Swordsmanship, I Stand at the Summit (5k)

"Brother He?"

You Su frowned, gazing at the He Kongyue.

Even with his Divine Sense, he couldn't perceive the newcomer's cultivation level; he must be a master at least at the Condensing Water Realm.

He Kongyue didn't say anything, but instead smiled and continued to distribute the Yak Jerky to You Su, appearing calm and composed.

"Oh dear, I didn't expect someone had already gotten there first!"

A rough male voice rang out, and a tall, middle-aged man wearing a straw hat and a cloak strode into the cave. He held a broadsword in his hand and had a shocking scar on his face, which ran from his eyebrow to the corner of his mouth, making him look quite ferocious.

Behind him followed a voluptuous female cultivator in a camel-colored fairy dress. Because her face was veiled, her true appearance could not be seen, only her arched eyebrows and bright, clear eyes were revealed, making her look charming. But just considering her alluring figure, which resembled a ripe peach, it was no wonder that Senior Brother Huo was so eager to find a cave to spend the night with his beauty.

"Brother You, have a taste."

He Kongyue's makeup was deathly pale, and his persona was that of a weak young master. He ignored Senior Brother Huo's words and didn't even glance at the rough swordsman.

You Su naturally followed He Kongyue's suggestion, putting the Yak Jerky into his mouth and chewing. The aroma of the meat lingered between his lips and teeth, and he praised it:

"It's really delicious!"

Seeing that he was being ignored, Senior Brother Huo raised an eyebrow:

"Fellow Daoists, I was the one who first took a liking to this cave. It's not very proper for you to take over my place, is it?"

He was also an experienced cultivator, and he could tell at a glance that the stone array outside the door was newly built, and these two must have just arrived.

"Brother You, we were just saying this cave belonged to a bear in the mountains, and look, the bear has come knocking on our door."

He Kongyue shook his head with a wry smile, still refusing to look at the Sword Cultivator surnamed Huo.

"How dare you speak like that?!" The Sword Cultivator surnamed Huo remained silent, but the Female Cultivator of the Fu Surname immediately spoke up for her senior brother, her ample bosom heaving violently. "Show some respect to Senior Brother Huo! Do you even know who Senior Brother Huo is?!"

He Kongyue then turned her head with interest, but her gaze lingered not on the Sword Cultivator surnamed Huo, but on the female cultivator's delicate body.

"Oh? We really didn't know. Could you please tell us about it, Miss?"

The Sword Cultivator surnamed Huo noticed He Kongyue's presumptuous gaze, and his eyes sharpened considerably, but he still did not retaliate directly, clearly giving He Kongyue and the other person a chance to back down.

"Senior Brother Huo is Huo Yuandi, the second senior brother of the Mad Sword Sect in the Central Yuan Continent. He is a great cultivator in the lower realm of the Transformation Feather Realm. You should know your place and speak properly."

The female cultivator said coquettishly, her tone full of admiration.

Huo Yuandi was very satisfied with the introduction of the Female Cultivator of the Fu Surname, and his chin unconsciously lifted slightly.

Upon hearing this, You Su was slightly startled. No wonder Huo Yuandi was so confident; he was actually a powerful expert at the Feather Transformation Realm. Facing a combination of a Spirit Platform Realm expert and a Water Condensation Perfection, he was fully confident that he could seize this cave.

He Kongyue stroked her chin and pondered for a while, then shook her head as if in distress, saying with great disappointment:

"Never heard of him, I thought he was some big shot everyone knew."

He Kongyue's words were obviously intentional. He might not have heard of Huo Yuandi, but he must have heard of the infamous Mad Sword Sect in the north of the Central Yuan Continent.

"You!"

The Female Cultivator of the Fu Surname frowned, her delicate fists clenched in anxiety.

"Junior Sister Fu, there's no need for further words. Fellow Daoists, this is the cave abode I chose first. Please leave now."

What if we don't leave?

He Kongyue glanced at Huo Yuandi and met his aggressive gaze.

Huo Yuandi was immediately taken aback. This sickly, frail scholar actually dared to glare at him?!

He had never been treated with such contempt before, and his hand was already tightly gripping the hilt of the broadsword in his bosom.

"Don't be ungrateful! We're all here seeking fortuitous opportunities. As fellow Daoists, we should respect the principle of first come, first served. You should leave quickly, lest you become a laughingstock!"

The Female Cultivator of the Fu Surname spoke first, giving He Kongyue and You Su a final ultimatum.

You Su was on edge, ready to fight at any moment, but also felt the vast difference between people. He Kongyue was even polite to a wild beast whose fate was unknown, while this cultivator at the Feather Transformation Realm could fabricate facts to claim that his actions were righteous.

