This man hailed from a collateral branch of the Confucian School; his Taoist magic and divine abilities must be considerable, which sparked a degree of anticipation in Feng Zikang’s heart.
The next day, Liang Wendao indeed came out to fight, specifically calling out Feng Zikang before the formation.
“You mortals need not throw your lives away pointlessly. The debt has a clear payer and a clear creditor. I only seek vengeance for my disciple. Feng Zikang, come out!”
He stepped on auspicious clouds, hovering in the air, his voice like a great bell, certainly rousing the mountains and rivers.
Fortunately, the Lizhou army soldiers had seen their share of immortals and were not particularly afraid, merely letting out a chorus of boos and ceaseless clamor. Feng Zikang smiled faintly and flew out on his sword.
“I am Feng Zikang of the Military Family of Dragon Tiger Mountain. Who are you? Announce your name!”
Feng Zikang naturally knew he was Geshu Luo’s master, yet he deliberately feigned ignorance, his tone carrying a hint of disdain.
Liang Wendao was furious. “I am Liang Wendao, Sect Master of the Myriad Scrolls Sect on Mount Song. My disciple, Geshu Luo, was obeying the imperial decree to punish the rebels, acting with righteousness. You, as a disciple of the Military Family of Dragon Tiger Mountain and a member of the righteous path, should be assisting, yet you destroyed his magical artifact out of personal grievance, committing a heaven-defying crime! Do you realize this?”
“Hmph!”
Feng Zikang sneered coldly. “So it is Sect Master Liang. Sect Master Liang puts on such a grand label; I cannot possibly accept it. The current Emperor is tyrannical, forcing his niece to become his consort, which violates human ethics. Marshal Wu rebels for the sake of human ethics—what is wrong with that? You, as a cultivator, instead of seeking quiet cultivation and advancement, wade into this murky water. I see this as the path to inviting death against Heaven!”
“What a sharp and glib tongue!” Liang Wendao was enraged. “Since you are so stubbornly misguided, there is no need for more words. Let me discipline you on behalf of your sect elders!”
He had once studied the Tao at the Songyang Academy of the Confucian School and was a disciple of the Grand Scholar Sun Zhengyang, making him technically peers with Ye Tiansheng and others. Therefore, he presumed to act as an elder, but Feng Zikang dismissed this with contempt, not even offering the title of Martial Uncle.
“Sect Master Liang, talk is cheap. It all comes down to who is superior in combat. Your disciple is such a waste, yet you boast. I wonder what skills you, the master, possess?”
Though Feng Zikang spoke this way, Liang Wendao was a cultivator in the late stage of Foundation Establishment; his power and divine abilities were extraordinary. While Feng Zikang was confident, he remained cautiously attentive in his heart, daring not to show the slightest slackening.
“Insolent junior!”
Liang Wendao roared in anger, gesturing with both hands. Behind him, two flying swords unsheathed themselves, transforming into streams of red and black sword light that sliced toward Feng Zikang’s waist like shears.
This move was fierce and aggressive; the soldiers behind Feng Zikang cried out in alarm!
Feng Zikang, however, smiled slightly. “Not everyone can wield dual swords well! Poor control makes them worse than just using a single blade!”
He scoffed lightly, flicked his finger, and a white sword light shot out, tangling with the two streams of light, battling fiercely.
Feng Zikang remembered the two flying swords of True Man Qianyang—one of those swords, wielded by the withered old Taoist, had pierced his heart when he was General Lu. He had not forgotten that hatred, and because of it, he held even greater resentment for anyone using two flying swords, striking with merciless force!
Moreover, Liang Wendao was dividing his focus controlling two flying swords, which was indeed inherently flawed. Feng Zikang seized this weakness and pressed the attack relentlessly. The white sword light twisted, actually shattering one of the red flying swords!
Liang Wendao cried out in pain, recalling the remaining sword light, fearful of further damage.
“A lapse in manners! A lapse in manners!”
