Chapter 15 — Divine Power
劍問蒼天 · Page 3 of 6
"Bang! Bang!" came the successive reports as the green sword qi struck the ice walls—but utterly unlike when Lin Jinghong's flying sword had struck the ice wall before, this time the Zhanlong Sword cut through like a bamboo knife through stalks. The ice shattered with each report, and in a moment all seven walls were smashed to fragments, shards of ice flying everywhere—yet the green sword qi had not diminished in the slightest. Its force only grew fiercer, roaring like an enraged dragon, claws bared, charging at Qi Hao.
Qi Hao's face was ashen. With nowhere to dodge, he could only pour out all his strength, his ten fingers moving in ceaseless incantation. The Cold Ice Sword emitted ten thousand rays of white light, congealing into a shield before him.
"Boom!"—a tremendous crash as the green sword qi struck the white light. Though it did not shatter it at once, it pressed the white radiance steadily backward. Qi Hao's eyes went wide; he summoned every ounce of strength in his body and at last barely held the seemingly unstoppable green sword qi a foot from his chest. Now he saw only the dazzling green glare before his eyes, heard the bitter wind howling, so close at hand it was as though he stood face to face with a snarling beast, and his hair stood on end.
Before he could steady himself, the surging tide of green pressure came bearing down upon him, layer upon layer. Qi Hao fought with all his might to keep the white light from scattering, but his feet could no longer hold, and he was driven straight backward by that immense force.
From the start of the fight until now, Tian Buhui had stood rooted to the spot, not moving in the least—yet the green sword qi from the Zhanlong Sword in his hand only grew stronger with distance. The two of them were driven by that force straight out the door of the Shoujing Hall, and still could not stop retreating. Once outside the hall upon the open ground, the green brilliance blazed all the more fiercely, and wherever it passed the ground was carved as though by a gigantic blade, cutting furrows a full foot deep—a sight to strike terror into the heart.
This astonishing green sword qi poured ceaselessly from the Shoujing Hall, forcing the two of them back a full three zhang more. By now the white light before Qi Hao had been compressed to less than half a foot from his body; his breathing came ragged, his face turning from red to green, and his feet, at some unknown moment, had sunk deep into the earth. A moment later Qi Hao at last gave a great cry, his strength failing; the white light scattered, and the Cold Ice Sword was struck skyward by the immense force, spinning out of control.
Qi Hao and Lin Jinghong were bloodless. The ferocious green sword qi rushed at them in the blink of an eye—truly a moment between life and death—when it suddenly halted, suspended in midair.
Qi Hao's palms were slick with sweat. He did not dare move a muscle.
After a short while, the green brilliance seemed to lose its control and slowly dispersed.
"Zheng!"
With a sharp ring, the Cold Ice Sword fell again, planting itself in the ground before the two of them. Qi Hao, his soul somewhat settled, hastily bowed toward the Shoujing Hall and said respectfully, "Thank you, Martial Uncle Tian, for your mercy."
Lin Jinghong, watching from the side, saw that this unremarkable-looking Tian Buhui possessed such divine power, and could not help lowering his head.
"Zhi"—the rending of air sounded again, and the two of them jumped in fright. Through a flash of green they saw something fly out from the Shoujing Hall, azure light flickering—the Zhanlong Sword itself, shooting through the air, landing true before the two of them and planting itself in the ground right beside the Cold Ice Sword, the two blades crossed, trembling without cease.
"You may go!" Tian Buhui's voice had returned to calm, carrying from far within the hall, its coldness plain for all to hear.