"Thank you for your concern, Miss." He Kongyue smiled gently. "I know you are kind-hearted and want us to leave as soon as possible to save our lives, but we will not leave. The female Sword Cultivators of the Mad Sword Sect are not as charming and beautiful as you. If you ask me, you would be better off coming to me than submitting to this barbarian."

You Su raised an eyebrow. He didn't care whether Brother He was genuinely trying to poach someone's girlfriend, but he at least knew that He Kongyue was determined not to back down. As He Kongyue's companion, he naturally had to firmly support his friend's decision.

With a whoosh, Huo Yuandi drew the broadsword from its sheath. The blade was covered in countless mottled marks, as fierce and menacing as its master's face.

"Senior Brother Huo!"

The sound of the sword made the female cultivator pale with fright. She quickly called out to Huo Yuandi, then turned to He Kongyue and scolded:

"You have no shame! With your effeminate and slender appearance, you dare to drool over me? I could break you with one sit on you! Get out of here right now, or you'll be asking for death!"

"It seems the young lady prefers the masculine and domineering type. No problem, my brother may be a bit rough-looking, but a tough guy is always useful."

You Su also casually touched the large beard on his cheek.

Seeing this, the Female Cultivator of the Fu Surname could only lower her head and sigh.

Huo Yuandi was furious when he saw that a crude Chinese character at the Spirit Platform Realm wanted to compete with him for the beauty. He cursed angrily:

"You're pushing your luck! I don't kill nameless nobodyes. State your name!"

Huo Yuandi was, after all, a seasoned Sword Cultivator, and naturally wouldn't kill indiscriminately. What if he accidentally killed a young master from a prestigious family who was traveling abroad? Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?

"If you're afraid, leave the woman behind and listen outside the cave. If you're not afraid, then come and cut me down with your sword."

He Kongyue was completely unafraid and even threatened Huo Yuandi instead.

These words truly stunned Huo Yuandi; he raised his broadsword, and the momentum of his sword strike stopped.

At this moment, Huo Yuandi nervously sized up the two men, each with their own distinct characteristics, but he couldn't discern anything from their attire or demeanor.

The pale-faced scholar was clearly a seasoned womanizer who had neglected his health and was already physically depleted.

And this burly man with a thick beard was even worse; he was picking his toes and nose! Is this the kind of idiot a major sect would raise?!

Wait! What's that?!

Huo Yuandi then noticed a small white-leaved grass emitting a faint fragrance in the center of the rocks the two were surrounding. He was a connoisseur and immediately recognized it as an extremely rare White Leaf Spirit Ginseng!

No wonder... no wonder these two refused to back down even though they knew they were no match for me; they were afraid I would take the spiritual ginseng they found!

If he had such a thing, he would pluck a leaf and feed it to his Junior Sister Fu, making her eagerly submit to his pleasure. Just thinking about that wanton and lustful energy made his heart burn with desire.

"You're dreaming if you think you can scare your grandpa!"

Huo Yuandi was about to make a move when, at that moment, the alluring woman let out a delicate shout, and a cloud of colorful mist instantly enveloped the back of his head.

Huo Yuandi reacted extremely quickly, immediately turning around and breaking through the mist. At this critical moment, the Female Cultivator of the Fu Surname found an opportunity, rushing to You Su's side, bringing with her a fragrant breeze.

Before You Su could react to what was happening, she felt a soft, delicate body approach her, and a woman said to her in a coquettish tone:

"Please, great hero, save me!"

"The one surnamed Fu!"

The Female Cultivator of the Fu Surname was only at the lower level of the Water Condensing Lower Realm, so her attacks naturally posed no threat to Huo Yuandi.

Huo Yuandi's eyes widened in fury, his broadsword gleaming with power. "I should have just killed you!"

The Female Cultivator of the Fu Surname trembled slightly in fright, clinging tightly to You Su's forearm.

"Blame it on your own greed! If you hadn't wanted to trick me into becoming your plaything, why would you have been so patient with me?!"

Huo Yuandi's eyes blazed with fury as he turned his sword to You Su, who was in disguise:

"You bitch, do you even have a brain?! You think you can beat me by sticking with those two?! Even if you win, do you think those two will let you off the hook?!"

The Female Cultivator of the Fu Surname glanced tremblingly at the unshaven You Su, and gritted her teeth, saying, "I'd rather give myself to him than give myself to you!"

"XX!"

Huo Yuandi cursed loudly, then exhaled deeply and sneered:

"I'll give you two one more chance. Get out! I won't hold you accountable! After I'm done, I can let you have your fun too!"

Don't believe him!

