Chapter 155
Chapter 155: Rival
Blade Intent surged, terrifying and twisting the very space itself.
Everything around Shen Jue Sheng, visible and invisible, began twisting into nothingness.
Suddenly, from the unseen heavens, it seemed as if a blade descended, unstoppable and mighty, cleaving downward across all of Deer Slaying Manor.
Above Ruan Zhen Hui’s chambers, tiles, beams, and pillars turned instantly to powder, drifting softly through the air.
The entire courtyard trembled, seemingly moments away from becoming mere ash under that overwhelming blade.
In that instant, whether it was Ruan Zhen Hui, Shen An Ran, Hu Rui An, or Shen Lian Cheng, a deep, unstoppable fear took hold of their hearts, causing their bodies to shiver uncontrollably.
Even Shen Lian Cheng had never before seen his father unleash such terrifying power. Until now, although his father’s martial prowess had always been hard to surpass, he had believed he could follow closely behind.
But at this moment, witnessing his father’s true strength, Shen Lian Cheng felt overwhelmed by awe and despair, as if facing an unreachable mountain peak.
Yet, as everyone stood terrified by Shen Jue Sheng’s strike, the next moment brought sudden calm.
The unseen Heavenly Blade hovering above Deer Slaying Manor vanished. The destruction halted abruptly, and the dreadful Blade Intent vanished without a trace.
Then, astonished, everyone’s eyes widened in shock.
Martial Eminence Shen Jue Sheng, robed in white, with hair white as cranes and a youthful face, was inexplicably bent backward like a bowstring. With astonishing speed, he flew backward, crashing through the room’s brick wall, leaving behind a human-shaped hole before vanishing from everyone’s sight as nothing more than a blurry shadow.
In the now roofless room, Shen An Ran and the others froze, unable to comprehend what they’d just seen.
Only when Li Mu Sheng shaded his eyes and watched Shen Jue Sheng vanish entirely into the moonlit darkness did he gently pat the stupefied Hu Rui An’s shoulder beside him.
Hu Rui An jolted awake, the first to recover from his shock.
Slowly, he turned his head toward the young man standing before him, suddenly feeling this familiar face had become strangely unknown.
“Your Highness… did you… do this?”
Hu Rui An’s mind was clouded with disbelief, momentarily forgetting caution as he spoke Li Mu Sheng’s true identity aloud.
Li Mu Sheng glanced lightly at Hu Rui An, shrugging casually. “Lord Hu, isn’t it obvious enough?”
He waved his hand dismissively and added, “That’s enough for tonight. Get some rest. We have a long journey ahead in the morning.”
Li Mu Sheng’s gaze swept across the others briefly, lingering slightly longer on Shen An Ran. He thoughtfully rubbed his chin, recalling how she’d previously tried charming him. [Perhaps she really was bewitched by my handsome face.]
Yet, there was nothing he could do—he was, after all, gifted with extraordinary good looks.
[Ah, I’ve grown used to it!]
Li Mu Sheng shook his head lightly, beckoned to Hu Rui An, then turned around, leaving gracefully, without stirring even a speck of dust.
Hu Rui An followed mechanically, too stunned even to spare a glance toward Ruan Zhen Hui, still trapped in disbelief. Could the Eighth Prince truly have sent the formidable Shen Jue Sheng flying with just a single punch?
Meanwhile, Shen Lian Cheng finally recovered his wits. Horrified, he cried out, “Father!”
Immediately, he vanished in pursuit of Shen Jue Sheng’s disappearing figure.
Slowly, Shen An Ran and Ruan Zhen Hui returned to their senses. They stood rigidly, watching Li Mu Sheng and Hu Rui An leave, their eyes filled with disbelief and complicated emotions.
Yet, without lingering long, they took a deep breath and hurried after Shen Lian Cheng to find Shen Jue Sheng.
Now, Deer Slaying Manor lay utterly silent, eerily quiet.
Throughout the manor, martial artists who had gathered for the tournament were all deeply shaken.
Everyone remained hushed in their chambers, too terrified to move.
