飘零影音

Chapter 125 - Arc 9: Disciple Recruitment | Chapter 125: Xu Ziqing VS Li Cai

Translator: Lynn

Having become thoroughly acquainted with Li Cai’s disposition, Xu Ziqing had no intention of yielding. Stepping forward, he spoke deliberately, “Coincidence seems to follow whenever I witness sect members flouting our principles, and lo and behold, Senior Brother Li Cai, a master in this art, always graces the scene.”

A shade of blue spread across Li Cai’s face. “Those who dare to oppose me and Jile Peak are fated for misfortune!” Channeling his true energy, the Binding Imm intensified its glow, with his wrath causing it to gradually seize the upper hand.

Not desiring a prolonged conversation with Li Cai, Xu Ziqing swayed forward, positioning himself beside Su Xin.

Su Xin, perceptive and thoughtful, discerned that Xu Ziqing should remain uninvolved. Aligning himself with Xu Ziqing, he chimed in cheerfully, “Brother Ziqing, our collaboration today is indeed a cause for celebration. Truly!”

Xu Ziqing responded, “Indeed.” A smile graced his lips again, “Brother Li seems to overlook the sect’s ordinances. Even if Jile Patriarch graced us with his presence, it wouldn’t matter.” Their synergy intensified, with Xu Ziqing’s fiery spirit and Su Xin’s wood qi coalescing, generating formidable might.

Xu Ziqing’s repeated humiliations deeply rankled Li Cai. True, his cultivation level was merely at the early stage of foundation establishment, and his foundation was comparably fragile, yet his influential ancestor was fiercely protective, bequeathing him several potent spiritual tools for deployment.

Inflamed with anger, Li Cai raised his hand and launched a spiritual cauldron!

Named the “Baiyue Ding,” this cauldron was meticulously crafted with the essence of moonlight. In the hands of a foundation-establishing cultivator with a strong foundation, it could forge a moonlight lock, which could immobilize even the head of the Patriarch of a Top Peak, shattering it into fragments.

While Li Cai was unable to fully unleash the Baiyue Ding’s might, its partial force remained sufficient to subdue Xu Ziqing and Su Xin severely!

A resonant “ding” resounded.

It was Xu Ziqing who acted. His waist swayed, arms extended, as the steel-wood sword emerged like “spring rain.”

Instantly, a profusion of spring sprang forth, casting a shower of raindrops within a ten-foot radius. These elongated droplets, resembling slender threads of white, quickly veiled the surroundings, obscuring everyone’s view.

Their vision grew misty, as though the world itself was draped in this rain-like curtain. When these rain threads brushed against their skin, they brought not a chill, but an embrace, a tenderness that touched the depths of their hearts.

This style of swordsmanship should exude utmost gentleness, yet the steel-wood sword attacked the Baiyue Ding with pinpoint precision, steadfastly withstanding its force. The sword’s tip made contact with the cauldron, preventing it from descending an inch.

Su Xin found himself taken aback, too startled to react. He had never imagined Xu Ziqing’s swordsmanship could be so swift and potent. The casual manner of the strike belied its power. He had sparred with Xu Ziqing before but comparing it to his present display was akin to comparing sky and earth. Clearly, Xu Ziqing had grasped the inner sect’s sword techniques. Even with his discerning eye, just from this move, he could discern the profundity hidden within. It was a pity that this particular move held a gentle essence of grounding, an unsuitable fit for him, rendering its practice impossible.

Impressed, Su Xin praised, “Brother Ziqing, impressive swordplay!”

Xu Ziqing’s blade tilted upward, a mischievous smile forming. “Brother Ah Xin, it’s not a matter of my swordsmanship prowess, but rather that even a spiritual weapon becomes no different from an ordinary magical tool if it can’t be fully wielded.”

Taken aback by the stark bluntness, Su Xin wondered what had soured Xu Ziqing towards him to such an extent. Previously, Xu Ziqing had always been gentle and affable, so this newfound lack of restraint puzzled him.

Nonetheless, with their current shared enemy, he had no choice but to concur. “Brother Ziqing speaks true. To turn a spiritual tool into something less potent than a magical weapon is quite the feat!”

Their unified stance infuriated Li Cai, prompting him to fume through every pore.

