Chapter 605: Shouldering Heaven and Earth

Volume Four: Contending for Supremacy

Possessing Gao Shulu's physique, and aided by Liu Haoshi's entry into the city and Song Nianqing's dying sword strike, Xu Fengnian's strides grew increasingly wide. His final step carried him dozens of yards, straight into a forceful collision with Wang Xianzhi.

Wang Xianzhi strode forward, seemingly without intricate technique. Facing the man and sword, he simply unleashed a punch, relying on sheer power to overcome all skills.

Two immense surges of *qi* collided before their divine physiques met, causing a profound and majestic resonance, like the sound of a great bell, to reverberate between heaven and earth.

In an instant, Xu Fengnian, his body akin to a sword, struck Wang Xianzhi with his shoulder. Wang Xianzhi, however, merely slammed a fist into Xu Fengnian's forehead.

Year after year, Wang Xianzhi had resisted the great tides of the East Sea, which symbolized the power of heaven, standing firm and unscathed. Yet, after enduring this collision, his feet surprisingly sank deep into the yellow sand, and he slid back sixteen or seventeen yards.

Xu Fengnian fared no better. Struck directly on his forehead between his eyebrows, his feet, barely a foot above the ground, crisscrossed as he still maintained a graceful, wind-gliding posture. The distance he retreated was roughly equivalent to Wang Xianzhi's.

Neither combatant waited to fully dissipate the residual force of their initial, bell-like impact. Instead, they simultaneously began their second charge, hurtling towards each other.

This time, their elbows were the first to clash in a block. Wang Xianzhi thrust a palm diagonally upward, striking Xu Fengnian's chest.

Xu Fengnian, in turn, brought his palm down, striking the crown of Wang Xianzhi's head.

Xu Fengnian's body reeled, but he eventually stabilized, hovering a few yards away in the air, his sleeves gently swaying, giving him an ethereal appearance as if ascending to heaven. Wang Xianzhi did not retreat, but his knees sank into the sand. He looked up at the young man, whose expression remained calm. The old man in plain clothes remained silent. Since reaching the pinnacle of the mortal world, his heart had been calm as an ancient well, and he had waited for so many years. Now, he no longer felt that complex mixture of surprise, joy, and relief he experienced when he had effortlessly demonstrated his power in the past. This was truly like savoring a fine wine.

Wang Xianzhi brushed his sleeves and smiled for no apparent reason. Conflicts among those who had reached the First Grade, especially death duels between Vajra-level masters where physique and *qi* were integrated, typically involved gradually eroding each other's defenses—first dissipating the opponent's protective *qi* before damaging their body and bones. But this young man, like himself, possessed a near-arrogant confidence. Instead of gradually wearing down the opponent's abundant *qi*, they preferred a decisive blow: first crippling the foundation, then dealing with anything else!

Gao Shulu once used the phrase "steaming vast lakes with *qi*, shaking mighty cities with power" to describe the magnificent aura of the First Grade. In truth, these words held profound hidden meaning. Later martial artists, infatuated with the protection offered by their vast *qi*, became like officials who found powerful backers and protective amulets. Sailing smoothly through life, they gradually forgot how to rely on themselves. Whether it was those in the Subtle Insight realm who pilfered profound theories to seek immortality, or those in the Heavenly Phenomenon realm who claimed to coexist and resonate with heaven and earth, Wang Xianzhi believed they had all strayed from the true path. No matter how influential these individuals became, they could not escape the miserable fate of being subservient lackeys!

Throughout a thousand years, countless heroic figures had emerged. Why then did Wang Xianzhi only respect Lu Dongxuan and Li Chungang? One passed through the Heavenly Gate but chose not to enter, returning to the mortal world with a laugh. The other simply disdained the Heavenly Gate opening for him, declaring that he could open it himself!

Wang Xianzhi's feet were trapped in the ground, while Xu Fengnian stood suspended in the air.

