Feiyun Jinglan III: Yangmei Juan

Author: Wang Qingchuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: It's already August, and the wind in the northern frontier is quite chilly. The mountain isn't particularly high, but it stands tall against the clear, azure sky, even obscuring the clouds behind it, creating a unique sense of awe. The flute music of the Yi River blends with the cold autumn wind, and the audience is dressed in white as if snow. The brave warrior, with his sorrowful song still unfinished, knows that even the birds understand such grief—perhaps they weep tears of blood rather than clear tears. Who will share the moon with me in drunkenness? Looking back, the green mountains and the setting sun—how can I compete? I stand beneath the giant stone, hearing the thunder above my head erupt suddenly, and in that moment, an immense reverence for life and the universe fills me. Although "sincerity and reverence" are essential practices in Confucianism, no other experience of reverence in life has been as profound as this one. The dark sky is illuminated by dazzling lightning, revealing patches of terrifying white. The thunder rumbles like heavy war drums, striking deep into his soul. In an instant, I realize that I am in an inexplicable connection with the furious thunder. With a roar, I strike back with a single slash. At this point, I was already in a losing position, but this slash was full of vigor and indomitable spirit. The thunder in my heart merged into a powerful stream of will, swiftly filling my limbs and bones, surging out with this slash. The clash of swords was silent and invisible. The power, direction, and speed of the "B" sword were beyond Zheng Lingfeng's imagination. A tremendous force struck him, and his long sword nearly flew from his hand. With a splash, Zheng Lingfeng's mind was shaken violently, his energy momentarily loosened, and a torrent of rain fell from above, drenching his head and face in a disheveled mess. Startled, Zheng Lingfeng quickly retreated, his long sword performing a move called "Ten Thousand Miles of the Sky," spitting out a burst of sword energy that created a clear yet solid barrier over ten feet between them. "Sss—" Yin Donglai, who had been watching from a distance, couldn't help but take a deep breath and asked, "He Qiang, what is the name of this move?" However, I did not press my advantage but instead looked up at the sky, coldly replying, "This move, 'Thunder Drum,' is one of the two ultimate techniques of the Thunder Sword Method. Since our ancestor created this sword method, no one has ever mastered these two moves in over a thousand years!" "Thus, the hard and soft intertwine, the Bagua interacts, thunder is used to strike, and rain is used to nourish!" Zheng Lingfeng, with his vast knowledge, immediately recalled these two lines from the I Ching Commentary. His sharp eyes trembled as he said, "So the Thunder Sword Method of the He Qiang comes from the I Ching—then the other move must be called 'Rain Nourishment'?" The expression on my face remained unchanged, and I nodded heavily, "Correct. West Cliff is nearing his thirtieth year and has only just begun to study the I Ching. Today, under the He Boss's force, I have finally gained some insight!" Seeing his demeanor, Zheng Lingfeng's heart suddenly down: "Jiang Liugu only calculated that on this rainy night, the Seven Heavenly Arrays would bring the Qi of the River and Earth to their limits, but he never expected that my sword method would be called 'Cool Thunder.' Could it be that in this life-or-death moment, he heard the thunder and achieved the Dao of 'interacting with heaven and earth'?" In the martial world, it is said that those who practice martial arts to their limit can, like cultivators, directly approach the Dao of 'interacting with heaven and earth.' Even someone as extraordinary as Zheng Lingfeng could only glimpse the gateway to this Dao, yet unexpectedly, I, in my struggle with such a top-tier master, triggered a breakthrough and entered the inner sanctum. "Good! Truly exhilarating!" Zheng Lingfeng smiled instead of being angry, "He Qiang, do you dare to fight on the river?" With that, he pointed to the massive painting boat that had been frozen in the middle of the river. My own arrogance was instantly ignited, my brows arched, and I said, "I am willing to accept the challenge!" With a smile, I led the way, followed by Yu Yingxiu, Lu Liang, and Xin Zang.