A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 178 Evenly matched
Upon seeing that Yu Zheng was actually practicing forbidden techniques, everyone present was stunned, and then their faces turned furious, especially the people from the three factions at the head of the table. Anyone with eyes could see that Yu Zheng was a pawn they had put out, but now this pawn had escaped their control.

Zhuo Yuanhang's face was terribly gloomy. He looked at the Qing Shi Daoist beside him with a questioning expression. Although the latter still tried to remain calm, his heart was already in turmoil. Now he could not clear his name no matter what.

Looking at the appearance of the Qing Shi Dao Ren, Shen Hua pondered for a moment, then unfolded her folding fan and swept it towards Yu Zheng, sending a gust of wind swiftly towards Yu Zheng.

The latter was already trying her best to neutralize Yin Jun's third force. Just as she was slowly neutralizing it, she suddenly saw a gale coming. She gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath. She disregarded everything and forcefully took the gale. At the same time, she reached out and grabbed the wooden box, which was already in her hand.

Not daring to linger, Yu Zheng grabbed the Heavenly Evil Zither and used her lightness skill to rush out. Those around her wanted to stop her, but seeing her ferocious face, they were afraid of losing their lives in vain. Besides, no one above had given the order, so they couldn't overstep their bounds. Those who wanted to make a move all remained seated.

"Iron Guard, take her down!"

At Yin Hao's command, the well-prepared Iron Guards quickly formed a battle formation. Yu Zheng had just rushed out of the main hall when she was immediately caught in the Iron Guards' sword formation. The swords flashed and the air was chilling. A murderous aura immediately enveloped Yu Zheng. Before she could make a move, three long swords, adorned with cold light, attacked Yu Zheng from the upper, middle, and lower parts of her body.

Yu Zheng dodged to the side, slapped the wooden box, and it shattered. With the Heavenly Evil Qin in hand, Yu Zheng's confidence soared. She plucked the five strings and casually strummed a pluck, sending invisible sound blades flying in all directions. The Iron Guard formation was momentarily stunned. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yu Zheng took a hit of sword energy, grunted, and quickly broke free of the formation.

Just as Yu Zheng broke free from the formation, before she could react, a massive palm strike suddenly descended from the sky, its energy surging and dust scattering. Yu Zheng looked horrified and desperately gathered all her true energy in her right palm to meet the attacker head-on.

Upon arriving outside the main hall, the group felt a wave of energy rush towards them. Those with weaker skills were immediately forced back two or three steps, their blood and qi churning, causing them great discomfort.

"This Yu Zheng has cultivated the Bloodthirsty Demon Art, and his skill has indeed greatly improved. Master Yin's palm strike was powerful and vigorous, capable of crushing mountains and uprooting peaks. In the current martial arts world, there are very few people who dare to face it head-on."

"The Bloodthirsty Demon's ability to elevate an ordinary elder to such a level must have its unique aspects. If we could obtain it and improve upon it, his cultivation might advance even further."

"Yin Jun's skill has improved again. Now it seems that even if I were to take this palm strike head-on, the outcome would be only fifty-fifty. If Yin Jun is like this, then what kind of person will Yin Hao be?"

Everyone had different thoughts. Just then, a scream came from the smoke and dust. Then, Yin Jun landed unharmed in front of them, while Yu Zheng was in a terrible state, covered in bloodstains all over her body, especially the wounds on her joints, which were so deep that the bone was visible. Coupled with her appearance, which was like a demon, she looked like a Rakshasa demon, making people tremble with fear.

"Practicing demonic techniques is a capital offense. Daoist Qing Shi, Sect Leader Zhuo, Mountain Master Shen, what should be done with this person?"

"kill!"

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Yuanhang immediately spoke up. Qing Shi Dao Ren and Shen Hua both nodded in agreement. Although they regretted losing a pawn, if they dared to plead for Yu Zheng here today, then the various sects of the martial arts world would have no respect for them.

Seeing the attitude of the three, the various martial arts sects breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a little regretful. If they could capture Yu Zheng and force her to reveal the cultivation method of the Bloodthirsty Demon Art, it would not be a bad thing, since this thing would be of great benefit to improving cultivation.

Seeing this, Yin Hao nodded to Yin Jun, who slowly drew his long sword and took three steps to approach the barely breathing Yu Zheng. Yu Zheng looked at Yin Jun and the people behind him with a sinister expression. Some of them felt their hair stand on end when she looked at them like that.

"Even if I die, I won't let you get away with this!"

