Promise!

Chapter 194, Hunyuan

Rumble!
Click!

Amidst thunder and lightning, the raindrops began to patter and quickly turned into a torrential downpour, with a thick mist filling the air.

The Yin-Yang Flood Dragon, with its crimson body resembling the Yang attribute form of the Crimson Python, also exhibits a bluish-green hue, yet it has not completely transformed into the Yin attribute form of the Netherworld Python, appearing as if it lies somewhere in between, with the two colors intermingling.

hum!
At this moment, strange power flowed through its wound, and the cold aura sealed it. The next moment, it seemed to rise into the mist as if soaring through the clouds, fueled by the yin and yang water and fire energies within its body.

"not good!"

Ning Tongxuan, Mu Mingxi, Shi Jie, Yan Shilin, Fang Lifu, Shen Xujing, and the rest of the group, upon seeing this scene, seemed to realize something and their expressions changed.

Most people only know that the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon manifests as Yang on land and possesses fire energy; when it enters the water, it manifests as Yin and can spew out cold energy. But what they don't know is that the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon also has a third form during a rainstorm: the Hunyuan Flood Dragon form that embraces Yin and carries Yang!
"Yan!"

The Yin-Yang Flood Dragon soared into the air and unleashed a breath attack on Ning Tongxuan, who was severely injured.

This time, the fire and cold evil, in a spiral of blue and red, transformed into a Yin-Yang mixed evil, which then coalesced into a destructive death ray.

Ning Tongxuan's expression was extremely solemn at this moment. He had been secretly gathering his strength since he saw the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon soaring through the clouds. Now, as he waved his fan, he once again used the "Golden Wind and Jade Dew in One Fan" technique.

At this moment, the exquisite rainbow light of gold and silver intertwined with the destructive death light of the Yin-Yang Mixed Yuan Sha. In silence, both were annihilated in large swathes, and in mid-air, a dazzling aurora of various colors appeared.

It was a close contest!

Swish!
Ning Tongxuan waved his fan down without even looking, turned around, landed on the back of the Golden Roc, and took off into the air.

Amidst the torrential rain, the Yin-Yang Dragon, aided by the Yin and Yang energies, could soar through the clouds, but its speed and altitude were limited. Thus, it abandoned Ning Tongxuan and, from its high vantage point, swept its breath over Mu Mingxi, Shi Jie, Yan Shilin, and Fang Lifu.

Mu Mingxi unleashed his full power at the Eight Meridians Realm, and Shi Jie dared not hide any longer, revealing his Eight Meridians Realm strength as he desperately tried to evade.

Wow!
The Yin-Yang Dragon breathed onto the deck, creating a large hole. The river water surged in, and only the interlocking iron chains shared the weight, preventing the ship from sinking temporarily. However, the ship was still rocking and shaking violently, and the iron chains made a sickening sound as they were about to break under the strain.

Yan Shilin, the eldest son of the Yan family, was only at the seventh level of the meridians and could hardly escape. Therefore, Fang Lifu, although at the eighth level, could not escape alone. At this moment, the two of them unleashed their ultimate techniques at the same time.

"Crazy Thunder Vajra Fist!"

"Mixed Yuan Thunderbolt Hand!"

There seemed to be some connection between their ultimate skills. Under their tacit understanding, they actually combined into one, which was their trump card: the combined attack technique - Wind, Thunder and Lightning Burst!

A ball of lightning, two feet in diameter, condensed and crashed upwards into the Yin-Yang Dragon's breath.

boom!
The collision resulted in a massive explosion, shattering nearly half of the ship.

……

"Very well, the Shen family possesses a specially made Qi-breaking crossbow capable of inflicting critical hits, that's fine; Shi Jie, the younger brother of the Medicine King Gang leader, is also a hidden Eight Meridians Realm expert; Ning Tongxuan is equally astonishing, with a single, deadly move exceeding the limits of the Fetal Breath Realm; the Yan family of Donghu Prefecture also gave me a huge surprise, a combined attack technique?"

"The world is vast, and there are countless talents and geniuses!"

Zhuang Jin sighed, his resolve to obtain the information on the Three Innate Gates and the experience to break through to the Innate Realm growing stronger: 'Competing for superiority among those of the same realm is not my forte. If I were to fixate on that, it would be tantamount to using my weaknesses to attack their strengths. My talent has no bottlenecks; the most suitable path for me is to quickly obtain the information and experience on the Three Innate Gates, break through to the Innate Realm, and widen the gap in realms.'

'The so-called experts on the Hidden Dragon Ranking are nothing more than martial artists with a sliver of hope of breaking through to the Innate Realm. Once I break through to the Innate Realm, I can confidently say to these people: Young friends, you may all come at me together!'

