chsdbacks Chapter 51 Battle Against the Old Celestial Master
Chapter 51 Battle Against the Old Celestial Master
A keen sense detected a subtle yet incredibly powerful fluctuation of "Qi" emanating from ahead. It wasn't the fierce clash of battle, but rather a deep, vast, and tranquil aura, intertwined with another ethereal and ever-changing stream of Qi, seemingly... conversing? Confronting?
The fluctuations were coming from the back mountain of the Celestial Master's Mansion.
"The Old Celestial Master... with whom?" Nie Lingfeng's curiosity was piqued. He immediately concealed his aura, minimizing his presence, and silently moved towards the source of the fluctuations, as if blending into the night and the shadows of the mountains.
Deep in the mountains behind the village lies a dense and secluded bamboo forest. In a clearing within the forest stands a rustic octagonal pavilion. At this moment, two people are seated on either side of a stone table inside the pavilion.
It was none other than the old Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei and the King of Wudang.
Nie Lingfeng hid behind a clump of thick old bamboo, holding his breath and focusing his mind, even slowing his heartbeat to a barely perceptible level.
Inside the pavilion, Wang Ye stood up and solemnly bowed to the Celestial Master, his posture respectful yet not humble: "May the Celestial Master grant me boundless blessings. I am Wang Ye from Wudang. I apologize for disturbing you so late at night."
The old Celestial Master casually waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down, and said with a smile, "Sit, sit, sit. You little Wudang Taoist priest, don't bother with this formality with an old man like me. Tell me, what brings you here to see this old man so late at night?"
Wang Ye sat down again, his usual languid expression vanishing, replaced by an unusual seriousness and...helplessness. He carefully chose his words before slowly speaking: "Elder Master, I have come here...to presume to offer you some advice."
"Oh? You want to persuade me?" The old master stroked his long, snow-white beard with interest. "Tell me about it."
"It's about Zhang Chulan... and that 'Tongtian Talisman'." Wang Ye looked directly into the old Celestial Master's eyes, his tone sincere. "Old Celestial Master, some things are preordained. Forcing them... might only bring disaster. If you insist on letting Zhang Chulan inherit the Celestial Master's Degree, binding him and the Tongtian Talisman to Longhu Mountain, the causal entanglements and unpredictable fates behind this... are probably beyond what Longhu Mountain, or even the entire world of supernatural beings, can bear. I have glimpsed a sliver of heavenly secrets using the Feng Hou Qi Men method, but the path ahead is shrouded in mystery and fraught with danger. I hope the old Celestial Master... will reconsider."
A brief silence fell over the pavilion. Only the rustling of the bamboo leaves in the wind could be heard.
The old master's smile remained unchanged, but a certain indescribable emotion seemed to flicker deep within his clear eyes. He gently set down his teacup, the porcelain clinking softly against the stone table.
"Little Wang Ye," the old Celestial Master's voice remained gentle, yet carried an undeniable weight, "didn't your master, Yunlong, teach you... that it's best to mind your own business?"
Wang Ye's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. He remained silent for a few seconds, took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and bowed to the Old Celestial Master again. This time, however, his hands began to form a hand seal in front of his chest, and the ethereal and elusive Qi around him suddenly became profound and obscure.
"Since that's the case... I apologize for offending you. I only wish to make it clear to the Celestial Master that what I said was not unfounded."
"Feng Hou Qi Men: Chaotic Golden Clapper!"
As the four-word mantra was uttered, Wang Ye's Qimen formation instantly unfolded and expanded! An invisible and intangible force, yet seemingly capable of shaking the fundamental rules of heaven and earth, enveloped the pavilion and the surrounding area of several feet!
To Nie Lingfeng's horrified perception, the flow of time in that area... was forcibly distorted and slowed down! It wasn't completely still, but rather became extremely slow in a way that defied common sense. Bamboo leaves falling from the pavilion hung suspended in mid-air, the old master's tea-serving gesture froze in slow motion, and even the movement of the air seemed to become incredibly viscous!
This is a terrifying technique that directly interferes with time!
However, the old celestial master, who was at the center of this "slow-speed zone," merely tilted his head slightly and exclaimed "Eh!" as if in surprise.
Immediately, the vast, ocean-like golden energy surrounding him flowed naturally, without any earth-shattering eruption, but rather like sunlight melting ice and snow, or a spring breeze brushing across a lake—
"Click."
A very faint yet crystal-clear cracking sound, as if some invisible shackles had been broken.
Time flowed back to normal in an instant! The suspended bamboo leaves continued to fall, the frozen motion completed smoothly, and the viscous air began to flow lightly again!
"Pfft—!" Wang Ye was struck as if by a heavy blow. His body trembled violently, and his face turned ashen instantly. He couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood. He staggered back several steps, barely managing to stand up by holding onto a pillar of the pavilion. His breathing was disordered, and his eyes were filled with disbelief and shock.
