gang Elder, Li Tianhao."

"Yes!"

The Giant Whale Gang Leader, Li Zhengkai, was obsessed with poetry, calligraphy, and painting, and had delegated his authority to the Elder, Li Tianhao.

And Li Tianhao was ambitious, colluding with Yagyu Tajima no Kami in an attempt to control the entire Giant Whale Gang, and even raising an army to rebel. Yu Liancheng intended to take over the Giant Whale Gang, so he naturally could not allow such a person to exist.

Once the four Demon Sect experts had left, Yu Liancheng gently tossed Liusheng Piaoxu to a spot ten zhang behind him, then turned his gaze back to Yagyu Tajima no Kami and smiled: "Old Yagyu, make your move!"

As he spoke, he flicked his sleeve, and a katana from beside a corpse on the ground flew into his palm.

Although he had never used this type of blade, and blade technique was not the martial art he was most proficient in.

But with martial arts at his level, all things could serve as a weapon.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami was startled.

In his view, since the leader of the other side had appeared and showed no killing intent, he must have had something to discuss. He would not have easily moved to attack before things had completely fallen through; who would have thought the other would be so decisive.

Only hearing Yu Liancheng say: "I do indeed have something to discuss with you, but I know the temperament of you Dongying people—you fear power but do not cherish virtue. If I cannot defeat you thoroughly, the matters that follow will naturally be difficult to negotiate."

"In that case, watch the blade!" A trace of anger flashed across Yagyu Tajima no Kami's brow, but it was quickly suppressed.

He was also a decisive person; his figure flashed, like a goshawk battling in the vast sky.

At the same time, the long blade in his palm revolved, and he slashed out.

The blade light was like cold frost, and a sharp, chilling aura permeated the entire training ground.

Unlike Liusheng Piaoxu's cold and clear blade technique, Yagyu Tajima no Kami, as a Dongying-level Grandmaster and the head of the Xinyin Sect, possessed a peerless, tyrannical momentum in his blade technique. With one strike, it was as if he intended to destroy everything about his opponent.

Not only to destroy the opponent's body, but even their conviction and soul were to be slain and obliterated together.

And at the moment the long blade was slashed out, Yagyu Tajima no Kami had already gathered his focus, pouring all his emotions into this one strike.

Enveloped by Yagyu Tajima no Kami's blade light, Yu Liancheng only felt a chill surge into his heart, giving him a bone-piercing sensation.

Yet not only did he not retreat, a trace of fighting spirit appeared on his face instead.

It had been a long time since he had encountered such a blade technique expert.

Yu Liancheng let out a low shout, his internal True Qi circulated, and he swung his blade out fiercely.

Clang!

The two blades collided, a crisp, vibrating sound exploded, and sparks flew in all directions.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami was shaken back several steps, a look of astonishment appearing on his brow. This youth's internal energy was so deep and tyrannical that it simply exceeded his imagination.

"How is it? My blade technique is not bad, is it?" Yu Liancheng chuckled.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami did not answer, but merely unfurled his long blade again, cold light sweeping out, continuous and unending, attacking Yu Liancheng like mercury pouring onto the ground.

Yu Liancheng simultaneously brandished his long blade, the blade light transforming into a dazzling circle of light, protecting his entire body.

The two blades clashed repeatedly, sparks exploding incessantly.

If Yagyu Tajima no Kami's blade was a surging, angry wave, then Yu Liancheng was a reef standing unmoved for a thousand years, unable to be shaken by even a fraction.

Yu Liancheng secretly thought to himself that this old thing's blade technique was indeed extraordinary.

If one were to speak of the subtlety and speed of blade technique, among those he had met, perhaps only Xiao Shiyilang could rival Yagyu Tajima no Kami. But if one were to speak of the depth of internal energy and the tyranny of blade technique, Xiao Shiyilang absolutely could not compare to Yagyu Tajima no Kami.

And every time Yagyu Tajima no Kami slashed, it was as if he were casting aside life and death, pouring all his strength and spirit into it. There was an incomparable, overbearing momentum that crushed everything.

Suddenly, Yu Liancheng let out a loud shout, and a blade light like a startled swan shone forth, carrying the momentum to split mountains and break peaks, colliding with Yagyu Tajima no Kami's blade.

With a "Clang," Yagyu Tajima no Kami's katana was actually slashed with a crack, trembling non-stop, and the web between his thumb and forefinger ached, nearly causing him to lose his grip on the hilt.

But this Yagyu Tajima no Kami was worthy of being a Dongying Grandmaster-level expert; although he was shocked by the tyranny of the opponent's strike, he twisted his feet and his figure spun in mid-air. He swung his katana, the blade light like snow, and actually borrowed this force to execute "Snow Drifting in the Human World."

