STNS: Chapter 529 (Patreon)

Loong Feng seemed like the type to gloat or mock his enemies, so Shuchang was surprised to find the old man not doing either of those things. From the moment this battle started to now, the old dragon had done everything within his power to destroy Shuchang on the spot. Dragon’s breath flew everywhere. This monster’s attacks were all overwhelmingly powerful. Shuchang was fortunate they were all so straightforward. He was able to dodge them.

“Dragon’s Ascension Storm!”

Soaring higher into the sky, Loong Feng called upon the winds of a hurricane to create a storm of wind blades. The razor-sharp gusts rained down upon Shuchang, who flew in aerial zigzag patterns to avoid them, his wings of fire blazing as they flapped. Down below, the power of this technique became evident as the ground was annihilated; trees were sliced apart and the ground was decimated with a hundred cuts.

If that hits me even once…

Shuchang shuddered. Nevermind turning into a pincushion. An attack like this would turn him into minced meat. He hoped Wu Jian hadn’t been caught up in that.

In the clouds high above him, Loong Feng glared down at him.

“You’re good at dodging! But let’s see you dodge this! Raging Tidal Dragon Howl!”

Sucking in a deep breath, the air trembling as bright blue energy caused the area around his throat to glow. Loong Feng channeled even more Qi into his lungs and chest. Shuchang had a bad feeling about this, and that feeling was proven right when the old man released a mighty draconic roar that shook the very air itself with water Qi. What erupted from him was a shockwave so powerful that Shuchang immediately knew he wouldn’t be able to dodge it.

“Dammit! Vermillion Shield!”

The wings on Shuchang’s back burned even hotter, turning a vibrant white, and yet, none of the heat escaped his wings as he condensed all of that power into them. The wings quickly folded around and enclosed Shuchang within them. At that very moment, his entire world seemed to shatter as the shockwave slammed into him.

Shuchang couldn’t actually see what was happening, but he felt the air shift around him and knew that he was soaring through the sky at meteoric speeds. He gritted his teeth as cracks appeared in his wings. These wings were made from the flames of the Vermillion Bird and hardened with his Qi. Very few things should be able to break through this barrier. That just went to show Shuchang how different a Realization Realm cultivator was from a Seeker Realm cultivator.

Blood and acidic bile seeped from his mouth as his back slammed into something. His wings finally shattered, though fortunately, the attack had also ended. He blinked several times as he lay there on the ground. His body had formed a crater from where it had been slammed into the earth. As he gingerly climbed to his feet, he looked around to see the devastation that last attack had wrought and felt a cold chill run down his spine.

This is absolutely ridiculous… I really hope Wu Jian didn’t get caught in this.

“I’m surprised you survived that,” a voice said from above. Shuchang looked up at glare at Loong Feng. “You are only at the Seeker Realm--hardly powerful enough to contend with someone like myself. I might not have put much power into that attack, but I can say with certainty that a normal cultivator at your realm would not have survived.”

“Heh. I’ve always been quite sturdy.”

Shuchang was surprised this man had decided to start talking, but perhaps it was a matter of pride. Shuchang had just blocked one of this man’s powerful attacks. It must have infuriated him enough that he was willing to both acknowledge Shuchang and wanted to belittle him. That was how many powerful cultivators behaved.

“Hmph. Your sturdiness is all you have going for you,” Loong Feng said as he raised a hand into the air. “I do not know what you hoped to accomplish by taking me on. You must have a death wish. Well, do not worry. I will grant your wish. It is time to end this.”

Appearing above Loong Feng’s palm was a mass of swirling energy. It started small, but as he fed more Qi into it, the air picked up as the swirling increased in both size and power. The winds became so fierce that Shuchang needed to stick his feet onto the ground with Qi to avoid being sucked into the vortex this man had suddenly created. Sadly, that was all he could do now, and he wouldn’t even be able to do that much for long. He was nearly out of Qi.

Blocking that last attack took almost all of my Qi. Shit. What am I going to do now?

“Thanks for buying me enough time,” a voice said. It had come from behind Loong Feng.

“What--?!”

“Cleaving the Heavens in a Single Stroke.”

There was a moment in which time itself seemed to standstill, but that was only an illusion as Shuchang’s pupils dilated. He almost thought he was seeing things. The area where Loong Feng was standing had suddenly split apart as though someone had cut reality in twain.

What power…

Shuchang had seen Wu Jian’s power before, but this exceeded all of his expectations.

Loong Feng’s eyes widened as his entire body was split in half--and then vanished. Standing in his place was Wu Jian, but he looked very different from the Wu Jian that Shuchang normally saw. His body was somehow both more muscular but also more streamlined. Thin and powerful like an alpha predator. His hair had grown much longer and turned a shocking shade of white. It now looked like a lion’s mane. His normally dark eyes had become a vibrant yellow that glowed like the moon, his nails had transformed into sharp claws, and a tail could just barely be seen poking out from behind him.

I can’t sense his Qi…

Shuchang had always had a higher cultivation than Wu Jian, but somehow, he could no longer sense his friend and rival’s Qi. It was as though the young man floating in the sky above him had suddenly transcended to another realm of power, one much higher than his own.

He clenched his fist.

Wu Jian’s eyes flashed as he turned his head. “Do not think you can get away.”

