"Have you trained in External Skills?"
Zhao Yan cried out in disbelief, then his face lit up with excitement as he swung his heavy sword and repeatedly hacked at Lu Changfeng.
The astral wind produced by the heavy sword's swings was astonishingly fierce.
Lu Changfeng gripped the Autumn Water Longsword with both hands, meeting force with force, and steadily blocked Zhao Yan's heavy-sword moves one after another.
"External Skills? I suppose you could say that."
During the brief lulls, Lu Changfeng still had time to reply with ease.
Whether it was [Mount Le's Wrathful Vajra] or the [Heavenly Body Tempering Blade Technique], both had clearly enhanced his physical strength.
"Hey, it's about time we wrapped this up."
Lu Changfeng struck again, clashing swords with Zhao Yan.
Then, under Zhao Yan's disbelieving gaze, the Black Iron Heavy Sword in his hands was cleaved in two by a single slash from Lu Changfeng!
Lu Changfeng pressed his advantage, advancing with the momentum and placing the tip of his sword against Zhao Yan's forehead.
"You lost." Lu Changfeng spoke indifferently.
Zhao Yan's heavy sword had exerted a considerable suppressive effect against other Blood Tempering Realm Martial Artists, and even some ordinary Muscle Tendon Realm Martial Masters.
But against Lu Changfeng, who was about to perfect the second layer of the [Heavenly Body Tempering Blade Technique], its advantage in strength was practically nonexistent.
Thus, Zhao Yan's greatest advantage vanished.
During the brief exchange of blows that lasted only a few minutes,
While Zhao Yan was astonished by Lu Changfeng's strength,
Lu Changfeng had already been quietly using the swiftness and precision of the Storm Sword Technique, striking the same part of the heavy sword every time their blades met.
Although Zhao Yan's heavy sword was massive, it was ultimately only a Black Iron ordinary weapon, nowhere near a true artifact.
Under the two men's tremendous strength, it was hacked full of notches.
As the notches deepened, Lu Changfeng found an opening and poured all his strength into a slash that destroyed Zhao Yan's heavy sword, ending the match on the spot.
"You..." Zhao Yan stared at Lu Changfeng.
As a fellow master of the sword, he only had to think back briefly before understanding Lu Changfeng's arrangement.
"You're formidable. You were able to confront my heavy sword head-on, and your Sword Moves were much faster than mine, with far greater explosive power."
"If I hadn't had the heavy sword, I probably would've lost even faster."
Lu Changfeng nodded. Indeed, if not for the heavy sword's wide attack range, he would have found an opening long ago and forcibly ended the battle with the Storm Sword Technique's speed and explosive power.
"I accept my defeat wholeheartedly. The title of Five Horse Street's fifth Blood Tempering Realm swordsman is yours."
After the referee announced the result, Zhao Yan vaulted down from the arena. He had gained a great deal from this battle.
Lu Changfeng also returned to the competitors' seats.
"Are there any more matches?" Lu Changfeng took the initiative to find one of the venue's staff members.
"Uh, with your current strength, finding a suitable opponent may be somewhat difficult. How about you go back and wait for news?"
"Once we find a suitable opponent, we'll come to your martial arts school to notify you."
Lu Changfeng nodded when he heard this. "Very well. I'll go back and wait for news, then."
Tonight's gains had been quite good.
After defeating Zhao Yan, he should be able to gain a respectable amount of fame and reputation.
The upcoming matches also included the main event featuring Muscle Tendon Realm Martial Masters. Lu Changfeng watched several bouts, but none were particularly impressive, so he left the venue.
After waiting outside the venue for a while, Chun Zhu appeared.
"Congratulations, Feng! I knew your strength would definitely make a name for you in Jiangnan Prefecture!"
Lu Changfeng smiled. "Who was it just now that was worried I might get hurt?"
He stepped forward and took Chun Zhu's hand, and the two returned to Changle Martial Arts School side by side.
After returning to the martial arts school, Lu Changfeng practiced the [Heavenly Body Tempering Blade Technique] once, then began pondering another matter.
Since Changle Martial Arts School had now made a name for itself through Swordsmanship,
Perhaps its Blood Tempering Cultivation Technique should be changed as well.
