"Fine, I too wish to learn so things."
For instance, the relationship between Li Qinglian and the Great Venerable, or why the Yin Law Departnt has been unrelentingly pursuing Li Qinglian...
Sword Qi surged like a dragon from the palm, and with a resonating clang, the Great Circle Sword materialized in Jiang Li’s hands, its blade clear as crystal.
Sword against sword, person against person, sword montum burgeoned, Sword Qi ebbed and flowed, adding an extra chill to the late December winds. The wind stirred the branches in the mountains, sweeping up fallen leaves, which seed to gather with purpose, forming long dragons converging on this location.
Leaves collided, and suddenly they shattered into pieces, like countless sword tips clashing violently, slicing every which way.
Thousands of leaves fluttered down, breaking into myriad pieces; ti seed to stop at that mont, and the dancing leaves slowed, then halted.
Two forces filled every inch of space around them, halting the leaves in their trajectory, colliding against each other, countless bursts of Sword Qi smashing together, when suddenly—
"Clang!"
In the midst of the sword sounds, millions of leaves were split apart, a flash of Sword Light briefly erupted then vanished.
"Kill a man within ten steps."
Sword Light flickered, traversing space, rising and falling in an instant, fast as light, as lightning.
But this speed was seen through by Jiang Li.
Emperor’s Qi Observation, Dragon and Snake morphing, like a snake turning into a dragon, his body’s ability constantly elevated; the Great Circle Sword stood by his side, with a sonorous clang, parrying the swift light of the sword.
"Clang!"
Shadows of the two crossed, Sword Qi furiously intersecting, as the seemingly frozen tableau of ti was shattered, with fresh sword marks appearing on the surrounding trees.
"The toad yearns for the vastness of the great clear skies, to devour this moon of the lustrous terrace."
Qixing Dragon Abyss moved to his rear, Sword Light ford a circle, a bright moon erged, releasing the most subtle and gentle of Sword Qi.
"With the sword I pursue the stars across thousands of miles to slay, the wind and thunder chase alongside the coarse sound of rain."
Jiang Li, too, spontaneously composed a verse; Innate Qi transford into wind and thunder, the sword brought forth sounds of thunder, sweeping across the sky.
Most subtle and soft collided with most rigid and swift, Sword Qi exploded into flight, with Yin Light spinning around, an awe-inspiring sight.
"Rise."
Li Qinglian’s body soared like a sword, shooting backward, slicing through waves of Sword Qi.
Jiang Li, seemingly insubstantial, flitted and weaved, beca one of the escapees, threading through the gaps of the colliding Sword Qi.
Within the continuous collisions of Sword Qi, blades crossed each other, Sword Light exchanged, creating peril at every turn.
Neither initiated their most montous techniques by tacit agreent, to avoid alarming the cultivators on the Fish Mouth Dam; after all, though this place was so distance from the "Fish Mouth," powerful moves could be seen hundreds of miles away, let alone this close.
Li Qinglian spun an endless array of sword techniques, whether Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, neither orthodox nor evil, layer upon layer of Sword Light blooming like a lotus opening its thousands of petals, ceaselessly.
Jiang Li, however, was deeply versed in the ways of nature between heaven and earth, and added to that, the Emperor’s Qi Observation Skill allowed him to discern the most intricate details. Perhaps in terms of pure Swordsmanship he might not match Li Qinglian, but in adaptability, he was in no way inferior.
The two exchanged more than a hundred moves, neither conceding an inch, each holding their ground in a stand-off, as if it were difficult to determine a victor.
"Good! You are indeed a Sword Cultivator."
Li Qinglian fought with fervor, Sword Light suddenly shifting, darkness descended, devoid of light or sound or shadow, leaving sight and sound in utter void.
The Xiyi Sword Skill!
Invisibility that cannot be seen is called Xiyi, inaudibility that cannot be heard is called Yi, the Xiyi Sword Skill naturally was a sword without sound or color, yet in the hands of Yuan Zhen, a disciple of Taibai True Monarch, it had evolved into another variation.
Depriving the opponent of sight and sound, striking them dead with a single sword.
Such a variation, now executed by Li Qinglian, was even more profound, plunging even Jiang Li into darkness.
However—
"Bright Light."
Jiang Li’s body radiated Infinite Light, not to illuminate the darkness but to blind Li Qinglian’s eyes, with winds howling to disrupt his hearing.
One in light, one in darkness, different circumstances, but the sa plight, both unleashed their swords, and the sword tips t, perfectly aligned.
Even though Jiang Li’s Heavenly Dharma had altered, he could still harness his senses; with vision and hearing gone, his sense of touch, sll, and even intuition were heightened.
Li Qinglian, on the other hand, simply achieved Sword Heart Clarity, seeing with his heart.
Sword edges collided, both palms reached out simultaneously, fiercely striking against each other.
Three Flowers Gathering at the Top Palm!
Three Elents Return to One, the supre technique of the Daode Sect.
Pure Yang Qi.
Heavenly Qian Yang, gathering strength in motion, vast and endless; upon contact, Li Qinglian’s palm and arm shook violently.
In terms of power, Jiang Li was above him, which was the confidence that ca from practicing "Qi Tomb".
As the palms parted, Li Qinglian retreated, but the Qixing Dragon Abyss transford from a slash to a stab, like a hidden dragon erging from the abyss, unstoppable in its montum.
At the sa ti, the Da Huan Sword also underwent a change, with Sword Light flying swiftly, aiming straight for Li Qinglian’s neck.
The two sword shadows brushed past each other, and both individuals simultaneously shifted positions, bodies following their swords, and in a sudden mont—
Light receded, darkness dissipated, the world where nothing could be seen or heard vanished, and the two strands of Sword Qi pointed at each other’s throats at the sa ti; the Qixing Dragon Abyss was an inch away from Jiang Li’s throat, while scales appeared on Jiang Li’s neck, quasi-visible.
