The Martial Master - 87 The Warrior.

A dense fluctuation of Heavenly Energy spewed out of the altar. Wen Mian shook a bit as she realised that an unrelenting force had developed, forming invisible arms that bound her.

She couldn’t move, but she didn’t panic as she watched that white spew of light encompass her and emit a deep hum.

*MMMMM*

Then, in a blinding flash, the force dissipated and the light scattered as if it was never there. Wen Mian, a little dazed, found that the stone pillar next to the altar was beginning to shake.

Some in the crowd noticed this as well, where a couple of people murmured under their breath.

“This only happens when the top 10 changes…”

“I guess she really is a talent.”

“It’s to be expected, she is the overseer’s daughter after all.”

Though they made sure to be quiet in front of the white-haired man’s presence, as his reputation was enveloped in ruthlessness and cruelty.

Said man laughed as he gazed at the stone.

“As expected of the princess herself!”

Wen Mian remained silent as she stepped off of the altar with a slight breath; she was relieved that nothing strange happened at least. Nevertheless, as her eyes narrowed at the sight of the stone’s continuous rumble, a line of imposing calligraphy scraped itself on the stone at the bottom.

As each letter was scoured in the line of text it would go higher and higher, replacing the 12th, 11th, and so on.

Everyone held their breath as they watched it bypass each and every person on the board, finally reaching the top 3.

‘ #1 Xia Xuegang: 87/100

#2 Chang Hui: 67/100

#3 Wen Miang: ‘

This wasn’t the same leaderboard as the one correlating with points, but it still had the same top 2. Though, there was a vast and uncrossable boundary between the top…

The white-haired man’s eyes shined an indiscernible light as he spoke with a little excitement.

“Wen Mian, you may not know but the top place is a record that not even higher sects could beat.Xia Xuegang is someone that you may even find hard to stand up against. His talent is truly frightening!”

Wen Mian could even hear a tinge of awe coming from the man’s voice, startling her a bit. Nevertheless, as the rumble grew more and more vigorous, a number engraved itself onto her name.

*MMMM*

The entire pillar shook as if it couldn’t take it, and in this turn of shocking events, her name blurred then wooshed past the two above!

‘ #1 Wen Mian: 88/100

#2 Xia Xuegang: 87/100

#3 Chang Hui: 67/100’

*MMMmmm…*

The pillar’s shaking subsided after a few seconds as a still silence shrouded the entire plaza. The white-haired man stared at it for a while, then with a clap, he spoke.

“Incredible!”

The entire crowd went into an uproar as some ignored the man’s presence and rushed off to report the new leaderboard. Others stood there with a stupor or spoke with a little excitement and battle intent.

“Xia Xuegang has a chance against her!”

“His talent really is uncanny to rival the Overseer’s Daughter!”

“But he has been in closed-door cultivation for a hundred years now! Nobody has seen him, and for these years Chang Hui has only just begun to rival him in points.”

Wen Mian seemed to overhear these conversations as a strange light brewed in her eyes, staring at the second place that was a single per cent away from her. She has never really exposed her talent to the outside world, but she still held herself in a lofty position.

Yet, there’s a person who can rival her?

She was used being weaker than other cultivators at least, especially due to her young age and the fact that she was always in the company with her Master; who is unfathomably strong.

The only other person she has met who seemed to approach her Master was Su Min, who she guessed was an old monster who has lived for thousands of years. A cultivator who her Master had somehow convinced to protect her.

But, her talent has always outstripped others, and for this random sect to approach her talent? It left a bad taste in her mouth, to say the least.

She has always held the aspiration to surpass her Master one day, and she knew she was capable of doing so. It was a lofty goal, but she loathed the feeling of weakness.

Thus, with a light step, she sped towards the exit. She needs to study this half-step spell and ascend the numerous steps in cultivation! With or without Su Min, because she hated the fact that her father thinks she still isn’t independent!

‘There’s a rival in this sect? So what?’

…

…

…

“Sure…”

Standing in a blurred world, Su Min grumbled as he adorned a simple fighting posture. The dirt beneath him crumbled and the air quivered from such a posture; as if he was doing a surreal movement.

Even though it appeared to be simple, a law of power and might shrouded him. It was an ethereal feeling, one that didn’t originate from energy or simple fleshy strength.

It was a specific and uncanny way to move, a way that would change his punches and kicks to contain a might that most wouldn’t be able to block!

Su Min’s knuckles crackled as he asked after a pause.

“Won’t I damage stuff?”

The figure licked his lips as he replied.

“If you could break a single grain of dirt in this place then I’d call you God!”

With a nod and an even greater rumble, Su Min redirected his gaze onto that unchanging thing. Such a thing also seemed to finally notice his presence as it turned towards him.

Its hands twitched, then at a surreal speed, it grasped the sword on its back and aimed it right at Su Min, who was a little surprised.

‘That speed was at the 8th step! I guess it is right to call it a Warrior.’

Though he didn’t feel disheartened as a smile brewed on his face. Without any ancient energy, not even a touch, his feet cracked then erupted with a ghastly force!

*WHOOOSH*

A cocoon of air ruptured around him as Su Min appeared before the frozen warrior. He hurled his fist backward mid-air, and like a beast from primal times, he threw it right at the warrior’s stomach!

The air around the two seemed to double in weight as a thin screech of superimposed shockwaves rumbled outwards. Though, the shockwave travelled less than a millimetre before dissipating…

*RUMBLE*

Yet, in this splitting instant between Su Min throwing the punch and hitting the target, the warrior moved at an incalculable velocity and intercepted his fist!

*BANGGGG*

Su Min’s eyes fluttered with surprise as he found that his fist had collided with the tip of the warrior’s sword! A resounding metallic thud screeched on his knuckles, from which an uncomfortable shake thudded through Su Min’s spine.

