The Legend of the Condor Heroes: From Being Expelled from Peach Blossom Island

Chapter 546 A Flick of the Finger Meets a Contest

Upon hearing his deceased wife's family martial arts again, Huang Yaoshi couldn't help but mutter to himself.

"The breeze through the curtains grows colder, and I worry that the spring night will not last long. How can I bear the changing of the seasons, when we are still in the realm of existence and non-existence?"

What a magnificent transformation! Between existence and non-existence, it holds the handle of the Big Dipper, causing constellations to shift, and all things to follow its heart, doing as it pleases, controlling the way of change from a high vantage point.

As for this "combination" approach, Han Feizi once said: "Knowing what has been said in the past, do not change or alter it, but combine and read it. This is the way for a ruler to verify his ministers and to be enlightened by listening to all sides."

The person who created these two techniques must have had the heart of an emperor. It seems Heng'er's ancestors were of extraordinary lineage, far surpassing ordinary martial arts families. It's just a pity I only learned this today.

Wu Chengyu was somewhat surprised. Should he say that Huang Yaoshi was a man of extraordinary learning, able to guess the past of the Murong family just from their name, since they had indeed founded a country and served as emperors? Or was it just a matter of chance that Huang Yaoshi had guessed Murong Longcheng's thoughts back then?

He didn't know the origin of the phrase "the stars shift and the constellations change," but the "Canhe Finger" didn't seem to have come from that, according to the books left by the Murong family.

The name Canhebei was given by Murong Longcheng in memory of his former state. It was at the Battle of Canhebei that the Later Yan of the Murong family was defeated by Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei, Tuoba Gui, which hastened the demise of the Later Yan.

However, a well-read person like Huang Yaoshi is bound to show off his knowledge, which is often a way for these people to show off, and they want the other person to be completely dumbfounded.

Sure enough, seeing Wu Chengyu's bewildered expression, Huang Yaoshi seemed to find a sense of superiority and adopted the demeanor of an elder to reprimand him: "You are ignorant and do not know your own family history. What use is your martial arts if you are not learned?"

This amused Wu Chengyu, who then launched another attack: "You are learned but useless, you seek fame but claim to be indifferent. You think you can reach the heavens just by reciting a few allusions? Let's get down to business. If this continues, I'm afraid I'll start cursing."

Huang Yaoshi was speechless again. Everyone saw that he was intimidated by the name of the Eastern Heretic. No one had ever dared to speak so sarcastically in front of him. He snorted coldly and casually picked up dozens of pebbles the size of broad beans from the ground next to him.

The Finger Flicking Skill is arguably the strongest martial art on Peach Blossom Island. Although the Azure Sea Tide Song has a very high concept, its destructive power is limited. Only the Finger Flicking Skill can be compared with the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, One-Finger Divine Skill, and Toad Skill. It has strong finger power, exquisite finger techniques, and extremely fast finger strikes.

This finger technique has three uses. One is to injure people from a distance with finger strength, but in terms of finger strength alone, it is slightly inferior to the One-Finger Divine Skill, only slightly faster.

Secondly, in close combat, one can use a finger flick to attack the enemy's vital points, often in conjunction with the Orchid Flicking Technique. The flicking or flicking can be done at will, or the finger can be used to strike the weak points of the opponent's weapon, often causing the opponent to drop their weapon.

But the most lethal technique is to use finger strength and hidden weapon methods to shoot out hard objects similar to pebbles. The speed and force of the projectiles are so great that even a shield is difficult to defend against. Even the Toad Style Kung Fu can break through the surface with a single point, which makes the Western Poisoner wary.

At this moment, Huang Yaoshi did not underestimate his opponent in the slightest and directly used the strongest attack of his Finger Flicking Divine Skill.

Wu Chengyu also took a deep breath and took out the Murong family's Canhe Finger. This finger technique is also known for its power, but its greatest feature is that it is formless and unpredictable.

During the Tianlong era, Murong Bo reprimanded Wu Chengyu, saying that the Canhe Finger was no less powerful than the Six Meridians Divine Sword. This might be considered boasting, but this finger technique is definitely no less powerful than the One-Finger Divine Skill.

“Standing here and fighting with finger strength is really boring. How about we change the location?” Wu Chengyu pointed to the pool next to him, which was next to the Peach Blossom Pavilion. It was formed by the confluence of waterfalls from the small hill on the island. It wasn’t very big, and the water was deep green with dozens of lotus flowers floating on the surface.

