Chapter Ten of the Wind and Moon Continent: The Peerless Battle

Walking along the quiet, deserted street, Ye Tianlong felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of melancholy. He glanced at Wang Shi beside him; his jade-colored robe fluttered in the night breeze, giving him an otherworldly air.

"How do you feel?" Wang Shi broke the silence and asked.

Ye Tianlong was taken aback, unable to guess the meaning behind Wang Shi's words, so he could only honestly reply, "I didn't feel anything!"

"Idiot!" Wang Shi glared at Ye Tianlong and said, "Don't you have any feelings about this match? Especially before the battle, if you can't feel the atmosphere and adjust your state, how can you have a chance of winning?"

"Uh, well..." Ye Tianlong scratched his head and cautiously replied, "This seems to be your business, it has nothing to do with me. I'm just a spectator!"

"Hmm, that's true." Wang Shi thought for a moment and then said, "Do you know why I brought you here?"

"Let me see your prowess, Master!" Ye Tianlong replied without hesitation, "Let me see how you display your divine power and defeat that old man."

"Get lost!" Wang Shi laughed and scolded, "Would I be as eager to show off as you?"

"Yes, yes," Ye Tianlong nodded hastily, flattering him, "You are a reclusive master, a god-like figure."

Wang Shi accepted Ye Tianlong's flattery with a smile, contentedly walking forward with his hands behind his back, his steps as fluid as flowing water, leaving no trace of dust.

"Hmph, no wonder he loves to show off! Otherwise, why choose the top of Zhen'an Tower of all places, forcing me to go through the trouble of clearing the area?" Ye Tianlong muttered to himself behind him, then hurriedly caught up with Wang Shi.

Ye Tianlong had put a lot of thought into this duel. He had ordered the streets around Zhen'an Tower to be cordoned off, preventing anyone from entering, and at the same time, he found an excuse to relocate the soldiers originally guarding the tower. His sole purpose was to ensure that the duel could be conducted secretly without disturbing the citizens.

Ye Tianlong originally wanted Wang Shi to travel with him by carriage, but Wang Shi insisted on walking. Left with no other choice, Ye Tianlong had to accompany him.

Along the way, Ye Tianlong learned the reason for the duel from Wang Shi. Fengyue Zhenjun, a martial arts fanatic, was already a formidable opponent even at a young age. After learning of Wang Shi's reputation, he was determined to spar with him. By chance, he encountered Wang Shi and was defeated, which was the reason he later betrayed the temple—he wanted to acquire higher martial arts techniques to defeat Wang Shi.

However, when Fengyue Zhenjun mastered the martial arts of both temples and challenged Wang Shi, he was again defeated. From then on, Fengyue Zhenjun tried every means to improve his cultivation. Wang Shi's existence motivated him, and conversely, Wang Shi also made greater progress in his martial arts cultivation due to Fengyue Zhenjun's challenge.

After decades of competition, Wang Shi began to feel weary of the excitement; he wanted to pursue the supreme Dao. Because he cultivated the Way of the King, while Fengyue Zhenjun walked the path of the Tyrant, this was the biggest difference between them and the fundamental reason for Fengyue Zhenjun's defeat.

As they approached the stone archway in front of Zhen'an Pagoda, Master Wang slowed his pace, glancing at Ye Tianlong behind him. Seeing Ye Tianlong's still-breathing appearance, he nodded and then shook his head.

"Not bad, you handled this matter very well, and your skills have greatly improved."

Master Wang's praise excited Ye Tianlong, but his joy was short-lived, quickly fading as he was stumped by Master Wang's next question.

"Do you know why I came over here?"

Ye Tianlong calmed his churning inner energy, pondered for a moment, then shook his head respectfully, saying, "Please instruct me, Master."

Master Wang turned and looked up at the Jade Hook in the sky, speaking slowly in a profound tone: "In combat, the most important thing is momentum. But there is another crucial element: understanding the entire situation before engaging."

Ye Tianlong nodded in understanding; he had already heard Master Wang mention the first part before. However, the latter part seemed to refer to the concept of "favorable timing and terrain" in military strategy. He wondered what Master Wang's intention was in bringing it up now.

"I've been traveling this way to experience tonight's environment, adjusting my inner energy and cultivating my aura. Only by merging myself with the environment can I unleash my full potential."

"Each person is a microcosm, and cultivating martial arts is about developing one's own microcosm and absorbing external energy. If one can merge one's own microcosm with the external world, becoming one with it, then one can fully and freely utilize the vast energy between heaven and earth—that is the highest realm."

Ye Tianlong memorized each of Wang Shi's words. He seemed to grasp the essence, yet also seemed to have missed the point entirely. Regardless, Wang Shi's words had greatly benefited him, giving him a sense of clarity and enlightenment.

