Chapter 184: A young man decked in a green robe riding a white horse
Translator: Stardu5t Editor: Kurisu
There was only yellow sand around, and not even a single weed. There were also no sounds—just dead silence.
Song Shuhang laughed bitterly, for he had never learned any desert-related survival skills before. At his current cultivation level, he could not survive without food, and he certainly did not bring any fasting pills with him today.
Could it be that this would officially mark the end of his life—August 3rd, 2019, Song Shuhang traveled to another world.
And then, died?
‘I certainly don’t want to die like that, I cannot give up… I got transported to this vast desert the moment I pushed the gate open. If Senior White and Doudou were at home, they would have realized that something was off, right?’ Song Shuhang rubbed his temple and calmly analyzed.
As a Seventh Stage Spiritual Venerable, if Senior White sensed any abnormality... surely he would come and save him, right?
Right now, what he gotta do was to hang in there. If it was possible, it’d be best if he could leave this desert. At least for now… he should look for a water source first.
After putting away his phone, Song Shuhang tried his best to walk across the desert in a line as straight as possible.
The entire desert was bare; there was not a single distinct object to be seen. Additionally, there was no sun, no moon, and no stars in the sky to locate his position. Even if Song Shuhang opened his Eye Aperture and had a very good eyesight, walking in one direction without straying off it was still considered a difficult feat. He could only try his best at this point.
Speaking of which, this desert had a lot of peculiarities. Even though there was no sun in the sky, this desert was still very brightly lit, and warm as well. Where could all the light and heat come from? Could it be that in this world, you did not have to follow the law of conservation of energy?
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Walking and walking, he kept on walking for approximately ten minutes or so.
All Song Shuhang could see was still the vast yellow sand before him, without a single plant or animal. Apart from the yellow sand, there was nothing at all. Just dead silence.
If one were to linger for too long in such a lifeless and monotonous world, it would be easy for them to lose their mind or experience a nervous breakdown.
"Even if there was just a fly, it would be better than this," Song Shuhang sighed. If there was indeed a fly to accompany him at this moment, he wouldn’t even mind its annoying buzzing sounds.
Just as he was sighing and lamenting about his situation, he suddenly heard a melodious ting-a-ling sound from afar.
Looking ahead, he could see a person and a horse on the vast desert, approaching him from afar.
It was a young lad in a green robe, holding onto a rein of the white horse. He was about 15 or 16 years old, with rosy lips, white teeth, and jade-like skin—a handsome young man.
There’s finally a living person! Song Shuhang exclaimed in his heart.
At this time, the young man in a green robe gazed upon Song Shuhang and suddenly cried out happily, "Little White, Little White! I finally found you."
Song Shuhang was puzzled: could this ‘Little White’ refer to me?
Don’t tell me… was it just my soul that traveled to another world? Did I leave my body behind on Earth and arrived here with just my soul?
No, it can’t be right! My phone is with me! Furthermore, the clothes on my body, the act of opening the Heart Aperture and the Eye Aperture, as well as the ghost spirit that’s bound within my Heart Aperture can prove that I am in my own body, and that it was not only my soul that traveled to a different place!
"Little White, where did you run off to, I thought you lost your way," the young man in a robe stood in front of Song Shuhang, grinning radiantly.
"Hello Little Brother, I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else?" Song Shuhang saw that he was dressed like people from ancient times, and bowed while cupping his fist in a greeting.
However, that young man in a green robe was very strange. He didn’t seem to have heard what he said; he pulled his horse aside and said to Song Shuhang, "Little White, shall we train some hand-to-hand combat techniques?"
Song Shuhang frowned and said, "Little Brother, who are you? And also… you must have mistaken me for someone else. I am not the Little White you are talking about."
But the young man simply smiled slightly, and ferociously pounced towards Song Shuhang.
Albeit vaguely, Song Shuhang could even see a faint shadow of a ferocious tiger behind him, roaring on the wooded mountain and striking towards his head hard. If he hit the right spot, perhaps his head might break open?
"Tsk, can’t we just have a nice chat?!" Song Shuhang bent his fingers and started clawing towards that young man’s wrist—Basic Fist Number Tree! His claw-like fingers could change at any moment to become blades that would slay his enemies.
"Hehe." That young man laughed. He seemed to have foreseen the change in Song Shuhang’s fist. He suddenly changed his tactic and switched from attacking with his palm to fingers, continuously launching finger attacks at him.
As he attacked with the finger, he managed to make a direct hit at Song Shuhang’s weak point, making Song Shuhang feel extreme pain, forcing him to change his battle strategy.
Song Shuhang changed his ‘claws’ to a straight fist—Basic Fist Number One!
His fists were like heavy artillery, attacking in straightforward manner; no skills were involved, just pure brute power.
"Heh!" That young man continued laughing; his fingers kept turning as fast as lightning, poking at Song Shuhang’s wrist.
Song Shuhang could only feel numbness in his right fist—a heavy and huge force he wielded got broken easily just like that. He rubbed his wrist and quickly retreated two steps backwards.
That young man in a robe did not take the opportunity to attack. He merely looked quietly at Shuhang, and smiled innocently saying, "Again, Little White!"
"Basic Fist Number Two!" Song Shuhang changed his tactic; with fists akin to meteorites, they came attacking violently like a storm towards that young man in a robe. Since he couldn’t win with strength, then he shall win with quantity and speed!
However, that young man’s body was just like a willow in the wind, agilely moving left and right, dodging his attacks.
Song Shuhang’s fists were as fast as lightning, yet he could dodge all of them! He did not get injured at all, not even a little scratch!
Were his fists moving too slowly?
