Dragon Creek Swordplay · Vortex Dragon (Please Bookmark, Please Follow)

The resentment in Zhong Ming's heart had not accumulated only now.

These past few days, he had frequently sparred with Qi Hong, Yang Chen, and the others. Although Zhong Ming had gained a great deal of martial technique experience, every defeat had left him unwilling to accept it.

However, considering that Yang Chen, Qi Hong, and the others had cultivated for eight or nine years longer than he had, were battle-hardened, and had wholeheartedly taught him, Zhong Ming's unwillingness at losing to them was not too intense.

But Xie Yuzhu was different. She was the same age as Zhong Ming, and losing to someone his own age made him especially unwilling to submit.

Moreover, the sword path had always been a road of unyielding perseverance, fearing nothing.

My fate is mine to command, not Heaven's!

And the supreme sword intent of the sword path—One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Arts—was the outward manifestation of a sword cultivator's fearlessness before all things.

Although Zhong Ming's Dao Rhyme was Dragon Flood Dragon, it had been comprehended from the Dragon Creek Diagram. Strictly speaking, it too was a form of sword intent.

Not to mention that, as the most perfect creatures in the world, dragon flood dragons were born arrogant and unruly, never bowing their heads to anyone.

It was only natural that the unwillingness filling Zhong Ming's heart could stir the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme.

"Roar!"

"Buzz!"

The activation of the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme caused a terrifying majesty to radiate from Zhong Ming's entire body.

Naturally, as a characteristic that could only manifest in the fourth realm, or even the fifth realm, activating the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme did not merely cloak Zhong Ming in imposing might.

"Whoosh..."

Dragon flood dragons were born with the ability to summon wind and rain. When Zhong Ming's Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme was stirred, the moisture between heaven and earth gathered toward him of its own accord, as if paying homage to a king.

"Whoosh, whoosh..."

The arrival of vast amounts of water vapor also caused the stream drawn forth by Zhong Ming's Dragon Creek Swordplay to abruptly change from a single thread into a broad expanse.

At the same time, fierce winds and rain fell from the sky.

—When a dragon flood dragon traveled, wind and rain would surely follow!

"Hmm?!"

"What is this?"

"How could you summon such a huge body of water?"

The sight before her completely stunned Xie Yuzhu.

And she was far from the only one stunned.

When Zhong Ming had begun to show signs of defeat, Granny Lan, Xie Yuzhu's Dao Protector, had come to Qi Hong and the others and asked them:

"Do you know Zhong Ming? What kind of person is he usually?"

Believing Zhong Ming was worth recruiting, Granny Lan had wanted to first inquire about him. That way, the Xie Family's recruitment would be much easier.

Because she made no effort to conceal it, Qi Hong, Yang Chen, and the others saw through the reason for her questions.

At first, they had not paid it much mind.

It was not particularly strange within the Seven Mysteries Sect for Cultivation Families to recruit commoner disciples as Dao Protectors.

Cultivation inevitably required wealth, companions, methods, and land. Most commoner disciples had to toil for cultivation resources, so relying on others had become common.

Of course, all of this was premised on the commoner disciple's talent not surpassing the ordinary.

If it did, then it would not be a Cultivation Family recruiting them, but actively seeking friendship with them, even marrying off daughters to form alliances.

Because such matters were common, Granny Lan had not bothered to hide her intentions.

Then, something she had not expected happened.

Upon hearing her words, Qi Hong, Yang Chen, and the others all frowned, anger appearing on their faces.

"Are you insulting us?"

Looking at Qi Hong's darkening expression, Granny Lan said, feeling greatly wronged, "How is this an insult?"

Shi Yun sneered. "Hehe, recruiting Zhong Ming and having the most outstanding disciple of our Dragon Stream Peak serve as a Dao Protector for your Xie Family—if that isn't an insult, what is?"

Seeing that Qi Hong and the others' anger was not an act, Granny Lan froze for a moment.

She turned to glance at Zhong Ming, who was struggling bitterly to hold on, then looked back at Qi Hong and the others. Helplessly, Granny Lan said, "Have you misunderstood something? When Fairy Mo spoke with our Matriarch, she never said that Zhong Ming was the most outstanding genius of your generation."

"We also made inquiries. Zhong Ming was the last to advance, and his Spiritual Root aptitude is only Third-grade. Given the state of your Dragon Stream Peak, he might not even be able to enter the inner sect this time. Our Xie Family is qualified to recruit him..."

At that moment, Granny Lan simply felt that Qi Hong and the others were being unreasonable.

