Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 207: Your Palm Can Suppress the Skies, but What About the Vast Seas

As they watched the fierce aura emanating from the ice-cold swordswoman in the arena, they suddenly remembered something....

There were many people who had not come to attend this Langya Sword Conference. Apart from those who could not be found, had other commitments, or made excuses not to come, the largest group of absentees were those from foreign lands.

People had not forgotten that the top spot on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons had been held by Chi Li for the past two to three years. In fact, the number of foreigners on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons was not lower than the number of those of the Divine Land.

So out of the around 250 hidden dragons, only several dozen had actually come.

The current fourth and fifth were both foreigners and were obviously absent from the hall.

And Xia Chichi was ranked sixth.

In other words, after Wang Zhaoling and Situ Xiao, Xia Chichi was the highest ranked.

With this realization, many people felt that it was quite normal for them not to go forward.

Thus, after waiting for about half the time it would take to make a cup of tea, many people turned their heads to the person on the right of Wang Zhaoling.

The man who was being stared at by everyone sighed and slowly stood up. “Yang Bugui of Hongnong. Please enlighten me, Saintess Xia.”

Yang Bugui was the seventh hidden dragon.

If there was anyone who could be considered to be Xia Chichi’s most suitable opponent among those present, it would undoubtedly be him.

Xia Chichi said calmly, “Why did you wait so long before coming forward?”

Yang Bugui said, “I did not want to compete with you under the premise of a gauntlet. I would have much rather had a proper one-on-one battle between us.”

Zhao Changhe, who was staring at him closely, nodded slightly. Xia Chichi’s pretty face under the mask also showed a hint of a smile. “If you beat me, then that will not be a problem.”

“Indeed,” Yang Bugui said slowly as he raised his sword. “Please enlighten me.”

As soon as his words fell, a blend of blue and white light approached the point in between his eyebrows.

The blue came from her sword, while the white from her clothing. In the incredibly beautiful scene where a person and sword merged into one, he instead felt the terror of death.

Yang Bugui had never experienced such extreme devastation and sharpness in a battle of the same level. Xia Chichi had taken away almost all of the gentleness associated with the White Tiger, opting only for its most extreme killing intent at this moment. Her formidable desire for destruction was worthy of someone from a demonic cult.

In addition, it had to be admitted that she was genuinely powerful. Yang Bugui knew that he could not block this sword strike. With such overwhelming destructive power, even if he parried it with his sword, the momentum would still lead it to graze his throat.

He suddenly dodged out of the way while simultaneously pointing his sword at Xia Chichi’s mask.

The sharp gaze under the mask was resolute and unyielding.

Yang Bugui’s heart skipped a beat, realizing that he was in trouble.

Swish!

Iceheart streaked across Yang Bugui’s chest, and blood splattered.

The mask was split into two, with several strands of hair flying in the air. The stunning face beneath the tiger mask was slowly revealed.

Zhao Changhe suddenly stood up.

Yang Bugui clutched the wound on his chest and said in a hoarse voice, “I underestimated Miss Xia’s determination to battle. I accept my defeat, and I am in utter admiration of you.”

Xia Chichi held the hilt of her sword and cupped her fist in acknowledgment.

Finally, someone found themselves having a hard time understanding what happened and asked Wang Zhaoling: “What’s going on? Why couldn’t he even handle a single strike?”

Wang Zhaoling silently looked at Xia Chichi’s breathtaking beauty and responded in a low voice, “Brother Yang’s move was quite conventional as a counterattack. After all, this was just a friendly match. As long as his opponent did not intend to fight to the death, they would naturally evade. As such, he expected to be able to break through her sharp and relentless sword art with such a move. However, Saintess Xia... intended to end the fight quickly and decisively to avoid any excess consumption of her energy. She thus chose to rely on the protective effect of her specially made mask to forcefully withstand his counterattack, aiming to defeat her opponent in a single move. Brother Yang underestimated her determination to win, leading to his defeat.”

Everyone gasped in shock, their gaze toward Xia Chichi changing slightly.

Miss, your mask is not some divine object. What if it failed to block the attack? You would have disfigured yourself!