Feng Zikang chuckled heartily. This strike was not just his own cultivation, but also borrowed power from the Heaven-Swallowing Ancient Sword. Now that the sword spirit had returned, his swordsmanship was far more agile, and its devouring ability far more instinctive. During this sword fight, it had bitten away half of the red sword light’s sword spirit, causing it to naturally lose out and be easily destroyed.
Seeing one of his dual swords gone, Liang Wendao’s fury choked him.
“You impudent junior! I showed restraint, yet you strike so cruelly! Destroying my disciple’s artifact was one thing, but daring to destroy my Crimson Phoenix Sword! You truly seek death!”
“Crimson Phoenix Sword?” Feng Zikang feigned deep thought, then shook his head again. “Never heard of it. What grade of magic weapon is this sword that it shatters with just a light touch?”
Liang Wendao shrieked and howled, completely forgetting the composure training he had just given his disciple. Now that it was happening to him, he couldn’t hold back at all.
“Junior, stop your arrogance! Watch my magical artifact!”
With his century of accumulation, he naturally possessed some treasured hidden items. He swept his sleeve and summoned a golden, radiant heavenly book, which grew upon encountering the wind. Initially the size of an ordinary book, it expanded in the sky until it covered half the heavens, darkening the daylight.
“A book?”
Feng Zikang chuckled wryly. “Sect Master Liang, have you exhausted your skills? Do you have nothing left, so you concede defeat?”
The words book (shū) and concede (shū) sound similar, a trick of wordplay for a good omen. Even among cultivators, few used books as magical artifacts. Liang Wendao, despite being mocked, did not become enraged. This Myriad Scrolls Heavenly Book was the supreme treasure of the Myriad Scrolls Sect; if he hadn't been driven to fury today, he would never have summoned it so easily.
Since he had deployed the Myriad Scrolls Heavenly Book, he naturally would not hold back. He was determined to cut the weeds and eliminate the roots; in his eyes, Feng Zikang was already a dead man!
“Young man, do not rely on clever talk!”
He smiled coldly. “If you have the guts, face one strike from my Myriad Scrolls Heavenly Book!”
“Let alone one strike, even ten thousand strikes—what of it?” Feng Zikang could feel the heavenly book’s oppressive might and was eager to challenge it.
“Good!”
Liang Wendao clapped his hands together, bowed deeply, and chanted loudly: “Heaven and Earth first born, Myriad Scrolls are stored; Profound wonders and secrets, all within reside. I call upon the Heavenly Book to open its pages!”
With a great boom, the Myriad Scrolls Heavenly Book overhead writhed, and it actually opened its first page automatically!
Fire!
Before Feng Zikang could react, he was enveloped in boundless, fierce flames!
“It’s the Samadhi True Fire!”
Feng Zikang’s expression changed. He swung his sword light, forcing the scorching flames aside, and looked up to see that the starry sky overhead had transformed, as if he had been drawn into the private realm of the Myriad Scrolls Heavenly Book!
“What a treasure!”
Feng Zikang praised. This Myriad Scrolls Heavenly Book could construct a private realm, and its first page contained this terrifying Samadhi True Fire. He wondered what other treasures lay in the subsequent pages and felt a distinct curiosity.
Although the Samadhi True Fire was violent, it couldn’t harm him yet. Feng Zikang recalled that this fire would be incredibly useful for his future artifact refining. Unhurriedly breaking out, he slowly focused his spirit and mind, intending to absorb the Samadhi True Fire, just as Qin Daniu had instructed.
When Luo Kedi saw Liang Wendao unfurl the Heavenly Book and instantly engulf his Martial Uncle in a mass of flames, leaving him trapped, he felt anxious and was about to rush forward to save him, but Xu Wan was stopped him, shaking his head with a smile.
Seeing Feng Zikang trapped by the Samadhi True Fire, Liang Wendao laughed heartily. “I thought you had boundless abilities, yet I didn’t expect my Myriad Scrolls to refine you into ashes upon turning the first page! Truly using an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken—what a waste of effort, what a waste!”
Before his words fully faded, the mass of flames shook violently and suddenly contracted inward!
