Chapter Sixty-Three: The Might of a Single Sword

Wang Li was so amused by Jiang Yue that he laughed out loud. This little girl really held grudges—she’d just gained a bit of power and came to settle the score. How petty! How foolish!

He chuckled, “Very well, I’ll grant your wish!”

As he spoke, his right hand lifted, and a streak of crimson sword energy shot from his fingertip, heading straight for Jiang Yue.

“You—” Jiang Yue hadn’t expected Wang Li to be so unceremonious, attacking without warning. She only had time to utter a single word of protest before she was forced to swallow it, hastily raising her Rainbow Sword to block the attack.

A clear, ringing sound echoed as Jiang Yue was sent flying backward, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Huh? Why is Steward Wang fighting with the little princess?”

“Heh, the little princess was getting too cocky and forgot Steward Wang was going easy on her!”

“This time Jiang Yue went a bit too far—otherwise, why would the steward make a move?”

“What’s the big deal? She’s got powerful backing. Besides, this is the Chosen Ruins. The Hall of Reflection can’t intervene here, so what are you worried about?”

“We still have to return eventually. The Hall of Reflection won’t tolerate a disciple disrespecting the steward.”

“We’ll see what happens when we get back.”

“Wang Li, I’m going to smash you to pieces!” Jiang Yue was infuriated by the chatter around her, all siding with Wang Li. How dare these people gang up on a defenseless young lady—blind and shameless, the lot of them!

She was furious, caring nothing for consequences. She launched a killing blow.

“Grow! Grow! Grow!”

Under her control, the Giant Rock Hammer swelled to an enormous size. By the time she swung it at Wang Li, it was half a fathom across, its shadow completely engulfing her small figure.

From a distance, the scene of a slender little girl wielding a massive hammer against someone looked rather absurd. Yet none of the onlookers dared laugh—the hammer was so huge, they barely had time to dodge themselves, let alone find humor in it.

“Stop right there!”

“Cease!”

Two sharp cries rang out as Lin You and Jiang Yu moved to block the giant hammer.

Wang Li was not alone on the city wall; there were many others present. Jiang Yue’s show of force was so overwhelming that those at most in the Qi Refining stage could hardly withstand such an attack. Moreover, if she struck, even if Wang Li could defend himself, the wall might not survive—and with countless Flame Rats outside, how would they defend without the wall?

Those within the hammer’s shadow scattered in panic. Getting hit by such an abnormally large hammer would be no minor matter.

But Wang Li remained utterly calm. “You two, step aside. This girl is overdue for a lesson—I’ll discipline her on behalf of the Grandmaster.”

Jiang Yue’s move was one Wang Li had seen hundreds of times in simulated combat scenarios. He knew exactly how to counter it and wasn’t concerned in the least; he truly intended to teach Jiang Yue a lesson, so she’d stop seeking trouble with him.

Lin You hesitated. “Isn’t this… a bit much?”

A senior like Wang Li picking a fight with a young girl—wasn’t that just bullying? But he couldn’t quite bring himself to say it outright.

Jiang Yu, however, was decisive. As soon as Wang Li spoke, she stepped aside, pushing Lin You with her.

“Out of the way!”

Not waiting for Lin You to move, Wang Li struck. A fire dragon shot out from him, crashing into the Giant Rock Hammer.

Lin You, having reached the Nascent Soul stage, knew Wang Li couldn’t harm him and stepped aside helplessly.

Boom!

The fire dragon slammed into the hammer, sending both the weapon and Jiang Yue staggering backward. Jiang Yue’s arms went numb from the shock. She was astounded at Wang Li’s newfound strength, but her stubborn nature refused to yield—she steadied herself, gathered every ounce of spiritual power, and launched another attack.

“Stubborn fool.”

With a cold snort, Wang Li raised his left hand. An azure sword energy shot into the ground, then erupted from below, bypassing the Giant Rock Hammer to strike Jiang Yue squarely in the back.

“Ah!” Jiang Yue cried out, her black hair standing on end as her body convulsed uncontrollably.

