Fierce Battle with Laodeno

Name: Ji Boying

Skills: Mount Hua Breathing Technique: Proficient (270/300), Mount Hua Swordplay: Mastery (203/600)

Talent: Skill Simplification. Spend Simplification Energy Points to simplify skills.

Energy Points: 1. The system automatically restored 1 point every month. It automatically reset and refreshed at midnight on the first day of each month.

Ji Boying silently glanced over his current stats.

Based on his observations just now, the only ones who could cause him trouble were Laodeno and Linghu Chong.

"Who else wants to come up and spar?"

Yue Buqun snapped out of his delight and resumed his calm, unruffled manner. He gently waved his folding fan as his five willow-like strands of beard stirred against his chest in the mountain breeze.

"Genming?"

Gao Genming shook his head repeatedly, making the abacus at his waist clatter.

"Master, please do not make things difficult for this disciple. I am so dull-witted—how could I possibly be Junior Disciple Brother's match?"

Gao Genming and the others absolutely refused to go up and court trouble. Their swordsmanship was about on par with Sixth Monkey's, with only their internal cultivation being slightly better. Yet Junior Disciple Brother had only been in the sect for a month; perhaps he could not even sit in meditation and enter tranquility yet. As senior brothers, losing in swordsmanship and then relying on internal energy to overpower him would be far too embarrassing.

Liang Fa and Shi Daizi shared the same thought. Junior Disciple Brother only knew this one set of swordplay. If they went up, what else could they compare besides this swordplay? Sparring in private would have been one thing, but in a setting like this, it was simply too humiliating.

Seeing them shake their heads, Yue Buqun could not help but snort, even though he was satisfied with Ji Boying.

Comparisons truly made people furious. These were all disciples he had painstakingly scouted over the years for their decent talent, yet now they all looked so disappointing.

That snort frightened everyone into lowering their heads.

"Denno, you!"

Yue Buqun called Laodeno's name. The little old man naturally did not dare make any more excuses.

"Junior Disciple Brother, please show mercy."

Ji Boying smiled and returned the salute. "Not at all. Second Senior Disciple Brother, please go easy on me and offer your guidance."

The two drew their swords and faced each other, drawing everyone's attention.

Who would have imagined that the Junior Disciple Brother who had been on the mountain for only a month would force the Mount Hua disciples to rely on Second Senior Disciple Brother?

Yet Ji Boying did not feel any pressure. If Laodeno truly dared use his swordsmanship against him, Ji Boying might lack experience and inevitably be thrown into a fluster.

But Laodeno absolutely did not dare reveal Mount Song Swordplay. He did not even dare fight others fiercely with Mount Hua Swordplay in ordinary times, fearing that in the heat of battle, he might reflexively unleash a Mount Song Swordplay move and expose his identity.

With a flash of sword light, Ji Boying stepped forward and thrust. It was still a probing move, yet it remained so steady and upright. Plain and unremarkable as it seemed, it displayed extraordinary subtlety.

Laodeno raised his sword to block as usual. The two swords touched and separated at once. Everyone saw only flashes of sword light before their eyes; there was no chilling killing intent, yet the spectacle was dazzling.

Ji Boying did not show off while fighting Laodeno. Every move was impeccably proper, and any slight hint of danger was simply the innate style of Mount Hua Swordplay.

His tall frame advanced and retreated with agility, his robes fluttering as his long sword struck out. He was like a living textbook of Mount Hua Swordplay. The senior brothers and sisters all felt that this was exactly how Mount Hua Swordplay ought to be used—more proper even than the sword manual.

Being so utterly ordinary was itself extraordinary. Being so proper was itself a kind of showmanship.

Everyone watched, utterly captivated. Linghu Chong kept tracing moves with his fingers, while Ning Zhongze's beautiful eyes shone with wonder. Yue Buqun continuously waved his folding fan to hide the turmoil in his heart.

Yet no one noticed that under Ji Boying's assault, Laodeno's Mount Hua Swordplay had already fallen apart into a complete mess, while his own situation had become perilous.

