Chapter Ninety Eight: Sword Defeats Seal
“Who are you?” The middle-aged man in black Celestial Seal Sect robes frowned and unconsciously shouted.
In his subconscious, this was Celestial Seal Sect, he was a member of Celestial Seal Sect and this person was a spy who had sneaked into Celestial Seal Sect. So his voice and presence carried confidence.
The tall and thin man blocking his path slowly gripped the sword hilt in front of him and said calmly, “I am Zhang Yi’s sect uncle.”
“Zhang Yi’s sect uncle?”
The middle-aged Celestial Seal Sect man stilled. A scornful smile appeared on his lips. He thought, if he was Zhang Yi’s sect uncle based on seniority, then the man in Celestial Seal Sect handyman clothes would be his peer.
Yet in the next moment, when he sensed the sharp sword essence coming off the other, he suddenly woke up. “You are from Changling?”
The tall and thin man looked at him and nodded. “White Goat Cave.”
The middle-aged man of Celestial Seal Sect frowned. His mocking smile disappeared into seriousness. He did not know how this person came to Celestial Seal Sect and appeared here at this time. But in his impression, the White Goat Cave of Zhang Yi and the wine shop youth was only a weak sect in Changling. Celestial Seal Sect was to the Yan Dynasty what Min Mountain Sword Sect and Spirit Void Sword Sect was to Changling.
He did not know that only one of Zhang Yi’s sect uncles was outside, Li Daoji. He did not know of Li Daoji’s name and none of his history. So he did not think this swordsman from White Goat Cave could stop him.
This was not an usual duel, so as the seriousness appeared on his face, his fingers were silently creating seal essence. Countless yellow leaves on the ground floated up, and the veins on each leaf started to shine. The veins in the leaves were natural passages to absorb nutrients and sunlight. For a seal master of his level, each leaf was his seal, and a weapon that nature gave him.
Even after he joined Celestial Seal Sect and achieved success, his studies were all related to these natural tree leaves. His name was Cheng Qingye. It was like fate connected him to leaves. He usually was not in Celestial Seal Sect, but the Yan Palace.
The seal masters of the palace, from a point of view, meant strength. These fallen yellow leaves on the mountain path were lifeless. But as his thoughts moved, as vast vital energy flowed from his fingers, and his thoughts flowed into the veins of the yellow leaves, the veins lit up and released vitality. All the yellow leaves turned green instantly. The mountain path and air behind him turned green and though spring had come.
His seal essence was called Spring.
The strength of Spring was arriving quietly, at some unknown time and place. Killing intent was in unknown times and places.
Li Daoji’s lips were pressed together into a red line. Ever since he left Changling, he seemed to have disappeared into the world. Even Zhang Yi and Su Qin did not know where he had been. He had not been expected to be here today.
Except for the clothes, his appearance and sword had not seemed to change from during Changling. What was certain was that in Changling, his cultivation was definitely far from this Celestial Seal Sect cultivator.
But at this time, facing this seal essence, his cold ask murderous eyes were calm and filled with confidence. He unhurriedly pulled out his sword. Then, like swinging a hoe at the ground, he swung his long sword towards the air in front of him.
Buzzing!
The seal essence disappeared. The countless green leaves behind Cheng Qingye turned yellow again.
Cheng Qingye moved dozens of feet back in shock. The energy flows around him smashed the yellow leaves. He immediately passed through the pavilion and hit the mountain wall behind the pavilion.
This was something he had never experienced before. Li Daoji’s sword seemed to have created a hole in all his seals in his perception which caused the primal energies of the universe he gathered to flow out through the holes. He even sensed that Li Daoji’s cultivation was much lesser than him, but this attack caused him to feel terror and powerless. At least, in this moment, even his confidence had been pierced.
“What is this sword essence?” He unconsciously shouted.
As he screamed, a leaf carved from green jade flew out of his hand. There were countless veins in layers inside the leaf. His vital energy surged out in a wave, and poured into the leaves carved from green jade.
This was a Daoist seal he had carved over many years. It could be said to be his lifebond seal. When the seal came out, the leaves on the mountain behind him, both the yellow leaves on the ground and the green leaves on the trees left the ground and trees. They shook and danced wildly. A roar sounded in the air. Primal energies of the universe sprinted through the air like a giant mountain was moving.
Li Daoji attacked again. He did not change. He still felt like he was swinging a hoe at the ground, and swung into the air ahead of him.
Cheng Qingye screamed again. The seal essence he had just formed quickly leaked away again. The ocean of Primal energies of the universe flowed somewhere unknown through the hole, leaving his control. Only the vital energy from his body was sparking in the green jade Daoist seal in front of him like lightning but were unable to turn into true killing intent.
He could not believe it. He used his third seal essence. He unconsciously felt that maybe the other knew the secrets of his seals, and had studied sword moves to defeat his seals. So his third seal was average, a seal frequently used Celestial Seal Sect.
This was the True Lightning Seal.
Many powerful Celestial Seal Sect cultivators had used this seal on the battlefield, proving its strength. Lightning appeared on his palm. At the same time, someone seemed to have cut a hole in the sky with a giant blade, and a patch of golden yellow appeared. In his imagination, in the next moment, countless thick bolts of golden lightning would fall down and attack Li Daoji.
But at this time, Li Daoji attacked again. Another hoe to the ground.
The seal essence of the True Lightning Seal disappeared. There was thunder in the air but no lightning landed.
Blood drained from Cheng Qingye’s face. His mouth was wide, but he could not make a sound, he could not breathe. He used a fourth seal.
This was a Sacrificial Fire Seal.
This was the most basic and simplest seal essence of Celestial Seal Sect. The more basic and simple usually meant it was hardest to defeat.
But when the heat rose, the seal essence disappeared. Li Daoji still used that attack to defeat his seal.
With each attack, Li Daoji took a step forward. With only four steps, he passed through the pavilion and came close.
Cheng Qingye felt endless terror. He sent a fifth seal. Indigo flames charged out of the mountain walls on his two sides, seeming to turn into a wall.
Yet as the streams of flame charged out, before the seal essence formed, Li Daoji’s sword came down like a hoe. This time, his sword did not plow a seal essence, but into Cheng Qingye’s chest. The powerful sword energy tore apart his organs, and forced the tattered energy and flesh out of his mouth.
“Why is it like this?”
This was the hardest time to speak, yet Cheng Qingye, like a person near drowning, looked in despair at Li Daoji’s sword in his chest and spoke.