Chapter 66
Chapter 66: A Method No One Thought Of
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To Duanmu Lian, the fall of a high-ranking disciple at the hands of Ding Ning was no pleasurable matter . Yet, at this moment, his face actually softened ever so slightly .
Although Ding Ning’s performance was exceptional, his cultivation was limited . That said, it was no surprise that his constitution was obviously worse than all the White Goat Cave and Green Vine Sword School disciples . While he had managed to grab the opportunity and defeat Yu Lian, an opponent like Yu Lian should be Ding Ning’s limit . Among Green Vine Sword School’s remaining disciples, there were at least a dozen stronger than Yu Lian . Thus, regardless of the final outcome, at least this wine shop youth would not win in the end .
Watching as Ding Ning took the wooden token and hung it by his waist to advance, Duanmu Lian pulled out a blue flag on the border of the viewing platform and waved it towards the valley below .
As he waved the flag, four columns of thick smoke started to rise from the sword trial valley . The smoke grew denser, four tangible pillars rose into the sky .
Ding Ning first felt the smoky presence in the wind, and then the four columns of smoke came in sight .
His brows gradually furrowed .
The area marked by the smoke was about a third of the way through this long valley . Based on the fact that the valley had to be traversed in three days, this target was understandable . However, also based on the rules of the sword trial festival, people had to go into the area marked by the four pillars of smoke before midday . Otherwise, they would be considered failed . But on the second and third day, people could start travelling at midnight . However, they had started near noon today so they would be rushed on this first day .
Travelling fast would use up more energy and more disadvantageous to him . He estimated the time he would need in order to reach the target .
However, right at this moment, he sensed something else unusual .
Just as he was preparing to quicken his pace, he abruptly turned . The moment he turned, even before the majority of people on the viewing platform could react, a wolf-like shadow sprang out of the vine wall behind him .
Gauging the power in its pounce, Ding Ning rooted himself in the ground . He leaned back slightly; his physical energies were channeled into the remnant sword in his hand . Countless white flowers bloomed on the remnant sword and cut towards the abdomen of the black shadow . The blade then swept upwards along this black shadow .
No blood spilled .
There was only a line of bright sparks that rose behind the path of the sword .
“What is it?”
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The appearance of the black shadow had left most of the spectators bewildered . Moreover, these black shadows had appeared only after the four pillars of smoke had risen . It felt as though the cages that imprisoned these things, opened as the smoke rose .
Snap!
The black shadow landed heavily on the ground, creating a spray of dust and fallen leaves .
The eyes on the viewing platform did not see this thing clearly but Ding Ning already frowned and spoke quietly to himself . “So it’s you … I feel a lack of appetite thinking about eating your meat . ”
The dust and falling leaves had gradually settled .
At last, the disciples on viewing platform had a clear view . They exclaimed in unison .
Lying inside the crater was an enormous jet-black giant lizard ravenously glowering at Ding Ning with bloody red eyes .
Many mountains were home to Giant lizards, but none had such hard scales . The scales of this giant lizard before Ding Ning, looked like iron . Each scale was the thickness of two metal coins and this lizard appeared to be covered in a special layer of black armor .
This was an armored lizard unique to the Ba Mountains .
In the Ba Mountains, this kind of armored lizard had another name, the rotting lizard . True to its name, this lizard could eat anything rotten . Its saliva and gastric fluids contained a variety of potent toxins .
Ding Ning was confident of slaying a giant lizard like this . But when he thought about having to eat this, which would waste a lot of time and be very tiring, he did not feel any joy .
“He Zhaoxi!”
Exclamations rose on the viewing platform .
Several members of Green Vine Sword School were focused on a place a few hundred meters away from Ding Ning where a similar lizard had appeared in front of He Zhaoxi .
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“This is the armored lizard . ” On the viewing platform, a solemn Xu Heshan turned to look at Xie Changsheng .
“It appears that Energy Refinement Realm cultivators cannot cut apart their armor unless they have especially sharp swords . ” Xie Changsheng frowned deeply . “Even its eyelids are armored … it seems that its open mouth is the weakness?”
“If you really think so, you are done for . ” Xu Heshan shook his head and said, “Its teeth are much harder than its armor . It can bite faster than it can move . Also, the force with which it bites is even more astounding than its four limbs . Even if you stab its throat, it can still bite your sword . Many swordsmen who do not understand it, assume that its open mouth is its weakness, and that would be their fatal flaw . ”
Suddenly, Xie Changsheng turned cold . He could imagine how terrible an outcome cultivators like him would have if they lost their swords facing an armored lizard such as the one before him now .
“I hope that Brother-in-law will not think of using the sword to stab its throat like I did,” he said, sincerely .
