Chapter 214: Thrice
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
The bright flower blossomed in mid-air, turning into blood mist droplets that were as thin as dust as they landed.
Fang Zhengzhi felt his face grow somewhat hot. That was the heat generated by the blood mist falling onto his face. The palm of his hands also grew hotter. Because, he held a boiling hot hand in his own.
Ping Yang's clear gaze looked silently at Fang Zhengzhi as the edges of her mouth curved into a happy smile.
"I have said… my… my Red Flame Flower Armour can block off one strike, am… am I right?" Ping Yang's lips opened slightly, breathing out a wisp of air, likening that of an orchid flower. However, this wisp of air also contained the faint scent of blood.
"Why?!" Fang Zhengzhi couldn't understand.
He really couldn't understand. There wasn't much friendship between him and Ping Yang. Furthermore, considering Ping Yang's arrogance, why would she serve as a meat shield for him at this moment?
"Because, I am smart enough."
"Smart?"
"I want to live, so, you definitely cannot die… as long as you don't die, there is still a chance I can live…" A trickle of blood flowed down the edge of Ping Yang's mouth. Her body suddenly grew limp, completely falling into the arms of Fang Zhengzhi.
"Boom!" Another loud sound exploded.
This time, it naturally came from Nangong Mu and Yan Xiu fighting Ying Shan together.
After Ping Yang blocked off an attack for Fang Zhengzhi.
Nangong Mu and Yan Xiu were the fastest to react and detect Ying Shan's location. The Green and Blue Dual Blades as well as the Mountain and River, Heaven and Earth Fan exploded with a bright glow, pressing down on Ying Shan.
After Ying Shan charged out from the ground, the distance between the six people and Ying Shan had become a tiny circle. Hence, Ying Shan naturally had nowhere to run.
Furthermore, after a successful attack.
Ying Shan didn't have the slightest bit of intention to retreat. He was ready to continue attacking. However, he had no choice but to deal with Nangong Mu and Yan Xiu's joint attacks.
A pair of empty palms clashed with the Green and Blue Dual Blades as well as the Mountain and River, Heaven and Earth Fan.
However, it was Nangong Mu and Yan Xiu who stumbled back.
In addition to forcefully absorbing the power of the demon eye into one's body without a care for destroying one's powers, how could Nangong Mu and Yan Xiu's joint attacks defeat Ying Shan of the Supernatural Intermediate State?
"Die!" Ying Shan's expression turned wild. At this moment, he only had one thought. That was to kill, to kill Fang Zhengzhi, to kill Fang Zhengzhi regardless of anything else.
Hence, after causing Yan Xiu and Nangong Mu to retreat, he set his aim upon Fang Zhengzhi once again.
Fang Zhengzhi carried Ping Yang in his arms.
However, Ping Yang's body was still etched in between him and Ying Shan.
If he allowed Ying Shan another blow, there was a very high possibility that Ping Yang would block another attack for Fang Zhengzhi.
"Boom!"
Another palm contacted.
Bright red blood soared in the air, creating a sparkling blood mist like that of a blood rain.
Fang Zhengzhi looked towards a man standing in front of him whose face was a deathly shade of white. He wanted to ask once more, why. However, this time, the man didn't wait for him to ask.
"Princess is right… if Young Master Fang … dies, none of us would be able to… live…" The man fell to the ground with the similar trace of a smile on his mouth.
At the moment the man fell, another man blocked in front of Fang Zhengzhi.
He was Wang Manxin, Wang Chuanping's cousin.
The man just now was naturally Wang Chuanping. He was the only person fast enough to be able to block Ying Shan's palm strike. Unfortunately, there wasn't a Red Flame Flower Armour on his body.
"There is still me!" Wang Manxin looked at Ying Shan. He held his blade horizontally in front of his chest with a firm and resolute expression on his face.
At this moment, time seemed to have stopped completely.
Everybody stared with shock at Wang Chuanping, who had fallen to the ground, as well as Wang Manxin, who was standing in front of Fang Zhengzhi. Everybody understood.
This wasn't a rash action. This was the hard truth.
From the time Ying Shan appeared until the time he successfully completed his sneak attack.
Xing Qingsui had fallen. Even though Nangong Mu had harmed Ying Shan, it was only a superficial injury.
Only Fang Zhengzhi.
Ever since Fang Zhengzhi stood out, Ying Shan suffered setbacks after setbacks. He suffered the injury on his back, then allowed Fang Zhengzhi to successfully delay enough time for Nangong Mu to slice open the chains.
Then, after which, pulling out the sword and causing Ying Shan to retreat once again, and almost losing the battle completely.
One incident followed by another told everybody one fact. That was, Fang Zhengzhi was their true last hope in being able to escape the World of the Sage.
Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi still held that sword in his hand.
The sword with the greatest chance of reopening the World of the Sage.