With Lu Changfeng's current innate bone talent, along with everything he had learned and cultivated, creating a Blood Tempering Cultivation Technique focused on swordsmanship would not be difficult.
Lu Changfeng planned to use the first and second layers of the [Heavenly Body Tempering Blade Technique] as its core, supplementing them with the characteristics of the Storm Sword Technique to create the corresponding Blood Tempering Sixth Level technique, [Storm Body Tempering Sword Technique].
He tried it that very night, and Lu Changfeng soon had a direction.
If he spent a few hours each day on it, he estimated that the first-layer cultivation method of the [Storm Body Tempering Sword Technique] would be ready within two or three days.
"Under my influence, Changle Martial Arts School has now become a martial arts school specializing in sword techniques."
"I hope this will let us encounter some disciples with decent Swordplay Talent."
"As for the martial arts school, it should soon be able to face higher-level Blood Tempering Realm swordsmen. I hope their talents won't disappoint me."
Lu Changfeng was only one High-grade Swordplay Talent short of combining a Super-grade Swordplay Talent.
The next morning,
at Zhou Feng's invitation,
Lu Changfeng went to visit the Round Blade Martial Arts School Zhou Feng had founded.
Lu Changfeng gladly accepted the invitation.
The Round Blade Martial Arts School was situated at the other end of Five Horse Street. Lu Changfeng and Zhou Feng walked for more than half an hour before arriving.
This showed just how large Five Horse Street was. No wonder the two senior and junior brothers had previously lived in the same neighborhood yet had never run into each other on the road.
Upon arriving at the Round Blade Martial Arts School,
Lu Changfeng saw dozens of disciples practicing body-tempering techniques in the training ground.
Zhou Feng was still teaching the body-tempering cultivation technique [Mount Le's Wrathful Vajra].
Looking at the disciples diligently practicing in the martial arts school, Zhou Feng wore a faintly proud expression.
Zhou Feng clapped his hands, and all the disciples in the Round Blade Martial Arts School's training ground assembled.
They shouted in unison toward Lu Changfeng, "Greetings, Martial Uncle Lu!"
"All right, everyone, continue practicing!"
Zhou Feng had the disciples continue their training, then led Lu Changfeng to a small pavilion in one corner of the training ground to drink tea.
The two senior and junior brothers chatted about various happenings on Five Horse Street, as well as the problems encountered while running a martial arts school.
Lu Changfeng gained a great deal from the conversation.
At noon, after eating lunch at the Round Blade Martial Arts School, Lu Changfeng finally left.
After returning to Changle Martial Arts School,
Black Ox came running over in a flash, his face alight with joy.
"Master, someone wants to join the martial arts school!"
Black Ox had been the Senior Disciple Brother of Changle Martial Arts School for a long time, but unfortunately, he had never had a junior brother under him.
Now he finally had one.
Black Ox pointed toward one side of the training ground. Four youths were looking this way, and when they saw Lu Changfeng, their eyes visibly brightened.
Lu Changfeng thought to himself that the effects of last night's two matches had probably begun to show.
The young men had followed Lu Changfeng's reputation and come knocking.
Lu Changfeng stepped forward.
The innate bone talent of each of the four youths entered his view one after another.
Lu Changfeng's expression remained unchanged.
Of the four youths, three had mediocre natural talent.
One aloof-looking youth, however, possessed Grade B Upper and Low-grade Swordplay Talent.
He was perfectly suited to join Changle Martial Arts School and practice swordsmanship.
"You, and you two, aren't suited to join Changle Martial Arts School."
"You stay."
Lu Changfeng spoke.
Although Changle Martial Arts School's tuition was cheap, it did not accept mediocrely talented disciples simply to make money.
Even without Swordplay Talent, they should at least have Grade B Low innate bone talent, right?
Otherwise, they might as well learn some other trade instead of practicing martial arts and wasting the years of their lives.
The other three youths left dejectedly.
The black-clad youth who remained looked up at Lu Changfeng with a nervous expression.
"Tell us about your identity and personal information." Black Ox brought over a Grand Preceptor's chair for Lu Changfeng to sit in.
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