Chapter 53: The old servant shows his power, Li Yao arrives |
Since last year, after being punished by Tianhe Zhenren, Shang Jiping had been following Wang Liyao as an old servant. Nearly a year had passed since then.
During this year, thanks to the abundant Yuanshui spiritual energy on the Nameless Broken Isle, he finally broke through the bottleneck that had trapped him at the peak of the sixth level of the Celestial Realm for many years, advancing to the seventh level.
Now, he was a cultivator in the later stages of the Celestial Realm, much stronger than he was a year ago.
At this moment, he stood in mid-air, releasing his full aura. The overwhelming pressure caused the entire river section to surge violently.
The pressure that Du Tiangang had deliberately released was forcibly pushed back.
"What a powerful aura!"
On the ferry and at the dock, more and more onlookers were shocked to see Shang Jiping. Such a powerful figure was just an old servant?
"Spirit Slayer" Du Tiangang also showed a look of surprise. The aura of this old man was not inferior to his own.
When did the Changning Wang's Clan gain such a formidable expert?
As his words fell, he also soared into the air, his aura surging.
His white, jade-like hands suddenly took on a glossy sheen, looking less like human hands and more like sculptures carved from white jade.
With a shout of anger, he flipped his hands, palms forward, and struck fiercely at Shang Jiping.
"Boom!"
A sudden explosion echoed in the sky.
Du Tiangang's profound energy surged, transforming into a giant hand that covered the sky, pressing down with overwhelming force.
In the talent-rich Flood Dragon Gang, he had fought his way to the position of the third-in-command, a testament to his strength and status. His arrogance was forged by his power and position. It was one thing for the Wang's Clan to hire experts, but to deliberately label him as an "old servant" to humiliate him was intolerable.
In his fury, he attacked with full force.
"Spirit Slayer" was a very special profound technique that could disrupt the structure of profound energy, weakening the opponent's techniques, especially effective against defensive techniques.
When mastered, it could even allow one to fight against stronger opponents of a higher realm.
Of course, Du Tiangang's "Spirit Slayer" was far from being perfected, but it still gave him a significant advantage against opponents of the same realm. It was this technique that allowed him to stand out in the Flood Dragon Gang and climb to his current position.
With a thunderous roar, the giant hand pressed down on Shang Jiping, carrying an unstoppable force, as if the sky were falling and the earth were splitting.
Even the clouds in the sky were torn apart.
Under this terrifying pressure, Shang Jiping's temples fluttered slightly, but his eyes remained calm, showing no fear.
He extended his right hand, and a water-blue long blade appeared in his hand. Under the sunlight, the intricate runes on the blade shimmered mysteriously.
This long blade was his famous weapon, the mid-grade spirit artifact "Yuanshui Treasure Blade."
Gripping the blade, he charged towards the giant hand, raising his blade for a strike.
As a core disciple and elder of the academy, Shang Jiping's strength was unquestionable.
In his previous encounters with Wang Liyao, he had often suffered losses, not because he underestimated her strength, but because he was hesitant to strike too hard due to her status, which inevitably put him at a disadvantage.
Now, facing Du Tiangang, he had no such concerns.
With a sweep of his blade, the powerful blade intent surged out, like a mighty river, vast and unstoppable.
Unlike Wang Liyao's flexible and adaptable sword intent, Shang Jiping's blade intent was domineering and fierce, reflecting his straightforward and aggressive style.
The blade intent tore through the air, creating a terrifying pressure that stirred up huge waves on the river below.
The onlookers at the dock, fearing for their safety, retreated dozens of meters, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
In an instant, the domineering blade intent collided with the giant hand.
"Boom~~!"
A thunderous explosion echoed in the sky.
Both techniques were fierce and powerful, and their collision was like ice crashing into ice, shattering simultaneously.
The shattered blade intent mixed with the energy of the Spirit Slayer, creating a powerful shockwave. The river surged with waves, and even the ferry in the middle of the river was pushed a long distance by the waves.
The onlookers at the ferry and dock were mesmerized, their horizons broadened.
Most of them were at the bottom of society, usually showing great respect to even Lingtai Realm cultivators. As for Celestial Realm cultivators, they were like legends. A rare glimpse of one could excite them for a long time, becoming a topic of conversation.
Witnessing a battle between two Celestial Realm cultivators, especially those in the later stages, was a rare spectacle.
Worth it! This was worth it! They could brag about this for a long time, drawing envy from many.
Meanwhile.
After exchanging blows, Du Tiangang and Shang Jiping hovered above the An River, their previous disdain replaced by seriousness.
