Stranger Danger-Chapter 1277: Boundless Hand, Loulan Slash

Tak. Tak. Tak.

It was at this moment a crisp sound rang. At the same time, the crowd parted uncontrollably toward both sides to reveal a man wearing a conical bamboo hat and a woven rush raincoat. He was slowly making his way over using a bamboo staff.

The crisp sound was the man’s bamboo staff striking the ground.

“That’s... the Blind Hero...”

“Yep. That’s the forty-fifth warrior on the Earth Champions Ranking, the Blind Hero...”

“This should be a longer match... right?!”

“I doubt it. Have you forgotten how the Blind Hero fights?”

“Huh... huh, you’re right. Dammit!”

“Wrong. A true fight between warriors should be decided in an instant. The kind that goes back and forth is just a flashy performance at best.”

The crowd was still talking when the Blind Hero reached Ye Qing. She stopped about one meter away from him before saluting him, saying, “I am Xie Loulan. A pleasure to meet you, Mad Lord!”

Ye Qing returned the salute, “You too, Miss Xie.”

Yes, Xie Loulan was a blind woman. But despite her gender and disability, she was more heroic and righteous than most men. She loathed evil and actively fought against injustices. She killed demons and Strangers and enforced justice. She was also upright and honest. Because she was blind since childhood, the jianghu came to call her the Blind Hero.

After removing her hat and raincoat and setting them aside, she said, “I have come today to seek out your guidance and only your guidance, Mad Lord. I hope you will teach me without reservation!”

“Very well.”

In Ye Qing’s demonic thought, Xie Loulan’s heart was as pure as the bright moon. Not a hint of darkness or taint could be seen anywhere. She was a woman who automatically induced affection without trying. “Come at me!”

Xie Loulan spoke no more. Turning a little, she clenched her left hand a little and thrust it forward.

It looked like a simple push, but it really contained infinite variation. The hand strike possessed the fullness of a palm, the viciousness of a claw, the agility of a finger, and even the oppressiveness of a punch. It was a move that felt like innumerable techniques.

The next moment, the innumerable techniques became one like the infinite universe, an endless space containing countless lives and objects. Everything returned to infinity eventually where neither boundaries nor egos existed.

Hence, the technique was called the “Boundless Hand”.

“The Boundless Hand that vanishes all enemies? Well met!”

Ye QIng’s eyes lit up slightly as he clenched his fist and gathered all of his true qi, astral qi, and force into one point.

If Xie Loulan’s Boundless Hand was the infinite universe, capable of accommodating anything and everything, then his punch was the purest punch. Nothing more, nothing less just like the number one.

Thump!

Fist met palm, and an echo rumbled throughout the world. Those standing closest to the combatants were immediately beset by a pounding headache and a wave of dizziness.

They weren’t willing to take even half a step backward despite their condition though. Instead, they opened their eyes wide and stared fixatedly at the point where fist met palm.

At first glance, it looked like there was nothing special about the clash. In reality, there existed profoundness between the miniscule space between palm and fist; heaven and earth in less than an inch.

Xie Loulan’s Boundless Hand was becoming simpler over time, going from infinity to one. On the other hand, Ye Qing’s fist was becoming more complicated over time, going from one to infinity. Tao gives birth to one. One gives birth to two. Two gives birth to three. Three gives birth to all things and all beings.

Incredibly, the martial intent of their techniques had completely reversed upon clashing.

And yet, was it not perfectly natural for the world to trade places and roles sometimes?

Xie Loulan’s understanding of her Boundless Hand was probably on par with Ye Qing’s understanding of his own fist, but unfortunately for her, Ye Qing was physically much, much stronger. Therefore, the stalemate only lasted an instant before Ye Qing’s fist intent broke and suppressed her Boundless Hand.

Despite this, Xie Loulan did not panic. She tilted her head slightly so that her right ear was pointed toward Ye Qing. She seemed to be listening or searching for something.

When Xie Loulan’s Boundless Hand was completely scattered by Ye Qing’s fist intent, she pulled out a thin, long sprout saber from her bamboo staff and slashed diagonally.

The saber was 133 cm long. Just like Xie Loulan herself, it was named the Loulan Saber.

The Loulan Saber was deadly, but the slash it just unleashed was even deadlier.

The angle of this slash was unusual, and the technique crafty to an extreme. It felt as unusual as an antelope hanging on tree branches using its horns, but also as common as the sun and moon crossing the sky simultaneously.

It was like a snowflake suddenly encountering the blazing sun. Ye Qing’s fist intent instantly melted before the slash.

Not only that, Xie Loulan’s slash was navigating through the narrow crevices that were the weak spots of Ye Qing’s force and energy. The timing of the slash was impeccable as well, targeted at the lull between Ye Qing’s energies.

Like a comet, the slash cut open the profound light surrounding Ye Qing before the spectators could react. Then, it cut open Ye Qing’s energies and spirit as well. Now, there was nothing left between the slash and Ye Qing’s neck.

“Is Ye Qing about to lose?”

Restlessness rippled across the crowd as their eyes widened. They could not seem to believe what they were seeing.

Thang!

It was at this moment a soft thang echoed throughout the arena. Everything paused for an instant before disappearing just as quickly.

By the time the people recovered their wits, they realized that Xie Loulan’s Loulan Saber had come to a stop just a finger away from Ye Qing’s neck.

It was a literal finger. A pair of fingers was pincering the blade, and one of them was pressed up against Ye Qing’s neck.

It was just a finger of distance, and yet it might as well be an endless ocean; a bottomless chasm; the gap between heaven and earth. Insurmountable.

“I lost.”

Xie Loulan exhaled deeply before declaring frankly.

“It was a good match.”

Ye Qing released his grip before adding, “Your Wind Listening Art and Loulan Slash deserve their reputation.”

The Blind Hero Xie Loulan were known for her three techniques: the Boundless Hand, the Wind Listening Art, and the Loulan Slash.

The Boundless Hand that vanishes all enemies was imposing, grand, and boundless. It was a straightforward technique that overwhelmed her enemies via brute force and pressure.

The Wind Listening Art allowed her to identify positions, weaknesses in one’s energies, circulation of one’s true qi and astral qi, and the surrounding world. Thanks to this technique, Xie Loulan was more sensitive than your average person despite being blind.

Finally, the Loulan Slash was a slash that could cut Loulan. Sharp and unstoppable, it boasted infinite potency when combined with the Wind Listening Art. It allowed her to target the chinks between her opponent’s armor and slay them.

Whenever Xie Loulan engaged someone in a life-or-death battle, these were the three moves she used. If she did not win after the three moves, then it would be her defeat; her death.

Earlier, after Ye Qing blocked her Boundless Hand, she had relied on the Wind Listening Art to find the weakest spots of his energies and qi and identify its circulation patterns. Then, she unleashed her Loulan Slash based on the information she gathered and was able to cut through most of his defenses like a hot knife through butter. Even considering the gap between their cultivation, he had not been able to defend himself against it. It was truly profound.

That said, what Xie Loulan recognized wasn’t necessarily the truth. Had he allowed the slash to land on his neck, the most it would do was cut his skin and bleed him a little. It wouldn’t do any damage to him at all.

That was why he chose to block the attack. Xie Loulan deserved at least that much respect.

After that, well, there was no after that. Xie Loulan had unleashed her greatest trump cards and failed to deal him a serious blow. Therefore, there was no need to continue this fight.

Xie Loulan saluted him. “Thank you for the compliment. I am ashamed to accept it.”

Then, before she even finished her sentence, Xie Loulan abruptly slashed at Ye Qing.