With a roar, Yin Jun's expression changed drastically. His long sword pierced towards Yu Zheng's throat like lightning. However, the latter smiled cruelly at him. Her bloodied hands hooked the seven strings of the zither. As her fingers released, the seven strings shot out, and Yu Zheng's body exploded with a bang, scattering into a rain of blood.

"Oh no, it's Blood Rain Returning to Immortals!"

Yin Hao's expression changed drastically. Seeing Yin Jun enveloped in a cloud of blood mist, he reached out and drew his sword, leaping forward and slashing through the air with his sword. The blood mist was immediately dispersed, and Yin Jun, who was trapped inside, seized the opportunity to escape.

However, Yin Jun was unharmed, but most of the people present suffered an undeserved disaster. The blood rained down, and those who were hit suffered unbearable pain. Some were even turned into a pool of blood, which looked horrifying.

Upon seeing this, Qing Shi Dao Ren's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He exchanged a glance with Zhuo Yuan Hang. Yu Zheng's death was indeed timely, providing them with a convenient opportunity. Now that Yu Jian Manor was in chaos, it was the best time to launch a surprise attack.

Qing Shi Dao Ren and Zhuo Yuanhang quickly cleared away the blood rain around them, and at the same time, they took out a signal and released it into the sky. The clear sound attracted the attention of everyone present.

"Master Qing Shi, Sect Leader Zhuo, what are you doing?" Someone noticed something was wrong and asked urgently.

"Qing Shi, Zhuo Yuanhang, you can't hold back anymore so soon?"

Yin Hao waved his hand, signaling the guards to carry the seriously injured man away. He then looked coldly at Qing Shi Dao Ren and Zhuo Yuanhang, glancing at Shen Hua as well. Seeing that the latter did not make any rash moves, he withdrew his gaze.

“Master Yin, I have heard that your Blood Ruyi has the effect of prolonging life. I long for it. If Master Yin is willing to part with it, I can leave you with a whole corpse.”

Hearing the malicious words of the Taoist Qing Shi, Yin Hao responded with a cold stare.

"Just because of the Blood Jade, you two have gone to such lengths. It seems that your years of cultivation have amounted to nothing. Do you really think that you can make the Imperial Sword Manor surrender with just this mere Blood Rain? You're just delusional!"

"Master Yin, there's no point in saying more. The people outside are about to break in, and you've already been poisoned by our sect's 'Yellow Millet Dream Incense.' If you don't have the antidote, you'll lose all your power within half a moment. What do you say?"

"How could this be?" Yin Jun's expression changed upon hearing this. He circulated his true energy and found that there was indeed an unusual force in his dantian that was blocking the generation of true energy and was constantly consuming the remaining true energy in his body.

"It's you!"

Yin Hao stared intently at Shen Hua, who was waving a folding fan. He realized that the poison must have been hidden in that gust of wind just now, which was why everyone present had fallen for it. The method of poisoning was truly silent; even he had been fooled. Despite all the precautions, he had still been tricked.

"If it weren't for Master Shen, it would have been really difficult to trick an old fox like you. Sect Leader Zhuo, Master Shen, stop wasting your breath. Kill them all, and we three sects will divide up this Imperial Sword Manor!"

Seeing his scheme succeed, Qing Shi Dao Ren could no longer contain his excitement. He completely lost his previous demeanor as a Taoist master, leaving everyone astonished and cursing inwardly.

"The Taoist priest is right, let's do it!"

At Zhuo Yuanhang's command, his disciples rushed to attack the people from Yujian Villa. The Iron Guards had been poisoned by the Dream of the Yellow Millet and then corroded by the Blood Rain, which reduced their combat power by several percent. When they encountered the elite disciples of Yanyun Sword Sect, they were at a disadvantage as soon as they started fighting. If it weren't for the advantage of their iron armor and formation, several of them would probably have lost their lives in an instant.

"Master, we are willing to lend a helping hand. Please grant us the antidote."

"Yes, yes, Daoist, we are willing to help. This Imperial Sword Manor is despicable and shameless, and should have been destroyed long ago."

"The Imperial Sword Manor is arrogant and domineering, disregarding the sentiments of the martial world. They destroyed Tianqin Mountain, seized the Tianxie Qin, and murdered Elder Yuzheng. They are simply a cancer in the martial world. The three sects' act of upholding justice is timely, and we are extremely grateful!"

As long as one sect fawns over the others, the rest will follow suit. In no time, ninety percent of the forces have bowed to the three sects. Qing Shi and the other two exchanged smiles. Qing Shi flicked his whisk, revealing the appearance of a wise and enlightened master, and said solemnly, "You are all heroes of the martial world, and you should know about the many evil deeds of the Imperial Sword Manor. Now you have come to your senses and turned back from the brink. It is not too late. Very well, let us join hands and wipe out the Imperial Sword Manor!"

