Chapter 63

"With your comprehension, choosing to follow Ji Tianrui's path is what's truly being stifled to the point of madness, isn't it?"

Li Miao said to Lan Lechuan, completely ignoring Zuo Lishan.

In this Mount Tai Sect, at this time and place, the least important person is actually Zuo Lishan, the sect leader.

Because Lan Lechuan is also, shockingly, above the Peak Realm!

As soon as the two exchanged blows, they instantly understood the other's realm.

Above the Peak Realm, the manifestations in each person are different.

In the words of a high monk from the previous dynasty who ascended above the Peak Realm, those like Li Miao, whose true energy and strength are perfectly unified, encompassing all kinds of martial arts in one body, are called "Jiezi."

Lan Lechuan clearly followed Ji Tianrui's old path, with true energy as vast as the sea, and his movements like a collapsing mountain, which is called "Sumeru."

Those like Zuo Lishan, who practice an alternative form of hard-style, with a sturdy body that is hard to damage with blades, count as half a "Jin Gang."

Ever since the former Ming Sect leader Ji Tianrui died, there have been no people of such realms in the world for many years, yet here, three of them have gathered all at once!

But in fact, it is understandable—setting Li Miao aside, he paid with effort and sweat, nothing to talk about.

Zuo Lishan took an evil path, with endless future troubles, and also greatly damaged his lifespan.

There are few experts at the Peak Realm in the world willing to make such a choice, training themselves into something neither human nor ghost, only to die after two or three years of being impressive. Even Zuo Lishan himself was forced into a corner by Li Miao before he had to take such a risk.

And Lan Lechuan being able to cross the Peak Realm... naturally has his own reasons.

Back to the present, Li Miao and Lan Lechuan exchanged a blow, and while surprised by the other's martial arts realm, they both felt the other was a fool.

Just now, Li Miao's left fist was "Iron Sand Palm" plus "Blocking and Intercepting Punch," his right palm was "Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art" plus "Sumeru Mountain Palm," his chest was "Iron Shirt," and his footwork was "Flying Swallow Piercing the Clouds."

There was not a single part of his body that wasn't using martial arts; he was definitely a "Jiezi" without a doubt.

With Li Miao's peerless bone structure, taking the "Sumeru" path and suppressing people with force would have been twice the result with half the effort. Even taking the "Jin Gang" path would have been no problem. Yet he insisted on practicing "Jiezi," which requires the most comprehension.

Lan Lechuan came from the Ming Sect and was a disciple of Ji Tianrui, with superb comprehension and exposure to various Ming Sect martial arts; his bone structure was not earth-shattering, yet he was the one who should have taken the "Jiezi" path.

Li Miao looked Lan Lechuan up and down: "Forget it, I don't care what path you take."

"After killing the two of you, I still have things to do."

Li Miao beckoned to the two of them: "Come."

Lan Lechuan laughed out of extreme anger and struck a palm from a distance, his true energy forming a hand seal in mid-air, with flying debris in its wake; it was the Ming Sect's peerless skill, "Great Nine Heavens Hand."

Zuo Lishan knew that now was the time to fight for his life, and he slashed a sword move, "Rugged Ridge Across the Sky," toward Li Miao.

Li Miao crouched, placed his right hand against his left rib, and held his palms like a blade.

Then he slashed diagonally upward with a sudden force!

Swish!! —

A flash of cold light appeared in mid-air, and Li Miao's true energy actually turned into a tangible arc.

The Imperial Guard technique, "One Blade, One Axe, One Hook, One Cannon" from the Iron Punishment War Post—the "One Blade"!

Peerlessly sharp!

Bang!!

Lan Lechuan's "Great Nine Heavens Hand" was directly cut off in mid-air by this blade, the remaining parts splitting into two and grazing past Li Miao, striking the wall and shattering the entire wall structure with a roar.

"Ah!"

Zuo Lishan retreated violently, his long sword snapping into two pieces, his left hand covering his left eye, blood streaming down through his fingers.

One move defeated two experts above the Peak Realm!

However, Lan Lechuan and Zuo Lishan both knew that facing Li Miao, they had no time for exclamation or surprise.

Li Miao was already serious, no longer teasing them like children, making a few sarcastic remarks with every move. Now that his intent to kill was stirred, he would hold nothing back.

Zuo Lishan's only remaining right eye blurred, and he saw Li Miao already appearing in front of him.

A claw grabbed toward his chest!

