Gu Shao'an's voice was calm and unruffled, but unlike before, he did not draw his sword after speaking.
Even his posture with one hand resting on the hilt appeared exceptionally relaxed. He merely turned slightly, stepped half a pace forward with his left foot, and raised his right palm lightly before his chest and abdomen—the defensive stance of the Golden Summit Cotton Palm.
Seeing that his opponent would not use a weapon, the young Zhang Yuting frowned slightly. Then he gave a low shout, his footwork shifting nimbly as he darted to Gu Shao'an's flank. He raised his sword fingers and swiftly jabbed at Gu Shao'an's Zhangmen Acupoint at the waist!
Though this move was somewhat unpolished, it was by no means slow. The sword tip sliced through the air with a faint whistle, showing that he had put considerable effort into his daily training.
Gu Shao'an's gaze narrowed slightly, but he neither dodged nor evaded.
Just as those sword fingers were about to reach him, his right palm swept out like a feather, the edge of his hand meeting the other's wrist with perfect accuracy.
That brush seemed casual and carried little force, yet it pressed precisely upon the crucial point through which Zhang Yuting's strength was being transmitted.
Zhang Yuting felt his wrist sink. The force he had gathered instantly receded like the tide, and his outstretched fingers involuntarily veered aside and missed their target. Startled, he hurriedly stepped back and turned away.
After regaining his balance slightly, he charged Gu Shao'an again. His sword shadows flickered left and right, sealing off Gu Shao'an's retreat.
Gu Shao'an remained where he was. Once the other drew close, he shifted his feet slightly, his body swaying like a delicate willow in the wind.
Whenever Zhang Yuting's palm shadows closed in, Gu Shao'an's hand would follow like a shadow, touching the outside of his arm or the back of his hand. With a deft deflection and release, he dissolved every attack.
His offensive streak frustrated, Zhang Yuting's little face flushed red, and a young man's stubbornness rose within him.
Gritting his teeth, he sank his breath to his dantian and sprang into the air. Midair, he turned his wrist, changing his sword fingers into a palm.
The move Flying Bird Plunging into the Forest descended from above, its force concentrated at a single point as it bore down on Gu Shao'an's head and shoulders!
The strike was both fierce and swift, drawing low cries from Wudang's younger disciples.
Faced with this downward assault, Gu Shao'an finally moved.
His feet shifted lightly. Rather than retreating, he advanced, slipping beneath Zhang Yuting within a hair's breadth and closing to within three feet of him.
At the same time, his right palm flashed upward in a reverse chop. Like a spirit snake flicking out its tongue, his palm force silently struck the opening beneath Zhang Yuting's arm, exposed by his downward plunge!
Every move, even the timing of each strike, revealed impeccable precision.
It was as if Gu Shao'an had planned everything in advance.
Just as the edge of his palm was about to touch Zhang Yuting's robes, Gu Shao'an changed his chop into a supporting lift. A gentle yet irresistible pushing force suddenly surged forth.
"Ah!" Zhang Yuting cried out. With nowhere to brace himself in midair, he was sent tumbling backward by that powerful force, soft yet resilient, and was about to crash to the ground.
Gu Shao'an did not stop moving. With a tap of his toes, he rose like a swimming dragon and appeared beside Zhang Yuting in an instant.
His left hand shot out and seized the back of Zhang Yuting's collar.
With the strength in Gu Shao'an's arm, he was easily able to hold him steady and help him regain his balance.
Once they landed, Gu Shao'an lightly tapped the ground and drifted back a safe distance of one zhang. He cupped his fists in salute, his tone still calm.
"Thank you for letting me win."
From beginning to end, it had taken exactly ten moves.
Throughout the entire exchange, Gu Shao'an had moved with steady composure, neither hurried nor slow. His longsword had not left its sheath even an inch.
With nothing but his bare hands, he had easily defeated Zhang Yuting. In the end, he had even steadied him, sparing the boy an embarrassing fall.
