Chapter 513 - 496: Breakdown
The two went back and forth, putting on a lively show. But it was purely for show; compared to the previous fights, the standard had dropped far too much.
It wasn’t that they weren’t outstanding, but the Sect Leaders hadn’t come to watch this kind of spectacle. The spectating Cultivators, however, were very enthusiastic. A fight like this was more entertaining and a welcome relief from the suffocatingly oppressive battles that came before.
Zhang Xiaopang’s antics were especially comical, as he muttered under his breath while fighting. It truly left Shen Zhenhai exasperated, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He had seen plenty of experts before, but it was rare to find one with this level of strength who still acted like a petty hoodlum.
Shen Zhenhai was in no hurry. He maintained steady control of his Sword Array, waiting for Zhang Xiaojiang to attack. He knew the fatty wasn’t very patient.
Sure enough, seeing Shen Zhenhai’s suppressive attacks weaken, the fatty darted out. His Blast Bow radiated light. When it was time to get vicious, the fatty would absolutely show no mercy.
BOOM...
The Blast Bow fired with a blast.
Shen Zhenhai spun around instantly. The Long Sword in his hand swept out, creating a 360-degree Sword Screen. His left hand formed a spell, and a fierce wind suddenly howled.
Vortex Sword Screen!
The Blast Arrows detonated, but as they neared the Vortex Sword Screen, they were all deflected.
Every move had a counter; it was just a matter of whether one could find it or not.
This was what it meant to be from a prestigious sect. Over their long history, they had seen and learned a great deal. They had techniques for basically any kind of magic or move. It all depended on how much a disciple could learn and how well they could execute it. This was the depth of their heritage.
The Blast Arrows the fatty relied on for survival were countered just that easily.
A blast of Sword Qi shot toward him, and Zhang Xiaopang scrambled to dodge like a frightened, fat rabbit. Shen Zhenhai burst forward in pursuit of Zhang Xiaojiang. This wasn’t the wilderness; there wasn’t infinite space to evade.
Before Shen Zhenhai could make a second lunge, Zhang Xiaojiang escaped again. But Shen Zhenhai, still in mid-air, only swayed slightly.
A mere feint had scared Zhang Xiaopang into running away. To be honest, Shen Zhenhai admired the strength and domineering presence of the Holy Hall Disciples, but this Little Fatty was an exception. ’How did a guy like this get in? Was it just his talent?’
’Talent is good, but one rotten apple can spoil the bunch. Strength and willpower are what matter most. Possessing great talent without courage is even more contemptible.’
Shen Zhenhai raised his sword, and Elemental Power surged into it continuously. He expanded his Heart Spirit, blanketing the entire Dueling Platform. Every single movement on it was absorbed into his senses. At this level, combining one’s Heart Spirit with Elemental Power was the mark of a true state of mastery.
After a few breaths, Shen Zhenhai’s eyes snapped open, and a vast wave of Sword Qi blasted out.
BOOM...
The ground burst open, and Zhang Xiaojiang was blasted out in a pathetic state, scrambling and crawling as he ran.
He didn’t have a shred of heroic dignity. The other Holy Hall Disciples, even in defeat, had been imposing. This...
The domineering reputation Wang Meng had built was about to be completely squandered by this "good brother" of his.
The Holy Hall Beings showed no reaction. They were used to it. This was just how Zhang Xiaojiang had always been, no matter how strong he got. It was his nature, nothing to be said or concerned about.
But the others didn’t think so. Jeers immediately erupted from the crowd. It wouldn’t normally have been this bad, but the higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. The Holy Hall was so glorious; how could it have produced a coward like Zhang Xiaojiang?
It was a matter of his fundamental disposition.
A slight smile touched the corners of Shen Zhenhai’s mouth. He pressed forward with his Sword Qi, sending Zhang Xiaopang scrambling in a panic. Once his Earth Escape Skill was seen through, the fatty began to lose his composure.
The Earth Escape Skill was a special magic for those with an Earth Attribute constitution, but it wasn’t unique. Especially in the Battle of the Other Shore, using it once was fine, but there would inevitably be countermeasures for it later. Sometimes, one’s greatest strength could also become their greatest weakness.
