A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 372 Reinforcements Arrive
Upon seeing Black Shark appear, Jaen immediately abandoned his attack on the four men. With a flash, he raised his sword and slashed horizontally at Black Shark. The fierce wind from the sword was piercing to the eye. Black Shark narrowed his eyes upon seeing this, and with a flick of his wrist, the longsword rang out and transformed into a streak of bloody light in his hand. He then thrust forward repeatedly, and several points of crimson light flew out, forming a crescent-shaped blade in mid-air.

At the same time, Black Shark swung his left hand forward, a cold wind suddenly rose, blood stench filled the air, the force swept across, and dust swirled. A blurry palm print was aimed directly at Jia En's chest. This palm was Black Shark's "Cold Wind Palm," which he had mastered. When he cultivated it, he fused the blood of living beings with all kinds of poisons, making it extremely vicious. An ordinary person would die instantly if hit by this move, and even a master with well-developed internal energy would be seriously injured if hit by it.

Jaen originally wanted to take advantage of Black Shark's unstable footing to gain the initiative, but he did not expect Black Shark to react so quickly. Not only did Black Shark use Blood Meteor to break his sword move, but it also unleashed the Yin Wind Palm. Jaen dared not take the move head-on, so he immediately turned his body and dodged. The Yin Wind Palm missed and hit a broken wall. With a loud bang, the tall stone wall was shattered into pieces as easily as tofu.

"Jia En, I admire you as a man of principle. If you submit to me, I will spare your life. What do you say?"

Black Shark flicked his finger at the sword, and the Blood Sword hummed, its mournful cries reaching the ears of Jia En opposite him. Upon hearing this, Jia En immediately composed himself, his gaze turning cold as he looked at Black Shark. He said in a deep voice, "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. The Sea Shark Palace will ultimately be the stepping stone for the Supreme Alliance to reach the pinnacle. My death is insignificant, but the reputation of the Supreme Alliance must not be tarnished!"

Hearing Jaen's resounding words, Black Shark snorted coldly, slashed his blood sword downwards, as if the void was being torn open and bleeding. Then, the tip of the sword pointed directly at Jaen, and a cold light bloomed from the tip of the sword. With a hiss, the long sword swept away, leaving only Black Shark's afterimage in the place.

"What a quick movement!"

Jia En's pupils contracted slightly as he watched the black shark attack. He let out a deep shout, brandished his treasured sword, and immediately charged forward. All the onlookers saw were two figures, one blue and one black, flying up and down, with the sounds of metal clashing constantly coming from mid-air. As time went by, the energy generated by the two's battle gradually forced everyone back several feet away.

"This black shark has abundant true energy. I cannot engage in a prolonged battle with him. I must finish this quickly!"

Jia En had already fought with the people from the Sea Shark Palace, and his true energy had been somewhat depleted. Against others, it wouldn't be a problem, but against Black Shark, whose cultivation was almost equal to his own, this was a weakness that could not be ignored. Black Shark must be aware of this as well.

Clang, clang, clang! The blood sword struck Jia En's blade repeatedly. Although the force attached to the sword repelled the strikes, it greatly depleted Jia En's inner strength. If Jia En did not want to lose his precious sword, he needed to quickly reattach his true energy to it, otherwise the sword would surely be cut in two by the blood sword.

With a "Reversal of the Long River" sweeping away Black Shark's "blood-splattered sky," Jia En seized the opportunity, standing atop the rooftop. His eyes flashed with fierce light, he gathered his inner energy, gripped his sword with both hands, and roared. A streak of sword light transformed into a white sea, its chilling and unparalleled aura instantly enveloping Black Shark. At the same time, within the white sea formed by the sword light, a massive blade of light rapidly took shape. As Jia En swung his sword downwards, the blade of light attacked Black Shark like a mountain crashing down.

Upon seeing Jaen unleash this move, Black Shark's expression changed drastically. The unprecedented pressure made him slightly breathless. If Zheng Tan hadn't reported to him beforehand, he might have had to use his ultimate move to fight him head-on. Even if he could kill Jaen in the end, he would be seriously injured. But now that he was prepared, he naturally wanted to achieve his goal with the least possible cost.

"That's it!"

Black Shark's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the massive blade of light slashing towards him. He continuously poured his true energy into the Blood Sword, and instantly the Blood Sword blazed with a bright red light. With a whoosh, it flew out of his hand, transforming into a streak of blood light that pierced through the air to meet the massive blade of light. In the vast expanse of white, a point of red light, like a swimming fish, moved with incredible speed toward Jia En.

