Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: The Way of Arrays, What Do You Think You Are?

There are three realms of Body Refining. In the first realm, as one’s qi and blood circulate, they roar like a surging river, the sound audible outside the body.

In the second realm, one’s qi and blood burn as vigorously as fire, enveloping the entire body as if it were being immolated.

Those who can reach this realm in Luoyang City are few and far between.

In the third realm, one’s qi and blood form a rainbow-like aura reaching ten feet high. This is a Body Refining Grandmaster, a level comparable to a Sword Cultivator’s Heart Sword Control.

There are no more than ten Body Refining Grandmasters in all of the Cyan Cloud Country, and not a single one in Luoyang City.

Huang Qing was at the first realm, the sound of his qi and blood audible outside his body.

A physique like that was stronger than anyone else among them.

Even Gao Jin, known as the strongest person below the Ten Great, would be no match for Huang Qing if he didn’t use his sword and fought only with his physical body.

However, to everyone’s surprise, the seemingly frail Ning Jiang was also an accomplished Body Cultivator.

The qi and blood surged within his body like a raging river, the sound even louder and greater than Huang Qing’s.

Everyone understood what this meant—Ning Jiang’s physique was even stronger than Huang Qing’s!

”BANG!”

In the split second they stood there in shock, the two’s fists had already collided fiercely.

Huang Qing’s fists were as large as clay pots, brawny and powerful, several sizes larger than a normal person’s. When he threw a punch, the Fist Force was so ferocious that the air crackled. The sheer momentum was enough to strike fear into one’s heart.

Ning Jiang’s fist was completely different. It was fair as jade, elegant and slender. When he threw his punch, it seemed to float gently, devoid of any earthly ferocity.

But when their fists smashed together, an explosive crack echoed out, as if two ten-thousand-pound blocks of iron had collided at high speed.

”WHOOSH!”

A great wind instantly rose.

A violent, visible shockwave spread out from their fists. Everyone’s clothes began to flutter wildly, and their hair was blown back.

Beneath their feet, the ground couldn’t withstand the force and instantly cracked and shattered.

’How is this possible?’

Huang Qing’s expression changed drastically. He felt an unstoppable, ferocious, and tyrannical Power surge from Ning Jiang’s seemingly delicate fist.

”STOMP, STOMP, STOMP!”

He retreated three consecutive steps, each one as heavy as a thousand pounds, stamping deep footprints into the ground.

Ning Jiang, in contrast, stood firm as a mountain, his feet seemingly rooted to the ground, completely unmoved.

The victor was clear in an instant!

Even at just the Entry-Level Realm, the Great Sun Glazed Golden Body was enough to dominate the Postnatal Realm.

Forged through a thousand trials, broken down and rebuilt—such an extreme Body Refining Technique was naturally extraordinary.

If Huang Qing were to endure such a tempering, he would have a mental breakdown and go mad within a single hour, let alone fifteen full days.

”I can’t believe Huang Qing was at a disadvantage in a physical confrontation. Among the younger generation, I’m afraid only Hong Tai of the Ten Great could definitively overpower this man’s physique,” someone exclaimed in shock.

Hong Tai was famous among the Ten Great for his Body Refining. His physique was widely acknowledged as the strongest of Luoyang’s younger generation, earning him the title of ”Copper Head and Iron Arm, uninjured in a hundred battles.”

”Is that all?”

Ning Jiang looked down on Huang Qing and coldly spat out three words.

”I was careless just now! You were prepared, ambushing the unprepared. Of course I was at a disadvantage. Again!” Huang Qing’s eyes glinted with malice.

He couldn’t accept the fact that his physique was weaker than Ning Jiang’s.

”ROAR!”

Suddenly, a roar echoed from the distance, the sound waves rolling toward them.

Everyone’s expression changed at once.

”It’s that Serrated Poison Tiger! We need to get out of here, quickly!”

The Serrated Poison Tiger was the Innate Realm Demon Beast they had previously joined forces to fight. It had pursued them all the way into the depths of the Demon Fog.