Most importantly…
Ying Shan's target was completely focused on Fang Zhengzhi.
How big was the difference between a killer with a target and a killer without one? That was the difference between an normal person and a madman.
Nobody wished for that to happen, regardless of whether they admitted it or not.
Now, their lives were firmly tied to that of Fang Zhengzhi. As long as Fang Zhengzhi lived on, Ying Shan's target would always be only Fang Zhengzhi. Hence, they could employ unlimited tactics by the side.
However, what if Fang Zhengzhi died?
Then, the consequences could be imaged.
Ying Shan, who had lost his target, would begin a mad killing spree. Nobody would be able to escape the World of the Sage, and nobody would be able to prevent their imminent death.
"There's me as well!"
"Me too!"
"I don't want to die! But… I still have to stand out!"
One by one, the examinees began to move towards the six people. Their eyes contained the same look. They were all ants on the same piece of string. Either they lived together, or they died together.
…
Ying Shan charged out from among the six people.
The time Ying Shan took to deliver three palm strikes was extremely little. So little time passed that it was easy to neglect it. However, within such a short span of time.
Ping Yang was injured. Wang Chuanping had fallen from that one palm strike.
Nobody knew whether he was alive or dead.
Even Nangong Mu and Yan Xiu suffered light injuries from confronting Ying Shan.
Nangong Mu's chest had already completely been stained red. It was unknown whether this was due to the blood mist that fell from the sky or the aggregation of his previous injuries.
Yan Xiu's face was pale and white. His breathing was heavy and laboured.
Such a scene was evidently an even greater crisis than before.
However, it was due to such a crisis that the examinees turned wild. Each of them stood out one by one and blocked in front of Ying Shan with their chests puffed out.
Even Xing Qingsui had stood up. Furthermore, he stood right at the front, holding the sword stabbed into his chest and allowing droplets of fresh blood to spill onto the rock below.
"Ying Shan, come on! I, Xing Qingsui, am not afraid of you!"
…
Ying Shan's expression at this moment turned malevolent. Black light flashed around his body continuously, making him seem extremely unstable, and extremely berserk.
"Those who block me shall die!"
Ying Shan let out an enraged roar and moved again. He turned into a misty blur shadow and charged towards Xing Qingsui. The berserk black light revolved around his two palms.
At the moment Ying Shan charged towards him, Xing Qingsui raised the sword in his hand. Once again, his hand became as stable as the mountain, pointing the Black Meteor Sword at Ying Shan.
He carried a proud expression on his face, just as if he was a general on the battlefield. He smiled as he gazed at the tiny enemies that charged towards him. That was a form of contempt. No matter how powerful the opponent was, in Xing Qingsui's heart, he would be as tiny as an ant.
This was because…
He was fearless.
This time, Ying Shan didn't attempt to cross Xing Qingsui.
His palm was aimed directly at the sword wound on Xing Qingsui's chest. Killing a creme of the human race such as Xing Qingsui was also part of his task.
However, right at this moment.
A golden light plunged down from the skies. That was like a waterfall, a waterfall that fell from the skies to the ground, carrying along with it a rapid current of light rays.
A powerful waterfall from the sky, just like the silver river descending from Heaven.
This was the Mountain Waterfall Cascade.
However, at this moment, there was no mountain. There was only the sky shining with a faint golden light. This was a waterfall that fell from the sky. It was higher than the mountain, and the current was more than that which fell from the mountain as well. It had an even greater destructive power.
Within the flowing current, there was also a sword.
A sword that was initially impaled into a rock and was pulled out in the end.
At this moment, Ying Shan's gaze followed that stream of golden light. He suddenly felt somewhat emotional. All along, he believed that he was a genius, born with a talent and gift that greatly exceeded that of his race.
In the previous world he lived in, he was the most powerful.
Starting out by joining the Ten Devilish Domains as a pawn.
Time and time again, he managed to live on the battlefield, and time and time again, his accomplishments filled the books. He didn't have a powerful background, nor did he have a fortunate childhood. Instead, due to having to live a harsh life ever since he was born, his body turned frail and weak due to malnourishment.
Despite his numerous accomplishments in battle, opportunities passed by time and time again, opportunities that he was not allowed to take advantage of due to his weakly appearance.
Until...
He met a woman.
That was a woman that he would remember for life.
He recalled the first time he met with the woman, there wasn't a second person following beside her. Despite her noble status and background, she came alone.
The woman stood in front of her within the blood-filled battlefield, stepping on a pool of blood that had already turned black, and looked at him...
She only said one simple sentence.
"A book cannot be judged by its cover!"
This was a famous quote from the world of the human race. Ying Shan didn't know why the woman would say such a thing to him. However, ever since the woman had said this, he became the Vice Domain Chief of the Ying Domain.
The second time he met the woman, she had also said one sentence.