In an instant, the blade Qi condensed into ice crystals, and carried by the biting blade wind, it was all wrapped into the momentum of the strike, making the power of this blade even greater, slashing toward Yu Liancheng's neck like thunder.

Compared to Liusheng Piaoxu's "Snow Drifting in the Human World," his strike lacked aesthetic beauty, but the overbearing, destructive intent within the blade had only increased.

"Well come!" Yu Liancheng's eyes lit up; his long blade suddenly thrust out obliquely, lightly sticking to the momentum of that strike, and he led it along.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami only felt his long blade drop downward as if out of control, and that blade light immediately poured onto the ground, leaving a long blade mark on the long-trampled earth.

"This..."

Yagyu Tajima no Kami revealed a look of horror.

The opponent's simple act of leading and guiding contained a profound mystery that was truly difficult to describe.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami twisted his wrist and exerted a sudden force, finally breaking free from that strange gravitational pull.

He took advantage of the momentum to slash out with his blade again; his moves grew increasingly fierce and overbearing, and his blade technique was wide and sweeping, whipping up gusts of wind.

Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!

The blade light swept across the sky.

However, no matter how Yagyu Tajima no Kami swung the long blade in his palm, he could not break through Yu Liancheng's defense; the opponent even gave him a feeling of ease and nonchalance.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami's eyes sharpened, and a cold light bloomed from the blade in his palm; a chilling, brutal killing intent suddenly permeated the air, so thick it made one unable to breathe.

This slash was swung out diagonally, and the blade light actually turned red.

A deep and ominous red.

This was no longer a blade, but a summons from the King of Hell.

If the King of Hell calls for you to die at the third watch, who dares to keep you until the fifth?

This slash was precisely—the God-Slaying Blade Slash!

Yu Liancheng laughed aloud, suddenly thrusting his long blade into the ground, opening his hands wide, intending to catch this "God-Slaying Blade Slash" with his bare hands.

The blood-red blade light poured down; at the most critical moment, Yu Liancheng's palms came together with a "clap," his hands seemingly transforming into two walls of copper and iron, clamping the blade between his palms so it could not advance even half an inch further.

Liusheng Piaoxu covered her cherry lips and let out a delicate cry, her beautiful eyes revealing unprecedented astonishment.

"Snow Drifting in the Human World" is more suited for women to perform; it is a combination of power and beauty, somewhat similar to the second variation of "Alluring the City."

The "God-Slaying Blade Slash" is Yagyu Tajima no Kami's true ultimate technique; once this blade is unsheathed, it slays both ghosts and gods, and it is also the greatest reliance Yagyu Tajima no Kami has for running rampant in Dongying.

Yet, it was caught so easily by Yu Liancheng.

Let alone Liusheng Piaoxu, even Yagyu Tajima no Kami himself felt as if he were in a dream.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami reacted quickly; a look of gravity appeared on his face as he let out a loud shout, sank his waist, and surged his True Qi, causing the floorboards beneath his feet to shatter inch by inch as he attempted to pull the long blade from Yu Liancheng's grasp.

But the blade felt as if it were being pressed by two mountains, unable to move at all.

Suddenly, Yu Liancheng loosened his palm, and Yagyu Tajima no Kami's body could not help but stumble backward, but with a shake of his body, he forcibly halted the momentum.

"I am a person who values fairness most; you give me a slash, I return you a punch."

Yu Liancheng blew a breath onto his own palm.

Clap!

His palm clenched tightly, and the air was struck out from between his fingers, producing an extremely crisp sound.

The next moment, a punch was blasted out.

In an instant, the airflow rolled and swept, as if it had been pierced through by this punch.

This punch carried an incomparable, overbearing, and fierce force, slamming heavily toward Yagyu Tajima no Kami.

Yagyu Tajima no Kami only felt the fist was like a mountain, filling his entire field of vision. A wave of fist wind rushed toward his face, causing his clothes to flutter wildly.

He had seen many fist technique experts, but he had never seen such a terrifying punch.

But all this left no room for Yagyu Tajima no Kami to think; with a thunderous roar, he poured his entire cultivation into the long blade, and the blood-red blade light soared into the sky as he struck out with another "God-Slaying Blade Slash."

The power of this slash was perhaps not as great as the previous one.

But the spirit of casting aside life and death, of pressing forward with indomitable will, was even more astonishing.

The fist collided with the blood-red blade light.

In an instant, the force of the impact vented in all directions, splitting the floorboards and rolling toward the sky like a tide, like waves.

