Chapter 252: Blades Clash
Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior trembled, and not even he was sure if it was from fear or excitement. All he knew was that if Xu Qing was going to kill someone, then unless the opponent had some sort of absolutely astonishing technique, Xu Qing wouldn’t stop until they were dead. It was that way even with the strongest enemies Xu Qing had fought in the past.
From within the iron skewer, the patriarch could sense how mighty Master Shengyun was. What was more, he had overheard the Violent Crimes Division constables talking about how amazing he was. However, he wasn’t in the position to be contemplating such things. There was only one thing that mattered to him....
Given the Fiendish Xu’s personality, if he died in this fight, he would make sure to blow up the iron skewer before he went out.
Because of this Master Shengyun, the Fiendish Xu is in a killing mood. Because of this Master Shengyun, the Fiendish Xu might blow me up! Because of this Master Shengyun, my life is in danger! It’s all because of Master Shengyun. Master Shengyun, you’re going to get me killed!!
Having reached this point in his train of thought, the patriarch’s eyes were bloodshot as he glared out of the skewer at Master Shengyun.
The shadow could sense the fluctuations coming from Xu Qing and the patriarch. It had recovered much of its intelligence recently, and after sensing what was going on, was getting nervous.
It was already evening, and Xu Qing had been surreptitiously placing poison everywhere around him. It was odorless and scentless, but it was still there, pulsing. The reality was that none of the poison he was putting around was very dangerous. However, by adding one specific primer, they would transform into something incredibly dangerous.
Obviously, Xu Qing didn’t think that would be enough to wipe out Master Shengyun. Back in Seven Blood Eyes, Master Shengyun had unleashed six-flame battle prowess, which was so terrifying he had been able to fight with the elders of the First Peak. Most importantly, Xu Qing wasn’t sure if six-flame battle prowess was all that Master Shengyun was capable of unleashing. What was more, he still wasn’t sure where Master Shengyun’s dao protectors were.
Given Master Shengyun’s personality, I doubt the dao protectors are in hiding. The most likely possibility is that he sent them away. They’re probably out in Forbidden by the Phoenix on some task. But what?
After more thought, Xu Qing decided it would be better to be safe than sorry. He would spend some more time assessing the situation, and wouldn’t do anything rash. The best thing would be to keep lacing the area with poison in the hopes of increasing his ultimate chances of success.
At the same time, he released five bottles of his beetles.
However, what happened after that caused Xu Qing’s guard to go up even further. The umbrella over Master Shengyun’s head had defensive properties that the beetles were incapable of penetrating. All they could do was gather around him.
My life lamp protects my soul... Does Master Shengyun’s life lamp protect his fleshly body?
Time passed. Evening went and night came. The moon appeared in the dome of heaven, casting moonlight down on the lands below.
After checking the poisons in the area, Xu Qing was trying to decide what other poisons to add when suddenly his expression flickered.
The cultivators outside the temple were reacting to the fall of night. Their expressions were more serious, but at the same time, some of them seemed to be looking forward to something.
Wondering what was going on, Xu Qing looked over at one of the one-flame old men.
When Xu Qing’s gaze fell on him, the old man shivered. After a moment of hesitation, he stood, bowed to Xu Qing, then quietly said, “Fellow Daoist Xu, would you be interested in knowing more about the mysteries of the Supreme Vastness daoist temples?”
Hearing this, Xu Qing’s expression remained neutral. The information back in the sect wasn’t very detailed regarding any so-called mysteries. He nodded to the old man.
Without any hesitation, the old man went into a detailed explanation. “Fellow Daoist Xu, for many years there wasn’t anything special about this Supreme Vastness daoist temple. But four years ago, it changed. That’s why there are more people here than normal.
“What’s different is that, when night falls and the moonlight enters the temple, the statues will perform a saber dance. Anybody can watch it. But up to now, no one has gained any enlightenment from it, with the exception of that one almighty person....” The old man’s eyes flitted to Master Shengyun.
“Virtually every night so far, he’s benefited. The rest of us just fail over and over again, but we all still hope that we might have some success. Even a little bit would make people like us a lot stronger.”
Xu Qing looked thoughtfully into the temple. Moonlight fell down, covering everything, and eventually reaching into the temple to shine on the divine likenesses there. As Xu Qing watched, one of the statues in the temple started moving.
It started slowly. Then the statue moved with more fluidity. As it did, sabers appeared in the air around it, hardly discernible, as though they were illusions. It only lasted for a brief moment, and then everything in the temple went back to normal.
Surprised, Xu Qing focused more closely on the statue, and before long, could see it moving again, and could sense the saber projections around it. To most people, the saber projections would be so blurry they couldn’t see them, except for brief moments when they became clear.
But because of Xu Qing’s previous enlightenment of the Supreme Vastness Solitary Saber, he could see them quite clearly.
