The White-Robed King’s face was ashen.
His mind went completely blank.
“What’s happening? He knows my Iaido Lightning Slash too? This is a secret technique of my Mountain Sword Sect, never taught to outsiders. He’s from the Northern Region, and it’s impossible for him to have seen this sword technique before. But how come he knows it…?” Countless thoughts flashed across White-Robed King’s mind in an instant.
In drawing out his sword just now, Ding Hao had executed the starting stroke of his “Iaido Sword Technique”.
What was even more terrifying was that Ding Hao had executed the same sword stroke with more refinement and profundity than he had ever done, like a peerless swordsman immersed in this technique for centuries. At that instant, he did not even have time to react to the streak of sword light from the “Iaido Lightning Slash”—
At first, he was not even sure it was that technique, since he did not believe that the “Iaido Lightning Slash” could unleash such power.
He did not even think about dodging, and before he knew it, everything was over.
At that instant, the White-Robed King felt an irrepressible fear in his heart. He had never seen such scintillating sword brilliance before, even in the hands of his Master. It had an indescribable allure.
He was defeated!
Utterly defeated.
The teal-robed young man, as handsome as jade, had used only one stroke—the stroke he himself was best at—easily lopping off a lock of his long hair, slitting his robe, and defeating him.
Was this young man warning him in this way that he could have killed him in an instant, if he had wanted to?
Wang Xianzhi, the White-Robed King, stood rooted to the spot, as if he had lost the power to move. He really could not figure out how Ding Hao could have known his Iaido Sword Technique—with a higher comprehension level than his!
In that split second, a thought flashed across his mind, and he suddenly recalled an image.
The night before, he had displayed the Iaido Sword Technique in Heaven Pavilion.
Could it be that… at that time, Ding Hao had comprehended the secret of this sword stroke and mastered the move?
How was this possible?
How could he have grasped the profundity of this sword technique in one glance, and mastered it overnight?
Was Ding Hao a demon? Or a god?
This was absolutely impossible!
The White-Robed King cried out in his heart, denying this conjecture, but this was the only way he could explain how Ding Hao could have mastered this stroke.
He was not aware of how he had walked out of the inn.
He walked alone on the streets in a daze for a long time, only gradually coming to his senses when a gust of cold wind blew over him.
After a cold shiver, Wang Xianzhi, the White-Robed King, gradually understood something. He gritted his teeth and said to himself, “No, the whole affair is too strange. We can’t let outsiders learn the sword techniques of the Mountain Sword Sect. I must report this to my Master.”
At the same time.
Inside the inn, countless people had gradually realized the truth.
“The White-Robed King… had been defeated?” One man could not help exclaiming.
Then, the whole inn exploded in a cacophony of noise, with everyone gasping in surprise.
Yes, the White-Robed King had lost.
He lost to a nobody no one here knew.
And this proud man had lost so simply and incredibly.
This was definitely a sensational piece of news.
Although incredible things were always happening in the martial arts world, the defeat of the long renowned White-Robed King, the most promising swordsman of his generation, was definitely news that would stir up the most fervent, unbridled imagination.
The martial artist who lent Ding Hao his sword grasped the long steel sword tightly in both hands, as if holding to his family’s life. He understood very well that his sword had a reputation now. Someone would definitely buy it, even at a sky-high price—after all, it was the sword that had defeated the White-Robed King.
The eyes of other warriors also showed their envy and jealousy. They really hated themselves for not lending their swords to Ding Hao at that moment.
The proprietor of the inn was so happy that his mouth opened wide.
Well, his small inn would definitely be hot now. In the future, there would surely be countless martial artists and young talents visiting the inn lobby, in order to see for themselves the venue of this legendary fight and experience its atmosphere first-hand.
This would mean business!
For Ding Hao and Golden Cicada, it spelled trouble.
When the two of them came to the Chu River, they discovered that Miaoyu Bordello’s Golden Boat of the Nine Heavens Mystic Fairies had disappeared without a trace. After some investigation, they learned that Miaoyu Bordello had left Chu City, heading for their next destination in Jin Province that morning.
“The Jin Province is in the south. Since we’re going to the Southern Land anyway, we’ll pass by Jin Province along the way.” Golden Cicada made a plan in his mind and then said, “Let’s set off for Jin Province immediately.”
“Sure.” Ding Hao was also worried about the safety of Sweet Sound. After all, they were old friends.
The two of them immediately returned to the inn and packed up their luggage. Ding Hao carried Evil Moon, still sleeping because it was too full, and immediately headed for the space gate in the civic center, departing Chu City through a teleportation port.
The legendary fight between Ding Hao and the White-Robed King had spread in Chu City.
Many began to know that a mysterious young swordsman in teal robes had defeated the White-Robed King in the blink of an eye—a peerlessly handsome man, like an immortal banished to the mortal realm. After that, the man had soon disappeared.
All kinds of rumors were spreading.
Some said that Ding Hao was the mysterious successor of a super-powerful sect, coming out secretly to gain experience.
Others claimed that Ding Hao was a challenger from outside the region. He had traversed the Divine Central Continent, intending to challenge young geniuses from every province…
The legend lived on.
Five days later.
Jin Province.
