Chapter 310: A Blazing Sun

"I..."

Looking at Yu Yu Xuanji's face full of astonishment, Lin Lin Fangzhui only felt a terrible tightness in his chest, but recalling that violently savage thunder dragon, he still felt lingering fear.

Hoo~

Yu Yu Xuanji swept his sleeve, forcing back the people crowding around, then swept a cold glance over the surroundings; not one of them dared step forward.

Yan Xiong stood in a corner, and seeing Lin Lin Fangzhui's lost-soul appearance, immediately felt much better in his heart.

"Really... Li Yuan?"

Yu Yu Xuanji sent a voice transmission, full of stunned disbelief.

Wu Gong, the way of battle and slaughter—he truly found it hard to believe that Lin Lin Fangzhui would lose at the hands of a new disciple who only knew how to bury his head in martial training.

Even someone as dazzlingly brilliant as Long Long Xinglie had to fight and kill his way through the jianghu for many bouts, and temper himself for years within the Dragon Lake Pagoda, before he could fight his way to the very top of the sixth floor.

This Li Yuan has only been in the sect for a year total, training in Wu Gong for six or seven years. Even if he possessed a once-in-an-age talent, able to juggle Wu Gong, Qi cultivation, and weapon forging all at once—could this path of slaughter and battle really be self-taught without a master?

"He..."

Lin Lin Fangzhui's face was heavy and complicated: "This man's talent is likely even greater than Senior Brother's. Terrifying, fearsome. I... suffered a crushing defeat."

"Still a crushing defeat..."

Seeing him in this dead, soul-stricken state, the suspicion in Yu Yu Xuanji's heart only grew:

"How many moves did you lose by? I heard he's cultivated Uncle Long's Long Xiang Heliu—couldn't you take it?"

"..."

Hearing the questioning, and the murmurs of discussion rising from all around, a nameless fury rose in Lin Lin Fangzhui's heart:

"A loss is a loss! What do you care how many moves I lost by?!"

"You?"

Yu Yu Xuanji was stunned by the outburst, but did not fly into a great rage; instead, he felt a touch of dread.

For Lin Lin Fangzhui to react this strongly, it was probably more than just a simple crushing defeat...

"If you want to know, go try it yourself."

Giving Yu Yu Xuanji no further chance to question him, Lin Lin Fangzhui shoved him aside and, bristling with fury, charged once more toward the Dragon Tiger Pagoda.

If he were to leave just like this, without needing to wait until tomorrow, he would immediately become the laughingstock of the entire world.

"Junior Brother Yu, what's gotten into Junior Brother Lin?"

Xin Xin Wenhua had watched the show for a while, and only now strolled over unhurriedly. The latter swept a cold glance at him, gave no answer, and strode quickly toward the Dragon Tiger Pagoda.

"Hoo!"

In, out.

Yu Yu Xuanji's repeated going in and out drew a large crowd of onlookers, and soon the matter of Lin Lin Fangzhui was pushed out of the spotlight.

As fellow true disciples of the Dragon Tiger Monastery, Yu Yu Xuanji had long roamed the jianghu, and his fame was far greater than Lin Lin Fangzhui's. Among the onlookers now, there were no few who recognized him.

"Has this kid gone mad?!"

Yu Yu Xuanji's going in and out drew a large crowd of onlookers outside, and Brother Helian Feng, who had been meditating in the Dragon Tiger Pagoda, was also startled into action.

As the guardian of the Dragon Tiger Pagoda, he was extremely sensitive to anyone entering or leaving, and at this moment he was quite annoyed.

"Could it be that he's come to toy with Laozi?"

Brother Helian Feng clapped his hands together, true Qi legs sprouting from his hips. He stood up and walked toward the Dragon Tiger Health-Preserving Furnace, its light flickering unsteadily within the pagoda.

Every time someone entered or left the Dragon Tiger Pagoda, the Health-Preserving Furnace would flicker once.