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Er Kang’s face darkened. He mounted his sword and flew into the formation.
“Whose disciple are you? How dare you speak such nonsense! Don’t you value your life?”
Geshu Luo, seeing a cultivator emerge from the formation on a sword, felt his imposing spirit wane somewhat. However, confident in his sect’s strength and his own abilities, he refused to back down, shouting fiercely, “I am Geshu Luo, General of Huangguan. My master is Liang Wendao, Sect Master of the Outer Scrolls of Songyang Academy. Who are you to dare save someone under my divine powers?”
Feng Zikang smiled coldly. “So, merely the outer sect of Songyang Academy. If you are sensible, retreat your troops quickly. I will spare your life out of respect for your master; if you persist, do not blame me for being ruthless!”
Geshu Luo became furious. Since descending the mountain after mastering his arts, he had met no equal, and even cultivators were no exception! He roared, and the white mist condensed, filled with the sounds of weaponry, viciously lunging toward Feng Zikang.
Feng Zikang chuckled lightly. “Such mere artifacts dare to show off in front of me?”
He pointed a finger, and a white sword light flashed across, splitting the white mist in two instantly. Countless broken weapons clattered down amidst the wreckage.
Seeing his primary magical artifact shattered by a single finger, Geshu Luo was terrified to the core and turned to flee. Feng Zikang smiled coldly but did not pursue. He merely nodded toward Luo Kedi.
Luo Kedi seized the advantage, urging the army forward in pursuit. They slaughtered the enemy forces and returned with a great victory!
Wu Jifu was pleased and sounded the gong to recall the troops. During the distribution of merits, Feng Zikang was seated in the place of honor, and a grand feast was held in celebration. During the banquet, Mr. Xu Wan approached, toasted Feng Zikang, and couldn’t stop chuckling.
“Why is Mr. Xu laughing?”
Mr. Xu shook his head. “Martial Brother Feng, why do you ask what you already know? You knew that attacking the junior would surely bring out the elder, so why did you let Geshu Luo go? This intention, though it might fool others, cannot fool me!”
“Oh?” Feng Zikang smiled faintly. “Mr. Xu indeed has sharp eyes. But we are all harboring the same thoughts; there’s no need to expose them face-to-face and make things awkward for everyone, is there?”
Mr. Xu was momentarily stunned, then burst into hearty laughter.
“Martial Brother Feng is truly a dragon among men. My small scheme indeed couldn’t be hidden from you. In the future, I will rely on Martial Brother Feng for much assistance.”
Feng Zikang nodded. “No trouble. Now that you are here, I feel much more at ease. If anything happens in the future, feel free to seek me out in the Small Bamboo Grove of the Military Family on Dragon Tiger Mountain.”
The two exchanged knowing smiles, sharing a moment of great harmony.
As the world faced a great calamity, others feared it and sought to avoid it.
But there were always those who wished to make this great calamity even larger—the muddier the waters, the easier it was to fish.
Feng Zikang harbored this thought, which is why he deliberately spared Geshu Luo, waiting for him to summon his master to intervene, intentionally escalating the matter. As for Mr. Xu Wan, judging by his secretive movements these past few days and his instigation of Marshal Wu’s rebellion, as well as his efforts to mobilize the thirty-six Southern Barbarian Caves for aid, he likely had ill intentions as well.
He clearly wasn't afraid of this so-called Great Calamity; in fact, he seemed to wish it would grow even larger.
But what exactly was this Mr. Xu Wan?
Was he a representative of the overseas demons? Or someone from another idle sect? Perhaps even one of the Nine Streams?
All these possibilities existed. Although Feng Zikang and he shared a temporary alignment of goals, Feng Zikang remained deeply wary internally.
While Feng Zikang was guessing his origins, Mr. Xu Wan was also engaging in his own speculation.
Feng Zikang was the favored disciple of the Military Family of Dragon Tiger Mountain, subtly regarded as the foremost among the younger generation within the Righteous Path’s Nine Streams. Even among the Three Teachings, no name overshadowed his. However, despite his powerful skills, this man was deeply mysterious, and documentation on him was insufficient.
