Chapter 103: Awakening of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms
Ant and Feng Wen, who were watching the battle from afar, had stars in their eyes when they saw Shuang Tong using his techniques.
"Shuang Tong looks really handsome," Ant's eyes squinted like crescent moons.
Feng Wen nodded vigorously, "Especially when he shouts out the name of the technique, just like in *The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber*."
They had completely turned into two little fanboys.
Shuang Tong's figure danced gracefully amidst the frost, swirling frost flowers flying around, coupled with his flowing white hair, indeed resembling a performance.
A beautiful flower on the ice.
"They fight like they're dancing."
"Or maybe our Shuang Tong dances more beautifully. Look at that weirdo, his foot even kicked from behind his head to his chest, snake-like."
Their close combat techniques were indeed different from ordinary brawls. Most people's attacks looked barbaric and brutal, full of a killing aura.
But these two seemed to value technique more.
Every part of Fold's body seemed capable of attacking, his limbs moving like cotton swabs, able to attack from different angles.
Shuang Tong didn't seem worried about being attacked because frost flowers floated around his body. As long as someone touched the frost flowers, they would freeze, so he continued to maintain that seemingly ancient and mysterious dance, circling around Fold.
But it must be said, the Soft Tribe's close combat ability was really strong. Every collision, Fold vibrated strangely, quickly shaking off the ice formed where he was hit. Ordinary people's bodies couldn't possibly produce such vibrations, so Shuang Tong's ice couldn't freeze him temporarily.
On the other side, Shuang Tong's Bai Ze Beast also began fighting with Fold's giant beast. Fold's beast was a huge water vine covered with strange thorns, each thorn as sharp as a spear, but these thorns were also strange, sometimes soft and sometimes hard, making their attacks very flexible.
The frost around the Bai Ze Beast became heavier and heavier, enveloping the strange vine in a white mist, making it impossible to see what was happening inside.
Shuang Tong and Fold's bodies collided crazily, then separated, leaving ice debris all over the ground.
Never seen such a beautiful and strange way of fighting, Ant and Feng Wen watched without blinking.
Fold's fight was neither fast nor slow, his purpose was clear: to delay until reinforcements arrived.
Shuang Tong's attacks were also neither fast nor slow, graceful as if dancing on ice.
But suddenly, Shuang Tong stopped attacking and said without raising his head, "You've lost."
Fold was stunned. The battle just now could be said to have been conducted with order in offense and defense. He was just delaying time, so how could he be said to have lost? Was he being deceitful?
Shuang Tong actually turned around and walked away, his expression cold and unchanged throughout.
Shuang Tong's voice came from his cold and proud figure, "The Soft Tribe's close combat ability is indeed very powerful, but I never said I was comparing close combat skills with you."
He had used his techniques from the beginning, but the other party always thought they were just comparing close combat skills.
The Soft Tribe emphasized close combat and hardly used techniques, but this was also their weakness. In this world, bloodline was supreme, and it was the world of techniques.
Shuang Tong continued, "My Frost Tribe has roamed the earth, fighting with the Three Great Citys for world domination. Your Soft Tribe didn't even have a name back then."
Peripheral Tribes that survived without attaching themselves to the five major forces were not to be underestimated. Otherwise, Zhuang Yu wouldn't have tried so hard to win them over.
Fold listened dumbfoundedly. What was this guy talking about? It made their distinguished Soft Tribe, such a large Tribe, seem inferior to a mere peripheral Tribe.
Tribes without background were like this. Even if they had a large population, some secrets on the earth were just unknown to them. Only those ancient Tribes that had survived through endless ages knew how glorious some peripheral Tribes' pasts were.
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms were famous throughout the earth, and their reputation back then was no worse than that of the current Twelve War Tribes. It's just that time, ah, had covered up all these things in the long years.
In Fold's heart, this guy Shuang Tong was just a poser, probably more of a poser than the entire Soft Tribe combined.
Looking like he's really something, but in the end, it's fists that speak in fights.
He was about to chase after him.
But suddenly, the ice debris on the ground jumped up.
Fold was stunned. When did he find himself in the midst of these ice debris?
Right, just now Shuang Tong had been attacking him in a way that looked very ancient.
Before he could react, there was a "sizzle" sound of freezing.
