109 Gale (1/2)
Zhan Beiye had arrived.
The old man raised his brows, flicking his free hand to summon wind blades that shot out in all directions. After a few whizzes, strands of Zhan Beiye's hair were chopped and sent flying everywhere. Countless holes appeared on his black robe but he never once dodged. Allowing the holes on his clothes to turn to bloody wounds on his skin he charged forward with unreduced power.
The old man frowned a little, evidently surprised. He made a few more flicks, each landing on Zhan Beiye's body like a huge wooden block. Despite three consecutive slams the force he exerted remained consistent. He laughed maniacally while raising his halberd behind him, where the sound of wild wind rose.
”I'll smash you to death!”
The surprise on the old man's face intensified. ”Are juniors these days all this ignorant and disrespectful?” The old man laughed, reaching his hand out.
Zong Yue, who had been kneeling before him, raised his head suddenly. ”Yes!”
He extended his fingers, between which a plump-looking black pearl was positioned. Since he was kneeling close to the old man, he aimed the pearl right into the latter's widely opened mouth.
The old man shut his mouth instinctively. The black pearl exploded in midair and disintegrated into smoke and powder, some of which settled on his clothes and in his nostrils.
”What is this… Achoo!” The old man sneezed and in the process loosened his hand.
A purple figure floated by.
It was a very faint figure, almost nonhuman, which resembled the shallow light emitted by the oil lamp on the wall. However, upon its emergence, all light was covered. With fingers like jade, seemingly grasping a flower, the figure reached for the old man's forehead.
Just a simple touch was enough to send clouds covering the moon. The figure was everywhere yet faintly discernible. In an instant, the whole space seemed to be taken over by the vague but glaringly bright hand gesture.
The old man's eyes finally changed.
Zong Yue was threatening him with poison, and he couldn't open his mouth to spit gale swords. Zhan Beiye's scepter was sturdy, and he needed to free a hand to deal with. Now, the light purple figure, whose power was beyond those two before. To make things worse, that figure was aiming for his only Achille's heel.
He had no choice but to release the hand on Meng Fuyao's head.
The moment he released it, the three men's eyes lit up. Zong Yue got back on his feet and continuously flicked black pearls, while Zhan Beiye brandished his scepter and advanced toward the old man amid the light screen produced. As for Zhangsun Wuji, the move he had executed was a feint, and he had already picked Meng Fuyao up in a flash.
Sensing that he had been fooled, the old man turned to flick his finger. Then, the cracking sound of a bone was heard.
Meng Fuyao whipped her head back as Zhangsun Wuji floated out as if sensing nothing. He even lowered his head to smile. ”Troublemaker.”
Meng Fuyao wanted to laugh, but bitterness showed through, albeit in a comical way.
She dropped her body backward, and Zhangsun Wuji remarked, anger surging in his eyes, ”Why, Senior, are you making things difficult for juniors like us?
”You are pretty capable but are all juniors in the Five Region Continent this arrogant nowadays?” The old man retorted. ”I haven't stepped foot out of here for many years, and things sure have changed.”
He looked at the few individuals with a tinge of admiration and surprise in his eyes. At their age, he wasn't of their standard. Coldness filled his heart from deep within, but what he did not realize was that these figures were the cream of the crop and no ordinary kids.
”You're a prominent figure, Senior Gale. Before you, there's no room for us to speak,” Zhangsun Wuji continued respectfully. ”But why must a life be sacrificed if there is a better solution?”
'Gale!'
Meng Fuyao stared at the old man in shock. She had mistakenly identified him as the Starlight Sage.
”What is the better solution?” Gale smirked. ”I'm about to die. Am I to bring the pact between Holy Spirit and I into the grave? I have never once beaten him. Am I to continue losing? No way, you see.”
”Whoever dies first loses, is that right? And having a disciple to impart your skills counts as a continuation of life. Sir Holy Spirit already has his, but you haven't been able to find a suitable one, which I assume is the reason why you're channeling all of your inner energy into 'Undead Body'?”
”How do you know all these? How do you know about my plan?” Gale questioned, his hair all messed from the wind.
With a smile, Zhangsun Wuji answered, ”Undead Body cultivates an unmatchably tough body, but in exchange, it ruins a person's mind. This is an extreme method and must not be used.”
”I just care about winning,” Gale snickered. ”Unless Holy Spirit is willing to use it on his disciple, I'm sure to win.”
”You have no chance,” Zhangsun Wuji informed, his smile never fading. Unhurriedly fiddling with his sleeve, he added, ”You had about half an hour of life left, but even that is almost up since we have spent so much time on talking. It's hardly an issue for the three of us to hinder you.”