The Taoist Qing Shi distributed a portion of the antidote temporarily. This medicine could only last for half an hour. To completely cure the poison, they would have to continue taking the medicine. However, this was already a great blessing for those opportunistic sects.

Seeing the Imperial Sword Manor forces being routed, Qing Shi and Zhuo Yuanhang were overjoyed. However, Shen Hua, standing to the side, had a solemn expression. So far, the Imperial Sword Manor had suffered no casualties, and the battleground had unknowingly shifted from the main hall to a courtyard.

Shen Hua scanned her surroundings, her expression suddenly changing. The courtyard was incredibly spacious, more than enough to accommodate all of them. Moreover, apart from some low rocks and ordinary trees, there were no other obstructions. If the other side had set up an ambush here, they would become sitting ducks.

"not good!"

Shen Hua cried out in surprise, and just as she was about to call out to the crowd, a series of arrows flew from all directions. Those who were besieging Yujian Manor were hit by arrows and fell to the ground. Qing Shi Dao Ren and Zhuo Yuan Hang also realized that they had fallen into a trap. No wonder things were going so smoothly. Thinking of this, Qing Shi and Zhuo Yuan Hang looked at each other and both saw what the other was thinking.

"If the Imperial Sword Manor had arranged this situation long ago, wouldn't those who attacked from the outside be trapped like turtles in a jar?"

Yin Hao coldly watched the enemies fall to the ground and die one after another. He thought Qing Shi would have some brilliant tricks, but he didn't expect that apart from poisoning, all his other schemes were mediocre.

"Brother, the poison from the Dream of Yellow Millet is not easy to cure; it will take three hours."

“Three hours? I’m afraid they won’t even last an hour. I will personally take the heads of Qing Shi and the other two. You stay here and command the operation. Don’t let a single enemy escape.”

"Yes."

After giving his orders, Yin Hao stared intently at the Qing Shi Daoist in the arena. He drew his sword and leaped forward, unleashing a "Light Sweeps Away the Setting Sun" attack on the Qing Shi Daoist. The latter, who was blocking the flying arrows, suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold. Startled, he glanced at Yin Hao's movements and immediately raised his whisk. Three thousand silver threads spread out like a canopy, firmly locking the sword light in place.

Just as Qing Shi Dao Ren caught Yin Hao's attack, Zhuo Yuanhang and Shen Hua were also entangled and unable to break free for the time being.

Seeing Yin Hao's undisguised killing intent, Qing Shi Dao Ren's eyes shone brightly. He flicked his whisk, and silver threads poured down, enveloping Yin Hao's entire body from all directions. Upon seeing this, Yin Hao flipped his sword and slashed horizontally. Hardness and softness collided with each other. The moment the sword and the threads came into contact, two equally matched forces were simultaneously transmitted to the two men's hands.

Yin Hao and Qing Shi Dao Ren both shuddered, then separated, but before the other could catch his breath, they rushed forward simultaneously while their initial strength was exhausted and their momentum had not yet returned.

The two exchanged only a few moves, but the danger involved was hard for outsiders to understand. If the opponent made the slightest mistake, he would be forced into a disadvantageous position. For such masters, once the initiative was lost, it was very difficult to turn the tide.

Yin Hao's fighting spirit continued to rise. This Qing Shi Dao Ren was indeed a top-tier expert of the Innate Realm. Only by fighting against such an expert could one continue to improve. With these thoughts in mind, his attacks became even more fierce. The silver threads flying everywhere began to curl up and retreat under the pressure of the sword light.

"His retreat is a strategic advance. This Taoist Qing Shi's cultivation has reached a state of perfection. No wonder he has the ability to challenge the Imperial Sword Manor. Brother, you have met a formidable opponent."

Watching the battle gradually stabilize, Yin Jun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. At this rate, these small sects would be wiped out by the Iron Guards within an hour.

Although those three factions were powerful, they were not on their home turf. Given their intentions and their lack of awareness, their defeat and death were only a matter of time.

"Zhuo Yuanhang and Shen Huayou's uncles are more than capable of handling it."

After analyzing the battle situation, Yin Jun turned his attention back to the battle between his elder brother and Qing Shi Dao Ren.

After fighting Yin Hao for a while, Qing Shi Dao Ren realized the strength of his opponent. Although he was younger than him, his strength surpassed his own, which surprised him.

"Yin Hao's swordplay is unstoppable, abandoning all superfluous variations, focusing solely on killing. This is the pure way of the sword. Although it takes the sword to the extreme, its power is extremely strong. It is extremely difficult to surpass him in this aspect. It seems that the only way is to start with variations."