For the rest of the journey, Wang Shi remained silent, allowing Ye Tianlong to slowly accept and experience what he had taught. In fact, these words were a principle that Master Wang had only realized in recent years, and also the basic principle of the "Limitless Kingly Way" move he taught Yu Fengwu. However, he described it to Ye Tianlong in very simple terms, hoping that Ye Tianlong could grasp some of the profound truths of martial arts on his own. Otherwise, if he were to explain the entire inner workings to this simpleton, he would probably faint on the spot.

A road paved with solid bluestone led directly to the pagoda gate, flanked by towering ancient locust trees. The stone gate itself was ten zhang high, a three-story archway, adorned with carved dragons and phoenixes, exuding grandeur. Behind the gate, ancient trees reached for the sky, and flowerbeds filled with exotic flowers and herbs emitted a constant fragrance.

Further on was the large square in front of the Zhen'an Pagoda, where a huge fountain continuously spouted seven-colored water columns over twelve zhang high, forming beautiful patterns in the night sky—the work of the ancients was indeed extraordinary.

Directly behind the fountain stood the towering octagonal, ten-tiered Zhen'an Pagoda, reaching into the clouds. The copper bells beneath the eaves jingled melodiously in the breeze.

As soon as Ye Tianlong stepped onto the steps of the Zhen'an Pagoda, the pagoda doors slid silently open to the left and right, and lights illuminated the interior.

Seeing Ye Tianlong's wary expression, Master Wang was taken aback and asked, "Don't tell me you've never been to the Zhen'an Pagoda before, nor heard of its interior?"

Ye Tianlong nodded, looking around warily, but Master Wang stopped him with a smile.

"This is the masterpiece of the renowned master craftsman of yesteryear. Everything here was designed by him—the seven-colored fountain outside, and all the wonders inside the pagoda are enough to inspire awe in later generations. The doors will open automatically once you step onto the steps."

Ye Tianlong breathed a sigh of relief and followed Master Wang into the Zhen'an Pagoda. To his surprise, Master Wang didn't head towards the stairs but instead turned and went to a stone chamber on the other side.

After summoning Ye Tianlong, Wang Shi moved something on the wall. Ye Tianlong immediately felt a jolt beneath his feet and was surprised to find the ground rising. Upon closer inspection, he realized the entire stone chamber was slowly ascending.

Seeing Ye Tianlong's astonished look, Wang Shi smiled and said, "This tower has many wondrous features, which is why the Fast royal family has always stationed troops there to prevent unauthorized personnel from entering. They fear that overuse would render the entire mechanism ineffective." Ye Tianlong

initially wanted to ask, "How do you know so much?" But then he thought that it was perfectly normal for someone of Wang Shi's status to know the secrets of various countries.

After reaching the top floor, the two climbed out of the window and onto the top of the Zhen'an Tower. Standing so high up and looking down at Esnia, they saw a capital city completely different from what they remembered. The lights twinkled like stars in the sky, an unbelievable beauty.

Facing the strong wind, Wang Shi laughed and said, "What comes to mind, Tianlong, with such a view?"

Ye Tianlong secretly channeled his inner energy to speak freely against the strong wind. After exhaling, he said with great pride, "All things on earth are beneath my feet; I can control the world with a single hand."

Wang Shi couldn't help but smile wryly and said, "Tianlong indeed has the aura of a king. For me, all I can think about is riding the wind, ascending to immortality, and existing alongside heaven and earth."

"Nonsense! How can an old man like you, nearing the end of his life, compare to a young man in his prime!"

A voice powerful enough to shake the soul rang in their ears, making their eardrums buzz.

Wang Shi smiled slightly, turned to face right, and said easily, "Old friend, you've finally arrived!"

Ye Tianlong quickly looked in Wang Shi's direction and saw an old man with long, snow-white eyebrows and a ruddy complexion, walking through the air, his robes and sleeves fluttering, like a deity.

"Huh, is that the old man...?"

Upon closer inspection, Ye Tianlong couldn't help but feel puzzled. The old man before him had a kind and benevolent face, and was amiable. He wore a gray robe, a patchwork belt around his waist, and clean cloth shoes. He was quite tall, and a very conspicuous ornament hung on his chest—a crystal skull. Although much smaller than a real skull, it was lifelike and exquisitely crafted, emitting a faint green light.

This was completely different from the mysterious old man he had encountered before. Ye Tianlong remembered clearly that the old man who taught him divine martial arts was very old. An old face was covered in wrinkles, with silver hair and beard, and an unusual appearance. He was tall and thin, his hands withered and bony, seemingly made of rubber bands. His half-closed, lifeless eyes and parched lips were a stark contrast to the man before him.