He had no choice but to circulate his internal energy to defend himself and increase the speed of his sword. Sweat had already beaded across his forehead.

Laodeno had never expected Ji Boying's swordsmanship to be this exquisite!

If they spoke only of Mount Hua Swordplay, Ji Boying was already no worse than Linghu Chong.

But Ji Boying was only half satisfied with Laodeno's performance. Laodeno did have some skill, enough to let him freely unleash the swordsmanship he had been unable to use to his fullest against Yue Lingshan and Lu Dayou. Yet Laodeno had been hiding his strength all along, and his swordsmanship was truly mediocre. He relied only on his internal energy to hold on. He might as well have used some fist and kicking techniques to add a little amusement.

After completing one set of swordplay, Ji Boying circled his sword and forced Laodeno back. He stood tall upon Yuntai Peak, wisps of cloud curling about him. He looked truly dashing.

Such a tall and beautiful young man had so easily beaten the gray-haired Laodeno into such a sorry state. How splendid was that?

"Second Senior Disciple Brother, be careful."

Ji Boying let out a long cry and closed in again. A flash of cold light appeared, and the sword's edge was already before Laodeno's eyes.

Ji Boying no longer wanted to play around. He unleashed Mount Hua Swordplay with abandon—one move rushed forward at incredible speed, only for the next to halt abruptly. Fast and slow at will, he made Laodeno suffer beyond endurance. After only three or four exchanges, Laodeno could no longer hold on. How could he still let Ji Boying complete an entire set of swordplay as before?

Ji Boying's use of Mount Hua Swordplay naturally opened the senior brothers' eyes. Such methods required an exceedingly strong foundation in swordsmanship: one had to control the Three-Foot Green Edge as freely as one's own limbs, while also knowing Mount Hua Swordplay inside and out.

Even if he had trained day and night for a mere month, how could he have laid such a solid foundation?

The others wore varied expressions. Yue Lingshan applauded repeatedly, while Linghu Chong also cheered excitedly. He himself possessed a certain natural gift for swordsmanship and disliked rigid conventions. Ji Boying's swordplay suited him perfectly; he did not even have the mind to be jealous of Yue Lingshan's applause.

Only Ning Zhongze could not help slightly furrowing her delicate brows as she secretly glanced at Yue Buqun's expression.

Meanwhile, Laodeno could no longer endure. He could not help using a jumble of other moves.

He treated the sword in his hand as nothing more than a weapon. After briefly blocking and attacking with it, he lunged forward and struck at Ji Boying's side with his palm.

Ji Boying's eyes lit up, and his interest was piqued. The sword moves in his hand were no longer as mysterious and unpredictable as before. He merely drew back his sword slightly, refusing to entangle it with Laodeno's blade. With a horizontal sweep, his sword edge naturally blocked Laodeno's palm strike.

Even with profound internal energy, a flesh-and-blood palm ordinarily could not collide with a sword edge. Laodeno had no choice but to stop and hurriedly change moves.

His long sword feinted forward, seeking Ji Boying's blade, while he might attack with a palm, fist, or kick from the other side.

But Ji Boying had already thoroughly mastered Mount Hua Swordplay. Though he had not reached perfection, his attainments far surpassed those of ordinary people.

He could draw upon every sort of sword move at will and adapt them freely. No matter how Laodeno attacked, Ji Boying could always calmly deflect the sword Laodeno sent his way, then place his blade or point along the path of Laodeno's incoming move.

Laodeno could not use his flesh against a sword edge, so he could only change moves midway.

As they fought, the two seemed to be dancing. Laodeno would strike a palm into empty air, and Ji Boying would point with his sword tip. Without even making contact, they would switch to the next move.

At last, Laodeno could no longer hold back. He only wanted to end this quickly. With a long cry, his robes billowed and his internal energy surged. He brought both palms together against Ji Boying's long sword, intending to overpower him and trap the blade between them.