by Fang Xiang
Pia pia pia!
The three ice statues smashed to the ground and instantly shattered.
Ding Zhen glared angrily, his eyes bloodshot. However, he did not counter-attack and shot towards the ice mist!
His heart was full of shock. He had to pass this news back to the sect! There was a mist people tribe of such scale!
"Want to run?" Bing Yao's face was full of murderousness. With a cold snort, he pointed at the ice mist.
Hiss hiss!
Two light sounds hissed like poisonous snakes as the the mist shifted.
Two thin strands of ice mist shot towards Ding Zhen. Two burning rays of blue light penetrated Ding Zhen's body in an instant.
Yet Bing Yao's expression suddenly changed slightly.
Ding Zhen's figure slowly faded within the ice mist until it disappeared. What had been penetrated was just his after-image!
"Everyone, step back!" Bing Yao suddenly said.
The mist people retreated like the tide leaving Bing Yao to stand at the front. Zuo Mo and the others also retreated to one side but Zuo Mo was more thoughtful. Zuo Mo and his group retreated to the flanks to prevent the other from running away.
Ding Zhen's figure slowly appeared. He stared tightly at Bing Yao and slowly spoke, "I had not expected to encounter ancient descendants. Ding Zhen is very fortunate!"
Bing Yao was unaffected and said coldly, "Why have you trespassed into our restricted lands?"
"Restricted lands?" Ding Zhen's eyelids jumped, "So that object is on your hands!"
"That object?" Bing Yao's gaze focused.
"Haha," Ding Zhen smiled faintly, "Do not waste words. I see that all the people here only you are close to me in strength. It will depend solely on Sir's strength if you can keep me here."
Bing Yao did not speak. He spread his arms, his fingers spread wide. Ten blue rays of light dangled from his fingertips like ten blue threads of light.
Ding Zhen's talisman was extremely unique. It was the wooden fish [1] he usually used when chanting. The wooden fish was completely black and covered in miniscule vermillion sutra characters. The wooden mallet was also filled with squiggly sutra characters.
The moment Ding Zhen took out the wooden fish, Zuo Mo and the others changed expression!
Seventh-grade talisman!
This was definitely a seventh-grade talisman!
It was not surprising that Ding Zhen had a seventh-grade talisman. No one would believe that a yuanying xiuzhe from Xuan Kong Temple would not have a seventh-grade talismans. Zuo Mo and the others knew the power of a seventh grade talisman. Zong Ru's prayer wheel was a seventh-grade talisman.
Both were seventh-grade talismans but the power they had in the hands of jindan and yuanying was drastically different. Seventh-grade talismans were the top talismans jindan could use and due to limitations in cultivation, jindan xiuzhe usually could only express twenty percent of a seventh-grade talisman's potential, the great majority could only use one-tenth. Yuanying xiuzhe could use all the potential of a seventh-grade talisman.
The strength of a xiuzhe depended on many factors. Ling power, the quality of the spell cultivated, the depth of personal understanding, talismans etc, but the chasm in power between yuanying and jindan was one that was uncrossable. No matter in what skill, yuanying xiuzhe had an absolute advantage.
So when he saw the wooden fish that Ding Zhen took out was a seventh-grade talisman, Zuo Mo instantly had a bad feeling.
The destruction that a yuanying xiuzhe pushed to the edge could release … …
Looking at Ding Zhen that was holding the wooden fish and mallet with a grave expression, Zuo Mo could only hope that Bing Yao would be able to withstand the attack.
Yuanying was still something that made him feel unconfident … …
Zuo Mo tried to keep his expression calm but Wei Sheng and Zong Ru were full of fighting spirit.
Ding Zhen sat down on the ground as though he was not surrounded. He put the wooden fish next to him, his head bent low and his eyes looked down as he started to drum against the fish and chant.
Bom bom bom!
The sounds from the wooden fish seemed to come from the ancient temples in deep valleys and were just faintly discernable.