With Fold as the center, the entire space was frozen, turning into a flower.
If viewed from the sky, it would look exactly like the lotus flowers in the moat of the Red Great City, except that this flower is entirely made of ice crystals and is much larger.
Inside the transparent ice lotus, Fold's face still wore an incredulous expression. So... was Shuang Tong's initial attacks just to conceal his technique? He knew that relying solely on frost flowers wouldn't be able to freeze him.
Shuang Tong shook his flowing white hair. Even when he started the battle, he shouted out the name of the technique so handsomely. How could this person not notice anything?
Ant and Feng Wen ran over excitedly, holding their heads and shouting, "Shuang Tong, you look so handsome."
They were totally two little fanboys.
Even though Shuang Tong's mouth twitched imperceptibly, his natural temperament remained.
Ant and Feng Wen walked around the large block of ice. "This technique is so beautiful, just like the lotus flowers we grow."
Ant even licked the ice, "It would be perfect if we added some honey. How many ice pops could we make? What a waste."
Feng Wen poked the black shadow inside with a small stone spear a few times. "Let's knock him out and cover him in blood."
Unfortunately, the ice layer was too thick, and the stone spear didn't leave a mark on it.
Ant quickly stopped Feng Wen, who was trying to smash the opponent's face, "Let's keep this person for now and study how he twists his body."
After saying that, they imitated the movements of the person inside the ice, twisting their arms.
"Ouch, it hurts so much, can't even twist properly."
It seemed not anyone could be a water snake.
Meanwhile, the battle between the Bai Ze Beast and the strange water vine had also ended. The Bai Ze Beast elegantly emerged from the white mist, dispersing the frost and revealing the water vine inside frozen into ice bars.
Ant and Feng Wen were still planning to study this Soft Tribe member, but the guardians of the Red Great City appeared and took Fold away. If he didn't show up, the Red Great City would lose a great genius.
The guardian who came from the Red Great City was from the Coffin Bear Tribe. He looked at Shuang Tong with some surprise. "So the Frost Tribe is actually a remnant of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms. The Frost Dance is indeed well-deserved."
Shuang Tong remained silent. No matter what he said, his Frost Tribe was no longer as prestigious as during the era of the Three Great Citys.
Ant and Feng Wen were a little regretful. They hadn't had time to study the opponent's twisting technique, and the person was taken away.
But... it seemed like they had occupied this mountain peak.
They were now at the summit.
The two of them couldn't stop laughing.
Standing on the mountaintop, Shuang Tong knew that the real battle had just begun. It wouldn't be easy to hold this place.
The Bai Ze Beast opened its mouth, and the frost in its mouth formed a white column of smoke, spewing down from the mountaintop. Before long, the entire mountain peak was shrouded in white frost.
Now all they had to do was defend.
Together with the mountain occupied by Yu Shi and Feng Hou, this was the second mountain peak seized by the Red Great City.
Moreover, they were not far from seizing the third mountain peak.
At the Ye Chao, the entire mountain was enveloped in a swarm of insects. They were a kind of green-winged insects, spitting saliva towards the mountain.
The green mucous was falling like rain.
The entire mountain was raining green, filled with a corrosive stench.
The guardians of the Red Great City covering their noses, avoiding the green liquid falling from the sky, their faces getting darker and darker because the fellow from the Ye Chao hadn't even come up the mountain but was standing at the foot of it.
"Should we go down the mountain to deal with him?"
"But who will guard the mountain?"
This fellow should be Ye Chao from the Abdomen Insect Tribe. When he was very young, he mastered the infamous Abdomen Insect Tribe's technique, descending upon the world of insects, becoming a great genius, exceptionally talented, and famous for a while.
It could be said that Ye Chao became a great genius at the youngest age among the peripheral Tribes.
Over these years, this fellow's strength had probably improved quite a bit.
To deal with a great genius, the great geniuses guarding the mountain would have to take action, or else it would be futile to go down.
On the mountaintop, the great genius from the Red Great City frowned as he looked into the distance. Although the sky was covered with nauseating green insects and he couldn't see far, he murmured to himself. They had been attacked by Ye Chao for so long, why hadn't the supporting great geniuses arrived?
It could be said that the entry of the Princess disrupted all the deployments of the Red Great City.