If he wanted to magnify the Great Calamity, was this the will of the Military Family of Dragon Tiger Mountain... or perhaps the will of the Nine Streams itself?
Xu Wan speculated endlessly but said nothing aloud. Both men smiled cheerfully.
Following this defeat, Geshu Luo’s army lost morale and dared not challenge them again, merely camping at a distance and occasionally sending small skirmishes, but no major advance for over a month.
The Imperial Court naturally could not tolerate this stalemate. Documents demanding battle arrived like snowflakes, driving Geshu Luo into a frenzy, scratching his head and feeling utterly lost.
Fighting them now was certainly impossible; but if he didn't fight, he’d either be decapitated by that man’s flying sword or executed by the Emperor!
“Master! Why haven't you arrived yet, old man?”
A mournful cry echoed from Geshu Luo’s military camp.
“Wicked disciple!”
A furious roar suddenly descended from the clear sky. “I taught you the art of composure—to remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed before you—how have you learned nothing?”
Hearing the voice, Geshu Luo was instantly overjoyed. Facing the source of the sound, he crashed to his knees. “Master! Is that you, old man?”
From the clouds, a door opened, and a middle-aged man dressed in Confucian robes, carrying two long swords on his back, strode out with a deliberate, measured gait.
He appeared to be around forty, with a refined countenance, several strands of soft beard beneath his chin, and a flat face that lacked any noticeable character.
This man was Liang Wendao, Sect Master of the Myriad Scrolls Sect on Mount Song. Upon receiving Geshu Luo’s urgent distress signal, he considered the matter briefly and traveled here using the Cloud Gate divine ability. Geshu Luo was his beloved disciple, and he could not ignore him.
“Disciple, who broke your Hundred Changes Thousand Illusions Cloud Mist Barrier? That is an artifact of our sect; how could it be so easily damaged? Such a disappointing thing!”
Geshu Luo was so frightened his face turned pale, and he repeatedly kowtowed.
“Master, this disciple has investigated these past few days. The one who damaged my artifact is Feng Zikang, a disciple of the Military Family of Dragon Tiger Mountain. This person possesses profound abilities; this disciple is truly no match for him…”
“Useless thing!”
Liang Wendao spat. “I have heard of this Feng Zikang; he is indeed a rising star among the elites. But our Myriad Scrolls Sect is the direct lineage of the Confucian School. By seniority, you are of the same generation as him, and older, so how can you not be his match?”
“Master, please forgive me!” Geshu Luo’s face was full of shame. “But Feng Zikang has already reached Foundation Establishment, and his skills are formidable…”
“Oh?”
Liang Wendao’s expression shifted. “At such a young age, he has already reached Foundation Establishment?”
Although the Myriad Scrolls Sect was a branch of the Confucian School, it was not considered a direct lineage among the Nine Streams. Liang Wendao had never heard of Feng Zikang achieving Foundation Establishment through the Divine Grade Foundation Establishment Merit Mission, and he was quite astonished to learn that Feng Zikang had reached this stage so young.
“However, Foundation Establishment is nothing to boast about,” he scoffed lightly. “You unworthy disciple, just wait until tomorrow; your master will avenge you!”
This matter concerned his beloved disciple, and it involved both the Military and Confucian families. If he didn't step forward, people might say that the Myriad Scrolls Sect, claiming direct Confucian lineage, had Daoist arts inferior to the Military Family of Dragon Tiger Mountain—what a loss of face that would be!
Liang Wendao withdrew to meditate and regulate his energy, preparing for tomorrow’s battle.
At that moment, Feng Zikang also opened his eyes. He smiled faintly. “Late-stage Foundation Establishment? That’s somewhat interesting…”
With his current level, he had no immediate way to challenge the profound mysteries of Core Formation stage Daoist arts, but he certainly possessed the ability to defend himself and make a clean getaway.
To have a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator as the first true test for his nascent Demonic Embryo was truly a fitting challenge.