At such a young age, he was already unhurried and unflustered, humble in victory, his grace naturally apparent.
Combined with Gu Shao'an's already outstanding looks, the sight pleased Miejue immensely.
"Th-thank you for letting me win..."
Zhang Yuting steadied himself and returned the salute, his childish voice trembling slightly.
The lingering shock on his face, along with the fear that had yet to fade, made it clear that he had not even seen how he lost.
The training ground fell silent.
The Wudang disciples, who had only moments ago been quietly cheering because Wudang had gained a slight advantage, now all stared wide-eyed at the youthful Gu Shao'an in astonishment.
In contrast, the Emei Sect disciples wore delighted expressions.
Watching Gu Shao'an, who had effortlessly won the match without drawing his sword from start to finish, they too felt a share of the honor.
Zhou Zhiruo's lovely face was smiling with delight.
When her gaze fell upon Gu Shao'an, her starry eyes shimmered.
But amateurs watched the spectacle, while experts saw the technique.
The others around them merely felt that Gu Shao'an's palm techniques were exquisite, able to overcome Zhang Yuting even when he defended rather than attacked.
Yet in the eyes of Song Yuanqiao and the others, the situation was entirely different.
Song Yuanqiao in particular paused the hand that had been stroking his beard as he watched Gu Shao'an's palm techniques, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes.
With Song Yuanqiao's discernment, how could he fail to see that what Gu Shao'an was using was not a palm technique at all, but Emei Sect's Willow Leaf Swordplay?
Most remarkable of all, Gu Shao'an had used his palms in place of a sword, executing swordplay as palm techniques, yet every strike still carried the feeling of a gentle breeze brushing a willow, naturally swaying with the wind.
He had clearly cultivated Willow Leaf Swordplay to an extremely profound level. How could someone who had trained for only two months possibly achieve that?
Suddenly, Zhang Songxi recalled the wager he had made with Miejue earlier and immediately felt as though he had been tricked.
His expression darkened at once as he looked at Miejue with displeasure.
"Shitai, if you wished to reclaim the Heavenly Sword, you could simply have said so. Given the relationship between Emei and Wudang, even Master would not have made things too difficult. Why go so far as to lie and deceive us?"
"Your outstanding disciple can use Willow Leaf Swordplay with his palms in place of a sword, while even making his palm force sway like willow catkins. He has clearly reached the level of Achieve Mastery. How could that possibly be accomplished by a disciple who joined Emei only two months ago?"
Upon hearing this, Miejue's expression stiffened, and then she swept a dark gaze toward Zhang Songxi.
"What a joke. I, Miejue, have traveled the martial world for so many years. My word has always been as good as gold, and I have never spoken falsely. Or does Fourth Hero Zhang believe that, for the sake of the Heavenly Sword, I would disregard the reputation of both myself and Emei and deliberately deceive Wudang?"
At her angry words, Zhang Songxi's speech abruptly stalled.
Miejue's reputation in the martial world was mixed, but certain things were universally acknowledged.
One of them was her character.
One could say that Miejue was ruthless, or that she was narrow-minded and intolerant of others.
But one had to admit that a fierce and uncompromising person like Miejue regarded her reputation with utmost importance and had never lied.
Anything she did, she would absolutely acknowledge.
That was her reputation.
A matter such as when a disciple had joined a sect could be verified with ease. There was no way Miejue could conceal it.
Given Miejue's character, she would never ruin her own reputation over such a matter.
Realizing this, Zhang Songxi rose and bowed to Miejue. "Songxi spoke out of turn. I hope Shitai will not take offense."
It had to be said that Zhang Sanfeng had taught his disciples extremely well.
Had it been another person of Miejue's generation, even if they were wrong, they would often cling to their pride and magnify the conflict.
Yet Zhang Songxi had the courage to admit his mistake the moment he realized it. In that regard, he surpassed far too many others.
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