Wen Family Five Elders

Shen Hu Chan had fused his journey of cultivating Zen and seeking the Dao into a saber intent uniquely his own, creating the Six Paths of Zen. Using it, he had broken through into the Innate Realm. At that moment, wielding an Ananda Saber against Wen Fangda's twin halberds, he grew stronger the longer they fought!

Wang Dong wielded his family's Eagle Claw Art, using it to touch clothing and take pulses, separate sinews and misplace bones, and seal acupoints to stop the breath. Unlike the unyielding ferocity favored by other martial sects, the Wang Family's Eagle Claw Art incorporated the principles of overcoming substance with emptiness and conquering hardness with softness, reaching a state where hardness and softness complemented one another. Though he faced Wen Fang Yi's saber barehanded, he did not fall behind.

With the Cloud Cutting Sword in her hand, light as a cicada's wing, Li Sheng Nan overcame hardness with softness. Though both she and Wen Fang Shan were in the early stage of the Innate Realm, she firmly suppressed his dragon-headed steel staff, astonishing everyone.

As for Qin Shuang and Ding Ning, although they were at a disadvantage against the Innate Realm experts, they still defended steadily and methodically without revealing any openings. The four sides were locked in a stalemate for the moment.

Even without Qin Shuang and the other four, the Dragon Guard still held the absolute advantage despite being outnumbered.

Jiang Xiaoyu, Yang Kang, Guo Jing, Gao Jian Fei, Zhong Ling, and Beitang Zilong all came from hereditary Dragon Guard families, and had honed their martial skills since childhood. Mu Wan Qing, Cheng Lingsu, Huai Mie, Huai Kong, Mei Jiangxue, Chen Xuanshuang, Fang Zhaonan, Jing Lei, and Cheng Feng were all young people who had studied under Dragon Guard experts and received careful training. As for Heng Feijing, Kou Zhong, Xu Ziling, Tang Bao Niu, Fang Henshao, Zhang Tan, Guo Dalu, Lin Taiping, and the others, they had passed the strict examinations and screening of the Dragon Guard's Mysterious Unit's Wind Division, survived selection after selection, and emerged as outstanding young heroes.

In the face of this group, the Imperial Guards—most of whom were Second-rate Warriors, with only a few reaching the level of First-rate Warriors—were simply no match.

Not only were they no match, they were not even fit to be cut down!

In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen Imperial Guards had died. Wen Fangda could no longer maintain his composure and shouted, "Form up!"

Wen Fang Yi and the other three immediately understood. They regrouped with Wen Fangda, moved according to the Five Elements, advanced and attacked in concert, and formed an array.

It was precisely the Wen Family Five Elements Array, the ancestral martial art of the Shiliang Sect's Wen Family.

The Five Elements Array flowed in a perfectly rounded, seamless whole without the slightest flaw, containing the principles of generation and suppression among the Five Elements. When one person attacked and drew the opponent's assault, deliberately revealing a weakness, the other four immediately pressed forward in an unbroken stream, striking at the weakness in their opponent's body. Until the enemy was either killed or captured, the assault would never cease.

The five brothers, Wen Fangda and the others, guarded one another with their techniques and made up for each other's openings with their footwork. In battle, the five seemed like a single person, completely integrated, their changes endless. Qin Shuang and the other four were trapped within the array, and found themselves in peril almost at once.

Wen Fangda saw that Qin Shuang was the leader of this group of Dragon Guard, while the only three Innate Realm experts had also been trapped within the array. If he killed these people, he could naturally reverse their disadvantageous situation.

Thinking of this, Wen Fangda urged his inner force to the utmost and attacked ruthlessly, swearing to send them all to their deaths.

At this critical moment, Qin Shuang's speed suddenly increased. He channeled energy into his toes, causing sharp edges to form beneath his feet, their force keen as swords. He suddenly unleashed a Toe Sword, striking the unsuspecting Wen Fang Shi squarely beneath the jaw.

Seizing the opportunity, Qin Shuang smoothly sheathed his twin sabers and closed in on Wen Fang Shi. He used the middle and index fingers of both hands to unleash the Righteous Sword, stabbing diagonally from both sides and knocking aside Wen Fang Shi's arms. Immediately afterward, he pressed his right thumb toward Wen Fang Shi's forehead. Hegemonic Sword!

"Bang!" Wen Fang Shi's head exploded beneath the incomparably fierce blow of the Hegemonic Sword!

Innate Formless Finger Sword!

