Aftermath

"A fine sword technique. If my eyes don't deceive me, Duan Shidi's final strike was one of Uncle Bai's signature moves from the Songshan Swordplay, 'Eternal Dragon.' It truly possesses a magnificent aura, overwhelming and powerful. Impressive, impressive."

Zhao Yu watched Duan Yi pick up the wooden sword on the stage and return it to the bronze cauldron. His expression was calm as he praised Duan Yi profusely, as if he hadn't been the one to subtly advise Ruan Dong earlier. His thick skin was truly remarkable.

Moreover, since he hadn't lowered his voice, the disciples of the Golden Cauldron Sect heard him loud and clear.

Ruan Dong, whose swordsmanship was lacking, had been defeated by Duan Yi and left in shame and anger.

Many of the Golden Cauldron Sect disciples were still buzzing with excitement, lingering to discuss the intricacies of the duel, analyzing and pondering its finer points.

Duan Yi's final sword strike, in particular, was more than ten times superior to his earlier basic sword techniques. It filled the disciples with longing. If he had unleashed such a refined sword technique from the start, Ruan Dong would likely have been defeated much sooner.

Now, after Zhao Yu's explanation, many finally understood. It was one of Bai Xiwen's supreme skills, the Songshan Swordplay. No wonder it possessed such power.

Duan Yi showed no signs of surprise. After stepping off the stage, he humbly waved his hand.

"Senior Brother Zhao is too kind. I've only been practicing swordsmanship for about ten days since I started. My skills are shallow, my foundation insufficient. Of the Songshan Swordplay, only this move, 'Eternal Dragon,' is somewhat presentable. I still have much to learn and improve upon. I don't deserve such high praise; I'm truly ashamed, ashamed."

As soon as he spoke, the entire venue fell silent. Many Golden Cauldron Sect disciples, looking at Duan Yi's nonchalant expression, wished they could slap him a few times to vent their frustration.

In just ten days, he had achieved such progress and mastery. Didn't that make them look even more foolish than pigs? No, strictly speaking, perhaps not even as good as pigs.

Even Zhao Yu's expression twitched. He chuckled, unsure how to respond.

He recalled his own martial arts training. In ten days, he had only just managed to memorize the meridians and acupoints. His external martial arts were completely unknown to him. Was the difference between people truly this vast?

"Duan Shidi, your words are too modest. To achieve such mastery in just ten days, I fear that in terms of pure swordsmanship talent, there are few in this world who can compare.

I hope you will remain humble and diligent in your future practice, so as not to let your talent go to waste."

Leng Qingmei, dressed in an elegant, plain skirt, held a Ten Refinements Sword in each of her slender hands, which looked like white scallions. Though her junior brother Ruan Dong had been utterly defeated and severely humiliated, she greatly admired Duan Yi, her eyes full of admiration.

The Great Xia was vast, its martial arts prosperous, and geniuses emerged endlessly. Individuals like Duan Yi, or even those who surpassed him, were not unheard of. However, talent did not guarantee future achievements.

From Leng Qingmei's understanding, there was once a disciple from the Broken Sword Hut in the Great Xia who practiced swordsmanship for three days and achieved great accomplishment in seven. In just one month, he mastered twenty-three first-rate sword techniques, earning him the title of the era's Sword Sage.

His talent in the Way of the Sword far surpassed Duan Yi's. He was once considered the future legend of the Great Xia Martial Arts World, adding further luster to the Broken Sword Hut. There were even rumors that the Broken Sword Hut had already designated him as their future sect leader.

However, in the following years, this individual indulged in pleasure, became infatuated with other pursuits, and particularly enjoyed the art of flower arrangement, neglecting his swordsmanship practice. In the end, he only became a well-known swordsman and eventually died in a Jianghu skirmish. It was truly regrettable and lamentable.

Thinking about it carefully, if he had persevered and practiced diligently, achieving great accomplishment in the Way of the Sword, who could have harmed him?

Duan Yi possessed talent and had just defeated Ruan Dong, who had trained for three years, with his swordplay. Leng Qingmei feared that he might become complacent and waste his talent due to this temporary success. Therefore, while praising him, she also offered advice, showing her genuine concern.

"Senior Sister Leng's words, Duan Yi will engrave them in his heart from now on and dare not forget them. I hope Senior Sister will offer more guidance in the future."

Among the people he had recently met, Zhao Yu was smooth-tongued and scheming, harboring hidden intentions towards Duan Yi. Ruan Dong was arrogant and presumptuous, lacking in social graces, making him even more detestable.

Only Leng Qingmei was gentle, serene, generous, and proper. Coupled with her sincere good intentions, Duan Yi humbly accepted her advice, his attitude becoming somewhat more intimate.

However, this irked Helan Yue'er, who had been waiting for Duan Yi to approach her.

She had been looking forward to it, but then she saw Duan Yi cup his hands in greeting to Leng Qingmei. The handsome young man and the beautiful, delicate young woman made a striking pair. A surge of sourness welled up in her heart, and she felt so wronged that she wanted to find a place to cry her eyes out.

