Chapter 492 - 238: Battle Zhang Junyi

Chapter 492: Chapter 238: Battle Zhang Junyi

Zhang Junyi wore a cautious expression. He knew the "Cloud Dragon Nine Forms" not only possessed all the unpredictable variations and exquisite moves of the Cloud Mountain Swordsmanship but was also the most domineering and swift of all the Cloud Mountain sword styles. Its power was not to be underestimated. He was constantly on guard for an unstoppable true dragon to burst forth from the mist-like flashes of the sword.

Amidst the continuous CLANG CLANG CLANG of their exchange, Zhang Junyi suddenly raised his sword, having seen through the true killing move Xie Yuan had hidden within a flourish of his blade. The two clashed head-on once more, kicking up a fierce whirlwind that sent Monk Huie Jue’s robes fluttering.

Watching them from the side, their movements as swift as a rabbit taking flight or a falcon swooping down, Huie Jue was utterly astonished.

He had fought Xie Yuan just recently and understood his strength quite well, but he never expected that in just over a month, Xie Yuan’s cultivation would have improved so much. It was as if he had ascended several levels!

’Does this guy really cultivate this fast?’

’Or are the effects of that Jianzhen Lake really that good?’

Huie Jue’s eyes flickered. Watching Xie Yuan clash head-on with Zhang Junyi without giving an inch, he felt that the Daoist was in for a tough fight.

’Patron Xie wasn’t known for his profound power reserves in the first place. His true strength comes from his arsenal of versatile Secret Techniques and his incomparably deadly axe skills, none of which he has used yet.’

’The Daoist’s Dragon-slaying Sword Skill is wildly powerful, and his Xuanzhen Wuji Gong is profound and domineering. Having been personally tutored by Master Yuxu, when it comes to the ferocity of his attacks and the depth of his power, even I am slightly inferior. Yet Patron Xie is fighting him to a standstill with just his cultivation and Swordsmanship... His progress in the past month is simply astounding.’

The key was that Xie Yuan had now greatly compensated for his previous shortcomings, matching Zhang Junyi’s strengths. So when he finally brought out his ultimate moves, how could Zhang Junyi possibly defend himself?

Huie Jue couldn’t help but wonder, ’If I were to face the current Xie Yuan, how could I win?’

However, his strength lay in his Indestructible Golden Bell Shield, which was difficult to break. In terms of Defense Power, he was the best of the three present, putting him in an invincible position from the start.

And his Golden Body Arhat’s Demon-Subduing Fist was also incomparably fierce and immensely powerful. Xie Yuan might be able to trade blows with the Dragon-slaying Sword Skill, but that didn’t mean he could clash head-on with him.

’If the fight drags on, I, the Buddhist disciple with a heart as unshakeable as a rock, will be the one to have the last laugh.’

Just as Huie Jue’s expression was relaxing, he suddenly remembered that the previous outcome hadn’t been like that at all.

Back then, Xie Yuan’s strength was far inferior to what it was now, yet he had still managed to win with a scoundrel’s killing move. ’If he brings out that unpredictable Body Technique and that infuriating great axe, how am I supposed to counter it?’

Huie Jue thought it over and over. It seemed that besides overwhelming Xie Yuan with sheer cultivation, there was no other way to deal with him. The problem was, he no longer had an advantage in cultivation. What was he to do?

His expression shifted uncertainly before he finally let out a slow breath.

’It seems that to defeat Patron Xie, I’ll have to use stalling tactics. A violent storm never lasts all morning. Relying on my Undying Heart Method, I’ll wait until he exhausts himself. This humble monk will win without a fight, cool and composed. That is the true style of a great monk.’

Huie Jue nodded, feeling he had figured out a winning strategy. His mood settled, and that pure, innocent, yet profound and unfathomable—and utterly punchable—smile returned to his face.

His gaze returned to the battlefield. The two combatants were displaying their ultimate swordsmanship techniques, having already clashed head-on many times.

Even though they stood in the center of an open clearing, the bamboo forest at the edge was suffering. A ring of it had been devastated by the dispersing energy and Sword Qi. Bamboos lay toppled everywhere, their roots and stems snapped, littering the ground. Even the green bamboo further away was swaying precariously.

The Cloud Dragon Nine Forms versus the Dragon-slaying Sword Skill. Although the latter’s name suggested it was a counter, its performance didn’t fall short in the slightest. In fact, it was gradually gaining the upper hand!

The Swordsmanship of a true disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect was of an extremely high level. Xie Yuan should have found it difficult to gain an advantage with his Swordsmanship alone. However, as the fight dragged on, his Sword Heart triggered from time to time. Bit by bit, he accumulated a slight advantage, gradually putting Zhang Junyi on the defensive.

However, the Dragon-slaying Sword Skill was clearly no ordinary technique. Moreover, Zhang Junyi had been personally taught by a Grandmaster. Despite his cultivation not being high and not having practiced the sword for long, his Swordsmanship had almost no openings and faintly exuded the air of a Grandmaster. Xie Yuan could only occasionally spot a slight discordance, but when he tried to strike, he couldn’t necessarily seize the opportunity!

But as the fight dragged on and the instances piled up, Xie Yuan eventually gained the upper hand. A cloud of mist trapped the Cyan Dragon, leaving Zhang Junyi to charge left and right. Yet he couldn’t break through the dense layers of cloud and streaks of white light, forced to just spin in place.

Zhang Junyi’s face was grave. He knew that if this continued, it would be like a frog being boiled in warm water. A little longer, and he would probably lose all chance to fight back.

The cyan light from his sword suddenly blazed, and its Sword Aura flared even brighter, instantly punching several holes through the white mist.

However, as he channeled his Sword Aura, Xie Yuan channeled his own. White light flickered on the Long Sword, moving with the Sword Edge, filling Zhang Junyi’s entire vision with a vast expanse of white clouds, as if he were on Ruyun Peak atop Cloud Mountain.

Just as Zhang Junyi was dazzled, a white dragon suddenly shot out again. The Long Sword was like a true dragon, its body a sacred silver-white, its eyes burning with incandescent white flames as it bore down on its opponent with an unrivaled gale.

Zhang Junyi was stunned for only a moment, but the Long Sword was already upon him. He reflexively raised his Peach Wood Sword, blocking the tip of Xie Yuan’s sword in the nick of time.

However, the force of the blow had already struck him. Zhang Junyi’s face paled, and his whole body shuddered. As if hit by a heavy blow, he slid backward, his feet carving two deep furrows in the ground.

Xie Yuan’s Profound Weapon was incredibly sharp, yet after clashing with the Peach Wood Sword repeatedly, it had not left a single mark. The wooden sword easily blocked the Long Sword, showing that what looked like wood was actually a rare treasure. How could the personal sword of a true disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect, sent down from the mountain, be anything ordinary?

But while the sharpness of the Sword Edge could be blocked, the rampaging Sword Qi was not so easily defended against.