Chapter Eighteen: Scarlet Silk Subdues the Dragon Formation

Chapter Eighteen: The Fiery Brocade Subdues the Dragon Formation
Chapter Four: The Azure Light Shakes the Cold Moon, Haoze Encounters the Demon Bird (II)

At this moment, Senior Brother Xiao strode forward and said, “My two junior brothers, your mastery of Daoist arts is truly extraordinary. Especially Junior Brother Qingzhi—your magical weapon, could it be the renowned Cold Moon Hook? Today, I have indeed broadened my horizons.”

Qingzhi bowed slightly and replied, “It is indeed the Cold Moon Hook. Brother Xiao, you jest. Had Junior Brother Anfeng not yielded intentionally, I would scarcely have triumphed over his Stone Dragon Sword.”

The young man surnamed An bowed his head and said, “Senior Brother Qingzhi, I admit defeat wholeheartedly today. The shadow of the Cold Moon is truly remarkable.”

Baishi Song, standing nearby, spoke, “Both of your techniques have their own wonders—hard to distinguish superiority! For now, we should rest a bit…” He had barely finished when someone called out, “I wish to challenge Senior Brother Bai, if you would kindly accept?” Everyone turned to look; the speaker was the tall, slender youth among the three.

Baishi Song smiled, “Junior Brother Zhao, I have long heard of the Night Rain Divine Blade. Today, I shall experience it firsthand!” The young man surnamed Zhao did not reply, but stepped swiftly to the center of the arena, bowed toward Baishi Song, and said, “Senior Brother Bai, please!”

With that, he retreated a step and shouted, “Go!” Both hands flung forward, sending two rays of white light shooting at Baishi Song, who leaned back, causing the white rays to miss. Zhao immediately flung his arms again—two, then four, then countless streaks of white light whistling through the air. A fierce wind arose, the sky darkened as if a storm approached.

Baishi Song stood firm amidst the gale, thinking, “Worthy of the Night Rain Divine Blade—such power, far beyond Anfeng.” As he pondered, a torrential rain poured down from above.

Baishi Song narrowed his eyes slightly. “This dense rain is all sword energy transformed—so full and fierce, a grand momentum. I must take care.”

Resolving himself, Baishi Song formed hand seals. Brilliant spiritual light surged, and a dazzling longsword appeared—it was the Qing Song Sword. Now, the Qing Song Sword shone with verdant light, green rays shooting skyward, intertwining with the rain. Instantly, the air resounded with crackling, and the rain was held at bay.

The young man surnamed Zhao was startled, thinking, “He’s effortlessly blocking my Night Rain Divine Blade—no wonder he’s one of the Five Gentlemen, famed alongside the senior brother!” His figure flickered, and with a flash of white light, two willow-leaf thin blades appeared in his hands. Spinning them swiftly, he conjured a thin curtain of light, pressing it forward!

Baishi Song dared not be careless. He shook the Qing Song Sword, sweeping it forward, and spun, splitting into six figures. To onlookers, it was impossible to tell which was real—all held swords, thrusting forward in unison!

Xiao Yitian’s face flashed with surprise, then concealed it, murmuring, “A single tree becomes a forest! So he’s mastered the ‘True Treasure Wood Sutra’.” Ling Yun’er, seeing this, smiled with delight. “Wonderful!” Indeed, the six figures’ swords flashed emerald, shooting six dazzling beams at the white curtain conjured by Zhao’s twin blades!

All watched as Zhao’s face changed drastically. His blades paused, then with a clang, flew upward! He staggered back several steps. After a moment, the blades’ flight slowed and they fell—whether by chance or design, landing right before him. He caught them, and the willow-leaf blades were again in his grasp.

Zhao stood lost for a while, then slowly sheathed his blades and looked up. Baishi Song, several yards away, had merged his six figures back into one, smiling at him. Zhao’s lips moved, as if about to speak, but after a long pause he said dejectedly, “Senior Brother Bai, you far surpass me. There’s no need to continue. I am ashamed—my Night Rain Divine Blade is no match for your Qing Song Sword!” Baishi Song smiled, “Thank you for letting me win, Brother Zhao!” Then he stepped aside without further words.

“Who would have thought, after just a year, Brother Bai’s Qing Song Sword has improved so much!” Senior Brother Xiao praised from the side. “I am humbled, Senior Brother Xiao!” Baishi Song replied.

“Haha, now that everyone has exchanged techniques, let me challenge Sister Ling’s Heaven-Mixing Scarlet Brocade. If Sister Ling is willing?” Xiao Yitian smiled at Ling Yun’er.

