Chapter 2256: The Number One Below the Half-step Nether Realm (3)

Chapter 2256: Chapter 1203: The Number One Below the Half-step Nether Realm (3)

After four or five consecutive strikes, not only did Yang Xiao fail to gain the slightest advantage, he instead felt his arm go numb, his attack rhythm disrupted, and even the circulation of his spiritual power seemed to have problems.

Only after truly crossing blows did Yang Xiao realize why this guy was so arrogant—turns out he really had some skill.

This Master of Ruyi Sect looked bloated and clumsy, with short limbs, but in reality he was extremely nimble—a flexible fat man—and the Jade Ruyi in his hand swung with precise structure and form.

Yang Xiao’s flurry of Chaotic Cloak Saber Technique not only failed to force out a flaw from this Sect Leader, it instead messed up his own offensive rhythm.

Noticing something was wrong, Yang Xiao didn’t bull his way through, but feinted with one false strike and actively pulled back to disengage.

Seeing Yang Xiao retreat after failing with one blow, those people led by Sheng Jingxuan acted like they’d been injected with chicken blood, cheering and shouting one after another; they would never let such a chance to suppress the opponent’s momentum slip by.

And the Ruyi Sect Leader, Duan Jiqing, was even more smug, squinting his eyes and sneering: “Yang, if your Sword Skill were half as sharp as your mouth, how would you end up so pathetic? Your reputation really doesn’t live up to itself—what a pity.”

Using this kind of petty trick to anger people was whatever, but it was almost useless against Yang Xiao. Yang Xiao had already been humiliated and tormented by his good elder sister more times than he could count; he’d long since developed resistance, his heart like solid rock. A few mocking lines like this, he simply couldn’t care less.

Things had only just started; talking about victory or defeat now was far too early. Either way, he’d already decided this guy was dying today.

The Ring-Headed Saber in his hand was restless, and Yang Xiao had to use a fair bit of Dark Force to suppress it.

This guy really was off, that Jade Ruyi blocked his blade edge precisely every time, as if they’d rehearsed. Even more sinister, every time the Magic Artifacts clashed, his Ring-Headed Saber had a sense of wanting to lose control.

If Yang Xiao hadn’t forcibly suppressed it, it might have ruined everything.

Yang Xiao locked his gaze onto that Jade Ruyi in the opponent’s hand, knowing that eight or nine times out of ten this was the Magic Artifact’s ability—it could affect the opponent’s Magic Artifact and force it out of control.

In contrast, Duan Jiqing looked calm and easy in his attack and defense, but inwardly he couldn’t help secretly marveling; he hadn’t expected this Yang Xiao to be so hard to deal with.

A little brat at the Upper Ghost Level, his spiritual power was being completely crushed by Duan. Under normal circumstances, in at most three moves, that weapon of his should have lost control. Yet this guy had merely retreated, and still looked perfectly fine.

He had heard Sheng Jingxuan mention this kid before, but hadn’t taken it to heart. After all, no matter how freakish, he was just a Ghost-level Apostle. Could he really overturn the heavens?

Duan Jiqing had beaten his way through everyone below the Half-step Nether Realm without finding an equal.

That title wasn’t something he bragged into existence. Back when his foster father was celebrating a birthday, with drinking in full swing, he’d sparred with a Half-step Nether Realm elder from Bone Painting Tower to entertain his foster father.

The result was that in thirty minutes, the opponent still couldn’t defeat him; the two fought evenly, and though there was the premise of not going for killing blows, it was still enough to be astonishing.

His foster father, the old man, was very satisfied with his performance. Riding the tide of drink, he personally conferred on him the title of “Number One Below the Half-step Nether Realm,” letting him steal the limelight at the birthday banquet.

Yet now this “Number One Below the Half-step Nether Realm” felt something strange about the little Upper Ghost Level brat in front of him.

He kept feeling that this guy wasn’t quite right, but couldn’t pinpoint what exactly. In those exchanges just now, his heart had felt weird each time.

Obviously he could suppress the opponent, yet he kept feeling as if the opponent were suppressing him. Even those Half-step Nether Realm experts had never given him this kind of oppressive feeling.

If not for this weird sense, he would have chased after Yang Xiao the moment he retreated, but instinct drove him to stop.

Slowly tightening his grip around the Jade Ruyi, Duan Jiqing took a deep breath, stabilizing his mind:

“No matter how freakish, he’s just Upper Ghost Level, nothing to fear. Don’t let your mind fall into chaos.”

Duan Jiqing, having made it this far, obviously had some real skill. If he wanted to kill Yang Xiao it was actually quite simple; it was just that in such a public setting, many methods were inconvenient to use, especially… that thing.

That was the treasure at the bottom of his chest, the source of his confidence in being able to contend with Half-step Nether Realm powerhouses.

No longer hesitating, Duan Jiqing laughed loudly: “Yang, have you rested enough? What are you thinking?”

“Thinking about where to bury your old carcass in a bit.” Yang Xiao stopped holding back, drew his blade, and rushed forward again.

An utterly ordinary downward chop was once more blocked by that Jade Ruyi. Yang Xiao seized the gap between attacks and struck again, a Reverse Kasaya Sword Technique rising from below, directly targeting the opponent’s lower body.

But this Ruyi Sect Leader was by no means some average clown; his reaction was frighteningly fast. As he spread his legs, the Jade Ruyi followed down to block, firmly intercepting Yang Xiao’s blade edge.

Yet this time, as the two weapons collided, the face hidden beneath Duan Jiqing’s mask changed drastically in an instant.

The blade edge, which should have bounced back immediately, strangely remained steadied on his Jade Ruyi this time.

A terrifying storm of ability formed on the blade edge, and in the next second, it erupted, surging straight toward Duan Jiqing’s lower half. In Duan Jiqing’s terrified eyes was reflected Yang Xiao’s sinister grin.

That’s right—Yang Xiao had triggered the Power of Strangulation within the Ring-Headed Saber. If this hit landed, then even if Duan Jiqing didn’t die, the rest of his life would be ruined; there was no way he’d be keeping his manhood.

Yang Xiao wasn’t the petty type. The reason he used this move had absolutely nothing to do with Duan Jiqing publicly humiliating him earlier—it was purely on the way, since his blade was already there.