It resembled a struggle between heaven and earth.

On the seemingly calm battlefield, the winds and clouds abruptly shifted after Wang Xianzhi pulled one foot out of the ground and Xu Fengnian simultaneously pressed down a hand.

From the ground, a mud sword, shaped like a stone tablet, burst forth. Xu Fengnian, with a casual gesture, tore off a wisp of cloud *qi* to form a sword.

Wang Xianzhi, holding the great mud tablet-sword, leaped into the air. Xu Fengnian reached out to grasp the long cloud-qi sword, and his body abruptly plunged downwards.

For their third clash, both still chose to confront each other head-on, eschewing any fancy moves. The mud tablet shattered inch by inch against Xu Fengnian's chest, while the cloud *qi* was torn apart inch by inch against Wang Xianzhi's chest. When the mud tablet's fragments settled and the clouds dissipated, the world's top-ranked martial artist and the sixth-ranked, according to current martial arts evaluations, met with left fist against right. Their fists collided violently, their bodies remaining motionless in a moment of unnatural stillness. However, ripples ceaselessly undulated across Wang Xianzhi's plain robe and Xu Fengnian's gown. Not to be outdone, the hands that had wielded swords now clenched into fists and collided again. Within several miles, the ground quaked violently, and clouds swirled. Wang Xianzhi was forced back to the ground. As he landed, he swung his arm and unleashed a punch. An incomparably fierce fist aura violently tore several yellow *jiaolong* (dragon-like creatures) from the ground, which then simultaneously lunged at Xu Fengnian!

Even though Xu Fengnian possessed Gao Shulu's physique and could mentally control Subtle Insight sword *qi*, his incomplete soul meant he could no longer achieve the true intention of the Heavenly Phenomenon realm. He could only cross his arms over his chest in mid-air, relying on a body superior even to the indestructible Vajra body of Buddhism, to block that fist aura. Afterwards, several *jiaolong* formed from yellow sand and earth surged in, exploiting the opening. Xu Fengnian pulled back his left hand, grabbed one *jiaolong* by the neck, and quickly crushed it, the yellow sand scattering like falling rain. He then stomped on another *jiaolong*'s head, slamming the yellow dragon back into the earth, where its remnants, or rather its dissipated *qi*, appeared on the ground as the collapsed form of a dead long snake.

Wang Xianzhi, having gained the upper hand, showed no mercy. He advanced step by step on the ground, continuously punching towards the sky. White fist auras and yellow long dragons shot forth together, aimed at the young prince standing beneath the clouds.

The earth unleashed deadly intent; dragons and serpents rose from the land!

Xu Fengnian took a deep breath, and a purplish-gold mark on his brow glowed brightly. Far from dodging, he seemed to seek death, actively meeting the white rainbow-like fist auras to either shatter or intercept them. His feet moved as if on flat ground, repeatedly stomping down on the airborne yellow *jiaolong*.

If anyone from afar were fortunate enough to witness the battle, they would surely be awestruck and terrified by the horrifying phenomena unfolding.

On the ground, white rainbows continuously streaked across the sky, and countless yellow *jiaolong* soared upwards, as if roaring and demonstrating defiance against the legendary Heavenly Court.

Meanwhile, the figure in the plain white robe in the sky seemed stubbornly determined to slay all the white rainbows and evil *jiaolong* between heaven and earth, preventing them from riding the clouds and mists to transform into true dragons.

This grand and magnificent scene stretched for a full quarter-hour, during which the battlefield advanced a dozen or so miles.

The path Wang Xianzhi traversed was scarred and desolate.

In the sky, cloud *qi* and yellow sand swirled together, then rustled down in a mingled descent. While people often used "the difference between clouds and mud" to describe vast disparities, in this scene, they had become utterly indistinguishable.

