Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 231 Donghuang Battles Qingxu, A Agreement of One Move

"Although the master is young, his state of mind has already reached the highest level of the Heavenly Sect. He should know the principle of 'responding to things as if they were mirrors, and when things are gone, they are empty.'"

"Everything in the world has its own laws. Humans living between heaven and earth are just a part of it. No one can escape these laws. Birth, aging, sickness and death are just attitudes, which are not something we can change."

Within the bamboo forest, the aura of Donghuang Taiyi rose and fell like a towering mountain, obscuring Mount Sumeru.

Shunjun and Xiangfuren had already been dragged behind him by his internal force. Although he did not say it outright, he was extremely wary of the young man in front of him.

Following the natural way is the best approach to cultivating the Tao.

Similarly, the Daoist way of nature is also the most terrifying state of a cultivation method, just like Lady Xiang, who didn't even know when she was affected.

The technique formed by combining the Autumn Waters of Ten Thousand Rivers with the Stillness of the Heart has reached this state. In his opinion, the danger of this technique is even greater than the loss of color in the world.

"The Dao is all-encompassing yet inactive. The birth, aging, sickness, and death that Your Excellency Donghuang speaks of are irreversible destinies, which is different from the deaths of these people."

The young man sighed softly.

An aura quietly rose up, its momentum like a great river flowing eastward, stretching for thousands of miles, yet continuous and unbroken.

Shunjun and Xiangfuren, standing behind Donghuang Taiyi, looked somewhat pale. The outside world was full of rumors about the power of Grandmasters, who were not like ordinary people, but how many people had truly experienced it?

Those who have seen the vastness of mountains and rivers can easily say that the frog at the bottom of the well does not know the vastness of the sky, because they have seen a wider sky. But conversely, do those frogs at the bottom of the well really not want to see the sky outside the well?

Perhaps the answer is no. The well is several meters or even tens of meters deep. A frog would not be able to get out of there.

Just like Donghuang Taiyi and Qingxu now, if Shunjun and Xiangfuren had truly experienced this extraordinary power, would they have acted the same way when facing Qingxu before?

The invisible forces collided in the void. Looking at the young man standing motionless in front of him, Donghuang Taiyi spoke slowly.

"Relying on my rainbow-colored robes, I soar to the heavens; dancing in the sky, I indulge in unrestrained arrogance; yet the ways of Heaven are clear, and frost descends!"

Upon hearing this, Qingxu gave a cold laugh.

"The cause and effect have already been laid, Your Majesty, there is no need to use words to mock me. If you do something wrong, you must bear the consequences. I understood this principle when I was thirteen years old. If you continue to protect me, then you should ask the sword in my hand."

At first, Qingxu was a little uncomfortable with this kind of literary language, but he gradually came to understand it after being exposed to it more often.

Donghuang Taiyi's words implied that his arrogance would inevitably invite divine punishment, but the fault in this operation did not lie with him, but with the two people behind him. If these two had not acted recklessly and abducted the disciples of the Heavenly Sect, he would not have gotten involved in this mess.

Hearing this, Donghuang Taiyi didn't say much, after all, from the perspective of this era, the fault ultimately lay with Shunjun and Xiangfuren.

Of course, this is also related to Qingxu's current strength. If Qingxu were only a Grandmaster or a Grandmaster with weak strength, Donghuang Taiyi would not be so easy to talk to.

In the eyes of the strong, strength is the fundamental measure of everything, and this is the most basic rule of survival in this era.

Just like those souls who died at the hands of Lady Xiang and Lord Shun, without sufficient strength, only death awaited them.

And among those martial arts practitioners, who would be willing to risk death to provoke these two Grandmaster-level experts?

Most people choose to mind their own business and stay out of trouble; this is a survival strategy, a choice they have to make in certain circumstances.

"I was just about to ask the master for some advice."

Faced with Qingxu's aggressive approach, Donghuang Taiyi naturally did not back down. As both were Grandmasters, their actual combat strength was not much different. Without other intervention, it would be impossible for them to determine life or death in a short period of time.

If one of them wants to leave, the other can't stop them at all, which is another reason why the two of them are able to stand here and negotiate.

“Peach Blossom!”

Qingxu's eyes sharpened, and with a soft shout, a wooden sword flew out from behind him and hovered three feet above his head.

