Volume 16 Chapter 7: Dare or Not

On this winter day, an enemy studied cultivation methods under another enemy. This almost seemed a bit inconceivable.

However, whether a sword technique and the sect it belonged to should completely disappear along with his own death, or if it should display great brilliance in this world once more, for a cultivator, this was quite the simple choice.

Jie Huanzhen also calmed down. He looked at Lin Xi and said, "The reason why my Scholar Sword Hall took on the word 'scholar' is because our ancestor was a school teacher. After studying runes, he pursued the sword dao, this is the reason why my Scholar Sword Hall's Sunset Light Sword seems extremely similar to Immortal Academy's Celestial Sword. All runes can be used by a cultivator's soul force, absorb and gather some of heaven and earth's vital energy. The sword scars of the Celestial Sword and Sunset Light Sword are also like streaks of runes."

"The sword training is like truly carving runes. Moreover, through unique sword training methods, a portion of the power can be kept in the sword scars for a long time. Meanwhile, our Sunset Light Sword uses the fast flight speed of flying swords to seemingly scatter an expanse of sunset radiance in the air, but in reality, we are are stirring up streak after streak of swirling winds by quickly sending a flying sword through the air, as if we are carving runes in the air, creating a sword formation. This type of sword formation is formed through the mutual rippling and gathering of rune power, thus enabling it to surge with greater power than an ordinary sword. However, the power of these types of runes that are carved in the air naturally cannot continue existing for an extended period of time."

After a slight pause, Jie Huanzhen drank another cup of wine, continuing to slowly say, "This type of sword formation is naturally something used when facing an opponent whose cultivation is higher than oneself, using the sword formation to whittle away at the enemy's greater strength. However, the greater the cultivation of the enemy, the more powerful their perception, so naturally the faster they are able to act. That is why this sword formation can only be useful when the flying sword is fast to a certain degree, when the sword formation can already be formed before their attack even arrives."

"My Scholar Sword Hall naturally has a technique that pursues sword speed. However, even after cultivating for so long, despite still having confidence in preparing a sword formation before the attack of an equal level Sacred Expert arrives, when facing Sacred Experts who are more powerful than myself, I still don't have any confidence." Jie Huanzhen said with a bitter smile. "However, unless you are facing someone who is much stronger than you purely in strength, there is no need to use this Sunset Light Sword. That is why after all these years, I felt like our Scholar Sword Hall's Sunset Light Sword can only grant a Sacred Expert who is already endlessly close to Sacred Master level the ability to still continuously make progress, because as long as the flying sword can move faster, the flying sword can be used to block greater power."

"Which is to say you feel like your flying sword still isn't fast enough, and that only if it is faster, can you use the Sunset Light Sword to deal with more formidable opponents." Lin Xi nodded and said.

Jie Huanzhen nodded. He knew that Lin Xi wished to learn this sword dao, he also wished for his school's sword dao to display dazzling radiance through Lin Xi's hands, for its existence to be left behind in Yunqin's history for a long time, just that he inwardly felt like there was no need for Lin Xi to study this sword dao.

Only, Lin Xi wasn't an ordinary cultivator, which was why the things he thought about were different from that of ordinary cultivators too. As such, after lowering his head again to think things over for a bit, he then looked at Jie Huanzhen and asked, "Actually, if we are to talk about the speed of a flying sword, it is equivalent to a powerful cultivator's perception, equivalent to that instant where life and death is decided. In reality, when any flying sword flies through the sky at full speed, it is already extremely fast, especially when flying within a dozen or so meters... Even if your flying sword and Yunqin's slowest flying sword both flew out a dozen or so meters of distance, the difference might perhaps only be an inch or two?"

Jie Huanzhen's brows furrowed slightly, saying seriously, "What you say is correct. If we are talking about a pure race, then the difference within a short distance is next to nothing. The amount of time needed to create a similar sword formation wouldn't be too different... but I do not understand why you are talking about this."

"I understand that when powerful individuals fight, even a fraction of time in difference is still a difference. Since the impact of a flying sword's speed on the construction of the sword formation is small, would I be able to interpret it like this? Increasing the speed of the flying sword is merely to not fall behind the enemy's reaction speed, it can only buy you a bit of response time when facing some individuals with greater cultivation levels than yourself." Lin Xi looked at him, saying this pensively in a manner that wasn't too fast or too slow. "Perhaps I can also say it this way. If the arrival of the enemy's attack, where most of the power is gathered can be predicted ahead of time, then if I prepare some sword formations beforehand, then it'll make it in time. This way, even if the enemy's cultivation is a bit higher than mine, they can't win through brute force, through pure power."

Jie Huanzhen understood Lin Xi's thoughts. He was a bit shocked. "In terms of cultivation theory, this is indeed plausible. It will naturally take time for an enemy soul force or power to fly through the air. Even if the enemy is also using flying swords, if the flight trajectory can be accurately anticipated, you can directly intercept that flying sword. After the power ripples and scatters, the opponent will need time to control the flying sword again as well. If you can still predict the enemy's flying sword trajectory, then you have a chance of intercepting it again. It is because what the enemy's flying sword clashes with isn't your flying sword, but rather the power previously constructed by the sword formation... but the more crucial part is, unless your perception far exceeds your opponent's, which cultivator can always make unmistakable accurate judgments in advance?"

