Chapter 336: Ten Breaths
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
“Who wants to volunteer?”
His voice resounded throughout the space, entering Green Cultivator and Flame-scorching Devilman’s ears. They shuddered involuntarily at the feeling of their imposing manners snatched from them.
If they could go all out to fight Meng Qi, it was likely that they could kill him but they wouldn’t be able to prevent getting injured or severely weakened. However, neither believed that the other would use his full strength and thus didn’t want to risk their lives. They didn’t want to become the burial offerings that Meng Qi would drag into his tomb before his death. Even if they didn’t die, they would probably be very badly injured or extremely drained. That would give their “comrade” an easy opportunity to kill them.
With so many walls put up between them and the lack of a common state of mind, taking turns to fight Meng Qi was the only possible option. However, who would be willing to go first?
Meng Qi’s injuries weren’t as serious as they had thought. Though the gash created by Flame-scorching Devilman was hideous, it was a mere superficial cut. His spasming muscles had stopped most of the bleeding.
It wasn’t that he could skip many levels up despite his Golden Bell Shield and Eight Nine Mysteries still having not reached the Eight Acupores level. Flame-scorching Devilman himself relied on a lot of demonic arts to achieve the preliminary stage of the Heaven-man Connection. He was much more powerful than the average nine acupores expert. The fact that Meng Qi could heal himself so quickly was a testament to the might of his Golden Bell Shield and Eight Nine Mysteries.
However, he was still wearing Soft Fish-scaled Armor, a soft armor fashioned from the scales of the Murky, the Exterior-level monster. After Flame-scorching Devilman’s strike cut open the armor, his Knife Momentum had significantly decreased. Had he not tried to take on the full strength of his blade, the scorching heat from the blade wouldn’t have sliced right through his flesh. The injury he sustained wouldn’t have been that deep, and his Golden Bell Shield wouldn’t have shattered instantly.
Currently, his most severe injury was from Green Cultivator’s palm strike. It was dark and chilling and all-pervasive, seeping through his armor. He had essentially been holding it off with the Eight Nine Mysteries and the Golden Bell Shield, using the Immortal Pressing Art to counter it. However, the chilling feeling still affected his meridians and blood, nearly freezing them. If his Eight Nine Mysteries and Golden Bell Shield hadn’t been stronger than his meridians, his limbs would have turned rigid after that strike. Attacking the Green Cultivator’s blade wouldn’t result in a good outcome for him.
Flame-scorching Devilman’s boiling hot genuine Qi invaded his body but was used by the Immortal Pressing Art to ease the freezing coldness within him. That improved his condition a little.
While roaring, Meng Qi hadn’t taken a break at all. He was still taking in the situation and assessing the conditions of his enemies as far as he could see.
Flame-scorching Devilman didn’t sustain any injuries and wasn’t in pain. He appeared normal and full of genuine Qi. Apart from expending a large amount of mental energy, he was still in his peak condition…
Green Cultivator’s pallid complexion was tinted green, seemingly suggesting that he suffered from internal injuries. His breath was rather unsteady…
He had suffered Qi-deviancy Derangement before and had barely been able to preserve his life, but his strength had drastically decreased. Now he was left with internal injuries that couldn’t be fully treated. For every attack he made, he himself would sustain injuries… This piece of information flashed across Meng Qi’s mind. From the look of it, it certainly didn’t seem false!
Green Cultivator had already used his Exterior-level killer move just now, so it had to have brought himself significant damage!
He practiced the Chilling Palm, which had its own countercharge. If he continued to attack, his blood and blood vessels would probably all freeze and slow his movements…
Judging from his strength and realm, Green Cultivator would be able to hold out for a long time and use his ultimate move only when the timing was right if he used a regular palm stroke instead. However, thanks to the deceit by Meng Qi’s Eight Nine Mysteries that allowed him to kill Soul-losing Flute, he was forced to use it to save her life. The sudden countercharge that he experienced was definitely severe!
