Chapter 665 - 74: 1000 Li Flying Flame Arrow
Zhang Yan acted decisively, without any pleasantries with Du De. Driving his sword to the upper position, he formed the sword technique with his fingers, and as his mind commanded, a sharp and brilliant sword light shot forward like a rainbow, once again probing the way with his flying sword.
Du De’s expression remained calm. Rubbing his hands together, he conjured a faint thread of flying smoke between his fingertips, thin and about as thick as a finger, resembling a snake. The smoke darted forth, meeting the sword light five zhang away, halting its advance.
Seeing his sword light unable to go forward, Zhang Yan did not persist. Calculating the distance between them, he let out a loud shout. Under the guidance of his divine intent, the sword ball trembled as if pearls on a broken string, releasing sixteen flawless sword lights that leapt alive into the sky, radiating brilliance and emanating frigid energy.
"Sixteen Swords in One Breath..."
In the distance, Luo Yuanhua fixed a complicated gaze upon them.
Just earlier, he had heard that Zhang Yan possessed notable mastery in swordsmanship, which had compelled him to press Zhang Yan into revealing his sword moves for a bout with him. Particularly, the Sixteen Separating and Reuniting Swords was considered exceptionally rare.
Luo himself could only manifest twelve sword lights, and he deeply desired to test whether his proficiency in swordsmanship was superior or inferior to Zhang Yan’s. However, Zhang Yan had refused to give him that opportunity.
Now, these sixteen sword lights unfurled, not racing ahead as ordinary flying swords might, but circling slowly around Du De, exhaling razor-sharp sword energy, radiating piercing cold, and establishing an aura of latent threat.
Though Du De’s face revealed no expression, a trace of gravity emerged in his eyes. The flying smoke extended further, now seven or eight zhang away, encircling and weaving around, creating a solid defense that left no gaps.
The sixteen sword lights were akin to sixteen vigilant eyes, circling and hovering in the surroundings, waiting for even the smallest flaw to strike through. Once one pierced the defensive layer, the remaining sword lights would follow in a relentless downpour of attacks, enveloping the defender entirely. At that point, trying to counterattack would be nearly impossible.
If an inexperienced disciple encountered such a technique, they would likely be overwhelmed, frantically rushing between defending themselves and countering, eventually exhausting their ability to mount an effective defense.
However, Du De was seated here today for good reason. Having weathered countless battles and exchanging blows with many sword cultivators, he naturally understood how to respond.
Do not underestimate the uniform appearance of these sixteen sword lights—they were distinct in function, some being dominant while others subordinate, with varying levels of strength. Even an experienced swordsman like Luo Yuanhua, long immersed in the art of swordsmanship, could not fully unleash the potential of such a technique. Moreover, wielding it required one to remain fixed in place, their heart and spirit entirely focused without a single distraction.
As per conventional methods, one simply needed to guard carefully and not be misled by the incoming sword lights to defend successfully.
Wait for the opponent’s Qi mechanism to weaken, then seize the opportunity to counterattack—a strategy that could yield excellent results.
But as one of the Top Ten Disciples, Du De could not afford to lose his advantage even for a moment. If he appeared in a vulnerable position, even briefly, it would be an enormous blow to his reputation. Hence, such a method was not an option for him.
With a cold glimmer in his eyes, Du De drove the flying smoke to whirl even faster, almost spinning without pause.
Still standing silently, he clasped a spell with one hand. Shortly thereafter, he exhaled a white stream of rolling smoke from his nostrils, which rose to his crown. Within the mist, a faint emerald-green spark momentarily flickered, releasing a crystalline radiance, taking the form of a lamp suspended above him. In the dark night, this lamp dispelled the surrounding shadows, illuminating a five-zhang radius around him.
From his position on the peak, Xiao Tang clapped the armrest of his seat and squinted. "Oh, is that the ’Green Energy White Jade Lamp’? I didn’t expect Brother Du to resort to using a Dharma treasure—he must regard Zhang Yan quite highly."
The lamp emitted pulsating beams of light toward the circling sword lights. Whenever the sword ball was touched by this light, it seemed to encounter enormous resistance, as though trapped in a sticky mire, struggling to move freely.
Zhang Yan raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised that the opponent deployed a Dharma treasure so quickly, indicating he was preparing for a serious bout.
Realizing this, Zhang Yan rallied his focus, clasping a spell and materializing the Xuanhuang Great Hand from above his crown. Aiming directly at the flickering lamplight, he brought the hand down in one sweeping motion.
At this moment, the hand, fueled by his full power, expanded to a massive size of a hundred zhang, descending like a slow-moving mountain.
Zhang Yan’s lips curled into a faint smile. He was certain Du De would not retreat. After all, when Xiao Tang had faced this great hand earlier, he had let Zhang Yan dictate the flow of combat. Du De, ranked above Xiao Tang, would surely refuse to dodge and admit inferiority.
As expected, Du De’s gaze sharpened as he concentrated. Compelling the lamplight to bloom, it revealed emerald flames blossoming like lotus flowers, resplendent and radiant. With a roar, these flames rose to meet the descending Xuanhuang Great Hand, stabilizing it firmly in mid-air.