Chapter 66: An Unexpected Method

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 66: An Unexpected Method

For a disciple of a higher rank than Ding Ning to fall into his hands was not a pleasant experience for Duanmu Lian. However, at this moment, his expression softened slightly.

Although Ding Ning's performance was outstanding, his cultivation was limited. Therefore, it was not surprising that his physical body was clearly weaker than all the disciples of the White Goat Cave and the Green Vine Sword School. Although he had managed to seize the opportunity and defeat Yu Lian, an opponent like Yu Lian should be Ding Ning's limit. Among the remaining disciples of the Green Vine Sword School, there were at least a dozen who were stronger than Yu Lian. Therefore, regardless of the final outcome, at least this young man from wine shop would not be able to win in the end.

Watching Ding Ning take the wooden token and hang it around his waist as he continued to advance foward, Duanmu Lian took out a blue flag at the edge of the observation platform and waved it towards the valley below.

As he waved the blue flag, four thick columns of smoke began to rise from the sword trial valley. The smoke grew thicker, forming four tangible pillars that towered into the sky.

Ding Ning first sensed the presence of smoke in the wind, and then he saw the four pillars of smoke.

His brows gradually furrowed.

The area marked by the smoke was about a third of the total length of the journey through this valley. Considering the fact that the valley had to be traversed in three days, this marking was understandable. However, according to the rules of the sword trial festival, he and the other participating disciples had to enter the area marked by the four pillars of smoke before noon. Otherwise, they would be deemed to have failed. However, on the second and third days, they could begin traveling at midnight. However, on this first day, they reached the valley floor before noon. Therefore, they had to hurry on this first day.

Traveling quickly and hastily would consume more energy and would not be beneficial to him. He estimated the time it would take him to reach his destination.

However, just at this moment, he sensed something unusual.

He, who had been preparing to quicken his pace, suddenly stopped and turned around. The moment he turned around, before most of the people on the observation platform could even react, a black shadow the size of a wolf appeared and charged from the bottom of the vine wall behind him.

Gauging the power of the black shadow's attack, Ding Ning steadied his feet on the ground. He leaned back slightly, channeling his physical energy into the remnant sword in his hand. Countless white flowers bloomed on the remnant sword and slashed towards the black shadow's abdomen. The sword blade then swept upwards along the black shadow, reaching towards its head.

Not a single drop of blood was spilled.

There was only a bright spark that appeared where the sword had cut.

“What is it?”

The appearance of the black shadow in other places confused most of the disciples watching on the observation platform. Moreover, this black shadow only appeared after the four pillars of smoke had already risen. This gave them the impression as if the cage imprisoning these creatures had opened, releasing them at the same time as the smoke rose.

Snap!

The black shadow fell and landed heavily on the ground, sending up a spray of dust and fallen leaves.

The eyes on the observation platform could not see this creature clearly. But Ding Ning was already frowning and whispering to himself. “So it’s you… Thinking about having to eat your flesh, I feel like I've lost my appetite.”

The dust and falling leaves had gradually settled.

Finally, the disciples on the observation platform could see clearly. They exclaimed in unison.

Lying within the pit was an enormous, pitch-black giant lizard. The creature glared at Ding Ning with ferocious, blood-red eyes.

Many mountains were home to giant lizards, but none possessed scales as hard as this one. The scales of the giant lizard before Ding Ning looked like black iron. Each scale was as thick as two or three metal coins. This giant lizard appeared to be wearing a special black armor.

So this was the armored lizard unique to the Ba Mountains.

In the Ba Mountains, this type of armored lizard had another name, the Rotting Lizard. As its name suggested, this lizard could eat anything rotten. Its saliva and gastric fluids contained various potent toxins.

Ding Ning was confident that he could slash and kill a giant lizard like this. But when he thought about how he would waste a lot of time and how tiring it would be to eat something like this as a meal, he could not feel happy.

 

“He Zhaoxi!”

Exclamations rang out on the observation platform.

Several people from the Green Vine Sword School, who had been intently following He Zhaoxi, saw a similar giant lizard appear before him, coincidentally only a few hundred feet away from Ding Ning.

“This is the armored lizard.” On the observation platform, Xu Heshan turned to look at Xie Changsheng with a solemn expression.

“It seems that cultivators in the Energy Refinement Realm can't cut through their armor unless they have an extremely sharp sword.” Xie Changsheng frowned deeply. “Even its eyelids are armored… it seems that its open mouth is its weakness?”

“If you really think so, then you're doomed.” Xu Heshan shook his head and said, “Its biting speed is much faster than the movement of any other part of its body. Furthermore, its bite force is even more astonishing than the strength of its four limbs. Even if you stab its throat, it can still bite through your sword. Many swordsmen don't understand this, thinking that its open mouth is its weakness, And countless swordsmen have died because of this thinking.”

Suddenly, Xie Changsheng’s heart went cold. He could imagine how terrible the consequences would be if a cultivator like himself lost their sword when facing an armored lizard like the one before him now.

