Misty Rain of the Old Times

When the two sides were in a standoff, the high-end innate combat forces of both the righteous and evil paths almost tacitly found their opponents. Since ancient times, the righteous and evil have been irreconcilable, and some of them already had grudges against each other.

Perhaps most people in the martial arts world aren't that cunning, or perhaps they care too much about their reputation and self-confidence, so they mostly choose opponents who are evenly matched, without resorting to the "Tian Ji horse racing" strategy.

Moreover, the conditions didn't allow it. Almost all the innate masters were well-known, and everyone knew each other well. If you wanted to bully the weak on my side, I would have to agree first. So, that's how the tacit understanding was formed.

Of course, helping each other in battle is inevitable, and if your opponent gets too close, you don't mind a righteous brawl.

Xuan Yang, the leader of the Tai Xuan Sect, immediately set his sights on Luo Yan, the leader of the Chong Yan Sect. As soon as the battle broke out, he flew up and attacked.

Xuan Yang's cultivation level is definitely among the top ten in the Innate Realm among martial artists in Jing Kingdom. After all, the Tai Xuan Sect has been passed down for hundreds of years, and its grandmasters have never been interrupted. With its profound foundation and the guidance of grandmaster elders, its strength is naturally not bad.

As for the specific rankings, no one has done any statistics or analysis. After all, rankings are often a taboo subject. Sometimes you may be in the limelight, but you are also likely to be targeted and challenged. So, we can only know the true strength and weakness after the battle.

The Xuan Yang movement technique that charged toward Luo Yan was simple and unadorned, without many fancy tricks. Its strength lay in its speed, balance, and tranquility, with a touch of the natural way of Tao.

As he approached Luo Yan, he flicked his whisk, and countless white strands seemed to extend infinitely, spreading out like a net that covered an area of ​​ten zhang, locking Luo Yan in place. It looked as if the other party was about to be trapped inside.

It wasn't that the whisk in Xuan Yang's hand would extend; rather, it was sword energy extending from the ends of fine threads, as thin as hair, pure white and sharp, with thousands of threads moving as smoothly as an arm and fingers, without any disorder. One can imagine that Xuan Yang's control over his own cultivation had reached a very subtle level.

To be honest, Xuan Yang's status in the Jing Kingdom's martial arts world is second to none. If he didn't have some real skills, how could he have become the leader of the Tai Xuan Sect, one of the leaders of the righteous path?

"Hahaha, well done, you Xuan Yang, you old bastard! Today I'll bury you to the ground to comfort my junior brother's spirit in heaven. Starting with your Tai Xuan Sect, I won't let any of those people from the desert who are still alive today go." Facing the oncoming Xuan Yang, Luo Yan showed no fear. While laughing wildly, his gaze was serious and he dared not be careless. Who knew what kind of trump cards the Tai Xuan Sect, whose masters had never been without successors, had? As the sect leader, Xuan Yang could mobilize them at will.

For example, the ancient sword that Xuan Yang carried on his back made Luo Yan extremely wary. He didn't even doubt that it must have been the weapon of a certain grandmaster of the Tai Xuan Sect. If it were drawn, it would surely unleash power comparable to that of a grandmaster.

However, Luo Yan must have some reason to dare to appear here today.

Despite this, Luo Yan didn't dare to arrogantly suggest storming the Tai Xuan Sect and wiping it out. They had Grandmaster-level experts there; going there would be like offering himself up as food. Moreover, he didn't mention a word about 'Yang Guo,' who had actually killed his junior brother, Chen Xuan. Not to mention Chen Xuan's cultivation level and his record of killing more than one Grandmaster-level expert, the fact that he was the current Emperor's brother-in-law was something Luo Yan wouldn't dare to provoke even if he had three times the courage.

As Luo Yan spoke, the lake behind him broke open, and a crescent-shaped, jet-black treasure wheel about ten feet in diameter flew out, exactly the same as Liu Zhenwei's Three Profound Blades back then, even a size larger, with only a few minor differences in details.

Luo Yan, dressed in fiery red, had his long hair dancing wildly and his clothes fluttering in the wind. His violent true energy surged, forming a visible heat wave around him. The air in a radius of several meters was distorted, and the tree beneath his feet was instantly ignited.

