The Miscalculation Born of a Misunderstanding

Si Ming said, "You look familiar. Where have we met before?"

The other person smiled and said, "I saw you from afar on the day I registered for the Martial King Cup, and I suppose you saw me around the same time."

Those who can participate in the Martial King Cup are all extraordinary individuals. Si Ming put away his casual attitude and asked, "May I ask your name?"

"Gu Xinglie, the 'Soaring Sky Sword,' please enlighten me."

Chapter 644 Miscalculation Due to Misunderstanding

"Soaring Sky Sword Gu Xinglie, that name sounds familiar, like I've heard it somewhere before?"

"Does this guy actually have any real skills? Don't let him be like that weirdo from before, who went into the ring and didn't do anything productive, instead wasting time chatting."

"Ignorant fools, have you all forgotten? Five years ago, the Heavenly Firmament Swordmaster publicly recruited disciples, and the last one, a fifteen-year-old boy from a hunter's family, defeated many noble families and poor scholars to win the competition. That boy's name was Gu Xinglie."

"According to you, his Swordsmanship was already outstanding five years ago. After being taught by the Heavenly Firmament Swordmaster, wouldn't he be unparalleled? With such strength, why didn't he join the school team?"

"So you're all ignorant and narrow-minded, only focused on the school's limited resources, like frogs in a well. Do you think everyone wants to join the school team? Others join the team to receive the school's resources for cultivation, but those disciples of Spirit Transformation Grandmaster don't lack those things. Gu Xinglie joined the army two years ago and has been fighting against the Demon Race on the front line of coastal defense for many years. The name 'Soaring Sky Sword' was earned in these two years and is extremely well-known in the army. Countless powerful figures at the top are paying attention to him, only you outsiders don't know this."

"This Soaring Sky Sword used to be a soldier, but today he came to the school specifically to challenge someone. It seems he intends to use this battle as a springboard to enter the public eye. As the saying goes, 'Ten years of honing a sword goes unnoticed, but one moment of fame brings it to the world.'"

Even most of the Nation of Valor students had never heard of Gu Xinglie's name, so Si Ming was even less familiar with him. However, whether he was a true expert or just a show-off could be discerned simply by looking at him. In any case, the intense killing intent emanating from the other party was undeniable. To cultivate such a level of killing intent, one must engage in bloody battles year after year; otherwise, even sparring and fighting with others every day would not achieve the same effect.

Si Ming couldn't do it either. Although he was a veteran who had been through countless battles, he hadn't killed many people. He had fought against many strong opponents. He could certainly concentrate his spirit to release killing intent, but he could never do it as naturally as his opponent.

Of course, a true master who has returned to simplicity should be able to control his killing intent at will, concealing it in ordinary times, just like a college student who has never even killed a chicken. Then, when it comes to battle, he should release his killing intent in one go, achieving a surprise effect. If Gu Xinglie cannot do this, it proves that his mastery of killing intent is very superficial.

Gu Xinglie ignored Si Ming's observation, took the weapon wrapped in cotton cloth from his back, and after unwrapping it, a Sha Qi aura emanated from it, revealing a long sword. This sword was quite different from the swords used by ordinary swordsmen. The hilt and blade were integrated as if they were forcibly fused from a single piece of iron. The blade was wide and heavy, somewhat like a horse-slaying saber. It was not only suitable for foot combat, but could also be used to kill heavily armored generals from horseback.

"It has a bit of the feel of the Heavy Iron Sword, but this person's swordsmanship is definitely not the style of emphasizing force, dominance, or wide-ranging attacks."

With Si Ming's current cultivation level and martial Dao Realm, he can naturally discern his opponent's general fighting style from various details, not just Swordsmanship.

"My swordsmanship True Adamance; please enlighten me."

Gu Xinglie stood as steady as a mountain, taking small steps forward, his sword pointing diagonally at Si Ming.

Facing such an opponent bare-handed would be overconfident and would surely force him to reveal strength that didn't fit his character. After a moment's thought, Si Ming drew his Crimson Scorpion Evil Saber and said, "Please."

