Chapter 68: Seven Moves to Defeat Yaozu
Chapter 68: Seven Moves to Defeat Yaozu
“Fourth move.”
Cheng Lingyu shot upward, a fierce airflow bursting outward that whipped up sandstorms and split the ground.
Flicking his fingers, sword energy erupted. Shreds of sword light tore through the void, generating a horrifying disturbance that coalesced into a hundred-zhang sword pillar crashing toward Ji Yaozu.
Witnessing this and sensing Cheng Lingyu’s abrupt change, Ji Yaozu paled. With a furious roar, he thrust his right middle finger forward, unleashing a spiraling flame that shifted colors before morphing into a three-hued Firebird to clash with the sword pillar.
A loud bang echoed as the void trembled.
The three-colored Firebird shattered, and the sword pillar dimmed.
“Fifth move!”
Cheng Lingyu raised his right fist, violent flames coalescing around it. Fire dragons coiled and twisted, forming a thousand-zhang fire pillar that pierced the sky, pressing down on the heavens.
Cheng Lingyu’s eyes burned like fire, his body radiating blazing light. Lotus flowers bloomed around him, spreading rapidly.
The spectators gaped in awe—only Caiyun smiled.
Ji Yaozu’s face darkened. Throwing his arms back, he summoned a massive fire eagle behind him using the Eagle Soars Through Skies technique, its eyes glinting coldly.
Cheng Lingyu punched forward, the colossal fire pillar colliding with the eagle in mid-air.
“Dragon Eagle Flame Slash!”
Ji Yaozu shot upward, hands clasped above his head. Flames surged skyward, merging mid-air into a fire dragon and fire eagle that twisted into a strange dragon-eagle hybrid.
Cheng Lingyu vaulted upward, cold light flashing in his eyes. He spread his arms slowly, an ethereal and illusionary phantom butterfly materializing behind him, its translucent wings shimmering.
“Phantom Butterfly!”
Qu Wei gasped again—Cheng Lingyu had truly mastered the phantom butterfly’s ultimate skill.
The sixth move erupted instantly. Ji Yaozu, Tianhua City’s genius expert, unleashed the devastating Dragon Shadow Flame Slash, overwhelming the phantom butterfly and shattering it.
“That Dragon Shadow Flame Slash is terrifying! Young Master Ji must win now!”
“It’s only the sixth move—too soon to tell.”
Seizing momentum, Ji Yaozu pressed his advantage.
“Dragon Eagle Cloud-Sundering Slash!”
Cheng Lingyu roared, terrifying strength erupting from him as he soared to Ji Yaozu’s height.
Staring at Ji Yaozu’s seventh move, Cheng Lingyu’s eyes gleamed with anticipation—he’d never faced such an opponent.
“Seven Butterfly Shadows.”
A vibrant Colorful Butterfly formed behind Cheng Lingyu, starkly different from the earlier phantom butterfly.
Its hues shifted endlessly, dazzling and unpredictable, rivaling Ji Yaozu’s dragon-eagle.
Cheng Lingyu thrust his right finger. Spinning sword light shot forth, true essence compressed thousands of times thundering skyward to form a lifelike mid-air butterfly.
“Using this move again? Pathetic!”
Ji Yaozu mocked, certain Cheng Lingyu had no tricks left.
Cheng Lingyu sneered, “Test it and see.”
The swirling true essence was unpredictable. After forming the first butterfly, it rapidly created second, third, and fourth ones, each distinct like blooming flowers.
With every new butterfly, Cheng Lingyu’s aura doubled. When the seventh emerged, Ji Yaozu’s face turned pale green, his Dragon Eagle trembling violently overhead – showing cracks that might shatter any moment.
Mid-air, seven multicolored butterflies with clear layers made Qu Wei and Jin Miaoyi gasp.
“This…it’s the Seven-Leaf Butterfly!”
Indeed, a giant Seven-Leaf Butterfly hovered lifelike before them. Having consumed the mid-grade spiritual herb Seven-Leaf Butterfly, Cheng Lingyu had mastered its innate ultimate skill – Seven Butterfly Shadows.
As the Seven-Leaf Butterfly solidified, compressed true essence became fluttering butterflies releasing sword light across the sky and universe, shaking all realms.
Each sword light contained seven changes, resembling tiny butterflies spreading through the void – creating a world of countless swords and dancing wings.