He reached out and manipulated the crescent-shaped treasure wheel that had broken through the water, making it spin rapidly in the void behind him. The buzzing sound was chilling. In an instant, the treasure wheel multiplied into nine, arranging itself in different directions around Luo Yan in the void. At the same time, the nine crescent-shaped treasure wheels turned crimson, rising with rolling dark golden flames. They spun rapidly as if nine blazing suns were rising in the void. The violent aura was terrifying, and the intense light and shadow made many people unable to open their eyes. The void within a radius of several dozen feet around him was distorted, as if it were about to turn into a scorching inferno.

Within that hellish area, not to mention plants, even those affected were instantly turned into charcoal. The slightest tremor caused them to shatter into fragments, and even the mud and stone ground beneath Luo Yan's feet showed signs of melting!

This is the terrifying aspect of a top-tier innate expert: their unrestrained outbursts and astonishing destructive power make them virtually untouchable.

Fortunately, those with lower cultivation levels were self-aware and avoided such powerful figures in advance. Those who were affected were simply unlucky. After all, the island in the lake was neither small nor large, so where could they possibly hide?
Luo Yan's crescent-shaped treasure wheel, which can be divided into nine parts, is not the divine weapon in Chen Xuan's palm that was only used once and developed sentience. It is just a combination of parts made using a special forging method, and requires special techniques or skills to control at will.

Nine blazing sun-like treasure wheels flew across the sky. Luo Yan controlled them with ease, flying freely up, down, sideways, and diagonally. The overwhelming sword energy threads that attacked from all directions were crushed and failed to harm him in the slightest.

After crushing the intricate web of sword energy threads, Luo Yan charged towards Xuan Yang with nine raging treasure wheels, their alternating movements dazzling and overwhelming.

Xuan Yang stopped, his gaze slightly furrowed, but he remained calm and composed. With a flick of his whisk, countless threads came together, and sword energy extended out like silken threads, like a serpent piercing the sky. It bound a treasure wheel and, in a way, reversed the situation, controlling Luo Yan's weapon and pulling it towards another treasure wheel, thus disrupting Luo Yan's rhythm.

But it only lasted a moment; Luo Yan quickly adjusted by manipulating the other treasure wheels to break free of the restraints.

As nine blazing sun-like treasure wheels slashed towards Xuan Yang from different directions, Luo Yan lunged forward and struck Xuan Yang's chest with a palm strike. His palm was like red-hot metal, containing a terrifying, violent, and scorching aura. If the strike landed, Xuan Yang would be severely injured even if he didn't die.

At the same time, Luo Yan laughed loudly, "You damned Taoist priest, you've mastered the Entangling Silk Sword Qi, one of the ultimate techniques of the Tai Xuan Sect, to the highest level. But my Nine Yang Flying Wheel Saber Technique is exactly the counter to your Entangling Silk Sword Qi. You're going to die today!"

“Is that so? Everything in the universe has its counterpart. You thought the Nine Yang Flying Wheel Blade could restrain my Entangling Silk Sword Qi, but little did you know that it would also be restrained by you,” Xuan Yang said calmly.

He swung his whisk again, and the thousands of sword energies split into nine, no longer pure white, but turning into a powerful gold. This clearly fixed Luo Yan's nine treasure wheels, preventing them from getting close. At the same time, he struck out with his left hand, colliding head-on with Luo Yan. This palm strike was still simple and unadorned, yet it created an illusion, carrying a soft and gentle force, layer upon layer, dense and intricate.

The two sides clashed with a single palm strike, like a thunderclap exploding. The violent aftershocks swept outwards like waves, sending sand and stones flying in a radial pattern over a radius of more than ten feet.

Xuan Yang not only neutralized Luo Yan's violent palm force with his gentle palm technique, but also used his full strength to blast Luo Yan away. The two separated as soon as they touched, with Luo Yan flying dozens of feet away and Xuan Yang himself retreating more than ten feet before he could stand still.

He glanced at his left hand. His left palm was faintly blackened, and the skin was slightly chapped. His palm and forearm were slightly swollen. A violent and scorching true energy was about to burn his arm, but Xuan Yang only needed to use his energy slightly to expel the violent true energy from his arm. It fell to the ground next to him, and the ground about ten feet away was melted.