The most outstanding? No matter how far Dragon Stream Peak has declined, it cannot have fallen to such a state. The sect would not permit it either. Every generation of your Dragon Stream Peak must have at least one First-grade Spiritual Root prodigy.

How could Zhong Ming, with a Third-grade Spiritual Root, possibly be judged the most outstanding...

"Buzz!"

Before she could finish her thoughts, a vast and majestic aura burst forth from the side.

The sudden change caused Qi Hong, Yang Chen, Granny Lan, and the others to look over instinctively.

Then they discovered that the one radiating that majestic aura was Zhong Ming.

Standing motionless, Zhong Ming was surrounded and protected by endless wind and rain like subjects around their sovereign.

Xie Yuzhu's seven Flying Swords were like birds caught in a vortex, struggling bitterly amid the wind and rain.

"This is..."

The scene before them startled Qi Hong, Yang Chen, and Granny Lan alike.

They were astonished not only by the reversal of the situation, but even more so by the aura radiating from Zhong Ming.

"Dao Rhyme?!"

"But how is that possible? How old is he? How long has he cultivated? How could he have comprehended Dao Rhyme?"

Neither Zhong Ming nor Xie Yuzhu paid any attention to the astonishment of the onlookers.

The changes in Zhong Ming had indeed left Xie Yuzhu bewildered, but they were in the midst of battle, and she had no mind to think further.

"Go!"

Snapping out of her daze and sensing her Flying Swords being buffeted, Xie Yuzhu immediately released her mana, trying to stabilize them.

She succeeded in this. The sudden wind and rain were ultimately only a passive ability of the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme.

However, after stabilizing her Flying Swords, it was no longer so easy when she once more controlled them to attack Zhong Ming.

"Whoosh!"

"Roar!"

As Xie Yuzhu's seven Flying Swords formed layer upon layer of sword nets and closed in to shred Zhong Ming, the arm holding Zhong Ming's sword rotated in a sweeping motion.

"Whoosh, whoosh..."

With that motion from Zhong Ming, endless rainwater immediately gathered upon his sword edge.

Bolstered by the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme and automatically drawn together by the wind and rain, the water around Zhong Ming's sword edge was no longer a tiny thread, but a stream.

That stream was still spiraling like a dragon and serpent.

When Xie Yuzhu's Flying Swords fell into the water, they were immediately bound by the stream and could not break free.

And Zhong Ming's attack had not yet ended.

"Bang!"

With a light tap of his toe against the ground, Zhong Ming leaped toward Xie Yuzhu like a soaring dragon flood dragon.

As he charged, Zhong Ming also raised his Long Sword high.

Because of the Dragon Creek Swordplay, the leaping Zhong Ming drew out not only a streak of sword light, but also a long current of water.

"Whoosh, whoosh..."

"Roar!"

Under the influence of the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme, that long current of water swiftly transformed into the shape of a dragon flood dragon.

The dragon flood dragon coiled around Zhong Ming's body, making his charge look like an enraged dragon flood dragon baring its claws and fangs as it surged forward.

Xie Yuzhu, directly before Zhong Ming, felt that domineering terror most keenly.

The domineering majesty of a dragon, the terrifying force of a dragon, and the water dragon flood dragon charging forward in furious rage made Xie Yuzhu turn pale as she retreated again and again.

"Fine Snow, condense!"

"Red Peak, flames..."

As she retreated, she formed hand seals, continuously activating the various abilities of her Flying Swords.

But all of it was useless.

As Zhong Ming's body turned and his Long Sword danced, the dragon flood dragon he had condensed also coiled and flowed with him. This prevented every one of Xie Yuzhu's attacks from breaking through the dragon flood dragon's protection and reaching Zhong Ming.

What terrified her even more was that the dragon flood dragon could not only summon rain, but also call the wind.

With the support of the wind's power, Zhong Ming was truly soaring.

With a single step, he could cross dozens of meters.

In the blink of an eye, Zhong Ming crossed the vast distance between himself and Xie Yuzhu, arriving before her.

At that moment, Zhong Ming's Long Sword had also reached its highest point.

"Cleave!"

Zhong Ming raised both hands and chopped down fiercely!

With a bang, the refined steel Long Sword that had followed him for several days actually shattered because it could not withstand that force.

But though the sword had broken, Zhong Ming's attack had not ended.

"Roar!"

With an enraged roar, the water dragon flood dragon Zhong Ming had drawn forth slammed into Xie Yuzhu along with his fierce downward cleave.

"Bang!"

Like an unstoppable flood, like a train charging in fury, the Dragon Form Sword Qi opened its jaws and bit down on Xie Yuzhu, driving her into the distance as though she were nothing more than a piece of deadwood swept along by the current.

"Rumble, rumble..."