Sword Intent

Though startled, Tang San did not hesitate. He used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track again and rapidly retreated.

As he retreated, he saw a bizarre sight.

Meng Yiran's body, wrapped within the Blue Silver Grass, twisted as though she had no bones. Her body suddenly turned soft, and she silently slipped out of the Blue Silver Grass as if coated in oil. The Snake Head Crutch in her hand smashed straight toward Tang San.

From the snake head at the tip of the Snake Head Crutch, a two-foot-long Tongue Blade shot out, instantly closing the distance to Tang San. It gleamed with a deep blue sheen, clearly carrying deadly poison.

Meng Yiran activated two Soul Skills at once: her first Soul Skill, Tongue Blade, and her second Soul Skill, Snake Body.

Using Snake Body, she slipped free from the Blue Silver Grass's entanglement, while the Tongue Blade erupted with fierce attacking force, instantly reversing the initiative.

Seeing that the Blue Silver Grass could no longer be effective, Tang San frowned slightly. The Tongue Blade was already before him. That sudden extra two feet had come far too unexpectedly; he could no longer keep dodging.

Twisting his body aside, Tang San stopped retreating and pushed off with his feet, charging forward in the opposite direction almost grazing the Tongue Blade. At the same time, his left hand guided with Crane Controlling Force, while his right struck out with Dragon Seizing Force, targeting the spot below the snake head on the Serpent Cane.

By now, Tang San understood why Meng Yiran could resist the poison on his Blue Silver Grass. Her martial soul itself carried potent poison, so she naturally possessed a certain immunity to toxins.

That was also why she had been able to escape his entangling skill.

With a muffled bang, the Snake Head Crutch tilted slightly upward. Meng Yiran's Soul Power was even more domineering than Tang San had imagined. Although the Serpent Cane was knocked aside, Tang San did not gain an opportunity to press forward. Meng Yiran forcibly pulled it back, and with a slight shake of both hands, the Serpent Cane transformed into eight streaks of light that stabbed toward Tang San at once.

The eight streaks were both real and illusory, carrying surging, overbearing Soul Power and covering nearly every space Tang San could use to evade.

But at that moment, Tang San's eyes suddenly lit up. Deep purple light shot forth like lightning—it was Purple Demon Eyes.

Seeing Tang San's eyes suddenly turn purple, Meng Yiran froze for a moment, and her hands slowed slightly as well.

The eight streaks of light created by the Snake Head Crutch could each be called real, or each be called fake. Only by constantly shifting between truth and illusion could they be maintained.

Even an expert like Zhao Wuji, when faced with such an attack, could only choose to block it head-on. But before Tang San's Purple Demon Eyes, everything was seen through.

Tang San's hands moved, extending forward simultaneously without hesitation. A supple force abruptly stalled Meng Yiran's Serpent Cane.

Immediately afterward, Tang San's right hand darted in like a stroke of divine inspiration, grabbing the true body of the Snake Head Crutch in a flash. The spot he seized was precisely the seven-inch point he had struck before.

Meng Yiran only felt the Serpent Cane tighten in her hands, and all the illusory streaks vanished.

But Meng Yiran's attack was not over.

The Tongue Blade that had shot from the Snake Head Crutch suddenly dipped in a bizarre motion, slashing directly toward Tang San's right hand gripping the cane.

The chilling blade flashed with a dark blue glow. Anyone could tell that if it struck...

The rest of Shrek were tense to the point of panic, but Bai Ge alone looked relaxed. "Why are you all so nervous?

"When it comes to poison, no one on Douluo Continent is Tang San's match.

"If he really gets overturned by this little girl, then Tang San will truly be a Gua Wazi."

That one phrase, "Gua Wazi," made Tang San nearly choke on his breath, and he almost let Meng Yiran's Serpent Cane hit him.

Blocking with a sinking palm, Tang San turned back and said, "You Han Bao, what nonsense are you spouting?"

The two exchanged a string of incomprehensible chatter, leaving everyone present completely bewildered.

