Volume One: The King's Command Chapter Seventy-Five: Strength Overcomes All Techniques

The aura released by the spinning disc enveloped both men at once, spinning rapidly as it unleashed a barrage of flying knives that pierced through the azure dragon’s phantom and plunged into the earth. Witnessing this, Spring Radiance hastily swung his iron staff in an attempt to block them, but the knives passed clean through, leaving him chilled to the bone. Blood spurted from his mouth as he retreated in defeat to his own ranks.

Heaven’s Pivot, however, proved far more cunning. Rather than meeting the flying knives head-on, he fled relentlessly, the knives trailing in neat rows along his retreating footprints, but thankfully failing to wound him.

“Which fellow cultivator dares to attack from the shadows and injure others? Such a flagrant disregard for the rules!” Autumn Wind Gale, seeing his elder brother wounded, leapt from the city wall, landing before the battle lines. He drew out silver needles and sealed the acupoints, then produced a restorative pill and fed it to Spring Radiance. Only then did the latter’s complexion improve a little.

The flying knives just now had been conjured by magical force—ordinary weapons would have been powerless to stop them. Caught unawares, Spring Radiance had suffered a bitter loss. He was about to rejoin the fight, but Autumn Wind Gale stopped him. “Brother, the other side has a true Daoist. Let me handle him.”

“Why don’t you come out? Are you afraid? Who hurled that formation disc and wounded my brother? Come out and duel with me for a few rounds!” Autumn Wind Gale shouted before the array, but no one replied.

Heaven’s Pivot frowned, also displeased. “If you are a disciple of the Heavenly King Sect, stand forth boldly. We guarantee your safety here—fight with all your might!”

At last, a woeful face emerged from the ranks. Jade Balance recognized Guo Shuda and berated him loudly. “So it was you, you little wretch! The gravest taboo in a formal contest is a sneak attack. When we return, you’ll be confined for three months!”

As he approached, Jade Balance raised his foot and kicked Guo Shuda squarely on the rear, nearly sending him sprawling face-first.

Autumn Wind Gale, realizing it was a junior, grew even angrier. “So it’s a youngster, and a ruthless one at that. Since when does the Heavenly King Sect train such types?”

“I taught myself, self-taught,” Guo Shuda stammered apologetically, but before he could finish, a shout came from behind: “Go for it! Master and I are watching! He won’t dare hurt you! If he does, I’ll beat him up!”

Among the group was Meng Qiaoqiao, who had come along as well. Old Daoist Bai, astride his donkey, had fallen far behind the warhorses and was still some distance from Flame City.

Li Jue drew a peachwood sword and stepped forward, standing at Guo Shuda’s side. “I am no disciple of the Heavenly King Sect, but as a fellow cultivator, I count myself in. That way, it won’t be said you’re bullying the young. What do you say?”

He intended to make it two against one, which moved Guo Shuda to tears. “Brother Li, to have a brother like you in this life is enough for me!”

Autumn Wind Gale nodded, unhooked the pouch at his waist, and slung it over his shoulder. Inside were rows upon rows of silver needles.

The most common Daoist technique is the art of object control—using the soul to channel magical force and direct objects to kill one’s enemies. Silver needles, light and possessed of powerful penetration, make ideal weapons.

“It seems you too, elder, are a cultivator and know the rules. Allow us to strike first!” Li Jue formed a seal with one hand and waved his peachwood sword. In an instant, seven golden flying swords appeared less than half a yard from Autumn Wind Gale.

“The Golden Light Incantation! A descendant of the Li clan?” Autumn Wind Gale did not budge, but simply stamped his foot. His immense magical force shattered the golden light, yet his eyes betrayed surprise.

Many formidable Daoist arts are held by certain clans, but as time passes, these ancient arts are often lost, buried in the river of history. In his youth, Autumn Wind Gale had witnessed a Li clan Daoist perform the Golden Light Incantation—when the golden light shone, all other spells were eclipsed. He had never forgotten that sight.

“Please, elder, do not hold back. Respect the Daoist way!” Li Jue shouted, veins standing out on his neck and his forehead bulging. His entire body seemed to turn to gold. With another swing of the peachwood sword, the ground split open and golden light surged like molten lava, engulfing the three of them in endless waves.

“Shaping the terrain—an impressive technique.” Autumn Wind Gale remained unruffled, clapping his body to release three hundred and sixty fine silver needles, which flew out to pin down the array’s vital points.

Li Jue turned his hand, further manipulating the formation. This was the Li clan’s Golden Earth Universe Array, with sixty-four permutations. Though Li Jue mastered only a dozen, the array’s power was already evident—even someone as strong as Autumn Wind Gale could be trapped for a time.

“Never thought I’d see the Golden Earth Universe Array again today. Though your version seems a bit shabby—how many variations have you mastered?” Autumn Wind Gale clearly knew the Golden Light Incantation well. Each silver needle struck precisely, preventing the waves from surging.

“Eleven variations—more than enough to deal with you!” Li Jue gripped the sword’s hilt with both hands and pulled. The peachwood sword split in two, and the golden light parted as well. Autumn Wind Gale suddenly found himself on empty ground, his balance faltering, and his control over the silver needles weakened for a moment.

Seizing the opening, the Golden-armored Warrior grabbed Autumn Wind Gale’s shoulders and hoisted him high. Guo Shuda, blade in hand, emerged from behind the warrior and swung at Autumn Wind Gale.

