Gao Han's longsword, exuding a piercing chill, was pointed straight at the plump monk. "I have yet to ask for your reverend dharma name, Brother."
An ordinary man threatened at swordpoint would have flown into a rage and refused to answer, but the disciples of the Buddhist Temple were all gentle of temperament. The plump monk smiled faintly and replied, "My dharma name is Lingze." He then pointed with a stubby finger toward the two other monks in the distance. "These are my junior brothers, Lingyin and Lingdu."
Gao Han nodded calmly toward the two warriors. "I pay my respects." He turned back to Lingze, his tone solemn. "I am Gao Han. I beg you to grant me this duel of cultivation."
Lingze let out a wry smile, misunderstanding his intent. "Brother Gao, you have already proven your prowess. I confess I underestimated you."
Gao Han shook his head slightly, his expression grave. "I seek not to prove my strength, but to test our skills in earnest combat."
Meanwhile, Situ Jian had been helped to his feet by Situ Yan and Zheng Ling. He wore a bitter smile upon hearing Gao Han's words. Zheng Ling leaned close and whispered, "Cousin, how do you fare?"
Having just been outmatched by a Qi Condensation cultivator, Situ Jian was in a foul mood. He shot Zheng Ling a resentful glare. "How do you think? Can you not see for yourself?"
Zheng Ling knew better than to provoke him further and forced a smile. "We are kin. This would never have happened had you not acted so impulsively." He then recounted the full story as he had heard it from Zheng Kong.
Situ Yan's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He shot his sister a sharp look and hissed, "Foolish girl! Why could you not speak plainly?"
Situ Yan hung her head, twisting the hem of her robe, and muttered in protest, "I did explain. You simply lack the sense to understand."
Situ Jian sighed in exasperation and turned away from her, speaking seriously to Zheng Ling. "This young man's power is extraordinary. Had Elder Lingze not intervened, I would have been grievously wounded."
"Grievously wounded? That cannot be—you wear the Thousand-Leaf Armor, your clan's ancestral treasure!" Zheng Ling replied in disbelief. Protective gear was exceedingly rare; a low-grade armor was worth no less than a mid-tier spiritual weapon.
Situ Jian snorted coldly. "It is because of the armor that I say I would have been wounded. Without it, I would have died here today."
Zheng Ling saw the sincerity in his expression and believed him at once. Situ Jian never admitted defeat lightly; when he did, it meant his opponent was truly his superior.
Back on the battlefield, Gao Han wasted no more words on Lingze. He leaped high into the air, his sword radiating frost, and slashed downward with formidable force.
Lingze saw the ferocity of the incoming strike and knew he could not afford to hold back. He channeled his true qi into his staff, which instantly glowed with a brilliant golden hue. He raised the staff high and parried Gao Han's blade.
A deafening clash erupted where sword met staff. The biting cold from Gao Han's weapon sent a shiver down Lingze's spine, raising goosebumps across his skin. He thought to himself grimly: I must fight with my full strength. This boy's prowess is staggering.
Lingze flicked his staff upward, knocking the sword aside, then leaped backward and planted his feet. He twirled his staff in a fluid flourish and fixed his gaze on Gao Han, speaking softly. "Be on your guard, Brother Gao."
Gao Han nodded slightly. At once, Lingze unleashed his staff in a wide, sweeping arc. "Staff Sweeping Through a Thousand Armies!"
Mid-strike, the technique shifted. The golden staff multiplied into a massive shadow nearly three feet thick, bearing down on Gao Han with the momentum to flatten all in its path.
Gao Han's eyes narrowed. He pulled back his sword and channeled his inner qi into his left palm, which frosted over with a frigid aura. The very ground beneath his hand hardened as if frozen solid.
"Ice Peak Roar!"
He slammed his palm forward against the oncoming staff shadow. A three-foot-tall block of ice materialized before him and crashed into the attack. In an instant, the staff shadow shattered the ice. The onlookers shook their heads, assuming Gao Han was outmatched—yet marveled at Lingze's power all the same.