A full moon night, tranquil and beautiful.
Jin City was the largest human settlement city in Jin Province, located on the edge of a vast swamp. In the moonlight, clouds and steaming mists enshrouded the place, with the afterglow of dusk looming tens of thousands of meters high. It was like a fairyland, most lovely.
“Mists steam the Dreamy Cloud Swamp, and waves shake the Jin City!”
This was once a supreme Qi master’s evaluation of Jin City and the Dreamy Cloud Swamp.
For many young geniuses in Jin City, it was definitely an ardent, exciting night.
They said that the most beautiful, sacred, and outstanding successor of Miaoyu Bordello, the Moonlight Fairy, had steered the Golden Boat of the Nine Heavens Mystic Fairies here and finally arrived at Jin City.
The legend of the Moonlight Fairy’s beauty and talent had spread widely in this land. Many busybodies regarded her as amongst the most resplendent pearls of the Divine Central Continent, its loveliest flower. Her absurdly powerful cultivating constitution, the Xuanyuan Divine Body, could tempt even experts of the older generations.
As soon as the Golden Boat of the Nine Heavens Mystic Fairies appeared, it caused a stir in the entire Jin City.
A full moon night had arrived. The Golden Boat of the Nine Heavens Mystic Fairies appeared on the surface of the Great Swamp Lake, on this full moon night.
A golden sampan was parked beside the Lake of the Cloudy Dream Swamp. Only truly outstanding young talents of Jin City were qualified to get on the Golden Boat, to see the female warriors of Miaoyu Bordello, beautiful and gentle as fairies. If they were really talented, they might even stand a chance to see the Moonlight Fairy herself, one of the 10 most resplendent pearls of the Divine Central Continent.
“Let me in. I’m only 16. I’m a Great Martial Mentor. I have great potential…”
“Don’t you know who I am? My father is an elder of the Dragon Tiger Gate. Let me up the boat!”
“I have an invitation card. Haha, I’ve got an invitation card.”
The largest wharf by the Dreamy Cloud Lake was crowded with innumerable martial artists, so jampacked that not even water could seep through. The mass of black human heads was like a surging black tide. Countless people were staring at the gigantic Golden Boat in the distance, as if they could change their destiny by simply glancing at this boat.
Time passed.
Six hours later, all the people qualified to enter the Golden Boat had gone on it.
With oars swaying gently, the hull of the boat glowed with a golden shimmer, slowly releasing a great invisible power. The gigantic boat began to levitate in the air and soar toward the full moon in the sky, like in a fantasy world, rising 500 to 600 meters in the blink of an eye. From a distance, it resembled a golden crescent, shaped like a sickle.
On the ground.
Countless people were staring dumbly at the beautiful scenery.
In the silent night sky, everything looked so beautiful and elegant.
Like a perfect scroll of painting.
“Huh? What’s that?” Someone suddenly cried out in alarm.
Suddenly, two figures appeared in the sky, chasing after the Golden Boat and ruining the beautiful scenery.
One of the two figures was a young monk in a scarlet, golden-patterned cassock, while the other was a youth in teal robes, as handsome as jade, with a cute white cat squatting on his shoulder. They were not moving fast in the void, taking up graceful and unrestrained postures, riding on the wind like divine sons under the moonlight. In the blink of an eye, they had caught up with the Golden Boat.
There was an outburst of exclamation and gasps from the crowd.
“Who are these two guys? How dare they intercept the Golden Boat of Miaoyu Bordello?”
“They were so daring—had they eaten a bear’s heart or a leopard’s guts?”
But the next moment, there was a sudden explosion of golden light in the sky. The young monk had struck.
He closed his eyes and recited the scriptures, as compassionate and mysterious Sanskrit incantations resounded. Countless mystical golden Sanskrit characters had turned into orderly chains with the forms of dragons and serpents, snaking and dancing in the air. The mysterious, majestic and intractable Buddhist Nature power dyed the entire indigo night sky a golden yellow.
This force was extremely powerful, surging directly out to block the route of the Golden Boat of the Nine Heavens Mystic Fairies.
“Who’s causing trouble? How dare you intercept the Golden Boat of Miaoyu Bordello!” A clear voice shouted from the boat.
“Come out and answer me, owner of the boat.” The calm voice contained an unquestionable authority. It came out from the mouth of the young monk, the person releasing the Buddhist power all over the sky.
Everyone below by the Dreamy Cloud Swamp felt a little flabbergasted at this scene.
Where did this monk come from?
“He actually dared to block the path of Miaoyu Bordello’s Golden Boat in front of so many people. What gave him such confidence?”
Was he going to directly confront Miaoyu Bordello?
Although Miaoyu Bordello was not a supreme force in the Divine Central Continent, it had existed for tens of thousands of years, with a profound foundation and was allied with many major sect disciples in the Land of the Divine, through marriages of convenience. It had forged extremely close ties with many super forces. Few of these super forces were willing to confront Miaoyu Bordello directly.
As a result, over the past few years, Miaoyu Bordello had gained great power and reputation in the Divine Central Continent, and was starting to become audacious and arrogant.
To their surprise, was someone finally squaring up with Miaoyu Bordello today?
