bookandnovel Chapter 79 Concealed Edge, 8th Layer, 7 Deadly Weapons
Chapter 79 Concealed Edge, 8th Layer, 7 Deadly Weapons
Suddenly, a person appeared on the railing next to the arena.
No one saw how Ye Chengying appeared there.
Just a moment ago, the place was empty, with only the curtains swaying gently in the wind.
The next second she was standing on the railing, her white skirt fluttering in the air.
Ye Chengying was barefoot, her embroidered shoes either kicked off or she wasn't wearing them at all.
Her ten toes were painted with blood-red nail polish, which was so bright it was almost blinding against the backdrop of her plain white robe.
She looked down from such a high position, her head tilted slightly, her long hair blowing all over her face in the wind.
"Everyone's calling your name, you're so impressive! Even more impressive than me!"
Ye Chengying spoke and laughed.
The scars on his face were getting bigger and bigger, and they looked really creepy.
Her voice wasn't loud, but the entire room fell silent.
"you."
She stretched out her hand and slowly drew a circle in the air with her index finger, encompassing all four sides of the stands.
"Why did you stop shouting?"
A deathly silence fell; no one dared to answer.
The crowd, which had been making a ruckus just moments before, now dared not even breathe loudly.
Ye Chengying tilted his head even further, almost touching his shoulder.
She blinked, then suddenly burst into laughter.
The laughter was like a string of silver bells jingling in the wind.
It sounds nice, but it gives you the creeps.
"Aren't you going to fight anymore?"
Her voice suddenly turned into a coquettish murmur, as if she were talking to someone who didn't exist.
"People still want to see it..."
Everyone in the stands was silent, trembling with fear.
Zhou Juncheng's forehead was covered with a dense layer of sweat, which gleamed oily in the sunlight.
He swallowed hard, and with all his might, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Young...Young Master has arrived at the Sword Testing Ground..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ye Chengying jumped down from the railing.
The pure white skirt suddenly spread out in the air, like a white camellia that had been plucked from a branch, its petals blooming to their fullest extent the moment it fell.
She drew closer and closer, her breath brushing against Chen Yu's clothes, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible, smell of blood.
Chen Yu saw it very clearly.
Compared to before, Ye Chengying's pupils in his phoenix eyes were slightly dilated.
The edges of the whites of his eyes were tinged with a very faint blood color.
Cheng Daqi whispered to Xiahou Fei, "Master, the rumors seem to be true..."
Xiahou Fei slapped his apprentice on the back of the head and hissed in a low voice, "Shut up and stand still!"
"I saw it all!"
"Your boxing technique is amazing, absolutely amazing!"
The bloodshot color in Ye Chengying's eyes spread rapidly.
It was as if someone had dropped a drop of red ink into a bowl of clear water, and it spread out in wisps.
"Each punch was more powerful than the last, especially the fifth one!"
"Bang!"
She suddenly made an explosion gesture with her right hand, her five fingers exploding in the air.
A few drops of liquid, which could be either water or sweat, flicked from his fingertips and splashed onto Chen Yu's cheek.
"Five punches! Thud! Blood and flesh fly everywhere! Wasn't that satisfying?"
She didn't wait for Chen Yu's reply and continued talking to herself.
"That was so awesome! That was so awesome!"
She suddenly covered her face with both hands.
He forcefully dug his fingers into his hair, brushing the loose strands of hair from his forehead to the back, revealing his entire face, which was completely exposed.
Seemingly overly excited, Ye Chengying's lips began to twitch involuntarily.
His mouth twitched, and white foam kept coming out.
"Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh."
She looked like she was laughing, or perhaps she was eating something.
Her body also began to sway.
Sway back and forth, sway left and right.
The shaking amplitude is getting larger and larger.
He looked like he was about to spin around at any moment.
The bizarre scene left Chen Yu completely stunned.
"Holy crap, what's wrong with Ye Chengying? Has he gone mad?"
"Is someone like that really a reliable mentor?"
Just then, Ye Chengying suddenly spoke again.
"Do you know how much fun I had watching from the stage?"
She freed one hand to grab Chen Yu's collar.
Those red eyes with black pupils above the whites were as large as deep wells filled with light.
