Swordplay

The leader roared, his voice hoarse and undeniably overbearing.

Before the shout died down, his eagle claws had already clawed towards Yun Hu's throat, his fingertips shimmering with a pale True Qi glow, clearly a vicious technique honed over many years.

The surrounding onlookers had never seen such a scene. Cries of alarm rose one after another, the crowd scattering outwards like water disturbed by a thrown stone, suddenly clearing a large area.

The previously romantic and ambiguous atmosphere was instantly replaced by a thick killing intent.

Cheng Ningcui, who had been throwing the embroidered ball from the second floor, was so terrified that her face turned ashen. The silk handkerchief in her hand fluttered to the ground, her beautiful eyes wide with horror.

Yun Hu's footsteps echoed softly on the bluestone slabs.

Even before the embroidered ball was thrown, as he approached this noisy area, he had already keenly sensed several powerful auras lurking within the crowd.

Besides the five Xiantian martial artists about to attack him, there were other experts of the same realm hidden in the shadows.

What's more, from the second floor of the restaurant by the street, the divine sense of a Qi Refining Stage cultivator, completely undisguised, enveloped the area like an invisible net.

That divine sense carried scrutiny and indifference, as if waiting for something.

The 绣球 broke through the air, carrying the maiden's hopes and shyness, heading straight for him.

Almost simultaneously, five figures exuding fierce killing intent exploded from the crowd like ghosts.

Palm winds whistled, fist energies split the air, leg shadows whipped like whips.

Five martial artists at the Xiantian realm's middle stage or above, coordinated perfectly, their attacks vicious and their target clear: Yun Hu.

Facing this sudden encirclement and assassination, Yun Hu's face showed no panic at all. A hint of imperceptible cold ridicule even flashed in his eyes.

He lightly tapped the ground with his toes, his figure suddenly becoming elusive.

It was the Yun Family's supreme light body technique—Ladder Cloud Leap.

He tilted his body slightly, like a willow leaf blown by a gentle breeze, and narrowly avoided the first two palm strikes.

Immediately after, he twisted his waist, his entire body rising several feet, and again narrowly dodged a sweeping leg shadow.

His movements were fluid and exceptionally graceful.

"Brat, die!" the leading Eagle Claw martial artist roared, his five fingers forming hooks, his True Qi pale, striking directly at Yun Hu's throat.

Yun Hu, in mid-air, advanced instead of retreating against this fierce claw.

He pressed the hilt of the ancient longsword on his back with his left hand.

"Zheng--"

A clear sword cry, like a dragon's roar in the nine heavens.

The longsword unsheathed, bringing with it a streak of flowing cold light.

The moment the sword light appeared, the air seemed to freeze.

Yun Hu lightly flicked his wrist, pouring his pure Yang True Qi into the sword body without reservation.

Qingcheng Swordplay—"Gentle Breeze Arrives."

The sword stance appeared gentle and slow, but in reality, it was incredibly swift.

The sword tip traced an arcane trajectory in the air, striking after but arriving before, precisely hitting the pulse point of the Eagle Claw martial artist's wrist.

"Crack!"

The sound of bone breaking was clearly audible.

The martial artist let out a shrill howl, his wrist twisting unnaturally, and the eagle claw instantly lost its power.

Yun Hu's movement didn't stop. The sword stance abruptly shifted, transforming from "Gentle Breeze Arrives" to "Drizzling Rain."

The sword light wove like fabric, as dense as rain, instantly enveloping the other two martial artists who had lunged forward.

Puff! Puff!

Two muffled sounds, and splashes of blood appeared.

The two martial artists didn't even see how Yun Hu's sword had been thrust before they felt a chill in their chests. Looking down, they saw the sword tip piercing through their bodies, their life force rapidly draining.

Their eyes were filled with disbelief and shock.

Yun Hu moved with ethereal grace, like an immortal descending to the mortal world. Every sword strike carried an indescribable beauty, yet each was fatal.

It was entirely unlike a battle between Xiantian realm experts; it was a unilateral crushing of strength.

