Chapter 297 - 157: Escaping (Part 2)

Scholar Jingtan sneered.

"The Great Blood-Pricking Array? Xuanyuan One Slash has always been one for needless theatrics. All these years and he hasn’t improved one bit.

"This Array is clearly based on the Four Symbols and the Five Elements. It uses the Five Elements for misdirection and the Four Symbols for its killing blows... Where does the name ’Blood-Pricking’ even come from?

"It’s utter nonsense."

Chen Zixuan’s heart tightened upon hearing this, but his anger only intensified.

"Insult the Blood Saber Hall, and I’ll slaughter your entire clan!

"Kill!"

With that, the Array’s formation shifted abruptly. The killing power of the Four Symbols erupted from all sides, a forest of blades descending.

Gu Xizhi brandished his longsword, and a continuous series of CLANGS rang out. In an instant, their weapons had clashed at least a dozen times.

Gu Xizhi’s footwork shifted, and he returned to his original spot, clicking his tongue in admiration.

"You said Xuanyuan One Slash was full of nonsense, but this Array is actually quite interesting.

"Hm? Where did those men who just attacked run off to?"

"Since it uses the Five Elements for misdirection, it naturally conceals the blades. This is the essence of ’Hidden Blade’.

"It’s just waiting for us to reveal a flaw before it strikes."

Scholar Jingtan said lightly, "You brute. You may have the name of the Divine Sword, but if you don’t understand the principles at play, you’ll never be able to break this Array, even if your martial arts were ten times stronger!"

Gu Xizhi pouted at his words.

"You consider yourself to be vastly knowledgeable, so I imagine a paltry little Array like this can’t possibly trap you.

"Go on, go on, you break the Array. I’ll cheer for you from the sidelines!"

Scholar Jingtan had wanted to break the Array in the first place.

But hearing Gu Xizhi put it that way, he suddenly lost the desire to move.

He made it sound as if he had to obey his orders. Scholar Jingtan couldn’t help but shoot him a sidelong glance.

"I wouldn’t dare. Your martial arts are profound. With your Heavenly Dragon Swordsmanship, who in the world would dare challenge you? This insignificant little Array is surely no match for you!

"You go and perform your Divine Techniques. I’ll stand back and provide support."

"..."

Gu Xizhi was speechless for a moment. He glanced at the surrounding Blood Saber Hall disciples, seeing their figures shift and blur, their footwork following an extraordinary and unpredictable pattern.

If he wanted to break the Array, his only option was to use brute force.

’Although I’m confident I could break through this Array, the method would be anything but graceful. If Scholar Jingtan saw me and had a good laugh, it would be a fate worse than death.’

So he had no choice but to say:

"If you have the ability to break this Array, then hurry up and do it.

"If that kid over there finds out who we are and word gets back to Xuanyuan One Slash...

"...that we were trapped by this shabby Array of his, you may not feel embarrassed, but I’ll be mortified."

Scholar Jingtan fell silent for a moment. He felt there was some truth to those words.

Shaking his head, he finally took a step. With that single step, he moved into the very heart of the Five Elements Misdirection, then reached out and grabbed.

Layers of blades flashed past him from all sides, yet none of them could harm him in the slightest.

His grasp was simply too clever—a hair more or a hair less would have been too much or too little. It was aimed at a precise spot the ’Four Symbols Blade’ could not cover.

Chen Zixuan’s expression changed. He knew this was bad and immediately tried to call out and change the formation, but by now, how could it possibly be in time?

With a flick of his palm, Scholar Jingtan reached out and retracted his hand. The next moment, he was holding a person.

Before anyone could react, he lifted the person and threw them into the Array.

The next instant, a series of pained cries echoed out.

The spot Scholar Jingtan had chosen was the eye of the Array, the lynchpin that affected the entire structure.

Now, with an extra person thrown into the mix out of nowhere, the Array’s operation immediately failed. The group of men maintaining it tumbled to the ground like rolling gourds.

"Interesting, truly interesting!"

Gu Xizhi couldn’t help but clap his hands in admiration.

"I have to say, you are of some use after all."

"But still no match for your ignorance."

Having broken the Array, Scholar Jingtan’s expression remained cool and detached, showing no hint of triumph. He looked up at Chen Zixuan.

"You’re next!"

As the words fell, he pushed off his feet and shot straight toward Chen Zixuan.

Chen Zixuan’s eyes darkened as two figures leaped out from behind him.

Their two sabers, one from the left and one from the right, struck at the vital points on either side of Scholar Jingtan.

While still in mid-air, Scholar Jingtan reached out with both hands. The two sabers seemed to stick to the air three inches from his palms. With a flick of his hands, he said:

"Down!"

The young man and woman were instantly thrown to the ground.

The next moment, he shot a palm strike straight at Chen Zixuan.

Chen Zixuan exhaled, gripping his saber with one hand. In an instant, a world-shakingly sharp aura erupted from his blade!

"Hm?"

Scholar Jingtan’s brow furrowed slightly. He was rather surprised that someone of Chen Zixuan’s age could possess such saber techniques and martial skill.

No wonder he was so arrogant.

He didn’t dare meet the blow head-on. Pressing down with both palms, he executed a rapid descent, his body thudding to the ground right in front of the blade’s shimmering light.

He immediately took another step forward and pushed out a palm, and a low RUMBLE echoed through the air.

The essence of the ultimate technique, the Celestial Profound Wishing Palm, actually lies in the word "Wishing."

Its moves are fluid and ever-changing: sometimes as solid as a mountain, sometimes as ethereal as smoke; sometimes as sharp as a saber, sometimes as piercing as a sword.

This particular strike was like moving a mountain, its weight like the push of a giant’s hand.

As the palm strike came, Chen Zixuan instantly understood its power. His body spun, and the saber in his hand lashed out with three consecutive moves.

But Scholar Jingtan merely flicked his sleeve, and the blade was instantly caught within its folds.

"Let go."

With that, he flicked his sleeve again.

But Chen Zixuan didn’t dare let go, and as a result, he was lifted right off the ground by the sleeve.

When the blade finally came free of the sleeve, he was sent flying.

At first, he was flustered and panicked, but when he focused his eyes, he saw he was flying in the direction of Jiang Ran.

Even Scholar Jingtan hadn’t expected this. By the time he thought to stop it, it was already too late.