As a betrayer of Devil's Doctrine, Xia Hou's natal item was that horrifying Open spear thrust. He could clearly perceive all the details before the appearance of the metal spear, thus he knew that Sangsang was not dead.
The first deadly thrust which he tolerated and sought for using his extreme perseverance failed to kill Ning Que. Even when he secretly combined it with the righteous art of war to launch the second thrust, which would certainly hit the bull eye, he still failed to kill the little handmaiden on the cliff. Two continuously and incredibly missing ruined Xia Hou's mood.
At this point, Ning Que had already moved thousands of feet and arrived on the Snow Lake.
Just then, Xia Hou slightly twisted his brows. He instantly clenched his right fist tightly in the snow storm. The metal spear on the cliff violently retreated as though it was being bounced back into the air by the big black umbrella.
The darkish metal spear pierced through the snow residue left floating on the lake as it pierced through the slightest freezing wind. Together with the sharp howling sound, the spear pierced Ning Que's back like a lightning.
The sharp howling sound was produced due to the force traveling against the wind. It was a sound caused by the turbulence of the air around the razor-sharp blade. The higher than a pitch of the sound meant the quicker the speed. Just by listening to the sound, one would know that the speed of this metal spear was not comparable with Primordial Thirteen Arrows, but it was still extremely fearful.
Based on logic, Ning Que's current ability of Seethrough Upper State was not possible for him to foresee Xiu Hou's Open spear thrust path of movement. It was certainly beyond possibility for him to deal with such horrifying speed.
However, Ning Que was not a person who did things based on logic. His experiences and cultivation process, if one carefully looked back, were not logical at all.
Just when the metal spear was thirty feet away from his back and before the piercing sound had traveled to his ears, he reacted by filling his body with the Great Spirit and forcefully twisted his body in the dark. He then focused all his mental energy and strength onto the blade as he aggressively snapped it off from his back!
A loud, vivid sound was heard, followed by the spilling of strong gush of air from the edge of the knife blade and spear blade in all directions, causing the snow accumulated on the snow lake to shake without stop.
Ning Que felt a sharp pain on his wrist that caused him to almost drop the podao in his hand. However, he used his determination to stabilize his form as he made a turn in the dark using the rebound force from his knife blade and once again shouted as he pounced towards Xia Hou. His speed was, in fact, faster than a few minutes ago.
That metal spear drew a curve in the dark night and arrived in front of Xia Hou before Ning Que did as it returned to Xia Hou's right hand in the freezing wind.
The freezing wind gathered. Ning Que dashed against the wind with both his hands gripping tightly onto a podao as he slashed it towards his opponent's head!
Xia Hou's body was already covered with blood. His face was pale, but his expression remained the same calm. As he watched a ghostly figure pounced towards him, he simply moved his spear forwards.
The blades of the spear and knife collided, creating a bright spark.
After a loud collision sound, Ning Que, like an injured big bird, pitifully moved backwards. He had once again fallen heavily onto the snow lake.
The darkish metal spear vibrated vigorously in momentum in Xia Hou's hand and for a long time, it could not quiet down as it gave out a disappointing low howling sound.
Every time the metal spear and the podao collided, the collision was solid, unglamorous and forceful. It seemed simple and uninteresting, yet in fact, there was a hidden ground-breaking meaning behind each collision.
Ning Que got himself off the ground. He felt that his wrist had been broken and his face was as pale as snow. Though Xia Hou was severely injured by his Talisman Arrow, in terms of strength and the intensity of Qi, Ning Que was far less than his opponent. This gap between them was impossible for him to fill up or pull closer.
A simple thrust from Xia Hou could destroy the sacrificing attack that Ning Que had planned for it for a long time. There was no reason for Xia Hou to be unpleased with such outcome, yet he began to frown deeply.
That was because that thrust had failed to stab into Ning Que's body.
Prior to that, when the Open spear thrust was burning like sunlight and was all prepared to tear apart the darkness within Ning Que's body, the podao in Ning Que's hands had, strangely and without his knowing, flipped out. It had, without any error, slashed the tip of the spear, causing Ning Que to fell down from the impact. Thus, his fall was not due to the power of the spear.
Xia Hou squinted his eyes and looked at Ning Que as he said, "When you shut yourself off in the cliff cave at the back of the mountain in the Academy during Spring, you were indeed not cultivating both talisman and martial arts. In fact, you...had already join the Devil."
Ning Que spitted his saliva with trace of blood on the snow-covered ground in front of him and kept quiet.
