Chapter 108: Suppression With One Hand
In the Jianghu, those who study the sword and use the sword are as numerous as cattle hairs, but swordsmen who use soft swords as weapons are extremely rare.
This is only because the soft sword is difficult to control; if one is not careful, it will not harm the enemy but harm oneself instead. Those who have not reached an extremely high level of force control and agile body techniques dare not use it lightly.
But that soft sword, when in Elder Baiyu’s hand, seemed to become part of his body, as flexible as an arm, following his heart’s desire. With a flick of the wrist, the sword light split apart, instantly unfolding into an airtight sword momentum.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle!
The sword edge trembled rapidly, tearing through the air. Arc lines like electric lights crisscrossed, covering the sky like a spider web, sealing off all space for Hong Yuan to dodge and maneuver.
This Elder of the Zhongyu Sect was clearly furious and struck without mercy, determined to cut the young man before him into dozens or hundreds of fragments.
He had reason to do so.
The Zhongyu Sect had been silent for many years, and today it emerged under Wei Qingfeng’s leadership to restore its former glory and make the Zhongyu Sect great again.
Hong Yuan’s actions were undoubtedly stepping on the Zhongyu Sect’s face.
This was not just about beating a few true disciples; it concerned the sect’s dignity.
But just as his sword net was laid out, a wine pot shot through the air with a boom, crashing into a mass of dazzling sword light.
Even though Elder Baiyu’s soft sword technique excelled in changes and still had at least a dozen follow-ups, no matter whether it was wrapping with the soft sword, cutting, point strikes, stabbing, chopping… after all sorts of flashy changes, it would ultimately converge to a single point.
Sword edge!
This wine pot precisely sealed off all changes, smashing fiercely onto the sword edge.
Clang!
Amid the huge crashing sound, the wine pot exploded instantly, fragments scattering in all directions.
Elder Baiyu’s pupils shook violently, his face twisting in pain. Intense agony transmitted from his wrist, causing his mind to blur as if he saw a bronze war chariot on the battlefield, carrying fierce fire and whistling toward him.
The sword net shattered in an instant. The soft sword curled back, the rebounding force making his body tremble, his qi and blood boiling inside, and the gathered force suddenly dispersing.
Clang!
As the soft sword flew from his hand and fell to the ground, Elder Baiyu spat out a mouthful of blood with a ‘pu’, his body flying backward.
As soon as the wine pot left his hand, Hong Yuan didn’t even glance at it. He spread his large hand wide and reached out with incredible speed.
In mid-air, Hong Yuan’s one hand collided with the incoming wind and thunder double palms, emitting only a short sound, then the two figures crossed paths.
“Junior Brother!”
Elder Qingyu steadied his stance, his face extremely ugly. He hadn’t expected his junior brother to be defeated in less than one exchange.
The martial artists gathered in the inner enclosure of Fulong Manor, as well as those few Zhongyu Sect true disciples, found it even more unbelievable.
What Elder Qingyu didn’t know was that in the instant they clashed just now, some of his force had been absorbed by Hong Yuan. At this moment, while analyzing it, a smile appeared on his face: “This palm technique is somewhat interesting. What is it called?”
Elder Qingyu’s expression was extremely grave, his eyes showing wariness: “Who exactly are you?”
“Does it matter who I am?” Hong Yuan smiled faintly and took a step forward: “I happen to have a ‘Diamond Palm’ as well. Come! Let’s exchange a few more moves.”
Before the words finished, his figure flashed, and Hong Yuan was already in front of Elder Qingyu, flatly pushing out one palm.
There was no majestic momentum of wind and thunder, not even a ripple in the airflow. It was like a child’s casual thrust, but Elder Qingyu’s eyelids twitched, and he suddenly retreated.
After one retreat, Elder Qingyu stepped forward, his force bursting out. He circled from the side, swinging both palms, boiling airflow surging up, once again pressing toward Hong Yuan’s entire body.
One palm forced open the air, striking straight forward without flourish. The two fought together again, instantly sending sand and stones flying, fierce winds raging.
In the arena, two figures flashed rapidly. Amid the surging force, muffled thuds rang out continuously.
The more Elder Qingyu fought, the more shocked he became. He had already used his full power, pushing his palm technique to the limit, deploying all sorts of exquisite changes, but the opponent responded from start to finish with a single palm, direct and straightforward.
‘Hm… this ‘Zhongyu Sect’s force method has the flavor of spiral force, but emphasizes penetration force more…’
A grandmaster martial artist at the force microscopic level would be considered a great master anywhere in the world, but for the current Hong Yuan, he could suppress them casually.
The reason for exchanging moves with this Elder Qingyu was merely to discern their martial arts.
At this moment, he clearly sensed that when Elder Qingyu’s palm struck his, strands of force imperceptibly seeped into his body, entwining with his own qi and blood.
Qi and blood are inherently the purest essence; if mixed with impurities, they become difficult to refine into force.
If one were unfamiliar with Zhongyu Sect martial arts, even a grandmaster martial artist of the same level as Elder Qingyu would, if not careful and allowing the force to seep in, face a moment of life and death when the qi and blood became even slightly obstructed during intense combat.
Unfortunately, this penetration force, as subtle as moisturizing things silently, met Hong Yuan. Not only was it useless, but he didn’t even need to use force concealment to absorb the opponent’s force.
Because the opponent directly ‘delivered’ it!
The opponent’s force circulation technique was quickly analyzed and learned by Hong Yuan.
‘The collection now has another microscopic level force technique… no matter what it was originally called, I’ll just name it ‘Zhongyu Force’. Anyway, what I pick up… belongs to me!’
“And now, it’s time to end it!” Hong Yuan sighed softly, then his figure surged forward, one palm blasting open Elder Qingyu’s hands.
As the latter’s midsection was wide open, his palm momentum didn’t stop, and his five fingers suddenly touched his chest.
Elder Qingyu’s face changed in horror, his heart crying out ‘my life is over’, and then dense, thread-like aura seeped in, suddenly invading his limbs and body.
‘This is penetration force?’
The thought flashed through Elder Qingyu’s mind, and in the next instant, his whole body stiffened, falling straight backward rigidly.
Before he hit the ground, a figure flashed, and Hong Yuan was already behind him, pinching his neck like lifting a kitten. Then with another leap, he also captured Elder Baiyu in his grasp.
Whoosh!
Everyone saw him holding one in each hand, grabbing Zhongyu Sect’s Elders Qingyu and Baiyu. Flashing between leaps, he vaulted onto the high rooftop ridge, his clear voice drifting down with the wind.
“The Zhongyu Sect’s reputation is overstated; it truly disappoints me.”
“You lot go tell that Wei Qingfeng to roll back to wherever he came from.”
Before the words finished, the person had already vanished.
Hong Yuan did this purely to enrage Wei Qingfeng. He had no interest in running to the front lines to search everywhere for Wei Qingfeng’s whereabouts; better to capture the Zhongyu Sect elders and force the opponent to come back.
As for whether he would return, that was certain.
If the Zhongyu Sect sect leader Wei Qingfeng didn’t show up after his elders were captured in front of hundreds of martial artists, that would truly destroy his prestige and face.
The consequences would not be lighter than losing the status of Mingzhou’s three major sects decades ago.
In Fulong Manor, two or three hundred martial artists were all plunged into shock. It was a long while before a ‘boom’ of clamor erupted, everyone with varied expressions, occasionally glancing at the few Zhongyu Sect true disciples.
Those few Zhongyu Sect true disciples no longer had their former arrogance, looking as if they were bereaved.
“Elder!”
“Quickly send a message to notify the sect leader!”
