Chapter 5183 — Who Is Superior
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 3
Whether it was Wei Zhao or Ling Tianyou, both were targets he must eliminate. Unfortunately, because of orders from the higher-ups at the Center, he simply lacked the nerve to touch Wei Zhao, while Ling Tianyou was the very lifeblood of the Thousand Blades Sect — move against that one, and the entire sect would fight him to the death. With his current strength, that would be no different from setting himself on fire.
"Hmph. The Thousand Blades Sect was one of the four great sects and families in its day, and though it has since fallen into decline, it remains a righteous orthodox sect. Ling Tianyou is the sect master of the Thousand Blades Sect — how could he possibly resort to such despicable, underhanded means?" Xin Yi'an cast Xue Jianming a look of contempt. An honorable man would never do such a thing, but clearly Xue Jianming felt no pressure whatsoever about employing that sort.
Xue Jianming gave a scornful snort. In the past he would have minded his image, but after being crippled twice his nature had changed utterly — especially now that he had secretly thrown in his lot with the Center, willing to stop at nothing to achieve his ends. Poisoning needles and other such vile tricks were naturally nothing to him.
Just then, Bing Wushuang suddenly spoke up: "Even if the needles truly were poisoned, Ling Tianyou could not harm Wei Zhao in the slightest."
"What?" Everyone present was startled. Looking closer, they finally realized: though Ling Tianyou's nine hundred ninety-nine flying needles had Wei Zhao surrounded so tightly that not a single gap remained, and by all rights such an assault should have been impossible to guard against, Wei Zhao had not been pricked even once up to now. Ninety percent of the needle attacks he had evaded with his movement techniques, and as for the remaining ten percent, every time they drew near his body they were blocked by his protective true qi, unable to advance an inch, much less inflict any harm.
"Such powerful protective true qi!" The crowd clicked their tongues in amazement. At the level of great consummation of the Foundation Establishment stage, when one gave it one's all, the protective true qi was indeed formidable enough to block ordinary fist, palm, and blunt-weapon attacks. But Ling Tianyou's weapons were flying needles — practically the natural nemesis of protective true qi. Guarding against ordinary attacks took only one part true qi, but facing flying needles took ten.
And Wei Zhao was only a great consummation Foundation Establishment cultivator — not even a Golden Core expert. How could his protective true qi be so formidable?
"Hah, what use is strong protective true qi? Even if Wei Zhao can hold out for a while, sooner or later Ling Tianyou will wear him out. The way I see it, that salted fish Wei Zhao isn't going to turn things around. And to think he calls himself the martial uncle of the Cangwu Sect of the North Island — and now he's been beaten by a lower-ranked challenger, the very first one at that. He's disgraced himself beyond redemption." Xue Jianming seized the moment to jeer.
Xin Yi'an frowned at this but did not refute it aloud. At least judging by appearances, Wei Zhao's situation was indeed less than favorable. As long as he could not shake off the siege of nine hundred ninety-nine flying needles, he could only rely on his protective true qi to trade endurance with Ling Tianyou — and for every part Ling Tianyou expended, he would expend ten or even a hundred. The outcome of such a course was self-evident.
Bing Wushuang, by contrast, was entirely unimpressed — though he let none of it show on his face. He had crossed hands with Wei Zhao. Even he, a late Golden Core expert, had been unable to do anything about Wei Zhao's methods, let alone Ling Tianyou, who stood only at the peak of the late Foundation Establishment stage.