Upon seeing this, Jia En's expression changed. Although his "Transformation into the Sea" move was powerful, it had a weakness: he could not move for four breaths. Otherwise, if his true energy surged, not only would the move dissipate, but he would also be hit by the backlash of the energy, resulting in serious injury even if he did not die.

"Black Shark is quite capable to be able to spot the flaw in this move in such a short time."

Jaen silently calculated that he would still be unable to move when the blood sword flew towards him. However, he thought again that since he could not move and the black shark was also blocked by the blade light, it was now a matter of who would survive.

"One for one, it's not a bad deal."

With a firm resolve, Jaen smiled as he watched the blood sword hurtling towards him. The treasured blade in his hand hummed and flashed with white light as it slashed down at Black Shark. The chilling killing intent sent shivers down Black Shark's spine. This Jaen was simply a madman. With such abilities, why did he have to stay here? If it were him, he would have abandoned the city and left long ago.

"madman!"

Black Shark, seeing the approaching blade of light, channeled his inner energy, instantly creating a blue aura around him. The aura shimmered and slicing through the incoming blade's energy, but it also caused the aura to hiss and crackle. In the blink of an eye, it shrank by half, leaving Black Shark pale and panting heavily. On the other side, Jaen was in an even worse state. The blood sword was already embedded in Jaen's chest, and the blood was absorbed by the sword before it could flow out, making the blade even more vibrant.

Jaen, however, with an indomitable will, stubbornly resisted the erosion of the blood sword. Time passed in a flash, and Jaen detonated the remaining true energy within his body, instantly blasting the blood sword out of his body. Looking at the light blade that was already approaching Black Shark's head, he let out a deep shout, and with a sizzling sound, Black Shark's energy shield was finally shattered. The light blade slashed down precisely from between his eyebrows, instantly splitting him in two. But to Jaen's astonishment, the corpse vanished like a bubble.

"not good!"

As Jia En sensed the danger behind him and tried to dodge, a palm suddenly struck him squarely in the chest. Before he could retaliate, a crimson light pierced his heart. Jia En looked down at the blood-red sword, then looked up at the approaching Black Shark and said in a hoarse voice, "Shadow Clone Technique, I never expected Helian Ba ​​to teach you this skill. My defeat is not unjust."

Black Shark chuckled upon hearing this, reached out and drew the blood sword back, landing it in his hand. Looking at the fallen Jaen, he said calmly, "If it weren't for this, how could we have so easily eliminated you, this obstacle? Jaen, the consequence of opposing the Sea Shark Palace is death. Besides, do you think Song Xuan and the other three can escape? Judging by the time, their heads should be on their way back."

Black Shark sneered, giving Jaen no more chance to speak. He struck Jaen on the forehead with a palm strike from a distance, shattering his brains. His body turned black and instantly turned into a pool of blood, emitting a foul stench.

"We will set up camp in the city tonight. Give the order to our disciples to be on high alert. Judging by the time, the people from the Supreme Alliance should be arriving soon."

"Yes."

Just as the group from Sea Shark Palace entered Jiuyi City, Sima Tian and his party had already arrived at Shuangling Peak, which was only a few miles away from Jiuyi City.

"Master, Jiuyi City is just ahead. We haven't received any news from the city yet, so it's likely that things are going badly for us."

"No matter what, we must take back Jiuyi City. While it's still early, let's speed up and try to arrive before dark."

For some reason, Sima Tian suddenly felt uneasy. Just as his confidant was about to go down and relay the order, Sima Tian's mind stirred. He looked in one direction, reached out and threw a weapon. A cold light flew out and was deflected with a clang. At this moment, the confidant reacted and shouted sharply at the direction of the weapon, "Who goes there!"

As he spoke, his longsword was already drawn.

As soon as he finished speaking, the members of the Supreme Alliance drew their weapons and became alert. Sima Tian waved his hand, and everyone sheathed their weapons. He nodded to his confidant, who dismounted, picked up his sword, and walked toward that place. Halfway there, he saw three people emerge from the bushes, each with blood-stained robes and looking very disheveled.

"People from the Supreme Alliance?"

Looking at the clothes worn by the people in front of him, Song Xuan felt relieved. He nodded to Guo and Zheng and then walked forward alone.

"Are you from Jiuyi City?"

