Ten Directions Sword Master

The wandering swordsman surnamed Qiu relied on his agile movements and varied sword techniques, and preferred close-quarters combat.

The long sword is a feint; the short sword is the real deadly threat.

Moreover, they are not greedy; once they have landed a successful strike, they create distance and rarely attempt to pursue the enemy.

It has always been criticized for its weak attack capabilities, but it also rarely falls into traps.

Many of the wandering knights who made a name for themselves around the same time now have graves overgrown with weeds several feet high.

He Zheng's lips curled into a sinister smile as he slapped the bud away and brushed past it, his hand brushing against the bud's shoulder.

His other hand formed a claw with its five fingers, growing larger out of thin air. An invisible force bound the two swords, making it look as if the wandering swordsman surnamed Qiu had pressed his chest against it.

With his five fingers gripping his chest as if they were embedded in soft soil, he released his inner force from his palm and sent him flying like a kite.

His chest visibly caved in, and the spurting blood was mixed with pieces of broken organs; it was clear he was not going to survive.

All martial arts skills can be categorized into four stages: beginner, minor mastery, advanced, and mastery.

Reaching the pinnacle of a martial art is the ultimate goal, where a touch of the divine can emerge.

However, the time required to progress from the initial stage to the final stage is more than the sum of the time required to cultivate the previous stages, and very few people focus on practicing a single martial art to the very end.

Switching to other advanced martial arts techniques usually yields better results.

It's true that He Zheng's physical strength has declined, but his mastery of the Dragon Binding Hand and his extensive experience mean that his strength hasn't decreased much compared to his prime.

To be able to master the Dragon Binding Hand technique at such a young age is enough to show that one's passion for martial arts has not diminished with age.

"Everyone underestimated He Zheng. Zhao Sanqin's defeat is not undeserved... Young Master Bai, let's return to the prefectural city first, and then hire someone else to kill He Zheng."

Tang Lie could see clearly that Zhao Sanqin was no match for He Zheng and could not stand alone against him.

Once the leader is defeated, the rebel army's advantage will be useless; the castle in the air will collapse in an instant.

"Go back? Whoever kills He Zheng will be rewarded with a Heavenly King's Heart-Nourishing Pill!"

Lu Li's expression shifted; victory was imminent, yet this mishap had occurred.

With only a few days left, he wondered if he could find suitable help, how long his aura of being a nobleman in the capital would last, and whether He Zheng would hide in the Six Garrisons Army camp after the attack... There were too many uncertainties, and he dared not gamble.

He drew his sword, the Sun-Covering Sword, and pointed it directly at the battlefield, offering a powerful temptation.

If forced to obey, these two should comply, but I'm afraid they won't give it their all.

He didn't want any more surprises; he was determined to see He Zheng's head roll today.

The Heavenly King Heart-Nourishing Pill is the number one ancient medicine currently available for exchange in the Nebula Palace, requiring a full thousand merit points.

Stimulating the spiritual platform and arousing spiritual power is a precious medicine for breaking through the Foundation Establishment stage and advancing to the Refinement of Spirit stage.

With the fall of the Northern Wei Dynasty, a large number of elixirs were lost. Crucially, many of the raw materials were exclusive to the Northern Wei royal family, and the Heavenly King's Heart-Nourishing Elixir has completely disappeared from the real world.

Tang Lie and Wei Xuan were burning with excitement. A sect of the level of the Hanyue Sect could only distribute no more than five similar precious medicines each year, enough to drive every Foundation Establishment Perfection disciple crazy.

They had no doubt that Young Master Bai could keep his promise. The Imperial City Division was absorbing fresh blood and recruiting martial arts figures, and one of its major selling points was that it would distribute Heavenly King Heart-Nourishing Pills.

Moreover, the Han Yue Sect's techniques are not particularly afraid of He Zheng's Dragon Binding Hand; their meridians are tempered to the point of being like silver mercury, their skin like cowhide, and their bones like gold and jade.

Even with his meridians sealed and his internal energy cut off, he can still fight enemies with his strong physique.

"Junior Brother Tang, have you neglected your skills and failed to train your body properly all these years?"

Wei Xuan rubbed his wrists, took a deep breath, and felt his stomach bloating, emitting a rumbling sound.

"Every day, I brave the fierce winds and tread on fiery rocks... Though I may not be as good as my senior brother, I will certainly not hold him back!"