‘I guess I can’t fight it with my body alone.’

Su Min leapt back a couple meters as he flicked his wrist a bit. It felt a bit sore after striking the sword, which was strange. Nevertheless, Su Min didn’t ponder on the issue as he watched the fogged existence of the warrior dissipate in thin air.

“Hm?”

Su Min grumbled as he saw this unfold, where a strange uncanny light began to shine in his golden eye. The entire world changed with this, from which he felt a gentle bristle of wind blast his back.

‘Hiding from me is pointless!’

Su Min smiled as his eyes lit up. The entire world seemed to change colour in this instant, and in a sudden shift, the entire 10-meter area behind him got engulfed in golden light!

The air distorted and a deafening boom developed and blasted the entire area with thousands upon thousands of ancient strands! Everything got suppressed within this area, unable to move an inch!

Though…

“Guh!”

A muffled gasp resounded within this light as a black figure leapt out of it in a hurry. And at this exact instant a fist, glowing a shimmering gold, appeared right above the area and thrashed the ground!

Su Min could only sigh as it all dissipated before his eyes. He redirected himself to the warrior a bit to the right, where that playfulness began to fade.

‘It could escape my suppression, huh…’

The warrior seemed to change a bit also as its stance shifted and grew more piercing. Su Min even began to feel a faint pricking sensation just by looking at the warrior, but he ignored it and waved his hand with a newfound light in his eyes.

‘I’ll just throw a 100-meter area of ancient energy at it, and if that doesn’t work then maybe a fist art…’

Su Min could tell that he had only recovered by about 50%, and even then he had a strict supply of mental energy to use. 100 meters is a limit he didn’t want to surpass. Nevertheless, his eyes twitched as he followed something rather horrifying take place.

*WANGGG*

The warrior’s body started to wriggle amidst disconcerting pops as its frame rose inch by inch. Su Min observed as it doubled in size, towering over him like a mini-giant. A newfound aura also bellowed out of it, tinged with a greyish black that carried a law of otherworldly sword arts.

Su Min then felt an uncountable number of prickling swords stab him all over, far surpassing the previous aura of the warrior.

‘9th Step… Scrap that idea then…’

His face became stern as his hand stopped its wave and instead formed a strange fist. Everything seemed to rise in temperature around him, where a billowing heat encompassed him and the warrior.

His breath, a little tired, muttered out a sentence as his legs thumped the ground.

“Fist. Second Form…”

His frame wrapped itself in a red haze, and as if he was trying to overthrow the warrior’s gigantic body, he began to grow as well!

Red muscle matter grew from nowhere and encircled his frame, building his height until he towered over the warrior! His fists became boulders and his feet mountains! Each bicep, the size of a house!

“Golden Eclypse!”

Su Min’s body got enveloped in a strange golden haze formed from his own comprehension. A thousand strands gathered atop his fists and uttered a shrill glow! The light blinded like a flare of paramount fire as the warrior grasped its sword and hurled itself at Su Min.

Su Min didn’t use any more than a thousand strands. He knew that performing this move was taxing to the extreme. Though, this was still a terrifying quantity.

*SHIIIINGGG*

A mighty chime bellowed out as Su Min’s fist trembled and opened! The warrior appeared before Su Min at this time, lifting its sword with its aura magnified.

Numerous booming clashes of hot air steamed around both of them. A dangerous and almost frightening black streak of reeking energy followed the warrior’s sword as it lifted it, but Su Min didn’t waver as a strange ball of gold rose from his palm.

“Burst alight, roast in the flames of a God!”

Su Min laughed as he swivelled to the side and drove that orb of gold right at the warrior. A mighty heat arose and encompassed the warrior as a pillar of bright light propelled itself towards it!

The air charred and then charred once more beneath this heat, yet the warrior remained unchanged to it all as its sword stopped rising! The streak of blackness had reached a couple meters in length, and facing the ball of gold that was about to collide with it, it descended like divine punishment!

*SLICE*

A shocking sword aura engulfed the two of them as everything seemed to part and get sliced in half. Yet, as this extreme force encountered the ball of gold, Su Min’s eyes glistened an indiscernible amount as he grinned.

“Expand!”

*POP PSST*

The warrior seemed to shake visibly as it watched that tiny ball of gold blitz out a chilling noise. The sharp streak of blackness shuddered as it also seemed to sense this…

*BANGGGG*

A rupturing almost ear-splitting explosion erupted in view as a blinding golden flame expanded like a supernova and engulfed the black streak! Each random gold flame could incinerate an 8th step cultivator, even seriously injure a 9th who had just entered the peak!

There were different levels of the peak 9th step, as someone who has been within such a level for thousands of years would obviously hold an immense power compared those who had just entered.

These people would be able to withstand the flames, but they were rare beyond belief in the cultivation world…

*SSSSSSSSSSSS*

A blood-curdling scream echoed as that black streak warped and shook, throwing random dense slicing auras out. The ball of flame trembled with this, but it stood strong beneath the onslaught!

*SSS -POP- BANGGGG*

Su Min’s eyes brightened as the streak got charred like it was on a stove, and from this, he also noticed that the warrior was about to fall back. He roared with laughter and waved his hands in response to this!

“You’re not going anywhere!”

His voice seemed to be even more tired as his hand quivered. After which, in a shocking fashion, that gigantic ball of flame shook then, still with the streak of black within it, it pounced with an instantaneous motion and attempted to engulf the warrior!

*WHOOOOSH*

The warrior seemed to enter a frenzy as it swung its sword in brazen motions in an attempt to stop it. Nonetheless, this didn’t cause the ball of flame to pause at all…

*PSSSST*