Wait, holy shit, she’s so beautiful!

The entire banquet hall fell silent, everyone was staring at Xia Chichi’s beautiful face.

How can the summer sun ever be late to rise...

She had made her mark on the world, but the timing seemed off.... She had revealed herself this time, but it wasn’t for herself; rather, it was for Zhao Changhe.

Xia Chichi did not seem to care about her true identity being exposed and remained calm, “Who’s next?”

Yet, still, there was silence.

Wang Zhaoling furrowed his brow tightly.

Originally, even if Yang Bugui could not defeat Xia Chichi, he should have still been able to significantly tire her out. However, with how their battle had played out, Xia Chichi had barely expended any energy, all she really lost was a now-inconsequential mask. If things continued this way, forget about winning more matches, she might just go and defeat everyone on her own.

Moreover, she was extremely ruthless. Both of the opponents she had faced were now seriously injured. She knew very well that the victory was determined by the number of wins. Individuals like Yang Bugui would have still had the possibility to obtain more wins through various manipulations if she had not injured them, so she had decisively made her move.

The treasure that the Wang Clan had acquired through many difficulties was meant to lure Zhao Changhe, not to be handed over to the Four Idols Cult.

Even if Xia Chichi did eventually give the treasure to Zhao Changhe, it would appear as if the Wang Clan was giving gifts to Xia Chichi, which was beyond foolish.

Wang Zhaoling finally sighed and said, “If I were to personally step forward, would you consider it as bullying?”

Xia Chichi’s always cold expression softened into a sarcastic smile, “Young Master Wang, challenging the hidden dragons is your rightful duty. It is why you even held this assembly to begin with, right? You should have been the first to step forward like Situ Xiao did, challenging the heroes of the world rather than obstructing others’ victories. Are you feeling a bit uncomfortable now perhaps?

Wang Zhaoling pursed his lips and did not refute her words.

Xia Chichi said calmly, “Since you want to end my streak, let’s fight. I may not necessarily be inferior to you. There’s no need to portray yourself as someone who can suppress everyone... Forgive my bluntness, but you are not worthy.”

Indeed... the third and the sixth hidden dragons were not too far off from each other in the eyes of the Tome of Troubled Times. While it was said that their levels were comparable and transcending levels was nearly impossible for those of such rankings, it was never a certainty.

A young man lacking experience and a witch honed in the ways of the demonic cults—it was truly hard to predict what the outcome would be.

Xia Chichi’s words were blunt, but Wang Zhaoling did not seem to take offense. He merely smiled slightly, “I’m not deliberately trying to portray myself above everyone else, but if I even lack this bit of confidence, then it would truly be unfitting for me to be the third hidden dragon. I won’t use a weapon in this battle. I shall face you with just my bare hands. Exercise caution, young lady.”

Xia Chichi remained noncommittal. Suddenly, she darted forward and thrust her sword straight at Wang Zhaoling’s throat.

The momentum, technique, and angle were all identical to the strike she had aimed at Yang Bugui. It was fierce and deadly, intent on annihilating everything in its path.

Yet, whether the intentions were the same, no one knew for sure. This was also a form of psychological warfare.

Yang Bugui, who was bandaging his wounds nearby, stared intently at this strike, wanting to see how Wang Zhaoling, who could clearly analyze others’ battles so clearly, would perform when in the midst of one himself.

Wang Zhaoling chose a very simple course of action. He just calmly pushed out a palm.

In an instant, the sea roared, and the colors of mountains and rivers changed.

It was as if dark clouds were pressing down from the sky, obscuring the sun. But then, a strong gust of wind suddenly rose and swept through, as if the divine hand had brushed away the gloomy clouds, leaving the sky clear and cloudless.

The divine arrow that flew toward the scorching sun in the sky was met by this sudden tempest, and it was directly pushed back, swaying and falling like a feather.

Xia Chichi’s fierce and deadly sword strike was directly slapped back by a palm. She flipped backward, her embroidered shoes leaving long marks on the ground as she landed. She supported herself with her left hand on the ground and raised her head slightly, astonishment evident in her eyes.

