Ancient Strengthening Technique (Portraits of Beauty) Ancient Strengthening Technique Chapter 666-667

 

AST 666 – Fight of the Ultimate Life and Death (4)

 

 

The loud thump from below was a clear indication that this Grade Ten Martial Saint from the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect had died. If the previous deaths of the two Grade Eight Peak Martial Saint were surprising, then this was even more shocking – to the point of distress.

 

 

Around the same time, the other weakened Grade Ten Martial Saint had also met his fate by Old Madam Mo's Diamond Scepter. He had loss his concentration and was distracted by Qianxi Yong's death. He was barely struggling to survive the fight, but it all ended when his head was cracked open by Old Madam Mo.

 

 

Under the influence of Qing Shui's weakening effect, the other two Grade Ten Martial Saints were left with only their consciousness intact. Their bodies had already lost their connections to their minds, which resulted in their inability to react accordingly to their consciousness.

 

 

The remaining Grade Nine Martial Saint – one could say he had become a Grade Eight Martial Saint after being weakened – had lost his will to fight completely after witnessing the deaths of the his two Grade Ten Martial Saint comrades. Di Xuan took the opportunity and swiftly locked in for a finis.h.i.+ng blow at the dejected man.

 

 

The battle only lasted for the time it took to finish a cup of tea.

 

 

Two Grade Ten Martial Saints, one Grade Nine Martial Saint, and two Grade Eight Martial Saints were lost in a mere few seconds. Qing Shui and his team were unharmed, which was the opposite outcome of what the spectators had initially predicted – they strongly felt that Qing Shui and the others should have lost.

 

 

Qing Shui calmly stood in mid-air. Everything had happened as he had expected. After all, the Grade Ten Martial Saints he had fought with were essentially Grade Eight Martial Saints after they had been weakened by Qing Shui's Emperor Qi and Fiery Golden Eyes. It was normal for the outcome of the battle to be favorable to them.

 

 

Despite the positive outcome, Old Madam Mo and Di Xuan were still shocked about Qing Shui's capabilities. Only during a battle would they be able to feel the impressive power of his weakening techniques. But to what extent his techniques could weaken his opponents was still a mystery to them.

 

 

On the other hand, there was the emotions from the spectators. To them, Qing Shui was now the absolute force of the battle. It was to the extent that the crowd felt their opinions about this young man had changed. They were hopeful and had a good feeling about Qing Shui, so they cheered loudly and chanted his name. This caught Qing Shui by surprise.

 

 

Up until now, Qing Shui still hadn't realized that a lot of people had knew his full name. Nevertheless, it was with expectations that people would remember his name easily from an incident like this. Besides that, the words 'future son-in-law of Di Clan' was also quite a dazzling t.i.tle for Qing Shui to bear. However, this ultimately led a lot of people to wrongly extrapolate that Qing Shui was going to be the husband of Di Qing, instead of her elder sister Di Chen.

 

 

Lady Duanmu also looked at Qing Shui from afar with perplexed eyes. She knew that he was a young man with miraculous capabilities and that he would fare well wherever he went in the future. Despite this, she had never expected that he could improve his capabilities at such an unG.o.dly speed to become as powerful as he was now.

 

 

Qing Shui truly had all sorts of miraculous techniques and capabilities up his sleeves. He also had countless peerless beauty by his side. Lady Duanmu kept staring blankly at Qing Shui until she finally realized how mature this young man had become after spending all this time with him.

 

 

After a while, she dispersed her nonsensical thoughts and continued to stare at Qing Shui. Lady Duanmu was genuinely happy to see how much Qing Shui had grown. As these happy thoughts lingered in her mind, she began to feel like she could put her mind at rest. Should there be another incident like today, she wouldn't need to worry anymore and she wouldn't need to tag along anymore&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;

 

 

She felt something indescribable in her heart as she remembered why she wasn't allowed to join the battle.

 

 

"Is he trying to prove that he can surpa.s.s any danger even without me by his side? Or is he trying to prove that as long as he exists, it is possible for a Grade Eight Martial Saint to kill a Grade Ten Martial Saint&h.e.l.lip;.?" Lady Duanmu continued to look at Qing Shui with eyes filled with a mystified gaze.

