King Qi’s heir frowned. “Who are you trying to scare with that shoddy thing?”

The Tai’e Sword didn’t look like anything special on the outside. It wasn’t shiny like normal divine weapons and instead looked rusted and useless. It wasn’t any surprise that it was called shoddy.

“Then do you want to have a taste of this shoddy thing?” Zu An said with a chuckle. He wanted to see if this fella would be so stupid as to agree to this condition. If he did, then he would learn a really harsh lesson.

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” King Qi’s heir didn’t agree. Even though he didn’t think this shoddy thing could break through his elemental barrier, there was no way he would just stand there like an idiot and let Zu An attack him.

“If you don’t dare, then you can’t blame me for going all out.” He reappeared by Zhao Zhi’s side like a ghost immediately after he finished speaking. The sword in his hands thrusted out at his opponent at an inconceivable angle.

Zhao Zhi’s expression changed. This guy’s movement technique is just way too weird! He didn’t dare act carelessly at all. Fortunately, one of the lightning element’s advantages was speed. As such, his figure flickered and evaded. Then, he retaliated.

The two individuals flickered back and forth. It was an absolutely dazzling sight for the spectators.

Murong Qinghe was completely stupefied. “How is your brother-in-law so strong?”

This scene before her already went beyond her understanding. As a martial idiot, even though her cultivation wasn’t much in the capital, she was definitely top notch among her peers, and her eyes were excellent. There were many powerful cultivators in her clan, so being in this type of environment ever since she was young made her sight far superior to those who trained on their own.

But regardless of how she looked at it, Zu An shouldn’t be his opponent’s match! King Qi’s heir had eight ranks of cultivation!

Yet the two of them were clearly equally matched right now!

Wait, no, she even felt like King Qi’s heir was gradually losing the advantage.

Zu An’s movement technique was just too strange, to the extent where his swordplay was completely unpredictable. She was bewildered even while watching from this distance.

Chu First Miss seemed like an untouchable goddess when she used this technique, yet when this fella used the same thing, his aura became entirely different.

Chu Youzhao proudly stuck out her chest. “But of course! Did you forget whose brother-in-law he is?”

Murong Qinghe wrinkled her nose in disdain. Who was the one cursing his brother-in-law a few months ago and even wondering if his big sister went blind? Yet now, your attitude changed that quickly?

King Qi’s heir was shocked and furious. “Very good, you’ve successfully gained my attention now. You have the right to see my sword.”

With his eight ranks of cultivation, he didn’t think defeating Zu An would take much effort at all. That was why he didn’t use any weapons out of fear that it would make him look less cool.

But now, he couldn’t be bothered anymore. He wanted to wait until the other party exhausted all of his stamina first so that there would be an opening to exploit in his movement technique, but for some reason, the other party’s energy seemed to be incredibly vast. Not even a battle of this intensity was able to do anything to him.

If this continued, this young noble might be the one who was injured before he managed to exhaust his opponent.

He was a mighty eighty ranked cultivator, yet he couldn’t even take down this rat off the streets. If he was injured instead, how was he supposed to survive in his social circles in the future?

“Look at you, still acting tough.” Zu An harrumphed in disdain. “You’re pulling your sword out now, huh? If not, I would've already cut off all three legs.”

The young noble’s face turned completely red. He was almost struck by this fella’s sword several times. He originally had the confidence to hold out with his elemental barrier, but this sword kept aiming for his freaking little bro down there. He really didn’t have confidence in letting that sword hit it head-on.

He thrusted out his sword silently, inwardly furious. I have to chop off this bastard’s arms and legs even if I don’t kill him today! I have to get rid of that irritating tongue too!

You have successfully trolled Zhao Zhi for +444 +444 +444…

Murong Qinghe blinked her eyes when she saw them tangle about each other again. She looked at Chu Youzhao. “Big brother Chu, what is a third leg?”

A martial idiot like her was only sharp on matters of cultivation. However, this phase really was a bit outside the scope of her knowledge.

“A kid shouldn’t ask so much about these things.” Chu Youzhao blushed. She didn’t know about this before either. However, when she saw Zu An push down her big sis, she already fully understood what the third leg was without anyone teaching her.

“You’re not even that much older than me.” Murong QInghe mumbled and wasn’t happy that the other party was looking down on her because of her age. She was just about to say something, but when she saw Chu Youzhao’s red face, her eyes became starstruck again. Big brother Chu really is handsome!

...