This young man seems to be the opposite of Zhao Changhe. Zhao Changhe was a stalwart man, yet he made use of both finesse and agility. On the other hand, this seemingly refined Wang Zhaoling simply unleashed a ferocious and overwhelming attack!

Absolute power trumps all superficiality!

This was the palm art that was considered second mightiest in the world, the Heaven-Suppressing Sea Palm!

Whether he used a weapon or not, the difference was not actually that significant....

Many people were truly mesmerized.

First it had been Situ Xiao and Zhao Changhe, then Xia Chichi and Yang Bugui, and now Xia Chichi and Wang Zhaoling.

The splendor of the divine land’s hidden dragons shone brightly in this past half an hour, igniting the passion and enthusiasm of countless peers. At this moment, no one cared about victory or face anymore, they just wanted to fight!

Everyone except Zhao Changhe.

He tightly gripped the hilt of his saber, his gaze fixed on Wang Zhaoling’s palm, afraid that he might not be able to catch the next strike....

Wang Zhaoling leaped over, towering above, his palm striking down toward Xia Chichi, who was propped on the ground.

Xia Chichi raised her head fiercely, her long sword swirling upward like a dragon. Sword qi surged like a tsunami, surging toward the sky.

Your palm can suppress the skies, but what about the vast seas?

The sword qi suddenly spiraled, surging upward. The onlookers seemed to see an azure dragon bursting out from the towering waves, its head soaring into the sky with a resounding roar.

The Azure Dragon raised its head!

She was not only the White Tiger Saintess, but also the successor of the Azure Dragon!

Boom!

The sword qi pierced into the palm wind, emitting an ear-piercing whistle.

Then, the fierce wind scattered, dispersing in all directions. Xia Chichi whirled and fell backward, and she suddenly spurted out a mouthful of blood.

A hand suddenly supported her back, dissipating the force. It allowed her to gently fall back four or five steps, completely eliminating the qi surrounding her.

Xia Chichi did not turn back, but a smile unconsciously formed on her lips.

Without having to look back, she knew that it could only be Zhao Changhe. Logically speaking, he should not have interfered in this match, but Xia Chichi did not blame him for meddling. She knew that without his help, she would not have been able to dispel the qi and would have suffered internal injuries.

His sight was sharp, and he had a clear grasp of the situation of the battle, but he could not bear to see her getting hurt. He did not want her to suffer any hidden injuries.

Compared to his dear wife, what did victory or defeat matter?

Wang Zhaoling did not pursue further. He looked down at the faint bloodstain in his palm and said softly, “You really managed to hurt me. Fighting you bare-handed was indeed a bit too presumptuous of me.... Your reputation is well-deserved.”

As Zhao Changhe backed away with Xia Chichi, he replied directly, “You’re truly skilled. I shall concede on behalf of Chichi.”

Intervening was against the rules, but as long as they conceded, it would not be an issue.

The corners of Xia Chichi’s mouth twitched, but she did not refute it. Instead, she simply allowed him to arrange things as he wished, looking somewhat like a submissive wife.

The onlookers’ eyes widened.

Weren’t you the very definition of a cold swordswoman just now? What in the world happened to you?

Wang Zhaoling also felt a bit amused and dumbfounded. “You withstood all the force that would have struck her, and not even a strand of her hair was harmed. If anything, it was my hand that suffered quite a bit, yet you look at me as if I beat up your wife.”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

“So, Brother Zhao, do you intend to fight on her behalf and participate in the competition?”

Xia Chichi was afraid that Zhao Changhe would actually impulsively join in, so she hurriedly said, “We’re competing based on the number of victories, not an elimination system, right? Why should I stop just because I lost one match? I can carry on!”

“Big sis, why don’t you take a break?” A voice came from the side, the speaker sounding as if she struggled to mutter the words she said.

Everyone turned to look and saw that it was Cui Yuanyang, whose cheeks were puffed from eating. She barely managed to swallow the last bite of pastry, and then said, “I almost choked to death...”

Everyone was speechless.

But then Cui Yuanyang stood up, and stretched her joints a little before lightly jumping forward. “I, Cui Yuanyang of Qinghe, would like to challenge the heroes of the world.”