Druid Fairy

Chapter 195 Thorn

That crimson figure arrived in an instant, like a burning meteorite!

The air was torn apart, emitting a sharp whistling sound, and the entire Xuan Tie arena trembled violently under this violent aura.

Faced with this fatal blow, which was several times faster and more powerful, Li Mengjin finally moved.

He stopped retreating and dodging and took a step forward.

This step, though small, seemed to have landed on some mysterious point, allowing him to find a glimmer of hope amidst the gaps in the violent fist wind.

"court death!"

Qian Tianyi, standing on the viewing platform, saw this scene and a cruel sneer curled at the corner of his mouth.

In his view, Li Mengjin's actions were tantamount to a mantis trying to stop a chariot, actively heading towards death.

A sinister smile appeared on Tuoba Xiong's face, which was covered with crimson lines.

He could almost see the scene of his opponent's bones shattering inch by inch under his fist, and flesh and blood flying everywhere!

However, just as that fist, the size of a clay pot, was about to touch Li Mengjin's face...

Li Mengjin's "Shadow Fang" was finally unsheathed.

There was no earth-shattering sword light, nor any earth-shattering sword energy.

There was only a single, extremely fast, and extremely simple, cold glint.

Instead of blocking the powerful punch, he used a perfectly skillful move.

His sword, as if it had come to life, gently lifted its spine upwards.

"Qiang!"

A soft sound.

That punch, powerful enough to shatter stone, was abruptly altered by this seemingly casual deflection. It grazed Li Mengjin's ear and, with a devastating gust of wind, slammed into the empty space behind him!

"Boom!"

The seemingly indestructible black iron arena was actually punched, leaving a fist imprint half a foot deep!

Conquer strength with softness!

Four taels is worth a thousand pounds!
This is no longer just a simple martial art, but a manifestation of the "Tao"!

Tuoba Xiong's mind, which had become somewhat sluggish due to his beast transformation, went blank for a moment. He couldn't understand why his sure-fire punch had missed.

But he quickly realized that when the sword tip collided with that body, which was comparable to a magical artifact, not even a spark was thrown up.

"Hahaha! Useless! My 'Beast Body' is impervious to blades and spears! Your soft sword can't even tickle me..."

Tuoba Xiong's laughter stopped abruptly.

To his horror, he discovered that a strange power, cold and sharp yet possessing a touch of agility, was penetrating through the tip of the sword, ignoring his proud physical defenses, and directly entering his body!
That's neither magic power nor vital energy.

That's sword intent!

It was after being instructed by the Imperial Preceptor Qingxu that he integrated the agility of the wind and the rolling of the clouds, and comprehended the sword intent of "following the natural way"!

This sword intent, like the most nimble fish, flowed upstream along the surging blood and qi in his body, not to disrupt, but to gently "nudge" it in a more subtle way.

Like a highly skilled musician plucking the strings.

Tuoba Xiong's violent blood and qi were instantly thrown into chaos!
His prized secret technique, "Beast Transformation," was completely disrupted by this attack, as if its foundation had been removed, and it instantly lost control!

"puff!"

Tuoba Xiong coughed up a mouthful of blood, and the crimson color on his body receded like a tide. His explosive muscles also atrophied rapidly, and he became as limp as a deflated balloon.

The red light in his eyes faded, and he regained a sliver of clarity. He looked down at the ordinary iron sword pressed against his chest, which hadn't even pierced his skin.

He lost.

The defeat was inexplicable.

He was utterly defeated... completely convinced of his defeat.

The opponent only used one sword strike from beginning to end.

He didn't even use the blade.

Li Mengjin slowly sheathed his sword, looked at the limp Tuoba Xiong on the ground, and said calmly, "You have too many flaws."

After saying that, he didn't look at the other person again, turned around and slowly walked off the stage, leaving only a solitary figure behind.

Just as his figure was about to disappear at the entrance of the passage, the thunderous cheers erupted like a volcanic eruption!
"We won! We won again!"

"My God! One sword! It really only took one sword strike!"

"That's not a sword! That's magic! I saw magic!"

Han Youwei jumped up and down excitedly: "Waaaah... I was so scared! I thought my older brother was going to die! I knew it! I knew he was the best!"

A genuine smile finally appeared on Li Mengze's face.

On the viewing platform.

