On the open ground of Qingyun Peak, Shen Hao and Li Wei stood facing each other. The biting wind whipped up the hems of their robes with a rustling sound. The atmosphere was taut as drawn swords, as though even the air had frozen solid.
The surrounding Inner Sect Disciples held their breaths, their eyes locked tightly on the two figures in the arena, afraid of missing even the slightest detail. Zhang Shan had squeezed to the very front of the crowd as well, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. His face was full of tension as he called anxiously toward the field in a lowered voice, "Senior Brother Shen, be careful! Li Wei's swordsmanship is ruthless!"
Li Wei's gaze was sharp as a hawk's, fixed dead on Shen Hao. The mid-grade Flying Sword in his hand hummed and trembled, blue spiritual light flowing endlessly across its blade, its dense spiritual energy nearly spilling out. He drew a deep breath and stamped his foot fiercely against the ground. With a muffled bang, the Green Stone slabs beneath him instantly cracked with several fine fissures. He shot forward like an arrow loosed from its bow, his Flying Sword carrying a fierce gale and a shriek through the air as it chopped down at Shen Hao's head.
In this sword slash, he had poured all the spiritual energy of the Early Qi Refining Fourth Layer into the blade. The move was fierce and domineering, heavy and powerful, several times stronger than the sword moves of Wang Hu, one of the Outer Sect Disciples. As the Sword Light flashed, it seemed as though even the air had been cleaved apart, drawing cries of alarm from the surrounding disciples.
Shen Hao's eyes remained calm, without the slightest trace of panic. Facing this ferocious sword, he shifted his feet slightly and used the Basic Footwork Technique he had comprehended through observation. His body slid three feet to the side like a ghost, barely evading the deadly blow. Li Wei's Flying Sword swept past his shoulder and struck empty air before slamming heavily into the ground. With a thunderous clang, sparks flew everywhere, and a trench several inches deep was instantly carved into the ground as shattered stones scattered in all directions.
What fast footwork! Li Wei was startled inwardly, clearly not expecting Shen Hao's movement technique to be so exquisite. He twisted his wrist without pausing, smoothly changing the slash into a thrust. The sword tip darted like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, aimed straight at Shen Hao's throat. It was swift as lightning, giving Shen Hao no chance to catch his breath.
Shen Hao remained unhurried. With a light flick of his wrist, the Basic Flying Sword in his hand precisely blocked Li Wei's blade ridge. A crisp clang of metal striking metal rang out, the piercing sound spreading across the entire clearing as both men were forced half a step back by the other's strength.
Li Wei felt a thick surge of spiritual energy travel up through his sword like a rushing river. It numbed the web between his thumb and forefinger and left his arm slightly sore; even his grip on the sword became somewhat unsteady. His heart was filled with shock and disbelief. This Shen Hao was clearly only at the Perfected Qi Refining Third Layer, yet his spiritual energy was several times denser than that of cultivators at the same level. It was scarcely any weaker than Li Wei's own, despite Li Wei being at the Early Qi Refining Fourth Layer. This simply defied all reason.
"Interesting." A trace of gravity flashed through Li Wei's eyes, and the arrogance on his face vanished at once. He no longer dared underestimate this newly promoted Inner Sect Disciple. Drawing a deep breath, he adjusted the spiritual energy within him and launched fiercer sword moves. Slash, thrust, sweep, lift—one move followed another in a flow as smooth as drifting clouds and running water, without the slightest hitch. Sword Light wove together like an impenetrable net, shrouding Shen Hao from all sides and leaving him no room to dodge.
The surrounding disciples watched with their eyes wide and mouths agape, unable to stop themselves from cheering. They had all assumed Shen Hao would soon be defeated, yet they had never expected him to hold out against Li Wei for so long.
Shen Hao responded with composure. His footwork shifted unpredictably, and he moved freely through Li Wei's Sword Light as though strolling through a courtyard. Again and again, he narrowly avoided the attacks. His sword moves were not flashy, nor did they contain any profound techniques. Every stance was plain and unadorned, yet each one precisely seized upon the flaws in Li Wei's swordplay, blocking and counterattacking at exactly the right moments, causing Li Wei's fierce offensive to miss time after time.
At the same time, he circulated the Ziyang Inner Sect Basic Qi Cultivation Art. The dense spiritual energy of the Inner Sect poured into his body from every direction without end. After being purified by the Companion Jade Pendant, it became even purer spiritual energy, replenishing his expenditure. His breathing remained steady and deep throughout, without the slightest disorder.
After dozens of exchanges, Li Wei's breathing gradually became ragged. Beads of sweat the size of soybeans covered his forehead, sliding down his cheeks and soaking his collar. Though his sword moves remained fierce, they had slowed noticeably. He was clearly beginning to run out of steam. The spiritual energy reserves of the Early Qi Refining Fourth Layer were naturally richer than those of the Perfected Qi Refining Third Layer, but Li Wei's swordplay was too forceful and consumed far more spiritual energy than Shen Hao's. Shen Hao, meanwhile, seemed like a bottomless pit, his spiritual energy flowing without end and showing no sign of drying up. This made Li Wei increasingly agitated.
How is this possible? Li Wei was filled with disbelief. He could clearly sense that Shen Hao's spiritual energy seemed inexhaustible. What exactly was going on?
The more agitated Li Wei became, the more flaws appeared in his sword moves. Seizing the instant Li Wei was distracted, Shen Hao's gaze suddenly sharpened. He stomped his foot, and instead of retreating, he advanced, pouncing toward Li Wei like a leopard. The Basic Flying Sword in his hand traced a mysterious arc, avoiding Li Wei's blade and pointing directly at the wrist holding his sword.
Li Wei's pupils contracted sharply. Alarm surged through him as he tried to draw back his sword to block, but it was already too late.
Splat!
With a soft sound, the Flying Sword precisely pierced Li Wei's wrist. Blood instantly spurted out, splashing onto the ground and staining a patch of Green Stone red. Li Wei's Flying Sword fell from his hand with a clatter, ringing crisply against the ground. He let out a muffled groan of pain, his face turning pale as paper in an instant. Staggering back several steps, he clutched his injured wrist, his eyes full of unwillingness but also helplessness.
"I concede!" Li Wei said through gritted teeth, his voice trembling with both pain and humiliation. He had never imagined that he would lose to a newly promoted disciple at the Perfected Qi Refining Third Layer.
Shen Hao sheathed his sword and stood still. He cupped his hands and bowed to Li Wei, his tone calm. "You let me win."
The surrounding Inner Sect Disciples instantly fell into dead silence. Not a crow or sparrow could be heard. Everyone stared with widened eyes at the upright young man in the field, holding a Basic Flying Sword, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
A moment later, thunderous applause and cheers erupted across the clearing, deafening in their intensity.
Zhang Shan was so excited that he jumped up, waving his arms as he shouted, "Senior Brother Shen, you're incredible! You actually defeated Senior Brother Li, who's at the Early Qi Refining Fourth Layer!" His voice was full of pride and excitement, drawing glances from the disciples around him.
Shen Hao gave the surrounding disciples a slight nod, his expression as calm as ever, as though defeating Li Wei had been no more than a trivial matter. Only he himself knew that this victory was the result of his relentless day-and-night cultivation, the support of the Companion Jade Pendant and the Meridian Tempering Art, and, above all, the sweat he had traded for it step by step.
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