Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 178: Chapter 175: Showdown with Young Master Soaring Dragon

The body’s vital points are its weaknesses.

Especially the fatal ones. A single strike can kill or cripple.

Ever since Ning Jiang had cultivated his Great Sun Glazed Golden Body to the Great Success stage, he had virtually no weaknesses left and had no fear of attacks on his vital points.

But Great Success was still just Great Success, not Perfection. It could not yet be called a Flawless Golden Body.

If some of his more critical vital points were struck, Ning Jiang could still be injured.

At this moment, Young Master Soaring Dragon thrust his hands forward, fingers held tightly together. As he channeled his power, the great tendons in his body vibrated like bowstrings, humming audibly.

His hands tore through the air, creating a sharp sonic boom.

It was as if tens of thousands of archers had loosed their arrows at once, a volley meant to pierce the heart.

He had initiated close-quarters combat from the very beginning.

This single move perfectly integrated form and spirit. The Three Flowers Gathering at the Top spun above his head as his Essence, Qi, and Spirit condensed into a single force, elevating his power to a terrifying degree.

Ning Jiang’s eyes narrowed. His arms became a blur as he met speed with speed, confronting the attack head-on.

Qi Forces collided and flesh met bone. A series of deafening booms crackled through the air. The slightest contact with these shockwaves would cause an ordinary person to disintegrate into a bloody pulp.

”Such a strong body.”

Meng Bubai was astonished. Young Master Soaring Dragon was actually able to match Ning Jiang in physical combat.

After all, even he had to admit that his own physique was inferior to Ning Jiang’s.

”Excellent!”

After dozens of clashes, Young Master Soaring Dragon temporarily retreated.

”I never thought I’d meet my match after perfecting my Flood Dragon Body Refining Technique.”

The Flood Dragon Body Refining Technique was a technique that surpassed even the Vajra Unbreakable Body.

Ning Jiang wasn’t surprised. To achieve Perfection in Essence, Qi, and Spirit, one’s ”Essence Qi”—the physical body—had to be at its peak. If Young Master Soaring Dragon’s physique weren’t powerful, he never could have achieved the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top.

Meng Bubai, for instance, had reached Perfection in ”Essence Qi.”

Duan Wuya, on the other hand, had a weaker physique and had only achieved Perfection in ”Qi God.”

”Flood Dragon Battle Armor!”

The blood in Young Master Soaring Dragon’s body surged, forming a suit of Battle Armor. Composed entirely of scales, it enveloped his entire body.

The scales RATTLED, making him look like a true Flood Dragon.

”Fury of the Flood Dragon!”

Young Master Soaring Dragon threw a punch. A visible, dragon-shaped current of air formed around his fist. Before the punch even landed, a suffocating gale blasted toward its target.

Ning Jiang’s expression was placid as he chopped down with his palm.

Young Master Soaring Dragon’s fist was a direct thrust, while Ning Jiang’s palm was a downward chop, designed to break the linear attack. This simple strike seemed powerful enough to cleave an Ancient Divine Mountain.

Young Master Soaring Dragon seemed to have anticipated this. Instead of a direct clash, he flicked his fist upward at the moment of contact. His entire body soared, like a dragon breaking free from its restraints.

He was the dragon suppressed within the Divine Mountain. By cleaving the mountain, Ning Jiang had inadvertently freed him, allowing him to escape, roam the heavens, and command the clouds and rain.

To many onlookers, this breakout seemed unstoppable.

But Ning Jiang remained as nonchalant as ever. He spread his fingers, like a flower with five blooming petals.

This palm strike descended like an inescapable net, sealing off all surrounding space. It was a move designed to capture even a dragon.

ROAR!

Young Master Soaring Dragon let out a long cry. His fists rained down in a mad frenzy of blows.

He would blast a path through it, even if it were an inescapable net cast from the heavens.

Ning Jiang shook his head and activated his Great Sun Dharma Body, which enveloped his entire form.