The power Shen Jue Sheng had shown earlier had been utterly horrifying—the overwhelming Blade Intent and that towering Heavenly Blade had terrified them, even though it hadn’t been directed at them directly. Just the faint traces of its power left them shuddering in fear.
Within another courtyard, at a candlelit table, the hulking Elder Bei Shi stared solemnly out the slightly opened window into the darkness.
Before him sat a young man dressed in a Cloud Peak Dark Robe, his face still marked by lingering fear.
“Elder Bei, just now… was that Shen Jue Sheng from Deer Slaying Manor? How can he be so terrifying?” the young man asked anxiously.
Bei Shi slowly drew his gaze back and nodded. “Indeed, it must be him. Shen Jue Sheng made his name many years ago, his martial dao profound beyond our understanding. But why would he suddenly make such a move tonight?”
Both fell silent, lost in doubt.
After a while, seeing no further disturbances, Elder Bei Shi spoke thoughtfully to the young man. “Young Peak Master, I had thought that Shen Jue Sheng, despite his legendary status, would have weakened with age. But tonight, it’s clear I underestimated him. His martial dao may even have grown stronger.”
The elder sighed heavily, prompting the young man to cautiously ask, “Elder Bei, you’re also a Heavenly Union Expert—can the gap among Heavenly Union Experts truly be so immense?”
Bei Shi nodded softly. “Young Peak Master, you haven’t reached this level yet, so you don’t understand. Even minor differences within Heavenly Union levels are far greater than between an Innate Great Martial Grandmaster and ordinary martial artists. The gap is like heaven and earth.”
Then Bei Shi’s expression turned earnest. “During the upcoming martial tournament, you must give your all to win Deer Slaying Manor’s Third Young Lady. Gaining Shen Jue Sheng’s support would greatly elevate your position among the Fallen God Peak’s various factions, significantly benefiting your prospects as Peak Lord.”
The young man’s eyes brightened, sharp with ambition, and he confidently nodded. “Don’t worry, Elder Bei. Among all those competing at Deer Slaying Manor, there’s no one worthy of my concern. I shall surely claim victory.”
Bei Shi gently nodded, considering for a moment, then said, “After tomorrow’s affair at Deer Slaying Manor is finished, we must set out immediately back to the Peak. Recently, whispers have spread—the Great Li Court seems restless, plotting something against our Fallen God Peak.”
“The Peak has issued an order, recalling all disciples immediately. We cannot delay.”
Hearing this, the young man gave a disdainful snort. “Does the Great Li Court truly dare covet our Fallen God Peak? It seems they’ve lived in comfort too long and forgotten the dominance and might of the Four Great Martial World sects.”
“If they dare to make a move, we’ll ensure their journey has no return.” He chuckled lightly. “At that point, Great Li will likely be close to ruin, and perhaps our Fallen God Peak can even gain something from it.”
Bei Shi narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing.
That the Great Li Court wished to challenge Fallen God Peak was undoubtedly foolish dreaming. Such was the confidence every disciple carried deep within their hearts—a confidence built upon the Peak’s long-standing supremacy over the Martial World.
At that same moment, a short distance away from where the Fallen God Peak party rested, two figures—one old, one young—stood silently amidst the shadowed trees beneath the dark night sky.
“Grandfather, are we still going to make our move tonight?”
The Pink-Clad Girl asked softly, her expression tense.
The Hemp-Robed Elder was silent for a long while, his aged face shifting uncertainly before he sighed softly. “Forget it. Who could have anticipated Shen Jue Sheng’s interference? I’m no match for him. For caution’s sake, we’ll allow them to live a little longer.”
Having spoken, the Hemp-Robed Elder glanced once more towards the courtyard where Bei Shi and the others stayed, then decisively turned away, leading the Pink-Clad Girl.
“Grandfather, I don’t understand why Old Manor Lord Shen suddenly intervened tonight.”
The Pink-Clad Girl’s voice held lingering anxiety. The Hemp-Robed Elder, still walking, pondered aloud, “For Shen Jue Sheng to act, he must have encountered a truly formidable opponent. Otherwise, he would never unleash such terrifying Blade Intent without reason.”