"A book cannot be judged by its cover!"
It was still the same quote from the world of the human race. However, this time, Ying Shan understood.
He understood that his appearance had finally become his advantage. He could be leveraged on to achieve greater things. He was about to enter the human world and become the most important member of the demon race planted among the thirteen constabularies.
Within the time of three years, he led and controlled the elites of the demon race within the Yan Capital. Time and time again, he was able to deliver the most critical information during the most critical times of battle, ensuring that the demon race was always at an advantage in the war against humans.
The third time he met the woman…
Was beside the Ten Mile Lake. She was wearing a white dress with hair that was as silky as a waterfall. Ying Shan deeply remembered every single word she spoke and every single action she made.
Even though he couldn't understand why the woman wanted him to participate in the combat examination.
He couldn't understand why he was tasked with such a job despite his status.
Was it because he hadn't done well in these three years?
Or was it because he was becoming older?
He couldn't understand. However, he had no reason to question. Instead, he asked about the person's characteristics.
The woman replied.
"A person who cannot be judged by his looks!"
Initially, Ying Shan didn't quite understand this sentence. But now, he understood. When that golden waterfall fell from the sky above his head, he understood.
He understood why the woman would request for him to enter the combat examination.
He understood even more why he had to be the one carrying out this task personally.
Because, this was indeed a person who cannot be judged by his looks!
A fifteen-year-old human with intelligence so sly that even he couldn't compare to. And now, he had displayed a talent in combat that the rest of the world wouldn't be able to match.
If this person continued to live, the demon race would be at risk!
"Kill!"
Ying Shan gave up Xing Qingsui despite their close proximity.
Because, his true target in the combat examination had always been one person. That person was Fang Zhengzhi. A person whom the young lord of the demon race was willing to sacrifice a vice domain chief for in order for the person to die.
…
The riverside of the Ten Mile Lake was experiencing a storm. A white dress danced in the torrential rain.
The woman lightly held a green umbrella in her hand. The ink painting on the umbrella seemed even clearer and brighter. Beside the woman, the bright red rock was being pounded on continuously by the rain, becoming so smooth that it was like a sea of fire.
A boat travelled gradually towards her on the surface of the lake.
Drawing a faint line on the surface of the stormy lake, as if connecting all the droplets of water that landed on the lake into a pristine white pearl necklace.
Not too long later, the boat stopped beside the lake.
A few women wearing green dresses walked down. None of them held an umbrella. The torrential rain battered their faces, but their expressions remained extremely respectful.
"Young lord."
"Yes." The woman nodded, but she didn't move.
"There is news from the Yan Capital. The Imperial Academy had lost control of the World of the Sage. I guess, is this related to Vice Domain Chief Ying Shan?" A girl in a green dress at the front of the line spoke softly.
"Unrelated." The woman didn't even think before immediately shaking her head.
"Young lord feels that it is?" The girl in the green dress was somewhat confused. However, she didn't dare to express any form of doubt.
"Fang Zhengzhi."
"Fang Zhengzhi?! No matter how talented he is, he is ultimately only a human who had just entered the Heavenly Reflection State. With Vice Domain Chief Ying Shan's powers, Fang Zhengzhi should be dead by now. Then, how will the World of the Sage being out of control be related…" The girl in the green dress suddenly stopped speak and knelt down instantly.
"It is fine. Rise. Actually, the probability of Ying Shan being able to kill Fang Zhengzhi is only one out of ten. Or, it could be said that it is only five percent." The woman looked towards the Yan Capital with a pondering look.
"Thank you young lord! But, why… why is it… five percent? Ying Shan is…" The girl in the green dress rose gradually. Her expression evidently looked somewhat shocked, as if in disbelief. However, she had no choice but to believe.
Because, the person who stood in front of her was her young lord. At the same time, she was claimed to be the most talented genius the demon race ever had within the past thousands of years. A miraculous girl who was well versed with the The Art of Becoming Invisible, astronomy, geography, deduction from aspects of celestial bodies, one who knew everything under the world, one who was always in control of any situation on heaven and earth.
"Actually, the reason I sent Ying Shan into the combat examination is only to delay Fang Zhengzhi from entering the imperial government." The woman spoke calmly.
"Using a vice domain chief to exchange for the time a person enters the imperial gov…"
"Very worth."
"..." The girl in the green dress grew silent.
"The Double Dragon Roll Champion would shock the world, and bring peace to the world!"
"I understand, I am stupid and shallow!"
"You can leave."
"Roger!"
A gust of wind blew past. The woman lightly raised her head. Her beautiful eyes gazed towards the direction of the Yan Capital once again. Her jet-black hair lightly danced in the wind while the white cloth on her face billowed, revealing a stunning beauty.
If Fang Zhengzhi witnessed this scene, he would definitely recognise this woman.
Because, her name was…
Yun Qingwu!