Now, the Health-Preserving Furnace was flickering wildly—precisely because Yu Yu Xuanji was going in and out.

"This kid."

Tapping lightly with true Qi onto a wisp of radiance rippling atop the Health-Preserving Furnace, a curtain of light instantly exploded open upon the furnace, going from blurry to clear, and within it was reflected the figure of Yu Yu Xuanji.

Hiss!

On the yellow clay ground, Yu Yu Xuanji advanced with sword in hand, like a thunderbolt cleaving across the long sky.

"Pure Yang Sword."

Seeing this scene, Brother Helian Feng's expression eased slightly.

The 'Pure Yang Sword' was a peerless sword Dao art within the Dragon Chant Hall, with an extremely high entry threshold, and few had ever practiced it. Yet Yu Yu Xuanji had already cultivated it to the sixth layer, great perfection.

Sword in hand, he moved like a rainbow spanning the sun, and in a few strokes had already slain the blade-wielders on the field.

"There's a hint of the 'Divine Sword Art' flavor in there. This kid doesn't shy away from anything cold or unfamiliar—he even dares to learn things from the Xieshen Sect... hmm, he uses it well."

Brother Helian Feng gave a slight nod, but very soon, the fury that had just faded flared up again—this kid had actually retreated out of the pagoda gate once more.

Then came back in again.

"Bastard!"

Brother Helian Feng instantly felt displeased, and was about to channel his true Qi to teach this kid a lesson, when he saw Yu Yu Xuanji on the yellow clay ground erupt with a vast surge of sword Qi around his body, standing with sword in hand, in full battle array.

This is?

Brother Helian Feng focused his gaze and looked, only to see a figure walk out from the yellow clay ground wielding a hammer, his entire body interwoven with blue-black radiance, like thunder, like lightning, his momentum tremendous.

"Li Yuan?"

Brother Helian Feng's mind turned, and he had already recalled who this boy was: "Long Xi Xiang's closed-door disciple?"

Hum!

On the yellow clay field, Yu Yu Xuanji let out a long breath. After dozens of rounds, he had finally been randomly matched with Li Yuan. Now, feeling the invisible pressure emanating from the field, his eyelids could not help but twitch.

"His martial arts foundation is this solid?"

Yu Yu Xuanji gripped the long sword in his palm tightly, sensed a trace of danger, and instantly his mind went cold and still.

He squinted slightly, his heart like a bright mirror reflecting everything around him. Within her perception, it seemed as if a savage thunder dragon was slowly awakening, opening its eyes, at the very center of the field.

"Roar!"

A dragon's roar exploded. Shan Hong's eyes blazed with rainbow light. The long sword in his palm thrust forward, and dazzling rainbow radiance burst forth at once.

The sword-light was like a dragon, soaring into the air. Man merged with rainbow-light and sword-light; in an instant, both man and sword were gone, leaving only a dragon formed of sword-light, its whole body unfolding in sword-scale armor, lunging into the arena.

"Fine sword!"

On the sixteenth floor, even though Brother Helian Feng was displeased at heart, he could not help but offer a light word of praise. With this single sword alone, Shan Hong would in the future have what it takes to vie with Dou Yue for the position of Young Master of the Dragon Gate.

Among the True Lineages of this generation, if not for Long Long Xinglie, it should have been him and Xin Xin Wenhua contending for supremacy in the same cohort.

However……

Brother Helian Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, looking toward the shadowy figure standing in the arena with hammer in hand. Even through the blurred light and shadow, a faint tremor stirred within him.

This closed-door disciple of Long Xi Xiang… seems a little off.

"Boom!"

As the light and shadow shifted, two figures could be seen crossing each other. Brother Helian Feng's eyelid twitched, and a flash of astonishment crossed his face.

Boom!

After several breaths, the light and shadow dispersed.

Shan Hong stood leaning on his sword, clothes and hair in disarray, blood at the corner of his mouth. He raised his head and looked, only to see that shadowy figure with a heavy hammer on its shoulder, walking over step by step.