Before that, Xia Hou had already realized the half of the answer. That answer was that Ning Que had joined the Devil. Other wise, as an average cultivator, it was impossible for him to tolerate the massive strength brought upon by the metal spear.
But that was only the half of the answer.
Xia Hou had thrust three times towards Ning Que tonight and every thrust was done wholeheartedly. He believed that even if his opponents were the strong warriors of the Devil's Doctrine that year, it was impossible for them to take such strike.
Ning Que should be dead. Yet he was still alive.
Every time at that critical moment, when the darkness of death from the spear was about to cover Ning Que's body, Ning Que was able to react in time and he could react in the best possible way.
Xia Hou began to stay alert. Even if Ning Que had joined the Devil, it was still inadequate to explain how he could manage to act like this. This represented that he had a deep understanding of the Qi of Heaven and Earth surrounding him.
In other words, Ning Que seemed to possess the ability to battle with Knowing Destiny State tonight.
The snow on the city wall gradually stopped, yet the temperature seemed lower than before. The Eldest Brother and Ye Su gazed in the direction of the Yanming Lake. The auras that both of them released seemed like mist fogging the surrounding.
Ye Su had never thought that Ning Que could actually be grabbed hold of Xia Hou's Open spear thrust. Though the outcome was extremely bad, he did not die from it. This made him confused, or even stunned.
Though Xia Hou's Open spear was black and could move in the dark without leaving any trace of movements, it was a righteous force. Using the vibe from its speed and strength to launch at all-out attack, it could only cornered his opponent to a life and death battle.
With Ning Que's current perception level, it was impossible to capture the trace of movement of the Open spear thrust, needless to say about predicting the enemy's intention. He could only force himself to take the strike. Moreover, his cultivation state was lower than the Seethrough state. He had no capability to use the Qi of Heaven and Earth. Hence, when Xia Hou launched the first thrust, he should already be dead.
"Xia Hou's Open spear thrust naturally couldn't hurt you, Mr. First."
Ye Su took a glance at the Eldest Brother and continued to say, "If it's Liu Bai, he would definitely turn the situation around by attacking the opponent with the continuous slapping of the yellow waves and take the opportunity to kill him. If the metal spear is coming towards me, I will most probably chain it with me sword style and try to grab hold of this spear. However, I don't understand how Ning Que could dodge Xia Hou's spear thrust."
The Eldest Brother thought for a long while before he shook his head and said, "I also have no idea how Younger Brother managed to do it."
Ye Su closed his eyes and focused on listening to the faint blade collision sound from the distant snow lake. Then there was a sound of someone stepping on the snow like a ghost and glided through the air. He suddenly thought of one possibility.
Moments later, he opened his eyes, frowned and said, "If that's the case, there's still no proper explanation."
Eldest Brother asked, "What case?"
Ye Su said emotionlessly, "You know what I am referring to."
The Eldest Brother said, "The Academy will not admit it."
Ye Su spoke softly, "Not admitting it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."
The Eldest Brother said slowly, "If there's no evidence, your guess will only attract troubles."
Ye Su took a deep breath. He then suddenly said a headless sentence, "The Headmaster will leave one day."
The Eldest Brother did not think and said a sentence.
This sentence was exactly the same sentence as what Ning Que had replied Ye Hongyu.
"I don't think Teacher will leave before us."
Ever since he inherited the Youngest Uncle's gift at the Front Gate of the Devil's Doctrine, the Great Spirit within Ning Que's body had been changing his body continuously. Now, his body was becoming stronger and his strength was becoming bigger. His movements and speed had also correspondingly became faster.
However, Xia Hou was a strong warrior from the previous generation of the Devil's Doctrine. His body had been cultivated with Qi for many years. His strength or speed were both higher than Ning Que's. Hence, the reason that Ning Que was able to block Xia Hou's Open spear thrust was not due to all these factors.
Ning Que did not expect that Xia Hou's final move would be a martial art from Tao. Never did he thought that Xia Hou would have his own natal item. However, deep within his sense of perception contained numerous pieces of realization from Master Lotus' experiences.
Those pieces of realizations were spiritual imprints.
Xia Hou had the skills from the Devil's Doctrine and all them were inherited from Lotus. Lotus understood this disciple more than anyone else. Though it was not possible for him to know Xia Hou's situation when practicing Open spear thrust, but he knew Xia Hou's interest and habit even his legs gesture. He knew everything about Xia Hou.