The confidant did not recognize Song Xuan, but judging from the question and the change in his expression, he should be a member of the Supreme Alliance. Upon further thought, he might be a member of Jiuyi City.

Upon hearing this, Song Xuan immediately nodded. The confidant's face lit up with joy. After looking him up and down, he said in a deep voice, "Come with me."

Before Song Xuan could reply, the confidant immediately walked towards Sima Tian, ​​and Song Xuan followed.

"Master, they are from Jiuyi City. There are three of them, all of whom are seriously injured."

Upon hearing this, Sima Tian's expression turned serious as he looked at Song Xuan approaching. When Song Xuan saw that it was Sima Tian, ​​his heart sank. He hadn't expected that the alliance would send this person. Although he disliked this person, now was not the time to dwell on personal grudges. He wiped the blood off his face and barely managed to reveal his features.

"Master Sima, it's been a long time."

Upon hearing the somewhat familiar voice, Sima Tian narrowed his eyes, barely managing to make out the face, and said with a hint of surprise, "Is that Brother Song Xuan?"

As he spoke, Sima Tian dismounted from his horse, took a few quick steps, and came to Song Xuan, reaching out to shake Song Xuan's hand. "It is indeed your younger brother."

Song Xuan quietly withdrew his hand, looking calmly at Sima Tian. The latter didn't mind his action and said excitedly, "Brother Song, you've survived a great calamity and are sure to have good fortune. You can return to the Azure Dragon Hall someday; I'll definitely need your help there."

Sima Tian was overjoyed to recognize Song Xuan. In the Supreme Alliance, besides the Alliance Leader Guan Yutian, the only person he could admire was Song Xuan. This man was insightful and approachable. Before he rose to prominence, Song Xuan had helped him a lot. However, after he became the Azure Dragon Hall Master, Song Xuan asked to leave the alliance and disappeared. He never expected that Song Xuan would come to guard Jiuyi Town.

"Master Sima, now is not the time to talk. The two garrison commanders, Guo and Zheng, are seriously injured. We beg Master Sima to lend a hand."

“That’s easy. Someone, carry the two garrison commanders to the rear for treatment and give them the best medicine.”

Upon hearing this, Sima Tian immediately gave an order to his trusted confidant, who replied "Yes," turned and left, leading several men to carry the two men lying in the grass back and transport them to the rear without stopping.

"Master Sima, if nothing unexpected happens, Jiuyi City should now be occupied by Black Shark's forces, and Chief Jia is probably in grave danger."

Despite his loathing for Sima Tian, ​​Song Xuan had no choice but to tell him everything useful he knew. After listening, Sima Tian's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Looking at Song Xuan, whose face was covered in blood and whose breath was weak, Sima Tian immediately said, "Brother Song, rest assured, this time I will make sure that everyone from the Sea Shark Palace dies in Jiuyi City. Your injuries are serious, so you need to get treatment quickly. Leave the rest to me."

After speaking, he nodded to another trusted confidant beside him. The man immediately understood and gestured to Song Xuan. Seeing that Sima Tian's expression was normal, Song Xuan cupped his hands in greeting and followed the confidant away.

"Hall Master?"

"Let's set up camp here tonight, conserve our energy, and prepare for a bloody battle tomorrow."

Just as the battle in Jiuyi City was about to break out, Gu Xu, disguised as Qingxu Daoist, was heading towards the territory of the Supreme Alliance. Coincidentally, while resting in the teahouse, he encountered Master Sixin, who was leading Liu Yiyi back to Sixin Sect.

"Greetings, Taoist Master."

"Greetings, Abbess."

Looking at the handsome Taoist opposite her, Master Sixin was secretly surprised. This Taoist had a profound aura and his cultivation level was even more difficult to discern. When did such a figure appear in the martial arts world? She went through the list of Taoists she knew in her mind, but still came up with nothing.

"Is the nun from the Death Heart Sect?"

Qingxu could clearly see the aloofness, coldness, and indifference emanating from Abbess Sixin; this was an unusual phenomenon resulting from her cultivation of the Seven Absolutes Zither.

"Master, you have a good eye. I am now resigned to my fate. May I ask your name?"

Although Master Sixin was somewhat surprised that Qingxu could see through her origins, her expression remained unchanged, and she tried to find out about the Taoist's background in her words.

"I am Qingxu, a wandering martial artist. I am merely traveling around to broaden my horizons. Is this the disciple that the abbess has taken in? He has quite good potential and will surely achieve great things in the future."