“Senior Brother Xiao, do go easy on me!” Ling Yun’er stepped forth, and as she walked toward the center, a scarlet brocade flew from her waist, whirling around her, sending waves of heat outward. “This brocade is forged from the True Fire of Three Suns—not as powerful as the Primordial Fire, but still among the most genuine and potent of yang flames. Do not underestimate it, Senior Brother!”

As she spoke, the scarlet brocade drifted forward slowly, its movement languid yet deliberate. Xiao Yitian’s face grew serious; he summoned a longsword resembling green bamboo, spinning it rapidly before him, faster and faster, thunder and wind stirring.

Suddenly, the brocade released several tongues of flame, shooting at the Bamboo Sword. With a crack of thunder, a silver arc sprang forth, meeting the flames head-on. The flames burst, scattering into countless sparks that swirled around Xiao Yitian.

The air grew hot. Ling Yun’er called out, “Transform!” The sparks gathered into a cloud of fire, obscuring Xiao Yitian. The cloud thickened, taking shape as silk-like threads, identical to the brocade, tightly binding him within.

Ling Yun’er knew this alone could not hold Xiao Yitian—it was merely to stall him. She made another seal, enlarging the brocade, which multiplied into dozens of phantom threads, vanishing around them.

With a bang, Xiao Yitian’s sword shattered the fiery veil. He paused, seeing the brocade everywhere. Observing Ling Yun’er, he murmured, “So she’s setting up a formation!”

“Fiery Brocade Subdues the Dragon Formation—rise!” Ling Yun’er declared solemnly. Xiao Yitian’s vision changed—all objects vanished, replaced by a sea of fire, with a fire dragon roaring at him—the soul of a demon spirit refined within the brocade.

Xiao Yitian realized Ling Yun’er had unleashed the brocade’s true power, forming this array to defeat him. The brocade, a treasure listed on the Silver Register, possessed formidable spiritual force. His Bamboo Sword shimmered as if sensing a worthy foe. “Sister Ling, your brocade is truly extraordinary. Witness my Bamboo Sword!”

He let out a long cry, raised his sword overhead, and shouted, “Bamboo, remote and serene!” He slashed forward, the sword forming a shadow that struck the fire dragon. The dragon roared, spewing a pillar of flame that collided with the sword, both vanishing.

The pillar was pure fire energy from the brocade—no trivial thing. Ling Yun’er, seeing the power of Xiao Yitian’s slash, was secretly amazed.

Xiao Yitian, too, was surprised. Since his travels, his Bamboo Sword technique had never failed. He grasped the sword, spun, recited a spell with his right hand, and pointed the sword diagonally with his left: “Mist over Xiang River.” Pure wood energy spread from the sword, transforming into layers of mist, enveloping him.

The fire dragon, enraged by the shattered pillar, swooped in, claws striking the mist, intent on tearing it apart. Yet the green mist, though thin, proved exceptionally resilient—no matter how the dragon tried, it could not break through.

Xiao Yitian smiled, “Clouds over cold waters.” His right hand swept the sword, left hand thrust upward—a green radiance shot forth. The dragon, countering with dozens of fiery tongues, found the green light piercing through effortlessly. Before it could dodge, the beam struck, and the dragon shrieked, its massive form dissolving like foam.

Ling Yun’er groaned and staggered back a step. After a brief hesitation, she gritted her teeth, formed another seal, and pointed at the Fiery Brocade Subdues the Dragon Formation. A red light shot from her fingertip into the brocade, intensifying the array—the flames soared, leaving onlookers astonished, thinking, “If I were trapped here, I’d surely be defeated.”

Ye Hua, watching from the side, observed their techniques—fire, thunder, wind, and myriad divine arts. He quietly compared them to his own. “If I faced either, seeing Senior Brother Xiao’s Bamboo Sword or Sister’s Fiery Brocade Subdues the Dragon Formation, what would I do?”

“If the fire dragon attacked, I’d counter with the Nine Heavens Thunder Sword from Daoist arts, perhaps holding out for a while. Against Senior Brother Xiao’s Bamboo Sword, I’d use the Ghostly Shadow Escape from the Secret Canon of Guigu to evade.”

“Junior Brother, I hear your cultivation is still at the first stage of the Four Holy Truths?” Ouyang Tai whispered to Ye Hua, who blushed and replied, “Sixth Senior Brother, please don’t laugh at me…” Ouyang Tai chuckled, “Nonsense, Junior Brother—you’ve surpassed my record! Don’t worry, take your time!” Ye Hua felt even more ashamed and remained silent.

Xiao Yitian sensed the array’s shifting power—just as its force waned, it surged anew, even stronger.

Suddenly, the surrounding flames blazed with intense red light, flickering in the air. The green mist around Xiao Yitian began to dissipate in the extreme heat.