 

 

"Elder sister, he is really powerful." Di Qing giggled. She was more happy for Qing Shui than anyone else.

 

 

"He is a man full of wonders. You should expect nothing but surprises when it comes to Qing Shui." Di Chen was happy for Qing Shui as well.

 

 

"Elder sister, how did you two ended up with each other? Long ago, he didn't seem to show any guts in pursuing you. He was just like a little sheep in your presence. But now, why do I feel like you are becoming a little sheep in front of him?" Di Qing giggled even more.

 

 

"Qing 'er, why are you so interested in him now?" Di Chen slyly smiled at Di Qing.

 

 

Di Qing, on the other hand, quickly turned her head away in an unnatural manner and said, "I'm not interested in him. He's a big meanie. A big perverted meanie."

 

 

Di Chen smiled again when she turned to look at Qing Shui who stood in mid-air. When she looked at him, her heart was instantly filled with a feeling of sweetness like the gus.h.i.+ng waters from the spring. He was a man of affection and faith, and a man who would take responsibility for his own actions. He was also a man who would face everything. Ultimately, he was a man who would love his women with everything he had.

 

 

The whole audience fell into a short silence before they quickly resumed their bustling rowdiness. The potent excitement could burst through the roof.

 

 

"This is funny, really funny. Hey, do you guys still remember what that Qianxi Yong from the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect said before on the Seven Stars Arena?" someone from the audience laughed in a mocking manner.

 

 

"Was it the one who mocked the three representatives from Di Clan when he saw them and said, 'Could it be that there’s no one else left in the Di Clan, or are you looking down on our Ten Thousand Poisons Sect'?" another person mimicked the late Qianxi Yong's words.

 

 

"But of course, it wasn't because Di Clan had no one else, it's because Di Clan was really looking down on the five of them. Haha, they were quickly eliminated like a bunch of smashed rotten wood. This is really too funny!"

 

 

"What he said was funny too. If Qianxi Yong was still alive, his expression would be priceless. He even said this to Qing Shui: 'This young man really doesn't know any better. To be honest, I’m surprised that you’re able to stand here and say this today. It must not be easy for you to be able to survive till now."

 

 

"Those men from Ten Thousand Poisons Sect were scornful and egotistic in the beginning but in the end, they are the ones falling into despair. This turn of events really has me hooked. It's a good thing I came today." a strong looking old man laughed out heartily.

 

 

"Look how steady that young man is. n.o.body knew it would turn out like this. He looks like a man who can achieve great things in life."

 

 

"Yeah, he is also a man of his words. He did say that the five of them were not worthy to be his opponents. Who knew he was telling the truth."

 

 

&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;

 

 

The audience began to make a loud clamor as they all talked about the battle profusely. As expected, every words of praise would always be directed to the winners. If Qing Shui was the one who lost and ended up dead, the audience would definitely scorn Qing Shui about his arrogance, ignorance, lack of self-knowledge, and how big of a meathead he was&h.e.l.lip;.

 

 

"Sect Master, what should we do next?" an old man asked the man clad in black clothes.

 

 

"Send Qianxi Lang, Sima Ye, and Guan Jiu to the arena." the man commanded in a calm tone.

 

 

"Yes, sir!"

 

 

"Sect Master, if you send out the only two Grade Ten Martial Saints from Sima Clan and Guan Clan respectively, and they happen to die in the next battle, then isn't this&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;" said another old man beside the Sect Master as he frowned.

 

 

"Second brother, it will be a good thing if they die. Those clans have become more insolent as the years pa.s.sed by, thinking that they are invincible just by having a bit of capital. Do you really think Qianxi Clan is stronger than the other two? I will leave fate to decide whether they get to live or die. But it will make everything better if they all die, especially that Guan Jiu. His future is very promising, but this kind of man is not worth keeping around. Otherwise, he will most definitely become Qianxi Clan's greatest enemy in the future." the man calmly explained to his little brother. His voice was emotionless yet leveled.

 

 

"But Qianxi Lang is the heart and soul of Qianxi Clan. Are you going to sacrifice him just like that?"