The wooden sword hung high, but none of the three people present dared to underestimate it. This was not only because the person wielding the sword was a grandmaster, but also because the wooden sword, enhanced by Taoist secret techniques, had become a rare and divine weapon in the martial arts world.

Just as Feng Hu Zi once told Qing Xu, if he were to wield this sword, even if it couldn't make it into the top few of the famous swords list, its ranking wouldn't be too low.

Because that sword manual doesn't just list swords, it also lists the people who wield them.

Qingxu broke through to the Grandmaster realm at the age of thirteen. Although he did not make his move in the martial arts world often, every time he did, it was a major event, which made him known to a group of elite figures in the martial arts world.

"Peach Blossom is the only wooden sword to make it into the top ten of Feng Hu Zi's Famous Swords List. Legend has it that this sword contains a piece of innate fire essence, and someone used a secret method to bring the wood and fire together. When the sword is drawn, it is like a prairie fire, unstoppable."

Upon seeing the sword again, Donghuang Taiyi's tone became more wistful. Back then, on Mount Li, the young Qingxu carried the sword up the mountain. Along the way, no one could defeat him. In the end, it was he who stepped in to stop the farce.

When Shunjun and Xiangfuren heard Donghuang Taiyi's words, their eyes showed a strange look. Although they had been out of the martial world for a long time, they were well aware of Feng Huzi's name.

He was a famous sword appraiser from the State of Chu. His sword manuals were highly praised in the martial arts world, and no one had ever said anything about them being unreliable.

It's easy to see that the opponent's skill in swordsmanship is truly legendary.

“If the two of us were to fight, I’m afraid we wouldn’t be able to determine a winner or a loser for several days. It would be better to limit it to one move. If you can make me back down, you can take that person with you. Otherwise, we’ll call it even. As for the Tianzong disciple, I can guarantee that Madam Xiang will send him out safely.”

Sensing the increasingly powerful aura emanating from Qingxu, Donghuang Taiyi spoke in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, Qingxu remained silent for a moment and then nodded.

"Can!"

Donghuang Taiyi replied in a low voice, "Good!"

When two people reach the same level, it's almost impossible for them to fight each other to the death, unless one of them advances to a higher level and can overwhelm the other. Otherwise, doing so would only cause trouble for themselves. If a Grandmaster launches a sneak attack, it's not something a single sect can defend against.

Imagine if Qingxu had blocked the foot of Mount Li, the entire Yin-Yang School would probably have ended up with only Donghuang Taiyi as a lone commander.

Similarly, if Donghuang Taiyi were to secretly target the Daoist school, the Daoist school would suffer irreparable losses.

"Back in the Wei capital of Daliang, I had the honor of learning a sword technique from Yan Wu, the patriarch of the Armored Sect. Now that I have this opportunity, I would like to invite Your Majesty Donghuang to give it a taste."

When the events of that year were mentioned, both Qingxu and Donghuang Taiyi's thoughts drifted far away. The battle of Daliang alarmed the seven kingdoms, and even Donghuang Taiyi, who was thousands of miles away, felt it. That battle marked the beginning of ten years of turmoil in the martial world.

The Grandmaster's combat prowess led him to roam the martial world, sparking an unprecedented battle that brought the martial world to the attention of those reclusive masters.

"The universe is boundless, and human life is long and arduous."

Donghuang Taiyi suddenly let out a long sigh, and his aura rose again. Then the sky darkened slightly, and the sun and stars appeared.

From the depths of the endless sky, the power of stars descended, forming an indestructible star array around him.

Upon seeing this, Qingxu slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

He then proclaimed in a loud voice: "Strategists strategize in the hall, while fierce generals fight on the frontier."

As soon as the words fell, Qingxu's aura surged, and a chilling intent swept over like a whirlwind, making people's hearts tremble.

A painting appeared in the void, a traditional Chinese ink landscape painting, and the scene in the painting gradually became clear.

On the other side, Donghuang Taiyi, his black robes motionless, stood quietly.

However, Lady Xiang and Shun Jun, who were standing behind him, couldn't help but swallow hard. The poetry had drawn upon the power of heaven and earth. They didn't know if this was Qingxu's doing or something else, but the scene still captivated them instantly.

"With favorable timing, geographical advantage, and popular support, Yan can be attacked," Yu said.

The void trembled, and hundreds more people appeared on the screen. At this moment, the crowd was filled with rage, weapons were raised high, and the sound was like a surging tide.

