Beginning with the Ubume Bird

Chapter 234: Chapter 71 Tianbao, Not Human

“`

The big ship drifted far away, and Li Yan stepped onto the deck, walking up the gangway; a mass of black smoke fell from the sky, and it was none other than Zhang He.

As their eyes met, both carried an intense and unyielding chill in their gaze—the similarity in their temperaments was somewhat striking.

The great spear thrummed with energy, its point directed toward the five swirling black dragon heads around Zhang He.

Li Yan spoke first, “That Qianjun Biao got a treasure in the Heavenly Mother Crossing the Sea, and keeps that harpoon strapped to his waist day and night. You, surnamed Zhang, also obtained a Taiping Document from the Heavenly Mother Crossing the Sea in your early years.”

He hinted, “I wonder if it’s on your person?”

...

Zhang He didn’t respond; instead, he glanced at the floating ice on the sea, “All the pirates of the South Seas are here, and your Red Flag’s cannons are still mounted. Killing you would make the Tianbo Division’s big plan difficult to achieve. However, water and fire are merciless—if I accidentally kill you, there’s nothing I can do.”

Li Yan’s eyebrows lifted, and he laughed, “It’s been… seven or eight years since I’ve heard someone talk to me like that.”

His eyes sharpened, and with the scratch of his cloth shoes on the deck, he surged forward—his white and gold great spear soared forth like a Swallow Through the Curtain, charging into the thick black smoke!

Zhang He raised his hand, and the black dragon heads on him opened their mouths, ready to bite, but the white and gold Devouring Blade drove straight through them, easily tearing the dragon heads apart, with fiery sparks fluttering out from the spear point!

“What?”

A chill ran down Zhang He’s neck as the scorching air blew in his face. His robe fluttered as Li Yan’s great spear forced him to stagger back.

Black dragon heads flew out from behind Zhang He to confront Li Yan, only to be scattered one by one by Li Yan’s Tiger Head Great Spear.

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The piercing screeches that made one’s teeth chatter were relentless. Under the shadow of the spear, Zhang He looked like a withered leaf, shaking in the rain, being whipped by the spear shaft without any power to fight back, as the demon smoke grew thicker.

Zhang He’s face remained calm, but his back was completely drenched in cold sweat.

The Taiping Document contained abilities that could reach to heaven and penetrate the earth, but there was one thing—it refined technique, not the body.

In the Code, “Great Ming King,” “Dragon Head Play,” and others, could all protect the body. But these were all external aids. Zhang He himself was just an average sturdy man.

If a spear were to break through the “Play” and hit directly on his head, it would be the end for Zhang He.

Li Yan advanced, shouldering forward, stabbing with his great spear, dispersing the misty apparitions around Zhang He. Suddenly, he noticed black threads climbing up the shaft of his spear, rapidly heading towards his wrist.

Li Yan snorted coldly at the sight. The phantom of “Goddess Gu Huo” rose up to a height of one and a half zhang behind him, frost-white energy flowing out from his fingertips, entangling with the black threads in a tug-of-war.

Gu Huo Bird Spirit: Hidden Flight!

Zhang He bared his teeth, muttering under his breath. Li Yan wouldn’t give him the chance; he pressed down with his right thumb on the spear shaft and slipped his left hand forward, turning Devouring Blade into a stream of white-gold light.

Swallow Through the Curtain!

The Gu Huo Bird’s eyes slightly lifted, frost-white feathers mixed with shadows of the Tiger Head Spear, pouring down with fury!

Sonic booms followed one after another; the thick black smoke was blasted away by the frosty white feathers, leaving jagged, sawtooth-like cracks on the deck, large enough to fit a grown man’s fist.

As the black smoke dispersed, Li Yan looked up to find flesh hanging on his spear point.

Drops of blood ticked down. Zhang He, covering his chest, let go, revealing a wound already frozen purple.

Li Yan flung the large chunk of flesh from his spear point, tearing away the black threads from his arm as blood beads sprayed. He spat out, sneering incessantly, “Is this how Mrs. Shi saved me back then?”

Zhang He chuckled from his throat, looking up again, his eyes filled with blood.

Li Yan sensed something was off, and when he looked down, he saw that the black smoke had drawn intricate patterns on the ground, encircling him!

Boom!

Taiping Wen Shu: Void Blade!

A black mushroom cloud shot up into the sky, turning the day mournful. The morning’s fiery clouds turned a dark cyan…

The Malani Large Sailing Ship was blown apart from the center, half the ship sinking into the water, its mast tilting while the fishing nets, sails, barrels, chairs, and tables tumbled into the sea.

…

Although they already knew Zhang He had supernatural powers that could agitate the seas and split mountains, such that the common folk rumored him as the reincarnation of the sea-stirring Kunpeng, the pirates were still terrified and speechless at the extent to which human effort had accomplished this.

