“To think it was actually a Confucian technique...”
Confucianism was not particularly prosperous in the Xuanfeng Dynasty. Although there were many scholars, very few could truly become Confucian Cultivators.
Ever since arriving in the Imperial Capital, Chen Ning had never encountered anyone cultivating the Confucian path.
It was a pity he had returned a step too late; the person had already left.
Aside from lantern riddles, Wutong Street also offered a wide variety of snacks.
With nothing else to do, Chen Ning took Qing Yan and Xia Qiuyu on a long stroll down the street.
By the time the gathering dispersed, the three of them returned loaded with goods.
Among them, Xiao Jiu seemed extraordinarily cheerful.
That was because at the very end of the lantern riddle segment, she had solved one as well.
Abundant food and clothing—add one to make ten.
When the riddle for “abundant food and clothing” appeared, Xiao Jiu had suddenly jumped onto the table, dipped her body in ink, and written a large character for “nine” on the tabletop.
Although it nearly frightened the old man hosting the riddle contest half to death at the time, Xiao Jiu still ended up receiving a prize and even earned a round of enthusiastic applause.
“I solved one too, and it was the character Yan, which is quite difficult to write!”
Qing Yan curled her lips in smug satisfaction.
Solving a lantern riddle tonight was something she could boast about for the rest of her life!
After all, who knew how long it would be before she managed to guess one correctly again...
Chen Ning did not know whether to laugh or cry. “You only got one lantern riddle right, yet look how excited the two of you are. Qiuyu guessed three of them right tonight and hasn't bragged about it once.”
“That’s because she can't say anything...” Qing Yan remarked faintly.
Following her gaze, Chen Ning realized what was going on.
Xia Qiuyu had stuffed her mouth full of food long ago. Though she clearly wanted to boast smugly as well, her bulging cheeks prevented her from uttering a single word.
Chen Ning: “...”
He had thought he only had one silly girl to look after.
He never expected that he would now gain a silly little snake and a foolish disciple on top of that.
“Ouch.”
Just then, Qing Yan let out a soft cry of pain.
Immediately afterward, she bounced back as if she had bumped into something solid.
“Strange... did I run into something?”
Qing Yan rubbed her slightly reddened forehead aggrievedly.
“There seems to be an invisible wall in front of us.
No, not just in front...”
Chen Ning quickly detected the abnormality as well.
An invisible wall enclosed them within a radius of about two meters.
The wall was exceptionally sturdy, clearly condensed from some remarkable spell.
Whoosh.
Right at that moment, a flying sword shot out from a distant treetop.
Before it could get close, however, it was knocked down by the Purple Qi swirling automatically around Chen Ning.
“Who goes there?”
Chen Ning looked into the distance.
A Confucian scholar stood atop the treetop.
He wore a blue scholar robe, had black jade hanging at his waist, his hair bound in a jade crown, and held a folding fan in his hand. His refined features gave him an aura of casual elegance and distinction.
“This humble one is Murong Yu of Water Cloud Academy.”
The man cupped his hands toward Chen Ning.
Yet as soon as his words fell—
Whoosh!
Two flying swords shot out from his mouth, tearing through the air straight toward Chen Ning.
“As expected, a Confucian technique!”
A technique capable of spitting flying swords from one's mouth was undoubtedly the Confucian technique, “Honeyed Words, Dagger in the Belly.”
Having finally encountered a fellow practitioner of Confucianism, Chen Ning chose to respond with a Confucian Divine Ability.
“Pure Breeze in Both Sleeves.”
The power of Pure Breeze in Both Sleeves, having reached Great Perfection, was on an entirely different level compared to before.
Faint arcs of crackling lightning flickered within the pure breeze, instantly warping the trajectories of the two flying swords.
The two small swords were knocked away. Just as they were about to hit the ground, however—
“Withered Wood Meets Spring.”
With two fingers held together, Murong Yu caused an almost-withered seedling to flourish and grow instantly, transforming in the blink of an eye into massive vines standing two to three people tall.
