Mount Hua Sword Debate Begins

Early the next morning,

the Mount Hua Sword Debate officially began.

Although the agreed time for it was today, it should have started yesterday.

Yet everyone had been dragged by Ra to the Siguo Cliff cave and rested for a night, delaying the time of their clash.

Huang Yaoshi and Hong Qigong had also endured for a night, and now that the time had come, they no longer wished to hold back.

Right then and there, the two of them prepared to make a move.

The last time the two had truly fought was twenty years ago. Last time on Peach Blossom Island, both had exercised great restraint and had not used their true abilities.

This battle was one they had long anticipated.

Guo Jing watched from the side, conflicted in his heart over whether he hoped his father-in-law, Island Master Huang, would win, or his master, Hong Qigong. Deep down, his mind was torn apart.

Huang Rong, however, was filled with worry and wore a grave expression. She knew very well that her father, Huang Yaoshi, could not beat Hong Qigong.

Hong Qigong's martial arts were inferior to Huang Yaoshi's, but he had already obtained the Nine Yin Manual. Now, his martial arts had not only fully recovered, but had also ascended to an even higher level.

Huang Yaoshi was different. Although he had obtained the lower volume of the Nine Yin Manual long ago, that had also resulted in the death of his beloved wife, Feng Heng, which was the lifelong pain in his heart. Hence, he had sworn an oath from then on never to practice the Nine Yin Manual, and vowed to create a martial art of his own that would be no less formidable than it.

Yet human strength had its limits; how could creating a martial art be something achieved simply by deciding to do so?

Huang Rong was extremely worried. Her father had a proud and arrogant nature, and if he lost, she feared he would be unable to accept it.

However, after the battle had begun for a few rounds, Huang Rong completely set her mind at ease.

Old Man Qigi really keeps his word, Huang Rong thought to herself. Since he said he wouldn't use the Nine Yin Manual, he isn't using it. Presumably, Father won't lose too miserably.

Huang Yaoshi used his self-created Falling Blossom Divine Sword Palm to exchange blows with Hong Qigong, fighting back and forth.

This palm technique: the moves were "Flying Flowers over Jiangcheng, Raging Rain and Fierce Wind, Scattering Blossom Stance". The name of the palm technique contained the two characters "Divine Sword", as it was derived from sword forms. When the palm struck, it was like falling blossoms swirling in the wind, with palm shadows in all directions—five illusions to one reality, or eight illusions to one reality, like a sudden gale rising in a peach orchard, making ten thousand flowers fall all at once. Its beauty lay in its graceful posture, resembling a fluttering dance, while the palm force was as sharp and fierce as a sword. From time to time, he also concurrently employed the Orchid Finger Strike and Whirlwind Sweeping Leaf Kick to create some trouble for Hong Qigong.

Regrettably, although Hong Qigong looked somewhat strained in his defense, after a hundred rounds, these moves no longer had much effect on him.

No matter how exquisite and peerless one's moves were, Hong Qigong stood as unmoving as a reef in the ocean. Regardless of what move was used against him, he simply struck back with a palm of the Dragon Subduing Palms.

Huang Yaoshi also perceived the disadvantageous turn of the battle, analyzing inwardly: This old beggar's martial arts have progressed at such a flying speed, which is truly remarkable. He is becoming more and more familiar with my martial arts and moves, and is gradually breaking my opening stances upon initiation. I cannot continue to engage in close-quarters combat with him.

He immediately unleashed his Lightness Skill, widened the distance between himself and Hong Qigong, and used his unique mastery, the Finger Flicking Divine Skill, to engage him in long-range skirmishing.

"Finger Flicking Divine Skill": the right middle finger is bent, hooked beneath the thumb, and snapped outward; hidden weapons can also be hooked beneath the thumb and snapped outward. The technique is subtle and profound. When used to project hidden weapons, the range is extremely far, the speed is utmost and urgent, and the force is as fierce and powerful as a powerful bow or a strong crossbow. It can be used to flick away an enemy's weapon or strike an enemy's acupoints.

"Brother Qi! Watch out."

Huang Yaoshi soared into the air and, aiming straight at the center of Hong Qigong's brow, unleashed a single Finger Flicking Divine Skill, the powerful force hurtling rapidly toward Hong Qigong.

Hong Qigong reacted with extreme promptness, executing the move "Dragon Appearing in the Field".

His left palm was rounded and forceful, while his right palm maintained a straight posture. This move was purely defensive, forming an unyielding wall; if the enemy came, he would block, and if the enemy did not arrive, the force would dissipate into nothingness.

In an instant, he blocked Huang Yaoshi's killing move. Yet a lingering fear washed over Hong Qigong inwardly, and he thought to himself: Fortunately, although this Huang Yaoshi holds the moniker of the Eastern Heretic, he disdains using schemes, plots, or sneak attacks to harm people. Otherwise, if he hadn't given that warning just now, today even an old beggar like me would lose a layer of skin if I didn't die.

He immediately discarded the casual attitude he had held at the outset when his martial arts had surpassed Huang Yaoshi's, becoming far more cautious in his movements. Although he still had not used the martial arts from the Nine Yin Manual, he had in truth brought out his full strength.

The Nine Yin Manual was indeed a profound and abstruse school of martial arts, but when it came to actual combat lethality, its offensive methods were no fiercer than his own Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. The obsession the members of the Five Greats held for the Nine Yin Manual was actually driven solely by their desire for its internal cultivation methods.

The Nine Yin Divine Claw and the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms were martial arts of the same tier, but the effect when Hong Qigong used the former was ten, while the effect of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms was fifteen.

Having accompanied Hong Qigong for decades, the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms had reached a realm where its user could forget the forms of martial arts, executing moves without a single trace.

Years upon years of endless practice had also caused subtle changes to his muscles and bones, making them far better suited for exerting force with the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, allowing him to achieve twice the result with half the effort in his palm force.

Moreover, the martial arts style of the Nine Yin Manual did not match Hong Qigong's personality, so the effect of using them truly fell short of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms.

Huang Yaoshi's figure shifted erratically, advancing and retreating with lightning speed, from time to time flicking a heavily condensed bolt of true qi from his hand to strike at Hong Qigong's vital acupoints all over his body.

After fighting for another twenty or thirty rounds in this manner,

Hong Qigong's left knee bent slightly, his right arm curved inward, and his right palm traced a circle, pushing outward with a resounding whoosh. His palm swept toward Huang Yaoshi, and Huang Yaoshi nimbly dodged away with extreme agility.

Just as he was about to turn and counterattack, Hong Qigong thrust his right palm forward, halting right before Huang Yaoshi's chest.

This was precisely the "Dragon Ascending to Heaven" from Hong Qigong's proudest masterpiece, the "Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms".

Huang Yaoshi was also a straightforward person; knowing he was no match, he immediately conceded defeat.

Seeing her father defeated, Huang Rong hurried forward to comfort him.

Although Huang Yaoshi possessed an eccentric temper, he was not someone who couldn't afford to lose, and he did not mind it much.

Seeing that the duel between the two had concluded, Wang Ming also eagerly stepped forward to issue a challenge.

Having practiced painstakingly for so long, he needed to test what he had learned.