……

The Yin-Yang Dragon chased and weaved, its breath repeatedly causing large ships to break apart and take on water, but all its efforts were in vain. It could only abandon these tough nuts and set its sights on the easier targets.

Shen Xujing glided across the water, fleeing for his life at lightning speed, with a line of water rapidly approaching from behind.

Wow!
At a certain moment, the Yin-Yang Dragon burst out of the water and opened its mouth to breathe fire at the culprit that had previously shot it with a specially made armor-piercing crossbow.

Wow!
This time, the Primordial Breath formed a water-fire tornado in the water, attracting the river water, growing larger and larger, and then rumbling away.

"You beast, how dare you?!"

Mu Mingxi roared in surprise and anger, chasing after them across the water, but his whip was too far away to reach them.

On the surface, Ning Tongxuan, the only one who could catch up with the attack, was also hovering in mid-air watching because he resented Shen Xujing for his previous sneak attack.

"Ugh!"

Inside the small boat, Zhuang Jin sighed, put on his straw hat, and stood up.

"Senior!" The other small boats had long since scattered and fled for their lives. Only a lone small boat remained on the empty water. Shen Xujing sensed the presence of a figure on it, but found it to be empty. He immediately panicked and asked for help.

"Go! Go!"

Zhuang Jin waved his hand, and after Shen Xujing left, he looked at the water and fire tornado behind him that seemed to connect heaven and earth, and waved his gourd to sprinkle water.

Under the chilling aura of internal energy, the wine transformed into an ice line, radiating an extremely sharp aura. It precisely struck the weak point of the water-fire tornado, splitting it in two.

This move, along with the fleeting aura of a Nascent Soul martial artist, caused Ning Tongxuan and the others to show surprise: "There's another expert?!"

The Yin-Yang Dragon sensed Zhuang Jin's presence and saw Mu Mingxi, Fang Lifu, Yan Shilin, and others gathering and chasing after it from behind. Exhausted due to its serious injuries, it let out a long, unwilling cry, shook its head, wagged its tail, and entered the water to go far away.

"Having accomplished their task, they left without a trace, concealing their merits and fame!"

Zhuang Jin let out a soft sigh and disappeared into the torrential rain. Only seven or eight breaths later, Ning Tongxuan and the others arrived, only to find an empty boat. It seemed that the fleeting aura of the attack just now was just an illusion.

……

One incense stick later, in Qinghe County, at the county government office.

The bright candlelight illuminated the torrential rain outside, but the sound of the rain could not drown out the sounds of mutual accusations inside.

"Master Shi is largely to blame for the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon's escape this time. If it weren't for the 'coincidence' that blocked my claw, I would have severely injured or even killed the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon long ago, instead of delaying until the rain started later."

Mu Mingxi emphasized the word 'coincidence': "Also, Hall Master Shi is clearly at the Eighth Meridian Realm, so why did he previously hide that he only had Seven Meridians? Won't you explain that to everyone?"

"Explain what?"

Knowing he was in the wrong, Shi Jie decided to drag everyone else into the mess: "Didn't your fourth young master also secretly attack Young Hero Ning and prevent him from killing the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon? And didn't Young Master Yan and Fang Sizheng also take action?"

"Ahem, Young Master Ning later refused to help Young Master Shen when he was dying. So neither of us is clean, and no one should accuse anyone else," Yan Shilin said, coughing.

"Even if both are at fault, there are degrees of severity."

Shi Jie, however, persisted, trying to use the pressure from the crowd to force an answer: "As for that nameless martial artist who appeared last, I want to ask Young Master Shen, who is he? Why did he come to the rescue? Could he be a hidden trump card of the Shen family?"

"I don't know about this either. Why don't you ask that senior yourself, Master Shi?"

"Hey, young hero Ning, where are you going?"

"Go back to sleep."

...With Ning Tongxuan leaving first, the other three parties could no longer argue and naturally parted on bad terms.

……

After the gathering dispersed, Yan Shilin, Fang Lifu, and Shi Jie from Donghu Prefecture were all secretly speculating about Zhuang Jin's identity. The Fourth Young Master Shen Xujing and Mu Mingxi were also discussing the matter.

"Fourth Young Master, can you see clearly who the person who rescued you was?" Mu Mingxi asked.

Shen Xujing shook his head slightly: "The other party was wearing a straw hat and it was raining heavily, so I couldn't see clearly. However, I had a vague feeling that he was familiar and should be someone from my Shen family."

At this moment, both of them were thinking about the help that the family head, Shen Xianhong, had mentioned before they left.

