Chapter 2167: City Lord Stele

A longsword appeared in Zhang Xuan's palm, and his aura immediately transformed from one of indifference to a calm, emotionless state, like still water.

Ming Laixiang stepped forward, a long whip appearing in her palm. She flicked it, and it lashed out.

Whoosh! The air was torn apart. Just as Qi Ling'er had feared, this person, though seemingly only a low-grade Heavenly God, possessed extraordinary strength—no weaker than a typical mid-grade Heavenly God. Her whip mastery was also incredibly skillful, demonstrating formidable martial arts right from the start.

Zhang Xuan did not meet the attack directly. He took a step back, evading the first strike, then thrust his longsword forward with unhurried movements. A whip was a soft weapon, rarely used, and Zhang Xuan was encountering one for the first time. He mentally reviewed the books he had read, simultaneously parrying and learning about this type of weapon.

Swish! After several consecutive failed strikes, Ming Laixiang's expression grew increasingly solemn. Her whip continued to lash down, like a fierce storm.

Zhang Xuan remained unperturbed, executing sword strike after sword strike in a continuous flow, yet none of them were killing moves.

"He's... testing his swordplay?" Qi Ling'er couldn't help but frown at his movements. Although there was a significant difference in strength between Zhang Xuan and his opponent, he seemed to anticipate every move, dodging attacks in advance. The whip's erratic attack paths had no effect on him whatsoever. While this ability greatly increased his chances of victory, every sword strike he launched was merely a feint, as if he feared injuring his opponent. Moreover, and most critically, the techniques he used were constantly changing and evolving. She couldn't imagine what else he could be doing besides testing and refining his sword skills.

Dueling someone a full major cultivation level above him, and still having the leisure to test swordplay... Are you serious? Zhang Jia also realized what was happening, his eyes wide. His master truly was a handful; he never stopped until he did something utterly astonishing... Was this what he meant by "keeping a low profile"?

"Hmph!" Sensing his opponent's intention, Ming Laixiang's face turned ashen. As the most formidable contender for the City Lord position, she had been fighting for half a year, and this was the first time she had been so thoroughly underestimated.

"This is my strongest move. Lin Xie and Wuyang haven't dared to challenge me because they weren't confident they could block it. If you want to truly defeat me, see if you can withstand this!" With a cold snort, Ming Laixiang flipped her wrist, and her long whip instantly transformed into a streaking meteor, shooting towards Zhang Xuan's neck.

Seeing the whip's speed, even faster than his swordplay, Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. As everyone could see, he was indeed practicing his swordplay. He had been pondering for some time but hadn't found a sword technique suited to him, knowing he needed to discover it through combat. At this moment, his opponent's strength was sufficient to put pressure on him, so he wasn't looking for flaws in the moves but rather using the attacks to gain insight into new techniques. The combat hadn't lasted long, but he had already accumulated considerable experience. His previously vague sword art had reached its peak, on the verge of a breakthrough. Seeing the opponent's attack speed increase, he knew she was truly exerting her full power. His expression turned solemn. He hooked and twisted his palm, and the longsword leaped out, slashing straight towards the whip.

A net-like sword qi appeared before him. "My heart is like a double silken net, with a thousand, thousand knots within!" This move of his opponent was incredibly sharp; he could no longer hold back.

"Heh!" Seeing him execute this move, Ming Laixiang was not surprised; instead, she let out a soft laugh and her mind stirred. The whip, which had been shooting straight for his neck, suddenly folded in the middle, changing direction directly towards his chest and lower abdomen. This sudden change was both swift and vicious, completely unexpected. If struck, even with strong defenses, he would surely suffer severe injuries. "It looks like it's targeting the neck, but the actual targets are the chest, lower abdomen, and where the liver and intestines are located..." He understood in a flash. His opponent's change of move was too fast, and he hadn't prepared for it. It was too late to defend now.

There was a crisp sound. Qi Ling'er quickly looked, wanting to see if this Young Master Zhang, who possessed the Emperor's bloodline, had been severely injured, but she suddenly froze. Young Master Zhang, who was imbued with the Emperor's bloodline, not only showed no signs of injury but also had a smile on his face. Looking at the opponent, Ming Laixiang was clutching her chest, blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, cold sweat pouring down her forehead.

"What happened?" The battle had ended in an instant; she hadn't understood what had transpired. "Young Master comprehended a new sword move at the last moment, successfully counter-attacking the opponent's whip and severely injuring her!" Zhang Jia said. As a low-grade Heavenly God, he had seen the battle clearly despite its swiftness. Initially, Young Master had been unable to defend himself and was about to be injured, but in the blink of an eye, sword qi crisscrossed, not only blocking the attack but also counter-attacking, causing his opponent to suffer a great loss. Qi Ling'er was stunned. He truly had guts; he was practically courting death! One wrong move, and he could have been ruined! His chest, where the heart was located, and his lower abdomen, the dantian where qi gathered—a severe attack there, with true qi turbulent, could potentially cripple his cultivation.