The Innate Formless Finger Sword was a sword technique taught to Qin Shuang by the mysterious masked man from Chaoge City. It was based on the Innate Formless Divine Art. Calling it a sword technique was actually inaccurate, as it had no physical blade. Instead, it urged inner force to surge from the fingertips and transform into a fierce sword of energy that attacked the enemy. Thus, it was called the Finger Sword.

The Innate Formless Finger Sword had five variations: the Hegemonic Sword, executed with the thumb; the Soft Sword, executed with the little finger; the Righteous Sword, executed with the middle and index fingers together; the Flick Sword, executed with the ring finger; and the Toe Sword, executed with the toes.

After two years of cultivation, Qin Shuang had long since mastered its subtleties. By suddenly unleashing it at this moment, he had caught his opponent off guard and succeeded with a single strike!

"Fourth Brother!"

"Fourth Brother!"

Although the Wen Family Five Elders were vile and notorious, the five men were still brothers. They had practiced martial arts together for decades, spending more time together than they had with their wives and children. Naturally, their bond ran deep.

Seeing Wen Fang Shi die such a tragic death, Wen Fangda and the other three instantly reddened their eyes. Driven into a frenzy, they attacked without defending, and were soon wounded in several places.

The wounds on his arm brought Wen Fangda back to his senses. He immediately shouted toward an Imperial Guard dressed as a Squad Leader, "Sixth Brother, come here!"

That Squad Leader was Wen Fanglu. He was of the same generation as Wen Fangda and ranked sixth. He was merely less renowned than the Wen Family Five Elders because his martial arts were somewhat inferior.

Wen Fangda called for him now because he needed Wen Fanglu to take Wen Fang Shi's position and keep the Wen Family Five Elements Array operating.

Wen Fangda's intentions were obvious. How could Qin Shuang and the others fail to see through them? Without saying a word, they circulated their dantian qi and unleashed their full strength.

Qin Shuang repeatedly flicked with his ring finger, sending Flick Swords flying toward Wen Fangda and the other three like a swarm of locusts!

The Flick Sword took the sharpness of a sword as its substance and rapid, nimble force as its function. Though it was not a hidden weapon, it possessed a similar marvel.

When had Wen Fangda and the other three ever seen such a strange technique? They were thrown into confusion, revealing opening after opening.

How could Shen Hu Chan and the others miss such an opportunity?

Shen Hu Chan gripped the Ananda Saber horizontally with both hands. Its momentum surged forward without pause. The third technique of the Six Paths of Zen, the Path of Enlightenment! This domineering and swift attack directly severed Wen Fangda's right arm at the shoulder.

Wang Dong seemed to have returned to the days when he had been known as "the Eagle King who soars to the heavens." His body moved with flexible speed. Taking advantage of the gap left by one person missing from the Wen Family Five Elements Array, he flashed behind Wen Fang Yi. With a grab and a yank, a twist and a wrench, he separated the sinews and dislocated the bones in both of Wen Fang Yi's arms.

Li Sheng Nan refused to be outdone. Her Cloud Cutting Sword launched a fierce assault against Wen Fang Shan, its linked strikes ruthless and relentless. Just as she was about to succeed, Ding Ning seized the opportunity and cut Wen Fang Shan in half at the waist first.

Seeing that three of Wen Fangda's group were either wounded or dead, Wen Fangwu immediately lost his nerve. He leaped backward and blocked Wen Fanglu, who was about to advance. Then he gathered up the bullhide whip in his hand and cupped his fists toward Qin Shuang. "The Imperial Guards and the Dragon Guard both serve the imperial court. We were inferior in skill this time, so we admit defeat. You may take Ni Pusa. It is better to resolve enmity than deepen it. Let today's matter end here. What do you say?"

Qin Shuang raised a hand to signal everyone to stop, but did not answer.

Seeing this, Wen Fangwu immediately went forward with Wen Fanglu and helped Wen Fangda and Wen Fang Yi to their feet. The remaining Imperial Guards also gradually gathered around.

Cheng Lingsu dusted off her clothes as she came to Qin Shuang's side and reported coldly, "Chen Bu Ding, Feng Bu Ba, Kang Tong, Lan Kun, Zhang Yan, and Hao Hao died in battle. Jin Dashuai and Destroy Ghost God suffered severe injuries and were crippled. Everyone else sustained injuries of varying severity, but overall, there are no major concerns."

Qin Shuang remained silent, but his gaze moved back and forth as he scrutinized the several brothers from the Wen Family.