Then, he lashed out with both arms. His fists broke the sound barrier as countless afterimages layered one upon another, until it seemed his fists were everywhere at once.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!—

Their fists met in a ferocious exchange, each blow landing solidly on flesh. It was a blood-pumping sight.

This was a contest of pure physical might.

The Flood Dragon Body Refining Technique versus the Great Sun Glazed Golden Body.

After several hundred punches, Young Master Soaring Dragon’s expression changed drastically. His blood roiled in his chest, and he felt his fists going numb from the impacts.

Retracting his flurry of fists, he tried to slip away like an eel.

But Ning Jiang was faster. His fist was already at his opponent’s chest. He tapped it once, sending a shockwave through him.

BANG!

He was sent flying backward. The Flood Dragon Battle Armor over his chest shattered. Without its protection, he would have been gravely injured.

In terms of physical power, the Great Sun Glazed Golden Body was superior!

”Your Body Refining Technique is still lacking,” Ning Jiang said calmly.

The strength of a Body Refining Technique can be judged by whether or not it grants a ”Dharma Body.”

Top Level Body Refining Techniques possess a Dharma Body.

For example, Ning Jiang’s Great Sun Dharma Body.

Young Master Soaring Dragon’s and Meng Bubai’s techniques, however, merely condensed a suit of Battle Armor around their bodies. The difference in quality was obvious at a glance.

Of course, not everyone could cultivate a Top Level Body Refining Technique.

He had endured unimaginable agony to forge his Great Sun Glazed Golden Body. Anyone else would have long since broken under such pain.

”Again!”

Young Master Soaring Dragon refused to admit defeat. The three flowers above his head bloomed, causing his aura to surge even more powerfully.

He moved, his footwork like an ice skater’s, darting left and right. He swayed ceaselessly until the entire area was filled with his afterimages.

Ghost Shadow Step!

This Step Technique was unbelievably fast. It gave the impression of a flickering phantom, making it impossible to discern his position or tell the real body from the illusions.

Before such a technique, the Shadowless Step of Xu Tengfei, one of the Luoyang Ten Heroes, was mere child’s play.

Among the Nine Great Young Masters, the Illusionary Young Master, who prided himself on his Body Technique Speed, could only smile bitterly.

”It seems I’ll have to cede the title of ’Master of the Body Technique’ to Young Master Soaring Dragon from now on.”

The Illusionary Young Master admitted his own inferiority.

The people from Kunlun who knew Ning Jiang weren’t worried in the slightest.

When Ning Jiang had first made his debut in Luoyang City, he had been given the title ”White-haired Ghost.”

The ”Ghost” part of the title referred to his Body Technique, which was like a phantom reaping souls.

’He wants to compete with me in Body Techniques?’

With a single step, Ning Jiang vanished from where he stood.

His form could no longer be tracked by the naked eye.

Ten Steps of Impermanence. Life and death are mine to command.

As he activated the Step Technique, the atmosphere of the entire area changed. It was as if the gates to the Underworld had swung open, and a Wuchang Ghost had come to claim a soul.

Before the eyes of the crowd, both fighters vanished.

All that could be perceived were constant collisions in the empty space, the air erupting as violent gales swept outward.

At this point, not even an Innate Limit Strong Person would dare get close, lest they be crushed by the shockwaves and find it impossible to survive.

The fierce collisions continued for a full hundred exchanges before the air grew still.

”Young Master Soaring Dragon, show me what you’ve really got. Otherwise, this fight is going to be quite dull.”

Ning Jiang stood with his white robes fluttering in the wind. Even after such a ferocious battle, his breathing was steady and his heart was calm.

”Fine.”

Young Master Soaring Dragon’s eyes blazed with light as he stomped his foot violently on the mountain peak.

BANG!

Cracks appeared on the mountaintop, and the entire peak seemed on the verge of collapse.

All their previous exchanges had been mere probes. Now came the main event, the clash that would decide victory, defeat, life, and death.

”Fist of the River and Sea!”

Young Master Soaring Dragon soared into the air like a dragon ascending to the heavens. He clenched his right fist and threw a punch from afar.

BOOM!