Just as they believed Gao Han was doomed, a second block of ice, four feet tall, formed before his palm. Lingze's heart jolted. Another?
The staff shadow shattered this ice as well, and for a moment Lingze relaxed—only to tense again as a third, five-foot-tall ice block coalesced. At last, the force behind the staff shadow was spent and dissipated.
Lingze's technique had failed. Suppressing his astonishment, he retracted his staff and spun, stabbing it six times in rapid succession toward Gao Han's palms. This was his signature move: Six Snow Plums.
Six streams of staff qi, delicate as snowflakes, shot toward Gao Han's hands. The five-foot ice block was pierced through by the sharp, penetrating force, which continued hurtling toward him unrelenting.
Gao Han's earlier Ice Peak Roar had relied on layered, surging inner strength to conjure the three ice blocks, but his current limits allowed no more. He knew his palm arts could not withstand the six streams of qi.
"First Layer of True Essence, unleashing six streams of true qi in a single strike. The Buddhist Temple lives up to its name as one of Cangnan's mightiest sects." The clan warriors murmured in awe. Zheng Kong's eyes lit up; he wielded a staff himself, and such exquisite, powerful techniques filled him with a burning desire to learn.
Gao Han's eyes narrowed. A direct hit would leave him gravely injured. He poured all his strength into his sword, which trembled violently. "Frigid River-Sundering Soul-Breaking Sword!"
Six six-foot-long sword auras shot forth to meet the golden staff shadows. The two forces collided violently. The staff shadows gradually froze solid, even as they wore away at the sword auras. When the staff qi vanished, the six sword auras were reduced to barely two feet in length, yet still streaked toward Lingze with frigid power.
The golden defensive shield Lingze had used to save Situ Jian reappeared. Gao Han saw it clearly now: Lingze spun his staff at blinding speed, wrapping it in dense true qi to render it unyielding. The swirling staff qi formed an impenetrable barrier.
The six sword auras slammed into the shield at full speed. The sheer force sent Lingze flying backward, his feet scraping two long gouges in the earth. Though each aura was only two feet long—three times shorter than his previous strike—their number made the impact devastating, hurling him ten meters back.
The onlookers gaped at the sheer destructive power. Even the zombie had only sent Lingdu flying ten meters; Lingze was clearly the strongest of the three monks. That Gao Han could match the zombie's offensive strength spoke volumes of his power.
As Lingze flew backward, Gao Han pursued him with the Phantom Stride. The moment Lingze halted, a frost-covered sword pressed against his plump, pale neck.
"I concede!" Lingze gasped, feeling the bitter cold seep through his skin, as if his very throat would freeze solid. "Young Hero Gao, your prowess is unparalleled. Forgive my earlier ignorance and discourtesy."
Gao Han sheathed his sword, leaning on the scabbard for support as he gasped for breath. His strength was nearly spent, his inner qi all but depleted, and he had pushed his body far beyond its limits to fight. The adrenaline of battle had sustained him, but now that the fight was over, his muscles turned to lead and his vision blurred. He longed only to collapse into deep slumber.
Forcing himself to stay awake, Gao Han planted his sheathed sword into the soil and sat cross-legged, drawing in spiritual energy from the air to replenish his inner qi.
His victory stunned everyone present—even Lingyin and Lingdu were aghast. Lingze was the most talented and accomplished of the three, beloved by the temple's elders. The Buddhist Temple housed two schools of martial arts: one focused on defense, the other on offense. Lingze was a standout of the offensive school, and had even dabbled in the defensive shield technique, achieving enough mastery to fend off attacks from ordinary Second Layer True Essence warriors.
Lingze glanced at his staff, forged from indestructible green spirit wood as a low-tier spiritual weapon. Its ends now bore shallow indentations. He smiled wryly at Zheng Ling and the others. "Young Hero Gao's strength is truly astonishing. Which sect or clan has honed such a prodigy? I have never heard his name in Cangnan. Is he a Six-Star disciple?"
The barrage of questions left Zheng Ling dumbfounded, still reeling from Gao Han's display of power. Alongside his shock was a surge of joy. Zheng Kong, however, had long grown used to Gao Han's feats; to him, his victory was only to be expected.