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Chengyu leaped onto the lake surface, his feet firmly planted on the water, causing only slight ripples and a few faint water circles to spread outwards. His figure was relaxed, as if he were standing on flat ground.

Huang Yaoshi's eyes were fixed on Wu Chengyu. The soles of his light boots were in contact with the water, and he did not sink at all.

With his keen eyesight and cultivation, he naturally knew that this was something that could only be achieved by those who had reached the pinnacle of internal strength and lightness skills. Even the invisible energy swirling around the boots was slightly visible in the water.

Wu Chengyu used his turbocharged, solidified energy to create an invisible floating platform on the water's surface, then stood on it with his unparalleled lightness skill. Huang Yaoshi could see it clearly, but he also knew that if they were to compete in lightness skill, he would undoubtedly lose.

He could cross water quickly without falling in, but he knew he couldn't stand still on the surface of the water without sinking.

At this moment, Huang Yaoshi was even having a toothache. He was absolutely certain that he hadn't misjudged Wu Chengyu's talent back then, and he really couldn't understand why he had achieved what he had today. He was simply a monster.

He had no time to think. There were some lotus flowers on the pond, still in bud, but the lotus leaves were large. Huang Yaoshi was able to leap onto the lotus leaves and walk several steps before turning around to confront Wu Chengyu. He could only do this by using the lotus leaves.

Huang Yaoshi was exceptionally handsome and had an elegant demeanor, while Wu Chengyu was an absolute beauty among men. One trembled on a lotus leaf, while the other stood proudly still on the water. The lake water was as clear as jade, surrounded by peach blossoms.

Huang Yaoshi struck first, using his finger-flicking technique to send three pebbles flying, aiming directly at Wu Chengyu's brow, throat, and heart.

But just as they reached Wu Chengyu, they saw Wu Chengyu tap the air three times with his right index finger, and the whistling pebbles seemed to suddenly lose power and fall into the pool without warning.

Huang Yaoshi's move was merely a test; he had no idea how powerful the Canhe Finger was or what its unique features were. Now, however, he had a better understanding of it.

The next moment, three more pebbles shot out, but their target was not Wu Chengyu. The pebbles hit the lake surface at the midline between the two, splashing up thousands of cold glints that blocked their vision.

As Huang Yaoshi guided the water droplets, they formed a curtain of water that enveloped Wu Chengyu, dazzling the eye under the sunlight.

Immediately following was a streak of cold light shooting straight out, and a pebble instantly pierced through the water curtain, reaching Wu Chengyu's face in the blink of an eye.

Wu Chengyu remained calm and composed. This time, he also used his finger-flicking technique, striking the pebble with the same force. The pebble immediately flew backward and instantly turned into dust under the impact of the two immense forces. Instead, it shattered the water curtain that had not yet fallen, causing it to disperse like mist on the lake's surface. The two of them seemed to be walking on water amidst clouds and mist, their figures ethereal and their demeanor vigorous, resembling immortals.

Huang Yaoshi's blue robe twitched slightly, and he casually picked up a stone and tapped it lightly, which then sprang out in an instant.
*Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh swoosh swoosh!* Several pebbles whistled through the air, tearing through the mist and transforming into streaks of silver, swift as lightning, aimed at Wu Chengyu's vital points. Wherever the pebbles passed, the air seemed to be scalded.

Wu Chengyu's lips curled slightly, his figure was like a crane, relaxed like a pine tree. As the silver threads rushed towards him, his robe sleeves trembled almost imperceptibly, and his right index finger touched the air several times as if stroking an invisible zither string.

The swift and powerful stone, capable of piercing an iron plate, seemed to crash into a bottomless, icy pool, only stirring up a few tiny ripples. Not even a speck of debris was splashed up before it silently vanished into the void within that small space.

The combined finger strength, formless and shapeless, possesses a condensed and profound power that is in no way inferior to the overwhelming and fierce power of the Finger Flicking Divine Skill.

A glint flashed in Huang Yaoshi's eyes, seemingly with a hint of approval, but deeper within was the burning desire of a worthy opponent.

He lightly touched the lotus leaves with his toes, his figure moving like a ghost as he retreated more than ten feet. At the same time, he flicked his finger again, this time the pebble was not shot at Wu Chengyu, but into the lake water.

This time, although the stone was still moving at high speed, it entered the water silently without splashing a single drop.

"A mere trick!" A cold smile flashed across Wu Chengyu's lips, but he had already seen through the trick. The next second, the pebble broke through the water behind him, moving three times faster than when it entered the water, and struck Wu Chengyu directly in the back.

