Chapter 163: Despicable Tricks

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The two horses crossed each other and galloped towards the opposing camps. Yu Shanshan remained dressed in fluttering white clothes, looking as light and casual as a leisurely cloud. Murong Ping, however, was riding in a somewhat distorted posture.

The Moon Cold Divine Art was one of the most famous techniques on the Pan-Continent. Within its elegant and crisp style, it contained a restrained and thick dominance. Its historical origins could be traced back to the era when humans resisted the Demonic Beasts of the world.

However, the Moon Cold Divine Art was extremely picky about the qualifications of its cultivators, and the verification of identity was also very strict. Generally speaking, among the new disciples of each generation, only a very few people cultivated the Moon Cold Divine Art. Eventually, one person would become the Palace Master of the Moon Cold Palace, while the others would become Elders.

But regardless, any cultivator of the Moon Cold Divine Art was bound to be an outstanding figure in the Moon Cold Palace.

“Hehe, Murong Wuyun, this is called failing to steal a chicken and ending up losing the rice.” Cao Zhong laughed heartily: “If I’m not mistaken, this girl should be one of the personal disciples of the current Moon Cold Palace Palace Master, Leng Yuewu, Yu Shanshan. Although Yu Shanshan is not yet famous and hasn’t officially debuted, she has already been recognized as one of the candidates most qualified to compete for the next Palace Master in the Moon Cold Palace. Your family’s Ghost, Murong Ping, although his strength is not bad, I’m afraid he is no match for Leng Yuewu’s successor.”

“Hmph, I can’t believe you can still laugh.” Murong Wuyun’s face was gloomy: “The Free Alliance is the territory of your Fighting Qi Holy Land, the Eternal Life Palace. A successor of the Moon Cold Palace acting arrogantly here, doesn’t your Eternal Life Palace feel like you’ve been slapped in the face?”

“Murong Wuyun, stop trying to sow discord here.” Cao Zhong smiled indifferently and said: “The alliance relationship between our Eternal Life Palace and the Moon Cold Palace can be traced back to the Desolate Beast Era. At that time, the ancestors of our two families followed the Wing Emperor and fought side by side against Demonic Beasts. Besides, the responsibility of our Fighting Qi Holy Land is to maintain the prosperity and stability of humanity and stop the invasion of the Beast Tide, not to fight for power and profit. Your Sacred Eagle Lineage has an insufficient foundation and a somewhat narrow vision.”

“Hmph, you talk better than you sing.” Murong Wuyun curled his lips in disdain and said: “So what if it’s the Fighting Qi Holy Land? Aren’t they just people? If they are people, they will have desires, and if they have desires, there will be struggles. My junior brother Murong Ping has good qualifications and is a young eagle on our grasslands. He has experienced many battles and has rich combat experience. He may not necessarily lose to that Yu Shanshan who hasn’t even debuted yet.”

“You’re wrong again there.” Cao Zhong said with a smug look on his face: “Do you think the disciples of the Moon Cold Palace just stay behind closed doors and cultivate in seclusion? The Moon Cold Palace’s technique is mysterious, but it places great emphasis on practical combat experience. The mission of the Moon Cold Palace is to guard the northern frontier for the Wing Emperor and suppress the North Ice Prison. Therefore, every disciple of the Moon Cold Palace needs to undergo life-and-death tempering in the North Ice Prison, killing Demonic Beasts to improve themselves. I see that this Yu Shanshan has thick and exquisite Fighting Qi and veteran spear skills. The number of Demonic Beasts that died in her hands in the North Ice Prison must be countless. Murong Wuyun, if you don’t believe me and have confidence in your junior brother, we can make a bet.”

“Hmph, I can’t be bothered to deal with a guy like you who looks loyal on the outside but is actually as cunning as a fox.” Murong Wuyun curled his lips, turned his head, and ignored him. In fact, what Cao Zhong said was common knowledge known to everyone on the Pan-Continent. Of course, he knew the responsibilities and obligations of the Fighting Qi Holy Land.

This was also one of the reasons why the status of the Fighting Qi Holy Land was so transcendent. In fact, without the suppression of Demonic Beasts by the Fighting Qi Holy Land, the world could not be so peaceful. Humanity would never have been able to live and multiply in such peace.

While the two were talking, Yu Shanshan and Murong Ping had already exchanged more than ten moves. Murong Ping, who had suffered a small loss at the beginning due to being caught off guard, immediately began to adjust his tactics based on his experience after learning the origin and power of that woman.

Instead of fighting head-on, he displayed the eerie and treacherous nature of his Nether System Magic Art. Every move was risky, combining defense with offense. After more than ten moves, he actually managed to fight with decent form, appearing evenly matched.

Within the Blood Wolf Army, morale became higher and higher, and they began to cheer for Ghost Murong Ping.

The expression under Yu Shanshan’s veil was cold, and a trace of surprise flashed through her indifferent eyes. The power of Ghost Murong Ping was somewhat beyond her expectation. The Nether System Magic Art he cultivated was lingering and evil, sticking to the bone like a maggot, dark and treacherous in its changes. Between the changes of moves and the advance and retreat of Fighting Qi, there was a needle hidden in the cotton, making it impossible to guard against.

It was indeed as her Master had said, there were countless capable experts in the world. One must never be self-satisfied just because they cultivated a divine art of the current era. One must always maintain a humble mindset, constantly absorbing various combat experiences and tempering oneself, in order to break through the shackles and step into the Saintly Way.

Thinking of this, Yu Shanshan put away that trace of pride in her heart. She no longer looked down on this Murong Ping, and her mindset became steady and solemn. Every move she made was steady, combining hardness with softness, displaying a majestic and righteous aura.