As he spoke, He Zhaoxi, the best student of Green Vine Sword School, impassively advanced- as though a snarling beast like this did not exist .
The armored lizard in front of him seemed to feel his dismissiveness and gave out a strange howl . It jumped up, just like the armored lizard that had ambushed Ding Ning .
Many pupils contracted .
A layer of blue light suddenly appeared on He Zhaoxi’s skin . Each muscle under his skin seemed to activate a terrifying wave of power . The earth under his feet soundlessly sank down . He leaped; his body instantly appeared above the armored lizard’s head . He pulled out the long sword he carried on his back and cut down .
His long sword was a unique dry yellow, like a withered wood sword . Yet, the sword fell on the head of the armored lizard like a giant mountain .
Everybody could see a ball of air explode above the armored lizard’s head . When this armored lizard had landed on the ground, and sank down several inches, another circular wave of air formed .
Xie Changsheng’s eyebrows rose, and his lips jerked slightly .
This was a brute tactic lacking all finesse . He could imagine that with just a third of the force in this blow, this armored lizard’s head was completely liquified .
He Zhaoxi was too strong!
At the same time, the armored lizard Ding Ning faced had also acted .
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A gust of wild wind rose on the ground . The fallen leaves fell to two sides . The armored lizard’s abdomen was touching the ground as its limbs moved rapidly and slid forward like a black blade on the ground .
For any cultivator, a distance of three inches from the ground around him was always a dangerous place . They had to bend to face the attacks from the ground and it was more difficult than standing straight and defending . Also, Ding Ning’s sword was much shorter than others’ .
Xie Rou held her breath .
Ding Ning had already swung out his sword . He bent down and the sword in his hand headed clearly for the mouth of the armored lizard .
She almost didn’t dare to look at the following scene . Yet in the next moment, her eyes widened, and she unconsciously let out a shout of joyful surprise .
Ding Ning’s sword did not stab into the throat of the armored lizard .
His sword only passed by the lips of the armored lizard . A bright crimson long tongue fell down .
The seemingly unaffected yet ferociously advancing armored lizard seemed to be hit on the nose with a giant hammer . Its body suddenly froze, and it jerked backwards .
Blood and noxious saliva spewed out of its mouth .
Xu Heshan and Xie Changsheng had only just darted their gazes over to this side . Their thoughts of how Ding Ning should have acted were still in their minds . But what had just passed before the duo’s eyes left them stunned .
This was something they had not even thought of . Ding Ning had sliced the long tongue while the armored lizard had not retracted in time .
Even Li Daoji was stunned . He had not expected Ding Ning would use the sword in this manner .
Under many shocked gazes, Ding Ning’s remnant sword that was moving upwards suddenly stopped and then shook once, violently .
This moment was akin to using a ruler to slap a fly that had landed on the paper window .
With this fierce tremor, a multitude of tiny, fine droplets of blood sprang from the sword alongside clean white flowers .
The minute crimson droplets originated from the severed tongue of the armored lizard; the white flowers from the response of his physical energy and the seals on the sword . These tiny droplets of blood and the white flowers splashed towards the eyes of the armored lizard .
The armored lizard instinctively closed its eyes .
But Ding Ning’s sword was too close to its eyes . Before it could close its eyes, more of the tiny droplets of blood and white flowers had fallen into its vulnerable eyes .
Many more drops of blood appeared in its eyes .
With a wail, it started to claw recklessly and rapidly in front of it .
Ding Ning took a deep breath .
Numerous small and clean white flowers appeared once again on his inky green sword . He used his fastest speed to swing the sword and deliver the killer blow .
A strike right, a strike left . His sword moved at a rapid rhythm as it cut at the same positions on the right and left sides of the lizard’s neck . The armored lizard was temporarily blinded . It clawed in front of it, but was always a beat late . When it clawed left after being sliced on the left of its neck, the sword had already landed on its right . When it reached right, the sword was already on the left side of the neck .
As Ding Ning continued to swing, cracks appeared on the scales on the sides of its neck . Blood had started to splash out .
Waves of shocked inhales rose on the viewing platform . People who had been focused on He Zhaoxi turned to Ding Ning due to these inhales .
When they saw the scene, their bodies shook .
“This killing has no beauty or any technique . It is like cutting wood… . ” Xu Heshan’s face was pale . He inhaled deeply and then slowly said, “Who would have thought that an armored lizard such as this would be chopped down like a tree?”
On the other side, He Zhaoxi used one more blow to kill that armored lizard . He started to take the meat from the dead lizard . Ding Ning appeared very weak compared to He Zhaoxi .
But the weaker he appeared, the more shocking this scene was .