Chapter 99

Huang Yanchen's cultivation is very strong, far surpassing the average Xuanji Realm Great Perfection martial artists.

Duanmu Xingling, who can match her, is naturally not weak.

Duanmu Xingling has also opened a special Divine Martial Mark, the Ice Divine Martial Mark. The true qi in her body is released, carrying an extremely cold aura, and white snowflakes immediately appear in the surrounding air.

Other martial artists who have opened the Ice Divine Martial Mark, even if they cultivate to the Xuanji Realm Great Perfection, cannot be as powerful. Only a genius of Duanmu Xingling's level can achieve "true qi released, three zhang of flying snow."

Duanmu Xingling is currently at the Xuanji Realm Great Perfection and can only make flying snow within three zhang of her body. If her cultivation reaches the Earth Rank Realm, then as long as she releases the true qi in her body, flying snow will form within ten zhang.

Ten zhang of flying snow.

If her cultivation reaches the Heaven Rank Realm, she can achieve "a hundred zhang of flying snow." Once she engages in combat, within a radius of several hundred meters, the sky will be filled with flying snow, that is the true martial legend.

Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, "As expected of Xuan List martial artists, they are truly powerful. They should have already reached the intermediate stage of Sword Following the Heart, and they are not far from the advanced stage."

Only martial artists who have reached the intermediate stage of Sword Following the Heart in the Xuanji Realm have the chance to challenge in the martial market arena, to impact the Xuan List and become Xuan List martial artists.

"Xingling, if you keep stopping me, I won't be polite anymore!" Huang Yanchen's sword techniques became faster and faster, as her true qi contained the attribute of wind, her speed advantage gradually became apparent.

Duanmu Xingling said, "Sister Chen, calm down first. If you impulsively kill him, the Martial Market Academy will definitely punish you severely. Why would you want to die with a lecher? Besides, even if you don't act, that lecher won't live for more than a month!"

"What do you mean?" Huang Yanchen stopped her attack, sheathed her sword, and asked curiously.

Duanmu Xingling also sheathed her sword, her eyes twinkling as she smiled, "He has agreed to a life-or-death duel with Feng Zhilin on the life-or-death platform, and the duel is in twenty days."

"How is that possible? Feng Zhilin's cultivation has reached the Xuanji Realm Great Position. In the West Courtyard, although he is not a top expert, he is still considered a strong middle-rank martial artist. Zhang Ruochen might be able to defeat him after one or two more years of cultivation, but now, a life-or-death duel on the platform will surely result in his death." Huang Yanchen said.

Duanmu Xingling nodded and said, "That's right! So, there's no need for you to kill him. In twenty days, Feng Zhilin will take his life."

Huang Yanchen still didn't believe that Zhang Ruochen would be so foolish. She stared at Zhang Ruochen with her beautiful eyes and said coldly, "In twenty days, are you really going to have a life-or-death duel with Feng Zhilin on the platform?"

"Exactly!" Zhang Ruochen said indifferently.

He didn't think it was a big deal!

"Swish!"

Huang Yanchen sheathed her blue precious sword, staring at Zhang Ruochen as if he were already dead, and said, "Since that's the case, I'll let you live for twenty more days."

Then, Huang Yanchen walked towards the door of the first Huang-numbered building, preparing to leave. Suddenly, she stopped, turned around, and stared at Zhang Ruochen, saying, "In twenty days, if you can defeat Feng Zhilin on the life-or-death platform, I will spare your life. If you lose to Feng Zhilin, even if he doesn't kill you, I will kill you myself."

After saying that, Huang Yanchen walked forward, a wisp of true qi appearing under her feet, allowing her to take three zhang with each step, leaving a series of afterimages.

Seeing Huang Yanchen leave, Duanmu Xingling finally breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Zhang Ruochen, do you really have the confidence to defeat Feng Zhilin in twenty days?"

Zhang Ruochen did not answer Duanmu Xingling's question but instead carefully examined her, nodding slightly and said, "Senior Sister Duanmu, what grade of Ice Divine Martial Mark did you open?"

"Sixth grade!"

Duanmu Xingling became somewhat proud, crossing her arms, and then added, "And I opened the Ice Divine Martial Mark when I was two years old."

The earlier a Divine Martial Mark is opened, the earlier a martial artist can start cultivating.

Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, "No wonder you reached the Xuanji Realm Great Perfection at thirteen or fourteen years old. Your talent must be very high."

"How is that possible? I am eighteen years old, okay."

Duanmu Xingling rolled her eyes at Zhang Ruochen, her eyelashes fluttering, and then said, "To reach the Xuanji Realm Great Perfection at thirteen or fourteen years old, how heaven-defying would that be? Even the first genius of the Heavenly Demon Ridge, Zhang Tiangu, only reached the Xuanji Realm Great Perfection at fifteen years old."

To prove her age, Duanmu Xingling slightly lifted her chest, revealing two round and firm curves.

It must be said that, in terms of appearance, the curves on Duanmu Xingling's chest were even larger than Huang Yanchen's, developing quite well.

"Eighteen years old?" Zhang Ruochen was somewhat surprised. Apart from the curves on her chest, there was no way to tell that she was eighteen years old.

Duanmu Xingling said, "The cultivation technique I practice is somewhat special. As long as I successfully cultivate the first level of that technique, my body will remain in that state. I cultivated the first level of that technique at the age of thirteen and a half, so I have always had the appearance of thirteen and a half years old. Unless I disperse my true qi, I cannot return to my normal age."