 

 

"Battling in honor of the family is a normal thing to do. If he dies a horrible death, then his family will avenge him. Moreover, Qianxi Lang currently has 6500 countries of strength, and the other two have about 6000 countries of strength respectively. This is a bit more than Qianxi Yong's strength. They might even win this battle, who knows." said the third brother of the Sect Master.

 

 

Swiftly, the three representatives from Qianxi Clan, Sima Clan, and Guan Clan flew up into the air. The leader of the three was an elderly man clad in black garment. He had a cold expression on his face and his gaze was as ferocious as lightning.

 

 

The black garment was the official clan uniform of the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect. One of the other two old men was the one Qing Shui and Di Chen saw in the mansion given by Di Clan. This old man who stood right next to the Qianxi elder was Sima Ye from Sima Clan.

 

 

Guan Jiu, on the other hand, seemed like the youngest among the three old fellows. He had a clean look and was dressed nicely. The fine clothes that he wore made him look a few year younger, which gave an impression that he was a vigorous and energetic man.

 

 

Qing Shui quickly sensed his opponents' powers, but laughed when he realized their approximate strength. He only needed to be cautious about his opponents' poison techniques. Qing Shui also didn't feel threatened by Qianxi Lang, who had 6500 countries of strength, despite only possessing barely 4000 countries of strength himself.

 

 

"Young man, I have underestimated you." Sima Ye frowned as he spoke to Qing Shui.

 

 

"You know what they say, 'Those with bad intentions will always get their retributions'." Qing Shui smiled at Sima Ye.

 

 

"I don't believe in that, I only believe in power. Power will decide everything. As long as I have the power, I can kill you easily. I don't care about bad intentions or retributions." Sima Ye shook his head.

 

 

At that moment, the old man clad in black garments took out his weapon.

 

 

Psychotic Demon Scythe!

 

 

Qing Shui then noticed a set of armor beneath the black garments he wore, the armor was dark and black as well. The old man abruptly howled, revealing two 3 meter long green snakes the thickness of a baby's arm on both on his arms.

 

 

Poisonous Jade Green Snakes!

 

 

Qing Shui frowned when he saw those snakes because he knew from his knowledge of the [Poison Scripture] that these snakes were more venomous than any other ordinary poisonous beings.

 

 

These snakes specialized in instantaneous attacks while being extremely agile within a short distance. Its teeth may be tiny, but they were sharp and were the most dangerous part of its body. The dangerous aspect lied in its poison – the poison from its teeth could corrode anything it touched. Besides harboring an extremely toxic poison in its teeth, the snake could also attack its opponent by spitting out a pool of poisonous substance. As mentioned before, the snake possessed a speed as fast as lightning, which was why it was considered one of the most dangerous and agile poisonous beast in the world. Although it possessed strength that reached the border of Martial King, it could become a bigger threat by attaching itself to a more powerful being, thus achieving the effect akin to giving a tiger wings.

 

 

Qianxi Lang wasn't done yet as he let out another howl. A small blood-red colored wolf instantly appeared at his side. The wolf was about a meter in size and its fur seemed like a set of blood-red armor attached to its body. Its gloomy green eyes which contrasted with its blood-red fur were terrifying as well. It was quite small, yet possessed an aura that screamed danger and power.

 

 

It was a Phantom Fire Wolf!

 

 

This was another poison beast he had seen in the [Poison Scripture]. Despite its small physique, the wolf possessed the strength of a Peak Martial King. It has a noteworthy speed and specialized in poisonous fire attack.

 

 

The wolf would attack using its phantom fire, which was also known as the 'Green Fire' or the 'Poisonous Fire'. The flame had a strong corrosive ability that could dissolve anything in its way. The one meter long Phantom Fire Wolf wasn't to be underestimated. Even other Grade One or Grade Two Martial Saint demonic beasts wouldn't dare to provoke this Peak Martial King demonic beast at any cost.

 

 

This Phantom Fire Wolf was a terrifying enemy to those less agile Martial Saints. A lot of poisonous beings in the World of the Nine Continents depended on their speed and poison to remain invincible, thus having a speed at a certain level would sometimes be more important than having a powerful strength. It was also the hardest to improve one's agility the same way one would improve their strength or defense.