The light in the surroundings slowly dimmed. The blueness of the ice mist in their view was consumed by a darkness. Figures seemed to walk out of the darkness and solidify. Those were dhyana xiu half-dressed in monk robes with exposed shoulders. These figures did not seem to see Zuo Mo's group, and bent at their waists. A dot of candle light lit up in empty space.
The dhyana xiu continued to bend down, and ignite candle fires.
The dots of candle fire lit up one after another, swaying like the stars in the sky.
Waves of Buddhist song came from the figures candle lights.
Zuo Mo's face was full of astonishment. Wei Sheng tightly gripped the black sword as excitement pulsed furiously in his eyes. He murmured to himself, "Is this the true [Boundary]?"
"Boundary?" Zuo Mo recovered from his shock. Hearing this, he was stunned. "He's a sword xiu?"
Zuo Mo only knew that Boundary was a high level of sword essence. Eldest Shixiong had reached the edge of comprehending it.
"Not a sword xiu," Wei Sheng's burning gaze did not move as he said gravely, "No matter if it is sword xiu, seal xiu, dhyana xiu, when they cultivate to a certain stage, the paths all merge together with the comprehension of [Boundary]!"
Zong Ru explained at this time, "The dhyana xiu call this the [Great Freedom]." His tone exposed his longing. His comprehension ability was not as high as Wei Sheng. Even though he possessed the rare wish power, his level was not high and he had not reached the stage of [Boundary] yet.
Zuo Mo did not blush at his own ignorance of cultivation. He rubbed his chin and asked, "Is this an illusion? This thieving baldy is skilled in illusory spells, we almost got tricked on the way here!"
"It is not an illusory art." Wei Sheng shook his head and struggled, "I do not know how to explain but he is very powerful. We need to be careful."
"A yuanying thieving baldy is still a yuanying!" Zuo Mo agreed.
"No, that is not what I mean." Wei Sheng shook his head again. "[Boundary] is a dividing line. There is a world of a difference between those who have and have not comprehended it. [Boundary] is related to comprehension but not cultivation. Not all yuanying can comprehend [Boundary]!"
Zuo Mo instantly became nervous. "Eldest Shixiong is saying this thieving baldy is a high level thieving baldy among the yuanying thieving baldies?"
Wei Sheng had a conflicted expression. "No and yes… the implications to our situation are about the same."
"How many rounds can we survive against him?" Zuo Mo decided to ask a very pragmatic question.
"I don't know." Wei Sheng shook his head. "We may not even be able to stand up against one move. Shidi, your … …" When he said this, Wei Sheng had a wary expression. He instantly halted and then said indistinctly, "That strange … … I don't understand much of it."
Hearing this, Zuo Mo instantly understood. Even though Wei Sheng did not state it clearly, what he meant was that the possibility they wouldn't last one move was very high. He instantly said weakly, "Why don't we hide behind Big Brother Bing Yao? It seems that Big Brother Bing Yao is very powerful."
Bing Yao was standing in a patch of figures and candlelights without any trace of panic on his face. The ten hair-thin blue rays of light floated in the air. They continuously grew. The other ends of the rays reached deep into the darkness and the end could not be seen.
It was clear this was a battle of a higher level, one that surpassed the abilities of Zuo Mo and the others.
Ding Zhen's light sigh came from the sea of candlelight, "A branch of the ancients is as wondrous as expected! This one's Lantern Light Buddhist Boundary is not completely successful. Powerful!"
The ground under Bing Yao's feet was covered with faint blue ice mist in a radius of one zhang. The blue light that i
t released was abnormally eye-catching against this black sea of candlelight.
Bing Yao's expression was cold but a hint of admiration flashed through his eyes. "If we were not in the ice mist, I am not a match for you."
His expression suddenly turned stern as the blue light flashed through his eyes. "But right now, die!"
His hands spread, the ten blue strands of light suddenly brightened and flying into the air!
Innumerable blue threads of light swept through the candlelight sea and the dhyana xiu that were igniting candles.
Everywhere the lights passed an extremely cold frost spread in all directions.
The candle lights that were swept by the blue light did not extinguish. They seemed to stop as though they were frozen. The white frost that came after the lights spread onto the surfaces of the flames. The frost then thickened and encased and sealed the candle lights.
