Zhong Ming’s frustration hadn’t just started building today.

Over the past few days, he had frequently dueled with Qi Hong, Yang Chen, and the others. Although Zhong Ming had gained a great deal of Cultivation Technique experience, every defeat left him feeling resentful.

However, considering that Yang Chen, Qi Hong, and the others had cultivated for eight or nine years longer than him, were battle-hardened, and were teaching him wholeheartedly, his resentment at losing to them wasn’t too strong.

But Xie Yuzhu was different. She was the same age as Zhong Ming, and losing to a peer was something he found particularly hard to accept.

And the Sword Dao was, by its very nature, an unyielding and dauntless path.

My fate is my own, not for the heavens to decide!

Furthermore, the Supreme Sword Intent of the Sword Dao—One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Techniques—was the outward manifestation of a Sword Cultivator’s fearlessness.

And although Zhong Ming’s Dao Rhyme was that of a Dragon Flood Dragon, he had comprehended it from the Longxi Map. Strictly speaking, it too was a form of Sword Intent.

Not to mention, as the world’s most perfect creature, the Dragon Flood Dragon was naturally arrogant and untamable, and would never bow its head to anyone.

It was only logical, then, that Zhong Ming’s overwhelming resentment could trigger his Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme.

ROAR!

VMMMM!

The activation of his Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme caused a terrifying might to erupt from Zhong Ming’s body.

Naturally, as a characteristic that typically only manifested in the Fourth Realm, or even the Fifth Realm, the activation of the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme did more than just envelop Zhong Ming in a powerful aura.

WHOOSH...

Flood Dragons naturally possess the ability to Call the Wind and Summon the Rain. When Zhong Ming’s Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme was triggered, the water vapor between heaven and earth began to gather toward him of its own accord, as if paying homage to a king.

RUSH...

The massive influx of water vapor also caused the stream of water drawn forth by Zhong Ming’s Longxi Swordsmanship to instantly transform from a mere trickle into a great torrent.

At the same time, fierce winds and rain began to fall from the sky.

—Wherever a Flood Dragon goes, wind and rain are sure to follow!

"Huh?!"

"What is this?"

"How are you able to summon such a massive torrent of water?"

The scene unfolding before her left Xie Yuzhu utterly stunned.

And she was far from the only one.

...

Just as Zhong Ming’s defeat seemed imminent, Xie Yuzhu’s Guardian, Granny Lan, approached Qi Hong and the others and began to question them.

"Do you all know Zhong Ming? What’s he like?"

Believing Zhong Ming was worth recruiting, Granny Lan decided to first inquire about his background. That way, it would be much easier for the Xie Family to recruit him.

Since she made no effort to hide her intentions, Qi Hong, Yang Chen, and the others saw right through her.

At that moment, she didn’t think much of it.

It wasn’t all that strange within the Seven Profound Sect for a Cultivation Family to recruit a Lower-class Youth to serve as a Guardian.

Cultivation requires wealth, companionship, techniques, and a place to practice. Most Lower-class Youths had to scramble for cultivation resources, so relying on others had become commonplace.

Of course, this was all on the premise that the Lower-class Youth’s Talent wasn’t extraordinary.

If their talent was extraordinary, then it wouldn’t be a matter of a Cultivation Family recruiting them, but of actively trying to befriend them, even to the point of offering a daughter’s hand in a marriage alliance.

Since this was a common occurrence, Granny Lan hadn’t been overly discreet.

Then, the unexpected happened.

Upon hearing her words, Qi Hong, Yang Chen, and the others all frowned, their expressions turning angry.

"Are you insulting us?"

Looking at Qi Hong’s cold expression, Granny Lan replied defensively, "What are you talking about?"

Shi Yun said, "Heh. Recruiting Zhong Ming? Asking the most outstanding disciple of our Longxi Peak to become a Guardian for your Xie Family? How is that not an insult?"

Realizing that the anger from Qi Hong and the others was genuine, Granny Lan froze for a moment.

She turned her head to glance at the struggling Zhong Ming, then back at Qi Hong and the others. Granny Lan said helplessly, "You must have misunderstood something. When Fairy Mo spoke with my family’s Matriarch, she never said that Zhong Ming was the most outstanding genius of your generation."

"We’ve also made inquiries. Zhong Ming was the last to advance in rank, and his Spiritual Root Talent is only third-grade. Given the state of Longxi Peak, he might not even be able to enter the Inner Sect this time. Our Xie Family is more than qualified to recruit him..."

At this point, Granny Lan just felt that Qi Hong and the others were being completely unreasonable.