Gu Xinglie immediately launched an attack, his feet moving with mysterious steps. With a sway of his body, he enveloped an area of about ten feet in his control. He raised his True Adamance Sword, and its chilling killing intent enveloped the area where Si Ming was located. Suddenly, it contracted and condensed into a sharp spike, ignoring the physical body and attacking the soul.

This masterful manipulation of his killing intent proves that his previous inability to contain it was a trap!

Before the battle, feign an inability to control your killing intent, then suddenly unleash it the moment you strike, condensing it into a mental shock to break your opponent's will and gain the upper hand. On a battlefield of flashing swords, being even a moment too slow will result in your head being severed!

As expected, Gu Xinglie's first move was a swift sword strike. Although there was no scabbard, it produced an effect similar to a "Blade Drawing Technique." The heavy True Adamance Sword exploded like lightning, swiftly One Sword towards Si Ming's chest, emphasizing only "speed."

However, Si Ming did not lose his composure as he had expected. As if unaffected by the murderous aura, the evil blade in his hand moved nimbly, drawing a sharp arc from top to left like a serpent. It slid like a living creature and reached Gu Xinglie's throat in the blink of an eye, which was quite ghostly.

Gu Xinglie exclaimed in surprise, his sword wind surging, slowing down the evil blade while he used his footwork to dodge and create distance. He looked at Si Ming again with curiosity in his eyes.

His unique "Killing Intent Surprise Attack" move could even catch a Nascent Spirit Transformation like his master off guard. However, this move is only suitable for use before a battle. In the heat of battle, the martial artist's spirit and energy are highly concentrated, and a master swordsman has Sword Intent covering his body. Killing intent hitting him is like an egg hitting a rock.

Could this person also be a master of military strategy, having already seen through my tactic of "feigning incompetence when capable, and feigning inactivity when ready to act"?

In fact, Si Ming didn't see through it at all. Although he also liked to use the tactic of feigning weakness, it didn't mean that he could see through the opponent's "feigning weakness". If it were him two months ago, he would probably only be able to rely on his Mercury Alloy Body to resist. However, this trip to the Barbarian Continent allowed him to cultivate the Divine Firmament Soul Body. In terms of the solidification of Spirit Essence, it was even better than the Spirit Transformation. The "Killing Intent Surprise Attack" was nothing more than a spring breeze to him.

"Looks like your trick failed. Now it's my turn."

As the tide receded, Si Ming's momentum suddenly surged. He stepped onto the Dunjia Heavenly Movement, his steps heavy as mountains. The Crimson Scorpion Evil Saber moved sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly, emitting gusts of howling wind as it attacked his opponent's vitals.

Gu Xinglie knew that his momentum had been thwarted and that he should not fight back. Instead, he should stall and wait for his opponent to weaken. So, he wielded his True Adamance Sword like a willow in spring, with a touch of gentleness, moist and tender, transforming it into a defensive stance. At the same time, he began to retreat towards the edge of the arena.

In a split second of rapid exchange, the sound of swords clashing was like a sudden downpour. An Anomalies scene unfolded on the arena: Si Ming, wielding the evil blade, was unleashing a fierce and powerful attack with his winding and bizarre blade. His movements were wide and sweeping, and the evil blade in his hand emitted a dazzling light as he chased after his opponent, slashing and killing him all the way.

Gu Xinglie wielded the True Adamance Sword with impenetrable skill, as if holding a black ring. He moved with an extremely nimble footwork, parrying and dodging at the same time. He managed to turn the broad and heavy longsword into a Yin-Yang soft sword, using various sword techniques that used softness to overcome hardness with ease. He appeared to be in a precarious situation, but in reality, he was as steady as a rock.

"This is troublesome. This guy possesses divine strength and his Internal Cultivation surpasses mine. In terms of martial prowess alone, he's already at the Spirit Transformation stage. I really can't defeat him without using my true abilities. I have to reveal a trump card..."

