Chapter 191: Three Palms

Jiang Changkong soared through the air, returning once more to the Taiyin Cold Pool.

Confirming no one was around, he donned a black robe and entered the cold pool.

The Lunar Lake remained turbulent, its silver-white waters churning, waves occasionally surging.

Silver-white Star Demon figures leaped up from time to time, their gazes falling upon Jiang Changkong in his black robe.

Roar!

A Star Demon roared, charging straight at him, stirring up vast amounts of Taiyin Star Power.

Jiang Changkong stepped forward, and a frigid force instantly froze the oncoming Star Demon.

“Heng Xueyue, come out and talk.”

Jiang Changkong’s voice was cold: “I know you’re here. Come fulfill the bet.”

The Lunar Lake offered no response, but Star Demons continued to charge forward, one after another.

“You still haven’t mastered the Taiyin Stellar Body, nor have you broken through to the High-Rank. I’ve been here before—there are places even I wouldn’t dare to tread.”

Jiang Changkong froze another Star Demon and continued, “If I were to stir up the killing intent here, would you still have a way out?”

Hum.

The lake waters rippled, a bright moon rose high, and a graceful figure parted the Taiyin lake waters, slowly ascending into the air.

Her feet stepped upon the silver-white lake surface, her fair face showing a trace of surprise: “How did you know I was here?”

This person was none other than Heng Xueyue of the Heng family.

“Are you sure you want to talk here?” Jiang Changkong said indifferently.

“You choose a place,” Heng Xueyue replied calmly.

Jiang Changkong took the lead, rushing out of the Taiyin Cold Pool, with Heng Xueyue following closely behind.

With a wave of his hand, an invisible Star Power enveloped Heng Xueyue: “Don’t resist.”

Heng Xueyue’s face showed surprise as she found herself soaring through the air alongside Jiang Changkong.

A High-Rank Martial Artist?

No, if he were a High-Rank Martial Artist, he could have killed her with a single finger.

Arriving deep within the marshland, Jiang Changkong descended with her, landing on the overgrown weeds.

“Staging a play and framing me for it?” Jiang Changkong’s tone was icy.

“I merely went with the flow.”

Heng Xueyue spoke coolly: “At the time, there was indeed someone wielding the Lunar Blade and Sword, adorned with Moon Laurel Leaves, who attacked me.”

“Wasn’t that person Heng De?” Jiang Changkong sneered.

“Uncertain.”

Heng Xueyue said calmly, “But you—I have some suspicions about you. Your strength is no less than that person’s.”

“Then why did you come out with me?” Jiang Changkong frowned.

“Please show me your Moon Laurel Leaves,” Heng Xueyue requested.

Jiang Changkong waved his hand, and the Lunar Blade and Sword appeared, the Moon Laurel Leaves swaying gently.

“That’s enough,” Heng Xueyue said.

“Hmm? Was there something wrong with that person’s Moon Laurel Leaves?” Jiang Changkong asked.

“They were fake. His sword was inferior to yours. Your sword contains terrifying Taiyin Star Power.”

Heng Xueyue pondered, “But this doesn’t clear you of suspicion.”

“Do I need to be cleared?” Jiang Changkong stood with his hands behind his back, Taiyin Star Power swirling around him. “Even if it were me, what could you do?”

“Gained a bit of improvement and become this arrogant?”

Heng Xueyue sneered, “You came today to fulfill the bet. Fine. Three strikes. If I can’t defeat you, I’ll hand over the Star Stone.

If I defeat you, you’ll handle this matter for me.”

“Oh? So far, I’ve only gained two more strikes?”

Jiang Changkong laughed mockingly, sheathing his blade and sword as a chilling aura erupted around him. “I’ll take your three strikes. If I can’t withstand them, I’ll handle your matter.”

A cold glint flashed across Heng Xueyue’s face. A chilling light drifted, moonlight spilled down, and a palm strike materialized with a cold gleam.

“Taiyin Strike.”

An ordinary Taiyin palm strike, though imbued with terrifying power, carried no additional enhancements.

Jiang Changkong laughed in extreme anger. “What a proud talent of the Major Province, calling that an ordinary palm strike—you really underestimate others.”

His right palm lifted gently, channeling all his Moonforce into a single strike. Though it lacked any formal technique, he used eighty percent of his strength.

Hum

As their palms met, a strange pressure surged forth, causing Jiang Changkong’s palm force to weaken slightly.

Fortunately, having already reached the mid-stage of Star Spirit, eighty percent of his strength now was no weaker than his full power before.

Bang

Their palms separated, and both retreated several steps. Silver-white ice crystals formed on Jiang Changkong’s palm.

