Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 707 Carrying the Wind
【Red Steed】Nie Shangheng, the leader of the "Eight Steeds" of Tianshan, is always the first name mentioned when discussing the rise of Tianshan in the martial arts world.

He was ranked eighth, but he was only thirty-one years old this year. Even among the top ten on the Crane List, he was one of the youngest. Among those under thirty, apart from Qi Ye, who was twenty-nine years old from the "Hai Ruo" lineage of Beihai Prefecture, there was only that young swordsman.

Aside from those celestial towers that are always hidden from the world's view, these are some of the most outstanding masters in the world. If it weren't for the Feather Scale Trial, no one would be lucky enough to witness such a move.

Zhu Gaoyang sighed and put his hand on Pei Ye's shoulder: "See that? This is what a truly first-class swordsmanship looks like today. Don't get cocky with your mediocre skills. You should learn and practice more."

“I’m only eighteen this year, how can I compare to this Senior Nie?” Pei Ye raised an eyebrow. “But Brother Zhu, you’re already twenty-seven, only four years younger than him, yet you’re ranked at the top of the Crane List.”

Pei Ye thought for a moment: "You actually feel a sense of urgency and are feeling discouraged by the excellence of your peers, so you use this opportunity to give me some pointers."

"..."

Shi Zanxue smiled: "Zhu Zhenchuan is four years younger than Senior Brother Nie, but they only entered the Xuanmen sect three years apart. When they entered the Yeque sect, they were only two and a half years apart. Judging from their momentum, Zhu Zhenchuan's progress is obviously faster. The time for him to 'unleash his full potential' is also approaching."

Pei Ye said, "He's been blocked now, and I'm afraid he'll never be able to make a move again."

Zhu Gaoyang smiled and pinched his neck.

Pei Ye said, "Brother Zhu, if you draw your sword against Senior Nie Shangheng, will he just pick you up and lift you up?"

Zhu Gaoyang exerted force suddenly, and Pei Ye hunched his shoulders, whispering through clenched teeth, "Brother Zhu, Brother Zhu was wrong, Brother Zhu..."

Shi Zanxue smiled and said, "The affection between the two of you is truly enviable."

Zhu Gaoyang released his grip, glanced at the boy rubbing his neck, and said, "Fairy Anxiang, where is that young sect leader Li whom I met once? Why hasn't he come?"

Pei Ye froze for a moment.

"Sect Leader Li helped tidy up the dock, but feeling that he couldn't be of much help later, he went back to the capital first." Shi Zanxue smiled. "Sect Leader Li is still young and this is his first time in the capital. He has been wandering on the rivers and lakes for a month and has been wanting to go to the capital for a while."

Pei Ye didn't answer. He looked at the river and knew that the girl wasn't that playful. Either she was in the capital on business... or she didn't want to see him much.

He paused for a moment, looked up at the sky, and recalled the phrase, "It's also thanks to His Highness Prince Jinyang's written order." She had always been much braver and more resolute than him... whether deciding to be together or to separate.

Pei Ye shook his head. Based on past experience, he knew that once he started thinking about this kind of thing, it would never end. He focused his gaze again and looked at the surface of the river.

Nie Shangheng stood before the five large ships, sword in hand.

Even at this point, nothing could be clearly seen in the misty rain, as if a curtain was covering something, but the boats that had just been halted on the river were already moving forward again.

After witnessing Nie Shangheng kill Wu Xuan in five breaths, the situation on the entire river changed drastically. Tianshan Fang knew that their senior brother was reliable, while the Weishuiwu troops were truly terrified.

Aboard a small, swaying boat, they watched as the man cleaved a hole dozens of feet wide in the river, cutting through the wind and rain. The once unapproachable lord of the fortress and his four hall masters were beheaded like melons. In that instant, who would dare to be the "obstructer" he spoke of? Countless people hastily abandoned their weapons, raised their hands, or jumped off their boats to escape.

Tianshan has really been absent from the martial arts world for far too long.

They reside atop the towering peaks of the west, too close to the stars that seem within reach, yet too far from the human world. The image of the Tianshan Mountains in people's minds is like those stars: people know of their existence, but are accustomed to seeing them always high in the sky, never appearing in the real world.

Often it doesn't care about any conflicts in the martial arts world. It often sends some disciples to travel around, but apart from getting a few words of surprise and awe when they announce their names, they hardly stir up any waves in the martial arts world.

However, in recent years its presence has indeed become stronger. Whether in the Crane and Duck Book or in the feeling of the Jianghu in Longdi, this sect that used to be indifferent to worldly affairs on the high mountain has begun to try to get involved in something.

Thus, people knew that even in the capital city, more than two thousand miles away, and even on the banks of the Ba River, where powerful forces were intertwined, their will could still be fully implemented.

They are by no means a secluded sect that only cultivates and is ignorant of worldly affairs. Their intelligence, organization, and execution all demonstrate first-class standards. If such a prestigious sect has such the ability to influence the mortal world, then why did they keep a low profile before? Or, since they have lived on the mountain for generations, why have they trained their disciples to be so capable?

