radicalducati Page 182
Page 182
With a gentle wave of her slender hand, thousands of fireflies suddenly gathered from all directions, weaving a magnificent illusion in the air.
In an instant, a spring scene unfolded before everyone's eyes—green mountains like dark eyebrows, clear waters flowing gently.
The boy sat peacefully under the peach tree reading, as pink and white peach blossoms fluttered down onto his shoulders.
Chapter 311 Wei Changxuan's Thunderous Intent Merged with Wine Intent!
A hint of surprise flashed in the boy's eyes, and then the bamboo sword drew out a half-moon.
The seemingly gentle sword energy swept past, and the illusion was like a calm lake being rippled by a boulder thrown in.
As the fireflies scattered and the illusion vanished, the slightest confusion vanished from his dark eyes:
Illusions may be wondrous, but they cannot imprison those with the will to wield the sword. Miss Luo, do you dare challenge the true fire of my bamboo sword?
A look of amazement flashed in Luo Yuheng's eyes. The silver bell tied to the red rope on his wrist jingled softly, and crimson true energy coiled around the bamboo sword like a serpent.
With a flick of the boy's wrist, the moisture in the morning mist instantly condensed into a chilling ice blade.
Fire and ice collided violently in mid-air, sending up plumes of white mist amidst a hissing sound.
The blazing flames gradually dimmed, but the row of 17 ice blades still hung high in the air, reflecting a cold, sharp light.
Lei Mengshao leaned close to Tang Lian's ear and whispered:
Brother Tang, your hidden weapon skills are unparalleled. Why don't you try using the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles?
Tang Lian gazed at the two figures facing off in the arena and slowly shook her head:
When that boy solved the Go puzzle, he had already shown an amazing ability to predict the trajectory of the hidden weapon.
If I were to attack him with cunning tactics, it would likely be exactly what he's looking for in terms of testing his adaptability.
His gaze suddenly fixed on the wine gourd swaying at the boy's waist.
The ancient pattern was somewhat similar to Jian Jiuhuang's wine gourd, and a thought suddenly occurred to him: perhaps, he should start with the idea rather than the technique.
Just then, a scholar in a blue robe stepped out from the crowd.
Wearing a jade crown and holding a wolf-hair brush, he bowed and said: "I am skilled in calligraphy and wish to test my skills with my brush."
The boy nodded happily, and the scholar took a deep breath. The wolf-hair brush flew through the air like a dragon, and the ink solidified without spreading.
A majestic dragon character was outlined in the air. The characters became increasingly vivid.
It transformed into a black dragon, baring its fangs and claws as it pounced on the boy, its whiskers and scales imbued with sharp, calligraphic strokes.
The scholar in the green robe lunged forward with his black dragon, baring its fangs and claws, while the boy lightly raised his bamboo sword, drawing an elegant arc in the air.
Where the bamboo sword passed, ripples spread through the air, and the tip of the sword traced a powerful "stop" character.
The ink dragon instantly dissipated into rain. Fine drops of ink fell softly.
But it suddenly froze three inches away from the boy's clothes, as if blocked by an invisible barrier, and finally turned into ink plum blossoms, blooming on the blue brick ground.
"It's my turn." A clear, cool male voice broke the silence.
Wei Changxuan stepped forward slowly, the lightning patterns embroidered on the cuffs of his dark, fitted outfit gleaming with a dark light. He placed his hand on the Thunder Tribulation Wooden Sword.
The purple lightning coiled around the scabbard emitted a faint hum, as if echoing its master's fighting spirit.
Upon seeing this, the boy's eyes lit up with anticipation: Young Master Wei, would you like to have a sword duel?
No. Wei Changxuan shook his head, his eyebrows slightly raised. He had heard that the students at the academy were well-versed in various schools of thought.
I'd like to try something special—using thunder to blend with the spirit of wine, what do you think?
After saying that, he took out an old-fashioned wine gourd from his pocket. Before the cork was even opened, the strong aroma of wine was already wafting out.
It was the same strong liquor from the northern frontier that Sikong Changfeng had insisted on giving him yesterday, with the words "爽快" (shuangkuai, meaning "exhilarating") crookedly carved on the gourd.
The boy raised an eyebrow with interest: Oh? The Way of Wine and the Law of Thunder, that's interesting.
Before he could finish speaking, Wei Changxuan had already yanked open the gourd stopper.
The amber-colored liquor was splashed onto the bluestone slabs like silver ribbons.
The pungent aroma of alcohol mingled with the damp morning mist and permeated the air.
In an instant, the purple lightning lurking on the scabbard suddenly burst forth, meandering along the liquid.
A hideous character for "thunder" was scorched into the ground.
The electric sparks collided with the liquid, producing crackling sounds and puffs of white smoke.
Chapter 312 Yin Luoxia's Gambling Skills!
A glint of admiration flashed in the boy's eyes as he lightly tapped the ground with his bamboo sword. A miraculous scene unfolded—the strong liquor spilled on the ground instantly…
The wine mist and purple lightning intertwined in the air, forming a rotating spiral, like a wine dragon that spews out lightning.
Wei Changxuan pointed his sword, and purple lightning shot towards the boy like an arrow, but just as it touched the hem of his moon-white robe...
Gently supported by the rich mist of alcohol, it made a sizzling sound.
Is Young Master Wei trying to temper the effects of the wine with thunder and fire?
A smile appeared on the boy's lips as the bamboo sword spun rapidly.
The swirling wine mist instantly transformed into a crystal-clear wine sword, its blade shimmering with an amber glow, and the wine droplets falling from its tip condensing into ice crystals in mid-air.