Frowning, Xiao Yitian shook his sword rapidly before him, weaving dozens of sword flowers. The spiritual lights floated forward, growing larger until each was several feet wide. They plunged into the sea of fire, spinning wildly, unleashing countless whirlwinds that clashed with the flames.

The whirlwinds spun faster, each pillar of wind thick as an embrace, rampaging through the fire, undiminished. At first, the flames and wind pillars devoured each other, but soon the fire was forcibly destroyed, revealing its weakness. The wind pillars gradually merged, forming a single, colossal column that swept toward the heart of the fire.

A resounding boom echoed—Xiao Yitian heard it clearly. The flames vanished completely. His vision blurred, then returned to normal. Ling Yun’er stood holding her brocade, gazing at Xiao Yitian in silence, a bitter smile on her lips.

“Sister Ling, are you unharmed?” Xiao Yitian, seeing her thus, worried she was injured and asked urgently.

“Senior Brother Xiao, your Daoist arts are astonishing. I am no match for you now, but in the future I shall seek your guidance again! Then, please do not hold back!” Ling Yun’er said with a trace of sadness, a smile barely masking her unwillingness to accept defeat.

Ling Yun’er was always gentle, rarely competitive, yet deep down she was proud. Born into a family of cultivators, her innate talent shone from childhood, making her a princess-like figure in everyone’s eyes. At Beitai Biyun Temple, she was pampered by senior brothers.

More importantly, her cultivation was formidable, with unique strengths, second only to Senior Brother Baishi Song among the temple’s youths. With her treasured brocade, she believed herself unmatched among peers. Yet today, facing Senior Brother Xiao, she lost—though anticipated, she found herself unwilling to accept it.

Xiao Yitian regretted, thinking, “I should have used only seventy percent of my strength—to make it a fair contest…” He apologized, “I did not measure my strength—please forgive me, Sister!” After a pause, he added, “With your talent, in a few years I won’t be your equal. Then, I hope you’ll remember our brotherhood and spare me from too harsh a defeat!” Ling Yun’er smiled, “At the Zen Forest Conference, I will again seek your instruction, Senior Brother!”

“Glad you are unharmed, Sister—defeat at Senior Brother Xiao’s hands is an honor in itself!” Qingkai said. The others gathered, gently consoling her. “Thank you, all my senior brothers. I am well!” Ling Yun’er smiled.

Qingxia laughed, “Sister, victory and defeat are common. If you lose now, challenge him again at the Zen Forest Conference next year. If you still lose, then five or ten years later—it’s never too late! Surely, Senior Brother Xiao will eventually fall to you!”

“Haha, don’t say ten years—even after several decades or centuries, I fear Sister Ling still won’t surpass Senior Brother Xiao… He is the foremost of the Five Gentlemen of Wutai! His reputation is well deserved!” said a proud youth behind Xiao Yitian. All turned to look; his arrogance was apparent.

Qingxia and his companions grew angry, but Xiao Yitian’s face darkened. He turned and said, “Brother Leng, mind your words!” The youth snorted, “Senior Brother, this sister boasts—how amusing! ‘Ten more years of training’? You are magnanimous, but I am indignant for you!”

Xiao Yitian knew his brother’s temperament and could only sigh, turning to the others, “Please don’t mind my junior brother…”

Qingxia stepped forward with a cold smile, “I hear Brother Leng comes from the Leng family of Taiyi Mountain in Yuzhou. It’s said the family patriarch, Leng Ziyuan, cultivated under the Celestial Emperor of Mount Song for over three hundred years, yet only attained the first stage of the Three Truths—how laughable! Clearly, the Leng lineage is of mediocre talent. If you say Brother Leng can’t surpass Senior Brother Xiao after a hundred years, I have no doubt—not only Senior Brother Xiao, but even myself, or my junior brother here, he’ll never match!” Qingxia suddenly pointed at Ye Hua beside him.

“Our little sister’s talent is a hundred times yours—how could you compare?” Qingyu laughed loudly.

Qingxia shook his head, “Wrong! Brother, you are mistaken!” Qingyu giggled, “Mistaken? How?”

Qingxia replied, “A hundred times? You underestimate our sister—her talent is a thousand, ten thousand times greater! Such differences—observe closely!”

Qingyu slapped his forehead, laughing, “Brother, you see the truth! I am the foolish one…”

The youth surnamed Leng’s face changed at Qingxia’s words, and grew darker as he listened, anger rising. “What? I am far inferior to you? To your junior brother? Him? Ha!” He looked at Ye Hua beside Qingyu. “Early stage of Seven Treasures? I won’t be weaker than him in the future—right now, I could finish him in three moves!”