novelThe Secret of the Mountain River Illustration
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Chapter 120: The Secret of the Mountain River Illustration
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
That feeling of that moment was wonderful, just as if the hinderance of his body had completely disappeared. Or, it could be said, it didn't completely disappear, but a portion of it had disappeared.
Had the effects of the mountain and river land weakened?
Just as his heart filled with delight, Fang Zhengzhi instantly felt that mountain-like pressure pressing down on him again.
Furthermore, it seemed to be even stronger than just now.
It didn't weaken...
Don't tell me that it was an illustration? That's not possible, I had indeed taken a step forward just now.
Fang Zhengzhi hadn't had the opportunity to think further before a few streaks of fiery half-moons slashed towards him once again, shocking him so badly that he could only wave his sword continuously, then block off Yan Xiu's attack with four times the number of counterattacks.
"Boom boom boom..."
After a stream of blasts, Fang Zhengzhi once again was pushed back multiple steps.
The sadness in his heart flowed out again.
And at this moment, his entire body had suddenly retreated a few steps. That wonderful feeling washed over him again. Compared to the dull feeling before, this seemed even clearer.
There's a problem somewhere!
Fang Zhengzhi could almost confirm that at that moment, the pressure on his body had decreased somewhat. Even though it wasn't much, but it had truly become lighter.
As he grew delighted, the pressure once again increased.
Fang Zhengzhi's heart was really going to shatter...
Can we still play together happily?!
Wait a minute, seems like something isn't quite right! That feeling just now was definitely real, then, where does the problem lie? It was definitely unrelated to Yan Xiu, then, was it... my mental state?
Sadness decreased the pressure.
Happiness, increased the pressure?!
Fang Zhengzhi's eyes instantly lit up. Yes, that's right...
But, why is this so? And where was he supposed to find sadness?
Fang Zhengzhi was somewhat conflicted. Even though he had found the method, but he believed that this method definitely had a reason behind it, and wasn't just created out of the blue.
Hence, this secret definitely resided in the mountain river illustration.
The mountain river illustration...
Normally, in an intense battle, nobody would bother paying attention to the illusion formed by the points of light. However, Fang Zhengzhi at this moment inspected them carefully.
Beginning from each individual mountain, water, grass, tree in the illusion, he began to observe carefully.
Then, he realised a problem...
This seemed to be an ink painting. Because, the colour of the mountain actually wasn't green, and instead, was the colour of black ink. This was commonly used in Chinese ink-style paintings.
It wasn't surprising.
However, Fang Zhengzhi felt very surprised.
Since one wished to integrate this light constructed illusion with reality, why must the colour of the mountain be painted with black ink? Wouldn't using a lush green match the real environment more suitably?
As he thought...
Fang Zhengzhi's eyes suddenly turned round, and received a great shock.
"This simply isn't a mountain river illustration!"
The mountain was a black ink mountain, that was the black hair of the woman. The river was a bright silver river, that was the grey-white hair of the woman. Black hair dyed white, I wait silently and wholeheartedly for you to paint!
This painting was the Yan family ancestor's deep and fond memories of the woman.
The mountain river was the woman, the woman was the mountain river...
Since the ancient times, heroes were the ones who were filled with affection for the opposite sex. The Yan family's ancestor sacrificed the landscape for a beautiful woman! He was indeed a lovesick man, he actually integrated the woman into the mountain river drawing. I know, I know!
Fang Zhengzhi's eyes turned brighter and brighter
He recalled the emotions Yan Xiu had when he used the Mountain and River, Heaven and Earth Fan, and suddenly understood that the power of the mountain river illustration originated from grief.
If this was the case...
The more he resisted, and the more he opposed it, the greater the pressure on his body.
No, from the start, that was already wrong. It wasn't resistance, instead, it was absorbance. He completely absorbed this grief into his body, merging his heart and the mountain river illustration together.
He instantly acted when as he thought. Fang Zhengzhi decided to attempt to feel grievous, but, to be able to feel miserable without any reason was indeed rather difficult...
He could only borrow some tools.
"What is love? Why love drives men crazy?"
"Flying off to different places, the old wing returns to the cold winter."
"Uniting is joyful, parting is bitter, and in the middle, there's lovesickness."
Fang Zhengzhi's voice sounded from the arena.
This caused the surrounding examinees to feel somewhat confused.
"What is Fang Zhengzhi trying to do? He still has the mood for poetry at this time?!"
"I believe he is admitting defeat in advance..."
At this moment, Fang Zhengzhi was filling his heart with misery, attempting to merge as one with the mountain river illustration.
He simply didn't notice Yan Xiu's gaze at all, and instead shook his head inwardly. Not too long later, he actually managed to squeeze out a drop of tear, and entered the role of a grieving man.
Just as he expected.
The deeper his grieving emotions, the lesser the pressure on his body became. It felt as if the mountain river illustration had heard his inner thoughts.
This spirituality was indeed something people would never expect.