At the same time, Xuan Yang waved his whisk, and the nine treasure wheels he had bound were smashed towards the retreating Luo Yan. He did not know the correct way to control the treasure wheels, so he could only use such a crude method.

Luo Yan, who was forced to retreat, was not in good shape. He had been forced to parry the palm strike, and Xuan Yang's soft palm force had left his entire arm feeling weak and powerless, but he recovered in an instant.

It is evident that Xuan Yang's cultivation level is a notch above Luo Yan's, and Luo Yan is even stronger than Liu Zhenwei. At their level, a slight increase in cultivation level can double their combat power, but they are still within the innate realm, and there is always a huge gap between them and the grandmaster.

The Nine Treasure Wheels were, after all, Luo Yan's weapon. Under his control, Xuan Yang's simple control was easily broken. His gaze became even more fervent, and he laughed almost maniacally, "It's been a long time since I've had such a satisfying fight. Come again, and you will die today!"

As he spoke, he once again manipulated the Nine Treasure Wheels to attack Xuan Yang, controlling them with even greater precision and subtlety. Having learned from his previous experience of suffering a minor loss, he no longer chose to confront Xuan Yang head-on.

In reality, the speed at which people at their level fight is so fast that they can't keep up with each other's words. It takes another fight for them to finish saying what they said before.

Chen Xuan, who was watching the show from the sidelines, thought to himself, "You've said this so many times, but I haven't seen you do anything to Xuan Yang. Once is enough to brag. Don't you feel embarrassed if you do it again?"

The chaotic battlefield wasn't just a spectacle of Xuan Yang and Luo Yan; many others displayed exceptional skills.

For example, Ye Ling, the master of Maple Leaf Manor, possessed exquisite swordsmanship with a subtle, melancholic sword intent that carried the chill of autumn winds. His unpredictable nature made him difficult to fathom. However, his opponent was a protector of the Chongyan Sect, who practiced a physical cultivation method. His protective technique was as sturdy as an old tortoise, which Ye Ling could not cut through at all. The key was that he dared not directly confront the opponent's fierce claw technique, which left him feeling rather frustrated.

In comparison, Ye Ling's son is even more outstanding. The father and son practice the same sword technique, but Ye Hong is now superior, and his sword intent has reached a very high level.

Ye Ling's opponent was a master assassin from the Shadow Assassin Sect. Ye Hong blocked his first attack with her sword, but on the second attempt, Ye Hong instantly locked onto his position. With a single glance, the assassin felt a profound sadness, as if all things were desolate, and tears even welled in his eyes. His movements slowed for a moment, but in that instant, the assassin, affected by Ye Hong's sword intent, had his head severed by a single sword strike, without even a chance for his companions to come to his rescue.

With a gentle swing of her sword, Ye Hong stopped looking at her dead opponent and noticed her father's predicament. She then flashed over to help, and the father and son joined forces for a righteous brawl.

Furthermore, Qin Yun was already somewhat flustered. Her opponent was a bandit leader who wielded a fan-shaped weapon made of black iron, which was actually a concealed weapon and also poisoned. But that was secondary; the crucial issue was that this guy constantly hurled vulgarities during their fight, making Qin Yun blush with anger. Even more despicable and disgusting was that he would occasionally flash silver jewelry to provoke her. Qin Yun, being a woman, instinctively avoided his gaze, resulting in her being constantly on the defensive and at a disadvantage. After only a few moments of fighting, she was already injured. These bandits were utterly shameless and unscrupulous; they would stop at nothing to gain their advantage.

Then Xuanqing's opponent was a protector of the Chongyan Sect. The two were evenly matched in cultivation and strength, and it was difficult to determine who was better for a while.

Gui Yao from the Tai Xuan Sect, who is Xu Yun's senior sister, performed admirably. She suppressed a bandit leader who was at the Innate Realm, and if no one else intervened, it would only be a matter of time before she eliminated him.

Throughout the entire scene, Chen Xuan focused his attention on the old man's side, who was in the middle of a fierce fight. The old man was really not bragging when he shouted that he could take on ten people. He was waving a stick and chasing after a group of people, beating them until they ran away with their heads in their hands, and occasionally knocking one of them to death.

After all, he was only at the acquired realm, and he was fighting against people at that level. Don't underestimate him just because he's old; he was once an emperor, so he has all the divine skills and secret manuals he could want. As long as he doesn't face a master of the innate realm, he can crush even a group of people.