Zhang Xiaojiang dodged, his chubby body swaying, and his eyes turned silver.
This was his ace in the hole: the formidable Eye of Truth.
The Eye of Truth was most effective at countering Bow Cultivators, but it also held an advantage against Sword Cultivators. In Zhang Xiaojiang’s eyes, Shen Zhenhai’s image had completely changed. He was now a body of colors—bright spots and dark spots, with the dark spots being his weaknesses.
Likewise, the Eye of Truth could adjust his arrow speed, increasing it to a point where his opponent couldn’t possibly dodge, pushing him toward his absolute limits.
A smile appeared on Shen Zhenhai’s face. His left hand formed a spell as he pointed his sword at Zhang Xiaojiang.
—Wind God Radiant Sword!
HUMMM...
Shen Zhenhai became as bright as the sun. The sword in his hand erupted with a blindingly intense light. Even the Cultivators far from the Dueling Platform found their vision going completely white, but they were able to shut their eyes instantly.
But the Eye of Truth could not.
Once opened, the Eye of Truth could not be closed so quickly.
The Sect Leaders in the stands smiled. Finally, a move with some technical substance. Shen Zhenhai was indeed fighting with the style of a prestigious sect. With a solid foundation of strength, it became easy to target an opponent’s weaknesses. Relying on talent alone was not enough.
The disciples of the Wind God Sect let out a huge sigh of relief. Their Senior Brother Shen, hailed as the most well-rounded disciple of the Wind God Sect, had the nickname "the Actuary." As long as an opponent revealed their full strength, defeat was their only option. He would always find a flaw and formulate a counter.
This was a targeted counter!
Zhang Xiaojiang had been completely countered. This was why many experts in the Battle of the Other Shore were reluctant to use their trump cards; they were too easily targeted.
This was true regardless of one’s level of strength. It was the same even for the likes of Wang Meng, Mingren, Lin Jinghao, and Linglong.
Zhang Xiaojiang’s eyes were now completely useless. His surroundings were a field of white, and his ears were ringing.
Shen Zhenhai slashed out with his sword. The battle was over.
SWISH~~~
The sword strike, which should have been a guaranteed hit, missed.
Shen Zhenhai was stunned for a moment. ’Was I careless because I got overconfident?’
He slashed out again. ’Getting hit by the Radiant Sword is like being blinded. He won’t recover for a while. And since his eyes were flashed, his ears will be ringing too. He’s basically been crippled.’
In Zhang Xiaojiang’s world, there was only a void.
Facing countless Demon Statues, how could one defend? How could one shoot them down? Zhang Xiaopang couldn’t just hide behind his brothers and watch them use their bodies as shields. His attack range was the widest, and he killed until his hands went numb. After firing a million arrows, anyone who hadn’t gone mad could be considered a master.
During those difficult years fighting the Demon Statues, the main attacker wasn’t Hu Jing. Hu Jing was responsible for defense, as was Suo Ming. A Sword Cultivator’s attack range was limited. Zhang Xiaojiang was the real killing machine.
He had to attack, he had to be accurate, and he had to have precise killing power.
’That’s right, I have to rely on the Eye of Truth to find the Demon Statues’ weaknesses. But how long can I maintain that special ability? Five minutes? Ten minutes?’
’Is that enough?’
’It’s not!’
Zhang Xiaojiang knew only one thing: every time he made a mistake, Suo Ming would have to take another blow.
But there was nothing he could do; he just kept making mistakes. For the first time, Zhang Xiaojiang realized how pathetic he was. ’Why didn’t I give my all during my training? Why am I always the one holding everyone back when it counts?!’
No one blamed him, but he blamed himself. For half a year, Zhang Xiaojiang never smiled, not even once.
Every attack from the Demon Statues that struck Suo Ming and the others hammered against Zhang Xiaojiang’s heart. If only he could snipe the Demon Statue squad leaders, the formations would break, but he couldn’t do it.
In that situation, he could either retreat into his shell or die. But both were forms of escape. Watching Suo Ming block the attacks time and time again, Zhang Xiaojiang knew what he had to do. No one blamed him; they were brothers. There was only one thought in his mind: ’I can do this. I *must* do this!’
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM...