When Tianshan made its first appearance in the capital, the mystery surrounding this distant sect was not lifted; instead, it became even more enigmatic.

Now, the resistance of Weishuiwu has been crushed. Nie Shangheng stands before the five boats, his sword behind his arm, his left hand slowly raised, hovering in the air in a relaxed and graceful posture, as if gently touching the wind and rain.

The mysterious energy on the river stirred once more, like fine foam rising from the water.

The outburst just now seemed to pose no pressure to him. Within a hundred feet, wind and rain began to sway faintly, and profound energy was drawn toward his fingertips.

Then these ripples in the air gradually converged into a harmony. Within a hundred feet, the raindrops seemed to freeze at a certain moment, as if vibrating incessantly in the air, like being shaken by invisible strings.

Ten drops, a hundred drops, ten thousand drops, a billion drops... and not just rain, but also fog, these even smaller, more minute droplets. The man closed his eyes and frowned slightly, as if he had sensed their breath after three breaths, and so they were gradually shaken up as well.

Pei Ye tilted his head slightly ahead of him, and he could roughly recognize the mysterious technique he was seeing for the first time.

Records of Jade from the Western Seas - [Tianlan]

After the fierce battle at Bowang that night, Pei Ye cooperated in the review and arrest at Xianrentai.

He had encountered this mysterious art in written descriptions and in the accounts of Shi Zanxue and those who had experienced it. It was said that it could manipulate the mysterious energy within a certain range into a dangerous rhythm, leaving those within it with no way to avoid or hide, just as if the sky had suddenly become turbulent, and birds could only fly away with broken wings.

But in the hands of this [Red Steed], he truly saw its limit... it was practically a miracle.

Everything within a hundred feet has its own rhythm. Within such a vast area, Nie Shangheng uses his exquisite control to make the profound energy play music for each target individually.

At that moment, he gently grasped the outstretched hand, as if pulling on billions of strings, and all the droplets and the sound of the wind seemed to stop trembling.

Then he gently released it, and within a hundred feet, everything that was his target began to disintegrate simultaneously.

Large and small liquid droplets exploded into gas in an instant, and the sound of the wind disappeared in this space for a moment.

Then came the first large ship, whose forequarters collapsed into tiny, shattered fragments. The texture of the fragments almost gave Pei Ye the illusion that the ship was not made of iron and wood, but rather of soft dust wrapped in a layer of skin.

Otherwise, how could such a fog-like explosion have formed?

Suddenly, everything became clear.

In fact, the obscuring rain and mist stretched for thousands of feet, but the man had indeed cleared a considerable area in just a few breaths.

The next moment, the edge of this blank space was slowly filled in. Nie Shangheng walked in with his sword, and raised his hand again, as if he wanted to forcefully chisel through this rain and mist.

But a sigh echoed from the depths of that misty place.

"Charging headlong into my stomach and intestines..."

The voice was hoarse and cold, unlike a human voice, but more like the sigh of a demon.

The wind and rain continued as usual on the river, yet countless people felt a strange chill creep down their spines. Some, unable to contain their shivers, turned their horses around, as if the vast fog had lost its allure, and a demon from hell was about to break free of its chrysalis and reveal itself. Suddenly, a colossal, long, scaly tail burst forth from the fog!

The large ships at Weishui Dock were no match for it; their masts appeared as thin needles before it. Its entire body was a deep, dark red, like jade or stone, a lighter shade polished over countless years. It appeared too quickly and rose too powerfully; from afar, it looked like a light, ethereal ribbon for a fleeting moment.

Nie Shangheng was like a bird rising from the ground. The water beneath his feet was shattered by this giant body. No one knew how he managed to combine with the scales and tail, but his sword technique turned around with agility. He still spat out a mouthful of blood.

As the strange, scaly tail broke through the water, Pei Ye was suddenly able to see everything in the mist clearly.

Whether the rain and mist had dispersed or enveloped him, a bizarre scene unfolded in his vision, leaving the boy speechless with shock.

The five large ships were indeed stationary, their sails furled, anchored, and very close to each other.

Thus, a makeshift cutting board was cobbled together.

The strange creature's body was so long that even when it was coiled and spread out, it still looked strained, so that the boats had to droop a section of arc between them, with the tail end, several meters long, hanging down from the side.

It was too heavy; all five ships were deformed in many places under its weight. It had to be distributed as evenly as possible across the decks. If any ship bore too much weight, it would inevitably risk capsizing.

Its body was completely cut open.

Blood poured from the deck into the river like a waterfall. Its bluish scales spread out, revealing white, blood-stained flesh, and its undulating spine resembled a demonic palace. Countless strange demonic spirits clung to its body, biting and tearing away thick chunks with each twist of its neck, those with sharp teeth. From a distance, it looked like shrimp and crabs devouring a giant python.

