Chapter 299 - 158: White Moonlight

As Jiang Ran said this, Gu Xizhi and Scholar Jingtan exchanged a look, and saw nothing but shock and uncertainty in each other’s eyes.

The Celestial Dragon Divine Sword’s lips moved as he began to speak with Scholar Jingtan using a secret sound transmission technique:

"What he just used... that looked like the Hidden Shadow Enchanting God Step!

"Is he from the Search Divine Sect?

"That sect revealed too many secrets back in the day and was eventually wiped out from the martial world.

"The only one left was Liao Chengfeng, who ran rampant for a time before disappearing without a trace.

"This boy... could he be Liao Chengfeng’s disciple?"

But Scholar Jingtan’s brow was furrowed.

"No, look at that ice nail... That’s clearly the Cold Moon Nail of Yin Yue, the Moon Monarch—one of the two Sun and Moon Monarchs.

"But when he used it, there was none of the chilling yin energy of the Cold Moon Skill.

"He condensed qi into ice in a single, fluid motion.

"His mastery might even surpass that of Yin Yue herself back in her prime.

"How could someone like him take Liao Chengfeng as a master? Liao Chengfeng isn’t worthy of teaching him."

Both men were masters in the martial world. Though unaffiliated with any sect or school, they were incredibly knowledgeable.

They easily recognized the origins of the martial arts Jiang Ran displayed.

However, Gu Xizhi didn’t quite agree with Scholar Jingtan’s assessment.

"The Cold Moon Skill emanates a bone-chilling cold when used, but this young man’s Inner Energy is balanced and temperate.

"I don’t know what method he used to form that ice nail, but it certainly wasn’t the Cold Moon Skill."

"Then what other martial art in the world do you think can condense qi into ice?"

"Oh, there are plenty... The ’Departing Frost Cold Qi’ from the Qiuye Ice Divine Palace, the ’Hard Frost on Courtyard Orchids’ from Li Country’s Xiaochun Manor, and in the Qing Country there’s..."

Seeing Gu Xizhi rambling on and on,

Scholar Jingtan quickly cut him off.

"Enough... You’re getting more and more ridiculous."

Gu Xizhi pursed his lips, feeling that his point was perfectly valid.

’You can’t just see someone form an ice nail and assume they must be practicing the Cold Moon Skill.

’The martial arts of the world are diverse, a vast array of skills each with its own strengths.

’How can you jump to a conclusion based on a single similarity?’

Just then, the two of them suddenly heard a blood-curdling scream from Chen Zixuan’s direction.

Snapped out of their conversation, they quickly looked up.

They saw Jiang Ran’s hand dripping with blood, while deep, bloody gashes now crisscrossed one of Chen Zixuan’s arms.

Trembling all over from the pain, he still gritted his teeth and roared:

"You... you dare to injure me? The Blood Saber Hall will never let you go!

"Since its founding, the Blood Saber Hall has never been threatened like this.

"Let me give you a piece of advice... If you let me go and hand over the Jiaowei zither with both hands, my master... might just show you some leniency and leave you with an intact corpse.

"Otherwise, you... you will surely die!"

"Hand over the Jiaowei zither with both hands, and let you go, just so I can be left with an intact corpse?"

Jiang Ran laughed. "Honestly, I almost don’t have the heart to kill you. Since I entered the martial world, you are truly the first person I’ve met who’s this... amusing.

"Of those who have fallen into my hands, some have begged for mercy on their knees, while others have chosen death before dishonor.

"But you’re the very first one to be so insistent on seeking death."

"You’d dare to kill me?"

Chen Zixuan’s eyes went wide as if he’d just heard the most outlandish tale.

Jiang Ran let out a soft chuckle, one hand already resting on the hilt of his saber.

Gu Xizhi’s heart tightened, and he quickly shouted:

"Young man, spare his—"

He didn’t even have time to finish his plea before a flash of golden light cut through the night, and a head rolled to the ground with a dull thud.

Only then did Jiang Ran turn back to look at Gu Xizhi.

"Senior, was there something else?"

"..."

Gu Xizhi was stunned. "You... why did you just kill him?"

"Hm?"

Jiang Ran also seemed a bit confused.

"If I didn’t kill him, was I supposed to just let him go? Wait for him to return to the Blood Saber Hall, gather his men, and come back to kill me?"

"Well..."

Gu Xizhi was at a loss for words.

He still felt that it was hardly heroic or chivalrous for Jiang Ran to kill a man who was already powerless to resist.

But the consequences Jiang Ran described were also undeniable, so he couldn’t really find fault with the logic.

Scholar Jingtan, on the other hand, just smiled.

"A good kill. Settling scores and repaying debts as one pleases—that is the way of our kind."

"Vice Hall Master!"

The remaining disciples of the Blood Saber Hall snapped out of their stupor as if waking from a dream, crying out in grief.

"You... you murdered our Vice Hall Master! The Blood Saber Hall will never forgive you!"

The young man and woman who had been thrown to the ground by Scholar Jingtan earlier struggled to their feet, spitting blood as they roared with gritted teeth.

Jiang Ran ignored them, simply smiling at Scholar Jingtan.

"You flatter me, Senior."

After saying this, he gave a light wave of his hand.

"Kill them all."

Although the Blood Saber Hall disciples were a defeated remnant, most of them weren’t actually injured.

This was especially true for those who had formed the Bloodletting Grand Array; Scholar Jingtan had simply tossed them aside, using the shift in their own formation to make them stumble.

Hearing Jiang Ran’s order, they all erupted in fury.

They immediately surged forward as someone in the crowd shouted:

"Kill them! Avenge the Vice Hall Master!"

"Seize the Jiaowei and we’ll be absolved of our failure!"

"Tonight we fight to the death!"

For a moment, their morale was actually quite high.

Unfortunately, their opponents were no ordinary figures.

Luo Qingyi’s Elephant Divine Fist, Tang Huayi’s Great Transformation Divine Saber, plus the Gentle Water Sword.

Even without Jiang Ran making a move, this mob was no match for them.

If Chen Zixuan hadn’t died, they might have stood a chance by deploying their formation under his command.

But with Chen Zixuan dead, they were incapable of executing the formation’s complex maneuvers based on their own judgment of the situation.