Qingxu glanced at Liu Yiyi. This girl was indeed quite talented; otherwise, she wouldn't have been accepted as a direct disciple by Master Sixin in the original story and inherited his mantle.

"This humble woman, Liu Yiyi, greets Daoist Qingxu."

Liu Yiyi hurriedly stood up and bowed deeply to Qingxu. Qingxu nodded in response, then took out a miniature porcelain bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Liu Yiyi, saying, "It is fate that we meet. I will give you this bottle of Qingxin Pills. Take one while practicing your skills, and it will be of great benefit to you."

Liu Yiyi was taken aback when she saw the porcelain bottle being handed to her. Then she looked at Abbess Sixin, who nodded to her. Liu Yiyi happily accepted the bottle and thanked Qingxu again.

As soon as the stopper was pulled out, a faint fragrance wafted out. Upon smelling this fragrance, Master Sixin was immediately startled. She looked at Qingxu with a horrified expression, quickly snatched the porcelain bottle with her right hand, hurriedly plugged the stopper back in, and then returned it to Liu Yiyi.

"Master, this gift is too much!"

Master Sixin had seen many miraculous pills, but none of them could instantly increase one's true energy. This item was truly a treasure. She and Master Qingxu had only met by chance, so what was his purpose in giving her such a valuable gift?

“Master, there is no need to be suspicious. I have heard that your school’s Seven Wonders Qin is incredibly divine, and I admire it greatly. If I have time in the future, I would be grateful if you would be so kind as to teach me.”

"Master, you flatter me. Although the Seven Wonders Zither is a unique instrument in the martial arts world, your cultivation is unfathomable. To play the Seven Wonders Zither in front of you would be like showing off your limited skills before an expert."

Upon hearing that Qingxu wanted to see the Seven Wonders Zither, Master Sixin felt a sense of relief, but she remained vigilant.

"As the saying goes, everyone has their own expertise. I may have some skill in martial arts, but when it comes to sonic attacks, the Seven Wonders Zither of the Death Heart Sect is the best."

Qingxu's words were not unfounded. Looking at the martial arts world today, the Death Heart Sect is able to rank among the five major sects with its Seven Absolutes Zither skills, which naturally has its unique advantages. Abbess Death Heart is also one of the four great masters of today. Although she has not yet reached the highest level of ruthlessness, she has already impressed Qingxu greatly, so he praised her.

"I am unworthy of your praise, Daoist Master. Since you are willing to learn from me, please come to Xiuyun Valley in the future. I will be waiting for your arrival."

"A word is settled!"

Qingxu immediately made a decision with Master Sixin. After drinking tea, Qingxu continued eastward, while Master Sixin took Liu Yiyi by boat westward. After half a month, they finally returned to Xiuyun Valley. However, as soon as Master Sixin led Liu Yiyi into the valley, seeing the ruins of the nunnery in front of her, Master Sixin's expression changed drastically.

"who is it!"

With a cry of grief and indignation, Abbess Sixin rushed inside. Liu Yiyi followed closely behind. The further they went, the more gruesome the scene became. Corpses lay scattered on the ground, covered in maggots and emitting a nauseating stench, seemingly having been there for too long. Liu Yiyi covered her nose with her sleeve and continued walking. After a short while, she saw Abbess Sixin kneeling before a half-burnt temple, her eyes glazed over.

"Master?"

Liu Yiyi stepped forward and helped Master Sixin to his feet. The latter's eyes instantly turned red when she saw the tragic scene before her. Liu Yiyi immediately sensed something was wrong and pierced Master Sixin's Yuzhen acupoint with her silver needle. The latter swayed slightly and then collapsed to the ground. Liu Yiyi reached out to touch her nose and found that her breathing was normal. She then placed her on a relatively clean bluestone slab.

After an unknown amount of time, Abbess Sixin finally opened her eyes. Although her eyes were still somewhat vacant and her hair had receded, she still looked somewhat dazed.

"Master, you're awake. Have some porridge first." Liu Yiyi walked over with a porcelain bowl and handed it to Master Sixin. When the latter saw that it was Liu Yiyi, she immediately reached out and took it. After drinking the porridge, Master Sixin said to Liu Yiyi, "Yiyi, come with me."

Liu Yiyi was confused, but followed Master Sixin to the temple that was missing half of its structure. Master Sixin swept her sleeve, and the ashes were swept aside by the gale. Master Sixin reached out and grabbed a stone slab on the ground, revealing a hole.

(End of this chapter)