Unfortunately, the way of drinking wine values naturalness, while the Thunder Method is too forceful. Behold my—
Before he finished speaking, the wine sword suddenly exploded, turning into thousands of wine droplets shimmering with golden light.
Each drop of wine reflects the rising sun, like countless diamonds cascading down from the sky.
Instead of retreating, Wei Changxuan advanced, drawing his Thunder Tribulation Wooden Sword three inches from its sheath. Purple lightning, like a living snake, slithered across the blade, weaving a fine electric net.
The drops of alcohol hit the electric grid with a crisp popping sound, sending up plumes of white mist carrying the aroma of alcohol.
This unique contest perfectly showcased the ferocity of thunder and the mellowness of wine, leaving the audience mesmerized.
Wei Changxuan's sword finger moved like lightning, and his wrist suddenly flipped, causing the purple netting wrapped around the sword to carry thousands of wine drops upstream.
The splashed wine trembled violently amidst the lightning flashes, then condensed at the tip of the sword into a wine-lightning ball radiating an amber glow.
Electric light danced across the surface of the sphere, distorting the surrounding air into strange ripples, with a deafening roar brewing within it.
The boy's eyes shone brightly, and as he swung his bamboo sword horizontally, a solid, jade-like energy burst forth.
This azure energy, as if alive, coiled around the thunder sphere, actually holding this dangerous sphere, which contained the power of lightning tribulation, steadily in mid-air: what a masterful use of force to control intent!
Before the words were finished, the azure energy suddenly changed shape, transforming into an ancient-looking wine gourd phantom that steadily enveloped the wine thunderball.
As the gourd's mouth gently opened and closed, the restless thunderball gradually calmed down, and the surging lightning and the aroma of alcohol inside began to blend together.
Finally, a drop of amber-colored wine slowly dripped from the gourd's mouth and landed precisely in the boy's palm.
He tilted his head back and drank the wine in one gulp, lightly touching the corner of his mouth with the tip of his tongue, his smile deepening:
The fierceness of the northern frontier, mixed with the raw power of lightning tribulation, has a unique flavor. Young Master Wei, you win.
Upon hearing this, a deathly silence fell over the surroundings. Previously, Sikong Changfeng's lightness skill, Luo Yuheng's illusionary arts, and the scholar's calligraphy had all failed to elicit the slightest concession from the boy.
But now they're voluntarily admitting defeat? Gasps of surprise rose and fell from the crowd.
Even Yuan Tiangang, who was used to seeing big scenes, couldn't help but stroke his beard and nod.
Just as everyone (Zhao Liao) was in astonishment, a graceful figure floated out from the crowd.
Yin Luoxia held a folding fan painted with ink bamboo, and the phoenix embroidered with gold thread on her light red dress spread its wings slightly with each step.
She gently waved her folding fan, the still-wet ink on the fan surface emitting a faint fragrance, and a confident smile curved her lips.
Young master, I see that people have already tried comparing swords, chess, and lightness skills. How about I compete with you in a gambling contest? How shall the outcome be decided?
Chapter 313 The Betting Contest!
Upon hearing this, the boy's dark eyes lit up with curiosity.
He casually leaned his bamboo sword against the stone lion beside him, his blue robe fluttering as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Gambling skills? Interesting, young lady.
Before he finished speaking, he flicked his finger, and an ancient stone table instantly rose from the ground.
Two bronze dice cups on the table gleamed with a faint, cold light, while six jade dice shimmered with a warm luster in the morning light, as if summoned from nothingness.
This unique bet is about to begin, as everyone watches with bated breath.
Yin Luoxia moved with light, graceful steps, her water-red skirt sweeping across the stone table, carrying with it a faint, almost imperceptible scent of ambergris.
Her slender, pale fingers gripped the bronze dice cup, and the golden bell on her wrist jingled softly with her movements.
The dice collided in the cup, creating a crisp rhythm, sometimes like a sudden rain pattering on lotus leaves, sometimes like pearls falling onto a jade plate.
The onlookers felt that the voice had a captivating rhythm, as if their heartbeats rose and fell with the swaying rhythm.
Young master, let's open the pot.
Her voice trailed off slightly, her eyes flashing with defiance. The amber morning light fell on the floral decorations at the corners of her eyes, making her appear breathtakingly beautiful.
The boy remained calm and composed, his pale fingers gently shaking the dice cup.
Six jade dice rolled across the stone table, three of them showing sixes, the red dots eliciting gasps of surprise from the crowd.
(bhei) But before the gasp could even subside, Yin Luoxia lightly turned her wrist, revealing the dice cup inside.
The three sixes are arranged neatly like a mirror image.
The morning light shone on the warm, jade-like surface of the dice, refracting a dazzling halo.
"Bravo!" someone in the crowd shouted, followed by a thunderous applause.
Such a close contest of gambling skills is something even seasoned gamblers who have been in the game for over a decade would rarely witness.
Just as everyone was marveling, a dark shadow swept across the roof like a ghost.
Ye Dingzhi landed silently, his black outfit fluttering in the wind, and the bronze bell hanging at his waist gleaming with a faint light.
He casually put his arm around Wei Changxuan's shoulder, laughing heartily: "Brother, this competition was truly spectacular! Your move, 'Thunderous Intent Blending with Wine,' was truly a sight to behold."
I see your swordsmanship is quite remarkable. Let's have a friendly spar another day.
The firefly in Luo Yuheng's hand suddenly flickered. Tang Lian subconsciously pressed down on the hidden weapon in her sleeve and looked at Ye Dingzhi warily.
Ye Dingzhi, who usually keeps to himself and is elusive, is now taking the initiative to chat with people. This unusual behavior makes everyone's hearts jump to alarm bells.