"Damn it! Fire Kirin Devours the Sun!"
Seeing the Xueyin Mad Blade in Daniel Davis's hands, combined with how effortlessly Daniel had dismantled his Fire Kirin Sword technique earlier, Duanlang's rage surged uncontrollably. Without hesitation, he unleashed the most powerful move of his Sun-Eclipsing Sword Technique.
For Duanlang, nothing was more unbearable than being looked down upon, especially when facing the Nie family's Xueyin Blade. At this moment, he was consumed by hatred and the desire to tear Daniel apart. To him, Daniel's calm demeanor was nothing short of mockery and contempt.
Nie Feng had always treated Duanlang with kindness, so why did Duanlang harbor such a deep desire to kill him? The answer lay in Duanlang's own twisted perception. Deep down, he believed Nie Feng's kindness was insincere, a façade masking ridicule. This hatred, in some ways, surpassed even the grudge he held against Bu Jingyun.
To Duanlang, everyone who cared for him was hypocritical. Even the kindest face became grotesque when viewed through the lens of his paranoia and delusions.
"What power... It's clear that a world's ceiling is determined by its rules," Daniel thought to himself.
As the fiery sword energy formed a dense web of scorching heat around him, sealing off an area several meters wide, Daniel couldn't help but compare this world to others he had experienced. The difference was striking. For instance, although The Legend of Qin was also a martial arts world, its power scale paled in comparison to Wind and Cloud.
If Duanlang were placed in the Legend of Qin, his current strength—bolstered by the Fire Kirin Sword and the Sun-Eclipsing Sword Technique—would rival that of its top-tier masters. While he might still fall short of figures like Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang, he would undoubtedly stand above the likes of Tian Meng. From this perspective, Xiongba's strength likely rivaled that of Donghuang Taiyi or Guiguzi.
In terms of martial arts cultivation and realms, Duanlang, Xiongba, and others lacked the refinement of masters like Gai Nie or Wei Zhuang. However, in terms of sheer combat power, they were in a different league altogether—courtesy of this world's rules.
It was akin to the world of One Piece, where physical techniques could reach unbelievable heights. This disparity was simply a matter of different universal frameworks.
"It seems that in this world, martial arts cultivation realms don't matter much. Apart from Nameless, most people don't seem to care about such concepts. Three Feet of Ice!"
While these thoughts flashed through his mind, Daniel moved. With a swift horizontal slash of the Xueyin Mad Blade, an overwhelming wave of icy energy swept out. In an instant, the fiery sword web created by Duanlang's Sun-Eclipsing Sword Technique dissolved into nothingness.
Clang!
The Xueyin Blade collided with the Fire Kirin Sword, and the impact sent Duanlang flying nearly ten meters through the air. A large mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips as he struggled to maintain his grip on the Fire Kirin Sword, which almost slipped from his hand.
Landing heavily on the ground, Duanlang struggled to get up. Using the Fire Kirin Sword as support, he barely managed to rise to a crouching position, his face pale and his breathing labored.
Daniel glanced at the pitiful sight of Duanlang and turned away without a word, leaving him behind. Since Daniel had no intention of killing Duanlang for now, there was no need to waste any more time or effort on him.
If it had been Wind or Cloud standing before him, Daniel might have taken the opportunity to forge a friendship. But Duanlang? It wasn't worth it.
Duanlang watched Daniel's retreating back with burning resentment. To him, it was always the same. Everyone in the martial arts world only ever saw Wind and Cloud. No one ever looked at him, the son of the Southern Sword Master.
What Duanlang failed to realize was that the root of this exclusion wasn't Wind or Cloud but himself. His arrogance when dealing with those weaker than him, his disdain for genuine camaraderie, and his scheming nature left him isolated. Under such circumstances, it was no surprise that others avoided him.
Even Daniel was no exception. After all, who would prefer to befriend someone treacherous, ungrateful, and willing to betray others at a moment's notice over someone righteous and loyal? Most people would know exactly whom to choose.
"What a pity."
As Daniel carried the Xueyin Blade away, he couldn't help but think about Duanlang. He was debating what to do with him in the future—kill him outright or try to make use of him. After a brief moment of contemplation, Daniel made up his mind: killing him would be the better option.
In his past life, many fans of Wind and Cloud speculated that Duanlang might have been different if he had met the right mentor or influence. While this might have been true, the reality was that such a transformation would have been exceedingly difficult.
It wasn't as though Duanlang had never encountered good people. Nie Feng had always treated him as a close friend, even when Duanlang repeatedly schemed against him or tried to kill him. And yet, Duanlang's eventual betrayal of Nie Feng spoke volumes about his character.
