The White Camel Tribe worshipped the Great Asura Sect. The Mad Vulture Art, White Camel Art, and Serpent Staff Method handed down through generations of their tribesmen all originated from the Beast Section of the Boundless Radiance Scripture.
Now, however, the power of the Great Asura Sect had waned. Pressed by the Eternal Life Holy Church, it had steadily receded. Of the eighteen grassland tribes, only two still followed this faith, while the rest had mostly converted to the Eternal Life Holy Church.
Basar was known as the Foremost Warrior of the White Camel Tribe, possessing martial arts refined to the peak of perfection. However, being somewhat older and holding an exceedingly revered status within the tribe, he had not taken part in the assembly where the eighteen grassland tribes elected their Divine Generals. Yet, going by reputation alone, he was truly not inferior to the likes of Qian Luo Yi or Nalihai.
The two displayed their remarkable prowess, fiercely battling for the time it took two incense sticks to burn. Basar gradually fell into a disadvantage and thought to himself in quiet astonishment, Just what is this monk's background? He is far too ferocious! His martial arts are surprisingly formidable. No wonder this Central Plains scoundrel wasn't the least bit afraid of being besieged by the four of us, having such a capable helper at his side.
Circulating the White Camel Art passed down through generations of the White Camel Tribe, he fought hard to contest the upper hand. Several times he sought to ambush Monk Xuan Gang with the small snakes coiled upon his body. Yet Monk Xuan Gang had roamed the jianghu for years; seeing dozens of serpents draped over the man, how could he fail to be on guard? Basar never managed to find an opening.
After receiving Yu Zao's notice and breaking out of seclusion, Monk Xuan Gang had not rushed over immediately to assist. Instead, he had first asked Yu Zao who the invading enemies were and inspected Nalihai's corpse, whom Wang Chong had slain. Back when he was a layman, Monk Xuan Gang had been known as the Sheyang Tiger and roamed unchecked throughout the realm. Naturally, he could not fail to know Nalihai, Eldest Senior Brother of the Qingshan Sect, or Basar of the White Camel Tribe, and he was thoroughly familiar with the thirty-six Divine Generals chosen by the eighteen grassland tribes. The only one he did not recognize was Wuzhumuqin.
The big monk Xuan Gang had crossed hands with Wang Chong and knew his full capabilities. Though he had never fought Nalihai, he could roughly gauge the caliber of the man's martial arts from his reputation, guessing that the two were close in skill. Even if Wang Chong had managed to kill Nalihai, it could by no means have been an easy feat.
From the wounds on Nalihai's body, he had roughly deduced that Wang Chong had employed a stratagem. Nalihai had died under the Diamond Prajna Palm force he was most skilled in; the course of the battle was virtually plain to see—Wang Chong must have caught this master from beyond the border off guard and ambushed him.
The scorched and withered signs in Nalihai's meridians, he concluded, were due to the Pure Yang Art.
When Wang Chong told him to kill Basar quickly, the big monk Xuan Gang had verbally dismissed it as impossible, but in his heart, he understood that his young master had set an example for him to follow suit.
Therefore, throughout the fight, Monk Xuan Gang unleashed the Great Thunder-Roar Palm, blanketing every direction, while deliberately withholding the Diamond Prajna Palm he had mastered during his recent closed seclusion.
Although Monk Xuan Gang held the upper hand, he secretly admired the white-robed man's martial arts, thinking to himself, I need to find an opening to feign a flaw, so I can clash palm strikes with him, kill this enemy as quickly as possible, and go help Wang Chong.
At this point, Wang Chong was no longer counting on Monk Xuan Gang. Battling Wuzhumuqin and Wen Ducheng all by himself, the situation was steadily growing fraught. The folding fan in his hand snapped open and shut with myriad transformations as he focused his mind to parry their moves, musing inwardly, Wuzhumuqin's martial arts are not inferior to Qian Luo Yi or Nalihai, but she seems to have had little actual combat experience against other masters. She's somewhat lacking in practical seasoning, and her strikes tend to be conservative. Wen Ducheng, on the other hand, is really falling short. His strength doesn't even seem on par with Tie Mole's. Could he be injured?
Wen Ducheng's rank was higher than Tie Mole's, and his martial arts had indeed originally surpassed Tie Mole's. However, young and aggressive, as soon as he entered the Central Plains he had encountered a renowned young expert. After trading two hundred moves, Wen Ducheng had braved severe injuries to slay the man with a risky strike, and his wounds had not fully healed to this day.
