How fast were the flying swords dropping?
For Chen Xia alone, five thousand miles per second.
Fast enough to outpace everyone's reactions, including Qiong Qi who was still stomping viciously toward Big Yellow Dog's head.
Time seemed to slow. A million swords layered their power onto a single blade, sweeping down ferociously. The swords doubled their might when combined.
This resulted in the blow Qiong Qi suffered becoming even more tremendous. The flying swords slashed his body, erupting magnificent rays of light.
Qiong Qi's eyes reflected a figure in green robes. An immense protective light burst forth from the figure's chest, clashing against the sword light.
Clang!
The flying swords bounced back, falling hundreds of feet away where they pierced the ground.
Qiong Qi's figure retreated thousands of miles, sliding out of the ravine. He stomped heavily, crushing the earth to steady himself. His gaze was gloomy as he looked at the sudden appearance of the green-robed figure.
The surrounding crowd was silent, not daring to speak. They all knew the real battle had only just begun.
Chen Xia stood next to Big Yellow Dog, exhaling softly. He asked in a low voice, "How much did you steal?"
Big Yellow Dog's blood-soaked head let out labored pants. Weakly, he whimpered, "One... just one."
His paws lightly clawed the earth, pointing to a fallen medicinal plant not far away.
Chen Xia glanced over. It was a worthless sprig of white wisteria, used to replenish vital energy and add fragrance. It was also Big Yellow Dog's favorite medicinal ingredient to pilfer.
This white wisteria could barely even count as an ingredient, since some cultivators used it as a cheap fragrance or dye.
Big Yellow Dog never stole anything valuable.
Chen Xia turned his gaze, fixing it upon Elder Lei in the crowd. With a wave of his hand, he directly asked,
"What happened?"
By all reasoning, this was Elder Lei's medicine field. What Big Yellow Dog stole was also Elder Lei's ingredient. What business did Qiong Qi have in this?
Seeing Chen Xia beckon, the cultivators around Elder Lei hurriedly moved aside to make way for the elder.
The rather fat Elder Lei was instantly at a loss. He looked around wildly, then hurriedly lowered his head. His hands twisted together as he stammered unintelligibly, unable to get out a single sentence.
"I... I... he... you..."
What was this, 20 Questions?
Chen Xia's frown deepened, his already irritated mood growing even more impatient.
"This has nothing to do with Elder Lei." Qiong Qi, who had retreated thousands of miles, slowly walked over. Casually flicking away some dust on his golden robe, he tilted his head at Chen Xia and grinned.
"I saw that Elder Lei's medicine field had a good harvest, so I spent a fortune and bought it. It's my field now. This wild dog dared to steal from my field, so getting beaten to death is only to be expected."
When Qiong Qi said this, his grin grew wider and his head tilted even more. He even stuck out his red tongue to lick his lips.
Chen Xia looked at him expressionlessly and nodded. "I've been quite busy lately, so I haven't had a chance to look for you yet. But you've come to find me first."
"No worries, no worries." Qiong Qi waved his hand dismissively. Very magnanimously, he laughed, "Since I'm not busy, I'll give you a little greeting gift first..."
"It's just a pity you were in such a rush to get here..." Qiong Qi regretfully shook his head. "Otherwise, my greeting could have been even bigger. Hahaha!"
He laughed loudly, seemingly even laughing out tears that he had to wipe away. His entire demeanor was mocking.
Chen Xia paid him no mind. He waved his hand behind him and called out, "Zhang DaoMing."
The short old man immediately ran over to stand beside Chen Xia.
"Can you heal them?" Chen Xia looked at Big Yellow Dog and Chi Yu and asked.
"No problem if they're not dead yet," Zhang DaoMing replied confidently, clearly full of faith in his own elixirs.
"Mm." Chen Xia nodded. At the same time, he pointed sharply into the empty space in front of him.
Ripples spread out.
Hazy black and white lights of yin and yang engulfed Big Yellow Dog and Chi Yu, forcefully pulling their injuries forward thirty breaths.
This was the extent of what Chen Xia could do―pushing back their life force by thirty breaths. The higher the cultivator's realm, the less time he could gain.
Zhang DaoMing stood to the side, surprise flashing through his eyes. He had not expected Chen Xia's comprehension of time-space to be so profound that he could already reverse a cultivator's physical state!
The observing cultivators were also amazed.
"Splendid." Qiong Qi tilted his head and slowly clapped, smiling. "Simply splendid. No wonder you have two elders who think so highly of you. I didn't expect you to have such a trick up your sleeve. I just wonder if you can reverse your own time..."
He laughed mockingly again. "After all, it's most crucial to prolong your own life, isn't it? Hahaha!"
With a flick of his hand, Chen Xia pulled the fallen Big Yellow Dog and Chi Yu thousands of miles away.
Now, there was nothing between him and Qiong Qi.
The atmosphere was noticeably ominous.
The observing cultivators hurriedly retreated thousands of miles away before daring to watch again.
This conflict in the outer disciples' area far exceeded the usual outer disciples' level. Even the inner disciples rarely had clashes of this magnitude.
Qiong Qi was ranked fifth among the inner disciples and was at the sixth level of the Falling Sea Realm.
Chen Xia was undisputedly first among the outer disciples. He had slain a third level Falling Sea Realm swordsman and swallowed three hundred million flying swords.
A battle between these two would undoubtedly be spectacular.
Especially since Qiong Qi had struck first in such a provoking and mocking manner.
The two of them now had no choice but to fight it out.
Unless Chen Xia could swallow this insult, turn around right now, and leave. With Old Fisherman backing him, Qiong Qi truly wouldn't dare forcibly pursue and attack him.
But if he did that, Chen Xia would be finished. His reputation among the outer disciples would greatly suffer, not to mention how the inner disciples would look down on him.
It would be like someone stepping hard on you with their shoe soles, yet you had to lick their shoes clean for them.
Would Chen Xia tolerate this?
The observing cultivators didn't dare rashly judge. From their limited understanding of Chen Xia ever since he entered the sect, he had never backed down from or lost a fight.
So they thought he likely wouldn't swallow the insult.
But then they thought of his opponent, Qiong Qi, and grew hesitant, unable to think clearly.
Chen Xia at his peak in the Moving Mountain Realm could control three hundred million flying swords to slay a third level Falling Sea opponent.
Yet Qiong Qi was a real sixth level Falling Sea cultivator. His strength was far greater than the third level's, not to mention his talents weren't much inferior to Chen Xia's.
Additionally, ever since Qiong Qi had entered the sect, he was also undefeated.
In both talent and realm, he seemed superior to Chen Xia.
No matter how they looked at it, it seemed Chen Xia would lose.
The observing cultivators couldn't easily judge. Although Chen Xia was at a disadvantage, they didn't dare rashly conclude he would lose. They could only say this battle would be intense and monumental among the monumental events of Blue Sky Sword Sea!
Qiong Qi crossed his arms, tilting his head with extreme confidence. Arrogantly, he said,
"When I first entered, I was like you―I had fought my way through the entire outer disciples' area, to the point where no one dared challenge me. But we're also different..."
"You don't have the same self-confidence and courage I do. Compared to me, you're so ordinary and mediocre. So..."
Qiong Qi uncrossed his arms with a crack of his knuckles and grinned.
"I will win, and you will lose."
"Overconfident prick," Chen Xia flatly assessed. With a wave of his hand,
The planted golden sword trembled and flew over to hover before him.
The bright sword light shone!