If Master Lotus was an enormous web as broad as the ocean, then Xia Hou was the gigantic rock statue that strolled along this enormous web. He seemed powerful and indestructible, but in fact, every step he took was still within this web. This web would understand every intention he had with every vibration he caused.
Ning Que possessed all of Master Lotus' spiritual imprints, which was equivalent to him owning this web. Though he was not able to control these spiritual imprints, but every time Xia Hou walked on this web, those pieces of realization located deep within these sense of perception would begin to glow, forecasting what Xia Hou was preparing to do and how he should counteract them.
Last year during winter at Hulan Sea, when Ning Que, who was not as strong as now, faced with Xia Hou's fist, which was much more powerful than the one tonight, he could still remain calm. That was due to these pieces of realization.
Tonight, these pieces of realization remained effective.
A cold g wind blew from the Winter Forest located at the east shore of the lake, churning up the accumulated snow on top of the lake and spreading them all over.
Xia Hou looked at the snow as he instantly thought of the Hulan Sea and the snow-like ashes in his hands. They were his teacher's ashes. His body suddenly became cold.
"Teacher...what did he teach you?"
Xia Hou looked at Ning Que as he asked. Both his eyes were burning with silent and cold flames.
Ning Que's eyes were brightened as well. He pointed to his own head and said, "Master Lotus had not taught me anything, but he left me with some things. The consciousness he left with me told me that he wanted to kill you, his betraying discipline. He wanted to help to clean the Enlightenment Doctrine, hence what's inside here is the killing intent your Teacher has for you."
Xia Hou remained quiet for a long time. Suddenly, he said coldly, "The Academy claims itself as righteous. Yet you, as a disciple of the Academy, became the student of the Devil Lord Lotus and cultivated Devil's Doctrine skills. What a traitor."
Ning Que said, "You are the disciple of the Devil's Doctrine. Your teacher was Lotus. Yet you betrayed the Devil's Doctrine and depended on Taoism. You even changed to cultivate Taoist magic and abandoned your nature to cultivate natal item. You are more of a traitor than I am."
Xia Hou suddenly began to laugh coldly and said, "I never thought that tonight is the battle of two traitors."
Ning Que shook his head and said, "The Devil's Doctrine reagards you as an enemy, but the Academy never reject my identity."
Xia Hou said, "No matter what the teacher had taught you, you will still die tonight."
Ning Que said, " I always thought that I am the only one on earth who is better in saying than doing."
Xia Hou squinted his eyes and said, "Then we shall get started. Take another thrust from me."
The further he went, the further the cold voice sounded, Xia Hou's burly figure seemed to become a real mountain and the ice lake beneath his feet started to form a deep crack. Though that, One could faintly see the lake water.
The snow lake finally began to form ripples. The distance between the two figures on the lake started to shrink rapidly. Xia Hou's hands grabbed hold of the metal spear and pierced it straightly towards his opponent. Ning Que shook his wrist and slashed his knife downwards.
The spear and the podao met again.
Sensing the intensive and tremendous formidable energy spreading from the tip of his blade to the hilt, Ning Que knitted his brows tightly and without any hesitation, he released his Psyche Power. That droplet of crystal-like liquid began to rotate in his body at high speed. All the accumulated Great Spirit which he had cultivated for several months in the cliff cave at the back of the mountain in the Academy seemed to be spurting out presumptuously!
The podao in his hands began to glow brightly. Numerous golden lights were spurting from the darkish knife like the golden lights that reflected on the city wall of Chang'an in the evening, yet it also seemed like a sun which appeared suddenly and instantly shone the Yanming lake in darkness into bright daylight!
The golden and holy lights left the podao, channeled through the freezing cold air, and formed into bits of gold-like substance as they aggressively struck onto Xia Hou's face!
Since a thousand years ago, Taoism and Devil would never stand on the same side.
The Divine Skill of the West-Hill Divine Palace was no doubt one of the jinxes for the Devil's Doctrine skills. It was deemed as a born-inheritor from the Judicial Department who was in charge of pursuing and killing the Devil's Doctrine after Ye Hongyu had understood the Divine Skill.
The strong warriors of the Devil's Doctrine were most fearing the holy Haotian Divine Light. Even the Youngest Uncle of the Academy used the Divine Light as a Confinement tactical array to confine a great man such as Master Lotus.
The Divine Skill was a gift from Haotian to Haotian Taoism and punishment to the Devil's Doctrine. Those golden lights ignored the strong bodies and vigorous Qi of the Devil's Doctrine cultivators and directly influence the circulation of Qi within their bodies through the air. They were even strong enough to directly melt away the crystal walls surrounding their meridians in the bodies.