“With a blade in hand, the urge to kill naturally arises.” Without any reason, Cai Qian came up with this phrase, sighing inwardly, “If Zhang He falls due to these very skills, it’s these same skills that will be his end.”

…

Li Yan clung to the mast with one hand, his entire body hanging in the air, breathing heavily like he was fighting wild beasts. Waves of weakness washed over him as though stepping into the void; he blinked, scanning below. Zhang He leaned against the ship’s side, his fingers forming symbols, chanting words as he faced Li Yan…

Li Yan’s mind felt somewhat dazed.

“When did I start getting used to this feeling of life and death turning topsy-turvy…”

“`

Li Yan chuckled coldly, took a deep breath, tensed his abdomen with fierce power, his arm swung wide, and he charged down towards Zhang He from above!

Stars burst before Zhang He’s eyes, and he gritted his teeth in silent fury. Tianbao’s spear had some tricky magic; striking him had actually injured the “Corpse Dog Spirit” within his Three Souls and Seven Spirits. Together with the previous fight’s toll, it took him a while to steady his mind and prevented him from pressing his advantage.

Seeing Li Yan’s murderous approach, Zhang He acted like a madman, unleashing a barrage of spells from his robes without regard for cost!

Taiping Wen Shu: Hollow Knife!

Taiping Wen Shu: Talisman Ghost!

Taiping Wen Shu: Garan Tie!

Taiping Wen Shu: Dragon Head Play!

A mixture of spells interwove in the air: twisted air blades, bright cyan incantations, black dragon heads, and white talisman paper, all wildly racing toward Li Yan in mid-air!

Li Yan pulled out his Gold-engraved Tiger Head Spear, clenched his teeth tight, his eyes shining with divine resolve. Behind him, the Goddess Gu Huo crossed her arms, wings spread wide, as frosty whiteness crept forward from the Devouring Blade of the Tiger Head Great Spear, freezing the air till it crackled crisply.

The black dragon’s tooth and scale were ferocious, the cyan incantations complex and bright, the white talisman paper lively and strange, Zhang He’s numerous spells were all blocked by the dancing spear frosted with chilly air, and they actually froze in midair!

Nine Phoenix Power!

On Zhang He’s temples, veins bulged in a hashtag pattern, and he spat out a mouthful of blood tinged with the tip of his tongue. A small figure was faintly visible in the mist of blood but was pierced by Li Yan’s spear tip before it could fully stretch out.

Thud!

A streak of white gold blade pierced close by Zhang He’s ear and eye!

Crackle~ Crackle~

Half of Zhang He’s face was covered in a layer of frost, and he exhaled billows of white mist from his mouth.

His throat struggled, and for a while, he couldn’t speak.

With the cold lingering around, Li Yan lowered his eyelids, “Had enough?”

Zhang He clenched his fists tighter, “I’ve heard people say that during your encounter with Heavenly Mother Crossing the Sea, you ate a Longevity Seed. No, it cannot be that simple.”

Li Yan narrowed his eyes and repeated, “Had enough?”

Zhang He licked his lips, his expression indescribable, “Today, I concede.”

He enunciated each word heavily.

Li Yan laughed unrestrainedly as he withdrew his spear, “Ponder over how many ‘todays’ you still have.”

“Same goes for you…”

…

“Elder Yan, did you get a clear look?”

Cai Qian asked. The glare and ringing atop the large ship had paused for a while. Most people, with limited eyesight, had no idea what had happened.

“The demon thief’s momentum was like wild flaming fury, and this Tianbao fellow is like a sharp iron blade; this fire forges the iron…”

“Is it tempered now?”

“Afraid it’s not that easy to temper.”

Upon hearing this, Cai Qian teased Elder Yan’s words, “The people’s will is like iron yet not like iron, the official’s law is like a furnace indeed like a furnace, when in this world was there ever iron too stubborn to be tempered?”

“Boss, you are a businessman, a worldly man. Since childhood, you’ve witnessed all kinds of human hearts. If you don’t keep the law’s furnace fire in your eyes, every step you take, you’ll hit a wall; us brothers and sisters, born and raised by nature, what we see are storms, frost, knives, and the law of the survival of the fittest. If you don’t keep some stubborn iron in your heart, you’d be a handful of yellow soil long ago.”

After a pause, Elder Yan added, “This Tianbao of the Red Flag Gang is not simple.” His expression was grave, and he seemed still to be contemplating, “Very not simple.”

Cai Qian, surprised, straightened up, “Did Tianbao win?”

“With some luck, but he won.”

Cai Qian exclaimed, “What method did he use? Quanlang Sea Ghost? Defying Skill? Or something else?”

“Hard to say, it’s a bit…” Elder Yan carefully chose his words, “Like us.”