Chapter 72: A Matter Enough to Change The History Books
Ding Ning suddenly turned around.
He once again received confirmation on the Fly Pond cultivator’s intentions.
This cultivator from Fly Pond was targeting all young people in this alley. When the Fly Pond cultivator found it hard to kill him, they were not insistent and immediately wanted to kill Shen Yi, the one who seemed the easiest to kill.
However, this cultivator from Fly Pond had overlooked the existence of Xue Wangxu. He forgot that even though Xue Wangxu was weaker than ordinary old people, he was a great cultivator above realm seven!
The grey-black sword possessed a silent and dark killing intent but the sword itself did not have great power. After Shen Yi’s attack, it immediately flew out of the window.
The grey-black blade appeared exceptionally eye-catching in the pure bright light.
This pure bright light seemed to naturally subdue the energies flowing through the grey-black sword. The sword itself seemed to melt like black oil, hissing as wisps of green smoke rose.
From the start, Ding Ning had sensed that these death warriors would not spare any cultivator in this alley other than Zhangsun Qianxue who they did not know about. So, he did not hide any of his power and at opportune times, used it to attract the attention these cultivators. But this cultivator from Fly Pond, in terms of cultivation and intelligence, far surpassed his predictions and did things out of his control.
Assassins would always have the initiative against those forced to defend. But the misstep by this Fly Pond cultivator gave him a chance to reverse the situation.
He abruptly turned around. A black light appeared out of the fingertips on his left hand. Everyone thought that he would attack the grey-black sword that was so visible against the bright light. Even the grey-black sword seemed to have a thread of terror, becoming alert as though it was alive and flashing upwards.
Yet unexpectedly, with a string of buzzing, the black sword lights came out of his other hand and shot towards the light green sword.
The light green sword had been circling to keep Qiu Zaixing around the carriage. It had numerous sword shadows that even Qiu Zaixing was having a hard time determining where the true sword was, and didn’t dare to attack recklessly. So, when Ding Ning attacked the light green sword behind his back, he naturally could not accurately strike his target.
But the dozen of black sword lights that came out in succession carried astounding coldness. They penetrated countless green afterimages, and immediately forced out the true sword.
Qiu Zaixing’s eyes burned like fire.
Sensing the precariousness in this moment, the cultivator in the distance gave a howl. The light green sword’s blade vibrated as though on the verge of exploding.
But it was too late.
Qiu Zaixing’s fists attacked again.
Two terrifying transparent sword energies formed a great sword that covered dozens of meters in an instant and hit the light green sword with great force.
The light green sword gave a despairing hum and spun away like a piece of scrap metal, completely void of all power, and landed somewhere unknown.
The deceived grey-black sword erupted in rage. The black energies wildly surged, and formed dozens of black fly-like things around the blade that flew towards Ding Ning in straight lines.
Ding Ning’s expression grew serious.
A sword seal immediately formed in front of him. A large river headed towards the grey-black sword.
The power of his sword move and the power of the Fly Pool cultivator was too great. The large river was immediately penetrated.
Yet, he only needed to create a moment of time. He needed this grey-black sword that was giving off a despairing presence to slow down slightly so he could guarantee that his next cold little sword could hit its target.
Pew!
Blood dripped off his fingertip. The little black sword formed by crystal-like cold energy accurately struck the tip of the grey-black sword. The black sword immediately shattered into countless black fragments and turned into layers of cold fiendish energy.
The gloomy grey-black sword was like a sailboat in a strong current that was suddenly struck by an opposing current and paused slightly in the air.
At this pause, Ding Ning’s remaining few little cold sword shot out of his body and successively struck this grey-black flying sword.
The blade of the flying sword curved unwillingly and was forced back several feet.
Ding Ning took a deep breath.
He had run out of power. He could no longer stop any attack from this grey-black flying sword. He could only look to Qiu Zaixing.
As the grey-black flying sword turned from serene to vicious, Qiu Zaixing’s eyes had been filled with nervousness and worry. Yet, when Ding Ning’s first small cold sword hit the grey-black flying sword, his body relaxed.
He knew the general situation was settled.
The more relaxed he was, the more easily his vital energy flowed. His comfortableness could not be described in words.
He roared with laughter. He reached out and grabbed the edge of the carriage cabin. The ground under his feet exploded as he dragged the entire cabin with one hand, into the sky, flying to land in the center of the street.
Wind gusted, and the half-collapsed noodle shop behind him completely toppled over. The grey-black flying sword froze slightly in the air, and did not fly towards anyone.