The Emperor of Great Yu burst into laughter, a laugh filled with the exhilarating joy of triumph!
"Good! Good! Good! Reward him handsomely!"

Opposite him, the face of Qian Tianyi, the third prince of the Great Qian Dynasty, was so gloomy it could be wrung out.

The civil and military officials behind him were all ashen-faced and silent as cicadas in winter.

Lost.

Dandou suffered a crushing defeat.

In a physical confrontation, they suffered a complete defeat.

Qian Tianyi's face was extremely pale.

This child must not be kept!
Such talent and temperament, if allowed to grow, will surely become a major threat to the Great Qian Dynasty!
He gave a cold look to the mysterious girl beside him who remained silent and veiled in black.

It's your turn to make a move.

…………

The fervor and clamor of the battle on the stage of life and death seemed to still echo on the long bluestone streets of the capital, lingering for a long time.

Li Mengjin's defeat of Tuoba with a single sword strike was no less shocking than Li Mengze's flavorful "Death Pill Fighting".

If Li Mengze's victory was a desperate counterattack by the Dayu Dynasty in terms of "wisdom" and "skill," it was full of drama and topicality.

Li Mengjin's victory, then, was a crushing declaration at the purest level of "Tao".

He displayed a terrifying potential that was entirely different from mere strength and skill to everyone, including the Great Yu royal family and the Great Qian delegation, as well as to the various forces that were secretly observing.

The atmosphere at the victory celebration was even more enthusiastic than before.

The Emperor of Great Yu was overjoyed and immediately issued a reward. "Li Mengjin, having entered the Dao through the heart of the sword, has brought glory to our nation. His merit is truly great! He is hereby appointed as the 'Deputy Commander of the Golden Scale Guard,' enjoying the treatment of a fourth-rank official, and is granted the 'Golden Scale Token,' allowing him free access to the Imperial Armory to consult military books and strategies!"

The announcement of this reward astonished everyone present!

The Golden Scale Guards were the emperor's personal guards, responsible for protecting the safety of the imperial city, and their commanders were trusted generals.

A fifteen-year-old boy with no military achievements was promoted to deputy commander, an unprecedented honor!
Qian Tianyi held a wine cup, his face still maintaining the demeanor of a prince, but the nails on his hands, hidden in his sleeves, were already deeply embedded in his palms.

A genius in alchemy, a prodigy in swordsmanship.

Just who exactly is the Li family?
Why could such figures appear at the same time?
He glanced at Ye Liuli, the silent girl in black veil beside him, and the killing intent in his eyes was no longer concealed.

The banquet ended, and night had fallen.

Inside the study of Tingtao Xiaozhu, the lights remained bright.

“Now that one of you is in charge of alchemy and the other is in charge of military affairs, we’re one step closer to uncovering the truth!” Li Yuanhu looked at Li Mengze and asked in a deep voice, “Mengze, what should we do next?”

Li Mengze remained remarkably calm. Pointing to the map of the capital on the table, he slowly said, "The emperor's favor is both a sweet treat and a shackle. He has given us status, but that also means placing us under the scrutiny of everyone. From today onward, our every move will be watched by countless eyes."

He looked at Li Mengjin: "Second brother, you have been appointed as the deputy commander of the Golden Scale Guard. Starting tomorrow, you will be able to legitimately take charge of the capital's defenses and troop deployments. What you need to do is to familiarize yourself with the operation of the Golden Scale Guard as soon as possible, and at the same time, secretly investigate whether there are any large-scale troop movements or material shipments that have flowed to certain... unknown places."

Li Mengjin nodded.

Li Mengze then looked at Li Yuanhu: "Brother Yuanhu, you used to be in the army, so you're familiar with military codes and tactics. I'll find a way to have you serve as my second brother's 'personal guard.' Perhaps we can find a clue from that impenetrable military system."

“As for me,” a glint of light flashed in Li Mengze’s eyes, “the Royal Pharmacy and the Alchemy Academy hold the ‘Health Records’ of past royal family members, as well as countless secret formulas for longevity and soul-strengthening pills. I want to find clues about the ‘Dragon Blood Fruit’ from them!”

“Okay.” Li Mengjin and Li Yuanhu agreed earnestly.

…………

At midnight, all was quiet.