Autumn Wind Gale smiled. From his back sprang sharp bones that pierced the warrior’s arms. His body sank rapidly, descending even faster than before. These spines were longer than blades, forcing Guo Shuda to retreat.

At the same moment, the surrounding silver needles contracted. Apart from those pinning the array, hundreds of them shot toward Guo Shuda.

“Careful! Golden Light Shield!” Li Jue cried, flinging golden light to protect Guo Shuda. The needles paused briefly, but then pierced through and embedded themselves in Guo Shuda’s flesh.

Guo Shuda’s eyes widened, blood bubbling from his lips. He tried to speak, but his throat burned, and no matter how he tried, he could not make a sound.

“Guo Shuda!” Li Jue shouted, unleashing a surge of golden light that engulfed Autumn Wind Gale before scooping up Guo Shuda and dashing back toward their own lines.

“Hold on, just hold on! There will be a way to save you!”

Tears streamed down Li Jue’s face as he gritted his teeth, unaware that behind him the golden light had been shattered. Autumn Wind Gale, his face twisted and monstrous, emerged, his entire body bristling with bone spines. At that moment, he looked less like a man and more like a starving ghost from hell.

Silver needles whistled past Li Jue’s ears, shattering the golden light around him, and his inner power was all but spent. Still forty paces from safety, Li Jue’s eyes filled with desperation.

Too late! The last wisp of golden light was dispersed. Li Jue lunged forward, but Guo Shuda’s body tumbled across the ground, blood pouring out.

Jade Balance, watching anxiously, cast aside his dignity and flung his iron chain, blocking the silver needles. “You old monster! Face me!”

But before Jade Balance could leap into the fray, two others stepped in front of Autumn Wind Gale.

“Young friend, step aside!” The newcomers were none other than Master Bai Yiting and his disciple. Bai Yiting had not intended to intervene, but Meng Qiaoqiao had pestered him into action, so he thickened his skin and strode forth. With a sweep of his wide sleeve, he gathered up all the silver needles.

Meng Qiaoqiao hurriedly stuffed a grayish pill into Guo Shuda’s mouth, but he had lost too much blood and was unconscious, unable to swallow. She could only use her magical power to force the medicine into him.

Wearing his patchwork robe, Bai Yiting shook his long sleeve toward the ground. A mass of bent silver needles fell out, their spiritual energy completely spent.

“At your age, you should know better. If he dies today, none of you will get away,” Bai Yiting spoke quietly but with words that resounded powerfully.

“Who are you to meddle in matters between two great sects? A sharp tongue alone won’t suffice!” came the retort.

“Whether it’s enough is not for you to decide,” Bai Yiting replied. “The three up there—come down together! Let it not be said I bullied you.”

The three elders, incensed by Bai Yiting’s words, trembled with fury. Winter Solstice Snow reached for his weapon, but the eldest brother stopped him. “Judging by his manner, he may not be a match for our third brother. If you go down now, it will only give them more to say.”

Autumn Wind Gale, now laughing in his rage, spat out a three-inch ear-pick. The moment this treasure appeared, all light in the area seemed to vanish, drawn into its depths.

“Behold my spirit tool!” As the ear-pick finished absorbing the light, Autumn Wind Gale struck without delay.

Bai Yiting met the attack with another sweep of his sleeve, drawing the ear-pick inside. In moments, Autumn Wind Gale’s face changed as though he had been struck in the chest, almost knocking him flat.

From Bai Yiting’s sleeve dropped a piece of broken metal, now in two parts—no longer resembling the spirit tool from moments before.

“All those spines covering you like a porcupine—I’ll pull those out as well!” Bai Yiting took out a clay jar and shook out earth-colored pellets. The instant the pellets hit the ground, they transformed into half-man-tall clay figures, each wielding different weapons as they swarmed Autumn Wind Gale.

At first, Autumn Wind Gale could easily smash the clay men with his bone spines and silver needles, but as time passed, he grew weary. Each time he destroyed a clay man, a sliver of his magic drained away.

The clay men were endless. The clay jar seemed a bottomless well, spewing out pellets that became new attackers, encircling Autumn Wind Gale completely.

Sensing the tide had turned, the three elders abandoned all decorum. Each leapt from the city wall, weapons in hand. Spring Radiance’s iron staff summoned a blue dragon; Summer Insect’s sword swept a swath of clay men in half.

But the dragon, upon emerging, was immediately swarmed by clay men, morphing into an armor of earth. It thrashed about on the ground, unable to break free.

Of the four, Winter Solstice Snow was youngest but most powerful. Seeing his brothers struggling, he prepared his ultimate technique to break free. Just then, a vermilion talisman descended from above, sticking to his forehead.

Instantly, all his true energy froze, immovable. In his panic, he tried to tear off the talisman, but mud covered his arm and spread over his whole body.

One man had faced all four elders, and now left them as statues, frozen in place. Bai Yiting, barely winded, put away the clay jar and hurried to Meng Qiaoqiao’s side.

“How is the boy?”

Meng Qiaoqiao burst into tears. “Master, your medicine didn’t work—he’s gone!”

The pill had been unable to save Guo Shuda; his injuries from blood loss were beyond healing. Bai Yiting drew a talisman from his sleeve and pressed it to Guo Shuda’s lower abdomen. “We have done all we could. Lay him to rest.”