Falling Boulder

Fang Chen's attention was fixed on the Silhouette before him, dressed in an azure robe. Though the Silhouette was illusory, his gaze was extremely sharp, like a blazing sword beam, making him impossible to look at directly.

The figure held a sword in one hand and gazed into the distance. An ethereal voice came from his lips. "Flowing Cloud Rushes Through the Sky!"

As soon as the words fell, he swept his sword lightly forward.

Hiss!

An invisible Sword Intent appeared. The dirt and stones on the ground burst apart, leaving a sword mark a hundred feet long.

"So powerful!"

Fang Chen was stunned by the power of the Silhouette's sword move.

Just then, the Silhouette began to dance across the ground with his sword. His movements flowed freely, sword shadows layered upon sword shadows, and every motion seemed to conceal a killing stroke. Spiritual Qi from all around rushed toward him and was absorbed by the sword in his hand.

After absorbing the surrounding Spiritual Qi, the sword looked more solid, and the Sword Intent radiating from its azure blade grew even more terrifying.

Suddenly, the figure cried out again. "Flowing Cloud Cuts Water, Tears Leave No Trace!"

He swung his sword once more.

Whoosh!

An azure drop of water shot from the sword's tip. It became a streak of light and struck the great Stone inscribed with the sword formula.

Hiss!

The drop pierced straight through the ten-foot-wide Stone, leaving a hole the width of a finger.

"What piercing power!"

Fang Chen's eyes narrowed. Once again, the Silhouette's sword move had stunned him.

Just then, countless vengeful spirits crawled out of the ground. They carried blades, swords, staves, and clubs. Some even rode bone horses, while others drove bronze war chariots. They charged toward the Azure Figure in a mighty tide.

"Flowing Cloud Chases the Sea, Waves Wash the Sand!"

The Silhouette swept his sword sharply across the space before him.

Hiss!

A blazing sword beam spread outward in a fan. Spiritual Qi and mist gathered rapidly around it, forming countless strands of Sword Qi that surged forward like a wave. They swallowed every vengeful spirit in their path. When the wave passed, not one spirit remained.

Suddenly, the void shattered, and countless blazing strands of Sword Qi descended from the sky, slashing straight at the Azure Figure.

"Flowing Cloud Rolls Moon, Dominates Nine Heavens!"

With a low cry, the Silhouette spun rapidly, sword in hand. Countless strands of azure Sword Qi appeared and formed a vast storm.

The descending Sword Qi was swept into the storm the instant it touched it.

Within the storm, the Azure Figure climbed swiftly, driving straight toward the heavens. At last, he burst out of the storm. The moment he emerged, it vanished, and the Sword Qi that had filled the sky disappeared with it.

The Azure Figure hid his sword behind his back and slowly descended before Fang Chen. He looked Fang Chen in the eyes, a faint smile touching his lips, then dissolved into a cloud of azure lights.

The lights flew toward the Floating Immortal Sword and were absorbed into it.

Bzz, bzz, bzz...

The Floating Immortal Sword trembled violently. A cool current entered Fang Chen's palm through the hilt and rushed along his meridians to his head.

Fang Chen's mind sharpened at once. The Azure Figure's sword movements flashed through his mind, and, gripping the Floating Immortal Sword, he began to practice them without thinking.

Whoosh, whoosh...

As Fang Chen swung his sword, the surrounding Spiritual Qi gathered around him and flowed into his body.

At first, his movements were stiff. As time passed, they grew smoother and more practiced.

"Flowing Cloud Rushes Through the Sky!"

"Flowing Cloud Cuts Water, Tears Leave No Trace!"

"Flowing Cloud Chases the Sea, Waves Wash the Sand!"

"Flowing Cloud Rolls Moon, Dominates Nine Heavens!"

As Fang Chen shouted the final line, his body began to spin rapidly. True Qi poured madly into the Floating Immortal Sword. The surrounding Spiritual Qi converged, forming a small tornado, and he rose higher and higher within it.

When Fang Chen reached a height of a hundred feet, the storm around him vanished.

He immediately began to fall.

Fang Chen's expression changed sharply. An instant before he struck the ground, he used the Misty Turtle Step. His legs bent slightly, and a ring of ripples spread across the ground beneath his feet. It felt as though he had landed on cotton, and the tremendous force of his fall was dispersed.

The Floating Immortal Sword stopped trembling. The cool current flowing from its hilt into his body disappeared. The once-dim space brightened at once, and he discovered that he was standing at the edge of a cliff. Another six inches forward, and he would have fallen.

"That was close!"

Fang Chen immediately stepped back. Recalling what had just happened, he murmured, "Did I enter a state of sudden enlightenment again?"

He gave the Floating Immortal Sword a casual swing.

A strand of Sword Qi appeared and slashed toward the great Stone ahead.

Hiss!

Sand and stones burst apart along its path before it struck the boulder.

Clang!

Stone chips flew. A three-foot sword mark appeared on the boulder, while a straight scar thirty feet long cut across the ground.

"Did I really master the Flowing Cloud Sword Technique?"

Fang Chen's eyes lit up, and joy surged through him.

Crack!

While Fang Chen was still rejoicing, a crack appeared where the Sword Qi had struck the boulder. It spread rapidly.

Snap!

The boulder split in two, and both halves tumbled down the mountain.

"Oh no!"

Fang Chen's face changed. If anyone was at the foot of the mountain, a Stone that size would kill them.

But there was nothing he could do now. He could only pray that the Stone hit no one.

At that moment, Li Yanshan and Elder Yun were playing chess beneath the Great Elm Tree by the entrance.

Xiao Liu, the black dog lying on the ground, suddenly raised his head and barked furiously at the mountaintop.

"Xiao Liu, what is it?" Li Yanshan asked.

Just then, a tremendous noise came from the mountaintop.

Rumble!

Even the ground shook.

Li Yanshan looked up at once. A huge Stone was rolling down from the summit and had already reached the mountainside.

His expression changed, and he shouted to Elder Yun, "Run!"

Elder Yun grabbed his cane and pushed off hard with his right leg, turning into a blur as he darted toward the cliff wall.

Li Yanshan also sprinted toward the foot of the mountain as fast as he could.

Xiao Liu became a blur close behind Li Yanshan. His four legs flew, kicking up clouds of dust in his wake.

The Stone plunged straight into the pool beneath the Great Elm Tree.

Boom!

A massive column of water shot upward, then scattered into a downpour.

Splash, splash!

Water rained down. Elder Yun and Li Yanshan immediately spread True Qi over their bodies to keep the drops off.

Xiao Liu was not so lucky. In an instant, he was soaked to the skin.

Slap, slap, slap...

Fish fell to the ground in great numbers, flopping wildly.

"Woof..."

Seeing this, Xiao Liu shook the water off his coat and charged toward a giant catfish weighing at least twenty pounds. But as soon as he got close, the catfish whipped its tail and sent him flying...

Boom!

Another loud crash came from the distance. Li Yanshan and Elder Yun looked up and saw a huge Stone land on the main road, blocking it.

Elder Yun stared at the Stone, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Why does that rock look familiar?"