bookcurios Chapter 122 After the rain comes sunshine.
Chapter 122 After the rain comes sunshine.
On the dueling platform, the two stood facing each other.
The great formation was silent, not even a ripple could be stirred by the slightest breeze, as if it were an isolated world, with nothing in between except this empty arena and these two opponents at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.
The oil-paper umbrella tapped lightly on the ground.
Centered on Xiao Qingyu, a gentle breeze, drizzle, and dark clouds spread outwards, immersing this small corner of the world in a tranquil, ink-like hue.
The dark, overcast sky, like a harbinger of an impending downpour, seemed to weigh heavily on Zhu Wuyao's shoulders.
Zhu Wuyao looked up and saw dark clouds covering the sky, a heavy, oppressive cloud that seemed about to descend.
"As expected, he has the strength of the early Foundation Establishment stage, with a faint aura of solidification, but... he's still lacking!"
Xiao Qingyu was ultimately not a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
No matter how real the illusion of an approaching downpour may seem, it is ultimately just an illusion.
She reached for the bladeless sword behind her back, and with a "whoosh," the sword was drawn and held horizontally in front of her.
At the same time, the powerful spiritual energy around him suddenly spread out in all directions.
The dark, sharp sword light condensed into countless sword light phantoms in an instant, slashing towards this dark world that seemed both real and illusory, as if tearing away the veil that covered the real world.
The semi-transparent black phantom fragments are about to be annihilated into nothingness.
With a gentle sway, it reassembled itself perfectly, and this illusion remained solidified and undissolved, the sword without edge never unfurling it.
The umbrella ribs clashed with the bladeless sword, and the sword shadows that had just been unleashed cleared a path for her to attack the enemy.
Behind Zhu Wuyao was an equally surreal ice surface. It was not smooth, and upon closer inspection, there seemed to be tiny ice shards protruding from it.
Thus, the ice surface gained a touch of authenticity.
Xiao Qingyu blocked the incoming black sword and felt a real chill. As their weapons clashed, he could almost see that Zhu Wuyao's eyelashes were covered in white frost.
And beneath that, a pair of eyes colder than frost and quieter than the dead of winter.
The oil-paper umbrella swept across the ground, casting a shadow. With a flick of the tip, it seemed to lift a piece of black silk cloth, placing it between the two.
Zhu Wuyao felt a stagnation, as if his arms and the bladeless sword were wrapped in layers, and even his hands and feet were stuck to this dark shadow.
Actions became sluggish and slowed down.
The closed oil-paper umbrella seemed about to strike, but the bladeless sword only rotated almost imperceptibly, as if it couldn't even parry back.
However, this tiny movement instantly covered the dark figure with white down.
Xiao Qingyu heard the sound of ice cracking beside her ear and seemed to smile.
His rainy days felt so real because of the oil-paper umbrella in his hand, which summoned rain when closed and cleared the sky when opened.
It is called "Daoqing Umbrella".
Combined with the techniques they have cultivated, they can condense rainwater into a near-solid state for use in combat.
He did not miss the slight rotation of the bladeless sword.
It seems that Zhu Wuyao's chill and frost were not entirely due to his own strength, but also to the influence of the weapon in his hand.
If that's the case, how dare you contend with me!
The shadow seemed to become thin and brittle, and every movement Zhu Wuyao made caused a "crackling" sound around him.
At the critical moment when the oil-paper umbrella struck, it was completely crushed into powder and fell down in a flurry.
A flash of sword light blocked the attack, and the attacker turned and launched their own attack.
It was as if one could hear the sound of swords shattering the cold.
Xiao Qingyu was struck by a sword, but she remained calm, letting the blade tear her robes and draw blood.
He lightly touched the ground with his toes and quickly retreated, simultaneously meeting the incoming sword shadow.
It's raining.
The heavier the rain, the more difficult it became to travel.
Despite the unexpected invitation, she remained calm. She had tested the power of the rain in her duel with Shi Tao – the cold transformation could be broken!
Hidden among countless raindrops, the true killing intent seems to be searching for a gap in the defenses.
It was found very quickly!
Zhu Wuyao concentrated all his spiritual power into the bladeless sword. The raindrops, as sharp as iron blades, seemed to faintly shimmer with joyful light and shadow as they eagerly fell and crashed down.
It tore open countless blossoms of blood.
The winding stream of blood, mixed with vibrant colors, added a touch of vermilion to this black and white painting.
But soon, an even more glaring white stroke appeared, stretching across the entire painting.
It carried with it the cold wind and snow, tearing through the gloomy rainy day, and slashed past Xiao Qingyu's side.
The sword missed its mark, so the person was unharmed.
But the rain stopped after that sword strike.
Xiao Qingyu was somewhat taken aback and puzzled. He had made full preparations to meet the sword, but the sword had gone astray!
Why did the sword deflect three points off course?
He had heard those rumors, but after actually fighting Zhu Wuyao, how could he believe that she couldn't hit her target?
As he asked the question, he slowly opened the oil-paper umbrella that had been closed in his hand.
In an instant, a touch of white was added to the sword light that tore the painting apart, and the scent of earth after the rain seemed to linger around the tip of the nose.
Tick-tock
Zhu Wuyao's gaze instantly turned wary, and she quickly retreated, raising a protective aura around herself.
Because she felt it—
She saw the glistening greenery after the rain, smelled the earth, and heard the sound of raindrops falling from the leaf tips!
This is the scene after the rain has stopped and the sky has cleared; no one can deny it.
Thus, she was drawn into Xiao Qingyu's world.
Why do we feel this way? Because after the rain, the sky will surely clear. It's not just that the illusion is real enough, but also because of people's habitual thinking. Zhu Wuyao personally dispelled the clouds and rain, thus bringing sunshine.
This is the real trap hidden beneath the clearing sky.
Zhu Wuyao frowned. She seemed to feel her protective aura gradually dissipating, and not only that, even her movements were slightly affected.
This is just a tiny... subtle manipulation.
Before her eyes, Xiao Qingyu appeared again, engaging her in close combat. However, the movement that should have been to raise her sword an inch to block the attack was subtly shifted a little too far, and the movement that should have been to charge horizontally in front of her was tilted slightly to the right...
Before long, he was slightly disheveled, and a sharp pain shot through his left arm. Zhu Wuyao narrowly avoided the attack and quickly retreated.
The wind was blowing.
It was the wind after the rain, carrying the scent of earth and a hint of summer warmth.
"Coldness is not just a physical sensation; you feel winter when you see dry branches and hear the howling wind."
The night we shattered the net of heaven, we gathered in the courtyard, joking around. Although the three of us were wearing clothes of varying thicknesses, we all knew it was winter.
Yes, it's not summer.
Zhu Wuyao suddenly came to her senses.
She smiled, not bothering to shut down her senses, and even had the leisure to answer the question from before—
"Why did the sword go astray? Because my eyesight is bad, and I missed."
Alarm bells rang in Xiao Qingyu's heart, and he had a bad feeling. If he closed his five senses and his will was strong enough, the power of his manipulation technique would be greatly reduced.
Although blocking the five senses is also an obstacle, it is possible to break through the "clear sky" if you are fast enough.
Just as they were about to give chase, their pupils suddenly dilated.
Zhu Wuyao did not cover his eyes, but instead gathered his sword momentum again.