Chapter 12: The Ninefold Sword Technique

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(This book has officially changed status and been signed for publication. This is a story that Xiangrui Si pondered over for a long time, revising drafts several times before finally deciding to write. Yes, it must be an exciting tale. Launching a new book is never easy, so I hope everyone can lend some support.)

...

A sharp sound tore through the air as a semi-transparent ice blade several meters long swept toward him at lightning speed, aiming straight for his head. Chen Longshi smashed the ice blade with his spear, shattering it into countless shards that flew toward him but, as if they had eyes, they actively swerved around his body, not a single piece striking him.

The next moment, another ice blade was unleashed, but Chen Longshi effortlessly sidestepped it.

The ice blade passed so close to his face that it almost grazed him, then struck a late-stage Nine-Headed Bird Star Tempering martial artist behind him, slicing through the unfortunate man with a ghastly scream—an arm and half his torso nearly severed, sending him flying backward in agony. It turned out that this fellow had tried to sneak up on Chen Longshi during the battle, only to be easily countered and killed using the enemy’s own attack. With such injuries, there was no hope; he would die in his misery. Of course, had it landed on Chen Longshi, the result would have been the same.

Chen Longshi’s eyes immediately flashed cold as he turned to face the direction from which the icy wind had come, his gaze landing on Song Yuanxian, whose whole body was bathed in the radiant glow of a star disk. The young man was somewhat unfamiliar; there were many people in the academy, everyone busy with their own study and cultivation, immersed in their circles. It was impossible for Chen Longshi to know them all.

Though Song Yuanxian’s features were handsome, they paled in comparison. His face was twisted with anger and his eyes were cold, as if he truly believed himself a frost dragon, gazing down at mortals like ants.

Song Yuanxian no longer cared to waste words with Chen Longshi. At first, he had even admired him, until the incident in the stone forest, where his attempt to harm was foiled and turned against him. Out of a team of more than ten, only a few survived, the losses heavy—all due to those who were knocked out and then killed by the Red Giants. Though Song Yuanxian hadn’t personally killed them, his actions were as ruthless as if he had.

He had always bullied others, never the other way around.

In his eyes, such a loss constituted a vendetta that could only end in death. Furious, he unleashed his power, summoning over a dozen icy arrows in mid-air, the bronze-level star skill "Rain of Ice Arrows" launching a barrage of blue arrows toward Chen Longshi.

Nearby, some weaker martial artists hurriedly retreated, watching the impressive spectacle with amazement.

“Is this what genius at a military academy looks like?”

“Truly formidable.”

“That kid who ruined everyone’s attempt to seize the Starfruit is also from the military academy.”

“Heh, places like the Royal Military Academy only admit one-in-a-million talents, but behind every genius is a tangled web of power. How can such a place raise good officers dedicated to resisting war? Let them fight—when dogs bite each other, it’s nothing but fur.”

While they fought with abandon, in a recessed cliff not far from the Star Tree, Jiang Yun’er and Nie Renxiong stealthily approached, pulling a rope and carefully lowering Ji Yao. Ji Yao, half-doubtful of Chen Longshi’s plan, nonetheless followed instructions. Gripping the rope, she quickly descended, her eyes scanning constantly in case she missed anything.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up. “Found it—it’s really here!”

Ji Yao couldn’t suppress her joy and cried out, “How did he manage this?!”

On a stone platform lay four Star Spirit Fruits, resting peacefully, with a flying knife beside them. She couldn’t fathom how Chen Longshi had managed to snatch them from under everyone’s noses.

“Cousin, did you find them?” Jiang Yun’er called out, hands cupped like a megaphone but voice deliberately lowered to a “mouse-like squeak.”

“...”

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Standing amidst the storm, Chen Longshi’s expression remained unchanged. His spiritual sense extended, and his "Instant Step" was pushed to its limits, flashing through the rain of ice arrows, weaving between them as if dancing on knife-edges. The arrows struck the ground behind him, deeply embedding themselves and forming clusters of ice pillars, attesting to their power.

Song Yuanxian was surprised, his anger cooling as he grew more composed.

He could see that his opponent was dodging with ease and advancing steadily. “Does he intend to counterattack? Very well, let him try.”

He moved, his body splitting into multiple phantoms as he retreated at speed. He hadn’t lost his composure; speed was his forte. With a bow in hand and space opened between them, his arrows gained even greater velocity. The longbow spun through the air, star runes forming a constellation on the bow’s body—it was an 18-seal star artifact.

In an instant, more than ten icy arrows appeared on the bowstring. Shoo, shoo, shoo—each arrow chilling to the bone, flying at Chen Longshi like missiles.

Chen Longshi leaped into the air like a dragon, sometimes darting overhead, sometimes diving and rolling, sometimes pausing mysteriously mid-flight. He combined "Instant Step" with "Mayfly Technique," occasionally using telekinesis to deflect arrows he couldn’t dodge, maintaining an unruffled grace that left the onlookers in awe.

But Song Yuanxian was not awed. His opponent’s tenacity was unexpected; his cousin’s defeat was well deserved. The arrows grew fiercer, scattering in all directions. Humans and Red Giants alike were struck, screams echoing.

