"En la montaña y fuera de ella, hay trampa detrás de trampa, cálculo tras cálculo. ¿Cómo puede haber una vida sin preocupaciones en el campo de nubes y aguas? En este mundo material desbordante y las circunstancias cambiantes del tiempo, solo el corazón humano se mantiene invariable."
Jiang Hao suspiró, mientras observaba que el deteriorado valle parecía un lugar muy extraño. Por ejemplo, cada vez que veía una mesa, recordaba la ocasión en que había tomado alcohol temprano. Cada vez que pasaba por el patio del mayordomo Zhu Liang, se paraba a charlar brevemente. Si salía a pasear por la noche, podría ver un grupo de personas con palillos de bambú en la boca... Cuando bajaba de la montaña, el viejo ascenso no parecía echar de menos nada; y si abandonaba el Elixir Vaso Oeste, tampoco lo deseaba, pero cuando volvía al Vaho Esplendoroso, se daba cuenta de que los viejos dioses no tenían mucho interés en beber con él.
Chen Guangyuan masticaba sus nueces mientras decía: "Ma Suwu, también eres un simple guerrero. Podrías aprender del joven."
Ma Suwu murmuró: "No veo claramente, no puedo aprenderlo."
Chen Guangyuan le espetó con fuerza: "¡Qué?!"
¿Acaso los guerreros de nuestra generación son tan débiles y desanimados que tememos ser golpeados hasta la muerte?!
Ma Suwu se despertó bruscamente, comprendiendo finalmente a quién se refería. La joven que estaba al lado era la misma Peiqian del Vaho Esplendoroso!
Peiqian respiró profundamente y dijo con calma: "Justo por ser difícil de aprender es precisamente por eso que debes intentarlo. Cuando veas una buena técnica, abre los ojos y concéntrate."
No sabía si era debido a su presencia poderosa, pero Ma Suwu se sintió mareado y casi le pidió que se hincara para ser su discípula.
En el barco imitación de un barco espada de la Gran Roca, también había un confidente cercano del Señor Monte. No era una fuerza sólida ni fiel, pero el Señor Monte no confiaba en que controlara ese truco secreto. Sin embargo, ya se estaba haciendo tarde y el barco estaba lleno de ruido. El Señor Monte y su gente estaban a punto de entrar en conflicto con los bandidos que habían entrado ilegalmente en el área prohibida. Este hombre aún tenía tiempo para estar en la cabina del barco, en la cama, extendiendo una pierna fuera de las cortinas de seda.
No se sabía qué tan dolorosa estaba pasando ahora la dueña de esa pierna, ya que emitía un sonido ahogado y triste.
Un teniente a su lado vino corriendo con noticias: "¡Señor! El chico en blanco que asesinó al Joven Caballero Demonio, ha venido aquí para causar problemas."
El hombre rugió: "¡No te precipites!"
Empujando a dos mujeres de busto grande y agarrándolas firmemente por los pechos, gritó con ira: "¡Púdete! ¡Aquí no se juega a las trampas!"
Se puso rápidamente una túnica y salió del barco, ya que había tomado un lanza de hierro bimetal en el estante de armas. Llevándola con él, gritó: "¡Llévanos a la nave!"
El teniente se enderezó y guió al hombre hacia la proa del barco. El capitán del barco tomó la lanza y apuntó al chico en blanco que tenía los brazos cruzados, y rugió: "¡Niño! ¡No te burles de tu abuelo aquí! ¡Usa tu magia!"
Chen Lingyuan sabía que este capitán era el principal confidente del Señor Monte, llamado Zhao Kui. Incluso la brujería amarilla Huang Ye no conocía bien su fuerza y solo decía que era extremadamente cruel e implacable, particularmente para las mujeres. En ese momento, la única evaluación de Huang Ye fue: si el Gran Maestro se encontrara con este hombre, le mataría sin pensarlo dos veces.
Zhao Kui rió fríamente: "¡Qué estúpida esencia del libro! ¡Cuántos tontos que no comprenden lo que hacen han caído fácilmente en mis manos! Ahora te haré pagar."
Corrió con rapidez y apuntó al chico con una lanza, haciendo aparecer un filo de hielo en el extremo.
Chen Lingyuan había visto demasiados maestros de artes marciales a lo largo de los años, en la montaña deteriorada.
Por ejemplo, según los dicentes, las lanzas temían los movimientos de cabeza, y las bengalas temían los golpes directos. La lanza era una extensión del brazo del guerrero, y el manejo de círculos especial era particularmente útil para derribar todas las técnicas.
El manejo de lanza de este individuo era tan malo que Chen Lingyuan solo pudo pensar que no valía la pena mirarlo.
Sin decir una palabra más, Chen Lingyuan cruzó los brazos y se quedó inmóvil. No esquivó ni se defendió, simplemente se arrojó directamente hacia el frente.
En un instante, la lanza se rompió en pedazos al chocar con su cabeza.Zhao Ku witnessed the long spear shattering repeatedly, his heart filled with astonishment. Still, he increased his strength, unwilling to believe that a cultivator proficient only in flashy spells could possess such resilient physique. Zhao Ku let out an angry roar and mobilized a pure essence of true qi, pouring all his fist intent into his arm through the middle part of the spear shaft, turning it into an invincible golden body—it would be broken too!