Some people could change for the better—like Po Jun—but Duanlang was not one of them. Even Nie Feng couldn't change him, and Daniel certainly had no obligation to try. He briefly considered using more forceful methods, like Double Soul Hands or Conversion of the Unyielding Will, to brainwash Duanlang into submission.
However, Daniel quickly dismissed the idea. Duanlang simply wasn't worth such an effort. If he were going to invest energy in reforming someone, he'd be better off finding someone like Huaimie, who was far superior in every way.
"They seek destruction, not longevity."
With a shake of his head, Daniel let go of his thoughts about Duanlang. In the original story, Duanlang might have had some time to enjoy his brief rise, but now that Daniel was here, even that opportunity had been snatched away. As for schemes like the Seven Weapons to Slay the Dragon, they were completely unnecessary. Empyrean Deva's elaborate planning was born out of his personal weakness.
If he had been strong enough, he could have slain the dragon himself without the need for any Seven Weapons.
Turning his focus back to the martial arts of this world, Daniel analyzed what he had observed so far. The Sun-Eclipsing Sword Technique was undoubtedly powerful. The Xuanwu True Power, even more so, stood far above the former. However, both techniques lacked any emphasis on martial cultivation or enlightenment.
The Xuanwu True Power had an additional issue—it triggered latent killing intent with each use of its ultimate moves. Over time, this could overwhelm the user, potentially leading them to lose themselves entirely.
Daniel also recalled other powerful techniques from later in the story, such as the Red Fire Divine Skill, which had devastating power but came with incredible risks.
Other notorious techniques, like the Iron Hand, required forging one's heart anew. The Five Thunder Extremes Hand demanded the dissolution of one's inner power—a flaw that spelled Empyrean Deva's eventual downfall.
Even Xiao Sanxiao's Myriad Paths of Senluo and Heaven-Shaking Four Absolutes were riddled with weaknesses despite their immense strength. While impressive, none of these martial arts truly tempted Daniel.
For most martial artists in the Wind and Cloud world, power was everything. They practiced martial arts to gain fame, dominate the world, or satisfy their ambition, even at the cost of becoming heartless or cruel. For someone like the Emperor's Shadow, who embodied righteousness, even his wife and children met tragic fates. For them, the danger wasn't the side effects of a technique—it was whether the technique was strong enough.
Knife Emperor, for instance, spent decades trying to elevate his second daughter above all others.
In contrast, martial arts in worlds like The Legend of Qin or The Outcast emphasized personal growth, the pursuit of knowledge, or even immortality. As a result, these techniques rarely came with serious side effects.
Daniel had no interest in techniques with fatal flaws. He already had the Xuanwu True Power, a top-tier martial art even in the later stages of the story. As long as he avoided its ultimate killing moves, he could sidestep its risks entirely.
Moreover, Daniel wasn't interested in simply copying martial arts. His goal was to assimilate and adapt what he learned into his own system of abilities, crafting something uniquely suited to himself.
"Poor Xiongba. He's really brought his downfall upon himself."
After leaving Lingyun Cave, Daniel didn't immediately head for Tian Xia Hui. Instead, he found a serene mountain valley and used Wood Release to build a small courtyard. There, he temporarily settled down to train, study the materials he had collected from the Fire Kirin, and gather intelligence about the martial arts world.
In the meantime, Xiongba was enduring what might be the most grueling period of his life. Although he had recently conquered Wushuang City—a victory worth celebrating—his triumph was short-lived. The Sword Saint had challenged him, and though Xiongba ultimately prevailed, he had been severely injured in the process.
On top of that, Qin Shuang's betrayal had dealt a heavy blow to Tian Xia Hui. Anyone with a discerning eye could
see that the organization was on a downward spiral.
"Villains here really have a knack for digging their own graves."
Xiongba, who had the easiest fate to change, ultimately brought about his own downfall by alienating everyone around him. Empyrean Deva, on the other hand, could have survived and continued his schemes had he not been so reckless. Instead of wasting time on unnecessary plans, he could have hidden away with the Dragon Essence and quietly researched the fusion of Phoenix Blood and Dragon Essence. Even if Tianmen were destroyed, Empyrean Deva could have rebuilt it if he had remained alive.
And then there was Duanlang—an even more tragic case. Other villains like Xiongba, Absolute Godless, and Empyrean Deva had all stood at the peak of power for a significant time, enjoying their dominance. Duanlang, by contrast, spent most of his life being crushed. Even when he finally rose to prominence, his reign lasted less than three episodes before his defeat.
Reflecting on this, Daniel chuckled. "Duanlang's name really should have been 'Duanfengyun'—that might have changed his destiny."
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