A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 322 Finally out of seclusion
Outside the gates of the Tianshan Sect, the Seven Heroes of Tianshan, led by Fu Tianjiao, set up the Seven Absolute Sword Formation of Tianshan. The swords rang out incessantly, their sound shaking the heavens, and their awe-inspiring sword power made all the onlookers tremble.

"The Thunderclap Sword Formation was already quite impressive, but I didn't expect this formation to be even better. The Tianshan Sect truly has a profound foundation."

Bi Yusheng had previously tested the Thunderclap Sword Formation. Compared to this formation, the Seven Absolutes Sword Formation simplified the complex and focused on one thing. Although the number of people was small, the power it displayed was already comparable to Pei Duan and his group's thunderous strike. And clearly, this was not the limit of the Seven Absolutes Sword Formation.

Lu Aotian and Lü Fengming were also keeping a close eye on the two sides fighting in the arena, but their attention was more focused on Fu Tianjiao and the others.

"Tianjiao and the other seven are connected by their energy and are of one body. The beginning and end are guarded by Tianjiao and Zhao Kai, who have the deepest skills. They can take care of both the beginning and the end. Moreover, this formation is flexible and can be turned around at will. Once the first one is broken, the tail can be turned around. This formation contains the wonders of Yin and Yang. I think Master Ni must have put a lot of effort into this formation."

Lu Aotian spoke softly, and Lü Fengming nodded in agreement, saying, "That's right. Master Ni's understanding of Yin and Yang far surpasses that of the other Daoists of the Tianshan Sect. With Master Ni's guidance, Tianjiao and the others may bring us some surprises."

The other spectators were thrilled to see that the Seven Heroes of Tianshan had exchanged blows with Shangguan Yun and were not at a disadvantage at all. They were filled with joy and hoped that the Seven Heroes of Tianshan could defeat Shangguan Yun.

"Shangguan Yun has finished testing us; now it's time to get serious."

Shen Henian looked ahead with a slightly solemn expression. He saw Shangguan Yun wave his right hand, and a dense gust of wind swept forward. While the Seven Heroes of Tianshan made their move to deal with the attack, his left hand unleashed a palm print full of crimson and black light. There was a sound of air being torn apart, the void collapsed, and a black hole slowly appeared about ten feet in the sword formation. The powerful suction force sucked everything around it into the black hole.

As soon as Fu Tianjiao and the others dispersed the gale, they saw the Xuanming Void Seal and became secretly wary. They had been watching the battle from the rear and knew how powerful this move was, but it also had a fatal flaw. The moment it first appeared, when the suction force was at its strongest, was actually the weakest point. If the central vortex was destroyed, the move would collapse on its own.

Fu Tianjiao slashed her longsword diagonally, and a white sword light shot out. Seeing this, the other six people also quickly unleashed six sword lights, which merged with the previous sword light. With the help of the suction force, they pierced towards the center of the black hole at an even faster speed.

"Trying to disrupt the black hole vortex is simply a pipe dream."

Shangguan Yun watched Fu Tianjiao and the others' actions and couldn't help but sneer. Previously, Xue Wanshan's unexpected attack had broken the Xuanming Void Seal, but since he was still using this move, he naturally had his own plans. The vortex in the center of the black hole was a flaw he deliberately left. Once an external force entered, it would be sucked in by the black hole's suction force, and the person who made the move would also suffer because of the connection of their energy.

Shangguan Yun watched expectantly as Fu Tianjiao and the other six were swallowed by the black hole, but what he saw before him made his pupils shrink and his heart tremble.

Just as the combined sword light of Fu Tianjiao and the other seven was about to strike the black hole vortex, it suddenly disintegrated again, transforming into seven points of cold light. These points, positioned like the Big Dipper, firmly locked onto seven key locations around the black hole. With seven soft sounds, the seven stars shone brightly, their brilliant light flashing and disappearing in an instant. The black hole gradually closed, and with the seven sword cries, it slowly turned into a black dot and vanished.

"This is!"

A sharp glint flashed in Shangguan Yun's eyes. Although he had never seen the Seven Absolute Sword Formation of Tianshan before, the Seven Star Sealing Power just now was incompatible with the other martial arts of Tianshan Sect. It was obviously not passed down by the predecessors, but rather seemed to be something he had recently acquired.

"Among the entire Tianshan Sect, the one I know best is Ni Qingfeng. Could it be that this person has the ability to foresee the future, and was able to perfectly create a move to deal with the Xuanming Kongyin?"

Shangguan Yun found the matter increasingly strange. What a coincidence! His perfected Xuanming Void Seal was utterly defeated by the Tianshan Sword Formation, as if the Seven Star Locking Force was designed to counter his move.

Not only was Shangguan Yun shocked, but even Xue Wanshan and the other two were surprised to see Tianjiao and the others break the Xuanming Kong Seal so easily.