Man, that long spear had shattered almost in half, but the boy in blue still stood where he was. Zhao Ku saw those cold eyes, which were truly unsettling; his fear made him lose all aura. Just as Zhao Ku wanted to grip the broken spear and retreat, the boy in blue extended his hand and casually summoned a long sword from one of the captains' sheaths. It wasn't held in his hands but instead flicked twice with two fingers before swinging it towards Zhao Ku, instantly piercing through his chest. The momentum was immense; he felt like an ice-cold spear went through him, knocking him against the wall. He cursed; this broken sword had bound dao qi! Although a ghost entity, it wasn't fatal.
The boy in blue did not summon any defensive talismans or perform any spells; he simply relied on his bodily strength!
This youth who should have been playing with a bird and wearing diapers was unfazed, walking steadily towards the captain of the ferry boat.
Zhao Ku's heart filled with terror as he tried to pull out the long spear from his chest while throwing the broken half at an opponent.
Chen Lingyuan grabbed the long spear, his wrist trembled, and it broke into several pieces before he swept a sleeve and pierced Zhao Ku's shoulders and abdomen like nailing them on a wall.
"Move aside!"
A sturdy man clad in mountain talisman armor held a cavalry saber and stepped forward to strike at the boy in blue.
The man still didn't dodge the sharp edge, rebounding violently off his head with the saber blade splitting open. The warrior let out an angry shout as he gripped the saber tightly, slashing fiercely towards the youth's head even faster this time. The sword was slightly crooked but struck the planks of the ferry boat instead, proving not that the warrior lacked strength or sharpness in his weapon, but that the boy in blue's body was too resilient, making "bulletproof" seem mundane.
Chen Lingyuan merely swept a sleeve and sliced through the man with a saber in half.
Some fierce ghost entities proficient in spells attacked the boy in blue with various offensive spells and tools.
Chen Lingyuan remained indifferent; he only thought that two of these spells seemed suspiciously cowardly, barely scratching him. He kicked a long sword lying on the ground, picked it up, and held it single-handedly as he walked towards the captain leaning against the wall.
Recalling something, Chen Lingyuan hastily threw away the long sword; he feared it being used by the Sword Daoists like Mi Yu for their amusement, having often mocked Pai Qian's crazy sword techniques.
Chen Lingyuan scanned his surroundings and picked up a broadsword from the deck of the ferry boat. However, it felt light as if he were holding nothing at all—unsatisfactory.
It seemed that he needed to find a better weapon.
Chen Lingyuan casually threw the saber and hit Zhao Ku's crotch.
Although Zhao Ku was a ghost entity, they required enough sturdy physical form to walk in broad daylight. Thus, being wounded by common weapons caused pain even if not fatal. The weapons were no ordinary ones; most came from various national armories. Therefore, the captain Zhao Ku lying on the ground, despite his severe injuries, looked like he was suffering immensely.
The youth in blue laughed and shook his head carelessly, saying, "Fight it out then, who's afraid?"
The man was enraged and said with gritted teeth, "Enough! An old Immortal who relies on power and a dragon that dares to look down on the locals—let’s see who lives through this!"
Chen Lingyuan sneered, "So many words, go away."
Seeing no chance for reconciliation, the man recited a fragment of daoist incantation from an ancient Sichuan secret realm. He needed to ask Lord Shen for an additional treasure.
Wow, he seemed to have some dao qi; jumping into the cloud sea, it looked like he was desperate and used the power of nature.
The clouds churned like boiling water before dissipating to reveal a colossal golden statue towering hundreds of feet high, seated cross-legged with dark eyes staring down at the tiny ferry boat. A massive hand slammed down, its veins as thick as streams.
In contrast, the boy in blue standing on the deck was small like a mustard seed; the gales blew, his sleeves flapping loudly.
Chen Lingyuan looked up at the golden statue and said with burning eyes, "Trying to scare me?"
A green light traced an arc towards the sky before revealing a layered cloud sea. Instantly, a colossal dragon as large as a mountain, its golden eyes shining, stretched out from the clouds, pressing down on the golden statue's head, making it bow repeatedly.
Outside the pavilion, Mi Li grain-sized eyes widened with disbelief; Jing Qing was this powerful?
Chen Ping stood up, clapped his hands, walked out of the pavilion, and descended a few steps. He stopped to look back at the pavilion.
Jing Hao told Wang Xian not to get up but followed Mr. Chen alone, saying, "Jing Qing's friend made such a commotion; it must have called for reinforcements."
Chen Ping remained silent.
Jing Hao felt somewhat strange; this Mr. Chen was like far away and yet very close.
This lean, dark-skinned young man in straw sandals had walked from Mud Bottle Lane to here, growing into a spirited scholar-cultivator, now seated on the pavilion he named "Let This Heart Rest for a Moment," year after year of spring and autumn. The hardships or joys were his own; in summary, not to disappoint those who held high hopes.
Man is grass, the seasons are transient; I once dreamed freely.