In other words, Green Cultivator wouldn’t be able to hold on for much longer. He would try to finish the battle as soon as possible and thus bust out his Exterior-level move again. Then, before the countercharge took full effect, he would use his Lightness Skill to escape from Flame-scorching Devilman and buy time to recover.
The situation had changed, and so had Green Cultivator’s mentality. If Meng Qi didn’t carefully grasp this point, he would definitely die!
Meng Qi’s heart was like still water as if he could easily see everything reflected in it. As his cry of “Who wants to volunteer?” Reverberated throughout the forest, his blade was already flying toward Flame-scorching Devilman.
He would pretend to fight Flame-scorching Devilman, but actually attack Green Cultivator!
That was the plan Meng Qi had decided on!
Flame-scorching Devilman and Green Cultivator weren’t standing together because they had been trying to block Meng Qi’s escape just now. Hence, when Meng Qi unpredictably charged at Flame-scorching Devilman, the other glided closer like an apparition. He moved at a terrifying speed and made effortless turns.
Based on his Lightness Skill alone, he was undefeatable. He could attack others, but no one would be able to land a finger on him. Even if he really was no match for his opponent, he could quickly flee.
If he didn’t have any internal injuries or suffer the countercharge, he alone would have been enough to force Meng Qi to use up all his tricks to stand a survival chance. However, if he didn’t have internal injuries, he wouldn’t have accepted the request to surround and attack Meng Qi. The world worked in its own wondrous ways.
Flame-scorching Devilman was mildly shocked as he watched Meng Qi’s floating figure. It was like an evil spirit, ominous and indescribable. It also gave off a different feeling from the Golden Bell Shield or the Eight Nine Mysteries. However, he didn’t panic. He suddenly struck and caused the dark red to quake. Scorching flames wrapped around his blade as he drove it to the left side of Meng Qi’s neck.
That was the flaw he had noticed.
Though he didn’t know as much as Meng Qi did when it came to Knife Dao, he had still immersed himself in it for several years and could be considered a master of it. He struck without warning and had the knife aimed just nice at the weak point of the Hallucination Body Movements. It was as if Meng Qi was being naturally drawn toward the magical knife.
He hadn’t chosen to attack another flaw because he had determined, through their previous spar, that Meng Qi was donning a relatively strong soft armor. On top of that, Meng Qi was able to harden his physical body. Attacking his torso would very likely give him the chance to counterattack and break through their entrapment.
Meng Qi’s figure continued to change in such a logic-defying way that Green Cultivator was unable to lock onto it or attack from a distance. He hadn’t put up any defenses against Flame-scorching Devilman but was aiming to repel it with his own attack. His saber cleaved towards the side of Flame-scorching Devilman’s torso. It was exceedingly swift like a silver streak of lightning. The flash of light had barely appeared when the saber was already before him!
From the Nine Strategies Beyond the Swords, offense was the best defense!
Flame-scorching Devilman knew that Meng Qi was known for being an enlightened-Acupores master of bladesmanship. He had already expected his actions. With a slight shift of his body and a stroke of his blade, there was a resounding collision between his knife and the Heaven Inflicted Pain. His Knife Momentum was continuous as it wrapped Meng Qi’s saber. Its main objective was defense, delaying Meng Qi until Green Cultivator rushed over. Flame-scorching Devilman had no intention of using his full force.
Meng Qi kept on changing his direction and position. Flashes of light were continuously seen as he struck six consecutive times. Every stroke forced the Flame-scorching Devilman to defend himself and demonstrated the essence of bladesmanship. It was as if they were close to certain laws of heaven and earth—so fast that they resembled lightning or so slow that they concealed countless changes. They appeared as heavy as thunderclaps or as vast as the heavens and undulated like tidal waves, or directly aimed at one’s soul. It could be considered Meng Qi’s best bladesmanship.
At the boundary between life and death, Meng Qi’s bladesmanship exploded with all the power and potential it had been accumulating. It felt like perfection that was effortlessly wielded.