This unexpected event, no one knew in advance, because no one expected someone above a great genius to come in. Otherwise, other forces would definitely arrange for such powerful individuals to enter, and at that time, casualties would be truly unpredictable.
At this moment, the situation in the Red Great City seems unclear, but don't forget, the entry of the Princess was to help the Qirin seize territory. With the unexpected appearance of the Su Nu, no one can guarantee the outcome.
Guarding this mountain peak is a great genius from the Thousand Hands Tribe named Sleeve Arrow.
His attire is somewhat similar to Ye Chao's, except Ye Chao wears baggy beach pants underneath and a furry beast-skin coat on top with very long and wide sleeves. On the other hand, Sleeve Arrow wears tight-fitting beast-skin pants underneath and a furry beast-skin coat on top with equally long and wide sleeves.
Sleeve Arrow frowned. Great geniuses also have their pride. After being provoked for so long, if they still don't engage in battle, it would be a joke.
Support won't arrive, and he doesn't want to wait anymore.
Unexpectedly, Sleeve Arrow leaped down the mountain without warning.
The remaining people from the Red Great City opened their mouths, "How will we defend without you?"
Before the words could be spoken, the sky was covered with green insects, seemingly losing some threat and starting to press towards the mountaintop.
The nauseating insects, impossible to kill no matter how much one tries, is why the descent of the Abdomen Insect Tribe's Insect Realm was so abhorrent.
Seemingly oblivious to the mountaintop's cries, Sleeve Arrow knew that unless Ye Chao was defeated, those insects would be endless, and killing them would be futile.
Across the vast land, endless mountain ranges and jungles would only continue to replenish these insects for Ye Chao.
So, in fact, while in the Red Great City, Ye Chao's power was greatly restricted. Where in the desert could there be so many places infested with dense forests of insects?
It could be said that this place was his paradise.
Both Ye Chao and Sleeve Arrow are silent characters.
Ye Chao widened his eyes. "Here they come."
However, beneath their silent exteriors, Ye Chao's inner thoughts were quite active. Last time, he unexpectedly ranked last, scoring zero in both literary and martial examinations. This blow to Ye Chao, who had been hailed as a genius since childhood, was quite significant, experiencing such a setback for the first time.
But he had already overcome it. So what if he ranked last? Exams aren't just once.
This time, he would prove to everyone that his early fame wasn't just empty talk.
Sleeve Arrow grunted in acknowledgment, also not speaking. The name Ye Chao was renowned not only among the peripheral Tribes but also among their five major factions, making quite a stir.
He wanted to see for himself why a member of a peripheral Tribe dared to challenge the great geniuses of their five major factions.
Oddly enough, Ye Chao added, "I heard your Thousand Hands Tribe is preparing to become one of the new Twelve War Tribes."
With the White Pupil Tribe wiped out, it can be said that they have already gained fame from the Twelve War Tribes. And the most likely replacement would be the Thousand Hands Tribe of the Red Great City.
Puzzlingly, Sleeve Arrow didn't understand the meaning behind these words.
Ye Chao's expression was inscrutable as he added, "It seems like... all sorts of chaotic Tribes are trying to join the Twelve War Tribes."
Sleeve Arrow's forehead wrinkled as if to crush a mosquito. This was definitely provocation. A peripheral Tribe dared to provoke the Thousand Hands Tribe, which was about to become one of the Twelve War Tribes.
Incredibly unbelievable, but it was happening right before his eyes.
Sleeve Arrow raised his head. "I thought you weren't such a boring person."
Both being silent characters, it could be said that understanding oneself is understanding the other. No matter how one looks, neither of them seemed like someone who would engage in such matters with words. Whether the Thousand Hands Tribe could become a new battle Tribe wouldn't be determined by words alone.
Ye Chao didn't say anything else. Instead, he said, "You'll soon find out why I said that."
Ye Chao closed his eyes, then opened them again. Both of his eyes turned into the upright eyes of animals, brown upright eyes identical to those of wild beasts.
As Ye Chao opened his eyes, the insects in the sky and on the ground emitted cries, filled with vitality, as if awakening from slumber.
The air was filled with the sound of insects.
Sleeve Arrow was stunned, seeming to realize something. Then, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. "Awakening of Insects. The thunder of spring begins to sound, awakening the insects dormant beneath the earth. Your bloodline talent is Awakening of Insects."
