Chapter Eighty-Seven: The Peak Back Then
“You just fear death. Back then…you only fled from Ba Mountain Sword Field’s pursuit, and did not help Zheng Xiu kill Ba Mountain Sword Field’s people, so I do not blame you. Today, you help me with this, it is akin to you helping me with a life. Our grievances will be forgotten.”
Ding Ning started to speak. He looked calmly at Zheng An falling through the air, and spoke to the Master of Fire.
Strangely, when hearing Ding Ning’s first words, the Master of Fire suddenly felt relaxed. All of the remaining vital energy in his energy sea followed the new meridians that formed in his body. They seemed to obey and flooded out towards Ding Ning’s lifebond sword.
Ding Ning had put away the Last Flower remnant sword. He gripped the Great Punishment Sword which was still burning hot despite the fact the flames had gone out.
The Master of Fire was shocked. But then he understood why. He thought of Yuanwu fighting many during the Deer Mountain Conference. He thought of how at the key moment, Huang Zhenwei’s vital energy could be used by Yuanwu according to his thoughts.
Such a method should come from Yuanwu. In the past, Yuanwu understood many of Wang Jingmeng’s methods and secrets other than the Nine Death Silkworm. Because they had once been brothers. Wang Jingmeng’s contribution towards Yuanwu was no different than Baili Suxue’s. No matter if it was discussion of methods or pondering of cultivation experience.
So even many of the Changling cultivators loyal to Yuanwu had to admit, Yuanwu was able to have a breakthrough a decade after he ascended the throne and become the first person in this time to reach realm eight due in great part to Wang Jingmeng.
Wang Jingmeng, to Yuanwu, was like a brother and teacher. So when someone like Yuanwu and Zheng Xiu suddenly banded together to fight Wang Jingmeng, in the view of the Master of Fire, Wang Jingmeng would undoubtedly die.
But now, thinking back, it was the other way around.
For a very long time, Wang Jingmeng similarly understood Yuanwu.
**
At this time, the vital energy coming out of the Master of Fire’s energy sea seemed to have nothing to do with him. Even though he was thinking of many things regarding Yuanwu and Wang Jingmeng, and he seemed to be not a part of this station, the vital energy in his body flowed smoothly.
The Last Flower remnant sword’s threads pierced through his meridians like a formation, perfectly mimicking Yuanwu’s methods, and were even better.
The Master of Fire had overlooked one thing. Back then, Wang Jingmeng had been the best at using the sword in the world. But what was more terrifying about him was when he started to act, a fight to him was a strategic game to him. He had already arranged the move after this one. Just like this moment. The instant he gave up on killing the Master of Fire, he had prepared this sword.
Ding Ning’s body started to fall down.
Falling through the sky, Zheng An was very old. This oldest cultivator of Jiaodong Commandery did not look like she had much weight, but her old and small body contained terrifying power. The energy from her fall formed a wild wind, and was pressing on Ding Ning’s body like a tangible wall, and caused his body to start sinking into the soft ground soaked with blood.
The remaining soaring snakes created wind and rain, chasing her from behind, but the power they created actually pushed her. And because the energies were very similar, a part of the power was ineffective against her, and she was able to use it.
The crimson red energy calmly flowing out of the Master of Fire formed crystal ribbons, and gathered on the sword in his hand. The Great Punishment Sword started to burn in his hand. There were no extra moments. He just raised his sword slightly. The ruby-like flames burning on the blade burned away the wild wind coming down from the sky. His body felt light and he was no longer under pressure. Then he swung his sword towards Zheng An who was very close to him now.
The Great Punishment Sword was the strongest sword he had sought out, and contained great primal energies of the universe. When they sprayed out, they did not have any violent presence, and even the fire created by the vital energy of the Master of Fire gathered together into a thin line.
This sword move was called One Line Heaven. This was one of his strongest sword essences, and the sword move he had once used to kill Liang Lian. Soft like water, but when it was compressed to the extreme and turned into a thin line, and possessed terrifying speed, this thin line was enough to cut through metal.
Back then, his strength had been far from Liang Lian, but he had been able to kill Liang Lian with this sword. Also, now, this move had the power of the realm seven Master of Fire, and it was the fire that could burn all in the world.
Other than realm eights like Yuanwu and the Donghu monk, who in the world could handle a move like this?
**
Seeing this thin line form, Zheng An in the air, could not help but cry like a crow. Even though the Master of Fire and Crown Prince Yugou had been defeated, in her view, when Tantai Guanjian and Qing Yaoyin had no more ability to fight, Ding Ning was a dead person standing. She had never thought that Ding Ning was able to use such a sword move! This kind of sword, how was it any different from that person back then!
As she screamed, a crystal light appeared out of her energy sea. A bright round ball flew out, and floated in front of her.
This was the Zhe pill that she had nurtured with all her energy.
The longer something was nourished, the stronger that lifebond item was. This was accumulated through time. She likely had lived longer than other cultivators, and the power of this lifebond pill likely surpassed the imagination of most realm seven grandmasters.
But there was a light cracking sound.
A crack appeared on the surface of the Zhe pill. When the thousand dust mountains started to shake violently, this Zhe pill split into two, the energy even throwing away many of the nearby soaring snakes.
All this could not stop the sword attack. As Zheng An used this lifebond item, she was fighting desperately. Her body moved horizontally through the air, and seemed to hit many crystal walls at the same time. Her afterimage left behind many sound explosions, visible shock waves blooming like white lotuses.
None of the realm sevens back then were able to block Wang Jingmeng’s sword.
Now, this sword had the power close to Wang Jingmeng’s peak. How could Ding Ning let it miss?
This sword still fell on Zheng An’s body. She worked very hard, and only managed to stop this sword from completely cutting through her body.
A red line appeared on the right side of her body. Her right shoulder and almost half of her right leg was cut apart with half of her body. As the blood sprayed, the white bones still seemed to be stuck together, and this looked more terrifying and disgusting than a straight death.