 

 

Qianxi Lang's poison beast's main ability was the ever dangerous corrosive poison!

 

 

Qing Shui took out an Agility-Enhancing Fruit, which he had already given to the others beforehand, including Old Madam Mo and Di Xuan. Even though the effect of boosting one's agility was a temporary one, he would be able to increase his speed by 50% for a span of 15 minutes, which was ample time to finish the next battle.

 

 

AST 667 – Fight of the Ultimate Life and Death (5)

 

 

There was an emerald-green small condor on Sima Ye’s shoulder. Its blood red eyes, mouth and claws, in contrast to its gentle appearance, made it hard to tell that it was actually a venomous condor.

 

 

Blood Shadow Condor!

 

 

This was the smallest condor species Qing Shui had seen, it was a Poison Beast amongst demonic beasts that specializes in speed. It was unlike the Poisonous Jade Green Snake which had a sudden attack speed as quick as lightning, but it needed to work together with a person to bring its greatest effect in close combat.

 

 

Although this Blood Shadow Condor also needed to stay with someone, it had a greater advantage in terms of distance compared to the Poisonous Jade Green Snake. Moreover, its body was as tough as steel, its sharp claws could even tear apart some exquisitely made metals. As the Blood Shadow Condor was small in size, it would always tear apart the enemy’s skin and dig into their bodies when it launched a quick attack. Its claws, mouth and eyes could all emit strong venom.

 

 

Qing Shui took another glance to find that the rest of the elders don't had any Poison Beasts with them. However, just them alone were already troublesome as it was.

 

 

Qing Shui looked at them then said to Di Xuan, “Senior, you’ll deal with that elderly dressed in fine clothes.”

 

 

Di Xuan nodded.

 

 

“Granny, you’ll deal with that old man dressed in black clothes. However, don’t engage in close combat, just try to stall him. After I’ve dealt with the remaining person, we’ll join forces against him. If you find him hard to deal with, then use the Gale Pellet I gave you earlier. It can double your speed for about 15 minutes.” Qing Shui said softly, as he maintained his gaze upfront.

 

 

“Mmm, I’ll try my best.”

 

 

At that moment, Qing Shui’s words carried the most weight. They believed in him, as they gave their trust to him almost blindedly.

 

 

Qing Shui took out a bunch of Descending Heavens Talisman and quickly threw them out!

 

 

At the same moment&h.e.l.lip;

 

 

“Kill!”
Their three opponents did not dodge the Descending Heavens Talisman but had decided to attack quickly as everyone knew the importance of making the first move. More importantly, all three of them attacked Qing Shui. They knew that once this young man is killed, the remaining two would be no threat to them. However, if this young man stay alive, the other two will become strong experts that could take their lives.

 

 

Fiery Golden Eyes!

 

 

Seven Star Armored Vest!

 

 

s.h.i.+eld attack!

 

 

Qing Shui had only activated the Fiery Golden Eyes when the opponents started to attack him. It had forced Qing Shui to quickly used the Seven Star Armored Vest and the Violet Gold Divine s.h.i.+eld.

 

 

Boom boom&h.e.l.lip;

 

 

A series of loud sounds rang out as Qing Shui waved the Big Dipper Sword in his hand was at a great speed. In this situation where they were weaker than their opponents, although Old Madam Mo and the Di Xuan had both attacked, Qing Shui still had to accept a blow on Di Xuan’s behalf. Under the effects of both the Descending Heavens Talismans and his Fiery Golden Eyes, the opponent’s level was still slightly higher than 5000 countries.

 

 

In that short moment when Qing Shui had let his guard down slightly&h.e.l.lip;

 

 

Ning!

 

 

The Blood Shadow Condor on Sima Ye’s shoulders, had pounced towards Qing Shui’s face. As quick as lightning, its blood red claws were like a red demon’s talons that gave out a fierce aura.

 

 

Taichi Cloudhand!

 

 

Striking after the opponent had attacked!

 

 

Qing Shui’s expression did not change. As he released his grip on the Big Dipper Sword, Qing Shui’s hand moved at an unbelievably slow speed and grabbed the Big Dipper Sword just as it was an inch away from his face.

 

 

Nature Energy!

 

 

Primordial flames!

 

 

Ning!