"You made me realize that all those life-or-death duels before were utterly pointless! Completely pointless! All those people I watched before were just playing house! You opened up a whole new world for me, you know that! You're so annoying, you've made it impossible for me to go back!"
Ye Chengying raised his head, his gaze shifting from Chen Yu's lapel to his eyes.
"I want to fight you too!"
The volume wasn't loud, but everyone around heard it.
Zhou Juncheng was the first to react.
He took a step forward, clasped his hands together, and bent down at a deeper angle than he usually did when bowing.
"Young Master, you mustn't!"
"You are of noble birth, and the life-or-death agreement in the Sword Trial only applies to disciples. The third volume, chapter four of the Manor Rules clearly states that direct descendants of the main family are not allowed to participate in life-or-death duels in the arena! I humbly request that you rescind your order!"
He didn't straighten up after he finished speaking, nor did he loosen his clasped hands.
When Ye Chengying said he wanted to fight him to the death, Chen Yu was completely dumbfounded.
Cai Zhongtie was one thing, but the gap between her and himself was simply too great.
If we really fight, I might get killed instantly.
"It's really difficult to deal with such a madman; you can't beat him in a fight, and you can't reason with him!"
Just as Chen Yu was fretting over this, the situation changed again.
As the cool breeze continued to blow, the bloodshot color in Ye Chengying's eyes gradually faded, and his pupils returned to their normal size.
"It hurts, it hurts so much, my head hurts!"
Ye Chengying rubbed his forehead and looked at Chen Yu.
"What did I just say?"
Chen Yu, quick-witted, replied, "Young Master, you said the weather is really nice today, perfect for sleeping, and you want to go back to rest early..."
"fart!"
Ye Chengying interrupted him directly.
"I clearly said I wanted to fight you to the death! Do you really think I don't remember? Are you trying to lie to me?"
Chen Yu was stunned again.
Damn it!
How come this woman is so good at using tricks?
"You mustn't hit him! You mustn't hit him, young master!"
Zhou Juncheng continued to offer his advice.
"I said we're going to fight, and that means we're going to fight!"
Ye Chengying then turned to Chen Yu.
"But not now. Right now, I could kill you with just one little finger!"
"I'll teach you real skills. Once you're as strong as me, then we'll have a proper fight!"
As she spoke, she brought her face closer to Chen Yu.
"If you beat me, the entire manor is yours."
"So, do you agree or not?"
"I...I agree."
Chen Yu said helplessly.
He didn't really want any kind of villa.
Judging from this situation, he dared not refuse.
If we don't agree, who knows what kind of trouble Ye Chengying will cause next.
Anyway, we'll deal with the future when it comes.
I'll agree now; at worst, I'll just run away later.
Who knows, maybe I'll become even stronger than her and crush her with my strength!
As time passed, Ye Chengying's eyes became increasingly clear, and his mind seemed to have fully returned to normal.
She glanced down at the rubble at her feet, then looked up at Cai Zhongtie, who had died on the stage, and raised her eyebrows very slightly.
"Earth-shattering and mountain-crushing hammer".
Ye Chengying muttered something to himself, his tone carrying the certainty of an expert.
"Being able to unleash such a punch in a state of boiling blood shows that Cai Zhongtie's years in the inner court were not wasted. It's a pity."
When saying the words "What a pity".
Her tone was so flat, as if she were commenting on something that had nothing to do with him.
Cai Zhongtie was still lying on the ring, his body still warm.
But Ye Chengying only glanced at it, and the emotions in her eyes were not as rich as when she looked at the rubble.
"Your boxing skills are very good."
As Ye Chengying spoke, he suddenly tilted his head to the side.
"I was watching the first duel from up there."
"The key to your boxing technique is the fifth punch; all its power is concentrated in that one punch!"
"But even I can't understand where the power of this punch came from? Why is the explosive force so fierce? It can break bones in an instant."
"This kind of power generation technique doesn't seem to be something that can be developed through hard work; perhaps it's talent... or perhaps something else entirely."
She spoke slowly, and every word seemed to have been carefully considered before she uttered it.
The disciples around him reacted with a variety of interesting expressions upon hearing these words.
Just how powerful is a skill that even the young master of the manor cannot see through?
Isn't what Chen Yu showed today his full strength?
