Chapter 26: Another Disciplinary Disciple
Clang!
A piercing crash resounded from above.
In front of Su Yizhao, shimmering ice shields formed in an instant. In the deep water, the perfected Ice Shield Art condensed faster and stronger than ever. The four or five fathoms of water between the two seemed to freeze solid.
Crackling!
The ice shields were swiftly pierced through—hundreds of sword lights scattered, leaving only forty or fifty beams of pure brilliance stabbing forward.
Ting ting ting!
Though Su Yizhao managed to parry every last glimmer, a heavy pressure struck his chest, sending him flying backward more than a fathom.
Thud! His back slammed against the cave wall, eyes locked fiercely on Wang Zhian.
Four or five fathoms of thick ice shield, shattered in an instant!
Only now did he truly sense the might of the Five Spirits Realm—utterly beyond the resistance of a cultivator in the Four Profound Realm.
“The perfected Ice Shield Art? No wonder you’re so bold.” Wang Zhian chuckled softly, then drove his flying sword once more.
Clang!
“Who are you?”
Suddenly, the clangor of weapons clashing echoed from above.
Another battle raged overhead? Someone else had arrived?
Su Yizhao drew a deep breath, unleashing the Soaring Art to its utmost. In the five or six fathom wide depths, countless images of him surged upward in flight.
This situation was beyond his control. Whatever was happening above, he could not afford to wait.
“Trying to escape? Die!”
Countless flying swords shot forth like a storm.
Clang!
Hmph!
A muffled sound, and two figures plummeted, a trail of blood staining the deep water.
Pressing himself close to the rocky wall, Su Yizhao’s fingers flew. His flying sword split into myriad phantasms, slicing downward.
Ting ting ting ting!
“To wield the Flying Sword Art so skillfully—who are you, truly?”
Su Yizhao had no time to answer, flattening himself against the wall to avoid the two plunging figures from above.
One, wielding a massive sword, swept it past him with a crack; a severed head, still bleeding, hurtled toward him. He couldn’t dodge—the speed was too great—so he could only catch it.
The face still bore disbelief, the terror lingering in its eyes. It was the very cultivator Su Yizhao had lured upward with a mirage—dead within mere breaths!
Blood spurted from the neck.
A chill crept into Su Yizhao’s heart—a massive sword was arcing down upon him.
With a thought, he loosed the severed head toward the oncoming blade, then darted downward.
No wonder they dared so much—it was two of them. Well, killing one spares me the trouble. Now, you both die!
In the span of a dozen breaths, chaos reigned.
Bang bang! Su Yizhao’s ears rang with the deafening sound.
The massive sword hacked at the cave wall, sending shards flying as its wielder lunged at him.
Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh!
From below, sword lights shot upward!
In an instant, he was beset from above and below.
Bam!
With his left hand, he flipped open a jade vial and poured its contents into his mouth. Five supreme Qi-gathering pills burst forth with ferocious energy, flooding his body’s meridians with mystical power.
His fingers wove a frantic pattern—before him, seawater froze instantly.
Crackling!
Boom!
The great sword crashed down from above, a thousand sword lights stabbed from below; the six or seven fathoms of ice shield lasted but a heartbeat before shattering, and seawater surged in.
Su Yizhao inhaled deeply, mystical energy surging through his body.
His form flickered, filling the waters with afterimages.
Residual sword lights tore through phantoms, the force of the great sword followed!
Wah!
He twisted aside, evading the worst, yet still coughed up blood.
Whoosh! The figure above vanished in a flash, sword raised for another strike.
Ting—ting—clatter—
Countless sword lights shattered beneath the great blade.
Su Yizhao stared wide-eyed at the two battling figures. In an instant, he understood: the body cultivator’s true target was Wang Zhian as well!
Steeling himself, Su Yizhao’s fingers flew—he unleashed his flying swords.
Six silver blades, driven by seventy percent mastery of the Flying Sword Art, became a thousand beams of light stabbing at Wang Zhian.
The two clashed above; Wang Zhian was beneath.
The great sword descended with crushing force, flying swords whistled in a rain of brilliance.
Wang Zhian’s expression changed drastically—his robe billowed as he summoned a golden shield in one hand, eight flying swords in the other.
Gold radiance burst from the shield—its grade was obvious at a glance.
Clack clack clack!
As expected, when the flying swords struck, the shield expanded instantly, blocking them all.
Boom!
The great sword smashed against the shield, sending Wang Zhian reeling backward.
But now, his eight flying swords split into hundreds of beams, shooting toward the pair above.
He had finally mastered the mystical energy of the Five Spirits Realm—capable not only of defending but of counterattacking as well!
The great sword whirled with impenetrable ferocity, yet the endless sword lights forced its wielder to yield ground.
Su Yizhao dared not grow careless; he guided his swords to cleave through the beams.
In the six or seven fathom-wide depths, the three fought for their lives amid churning, boiling sea.
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Su Yizhao knew this was hopeless.
He and the body cultivator were both injured, blood spreading through the water.
Wang Zhian held the clear advantage, laughing at the sea’s bottom: “Ha! If not for my sudden breakthrough, I might truly have fallen to you two today. But now—come, surrender your lives!”
Su Yizhao glanced up suddenly, exchanging a look with the body cultivator—both saw retreat in the other’s eyes.
“Unleash!”
“Strike!”
They attacked together!
Wang Zhian employed his old tactic, sending forth the golden shield.
Su Yizhao saw his strike was futile and was about to turn and flee, when a slow, deliberate voice rang from above: “Cleave! Crack! Break! Force! Like! Bamboo!”
A jolt ran through him. He looked down.
Wang Zhian staggered as if struck—his golden shield hesitated for a heartbeat.
Overjoyed, Su Yizhao’s right hand flashed, his flying sword scraping past the shield’s edge.
Schlick—schlick—!
Boom!
A scream!
The great sword crashed into the shield; the sound of a blade piercing flesh followed.
Blood welled from the sea floor—Wang Zhian’s figure reeled back.
But now, Su Yizhao knew his chance had come. In a burst of speed, countless afterimages darted after him.
The body cultivator, unwilling to yield, brought the great sword down again.
“Break!” A cold voice cried above, and another figure shot downward.
Wang Zhian had barely steadied himself when the word “Break” struck him—he faltered for an instant.
His eyes cleared—but it was too late.
A flying sword flashed past, slicing through his neck—his head flew free.
At that moment, a phantom form appeared behind him and caught the severed head.
Boom!
The massive sword struck—the golden shield dropped, caught by the body cultivator.
A figure shot down from above and seized the headless corpse.
The three formed a triangle—the entire sea floor fell silent.
Su Yizhao gripped the head in his left hand; ahead and left, the body cultivator held the shield; ahead and right, the soul cultivator gripped the headless corpse. They stared warily at one another.
A breath passed, then two.
Su Yizhao tensed inwardly—his dantian’s mystical energy was less than thirty percent. If he fought these two now, death was certain.
The deep sea pressed in with suffocating heaviness.
He was about to speak, when suddenly, both figures moved at once...