Streams of Sword Qi exploded around Zhang Xiaojiang, but none of them hit. His dodges were flawless, off by not even a hair’s breadth.
The smile on Zhang Xiaojiang’s face had vanished. Only the Holy Hall Beings knew that overusing the Eye of Truth would cause him to go blind for an extended period. But this was also, paradoxically, when Zhang Xiaojiang was at his most terrifying.
This wasn’t Zhang Xiaojiang. To help his comrades, he had completely buried that part of himself. At this moment, he was a terrifying Bow God!
Zhang Xiaojiang’s back was no longer hunched. He was still the same fatty, but with his eyes closed, his aura was completely different.
In those hellish battles, some people change themselves. Those who cannot change can only bury who they once were.
SWOOSH...
Shen Zhenhai was startled. He instinctively dodged, only to find the arrow was aimed exactly where he was moving.
BOOM...
It struck the body of his sword squarely.
Another arrow. Shen Zhenhai dodged again, but before he could even react, he was hit again. In the exact same spot.
By the third time, it was clearly no coincidence. Only Shen Zhenhai could understand the terror dawning in his heart. It was exactly the same, without the slightest deviation—three arrows hitting the very same spot.
BOOM...
The Long Sword in his hand shattered.
Shen Zhenhai retreated explosively. Zhang Xiaojiang hadn’t moved at all. The Blast Bow in his hands seemed to have a life of its own. Or perhaps, in his perception, Shen Zhenhai was just a target, a mere plaything.
It was so casual, so effortless. An arrow blasted out, and all Shen Zhenhai could do was defend.
It wasn’t that his footwork was being read; it was as if his opponent could predict the future. Whatever his next move, his opponent saw it coming.
If one looked closely, at this moment Zhang Xiaojiang looked remarkably like someone else... Wang Meng.
BOOM...
Shen Zhenhai counterattacked. He had just taken out a new sword and was about to release Sword Qi when another arrow shot toward him—a Rapid Attack Arrow.
POP...
He couldn’t release the Sword Qi!
Complete suppression. The most incredible part was Zhang Xiaojiang’s casual freedom, as if a master were instructing a disciple.
He was literally suppressing Shen Zhenhai to the point of coughing up blood.
Three minutes on stage is worth three years of training offstage.
If the Eye of Truth was talent, then this was the result of the most solid fundamental training.
How could anyone train to reach such a level?
This wasn’t something that could be achieved by mere repetition. There was no shortage of diligent practitioners among Cultivators, but that was useless. One had to truly integrate the skill.
In the Demon Spirit Space, repetition was useless. A technique had to be effective. It *had* to be. Even if it meant death, it had to be effective.
With his eyes closed, Zhang Xiaojiang grew increasingly casual. The arrows in his hand moved so fast only their afterimages were visible, while Shen Zhenhai tumbled about like a puppet on strings.
The arrows stopped. The wind ceased.
The Magic Arena fell silent. Shen Zhenhai stood in tatters, the two words "Holy Hall" torn into the fabric on his chest.
—Holy Hall
If Zhang Xiaopang had been aiming to kill, a hundred of Shen Zhenhai’s lives wouldn’t have been enough.
The fatty stood there, possessing the true majesty of an Arrow God.
Body type and all that is fucking irrelevant! Who says a fatty can’t be a Bow Cultivator!
Shen Zhenhai cried. For some reason, he suddenly broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. He had shattered.
For someone so skilled at insight and analysis to be beaten this badly... every arrow had felt like a stroll past the Ghost Gate. His willpower couldn’t take it anymore.
Death is a terrifying thing. How many people can truly transcend its fear? One might endure it once or twice, but face it too many times and you’ll go mad.
This level of overwhelming power was enough to cause a complete breakdown.
The people who had just been sneering at the fatty now clearly wanted to slap themselves.
’Just what kind of people are in the Holy Hall? What is going on? Each one is more terrifying than the last! What in the world did they experience to become this strong?!’
People saw the faint smiles on the faces of the Holy Hall Beings. They looked like smiles, yet they weren’t.
It was confidence. It was the composure that comes only after walking through a mountain of swords and a sea of fire.
(It’s Monday, asking for all kinds of support! Monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, anything helps ^_^) (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)