"Senior brother, this move is not in the Seven Absolute Sword Formation. Could it be that Junior Brother Ni taught it to them?"

Shen Henian suppressed his shock, glanced at Shangguan Yun who was hesitant to make a move, and then turned to ask Xue Wanshan.

"At this moment, it is most likely Junior Brother Ni's doing. The seven points of cold light were arranged in the position of the Seven Stars, which is somewhat similar to the Seven Star Subduing Demon Finger that Junior Brother Ni practiced before. This finger technique is specifically for locking the Yuan and suppressing the spirit. Presumably, Tianjiao and the others were taught by Junior Brother Ni and later incorporated into the sword formation."

Although Xue Wanshan's tone was speculative, Shen Henian and Li Dengping took it as a certainty. Otherwise, how could they explain it? In the entire Tianshan Mountains, who else besides Ni Qingfeng had this ability?

"Master Ni is indeed no ordinary person. I have truly broadened my horizons today."

Since he began his journey in the martial arts world, Bi Yusheng has had few people who have earned his respect. Now, after all these events, Bi Yusheng's admiration for Master Ni has reached a new level. Without even showing his face, Master Ni broke Shangguan Yun's domineering moves simply by teaching him martial arts.

"Junior Brother Ni's talent far surpasses ours; now the Tianshan Sect is proud of him." Li Dengping praised Ni Qingfeng with a hint of delight.

"If Shangguan Yun's first move fails, he will surely strike with lightning speed. I hope Tianjiao and the others can hold on, but we must not let our guard down."

Xue Wanshan spoke in a deep voice, and Shen Henian and Li Dengping both stood up straight and bowed respectfully.

In the arena, Shangguan Yun put away his nonchalant expression. If he had been somewhat dismissive before, he was now taking it very seriously. If this sword formation could break the Xuanming Void Seal, it was definitely not some common, low-quality weapon.

"The sword formation is still just an ordinary thing. Let's see if you can withstand this move."

Shangguan Yun's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and his aura became extremely violent. Strands of crimson-black energy swirled around him, his hair and beard bristled, his sleeves fluttered, sand and stones flew, and a raging storm was stirred up out of thin air. The powerful energy caused the onlookers to sway slightly, and under the pressure of the energy, the difference in the depth of the onlookers' skills was clearly visible.

People like Yin Songyue and Li Dengping took two steps back to dispel the strange force on their bodies, while Shen Henian and Lü Fengming took half a step back, and Xue Wanshan, Bi Yusheng, and Lu Aotian remained completely still.

On the other side, Xuan Chi Shangren stood still, while Qiu Feng and Xue Dian took a step back. Madam Wang and the other three took two steps back before stopping. As for the other dozen or so people, those who were far away took five or six steps back, and those who were close took three or four steps back. In an instant, the entire battleground became more open.

Meanwhile, on the sword formation, which was at the forefront of the airflow impact, Fu Tianjiao and her seven companions pointed their longswords straight ahead. Streams of sharp and unparalleled sword energy formed an impenetrable sword net of light. The incoming airflow was instantly dispersed by the sword energy upon touching the net.

Seeing that the sword formation remained as stable as Mount Tai, Shangguan Yun's eyes flashed with crimson light. The crimson-black energy swirling around him slowly condensed in front of him, forming a crimson-black ball of light. After the energy was fully charged, he let out a deep shout, and the crimson-black ball of light rushed towards the sword formation with unparalleled force. As the ball of light flew, a trench about half a foot deep was very conspicuous.

Seeing the ball of light approaching and sensing its immense power, Fu Tianjiao took a deep breath, her expression becoming even calmer. With a telepathic message, the seven of them simultaneously used the Seven Star Shifting Step. Their figures intertwined, and the original three-in-one formation suddenly transformed into an arc shape. The seven longswords gleamed coldly, and brilliant sword lights, like pillars soaring into the sky, rose into the air, forming an insurmountable wall of light.

The crimson-black ball of light crashed into the light wall the instant it formed, causing a burst of lightning and a momentary flicker of light. Immediately afterward, the earth shook violently, turbid air rose into the air, and a thick cloud of malevolent smoke enveloped the area around the mountain gate for several feet, turning the already dim sky even darker.

The force of the clash between the two sides pushed the onlookers outward once again. Xue Wanshan and the others also felt a tightness in their chests and hurriedly took a few steps back to expel the pent-up energy. As soon as they finished doing this, Xue Wanshan immediately focused his energy in his eyes and looked ahead.

As the smoke cleared, the figures of the two sides in battle were revealed. To the surprise of the onlookers, the sword formation was as solid as a rock despite the impact of such a huge force. From a distance, it appeared that Fu Tianjiao and her seven companions had not suffered any injuries.