Only Chen Yu himself understood that this was the effect of the "White Tiger Bone Fiend" on his physical constitution, which was certainly not something that could be achieved through hard training alone.
Ye Chengying took half a step forward, getting closer to Chen Yu.
Then she did something that surprised everyone present.
She reached out and gently lifted Chen Yu's still bleeding right hand, looking down carefully at the shocking cracks on it.
Zhou Juncheng gasped and quickly stepped forward to dissuade him: "Young Master, be careful not to get your clothes stained with blood—"
"It's alright."
Ye Chengying waved his other hand without even turning his head.
She lightly pressed her finger on Chen Yu's swollen knuckles, as if afraid of hurting him.
Then she put Chen Yu's hand down, took a step back, and returned to her original position, her genuine smile deepening.
"The Earth-Shattering Mountain-Crushing Hammer, when unleashed in a state of boiling blood, is so powerful that even ordinary Great Masters of Bone Refinement might not dare to take it head-on! I can see that you didn't take it head-on."
Ye Chengying paused here, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"You first used your agility to dodge and deflect his two most powerful attacks, finding his weakness in the shortest time, and then used a near-perfect series of penetrating strikes, layering your power into the same point. You won this duel beautifully!"
She paused for a moment, then added something that made everyone's expression change.
"Cai Zhongtie's loss is not unjust. If I were in his position, facing your style of play, I might not be able to escape unscathed either."
This statement carries immense weight.
Who is Ye Chengying?
She was the only surviving daughter of the manor lord, Ye Qingcang.
Having received top-notch training since childhood, his talent and skill level far surpass those of Cai Zhongtie.
She said, "It's not certain that I'll be able to escape unscathed," which was a polite remark, but it also meant comparing her own abilities to Chen Yu's.
When Ye Chengying said this, it wasn't just appreciation, but almost a tone of admiration.
Ye Chengying turned around and waved to the white-haired old man on the main stand.
"Old Duan."
Ye Chengduan, with a full head of white hair, walked out from the edge of the crowd, his steps unhurried, and bowed slightly to Ye Chengying.
Ye Chengying pointed to Chen Yu's right hand and instructed, "Take care of the injuries on his hand. There are three minor fractures in his finger bones and one in his metacarpal bone. Although they are not serious, if they are not treated in time, they will affect his future training."
When Chen Yu heard this, his eyebrows twitched very slightly.
He knew, of course, that his right hand was badly injured.
The force of the punches, which pierced through Cai Zhongtie's iron bones and boiling blood defenses, also injured his own bones due to the recoil.
But Ye Chengying was able to accurately determine the location and number of bone fractures after only a few glances, which was truly amazing.
Ye Chengdun stepped forward and took out a fist-sized jade box from his sleeve.
Inside the tube was a pale green ointment that emitted a refreshing herbal scent.
He gestured for Chen Yu to extend his hand, then scooped out a piece of ointment and applied it evenly to Chen Yu's swollen knuckles and the back of his hand.
The ointment felt icy cold when it touched the skin, but in an instant it turned into a warm current that seeped deep into the flesh.
Chen Yu felt the intense pain in his right hand lessen considerably within a few breaths.
The fingers, which were originally so stiff that they could not bend, gradually regained their mobility.
"Thank you, Master." Chen Yu said respectfully.
Ye Chengdun hummed in response.
Without stopping, he scooped out another piece of ointment from the jade box and applied it to the bruise on Chen Yu's left arm.
His technique was extremely skilled, and he finished treating all the external injuries in no time.
Then he took two steps back and stood behind Ye Chengying again, without saying a single word from beginning to end.
Ye Chengying looked at the treated wound, nodded in satisfaction, and then looked at Chen Yu again.
"According to my rules, the winner of a duel to the death will receive the reward he deserves."
"Now that you've won two games in a row, it's time for me to fulfill my promise."
She took a palm-sized token from her waist.
The token is entirely black, made of some kind of jade, and has a red character "影" (shadow) engraved on its surface.
She flipped the token in her hand and handed it to Chen Yu.
"This is my token. With this, you can directly enter the inner courtyard to report for duty without having to go through layers of verification."
"This is...this is amazing!"
A hushed commotion arose in the sword-testing arena.