Wang Shi noticed Ye Tianlong's confusion and said softly, "I don't know what this guy looked like before, but this is his true face!" Ye Tianlong nodded.

The gale at the top of the tower intensified, making it almost impossible to stand. Ye Tianlong was secretly alarmed; in such an environment, let alone fighting, simply standing still and speaking freely was extremely difficult.

Fengyue Zhenjun slowly floated to Wang Shi's side and said coldly, "What bad things are you saying about me now?" Then he turned to Ye Tianlong and said, "Young man, it's been years, you've done very well!" His voice wasn't loud, but every word was resounding, clearly audible even in the howling wind. Upon hearing this, Ye Tianlong immediately confirmed that Fengyue Zhenjun was indeed the old man who had taught him the extraordinary skill, because only that old man could speak in such a tone.

Wang Shi said casually, "Old friend, how have you been? Since our last meeting, your skill has deepened considerably!"

"Don't worry, I won't die," Fengyue Zhenjun said coldly. "Why did you bring this kid up here?"

"Someone wasn't serious about teaching their disciple, so I had to bring him to see real martial arts," Wang Shi smiled.

"He's not my disciple," Fengyue Zhenjun said, but still addressed Ye Tianlong, "Boy, I can see that your skill has greatly improved. You've even made a name for yourself in the capital, not letting my efforts go to waste. Now I'll tell you the real swordsmanship I didn't pass on back then. Listen carefully!" The last sentence suddenly became more forceful, making Ye Tianlong's eardrums vibrate. Ye Tianlong hurriedly focused his mind, channeling his energy into his ears. Although he felt it was strange that Fengyue Zhenjun was imparting his skills at this time, he was still overjoyed.

Without any apparent movement from Fengyue Zhenjun, his lips moved slightly, and Ye Tianlong heard a calm yet powerful voice in his ears. Upon hearing the first two sentences, Ye Tianlong's spirits immediately lifted. It turned out that Fengyue Zhenjun was going to teach Ye Tianlong three exquisite sword techniques he had comprehended over the past few years after integrating the sword arts of the Wind Temple and the Moon Temple.

Fengyue Zhenjun quickly and carefully explained the three sword techniques, and after finishing, asked Ye Tianlong, "Have you memorized them?"

Seeing Ye Tianlong nod slightly, Fengyue Zhenjun was quite surprised, already prepared to repeat them several times. "When did this kid become so clever?" a great question arose in his mind.

Ye Tianlong was able to remember it after just one listen because he found that the principles Fengyue Zhenjun explained were very similar to what Wang Shi had been telling him these past few days. The difference was that Fengyue Zhenjun concretized it and explained it in more detail. Moreover, the basics he had learned from Fengyue Zhenjun before, which lacked only the essence of swordsmanship, had been grasped after Wang Shi's guidance. With Fengyue Zhenjun's further instruction, he naturally understood it completely and grasped its essence.

"Alright, now you watch carefully from the side!"

Fengyue Zhenjun turned to face Wang Shi, who had been standing there with a smile, his expression turning serious. He said, "Now it's time to settle things between us."

Wang Shi sighed softly and shook his head. "After all these years, you still can't let go?"

Fengyue Zhenjun didn't say much, but slowly raised his right hand and formed a sword incantation. For a master of his level, having a sword or not made no difference.

The surrounding gale seemed to stop abruptly, and even the air itself seemed to freeze. Wang Shi's expression hardened. Facing such a formidable enemy, he dared not be careless. He immediately adopted a defensive stance, his hands clasped in front of his chest. A faint, ethereal light or mist appeared between his brows, sometimes appearing, sometimes disappearing, sometimes expanding, sometimes contracting, in sync with his breathing.

Two invisible vortexes surged forward rapidly. When they collided, both Wang Shi and Fengyue Zhenjun swayed violently. The vortexes intertwined, seemingly pausing, their strength evenly matched.

Suddenly, the strange vortexes began to flow rapidly, a fierce wind howling around them, emitting ghostly wails, and even the tower beneath their feet seemed to sway. From some unknown time, mist began to rise in the clear night sky, strangely confined only to the vicinity of Zhen'an Tower.

Thick clouds obscured the moon, and suddenly several golden streaks streaked across the sky, dazzlingly bright. Then, a deafening thunderclap shook the heavens and earth, leaving Ye Tianlong dizzy.

"Good heavens, how can you use martial arts and magic at the same time?!" Ye Tianlong shouted, gathering his strength to keep from sliding off the top of the tower.

