Chapter 87 - Can One Become the Champion
Chapter 87 of "Red Heart Patrols the Sky" opens with exciting events: âBefore Lin Zhenglun makes his appearance, none of you from the Lin Family shall pass... Continue reading!
âBefore Lin Zhenglun makes his appearance, none of you from the Lin Family shall pass this door, cross this line.Otherwise, it will be taken as a challenge against me!
I shall cripple them!â
Standing before Lin Family Land with his longsword transverse, Jiang Wangâs face was stern, showing no signs of jest.
Lin Zhengli was bewilderingly shocked.
There was no fear in him, just pure surprise, and even a sense of absurdity.
Merely three people dare to block the doorstep of the Lin Clan.
Whatâs giving this youngster courage?
Where does he get his confidence!
As Lin Zhengli was about to make a move, a voice had already sounded first.
The owner of the voice was still in the distance, but the sound already trembled in the ear.
âSurname Jiang, such a big talker you are!
Do you think I wonât kill?â
That was the voice of the Lin Familyâs current strongest warrior, Lin Zhengren!
Even someone as composed and calculating as him couldnât conceal the anger in his voice.
Blatantly during broad daylight, a mere jester oversteps his bounds.
Do they think any tom, dick, or harry can run wild on Lin Clanâs grounds?
On Jiang Wangâs back, there was a long wooden case.
He had carried it all the way from Fenglin City to Wangjiang City.
Upon hearing Lin Zhengrenâs voice, he was neither startled nor afraid.
He simply took down the long case from his back, opened it, and pulled out that ancient and unassuming long lance.
The Ember Ending Lance did not look particularly astonishing; its tip was dark and unpretentious, and even the shaft was not smooth, marked by the thirty years it had spent in the embers of a forge.
Yet, it had now become the most renowned weapon in Qinghe County.
Jiang Wang turned the Ember Ending Lance upside down and thrust it into the ground beside him, several inches deep.
âZhu Weiwo said, I am but a Roaming Meridian Realm Cultivator.
I have a reason to come to Wangjiang City.
Any cultivator of the Circulation Realm within Wangjiang City is welcome to fight me, and even if they kill me, he will not interfere.
But if anyone above the Roaming Meridian Realm strikes, suppressing the weak, it doesnât matter who it is.
Once he enters the Dao Academy, he will fixate on you, Lin Zhengren.
Every time he sees you, heâll beat you once!â
Jiang Wangâs words, packed with the power of Path Origin, echoed throughout Lin Family Land.
And Lin Zhengrenâs voice did not sound again.
Nor was there any sign of him appearing.
As if that previous outburst was just a hallucination to everyone present.
With the Ember Ending Lance here, it represented Zhu Weiwo.
Before the lance stood over Wangjiang City, Zhu Weiwo never had such deterring power.
But now, just the mention of his name was enough to intimidate an entire region.
Each moment of silence continued, the more swollen Lin Familyâs face became.
Thus, this silence was soon broken.
An old man with a head of white hair, leaning on a wooden cane, walked out slowly with the assistance of his servants.
âIf thatâs the case, Zhengli, go out and give it a try,â the old manâs voice wasnât loud but carried a commanding aura: âLetâs see if he truly has no equal within the Roaming Meridian Realm!â
âYes, Grandfather,â Lin Zhengli respectfully bowed to the old man, swept his long sleeves, and took a bold step through the gate!
Suddenly, a flash of sword light struck like lightning!
Jiang Wang had already leaped forward with his sword.
Waves surged, and Lin Zhengli spun in the air.
Of course, he was not a hothead without strategy, as he had already prepared his spell before stepping through the gate.
His first move was the renowned Dao Technique âRippling Overwhelm Triple Layersâ from the three-city debates, to place himself on invincible ground.
But Jiang Wang, while in midair, could pivot out of thin air, a potent testament to his Body Refinement brought about by the âFour Spirits Body Refinement Methodâ, endowing him with an aerial ability far surpassing his peers.
The sword targeted the throat!
Lin Zhengliâs expression remained unchanged, continuously forming hand seals while smoothly activating the second layer of âRippling Overwhelm Triple Layersâ.
Jiang Wang had not yet mastered the skill of performing three consecutive flips in mid-air without leverage like Li Jianqiu, but he didnât need to.
As his body descended toward the ground, he slightly turned his longsword, and a golden light shot out like an arrow from the sword, speeding towards the recently repositioned Lin Zhengli.