With a light clang, Tang San's left hand had firmly seized the Tongue Blade. At this moment, both his hands had turned a crystalline jade color. It was the Tang Sect's secret art, Xuan Jade Hand.

Based on the Mysterious Heaven Skill, Xuan Jade Hand made one's palms as tough as cold jade—immune to all poisons, difficult to harm with blades and swords, and unafraid of water or fire.

Of course, Xuan Jade Hand had its limits. Once an attack surpassed its limit, the hands would still be injured.

However, Meng Yiran was clearly incapable of reaching the limit of Tang San's Xuan Jade Hand.

Snake Woman Chao Tianxiang might have been able to.

With the Tongue Blade in hand, Tang San tightened his five fingers. One hand gripped the Serpent Cane while the other grasped the Tongue Blade, firmly controlling the tip of Meng Yiran's Snake Head Crutch in his hands.

Each stood at one end of the Serpent Cane, and the two immediately fell into a deadlock.

The Tongue Blade could be called the essence of the Snake Head Crutch. Many of its techniques required the Tongue Blade to be used. Yet with it held in Tang San's grasp, it was as immovable as cast copper and forged iron.

Meng Yiran exerted force several times, but not only did she fail to reclaim the Serpent Cane, she could not even cut Tang San's palm, which had suddenly turned white and jade-like.

Meng Yiran's strength was all concentrated in this Serpent Cane, so naturally, she could not easily abandon her weapon.

Tang San understood that as well. This Serpent Cane became the key to their struggle.

Almost without hesitation, they both activated their Soul Power and sent it through the Serpent Cane to attack the other.

Tang San's Soul Power was blue, while Meng Yiran's was gray. The two differently colored lights appeared on the Serpent Cane at once and suddenly erupted in a fierce collision.

At this point, Soul Skills were of no use whatsoever. Their Soul Power was nearly equal, and faced with the other's storm-like assault of Soul Power, neither had the spare capacity to interfere by any other means.

Thus, Tang San and Meng Yiran's battle evolved into a contest of Soul Power.

Just like the inner-energy contests in martial arts novels.

One careless mistake, and they would both perish together.

Then the enmity between the two sides would truly be irreconcilable.

With a sigh, Bai Ge flashed in golden light and arrived between them.

He held two fingers together like a sword, and blazing golden Soul Power condensed into Sword Qi, lightly tapping the Serpent Cane.

In an instant, Tang San and Meng Yiran's Soul Powers were separated.

The two staggered back several steps, their gazes toward Bai Ge instantly filled with horror.

As those who had experienced it firsthand, no one understood that unparalleled sharpness better than they did.

Before that single sword strike, their Soul Power had been as fragile as paper, unable to resist in the slightest!

Even more terrifying, after they had been separated, neither of them suffered any backlash!

In other words, after Bai Ge separated them and helped neutralize the collision of their Soul Powers, not even the slightest excess remained!

Meng Yiran's eyes widened as she looked at Bai Ge. "You... how did you do that?"

"Sword intent." Bai Ge smiled. "Simply put, before sword intent, anything weaker than it—whether strength, spirit, or will—cannot stop it. It can only be crushed and destroyed.

"Under such will, condensed to its utmost limit, every attack gains a spirit of its own. Nothing can block it."

"Kid, what is Sword Douluo to you?"

Chao Tianxiang suddenly spoke.

"He is this junior's master." Bai Ge paused for a moment before answering.

"Sword intent, what fine sword intent! As expected, a renowned master produces exceptional disciples.

"Back then, Sword Douluo once said that to break through beyond rank ninety-five, what mattered was comprehension.

"But what exactly one had to comprehend could only be understood, not explained.

"Now that I think of it, it was these words—sword intent. No wonder no one beneath heaven can withstand Sword Douluo's sword."

Chao Tianxiang sighed. "The green mountains remain unchanged, and the rivers flow on. We shall meet again."

With that, Chao Tianxiang left with Meng Yiran.