Chapter 241 - One Sword To Swallow the Sun and Moon
Jiang Hanyan put down her glazed frost-like, fair and clear wrist. The sword will from her was becoming more ethereal like a c.u.mulus cloud as it dissipates in all directions without a trace.
"You are also here for the Fengsheng Beast?" Jiang Hanyan stood quietly there, her eyes pinned on Shen Lian. Her gaze was not especially indifferent and strict, but it was like the lonesome moonlight that scattered on Shen Lian.
Shen Lian had bright eyes and an elegant appearance, which somehow made him seemed harmless. However, from the moment he appeared, Jiang Hanyan did not once overlook him, she even paid more attention towards Shen Lian compared to that witch of the Nine Lotus Order.
Being the Senior Apprentice-Sister of the Chunyang Daoist Palace and the disciple with the most extraordinary talent with fabulous looks of all time, there were few that she would think highly off. Even the venerable from before that, who cultivated the Art of Gigantes was merely a slightly stronger ant in her eyes.
As for the two persons in front of her, no matter their mana or the demeanor that was displayed. They made her faced them squarely. This capture of the Fengsheng Beast was originally a task without challenge, but now there was some difficulty to it, it made it less bland for her.
Before encountering Chen Jianmei's Killing Sword, it would be nice to have both of these 'blade grinders', to warm up her skills.
Zhao Xiaoyu leisurely said, "Since you already know, why do you need to ask?"
"Under the sky, there are cultivators of Dao amongst all things. From what I can see, 'Dao' is strength. If your 'Dao' could exceed my 'Dao', this Fengsheng Beast is naturally yours." What Jiang Hanyan said clearly fell on both their ears.
She was direct and very cruel.
Shen Lian understood that since young, everyone had different experiences and grew up in different environments. Naturally, there would be different perspectives on the same matter.
There was a good verse in Buddhist scripture, "All sages and saints have different enlightenment of the Asamskrta."
Asamskrta was that there was no Dharma anywhere, so even if the wise person could see the nature of this world but their choices would not be the same.
Even if the goal was same for the way of Dao, different people would have different temperaments.
Towards Jiang Hanyan direct utterance, Shen Lian felt something that was different compared to Zhao Xiaoyu's steadiness.
For a person like her, he could only defeat her and not persuade her.
Speaking from the bottom of his heart, Jiang Hanyan was the person that he felt uncertain about defeating. However, he really wanted to get that Fengsheng Beast so he would not simply give up.
For all his life, he was quite casual but for matters that he was determined to do, he would not give up so easily.
A strong coercion aura surged from Shen Lian and the graceful bearing of the master that he displayed made Jiang Hanyan concentrate even more.
This was no figure that could be dealt with one or two thrusts of the sword.
The stronger Shen Lian was, the happier she was. From the way she saw it, for one to have abilities that could shock the world, one should be able to make their way across the world to their heart's content.
Any obstacles in the way could be dealt with a blow of the sword. All she was after was the satisfaction.
Zhao Xiaoyu appropriately backed off and did not participate in their confrontation. It was until this moment that she could finally catch a glimpse of that bottomless strength of Shen Lian.
The Chunyang Daoist Palace had a huge reputation in the Tianhua Continent, it would not be overstating that being its Senior Apprentice-Sister, she was the exception one amongst the younger batches. A figure like her was enough to be described as the favored girl of the heavens.
Despite that, Zhao Xiaoyu was still confident about Shen Lian. No one was more impressed than her with Shen Lian's massive improvements over these years. Furthermore, this almost invincible strong temperament had always been hidden within the depths of Shen Lian's inner mind. It did not easily show. This time, it was an excellent opportunity for Zhao Xiaoyu to observe.
Shen Lian slightly lifted his hand and the entire pool of water was moved by him. The monstrous waves were like a giant palm that concealed the heaven and earth, as though it would smash Jiang Hanyan into pieces.
This high proficiency usage of all things in this universe showed the profound Dao state of Shen Lian, being able to control all matters in the universe.
It could be the grass, the wood, the bamboo or the stone; it could be the floating clouds or the clear pool of water, all these could be transformed into his weapons to attack the enemy.
'The Dharma is the method, the Dao is the origin.'
With the originality of the Dao to control all beings, there were countless changes and endless power.
The ordinary water, of course, would not affect Jiang Hanyan one bit but with the big wave crashing in, the immense force that was condensed would shatter even the strongest walls.
Jiang Hanyan's cold eyes brightened and her jade-like hands gently extended. A shapeless substance of mana condensed with such dumbfoundingly amazing force that it was more terrifying than a tyrannizing typhoon.
The autumn river water like the peaceful cold smoke; even though it seemed calm, in actual fact when it moved, it moved in crashing waves that could sweep up a thousand snow piles.
The wisp-like sword will become a looming cloud in an instance. It was vast and mammoth-like. It collided with the crashing wave by Shen Lian.
Like a peerlessly sharp magic weapon, it split the palm-like stormy waves and cut off the immense Qi strength while at the same time, she mercilessly cut the pool of water in two. While the huge gap was being cut, it then charged towards Shen Lian's slim body.
Shen Lian was swept by the overpowering mana and his entire body immediately scattered.
It seemed horrifying but in actual fact, there was no torn flesh to be seen.
This was because his speed was too quick and that was the illusion which remained.
There was no spells or occult, it was solely because he was too quick.