Even standing outside the painting, one can feel the intense heat of the fire in the heart of the person depicted, as if they were about to wage war against heaven and earth.

The young man's aura was like adding fuel to the fire, and he suddenly burst into flames, causing the world to churn and the weather to change dramatically.

When Shunjun and Xiangfuren saw this scene, the corners of their mouths twitched twice. They had already anticipated that the outcome would be decided in one move, and that the two would make quite a commotion, but they still couldn't believe that such great power would appear in two "people".

"The sword's momentum splashes ink, its sword intent colors the world, and it reverses the seasons. This sword technique is probably beyond the reach of a Grandmaster."

Donghuang Taiyi spoke quietly, as if he had discovered something, his tone becoming more cautious.

However, Qingxu did not stop speaking, but continued: "Today, towers and cauldrons stand tall; tomorrow, swords will tread upon mountains and rivers."

The sound paused slightly, and the ink painting scroll suddenly gained a few pale colors. At the same time, outside, a sword intent surged forth, its imposing aura as if a sword saint were surveying his territory.

Sword energy filled the world, like a wind blade. In the bamboo forest, bamboo leaves began to fall. Shunjun and Xiangfuren were in a bad state and their bodies uncontrollably staggered back several steps. This was only because Donghuang Taiyi took special care of them.

Looking at the boy not far away, he remained calm and murmured to himself. At the same time, he gripped the sword in his right hand and slashed across the blade with the index and middle fingers of his left hand.

It was just a simple action, but it made their hearts pound and the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.

The boy was still the same boy, but at this moment, in their eyes he seemed to have become a monstrous flood, as if a single glance could take their lives.

This feeling is similar to how they have the power of life and death over ordinary people, doing whatever they want.

But they were not ordinary people; they were masters at the Grandmaster level.

"The people of the capital all sang the 'Song of the Great Wind,' and the whole world came to offer their congratulations."

As Qingxu's last words faded, a sword light shot out from the depths of his eyes, the sword intent layered and spreading, now completely staining the scroll red.

To win the world's congratulations, one must not rely on words, but on fists, swords, and blood.

Qingxu then thrust his sword straight at Donghuang Taiyi. It was a simple action, but it made Donghuang Taiyi tense up. The most direct manifestation of this was that the star power drawn by the star array surrounding him poured down as if it didn't care about its own life.

At the same time, several golden lights shone beneath his feet, including the Soul Dragon Soaring and the Yin-Yang Shield. In that instant, all the Yin-Yang techniques that the Yin-Yang School could use for defense were unleashed by Donghuang Taiyi.

The power of stars and the power of yin and yang stirred up ripples invisible to the naked eye in this small space.

Qingxu seemed oblivious to everything that was happening here, and slowly but surely sent out the wooden sword named Peach Blossom in his hand.

When the peach sword was about a foot away from the Star Array, an incredibly terrifying power suddenly erupted.

The valley began to shake at that moment. Shunjun and Xiangfuren, who were standing behind Donghuang Taiyi, looked terrified and clenched their fists tightly.

Even standing behind Donghuang Taiyi, they could still smell the scent of death. The Star Array rippled and then creaked, as if it could no longer bear the weight.

Qingxu frowned slightly, then pushed forward again with both hands.

Then an even more terrifying collision erupted here, and Donghuang Taiyi let out a muffled groan.

Immediately afterwards, the power of the stars poured down like mercury, completely enveloping the great formation. Compared to the thin layer of star power before, it now resembled a tortoise shell.

"The power of the stars in the heavens."

Looking at the power rippling in the space, Qingxu slowly spoke. He was actually quite familiar with this power. When he fought Yanfei before, he had used a secret technique to draw some star power from outside the sky.

However, compared to the commotion caused by Donghuang Taiyi, it was nothing. Even so, the opponent's methods still could not block his sword.

As the wooden sword was pushed forward a fraction, the power of the stars began to tremble, and the great formation began to crumble. Seeing this, a glint flashed in Qingxu's eyes, and then he exerted force on his hand again.

"Crack!!"

A crisp sound reached everyone's ears. Shunjun and Lady Xiang felt a chill in their hearts, thinking to themselves that things were going badly. It seemed that Donghuang Taiyi's protective measures had not blocked Qingxu's sword.

The two exchanged a glance and were about to make a move when a voice reached their ears.

"Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, don't do something foolish and you'll only become a laughingstock!"

(End of this chapter)