Seeing this, the remaining two martial artists' eyes flashed with fear, but their attacks became even more frenzied, attempting to trade their lives for his.

One wielded a heavy saber, his saber technique broad and powerful, like splitting mountains.

The other used a judge's brush, targeting pressure points and severing meridians, insidious and venomous.

Yun Hu's gaze was calm, and the longsword in his hand changed its move again.

Qingcheng Swordplay—"Sea of Clouds Surges."

The sword light flickered, sometimes like crashing waves against the shore, sometimes like surging undercurrents.

The saber light and sword shadows collided, emitting a harsh clang of metal on metal.

The man wielding the saber felt a tremendous force transmitted from the sword, his tiger's mouth going numb, and the steel saber in his hand almost flew out.

Before he could even steady himself, an even sharper sword light had already swept past his neck.

A fine head flew into the sky, blood gushing out like a fountain.

The last martial artist, holding a judge's brush, saw his companions fall one after another. His courage shattered, he turned to flee.

How could Yun Hu give him such an opportunity?

"Wind Sweeps Away Clouds!"

A flash of sword light, like a fierce wind scattering fallen leaves.

The martial artist felt a pain in his back and lost all consciousness.

In less than ten breaths' time, five experts in the middle to late stages of the Xiantian realm had all perished by Yun Hu's sword.

He stood tall and elegant, his white robes like snow, his black hair flying. His long sword pointed diagonally at the ground, not a single drop of blood on its tip.

The entire scene was silent.

The onlookers had long been terrified out of their wits, their gazes towards Yun Hu filled with awe and dread.

By the iron laws of the Great Xia Dynasty, in duels between martial artists of the same realm, one bore responsibility for their own life and death.

These five had jointly ambushed him, so their deaths were their own fault. Yun Hu bore no responsibility whatsoever.

Officials from the Great Xia Dynasty would come to clean up the scene.

Yun Hu's expression was calm, as if he had merely done something trivial.

He did not look at Cheng Ningcui on the second floor, whose face was pale with shock, nor did he pay attention to the red embroidered ball that had fallen to the ground, already stained with blood.

He took out a clean white silk handkerchief and meticulously wiped every inch of his sword.

His movements were focused and gentle, as if he were treating the most precious treasure.

After wiping it clean, he flicked his wrist, and the sword let out a soft hum as it was sheathed.

Yun Hu re-sheathed his sword and calmly swept his gaze towards the location of the Qi Refining Stage cultivator on the second floor of the restaurant.

He said nothing, turned, and walked away with composure.

On the second floor of the restaurant, Lu Chengze, standing by the window, curved his lips into a smile of unidentifiable meaning.

He held a warm jade pendant in his hand, his gaze locked onto the tall figure below.

"What a beautiful sword."

Lu Chengze praised inwardly.

This second master of the Yun Family, so young, truly had remarkable skills. His swordsmanship had reached the pinnacle; no one in the Mortal Stage could match him anymore.

"It's a pity. No matter how exquisite the swordsmanship, it is ultimately the extreme of mortal martial arts. Without a Spiritual Root, the path to immortality is hopeless."

Lu Chengze shook his head slightly and turned his gaze to an inconspicuous corner on the other side of the street.

There, a hidden gaze met his. He nodded almost imperceptibly.

Ning Yongrui, that old fox, was well-informed.

"Hmph, throwing a ball? The Mo Family really knows how to play it cool. With the Cheng Family's hidden pawn exposed, they still want to cover it up with this method and lure out more fish."

Lu Chengze snorted coldly.

If the Ning Family hadn't tipped them off in advance, pointing out that the Cheng Family was a branch hidden right under their noses, their Lu Family would have truly been kept in the dark.

"This Yun Hu is like a stone thrown into still water, stirring up quite a ripple."

Lu Chengze's thoughts raced.

This second master of the Yun Family, coming alone to Donghu City, had clearly made thorough preparations and knew the journey would be perilous.

This courage, this resolve, was indeed noteworthy.