Though the sword lights seemed harmless, their highly compressed true essence unleashed terrifying strength upon contact.
Ji Yaozu’s eyes blazed with divine light. This battle concerned his glory – he couldn’t lose. Pushing his Gathering Lake Stage combat power to maximum, he held nothing back.
His Dragon Eagle Destruction Slash – three times stronger than Dragon Eagle Flame Slash – now faced true danger. Cheng Lingyu’s beautiful Seven Butterfly Shadows hid deadly risks.
Beyond their changing techniques, the true threat came from thousand-fold compressed true essence – achievable only through Cheng Lingyu’s Thousand Layers of Snow.
When fragile-looking butterflies met crimson light beams, Ji Yaozu discovered their true horror. The instant release of compressed energy combined with Seven Butterfly Shadows’ variations overwhelmed his attack, surrounding him completely.
As Ji Yaozu’s strongest strike dissipated, Seven Butterfly Shadows revealed full power. The giant Seven-Leaf Butterfly’s swaying leaves became seven dancing butterflies, sword lights shredding time and space into light clouds that destroyed everything.
Ji Yaozu roared, forming hand seals. Spiritual Light encircled him as special defense barrier formed. Then light clouds engulfed him, explosions compressing into space-ripping destruction that horrified spectators.
“This…can’t…be real!”
None could believe Cheng Lingyu’s seventh move – beautiful yet unbearably dangerous. Continuous explosions lit the sky until fading light revealed a figure smashing through buildings into a Deep Pit.
When dust settled, a bloodied figure emerged – the “genius” Ji Yaozu, hair matted, clothes shredded, wounds bleeding, energy chaotic and gravely injured.
Seven moves. Just seven moves defeated a same-Realm prodigy.
Cheng Lingyu landed gracefully, true essence dispersed. Beyond torn clothes, he bore no injuries.
“Young Master Ji, your concession honors me.”
The calm words stabbed Ji Yaozu’s Arrogance like a dagger. Never defeated since childhood, he now tasted bitter loss.
“Don’t celebrate! When you reach Soul Martial Realm, I’ll challenge you again!”
Ji Yaozu gritted his teeth, tossed down a bottle of Spiritual Essence Pills, and stormed away.
Ye Xiaoyun and Cheng Zhaolong turned ashen, immediately crying out,
“Young Master Ji…”
Ji Yaozu paid no heed, his face burning with humiliation. He cared nothing for their fates now, even resenting them for causing his disgrace.
“We’re leaving!”
Ye Xiaoyun clenched her jaw and yanked Cheng Zhaolong into flight.
“Did I say you could leave with your heads?”
Caiyun’s icy voice pierced the air. The fleeing pair screamed as they plummeted from the sky.
Ye Xiaoyun tore an object from her robes and shattered it, shrieking, “Stop pressing us!”
Caiyun snorted. “Forgotten where you stand? Among Yunyang City’s four courts of piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting, our chess academy strikes hardest. Battle allows no middle ground – win or perish. You chose death when plotting against my junior apprentice.”
Cheng Lingyu stored the pills and advanced on Cheng Zhaolong, calm mask cracking to reveal simmering fury.
This man had shattered his dreams. Twisted his destiny.
Without Cheng Zhaolong’s betrayal, he’d still be studying at Yiyun Calligraphy Academy, holding Ruo Xue’s hand, breathing joy.
This thief stole his love. Buried his future. Forced him onto the path of cultivation.
All karma rooted in Cheng Zhaolong’s evil. No stolen love, no present reckoning.
Cheng Zhaolong quaked under the hatred burning in Cheng Lingyu’s eyes. “W-what are you doing?”
Cheng Lingyu’s laugh cracked like wildfire. “I vowed at Ruo Xue’s grave to sever your head! Let your vile blood cleanse her sorrow!”
“Ruo Xue killed herself!” Cheng Zhaolong scrambled backward. “Her weakness, not mine!”
“Without your theft? Your threats?” Flames erupted around Cheng Lingyu, lotus blooms and spectral butterflies swirling violently.
Cheng Zhaolong bellowed, “You’d murder kin?”
Ye Xiaoyun screamed, “He wouldn’t dare!”
Caiyun’s chuckle held winter’s bite. “Today claims both your lives.”
Cheng Lingyu’s footfalls shook the earth, each step mountain-heavy.
Invisible pressure squeezed Cheng Zhaolong toward madness.