Two streets away, the master of this grey-black flying sword, the man wearing rags and tatters like a beggar, took flight. With just two jumps, he had crossed the two streets, and landed in front of the collapsed noodle shop.
This was a man in his forties, his face completely covered in blackened oil. His features were ordinary, the kind that did not leave any impression on people. Black flame-like energy flowed out of his hands.
He looked tragically at Ding Ning. “How can you be so calm?” he said emotionally with a sigh.
Before anyone present could speak, with a crash, the walls of a shop were broken down by someone else.
A bearded cultivator dressed in indigo robes struggled out of the hole. He held an empty white jade sword scabbard. He looked to be in his thirties and extremely elegant.
However, blood beaded on his skin. When he walked out of the hole in the wall, his clothes had looked clean. But after three steps, his indigo robes were soaked in blood, turning into a robe of blood.
“What kind of sword art is that?”
This cultivator narrowed his eyes so the blood would not drip into his eyes and he could see Ding Ning clearly.
This cultivator was the master of the light green sword. He had ignored his wounds and fought for a long time with Qiu Zaixing. Qiu Zaixing’s last attack had hit his sword and his wounds were extremely serious. At this time, everyone could sense he had struggled to appear here because he wanted to see Ding Ning before his death.
“Even with training, sword attendants that specialize in fighting flying swords cannot be as accurate as you … I thought that we could change the history books, and hadn’t expected to miscalculate with you.”
This cultivator looked at Ding Ning with a hint of admiration. Then he could no longer stand upright and fell dispiritedly to the ground.
Everybody was silent.
Each person could understand the emotions of this cultivator from Fly Pond. Even if other people could master the star fiendish energy like Ding Ning and also produce such black sword lights, in a situation like the one previously, when facing flying swords, who could be so calm?
If there had been any hint of panic or change in emotions, if even one attack had missed, the entire battle may have ended differently.
But Ding Ning had not made a mistake from start to finish. This was precisely what shocked the cultivator from Fly Pond the most.
“Changling is a place that nurtures true dragons. One generation after another, stunning sons emerge endlessly. We only wanted to remove these ones, but hadn’t thought we underestimated …”
The Fly Pond cultivator who looked like a beggar sighed deeply.
“It’s almost time.”
He sensed the presence in the air. He bowed to Qiu Zaixing and said, “This last attack is because I want to see Mister Qiu’s Spirit Void Sword Sect Dual Void Sword.”
Qiu Zaixing understood the Fly Pond cultivator’s meaning. His expression grew extremely solemn.
In the next moment, his vital energy surged out of his body while primal energies of the universe gathered around his right hand as it took the hue of bronze.
His blood seemed to start burning, and each inch of flesh seemed to erupt with power. With a step, he came in front of this Fly Pond cultivator. His right hand was a sword that headed towards the other’s chest.
The Fly Pond cultivator sensed an unprecedentedly ferocious sword essence. A hint of gratefulness appeared in his eyes.
The grey-black sword had landed back in his hand. As the small sword moved upwards, black energy gathered into beads and sprayed out like a spring of countless flies that smashed towards Qiu Zaixing’s body.
In the next moment, this black spring in front of him was completely destroyed by Qiu Zaixing’s sword. The Fly Pond cultivator’s body exploded like a ripe watermelon, leaving behind waves of blood in the alley.
Zhang Yi’s face was laced with sorrow, but had the urge to vomit as well.
Ding Ning did not like the bloody odor and stopped breathing. But he knew that dying with respect in battle was the best outcome for this Fly Pond cultivator.
Qiu Zaixing pulled his hand away. Strong waves of tiredness swept his body. He took a deep breath, knowing well he could not defeat a realm five cultivator. He looked towards the indigo-robed cultivator who had sat on the ground. He was dead, his head hanging low. The blood dripping from the other’s mouth and nose had turned black, evidently due to suicide by poison. Feeling the presences that had moved closer, he knew that this place was absolutely safe.
However, he found it strange, for a realm seven cultivator should have arrived by now.
Changling was straight and square, the alleys and streets akin to sliced tofu. Outsiders may not know, but he knew very well that there would be a realm seven cultivator stationed at several places at the command of the two prime ministers.
Even that day, when Bai Shanshui had been singing and fighting, Ye Celeng had arrived in only a few moments.
Yet, this carriage was very important, a person who could change the course of history was here. The fight had lasted for so long, why had … no realm seven cultivator appeared by now?
Translator Ramblings: Death warriors … die if they fail their mission. In a lot of historical stories, every important person seems to have their own personal army of secret spies and suicidal warriors. I’m never sure whether this secret army is the most unrealistic or those stories with “assassination organizations” that everyone knows about.