After entering the depths of the Demon Fog, the Serrated Poison Tiger had also gotten lost.

Over the past seven days, they had heard the Serrated Poison Tiger’s roars several times, but they had always kept their distance and avoided it.

”Huang Qing, whatever grudges you have, we can settle them later,” Zhang Yao said.

”Damn it! Fine, ten thousand Primordial Stones it is. You’d better be able to lead us out,” Huang Qing said. Knowing the situation was dire, he had no choice but to agree.

”You’re mistaken. The price was ten thousand before. Now, it’s twenty thousand,” Ning Jiang said, shaking his head.

”Kid, don’t push your luck!” Huang Qing roared, instantly enraged.

”No Primordial Stones, you can stay here and wait to die.” Ning Jiang’s tone was utterly cold. ”Let’s go.”

With that, he turned to lead the others away.

Huang Qing was so angry he nearly coughed up blood. His eyes showed his internal struggle, but he finally gritted his teeth and said, ”Fine! I’ll pay!”

He didn’t have that many Primordial Stones on him, so he ended up borrowing some from the others. After scraping together twenty thousand Primordial Stones, he handed them to Ning Jiang.

”Let’s go.”

After taking the Primordial Stones, Ning Jiang waved his hand and led the group onward.

There were seventeen people in total. Sixteen of them paid Five Thousand Primordial Stones each, for a sum of eighty thousand. Huang Qing alone paid twenty thousand. Ning Jiang now had a total of one hundred thousand Primordial Stones.

A situation like this could indeed be called getting rich overnight.

’Once we’re out of here, I’ll make you spit every last one of them back out.’

Watching Ning Jiang walk ahead, a murderous glint flashed deep in Huang Qing’s eyes.

”Young Master Ning, how much do you know about Arrays?”

Yan Shuangying walked beside Ning Jiang. She was obsessed with Arrays and wanted to learn some knowledge about them from him.

”The Way of Arrays is vast and profound. Most Array Masters, in their entire lives, only learn to use Array Banners to set up some minor Arrays. More skilled Array Masters know how to borrow the power of the terrain, coordinating it with their Arrays.”

Seeing her eagerness to learn, Ning Jiang offered a bit of guidance. ”Take this Array here, for example. It borrows the terrain of the Demon Mist Mountain Range, using the mountains and waters themselves as the Array to channel the power of the land. This method far surpasses those who only know how to set up Arrays with Array Banners.”

”Your insight is profound, Young Master Ning. But using the landscape to set up an Array... reaching such a Realm is easier said than done, is it not?” Yan Shuangying yearned for such a Realm, but she also knew that achieving it was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

Ning Jiang said faintly, ”Borrowing the power of the terrain is merely the Entry Level. More advanced Arrays can generate an Array Spirit. Once it has an Array Spirit, the Array comes alive and is no longer a static construct.”

”Higher still, an Array can draw upon the Power of Heaven and Earth, the Power of Stars, and the Sun and Moon Power. An Array like that can be called a Celestial Level Array. Once activated, it’s like a natural disaster and could easily destroy the Cyan Cloud Country.”

”Of course, these are all man-made Arrays, meaning they were set up by people and can be broken. The truly formidable Arrays are those formed by heaven and earth themselves. Those are infinitely profound and ever-changing.”

”Young Master Ning, I’ve recently been studying a Killing Array and there are some things I don’t understand. Could you teach me?” With this, Yan Shuangying also intended to test the true extent of Ning Jiang’s abilities.

After all, no matter how impressive his words were, it was just talk. Only by demonstrating true skill could he truly convince others.

”If there is something you don’t understand, just ask,” Ning Jiang replied coolly.

Yan Shuangying nodded and began asking about several problems that had troubled her for a long time.

Ning Jiang answered every question she asked.

He believed in the principle of passing on knowledge.

Unlike many who jealously guarded their secrets, which caused many excellent legacies to slowly die out.

