Even in the eyes of all the cultivators, Wang Xian stood bloodied on the platform, flying backward and off its three-zhang height!
Even the Grand Elder and the Law Enforcement Elder had failed to see clearly.
Only Dongfang Nishang's lips moved slightly as she murmured, "A monster!"
Inside the hall, the Old Daoist was boiling water to brew tea. At that, he smiled faintly. "Perhaps this is a sliver of power he gathered during those ten years in the Heavenly Book World."
"Ah..."
Hearing this, Dongfang Nishang finally felt a flicker of shock.
If Wang Xian had done more than cultivate his physical strength during those ten years, then he might be even more terrifying than she had imagined!
"Ah!"
A howl rang out from the platform.
Swift and uncanny, like light converging atop a snow-capped mountain.
In the end, it became a dazzling silver glow that blinded everyone!
Lin Pojun's punch tore through the air, smashing open the void above the platform and blasting the air apart!
In the blink of an eye, it even punched straight through Wang Xian's body!
Like a sharp sword, a ray of light pierced through Wang Xian's body. A burning fist passed through his flesh!
A destructive aura suddenly spread across the platform!
Yet, to everyone watching, it still looked impossibly strange!
Some even cried out in alarm. Could Wang Xian have used some demonic art at that very instant?
After that first flash came countless more, each streaking out in succession!
In an instant, Lin Pojun's punch was like a blade piercing the dark clouds in the sky. The clouds scattered, yet not a single drop of blood flew.
At that moment, everyone felt as if what they were seeing wasn't real!
It was as though Wang Xian on the platform had suddenly turned intangible, like a breeze, or the silver light falling upon a snow-capped mountain.
Lin Pojun himself seemed to pass right through Wang Xian's body, through his world, while Wang Xian didn't even furrow his brow.
The two of them seemed separated by an entire world.
You swung your fist like a mountain in your world!
I watched in silence in mine!
But every world had a moment when it vanished. In that one-millionth of an instant,
Wang Xian struck!
White Rainbow Piercing the Sun!
His palm swept out, like a nimble finger plucking a winter plum from a branch.
Or like a spirit sword slicing through the void in a flash, splitting apart the world before him!
Thud!
A palm that crossed worlds struck Lin Pojun in the chest!
A furious roar rang out from the platform, and a massive figure flew toward the plaza like a mountain crashing down.
The cultivators scattered in every direction, afraid they would be crushed.
A gray-clad figure shot into the air.
With a flick of his hand, he used the force of four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds, guiding Lin Pojun—crashing down like a mountain—toward the great lake behind the plaza!
Crash!
The lake's waters shot skyward, and countless fish, terrified, stared down at the crowd from midair.
As if to say, "Have you all gone mad? I haven't done anything to you!"
Before Lin Pojun could climb out of the lake, Dantai Xiaoxue pouted and called from the stands:
"The Sword Sect lost! Does anyone else want to challenge my junior brother?"
"Anyone else want to challenge my junior brother?"
Her childish voice echoed across the plaza, reaching every cultivator's ears with perfect clarity.
Dongfang Nishang let out a soft sigh and smiled, one hand pressed to her chest.
"Good thing your junior brother held back with that palm!"
Only she knew that if Wang Xian had thrown a punch without restraint, the Sword Sect disciple might have been gravely injured—or even killed.
Liu Qingyun, an elder of East Sea Flying Immortal Island, moved his lips slightly.
Then, a tall woman in blue, with shoulder-length black hair, walked toward the platform.
As she made her way there, she parted her cherry-red lips. "East Sea Flying Immortal Island. I'm Nangong Fei'er. I've come to see how well Junior Brother Wang Xian wields a sword!"
Unlike Lin Pojun, Nangong Fei'er issued her challenge before she even arrived.
A swordsmanship match?
Everyone looked at Wang Xian's empty hands and wondered if he planned to pull out another spirit sword stolen from one of the Four Great Sects.
If so, was he the heir to some thieving Aristocratic Clan?
Not a single one of the Four Great Sects had escaped his theft, and each had to give him five thousand Spirit Stones.
Good heavens! What was that if not robbery?
Seeing that Wang Xian didn't respond, Nangong Fei'er continued, "If you let me see your sword, I can teach you a sword technique that can defeat Tang Shisan."
She happened to walk past Tang Shisan as she finished speaking.
Yet she didn't even look at her.
"Why?"
Wang Xian looked at Tang Shisan and asked, "Why does she know your sword technique?"
Tang Shisan pointed at Nangong Fei'er's retreating figure and replied calmly,
"I have thirteen swords. One of them I learned from her. What, are you planning to ambush me?"
Wang Xian froze. "Which sword?"
Tang Shisan giggled. "Guess!"
Nangong Fei'er smiled faintly. "The thirteenth sword!"
At that, Wang Xian fell silent.
Even with his eyes closed, he knew that the final move had to be her trump card for saving her life.
It was a move she would never use lightly unless she was at death's door.
Earlier, he had told Lin Pojun he had a trump card to save his life. The truth was, he had nothing.
Even if he did have something, it was very limited.
And it wasn't his own skill, either. It had come from the mysterious woman he had met in the Heavenly Book World.
Hearing that, he was a little stunned.
Could this delicate, seemingly fragile prodigy from the East Sea really be related to Tang Shisan?
Otherwise, given their ages, there was no way they could have met and become friends across thousands upon thousands of miles.
As they spoke, Nangong Fei'er was already walking step by step toward the platform.
Wang Xian shook his head. "No need."
"Why? Are you afraid?"
Nangong Fei'er lifted the spirit sword in her hand. "This is my sword."
Before she could finish, Wang Xian felt a stream of Sword Qi slash straight toward him!
The sword remained sheathed, yet it carried an aura that could cut through anything.
In the blink of an eye, the young woman before him had turned her entire self into a sword!
Nangong Fei'er continued, "I'm standing right here. Can you see my sword? If you can't, you won't be able to see her sword, either."
With that, she thrust the sword—still in its sheath—straight at Wang Xian!
An unsheathed sword was like a wind atop a snow-capped mountain. Tell me, who in this world could know the moment the wind would rise?
In an instant, Wang Xian's pupils contracted sharply.
This sword, born of the wind, advanced through the void inch by inch, coming toward him!
Just as cold sweat welled in his palm, Wang Xian, startled, suddenly closed his eyes.
If he couldn't see, then he had no need to look!
Clang...
A sword rang out.
Just as his opponent's sheathed sword was about to strike him, a black scabbard appeared in Wang Xian's hand!
Another sword rang out.
Its sound was like a dragon's roar, resounding across the plaza.
"Ah..."
Before the sword had even left its scabbard, Nangong Fei'er had no choice but to withdraw her thrust.
Then, with a startled cry, she looked toward the stands!
Just then, Liu Qingyun, the elder from the East Sea, abruptly stood up, looking ready to charge forward at any moment!
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his turbulent emotions.
Just as he was about to lose control, he suddenly walked up to Dongfang Nishang and bowed deeply.
"Elder Dongfang, please..."
"I understand!" Dongfang Nishang nodded.
Gazing at the boy on the platform with his eyes closed, she couldn't help letting out a wistful sigh. "Have you already figured it out?"
Liu Qingyun nodded heavily.
Before Dongfang Nishang could speak, Wang Xian suddenly said to Nangong Fei'er, "Thank you, but I won't learn Tang Shisan's sword technique from you!"
"Why?"
Nangong Fei'er cried in surprise. "Can't you tell? I moved so slowly because I wanted you to see how this sword changed after I struck!"
Wang Xian shook his head and smiled at Tang Shisan. "Because I don't want to kill her!"
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