"I know all the martial artists in the Shen family who have reached the Meridian Opening stage or above. The closest one who could arrive in time is... Elder Zhuang?!"

Mu Mingxi blurted out, but then, thinking of the fetal breathing realm that person had displayed, it seemed impossible. How could Zhuang Jin break through so quickly? This... is it reasonable?!
Shen Xujing also thought of Zhuang Jin. Shocked, he said, "After eliminating all the impossibilities, this is the only answer."

"Ugh!"

He suddenly sighed, "Judging from today's situation, Elder Zhuang arrived a long time ago. If he had discussed and cooperated with us beforehand, we might have been able to obtain the Yin-Yang Dragon's beast pearl today. What a pity."

As the head of the Shen family's General Affairs Department, Mu Mingxi was extremely knowledgeable. He could tell from Shen Xujing's words that he was dissatisfied. He looked at him deeply and said, "Even with all sides keeping a close watch on him, Zhuang Gongfeng may not have a chance."

"Furthermore, with such a rapid breakthrough, if such a genius were to be exposed, he would likely be targeted by the Medicine King Gang. It would be fine in the county town below, but there could be danger if he returned to the prefectural city."

He spoke up for Zhuang Jin for two reasons. First, Zhuang Jin had saved Shen Xujing today, saving him from a huge trouble, and he was grateful. Second, he shared the same identity as Zhuang Jin and felt a deep sense of empathy. Seeing Zhuang Jin's attitude towards Shen Xujing after saving him, he felt a chilling sense of shared sorrow.

—As the young master of the Shen family, Shen Xujing is the master, but they are not like martial artists below the Meridian Opening stage, servants, housekeepers, or guards. They are worshippers, and purple-robed worshippers at the Nascent Soul stage!
"That makes sense. Master Zhuang has his own difficulties and reasons. I was wrong. I will definitely go back and tell my father about Master Zhuang's life-saving grace and express my gratitude properly."

He was grateful to Zhuang Jin for saving him, but he was also somewhat uncomfortable with Zhuang Jin's self-willed, detached, disorganized, and undisciplined behavior.

Shen Xujing is a man of deep thoughts and cunning. Normally, he would not reveal his true feelings. Today, he has just experienced a life-or-death crisis and his mind has been greatly impacted, which is why he has spoken out of turn, or rather, he has spoken his true feelings.

"I hope so!" Mu Mingxi said, but in his heart, he thought of Shen Xujing as not only scheming but also mean and ungrateful.

'If the eldest son or the eighth son succeeds as the head of the family in the future, it will be fine, but if it is the fourth son, then our lives will probably not be easy,' he thought to himself.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xujing sensed the distrust in Mu Mingxi's words and felt quite uncomfortable.

However, he is not yet the head of the family and does not have the authority to command those of the rank of retainer. He is currently in need of manpower, so he can only suppress his emotions for the time being and keep them deep in his heart. Instead, he smiled and said kindly, "If Chief Minister Mu senses that Retainer Zhuang has made contact, he will definitely pass on the message. Please do your best to capture the beast pearl this time... If it is successful, I will definitely ask my father for credit. My Shen family will not mistreat meritorious officials."

"Easy to say! Easy to say!"

Despite his words, Mu Mingxi had lost interest in fighting for the beast pearl after seeing Shen Xujing clearly. He planned that as long as Shi Jie didn't get the Yin-Yang Flood Dragon's beast pearl and fulfilled Shen Xianhong's guarantee, that would be enough.

It can only be said that no one is a fool. A ruler chooses his ministers, and a minister chooses his ruler. If a ruler treats his ministers like brothers, then the ministers will treat the ruler like brothers. But if a ruler treats his ministers like dogs and horses, then the ministers will treat the ruler like a stranger.

……

"Having saved the Fourth Young Master, I've done my duty to Old Shen in this incident. Now, it's time to plan for myself!"

—Judging by actions, not intentions, Shen Xianhong may have some ulterior motives, but his efforts were genuine: Cloud Hidden Tea, Beast Leather Armor, Meridian Opening Pill, and Profound Understanding Pill. When giving him the Meridian Opening Pill and Profound Understanding Pill, he also said that if he could avoid taking them, he should.

Even if you don't take them, these two items are resources in themselves. For example, the Meridian Opening Pill can be used to exchange for beast treasures or to compensate for the difference in silver. The Profound Understanding Pill will be used to exchange for information on the three innate gates and experience to break through to the innate gate. All of this depends on the other party's help!

Ning Tongxuan returned to the inn, but before he even entered, he suddenly sensed something, narrowed his eyes, turned around, and chased after something in one direction.

Wow!
In a secluded street, amidst a torrential downpour, accompanied by the clear cry of a golden eagle, Ning Tongxuan soared through the air and landed in front of Zhuang Jin.