Saying this, confusion once again appeared on the Elder’s aged features. “What puzzles me most is how swiftly his attack came and vanished. Everything earlier happened far too quickly.”
From the moment the Heavenly Blade manifested above Deer Slaying Manor, the Elder had felt overwhelmingly pressured by Shen Jue Sheng’s fearsome Martial Dao Qi current, unable to move even slightly. Yet, in a blink, all returned to tranquility as though nothing had ever occurred.
“Perhaps masters are simply like this,” the Pink-Clad Girl said thoughtfully, blinking her bright eyes. “One move decides victory.”
The Hemp-Robed Elder gave her a thoughtful glance, then nodded gently, “Your words hold truth.”
She continued curiously, “Yet I wonder, between Old Manor Lord Shen and his opponent, who truly won tonight?”
After a short contemplation, the Elder replied slowly, “Judging by the powerful Martial Dao Qi current I sensed from Shen Jue Sheng earlier, his opponent was likely overwhelmed. I believe Shen emerged victorious.”
The Pink-Clad Girl nodded gently, eyes glistening with thought. “Even though that opponent was defeated, anyone who could compel Old Manor Lord Shen to fight seriously must still be very powerful.”
…
Meanwhile, in a courtyard deep within Deer Slaying Manor—
Xu Qing Cang, a pale-faced middle-aged scholar wearing an indigo silk robe, stood by the window. Although tall and thin, he now stood hunched, emanating an intense aura. Behind him was a handsome young man dressed in luxurious brocade clothes.
“Old Manor Lord Shen indeed remains strong despite his age. Truly worthy of his reputation as the Deer Slashing Heavenly Blade who once subdued the Martial World.”
Xu Qing Cang spoke slowly, and as he did, color returned suddenly to his pale face, shifting rapidly through countless different features, before finally settling into an ordinary-looking old man’s visage.
Throughout this strange display, the young man behind him remained completely silent, staring blankly at the middle-aged scholar. Yet deep within his eyes, terror and despair surged silently.
Then, the now elderly-faced “Xu Qing Cang” turned slowly, smiling calmly at another middle-aged scholar seated at the table, bare-chested and trembling.
Clearly, the one seated was the real Xu Qing Cang. His limbs shook faintly, struggling to move, but invisible threads of Qi held him firmly, turning him helplessly into a puppet under another’s control.
“You…are Elder Formless…”
Xu Qing Cang spoke with great difficulty, his voice weak and broken, his gaze locked on the Elder by the window.
“To recognize old man’s identity, it seems you do have some vision after all,” Elder Formless nodded leisurely, his expression indifferent as he observed the struggling man.
“We…have no quarrel or grudge with Senior…”
Xu Qing Cang strained to resist the invisible Qi threads controlling his body, speaking shakily with suspicion and fear.
Yet Elder Formless seemed utterly unconcerned about his struggle, calmly replying, “You misunderstand. Earlier today, when your carriage passed by the road, old man merely wished to share a short ride. Yet instead, your vehicle splashed old man with mud.”
Xu Qing Cang’s face changed upon hearing this, yet he truly had no recollection of such an incident. Even if it had occurred, he naturally wouldn’t remember such a trivial matter. After all, given their status, not just any old man seeking a ride would be permitted to board.
“At the time…we didn’t know…it was Senior Formless…please forgive our mistake…let us compensate you…”
Xu Qing Cang offered no excuses, merely struggling to express genuine sincerity and apology.
Elder Formless waved dismissively, “There’s no need for compensation. Old man has important matters to handle, and your identities happen to serve my purposes well.”
Having spoken, Elder Formless moved leisurely from the window, sitting down at the table. Without control, the young man in luxurious brocade clothes followed, pouring tea and offering service obediently, as though he were merely a humble servant.
Xu Qing Cang’s eyes flickered restlessly. Looking at Elder Formless, he spoke again with difficulty, “If Senior…has business…perhaps we…could handle it…on your behalf…”
Elder Formless sipped his tea lightly, glancing at Xu Qing Cang without speaking.
Xu Qing Cang, seizing the moment of silence, forced out his broken words, “We…are men of…the Sheng Province General…with influence here…we could be of assistance to Senior…”