Huang Longshi carried the girl on his back, traveling far away to avoid being caught in the invisible, deadly *qi*. He occasionally looked back at the battlefield. The old man, carrying a sunflower for his daughter, couldn't help but sigh with emotion. Jia Jiajia in his arms still hadn't woken up, merely clutching her sable hat, which held the pearl-studded golden hairpin in its hood.

Huang Longshi didn't stop, but constantly turned his head to gaze at the man-made masterpiece unfolding before him, a vast scroll slowly spreading across the mortal realm. It wouldn't stop anytime soon; when it would end, heaven knew. Lost in thought, Huang Longshi murmured, "Zhang Julu in the imperial court, Wang Xianzhi in the martial arts world—with these two figures, one an indestructible political survivor and the other an ageless old master, how could anyone else ever rise? To stand in their shadow is a thought that brings despair. That group of civil officials from the Spring of Yonghui, who excelled in both accomplishments and scholarship; among the generals, there was Lu Shengxiang of Guangling Road, and those frustrated imperial clansmen and meritorious figures. In the martial arts world, there was Deng Tai'a's sword, Gu Jiantang's saber, and Cao Changqing's scholarly spirit. In any other era, past or future, any one of them would be a renowned and influential figure."

Huang Longshi retracted his gaze, continuing to mutter to himself, "The Great Qin lost its mandate, and Liyang is not far behind. The 'Green-eyed Boy' is Liyang's 'deer'; he knows his fate, has no retreat, and has already begun arranging his affairs. If he insists on living on and does not yield, then the impoverished scholars of the world will see no future."

"But old Wang, far from retreating, wants to reach even greater heights. One is the ultimate civil official, the other the pinnacle of martial artists. At first glance, these two seem to have similar realms and status, but in essence, they are vastly different. It's true that civil and military paths diverge. Back then, I hastened the growth of the martial arts world's fortune, planning to pull the rug out from under them—that must have been correct."

"I, this old man, have read too many stories and observed too many people in books. For years, I have exhausted my mind and body, proceeding methodically in everything. Yet now, at the very end, am I to make a mistake?"

Huang Longshi's last glance back, half an hour after the battle began, did not reveal the expected chaos of intermingled clouds and mud. Instead, the *qi* of heaven and earth was exceptionally clear.

Huang Longshi sighed.

That kid had most likely lost the first half of the battle.

The facts were indeed as Huang Sanjia had expected. Even though Xu Fengnian employed Gao Shulu's physique, and sequentially manifested Murong Baoding's Standing Buddha, used Xue Songguan's Hu Jia rhythms, Wudang's Immortal's Touch, and various other profound techniques coordinated seamlessly, he only managed to block that seemingly endless deadly intent erupting from the earth.

In half an hour, Xu Fengnian had broken no fewer than a hundred fist auras and annihilated no fewer than four hundred *jiaolong*.

This was merely Xu Fengnian's single exertion of power.

Before the first collision, Xu Fengnian's *qi* had been fully released, leaving no more breath to exhale.

He had even prepared how to cope with Wang Xianzhi's thunderous attacks while taking his second breath of life.

However, Xu Fengnian's caution, which had helped him navigate dangers during his three journeys through the martial world, unexpectedly had an adverse effect.

Wang Xianzhi, who had been secretly gathering power even while attacking, found an imperfect moment to unleash a suppression even grander than the one he had used against Wang Xiaoping by the Guangling River.

As the earth unleashed deadly intent, so too did heaven!

Together, they sought to crush Xu Fengnian, who was caught within their grasp.

The heavenly cloud *qi* that Xu Fengnian had been using veered off course. In just a blink of an eye, dark clouds gathered, and like the shifting of the stars, this was enough to shatter Xu Fengnian's already precarious balance.

It wasn't that Xu Fengnian didn't sense Wang Xianzhi's trump card. It was just that in his estimation, Wang Xianzhi would only draw down the heavenly phenomena to complement the earth's deadly intent in about another half-incense stick's time, with a seventy to eighty percent certainty of trapping him in a cage, ultimately leading to Wang Xianzhi's final human-unleashed deadly intent!

