Chapter 269 – Lin Ming VS Jiang Lanjian
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Jiang Lanjian also hadn’t thought that the match between him and Lin Ming would come so soon. This battle was one he was thoroughly looking forward to. It could be said that out of all his future opponents, Lin Ming was the one he most hoped to fight!
It wasn’t because Lin Ming was the strongest. In Jiang Lanjian’s opinion, Lin Ming’s strength had already reached the top 5, and maybe top 3. But, Lin Ming’s spearmanship and actually caused Jiang Lanjian’s heart to race with excitement; his understanding of spearmanship was not inferior at all to Jiang Baoyun’s swordsmanship!
What Jiang Lanjian most anticipated was the process of fighting with Lin Ming. In doing so, he hoped to increase his own comprehension of swordsmanship!
“Let’s go on stage. This battle is one that I’ve been long awaiting. I will use everything I have in this match.” Jiang Lanjian looked at Lin Ming, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. His footsteps were quick, he had already appeared on the martial stage.
Lin Ming also launched Golden Roc Shattering the Void. His body flickered and he suddenly appeared 100 feet away from Jiang Lanjian.
The entire audience held their breath, paying close attention to this battle between a sword genius and a spear genius.
This match was one they were all impatiently hoping for, even more than Lin Ming’s later fight with Jiang Baoyun. This was because Lin Ming and Jiang Lanjian’s strength probably weren’t too far off. Although the current Lin Ming who was in the spotlight seemed better, Jiang Lanjian still hadn’t revealed the cards in his hands.
Qin Xingxuan unconsciously gripped her hands tight. Out of all the seeded players, Jiang Lanjian was the one she had contacted the most. They had been in close proximity a few times, and she was clearly able to feel the great power that emanated from Jiang Lanjian. This power even seemed to be above her master, Mister Muyi.
If Jiang Lanjian was placed within Sky Fortune Kingdom, his strength would at least be equal to a middle Houtian master.
Jiang Lanjian was only around 19 or 20 years old. As for her master Mister Muyi, he was already over 100 years old. This difference alone already stated the evident disparity between them.
As Qin Xingxuan thought back to over half a year ago when she had accompanied her master to see Lin Ming in the Great Clarity Pavilion’s kitchen, she was overcome with many emotions. She had absolutely never imagined that the young boy from that time would grow even stronger than her master in less than a single year!
Jiang Lanjian flicked the longsword in his hand, a sharp energy emitting outwards. As he stood there, he seemed like a towering mountain peak, his lofty sword wind blowing from all directions, sweeping away the world.
Chi chi chi!
Lin Ming could clearly hear Jiang Lanjian’s sword wind piercing his own aura. In comparison to Lin Ming’s calm aura that was like an immovable mountain, Jiang Lanjian’s sword wind obviously had a much greater attack power.
“Graceful Sword!”
As Jiang Lanjian stuck out with his sword, its speed was beyond incredible! His figure became a series of phantoms, and the sword light condensed into a fine line. Hidden within the air, it was almost invisible.
This was highly compressed true essence, its speed was simply frightening!
How could Lin Ming block this?
Lin Ming’s vision widened. In his eyes, it also appeared that the sword light had vanished. However, he still had his perception, and the wind around him whispered to him where that sword wind was moving.
Golden Roc Shattering the Void!
Lin Ming instantly vanished from where he was, even the tiles under his feet cracked apart!
Cha cha cha cha!
As soon as Jiang Lanjian turned around, he cut out with 36 sword strikes!
Every single sword light was like a thin line, concise to the extreme. Highly compressed true essence was imbued within the sword energy – it was incomparably sharp!
Not only that, but all of Jiang Lanjian’s sword strokes came from inconceivably tricky angles. It was just impossible to determine the trajectory of the sword, they could not be seen!
In the audience, as Zhang Yanzhao witnessed this display of sword skill, he let out a long breath of air. The true essence that Jiang Lanjian poured into his sword light wasn’t strong – it could even be said to be weak – but after being highly compressed, it became truly fierce and keen.
His own Blood King’s Triple Murder had a powerful striking force that was extremely startling. With just a saber strike, he had been able to shatter the arena and match a late Houtian realm master!