"Heh, Master… reverend brother! This is my Brother Gao Han, honored guest of the Zheng Clan and a distinguished disciple of the Misty Sect!" Zheng Kong grinned broadly. "Great Master, might your staff techniques be taught to outsiders? I would gladly become your disciple! I'll even pay to take you to pleasure houses—what say you?"
Lingze smiled gently. "Our arts are not passed beyond the temple. Should you be interested, you may join the Buddhist Temple and train in our techniques as a monk. As for… pleasure houses, all mortal women are but pink skeletons. We monks abstain from all carnal desires."
The Zheng faction was jubilant, but the Lu imperial faction wore grim expressions after their initial shock. Lu Zhengchun ground his teeth in silent fury. This Gao Han is only sixteen, yet his talent is nearly unrivaled. If the Zheng Clan gains such a prodigy, the imperial house is doomed.
Hu Kai fanned his sleeve, his face darkening. "Your Highness, why not eliminate him while he is weakened?" He drew a finger across his throat in a slashing motion.
Lu Zhengchun fell into deep thought. Gu Yunluan leaned in and whispered, "A prodigy who does not serve us must be destroyed."
Murder flashed in Lu Zhengchun's eyes. "Young Master Hu, you shall handle him. Agreed?"
Hu Kai's scheming smile froze at once. He coughed awkwardly. "I yield this honor to Young Master Gu! Your bravery is unmatched, and as a future great general, you deserve the glory."
Gu Yunluan, the son of a military household, was simple-minded and easily swayed by flattery. He puffed out his chest and bowed to Lu Zhengchun. "Your Highness, I shall serve the kingdom with pride!"
Lu Zhengchun nodded faintly.
At once, Gu Yunluan stepped forward, halberd in hand, pointing it toward Gao Han. "Gao Han, your fierce duel has stirred my warrior's blood! Let us settle this in a fair fight!"
Zheng Kong sauntered over, slouching as usual. "Fair? You shameless cur! Where has your honor gone? Did you misplace it, or find a new one to wear?"
Zheng Ling then stepped forward, spear leveled at Gu Yunluan, his tone disdainful. "Gu Yunluan, if you crave battle, face me instead. I shall indulge you."
Gu Yunluan shifted awkwardly. Hu Kai sauntered between the two groups, fanning himself lazily. "Young Master Zheng, Young Master Gu merely admires Gao Han's skill and craves a friendly duel. You need not judge him so harshly."
Zheng Ling bristled with anger, but before he could speak, Gao Han's voice rang out from behind him. "Brother Zheng, if the gentleman earnestly seeks a duel, it would be ungracious of me to refuse. I accept."
Gao Han rose to his feet and retrieved his sword from the earth. Anyone with sense could see Gu Yunluan's challenge was no accident—they intended to eliminate a rival prodigy. Though he had regained only forty percent of his inner qi, it was more than enough to deal with a man like this.
Gu Yunluan was surprised but elated at the answer. The glory of killing Gao Han would be his. He twirled his halberd and laughed loudly. "Young Hero Gao, you are a man of honor! Yet blades know no mercy; injuries or death are inevitable. Take care, I warn you."
Gao Han wasted no more words. His sword cleared its sheath, exuding a domineering aura. He unleashed the River-Sundering Soul-Breaking Sword at once, charging toward Gu Yunluan in a flash of silver light.
Gu Yunluan swung his halberd downward in a heaven-splitting arc. In close combat, a longer weapon held the advantage, and the halberd reached Gao Han first. At full strength, Gao Han would have feared nothing—but with only forty percent of his power, he could not block head-on.
Gao Han held his sword in one hand and channeled the Cold Mountain Palm into the other, blasting the halberd aside with a burst of frigid qi. He shifted his feet and stabbed his sword toward Gu Yunluan, who countered by hooking the halberd's rear end at Gao Han's blade, knocking it away.
Gu Yunluan reversed his grip and thrusted the halberd forward. Gao Han leaped back with the Phantom Stride, with Gu Yunluan in hot pursuit. Gao Han jammed his sword into the square slot between the halberd's prongs, pinning the weapon to the ground.