It can be swift and powerful, or it can silently change direction by using the surface of the water; only by possessing such versatility can one be called a supernatural being.

Wu Chengyu subtly moved his feet, using the Lingbo Weibu technique of the Xiaoyao Sect. Only at this moment could he truly walk on water. His figure made a quiet and elegant turn on the water's surface, and the pebble could only brush past him.

Wu Chengyu pointed his fingers like a sword, combining his finger strength to shoot out again, hitting the pebble squarely. A strange and unparalleled latent force silently burst forth, instantly doubling the pebble's speed and correcting its direction, sending it straight at Huang Yaoshi's vital acupoint on the chest.

Huang Yaoshi's figure was like a floating duckweed on the water, moving with the waves, without dodging or avoiding anything. Only his green robe fluttered for a moment when the stone carrying the power of the Canhe Finger touched his body.

He flicked his finger and struck the pebble, shattering it into pieces that splashed back onto the lake, creating countless sprays of water.

Now it was time for Wu Chengyu to counterattack. He waved his long sleeve with his right hand, sending a burst of energy into the water, creating another curtain of water. Then, he used both hands simultaneously, flicking his fingers in rapid succession. The combined finger power was silent and traceless, making it look like a dance from a distance.

But when these finger forces reached a certain point, the water droplets that should have scattered and splashed were suddenly grabbed, crushed, and then kneaded back into shape by a pair of invisible giant hands.

Hundreds of water droplets, drawn by the force of the finger, suddenly reversed and spun back, no longer splashing randomly, but instead, as if bound by the invisible trajectories of stars, forming a precise, flowing, and shimmering array of cold stars around Huang Yaoshi.

Huang Yaoshi's water curtain was created to obscure vision, and he also launched a surprise attack with pebbles, while Wu Chengyu's water curtain was created by attaching finger strength to the water droplets.

Each water droplet carried Wu Chengyu's combined finger strength, making them deadly weapons. They swept in with a dense, sharp sound of wind breaking through the air.

At this moment, Huang Yaoshi had no other choice. His flick of the finger could not stop the raindrops flying everywhere, so he could only retreat.

With feet moving like the wind, he stepped onto the lotus leaves one after another, his body swaying like a willow in the wind. With continuous swaying, he shifted several positions in mid-air and finally escaped the water droplet array formed by the combined finger forces.

However, those water droplets were not entirely useless. They lost sight of Huang Yaoshi, but they broke all the lotus leaves that Huang Yaoshi had stepped on, leaving only the one under his feet.

In this encounter, everyone used their own cunning, but Wu Chengyu emerged victorious.

Huang Yaoshi remained calm. Only the lotus leaf beneath his feet remained on the pond. He could no longer cross the water and continue his entanglement with Wu Chengyu.

By this point in the battle, Huang Yaoshi was already at a disadvantage. The two were not only competing in finger techniques but also in lightness skills. Huang Yaoshi had nowhere left to retreat and could only launch a final attack.

With a casual flick of his left hand, which had been tucked into his sleeve, Huang Yaoshi flicked an ordinary pebble, about the size of a walnut, with his middle finger.

This pebble was neither as swift as thunder nor as powerful as a silver streak cutting through the air as before. Its flight path was low and flat, its speed neither fast nor slow, a straight curve heading directly at Wu Chengyu.

Wu Chengyu's expression also turned serious. In order not to suffer a loss, he also used his middle finger. The power of the mixed finger was originally formless and shapeless, but this time, under the cover of the lake's water vapor, it seemed to have a form.

Like a translucent icicle, it wasn't fast, but it was positioned at the midline between the two, striking first and colliding with the pebble that Huang Yaoshi had flicked out.

There was no loud noise, but a very slight and crisp sound of contact. The pebble immediately stopped moving forward and hovered in mid-air above the lake.

The next moment, the stone began to spin at high speed under the confrontation of the two forces. As it spun, it seemed to encounter external friction. As the rotation speed increased, the stone gradually shrank in size and was eventually ground into stone powder, which was scattered on the water surface.

In an instant, the myriad silver scales shattered, transforming into countless shimmering, leaping, and mesmerizing spots of light that rapidly spread across the water's surface.

The breathtaking close call, the finger-force clash that could shift stars and change constellations, the hidden killing intent that hung between life and death—all of it now seemed like a fleeting dream, vanishing without a trace as the lake gradually calmed.

(End of this chapter)