In terms of just that striking force, Jiang Lanjian could be said to be inferior to him. But the key point was, would he ever have the opportunity to use this strike, considering Jiang Lanjian’s speed?
Although the time it took for Blood King’s Triple Murder to gather strength was very short, it still took almost a breath of time. To a martial arts master, that was already more than enough time!
At that point, Lin Ming had been standing still on his area and allowing him to freely strike. But if it were Jiang Lanjian fighting him, he would instantly appear in front of him. What would happen then?
As Zhang Yanzhao imagined himself facing Jiang Lanjian’s pervasive sword light, he broke into a cold sweat. As he ran the hypothetical scenario in his mind, he realized that once he was covered by this sword light, he would be defeated without a doubt!
“It seems I looked down wrongly on the Seven Profound Valleys’ direct disciples. I thought that this time I could reach the first five, but it seems that I can’t even deal with a mere Jiang Lanjian. It will be difficult to reach the top five! Lin Ming’s fighting style is similar to mine – it is absolute suppression by force and aura, and his weapon is also meant for sweeping away armies of enemies, it isn’t one that excels at speed. So just how will he deal with this?
Jiang Lanjian’s attacks didn’t give an earth shattering feeling, but they were peerlessly sharp and approached the extreme of speed. Jiang Lanjian’s attacks and Zhang Yanzhao’s were on two different ends of the spectrum. Zhang Yanzhao couldn’t imagine any way for Lin Ming to block Jiang Lanjian’s sword. Did this mean that it was time for Lin Ming’s winning streak to come to an end?
This thought appeared not only in Zhang Yanzhao’s mind, but also in most of the Seven Profound Valleys’ elders’. The Sword Faction was well known as the wealthiest and strongest faction within the Seven Profound Valleys. These rumors were not groundless. They wholeheartedly pursued the path of the sword, swift and fierce, endless variation, quick, sharp, all of these traits were displayed at the highest level by Jiang Lanjian’s hand!
On the martial stage, Lin Ming was continuously forced back dozens of feet until he finally reached the edge of the stage. There was nowhere left to go. His spear still contained the power of mountains and oceans as before, but when facing Jiang Lanjian’s sword he had only been able to use Flowers in the Storm to block, and wasn’t able to overcome the avalanche of sword light.
Still, Lin Ming had another way.
When Lin Ming had fought Zhu Yan, Zhu Yan’s sword skills had already reached a high degree of proficiency. Still, Lin Ming had managed to keep him down. For every 3 or 4 sword strikes that Zhu Yan released, Lin Ming only used a single spear. By depending on Flow like Silk, he had been able to use that vastly dangerous vibrating true essence to redirect most of Zhu Yan’s sword light.
But Jiang Lanjian’s strength was far superior to that of Zhu Yan! His sword light was condensed to the extreme, where it was sufficient to break through the vibrating true essence.
But what if this vibrating true essence was combined with the power of the True Dragon?
In that split-second, Lin Ming’s true essence turned into a vividly pure azure color!
Endless azure true essence gushed forth!
Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding!
Jiang Lanjian’s countless sword lights poured onto that spear light like a torrential rain shower. In that moment, Jiang Lanjian only felt as if his sword were striking against a mountain. Lin Ming’s spear was fused with a heavy vibrating true essence that emerged endlessly. No matter how condensed or thin his sword light was, he still wasn’t able to pierce through!
Peng peng peng!
Jiang Lanjian’s sword light was abruptly dispersed by the vibrations!
The vast tide of azure true essence continuously welled forth. No matter how quick Jiang Lanjian’s sword light was, or how many cuts he made, they were all completely blocked by this tremendous azure true essence. If a normal person were to defend using their true essence, then Jiang Lanjian would have long since broken through their defense. As for Lin Ming, his azure true essence continued to grow, immovable!
Facing this great resistance, Jiang Lanjian felt as if his sword was a fish that was stuck in mud; his speed dropped precipitously!
“Mm? My heartbeat!?”