 

 

Very quickly, a strong meat fragrance was sent out as the demonic beast was burnt into nothingness.

 

 

Even when Qing Shui used the Seven Star Armored Vest, he had still suffered some minor injuries from the earlier attacks. There were blood stains present at his shoulder.

 

 

Emperor’s Qi!

 

 

Qing Shui had locked down Sima Ye with his Emperor’s Qi!

 

 

“Granny, I’ll leave this to you.”

 

 

After that, Qing Shui threw out a hidden weapon to push back the old man dressed in black, then he unleashed his Emperor’s Qi towards the finely dressed old man before Di Xuan quickly took over.

 

 

Everything had happened in just an instant. Although the Lunar Silk Garment had absorbed a large part of the attack, Qing Shui was still injured.

 

 

Now, Old Madam Mo could easily deal with Sima Ye, but Di Xuan had some problems as he dealt with the finely-dressed old man. Before the battle started, Qing Shui had used all of his beneficial talismans on their enemies. Di Xuan’s level was still 500 countries lower than the finely-dressed old man, however, he could still hold on for a while.

 

 

Qing Shui engaged Qianxi Lang!

 

 

Even when Qing Shui had received a blow in just a short amount of time, they managed to hold down the situation and even killed the enemies' Blood Shadow Condor.

 

 

This Blood Shadow Condor had made Qing Shui worried since it could kill them if they were not careful. If Qing Shui had not managed to fend off that Blood Shadow Condor earlier, he would probably have his head pierced and died instantly.

 

 

Prrrrttt!

 

 

Qing Shui had summoned the Diamond Gigantic Elephant which appeared besides Di Xuan with a loud cry. Although the Diamond Gigantic Elephant was not strong, it could still somewhat put up a fight.
Di Xuan had managed to turn the situation around together with the Diamond Gigantic Elephant, with the help of its Diamond Sword Qi, Ferocious Diamond Attack and Instantaneous Diamond Evasion.

 

 

Qing Shui was left to deal with Qianxi Lang, which made him slightly relieved. Even though this old man in front of him was the strongest and the most dangerous, Qing Shui was confident that he can defeat him.

 

 

Emperor’s Qi!

 

 

This time, he did not panic and had locked him down with his Emperor’s Qi.

 

 

Although Qianxi Lang had witnessed the effects of the Descending Heavens Talismans earlier, he thought that it was nothing much. The Fiery Golden Eyes had made him upset because it caused them to lost all their advantages in terms of cultivation level. But even if this was the case, Qing Shui’s side would still lose.

 

 

However, he had sensed earlier that even though the other two had a strength that exceeded 6000 countries, they were now left with slightly over 4000 countries.

 

 

It was the same for him, he only had a strength of 4500 countries now. At this moment, he even held impressions that Qing Shui could kill him in a split second.

 

 

The battle continued and Old Madam Mo had overwhelmed Sima Ye, who was already injured in just a short moment. However, he continued to fight with the use of poison powders. If Old Madam Mo had not taken the Pure Jade Pellet, she would probably lose already even if she was stronger.

 

 

&h.e.l.lip;

 

 

“The Di Clan must have an antidote against us. From the start, our poisons seem to not have that much effect.” an elderly sighed as he stood outside Ten Thousand Poisons Sect’s tent that was provided by the Qianxi Clan.

 

 

“3rd Brother is right. Our Ten Thousand Poisons Sect are well known with the usage of poison. And now that our poison has lost their effects, our battle prowess were weakened by a lot.”

 

 

“It must be the Alchemist Sect. Only the Alchemist Sect can refine such a medicinal pill. They also have people supporting the Di Clan and they’ve always held a grudge against our Ten Thousand Poisons Sect. We should have taken action against them earlier.” The old man from earlier said regretfully.

 

 

“Don’t worry. Seems like the few of us have to fight next. While his skills in weakening his opponents is powerful, his cultivation level is still weak. Otherwise, even us would not be able to do anything to him. For now, he’s still too weak.” A metallic-like voice rang out.

 

 

&h.e.l.lip;

 

 

Wu!

 

 

The Phantom Fire Wolf next to Qianxi Lang had howled to demonstrate his might, however it did not move. It stayed next to Qianxi Lang with its metal-like body tensed up.