Spirit Transformation is a comprehensive improvement, akin to the sublimation of life. Not only does it greatly increase lifespan, but it also grants the ability to regenerate severed limbs. Martial prowess is only one aspect of this; possessing Spirit Transformation- level martial prowess is a completely different concept from becoming Spirit Transformation.

The fact that Si Ming's Blazing Sun True Qi could not penetrate Gu Xinglie's meridians proves that the opponent's Internal Cultivation is a level higher than his. After all, the defending side is at a disadvantage, and the strength of Blazing Sun True Qi far exceeds that of similar content. Level thirteen is the Spirit Transformation Threshold, and reaching this level qualifies one to advance to the Spirit Transformation stage.

Admittedly, being qualified and being able to are two different things. Many people have cultivated their Internal Cultivation to the fourteenth level but still haven't been able to break through to the Spirit Transformation in their entire lives. However, Gu Xinglie is so young, so his chances of success are much greater.

With his mind racing, Si Ming decided to remain unchanged and fight a battle of stamina, hoping to wear down his opponent. He planned to reveal his trump card of "extensive stamina." After all, compared to techniques like the Demon-Slaying Ultimate Technique, the Vajra Asura Divine Power, or the Solar Prominence Eruption, the claim of abundant stamina was the least impactful. Others would only give a soft "oh" and not take it to heart, because experts usually don't fight to the point of exhaustion. In contrast, Internal Cultivation would be depleted in less than an hour.

Thus, a stalemate ensued. Si Ming relentlessly attacked, while Gu Xinglie persisted in defense. The former was physically strong and fearless, while the latter was certain that the former would not dare to expend too much energy on him and would definitely save his strength to deal with the next challenger.

On the arena, swords flashed and energy surged, the fight was incredibly exciting, with ingenious moves coming one after another, drawing cheers from the audience. Many people recognized Gu Xinglie's tactics and praised him for his wisdom and courage.

The two fought continuously for half an hour. For Si Ming, this level of combat was similar to playing a hardcore game. Although he couldn't easily get distracted, it wasn't enough to keep him fully focused, and he could relax occasionally.

For Gu Xinglie, however, it required a high degree of concentration. Even the slightest distraction could lead to defeat. Despite his long experience on the battlefield and his accustomedness to continuous combat, he still found it very difficult and showed signs of fatigue. Even though his physical strength could still hold on, his Internal Cultivation was almost completely depleted.

Why hasn't he changed his tactics? Doesn't he plan to deal with the upcoming challengers?

A sudden thought flashed through Gu Xinglie's mind. He looked closely and found that his opponent was indeed full of energy and spirit, his breathing was not disordered at all, and the power of his sword swing was as strong as ever, without a trace of fatigue.

Oh no, I've fallen for their trap!

For a moment, Gu Xinglie's Swordsmanship faltered, and Si Ming spun his blade, deflecting the True Adamance Sword. Then, he struck out with his palm, aiming for the opponent's lower abdomen, his hand turning slightly red.

Gu Xinglie stomped his foot hard, his body shooting backward more than three feet like an arrow. However, he knew that Si Ming's Movement Method was no less than his own and that it was impossible for him to create distance. So, as he retreated, he took a deep breath, and his bones immediately made a series of crackling sounds, like popping beans. Before the sound stopped, he stopped and mounted his horse. His left hand moved out with seemingly slow but actually fast speed, and a powerful and fierce scorching palm strike was delivered.

Any palm or Swordsmanship is always a continuous set, sometimes hundreds of moves, sometimes at least three or five. But whether it's three or five moves, each move must contain variations. One move is equivalent to several or even more than ten moves. Even the same ultimate move will have different variations depending on the enemy's reaction. But the Yang Talisman Palm that Gu Xinglie is using now only has six moves, and each move only has one move, with no other variations.

The reason is that Yang Talisman Palm is a battlefield martial art, which pursues simplicity and clarity, killing people in the most efficient way. After all, in the battlefield, there are weapons flying all around, and you don't have time to observe and think carefully. By the time you think of a response, your body may already be cold. Therefore, the best response is "fight first" and "kill the enemy and you will be safe."