The glowing ice crystals were regular cubes. At the center of each cube was a frozen candle light. The light it released refracted within the cube, becoming bright and eerie.
The ice crystals that sealed the candle lights floated in the air like stars.
Ding Zhen's brows moved, his expression becoming even more dignified and authoritative.
The red squiggly sutra characters on the wooden fish and mallet seemed to come alive and slowly move.
Suddenly, a golden sutra character flew out of the mouth of the wooden fish. Then a stream of golden sutra characters flew out of the wooden fish into the air.
In a flash, the sky was filled with gold and glimmering sutra characters!
A sutra character floated past Zong Ru, Eyes closed, Zong Ru's body shuddered violently, and a shocked expression rose on his face!
[1]A wooden fish, Muyu or Mokugyo, is a wooden percussion instrument used by monks during rituals involving the recitation of sutras, mantras, or other Buddhist texts.
Translator Ramblings: Thank you guys for picking out typos. I've been busy the two weeks and I'm going to be super busy in the next two to three.
We get an introduction to a new level of understanding. The footnote came courtesy of your wonderful editor.
Chapter 535: Sneak Attack
The sutra characters were like leaves floating in the wind that scattered into every corner.
These beautiful gold leaves carried the calm presence unique to dhyana xiu and made people unconsciously intoxicated. Zong Ru's expression suddenly changed and he stepped forward. Threads of wish power wrapped onto the Crossed Prayer Wheel and the talisman lit up!
A circle of sutra characters suddenly lit up on the prayer wheel. The faint gold light covered Zuo Mo and Wei Sheng behind him.
Dong!
The sounds of dhyana chanting echoed!
All of the sutra characters suddenly exploded. They turned to slender golden lines that swept through every part of the space!
The ice crystals that had been floating in the air were struck by the gold lights. With crisp sounds, they turned to ice shards! In this time, the space became filled with ice shards. The candle flames that had been sealed in ice suddenly exploded in size. Each of them were the size of a fist and wavered as they floated in the air.
The light shield that Zong Ru had released was unusually fragile in front of these minuscule golden lights!
The two were not on the same level of power. Innate differences were completely revealed now.
The shield of light shattered instantly. Zong Ru gave a muffled grunt and stumbled back multiple steps.
Wei Sheng's expression changed slightly. He held the black sword across his body. A hole suddenly seemed to open in the space in front of him. The golden lights were instantly consumed by this hole!
A imperceptible sound came from Ding Zhen.
He glanced at Wei Sheng with slight surprise. He had a high opinion of Wei Sheng before but he had never thought that this youth that looked outrageously young had already reached the border of [Boundary]!
Such a genious!
Which sect did he come from … … how did they end up together with the mist people?
Did this sect dare to publicly break the rules of the Four Realms?
Ding Zhen's praise and puzzlement swept past. In his eyes, Wei Sheng's [Boundary] was crude and weak. Ding Zhen did not hold any real power in the sect, but due to this, he could focus more on cultivation.
Twenty years ago, he had stepped into the doorway of [Boundary] and created his Lantern Fire Buddhist Boundary. His exploration and perfecting during these twenty years had caused his Lantern Fire Buddhist Boundary to grow significantly.
The sect leader of Xuan Kong Temple was one of the rare few that knew Ding Zhen's true power so even when he knew that Tian Huan's Sheng Wu Hai had been defeated and retreated from Cloud Sea Jie, the sect leader had stilled believed that Ding Zhen had the power to complete this mission.
The air vibrated as though there was an invisible hand that gathered all the golden hairs of light. It formed an enormous whirlpool that suddenly appeared in front of Wei Sheng.
The hair thin lines entered the hole in front of Wei Sheng.
The hole suddenly shook!
Wei Sheng's expression suddenly changed. Before he could react, the hole exploded with an enormous bang! Wei Sheng's body shook but he did not retreat even one step. A trace of blood dripped out the corner of his mouth. Injured, Wei Sheng did not give up. His burning gaze was locked onto Ding Zhen!