"Feng Hou Qi Men... Luan Jin Tuo..." The old Celestial Master looked at Wang Ye with great interest, nodded, and his eyes were full of pure admiration. "Not bad, not bad. You actually managed to freeze this old Taoist for a moment... although only for a moment. Wudang... has a worthy successor."
Wang Ye laboriously raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, and said with a wry smile, "Old Master, you jest. In front of you, my humble skills are nothing more than a clumsy attempt to teach an expert."
"Alright, alright, I understand what you mean." The old master waved his hand, picked up his teacup again, and said in a calm but powerful tone, "But Xiao Wang, in this world, things are not something you can just say you shouldn't do and then not do them. Some responsibilities, some consequences, must be borne in the end."
As he spoke, he suddenly turned his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through layers of bamboo shadows, landing precisely on the direction where Nie Lingfeng was hiding, and his face once again revealed that smiling expression:
"Benefactor Nie, you've been watching the commotion for so long, aren't you coming out? Planning to spend the night in the bamboo forest?"
Nie Lingfeng's heart skipped a beat!
I've been discovered! When? How? I clearly concealed my presence to the extreme!
He sighed helplessly, knowing that there was no point in hiding any longer. He slowly walked out from behind the bamboo grove, came to the pavilion, bowed to the old master, and said with a wry smile, "Old master, your cultivation is profound. My meager skill in hiding is truly laughable."
When Wang Ye saw Nie Lingfeng, his eyes widened in shock, his pale face filled with astonishment: "You... Brother Nie? What are you doing here?"
"Sensing unusual fluctuations of Qi here, I came to investigate out of curiosity." Nie Lingfeng shrugged, looking at the Old Celestial Master with a hint of teasing in his tone, "How about it, Daoist Wang? Have you witnessed your unparalleled prowess?"
The old celestial master laughed heartily, his voice booming so loudly it made the bamboo leaves rustle: "You young people, each one more interesting than the last, each one more capable of causing trouble! So, Benefactor Nie, you've seen and heard everything, how about... stretching your muscles with this old man?"
Upon hearing this, Nie Lingfeng was slightly taken aback, then suddenly realized and chuckled, "Old Celestial Master... are you blaming me for peeping, or blaming me for 'injuring' True Man Lingyu and wanting to avenge him? You're really protecting your own quite a bit."
"Protecting your own?" The old Celestial Master's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes were as deep as an ancient well. "If I, Zhang Zhiwei, wanted to protect my own, I would have done so in front of the main hall back then. Why would I wait until now and come all the way to this bamboo forest in the back mountains? I just... saw that you are strong and healthy and have solid cultivation, and I was itching to have some fun with you."
Before he finished speaking, the simple gray Taoist robe worn by the old master began to flutter gently without any wind.
There was no earth-shattering burst of power, no dazzling golden light shooting into the sky. Only a faint, soft golden light, like the first rays of dawn at sunrise, naturally flowed from his body, covering him. This golden light was not as solid and armor-like as Zhang Lingyu's, but it was more restrained and vast, as if containing endless vitality and power.
Golden light silently gathered behind him, not transforming into a giant hand or weapon, but outlining a huge golden phantom sitting cross-legged with a solemn and dignified appearance—the prototype of the "Dharma Image" inherited from the Celestial Master's Mansion! The phantom slowly raised a huge golden hand, without the slightest hint of fire, and gently pressed it down towards Nie Lingfeng's location.
Before the palm strikes, the momentum arrives!
Nie Lingfeng felt the air around him instantly become as heavy as lead. An invisible yet undeniably real and terrifying pressure descended from the sky, as if the entire sky had collapsed, about to crush him into the ground! The bluestone slabs under his feet creaked under the weight, cracks spreading like a spider web!
His pupils contracted sharply, and he dared not hold back in the slightest! He pushed the Wind God Leg technique, which was as swift as the wind and shadow, to its limit, and his true qi surged wildly within his body. His figure transformed into a pale blue wisp of smoke that almost blended into the night. At the critical moment, he broke free from the shroud of that invisible "force" and rushed backward!
"BOOM—!!!"
Right where his figure disappeared, the golden giant hand phantom gently pressed down.
No sound.
No, there was a sound. It was a deep, guttural roar emanating from the depths of the earth! The bluestone slabs crumbled into dust, revealing a complete handprint, several feet deep and with smooth, mirror-like edges, standing out on the ground! Within the area of the handprint, all bamboo roots and stones vanished, leaving only the finest dust!