Its magnificent tiger head still retains its life.

His eyes still held a sparkle, and his mane swayed slightly with his breath.

But this crippled body was clearly no longer able to support any movement.

The tiny, rice-grain-sized crimson robe sat cross-legged in the middle of this body, head bowed and hair disheveled.

A blood-stained, tasseled sword was stuck diagonally on the deck beside him. Slaughtering was a slovenly job; boots, hair, and clothes were all splattered with dirt.

Pei Ye was inexplicably captivated by the sword, but he quickly looked away.

Another water spirit was positioned behind the man in crimson robes.

Its scales were deep red, and it had a rhinoceros-like head, especially a sharp horn protruding from its forehead. It was exactly the same size as the body of the water that had been cut open on the ship, and its body bore some terrible bite wounds. This supernatural creature seemed to be able to carry its body between reality and illusion at the same time. It appeared and disappeared, and when it brushed past the ship, it did not cause the slightest sway.

The slender body coiled behind Zhu Yi, like several dancing tentacles he extended; clearly, the scales and tail had just flown out from there.

...How could this be? He killed that water lord.

Pei Ye gripped the reins, staring intently at the five blood-stained ships.

It was like a strange altar; what could possibly enjoy such a feast?

He quickly banished the idea of ​​offering sacrifices from his mind, knowing that this was a mark the Immortal Lord had given him, and that these demons were clearly not allowed to feast on the offerings.

This scene was actually different from Pei Ye's expectations. It wasn't based on the logic of the case, but rather on a subtle intuition—he felt that he had seen too much here... or too little.

This made the boy somewhat uneasy.

If this is the ladder to your "ascension," then what about Yong Ji? What about the rest of the Yan Prince's residence?

Pei Ye had personally experienced the wonder and vastness of the Spirit Realm. If anyone were to control this power, something "real" would have to happen.

Pei Ye frowned. On the river, Zhu Yi looked like a demon sitting on an altar. He lowered his head, raised his blood-dripping hand, and slapped it on the ground again.

Water mixed with blood splattered everywhere. The scales slammed into Nie Shangheng's sword, shattering the sword's momentum along with the hundred-foot-long Xuan Qi. The man was sent flying away in a sorry state, just like Dou Xiang had just been.

The agility that had just flown like a dragon and the overwhelming power that swept across the river seemed to have been suddenly stripped away. This eighth-ranked man on the Crane List could not even escape a simple sweep.

But the next moment, his fingers dug into the scales like claws. The man was expressionless, and within a hundred feet, the wind and rain suddenly became fierce, sweeping in all directions, to the point that it was almost impossible to see anything.

But that was only the tip of the iceberg brought about by the profound energy.

Fresh blood gushed from the scales, staining the rain red, and deep wounds were embedded in them, with scales breaking and flying off.

Records of Jade from the Western Seas - [Jie Yu]

This move, which once appeared on a rainy night in Bowang, has reappeared here in a completely different form. The tail that could capsize a large ship with a single sweep is now as if it has been pierced with fine, intricate knives... but its extremely sharp power is still blocked by the bones.

The next moment, the enormous scaly tail slammed heavily into the man's chest again, causing his body to stiffen.

But this time there was no room for maneuver.

The man in red robes was like a ghost.

In the blink of an eye, he had already gracefully leaped in front of the man, one hand resting on the scales, the cold blade in his hand, the tassel fluttering in the air.

Pei Ye's heart clenched as he witnessed this scene. He had only seen a very limited number of Heavenly Towers, namely Grandpa Yue, Immortal Lord, and the Lord of the North Sea. His imagination of this realm had always been vast and awe-inspiring, with every move as if it were a howling wind.

But the red-clad figure swept past him two hundred feet away in an instant, and the eerie silence sent a chill down his spine... The man raised his hand and made a light sweep, and Nie Shangheng's head flew off into the air.

Pei Ye stared blankly at the scene. In an instant, he felt a chill run through his body, as if he were the only person around him. He had no time to react and could not believe that Nie Shangheng had died like this.

He knew something must have gone wrong. If they knew this person was Tianlou, why didn't anyone intervene? How could they just sit by and watch Nie Shangheng be killed?
Then, at that very moment, he met the gaze of the man in crimson robes, his eyes gleaming.

Then Pei Ye suddenly felt as if he had just experienced a great dream.

Everything in his field of vision seemed to be rewinding; the scales and tails were retracting, the rain was flowing towards the sky, Nie Shangheng's blood was flowing back into his neck, and even his head was flying back.

All the restoration resulted in only a change in one line.

—Following this fleeting glance,
The woman in crimson robes stood before Pei Ye.

As if a period of time had been erased, Pei Ye stared blankly at everything. At this moment, he forgot everything. Those eyes were only half a foot away from him, and the stubble-covered lips curved into a smile.

The blood-stained tassel fluttered, a chill already brushing against his neck.

(End of this chapter)