Chapter 75

Yet the thick force carried by the shattered stones numbed his right arm in waves.

Jiang Sishui did not pause for breath; as the "Flame Knife" burned the poison powder, he jabbed his sword into the ground, feet never touching earth, his body swift as a swift in flight, hugging the ground as he surged toward Murong Fu.

"Jabbing Sword Technique!"

As the words fell, his body, wrapped in swordlight, spun like a top around Murong Fu, slashing rapidly.

The sword momentum rose like ocean tides, each wave higher than the last, each more violent than the one before.

In an instant, Murong Fu felt as if trapped in a whirlpool of blades, coldness prickling every inch of his skin, as if a sword edge rested upon each pore.

The moment the blades tore his flesh, he would be flayed alive!

Murong Fu's heart froze in terror.

Previously, Jiang Sishui's Sword Technique was indeed refined, but always reactive—waiting for the opponent's move, then striking first from a position of defense.

Now, he had shifted to offense—his assault sharp and furious, like a sudden storm, suffocating all breath.

The sudden change in sword path caught Murong Fu off guard; for a moment, he could not fathom the direction of the opponent's blade.

Yet Murong Fu was no novice—he had fought countless battles, and though startled, he remained calm.

"Dragon City Sword Technique!"

He immediately unleashed the Murong family's ancestral Sword Technique, each move flowing seamlessly like clouds and water; in an instant, his entire body was shrouded in a veil of light.

"Ding-ding" sounds rang continuously, merging into a single chorus, like rain pattering on banana leaves, never ceasing.

"Your Sword Technique is good, but you haven't mastered it."

Though the "Jabbing Sword Technique" failed to pierce Murong Fu's sword shield, the immense force had shattered the skin of his right thumb, blood streaming freely from his palm.

At this moment, Jiumo Zhi had also burned through the poison powder and leapt forward; seeing Murong Fu's dire situation, he unleashed twin palms.

Twelve "Flame Knives" struck Jiang Sishui at once—the sudden drain of true Qi turned Jiumo Zhi's face pale.

The "Flame Knives" merged into a curtain of blades, sealing every angle, leaving Jiang Sishui no room to evade.

Jiang Sishui halted his spin, not retreating but advancing—he lunged at Jiumo Zhi while weaving blossoms of swordlight.

"Lifting Sword Technique!"

The swordtip flicked upward, and the "Flame Knife Qi" became as tangible as solid matter, sliced apart by the blade, then extinguished one by one under Jiang Sishui's overwhelming true Qi.

Jiang Sishui's form twisted like a coiling dragon, rising into the air, flipping his body upside-down, then diving headfirst downward.

"Breaking Sword Technique!"

His sword whirled faster than before—twice as swift—swordlight engulfing both Jiumo Zhi and Murong Fu, who charged after him in fury.

Jiumo Zhi held no weapon, yet showed no fear; his ten fingers tapped rapidly, finger force like rain, surging upward to clash repeatedly with the swordlight.

This was the Shaolin supreme skill: "Duo Luo Ye Finger"—its force brutal, and in Jiumo Zhi's hands, capable of piercing metal!

Had Jiang Sishui's sword not been infused with true Qi, it would have snapped long ago.

Thus, though the "Dugu Nine Swords" claimed to be unbound by internal force, they had realm restrictions—completely inapplicable to masters of the Houqida Sect and above.

For instance, if Jiang Sishui were replaced by Zhao Qiying, with her Master-level cultivation, Jiumo Zhi could shatter her sword with a single finger.

Without a sword, how could she wield the "Dugu Nine Swords"?

Then, facing a Houqida Sect master, she would have zero resistance.

Previously, Zhao Qiying had held her own against Duan Yanqing not because she was stronger, but because Duan Yanqing was weaker than Jiumo Zhi, and because "Yi Yang Finger" was not a killing-focused finger technique.

Jiumo Zhi could withstand Jiang Sishui's swordplay; Murong Fu could not.

A streak of swordlight flashed, slicing through his hairband—his long hair burst loose; Murong Fu staggered backward, utterly disheveled.

Jiang Sishui did not pursue; he shifted the battlefield, using momentum to leap and strike toward Ding Chunqiu.

Ding Chunqiu's Wu Gong surpassed Suxinghe's, and he possessed formidable Poison Art—in the original tale, Suxinghe died from Ding Chunqiu's "Three Laughs Blissful Powder."

Jiang Sishui naturally refused to let this happen.

At this moment, Ding Chunqiu was locked in a true Qi contest with Suxinghe, pushing against a pillar of fire; seeing Jiang Sishui arrive unexpectedly, he was not alarmed—he was delighted.

"I've been waiting for you!"

Ding Chunqiu's eyes sparkled with fierce excitement; he aimed his left sleeve at Jiang Sishui and slapped his right palm forward.

A spring mechanism snapped—simultaneously, twenty-seven silver needles shot forward with lethal speed and force, striking Jiang Sishui head-on.

"Rain of Pear Blossoms Needle! Die, brat!"

Ding Chunqiu sidestepped the fire pillar Suxinghe hurled at him, his excitement bursting forth in a roar.

082 Tang Bohu's underhanded move—complete annihilation!

Rain of Pear Blossoms Needle?!