 

 

Cloudmist Steps!

 

 

With the Violet Gold Divine s.h.i.+eld, Qing Shui was not worried as he pounced toward Qianxi Lang!

 

 

Swoosh swoos.h.!.+

 

 

Ssss!

 

 

s.h.i.+eld attack!

 

 

Just as when he was about to collide with Qianxi Lang, two green snake heads had reached towards Qing Shui from the two sides of the Violet Gold Divine s.h.i.+eld and a pink-colored fireball also shot out from the right side of the s.h.i.+eld.

 

 

The two snakes’ head spitted out a thin trail of green-colored liquid very quickly, and together with the fireball, it aimed towards Qing Shui’s face.

 

 

Qing Shui quickly retreated, as he used the Big Dipper Sword to block his face.

 

 

It had really given Qing Shui a great fright. Although he could already sense that the two Poisonous Jade Green Snake would be troublesome, he had not expected that it could increase one’s close combat abilities by so much.

 

 

He could attack the Phantom Fire Wolf from afar even if the Phantom Fire Wolf which specializes in speed was quite powerful. With the other two Poisonous Jade Green Snake to support him, Qianxi Lang could be said to have no equal amongst those with the same cultivation level. He would even have a high chance of winning against people who were slightly stronger than him.

 

 

“Since that’s the case, I’ll start on this beast first.” Qing Shui’s gaze was fixed on the Phantom Fire Wolf.

 

 

Twin Dragon Pearls!

 

 

Qing Shui once again threw out hidden weapons toward Qianxi Lang. Although it was not able to take his life, it could pushed him into a difficult corner.

 

 

Demon Binding Ropes!

 

 

At that moment, Qing Shui threw out the Demon Binding Ropes toward the Phantom Fire Wolf.

 

 

The Demon Binding Ropes don't have much effect on high level Martial Saint beasts, but it can be use to deal with Poison Beasts which were only good in speed.

 

 

Swoosh swoos.h.!.+

 

 

Bound down, the Phantom Fire Wolf had let out an astonished cry as it glared at Qing Shui with his eerie and fierce gaze. It was a pity that there was nothing it could do. It could neither move nor attack.

 

 

Sword pierce!

 

 

Qing Shui’s Big Dipper Sword slashed the Phantom Fire Wolf's throat and he threw its corpse into the Realm of the Violet Jade Immortal.

 

 

Qianxi Lang watched painfully as his beloved Poison Beast was killed. It was much harder to train a Poison Beast than a demonic beast, especially one that was a good match for him.

 

 

With the Phantom Fire Wolf out of the way, Qing Shui's burdens had lessened.

 

 

Twin Dragon Explosion!

 

 

Binding Talisman!

 

 

Body Securing Talisman!

 

 

Armor Break Talisman!

 

 

Qing Shui first attacked with the Twin Dragon Explosion, which forced his opponent in a bad position, then he followed up with Binding Talisman. He also used other talismans as he had plenty which weakens the opponent at his disposal.

 

 

This was why Qing Shui liked Heavenly Talismans the most. They were very convenient.

 

 

The Body Securing Talisman had no effect. It might be because the mysterious energy on the talisman was too weak and did not have enough power to bind his opponent.

 

 

Qing Shui’s main goal was the Binding Talisman!

 

 

As long as his opponent’s speed was reduced, Qing Shui would be able to deal with him just with hidden weapons alone. In fact, Qing Shui could kill his opponent quickly but he did not want to take the risk. He could win the battle unscathed but he needed a little more time.

 

 

Since there was plenty of time, safety should be prioritized.

 

 

Attack!

 

 

Halfway through, Qing Shui had activated the Blue Lotus Art!

 

 

Three golden-colored lotus flowers surrounded him.

 

 

Qianxi Lang’s countenance had turned grim immediately! It was because he knew that the Poisonous Jade Green Snake on his arms were now useless.

 

 

Frenzied Demonic Dance!

 

 

With a wave of the Psychotic Demon Scythe in Qing Shui's hand, a black fog had appeared in front of him, as it filled the surrounding area with a faint layer of black fog within a ten meter radius.

 

 

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