Of determined personality, such a good talent … …
Ding Zhen couldn't help but praise inside, it was a pity … …
A thread of sharp light flashed through Ding Zhen's sharp and gentle eyes!
Bing Yao's expression was very ugly. The other's strength clearly surpassed his. The mist people that had lost their totem had struggled to survive for tens of thousands of years in the depths of the cloud sea. Without realizing it, their strength had degraded!
This kind of degradation was made clearer when they faced a top sect like Xuan Kong Temple.
No matter what, they could not let him escape!
Bing Yao knew that if the other escaped, what was waiting for the mist people was gradual extermination. Compared to Xuan Kong Temple, the present mist people tribe was as fragile as a baby.
But we found Lan!
Bing Yao believed the mist people tribe that had found Lan again would become strong just like they were tens of thousands of years ago!
But that required time … … they definitely could not let this person leave alive!
Bing Yao had never felt such a deep belief before. His pupils became even more transparent and blue as though all impurities had been eliminated. They reflected the burning sea of candlelights.
A faint blue and glacial presence rose from Bing Yao's feet.
Bing Yao closed his eyes, and raised his arms up high. The ten blue threads of light burrowed into the darkness like roots.
Ding Zhen's expression changed slightly. He had not expected the other to go all out so quickly! Bing Yao's resolve caused Ding Zhen's dhyana heart to waver for the first time.
This thread of wavering and hesitation was an extremely fatal weakness!
Bing Yao opened his eyes. A blue light flashed through his pupils. Without any warning the blue threads of light shattered and scattered!
Everywhere the eye looked there were broken fragments of the blue threads of light. They were like rootless willow branches that slowly fell.
Ding Zhen's eyes became extremely wary. His ling power furiously flooded into the wooden hammer in his hand.
Dong dong dong!
With every strike against the wooden fish, the candle lights floating in the air would jump and the flames would grow a fraction bigger.
"Karmic fire!" Zong Ru's face was ashen. He has already been wounded in the previous attack and his voice was hoarse.
Zuo Mo had originally been thinking of how to dodge but Zong Ru and Wei Sheng's injuries caused him to throw his thought of dodging away. New and old grievance
s gathered. He stared hatefully at Ding Zhe and searched for a chance to attack the other!
When he saw the Karmic Fire pulsing, he smiled darkly.
Playing with fire! Who was more skilled than he was?
Even if the other was an old yuanying monster, he wasn't afraid! His road to prosperity had almost started through playing with fire.
Karmic Fire was an extremely poisonous fire of the dhyana xiu. If one was touched, even their souls would burn to dust. Even yuanying xiuzhe feared it!
But Zuo Mo was not afraid!
The Karmic Fire was powerful but it was a sixth-grade flame, the same level as the Great Day Banded Flame. Even more, he also had the wondrous treasure of the Sun Crystal Seed!
The power difference between himself and the other was great. Even if Zuo Mo was more skilled in controlling fire, he would not have any chance of victory if he directly faced Ding Zhen.
But Zuo Mo was such a dark and cunning person, would he face Ding Zhen openly?
Eldest Shixiong's speculation allowed Zuo Mo to understand the difference in power. Zong Ru and Wei Sheng's wounds after their attacks allowed Zuo Mo to gain a deep understanding of this difference. There was no chance if he charged from the front. He forced down the battle spirit inside and patiently waited for a chance!
He was like a poisonous snake hiding in the dark waiting for the chance to deliver a fatal strike!
When he saw the candle fire that grew explosively reach towards the thread of light, he did not hesitate to act!
His hands spread apart and the Great Day Banded Flame was released without any restraint. The layers of banded flame flowered angrily!
In the darkness, Zuo Mo was instantly swallowed by the Great Day Banded Flame. He seemed to be made from flame with layers of bright flame around him and was extremely eye-catching!
The karmic fire strangely paused for a brief moment!
The karmic fire was an extremely yin fire but the Great Day Banded Flame was an extremely yang flame. When the Great Day Banded Flame was released, the Karmic Fire in the sky was affected!