The Female Cultivator of the Fu Surname was so anxious that she was almost in tears.

"My lords, Huo Yuandi has already killed several rogue cultivators who came to seek the fortuitous opportunity Cheng Ying Venerable in the mountains these past Rogue Cultivator! He robbed and killed the men, and raped and murdered the women! This Lingxu Mountain Range is unclaimed land, and we Rogue Cultivators are without sect or faction, so no one knows or can stop him from committing his evil deeds here. We must unite! We must not let him continue to run rampant!"

Huo Yuandi didn't make a move, but just stared at He Kongyue to see his reaction.

The only one who could truly pose a threat to him here was this weak scholar who had reached the peak of the Water Condensation Perfection.

"So this is what 'madness' in the Mad Sword Sect' means?" He Kongyue's voice was as cold as a spring. This was the first time You Su had seen him so serious. "Your Mad Sword Sect is located north of the Lingxu Mountain Range, out of touch with the mainstream forces of the Central Yuan Continent. Do you really think that the northern part of the Central Yuan Continent is your Mad Sword Sect's territory?"

Huo Yuandi's brows furrowed at these words. He noticed that the scholar had quite the air of someone in a superior position, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself.

"Who exactly are you?" Huo Yuandi sneered.

"What, not arrogant now?" He Kongyue smiled contemptuously.

"No." Huo Yuandi's eyes flashed with a cold light. "Because I said I don't kill nameless people. But occasionally... I can make an exception!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his Sword Qi soared into the sky. The speed was not fast, but with each step he took, it was as if the earth shook and cracks appeared wherever his feet passed.

The power of a cultivator at the Feather Transformation Realm is extraordinary!

Huo Yuandi may seem like a brute driven by lust, but he is not without brains; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to keep his secret from his sect and enemies until now.

He knew that his relationship with these people was now irreconcilable, and any attempt at reconciliation was pointless. If they revealed his deeds, he would be doomed.

Compared to the risk of mistakenly killing a potentially important person, the former was clearly unacceptable to him.

You Su couldn't stand idly by while his friend was being beaten, but He Kongyue had already stepped in front of him to protect him:

"Hide well!"

Suddenly, an electric net appeared in He Kongyue's hand, with pure white electric snakes darting wildly within it, like thousands of rampaging tentacles, directly meeting Huo Yuandi's raging sword.

The two exchanged blows, the aftershocks sending waves of energy rippled through the cave, causing dust to continuously fall from the cave ceiling.

As the smoke cleared, Huo Yuandi stood motionless, He Kongyue retreated considerably, but still stood protectively in front of You Su.

Huo Yuandi narrowed his fierce eyes, "Pure white Mystic Qi... you're from the He family of Henggao City?!"

He Kongyue's lips curled up in a contemptuous smile:

"You do have some insight."

"The He family's ancestral cultivation Cultivation Method Spirit Vast White Jade Art, can refine Mystic Qi into a condensed white substance. Who doesn't know this?"

I really didn't know...

You Su couldn't help but think of the treasure of the Shouxiao Sect in Chuyun City—the Azure Qi Technique. Back then, Qi Daodong had refined the formless and colorless Xuanqi into azure, thus making his cultivation more refined and his spells even more powerful.

The He family's ancestral cultivation Cultivation Method couldn't possibly be weaker than the Art of Verdant Qi; otherwise, how could it have helped the He family maintain their foothold at the foot of the sacred mountain? Presumably, refining the Mystic Qi into white must be even more difficult than refining it into azure.

"So what? Regretting barging in today?" He Kongyue asked dismissively.

Huo Yuandi, enraged, laughed instead and said:

"If you had just said you were from the He family earlier, I would have left quietly. Why did you have to make it a fight to the death? Now I'm dragging two people down with me!"

"You're welcome to give it a try."

He Kongyue shook his arms, his sleeves billowing in the wind, and white Mystic Qi swirled around his hands like mist.

Huo Yuandi wouldn't give He Kongyue any more time to condense his Technique Method; his Sword Qi surged like a raging dragon.

This is the True Intention of the Mad Sword: the offensive must be like a raging storm, never stopping for a moment and never retreating a step, determined to annihilate the opponent in the manner of sweeping away clouds!

He Kongyue would not sit idly by and wait for his death. He kept making hand seals, and a hundred layers of barriers gradually extended in front of him.

Unfortunately, even with the support of the jade-like Mystic Qi, the gap between the Feather Transformation Realm and the Condensing Water Realm was still difficult to overcome. These barriers were like willow leaves under lightning and thunder, and each barrier could not stop Huo Yuandi for even a moment.

Huo Yuandi's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his broadsword wielded with great force, pulverizing the surrounding rocks.

