Ch 373: Yun Kongzi
Liu Ke and Xu Liang were both wary of the Elder wearing a Daoist robe and Kasaya, for they couldn’t fathom his peculiarities and dared not act rashly.
Just then, Xu Liang suddenly spoke, saying: “Liu Ke, I’ll probe him. You take the chance to observe if he has any flaws.”
Liu Ke quickly nodded in response: “Good!”
Xu Liang swiftly drew a crimson Long Sword from his Sword Case. He brought his index and middle fingers together in a Pointing a Sword gesture, let out a light shout, and the red Long Sword shot towards the Elder like an arrow from a bow.
However, facing this sudden Attack, the Elder merely smiled slightly and softly said: “Twelve years! It’s been twelve years since I’ve truly fought.”
As he spoke, he calmly took out a yellowish-brown incense stick from his Daoist robe. Surprisingly, he didn’t light it but ate it like noodles, swallowing it in three or two bites.
The moment he finished the incense, something unbelievable happened—the Elder’s originally white and slightly cloudy Pupils instantly turned a vibrant Red!
Next, the Elder respectfully performed a Buddhist Salutation and then a Buddhist Salutation to Liu Ke and Xu Liang, saying: “I am Kong Yunzi, you may also call me Jing Chi, but I prefer you to call me Kong Yunzi.”
However, Liu Ke and Xu Liang didn’t want to pay him any attention, especially Xu Liang, whose attention was completely focused on the red Long Sword suspended in mid-air, which had yet to strike the Elder.
Suddenly, the smile vanished from the Elder’s face, replaced by a ferocious expression. He viciously said: “Two reckless young men, prepare to die!”
The moment that ferocious expression appeared on Kong Yunzi’s face, the crimson Long Sword hanging in the air violently trembled. The Blade emitted a harsh buzzing sound in the air, as if held fast by an invisible hand. No matter how much Internal Energy Xu Liang exerted, the Sword Tip remained three inches from the Elder’s brow, unable to advance further.
“Your sword… is dull.”
Kong Yunzi grinned, Eerie Light swirling in his red Pupils. He raised his right hand, his five fingers like claws, and grasped at the Long Sword in the Void.
“Crack—”
A crisp cracking sound suddenly rang out. The crimson Long Sword began to shatter from the Sword Tip, inch by inch. Before the fragments hit the ground, a hot Blast of Qi vaporized them into dust.
Xu Liang felt a sudden tightness in his chest, a wave of sweetness rising in his throat. He stumbled back two steps.
“Your sword is gone!”
Kong Yunzi sneered, his Figure suddenly blurring. When he reappeared, he was a few feet in front of Xu Liang.
He held an Incantation in his left hand and a Buddha Seal in his right, two completely different Atmospheres intertwining in his palms. A yellowish-brown halo containing flecks of Light surged towards Xu Liang.
Seeing this, Liu Ke’s heart tightened. Though he didn’t know the Elder’s depth, judging from the Force of the shattered sword, he was definitely no ordinary person. Without thinking, he tapped his toes on the ground, his Figure shooting towards Kong Yunzi’s side like an arrow.
The Long Sword, whistling as it cut through the air, coiled towards Kong Yunzi’s wrist, but was deflected the instant it touched the yellowish-brown halo. Kong Yunzi didn’t even turn his head, merely shifting his body slightly. His red Pupils swept towards Liu Ke: “Another one to die?”
Just then, Xu Liang suddenly shouted in a low voice. Instead of retreating, he pressed forward, taking advantage of the distraction created by Liu Ke, lowering his body, his left shoulder bearing a powerful Blast of Qi, and charging straight towards Kong Yunzi’s ribs.
Another sword flew out from his Sword Case, and he used the sword to strike at him.
But Kong Yunzi seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. The muscles in his ribs bulged suddenly, and Xu Liang felt like he had struck a burning hot iron wall. A scalding Force surged back up his shoulder, making his Bones feel like they were about to crack.
He let out a muffled groan, knocked back, and fell heavily to the ground, blood already appearing on his lips.
“Insolent.”
Kong Yunzi retracted his palms, the Light in his red Pupils growing stronger.
“I intended to leave your corpses intact, but now it seems I’ll have to tear you apart and feed you to the wild dogs.”
As he spoke, he stamped his foot, and the ground cracked in a spiderweb pattern around him. Yellowish-brown mist billowed from the cracks, gradually coalescing into countless Sharp Earth Spikes, aimed at the fallen Xu Liang and Liu Ke, who had just regained his footing.
Xu Liang lay on the ground, looking at the Earth Spikes aimed at his face. He gritted his teeth and made a quick sideways roll, narrowly avoiding them.
He threw a Stone, which collided with the yellowish-brown mist in mid-air and instantly corroded into a puddle of mud.
Kong Yunzi sneered, his red Pupils contracting sharply: “A death struggle.”
He moved again, this time even faster, almost turning into a red shadow, rushing towards Xu Liang.
Seeing this, Liu Ke acted quickly and intelligently. He immediately took out a Brush with a red tip and wrote the character “Kun”!
Kong Yunzi was trapped, but Liu Ke knew this Method wouldn’t hold him for long.
At this Critical Moment, Xu Liang suddenly caught sight of a faint grey mark on the bottom hem of Kong Yunzi’s Daoist robe—a Mark left by the incense ash when he swallowed it.
A flash of inspiration struck him. Ignoring the Intense Pain in his body, he quickly crouched down, his right hand like lightning, reaching for the grey mark, concentrating the last of his Internal Energy in his fingertip, and fiercely jabbed down.
“Ugh!”
Kong Yunzi, caught off guard, let out a muffled groan, his red Pupils contracting sharply, the yellowish-brown mist around him instantly becoming chaotic.
Xu Liang seized this fleeting opening, propped himself up with his left hand, and with a whistling sound, his right leg slammed into the Elder’s knee.
“Bang!”
A dull thud echoed. Kong Yunzi stumbled back half a step, showing a look of surprise and anger for the first time: “You’re seeking death!”
He struck out with both palms, two immense Blasts of Qi sweeping out like a tsunami. Xu Liang and Liu Ke felt a sudden darkness before their eyes, thrown back by the Blast of Qi, crashing heavily into the rock wall behind them, both spitting out a mouthful of Blood.
Kong Yunzi caught his breath, his red Pupils fixed on the two, a cruel smile curving his lips: “Now, the Game is over.”
He slowly raised his hands, yellowish-brown and golden Light wildly intertwining in his palms, about to deliver the fatal blow, when Xu Liang, using his last Strength, shouted to Liu Ke: “The ash on his brow!”
Upon hearing this, Liu Ke looked up sharply and saw indeed, a speck of incense ash from when he’d swallowed the incense, on Kong Yunzi’s brow. Against the backdrop of his red Pupils, the speck of ash was strikingly conspicuous.
Liu Ke unleashed Eight Marks.
The Eight Marks flew towards Kong Yunzi like shooting stars, instantly surrounding him.
As Kong Yunzi was distracted by the Marks, Liu Ke aimed for the speck of ash on his brow and struck fiercely. Kong Yunzi sensed the danger and tried to dodge, but it was too late.