After that brief clash, monstrous waves surged in Shan Hong's heart.

A fifth-tier consummate Dragon-Tiger Heaven-Shaking Hammer, a Dragon God Vajra Scripture close to consummation, a great number of upper-, middle-, and lower-tier Wu Gong, and that absolute art moving like Lei Ting.

This absolute art encompassed the essence of numerous martial studies, even carrying a few traces of "Long Xiang Heliu," its might far surpassing his Pure Yang Sword.

In his perception, the aura of that hammer-bearing figure grew ever more overwhelming, like a mountain range shifting sideways, about to grind him into dust the next instant!

"This is really Li Yuan?!"

For a fleeting instant, Shan Hong was dazed by the figure before him, one that seemed like a spirit or a demon.

Looking at this scene alone, no matter how he tried, he could not connect it with the somewhat green, courteous to everyone, exceedingly modest young man in his memory.

A ghost come to life……

The corners of Shan Hong's mouth turned bitter, and a touch of realization dawned on him.

From this brief exchange alone, he could almost be certain.

"That Lin Lin Fangzhui probably couldn't even take a single strike……"

"Roar!"

The violent dragon's roar rose once more.

Shan Hong stamped his foot, his body following his sword. Vast true qi poured forth, propelling him to tear through the long sky like a rainbow, slamming sideways into the thunder-dragon that had thrust its head forth.

"Bang!"

Even through the sixteenth floor, Brother Helian Feng seemed to hear the sound of bones exploding. Fortunately, the Nourishing Furnace had its own mechanism; otherwise, he would not have been able to stop himself from stepping in to rescue him.

"This kid……"

Gazing at the figure within the light-screen, heavy hammer on shoulder, seemingly showing no sign of weakness whatsoever, Brother Helian Feng stood transfixed for a long while, yet his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Shan Hong was born with a luminous sword-heart, a rare sword-dao prodigy within the sect, no less remarkable than the True Lineages of the previous generation or the ones before that.

?? co

Those who could swiftly defeat him—in this generation only Long Long Xinglie; in the previous generation only Dou Yue and Nie Ying; and a few generations before, only a handful of old fellows like themselves.

"This boy has already reached the peerless tier, only slightly inferior to Long Xinglie, and that is merely a gap in age…… That old fellow Long Xi Xiang has indeed taken on a fine disciple."

Brother Helian Feng stroked his long beard, feeling quite pleased, yet recalling Long Xi Xiang's unusual behavior that day, he suddenly felt a flash of realization.

"You old fox Long Xi Xiang!"

"He's out again?"

More and more spectators gathered around the Dragon Tiger Pagoda. Seeing Shan Hong emerge once more, some instinctively shook their heads and prepared to disperse, yet others noticed something amiss.

Walking slowly out of the pagoda gate, Shan Hong's expression was dazed. He looked around, glanced at the surrounding crowd, then walked wooden-faced to one side, sat down on the ground hugging his sword, and began regulating his breath with closed eyes as if no one else existed.

His air of "keep your distance" actually suppressed the surrounding discussion and gawking.

"Did he clear it or not?"

The watching crowd was rather doubtful, unable to make up their minds.

Only a handful of people like Xin Xin Wenhua sensed something was off.

"He just fought a bitter battle, and most likely lost."

Xin Xin Wenhua narrowed his eyes slightly. He and Shan Hong were old rivals, and even from a great distance he could sense the surging sword intent on him—this was clearly the upheaval of qi and blood after a great battle.

And given this man's temperament, if he had won, he would most likely have pressed on in one breath to charge the sixth floor, instead of coming out halfway.

"He lost too?"

Xin Xin Wenhua immediately grew curious. After a moment's thought, he still tentatively walked a few steps closer and sent a voice transmission to ask:

"Junior Brother Shan, who did you just cross swords with?"

"You want to know?"

