Chapter 13: Handling great weight with ease, awing the crowd (please bookmark, recommend, and invest)
Wenren Jie narrowed his eyes, then took a swig of wine and roared with laughter.
"Daoist Jiang truly lives up to his reputation as a senior priest of Penglai. What extraordinary abilities!"
Qiao Xuan puffed away at his pipe as well, an unreadable gleam in his eyes.
"Impressive, Daoist Jiang. Even this old man wouldn't dare claim he could easily handle that onslaught."
Young Master Kongxu's eyes widened further. His right hand clenched his sword sheath, his face full of disbelief. "How did he do it?"
Xu Xiao's eyes shone. "I think I caught a glimpse of how Daoist Jiang did that."
Zhang Qing and Zhang Qingyun immediately turned toward Xu Xiao. Even Wenren Jie, Qiao Xuan, and Young Master Kongxu looked her way, hoping this young fairy from the Moon-Embracing Sect, renowned throughout Qing Province, could offer an explanation.
Xu Xiao extended her delicate hand and slowly said, "Our fellow daoists' attacks were indeed fierce, and caught him by surprise as well. Had I been in his place, I certainly wouldn't have come out unscathed. My only choice would have been to retreat for the moment."
Wenren Jie, Qiao Xuan, and Young Master Kongxu all nodded at her words.
Clearly, after imagining themselves in his position, they too felt that temporarily avoiding the enemy's sharp edge was the wisest choice.
Xu Xiao continued, "But Daoist Jiang was different. In that flash of lightning, he had already worked out his response."
"If I'm not mistaken, the vines appeared to bind Daoist Jiang, but what they caught was merely an illusory image. Daoist Jiang himself had already seized the opportunity to retreat, giving him ample time to respond at leisure."
"Those spells presumably never hurt him. He blocked them one by one. Flames scattered and smoke rose, but none of them even came close to his body."
As she spoke, Xu Xiao's eyes sparkled. "Daoist Jiang truly deserves his standing as a senior priest of Penglai. His cultivation methods are extraordinary, and his calm handling of danger is even more remarkable!"
Hearing her explanation, the others sank into thought.
It sounded simple, but who else could make a decision in the blink of an eye, predict every move without the slightest error, and launch a counterattack?
While they each pondered this, Jiang Sheng made his move.
"You fellow daoists struck first. Now it is my turn."
Before his words faded, Jiang Sheng darted out like a swallow. In an instant, he was right before Wang Tianfang—the man who had cast those vines!
He looked like a straightforward, openhearted wandering swordsman. Who would have guessed that he was a cultivator skilled in poison arts and self-preservation?
The sword he wore was merely decoration. Poison techniques, vines, and poisoned needles were Wang Tianfang's true killing moves.
Seeing Jiang Sheng close in, Wang Tianfang flung out his hand in terror. Dark green needles scattered like a celestial maiden strewing flowers, shooting straight toward Jiang Sheng's face.
"Your foundation is unstable, your moves are too obvious, and your eyes have already betrayed you, Fellow Daoist Wang."
Jiang Sheng swept his right hand outward. His fluttering sleeve blocked Wang Tianfang's poisoned needles, then he skimmed forward like a wild goose through the clouds and kicked Wang Tianfang flying.
Jiang Sheng then twisted in midair and bore down on another Foundation Establishment cultivator.
This was the cultivator who had cast the wind blades.
"May I ask your name, fellow daoist?" Jiang Sheng asked.
"Li Hao!" answered the Foundation Establishment cultivator who wielded wind blades.
Before he finished speaking, Jiang Sheng was already above his head. Wang Hao no longer dared underestimate him. He raised both hands, sending blade after blade of wind into the air as though he meant to shred Jiang Sheng where he hung.
"Your moves look fierce, but your spiritual power is too thin and lacks staying power. A little force is enough to break them. You need more practice, Fellow Daoist Li."
Jiang Sheng chuckled, curling his hands into claws. Spiritual power surged as he pulled his hands apart, as though tearing open the void itself. The billowing power ripped the wind blades to pieces.
Li Hao could only watch as Jiang Sheng's hand clamped firmly onto his arm. Then an irresistible force sent him flying.
After sending two Foundation Establishment cultivators flying in two moves, Jiang Sheng turned toward the one who had cast fireballs. By now, that cultivator had joined forces with the one who wielded golden needles.
"Han Li and Qian Ming request your guidance, Daoist Jiang!"
As they spoke, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators cast their spells together. Fireballs and golden needles came whistling toward him.
Jiang Sheng's sleeves fluttered. His spiritual power formed an azure barrier before him, blocking every fireball and golden needle.
Then Jiang Sheng flipped and darted away, vanishing from Han Li and Qian Ming's sight in the blink of an eye.
"Fellow Daoist Han, Fellow Daoist Qian, don't watch your front and forget your back."
Jiang Sheng's voice rang out behind them. Horrified, Han Li and Qian Ming immediately stirred their spiritual power to form barriers, but Jiang Sheng had already kicked them both flying.
Four Foundation Establishment cultivators, four moves!
Faced with these cultivators' fierce killing moves, Jiang Sheng had casually broken them one after another. He had not even displayed the swordsmanship rumored to be all but miraculous, using only his fists and feet.
First he shattered their attacks with fierce methods, then gently drove his opponents back. Such skill—handling great weight as though it weighed nothing—truly opened these Qing Province cultivators' eyes.
Wang Tianfang looked at the footprint on his abdomen, then back at Jiang Sheng with unmistakable fear and dread. "Daoist Jiang truly deserves his reputation as a senior priest of Penglai. I concede."