Carrying sharp, biting wind pressure, the vines swept outward in all directions.
“Purple Qi Protection.”
The Purple Qi beside Chen Ning swiftly solidified, morphing into a razor-sharp blade.
Snap!
The vines were instantly sliced in half.
“As expected of Master, so amazing!”
Xia Qiuyu had only seen Chen Ning’s formidable physical prowess before; she never imagined her master’s Confucian techniques were even more profound and unfathomable!
I want to watch too, I want to watch!
Xiao Jiu also climbed onto Qing Yan’s fair neck, excitedly observing this visually stunning magical duel.
At this point, Qing Yan finally recognized him:
“Young Master, this person seems to be the Confucian scholar who told me on the street that he was looking for you.”
“Is that so?
Regardless of what he wants, since he dared to ambush me, I’ll beat him up first before asking questions!”
Chen Ning was high in fighting spirit.
Murong Yu also seemed to enjoy this battle immensely.
“The techniques you grasp are quite peculiar; even I have never seen them before.
However, the versatility of Confucian arts goes far beyond this.”
He waved his folding fan once more.
“Spring Wind Blows Life Anew.”
From the severed ends of the vines, several gigantic flowers lined with razor-sharp fangs suddenly sprouted.
The stems of the giant flowers shot upward, and the man-eating blossoms completely sealed off the space, descending to shroud the sky.
Chen Ning could not help but remark, “Hiss, this move isn’t nearly as elegant as the previous one.”
“After all, elegance doesn't equate to combat strength. In recent years, our Water Cloud Academy has also been making changes, striving to break the perception that Confucian arts are weak.
As long as one has sufficient strength to protect the people of the world, there is naturally no need to be constrained by form.
Take this move, for example...!”
As his voice faded, the giant flowers surged violently toward Chen Ning.
Chen Ning responded calmly. The blade formed from Purple Qi severed two flowers in the blink of an eye.
“An opening.”
The corners of Murong Yu’s lips curled up slightly.
In an instant, the severed flowers began to regenerate without limit, multiplying the more they were cut down, and even their sizes expanded continuously.
Right at that moment—
Clang!
The two flying swords that had been hidden among the flowers suddenly shot forward.
These two swords had seemingly been preparing for a long time, lying in wait precisely for this opportunity!
The speed of the two flying swords was exceptionally fast, howling through the air and leaving afterimages in their wake!
“Not good!”
Even Qing Yan and Xiao Jiu, watching from the side, never expected that someone who appeared so refined and Confucian would resort to such underhanded tactics.
Although the Purple Qi barrier around Chen Ning deployed in time, the two finger-sized swords contained a force far beyond imagination.
Crack.
Cracks even spiderwebbed across the Purple Qi.
Chen Ning could not help feeling somewhat surprised.
This was the first person capable of cracking his Purple Qi Protection.
In terms of pure Confucian cultivation realm, this man was likely above him!
However...
Chen Ning directly dissipated the Purple Qi, facing the flying swords with his bare physical body.
Clang!
The two flying swords that had seemed unstoppable just moments ago were deflected right off by the faint golden glow rising across Chen Ning’s body.
They had merely pierced Chen Ning’s outermost skin.
Yet even that slight wound vanished rapidly under the terrifying regenerative capability of the Divine Phoenix Bloodline.
“Wait, when did Confucianism ever have such a technique?”
Even Murong Yu, who was well-versed in Confucian arts, was immediately taken aback.
“This time, the opening is yours!”
At that moment, Chen Ning’s speed suddenly exploded, leaping into the air straight toward the treetop.
“Such speed!”
Murong Yu hurriedly waved his folding fan.
“Drawing a Prison on the Ground.”
“Repeating old tricks won’t work on me.”
Glowing with golden light, Chen Ning threw a punch.
Fist intent surged, and space trembled!
Even the leaves atop the treetop scattered and danced in the sweeping gale of the punch.
In an instant, the invisible cage shattered with a deafening crash amidst violent tremors!
Rate on N.U.
