Linghu Chong, Defeated!

"To look and not see is called Yi; to listen and not hear is called Xi." It was a profound and mysterious state of supreme Daoist cultivation, empty and tranquil.

As its name implied, Xiyi Swordplay had to be cultivated to a profound level, where one's sword struck soundlessly and without trace.

It made the enemy unable to see or touch it, unable even to locate it by sound, taking their life amid utter confusion.

Ji Boying saw Linghu Chong regulate his breath and hold it, sword light flashing.

His longsword guarded his entire body, moving with him. Under the sun, his figure seemed impossible to make out; all that could be seen was a vast white haze of Sword Qi, like mist.

The moves of Xiyi Swordplay were linked in succession and endlessly unpredictable, profoundly mysterious beyond compare.

Under Linghu Chong's control, that mass of sword light rushed toward Ji Boying.

Ji Boying raised his sword and circulated his inner force, remaining extremely vigilant.

After all, he had practiced martial arts for only a short time. It was best to remain wary when facing such an exquisite sword art of the Daoist school and not be careless.

Suddenly! From within the sword light, the iron sword shot out without warning, stabbing toward Ji Boying's left ribs.

Whoosh!

Ji Boying hurriedly swept his longsword downward. Driven by inner force, the iron sword sliced swiftly through the air with a sharp whistling sound.

Clang!

The two swords separated the instant they met, and Linghu Chong's iron sword withdrew once more into that mass of sword light.

Linghu Chong struck repeatedly.

Chest! Left shoulder! Right leg!

Ji Boying did not counterattack, instead cautiously relying on his mastery of swordplay to fend him off.

He swept, tapped, or chopped, knocking the sword aside.

His feet retreated again and again as well.

After another five exchanges, Ji Boying smiled.

"Senior Disciple Brother, you've made Xiyi Swordplay look like Wind-Thunder Swordplay. You're supposed to strike silently and without trace, yet your sword light is flashing everywhere."

Hidden behind the sword light, Linghu Chong answered in a deep voice, "Junior Disciple Brother, Xiyi Swordplay is quite profound. I have yet to master it, so naturally it is not very effective against enemies. I can only make use of its mysterious complexity and attack by surprise."

Ji Boying inwardly praised him upon hearing this.

He truly had some talent.

Linghu Chong had not yet mastered Xiyi Swordplay, so he could not produce the effect of being unseen by the eye and unheard by the ear.

Yet he had found another path. Borrowing the many changing sword moves of this swordplay, he used them openly, dazzling the eye and overwhelming the senses, then suddenly struck with his sword. It could achieve nearly the same effect.

Catching the enemy off guard.

The method was vastly different from Xiyi Swordplay, but its purpose and effect were surprisingly somewhat similar.

Ji Boying no longer held back. Though he had not seen true Xiyi Swordplay, seeing Linghu Chong's alternative use of it was not in vain.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, regulated his breath, and held it.

His heart was like a still sea, without the slightest ripple, while inner force flowed ceaselessly through his meridians.

With his longsword in hand, he tracked the path of Linghu Chong's iron sword.

Without saying a word, he allowed Linghu Chong to attack. Relying on his familiarity with swordplay, he deflected the attacks, and another three to five exchanges passed.

I've seen it!

Ji Boying's heart stirred. His eyes flew open, cold light gleaming within them.

He circulated his inner force and struck with his sword, a flash of cold light streaking through the air.

Linghu Chong's sword thrust toward his right shoulder.

Ji Boying turned his wrist, and his longsword cut cleanly and swiftly across the center of Linghu Chong's blade.

Because he suddenly exerted force, catching him unprepared, the shock of his inner force nearly sent Linghu Chong's sword flying from his hand.

Linghu Chong hurriedly circulated his inner force and tried to brace himself, but it was already too late.

Ji Boying then twisted his own sword, trapping Linghu Chong's blade.

His feet stepped rapidly as he closed in.