Like a flash of lightning, Wu Jian vanished and reappeared somewhere else, swinging Pale Moon with speed so great that Shuchang couldn’t even see it. All he saw was the aftermath. The area in front of him was severed. A thin line ran through the sky, and then the sky was split in half.

“Gack!!!”

Loong Feng suddenly appeared where before there had been nobody. He placed a hand against his chest, then pulled it away to reveal that it was wet with blood. More blood ran down his mouth. The flood dragon glared at Wu Jian as he wiped the blood off with his robes.

“How dare you cut me, filthy lion!!!”

Wu Jian tilted his head. “How dare you bring harm upon your own people and then attempt to flee, filthy traitor.”

“You dare… belittle me?!?! Dragon Claw Sealing the Heavens!!!”

A blinding blue aura erupted from Loong Feng’s fingertips as Qi gushed from his body like a flood. They formed translucent dragon talons that glowed with violent energy. He raced forward, reaching Wu Jian in a split second, and slashed his claws down as though to rend the flesh of his face from his bones.

But Wu Jian was no longer there.

“How is he so fast--gaaaa?!”

Shuchang had almost missed it. Wu Jian had appeared behind Loong Feng and, with a casual swipe of his sword, severed the man’s dragon tail. He watched as the tail plummeted to the ground. Meanwhile, Loong Feng had hunched over in pain as blood dripped from the now stumpy end.

“You’re not really a proud dragon. Cowards like you don’t deserve to have that tail,” Wu Jian said coldly.

“Damn… yoooouuuu!!!”

Loong Feng seemed to realize he couldn’t win at close range, so he flew away quickly to gain some distance, then spun about in midair. As he spun his arms like flowing whirlpools, a massive wall of deep blue water formed behind him, rising into the sky like a colossal giant. Shuchang shuddered at the amount of Qi being released.

“DIE! WORLD-DESTROYING RAGING WAVES!!”

He thrust his hand forward and the tsunami surged toward Wu Jian to engulf him. Shuchang was about to shout something, but his throat caught when he saw that his friend looked calm like a placid lake. Not a single hint of emotion was visible on his face.

“What a pretentious technique name. Black Hole.”

Wu Jian held out his hands and curled his fingers. Within the space between, a small black sphere formed, crackling with repressed power. The sphere soon grew unstable. With a simple gesture, Wu Jian sent it toward Loong Feng’s attack. There was no explosion of power. Instead, a powerful suction force caused the entire tsunami lto curve inward, racing toward the black sphere.

“W-what…?”

Loong Feng’s eyes bulged in shock as his technique was consumed by the black sphere until there was nothing left. Shuchang didn’t blame him. How many people could create something like that? That technique of Wu Jian’s could consume any technique regardless of its power. Shuchang couldn’t even begin to comprehend the mechanics behind that attack. It was quite unlike anything else, and that was saying something since Wu Jian’s techniques were all esoteric and strange.

“You seem quite proud of that attack,” Wu Jian said with a smile. “Why don’t I return it to you.”

Loong Feng had no time to respond.

“Teleport.”

Because Wu Jian was already behind him. A black portal had appeared between Wu Jian and Loong Feng, and water swiftly erupted from the portal, slamming into the flood dragon, who roared in surprise and anguish as he hurtled to the ground. The torrent did not stop even after he crashed. The water continue to crush him into the ground for several long minutes. When the torrential flood finally died down, Shuchang stood up to find a newly formed lake.

He whistled. “I didn’t think it was possible, but… have you gotten even more powerful? I don’t think your cultivation has increased…”

Wu Jian set down next to Shuchang, and he took a deep breath as the transformation he’d been using ended. His hair reverted to black, his muscles grew bigger but less dense, and his eyes changed to their usual dark color. Sagging a little as though exhausted, Wu Jian smiled at his friend.

“I’m not necessarily stronger, per se… but I gained a small boon after healing from the loss of my legs.”

“Is that so…?”

“It is. Anyway…” Wu Jian reached out a hand as though grasping for something, and Loong Feng suddenly appeared within his enclosed fist. The flood dragon was unconscious, eyes rolled into the back of his head. Slinging the man over his shoulder, Wu Jian turned around. “Let’s head back to the village. That phoenix is still raging, and we need to stop his rampage as soon as possible.”

“Right…”

Shuchang was a bit sad that Wu Jian wasn’t willing to share his newfound strength with him, but he also understood that Shuchang had just brought an enemy to his ally’s doorstep. It would be more strange for Wu Jian to trust him after that. Yes, he had done this to help his friend recover, but many people had just been killed because he allowed himself to be put in a situation like this. All he could do now was work hard to earn back his friend’s trust.

“Do not misunderstand,” Wu Jian suddenly interrupted his musings.

“Eh?” Shuchang looked up.

“I do trust you. Now just isn’t the time.”

“Oh…” Shuchang’s cheeks grew hot. “Was I that obvious?”

Wu Jian shrugged. “Just how long do you think I’ve known you? You’re my friend. Of course, it’s obvious to me.”

The words sent a shock through Shuchang, but he suddenly grinned and slung an arm around Wu Jian’s shoulder.

“Right! You’re right! We’ve known each other so long, we’re practically brothers!”

“No… I wouldn’t go that far.”

“No need to be shy, Jian. Go on. Call me Xiōng Shuchang.”

“Not on your life.”

“Now, now. You don’t need to be embarrassed. Come on. Let’s hear it. Xiōng Shuchang. Say it.”

“I take back everything I said about us being friends.”