If Zuo Lishan hadn't been injured, even if he had taken this claw head-on, he would have given Li Miao a sword strike.

But the palm Li Miao struck when they met had already shattered his sternum, and now there was only flesh between his chest and heart. If he were really caught by this claw, he feared his heart would be ripped out by Li Miao immediately!

Lan Lechuan had also approached Li Miao by this time, not even looking at Zuo Lishan, nor going to save him, just striking a palm toward Li Miao's head on his own.

"If Zuo Lishan dies, he dies. If I can trade him for Li Miao today, it won't be a loss!"

In his desperation, Zuo Lishan became ruthless and had a sudden flash of wit.

His left hand, which was covering his left eye, suddenly scooped, grabbing a handful of filthy blood and splashing it toward Li Miao's face in mid-air.

His body was full of Gu insects, and this blood was poisonous.

Miao Border Gu arts are not the same path as Central Plains martial arts; even if one's true energy is strong, it is difficult to defend against.

With the blood in the air, Zuo Lishan was not idle; now without a sword in hand, he used his right hand's fingers as a sword, stabbing toward Li Miao's lower groin.

"Tsk!"

This was the second time Zuo Lishan had attacked Li Miao's lower regions.

Li Miao changed his right hand into a fist, first lifting it upward to block the filthy blood with his sleeve.

Then he suddenly smashed toward the back of Zuo Lishan, who was crouching to attack his lower groin!

Bang!!!

This punch was the authentic "Heart-Intent Hold."

It directly smashed Zuo Lishan onto the ground, blood spraying wildly from his mouth!

And Lan Lechuan's "Great Nine Heavens Hand" had already reached Li Miao's ear!

Li Miao raised his shoulder to block, but it was already too late to circulate his hard-style technique.

This palm struck Li Miao's shoulder fiercely.

In an instant, Li Miao's upper garment was torn apart by the true energy, scattering into the air.

Lan Lechuan moved his feet, a burst of true energy striking Zuo Lishan and sending him a yard away, while he himself took the opportunity to retreat violently.

Retreating a distance of two or three yards, Lan Lechuan looked up at Li Miao.

He saw Li Miao now bare-chested, revealing muscles twisted like steel wires, a tiger's back and a bee's waist, with clearly defined blocks.

A black palm print was on his right shoulder, with bruised blood seeping out of the skin.

This palm had finally, truly injured Li Miao.

But Lan Lechuan was suspicious and uncertain, blurting out: "You are not a 'Jiezi'!"

"No, you are not just a 'Jiezi'... you are also a 'Jin Gang'!"

Lan Lechuan's palm was the Ming Sect's protective peerless skill, "Great Nine Heavens Hand," and he had held nothing back; it was a full-strength palm. Even a piece of raw iron would have been left with a palm print.

Yet Li Miao clearly hadn't had time to circulate his hard-style technique, relying on his physical body and the self-circulating true energy to take that palm head-on!

Such a thing was something even Zuo Lishan, whose body had been modified by Gu insects, wouldn't dare to imagine!

Yes, that's it. There hadn't been an expert who had cultivated into a "Jiezi" for many years, leading Lan Lechuan to make a misjudgment.

Li Miao had initially used his fist to meet Lan Lechuan's sharp true energy, suffering only minor skin injuries. Lan Lechuan had only thought it was the miraculous nature of a "Jiezi," being able to use hard-style techniques to such a divine level, turning decay into magic.

But now it seemed, how could the common "Iron Sand Palm" so easily take his "Xuan Heaven Finger" move!

He was clearly using hard-style true energy for half and his physical body for the other half to resist!

Li Miao turned his head to look at the injury on his shoulder, his true energy surging, and the bruised blood was forced out of his body.

"Taking a palm from you, with the true energy entering my body, I finally felt it."

"This true energy of yours isn't something you cultivated yourself; it's full of Ji Tianrui's flavor."

"No wonder he died so easily back then, no wonder you could cross the Peak Realm, with true energy even stronger than his... Did he pass all his power to you before he died?"

Li Miao looked at Lan Lechuan.

"Forget it, I can't understand the thoughts of you religious madmen in the Ming Sect."

"Since you have inherited all of Ji Tianrui's power, killing the two of you together will still take some time."

Li Miao scanned Zuo Lishan and Lan Lechuan, who were getting up: "Run."

"I have to leave in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to save my subordinates; I don't have much time to waste on your two cheap lives."

"One incense stick of time; whoever can survive, don't appear in front of me again."

(End of chapter)