While Murong Qinghe was starstruck, King Qi’s heir wasn’t in that great of a mood. With his background and status, his weapon was naturally a top grade divine weapon. He thought that he could easily slice through the chunk of metal in Zu An’s hands, yet that stupid stick just didn’t break even after clashing several times.

Did I wake up on the wrong foot today?

King Qi’s heir began to doubt his life. It was one thing if he couldn’t defeat a low level cultivator with eight levels of cultivation, but not even his weapon could defeat his opponent’s shoddy weapon! What the heck is going on?

But he didn’t let himself get distracted at all. Instead, he seized an exceptional timing to stab Zu An’s thigh.

“Hmph! Let’s see what you’ll do now!” However, his smile froze as soon as it appeared on his face, because the feeling from his sword was off.

Sure enough, the Zu An he stabbed gradually disappeared.

It’s another afterimage!

He didn’t even turn around and stabbed straight backwards.

Chu Youzhao cried out in alarm. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw that Zu An evaded behind King Qi’s heir. However, his opponent’s reaction was too fast, so it looked as if Zu An was the one proactively bringing his chest up to that sword.

Even further out, the driver with the missing tooth sensed the madam in the carriage lean forward. He knew that she was getting worried. He explained, “Madam, do not worry. This kid’s movement technique is quite stunning. He wasn’t injured.”

The woman inside the carriage thus sighed in relief.

…

On the battlefield, King Qi’s heir was also shocked. He sensed that he missed this time as well.

He immediately wanted to evade to the side, but he was a step too late. There was a sharp pain coming back from his thigh. Blood erupted.

King Qi’s heir roared out. He crazily brandished the sword in his hands. A tyrannical blast of lightning scattered outwards. This attack was enough to batter Zu An half dead.

Unfortunately, Zu An didn’t greedily proceed with his attack. He quickly withdrew after getting his advantage, so this attack completely missed.

“How can you break through my defenses?!” King Qi’s heir lowered his head to look at the bloody wound on his leg. He was shocked and furious.

You have successfully trolled Zhao Zhi for +588 +588 +588…

If it wasn't because of his cultivator survival instincts that drove him to move sideways at the last second, his little bro might already be gone.

Zu An sighed in pity. An eighth ranked cultivator had their fair share of skills after all! Otherwise, his attack just now would’ve already finished his opponent.

“Who was it that was bragging about how I cannot even break through your defenses? If you still don’t believe me, should I show you again?”

Zhao Zhi’s expression was cold. He gave the Tai’e Sword an apprehensive look. He knew that this weapon was where the problem lied. “I admit that I’ve underestimated you. However, do you really think that you can defeat me because of that strange sword?”

“Are you born under the year of the duck or something? Why is your mouth so hard and stubborn?” Zu An mocked.[1]

Nearby, Chu Youzhao and Murong Qinghe both subconsciously nodded. They felt like King Qi’s heir was indeed embarrassing himself. If you lose, you lose. Even if you only lose the first bout, you still lost.

He was a glorious eighth ranked cultivator, yet he was pressured to this extent by a lower level cultivator and even injured. It didn’t matter no matter what you say at this point.

It was instead that driver with the missing tooth that frowned and said, “The kid is in danger.”

He was originally hoping that the madam inside the carriage would say something, and then he would explain what he meant. But he didn’t hear anything from her, so everything he wanted to say had to be swallowed back down. This really wasn’t a great feeling.

Zhao Zhi’s headband had already unwittingly broken apart. His previously orderly hair was fluttering about in midair. His eyes were suffused with a purple color. “Do you know what is the difference between an eighth ranked cultivator and a lower rank cultivator?”

Zu An was startled when he sensed the sudden change in his opponent’s aura. He recalled what he learned before at the academy.

Sixth rank would form an elemental barrier. This made it so that low level cultivators had practically no chance of winning. This was the first major transformation on the path of cultivation.

The eighth rank was considered the second major transformation. Before the eighth rank, cultivation relied purely on the natural ki of the world they stored within them. In other words, they relied on their own power. Once you reached the eighth rank, you can begin to borrow the power of the world outside!

Even in his past world where science and technology were developed, where humans could wander the cosmos and explore the seas, any random natural disaster carried far more destructive power than an atomic bomb.

Compared to the power of the world, humans were still too insignificant.

And right now, he could keenly sense that the world’s ki was frantically surging towards King Qi’s heir.

1. There is no year of the duck, he’s mocking him