This was a thunder-attribute sword energy, executed through the ‘Justice of Shocking Thunder’ technique that Wang Li had mastered. In countless simulated battles against countless opponents, he’d trained all his abilities to the point of instinct. This maneuver, which looped around to strike the enemy’s back, was something he’d perfected for just such situations; it could also be performed as a palm technique.

This move had finished Jiang Yue dozens of times in simulation, and now, in reality, it worked just as smoothly—especially since her actual combat experience lagged even behind her simulated self. It was only natural for his attack to land cleanly.

Still, Wang Li held back. He only meant to teach her, not knock her out instantly.

Even so, he underestimated his own progress—or perhaps overestimated the girl’s actual strength.

She could pummel a tier-six Earth Roarer with ease, but only because those giant beasts lacked ranged attacks; in close combat, she could hold her own, but against an experienced opponent, she was bound to take a beating.

As the thunder energy entered her body, she first convulsed from the shock, then her eyes rolled back—and she collapsed in a spectacular faint.

“Three times now…” Jiang Yue thought bitterly as she fell.

Why did she always end up unconscious at Wang Li’s hands? It was just too humiliating…

She toppled, but her Giant Rock Hammer and Rainbow Sword did not. Following the momentum of her fall, both weapons hurtled toward another section of wall where construction was underway.

“Look out!”

“Run for it!”

The workers saw the two spiritual weapons barreling toward them and scattered instantly.

The experts present had all been focused on Wang Li’s techniques, not noticing the runaway weapons. In fact, many were mentally replaying his moves, finding them quite useful. Wang Li himself watched Jiang Yue closely, concerned that he might have accidentally gone too far.

By the time anyone realized what was happening and tried to intercept the out-of-control weapons, it was too late. They crashed into the city wall.

A thunderous crash and a muffled bang resounded, sending up thick clouds of dust.

Everyone was dumbfounded—what on earth had just happened?

As the dust cleared, the scene of devastation appeared before all. The Rainbow Sword’s blade aura had sliced a hole nearly nine feet wide at the base of the wall, while the Giant Rock Hammer—now shrunken to its original size—sat atop a section of collapsed masonry.

“Defend! Plug the breach, quickly!”

Jiang Yu was the first to react, immediately organizing people to seal the gap.

Outside lurked an endless horde of Flame Rats; without the wall, who knew if they’d launch an immediate assault?

Everyone else snapped back to their senses and rushed to the openings.

But they were a step too late. Through the gaps, one could see the swarming mass of Flame Rats accelerating toward them—a sea of vermin that made everyone’s skin crawl.

Seeing Jiang Yue unharmed, Wang Li entrusted her to Zhou Qian, then mounted his sword and flew into the air to observe.

Confronted with the overwhelming tide of rats, Wang Li remained composed. He scanned the crowd, searching for the leader of the Flame Rats.

There were records in the Library Pavilion about these creatures, which Wang Li had read by chance—few disciples of the Pure Yang Sect bothered with such miscellaneous notes, but he sometimes passed the time with them, and now that knowledge came in handy.

Sometimes, reading widely could save your life.

Specializing in fire techniques himself, Wang Li was especially sensitive to fire-attribute spiritual power. After a single sweep, he pinpointed the Flame Rat leader’s location.

He didn’t hesitate. Drawing his Explosive Flame Sword, he sent a blinding arc of sword energy slashing toward the ground.

Just as he’d done to Jiang Yue, the sword energy plunged into the earth. After several heartbeats, a golden-furred rat at the center of the swarm suddenly split in two.

With the golden rat slain, the attacking horde immediately fell into chaos, all turning back to swarm the leader’s corpse. Moments later, the entire mass had vanished without a trace.

Everyone who witnessed this exchanged bewildered glances.

Had Steward Wang dispersed the horde with a single strike?

Lin You was struck speechless by shock.

He’d fought Flame Rats before and knew how formidable they were. Yet Wang Li had driven them off with a single sword stroke.

What did this mean? It meant Wang Li’s power far surpassed that of the Lin brothers!

Though he knew Wang Li was a reincarnated soul, the man had been a complete cripple not long ago. For him to recover such strength in so short a time—how could Lin You not be astounded?