"So that's how it is!" While they were astonished, Zhang Xuan, in front, let out a hearty laugh. He had been unable to refine a better sword move until now, but suddenly everything became clear. His previous doubts and constraints seamlessly merged into understanding. "'Our bond like brothers, unwavering, our strength like servants to a master. Not for mere awe-struck viewing, but filial piety stirs the heart...' So the sword move was contained within the cultivation technique!" His eyes glowed. He had comprehended this cultivation technique because the little yellow chick had been killed. As a brother and a beast-pet, it had never let him down, and his sword art naturally followed this principle. The pain of separation, heartbroken. "Within the four seas, all men are brothers, at the ends of the earth, a close neighbor!" As the opponent's long whip attacked his chest and lower abdomen, causing his liver and intestines to ache, inspiration flashed, and his sword art was instantly perfected. With one strike, he not only blocked the opponent's attack but also injured her.

"I lost..." Ming Laixiang gritted her teeth. She couldn't refuse to admit defeat. Her opponent's sword technique, appearing out of nowhere and untraceable, would have been unstoppable even if she were at full strength. Now, severely injured, any further attempt to resist would be futile.

"Go find Lin Xie!" Zhang Xuan said calmly. Since she conceded, he would challenge the remaining two. It was only two people; it wouldn't take much effort.

"Wait a moment!" Seeing him about to leave, Ming Laixiang struggled to stand up. "You can defeat me, so you can certainly defeat Lin Xie and Wuyang. However... the reason we three have been in a stalemate, unable to determine who the City Lord of Ye Hui City is, isn't because of our strength, but because none of us can refine the City Lord's Stele, which represents the City Lord's authority! If you can succeed, I believe they will voluntarily concede without a fight!"

"The City Lord's Stele?" Zhang Xuan looked at her.

"The previous City Lord of Ye Hui City, a mid-grade Heavenly God, died during a spiritual qi tide battle. After his death, his soul merged with the stele. To become the true City Lord, one must gain his approval; otherwise, no one can succeed! And none of us three have managed to do so!" Ming Laixiang explained.

"Where is the stele?" Zhang Xuan asked. Since he could succeed without challenging the other two, there was no need to go through them.

"I'll take you there! However, gaining its approval is extremely difficult..." Ming Laixiang shook her head. This person, having defeated her with only a high-grade spirit cultivation, possessed astonishing combat power and talent. Yet... gaining the stele's approval was still not easy. Because... refining the City Lord's Stele had nothing to do with cultivation level; it was about gaining the previous City Lord's approval. The previous City Lord had been dead for nearly ten years, and what exactly constituted "approval" remained unknown. Over the years, countless masters had tried, but none had succeeded. This person, perhaps, would be no exception.

Leaving the courtyard, the group set off and, an hour later, arrived at the very center of the city. In the middle of the plaza stood a colossal stone stele, inscribed with many of Ye Hui City's rules and regulations. The stele was over ten meters tall, radiating a dark greenish-black light, immediately indicating its extraordinary material.

"This is the City Lord's Stele!" Ming Laixiang said. Without a word, Zhang Xuan took two steps forward and gently ran his finger over it. A book appeared in his mind. "Carved from Dark Green Jade, it suppresses the city's fortune and contains a portion of Heavenly God Ye Yu's will. Flaws:..." The book detailed the stele's structure, origin, and flaws but did not specify how to refine it.

"We have all complied with the rules on the stele and made no changes, respecting its will, but unfortunately, we still couldn't gain its approval..." Ming Laixiang stated. Zhang Xuan nodded, then approached the stele again, illuminating it with his Enlightenment Eye. He could distinctly feel an unyielding will seething and roaring within the stele.

He frowned slightly, and with a thought, a drop of blood infused with his will flew towards it. Whoosh! As his will touched the stele, he immediately felt a powerful force surge forth, as if intent on devouring his soul completely. "Indeed, it's a bit strange..." Zhang Xuan was surprised. With normal weapons or objects, if one couldn't refine them, the essence blood containing one's will would be repelled. This object, however, didn't want to be refined yet didn't repel; instead, it absorbed and devoured, completely different from anything he had encountered before.

However, it was no big deal for him. He chuckled softly, about to use Heavenly Dao Qi to destroy the will within and re-enlighten it when he suddenly frowned. The spiritual essence within the stele seemed to have anticipated his intention, perfectly fusing with the Dark Green Jade, becoming inseparable. If he destroyed the spiritual essence, the stele would lose its support and shatter. Refining this object was necessary to become City Lord; if he shattered it before refining... If that happened, he would certainly be reviled by everyone. Not only would Ming Laixiang and the others object, but the entire city's populace would develop rebellious sentiments, making it impossible to become City Lord.

Force wouldn't work, and he couldn't grasp the opponent's strategy through gentle means. What should he do? Frowning, Zhang Xuan's face was grim.

Heavenly Dao Library.