Thinking of this, Daoist Qing Shi raised his whisk against the wind, and thousands of silver threads curled up, weaving an impenetrable barrier that temporarily blocked Yin Hao's vision. Taking advantage of this moment, Daoist Qing Shi flipped his wrist, and a thin, soft sword flew out from his sleeve. Just as Yin Hao blocked the whisk, he collided with the soft sword.

Yin Hao was slightly surprised to see the opponent launch two weapons at once. He had not expected that the opponent had the ability to multitask. When the soft sword and the long sword collided, the soft sword was not bounced off, but instead wrapped tightly around the long sword like a dragon swirling in the sea.

With his weapon locked, Yin Hao seized the opportunity to attack with his whisk. Unperturbed, Yin Hao's robe billowed and suddenly swelled, colliding with the attacking whisk. With a loud bang, half of Yin Hao's robe was torn off, and he staggered back half a step. Qing Shi Dao Ren was also not unscathed; not only was half of the silver threads of his whisk broken, but Yin Hao also forcefully pushed his soft sword away.

"The Daoist's technique of multitasking is truly exquisite, but it has aroused my competitive spirit. It has been a long time since I have fought like this, and I hope the Daoist will not disappoint me!"

As he spoke, Yin Hao brandished his sword with his right hand and unleashed the Mountain-Piercing Palm technique with his left. The combined use of sword and palm created an even more terrifying aura. The surrounding air currents surged uncontrollably in all directions, and amidst the billowing dust, two streams of energy, one hard and one soft, came rushing towards him from the opposite side.

"Good move!"

Yin Hao's right hand held a long sword with a slightly bright blade, reflecting a cold light as it clashed with the whisk. Meanwhile, his left palm pulsed with energy, his hand as smooth as jade, and the soft sword, infused with true qi, was like a divine weapon, capable of cutting through gold and jade. However, to Qing Shi Dao Ren's horror, when his own sword struck Yin Hao's palm, it felt as if he had hit an iron wall.

Not only did it fail to pierce the opponent, but the reverse force caused his blood and qi to surge, and his face turned pale. In that instant, several inches of sword light suddenly appeared on Yin Hao's longsword. With a slight tremor, the thousands of silver threads were shattered like tofu, and the silver threads fell down, leaving only a wooden handle.

Qing Shi Dao Ren, realizing he had made a mistake, threw the wooden handle away and switched the sword to his right hand. Instead of retreating, he charged forward. The soft sword, combining strength and gentleness, was like a soaring dragon in Qing Shi Dao Ren's hands, twisting and turning, flashing with cold light, accompanied by wisps of clear energy, weaving a blue cloud. This was the superior swordsmanship of Qingshan Temple, "Azure Dragon Riding the Clouds".

When Yin Hao saw his opponent use this move, his expression became more serious. The essence of this sword move does not lie in the sword itself, but in the pure energy floating around. As long as the pure energy does not dissipate, the sword momentum can continue to condense, becoming stronger with each strike. If no way is found to remove the pure energy, breaking through any number of sword lights will be useless.

"Thanks to the guidance of our ancestor, otherwise it would have been impossible to find the flaws in this sword technique in a short period of time."

Yin Hao held his sword horizontally, the blade as cold as frost. With a flick of his finger, a chilling sword aura shot out. Midway, it suddenly split into several parts, one into two, two into four, four into eight, and so on. In just a few breaths, one hundred and twenty-eight sword auras shot out, colliding with the sword light unleashed by the Green Stone Daoist.

There was no loud noise; everything was quiet. When Qing Shi Dao Ren saw Yin Hao use a martial art he had never seen before, he didn't pay much attention at first. But after a moment, he noticed the change and his eyes widened in surprise.

"How can this be?"

With a look of astonishment on his face, the Green Stone Taoist watched as the dense blue cloud was enveloped by sword energy. Then, like frost passing by, the blue cloud was quickly frozen. With the cloud sealed, the power of the sword energy suddenly weakened by seven-tenths, so how could it withstand Yin Hao's ordinary sword strike?

"Master Yin, you truly possess remarkable skill. This is the first time I have used this sword technique in front of an outsider, and you have broken it so easily. You truly deserve to be called the number one swordsman in the martial arts world. I sincerely admire you. However, my skills are far more than this. I wonder how many more Master Yin can withstand?"

Although his sword technique was broken, Qing Shi had cultivated for many years and quickly composed himself. He flicked his soft sword, and the taut blade pointed at Yin Hao.

(End of this chapter)