The moment they became clear to him, an illusory heavenly saber suddenly appeared over his head. It was none other than the Supreme Vastness Solitary Saber he had gained enlightenment of. As he watched the scene playing out in front of him, the heavenly saber formed, and then glittered brightly as though it were undergoing a transformation.
Specifically, it was growing more corporeal. The original heavenly saber had been illusory, but now, starting with the hilt, it was glittering brightly and turning more solid. As the effect spread, it filled the body of the saber, and Xu Qing’s Supreme Vastness Solitary Saber got closer to being true and real.
The onlookers were all visibly stunned. At the same time, Master Shengyun, who sat cross-legged in the temple, also had a heavenly saber above his head, similar to Xu Qing’s.
The only difference was that his was green and Xu Qing’s was violet!
When the two heavenly sabers appeared, the onlookers let loose shocked exclamations. Many of them started panting in astonishment.
Truth be told, it had been the same with Master Shengyun every day recently, and the onlookers had become used to it. But for the same scene to repeat with Xu Qing was nothing short of astonishing. Everyone knew what it meant; both of these people had previously gained enlightenment of the Supreme Vastness Solitary Saber. And even more spectacular, both were gaining enlightenment of a second saber move.
“This Xu Qing... is just what you would expect of a chosen from Seven Blood Eyes!”
“Both of them are gaining enlightenment. It looks like their sabers are transforming from illusory to corporeal. The moment the process completes, they’ll have full enlightenment.”
“I wonder who will succeed first. Whichever one does, then the other, no matter how far along they are in the process, will lose their chance to finish.”
After being here days observing, the people in the crowd knew a bit about the Supreme Vastness daoist temple. Other than whispering a bit among themselves, none dared to do anything devious. Just because someone was gaining enlightenment of the Supreme Vastness Solitary Saber didn’t mean that they had lost their ability to stay on guard and kill enemies. Anyone who tried to disturb such a person would likely end up dead.
The people outside the temple could tell that Master Shengyun’s saber seemed more fully formed than Xu Qing’s. In fact, his was about fifty percent complete.
Xu Qing had come later, and therefore hadn’t had enough time to seek enlightenment. His was only at the ten percent level.
Xu Qing also could tell that difference, and realized that he needed to speed up his enlightenment. That said, though he valued the Supreme Vastness Solitary Saber, there were other temples. Furthermore, you needed enlightenment of seven saber moves for it to count as an imperial-class technique. In other words, if he didn’t succeed here, it wouldn’t be too worrisome.
What he was more concerned about was figuring out the best way to attack Master Shengyun while he was seeking enlightenment.
He has four life flames, and the battle prowess of six flames. However... his biggest weakness is his 120th dharma aperture….
Xu Qing had been able to do some first-hand research into dharma apertures during his clashes with the chosen from the Seven Sect Coalition.
Ideally I should wait until I place even more poison in the area. That way, when the poison finally takes effect, it’ll be even stronger. Looking away from Master Shengyun, Xu Qing patiently continued waiting. Obviously, the process of enlightenment wasn’t going to be completed in only a few days. Also... his dao protectors aren’t here. That means I have to watch out for attacks from all directions.
With such thoughts on his mind, he stayed more on guard than ever.
Meanwhile, Master Shengyun looked over at him from within the temple. His face was expressionless as he noted the saber image above Xu Qing’s head, but his eyes became as cold as if he was looking at a dead person. How could a backyard chicken dare to compare itself to a splendid phoenix!
He no longer intended to let Xu Qing get any stronger. Since Xu Qing was competing with him for the same destined opportunity, then he would kill him before continuing. It wouldn’t take that much time.
Master Shengyun didn’t care at all that Xu Qing was in Seven Blood Eyes’ echelon. He had also noticed the unusual redness in the sky earlier, and given his general understanding of things, he realized... that the coalition was making a move to the north.
In a moment of glory for the Seven Sect Coalition, there was no way Seven Blood Eyes would complain about one member of their echelon getting killed.
Master Shengyun was the kind of person who acted on his impulses, so once his killing intent sparked to life, it was without the slightest hesitation that he stood and started walking out of the temple.
His 120 dharma apertures roared to life like furnaces, and his life flames raged. A glittering, starlike umbrella appeared overhead, sending seven-colored light out in all directions. And behind him, a green-bodied red-tailed ravagemist bird appeared, letting loose a piercing cry to heaven. Six-flame battle prowess raged in all directions, causing wild winds to whip about, and resulting in loud rumbling like heavenly thunder.
The onlookers didn’t qualify to even react to what was happening, and couldn’t see the speed that resulted from six-flame power.
However, Xu Qing looked up. He also couldn’t see six-flame speed; all in all, the difference between five and six flames was just as massive as the difference between three and four. However, Xu Qing was surrounded by poison. And Master Shengyun was surrounded by beetles. Because of that, Xu Qing could detect what was happening.