"What a powerful sword formation! If I were to encounter this move, I would be seriously injured even if I didn't die."

Yin Songyue, the leader of the Liubo Sect, had a slight glint in her eyes. The Tianshan Sect was unassuming, yet even a casually chosen trump card was so powerful. It seemed that Shangguan Yun was destined to suffer a bad outcome today. Bi Yusheng and the others also looked at the sword formation with delighted surprise, their hearts filled with excitement.

On the other hand, Shangguan Yun's mood was not so pleasant. He originally wanted to defeat the enemy with one blow, but seeing that Fu Tianjiao and the others seemed to be unharmed, this sword formation was indeed extraordinary.

Shangguan Yun narrowed his eyes slightly, secretly breathing in his true energy. A flash of crimson light appeared on his hand, and a huge palm print rushed towards the sword formation. At the same time, a dark light reappeared on his hand, and a dazzling sword light, like a meteor, streaked across the sky and fell towards the sword formation.

Shangguan Yun used both palm and sword, and its power suddenly increased several levels. The people watching from a distance were all shocked to see the two forces, one red and one black, fall fiercely. At this moment, Xue Wanshan and Biyu Sheng rushed towards Fu Tianjiao and the others one after the other to prevent any unforeseen events.

But just as the two were about to reach the sword formation, a black shadow flashed by, and Master Xuanchi stood in front of them expressionlessly, a black light gleaming in his hand, flickering erratically.

"Sect Leader Xue, you may go. I will leave this place to you." Bi Yusheng closed his folding fan and spoke calmly to Xue Wanshan. The latter nodded upon hearing this, then glanced at Xuan Chi Shangren, and moved with his movement technique, landing beside the sword formation in the blink of an eye.

Just after Xue Wanshan left, Bi Yusheng's expression suddenly changed slightly. He looked up and saw Qiu Feng and Xue Dian blocking Shen Henian and the others, while a middle-aged woman carrying a seven-stringed zither walked over gracefully, looking at Bi Yusheng with a resentful expression.

"I have long heard that Madam Wang's Seven Fiends Zither music is unparalleled in the martial arts world. It seems that I, Bi Yusheng, am going to have a good listen today." Seeing that Madam Wang's gaze was different from that of Xuan Chi Shangren and the other two, Bi Yusheng already had a guess in his heart.

"Mr. Bi is a top figure in the martial arts world, and I admire him greatly. Today is an opportunity for me to play a piece called 'The Netherworld' for Mr. Bi. If there is anything wrong with it, please give me your guidance."

Madam Wang smiled charmingly, her zither at her side. With a light touch of her delicate hand, she played a series of sonic blades that pierced through the air. Bi Yusheng, seeing this, paid no attention and moved his body to dodge each blade. But just as Bi Yusheng was using his movement technique to avoid them, a red light flashed in the eyes of the Xuan Chi Master beside him, and he memorized the positions Bi Yusheng moved.

After dodging six sonic blade attacks, Bi Yusheng exhausted his Nine Palaces Steps. Just as he was about to move again, Master Xuanchi finally made his move, immediately unleashing the strongest attack of the Ruler. A black light flashed at the tip of the iron ruler, bright for a moment, and then a condensed black light enveloped Bi Yusheng.

This move is called "Severing Yin and Yang". If you are hit by this move, you can be killed instantly. Many people have died by this move, including some famous figures.

As Master Xuanchi made his move, Madam Wang understood immediately. She changed the tune, transforming the Azure Heaven and Yellow Springs into the more sinister and eerie Infernal Purgatory Melody. The originally serene and distant, barely perceptible zither music instantly transformed into a blood-soaked, ghostly wailing in a purgatory. Biyusheng, who was attacked by the sound blade, also changed his expression at this moment.

Looking at the eerie atmosphere around him, he waved his folding fan, and streams of pure holy wind transformed into azure dragons. The dragon claws tore through the clouds and swept away all the incoming sonic blades. Just then, Bi Yusheng felt a sudden sense of alarm. He turned around and saw a black light take advantage of the opening in the protective barrier and land squarely on him.

"not good!"

As Bi Yusheng was enveloped by the black light, he instantly sensed that the black light was desperately trying to penetrate his body. Moreover, once inside, it took hold of a part of his body, constantly absorbing his true energy to strengthen itself. In just a few breaths, Bi Yusheng felt a heaviness in his body and a slight pain in his meridians. He hurriedly circulated his true energy in his dantian, and a warm current washed over his entire body, reopening the blocked meridians.

These things happened in the blink of an eye. After Bi Yusheng cleared the hidden dangers in his body, the aura reappeared, blocking the black light from his body. However, under the dual attack of the black light and the sonic blade, the aura was peeled away layer by layer. After a few breaths, only a thin layer remained, which could be cut through at any time.