However, battles at the Acquired Realm level don't involve as much light pollution.

Normally, such an outstanding performance by an old man would definitely attract attention, but with Grandpa Wang protecting him from both sides, even experts with innate abilities couldn't get close. He had already killed two people in the short time the battle started, and then selectively avoided the others, not wanting to die needlessly.

Now that Eunuch Wang has replaced Zhu Hong, the leader of the Beggars' Sect, he is naturally targeted by powerful enemies. He is being watched by a top assassin from the Shadow Assassin Sect, but the assassin hesitates to make a move and can only linger around, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

For some reason, this top assassin always felt that Eunuch Wang was full of flaws, but his instincts told him that he was extremely dangerous and that he might die if he made a move!
When he witnessed Zhu Hong kill two innate masters who had gone to eliminate the bright-eyed beggar with two palm strikes, his guess was confirmed. He thought to himself, "This is strange. When did the Beggar Clan leader become so powerful? His strength is comparable to the leaders of the five major sects, right? I even have a feeling that he is in some danger."
What troubled the top assassin even more was, "You, the leader of the Beggars' Sect, really need to do this? That stinking beggar is your own father. Do you need to protect him all the time?"

Eunuch Wang's strength is beyond doubt. The former Grand Eunuch is just playing around with you. He has seen all kinds of divine skills and secret manuals. When he gets serious, even someone like Xuan Yang can't get the slightest advantage. He can even go toe-to-toe with a Grandmaster!
He was currently replacing Zhu Hong, the leader of the Beggars' Sect, and when he made his move, he used Zhu Hong's signature technique, an extremely powerful palm technique. He had already blown up the two previous innate masters with a single palm strike, which was quite terrifying.

This is precisely why no one noticed anything amiss when he impersonated Zhu Hong; his appearance, aura, temperament, and even martial arts skills were identical, making him indistinguishable from the real Zhu Hong.

However, a fake is a fake. Others may not be able to tell the difference, but Chen Xuan could see it clearly. No matter how well Eunuch Wang disguised himself, he was still missing something.

However, what puzzled Chen Xuan was how Eunuch Wang knew the unique skills of Zhu Hong, the leader of the Beggars' Sect. Did the imperial court collect martial arts from all over the country and he learned them from the armory, or did he cultivate a technique that could simulate all the martial arts in the world?
Although he had no specific knowledge of the martial arts practiced by Eunuch Wang, Chen Xuan leaned more towards the latter. With his current level of understanding, he could tell at a glance that the palm technique used by Eunuch Wang lacked the true essence. However, given his cultivation level, its power was definitely superior to that of Zhu Hong himself.

'It seems there truly are miraculous martial arts like the "Lesser Formless Skill" that simulates numerous other martial arts styles. Eunuch Wang must practice something of this type, since he used to have to protect the old man at all times; how could he protect him if he couldn't handle the ever-changing array of martial arts techniques?'

With a thought in mind, Chen Xuan didn't dwell on it. He figured he could ask Eunuch Wang when the opportunity arose.

It is said that Chen Xuan's own cultivation of the Ze Yuan Technique allows him to master most martial arts. This technique is highly adaptable, but one must learn the technique in order to use it, rather than simply imitating it at will.

Innate masters almost always fight individually, occasionally helping others, each with their own strengths. The chaotic battles among those in the acquired realm are far less exciting, but there are still some eye-catching individuals, such as Xu Yun of the Tai Xuan Sect. Although he is only in the acquired realm, no one at this level can withstand a single blow. In fact, when an innate master tried to target him, he managed to force the opponent back with a swift sword strike after sustaining some minor injuries. If the opponent hadn't run away quickly, he might have been killed on the spot!
On the evil path, there are also two outstanding individuals in the Acquired Realm, one male and one female. The male is extremely skilled in using hidden weapons and has killed many people. The female, on the other hand, kills people invisibly with her charm. At the same level, whether male or female, people will stare blankly and blush when they see her, and then easily have their lives taken.

The fierce battles were unfolding simultaneously in various locations, reaching a fever pitch from the very beginning, with numerous casualties occurring at any moment.

Chen Xuan was overwhelmed by the sights after just one quick glance around the rooftop.