Whether they liked it or not, they had to admit that the opponent was indeed a formidable enemy!
"What a ‘Spirit Slayer’ Du Tiangang," Shang Jiping said hoarsely, "You truly live up to your reputation as the third-in-command of the Flood Dragon Gang. You've opened my eyes."
"Yuanshui True Technique!" Du Tiangang squinted, "That's a profound technique from the Yuanshui lineage of the Purple Mansion Academy of Longzuo Commandery. Your background is not simple, is it? The academy usually avoids getting involved in local disputes. Are you planning to break the academy's rules?"
Despite his rough and bold appearance, Du Tiangang was actually quite meticulous. It was no wonder he had earned Long Wuji's favor and was promoted to the position of third-in-command in the talent-rich Flood Dragon Gang.
"I am indeed an elder of the academy," Shang Jiping did not deny it, his eyes calm, "But I am also the old servant of Miss Liyao."
Miss Liyao's old servant?
Du Tiangang's expression turned grim, "So Miss Liyao is from the Wang's Clan? What makes her so special that Elder Shang would serve as her servant?"
Shang Jiping raised his head slightly, a look of satisfaction on his face, "Miss Liyao is a rare great prodigy, the heir of Tianhe Zhenren from Longzuo Academy. It is my lifelong honor to serve her."
A great prodigy!
The heir of Tianhe Zhenren?
One revelation after another left Du Tiangang staggering in mid-air, almost falling.
This must be a joke, right? A great prodigy, and the Wang's Clan has one?
Not only that, but this great prodigy is also the heir of Tianhe Zhenren?
An heir is not the same as a personal disciple. While personal disciples are highly regarded, a master or zhenren usually has several.
But an heir is different.
An heir is to the academy what a young clan leader is to a family, destined to inherit everything, including techniques, status, weapons, spirit pets, and even wealth and connections.
This shows how important Miss Liyao is to Tianhe Zhenren.
The onlookers at the dock, limited by their knowledge, didn't understand the intricacies.
To them, Celestial Realm cultivators were like gods, and Zifu Realm cultivators were legendary figures. However, they could sense from the conversation that Miss Liyao of the Wang's Clan had a high status, with Celestial Realm cultivators serving as her servants.
Meanwhile, on the Flood Dragon Gang's ship.
Jiang Yusong and Long Wuji exchanged glances, seeing the surprise and seriousness in each other's eyes.
Tianhe Zhenren!
He was a Divine Realm powerhouse, the dean of the Purple Mansion Academy of Longzuo Commandery. In the entire Daqian, he was a top-tier figure.
Their previous intelligence only revealed that the Wang's Clan had a prodigy, but they never expected a great prodigy to be hidden.
Great prodigies have immense potential and are considered treasures of humanity.
Their status is extraordinary, and their masters are always top-tier figures. Unless by chance, a Zifu Realm cultivator usually wouldn't qualify to take a great prodigy as a disciple.
Long Wuji might not care about the prodigy Cao Youqing from the Holy Land, but he had to take Wang Liyao, the heir of Tianhe Zhenren, seriously.
With her status, she could even seek an audience with the emperor and be warmly received.
After all, such talents, as long as they don't betray the country, are destined to become pillars of the nation.
"Master," Jiang Yusong bowed apologetically, "It's all my fault. I failed to uncover such crucial information."
"No matter."
Long Wuji quickly regained his composure, a playful smile on his lips.
"Interesting, the Changning Wang's Clan is really interesting~~~ Their foundation and potential are hidden so deeply that even I almost missed it. But while a great prodigy deserves respect, it's just respect. And no matter how powerful Tianhe Zhenren is, his support for the Wang's Clan is limited."
"Besides, Tianhe Zhenren is not the only zhenren in this world."
Long Wuji, confident and composed, flicked his fingers, "I am becoming more and more interested in the legendary clan leader of the Wang's Clan, Wang Shouzhe. Send word for him to come; I want to meet him on this ship."
A burly man with a full beard, sitting on a grand master's chair below, stood up with a grin, "Master, I'm also very curious about this Wang Shouzhe~ Let me go and invite him."
He was Gao Tian, the fourteenth-in-command of the Flood Dragon Gang, who had recently been promoted to the Celestial Realm and was eager to prove himself. Seeing this opportunity, he naturally wanted to seize it.
Long Wuji understood his intentions.
But the Flood Dragon Gang's rule was "the capable go first." As long as Gao Tian could get the job done, he wouldn't mind his little schemes.
He nodded slightly, "Alright, I'll leave it to you, Fourteenth-in-command."
