Chapter 49: Wielding the White Rainbow to Startle the Waves, Standing Alone as the River’s Champion
Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Wielding the White Rainbow to Startle the Waves, Standing Alone as the River’s Champion
The great sun slanted west, the wind piercingly cold.
It was past noon.
Ji Xiu strode out of Feiyan Tower, a landmark in the bustling marketplace of Anning County, his gait powerful and majestic.
By his side.
Besides Wei Zhi, a Fine Embroidery Saber worn over her dress.
Were Lu Yu and Xuu Heng.
The two were Vice Hall Masters of the Wind and Cloud Association, as well as the young masters and scions of the Fire Kiln and Chai Market businesses.
The former, Lu Yu, was in better shape, having only taken a palm strike to his shoulder blade.
But Lu Yu was already on the cusp of the Bone Tempering realm. Though his level of refinement was still inferior to that of Zhang Shiyao, the seventh seat of the Tiger and Leopard Hall, with his Bone Barrier open, his strength had surged, fortifying his muscles and bones.
Even after taking a direct hit, he had only sustained minor injuries.
As for the other...
Xuu Heng, who was only at the Bone Marrow Refining Realm... he was in a much worse state.
Under his sleeve, one of his arms was a mass of purple and blue bruises. The bone was even slightly deformed. It would take a good two or three months of careful treatment and recovery to set it right.
"The Lion Hall, the Tiger and Leopard Hall, the Eagle Falcon Gang..."
"Lion, Leopard, Eagle, and Falcon—the Three Great Dragons!"
"They’re targeting our fathers, the heads of the Three Major Professions."
Xuu Heng staggered along, gritting his teeth.
"In Anning County, you have all the martial arts halls. Their instructors—masters of Fist, Spear, Saber, and Sword—have always kept to themselves. They’re all ’Great Experts’ from the Prefecture City who came here to retire, opening halls to teach students. They carry a lot of prestige."
"Even the formation of the Wind and Cloud Association didn’t affect their prestige. People still go to pay their respects and learn from them. But the Three Great Gangs..."
"These thugs and Swordsmen who clawed their way out of the surrounding villages and mountain towns... they don’t give a damn about any of that!"
"We formed the Wind and Cloud Association, stealing their influence. With the backing of the Three Major Professions and a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster from the Prefecture City as our big name, with just that..."
"Given enough time, we would have eventually suppressed them so completely they wouldn’t be able to lift their heads. We’d be the sole power, and we’d tell them to crawl back to whatever hole they came from!"
"That’s why they’re deliberately starting trouble. We were just unlucky enough to be the ones they targeted!"
They had just stepped into a sprawling, four-courtyard mansion, over which hung a plaque bearing the two characters "Wind Cloud."
Xuu Heng let out a long sigh of relief. As the attendant Guests applied medicinal powder, he ground his teeth in frustration.
’Gods above!’
’He’d shown that bastard from the Tiger and Leopard Hall plenty of respect!’
’Too bad...’
’That bastard hadn’t held back at all. As the Young Master of the Chai Market, he’d spent his whole life getting whatever he wanted.’
’Even when the prestige of his father’s direct disciple overshadowed his own, he’d only grumble about it. Out in the county, he was still a top-tier young master.’
’How could he be expected to swallow this insult?’
Ji Xiu remained silent.
He had no interest in the convoluted politics between the Wind and Cloud Association and the Three Great Gangs. Or rather, it wasn’t his place to get involved.
He had only acted because he was already caught in the middle of it and was on good terms with Lu Yu and the Association.
If that punk from the Tiger and Leopard Hall had subdued the other three, he would have likely ’politely’ escorted Ji Xiu, the Medicine Hall Master, away as well.
Therefore, if he hadn’t seized the opportunity to break the stalemate, once their three opponents joined forces...
...his own Bone Marrow Refining wasn’t even complete. Even with his Profound Blood Flood Dragon Tendons and the beginnings of Golden Muscle and Jade Veins, two fists are no match for four. Not yet invulnerable to blades and spears, he would have been powerless to turn the tide.
But whenever Ji Xiu recalled how he had just traded blows with Bone Tempering Martial Artists—and had even firmly gained the upper hand—his eyes would invariably light up.
’The Bone Marrow Refining Realm has three steps.’
’Entering the Realm, Blood Nourishing, and Muscle Forging.’
’The Bone Tempering Realm also has three steps.’
’The Spinal Dragon, Force Penetrating the Marrow, and Invulnerability to Blades and Spears!’