His anger found expression in his vehement retort, “You dare to play tricks at death’s doorstep! Behold my Langya Ring—Crush! Crush! Crush!” The Baiyue Ding transformed into a streak of white light, its form fully retracting as Li Cai withdrew his hand. Simultaneously, two rings were flung forth in succession, one blue and one red, forming a harmonious convergence of water and fire. Their luminescence immediately illuminated the surroundings.

In the blink of an eye, the rings expanded to the size of wheels. One brimmed with flames, the other bore rippling water patterns. The red ring hurtled toward Xu Ziqing, aimed at suppressing his wood energy, while the blue ring targeted Su Xin, in an attempt to quell his fiery spirit. Laden with immense weight, they each weighed a thousand catties, poised to unleash lethal force upon impact, leveraging their status as spiritual tools.

Su Xin’s countenance shifted, the aura emanating from the Langya Ring inexplicably surpassing that of the Baiyue Ding!

A tumultuous fusion of water and fire pervaded the air, exuding an overwhelming pressure that effectively subdued Xu Ziqing and Su Xin. These red and blue paired rings were, at the very least, of middle-grade spiritual quality. Besides their dual attributes rendering them challenging to manipulate, Li Cai had succeeded in refining the Langya Ring into his personal talisman with the guidance of his ancestor.

Though his cultivation level currently fell short, he could still harness seven or eight percent of its potential.

In this dire situation, Su Xin and Xu Ziqing teetered on the brink of peril.

Su Xin’s longsword crackled with the Azure Flame—an exceptional flame that defied ordinary water’s extinguishing capacity. However, while it wasn’t classified as a spiritual weapon, it was of a lower tier.

Sustaining repeated strikes from Langya Ring led to its surface bearing faint cracks, though it managed to hold without causing injury to itself.

Meanwhile, Xu Ziqing’s spring rain swordplay wove an illusion of boundless drizzle, yet the fire kindled a conflagration that consumed the rainfall before it reached the earth. He quickened his swordplay, causing the rain to become ever more persistent and delicate.

The sky was obscured by mist as the rain alternately fell and evaporated under the intense heat. Xu Ziqing’s dantian expended copious amounts of true energy to sustain this effort.

Across the field, Li Cai observed Xu Ziqing and Su Xin’s struggling disadvantage and burst into wild laughter. “When your flying swords shatter and your true energy is spent, I will seize you alive, bringing you to Jile Peak as offerings to our ancestors!”

Chuckling manically, he consumed elixirs by the handful, boasting, “My ancestors’ concoctions grant boundless true energy. How can you lowly cultivators hope to rival me!”

Witnessing this, Li Cai’s disciples couldn’t help but be awed by his ferocious prowess. His arrogance stemmed from the backing of Nascent Soul stage ancestor, coupled with his possession of elixirs and a plethora of spiritual tools that left others green-eyed with envy.

Whispers spread among the inner sect disciples. One voice remarked, “These two boys have offended Li Cai. They’ll likely be captured for alchemical purposes. Once the essence within their bodies is drained, their future cultivation will be severely hindered!”

A sigh followed, “Such a shame. Judging by their pure cultivation talent, they appear to be single-spirit root geniuses. With sufficient nurturing, they could potentially become formidable beings.”

Others pondered, “But the severity of today’s punishment seems out of the ordinary. Will he truly permit Li Cai to bully new disciples so openly?”

Someone speculated, “Considering Li Cai has the Nascent Soul ancestor behind him, and though Senior Yun may be a top-five Tianlong list member, that list exclusively pertains to Golden Core period geniuses. Given the Nascent Soul ancestor’s influence, affording Li Cai some respect isn’t out of the ordinary.”

Another countered, “Not necessarily!” A revelation struck, “That young man in the green shirt—is Yun Shixiong’s shidi!”

In response, a chorus of voices emerged each offering differing perspectives. “Given the circumstances, Yun Shixiong might not expose this matter merely to save face,” many asserted.

The congregation was now engaged in fervent debate, the inner disciples captivated by the scene unfolding before them, some even neglecting their partners in their arms.

Xu Ziqing’s Spring Rain swordsmanship found itself gradually pushed to its limits. It was unfortunate that his practice of the sword was relatively brief, having only managed a single maneuver of the Spring Rain swordplay. Consequently, his mastery was limited. The fact that he persisted to this point was largely attributed to his natural affinity with the “Four Seasons Sword Art.”