And after a brief moment of stagnation, the blood-red blade light shattered with a boom, and the katana also instantly turned into fragments that scattered everywhere.

The remaining force of the punch did not cease, slamming violently into Yagyu Tajima no Kami's chest.

After the fist's momentum collided with the blade light, its power was less than thirty percent, but it remained extremely fierce and overbearing, with the force of a thousand jun.

Bang!

With a dull thud, Yagyu Tajima no Kami vomited blood and was sent flying backward like a ragdoll for several zhang.

"Good! A fine God-Slaying Blade Slash!"

Yu Liancheng, however, did not have a hint of joy; he looked down at his fist, on which there was a red blade mark.

He circulated the True Qi within his body, and the blade mark was reduced to a mere red line in no time.

"Cough, cough... cough, cough... that punch is the true Divine Fist; I admire you, I admire you." Yagyu Tajima no Kami used his broken blade to support his body, vomiting blood again, his face as pale as paper.

"Father, Father, are you alright?" A look of anxiety and worry appeared on Liusheng Piaoxu's delicate face, but her meridians were sealed, and her body was powerless, so she could not come over to check on Yagyu Tajima no Kami's injuries.

"It is nothing, I won't die." Yagyu Tajima no Kami waved his hand and said weakly, "Why have you come here, Your Excellency?"

Yu Liancheng stood with his hands behind his back and said, "You are acquainted with the 'Divine Marquis' Zhu Tiedan, and you have already reached a cooperative relationship; as long as you are willing to help him ascend the throne, he will help you sit in the position of the Dongying Martial Arts Alliance Leader. Am I right?"

Yagyu Tajima no Kami's body shook, a look of astonishment appearing on his face.

The matter of his deal with Zhu Tiedan was known only to him and Zhu Tiedan.

But why did this person get the news? Could it be that he is also one of Zhu Tiedan's people?

For a moment, countless thoughts arose in Yagyu Tajima no Kami's mind.

Yu Liancheng smiled and said, "Just by looking at your expression, I know I guessed correctly."

"Indeed, I am indeed cooperating with Zhu Tiedan, but what does this have to do with Your Excellency?" Yagyu Tajima no Kami coughed twice and said.

"Because I also want to recruit you and your daughter. I have gathered the Demon Sect and reorganized it into the 'Heaven Beyond Heaven.' Although the foundation and structure of the Demon Sect remain, top-tier experts are severely lacking." Yu Liancheng said indifferently, "And if you join my Demon Sect, the benefits will be great."

"Oh?"

"Not to mention whether Zhu Tiedan can sit on that throne of the Nine-Five, even if he could, I fear the first thing he would do is eliminate you; who told you to know too much? You are a smart person, so you must understand the principle of 'when the cunning rabbit is dead, the hunting dog is cooked.'"

Yagyu Tajima no Kami was silent for a long time before saying, "But how can you guarantee that if I work for you, you won't 'cook the hunting dog when the cunning rabbit is dead'?"

"You can rest assured on that point; I am also interested in the martial arts of Dongying. If I can support you in becoming the Dongying Martial Arts Alliance Leader, collecting martial arts will naturally be much more convenient."

Yu Liancheng smiled and said, "Besides, once the struggle for the Martial Arts Alliance Leader begins, bloodshed is inevitable. Compared to the Dongying that has just seen the end of war, I prefer a chaotic Dongying."

"You..." Yagyu Tajima no Kami frowned and said, "What if I do not agree?"

Yu Liancheng sighed softly: "Then you can go down and continue your master-disciple bond with your disciples."

Yagyu Tajima no Kami revealed a bitter smile: "It seems I have no other choice but to join the 'Heaven Beyond Heaven'."

"That is the choice of a wise man." Yu Liancheng clapped his hands and smiled: "Right, you and your daughter are of one mind; since you have joined my 'Heaven Beyond Heaven', your daughter is naturally a person of Heaven Beyond Heaven as well. I intend to take her away from you for a period of time to find another expert to join Heaven Beyond Heaven. Mr. Yagyu has no objections, right?"

Yagyu Tajima no Kami was stunned for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face as he said: "No objections, of course I have no objections. It is my daughter's honor to travel with Your Excellency. As long as Your Excellency offers her a few pointers on martial arts, it will be enough to benefit her infinitely."

"..." Liusheng Piaoxu looked at her father, who had agreed to join "Heaven Beyond Heaven" without much consideration and had sold her off in the process, and for a moment she was speechless.

PS: 8,000 words updated, requesting monthly tickets, still owe 37 chapters.