Tonight's battle by the lake in the winter, Xia Hou had left his most powerful skill till the end to use his spear to launch an attack in all four directions. Ning Que had also left his own Taoism Divine Skill till the end!
In the blazing Haotian Divine Light, Xia Hou's face seemed to turn pale till it was almost transparent. His eyes looked as though they were burning and his eyelashes had fallen one by one in the Divine Light as they charred and burnt into ashes. In the end, they became nothing. First, a look of fear appeared in his eyes, yet the next moment, a mocking smile showed on this face.
Watching Ning Que who was outside the Divine Light, Xia Hou laughed aloud. He then said like roar, "Don't think I don't know you have Divine Skill! However, your Divine Skill is fake! Yours is still Great Spirit! How can a candlelight become a sunlight!" "Fake one is fake one. It will never become genuine! You are not Ke Haoran. You can't kill me!"
The extreme vigorous Qi spurted out from his burly figure, with the sound jetting. The surrounding accumulated snow began to tremble away from the surface of the lake and floated in the middle of the dark night!
Xia Hou stood in the midst of the floating snow as he held his spear in one hand and pushed it down. He was just like a celestial who was looking upon the earth from outside the cloud and was totally unstoppable.
Ning Que slightly bent his knees. His face was pale. The ice beneath his feet began to produce cracking sound, as if it was going to break apart.
Xia Hou flipped his right palm. A slap with an impact similar to a small mountain hit towards Ning Que's head. He said in a cold expression, "Die!"
Xia Hou was badly injured tonight, thus, his current strength was less than thirty percent of his power at peak. However, he was a strong warrior at the peak state of Martial Arts. Even with the residual strength, he was still extremely powerful.
To be able to block off Xia Hou's Open spear thrust with Ning Que's current strength was already stunning. All his attention and Great Spirit were poured onto the podao and there was no remaining strength left for him to manage that slap on his head which has the impact of a small mountain. Even if he had that strength, he would not be able to react in time.
Yet, at this moment.
Xia Hou made an extreme mournful howl as he retracted his palms.
There was blood spilling from his small abdomen!
He cracked the ice and shaken the snow along the way as he retreated 2,000 feet backwards.
The blood he spilled out dragged all the way on the snow lake to form a long bloodline.
Just a moment before this.
Ning Que was extremely unreasonable as he draws his knife back.
At that time, Xia Hou's palm was only half an inch apart from his head.
At that time, the spear in Xia Hou's hand was not blocked by podao, as it slashed down freely.
He stabbed deeply into Xia Hou's abdomen.
The moment he pulled out his knife.
Xia Hou's palm was still half an inch apart from his head.
The spear in Xia Hou's hand did not move at all, as though it had stopped in the middle of the air.
Ning Que draws his knife back and once again, placed it in front of the metal spear to block its way.
Just then, Xia Hou reacted.
Hence, he retracted his palms and retreated. The moment he retreated, he retreated the distance of half a snow lake.
The speed of lightning was not good enough to describe Ning Que's stabbing speed.
That was a power beyond the sense of speed.
Like continuous turbid waves falling from the sky, the actual speed might not be that fast. However, as what everyone had seen, that power made them feel that all these were unstoppable.
Far away above the snow lake, Xia Hou held his profusely bleeding abdomen. Feeling both shock and angry, he asked, "What kind of knife style is that!"
Ning Que looked at him and said, "You knew that I know Divine Skill, but do you know that I know sword style too?"
He wasn't using Knife Skill when he was using the knife previously. He was using sword style.
This was the sword style of the world's most powerful cultivator, the Sage of Sword Liu Bai.
On the freezing cold city wall, Ye Su gazed in the direction of the Yanming Lake and sensed that unfamiliar sharp sword style which he would never recognize wrongly. He subconsciously swept off the accumulated snow on the wall in front of him. He felt this was incredible and he said, "A turbid river falling from the sky! Why is there a Liu Bai's sword style!"
He turned around abruptly and looked at the Eldest Brother as he said shockingly, "Ning Que has already know enough stuff. He even learned Liu Bai's sword! Who taught him this? The Academy?"
The Eldest Brother honestly replied, "Though our Younger Brother had learned Haoran Sword, but Dahe Sword was not taught by the Academy."
Ye Su frowned and asked, "Then who taught him?"
The Eldest Brother hesitated a few moments and he said, "...Your sister."