“I hope Brother-in-law won’t think of using a sword to stab its throat like I’m about to,” he said sincerely.

As he spoke, He Zhaoxi, the top disciple of the Green Vine Sword School, calmly advanced—as if there was no beast growling like this before him at all.

The armored lizard in front of him seemed to sense his disdain and let out a strange howl. It leaped, just like the armored lizard that had attacked Ding Ning.

The pupils of many on the observation platform constricted.

A layer of blue light suddenly appeared on He Zhaoxi's skin. Every muscle beneath his skin seemed to generate a terrifying surge of power. The ground beneath his feet sank soundlessly. He leaped; his body instantly appeared above the armored lizard's head. He drew the longsword he carried on his back and slashed downward.

His longsword was a unique, dry yellow, like a withered wooden sword. However, when the sword landed on the armored lizard's head, it was like a giant mountain crashing down.

Everyone could see a ball of air exploding above the armored lizard's head. When the armored lizard landed on the ground, and sank several feet into the ground, another circular air wave was formed.

Xie Changsheng's eyebrows rose, and his lips twitched slightly.

This was a crude tactic that was completely devoid of subtlety. He could imagine the power of this sword attack, that with just a third of the power of this blow, even if the giant lizard did not die, the armored lizard's head would be shaken into a ball of paste.

He Zhaoxi was too strong!

 

At the same time, the armored lizard Ding Ning was facing also took action.

A strong gust of wind buffeted the ground. The fallen leaves fell to both sides. The armored lizard’s abdomen touched the ground while its limbs moved rapidly and slid forward like black swords across the ground.

For any cultivator, the three inches of ground around them was always a dangerous place. They had to bend down to face attacks from the ground, which was more difficult than standing upright and defending. Furthermore, Ding Ning's sword was much shorter than the others'.

Xie Rou held her breath.

Ding Ning had swung his sword. He bent down, and the sword in his hand was clearly aimed at the armored lizard's mouth.

She almost did not dare to look at the scene that followed. But in the next moment, her eyes widened, and she involuntarily let out a cry of pleasant surprise.

Ding Ning’s sword did not pierce the armored lizard's throat.

His sword only brushed past the armored lizard's lips, and part of its long, bloody tongue fell down.

The armored lizard, which appeared unfazed but was charging furiously, felt as if it had been struck by a giant hammer in the nose. Its body suddenly froze, and it jerked backward.

Blood mixed with poisonous saliva sprayed from its mouth.

Xu Heshan and Xie Changsheng just glanced over to this side. Their thoughts about how Ding Ning should act were still running through their minds. But what had just happened before their eyes stunned them.

This was something they had never even imagined. Ding Ning had severed the armored lizard's long tongue with a single slash, while the armored lizard had not had time to retract it.

Even Li Daoji was stunned. He had not expected Ding Ning to use his sword in this way.

Under many surprised gazes, Ding Ning's remnant sword that was moving upwards suddenly stopped and then shook once, violently.

This action was like using a flat ruler to swat a fly that had landed on a paper window.

With this violent vibration, numerous tiny, fine drops of blood emerged from the sword, along with pure white flowers.

The crimson droplets came from the severed tongue of the armored lizard; the pure white flowers came from the response of his physical energy and the seal on his sword. The tiny drops of blood and the pure white flowers splashed toward the armored lizard's eyes.

The armored lizard instinctively closed its eyes.

But Ding Ning’s sword was too close to its eyes. Before it could close its eyes, more tiny drops of blood and pure white flowers had fallen into its weak eyes.

More drops of blood appeared in its eyes.

The creature howled, recklessly clawing forward with all four limbs at incredible speed.

Ding Ning took a deep breath.

Numerous small, pure white flowers reappeared on his inky green sword. He used his fastest speed to swing the sword and deliver a killer blow.

One strike to the right, one strike to the left. His sword moved with a rapid rhythm as it slashed at the same position on the right and left sides of the lizard's neck. The armored lizard was temporarily blinded. It clawed forward, but it was always too late. When it clawed to the left after being slashed on the left side of its neck, the sword had already landed on its right side. By the time it reached the right, the sword was already on the left side of its neck.

As Ding Ning continued to swing his sword, cracks appeared in the scales on the side of its neck. Blood began to splatter out.

Waves of shocked gasps rang out on the observation platform. The people who had been focused on He Zhaoxi turned to Ding Ning because of this gasp.

When they saw the scene, their bodies trembled.

“This killing has no beauty or technique. It's like chopping wood…” Xu Heshan’s face was pale. He took a deep breath and then slowly said, “Who would have thought that an armored lizard like this could be chopped down like a tree?”

On the other side, He Zhaoxi used one more blow to kill that armored lizard. He began to pick at the dead lizard's flesh.

Ding Ning appeared extremely weak compared to He Zhaoxi.

However, the weaker he looked, the more shocking the scene became.

 

Notes:

This novel is not my work... I just translated it from a Chinese web novel written by Wu Zui

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