Linghu Chong panicked. He did not dare let Ji Boying get close and retreated again and again.

But with his sword trapped by Ji Boying's, and with him retreating in haste, how could he possibly move backward faster than Ji Boying could rush forward?

The distance of two steps vanished in an instant.

In desperation, Linghu Chong twisted his hips and raised his knee. It was the Leopard Tail Kick, aimed straight at Ji Boying.

Ji Boying followed the motion with his left fist, driving a punch directly into the sole of Linghu Chong's foot.

Linghu Chong's kick came with fierce force.

Ji Boying's punch appeared utterly ordinary.

Yet Linghu Chong gave a muffled groan, his steps faltering.

His body staggered backward repeatedly.

He put force into his left foot, but did not dare plant his right foot firmly on the ground. Stumbling, he crashed to the ground with a bang, and his longsword flew two steps away.

"Are you all right, Senior Disciple Brother?"

Ji Boying hurried forward and helped Linghu Chong up.

Linghu Chong gasped heavily as Ji Boying pulled him to his feet. He still did not dare put force on his right foot and could only stand on one leg.

He turned to Ji Boying with a bitter smile.

"This Senior Disciple Brother of yours, who has practiced martial arts for over ten years, was defeated by a Junior Disciple Brother who has trained for less than two months."

"What are you saying, Senior Disciple Brother? You only showed mercy. I merely got lucky for a moment."

But Linghu Chong shook his head, unwilling to deceive himself with such words.

"Junior Disciple Brother, there is no need to save face for me. Your talent truly is exceptional. During our sparring just now, Sword Qi surged, and I could feel that your inner force is no weaker than mine."

Supported by Ji Boying, Linghu Chong walked over and sat down on a stone.

With one hand, he took back the longsword Junior Disciple Sister handed him.

Then he continued, "Junior Disciple Brother, your Mount Hua Swordplay is also superb beyond measure. I fear no one in all of Mount Hua can match it. And that punch that defeated me just now—its divine strength was restrained within. It looked plain and ordinary, yet it was fierce and domineering. That should have been our Mount Hua Sect's Stone Splitting Jade Breaking Fist, shouldn't it?"

"It was Stone Splitting Jade Breaking Fist."

Linghu Chong nodded and continued.

"After that small contest, I also went to the library pavilion to look through some records of the martial world. Our Mount Hua Sect's Stone Splitting Jade Breaking Fist uses simple moves and restrained force. It appears plain and ordinary, but once inner force is circulated, the fist becomes tougher than stone and jade. The force of ten thousand jun is concentrated in that small fist, without the slightest bit spilling out. Only then can a punch possess the power to split stone and break jade."

"Judging by those records, Junior Disciple Brother, you have already gained a firm grasp of this supreme art."

The smile on Linghu Chong's face carried bitterness, relief, envy, and admiration.

"With a genius like you in Mount Hua Sect, its prosperity cannot be far off. It is truly shameful that, as Senior Disciple Brother, I practiced martial arts for over ten years in vain, yet cannot even defeat a Junior Disciple Brother who entered the sect less than two months ago. From now on, all your senior brothers, including me, will need much guidance from you in martial arts."

Ji Boying merely answered humbly from the side.

"Senior Disciple Brother, you flatter me. How could I have such ability? In the future, I will still need all my senior brothers to look after me."

Linghu Chong knew that this Junior Disciple Brother was neither arrogant nor impetuous, and that he conducted himself with proper courtesy. At this moment, he certainly would not say anything arrogant; he was merely being modest.

Linghu Chong also knew that this Junior Disciple Brother understood what he meant, and that he was very confident in himself.

Ji Boying's words did not mean he disagreed with him. It was simply the way of dealing with people.

At the side, Yue Lingshan's eyes gleamed with great interest. Her lively dark eyes kept sizing up Ji Boying.

"So that means Junior Disciple Brother's martial arts are already the best among all us Mount Hua disciples! That's amazing!"