Then, she saw Duan Yi walk over to her, smile, thank her, and take back the Ten Refinements Sword he had handed her. His attitude was warm, and her heart felt much better, even becoming happy. She thought, "Duan Yi entrusted the Ten Refinements Sword to me for safekeeping instead of Sister Leng. It seems he feels closer to me."

The young girl's emotions changed quickly. She was already thinking about where she and Duan Yi should go to play next.

Because Duan Yi had teased her earlier, he had promised her one thing. So, she intended to make him spend more time playing with her and alleviating her boredom.

Duan Yi was unaware of Helan Yue'er's complex emotions. After retrieving the Ten Refinements Sword, he stood quietly to the side, his eyes unfocused, his entire being immersed in replaying the process of his recent exchange with Ruan Dong.

Each move and stance replayed in his mind like a slideshow. The more he savored it, the more he felt he had gained. The sword techniques that had previously felt dull now seemed lively and vibrant. He felt that practicing swordsmanship in the future would yield twice the results with half the effort.

Most importantly, Duan Yi realized that his current martial arts prowess was far beyond that of ordinary people. At the very least, an inner disciple of the Golden Cauldron Sect like Ruan Dong would not be his match, even if he used his internal energy.

This showed that he had already achieved a certain level of strength today.

At its core, this was akin to the principle pursued by the Sword Sect of the Mount Hua Sect, a branch of the Jin lineage: once swordsmanship reaches mastery, even mediocre internal energy can be used to defeat enemies.

To put it another way, in modern combat terms, while strength is one of the evaluation criteria, as long as it doesn't reach the point where sheer power overwhelms all else, combat technique remains equally important, perhaps even more so.

He had intentionally tested his swordsmanship earlier. He first used basic sword techniques to face his opponent, maintaining his defense with ease and seeing victory within reach, demonstrating a solid foundation that was far from ordinary.

Afterward, the use of the Songshan Swordplay directly secured his victory, showcasing the power of his sword techniques.

Furthermore, although he emphasized swordsmanship, he did not neglect his internal energy.

He practiced breathing exercises every morning and evening without fail. He even used the virtual body in the Tower of Hidden Martial Arts to experiment and find more efficient ways to cultivate his qi, achieving considerable success.

His Ice True Qi had now been nurtured and strengthened. Although it was not yet profound due to time constraints, it would not hinder him in combat.

Even if today's battle were not a pure sword duel, Duan Yi was fully confident that he could defeat Ruan Dong. The process might even be shorter. Three moves? Five moves? He wasn't sure.

In short, with the Tower of Hidden Martial Arts, not only was his future limitless, but he also possessed a certain level of strength in the present.

While everyone here was engaged in lively discussion about the recent battle, Duan Yi, as the center of attention, received considerable notice.

Meanwhile, Ruan Dong fled into the desolate mountains like the wind, his heart filled with a knot of resentment that he couldn't release.

With a thud, Ruan Dong knelt before a two-zhang-tall tree. He balled his right fist and repeatedly struck the trunk, feeling no pain.

Tears streamed down his face, his eyes burning red like fire. He resembled a beast ready to devour, repeatedly muttering only one word: "Why?"

Yes, why?

He came from a wealthy family, apprenticed under the Vice Sect Leader of the Golden Cauldron Sect, and had trained diligently for three years. Even so, he lost to someone who had only been practicing martial arts for about ten days. Was this a dream?

No, that's not right.

Recalling his fight with Duàn Yì:

He knew he could never replicate such pure swordsmanship. As for that final strike, which gathered the power of wind and thunder as a dark dragon soared into the sky, he couldn't for the life of him figure out how to defend against it.

Considering the opponent's immense talent, who would only grow stronger in the future, he felt that his chances of turning things around were slimmer than climbing to heaven, and despair washed over him.

Furthermore, Ruan Dong realized that after this battle, he would become a laughingstock among everyone in the Golden Cauldron Sect, a topic of gossip during their leisure time. This realization stirred a surge of malice within him.

He wished he could kill everyone on the mountain right then and there, silencing anyone who knew about this incident.

But in the end, all he could do was hide here, licking his wounds alone, venting his frustration and unwillingness through anger and tears.

Just then, Ruan Dong heard a rustling sound ahead. Puzzled, he pushed aside the weeds and found a familiar face mockingly looking at him – one of the spectators from the arena.

His anger surged to his head as he roared, "You dare mock me, an outer disciple? Are you looking for death?"

The next moment, the outer disciple of the Golden Cauldron Sect, whom he had previously disdained, sneered and attacked. He swung his palms, as if casting a net over Ruan Dong, his movements as agile as a swimming fish or a flying bird.

If Ruan Dong had his sword, he might have been able to defend himself with his swordsmanship.

However, he had left his Ten Refinements Sword with Leng Qingmei when he departed and hadn't retrieved it. Moreover, he specialized in swordsmanship, and his martial arts were greatly diminished without a weapon.

Adding to that, the opponent's attack caught Ruan Dong completely by surprise. He was taken down instantly, his pressure points sealed, leaving him utterly defenseless.

All he could do was stare in panic and fear at the man, How dare he? What does he want?