Just as Bi Yusheng was in danger, Shen Henian and his group also encountered trouble. Although Qiu Feng and Xue Dian had become puppets, their combat power had not been greatly reduced. On the contrary, because Shangguan Yun used the power of the Dragon Ball to refine them, their skills had reached a new level.

Shen Henian considered himself to be among the top swordsmen in the martial arts world, but after exchanging only a dozen or so moves with Qiu Feng, he realized that Qiu Feng's swordsmanship was even superior to his own. If it weren't for the sharpness of his Xuan Tie sword, Shen Henian would have already been at a disadvantage.

Qiu Feng dodged Shen Henian's Xuan Tie sword again, and with a tremor of his longsword, streaks of sword energy shot out. Seeing this, Shen Henian wielded his longsword so tightly that it blocked all the sword energy, but his body was also knocked back two steps by the impact of the sword energy.

"Second Senior Brother, attack Qiu Feng's Shenmen acupoint." Just as Shen Henian was struggling, a familiar voice suddenly entered his ears. Upon hearing this voice, Shen Henian's face lit up with joy.

"Junior Brother Ni!"

Shen Henian roused himself, his eyes gleaming as he watched the several sword energies flying towards him again. He held his longsword horizontally and slashed outwards, a crescent-shaped blade tearing through the air and splitting the incoming sword energies neatly in two. As they approached him, they exploded into a ball of energy. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Shen Henian stepped forward, his figure instantly transforming, and three phantoms appeared, attacking Qiu Feng from the left and right.

Although Qiu Feng was a puppet, he was still aware of the life-or-death crisis. Seeing the three phantoms flying towards him, he immediately channeled his true energy, and his longsword emitted a dazzling light. With a slight tremor, countless sword energies, as dense as stars in the sky, shot out. Two of the three phantoms immediately accelerated upon seeing this, forcibly rushing against the sword energies and offsetting some of them. After the second phantom offset some of them again, the remaining sword energy was almost negligible. Shen Henian's true form emerged from the phantoms, and with a sword strike against the current, he broke through the last sword energy. His sword strike startled the sky, and lightning flashed. In Qiu Feng's stunned eyes, what remained was an extremely dazzling sword light.

Shen Henian's longsword easily pierced through Qiu Feng's aura, its momentum undiminished, striking the Shenmen acupoint on Qiu Feng's right hand where he held the sword. With a sound of flesh breaking, Qiu Feng's aura suddenly weakened, and his previously dull and lifeless eyes regained their clarity. Looking at the scene before him, he sighed slightly.

"Greed has ruined my lifelong reputation. I am ashamed."

After saying this, Qiu Feng severed his own heart meridian and died.

Seeing Qiu Feng die, Shen Henian's face turned pale. He spat out a mouthful of blood and immediately felt much better. Just now, in order to finish the battle quickly, he had forcibly taken a sword strike and used that deadly sword. Now, Shen Henian's true energy was less than 30%.

Just as Qiu Feng died, Shangguan Yun had already put the Seven Absolute Sword Formation at a disadvantage, and only a few more moves were needed to finish off Fu Tianjiao and the others.

"waste!"

Shangguan Yun cursed under his breath, his eyes flashing crimson as he looked at the shattered Seven Absolute Sword Formation. He then unleashed another crimson-black palm strike towards the seven. Seeing this, Fu Tianjiao and the other seven mustered their strength and unleashed seven intersecting sword lights to disperse the palm strike. However, they were caught off guard by the power hidden within the palm strike. After the first palm strike shattered, the second palm strike, hidden within, continued its momentum, easily breaking through the sword formation's defenses. Just as it was about to strike Fu Tianjiao, a sword light flew out from the side, slightly deflecting the palm strike.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Fu Tianjiao and the others immediately changed their formation. With the combined strength of the seven, they broke through the second palm strike. However, after this move, the true energy in their bodies was almost depleted. If Shangguan Yun made another move, they would undoubtedly be defeated.

"The troublesome guy!"

Shangguan Yun looked at Xue Wanshan, who was covered in blood, snorted coldly, and sent a dragon-shaped palm strike towards him.

Xue Wanshan had just killed four skilled fighters and had also created an opportunity for Fu Tianjiao and the others at any cost, allowing them to successfully strike Shangguan Yun once. If it weren't for the Dragon Pearl protecting him, he would be seriously injured and unable to get up now.

Xue Wanshan's internal energy was about to be exhausted. He looked calmly at the palm energy coming towards him, while Fu Tianjiao and the others looked sad when they saw this.

With a loud bang, the palm strike landed squarely on Xue Wanshan, creating a shockwave. Fu Tianjiao and the other seven immediately cried out in grief. Shangguan Yun's maniacal laughter had not yet subsided when two figures were clearly reflected in the dust.

"Ni Qingfeng!"

(End of this chapter)