h4Chapter 704: Chapter 709 Yang Tao/h4

    "I know that the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion will hold a grand event in the next few days, and I wish to participate."

    "You?" Upon hearing this, even the alwaysposed Du Kang was startled, and with a face full of surprise, looked at Ling Chen and said, "Was it that old man who asked you to participate?"

    "No. I pleaded with Elder Su to give me this opportunity." Ling Chen paused for a moment before continuing, "I want the Nine Elements Pill."

    Du Kang leaned forward from his rattan chair and said earnestly, "Honestly, I don’t know why he agreed to your request to attend such an event, but what I want to tell you is that wanting the Nine Elements Pill is pure folly; it’s simply impossible."

    "Why?" Ling Chen asked with a face full of confusion.

    "Because you’re too weak; going there would be suicide. Do you know that almost everyone participating in this event is a master from the Earthly List? What do you have topete against those people with? I won’t deny your talent and potential, but some things cannot be changed by courage and audacity alone. The event at Yangxin Pavilion is a contest of one hundred percent strength, not luck."

    Du Kang opened his mouth and said, "Elder Du, I know you have my best interests at heart, but I have no choice. As long as I can obtain the Nine Elements Pill, no matter the risk, I’m willing to take it. I only hope that you can help me this once."

    "You!" Du Kang sighed helplessly, "Why won’t you listen to my advice? That old man too; he actually agreed to let you participate in this event—it’s not helping you, it’s harming you."

    With that, Du Kang stood up from the rattan chair, turned his head towards the inner room, and called out, "Apprentice,e out for a bit."

    Once Yang Tao came out from the room, Du Kang looked at Ling Chen and said, "The two of you,e with me."

    Leaving the thatched cottage, Du Kang led Ling Chen and Yang Tao to a spacious open area and said, "You two, spar here."

    Spar?

    Ling Chen was shocked; he hadn’t expected Du Kang to make such a request.

    Du Kang nced at Ling Chen and said, "You want to participate in that event, right? Fine, I’ll give you a chance. If you canst one minute against my disciple without being defeated, I’ll help you out. If you can’t, then you better go back early and not lose your life here." Having said this, Du Kang turned to his own disciple and instructed, "Use only your left hand."

    "Understood." Yang Tao nodded, then fetched a rope from outside the house, tied it around his right wrist, wrapped it around his waist, and firmly restricted his right hand.

    "Come on!"

    Looking at Yang Tao’s expressionless face, Ling Chen slightly furrowed his brow. He wasn’t sure how strong Yang Tao’s abilities were, but as a disciple trained by a master from the Heavenly List, he couldn’t be that weak. Although Yang Tao was limited to using only his left hand, Ling Chen was aware that Du Kang’s instructions meant he had full confidence in his disciple.

    "One minute," Du Kang said, holding his wine gourd and stepping aside, "Begin. Ling Chen, you may use any method at your disposal."

    Hearing this, Ling Chen didn’t dare to be careless. He drew out the Tianling de. With a flick of the mechanism, a sharp de immediately sprang out, turning into a steel sword.

    Steel sword in hand, Ling Chen stood up straight, his body slightly tilted, his sharp gaze fixed on Yang Tao, looking for the right moment to strike.

    In the blink of an eye, more than ten seconds passed, and seeing Ling Chen had not yet made a move, the still Yang Tao suddenly stepped forward and dashed straight toward Ling Chen.

    Yang Tao’s pace wasn’t fast, and Ling Chen could pinpoint his location urately. As Yang Tao closed in, Ling Chen hesitated no longer. With a flick of his wrist, he thrust his steel sword straight at Yang Tao’s forehead. The sword seemed light and effortless, seemingly without force, but the sword tip was condensed with a magnificent Inner Strength. The sword’s edge was sharp, piercing through the air in an instant.

    Just as the sword tip was about to hit the target, the straight-advancing Yang Tao suddenly leaned backward, then pivoted on his feet, quickly changing position and dodging the sharp sword tip.

    Having missed his strike, Ling Chen swiftly withdrew, avoiding giving Yang Tao the chance to close in. However, at that moment, Ling Chen suddenly felt a surge of powerful energy, like a wall of air, sharply hitting his right shoulder. His retreating steps not quite stable, he was pushed aside by that force.

    Seeing this, Ling Chen quivered his long sword and lightly tapped it against the ground, leveraging that force to prop up his body.

    Simultaneously, Ling Chen’s peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Yang Tao less than a meter away.

    Hua Realm!

    Ling Chen inwardly frowned; he had been hit by the Hua Realm energy unique to the masters of the Earthly List. The Hua Realm was more formidable than Inner Strength, able to harm a person from about a meter away. Just now, his only thought had been not to let Yang Tao get close, but he had forgotten this detail.

    Right now, only twenty-something seconds had passed since Du Kang’s one-minute mark, but after that brief exchange, Ling Chen had already realized Yang Tao’s strength. Indeed, a master of the Earthly List who was proficient in the Hua Realm was not easy to deal with.

    Half a minute left!

    Ling Chen closely watched the advancing Yang Tao, rapidly contemting his strategy.

    Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed at his face. In the blink of an eye, Yang Tao, who had been three meters away, charged forward, now less than a meter from Ling Chen.

    Seeing this, Ling Chen was shocked and quickly retreated, trying to increase the distance between them. But Yang Tao was very fast, like a swift breeze, relentlessly pursuing him.

    Feeling the fierce Hua Realm energy, Ling Chen’s pupils contracted, and with a shake of his hand, he threw the steel sword he was holding, its sharp tip aimed straight at Yang Tao’s face.

    Forced by the steel sword, Yang Tao had no choice but to withdraw and cease his assault. Then he twisted at the waist, raised his right leg, and kicked the flying steel sword away,nding it more than ten meters away.

    Seeing the Tianling de lost, Ling Chen didn’t even think before he lightly tapped with the tip of his foot, quickly moving in the opposite direction of Yang Tao.

    "Trying to escape?" Yang Tao snorted softly, instantly elerating and chasing right behind Ling Chen. In less than ten seconds, the distance between them had already narrowed.

    Ling Chen knew well that once Yang Tao got within a meter, he would inevitably be attacked by his Hua Realm energy.

    As he was considering his options, Ling Chen’s gaze was suddenly drawn to the dozen or so wine jars ced outside the straw hut. An idea shed through his mind, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

    Immediately, he increased his speed toward the wine jars outside the straw hut. Upon reaching them, he lifted a wine jar and swung it toward the pursuing Yang Tao.

    As the wine jar fell from above his head, Yang Tao’s expression changed. Instead of dodging, he reached out with both hands, steadily catching the wine jar, and then set it aside. His demeanor suggested he was particrly careful not to damage the jar.

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