As the pressure on his body decreased, Fang Zhengzhi wanted to shout happily, I have finally overcome the mountain river illustration. But, he couldn't shout, and couldn't allow any happy emotions to generate.
Because...
Once he became happy, he was most likely to return back to the start line.
It was rather uncomfortable, but, in order to win, Fang Zhengzhi could only hold on.
A while later, feeling that the pressure on his body had almost completely disappeared, Fang Zhengzhi raised his head and looked at Yan Xiu with an expression filled with misery and grief.
And at this moment, Fang Zhengzhi also stopped his movements.
He fixated his gaze tightly on Fang Zhengzhi, completely unable to believe this scene...
"I'm coming!" Fang Zhengzhi uttered a hoarse, low cry, and the name of a powerful martial artist from his previous world came to his mind. He could create a Deadly Grief Fist during times of misery.
Hence, today I'll leverage on his grief to create a Deadly Grief Sword and see how good it is.
With that idea, he moved.
His body was fast as lightning, and his speed instantly soared to its peak.
It was very fast, so fast that even the surrounding examinees and the examiners at the judging table were almost unable to react.
"How is it possible that he is so fast?!"
"Where did the heavy pressure from the mountain river illustration go to?"
The examinees and examiners' faces were filled with shock at the same time.
And right at this moment, Fang Zhengzhi had already reached Yan Xiu's side. Waving the white jade sword on his hand wildly, streaks of white light erupted like a torrential flood from the mountains.
Yan Xiu was stunned, but he still managed to instinctively withdraw.
The Wind Shadow Technique turned into a stream of shadows.
However, Fang Zhengzhi evidently didn't intend to let Yan Xiu off. He couldn't maintain that grief for the entire time, else, he was really going to die of misery.
Hence, he had to finish this battle while he still had sufficient grief.
He didn't even bother about techniques.
It was a completely desperate battle based on brute force.
From an outsider's point of view, Fang Zhengzhi definitely wasn't using a Deadly Grief Sword, but instead, a more appropriately named Crazy Demon Sword...
"I kill, kill kill..." Fang Zhengzhi waved his sword wildly as he chased.
The moon in the sky grew brighter and brighter, and streaks of white light even fell from the sky, lighting up the arena.
As for the red sun.
It seemed to have lent the bright moon too much light, and turned somewhat darker.
"Boom!"
Finally, Fang Zhengzhi's sword hit Yan Xiu squarely on the chest. His body flew backwards, and then fell off the arena. However, once he fell, Yan Xiu immediately sprang back up.
His expression was somewhat shocked and confused.
He wanted to say something, but ended up not saying a word.
But, he didn't retreat further, and instead began to frantically attack Fang Zhengzhi.
The red sun radiated its last light.
The bright moon grew brighter and brighter.
Red and white, countless rays of light intersected, just like the alternation of moons and stars. This scene was undoubtedly stunning, at the very least, all the examinees and examiners were completely shocked.
"Capital examination... is this really still a capital examination?!"
Nobody would consider this battle as a capital examination. Because, even the imperial examination wouldn't contain such a scene.
On the arena, countless shadows merged together.
After an intense clash.
The shadows vanished, leaving two figures each standing at a corner of the arena.
Yan Xiu's armour at this moment was already torn and tattered, and a streak of blood had emerged. His hair seemed to be in a mess, and his forehead was beaded with sweat. His chest rose and fell rapidly, and gulped down deep breaths of air.
For a member of the Yan family to not even be able to control his own breathing meant that it was obvious that he was about to reach his limit.
On the other hand, Fang Zhengzhi also didn't seem too well. Streaks of scars filled his Jade Sea Armour, and blood similarly filled his arms and legs. His hair also fell messily on his shoulders, and his face was filled with beads of sweat.
Nobody knew whether it was sweat, or whether it was tears.
An arena battle...
Was really a battle of who would tire first!
Fang Zhengzhi understood this well, if things proceeded on like this, both of them would definitely get injured.
"I... had already... expended all my energy!" Yan Xiu's tone was somewhat out of breath. However, his expression was filled with true friendship and sincerity towards his friends, as if telling Fang Zhengzhi that he hadn't held back at all.
"I... still have a bit, actually, I have one technique I've yet to use!" Fang Zhengzhi was similarly gulping for breath, and maintained the misery on his face.
"Between friends, we must be sin... sincere! If you have any moves... use them!" Yan Xiu grabbed the Mountain and River, Heaven and Earth Fan in his hand tightly, and a trace of shock flashed across his eyes. But, it quickly vanished.
He believed Fang Zhengzhi. As long as Fang Zhengzhi said that he had, he definitely had.
"I believe, it will... harm you." Fang Zhengzhi lightly shook his head.
"Even you aren't afraid of being injured, as a man from the Yan family, how can I be scared of blood?!" Yan Xiu's expression at this moment suddenly turned extremely serious.
"Then... look carefully!" Fang Zhengzhi's words had just landed before the entire arena filled with a blinding ray of white light, just like the brightest star in the entire milky way.
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