Zhang Ruochen suddenly understood, and then, as if he had thought of something, he said, "I remember a remarkable cultivation technique of the Moon Demon Sect called the 'Eight Directions and Six Realms Technique,' which is somewhat similar to the technique you practice."

"You know the 'Eight Directions and Six Realms Technique'?"

Duanmu Xingling exclaimed, her eyes filled with a hint of surprise and uncertainty, as if she had realized her loss of composure. She immediately added, "The Moon Demon Sect has such a technique? I have never heard of it."

Zhang Ruochen said, "The 'Eight Directions and Six Realms Technique' is a top-tier technique in the Moon Demon Sect. Only those with extremely high status in the sect have the qualifications to practice it. Outsiders, of course, do not know."

"Why do you know? Could you be a spy sent by the Moon Demon Sect to the Martial Market Academy?" Duanmu Xingling asked tentatively.

"I just heard about it!"

Zhang Ruochen had read many cultivation techniques and had naturally reviewed the scrolls of the 'Eight Directions and Six Realms Technique.' Of course, the final chapter of the 'Eight Directions and Six Realms Technique' is stored in the headquarters of the Moon Demon Sect, and Zhang Ruochen had not seen it.

Zhang Ruochen did not want anyone to know the secrets of his previous life and immediately changed the subject, asking, "Why were you so surprised when you heard about the 'Eight Directions and Six Realms Technique' just now?"

"Was I? No!"

Duanmu Xingling shook her head vigorously and said, "I was startled by the Moon Demon Sword. In the Kunlun Realm, the Moon Demon Sect is taboo. We should not discuss it, lest we be considered heretics of the Moon Demon Sect."

Zhang Ruochen also did not want to continue discussing this topic and said, "Senior Sister Duanmu, I am cultivating a palm technique and have encountered a bottleneck. Can you spar with me? I want to find the weaknesses in my palm technique during the fight."

"Sure thing!"

Duanmu Xingling, carrying a faint fragrance, transformed into a fragrant breeze, flying to the center of the courtyard, standing straight there, and gently beckoned to Zhang Ruochen, saying, "Use your palm technique to attack me with full force."

"Senior Sister Duanmu, be careful!"

Zhang Ruochen stood ten zhang away from Duanmu Xingling, took a step forward with his left foot, and his hands formed a palm and a claw, every bone and muscle in his body tensing up.

Zhang Ruochen's toes pushed off the ground, and he suddenly rushed forward.

Duanmu Xingling was slightly surprised, "It's only been ten days, and his speed has improved so much. Ten days ago, his speed was only thirty-eight meters per second, and now it's forty meters per second. A middle-rank Xuanji Realm martial artist can only burst to forty meters per second."

"Dragon Image Shadow!"

Zhang Ruochen's arms emitted the sound of dragon roars and elephant trumpets, his palm technique fierce, unleashing all his strength, and striking Duanmu Xingling with no reserve.

Pounding true qi surged from Zhang Ruochen's palms, forming an invisible palm wind. Five meters away from Duanmu Xingling, the strong palm wind blew her long robe, making it flutter.

Duanmu Xingling nodded again, Zhang Ruochen's palm technique was indeed powerful and very intricate. It could integrate all his strength into one palm, which was not easy.

"Bang!"

Duanmu Xingling's speed was even faster than Zhang Ruochen's. A shadow struck out, and Zhang Ruochen was pushed back.

Zhang Ruochen then struck with his second palm, third palm...

"Bang, bang!"

Zhang Ruochen's speed was very fast, like a series of waves, continuously striking out with palm prints.

Duanmu Xingling stood still, one hand behind her back, and used only one hand to block all of Zhang Ruochen's palm prints.

Zhang Ruochen struck with over a hundred palms, and the true qi in his qi lake finally became insufficient. He immediately retreated, stopped, and did not attack again.

Duanmu Xingling stared deeply at Zhang Ruochen and said, "Your palm technique is quite powerful, almost without any flaws!"

Zhang Ruochen was drenched in sweat and smiled, "My palm technique is not yet complete!"

"Not yet complete?" Duanmu Xingling was somewhat surprised and said, "I was going to give you some pointers, but I found that I couldn't. I thought your palm technique had already reached a perfect state!"

Zhang Ruochen shook his head slightly and said, "I already know the shortcomings in my palm technique! Let's go again!"

As he spoke, Zhang Ruochen struck with his fourth palm, "Dragon Image Shadow," attacking Duanmu Xingling.

After all, Duanmu Xingling is a Xuan List martial artist, an excellent sparring partner.

Until Zhang Ruochen was exhausted, he stopped practicing his palm technique. After sending Duanmu Xingling away, he returned to the inner space of the Time Crystal, took a pound of spirit meat, and quickly recovered his strength and true qi.

Zhang Ruochen began to recall the shortcomings in his palm technique during the fight with Duanmu Xingling, and continuously practiced.

The next day, Zhang Ruochen proactively went to the first Xuan-numbered building, found Duanmu Xingling, and continued to spar with her, refining his palm technique.

The third day, the fourth day...

By the fifth day.

The fourth palm of the Dragon Elephant Bodhi Palm had not yet been successfully cultivated, but Zhang Ruochen had already broken through to the late Xuanji Realm.

Zhang Ruochen's rapid breakthrough in cultivation was actually quite normal, after all, he possessed the Time Crystal, which allowed him to cultivate for three times as long as other martial artists.

Moreover, he had taken forty-eight pounds of spirit meat, so breaking through to the late Xuanji Realm was a natural progression.