You Su could no longer contain himself, and the Ink Pine Sword was drawn with a clang.

But before he could make a move, the battle situation changed again, making it difficult for him to intervene.

As one of the top three noble young masters in the Central Continent, He Kongyue naturally couldn't rely solely on his own hands in battle.

He swiftly retrieved a talisman from his Universe Bag, from which three Golden Beaked Falcons immediately flew out and hurtled toward Huo Yuandi's face like lightning.

Huo Yuandi recognized the power of the talisman and dared not take it head-on. He quickly retreated three steps to leave himself room to maneuver, then slashed with his sword. The three Golden Beaked Falcons instantly turned to ashes, and a horizontal ravine appeared on the stone wall behind the three of them.

Just as You Su was marveling at how Huo Yuandi was truly deserving of his reputation, He Kongyue launched another attack, a white shadow spreading from beneath his feet and grabbing Huo Yuandi's ankle.

With his legs restrained, Huo Yuandi's strength was greatly reduced, and he hurriedly swung his sword to slash. He Kongyue would not waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The earth and rocks around Huo Yuandi were pulled by external force and instantly turned into earth spikes that pierced Huo Yuandi's entire body.

Huo Yuandi roared, veins bulging at the corners of his eyes, and his pupils changed, flashing with a dark red light.

If a mad swordsman isn't mad, then what is a mad swordsman?

This is the true Supreme Lore of the Mad Sword Sect. Only when paired with this mindless and focused attacking mental method can the Mad Sword Swordsmanship be brought to its full potential.

Huo Yuandi let the earth spikes pierce his thick body, seemingly oblivious to the pain, focusing only on breaking the restraints on his legs.

The moment he severed the restraints, the earth spikes on his body crumbled, and he immediately charged towards He Kongyue with the force of thunder.

A rare flicker of panic flashed in He Kongyue's eyes, but he reacted quickly.

Suddenly, he found himself holding a palm-sized jade sculpture of a human figure in his hand. As he smashed the sculpture to the ground, a majestic swordsman, identical to the human figure on the sculpture, appeared out of thin air.

This swordsman was incredibly strong, able to fight Huo Yuandi for several rounds. When they clashed, the air currents surged, seemingly capable of knocking people over.

Fortunately, the battlefield was in a cave, where space was limited; otherwise, Huo Yuandi, Feather Transformation Realm, would have been able to fly, and the pressure would have been even greater.

Seeing He Kongyue Huo Yuandi was stuck in a stalemate, He Kongyue continued to cast spells, make talismans, and send the treasure to swallow the pill.

You Su wanted to help, but given the rapidly changing situation, it was not appropriate for someone as Xiao Ling as him to interfere. He could only wait for the right opportunity.

While it would be difficult for someone at the Water Condensation Perfection to defeat a lower-level Transformation Realm cultivator through direct confrontation, it is not impossible.

If it were an ordinary Feather Transformation Realm, He Kongyue, who was ranked high on the Prodigy Ranking, would certainly be able to kill him despite being above his level. However, Huo Yuandi was a ruthless cultivator who had fought many battles and honed his sword skills through combat. He would not be easily defeated.

The Female Cultivator of the Fu Surname frowned, clutching You Su's sleeves tightly.

"Hero! Quickly, you must find a way to help him! He's dying!"

The person he was referring to was, of course, He Kongyue.

Faced with He Kongyue's endless array of Technique Method, Huo Yuandi not only held his own but grew increasingly fierce in the battle, his pupils turning completely red, showing signs of Qi Deviation.

Frankly speaking, You Su wasn't confident he could defeat Huo Yuandi in this state. His first thought was to crush the Jade Bead given to him by the First Elder.

But he's only been in the Lingxu Mountain Range for a day, and he's already going to use his biggest trump card...?

You Su had already grasped the Jade Bead in her hand, while He Kongyue was still persisting.

You Su couldn't help but wonder, could He Kongyue not possess such a life-saving Law Treasure?

He certainly had them, but he didn't use them. As the heir to a wealthy family, he must have countless trump cards to save his life, but he still chose to fight with his own strength first.

Even a pampered young nobleman can act like this; someone who prides himself on rising from the bottom and encounters difficulties immediately thinks of relying on the First Elder...

How can one become an unparalleled sword immortal by severing all the constraints upon oneself?

You Su's eyes suddenly hardened. He put the Jade Bead back into his sleeve, and his fighting spirit surged up like a rising tide!

You Su's entire aura changed instantly, becoming majestic. This was an absolute arrogance, the arrogance of someone who, after immersing himself in the way of the Way of the Sword for eighteen years, knew he would definitely become the master of the Way of the Sword!