This was a Dao Technique inherent in the standard magic artifact longsword he wielded, perfectly connecting as the third strike!
Lin Zhengliâs waves surged again as he completed the last variation of the Triple Stack of Waves.
At the same time, his hand-sealed Dao Technique was ready to strike his opponent when his face suddenly changed, and he directed the angry wave in front of him!
Turning an offensive Dao Technique into a defense, his reaction could not be called slow.
However, in front of the roaring purplish Qi, the waves condensed by the Dao Technique crumbled so easily!
Purple Qi comes from the east, and the lords look to the west!
Jiang Wang had barely touched the ground with the tip of his foot when he unleashed his most powerful move to date.
His entire being, driving the roaring purple Qi, instantly broke through the waves.
The gleaming tip of the sword stopped at Lin Zhengliâs brow.
Drip~ Drop!
That was the sound of a water droplet sliding down the blade and falling onto the tip of Lin Zhengliâs nose.
And he dared not move an inch.
After the three-city Dao discussion, he had felt resentment countless times.
He resented Jiang Wang for picking up an advantage, taking away the title of the top scholar of the first year that should have belonged to him.
He also resented his own carelessness.
If not for his oversight, how could he have lost to that barbarian from the mountains?
He wouldnât have even been injured!
But whatâs done is done, and thereâs no use being resentful.
Luckily, Jiang Wang came to Wangjiang City, giving him a chance to prove himself.
In fact, the moment Jiang Wang and his two companions entered Wangjiang City, he received the news.
The widow Lin Zhenglun married did indeed commit suicide, which of course wasnât completely unrelated to him.
He tracked down the letter the woman sent before her death and found that it had reached Jiang Wang, which clarified Jiang Wangâs relationship with the widow.
Every disciple of the Daoist academy is a pillar of Zhuang Countryâs future, so there is no suppressing or swallowing oneâs voice.
The methods he used to take over Lin Zhenglunâs business were not honorable.
Some of it involved dowry brought by the woman â there were certainly procedures in line with the laws of Zhuang Country, but it would not withstand scrutiny by those with intent.
Therefore, he immediately had Lin Zhenglun hide back in the Lin Family Land.
As long as they guarded the main gate of the Lin Family Land and prevented Jiang Wang from entering, a major issue could be made minor, and a minor issue would become nonexistent.
He thought he had everything under control.
But he did not expect Jiang Wang to be so arrogant as to confront them with a single sword at their door, which was the first thing he hadnât anticipated.
What he hadnât anticipated even more was that, in a full-on battle, he would actually suffer a crushing defeat!
He did not prove his strength, but instead became the footnote to someone elseâs power.
At this moment, he suddenly remembered what his older brother, Lin Zhengren, had said during the three-city Dao discussion â âIf youâre not fully confident, donât give your enemy the opportunity to prevail over you.â
âGo back,â said Jiang Wang, his hand holding the sword steady and without a trace of trembling.
He hadnât truly followed through on his words to cripple Lin Zhengli, using Zhu Weiwoâs name as a deterrent had its limits.
Regardless, Zhu Weiwo would never arbitrarily kill Lin Zhengren; at most, as he said, he would beat him every time they met, forcing Lin Zhengren to feel uncomfortable staying in the Daoist academy.
This kind of consequence was enough for Lin Zhengren to exhibit an extraordinary degree of patience, but crippling Lin Zhengli was certainly beyond his tolerance.
Lin Zhengli stared at the gleaming sword tip, slowly backing away until he was behind the archway.
Only then did he realize that his back was completely soaked with cold sweat.
âYou can find any Circulation Realm cultivator in Wangjiang City to come forth.
I alone, with a single sword, will take them all.
If by chance I perish in battle, it will be by my own fault.
The two sworn brothers who came with me today will collect my body,â said Jiang Wang, his sword lowered, looking at the elderly Lin family head.
âAnd I only have one very reasonable request: My sisterâs birth mother died in Wangjiang City, and I need someone to take responsibility.â
âShe committed suicide,â declared Lin Zhengli, steeling himself.
âBe that as it may,â Jiang Wang looked directly at the gathering Lin Clan members behind the archway.
With a cold smile, his sword hummed a long tune.
âLetâs see today in the domain of Wangjiang City, among the Circulation Realm cultivators, if I am deemed worthy to be the champion!â