Li Mengjin sat cross-legged under the old pine tree in the courtyard, with "Shadow Fang" lying across his knees. He was not asleep, but was calmly reflecting on his insights from today's battle with Tuoba Xiong.

That sword strike, seemingly casual, was actually his first attempt to perfectly integrate the principle of "following the natural way" taught by the Imperial Preceptor Qingxu with his own sword intent.

He could feel that his sword heart had become more transparent, as if it could resonate in a wonderful way with the surrounding grass, trees, wind, and even moonlight.

Suddenly, Li Mengjin's closed eyes snapped open!

A chilling glint flashed in his usually calm eyes.

Not right.

The wind stopped.

The incessant chirping of insects in the summer night vanished eerily in that instant.

The entire courtyard fell into a chilling, absolute silence.

It was as if an invisible hand had gripped the throat of all living beings in this world.

"Qiang..."

Shadow Fang automatically unsheathed half an inch, emitting a low, resonant sword cry, as if warning its master.

Li Mengjin slowly stood up, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping towards the shadows of the courtyard wall.

"Since you're here, why hide your face?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the shadow began to slowly writhe as if it were alive.

A slender figure, as if emerging from a vat of ink, appeared silently in the moonlight.

It was that mysterious girl with her face veiled in black, Ye Liuli.

She was like a ghost that did not exist in this world, without any trace of human life. Her eyes, hidden behind the black veil, were like two bottomless abysses, devoid of any emotion.

"Your senses are even sharper than the intelligence reports suggested, allowing you to detect me."

Ye Liuli spoke. Her voice was ethereal and fleeting, as if it came from another dimension, carrying a kind of magic that could make people feel dizzy.

"People from Daqian?" Li Mengjin gripped his sword tightly.

"Dead people don't need to know too much."

Ye Liuli didn't waste any more words. The moment she finished speaking, her figure vanished into thin air!
It wasn't just a movement at extreme speed, but a true and tangible... blending into the shadows!

The next moment, the shadow beneath Li Mengjin's feet suddenly twisted and deformed, and a sharp claw made of pure darkness emerged from the shadow without warning, aiming straight for his ankle!
Li Mengjin reacted with lightning speed; he lightly touched the ground with his toes and soared into the sky like a wild goose.

But while he was in mid-air, dozens of black threads formed from shadows suddenly appeared in the air around him, like a net that instantly blocked all his escape routes!
At the same time, a deadly glint of light, like the fangs of a venomous snake, appeared silently behind him, aiming for his vital heart!
That was Ye Liuli's true form!
She can even teleport using shadows!
This series of attacks was fluid and seamless, perfectly coordinated, and full of the art of death.

Any cultivator would surely die under such a bizarre and deadly encirclement!

However, there was no trace of panic on Li Mengjin's face.

In that critical moment, a tranquil starry sky was reflected in his eyes.

"The wind does more than just blow."

He murmured softly.

He didn't unleash any fancy sword moves with his Shadow Fang; he simply drew three circles—up, left, and right—with an extremely simple motion.

These three circles, seemingly moving slowly, seem to carry some kind of profound truth about the universe.

The first circle stirred the air, creating a gentle whirlwind that softly dispersed the dozens of shadowy threads.

The second circle caused his body to twist at an incredible angle in mid-air, just in time to avoid the fatal stab from behind.

And the third circle...

With unstoppable sharpness, it slashed back at Ye Liuli, who was momentarily stunned by her missed attack!

"you!"

For the first time, a look of horror appeared in Ye Liuli's eyes!

Her prized Shadow Assassination Technique was so easily and effortlessly countered by her opponent!
She tried to disappear into the shadows again, but was horrified to find that the seemingly simple sword strike from her opponent had subtly locked down the space around her, causing a slight stagnation in her connection with the shadow!
"Pfft!"

A flash of sword light, and a splash of blood bloomed in the night sky.

Ye Liuli let out a muffled groan and staggered back several steps. She clutched her injured left arm and looked at the young man standing with his sword in disbelief.

"You...your sword...that's not a sword technique..."

“That is the way,” Li Mengjin replied calmly. “Where there is light, there is shadow; the brighter the light, the more visible the shadow becomes.”

Ye Liuli's body trembled slightly, whether from the pain of her wound or from the shock of those words.

This young man's understanding of "Tao" far surpasses hers!

"The Third Prince... he really underestimated you!"

(End of this chapter)