Chapter Twenty-One: The First Move of the Cold Shadow Sword Technique of the Tianshan Mountains

Jiang Yan’s fingers formed a sword as he directed the four Azurewood Arrows to dart back and forth, clashing with Li Fei’s Wu Hook Sword. The most formidable attack the four Azurewood Arrows could unleash was the “Four Stars in Succession.” Using this technique, Jiang Yan continuously knocked aside the trajectory of Li Fei’s great sword. As time passed, Jiang Yan’s mastery of the arrow-control incantation became increasingly adept; with each incoming strike, the Wu Hook Sword was deflected further and further away.

At first, Jiang Yan considered holding back two arrows as a final lifeline, but as his proficiency grew, he abandoned the thought. The four Azurewood Arrows alone were enough to withstand Li Fei’s Wu Hook Sword. Jiang Yan was quite content to use Li Fei as a means to hone his own Azurewood Arrow technique.

Clashing sounds rang out, the blue glow of magical light illuminating the night sky, while the chill in the air grew ever denser. The sound of the Wu Hook Sword striking the arrows was like a torrential rain battering roof tiles, sharp and incessant.

“This youth is truly formidable,” Li Fei thought, increasingly astonished as his sword was deflected again and again. At first, the boy’s arrow technique was awkward, as if he were a novice, but now, the four arrows struck with ever-growing force. The longer this dragged on, the more unfavorable it became for him.

“I must use my ultimate move,” Li Fei resolved in silence.

Again, the Wu Hook Sword was knocked askew by the arrows. With a flash, the sword traced a gleaming arc through the air, returning to hover above Li Fei’s head. His expression solemn, he crossed his hands over his chest, the brilliant sword suspended above.

Li Fei’s white robe billowed though there was no wind, and a piercing cold radiated from him, chilling the already frigid air even more. On a tree branch, Sun Yang shivered, his teeth chattering. Ning Qian’s face turned pale, her hands and feet growing numb. Sun Yang muttered incessantly, “Damn, why is it so cold tonight?”

Li Fei’s robe fluttered fiercely in the windless air; a killing chill enveloped the scene. Fixing Jiang Yan with a steady gaze, Li Fei spoke slowly and gravely:

“Since I entered Tianshan and cultivated to the fourth level of Qi Refinement, I’ve fought more than a hundred battles. I’ve faced foes of every caliber; dozens of masters of Azurewood Arrow Technique have perished beneath my Wu Hook Sword. Yet your technique is unique and uncanny—truly rare in my lifetime. I admire it greatly. But the sect commands me, and I cannot disobey. If you were not of Huashan, why should we fight to the death? May I ask: from which sect do you hail, and who are you?”

Jiang Yan’s expression turned grave. Whatever Li Fei’s background, his indomitable spirit was impressive. It seemed Li Fei was preparing to unleash a fatal blow.

“Jiang Yan, Master of Huashan,” he replied, lowering his arms, fingers still formed as swords, pointing diagonally at the ground. Influenced by Li Fei’s solemnity, Jiang Yan’s voice grew calm, the night wind brushing their robes, imbuing the air with a bleak, heroic aura.

Li Fei’s eyes widened in disbelief, but seeing Jiang Yan’s earnest face, he accepted it. “Very well, Sect Master Jiang, Brother Jiang. The sword art that has made Tianshan famous is the Shadow of Frost. Alas, I lack talent, and after years of study, have mastered only one move: ‘Meteor in the Cold Night.’ Today, I shall use it to avenge my three fallen junior brothers. Prepare yourself, Brother Jiang.”

With that, Li Fei’s hands changed form, fingertips crossed upright, as icy spiritual energy surged through him, flowing into the Wu Hook Sword above his head like a floodgate opening.

A brilliant blue radiance erupted from the sword, dazzling and intense. A wave of bitter cold emanated from Li Fei, radiating outward, chilling the air even more.

Jiang Yan instinctively felt a deep chill engulf him; the cold pressed in from all sides. Li Fei was truly going all out—Jiang Yan dared not be negligent. He crossed his hands before his chest, fingers sword-like, as his spiritual power flooded into the six Azurewood Arrows above his head.

As Jiang Yan poured all his energy into the arrows, they began to glow with a verdant light, fanned out above him in an arc, their arrowheads gleaming a bright green, aimed at Li Fei in the distance.

Li Fei paused in surprise—he had not expected Jiang Yan to wield six arrows. He thrust his crossed palms outward and shouted, “Go!” The Wu Hook Sword, encrusted with frost, turned into a blazing streak of sword-light, shooting toward Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan raised his right hand above his head and uttered softly, “Strike.” The six arrows linked together, forming a green line that shot forth to meet the sword-light.

The first arrow struck the Wu Hook Sword with a thunderous crash.

“Detonate,” Jiang Yan murmured.

With a blast, the first arrow exploded, scattering spiritual energy and shattering the sword’s icy cladding, but the sword’s course was unchanged, still hurtling toward Jiang Yan.