Controlled by Li Cai, Langya Ring’s binding intensified. The profusion of spring rain in the skies could scarcely descend before succumbing to the encroaching flames. The weighty red ring plummeted with increasing speed, its crisp collisions resounding like a chorus, echoing not only in the ears but also deep within the consciousness, adding further tension and pressure to those ensnared.

Under this oppressive weight, Xu Ziqing truly felt the strain. The Langya Ring grew more burdensome, its fiery aura drawing closer.

At this moment, each swing of Xu Ziqing’s sword demanded an immense expenditure of energy. His arm felt as if it carried a weight of ten thousand catties, a laborious effort to lift each time.

Having endured such relentless persecution, Xu Ziqing managed to push his Spring Rain swordsmanship to its very limits, achieving an unparalleled degree of softness—a state of near-stagnation amidst extreme suppleness.

This represented his current realm, the juncture at which a sensation of stagnation was succeeded by an impending breakthrough. It paralleled the seeds, having absorbed ample moisture after the rain, now eager to rupture their confinement and thrust through countless layers of soil and stone to sprout.

This breakthrough surge, akin to a detonation of pent-up energy, dissolved all previous constriction, unveiling a sudden ecstasy.

Yet, despite confronting life-and-death situations on multiple occasions, Xu Ziqing remained devoid of this sensation. Regrettably, he could not access this release of jubilation, which follows the utter depths of suppression, nor merge the intricate principles of swordplay with his current state of mind, rendering its practice unattainable.

However, Xu Ziqing’s current state led to a novel sentiment. His prevailing emotional landscape was one of profound despondency, mingled with acute indignation towards Li Cai, resulting in a departure from his usual serene and amiable demeanor.

Wasn’t the suppression of his Spring Rain swordsmanship under the intense fire energy of the Langya Ring akin to the way soil and stone stifle seeds?

A determination surged within him, echoing the fervor of a seed striving to rupture the confines of the earth and emerge onto the expansive surface.

Consequently, at a pivotal juncture, Xu Ziqing, pushed to his very limits, unexpectedly converged with the notion of breaking through.

Attaining a pinnacle of softness, he teetered on the edge of a monumental release!

As the sentiment evoked by the Spring Rain swordsmanship waned, the dormant seeds within him began to sprout.

In this instance, he sensed a potent energy coursing through the arm wielding the sword, rapidly amassing in his palm, poised for immediate release—a moistened wood, a nascent shoot piercing through the earth.

Fueled by his Yimu affinity and his individual wood attribute, Xu Ziqing finally unearthed a sword technique tailored to his essence from the Spring Rain swordsmanship.

The first stance: “Mengzi Stance.”

Softly, Xu Ziqing spoke, “Wildfires ignite vast grasslands, spring rains descend, young sprouts breach the soil, and verdant blades carpet the earth.”

In an instant, the nature of Xu Ziqing’s sword shifted dramatically. A formidable energy surged forth along the steel and wood blade.

His swordsmanship underwent a profound transformation, evolving from sustained lingering to an instantaneous eruption—like wildfire engulfing the land, leaving it scorched and barren.

Yet, as the inferno abated, an abundance of lush green grasses sprung forth, rejuvenating the landscape within a blink.

Under the sway of Mengzi Stance’s technique, the flames encasing the Lanya Ring flickered against the onslaught of the sword’s radiance, dwindling swiftly. Likewise, the ten thousand catties pressure yielded, shattered by the sword’s unyielding power.

The shackles of the Lanya Ring were shattered!

Xu Ziqing stood with his sword lowered. The link between Li Cai and Lanya Ring was severed, leaving Li Cai staggered, his innermost essence shaken, and his lips almost bloodied by the impact.

Lanya Ring plummeted uncontrollably to the ground. Simultaneously, the flying sword wielded by Su Xin reached the climax of its service, disintegrating into fragments.

Distraught over the loss was a sentiment Su Xin had no time to indulge. Just as Li Cai’s agitated cry pierced the air, “Help me control them!” the two Golden Core Formation stage masters, previously vacillating in their allegiance to Yun Lie, pivoted and hastened towards Li Cai.

However, in this very instant, an austere figure cloaked in black emerged at Xu Ziqing’s side.

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