Jiang Lanjian was shocked. In that instant, he had felt the rhythm of his heartbeat being affected by that vast tide of vibrating true essence. It was as if all the blood in his body was trying to flow in reverse, and all of the true essence within his meridians was running amok in complete disorder.
Just what was going on!?!?
Jiang Lanjian’s expression changed, “Is this the power of vibration? You’ve comprehended a Concept?”
“Concept?” Lin Ming was slightly stunned. He had managed to comprehend the Concept of Wind because he cultivated Golden Roc Shattering the Void. But as for other Concepts, he had no understanding of them, and he didn’t have the time to ponder or meditate on them either.
When he had fused the azure true essence with Flow like Silk, the effect was much better. Of course, this was only from a preliminary fusion of the reverse scale blood. If he were able to display the full prestige of the reverse scale blood, it would definitely be stronger. No wonder the Sorcerer had listed the reverse scale blood as the most precious treasure within the Sorcerer Holy Land.
The audience was at a loss from the sudden change in the battle. They had only seen that Jiang Lanjian had released that incomparably sharp and deadly sword light a moment ago, and then he was actually forced back by Lin Ming’s spear. They were just unclear as to what had happened during that time.
Zhang Yanzhao felt like his mind had fogged over. He thought that Lin Ming would surely have lost at that moment, and he wasn’t clear why the tables had suddenly turned.
“Elder Jiang, what do you think just happened a moment ago?” It wasn’t only the audience that was confused, even most of the elders failed to see the deep and profound mysteries and principles within Lin Ming’s spear. They hadn’t yet experienced the power of vibration personally; it was something that was difficult to see with just one’s eyes.
Elder Jiang was a Great Elder of the Sword Faction. Jiang Lanjian was a child that he had single-handedly raised up.
“It’s a kind of Concept.”
When Elder Jiang spoke up about this so-called Concept, it was in truth a utilization of a natural Law. Without a doubt, the spear that Lin Ming had used had contained a Law a moment ago. This Law was able to dismantle Jiang Lanjian’s onslaught.
“Concept?” A 16 year old little boy was able to comprehend a Concept and utilize a Law!? This boy’s perception is just too ridiculous! Has Lanjian even comprehended a Concept?”
“He has, but his is inferior to his opponent’s!” Elder Jiang’s voice sank as he said this. Jiang Lanjian’s talent was absolutely amazing. If it wasn’t for the fact that Jiang Baoyun was an even more amazing individual, Jiang Lanjian would have no doubt been the direct disciple.
Jiang Lanjian was much older than Lin Ming, and he had only been able to barely touch upon the Concept threshold with personalized guidance. A Concept was a utilization of the power of Laws. The power of Laws was the underlying strength and origin source of every force in the entire universe. To want to comprehend this through meditation was easier said than done!
From this aspect, Lin Ming was far more dazzling and superior to Jiang Lanjian!
On the martial stage, Lin Ming was quietly thinking. To say that his power of vibration was a Concept wasn’t wrong.
Flow like Silk could be said to be the Law of Vibration. It was the fusion of that Law with the countless tiny units within the human body. Nearly every martial artist within Sky Spill Continent didn’t even know that the human body was comprised of countless tiny units; it would simply be impossible for them to be able to comprehend this Law through meditation.
“Lin Ming, you give me too many surprises!” Jiang Lanjian took a deep breath, and the true essence within his body began to undergo a subtle change. His aura became mercurial, elusive, and capricious like the wind.
Jiang Lanjian had already touched the threshold of the Concept of Wind. Under the instruction of the Sword Faction’s Great Elder, he had been able to combine this Concept of Wind into his own sword. This ability was Jiang Lanjian’s trump card, and now he had to choice but to use it. But to tell the truth, even with the advantage of this Concept, Jiang Lanjian had no certainty that he would win. To him, Lin Ming was simply an immeasurably deep ocean – he was unable to estimate exactly how deep his limit was.
“Concept of Wind!”
Jiang Lanjian’s sword light which had started as a thin line suddenly scattered out. His sword energy was like the wind, without a shadow and without a trace!
Lin Ming’s eyes brightened, Concept of Wind!?
The Concept of Wind could actually be used in this way?