Li Hao rubbed his aching arm, his expression filled with admiration. "Your abilities are formidable, Daoist Jiang. You have my admiration!"
Han Li and Qian Ming had also grasped what had happened. Both looked at Jiang Sheng with admiration mingled with lingering fear. "Your abilities truly are extraordinary, Daoist Jiang. We are impressed!"
In just a few breaths, Jiang Sheng had easily defeated four Foundation Establishment cultivators from Qing Province. Such skill and ability left every cultivator present wide-eyed, exclaiming that their eyes had truly been opened.
One man against four, defeating them easily without injuring them in the slightest, while remaining utterly unscathed himself—who could have imagined it beforehand?
"Hahahaha! Impressive, Daoist Jiang! You have my admiration!"
A hearty laugh rang out. Everyone turned to see Wenren Jie rise and salute Jiang Sheng with clasped hands.
Jiang Sheng looked at the burly, barefoot man with his hair hanging loose. Sensing his solid foundation at the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment realm, he smiled and returned the salute. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Wen."
"This old man is Qiao Xuan. To have the good fortune of meeting a senior priest of Penglai today makes this trip worthwhile." Old Master Qiao Xuan also rose and saluted Jiang Sheng.
Jiang Sheng likewise smiled and returned the gesture. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Qiao."
Young Master Kongxu and Xu Xiao rose next. Each introduced themselves, and Jiang Sheng returned their greetings in turn.
Through this exchange, Jiang Sheng had not only proven his strength and shown everyone that a great reputation was not built on empty skill; he had also tested these rogue cultivators' abilities, exposing quite a few who were merely filling seats in the orchestra without knowing how to play.
Zhang Qingyun was even more astonished by Jiang Sheng's abilities. He hurriedly rose and said, "I was just about to send someone to invite you, Daoist Jiang. I never expected you to arrive already."
As he spoke, Zhang Qingyun invited Jiang Sheng to the seat of honor, then addressed the rogue cultivators. "It is truly Qingshan County's good fortune to gather so many heroes of Qing Province here to slay demons and vanquish evil. As county magistrate, I thank you all on behalf of our people."
"Now that everyone is here, please eat and drink to your hearts' content. I wish to share this great undertaking with you all!"
With even Zhang Qingyun, the magistrate of Qingshan County, showing Jiang Sheng such respect, the rogue cultivators dared say no more.
After all, even Old Master Qiao Xuan, Wenren Jie, Young Master Kongxu, and Fairy Xu Xiao of the Moon-Embracing Sect had expressed their admiration for Jiang Sheng.
They had also witnessed Jiang Sheng's abilities themselves, and every one of them was clearly filled with awe.
Soon, the county offices grew lively again. Everyone resumed eating and drinking freely, and quite a few cultivators came over specifically to make Jiang Sheng's acquaintance.
Jiang Sheng had already proven his abilities. Naturally, these rogue cultivators wanted to cling to a powerful leg. If danger arose during the demon hunt, at least they would have someone to count on, wouldn't they?
Jiang Sheng did not turn away the cultivators who came to curry favor, but his expression remained calm, as though such trifles did not concern him.
His attitude made everyone even more cautious.
Clearly, wherever one went, strength spoke loudest.
That held true among ordinary people, and even more so among cultivators.
The banquet continued until evening. After Zhang Qing took her leave first, the others gradually dispersed as well.
Some went to brothels, some to taverns or gambling houses, and others returned to their rooms to cultivate. The cultivators of Qing Province each found somewhere to go, and the once-noisy front hall of the county offices fell quiet again.
Late that night, several figures appeared from different directions in the quiet county town. Under cover of darkness, they entered the county offices and headed straight for the rear courtyard.
At midnight, in the rear courtyard of the Qingshan County offices.
Several dark figures swept into the courtyard one after another.
Still dressed in his azure Daoist robes, Jiang Sheng stood quietly in the courtyard.
Wenren Jie, Qiao Xuan, and Young Master Kongxu landed in succession. Upon seeing Jiang Sheng, they greeted him with clasped hands but said nothing further.
"Sorry for troubling you all to come here in the middle of the night. I truly had no other choice. Please accept my greetings." Zhang Qing's clear voice rang out.
Everyone turned to look. Standing beside Zhang Qing was none other than Xu Xiao, the inner disciple of the Moon-Embracing Sect.
Clearly, Zhang Qing also understood that, among those present, only Xu Xiao, her close friend, was someone she could truly trust and rely on.
"Miss Zhang, what exactly did you summon us here to discuss?" Wenren Jie asked in a low voice.
That afternoon, when Zhang Qing had taken her leave, she had made a small gesture toward them.
Those farther away were bound to miss it, but with their higher cultivation and seats beside County Magistrate Zhang Qingyun, they had seen it perfectly clearly.
Clearly, Zhang Qing had made that gesture specifically for them. Its meaning was: midnight, the county offices' rear courtyard.
That was why Jiang Sheng and the others had come here so late at night.
Zhang Qing explained, "You are all figures renowned in your own regions. There are things you can understand even without my saying them."
As she spoke, Zhang Qing invited Jiang Sheng and the others into a study. "Since ancient times, undertakings have succeeded through secrecy and failed through loose tongues. What we intend to do is no less than slay a great demon and make our names known throughout the world. With your lives and those of the people in Qingshan County's fifteen towns at stake, I cannot afford to be anything but cautious."
"Fairy Xu has already prepared a secret chamber. Please follow me inside to discuss this."
A secret chamber?
Another three-thousand-character chapter! Lin Yuan is starting to pick up steam. Gentlemen, please keep those bookmarks, recommendations, and investments coming.
(End of chapter)
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