"Thank you, Master. Rest assured, I'll handle it beautifully~" Gao Tian laughed heartily, immediately getting up and striding out of the cabin.
At the bow of the ship, he stood boldly, his tiger eyes scanning the area, "Where is the Wang's Clan leader, Wang Shouzhe? My master, Long Wuji, invites him to the ship for a discussion."
His voice thundered across the sky, echoing loudly, creating a formidable presence.
The onlookers at the dock were astonished.
The Flood Dragon Gang, as a dominant force, had such powerful individuals. And their leader, Long Wuji, was said to be a Zifu Realm cultivator.
Many who favored the Wang's Clan couldn't help but worry. How would they deal with such a formidable enemy?
Suddenly.
At this moment.
A clear and melodious female voice rang out, "This is the territory of the Changning Wang's Clan. Who do you think you are, daring to call my father's name directly?!"
As the voice fell.
A slender figure stepped on the waves, approaching from the river.
The figure wore a flowing green gauze dress, her features as beautiful as spring flowers, her figure graceful like flowing water. Though she looked no older than twenty, with a hint of youthful innocence, she was already a stunning beauty.
Rich Yuanshui spiritual energy surrounded her, like flowing mist, adding a touch of mystery to her figure.
Against the backdrop of the surging river, she exuded an imposing aura, like a celestial maiden from a divine painting, inspiring awe.
Seeing this figure, Gao Tian was initially startled by her aura, but when he focused, he saw that her cultivation was only at the early Lingtai Realm, and he relaxed.
"A mere Lingtai Realm cultivator dares to speak so arrogantly." He sneered, "Is Wang Shouzhe out of people to send, that he lets a wet-behind-the-ears girl come out to support him?"
"Hmph~"
Wang Liyao's eyes turned cold.
She couldn't stand anyone looking down on her father, Wang Shouzhe. This man had insulted him twice, completely angering her.
Without a word, she raised her hand, and the high-grade spirit artifact "Autumn Water Sword" at her waist unsheathed.
A sword light, like water, shot out.
The sword light was ethereal, like a ripple on the river, light and without a trace of smoke, yet incredibly fast.
In an instant, the sword light had crossed the river, reaching Gao Tian.
Seeing this, Gao Tian's expression didn't change.
He had just advanced from the Lingtai Realm to the Celestial Realm and knew well the vast difference in strength between the two realms.
He didn't believe a mere Lingtai Realm cultivator could pose any threat to him.
He casually waved his hand, intending to disperse the sword light.
However, his powerful Celestial Realm palm force didn't scatter the sword light as expected. Instead, the sword light directly shattered his palm force.
Amidst the scattered sword light, an indescribable aura spread out, like autumn water, like a mighty river, carrying an overwhelming force.
"Sword intent?!"
Gao Tian's face changed, realizing something was wrong.
But it was too late.
He hurriedly tried to defend, but the sword intent had already reached him, exploding with force.
"Boom~!"
With a loud explosion, Gao Tian was sent flying, crashing into another ship, breaking the mast in half.
His mid-grade spirit armor was torn open, revealing a large wound on his chest, blood staining his clothes.
Fortunately, he habitually wore spirit armor; otherwise, the sword intent would have taken his life. He didn't have the robust physique of a body cultivator to withstand the sword intent with just his body.
This scene shocked everyone. Not only the Flood Dragon Gang members but also the onlookers at the ferry and dock were stunned.
A Celestial Realm expert of the Flood Dragon Gang was sent flying by a young girl in the early Lingtai Realm?
Though it seemed Gao Tian was careless and didn't defend properly, no one expected such a result.
What was going on?
"Yuanshui Spirit Body?! Yuanshui Sword Intent?!" Struggling to get up, Gao Tian's face changed completely, "Are you the great prodigy 'Miss Liyao'?!"
As the fourteenth-in-command of the Flood Dragon Gang, Gao Tian had keen insight and quickly recognized the Yuanshui Sword Intent.
This girl, though only in the early Lingtai Realm, had mastered sword intent, specifically Yuanshui Sword Intent... Recalling the mention of "Miss Liyao" by the academy elder, he quickly deduced her identity.
Only the legendary great prodigy of the academy, the heir of Tianhe Zhenren, fit all the criteria. Others also realized this, their faces showing shock.
"Miss Liyao, you have arrived." Shang Jiping bowed respectfully to Wang Liyao from afar, his posture extremely deferential. His eyes also showed a hint of pride.
This was Miss Liyao, the great prodigy he served.
Miss, I hope me the old servant lives to see the day you dominate the world.
Inside the ship.
Long Wuji's eyes showed a hint of intrigue.