Chapter 43

Rong Jin's expression changed drastically, and the table in front of him swayed.

He only felt that the strand of Embryonic Breathing he had pressed into the bottom of the wine vessel was like a clay ox entering the sea; once captured by Chen Hang, it had no trace left, and there was no way to track it.

"Could he really be a disciple of some great sect?! But what grade of Qi Cultivation Art is this..."

There was no time left to think.

In the flash of a spark.

Rong Jin only saw the wine vessel flying straight toward his face. He hurriedly mobilized his Embryonic Breathing and reached out to grab it, but at the first touch, the wine vessel shattered directly before his eyes in shock!

"Not good?!"

Rong Jin hurriedly covered his face with his sleeves to prevent the wine from splashing onto his face, but the wine liquid only swayed slightly before spiraling and dancing in mid-air, like a silver snake playing in the water, wandering everywhere, shaking until the whole hall was overflowing with mellow fragrance.

"Fast, stride high with lofty aspirations, transcend the human world, pluck a branch from the heights."

Chen Hang laughed and kicked the table in front of him over, causing the cups and plates to clatter.

That silver-snake-like long stream split into three strands, condensing into the shape of fine water swords, spitting out light, and falling toward the three of them in mid-air.

Rong Jin and the others were shocked and mobilized their Embryonic Breathing to strike, but before they could get close, the fine swords had already intertwined and flown far away, circling out in a large arc.

"Make a ladder to the moon..."

Chen Hang lightly brushed his hand through the air, and the volume of the fine swords lightened by a few points, but with this contraction, the sharp power instead became much stronger, just like sharp swords spitting out killing intent.

"Brush dipping into mountains and rivers, hand touching the stars and constellations, laughing proudly at the wind and clouds, entering the grand theme."

He took three more steps forward. With each step, the flight of the fine swords became faster by a fraction. Finally, after sixteen interweaving cycles, the Embryonic Breathing flashed, and they suddenly slashed down!

"Scatter!"

Rong Jin could no longer care about great sect disciples or Pillar-State Generals. That chilling killing intent pressed on his heart like a heavy stone. His hands trembled rapidly like wheels, and his throat moved, suddenly blowing out a vast, powerful wind.

But in an instant, he heard a series of tearing sounds like silk being ripped. The chilling sharpness made one feel cold; the great wind was slashed to pieces in one go! He only saw three points of sorrowful water light piercing straight into his pupils!

"..."

Rong Jin's heart and spirit were lost, his liver and gallbladder about to split.

He had never experienced such a life-and-death struggle between cultivators of the same realm. For a moment, he didn't even know where his soul had drifted, as if falling into clouds and mist.

He didn't know how long he had been stunned like this, until a low sigh from Rong Tuo beside him pulled him back from his distraction.

He looked closely and saw three fine swords condensed from wine water hanging quietly three inches away from his face, the fragrance enticing and indescribably rich.

Behind those fine swords, Chen Hang also had his eyes slightly closed, as if he were entranced, not moving at all.

He didn't move, and Rong Jin moved even less. They remained silent for a long time, until Rong Jin's face flushed red, thinking Chen Hang was deliberately trying to humiliate him, and just as he was about to ignore everything and directly evaporate the wine water.

Following a faint sigh.

Chen Hang raised his head and pointed his hand.

"Touching the azure wall, sweeping away the drunken ink of dragons and snakes, soaring and hovering..."

As this sound fell, the three fine swords condensed from wine water suddenly fell powerlessly to the ground, splashing and spilling onto Rong Jin's legs.

But at this moment, his expression was one of respect, turning a blind eye to the filth on his body.

Rong Tuo and Rong Xuantao were also silent, facing each other, only horrified.

Just by relying on a single breath of Embryonic Breathing, he could play with a cup of wine in such a way, and even slash open the wind-calling Daoist art Rong Jin had unleashed in one go?

Such a vigorous and fierce Embryonic Breathing!

Such incomparably sharp power!

What grade of Qi Cultivation Art is he practicing?!

If this person is not a great sect disciple, then who else is worthy of the title?

Amidst the chaotic thoughts of the crowd, Chen Hang shook his head silently, unable to help but feel regretful.

In that instant just now, he seemed to be only a thin layer of paper away from "Ten Steps, One Kill." As long as he poked it, he would be able to break through and promote his Sword Dao cultivation into a new world.

But it was just this thin layer of paper's distance.

After the suddenly appearing spiritual light dissipated, it was as if separated by a heavenly abyss, his reach only touching the dark and obscure depths.

"How is it?"