This was a minor consequence of his incomplete soul, but against Wang Xianzhi, this slight miscalculation was enough to plunge him into grave danger.

Wang Xianzhi raised an elbow, pressing his palms together. With a heavy twist, his hands suddenly flipped.

What could be easier in this world than something "as easy as turning one's hand"?

A cold smile played on Wang Xianzhi's lips as he waited to see.

He certainly didn't think killing a Xu Fengnian who only possessed Gao Shulu's physique would be difficult.

Human deadly intent, and heaven and earth reversed.

With Xu Fengnian's position as the center, the heaven and earth—distinct for countless millennia—actually truly flipped!

Earth was above, heaven below.

Xu Fengnian's misfortune was having no excess *qi* within him; yet, this was also his saving grace. Otherwise, even great Heavenly Phenomenon experts like Xuanyuan Qingfeng or Liu Haoshi, if present, would have had their cultivation turned to dust.

When Wang Xianzhi had made his move against Wang Xiaoping back then, it could be said he had only used a small fraction of it. This was understandable, as the original intent of this move was to target immortals like Qi Xuanzhen. Its essence lay in reversing the *qi* flow and causality. Not to mention those in the Heavenly Phenomenon realm, the more profound the cultivation of a Land Immortal, the greater the damage inflicted.

Xu Fengnian went with the flow, shifting his stance along with the inverted heaven and earth.

Living between heaven and earth, one should stand tall.

If this was an unattainable, empty boast not applicable to everyone.

Then Xu Fengnian never had such grand ambitions. He simply believed that no matter who it was, if they stood in a certain position, they had to bear some responsibility for it.

Ordinary common folk bore the responsibility of caring for their parents in old age. Scions of prominent families bore the responsibility of continuing the family lineage. High-ranking officials or generals in the court bore the responsibility for the rise and fall of the realm.

Xu Fengnian only remembered that journey north beyond the pass, where he had promised Xu Xiao in the carriage that he would bear the burden Xu Xiao left behind.

He could bear it.

Xu Fengnian indeed bore the immense weight of heaven and earth brought forth by Wang Xianzhi.

Xu Fengnian, head and feet inverted along with heaven and earth, felt his knees gradually bend.

The young prince, possessing Gao Shulu's physique, for the first time showed a sign of weakness. A trickle of blood seeped out, not from his seven orifices, but astonishingly, from the center of his brow.

The cold smile on Wang Xianzhi's lips deepened. Just as Xu Fengnian was about to bear the full might of heavenly power and earthly force, and before he could break free from the cage with his divine physique, the old man's figure flickered and vanished.

The next moment, Wang Xianzhi surged into the cage, grasped the inverted Xu Fengnian by the neck with one hand, and pulled him downwards.

Breaking through the edge of the cage, he slammed Xu Fengnian violently into the ground.

It was like a comet striking the earth.

The earth cracked open, forming a bottomless pit.

Wang Xianzhi intertwined his ten fingers, forming a single fist with both hands.

With a great shout, his powerful body was about to descend.

Then, a sword tore through the air.

It came from the peak of Lotus Mountain in Wudang, within Beiliang territory.

Someone rode the sword, carried by the wind.

The sword and the man struck the side of the descending Wang Xianzhi.

Wang Xianzhi was knocked back dozens of yards.

Xu Fengnian on the ground leaped out of the huge pit, blood still gushing from his brow, blurring his eyes and further obscuring his face.

The sword immortal, like a divine being, arced down on his sword, landing beside him.

Two Xu Fengnians stood side by side.

Wang Xianzhi, halting his descent in mid-air, narrowed his eyes. His expression slightly grim, he looked down at the ground.

The Xu Fengnian who had just arrived on the battlefield smiled faintly and said, "I have a sword that must travel six thousand *li*."