"Idiot!" Wang Shi and Fengyue Zhenjun, surprisingly, still had the mind to look away, simultaneously scolding him. Ye Tianlong was dumbfounded. In this situation, they could still be distracted by lecturing him? Were these two old men's desire to be teachers a bit too strong? Little did he know, what had just happened was merely the prelude to their duel.

For Wang Shi and Fengyue Zhenjun, their dispute was simply a difference in martial arts principles. One believed that only the domineering way was the ultimate principle of martial arts, while the other believed that the benevolent way was the foundation of all martial arts. After years of fighting, they had gained a deep understanding of each other's martial arts and discovered that their paths were remarkably similar, differing only in their methods. Therefore, their verification had become a recognition and exploration of their own martial arts. At their level, finding a truly worthy opponent was almost impossible, which was why they had never stopped dueling over the years.

Ye Tianlong's existence made them discover something beyond the ways of kings and tyrants. This man's special qualities made both of them want to see just how far he could go. That's why the royal teacher went to so much trouble to teach him, and Fengyue Zhenjun also used his own special teaching methods to guide Ye Tianlong.

They exchanged a glance, and it was Fengyue Zhenjun who explained to Ye Tianlong, "Magic is actually the utilization of external energy between heaven and earth. It and martial arts are essentially the same, just different paths leading to the same goal."

Wang Shi continued, "The difference between martial arts and magic lies in one starting from the outside and the other from the inside. When you reach the highest level, martial arts become magic, and magic becomes martial arts. Those who claim to have reached the Demon God or Heavenly God level are merely touching the ultimate path of martial arts. The road to cultivation is still very long!"

Ye Tianlong was dumbfounded. There was always someone better. He had just absorbed the power of the Demon God and was quite pleased with his progress in martial arts, but now he realized that his skills were still far from sufficient. However, he hadn't considered the identities of the two people before him. Finding someone in the world who could rival Wang Shi and Fengyue Zhenjun was virtually impossible!

As his heart surged with emotion, he heard Fengyue Zhenjun shout, "Wind rises, clouds surge, jade hook slants!"

Ye Tianlong's heart skipped a beat. This was one of the three sword techniques Fengyue Zhenjun had just taught him, and naturally, he opened his eyes wide to see it clearly.

Fengyue Zhenjun's two fingers appeared together, then slashed diagonally. Instantly, a fierce wind and thunder arose, and a gale swept dark clouds towards the opposing army. However, what was truly deadly was the two bolts of lightning that shot out from the feinted sword technique, like two crescent moons appearing in mid-air, rotating and howling along a mysterious path, one to the left and one to the right. There was no sword in his hand, but it was more terrifying than if he had one, because such turning was more flexible and unpredictable, its momentum truly like a gazelle hanging by its horns, making it impossible to fathom.

A calm smile played on Wang Shi's lips. He transformed into a small boat on a raging sea, or a willow catkin in the wind, moving freely through the turbulent waves. Simultaneously, his palms lashed out, unleashing a vast, sweeping gust of wind, like a wide-open net, enveloping the two jade hooks.

The two figures tumbled in the gale, their golden forms blindingly bright, the deafening explosions from their clashing energies.

"You won't escape!" Amidst the roar of wind and thunder, Fengyue Zhenjun's furious voice rang out. "The moon shines on the west window, the east wind is intoxicating!"

Fengyue Zhenjun unleashed the second move of his three-strike sword technique!

The wind and thunder raged, whipping up large raindrops that pelted down. In a single move, he had simultaneously used wind, lightning, and water magic to aid his profound swordsmanship—it was simply unbelievable!

The calm smile vanished from Wang Shi's face. He exhaled sharply, his palms parting to form several hand seals in front of him with incredible speed. "Heavenly Wind, Thunder, and Fire, array before me!"

Three strange, resounding booms echoed, followed by three wild, blinding collisions in the air. Each collision seemed to produce sparks, the force of which was terrifying.

Ye Tianlong stared in disbelief. The radiating energy forced him back several steps, his body now reaching the edge of the tower's top. Had he not yet fused with the power of the Demon God, he would have already fallen from the top.

The Zhen'an Tower also seemed unable to withstand the pressure, swaying and creaking. Some eaves even began to crumble, golden bells falling one after another.

With a deafening "Bang!", the golden treasure bottle atop the Zhen'an Tower finally succumbed to the mountain of energy, shattering into countless fragments that scattered in all directions. In an instant, dust filled the sky, rocks flew, and sand swirled—a truly terrifying spectacle.

Remembering something, Ye Tianlong's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly gathered his inner energy and shouted, "Stop!!"

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Chapter Ten of the Wind and Moon Continent: The Peerless Battle

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