Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor
Chapter 203: Dancing on the Tip of a Knife at 203

Chapter 203: Dancing on the Tip of a Knife at 203

"This damn guy!"

Below the arena, Feng Hang, who was staring at those sixteen Green Light Hammers, undoubtedly gritted his teeth in frustration, for he had a nagging feeling that if he were to face this Meridian Technique head-on, even in his prime, he might not be able to withstand it.

At this moment, Feng Hang found no one pleasing to the eye. He truly hoped that the two guys on the stage would fight to a mutual defeat, and best, to mutual destruction, as that would quell the hatred in his heart.

However, after Shen Xiao unleashed that barrage of Hammer Shadows, many of the surrounding talented individuals were not very optimistic about Yun Xiao, because the striking power of this Meridian Technique would undoubtedly further magnify the gap in Meridian Qi Cultivation between them.

On the stage, Yun Xiao had a solemn expression on his face. The barrage of Hammer Shadows resembled an enigmatic array, rapidly closing in on him under Shen Xiao’s control, sealing off his pathways to the front and both sides.

If Yun Xiao wished to evade the onslaught of these sixteen Hammer Shadows, his only option was to retreat, but in the confines of this small arena, where could he possibly go?

Unless Yun Xiao conceded defeat right now—but was that possible? He didn’t come to battle Shen Xiao with the intention of losing. At this moment, a ruthless glint also flashed in his eyes.

"It seems I can only try that move!"

Memories surged forth like a tide in Yun Xiao’s mind, and a special Body Meridian Technique took shape in his heart. Gazing at the seemingly overwhelmingly powerful barrage of Hammer Shadows, which still had some fleeting gaps, he made a somewhat risky decision.

In fact, Shen Xiao had indeed not mastered the Hammer Shadows Meridian Technique fully. Within the subtle Hammer Shadows, there were gaps that were difficult for outsiders to detect.

But Shen Xiao was absolutely confident that even this immature barrage of Hammer Shadows would not be something an ordinary Cultivator in the Meridian Rushing Realm Early Stage could contend with, let alone Yun Xiao.

Although gaps existed between the Hammer Shadows, most people wouldn’t even notice them, let alone some Meridian Refining Masters with strong Power of Soul sensing abilities—those fleeting gaps could not be seized even with extreme speed.

Whoosh...

Under Shen Xiao’s control of Meridian Qi, the first Green Light Hammer Shadow had already slammed towards Yun Xiao. However, at that moment, including Shen Xiao, everyone saw Yun Xiao shift his feet, dodging the inevitable hammer strike with an inconceivably weird angle.

"What’s going on?"

The movement technique Yun Xiao displayed in that instant stunned onlookers; and the next moment, they were even more shocked, as this was utterly beyond their imagination.

Swish, swish, swish...

Shen Xiao was not too surprised that Yun Xiao could dodge the first hammer’s attack, so his hands kept moving without pause, one after another Green Light Hammer Shadows furiously struck towards Yun Xiao, intending to crush this youngster into a mound of flesh.

But what Shen Xiao did not expect was that, among these sixteen flying hammers, the youngster named Yun Xiao was like strolling in his own courtyard, casually walking through a dozen Hammer Shadows without receiving a scratch, not even a hem of his clothes touched.

At this moment on the stage, such an odd scene unfolded: a slightly gaunt youth in coarse clothing was shifting erratically amidst a dozen flying Hammer Shadows.

Sometimes you would think Yun Xiao’s speed was astonishingly fast, but other times you might feel his footsteps were unremarkable; yet, each move he made would avoid an attack from a Green Light Hammer.

Green Light Hammers continuously grazed past Yun Xiao’s side, neck, and near his head, each strike perilously close as if intending to smash Yun Xiao into a pulp or burst his skull open, but every time he narrowly evaded, escaping one deadly calamity after another.

It was as though a light-footed girl danced barefoot on a blade, each step precarious, as if at any moment she could be sliced and bleed profusely, each jump risky, as if at any moment she could be cut in two by the sharp edge, yet not once did a wound appear.

Dancing on the blade tip was clearly very thrilling, not only for Yun Xiao but also for the many talents watching beneath the stage; their hearts couldn’t quite take it.

Everyone guessed in their hearts, if Yun Xiao took a wrong step, he would either suffer a shattered chest bone or a burst brain, but somehow, those Green Light Hammers that seemed to have some sort of Spiritual nature, again and again, grazed past Yun Xiao without injuring him at all.

"What... what kind of movement technique is that?"

At that moment, some calm and composed talents from both Inner and Outer Sects quickly came to their senses, their eyes showing a hint of shock as they murmured to themselves.

It seems that these genius disciples of the Jade Flask Sect have all recognized that Yun Xiao is executing a movement technique they have never heard of before. And such a technique, if used solely for self-preservation, could perhaps be unmatched throughout the entire Hidden Dragon Continent.