A powerful Fist Force swept out like a ripple, and the air roiled like a surging river.

The strike was terrifying, a true display of Innate Invincibility.

Ning Jiang formed a sword with his fingers and chopped down. In an instant, like a hot knife through butter, he cleaved the vast Fist Force in two, sending it scattering to either side.

”Fist-Determined River and Mountain!”

Young Master Soaring Dragon was not surprised.

If Ning Jiang couldn’t even block a single punch, there would be no reason to consider him a worthy opponent.

The air suddenly solidified with his punch. It was as if he controlled the very currents of the atmosphere. The Fist Power descended like a collapsing mountain, and for a moment, the crowd seemed to hear the sound of a great peak grinding down upon them.

That’s right. The power of this punch was like a great mountain crashing down—infinitely powerful and utterly unstoppable.

The surging Fist Power was incredibly condensed.

A mere graze from such a Fist Force could cause an Innate Limit Strong Person to vomit blood and suffer grievous injury. To be at its center meant being blasted to pieces.

Ning Jiang chopped down with his palm, his movements as effortless as a passing cloud.

He had broken the second punch.

The third punch followed, its power even more terrifying.

”Fist that Determines Heaven and Earth!”

Young Master Soaring Dragon’s expression was solemn as he unleashed a finishing move. The intense force of his fist blasted through the air before him.

The air vibrated and shook.

Everyone in the vicinity felt their bodies sway with the punch, creating the illusion that heaven and earth themselves were being shaken.

Beneath Ning Jiang’s feet, the famed Cyan Cloud Mountain actually began to tremble.

Just how terrifying was Young Master Soaring Dragon’s Fist Force?

His arm chopped down like a great axe sundering the heavens from the earth.

Ning Jiang used his hand as a sword, unleashing a burst of Sword Aura.

BOOM—

The Sword Aura and the mighty Fist Force collided. The air roiled like boiling water as a violent Qi Force radiated in all directions and exploded.

At this moment, even the two Kings, Duan Wuya and Meng Bubai, wore grave expressions.

”Take another one of my fists!”

Young Master Soaring Dragon’s aura continued to climb as his Innate Gang Yuan erupted madly. He threw another punch with a heaven-shaking roar.

Everyone stared, dumbfounded.

The Gang Qi formed the phantom of a Flood Dragon that lunged forward. Baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, it was so lifelike its presence was earth-shattering.

”A little interesting.”

Slaying Heaven and Earth!

Again using his hand as a sword, Ning Jiang unleashed the second form of the Great Sun Sword Technique. His blood and qi surged, transforming into a golden Sword Aura that shot skyward, illuminating the night.

TCHHHK.

The Flood Dragon phantom was sliced in two, and the Sword Aura vanished.

It was a draw.

”I have one last strike. If you can take it, I lose!”

Young Master Soaring Dragon bent his back and clenched his right fist. In that instant, a vast Fist Force unfurled. It was like a raging ocean, like towering, treacherous mountains pressing in on Ning Jiang, sealing off any path of retreat.

And this was just him gathering power for the punch.

If merely gathering power was this terrifying, how earth-shattering would the actual strike be?

”Take this! Heaven-Shattering Fist!”

Young Master Soaring Dragon let out a long howl. Visually, his punch was extremely slow. It looked like a crawling snail that would never be able to hit its target.

But in reality, it was unbelievably fast.

TCHHHK.

In an instant, he crossed a distance of dozens of yards.

Hm?

Ning Jiang was slightly taken aback. The punch was a convergence of qi and spirit, so vast and mighty it seemed it could punch a hole through the very fabric of heaven and earth.

If this strike landed, it would be devastating.

”Fall back!”

Meng Bubai couldn’t help but cry out. Even he felt the urge to retreat from such a tyrannical punch rather than face it head-on.

But Ning Jiang didn’t move.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t dodge, but that he didn’t want to.

’Let him be as strong as he wants. I am the mountain; he is but a light breeze.’

’What is there to fear from this punch?’

’Why should I retreat?’

Ning Jiang extended his arm, meeting fist with fist.