Fire Dragon Shields the Body, Sword Formulas Clash

Even if Wang Chong had been utterly ignorant, after staying on Wutai Mountain for so long and seeing Five-Terrace Sect disciples refine swords, regulate their breathing, and practice spells every day, he knew the level of his own swordsmanship.

If Zhu Ying had not been slighted, he would never have been willing to act. Even if he himself had been insulted, Wang Chong would have endured it. It was only a quarrel of words, after all. But now, Wang Chong only wanted to teach the other party a lesson.

The youth who had shouted for Wang Chong and Zhu Ying to fetch foot-washing water was named Yuan Kaijiang! He was not from the lineage of the Three Ancestors. His grandmaster was surnamed Xu, also a disciple of Patriarch Sa. His master's Daoist name was Chunshan, and his seniority was equivalent to Xiao Nan's.

Raised at his master's side since childhood, he had been deeply favored by his master and carefully taught swordsmanship. What he cultivated was the Dark Yin Twelve Forms Sword Technique created by Xu Ancestor.

Like the Primordial Sword Formula, this sword technique had been simplified from the Fire Dragon Sword Technique. It could only be cultivated to the third cycle of Qi Refinement. Once the Dark Yin sword technique was mastered, their lineage would also learn the Pure Yang Twelve Forms, likewise reaching three cycles. Finally, the two sword techniques would be combined, attaining great perfection and laying the foundation for cultivating the Fire Dragon Sword Technique.

Yuan Kaijiang believed that he had studied the sword since childhood and had now mastered the Dark Yin sword technique, his magical power reaching the realm of three cycles. Looking across the younger generation of every sect, he considered himself a figure of some standing. His every word and action was exceedingly arrogant.

By his master's orders, he had returned to Wutai Mountain. When he heard that the Treasure-Seeking Immortal Child and Demon-Subduing Vanguard were merely third-rank celestial generals, he had been thoroughly unwilling, his belly full of anger. He felt his master looked down on him, sending him back to take on a thankless post with no future.

Thus, at Sea-Gazing Peak and Southern Zen Temple, he looked down on everyone. Aside from a few whose seniority exceeded his, he treated all others harshly. Toward juniors like Wang Chong and Zhu Ying, whose seniority was lower and whose cultivation was "too miserable to look at," he was imperious and wholly discourteous.

Yuan Kaijiang had not expected Wang Chong to actually dare draw his sword.

Wang Chong's sword flashed with astonishing speed. When a sword immortal struck, across ten thousand miles of open sky, the sword light flashed once, and life and death, victory and defeat, were often decided in that instant.

Only when an enemy possessed some protective art that a flying sword could not cut through would the battle drag into a prolonged struggle, turning into a contest of magical power.

Yuan Kaijiang had neither experience in sword duels nor a protective treasure. His mind went blank. He only saw a streak of red light flash past. When he reached up to touch his face, both eyebrows were already gone.

He flew into a rage and shouted, "You junior dare humiliate me?"

Yuan Kaijiang never considered that Wang Chong had shown mercy. After all, they were fellow disciples, and it would be improper to kill a senior. Wang Chong had merely shaved off his eyebrows. Blinded by fury, Yuan Kaijiang released his own flying sword and sent it hurtling toward Wang Chong.

Wang Chong sneered. "Let me show you something new."

He formed a hand seal, and a fire dragon took shape out of thin air.

Wang Chong feared that the Fire Dragon Sword Technique would be too conspicuous, so he also cast an invisibility spell upon the fire dragon.

This was a protective spell of the Fire Dragon Sword Technique. The sword-qi art in Tuo Tuo Ancestor's swordsmanship had evolved from this very protective technique.

Against an opponent of equal cultivation, this protective spell might not withstand the full force of a flying sword strike. At most, it could protect its user from dying of their wounds. But Wang Chong had already determined that his opponent's magical power was not as deep as his own. Although his Fire Dragon Sword Technique had only reached two cycles, it was enough to rival the Primordial Sword Formula or the Yin-Yang Five-Element Seven-Incisions Sword Technique at great mastery.

Unless Yuan Kaijiang also mastered his sect's Pure Yang Twelve Forms, he could never match the Fire Dragon Sword Technique at two cycles.

Yuan Kaijiang's sword light slashed toward Wang Chong, only to be blocked by an invisible wall of qi before him. It could not advance an inch. He was horrified, thinking, This flying sword was found for me by Master Chunshan, and it has quite a history. How can it fail to cut through this man's protective art?