“Good!”

When Yu Shanshan executed a move called “Starry Sky Embracing the Moon”, which was elegant and fresh yet carried an unmatched dominance, forcing Murong Ping and his horse to retreat three or four steps. Lei Qing couldn’t help but applaud loudly: “Well fought!”

The other generals and soldiers also roared in high spirits. Drums beat and gongs sounded, the noise shaking the sky and surging with excitement. In just a short battle, Yu Shanshan’s fairy-like, effortless yet incredibly powerful posture was deeply imprinted in the hearts of many. Although they knew clearly that this woman had a deep relationship with Lei Qing, they all watched with shining eyes, staring unblinkingly. Usually, mounted combat was fought with hot blood and dominance, full of murderous aura.

But every move and every action of Yu Shanshan was light, elegant, and fairy-like. Within that quietness, however, lay a power that was hard to match.

“It’s nothing special. Her movements are so delicate; is she holding a spear or an embroidery needle?” Only Shentu Xue was unconvinced and couldn’t help but mutter: “A successor of the Fighting Qi Holy Land is nothing special, what’s so great about it? You bunch of stinky men, what are you looking at? What’s so good about a delicate woman like that? A thorny rose like me is the real deal.”

“Shrew, I think you’re saying the grapes are sour because you can’t eat them.” A few friendly generals laughed loudly: “That is what a real woman is like, the kind that can attract a man’s gaze. Also, you aren’t some thorny rose, you’re purely a poisonous trumpet flower.”

“Alright, you’re all rebelling now.” Shentu Xue trembled with anger, cracking her Soul-Chasing Whip loudly, with a fierce look on her face: “Are all your skins itching? Do you need me to help you loosen your muscles and straighten your bones?”

The generals hurriedly shrank their heads, not daring to look at her anymore. Are you kidding? When the Shrew throws a tantrum, who would dare to ask for trouble right to her face?

Only then did Shentu Xue continue watching the battle with a slight sense of pride, continuing to nitpick with a critical eye.

…

Amidst the shouting and cheering like a tide from both sides, the two had already fought for dozens of moves. The two horses circled each other, coming and going, fighting very fiercely.

Yu Shanshan had gradually adapted to Murong Ping’s treacherous and changing moves. Her every move fully displayed her style, suppressing Murong Ping until he had almost no room to fight back.

However, at this moment, everyone’s hearts were in their throats. Victory was in sight, but the incident where someone was turned the tables on by a trick had just happened not long ago. On the Iron Cavalry Regiment’s side, no one wanted to see it happen again.

But on the Blood Wolf Army’s side, amidst their disappointment, they were hoping that Murong Ping could create some kind of miracle.

Sure enough, just as Yu Shanshan swept Murong Ping’s weapon away with one spear strike, and the light of the Shattered Star Spear flashed, hitting Murong Ping’s shoulder. A cruel smile appeared in Murong Ping’s eyes. His left hand grabbed the head of the Shattered Star Spear tightly. His right hand abandoned the spear, raised his hand, and threw it towards Yu Shanshan.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~

Amidst three sharp sounds breaking through the air, several barely visible dark glows shot towards Yu Shanshan, who was just over ten feet away, in a triangular formation with full force. He had waited for this opportunity for a long time. As a figure who delved into the way of the assassin, frontal combat was not his strong suit. However, despicable tricks in the dark were impossible to guard against.

Murong Ping knew clearly that people often lost their vigilance at the moment of victory. This time was the best opportunity to launch a sneak attack and turn defeat into victory. Besides, this Yu Shanshan was soft-hearted; she only wanted to stab his shoulder with one spear and knock him off the horse, not thinking about killing him.

Woman, oh woman, your synonym is stupidity. On the battlefield, can’t you understand the simplest truth that mercy to the enemy is cruelty to oneself?

Murong Ping was laughing, laughing wildly and proudly. He was very confident in the dark glows hidden in his sleeve. At such a close distance, and in a situation where she was caught off guard. Even a Gold-rank powerhouse would find it extremely difficult to dodge. This was the so-called ‘easy to dodge a spear in the open, hard to guard against an arrow in the dark’.

Those dark glows were actually poison needles. The virulent poison contained within them would greatly reduce the strength of even a Gold-rank powerhouse in a short time if pierced. At that time, it would be Yu Shanshan’s time of death.

How could he have expected that although Yu Shanshan had not officially debuted, her combat experience was not weak. Some time ago, she heard her Master say that some people who cultivated the way of the assassin liked to use poison needles for sneak attacks, so she had to be on guard. And before this, she also witnessed with her own eyes that Shentu Xue, while holding victory in her hands, had the tables turned on her by a trick.

At this time, Yu Shanshan’s state of mind was as cold as ice. She had long been on guard against Murong Ping having a hidden sneak attack. When his hand raised, Yu Shanshan made her move. Her left sleeve swung open, drawing an elegant arc inwards. The cold ice energy formed a white vortex, as if she was embracing a bright moon. She actually used her sleeve as a weapon, executing a move called “Starry Sky Embracing the Moon”.

The three poison needles and dark glows were all absorbed by the cold ice vortex like a bright moon. With a slight shake of her sleeve, the vortex reflected the poison needles back at an even faster speed.

Thud, thud, thud, a few light sounds were heard. The poison needles pierced through Murong Ping’s black leather armor with their sharp tips and nailed into his flesh. The poison liquid immediately spread in all directions along his blood.

“Ah!” Murong Ping screamed miserably and fell off his horse.

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