Tang Bai Li

Chapter 188 Win Over with Virtue

Zuo Mingqiu raised his right hand, holding the Dao Sword, and then slashed down.

With a single sword strike, sword energy surged forth, tearing through the pond water.

Xu Mu's gaze was solemn, his muscles tensed, and his body coiled like a bow, as if intending to meet the sword with his bare physique.

Zuo Mingqiu's brow furrowed slightly at this.

While his sword might not compare to Chen Changkong's, it was still a sword nonetheless. Xu Mu's intention to parry it with his fists seemed to show him little regard.

Even the toughest flesh was still flesh.

His Dao Sword, on the other hand, was forged from meteorite iron.

"If you seek death, then by all means."

Zuo Mingqiu mused inwardly, watching the sword energy descend.

*Dong!*

Xu Mu shot up from the water, the surrounding pond water receding a hundred meters, his aura ferociously potent.

Zuo Mingqiu's expression was focused, as if trying to discern precisely how the latter would meet his sword with his fist, only to have it severed.

However, to his surprise, Xu Mu did not meet it.

Despite his imposing aura, he leaped to the side.

Countless onlookers were stunned.

Even Zuo Mingqiu himself was astonished.

Xu Mu, who had ascended the pinnacle of the Sacred Ladder and slain Zhou Jie, now chose to dodge Zuo Mingqiu's sword?

*Splat! Splat! Splat!*

Xu Mu stepped on the water's surface three times, gliding a hundred meters before stabilizing his stance.

Zuo Mingqiu stared at Xu Mu, his brow furrowed, and asked,

"You could have taken this sword, why did you retreat?"

Hearing this, Xu Mu's lips twitched slightly. Of course, he had a way to block the sword, but the price would be too great. Wasn't it simply better to dodge?

"Since I can dodge, why should I take it?"

Zuo Mingqiu gripped his Dao Sword tightly and slashed out again, while simultaneously questioning, "Since you can take it, why did you dodge!"

*Rumble!*

*Rumble!*

*Rumble!*

Zuo Mingqiu roared, his innate energy erupting as he once again unleashed his Dao Sword. Several streaks of terrifying sword energy, like heavenly light piercing through the clouds, traversed the Jade Pond, weaving back and forth in all directions like a spiderweb.

Xu Mu, with no room to evade, was forced to meet it head-on. He channeled Dao Origin into his hands, stomped with the 'Zhen' character, and summoned a thundercloud above his head. Numerous bolts of lightning descended like a heavenly tribulation, bombarding the Jade Pond with abandon, causing the water to boil and the sword energy to shatter.

Zuo Mingqiu's expression remained unchanged. He brought his hands together, mirroring Xu Mu's stance, and Dao Origin surged through him. In an instant, he controlled the bolt of lightning aimed at him, causing it to curve sharply in mid-air and strike Xu Mu.

Xu Mu's face grew solemn. He summoned more lightning spells to counter, and thus the second Jade Pond was enveloped in lightning. The surging, boiling, corrosive water and poisonous substances emitted white smoke, seemingly on the verge of being purified by the Dao Origin leaking from their clash.

After an unknown amount of time, the dark clouds in the sky quietly dispersed. Xu Mu and Zuo Mingqiu simultaneously ceased their assault, as both had exhausted their Dao Origin.

The battle thus returned to its previous state.

Zuo Mingqiu gripped his Dao Sword, striking with one sword to vanquish evil, another to bring down heavenly fire, and yet another to traverse all directions. The entire Jade Pond was filled with the sword energy he unleashed, each distinct and immensely powerful, reducing countless bricks and stones to dust.

Xu Mu's footsteps did not falter as he weaved and dodged within the Jade Pond. However, he could not escape Zuo Mingqiu's terrifying sword net. Thus, he could only raise his sword sheath, huddle in a corner, brace himself against the pond wall with his right foot, and grit his teeth, enduring each sword strike. His head reeled, and blood seeped from his lips.

Seeing this, Zuo Mingqiu intensified his assault. He wielded his Dao Sword with his right hand and employed Daoist techniques with his left, setting up several puppet mechanisms around Xu Mu. These, like peas, spat countless poisonous thorns from their mouths, capable of penetrating innate energy shields, striking Xu Mu.

But alas, Xu Mu's flesh was as tough as a turtle's shell. The thorns struck it, instantly sparking and then bending downwards before falling.

The Dao Sword continued to swing, and Xu Mu continued to resist.

Zuo Mingqiu then formed another hand seal, spitting out a continuous stream of mist. Within the mist lay ice crystals, seemingly intended to freeze Xu Mu.

Xu Mu, seeing this, simply stood still, allowing the ice crystals to strike the sword sheath in his hand. An icy chill climbed up his body, but it was burned into white mist by the surging Saint Glazed Blood within him.

Seeing this move fail, Zuo Mingqiu's expression remained unchanged. With his left hand, he summoned a golden seal, which flipped into the air and instantly expanded to a hundred meters long and wide. A mountain-like weight suddenly pressed down, as if intending to crush Xu Mu into meat paste.

Xu Mu, seeing this, gripped his sword sheath with one hand, took a step forward with a roar, blocking all the sword light from all directions. With his other hand, he reached out and seized Zuo Mingqiu's throat. The terrifying Great Dao of Death descended like a colossal hammer, and Zuo Mingqiu immediately felt a sense of suffocation.

But for just a moment, Zuo Mingqiu bit his tongue, forcibly regaining his senses. He then saw Xu Mu's eyes, emanating an eerie crimson glow.

"An illusion?"