He was different. As long as someone was sincere in their pursuit of knowledge and possessed a drive to improve, he was willing to offer guidance, even if they were a beggar.

As Ning Jiang answered one difficult question after another, Yan Shuangying’s beautiful eyes couldn’t help but light up.

”Young Master Ning, your guidance has benefited me immensely.” Yan Shuangying’s eyes smiled, her heart filled with joy.

If she went back and properly absorbed what Ning Jiang had just told her, her skill in Arrays would surely rise to another level.

At the same time, it made her admire Ning Jiang even more.

As the saying goes, techniques are not taught lightly, and the Way is not passed on casually.

Every single sentence of the insights into Arrays that Ning Jiang had just shared was incredibly valuable. Who would normally share such knowledge so selflessly?

”If you have time, Young Master Ning, after we leave the Demon Mist Mountain Range, I would like to find an opportunity to host you as thanks for your guidance,” Yan Shuangying invited, her beautiful eyes shimmering like water.

It was believed that no one could refuse an invitation from one of Luoyang’s Four Great Beauties at a time like this.

”That’s enough.”

Before Ning Jiang could speak, someone strode over. His face was cold, his gaze like a knife. ”We gave you Primordial Stones to lead us out of here, not to stand around chattering endlessly.”

It was Gao Jin.

Seeing this, the others revealed strange looks in their eyes.

They all knew that Gao Jin had always been interested in Yan Shuangying.

”Gao Jin, what business is it of yours if I’m discussing Arrays with Young Master Ning?” Yan Shuangying’s elegant brows furrowed, her face turning frosty.

”There’s the fire of jealousy in your eyes.” Ning Jiang’s attitude was nonchalant. ”Everyone gets jealous, but excessive jealousy is not a good thing. The fact that you’ve become enraged just because I spoke a few words with Yan Shuangying only proves how narrow-minded you are.”

His mind was perceptive; he could tell at a glance that Gao Jin liked Yan Shuangying and was therefore displeased with him.

”Silence. Just do what you were paid for and keep your mouth shut otherwise,” Gao Jin said, his tone firm and unquestionable.

”Hahahaha! Why would I need your permission to say what I want? You think too highly of yourself. How could you possibly know that in my eyes...” Ning Jiang paused, his expression calm as he said, one word at a time, ”What do you even amount to?!”

As soon as these words were spoken.

Instantly, Gao Jin’s expression turned frigid, and a murderous intent surged across his face.

Who was he?

He had always been called the number one person beneath the Ten Great. When had anyone ever dared to speak to him like that?

”It seems you think that just because you’ve had some success in Body Refining, you can look down on everyone. In that case, I’ll make you understand the gap between us.”

Gao Jin reached out and gripped the sword on his back.

”Gao Jin, now is not the time for conflict. Don’t forget, our top priority is to get out of here. If a fight breaks out, the noise will surely attract the Serrated Poison Tiger. Settle your grudges after we get out,” someone advised.

”That’s right.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

”I’ll spare you this once.” Gao Jin snorted coldly. He knew what was most important; now was indeed not the time to act.

”Young Master Ning, I apologize,” Yan Shuangying said, full of remorse.

”The fault is not yours. You don’t need to apologize to me.” Ning Jiang was completely unconcerned, his tone cool. ”Mortals are like this—overwhelmed by jealousy, envious of this person and that. It’s utterly boring.”

”Also, you don’t need to host me. I offered you some guidance because I saw you were eager to learn. I don’t need any repayment.”

’What a coward,’ Huang Qing thought with a disdainful sneer upon hearing Ning Jiang’s words. He figured Ning Jiang was afraid of Gao Jin and didn’t dare get too close to Yan Shuangying.

「An hour later.」

”We’re out!”

After walking out of the Demon Fog’s range, the group couldn’t help but cheer, their faces alight with excitement.

”Oh, right! Since Young Master Ning knows so much about Arrays, why don’t we go check out that cave abode?” Zhang Yao suggested at this moment.