Chapter 102 - The 64 Sword Styles (1/2)

Cold sweat rush out of Tan Zhen's forehead, the 64 sword strands flowed like silk, although it was not as good as the authentic sword silk array of the Shui Tu Clan, it had been mixed with the sword controlling techniques of the Jun Shan Clan; Jun Sixie's sword controlling technique was from the Jun Shan Clan, she cultivated it into the zither string allowing her to have the ability to kill stealthily.

Zhong Yue had merged the Spring Thunder Sword Qi and Jiao Dragon Totem into a sword silk imbued with the devastating power of thunder. Although not as strong as the Jun Shan and Shui Tu Clan's core inheritance, it was still something that couldn't be ignored!

Stealthily, the sword silks broke through the shield totems around him and silently sliced through his wings as if they were tofu.

All of a sudden, the metal awl stopped right in front of Zhong Yue, and almost simultaneously, the 64 sword silks also stopped abruptly, sparing Tan Zhen from getting lacerated into pieces.

"There is no irreconcilable hatred between us…."

Zhong Yue and Tan Zhen laughed at the same time, Zhong Yue lifted his hand up and recalled the sword silks and Tan Zhen also kept his metal awl back. Tan Zhen said, "Stop, stop, the winner can only be decided with the use of soul weapons; but you and I both don't have any of them now. Furthermore, there is no deep hatred between us, there is no need for a fight to the death. Leave, scatter away, if even I am unable to defeat Junior Martial Brother Zhong, then neither can any of you!"

He waved at the crowds, cracking a dark smile while saying, "Or do you all think that you are stronger than me? Just leave already."

The faces of the over twenty Qi Practitioners that came to challenge Zhong Yue turned red as they all left quietly. Ta Wulu hesitated for a few seconds before he also turned to leave.

Tan Zhen's cultivation base was stronger than his own and so was Tan Zhen's prowess, and yet he was still unable to defeat Zhong Yue. Surely, Ta Wulu would also be helpless against Zhong Yue as well. In addition to that, he would have to consider the shame of taking advantage of Zhong Yue's fatigue. Despite the flaws in his character, he had his own pride and was naturally unwilling to do so.

The eight inner hall hall masters' palms were soaked in perspiration and they all heaved a breath of relief.

The battle between Zhong Yue and Tan Zhen was too intense, culminating to point where finishing moves were cast all over and they were at the brink of killing each other. But thankfully, the two of them showed a forbearance rarely seen in those their age and stopped at the last second or otherwise, there would currently be two dead bodies on the ground.

But even so, their bodies were still heavily injured, both of them having suffered at least a dozen sword wounds that crawled all over their bodies.

All of a sudden, Xiao Chuqing's disappointed voice sounded out in their ears, "Has the dignified and proud human race lost their guts? Sister Shui almost had her head separated from her body and died like a perished jade, and yet no one here is brave enough in helping her seek justice?"

Zhong Yue cast his gaze over, gently smiled and said, "Junior Martial Sister Xiao, since you want to avenge her so much, why don't you come and do the work yourself?"

Cold rays flashed in Xiao Chuqing's eyes which she repressed, she chortled, "I'm afraid that I would suffer the same shameful fate as that Senior Martial Sister Huang, getting all my clothes stripped off by senior martial brother and being forced to hide in the palace in fear of coming out…."

Some of the young Qi Practitioners heard her words and their blood circulated energetically as their youthful minds painted obscene images of the young lady being stipped of her clothes by Zhong Yue's Sword Qi.

Evildoer …. Zhong Yue retracted his sights.

The eight hall masters quickly stepped in and dismissed the crowd and summoned Zhong Yue and Tan Zhen over in admonishment, "Tan Zhen gathered the crowds and engaged in a fight, damaging the Lingzhi Stage and the Guest Palace. You are a common disciple of the eight halls and hence your punishment will be to repair the Lingzhi Stage and Guest Palace. After your work is done, you will serve as a menial laborer for ten days in each of the eight halls!"

Tan Zhen's face contorted in bitterness as he lamented, "Eight teachers, the Guest Palace is broken by Junior Martial Brother Zhong!"

The eight hall masters looked at each other, and the hall master of the Hall of Sword Qi called Zhong Yue over and said, "Zhong Yue, today we will punish you … Oh right, what hall do you belong to? If you are not a disciple of my Hall of Sword Qi, then I don't have the rights to punish you."

Zhong Yue bowed and greeted, he answered, "Report to the hall masters, I've yet to join any halls yet…."

"Then join my Hall of Sword Qi!"

The Hall of Sword Qi hall master smiled with his eyes laughing, "If you join my Hall of Sword Qi, I will exempt you from the punishment, but just this once."

"Join my Hall of Array Carvings, my Hall of Array Carvings never punishes our disciples!"

"My Hall of Sword Hearts is the most considerate towards our disciples, you'd be showered with all sorts of benefits and solicitudes!"

"My Hall of Weapon Refinery boasts of the best conditions of the eight halls, you can take any materials you like to forge your own soul weapon; it's a shame to waste and we the Hall of Weapon Refinery are proud of such shameless acts."

...

Tan Zhen's jaw nearly fell as he gazed at the eight hall masters trying to lure Zhong Yue into their own halls. He furiously and indignantly yelled out, "Dear teachers, aren't you guys a little too biased?"

"Silence!"

The Hall master of the Hall of Sword Qi whispered lowly, "He is still not one of our disciples, we don't have the rights to punish him; now he has damaged public facilities, the only ones that can punish him are the elders, but Elder Feng is a lazy man, Elder Feng will not punish him, wait until he has joined any of our halls and then we would have the rights to punish him."

The eight halls of the inner hall ... each and every hall master was responsible for one hall and their jurisdiction was limited to only their own hall. The hall master of Hall of Sword Hearts could not punish the disciples of the Hall of Sword Qi, likewise, the Hall of Totem Spirits could not discipline the disciples of the Hall of Sword Hearts. This was a rule laid down by the inner hall to avoid conflicts of powers and responsibilities.

While the inner hall disciples would normally elect to join the halls according to their interests, ever since the founding of Swords Gate, none of the disciples have never ever not joined a hall. Zhong Yue was the first to have cultivated to the level of Rebirth without having joined any halls!