He lunged forward, his right hand forming a sword finger, and unleashed the River-Sundering Soul-Breaking Sword technique toward Gu Yunluan. Gu Yunluan stared in terror, for the finger seemed to have transformed into a sharp sword blade. He threw himself sideways with all his speed, but Gao Han's finger still sliced through his robe, cutting it clean away as if by a keen edge.
Gu Yunluan's eyes bulged in terror. He regretted his reckless ambition deeply.
Gao Han paid him no mind. He unleashed the Ice Peak Roar with his left hand, sending a wave of frost toward the dodging Gu Yunluan. Having seen the technique before, Gu Yunluan sprinted for his life. The successive ice blocks crashed into a distant tree, snapping it in half instantly.
As he turned, Gao Han glanced at Lu Zhengchun, whose hands were clenched so tightly around his sword that his knuckles whitened. He was barely restraining himself from attacking.
Lu Zhengchun was stunned. Even half-recovered, Gao Han dominated Gu Yunluan. At full strength, he could likely defeat Lu Zhengchun, Gu Yunluan, and Hu Kai combined. His resolve to kill Gao Han hardened.
A chill ran down Gao Han's spine. He knew his life hung in the balance. Zheng Kong and Zheng Ling would stand with him, but Situ Jian and the three monks were uncertain. Zheng Ling would not dare push the Zheng Clan into open war with the imperial family—not when the clan risked total annihilation. Only Zheng Kong, a mere Ninth Layer Qi Condensation warrior, could be counted on.
Gao Han decided to strike fear into his enemies. He gathered every last drop of his remaining forty percent inner qi into his right index and middle fingers, preparing his final strike. He roared, "Gu Yunluan! You scum dare challenge me? Today, you shall pay a price! Frigid River-Sundering Soul-Breaking Sword!"
He stabbed his fingers forward, unleashing a long, icy ribbon of sword qi straight toward Gu Yunluan's right arm. The qi streaked toward him like a loosed arrow. Gu Yunluan heard the piercing whoosh behind him and spun around, his face draining of color. He froze in terror as the ice qi pierced clean through his arm, leaving a finger-wide hole—not a single drop of blood spilled, for the wound was frozen shut.
The strike was so fast that even Lingyin and Lingdu could not react in time to save him. Lingze, injured himself, could only watch in helpless dismay.
Gu Yunluan cared nothing for anger now. A wave of cold energy spread from his wound through his meridians toward his dantian, freezing his scattered true qi in its path. He had to expel the frost before it reached his core, or his cultivation would be permanently crippled.
Gao Han was utterly drained. His vision swam in black and white, his meridians throbbing in agony. Yet he stood tall, his eyes icy as he stared at the Lu faction. He held his fingers in a sword gesture and snorted coldly. "If any others wish to test my strength or itch for a duel, step forward. My strength is spent, and my control is unsteady—I cannot promise I shall only strike an arm next time."
Lu Zhengchun took a step forward, but Zheng Kong and Zheng Ling moved in tandem to block him, ready to fend off a treacherous attack.
Gao Han's voice turned glacial. "I might just strike a neck instead."
He fixed his cold gaze on Lu Zhengchun's slender, pale throat. The prince felt a bone-deep chill, as if his own neck had been pierced by the frigid sword qi. Though Gao Han held no weapon, his aura alone cowed Lu Zhengchun and Hu Kai into inaction. The other Ninth Layer warriors trembled in fear.
At last, Lu Zhengchun forced a hollow laugh. "Ha… ha! If you are weary, Brother Gao, rest well. We hunt the zombie come nightfall. Dismissed." He led his faction away, carrying the injured Gu Yunluan down the hill and back to their camp.
The onlookers stood frozen for a moment, stunned by the endless shocks Gao Han had delivered that day.
Zheng Kong rushed to his side and clapped him on the shoulder. "Awesome, Brother Han—"
Before he could finish, the world spun around Gao Han. He blacked out and collapsed into Zheng Kong's arms.