Only Time Is Lacking
This scene was fleeting, yet it lingered in the mind's eye for a long time.
A fiery dragon crashed into the ground, like magma sweeping across the world, and a sea of fire engulfed You Su's figure.
Unlike last time, Wangshu Fairy simply stood quietly outside the arena, showing no intention of getting up to help.
The female disciples who had previously reminded their master to rescue You Su were now anxiously tugging at his sleeves. However, these accomplished elders remained seated on the platform, unmoved, their eyes flashing with astonishment.
The Fifth Elder ignored the towering flames below, his gaze fixed on the young man whose clothes were almost completely burned away in the sea of fire. He sighed and charged straight down.
Just then, bursts of crimson sword intent exploded out, these sword flames resembling fireworks blooming in the sky, exceptionally dazzling.
A sharp, piercing sound of swords clashing rang out, and those who thought You Su had already lost remembered that the two swords had only just clashed!
Suddenly, a strong wind swept through, and both of their long hairs were blown wildly backward by the storm.
These sword flames, imbued with divine intent, were all blown away. Zhou Changwen stared in disbelief at the young man before him. In the sparks of the clashing sword intents, he seemed to see the young man's pitch-black eyes. These eyes were deep and sacred; just looking at them made him feel a sense of submission!
But when he looked again, the eyes had returned to normal.
Distracted, he could no longer resist You Su's torrential sword intent, and his whole body flew backward like dust in a whirlwind.
Zhou Changwen slowly closed his eyes, acknowledging his defeat, but a pair of heavy hands supported his back, stopping his retreat.
He turned his head and saw that it was his master who had personally come to the scene.
The Fifth Elder supported his disciple with one hand, and with the other hand, he lightly raised two fingers together to form a sword, effortlessly trapping You Su's sword blade.
The overwhelming sword aura vanished without a trace when it encountered the unmoving Fifth Elder, like a mud ox sinking into the sea.
Knowing that the outcome was decided, You Su tried to withdraw the Ink Pine Sword.
The Fifth Elder gripped the sword tightly, his eyes fixed disdainfully on You Su, and issued the order:
"Finish this sword strike completely."
The surging Mystic Qi was still coursing through You Su's body, but Zhou Changwen's sword intent alone was not enough to make him unleash all his power. The feeling that he had to vent his emotions, brought on by the Sun Yang Sword Nurturing Art, was becoming increasingly intense. He could not retract these sword intents and felt that he had to express them.
Now, with the Fifth Elder's instruction, he held nothing back, unleashing an even more ferocious sword intent in one fell swoop, and the divine sensation of countless hearts beating in unison reappeared!
Boom--
On the Cloud Platform, a flash of light appeared, like a thunderbolt or a torrential downpour, and the lingering sword fire turned into a misty fog.
As the dust settled, Zhou Changwen, who was being held on the Fifth Elder's arm, looked on in disbelief. He had naively thought he had only lost by a hair's breadth, only to realize the vast chasm between them in the Way of the Sword.
Before him, You Su stood silently, sheathing his sword, and bowed, saying:
"Thank you, Fifth Elder."
The Fifth Elder stood with one hand behind his back, calm and composed, merely nodding slightly.
"You win. Crimson Rainbow Peak's objection to you is immediately invalid."
As soon as the words were spoken, the entire audience erupted in uproar. Although they had witnessed it firsthand, they were still unexpectedly shocked when the outcome was truly announced.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Changwen's expression darkened.
You Su, dressed in rags, bowed respectfully before staggering away. Wangshu Fairy was already standing behind him, catching him as he fell. Wangshu Fairy then carried him in her arms, and they left the place step by step.
Elder Liu stood at the sidelines, watching the backs of his fellow disciples, utterly speechless with shock. When he first learned from the Grand Elder that the Lotus Sword Venerable, who hadn't taken on any disciples for decades, had suddenly accepted a blind man as his apprentice, he had never imagined that this blind man could have achieved what he had today.
With the storm over, all the immortals in the carved tower had left, leaving only the Fifth Elder and his disciple Zhou Changwen in the vast arena.
Zhou Changwen was well protected; he had no external injuries, only a pale complexion due to exhaustion.
He stood up, head bowed, wanting to say something but feeling a lump in his throat, unable to utter a word. His hesitant appearance made it hard to associate him with the proud young Sword Cultivator who followed Crimson Rainbow Venerable.
The Fifth Elder slowly extended his right hand, spreading his palm out in front of Zhou Changwen, where no one could see it.
On his large, well-defined palm, there was a dark line, neither too light nor too dark, with lingering sword intent swirling around it.
Zhou Changwen was shocked. "He... he actually managed to... injure Master?!"
The Fifth Elder did not answer. Suddenly, a crimson light appeared in his palm. Surrounded by the crimson Sword Qi, the black line was completely swallowed up and disappeared.
"It's understandable that you couldn't withstand this sword strike," the Fifth Elder said calmly.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Changwen seemed deflated and resigned to his fate. Although he was not injured, his body slumped even more, and he lamented:
"So he really is more powerful than the sword body...?"
The Fifth Elder did not retract his hand, but glanced at this disciple whom he valued highly, and said:
"It's not that he's more powerful than the sword body; he's just an ordinary person. You only saw his unparalleled sword intent, but you didn't see that it was the result of countless sword swings over eighteen years that he acquired this sword intent. Some people are born Sword Cultivator from the moment they hold a sword, while others carve their bodies into sword bones with each strike. If you were as diligent as him, he wouldn't be your match."
Zhou Changwen was stunned for a moment. He was still looking down at the Fifth Elder's hands. Despite being Void Glimpse Venerable had undergone a complete transformation, his hands, which should have looked like they were newly born, were covered with rough calluses.
Zhou Changwen bit his lower lip tightly, his hands clenched into fists, not even having the courage to open his palms and look at them.
"Return to the peak and practice your sword."
The Fifth Elder spoke indifferently, leaving Zhou Changwen with only his tall back.
Zhou Changwen snapped out of his daze, his sword-like eyebrows suddenly hardening, and his fists clenched even tighter, with traces of blood visible. Without further hesitation, he followed his master's back, his crimson robe seemingly ignited by the fire in his heart, shimmering with brilliance.
"Venerable Su Yin, how do my Xuanxiao Sect's new disciples compare to those of your Qiming Sect?"
The white-haired, aged man stroked his beard with a faint smile. He wore a Daoist robe and a Daoist crown, and was the head of the thirteen great elders of the Xuanxiao Sect.
Qiming Sect is the most powerful sect on Tian Qi Divine Mountain, and its status in the Southern Yang Continent is even greater than that of the Xuanxiao Sect in the Central Yuan Continent.
Venerable Su Yin Suyin was thin and bony, wearing a loose Daoist robe printed with seven falling stars, which was the mark of an elder of the Qiming Sect.
"Innate Sword Body, a rarity in the world. In Way of the Sword alone, Tian Qi Divine Mountain cannot find a younger generation with higher talent than him. However, he still lacks a certain temperament."
"Indeed. So, what does Venerable Su Yin feel this blind man is lacking?"
Venerable Su Yin pondered for a moment before slowly saying:
"All we lack is time."