This time Shan Hong answered. His cold gaze swept over Xin Xin Wenhua; seeing the latter nod, the corners of his mouth suddenly twitched:

"If you want to know, try it yourself."

"Ah?"

Xin Xin Wenhua raised a brow, sensing deep malice, and turned to leave on the spot. Though curious, he was not Shan Hong—rushing in and out like a madman would truly disgrace the face of a Dragon Tiger True Lineage.

"Who was that person?"

After a few steps, Xin Xin Wenhua still could not help turning back and sent a voice transmission: "Someone from within the sect, or from an outer sect? An Elder, or a Hall Master?"

Shan Hong twitched the corners of his mouth and sent a voice transmission in reply: "Form like a vicious dragon, Shou Chi Zhong."

Dan Hong tugged at the corner of his mouth and replied via transmitted voice, "Shaped like a vicious dragon, wielding a heavy hammer."

"Huh?"

Xin Xin Wenhua gave a start. Just as he was mulling it over, he suddenly heard exclamations from behind:

"Fourth layer! Martial Uncle Li has fought his way to the fourth layer!"

Hmm—

The heavy hammer pierced the air, emitting a long, unbroken humming sound.

"A bit too weak…"

The heavy hammer smashed the twelfth tower guardian of the fourth layer. Mist churned in from all sides, and Li Yuan felt a tremendous change with unmistakable clarity.

The countless life-and-death battles he had fought against that unknown Long Long Daozhu within the bronze tower had become a foundation he himself had never really thought much about before.

That foundation had let him tear through the fourth layer in one overwhelmingly crushing sweep!

"Who exactly was that Long Long Daozhu?"

Li Li Daoye—who had cut through thirty opponents one-on-one at the same cultivation—felt a tremor of awe in his heart.

Among the thirty he had cut down were contemporary true disciples like Lin Lin Fangzhui, and contemporary helmsmen like Yan Yan Sanxing—each a hero of his time!

Yet he himself, who had so easily cut through them all, had so far managed a best record of only weathering a little over fifty blades.

"That's not right—I've achieved Great Success in Meridian Opening, so maybe I could weather another dozen or twenty blades? But at most, I reckon it'd be under a hundred, right?

"Hmm—."

The mist churned, breaking Li Yuan's train of thought.

He shouldered the heavy hammer and looked around. The unchanging yellow earth had turned into a plain of grass and shrubs.

Not far off stood a few peaks, with streams, birds and beasts—the environment had changed completely.

"Does the fifth layer count as the true path of choosing a master?"

Li Yuan set down the heavy hammer, plucked a few blades of wild grass, pinched a handful of earth, and found that the Life-Nurturing Furnace had put real care into the fifth layer.

Every blade of grass and every tree was identical to the outside world—far more real than even the Life-Nurturing Secret Realm.

And equally real was the blade-wielding guest who walked out from the mountain valley.

That guest cradled a long blade, wore a black martial robe, and had a cold, fierce face—none other than the Yintangfutang deputy hall master Lin Jia he had seen before.

"The fifth layer already sends in a deputy hall master–level grand expert?"

Li Yuan stood leaning on his hammer, studying Lin Jia, in no hurry to make the first move…

Before entering the tower, he had observed carefully: apart from Long Long Xinglie, no contemporary true disciple or inner-gate disciple had fought their way to the sixth layer.

"Can I fight my way to the sixth layer?"

Li Yuan felt a stirring of eagerness in his heart.

Unlike being tormented by that blade inside the bronze tower, this steady push forward had been thoroughly exhilarating, and he felt a real desire to keep sweeping away all before him.

"Mm, let's give it a try!"

The moment the thought turned in his mind, Li Yuan heard a blade ring out. Blade-light filled his vision before he knew it—Lin Jia's saber art was very familiar to him: it was precisely the Han Yue Dao Fa Lin Lin Fangzhui had used.

But in Lin Jia's hands, its power surged many times over.

Hiss!