Flame-scorching Devilman was covered in a sheen of sweat from blocking and defending left and right all this while. He had finally managed to hold his ground, but he couldn’t help feeling a hint of fear creeping up on him. If he had faced Meng Qi on his own without assistance, he would probably end up dead by the end of their battle.
Green Cultivator had already neared them. Meng Qi’s extraordinary Body Movements made him move around like an apparition, swift and ever-changing and logic-defying. It was so bizarre that Green Cultivator was unable to target him and thus didn’t dare to use his killer move lest he affected Flame-scorching Devilman.
Though he had no qualms about killing Flame-scorching Devilman, severely injuring someone who had been helping him kill the enemy would land him in a dire situation. He knew he couldn’t kill Meng Qi on his own.
However, his Lightness Skill was truly as magical as it was known for being. He changed along with Meng Qi as if he had entered his body and mimicked his moves. He was able to quickly lock onto Meng Qi and raised his two palms while his face turned greener.
Just then, Meng Qi yelled,
“Die!”
Meng Qi’s scream startled the both of them, his thundering scream rocking their Vital Spirits and making them dizzy.
Already driven into a corner by the six blade strikes, Flame-scorching Devilman did his best to control his quivering. He subconsciously chose to deflect the strike in defense, afraid that Meng Qi would take the chance to execute his killer move.
The Heaven Inflicted Pain vanished before Flame-scorching Devilman’s eyes. Meng Qi had already turned around and swung his blade down. He performed a total of nine strikes in quick succession, each one bringing forth a wild purple dragon. Thunder spread everywhere, crushing one another until their rumbling meshed with Meng Qi’s thundering screams.
The nine thunder dragons converged and wound around one another, crackling non-stop. It was extremely fierce and unyielding, resembling a large wheel rolling toward Green Cultivator to crush him.
Being attacked by Green Cultivator’s Exterior-level move was entirely different from forcing him to use it in defense—this was especially true in Meng Qi’s current circumstances!
Meng Qi had exhausted all his mental energy after that strike of his. Blood was flowing out of his eyes and nose.
He activated the Sacrifice Formula and quickly replenished his mental energy.
Green Cultivator was already suffering from internal injuries in the first place. Meng Qi’s thundering scream had shaken him into a state of trance. By the time he had snapped out of it, the rumbling sounds were resounding and the purple thunderclap was advancing toward him at breakneck speed. The stroke was so fast and close that it was impossible for him to evade it with his Lightness Skill.
The green tint on his face deepened as he slowly pushed his palms out. Under the influence of the thunderclap, his movements were sluggish. Yet it was enough to make one feel like hell could be frozen over.
Feathery snow suddenly flew in the air, drifting down softly to blanket the ground in its quiet whiteness.
Pow!
The slow-looking palm strike overtook the purple thunder dragon and hit it. The thunderclap solidified and shattered in an instant. Green Cultivator’s palms made contact with the body of the Heaven Inflicted Pain.
The silvery white sword slowed and a layer of frost encrusted the blade. Thankfully, Meng Qi had been using a Precious Weapon. Any other regular Refined Weapon would have frozen and broken into pieces.
Pu!
Blood spewed from Meng Qi’s mouth. The blood was tinted green. He was slightly weaker than Green Cultivator, so it was inevitable that the coldness would invade his body if he went head to head with him. Fortunately, he still had his Eight Nine Mysteries, Golden Bell Shield, and Immortal Pressing Art.
At that point in time, he used his soul like a mirror to reflect Green Cultivator’s genuine Qi flow and the response of his muscles. Though it was blurry, he was able to see it unlike when it had been frozen previously.
Was Green Cultivator’s countercharge from that move so severe that he had fallen to a lower realm? How could he only be at the Nine Acupores level now?
Realization hit Meng Qi all of a sudden. He gritted his teeth and thrust his sword forward without caring about Flame-scorching Devilman’s attack from behind.