At this moment, Yun Xiao on the arena is like a skillful dancer, or a profoundly powerful artist, weaving a tale of an impossible legend for all to hear, a perilous saga danced on the edge of a blade.

Even the three Great Elders sitting to the north show astonishment in their aged eyes, for such a body technique is beyond even what the Jade Flask Sect can offer.

The danger, missing by a hair’s breadth leading to certain death, is vividly displayed within the constant rhythm of Yun Xiao’s movements. A single misstep would mean an irreversible doom.

The Great Elder and the others all knew that it wasn’t just the miraculous nature of the body technique itself, but also Yun Xiao’s heart, undisturbed by external factors.

Without a cultivator who can keep their calm to execute such an extraordinarily intricate movement technique, the end result would likely be being struck by one of the many hammers, resulting in severe injury or even immediate death.

The effectiveness of movement techniques is static; what matters most is the person who executes them. The same grade and technique may yield vastly different results when performed by two different people.

Take the miraculous technique that Yun Xiao is currently executing as an example; if it were used by a Meridian Gathering Realm cultivator at the peak but lacking in mental fortitude, they would likely have lost their sense of direction amidst the dizzying dance of hammer shadows, let alone consistently avoiding the deadly blows at the very last moment.

"This young man, given time, will surely achieve greatness!"

Great Elder Lu Zhan had always held a great affinity for Yun Xiao, and his eight-character praise caught even his colleague, Elder Su He, by surprise.

To Su He’s knowledge, the Great Elder of the Jade Flask Sect, although compassionate, always maintained high standards. Even his direct disciple Mo Qing had never received such high praise, had she?

In that case, could the young man in simple attire on the arena possess a talent even greater than Mo Qing’s? This thought undoubtedly stirred a tempest in Su He’s heart.

Yet, unseen by these two elders was that upon hearing Lu Zhan’s words, Fu Du, who usually kept to himself, actually nodded slightly, his thoughts undergoing a subtle shift.

Previously, Fu Du was only interested in Yun Xiao’s peculiar body that was immune to all poisons, intending to capture the boy for the Poison Vein lineage of the Jade Flask Sect to use him for testing poisons.

But after witnessing the Outer Sect competition, Fu Du suddenly realized that there was more to Yun Xiao than just his immunity to poisons; his cultivation talent and temperament were both once-in-a-century prodigies.

Even Fu Du thought to himself that if he could take Yun Xiao as his direct disciple, the youth’s future achievements might not even fall short of his own most extraordinary lead disciple.

These thoughts had been buried deep within Fu Du’s heart until today, but now, seeing Yun Xiao’s effortless movement technique resembling a casual stroll, a spark of admiration for talent ignited within him.

If cultivation talent is an indispensable foundation for a cultivator, then a resilient heart is the cornerstone for becoming a superlative powerhouse.

Fu Du had taken many disciples under his wing, but whether it be Yin Huan or Bi Luo, or even that most valued lead disciple, none seemed to have the mental strength that Yun Xiao displayed on the arena.

At least Fu Du knew that if his lead disciple were to trade places with Yun Xiao, whether he could remain as composed and dodge the deadly dance of hammer shadows was utterly uncertain.

For Spirit Vein Realm cultivators like Fu Du seeking to elevate their strength on the Hidden Dragon Continent, it is exceedingly difficult, hence they focus more on nurturing the next generation.

The competition between young disciples such as Mo Qing and Bi Luo can be considered a subtle rivalry between the Poison Vein and Medical Pulse sects. Unearthing a disciple with both exceptional talent and a resilient temperament is rare and especially valuable.

Originally, Mo Qing was such a prodigious girl, but unfortunately, she chose to join the Medical Pulse line and became the disciple of Great Elder Lu Zhan, causing Fu Du much disappointment.

Thus, Fu Du was determined, whether it be Yun Xiao’s immunity to all poisons or his talent and temperament for cultivation; he must bring this boy into the Poison Vein lineage. Perhaps in the future, the Poison Vein lineage could indeed take control of the entire Jade Flask Sect.

Putting aside the varying thoughts of the elders due to Yun Xiao’s bizarre movement technique, atop the arena, Shen Xiao’s face darkened as he watched Yun Xiao’s ghost-like steps, almost as if his face could drip water.

As Shen Xiao had said, this technique of "Shadow of a Thousand Hammers" was intended for use against Feng Hang. He had never before revealed it publicly, let alone this intensified version with sixteen hammer shadows.

Shen Xiao originally thought that beneath so many hammer shadows, Yun Xiao was bound to be inescapable, expecting him to be forced from the arena at most. He never anticipated such an outcome.

The sixteen hammer shadows whirling in the sky, some even Shen Xiao himself couldn’t predict where they would fly, were all effortlessly evaded by Yun Xiao. This completely overturned Shen Xiao’s expectations, and he knew once again he had underestimated Yun Xiao.