Though the arrows appeared scattered, their power was tremendous. Anyone hit was either dead or crippled. Many fled in terror, quickly putting distance between themselves and this icy reaper.

Song Yuanxian stepped with mystical footwork, his gaze icy blue. Behind him, the massive frost dragon star disk seemed almost alive, towering above and looking down on the mortals below. Even the Red Giants avoided provoking him. With the strength of a ninth-grade Star Tempering practitioner and the aid of a star artifact, he could greatly shorten the time needed to unleash star skills, amplify their power, and reduce star energy consumption, allowing him to fight longer.

This was the foundation of his superiority over peers.

His star skill formed swiftly, and another dozen arrows shot straight at Chen Longshi, deadly as executioners.

Chen Longshi’s face was cold, his rapid movements unfaltering. Relying on powerful spiritual sense, he dodged arrow after arrow. The arrows were easy to avoid, but the chill was intangible; unbeknownst to him, frost formed in his hair, and even his limbs began to numb. Fortunately, his robust vitality and a surge of star force dispelled the cold.

Song Yuanxian was faster, always keeping Chen Longshi at a distance of no less than fifty meters. The unending rain of arrows threatened to kite him to death.

“How can he withstand such a ferocious assault for so long?”

“He must be a genius of the same caliber.”

“Too bad the other side has a star artifact—no one can dodge forever without making a mistake.”

To outsiders, Chen Longshi was already impressive enough.

Many felt regret—not for the loss of a talent who could stand against ninety-nine stars at such a young age, nor for his imminent demise. They were all strangers, living by the blade, with little sentimentality. Had he not provoked an opponent beyond his ability, he would have had a bright future. But today he challenged a monster, and his life would end here. It was his own choice, nothing more.

Their regret was solely for the composure Chen Longshi maintained amid the arrow storm. This quality was truly astonishing. Facing death without panic, he remained calm—born for battle.

But it would end here. Song Yuanxian sneered, “You are indeed remarkable, but today you face me.”

The cold wind swept by, whistling through the air with a mournful cry. Unbeknownst to him, Chen Longshi had fallen into an encirclement of arrows. At that moment, an enormous crystalline ice dragon arrow formed, imbued with eighteen star runes—the bronze-level star skill "Ice Dragon’s Breath Arrow" pierced the void between them in a flash, shooting straight at his entire body.

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There was nowhere to dodge; his spiritual sense screamed in pain.

This was a lethal attack.

Since escape was impossible, he chose not to flee. After all his efforts, Chen Longshi had finally closed in on his enemy, his divine sense condensing star runes into an array at several times his usual speed. “Buzz~”

In an instant, three six-pointed star shields appeared out of nowhere. The bronze-level "Counter Shield" might not match the "Ice Dragon’s Breath Arrow," but it wasn’t far behind. Besides, he had already mastered the skill to the point of consecutive instant casts.

“Bang, bang, bang!” The Ice Dragon’s Breath Arrow struck the Counter Shields, exploding in succession.

The reason it was called a Counter Shield was that, when passive, it could defend its bearer; when active, it could shatter and strike back, damaging nearby foes. The seemingly invincible ice arrow was completely neutralized by the successive Counter Shields.

“Enough!”

Chen Longshi’s cold voice rang out as he strode forward through the shattered ice. At that moment, his steps became miraculous, as if he were walking on air. "Instant Step" allowed him to move eerily across the void, his speed swift and elusive, rapidly closing the distance to Song Yuanxian.

A flying knife in hand, he pierced through the ice shards, lightning-fast, tearing through space straight at his opponent.

Song Yuanxian didn’t believe such a small knife could harm him, but his instincts screamed of danger, warning it could be fatal. He trusted his battle sense and retreated, hastily erecting several ice walls and fleeing at his fastest speed, yet it still wasn’t enough.

The flying knife inexplicably bypassed all the ice walls and was upon him in an instant.

In a panic, Song Yuanxian could only raise his bow as a staff and sweep it horizontally. “Clang!”

A piercing collision sounded, and Song Yuanxian felt an overwhelming force surge from the little knife, sending him flying. “How is this possible?”

He was utterly astonished, barely able to keep hold of his bow. Luckily, the knife was also knocked aside and he managed to stabilize himself and retreat again.

Chen Longshi’s gaze was icy as he closed in at incredible speed. His spear, like a meteor, smashed down with "Meteor Spear," star light sparking as it shattered ice walls one after another. Seeing Song Yuanxian about to retreat further, Chen Longshi hurled his spear like a javelin. Song Yuanxian swung his star artifact bow, knocking the spear aside.

Again, the uncanny force—this javelin was even stronger than the knife. His hands trembled uncontrollably, and his "Phantom Step" was disrupted.

“Screee~”

Chen Longshi rapidly closed in, his right hand gripping the hilt of the star artifact longsword at his waist, drawing it at lightning speed.

"Ninth Extremity Sword Technique," First Form: Sword Extremity—Stone Shattering the Heavens.

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