’The most outstanding? Even if Longxi Peak has declined, it can’t have fallen this far. The sect wouldn’t allow it. Every generation at Longxi Peak has at least one top-tier prodigy with a first-grade Spiritual Root.’

’Zhong Ming? With his third-grade Spiritual Root, on what grounds could he possibly be called the most outstanding...’

VMMMM!

Before she could finish her thought, a magnificent, majestic aura erupted from the side.

The sudden change made Qi Hong, Yang Chen, Granny Lan, and the others all turn to look instinctively.

And then they saw that the source of the majestic aura was Zhong Ming.

He stood motionless as an endless wind and rain swirled around him, protecting him like loyal subjects.

Xie Yuzhu’s seven flying swords were like birds caught in a vortex, struggling desperately against the wind and rain.

"This is..."

The scene before them left Qi Hong, Yang Chen, and Granny Lan completely shocked.

They were astonished by the reversal of the situation, but what shocked them even more was the aura emanating from Zhong Ming.

"Dao Rhyme?!"

"But how is that possible? How old is he? How long has he been cultivating? How could he have comprehended Dao Rhyme?"

...

Neither Zhong Ming nor Xie Yuzhu paid any attention to the onlookers’ astonishment.

The sudden change in Zhong Ming had indeed left Xie Yuzhu dazed, but in the heat of battle, she had no time to overthink it.

"Haste!"

Snapping out of her stupor and noticing her flying swords being buffeted by the wind, Xie Yuzhu immediately released her Magical Power to stabilize them.

She succeeded. The sudden wind and rain were, after all, merely a passive ability of the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme.

However, after stabilizing her flying swords, it was not so easy to command them to attack Zhong Ming again.

SWISH!

ROAR!

As Xie Yuzhu’s seven flying swords formed a dense web of blades and closed in to shred Zhong Ming, his sword-wielding arm also spun in a wide arc.

RUSH...

With this movement, the endless rain instantly converged on the blade of Zhong Ming’s sword.

Empowered by the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme and the self-gathering wind and rain, the water on his blade was no longer a mere trickle, but a flowing stream.

This stream was coiling like a serpent dragon.

When Xie Yuzhu’s flying swords fell into the current, they were immediately trapped, unable to break free.

But Zhong Ming’s attack was not over yet.

BANG!

With a light tap of his toes on the ground, Zhong Ming launched himself toward Xie Yuzhu like a soaring Flood Dragon.

As he charged, Zhong Ming swung his longsword high into the air.

Because of his Longxi Swordsmanship, the leaping Zhong Ming left a trail of Sword Light in his wake, as well as an even longer trail of flowing water.

RUSH...

ROAR!

Under the influence of the Dragon Flood Dragon Dao Rhyme, this long stream of water quickly took the form of a Flood Dragon.

The Flood Dragon coiled around Zhong Ming’s body, making him look like a furious, charging Flood Dragon, all fangs and claws.

[Longxi Swordsmanship - Vortex Dragon]

Xie Yuzhu, who was directly in Zhong Ming’s path, felt this tyrannical, terrifying power most keenly.

The tyrannical majesty of the dragon, its terrifying might, and the furiously charging Water Flood Dragon bleached the color from Xie Yuzhu’s face, forcing her to retreat again and again.

"Fine Snow, Condense!"

"Red Peak, Flame..."

She formed hand seals as she retreated, desperately trying to activate the various abilities of her flying swords.

But it was all useless.

As Zhong Ming spun and his longsword danced, the Flood Dragon he had condensed coiled and flowed with him, making it impossible for any of Xie Yuzhu’s attacks to break through its protection and reach him.

To her even greater terror, the Flood Dragon could not only summon rain, but also call the wind.

Aided by the power of the wind, Zhong Ming was truly taking flight.

With a single step, he could cross dozens of meters.

In the blink of an eye, Zhong Ming crossed the vast distance between them and appeared right in front of her.

At that exact moment, Zhong Ming’s longsword reached the apex of its arc.

"Strike!"

He brought it down with both hands in a vicious chop!

With a loud BANG, the fine steel longsword that had been with him for days shattered, unable to withstand the force.

The sword may have broken, but Zhong Ming’s attack was not over.

ROAR!

With a furious roar, the Water Flood Dragon that Zhong Ming had drawn forth followed the arc of his chop and slammed into Xie Yuzhu.

BOOM! 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Like an unstoppable flood or a charging train, the dragon-shaped Sword Qi opened its maw and clamped down on Xie Yuzhu. It carried her off like a piece of driftwood, ramming her into the distance.

RUMBLE...