Nie Lingfeng revealed himself ten zhang away. When he landed, his legs went slightly weak, and his back was instantly soaked with cold sweat! Just now, he truly felt the chilling touch of death brushing past him! If that palm had landed, let alone the Xuanwu True Scripture, even if he used all his strength to activate the Ten Directions Invincible Defense, he would probably have broken bones and tendons, and be seriously injured to the point of death!
"Old Celestial Master..." Nie Lingfeng steadied his breathing, looking with a wry smile at the old man who was still sitting upright in the pavilion, seemingly just casually brushing the dust off the table, "Your 'exercise'... is going to kill this junior."
"Enough nonsense." The old celestial master smiled, the golden phantom not dissipating but becoming even more solid, his enormous palm slowly rising again, "Use your full strength. Let this old Daoist see just how much real skill you've been hiding."
Nie Lingfeng took a deep breath and slowly straightened his spine. The helplessness and bitter smile in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by an unprecedented focus, seriousness, and... a burning fighting spirit ignited by a top-tier expert!
The opportunity to spar with the world's best is a once-in-a-lifetime chance! Even a mere exchange of "guidance" would be immensely beneficial to him!
Without further hesitation, he raised his right hand, palm facing outward, and slowly pushed out a palm towards the pavilion where the old Celestial Master was.
The Seventh Form of the Cloud-Dispelling Palm: Tear the Sky and Dispel the Clouds!
This palm strike was unleashed without any reservation! The palm force surged like a raging sea, and the condensed white energy tore through the air, emitting a sharp and ear-piercing explosion. It transformed into a thick column of energy that was visible to the naked eye, and it slammed into the pavilion with overwhelming force!
Wherever the air column passed, deep furrows were plowed into the stone slabs on the ground, and the bamboo and trees on both sides were bent and broken by the violent air waves!
Faced with a palm strike powerful enough to shatter monuments and destroy houses, the old Celestial Master didn't even blink. He didn't even bother to defend himself; only the seemingly faint golden light around him swirled slightly.
"Thump—!"
Like a giant hammer smashing into a bell forged from millennia-old black iron! The extremely dull and deafening roar made people's eardrums ache! The white column of air slammed into the golden light in front of the old celestial master, exploding into countless chaotic air currents that raged and blew in all directions, causing the bamboo forest around the pavilion to bend this way and that bamboo leaves to dance wildly in the air!
However, that seemingly faint golden light didn't even cause a ripple! It remained as steady as a rock, completely unmoved!
The old celestial master felt the fierce force contained in that palm strike, shook his head slightly, and said with a hint of teasing, "Little Nie, it's a bit impolite of you to be holding back from me. With that kind of strength, you wouldn't even be able to tickle me."
Nie Lingfeng felt a chill run down his spine, but at the same time, his fighting spirit ignited even stronger. Sure enough, against a master, his usual unparalleled palm strikes were utterly inadequate!
He stopped testing them. With a thought, the Qiankun bag shimmered with light, and the Snow Drinking Blade, crystal clear like ice jade and exuding a chilling aura, was already in his hand!
The instant the sword is drawn—
"Snap, snap..."
Centered on Nie Lingfeng, the temperature within a ten-zhang radius plummeted! Moisture in the air instantly condensed, turning into fine ice crystals and frost that drifted down. A thin layer of white frost covered the bluestone pavement, and icicles visibly condensed and grew on the surrounding bamboo branches! Even the old Celestial Master's protective golden aura seemed to be veiled by a very faint layer of icy mist, its light flowing with a slight stagnation!
"What a fine blade!" The old master's eyes suddenly lit up as his gaze fell upon the Snow Drinking Blade, as if he had seen some rare treasure. "It possesses an inner chill, a hidden sharpness, and a spiritual essence... What an unparalleled treasure!"
"Senior, please forgive me!"
Nie Lingfeng gripped the hilt of his sword tightly with both hands, his eyes instantly turning cold and sharp, like a blade being drawn from its sheath! His aura perfectly blended with the chilling intent of the Snow Drinking Blade; man was the blade, and the blade was man!
The Third Secret of the Six Secrets of Frost: A Glimpse of Startling Cold!
There were no fancy opening moves, no charging up of power. Nie Lingfeng simply swung his sword towards the pavilion.
A flash of light appeared!
It wasn't a beam of light, but a sliver of silver light that suddenly tore through the night amidst the falling ice crystals and frost! Extremely fast! Faster than the eye could perceive, so fast it seemed as if the thought had barely formed before the blade arrived! Moonlight, bamboo shadows, even space itself seemed to be momentarily "severed" before this single strike!
The old master's relaxed expression finally faded somewhat. He clearly felt an extreme chill, piercing to the bone, accompanying the almost invisible blade of light, instantly piercing through the distance of space and heading straight for his face! The chill was so biting that even the skin beneath his protective golden light felt a needle-like coldness!
He no longer acted arrogantly; he pointed forward with his right hand, fingers together like a sword.