Zuo Mingqiu controlled his soul power and cleared the Great Dao of Death from his mind. He thrust forward a brilliant wave of light with one hand, striking Xu Mu, who was instantly sent crashing to the bottom of the pond, motionless.

"So weak?"

Zuo Mingqiu was surprised, and in the next second, he sensed danger. He brought his right arm across his body to block, and this block, however, stopped Xu Mu's full-powered punch.

*CRASH!*

Like a meteorite falling from beyond the heavens, Zuo Mingqiu's body was sent flying far by Xu Mu's punch, his right arm bones and chest bones all shattered.

Zuo Mingqiu, flying back a hundred meters, his face filled with horror.

He did not know when he had stopped wielding his Dao Sword, giving Xu Mu another opportunity for close combat. But hadn't he been struck to the bottom of the pond?

Looking at Xu Mu charging towards him, with his crimson-glowing eyes and powerful physique, Zuo Mingqiu tightened his grip on his mind, his expression hardening, and slashed out with another sword strike.

He knew that he must have fallen victim to an illusionary ability, that Xu Mu had invaded his sea of consciousness and affected his soul. Therefore, he must not make that mistake again.

But in the next second, Zuo Mingqiu discovered that Xu Mu still reached him, and then delivered another punch.

*CRASH!*

Zuo Mingqiu raised his right elbow to defend, colliding with Xu Mu's punch. But what followed was the sound of bones breaking with irresistible force.

He was sent flying again.

Xu Mu seized the opportunity and delivered a fierce kick to Zuo Mingqiu's abdomen, sending him plummeting into the Jade Pond.

*Swoosh!*

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Zuo Mingqiu's pupils contracted sharply.

Because in that instant, the Xu Mu before him transformed. The Xu Mu with crimson eyes, like a monster, disappeared.

In his place was a Xu Mu drenched in blood, his body crisscrossed with countless wounds from sword energy.

Zuo Mingqiu then suddenly understood. He had been under Xu Mu's illusion from the very beginning, trapped in a hallucination.

His sword had never stopped swinging, and Xu Mu had charged through the sword energy, sustaining no light injuries, only to land that punch.

But the punch was worth it.

Because he had knocked away the Dao Sword.

...

"You are no match for me, concede."

On the third battle stage, Xuanyuan Shennian looked at Ji Xuansu and said with utmost seriousness.

Ji Xuansu was currently trapped by her within a cage forged from starlight, constantly enduring the erosion of pond water and yin energy.

Yet, no matter how painful it was, Ji Xuansu's pale face remained expressionless. Only when he picked up his brush and turned the pages of ancient books would his expression become firmer.

Seeing Ji Xuansu pick up his brush again, Xuanyuan Shennian sensed immense danger. Her gaze sharpened, and she said coldly, "If you resist further, I cannot guarantee that your life will not be endangered."

Hearing this, Ji Xuansu stopped his hand, closed the book, and looked at Xuanyuan Shennian with a hint of relief, revealing his white teeth and smiling, "Same here."

*BOOM!*

With a thunderous roar, the entire earth of the Jade Pond cracked open. Scorching white vapor erupted from the ground, simultaneously shattering the cage forged from starlight by Xuanyuan Shennian.

"A gentleman must be broad-minded and resolute!"

Ji Xuansu spoke again, his voice resonant. The vast righteousness gathered together, coalescing into a thousand-zhang-tall phantom of a Supreme Sage Teacher, who looked down upon Xuanyuan Shennian below. As he spoke, terrifying pressure converged, crushing the illusory stars floating around Xuanyuan.

"Such terrifying vast righteousness! Is this Ji Xuansu's true strength!"

Xuanyuan Shennian's expression was one of shock. Her Taiyin Heavenly Star had been pushed to its limit, yet it still could not withstand the pressure of the vast righteousness. This could only mean that Ji Xuansu's realm in the Confucian path had surpassed her in cultivation, akin to the difference between the peak of the second stage and the third stage.

"This move was originally reserved for Zuo Mingqiu. That is why I did not use it even when I was exhausted during the battle with Li Guang, because I knew I could win. But now, I am not confident I can win against you."

Ji Xuansu said, and the thousand-zhang-tall phantom of the Supreme Sage Teacher, condensed from vast righteousness, stroked his beard and then spoke,

"Mencius said, 'To subdue men by virtue.'"

And thus, the vast righteousness of heaven and earth condensed into a character, 'De' (Virtue). However, this character 'De' was a hundred zhang wide and long, as heavy as mountains and seas, and it plummeted directly from the sky.

Xuanyuan Shennian, seeing this, let out a furious roar and dragged stars to meet it head-on.

The colossal character 'De' collided with the stars. Upon contact, the two extreme forces surged into each other's bodies. After a moment of entanglement, the stars suddenly exploded.

*CRASH!*

The character 'De' continued to press down. Xuanyuan Shennian's black hair danced in the wind. She lifted a fragment of a star, attempting to rebound the character 'De' back into the sky, but this was impossible.

*Thump!*

With a dull thud, Xuanyuan Shennian's body was also smashed into the bottom of the Jade Pond by the character 'De', submerged by the water.

Having achieved victory with one strike, Ji Xuansu made no further moves. He simply stood on the vast righteousness, his face filled with tranquility.

Tranquility implied confidence.

He believed he had won.

Outside, countless people gazed at the scene before them, stunned. They had not expected that the trump card of the most learned young man in the world would be so brutal and direct.

The Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Zhou Yuan, could not help but clap his hands at this moment and laugh heartily, "To subdue men by virtue, so that's how it's done."

"When I return, it seems I must also find the Prime Minister to properly study the Confucian path."

...