’Of the three Bone Tempering Martial Artists from the Lion Hall, Tiger and Leopard Hall, and Eagle Falcon Gang, that seventh seat from the Tiger and Leopard Hall had already reached the level of the Spinal Dragon, with power flowing through his limbs.’
’The other two hadn’t completed the first step, but they were still further along than Lu Yu.’
’I was able to out-punch Qiuu Zhen of the Eagle Falcon Gang, and with a palm strike at full power, I pressed down on Purple Zhang Shiyao’s right shoulder, pinning him in place.’
’A large part of my success was because their Force hadn’t yet penetrated their marrow. They hadn’t extended the power of the Spinal Dragon to hammer their entire skeleton into a body of Iron Bone. That’s why I was able to suppress them.’
’If I had truly faced a tough opponent whose Force had penetrated their marrow, or one who had forged Iron Bones and achieved invulnerability...’
’...I’m afraid that no matter how I maneuvered or what tricks I used, I wouldn’t have been able to defeat them!’
For a moment, Ji Xiu felt a surge of relief, thinking himself lucky.
Fortunately, the young masters and lady of the Three Major Professions were all young and had not yet reached the Bone Tempering realm. This had likely caused the so-called Dragon Heads of the Three Great Gangs to underestimate them.
If they had sent true experts...
...the four of them probably would have been bundled up and carted off together.
’But I gained something from this, too.’
’Before the fight, I had hesitated. My realm was lower, my fighting skills were lacking, and aside from a single saber art at the Entering the Realm level, I had no other techniques to rely on. I wasn’t sure if I could take on those three.’
’But the moment I threw that punch, my legs felt rooted like a Profound Turtle’s stance, my core and spine felt like a roaring flood dragon, and an endless stream of power seemed to surge up through my Qi, Blood, and tendons... in that instant, I understood.’
’The Superior Pile Skill I’ve been quenching these past few days has already been carved into my very marrow.’
’The combination of static and dynamic postures, coupled with my Profound Blood Flood Dragon Tendons—even without knowing any formal Fighting Techniques...’
’...relying only on my Pile Skill and half a move of Beng Fist!’
’That is the best Fighting Technique!’
’When your foundation is solid enough...’
’...I can suppress those whose Pile Skill and conditioning are inferior to my own...’
’...until they can’t even raise their heads!’
Ji Xiu licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
After practicing his stances for so long, this was his first true, head-on battle.
The results, gains, and insights he obtained ensured that the next time he encountered such a situation, he would no longer be like a blank sheet of White Paper.
Those three were the perfect whetstones to sharpen his skills.
If the timing hadn’t been wrong...
...Ji Xiu felt the urge to immediately assume the Turtle and Snake Grand Foundation Stake posture, refine the ’mountain-delicacy blood-meal’ he had just ingested, and use it to further temper his tendons and solidify his Qi and Blood.
Practice his skills, practice his stances, soak in medicinal baths!
This was the foundation of his ability to turn the raging tide!
In the main hall.
Two Pharmacists were applying medicinal powder to Lu Yu’s and Xuu Heng’s wounds to keep the injuries in check.
Meanwhile, as time passed, word of what had happened at Feiyan Tower began to spread throughout the Wind and Cloud Association’s headquarters.
In an instant, the way the passing Wind and Cloud Assembly Members looked at the black-clad youth, who sat silently with his eyes slightly closed, began to change.
The disdain in their eyes vanished, without them even realizing it.
In its place grew a measure of respect.
"Those Bone Tempering Experts from the Lion Hall, the Tiger and Leopard Hall, and the Eagle Falcon Gang..."
"Every one of them is a hardened killer who has fought and bled their way through the wilds beyond the five-hundred-li Mountain Dao!"
"It was a trap, a Banquet of Hongmen, and not even the heirs of the three big Bosses could handle it..."
"Remember how he was so quiet that day? How he stole the show the moment the other Pharmacist arrived?"
"After what happened today, you look back at that, and you realize... how could you call that being timid and overly cautious?"
"Clearly, the man has a plan for everything. He hides his brilliance and doesn’t bother competing with others!"
"A truly old head on young shoulders. He’s more than worthy of the title ’Master Ji’!"
It was the same person, in the same Wind and Cloud Association.
But the whispers filling the air now were completely different from before.
Such is the nature of people, and such is the way of the world. One couldn’t blame others for being shortsighted.
But...
’You can’t blame others. But if you don’t want to be treated like that ever again...’
’...then—’
’...you either fight your way to the top...’
’...or you get swept away by the current!’
’And he, Ji Xiu...’
’...would raise a sword like a white rainbow to shock the waves, and stand alone to take the champion’s crown!’