Kumochi

Tang Xuan suddenly spoke, drawing everyone’s attention to him.

Both “Sun San” and Abi were taken aback; this man had come to visit the Murong family, and, unlike the great monk and Young Master Duan, clearly walked a different path. Why, then, was he suddenly speaking on Young Master Duan’s behalf?

Jiumozhi shot Tang Xuan a glance and said coolly, “If I wish to burn him alive, I doubt he could resist.” He implied not only that Duan Yu could not resist, but that any outsider who tried to intervene would be equally powerless.

Tang Xuan smiled. “Master, you say Young Master Duan has memorized the entire Six Meridian Divine Sword manual. But considering how formidable this sword art is, if he truly knew how to wield it, do you think he would submit to you so easily?”

Jiumozhi raised his brows in mild surprise; he had not expected this young man to be familiar with the Six Meridian Divine Sword’s reputation.

He smiled faintly. “You know only part of the story. Young Master Duan’s acupoints have been sealed by me—he cannot channel his inner strength.”

Tang Xuan shook his head gently. “That is a difficult claim to accept. Why not unseal Young Master Duan’s acupoints and let him demonstrate the Six Meridian Divine Sword for us?”

Sun San agreed, “That makes sense. Until we see it for ourselves, who can say whether it’s true or not?”

Jiumozhi narrowed his eyes and nodded. “Very well, let us try.”

With that, he raised his palm and lightly struck several points on Duan Yu’s back, chest, and legs. As the blows landed, Duan Yu felt the blockages in his meridians melt away; blood flowed smoothly once more, and with a breath, his inner energy circulated freely.

He attempted to follow the Six Meridian Sword’s method for the Zhongchong Sword, channeling his power into the middle finger’s Zhongchong acupoint. At once, his finger grew hot—he knew that with a flick, sword energy would burst forth.

Duan Yu was overjoyed. Though he did not understand why these strangers spoke up for him and goaded Jiumozhi into unsealing his acupoints, he was nonetheless grateful. Yet the thought of Jiumozhi’s formidable skills—coming and going freely in Heavenly Dragon Temple—made Duan Yu smile bitterly. Even with his acupoints unsealed and a halting grasp of the Six Meridian Divine Sword, he was no match for this great monk. No wonder Jiumozhi had agreed so readily—he had nothing to fear.

Jiumozhi said blandly, “Young Master Duan, since no one believes you’ve mastered the Six Meridian Divine Sword, please show us your skill. As I have done, cut a branch from that osmanthus tree.”

As he spoke, he sliced his left palm through the air, channeling true energy in a move from the “Flaming Blade.” With a crisp crack, a branch from the tree outside the hall fell to the ground as if cleaved by a sword. This invisible force was truly uncanny, impossible to defend against.

Sun San and Abi could not help but cry out in amazement. They had guessed this great monk was highly skilled, but the depth of his power was beyond imagining—even their own Young Master Murong Fu might not compare.

Tang Xuan’s brows rose in admiration—this was truly a master of the seventieth rank or higher, far above mere first-class fighters of the sixtieth rank or below. Jiumozhi had demonstrated his skill with a mere casual move—something ordinary men could never hope to achieve.

Duan Yu, seeing the power of the Flaming Blade, pursed his lips. “I don’t know any martial arts, let alone the Seven Meridian Sword or Eight Meridian Blade! That poor osmanthus tree—why did you destroy it?”

He was loath to reveal the Six Meridian Divine Sword, lest Jiumozhi use it as a pretext to kill him and obtain access to the Water Pavilion.

Jiumozhi said, “If you refuse to display the Six Meridian Divine Sword, does that not make my words seem empty?”

Duan Yu did not reply, his expression stubbornly resigned to death.

Jiumozhi was about to use force when Tang Xuan laughed, “Master, you have fame, power, and unrivaled martial arts. Why not return to Tibet and enjoy your position as National Preceptor in peace? That would be best for you.”

Jiumozhi’s expression darkened. “Insolent youth!” For a master of his caliber, with ambition and a relentless pursuit of martial prowess, how could he tolerate a young man’s condescension?

Tang Xuan smiled lightly. “Insolence? You would burn a living person alive—what could be more insolent than that?”

Jiumozhi sneered. “Sharp-tongued brat! Take my blade!”

He raised his left palm, unleashing an invisible blade force directly at Tang Xuan’s face.

Tang Xuan was prepared. Facing the Flaming Blade, he raised his own palm to meet it. Golden energy gathered at his hands, and with a thunderous boom, a surge of power exploded within the hall.

“A splendid Vajra Palm!”

Jiumozhi stood, eyes wide with surprise. The Vajra Palm could not be mastered without extraordinary talent, and even in Shaolin Temple, only once in a century did someone succeed. Yet this young man had done so!

Jiumozhi demanded, “Are you a Shaolin disciple?”

“A lay disciple of Shaolin—Tang Xuan,” he replied with a serene smile.

Seeing his calm demeanor, Jiumozhi could not help but sneer. “You think that learning the Vajra Palm entitles you to act out before me?”

As he spoke, he swept his palm forward once more.

Again, the Flaming Blade! But this time, it was not a mere test, nor a casual move born of underestimation. Jiumozhi unleashed eighty to ninety percent of his true power. The Flaming Blade shot from his palm, forming a flame-red, tangible force in midair—dazzling and radiating intense heat.

This was the level befitting a boss of the seventieth rank!

Tang Xuan felt a chill in his heart. In “Grand Wuxia,” experts of the seventieth rank not only had higher levels, but greater attributes; their mastery of supreme techniques far surpassed those in the original tales. The Flaming Blade’s force now stretched over three meters—a truly astonishing sight.

The blade moved like lightning; in the instant Tang Xuan thought, he had already raised both palms. Golden energy flooded his hands—Vajra Palm!

A deafening crash resounded. Tang Xuan grunted, retreating five or six steps before coming to a stop. It was clear that, though his skills could defeat masters of the sixtieth rank like Lord Shang, he was still outmatched by a true boss of the seventieth rank.

Fortunately, Tang Xuan was not without allies. As Jiumozhi launched another full-powered Flaming Blade, Duan Yu beside him shot out his middle finger. True energy erupted from his Zhongchong acupoint with a hissing sound—the very essence of the Zhongchong Sword from the Six Meridian Divine Sword.

Though called invisible, this sword energy was in fact semi-transparent, over three meters long and intimidating in its power.

With a sharp hiss, the sword energy of the Six Meridian Divine Sword and the blade force of the Flaming Blade met in midair. There was no thunderous crash—only the quiet, persistent sound of mutual annihilation.