Hearing Ding Chunqiu's cry, the assembled heroes gasped in shock.

This was an artifact famed alongside the "Heaven-Ending, Earth-Annihilating Bone-Piercing Heart Needle," with a legendary record of slaying Heaven-Tier beings!

Yet since its fleeting appearance long ago, this weapon had vanished—no one expected Ding Chunqiu to possess such a vile device.

No wonder he had the confidence to face Jiang Sishui—he had this as his ultimate trump.

Had Ding Chunqiu not been waiting for the perfect moment all along?

Once he seized his chance, the "Rain of Pear Blossoms Needle" would strike—Jiang Sishui might be a Houqida Sect master, but even a Heaven-Tier would die!

For the needles had long been coated with Ding Chunqiu's deadliest poison.

Just as every mind flashed the thought that Jiang Sishui was doomed, he had already evaded.

He dodged nearly twenty needles; the rest he shattered with the "Breaking Arrow Technique."

His evasion was not due to the "Rain of Pear Blossoms Needle" being overhyped, nor because "Lingbo Microstep" was too powerful—the key was "advance warning!"

In truth, while fighting Murong Fu and Jiumo Zhi, "Cicada Perception" had continuously sensed Ding Chunqiu's intense malice—stronger than anyone else's.

At the time, Jiang Sishui had wondered: You're dueling Suxinghe, not me—why are you so fixated on me?

That thought triggered a memory: Ding Chunqiu's earlier confidence. Jiang Sishui instantly grew wary.

Ding Chunqiu was no fool; knowing the gap in their realms, he still dared to act so arrogantly, as if he had something to rely on.

Then he must indeed have something to rely on!

Thus, combining Ding Chunqiu's conduct and style, Jiang Sishui drew a conclusion: this old schemer intends to trick me!

So although Jiang Sishui appeared to come with fierce momentum, he had secretly prepared long ago.

Seeing Ding Chunqiu's right hand move to pat his left sleeve cuff, he did not think twice and immediately began to retreat.

Hidden weapons are called hidden weapons precisely because they can only be used for surprise attacks in the dark; once displayed openly, or if the target is forewarned, their effect will be greatly diminished.

Therefore, Jiang Sishui easily neutralized Ding Chunqiu's long-planned killing move.

And this scene undoubtedly far exceeded everyone's expectations; the heroes were all stunned.

"Good lad, sharp enough!" Huang Yaoshi did not spare his praise, his eyes full of appreciation.

Putting himself in the other's place, he knew he absolutely could not dodge this strike.

Precisely because Jiang Sishui did what Huang Yaoshi could not, Huang Yaoshi was so admiring.

Huang Rong's heart, which had just been lifted, was set back down in her belly.

Watching Jiang Sishui, with a single long sword, turn and fight three great experts, yet remain at ease, gaining a clear upper hand, even avoiding Ding Chunqiu's fatal strike, her heart swayed.

The heroes were stunned, and Ding Chunqiu himself was even more bewildered; reality differed so greatly from what he had expected that he even lost his focus in the midst of the battle.

Jiang Sishui did not stop to give him a chance to adjust; sword light flashed, he gathered three layers of force, leaped into the air, and swept his sword horizontally!

"Wave Sword Style!"

In an instant, a visible sword qi in the shape of a crescent moon swept out horizontally, directly engulfing Ding Chunqiu.

Sharp force rushed toward his face; a stinging sensation came to Ding Chunqiu's face. While retreating hastily, he waved the feather fan in his hand repeatedly to counter this sword strike.

However, after the sword qi fell, it did not dissipate; the other two layers of sword force hidden behind it erupted, just like the "mushroom cloud" of his past life, exploding instantly!

Caught off guard, Ding Chunqiu was as if placed in an ocean of sword qi and could only project his true energy to protect his body.

Even so, his wide robe and large sleeves were torn to shreds; his whole body was covered in bloodstains, and his silver hair and beard were hacked like weeds, no longer resembling the immortal wind and Dao bone of before.

Terrified to the point of his soul fleeing, although his face was covered in blood and his appearance miserable, he did not expect to regain face today.

Seeing the arriving Kumo Zhi entangle Jiang Sishui, Ding Chunqiu turned and ran.

As for Murong Fu, after Jiang Sishui flicked off his hair ribbon with a single sword strike, he did not strike again; the whole person stood frozen in place, staring blankly into space.

Tang Bohu, watching from the sidelines, saw Ding Chunqiu trying to flee; his eyes brightened, and he flashed to stand behind Zhu Zhu Zhishan.

"Stay for me! Strike the ox through the mountain!"

Tang Bohu's palm fell; the palm force crossed over Zhu Zhu Zhishan in the middle and directly blasted Ding Chunqiu into the sky!

Shen Lang and Zhu Zhu Zhishan, the three of them, turned their heads together to look at Tang Bohu.

Tang Bohu clapped his hands and said with an air of calm authority: "A gentleman waits ten years to avenge; a talented man finds even one night too long to avenge."

And with this delay, Jiang Sishui had already used the force from clashing palms with Kumo Zhi to fly backward, then gathered his qi and leaped forward to stand before Ding Chunqiu.