Lin Xi smiled, saying quietly, "I can."

Jie Huanzhen's breathing completely stopped. He entered an even greater state of shock, but he then quickly reacted again.

He knew that at this type of time, he indeed overlooked one point. This individual wasn't a cultivator who could be evaluated through normal reasoning, but rather a Divine General.

"In that case, then this might indeed work." When he realized that Scholar Sword Hall's cultivation method, under Lin Xi's entirely different way of thinking, might shock the entire world, his breathing couldn't help but become hurried. "Immortal Academy's elaborate sword skill is called Flower Carving. If you can truly anticipate the enemy's next move, then what you need to do is just to continuously sculpt in the air, continuously carve out sword formations one after another. It is just like continuously arranging transparent flowers in your surroundings, arranging transparent nets one after another. This way, before the enemy's attack arrives, there will already be a transparent net waiting for him. His every strike will land among the flowers you sculpted."

Lin Xi's smile became even more brilliant. He bowed slightly in respect. "In that case, then I must please ask Sir Jie to pass on this sword skill."

"No." Right at this time, Jie Huanzhen instead suddenly frowned, saying, "There is another huge hole in all of this... If the enemy discovers that long range attacks won't work and instead decides to fight at close quarters, no matter how fast you are, there is still no chance of you displaying the Sunset Light Sword."

Lin Xi thought for a bit, but he still said with a smile, "Sword controllers usually attack enemies from afar. Only when a sword is controlled with all of one's attention, will it become unshakeable like a mountain. A great scholar's demeanor will even more so give off a powerful feeling. However, if the enemy wishes to fight in close quarters, there is naturally no way the sword controller will die, no way they will just stand still and wait for the enemy to come. Moreover, Sir Jie, your way of thinking has deviated... If the enemy wishes to fight in close quarters, they still must break through the sword flowers I sculpted continuously one after another in order to do so."

Jie Huanzhen stared blankly for a moment. A breath afterwards, a crack sounded. The wine cup was shattered by the aura rippling from his hand. "Indeed!" He was excited to the point where it was hard for him to calm down. "If you can anticipate the enemy's next step, then even if he rushes at you, you can still arrange sword flowers one after another in front of him."

Lin Xi looked at the incredibly excited Jie Huanzhen, saying with a smile. "That is why the key lies in whether the power of this Sunset Light Sword is really great or not."

Jie Huanzhen looked at him. He took a deep breath and said, "It is great... truly great."

...

Lin Xi cultivated leisurely, further unearthing the power of the Divine General Talent.

A secret letter from Purgatory Mountain's highest temple also began to travel towards Yunqin's territory.

In Central Continent Imperial City's True Dragon Mountain, in that dusky palace, an even slimmer and more ruthless Yunqin Emperor crazily twisted the body of that palace maid who looked like the Imperial Princess[1], crazily roaring, "Why has even she betrayed this Emperor?! How can she betray this Emperor?!"

"You should wake up already." This palace maid whose neck was gripped to the point where it was hard to breathe instead laughed in mockery, "It was you who betrayed Yunqin first, betrayed all of its people. She didn't betray you first."

"Shut your mouth!"

Yunqin Emperor screamed in an exceptionally sinister manner. "Even if even she has betrayed this Emperor, so what? This Emperor still has an endless great army, this Emperor can still forcefully take down Green Luan Academy! Lin Xi still doesn't dare kill this Emperor in Central Continent Imperial City!"

"This is merely a lie you are using to deceive yourself." The palace maid laughed even louder. "You can give the order, but how many soldiers will still obey your order? Also, you yourself should understand that Lin Xi merely wishes to allow Yunqin's common people to live a bit more peacefully. Moreover, he shouldn't be in any hurry at all. It is because in this True Dragon Mountain, every single day is torture for you. You are merely a pitiful creature who can only hide in True Dragon Mountain."

The entire dusky palace became quiet. Only Yunqin Emperor's heavy breathing remained.

"There is one other thing. Lin Xi can never defeat this emperor."

After a long time passed, Yunqin Emperor's bitterly resentful voice sounded again. "This Emperor has the blood of Changsun Clan running through my body, so I will forever be Yunqin's rightful son of heaven. This Emperor will now do countless good things beneficial for Yunqin's common people. I really want to see just what kind of price he will pay in order to kill this Emperor! I want to see if he can be that cold-blooded, if he can unleash that type of massacre under the heavens!"

...

In Central Continent City, even Yunqin Emperor himself could only see if Lin Xi dares or not, already in despair, feeling that there was no way he could win against Lin Xi.

However, in Central Continent City, there was still another young influential subject who still didn't feel discouraged or despair. He was still thinking if there was a chance to kill Lin Xi or not.

This young influential subject was precisely Xu Zhenyan.

When the first snow descended upon Central Continent City, he was sure that there was only one way that could deal with Lin Xi. Only, he knew that he himself couldn't leave Central Continent City. It was because he was certain that after Thousand Leaf Pass' distinguished meeting, Green Luan Academy already formlessly became more powerful than ever before. Moreover Green Luan Academy had more time than before to watch other areas. Someone like him would be locked onto as soon as he left Central Continent City.

That was why there was no way he could even reveal that Lin Xi was his enemy.

He could only wait, wait until a certain opportunity came.

1. Luo Yunling, imperial princess' childhood playmate B14C8