Zhao Xiaoyu's eyes sharpened. The spare energy of the vast attack used by Jiang Hanyan in an offhand manner finally spread to her direction, causing the surrounding shrubs and stones to be immediately turned into dust. The force of this strength was still above her expectations.
The swordcraft of the Chunyang Daoist Palace was no trivial matter, but it was obvious that Jiang Hanyan did not truly use her swordcraft because her sword had not appeared.
High up in the air, Shen Lian was like a flying celestial that remained still in the skill as he flew. He was like the spirit of the gods that looked down on the living creatures, lonely and proud. No language could really describe what it was.
He swung his fist down with aghast and condensed the immeasurable abyss-like power mana. Like the most delicate work, it was plain and its crazy imposing manner immediately caused the cliff to crumble down like tofu.
The Fengsheng Beast beneath Jiang Hanyan's feet was startled. It crawled on the ground, shivering. Given that even he had a strong life force, a hopeless feeling grew inside of it when it is faced with such terrifying mana that came crashing down.
Only Jiang Hanyan's face was plain as before like a winter plum standing proudly on the horizon, not fazed by anything. However, there was a hint of surprise reflected in her cold eyes, expressing the fluctuation of emotions inside her.
Shen Lian still had not displayed any exquisite abstruse supernatural powers and spells so far. He solely attacked with his condensed immense mana.
With the lack of transformation came the lack of mistakes. It was not tactful, but it was a clash of who was tougher.
It was easy for Jiang Hanyan to avoid it but would she avoid it? Impossible.
Shen Lian really enjoyed this feeling of displaying this acc.u.mulated, endless mana in a crash. This feeling of being full and delightful was truly satisfying.
Suddenly, Zhao Xiaoyu shouted from the side, "Shen Lian, crush her!"
Her tone was full of encouragement, her voice lingered in the universe where people in a hundred miles could hear. However, since this came out from Zhao Xiaoyu's mouth, it only made the corner of Shen Lian's mouth twitched.
He truly did not think that she still had this kind of guilty pleasure at that moment.
However, he understood Zhao Xiaoyu did not do it on purpose. He saw there were two beams of light that came from the horizon. As it approaches, it heard this cheer and the speed increased even more.
Zhao Xiaoyu moved her frame and intercepted the incoming beams of light. That created a shocking explosion of mana.
That was Zhao Xiaoyu purposely diverting Jiang Hanyan's attention while she voluntarily deals with two of Jiang Hanyan's peers. With her powerful display of mana, her peers were no match for her, which engaged a wisp of Jiang Hanyan's mind and soul.
After all, even if Jiang Hanyan had some kinship towards her peers, she still had to remember slightly that to the cultivator of the sword, this slight hesitation was enough to cause the non-stop rising sword aura to be a little stagnant.
Unfortunately, Jiang Hanyan was not affected at all, which was not out of Shen Lian's expectation.
Zhao Xiaoyu was also simply helping and resolving some minor issues from the surrounding to clear out the battlefield for Shen Lian and Jiang Hanyan.
Jiang Hanyan was like a towering sword aura, her imposing manner was overbearing, so much so that the high cloud in the sky was chop apart.
Countless sword aura rushed to the sky-like locusts and directly met with Shen Lian's shockingly strong, never-ending palm strength.
One heavy palm strength after another was like a natural barrier, its divine glow stacked and layered, it generated and diminished, diminished and generated.
The earthshaking sword aura could not entirely seep the barrier that was blocking between her and Shen Lian.
The crazy shocking divine flow and the imposing manner that came crashing down caused the cliff of the mountains to crumble.
Only the ten feet area around Jiang Hanyan was still peaceful, which made it stood out.
Her black cascading hair began flying, her beautiful face was cold as ice, like Guanghan Fairies who could not be bothered by the secular mortal world, had come to the mortal realm.
A long sword formed in her hands. She chanted, "One sword to swallow the sun and moon."
The sword force that simply cut through midair had an unexplainable force to it, it was priming a terrifying ancient force that would even swallow the sun and moon.
The sky began to darken as the aura of this force began to permeate. Even though the mana clapped down by Shen Lian radiated an unlimited divine glow, it did not make the sky darkened. But this terrifying aura was making it hard for his state of mind to settle down.
Even with Shen Lian's Dharma eyes, he could not see the whereabouts of this force. Since he did not know about Dharma, it was hard for him to break the Dharma.
Jiang Hanyan was truly an exceptional legend of the Chunyang Daoist Palace, to be able to display such swordcraft that could be said to be earthshaking and unpredictable.
This craft had the most initial and ancient lasting appeal. Instead of saying that it swallowed the sun and moon, it could be said that it slowed the Yin and Yang to return to chaos and allowed the mana to become non-existence. The sword aura was like the permeating clear water on the ground, but the parameters that it affected was quickly spreading. Soon, it covered the divine flow by Shen Lian and caused it to disappear in an instant. It was truly shocking to the highest point.
Shen Lian did not hesitate and cut off the never-ending mana. His body constantly moved in the illusory sky.
That sword aura was like an untamed beast. It began chasing Shen Lian's silhouette while it constantly invaded the space that Shen Lian could move into.
However, in the clear heart of Jiang Hanyan's sword, she noticed that with each position that Shen Lian appeared, he would leave a streak of condensed mana and there were runes circulating it.
He actually could move in midair, set up a formation to counterattack her sword force.
His grasp on the circulation of the spiritual vigor was really beyond her imaginations.
The runes were extraordinarily miraculous, even her sword aura could not dispel it suddenly.