He could not see through Wang Chong's invisibility spell, nor could he see the fire dragon formed from magical power. Naturally, he could not recognize that Wang Chong was using the Fire Dragon Sword Technique. Anger surged in his heart as he shouted, "You and I are irreconcilable!" He urged his sword light onward, sending it fluttering chaotically through the sky as he fiercely battled Wang Chong.

The magical duel between Yuan Kaijiang and Wang Chong immediately stirred up all of Southern Zen Temple. Whether they were Tuo Tuo Ancestor's disciples and descendants or visiting Five-Terrace Sect disciples, they all gathered to watch.

Yuan Kaijiang's flying sword came and went like lightning, its transformations unpredictable. His cultivation was not weak, and his moves were ingenious, drawing exclamations of admiration from many onlookers. They all felt that in the upcoming sect competition, where the positions of Treasure-Seeking Immortal Child and Demon-Subduing Vanguard would be contested, this man would be a formidable rival.

Wang Chong was different. After using the Crimson Lightning Sword once, he did not use it again. He concealed its sword light and merely had it drift around him. He did not even urge the protective fire dragon into action. Instead, he broke apart the Five-Terrace Sect's introductory sword formula talismans, forming seals with both hands and meeting his enemy with all manner of spells.

Master Bai Yue and Tuo Tuo Ancestor had been fellow disciples, and the foundational talismans of the sword formulas they had each created were largely identical.

Therefore, Tuo Tuo Ancestor's disciples and descendants felt a sense of kinship upon seeing Wang Chong use their sect's sword formulas against an enemy. Wang Chong and Zhu Ying had especially listened to teachings under Tuo Tuo's lineage for many days, giving them a trace of incense-and-fire affinity. The inheritors of Tuo Tuo's line were all somewhat more inclined toward them.

Zhu Ying had initially worried about Wang Chong, but later, seeing that he did not even use the Crimson Rainbow Sword, she guessed that he did not wish to draw attention. Flying swords were rare, after all. Among Five-Terrace Sect disciples, only four or five percent possessed one—not even a full ten percent.

It was also her first time seeing Wang Chong fight someone after his cultivation had broken through. She secretly thought, The Fire Dragon Sword Technique truly is formidable. Though Brother Chong is using introductory sword formulas, many of his methods were taught by Tuo Tuo Ancestor and contain even more superior sword arts.

That fellow who came back from who knows where may have an extra flying sword, but he is still no match for Brother Chong.

The more fiercely Yuan Kaijiang fought, the more furious he became. He clearly knew Wang Chong possessed a flying sword, yet Wang Chong refused to use it. It was obvious that he looked down on him.

Yuan Kaijiang roared, "There is not enough room to fight on the ground. Let us take this battle into the sky!"

Wang Chong replied, "I have only cultivated one cycle and cannot yet ride a sword."

Yuan Kaijiang cursed in rage, "Who are you trying to fool?"

Tuo Tuo's disciples and descendants all shouted together, "Martial Nephew Wang Chong—Martial Brother Wang Chong—has only recently entered the sect. He truly has only one cycle of cultivation!"

One of Tuo Tuo's disciples, dressed in a scholar's robe and waving a folding fan, said with a smile, "Junior Brother Yuan, you are gravely mistaken. The reason Martial Nephew Wang Chong can fight you to a draw is not because his cultivation is impressive, but because he listened to teachings under my teacher Tuo Tuo and learned the sword arts of our lineage."

What he meant was that Tuo Tuo's lineage of sword arts surpassed the side branches, and he had insulted Yuan Kaijiang's inherited swordsmanship in the process.

Yuan Kaijiang was enraged. He desperately urged his flying sword onward, unleashing every ruthless move he had previously held back out of caution.

Yet Wang Chong saw through him more and more clearly. He thought, If I use the Crimson Lightning Sword, he will not withstand even a single exchange. Even without a flying sword, I can swiftly defeat him with my Fire Dragon Sword Technique cultivation.

Using introductory sword formulas really was too presumptuous. My power has not yet reached the point where I can catch a flying sword with my bare hands.

Wang Chong had repeatedly lowered his own level only to test his cultivation method. Now that he had seen through his opponent, he no longer had the patience to continue the duel. He used the Somersault Cloud Method. With a casual clap of his hand, countless wisps of cloud qi spread everywhere.

Seeing smoke and clouds all around him, Yuan Kaijiang hurriedly recalled his sword light. Yet as the sword light turned back, something blocked it, preventing it from returning.

Then a fist smashed into his face and knocked him unconscious on the spot.