"Hmph!" Song Shuhang ignited the qi and blood power within the Heart Aperture, and continued to display ‘basic fist techniques’ under the qi and blood power. The speed and magnitude of power with which his fists were moving became much higher, similar to a machine gun.
That young man continued wearing a smile on his face as he suddenly jumped upwards, temporarily moving out of Song Shuhang’s range of attack. Thereafter, he continued attacking him with his finger attacks.
His vision was as sharp as a hawk’s eye. He managed to penetrate through Song Shuhang’s storm-like fists and made a direct hit on his right shoulder.
Song Shuhang’s shoulder became numb, and his punches lost their momentum and power. The ‘Basic Fist Number Two’ got broken.
Borrowing the strength from his finger that pushed against Song Shuhang’s shoulder, that young man in a robe leapt into the air, twisted his waist and his whole body spun, building up power before his leg kicked hard at Shuhang like a whip.
Song Shuhang’s attack got broken, moreover, he used up all his strength and he had yet to recover any of it. Hence, he took a solid blow from this kick and flew into midair, then tumbled quite a bit upon landing before the impact force was depleted.
That young man laughed and said, "Little White, once more!"
Is he crazy??
Song Shuhang felt very gloomy and discouraged… however, he had no choice but to continue. If he didn’t make any moves, that young man would beat him up further! He definitely did not like the idea of being beaten up while laying on the ground. In order not to get beaten, he had to defend himself!
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Fifteen minutes later, Song Shuhang had already performed the entire <> once from start to end, but he still did not manage to touch the young man at all—not even a corner of his clothes.
Every time he made a move, the young man ultimately could hit his weak point with his finger no matter which technique (1, 2 or 3) Song Shuhang used. His fingers were like ‘'Nine Swords of Dugu’—every time he pointed, his finger would accurately hit the weak point of his fist technique, breaking it. [1]
Thanks to him, Song Shuhang found out all the flaws in his fist technique. He would definitely do something to make up for the weak points and flaws when he performs it next time
Another fifteen minutes went by.
He completed another round of <>. However, just like the previous time, he could not touch the young man at all. And, likewise, his attacks got disabled by the other’s finger. Song Shuhang had no idea how many times he got poked by him—his entire body was just numb.
"Hehe." That young man laughed and said the same thing again, "Once more, Little White!"
"Basic Fist Number Two!" Song Shuhang bit the bullet. He realized that the Basic Fist Number Two was the most effective against this young man’s ‘'Nine Swords of Dugu’-like attack.
The only reason why he continued to be defeated was because the speed and number of his punches was not enough.
Regardless of whether it was using sheer force, absolute speed, or peerless skill, as long as either one of them reached the highest point, it would produce extraordinary results.
Song Shuhang thought that he might as well not use other fist techniques and just channel all his power as much as he could to activate his Heart Aperture’s qi and blood and use only the ‘Basic Fist Number Two’ to do a full-out attack. Then, he began his attack, no longer caring about anything.
After about an hour later…
Song Shuhang sprawled on the ground, unable to get up.
After his whole body got poked by the young man’s finger, it was like he got electrocuted—his body wouldn’t stop twitching.
"Aye aye, Little White, today’s training concludes here. I’ll look for you tomorrow and we can play together again!" The young man laughed and propped himself on top of the horse.
Following the ting-a-ling sound from the horse’s bell, the young man quickly disappeared from Song Shuhang’s sight.
"Don’t be like that, if you wanna go, at least take me with you!" Song Shuhang shouted as loud as he could from behind, but his entirely numb body could not get up at all.
He could only lie on the ground, twitching. And thereafter, he watched helplessly as the young man left without a trace.
Just what was going on?
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Song Shuhang lay on the hot sand and rested for quite some time. The red spots on his body created by the young man finally vanished. He recovered his strength, and stood up with much difficulty.
Bastard, Song Shuhang cussed him out in his mind. How could he beat someone up and then ditch them behind in the desert without a single care?
Don’t let me see you again, or else…or else….crap, even if I meet him, I don’t think I’d be able to defeat him?
If he met him again, he wouldn’t be able to deal with him.
"Ting-a-ling~~"
A series of melodious sleigh bells sounded.
Song Shuhang looked ahead—he could see a young man in a green robe and a white horse swiftly approaching him from afar.
He finally found his conscience and came back for me? Song Shuhang thought to himself.
"Little White, where did you run off to, I thought you lost your way," the young man in a robe stood in front of Song Shuhang, grinning radiantly.
Wait, why does that sound very familiar?
"We met earlier, okay!" Song Shuhang snapped.
However, that young man ignored Song Shuhang’s complaint. He pulled his horse aside and said to Song Shuhang, "Little White, shall we train saber techniques?"
"Again? I just finished practicing hand-to-hand combat techniques with you, my body is about to fall apart! Additionally, I’ve never learned saber techniques before, how do I practice it with you?" Song Shuhang roared at him. Furthermore, didn’t you say earlier that you’d look for me a day later? Why did you come running after me so soon?
But that young man seemed like he didn’t hear what Song Shuhang said, and pulled out two identical long sabers and threw one of them to Song Shuhang.
The blade was shiny and sharp. One look and you can tell that it was a saber of a very good quality!
Song Shuhang snorted—since you refused to listen to my words, why should I suffer with you? He retreated a step back, and the saber fell right before his body.
Song Shuhang folded his arms, gesturing that he did not want to comply.
This is exactly what was meant by ‘you cannot clap with one hand’.
[1] TL/N: Reference to the formidable nine independent sword stances created by the character, Dugu Qiubai in Jin Yong’s novels.