And those who possess such a bloodline talent are only from the unparalleled Twenty-Four Solar Terms Tribe during the era of the Three Great Citys.
No wonder Ye Chao's talent is so strong. A small age, but his name spread far and wide because his bloodline is a remnant of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms during the era of the Three Great Citys.
The Awakening of Insects, one of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, ranks third.
Sleeve Arrow also probably understood why Ye Chao said what he did earlier. One is a Tribe about to become one of the new Twelve War Tribes, the other was a similar existence in the past.
It could be said that the significance of this battle seemed to have changed somewhat.
Sleeve Arrow raised his head, "The Twenty-Four Solar Terms have long ceased to exist, disappearing into the long years. Now it's the era of the Twelve War Tribes."
Ye Chao responded softly, "Is it?"
The smell of gunpowder in the air erupted instantly.
Ye Chao was the first to act, opening his mouth as colorful butterflies flew out of it. His body resembled a nest, mouth facing the sky as groups of butterflies shot upward like a fountain, spraying not water but colorful butterflies.
Brilliant and colorful, yet incredibly eerie.
Such a strange technique.
It's said that ancient Tribes preserved some peculiar techniques, and it seems to be true.
Butterflies fluttered, filling the entire space. They looked pretty, but anyone could imagine that beneath this beauty lay infinite killing intent.
Sleeve Arrow also moved, "Although I'm not the most famous genius of the Thousand Hands Tribe, I'm also listed in the weapons repertoire of my Thousand Hands Tribe."
The names of people from the Thousand Hands Tribe are quite strange. Their names are not fixed but ranked according to strength to obtain their unique name in a weapons repertoire.
For example, Sleeve Arrow is a name in the weapons repertoire, while those without rankings have names like those of Tribes on the earth.
Sleeve Arrow's hair began to grow rapidly until it reached the ground. This is the bloodline ability of the Thousand Hands Tribe.
Then those hair strands burrowed into Sleeve Arrow's long and large sleeves. When they emerged again, each hair strand was wrapped with a small knife at its tip.
Suddenly, the hair strands surged forth, carrying small knives like waterfalls, stabbing toward the sky filled with colorful butterflies. "Today I'll tell you why my Thousand Hands Tribe can become one of the new Twelve War Tribes."
In addition to requiring a massive population, the Twelve War Tribes also need exceptionally strong bloodline abilities.
Many people and strong bloodlines represent true strength.
The waterfall-like small knives danced in the sky, while colorful butterflies covered the sky.
Such a splendid battle was extremely rare.
Blood, green blood.
It was Sleeve Arrow who manipulated the knives to pierce the butterflies in the sky, leaving behind the green blood.
Seemingly showing off, almost every knife had pierced a butterfly, and Sleeve Arrow looked quite strange. Baring teeth and brandishing claws?
The green blood on the knives stained the strands of hair as they flowed down.
Ye Chao raised his head, seemingly unsurprised at all. "Thousand-Handed Manipulation, as expected."
It was Sleeve Arrow who was taken aback. The opponent knew he could kill these butterflies, so why did he still use such an attacking method?
Just as he was thinking, suddenly, drops of green blood from the knives dripped onto the ground, and strange insect sounds emanated from beneath the entire earth.
The sound of rustling continued incessantly.
Groups of insects began to crawl out from beneath the earth-blood-red scorpions, green ants, crimson-black centipedes...
All kinds of insects rushed to devour the green blood spilled on the ground.
The sky was the same, various flying insects and moths rushed over as if mad.
The entire earth, the entire sky of insects seemed to have gone crazy because of this green blood.
Sleeve Arrow's eyes narrowed. There was a problem with this blood.
The key was that a lot of this green blood had stuck to his hair strands, and Ye Chao did it deliberately, deliberately making him use Thousand-Handed Manipulation to kill these butterflies.
Ye Chao raised his head, "Struggle amidst the endless pursuit of insects. Technique, the Awakening of Insects from the Twenty-Four Solar Terms."
The insects surged endlessly, closing in on Sleeve Arrow.
Where Sleeve Arrow was located, a pile of frenzied insects had formed.
The spring thunder begins to sound, awakening the insects dormant beneath the earth, known as the Awakening of Insects.