Chen Hang withdrew his mind and looked over faintly, his expression neither proud nor arrogant:

"Is this cup of wine of mine still pleasing to the eye?"

The hall was dead silent, everyone was speechless. After a long time, only Rong Jin sighed and clapped his hands, bowing down to the ground:

"Sir, you could topple a kingdom!"

After this incident, there were no more objections.

The two sides quickly reached an agreement, signing a legal contract and taking an oath based on one thousand talisman coins, five days of cultivation time in the "Jade Fetal Mother Pool," and the cultivation resources on Tong Gaolu's person.

"When things are finished, one should float a large cup of white wine, but unfortunately, the mood for drinking is gone today, so what should be done?"

After putting the golden legal contract into his Universe Bag, Chen Hang embraced Rong Tuo and laughed:

"I wonder what kind of geography and customs are hidden in your library, Daoist friend? May I take a look?"

Rong Tuo's old face tightened.

Does he want to see my Rong family's Daoist arts?!

He stared fixedly at the bamboo mask, wanting to question him sternly—weren't there clearly three conditions?

But suppressed by Chen Hang's power just now, he couldn't speak, stammering.

"Daoist friend is truly a virtuous gentleman, actually showing me such great favor; I am truly ashamed to accept it."

Chen Hang sighed long:

"You know I am thin-skinned, so you don't speak up, fearing to damage my spirit? It doesn't matter. I already know your intention to gift me Daoist arts, Daoist friend. Don't worry about me, please do as you wish, don't let your good intentions go to waste."

A cold laugh came from Rong Tuo's throat, but before he could finish laughing, Chen Hang had already taken him, turning into a streak of escape light and rushing into the sky, heading straight into the clouds.

After asking a few times, Rong Tuo was finally helpless and pointed in a direction.

Chen Hang smiled slightly, lifted his Embryonic Breathing, and the escape light became even faster.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they landed in a black pavilion. Just as Chen Hang was about to land the escape light, Rong Tuo grabbed his sleeve.

"Only half an hour!"

He said sternly, holding onto Chen Hang and not letting go: "No matter what, Daoist friend can only watch for half an hour!"

Chen Hang's expression was faint, and he answered yes: "Many thanks."

Seeing him walk into the pavilion without changing his expression, Rong Tuo was instead a bit confused, stunned on the spot.

Half an hour...

What can one see in half an hour?

And on Chen Hang's side.

After opening the door, he only saw two full rows of bookshelves, with jade slips and bamboo scrolls arranged neatly. In the corner, a bright candle shone, and there was a boy with a weathered face guarding before the candle.

After Chen Hang nodded slightly toward the boy, he ignored him, picked up a bamboo book at random, and began to flip through it.

"This is... 'Long Spear Great Phoenix Indestructible Harvesting Battle Method'?"

Chen Hang only glanced at it and secretly frowned: "What kind of messy stuff is this."

He communicated his mind with the Golden Cicada, entered the True Yizhen Yizhen Fa Jie, waited until every word was memorized in his heart, and then retreated, continuing to walk toward the next one.

And in the eyes of the boy, Chen Hang had only stared at the bamboo book for a few breaths before putting it down and picking up the next scroll.

Thus, until half an hour later.

Just as Rong Tuo was burning with anxiety and couldn't help but want to break in, Chen Hang walked out of the pavilion slowly, his expression calm as usual.

"Daoist friend, how many arts did you memorize?" Rong Tuo asked, sizing up his expression:

"Although there aren't many Daoist arts here, there are quite a few mortal martial arts, military books, and medical classics. Daoist friend, don't let your eyes get dazzled and pick the wrong one..."

"I have memorized them all completely, and they are well-versed in my heart."

Rong Tuo could no longer hold back, laughing and clutching his stomach, not taking it to heart, only feeling that Chen Hang was joking.

Afterward, he led Chen Hang to a clean three-story building, gave some instructions to the palace maids, and then drove a cloud away with a smile, happily bidding farewell.

"I am not speaking nonsense... I really memorized them all."

Chen Hang looked at Rong Tuo's joyful appearance and shook his head.

He didn't need the service of the palace maids either, just climbed to the top floor, locked the door, and sat down on an ebony chair, immersing his mind into the True Yizhen Yizhen Fa Jie.

Thus, one day passed.

In that empty, vast, and boundless space, Chen Hang's body suddenly trembled, and streams of air swirled and rotated, actually emitting various sounds like bells and dragon roars, rolling down like a waterfall or waves.

"It's done!"

Chen Hang smiled, reached out to grab, collected the air currents, and said to himself.