Once he stopped deliberately using his mental will to interfere with others, their little building seemed incredibly out of place.

Almost the instant he stopped interfering with others, he was targeted. Some people glanced at him, then looked around and thought, "Everywhere else is a fierce battle, why is it so peaceful here? Let me go see what's going on."

This person is a member of an evil sect. Everyone on the island except his companions is their target, and they will not let any of them escape.

As he approached the small building with his knife in hand, his eyes lit up when he saw Du Juan guarding the door. His eyes gleamed with a silver light, and he thought to himself, "There's such a stunning beauty here. I'm going to have my fill of her today. I can't let anyone else beat me to it."

However, before he could speak, Du Juan glanced at him silently, and the other person's expression froze, and he died on the spot, a drop of blood sliding down his brow.

Of course, it wasn't that Du Juan killed the other person at first glance. Rather, she ended his life with a flick of her finger, using a flying needle. If it weren't for the extreme disgust in his eyes, she wouldn't have been willing to use a single flying needle. She was the master's person, and she couldn't tolerate others having even the slightest evil intentions. Such people deserved to die!
Once the first person noticed this side, a second naturally followed. Relying on their superior numbers, the evil forces continued to surge towards this side, leaving Xia Mei, Zhang Yu, and the others with no time to spare.

Fortunately, they were all small fry who were just there to die. After all, experts have their own goals. Then, one after another, they discovered that this seemingly uninvolved building was just as dangerous as the core hall of a prestigious sect.

As more and more people died, it was inevitable that they would be targeted by experts of the Innate Realm. The Shadow Assassin, who was targeting Eunuch Wang, was already hesitant, so he simply decided to settle for second best and secretly attack this side.

Lun Yinxiang is certainly an expert at hiding his ace assassin, but it also depends on who he is facing. Here is Xia Mei, who is not much worse than Eunuch Wang.

Sensing the presence of this top assassin, Xia Mei glanced coldly in his direction and said indifferently, "Get lost, or die!"

At this moment, Chen Xuanming was sitting there on the rooftop, how could he not be noticed? No one knew when his appearance had changed slightly, his eyebrows were slightly wider apart, and his cheek muscles were slightly contracted. Just like that, he had completely changed into a different person.

Sitting cross-legged, holding a wine pot, he casually reached out with his free left hand and caught a long sword that flew out from who-knows-where, placing it casually beside him.

Since their little building was targeted by evil forces, it was only natural that righteous forces would come to their rescue.

In the midst of the chaotic battle, one of them looked up at Chen Xuan on the rooftop and shouted a reminder: "Hero Wang, are you still eating? Don't you want to die? Come down and fight with us, so we can look out for each other!"

Chen Xuan paused, looked down at the other person, and said, "Brother, do you recognize me?"

I've changed my appearance, so how can people still recognize my alias?
The opponent, having forced the enemy back with a single sword strike, said nervously, "What time is it? No time for nonsense. Aren't you the Great Swordsman Wang Wu? I was in charge of reception at the entrance before. I remember your clothes, and I have a strong impression of the staff at your waist. How come I don't recognize you? Oh, so you have a sword. Where did you hide it before? Oh dear, there are many enemies. Come and help! I'll treat you to drinks after this battle."

At this moment, Chen Xuan hesitated, thinking to himself, "Oh right, I am now Wang Wu, the Great Swordsman, and I am here to participate in the martial arts tournament with a hero's invitation. So, it seems that I am part of it and cannot stay out of it in principle."

With that thought, Chen Xuan immediately dropped the wine jug, picked up the knife he had picked up, and stood up, saying, "That's right, I am Wang Wu, the Great Knife. Brother, don't panic, I'm here to help you!"

As he spoke, Chen Xuan jumped off the rooftop. He looked like he had some martial arts training but wasn't very tall. When he landed, he crouched down like a hero making his entrance, and his movements were slightly unsteady.

No one laughed at him. At that moment, someone brandished a knife at Chen Xuan, who was coming down from the road. The person who had spoken quickly called out, "Brother Wang, be careful! Come over here and help each other!"

Chen Xuanxin said that everyone saw it; they were the ones who swung their knives at me first, not that I took the initiative to get involved in matters of the martial world.

Yes, it's perfectly legitimate, no problem.

...(End of chapter)