And the tip of the Da Huan Sword was nearly touching Li Qinglian’s neck.
"This is the advantage of a longer sword," Jiang Li said with a light chuckle.
"This is the Qi Weapon Technique of Yuxu Temple," Li Qinglian’s eyes fell on the Da Huan Sword.
Solid training turned into illusory practice, dual cultivation of swordmanship and Qi, transforming soldiers into Qi and Qi into soldiers, a grand unique art of Yuxu Temple and, alongside the Heavenly Lethal Blade of Kunxu Immortal Palace, one of the Mystic Sect’s two major Qi Weapons.
The sword in Jiang Li’s hand contained the thods of Yuxu Temple; his connection with Yuxu Temple must be far from shallow.
This was not simply the advantage of a longer sword, but rather the inherent ability of the Da Huan Sword to change its length at will.
"In terms of the Sword Dao alone, you haven’t lost, you are even above ," Jiang Li sheathed his sword and withdrew, as the Da Huan Sword rged into his body.
"In terms of strength, you are already above ."
Li Qinglian sheathed his sword and said indifferently, "Speak then, what do you want this ti?"
Although neither had used their full strength, rely engaging in a swordplay exchange, a loss was still a loss, and Li Qinglian was not one to be a sore loser.
If it ca to a serious fight, Li Qinglian would only lose by an even wider margin.
During this period, Jiang Li’s strength had further improved; even a fifth-rank cultivator like Crossing River Arhat, who had manifested his Dharma, had perished at his hand. Although Li Qinglian’s strength was not less than that of Crossing River Arhat, when compared to Jiang Li, there was still a considerable gap.
’This man has already passed the stage of a hidden dragon lurking in the abyss; now is the ti of the dragon soaring through the nine heavens,’ Li Qinglian thought to himself.
"What I want is not important, what’s important is what you want?"
Instead of stating his desires, Jiang Li replied with a coaxing tone, "You left Daode Sect, whether for independence or to avoid implicating Daode Sect, the key is that you are now without power, and you must have already felt the inconvenience, haven’t you?"
"You joined Desolate God Sect and have connections with the Great Venerable, but Desolate God Sect is not a power that helps others out of goodwill, and the Great Venerable will not specifically protect you."
Hearing Jiang Li’s words, Li Qinglian showed no sign of being moved and asked again calmly, "What do you want?"
Although he did not possess all of Taibai True Monarch’s mories, he was not a greenhorn fresh to Jianghu and knew that Jiang Li talked so much not out of kindness, but with a hidden agenda.
"I want to give you a suggestion," Jiang Li spoke as if revealing his trump card, "I want to establish a loose power structure, not unlike Sword Discussion Sea—a platform for trade that provides convenience for both you and ."
"You want to use ?" Li Qinglian laughed, "And this so-called power and platform, those are just excuses, aren’t they?"
"Yet excuses may turn into reality, and indeed I do need soone to help with my secret tasks," Jiang Li did not show any embarrassnt at being exposed, and continued, "Such power structures already exist with Sword Discussion Sea and Devil God Sect as predecessors. As for what Sword Discussion Sea is like, I will not comnt, but the convenience of the Devil God Sect is known to both you and ."
Even though Devil God Sect was filled with spies, this did not prevent the Great Venerable from using them efficiently.
If used poorly, an organization filled with spies can botch up everything; but if used well, then all sides would be working for you, with the spies potentially contributing positively.
The ability to have all sides insert their people is, in itself, a sign of strength.
Jiang Li still needed the identity of Lawless Freedom, even contemplating taking Li Qinglian as his Shadow Warrior to work on his behalf, and he needed soone to serve him, but only him.
Unfortunately, as it stood, Jiang Li’s main identity was as an Affiliated Son-in-law to the Gongsun Family, reliant on their support. The only thing he truly possessed was his lineage in the Jiang family. Alas, that alone was not enough.
And soone like Li Qinglian was not a talent that could be had whenever desired.
With the conversation now turned to trade, Li Qinglian indeed pondered the offer.
He did need certain conveniences, and moreover, an opportunity to cross swords with Jiang Li at will. Despite Jiang Li holding back in their two encounters, Li Qinglian was no kin to the Gongsun Family; Jiang Li did not dine on their tab.
Holding back in battle was because Jiang Li had ulterior motives, not because he was truly a philanthropist.
"If you just want to use , then such a platform is unnecessary; you simply need to cross swords with . If you want more than this, then there is an opportunity at hand," Li Qinglian stated calmly.
He was moved, and he agreed.
"It seems you already have plans," Jiang Li chuckled.
Indeed, this man did not like to be idle, and as it happened, his thoughts coincided with Jiang Li’s own.
"Sword Discussion Sea," Li Qinglian pronounced the na of the loose power structure that Jiang Li had ntioned earlier, "Sword Discussion Sea, having previously favored the views of Yuxu Temple, has already lost its impartiality, and at the Sword Discussion Conference, Yuxu Temple and Sword Discussion Sea both lost. This presents an excellent opportunity."
An opportunity to undermine Sword Discussion Sea.
And sword cultivators, with their fierce nature and bravery in combat, would serve well in executing force.
Jiang Li narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking of Li Qinglian’s previous challenges to various sword cultivators and swordsn.
He must have already taken action.
But now, Li Qinglian stood alone. If he wanted to attract people and gather montum, he would need to borrow strength from others—both the power of Devil God Sect and the influence of the Gongsun Family Affiliated Son-in-law.
Utilization was, after all, a mutual thing.
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