Had he been alone, nothing would have convinced Wen Ducheng to fight, especially against someone of comparable strength like Wang Chong. But Nalihai had invited him to avenge Tie Mole, and Wen Ducheng figured that four masters joining hands held a distinct advantage, so he had tagged along.
Aware that his injuries were not fully healed, he held back seventy percent of his strength with every move and avoided any direct clash of internal force against Wang Chong.
Having sized up the two formidable enemies, Wang Chong devised a tactic in an instant. With a sudden loud cry, he fought while retreating. Before, he had failed to draw them away, but now that they were locked in combat, Wuzhumuqin and Wen Ducheng naturally would not let him slip away. As the three fought on the move, they drifted farther and farther from Monk Xuan Gang and Basar's battlefield.
After unleashing several strikes in succession, Wen Ducheng suddenly felt a chill in his heart and shouted, "Lady Wuzhumuqin, don't let this man draw us too far—"
Before his words finished, Wang Chong abandoned his two foes, pushed his lightness skill to the utmost, and charged straight at Basar.
Wuzhumuqin and Wen Ducheng were both appalled. Each exerted their lightness skill to the full, pursuing Wang Chong closely for fear that he and Monk Xuan Gang would join forces and slay Basar in just a few moves.
Neither anticipated that Wang Chong, with his endless pool of tricks, could devise such a maneuver.
Basar was in the thick of a ferocious battle against Xuan Gang when he suddenly caught sight of Wang Chong hurtling toward him like someone mad, crazed, electric, frantic, and demonic. Feeling as if plunged into an icy cavern, he let out a great bellow and shook his entire body. Every small snake coiled upon him flew forth, forcing Monk Xuan Gang back.
Just as Monk Xuan Gang prepared to react to the shifting situation, he heard Wang Chong bark, "Help me hold off that woman!"
Monk Xuan Gang saw Wang Chong suddenly kick straight toward him. A veteran of countless battles, the big monk hurriedly thrust out a palm to slap it away. Sure enough, Wang Chong's kick carried no lethal power at all; instead, borrowing the momentum of the palm strike, he reversed direction twice as fast as he had charged, darting nimbly back toward Wen Ducheng, who trailed behind.
Wuzhumuqin instantly realized that Wang Chong's target was not Basar, but Wen Ducheng. Yet there was no time to react. With a great roar, Monk Xuan Gang unleashed the Great Thunder-Roar Palm technique, sealing off every inch of her retreat. Wuzhumuqin drew a deep breath and executed the fiercest killing strike of the Tengri Staff Method, though she had no confidence she could force this big monk aside to save Wen Ducheng. She could only pray silently that the Fourth Divine General of the Great Grassland could hold his own.
Having fought so hard to engineer a one-on-one duel against Wen Ducheng, Wang Chong knew that in at most a single move, Basar would regroup, plunging them back into a three-on-two disadvantage. He snapped his folding fan open, unleashing Wind and Clouds Sweeping Rivers and Peaks, one of the three wondrous moves of the Wind-Cloud Hundred Styles.
Wen Ducheng sneered, holding back no longer, and barked coldly, "Let this show you what I, Wen, am truly capable of!"
Disregarding his injuries, he struck out with all his might, executing the killing move he took the greatest pride in. A finger stabbed out with sudden ferocity, sending a sky-filling chill sweeping forward like a frigid tide. With a single strike, he sent Wang Chong's folding fan flying.
Then, he watched as Wang Chong switched to his sword with a backhand grip, flicked the long sword, and unleashed a move with all his might—Sword Illumines the Great Wilderness!
Ten thousand points of candlelight broke through the air, painting a wondrous spectacle!
The Holding-Candle Swordplay, one of the Seven Paths Divine Sword of Mount Wudang!
Wen Ducheng roared like a tiger, unleashing twenty-one finger strikes in a single breath. Yet most of his finger force struck empty air, intercepting only thirteen of the sword thrusts. Wang Chong, however, had delivered forty-seven thrusts with this single move, and without fail, thirty-three pierced Wen Ducheng, while another missed, striking empty air.
Wang Chong and Wen Ducheng crossed paths in midair. With his long sword held behind his back, ethereal as an immortal, he turned lightly in the air and extended a foot to give Wen Ducheng a gentle stomp, sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt like a dog gnawing at dung.
From the very beginning, he had concealed his strongest killing move and deliberately feigned a flaw, allowing Wen Ducheng's proudest killing technique to expend the bulk of its power.
It had finally paid off!
...Wen Ducheng: God is a girl...
...Wang Chong: The most satisfying day since transmigrating...
Chapter 54