A flicker of surprise appeared on Heng Xueyue’s cold, aloof face. “Not bad. Eighty percent of my strength actually couldn’t defeat you.”

Jiang Changkong narrowed his eyes. “That suppressing force just now—was it a characteristic of the Taiyin Stellar Body?”

With both using eighty percent strength, he had been slightly at a disadvantage due to the suppression.

“Correct. Now, will you admit defeat?” Heng Xueyue replied with a hint of arrogance.

“Just now, I also used eighty percent,” Jiang Changkong said indifferently.

“Then you still lost.” With a light shout, Heng Xueyue raised her palm, moonlight scattering like dust across the sky. “Moonlight Returns to Dust.”

Countless moonbeams converged in an instant, transforming into a Taiyin palm strike even stronger than before.

An invisible pressure swept over, slightly suppressing Jiang Changkong’s Taiyin Star Power.

“Startling Moonlight Essence.”

Jiang Changkong’s expression grew focused. Moonlight Essence coalesced into a blade, flashing like a startled swan.

Boom

The moonlight blade descended, clashing with the Taiyin palm strike. Cold energy spread, freezing everything within a kilometer.

A sliver of blade aura pierced through the Taiyin palm force, shooting straight toward Heng Xueyue.

But this blade had lost most of its power and was easily blocked by Heng Xueyue.

Boundless Taiyin Star Power surged and collided. Jiang Changkong’s figure floated upward, soaring into the air.

Heng Xueyue moved continuously, strange patterns appearing on her body to withstand the oncoming Star Power.

After a long while, the Star Power dissipated. Heng Xueyue’s expression darkened, an unprecedented gravity appearing on her face.

Jiang Changkong descended gracefully and said calmly, “It seems your three palm strikes won’t be enough to defeat me.”

“There is still one more strike. I will hold nothing back.”

Heng Xueyue’s expression turned icy as her Taiyin Star Power blazed with light.

“Come,” Jiang Changkong replied flatly.

Heng Xueyue let out a low shout, crossing her palms to trace mysterious moonlight patterns. Bizarre markings bloomed across her body.

“Hmm?”

Jiang Changkong’s gaze suddenly sharpened. Those strange patterns—why did they resemble the ones in the cold pool?

An eerie scene suddenly manifested in the Void. Mysterious moonlight intertwined in the air, forming peculiar patterns that resonated with Heng Xueyue.

Taiyin Star Power surged mightily as the phantom of a bright moon rose, hovering above her head and radiating boundless divine light.

“Taiyin Opens the Array, Holy Radiance of the Bright Moon.”

With a single palm strike, mysterious moonlight converged. A tremendous pressure swept forth, and Jiang Changkong immediately felt suppressed.

“Damn it, these little freaks really have plenty of tricks up their sleeves.”

Jiang Changkong’s heart sank. Relying solely on the Cold Moon Art, he likely couldn’t withstand this move unless he forced himself to endure it.

Thinking this, Jiang Changkong had no choice but to secretly activate the Mystical Tai Chi Art.

“Startling Moon Mist.”

Combining the startling blade with the power of Moon Mist, Jiang Changkong reserved a fraction of his strength, circulating the Mystical Tai Chi Art within his body.

Rumble

Palm force and blade aura collided. The earth churned, the marsh froze, and terrifying shockwaves surged, sending both combatants flying backward.

Heng Xueyue pressed her palm down, the strange patterns on her body glowing brightly, actually dispersing the incoming Taiyin Star Power.

The portion of Taiyin Star Power that wasn’t dispersed rushed into her body but failed to cause even the slightest injury.

Jiang Changkong retreated through the air, and the Star Power that reached him was similarly dispersed.

“Hmm?”

Seeing this, Heng Xueyue’s eyes flashed with surprise. “Have you also cultivated some traits of the Taiyin Stellar Body? Can you resist Taiyin Star Power?”

“Three palms have passed,” Jiang Changkong said calmly.

He would never mention that he had employed the Mystical Tai Chi Art.

Heng Xueyue had only stipulated the three-palm agreement; she hadn’t specified that he could only use Taiyin Star Power and the Three Blades of the Fleeting Swan.

He now understood a bit more about the little freak’s strength. He had been too confident before; even after stepping into the Star Spirit realm, he couldn’t defeat Heng Xueyue with a single palm.

Even now, going all out and using only Taiyin Star Power and the Three Blades of the Fleeting Swan in a life-or-death battle with Heng Xueyue, he feared he would lose more often than win.

Heng Xueyue frowned slightly, waved her hand, and piles of Star Stones appeared. “Here, take them.”