Volume 9 Chapter 13 Where Tender Grasses Rim the Stream

H-he is Abels? When did he gain so much power? That’s not the Enlightenment in his arsenal that I remember from our last fight, either.

During the half a year Luo Ming disguised himself as Abels, he followed the descriptions Mountain Monster and Ox Demon provided him with to convincingly play the role and use his injuries as an excuse to avoid interactions with friends and foe alike. While he avoided the front lines, he ordered Evil Spirits to do his bidding, namely stealing materials to forge a sword, consequently sullying the group’s name.

The one thing Luo Ming couldn’t falsify was Abels Evil Eminence Scripture skills as it would take ages to achieve the same proficiency as Abels in the style. That being the case, Luo Ming used poison as a medium to develop internal energy that could compare to Divine Realm martial artists’. The internal energy didn’t belong to any particular style, as a result. While it ran the risk of taking on a poison that he couldn’t control, it didn’t interfere with his internal style. For that reason, he could combine it with Repository Sword Theory to grasp Evil Eminence Scripture, perfecting his imposter game since it was believed that Abels was the only person to be that advanced in Evil Eminence Scripture.

Regardless, Luo Ming didn’t achieve the same proficiency in Evil Eminence Scripture; learning something so profound in that short time frame would make him beyond a genius. Moreover, he had yet to complete Repository Sword Theory, so his deduction skills were also incomplete. He could imitate the general idea, but he couldn’t imitate the details.

Had Abels not been injured in his clash at Shaolin, he would’ve suspected Luo Ming earlier. As Luo Ming never had the chance to fight Abels at maximum power, the former didn’t know what to expect of Evil Eminence Scripture’s full potential. Accordingly, Ming Feizhen’s punch misled him into speculating that Abels might’ve mastered the seventh level of Evil Eminence Scripture.

Evil Eminence Scripture’s seventh level teaches perfect control over power, as well as defence and attack in one. Attack with everything you have. Cancel out the force of the attack before you block.

That explains how he managed to conquer Four Seasons Sword Formation in no time at all. I can’t let him go this time. Let’s save those who fell into the lake from his punch first.

“Where did that boat come from? They going to be okay?” Ming Feizhen asked.

“Pr-probably,” opined A-Lan, still in a trance of sorts.

Mountain Monster no longer felt any fear of Luo Ming until Ming Feizhen crossed his arms and stated, “Luo Ming wants to get serious. It’s not time to fight yet, though, so let’s go.” And so, she queried, “We’re leaving? Why?”

“More importantly, how? Our boat won’t survive the vortexes.”

“Easy. You two get on board,” Ming Feizhen replied. “Don’t just stand there. Go, go,” he pestered as he pushed the two on.

“What about you?” A-Lan inquired.

“Sorry, I’m in a rush.”

“For what?” Mountain Monster questioned.

“Just as you want to find Bodhi, I also have somewhere I need to be. Sorry. Hang on tight.”

“Wh-wh-what are you doing?!” the two maidens stuttered as Ming Feizhen picked up the boat.

“I thought I told you.” Brightly, Ming Feizhen repeated, “Sorry, but I’m in a rush.”

The two girls screamed as Ming Feizhen hurled them over the vortexes. He then leapt off the island to drive the boat forward with a kick, sending it zooming past islands since there were no more formations. The two girls didn’t speak for almost two hours - much to Ming Feizhen’s delight - as they needed time to recompose themselves.

“… Can… you beat Luo Ming?” Mountain Monster queried, drawing A-Lan’s gaze onto Ming Feizhen.

Continuing to row, Ming Feizhen responded, “If you use our exchange just now as an indicator, no.”

Is there nobody who can stop Luo Ming?

“Your question tells me you don’t understand what it means to be at Divine Realm,” Ming Feizhen added. “Divine Realm fighters can draw out their full potential even with just a shred of energy. As long as they have an ounce left, their desire to fight on cannot be extinguished. In some cases, they’ll become even stronger than when they were losing. Trying to win against a Divine Realm adept is wishful thinking.”

“… So, if they aren’t determined, doesn’t that mean they’re the same as ordinary folks?” Mountain Monster consulted.

“Well, your hypothetical character doesn’t exist.” Perhaps owing to educating Su Xiao too much, Ming Feizhen sounded as if he was a lecturer. “Divine Realm adepts go until they or their opponent are dead. That’s why you shouldn’t be asking about being able to win or not. If I had to fight someone in their class, I don’t think I could win against a single one. I’m not confident I could keep any of them alive.”

“Pfft, you’re not that tough, th-”

It took a moment for Mountain Monster to realise what Ming Feizhen really meant. Upon looking up at him, she saw the golden light reflecting off the white avalanche tousling in the wind. She herself didn’t realise that she forgot about her desire to kill him as she gazed upon him.