Tang Lie laughed loudly and followed closely behind.

The two charged toward the military camp like arrows released from a bow. With each step they took, their blood surged and their strength increased.

After taking a hundred steps, he had already mobilized his momentum to its peak.

With both fists thrown out, straight and powerful, combined with sheer force, the target had no way to avoid it.

Heaven and earth are the furnace, and the flames of war are the fuel!

He Zheng's heart pounded wildly; he sensed the threat of death even before he knew what the punch was coming from.

The intense energy of blood and qi was awe-inspiring, and if you took a step back, your room to maneuver would become smaller and smaller.

When Zhao Sanqin discovered the reinforcements, he also risked his life, pouring his remaining internal energy into the mace to delay their advance as much as possible.

"court death!"

He Zheng's eyes flashed with ferocity. He twisted his back dramatically, dodging the mace, and his two palms moved like ghosts to cut into Zhao Sanqin's front.

With a rip and a claw, a bloody arm flew out with a piercing scream, its back braced against two punches.

boom!boom!

As if struck by a steel plate, He Zheng spat out a mouthful of blood and rolled over twice in a somewhat disheveled state.

Zhao Sanqin's arm was torn off, bleeding profusely, and he retreated from the center of the battle while clutching his wound.

"External martial arts training?"

Tang Lie knew better than anyone the power of the Shaking Mountain Sect's techniques. The fact that he and his senior brother's combined attack only caused minor injuries meant that this person must have also practiced Iron Shirt or similar skills.

In that case, their advantage would be greatly reduced, and the outcome would become somewhat unpredictable.

"No, it's just a miraculous effect brought about by the Foundation Establishment and Mind Opening... In addition to a significant improvement in eyesight, this person also has an enhanced physical body."

As the external affairs steward of the Hanyue Sect, Wei Xuan had a greater advantage in experience in the martial arts world.

Since no rebound was felt in the palm, it was deduced that it was not a physical training technique, but rather an enhancement to open the mind.

After a martial artist reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, they can receive various miraculous blessings, but only a few can receive two of them.

Tang Lie felt relieved. His sudden enlightenment was not sustainable and he was much easier to deal with.

Without any communication, the fellow disciples tacitly switched to a different set of boxing techniques. One of them, like a madman, unleashed a punch that was both fast and powerful.

The other person used a small, skillful fist technique that combined softness and strength. It was concise and powerful, like a spider web that trapped people, gradually encircling them.

Just as Wei Xuan had predicted, He Zheng did not dare to directly confront the attack again.

The Dragon Binding Hand was activated several times, but Tang Lie and Wei Xuan remained unfazed. Their broken bones could not be broken, and their shattered meridians could be restored. The most prideful aspect of the Shaking Mountain Sect's martial arts was this physical body.

After thirty moves, the disadvantage of age inevitably becomes apparent.

Reaction speed in all aspects is declining, internal strength is insufficient, and muscles and bones are weak.

……

Lu Li held the Sun-Covering Sword upside down, walked slowly to the edge of the battlefield, and kept his gaze fixed on He Zheng.

Whether it was the power and influence of his persona or the allure of the Heavenly King's Heart-Nourishing Pill, the two warriors from the Shaking Mountain Sect did not hold back, displaying all their skills and firmly suppressing He Zheng.

But he still dared not relax, and even thought about how to stop the heavily injured He Zheng if he escaped the encirclement with his strongest sword.

call!

An armored soldier spotted him, charged forward carrying a saber, and brought it down with a powerful, terrifying strike.

Lu Li gently turned to the side, a flash of cold light appeared, and with a scream, the soldier fell to the ground.

His only weakness was accurately pierced by the Sun-Covering Sword, and blood flowed freely from his eye socket. Once he fell, it would be difficult for him to even stand up straight again.

"what!"

With a scream, Tang Lie staggered back a step in the center of the battlefield, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, his face pale.

Wei Xuan's clothes were torn at the shoulder, and five claw marks took away the flesh and blood the width of a finger, but the retracted fist made He Zheng kneel on the ground, his arms twisted unnaturally, and his chest caved in.

"Leave no survivors, kill them on the spot!"

As soon as Lu Li finished speaking, Wei Xuan's palm, red as a branding iron, struck He Zheng's forehead.