"Are you the last martial artist to appear this afternoon who practiced the Nascent Soul technique?"

"Yes, I have heard that you are ranked 12th on the Hidden Dragon List, so I have come to ask for your guidance."

"Sure. I found those rats arguing really boring. It would be nice to have a fight with you."

Ning Tongxuan replied seriously, spreading his hands and saying to Zhuang Jin, "Please!"

Swish!
Zhuang Jin didn't hold back. With a flick of his hat, he made the first move, then activated his ultimate martial arts technique, "A Glimpse of the Startling Glimpse," appearing before his opponent as if shrinking the distance between them. He pressed down with his palm, and three streams of energy spiraled together, enveloping the rain and transforming into a black dragon formed from condensed ice water, which swung its head and tail as it charged forward.

click!
Ning Tongxuan twirled the Thousand-Silk White Jade Fan in his hand, cutting open the bamboo hat, and met the Ice Water Ink Dragon head-on. With a swift and decisive move, he shattered the dragon into a mist, just like a skilled butcher dissecting an ox. While calmly deflecting Zhuang Jin's subsequent moves, he said indifferently, "Just this one combo is enough to rank me in the top fifty of the Hidden Dragon Ranking."

"However, while an opening finishing move might give an ordinary martial artist the upper hand and even determine the outcome, for a strong opponent, it only exposes their trump card. The moment the finishing move is used, the change of tactics, or the weakening of their aura becomes their weakness and opportunity!"

Although he didn't know the saying "one effort, then decline, then exhaustion," he understood the principle.

Zhuang Jin remained silent, continuing to make moves, one after another, as continuous as the torrential rain, with a strange rhythm.

Three strokes!

Five strokes!

Seven moves!

……

"Wait, why are all your moves deadly techniques? Could it be... that your Black Fiend Palm has reached the third level of perfection?!"

Ning Tongxuan exclaimed in surprise, his expression finally changing.

Indeed, after nearly half a year of persistent hard work, Zhuang Jin's Black Fiend Palm finally reached the perfect third level after breaking through the Eight Meridians Realm.
If the Black Fiend Palm martial arts technique circulating in the market is the most popular and common version, then the Black Fiend Palm reaching the third level of perfection is that it has evolved into a version of the Black Fiend Palm that is most suitable for one's own physique. It is completely unsuitable for other people, and if it is taught to others, they simply cannot learn it.

At this level, every move of the Black Fiend Palm is a deadly technique... and Zhuang Jin has two deadly techniques: Triple Wave and Frost Poison Kill. At this moment, every move is a double deadly technique, and both are at the triple level, with the power of a normal fetal breathing martial artist being one and a half times greater!
Now that Zhuang Jin has reached the Eight Meridians Realm, with the help of the Ren and Du Meridians as a bridge between heaven and earth, he can finally treat this kind of burst of energy as a regular method.

These were nothing to a master like Ning Tongxuan. What was most terrifying was that each move was continuous and rhythmic!

At this moment, Ning Tongxuan felt it most clearly: his ultimate move, "Golden Wind and Jade Dew in One Fan," was interrupted every time he just started to execute the move, and the skill was forcibly silenced, making it impossible to use.

He had to suppress his ultimate move time and time again, causing his internal energy to tremble and making him extremely uncomfortable.

boom!
Several powerful forces, carrying the ice-water dragon, exploded, and the two separated amidst the misty spray.

"Who exactly are you, and what brings you here?" Ning Tongxuan's expression was more solemn than ever before.

"An unknown person has come to discuss a deal with you." Zhuang Jin stated his purpose, mentioning that he would exchange the Tongxuan Pill for information on the three innate gates and experience in breaking through to the innate level.

Ning Tongxuan pondered upon hearing this.

This is the effect of the previous battle. If someone were to come along and talk nonsense, or even if they were a fellow martial artist with the Eight Meridians Breathing skill, and they wanted to talk about a deal, as the twelfth on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, I would naturally be arrogant and my subconscious reaction would be: Who do you think you are?
Having just demonstrated its strength, it has the confidence to engage in equal dialogue, which allows the other person to listen attentively, take its words seriously, and consider them.

“I have what you want, but one Tongxuan Pill… is not enough! I can give you the experiences and stories of several predecessors who broke through to the Innate Realm, and even a secret technique to save your life if you fail to break through. In return, in addition to one Tongxuan Pill, you must help me kill that Yin-Yang Flood Dragon and obtain the Beast Pearl.”

Ning Tongxuan paused for a moment, then said, "To show my sincerity, I can tell you about the Three Innate Gates first."

……

(End of this chapter)