The identity token personally bestowed by the young master meant that Chen Yu not only skipped all qualification assessments and background checks, but also entered the inner courtyard directly with the highest level of privilege.
This situation has never occurred since the resort was built.
Chen Yu reached out his left hand and took the token.
It was cold to the touch and heavier than he had imagined.
He looked down at the pattern of crossed swords on the token.
When I looked up again, Ye Chengying had already disappeared.
Only after she had gone far away did Lü Buping dare to step forward and whisper a few words in Chen Yu's ear.
"The inner court is a deep and treacherous place, teeming with powerful figures."
"Cai Zhongtie is just a pawn in his circle; the real players are yet to come."
"By killing him today, you have overturned the chessboard of some people. From now on, when you enter the inner courtyard, be more careful."
"Even with the young master's help, it won't be easy to get through this."
His tone was light, as if he were casually chatting about the weather, but the content of his words was so heavy that it was suffocating.
Chen Yu was silent for a moment, then nodded and replied in a very low voice, "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother. May I ask your honorable name?"
Lu Buping straightened up, and his gentle and polite smile returned to his face.
He reached out and gently patted Chen Yu's shoulder; the pat wasn't forceful, but it was very substantial.
"My name is Lü Buping. I have high hopes for you and look forward to your future performance."
After saying that, he left.
……
The next day, Chen Yu received the Xuanfeng Token and decided to go to Cangfeng Cave to choose a weapon.
The strength of the weapons in Cangfeng Cave changes with each level.
The strength increases slightly with each lower layer.
The Xuanfeng Token in Chen Yu's hand allows him to freely choose a weapon in the first eight levels.
Since the levels get stronger as you go down, there's no need to waste time on the first seven levels.
Upon arriving at the Hidden Edge Cave, Chen Yu did not hesitate and went directly to the eighth floor.
As you continue downwards, the spiral stone steps descend deeper and deeper into the earth.
The air grew increasingly damp, carrying a stale, fishy-sweet scent.
On the eighth floor, moss no longer grew on the stone walls, but instead a layer of dark red fungal spots.
Chen Yu reached out and touched it, feeling that it was slippery, like touching congealed blood scabs.
The door on the eighth floor is special; it is made of human bones.
This place used to be where traitors in the village were allowed to repent and reform.
If anyone fails to change, just kill them and remove their bones as a warning.
Over time, the bones accumulate and become unusable.
A skilled craftsman used the available materials to make a large door.
Chen Yu looked at the stark white bone door and was filled with wonder.
"Tsk tsk, these people are quite creative! They've even made use of waste materials!"
Pushing open the bone door, a person was hanging in the center of the ceiling.
Chen Yu looked up and saw an old man whose body was pierced by iron chains.
The old man's hair and beard were all white and disheveled.
His eyes had no visible pupils, appearing only as a murky blood red.
What puzzled Chen Yu even more was the chains binding his body.
He looked at the old man's body and counted carefully.
"Two lines running through the shoulder blades."
"Two wrist bones are locked together."
"Two locks across the ankles."
"A nail stuck to the spine."
"Two lines pass through the collarbone."
There are nine chains in total.
Hearing footsteps, the old man raised his head, and his neck made a "crackling" sound.
"Here to collect weapons?"
"The young master has instructed me that you should hand over the Xuanfeng Token to me, and then you can choose for yourself!"
The old man looked rather intimidating, but he spoke quite gently.
"This eighth floor used to be called the Blood Feeding Room."
"Every weapon here has drunk the blood of ten thousand people. Because of its overwhelming malevolent aura, it was sealed here."
"That area used to be the riverbed of the Blood River, where the malevolent energy was even stronger, which is why it was able to suppress these weapons."
He raised his wrist, through which the chains pierced, and pointed due north.
There is a huge cave over there.
Chen Yu looked in the direction the finger was pointing.
On the cracked, dark red earth, seven murder weapons were stuck in the ground, emitting a visible blood-red mist.
As Chen Yu approached for a closer look, he felt that the entire ground resembled the ruins of a giant forge.
Behind them, the old man in chains spoke again.
"The seven weapons were all modified by the previous inhabitants of the manor, and correspond to seven different blood-feeding techniques."
"The person who takes the weapon must use their own blood to complete the final quenching process before the weapon can recognize its master!"