His plan had been to activate the Purple Thunder Force and force Green Cultivator to use his Exterior-level killer move to counter his attacks. That would cause him to suffer a serious countercharge and make his body more rigid. For a moment, he wouldn’t be able to catch up to Meng Qi. Meng Qi would then spin around and strike with a near-Exterior level move. Even if he couldn’t kill Flame-scorching Devilman, he would be able to push him into using his moves and force him into a defensive mode with his injured body.
Finally, he would seize the opportunity to muster up the last of his strength and flee before the effects of the Sacrifice Formula disappeared.
However, Green Cultivator’s countercharge was far more grievous than he had thought. Hence, he changed his plan.
Meng Qi was going to kill Green Cultivator while he was sick. He wasn’t going to allow him to escape using his Lightness Skill and get a chance to recover!
His sword light was brilliantly radiant. There were no variations or routes for retreat. His mind and sword power combined into one and, in a fleeting moment, snatched a wisp of ominous sense hidden between heaven and earth.
Green Cultivator’s blood and blood vessels were almost completely frozen. He wasn’t able to catch his breath and activate the Dharma Access of his Blood Essence. With a glide, he attempted to retreat backward to allow himself to thaw. He believed that Flame-scorching Devilman behind him wouldn’t leave him to die at such a critical moment.
Naturally, Flame-scorching Devilman didn’t let him down. Meng Qi had his back facing him and concentrated all his attention on Green Cultivator. Why would Flame-scorching Devilman pass up such a good opportunity to kill him?
He swung out his demonic blade in an unsophisticated manner without any tremors. Everything was kept within as if hiding a massive fire capable of razing the entire forest to the ground. The blade cleaved Meng Qi’s neck and the surrounding skin turned red from black as if flames were threatening to burst from within.
Since he was using an Exterior-level killer move, he needed to take Meng Qi down in one strike.
Out of the blue, a blade appeared right before his eyes. It was strangely shaped like a wound and its wielder was holding a sword in his left hand. How could Meng Qi, who was already using his last resort, still be able to divide his attention and wield his saber?
The shock came too suddenly. Flame-scorching Devilman was unable to change his move and ended up getting struck by Meng Qi’s saber.
Clang!
The sound of the colliding metal was quiet. That saber only possessed little genuine Qi, but used to wondrous effect. Meng Qi had perfectly grasped the timing and gently pushed the demonic blade away. That prevented it from cutting his neck and sliced his back near his left arm instead.
Meng Qi’s Soft Fish-scaled Armor tore apart. His pale golden glow was entirely destroyed, revealing his wounds. His flesh and blood were suddenly set ablaze and the searing pain sank deeper into his body. His spine, resembling a dragon or snake, was exposed to Flame-scorching Devilman.
The sword light was so indescribably beautiful. It was faster than the rigid Green Cultivator’s Lightness Skill, illuminating everything in his sight.
Flame-scorching Devilman didn’t actually strike?
A squelching sound could be heard as the sword pierced Green Cultivator’s mid-brows. The otherworldly beauty of the sword light remained in his vision as he collapsed in shock.
Meng Qi made use of the momentum to leap forward and evade Flame-scorching Devilman’s subsequent attack. Receiving the full blow of his Exterior-level killer move had rendered him critical injuries. His spine had almost been hit, which would have caused his limbs to be paralyzed.
Furthermore, his Golden Bell Shield was broken and could no longer minimize the damage he took. If he had not divided his attention at the critical moment and used both his arms, he would probably have ended up dead like Green Cultivator.
Though his injuries were severe, Meng Qi’s momentum didn’t diminish in the slightest. He flipped around just in time to see Green Cultivator crash to the ground and Flame-scorching Devilman looking on with disbelief. Blood spattered as Meng Qi repressed the flames.
He hollered, “Another one!”
“I can only hold on for ten breaths.”
Meng Qi’s left arm sagged down lifelessly as he raised his saber with his other hand. He was covered in bloodstains, his gashes looked horrific, and his hair was an unsightly mess. He resembled the Evil Lord himself.
“But within these ten breaths, I’ll kill you!”