Chapter 1104: Moving Like a Sword
Back in White Emperor City, Bie Yang Hong had infused all his combat experience against the Holy Light Angel into Chen Changsheng’s mind through the West Ocean Longevity Pavilion’s ultimate technique, One Red Dot. Among that knowledge was the essence of the boxing style he had used in his final years.
Previously, Bie Yang Hong had not been accustomed to using fists.
At the battle of the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, he had personally witnessed the Heavenly Sea Empress’s fist strike with an aura that could shatter the heavens and destroy the earth. Inspired by that, he created this boxing style.
This did not mean he submitted to the Heavenly Sea Empress. Rather, this attitude of learning from the strong represented true fearlessness.
A fearless fist possessed unimaginable, overwhelming power.
When Chen Changsheng threw his punch, the air within several hundred zhang was stirred, giving rise to a hurricane.
The forest behind him fell flat in unison, bowing in reverence to his retreating figure.
Shang Xingzhou also failed to evade this fearless fist.
But he caught it.
With a thunderous roar, grass clippings, water droplets, and mud flew everywhere, blotting out the sky and sun.
The forest slowly straightened again, and the fierce wind gradually subsided.
Crushed by the terrifying force, the originally soft ground sank evenly and became countless times harder.
Chen Changsheng’s fist pressed against Shang Xingzhou’s palm, unable to advance further.
If the Hidden Edge Sword Scabbard were still by his side, he could have thought of a dozen ways to launch the most lethal attack against Shang Xingzhou.
Now, he didn’t even have a sword.
Fortunately, that didn’t mean he couldn’t use a sword.
The temperature at the edge of the grassland suddenly soared, and the nearby water plants even turned scorched yellow.
Chen Changsheng activated the most powerful and decisive technique: the Burning Sword.
The true essence within his body began to burn violently, surging endlessly through his right arm, which had transformed into a sword blade, toward Shang Xingzhou.
Shang Xingzhou’s expression remained unchanged, still as indifferent as ever.
He was like a towering mountain, exuding an unshakable presence.
An extremely formidable force emerged from his palm.
Chen Changsheng’s fist could not advance another inch.
That formidable force was somewhat unusual. It didn’t seem to be condensed from starlight; it was more violent, as if possessing real heat.
From the signs it showed, it resembled the true essence Chen Changsheng had mobilized with the Burning Sword.
Chen Changsheng vaguely guessed at a possibility and was deeply shocked.
But he had no time to think, because Shang Xingzhou’s counterattack had arrived.
Just like on the summit of Twilight Valley Peak.
Shang Xingzhou’s right hand descended seemingly casually, like a falling leaf caught in the wind, its trajectory impossible to track.
Chen Changsheng still couldn’t evade.
Shang Xingzhou’s right hand landed on his chest, incredibly gentle, yet concealing power comparable to heaven and earth.
Two deep furrows appeared on the hard, newly sunken ground.
Chen Changsheng was pushed back to the edge of the furrows, his calves hitting the ground, and his entire body was sent flying.
He was like a stone hurled by a strongman, accompanied by a whistling sound as he broke through the air, becoming a tiny black dot in the sky.
Shang Xingzhou’s gaze followed him, landing several li away.
For some reason, he was not pleased, nor was he as indifferent as before. Instead, he furrowed his brows.
A gentle breeze suddenly arrived, his Daoist sleeve fluttered slightly, and he transformed into a wisp of green smoke, darting swiftly in that direction.
……
……
Several li away, Chen Changsheng lay face down in the water, looking like a corpse.
Suddenly, he flipped over, didn’t glance back, and began sprinting forward.
He was as fast as a galloping horse, splashing water along the way, though his right arm was visibly stiff, as if injured.
No one could withstand two palms from Shang Xingzhou, even if he had to suppress his cultivation level within the Zhou Garden.
That Chen Changsheng was still alive and could run was due not only to his physical resilience but, more importantly, to the fact that Shang Xingzhou’s two palms hadn’t fully connected.
At the final moment of each of Shang Xingzhou’s strikes, Chen Changsheng had raised his arm to block his chest.
Without a sword, he still had to use a sword.
Before he activated the Burning Sword, he had already used the Clumsy Sword.
The world’s foremost defensive sword technique.
Moreover, although he couldn’t evade Shang Xingzhou’s leaf-like palm strikes, he could choose where to be hit.
He could also choose how to dissipate the force after being struck.
He even used the Yashiki Step once while in the air.
So he knew exactly where he would land.
This was already the Sunsetless Grassland, and it was exactly where he wanted to be.
After confirming that he couldn’t shake off Shang Xingzhou with the Yashiki Step, he began preparing for what came next.
Now, it seemed he had succeeded.
The increasingly dense hisses and scraping sounds in the grassland seemed to celebrate his arrival.
In truth, it was the strange flood dragons and other demon beasts, having caught his scent, coming to welcome him.
The demon beasts soon sensed Shang Xingzhou’s presence.
Despite their terror, they still rushed forward bravely.
Over a dozen strange flood dragons slithered ceaselessly among the water plants, erasing all traces of Chen Changsheng.
More strange flood dragons, carrying a foul stench, silently crept toward Shang Xingzhou several li away.
Black dots appeared in the distant sky—likely gray vultures approaching.
Soon, a tide of demon beasts would flood this grassland.
But this was not Chen Changsheng’s intention.
Risking revealing his location to Shang Xingzhou, he shouted, “Withdraw!”
……
……
Shang Xingzhou stood on a solitary reed, rising and falling gently with the wind.
Hearing the faint sounds from the water and sensing the hidden presences in the grassland, he raised an eyebrow and said, “Wretched beasts, seeking death.”
Just then, a voice exploded like thunder, echoing across the entire grassland.
It was Chen Changsheng’s voice.
Shang Xingzhou’s raised eyebrow slowly lowered.
He was somewhat surprised.
……
……
No demon beast dared to disobey Chen Changsheng’s command.
Because he was the master of the Zhou Garden, and because he had saved this world.
Their obedience to him came from their very souls and natures.
Upon hearing his order, even the most ferocious and untamable wind wolves silently retreated.
In front of the Zhou Mausoleum, the giant robust beast and the Inverted Mountain Tusker exchanged a glance and lowered their bodies again.
The grassland fell silent once more, with only the chirping of insects and the gentle sound of water.
Chen Changsheng’s feet landed on solid ground.
White grass formed the path, frost-covered as before, and the dilapidated temple still stood in its original place.
He rushed into the old temple and sat down behind the statue.
His breathing was heavy, and his face was even paler.
He removed a golden needle from his finger and inserted it into two vital points on his neck, then closed his eyes to begin meditating.
Shang Xingzhou, with his cultivation suppressed, was not the strongest opponent Chen Changsheng had ever faced, but he exerted the greatest pressure.
Whether facing Zhu Luo in Xunyang City or the Demon Lord on Cold Mountain, he had never felt as overwhelmed as he did today.
From the summit of Twilight Valley Peak to this broken temple, not much time had passed, and there had only been two exchanges, yet he was already exhausted to the extreme.
This was probably the psychological pressure a student must bear when challenging his teacher.
He just didn’t know how much longer he could hold out, nor where he ultimately intended to go.
Chen Changsheng suddenly opened his eyes.
Shang Xingzhou had arrived outside the temple.