The second arrow collided with the sword’s tip. Jiang Yan, his left hand behind his back and right hand pointing toward Li Fei, whispered “Detonate” again. The second arrow burst, shattering more of the sword’s frost.

The third arrow shot forward next…

A flicker of tension appeared in Jiang Yan’s otherwise composed eyes—three arrows had detonated, and the Wu Hook Sword remained undeterred. He feared the remaining three arrows would not stop Li Fei’s Meteor in the Cold Night.

The fourth arrow struck the sword’s tip, sweat beading on Jiang Yan’s brow; across the way, Li Fei was also sweating profusely, his body trembling uncontrollably.

With another blast, the fourth arrow exploded—this time, the Meteor in the Cold Night technique was finally shaken, the sword’s speed slowing just a fraction. Jiang Yan felt a pang of regret: if only the seventh arrow had not been destroyed…

Li Fei glanced at the brilliant sword-light in the distance, a look of despair crossing his face. The relentless self-detonation of Jiang Yan’s arrows had finally slowed his attack. He feared his own remaining strength would not be enough to kill Jiang Yan. It seemed he would have to use his final technique.

He looked at the bodies of his three junior brothers behind Jiang Yan, pain flickering in his eyes. His own carelessness had led to their deaths in this small town. A look of grim resolve flashed in his gaze; he bit his tongue hard, spraying blood from his mouth. Instantly, his face flushed red, and a torrent of spiritual energy surged from within.

“Die, Jiang Yan,” Li Fei thought with a surge of satisfaction. If he could use the lives of his brothers and himself to kill the young Huashan master, it might be worth it…

...

On a distant branch, Sun Yang still held his slingshot, aiming at Li Fei below.

Ning Qian, puzzled, asked, “Sun Yang, what are you doing? You’ve been aiming for half an hour. If you don’t act soon, the fight will be over.”

Sun Yang squinted one eye, still aiming. Without looking at Ning Qian, he said disdainfully, “You don’t understand. I’m aiming—waiting for the perfect moment for a surprise attack.”

Ning Qian glanced at the battle below. As Li Fei’s face flushed deeper red and the sword’s light blazed ever brighter, she said anxiously, “He’s going to go all out against the master—hurry and hit him with a stone!”

With a swish, Sun Yang finally launched his surprise attack.

Thwack—the stone struck Li Fei squarely on the forehead.

“See how accurate I am?” Sun Yang began to boast to Ning Qian.

Suddenly, to Ning Qian’s astonishment, the stone rebounded off Li Fei with even greater speed.

Thwack—the stone flew straight back and smacked Sun Yang on the shoulder.

“Ah!” Sun Yang felt a tremendous force hit his shoulder. Suddenly, he was airborne, crashing through several branches before falling to the ground with a thud.

Li Fei spat a mouthful of blood, then collapsed to his knees. He had been about to unleash Tianshan’s secret Star-Shifting Heart Technique—turning blood into energy for a fatal strike at Jiang Yan—but the interference prevented its activation.

Li Fei glared at the boy who had fallen from the tree, resignation in his heart. Who would have thought that a powerful cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refinement would be thwarted by a mortal child…

“Detonate,” Jiang Yan, sweat-drenched, uttered. This was the fifth arrow. If this one failed to break through Li Fei’s Meteor in the Cold Night, he would be doomed tonight.

With a crash, the Wu Hook Sword was blasted to the ground by the fifth arrow’s explosion, Li Fei’s internal injuries sealing his defeat.

Jiang Yan stared in surprise, barely having time to react before the sixth arrow, glowing with verdant light, pierced Li Fei’s chest as he lay on the ground.

Jiang Yan’s legs gave out, and he collapsed, utterly drained of spiritual energy—too weak even to stand.

“Brother Jiang, await Tianshan’s vengeance. My master is a seventh-level Qi Refinement expert; our sect leader is at the peak of Qi Refinement. You will pay for this night,” Li Fei said, blood at his lips but his eyes still defiant.

Jiang Yan looked at him curiously, puzzled as to why Li Fei had suddenly faltered. Had Li Fei held out a bit longer, it would have been Jiang Yan who fell. Seeing the boy who had fallen from the tree and recalling Li Fei’s spurt of blood, Jiang Yan began to understand.

Catching his breath, Jiang Yan replied, weakly, “That won’t trouble you, Brother Li. I have my own way of handling things.”

A hint of regret flickered over Li Fei’s face. “How unfortunate, to die and not leave a whole corpse. The Azurewood Arrow always explodes upon killing. After a lifetime of cultivation, not even a corpse remains…”

Suddenly, the arrow in Li Fei’s chest trembled, then slowly withdrew and flew back to Jiang Yan.

Li Fei spat blood, nodded at Jiang Yan in gratitude, and fell lifeless to the ground.

A familiar chime sounded in Jiang Yan’s ear—the voice of the Master System.