Swordsmanship and Flame Spitting

"...So that's how it is." Xiao Peng murmured, a flash of realization passing through his eyes as his Sword Intent suddenly changed.

His earlier impatience faded, replaced by the focus and patience he had when refining pills.

Facing the black shadows' tricky thrusts, he no longer hurried to block and counterattack. Instead, he carefully broke down the trajectories of their moves, precisely avoiding every fatal point as though controlling the temperature of pill fire.

The black shadow on his left thrust its sword straight at his left shoulder, the blind spot where he always habitually let his guard down while practicing swordsmanship.

Xiao Peng neither dodged nor retreated. With a slight turn of his wrist, his sword became like a pestle stirring medicinal herbs, gently following the opponent's sword force and guiding it aside.

He then pushed the hilt forward, accurately striking the black shadow in the chest.

Bang!

The black shadow scattered into white mist.

The black shadow on his right followed immediately, its sword moves as vicious as poisoned silver needles, aimed straight at the gaps between the fingers of his unsteady sword hand.

Xiao Peng suddenly relaxed his knuckles. His five fingers twisted nimbly, and in that split second, he actually seized the opponent's sword and stabbed backhandedly.

Another black shadow dispersed.

Seeing this, the remaining black shadows attacked even more fiercely, their moves mixed with every flaw he had revealed while practicing swordsmanship.

Unstable footing while turning, unnecessary movements when sheathing his sword...

Yet Xiao Peng grew calmer the longer he fought. He no longer treated this as a life-and-death battle. Instead, it was like correcting a complicated pill formula—where the heat was insufficient, where there were too many supplementary ingredients, where more patience was needed... Every block corrected an old habit, and every counterattack carried his scrutiny of himself.

When the final black shadow attacked, it used Flowing Wind, Returning Snow, the move he was proudest of, though it secretly concealed his lack of wrist strength.

Xiao Peng took a deep breath, recalling what Sect Leader Tongtian had said. His Sword Intent abruptly changed, shedding all flourishes and leaving only pure, lucid speed and precision.

"Break!"

His sword struck, and the black shadow dispersed.

The white mist gradually faded, revealing Sect Leader Tongtian's figure. Clear approval filled his eyes. "It seems you understand now."

Xiao Peng bowed to Sect Leader Tongtian. "It is all thanks to you, Teacher. Otherwise, I could not have understood so quickly."

Sect Leader Tongtian nodded slightly. "I have set several trials for you within this space. For every trial you pass, you will receive a small reward."

A trace of surprise flashed through Xiao Peng's eyes, but he did not eagerly ask further. He simply remained bowed. "I will follow your arrangements, Teacher."

Sect Leader Tongtian continued, "In each trial, a powerful enemy will appear. Being killed by the people here will not kill you, but you will be weakened for a time."

"This disciple understands." Xiao Peng inwardly marveled at how formidable Sect Leader Tongtian truly was.

Sect Leader Tongtian flicked his fingertip, and a dark crack suddenly tore open in the void. Violent mana mixed with scorching heat rushed toward them.

A figure slowly emerged from the crack, its red hair blazing like fire. It wore black iron armor, and dark red flames clung to the enormous axe in its hand. With every step it took, the clouds beneath its feet hissed.

"This is a War Soul, comparable to the peak of Foundation Establishment. It excels in berserk axe techniques. You must defeat it to receive the reward," Sect Leader Tongtian said flatly.

The moment the War Soul steadied itself, it let out a furious roar and swung its massive axe down with a force like a spreading wildfire!

That tyrannical power made Xiao Peng's breath catch, as if even the air had been split apart by the axe.

Such tremendous strength! Xiao Peng did not dare take it head-on. With a tap of his toe, he drifted backward like willow fluff, while his longsword swept upward at an angle in an attempt to deflect the axe's force.

Clang!

The instant sword and axe collided, Xiao Peng felt immense force surge up his arm. His blood and qi churned, and he staggered back three steps before regaining his footing.

But the War Soul did not pause. Its massive axe swept sideways, its scorching airwaves sealing off all his avenues of retreat.

Xiao Peng's gaze sharpened as the Upper Clarity Sword Formula flashed through his mind.

His body abruptly sank, and his longsword glided along the axe blade like spring water breaking through ice, avoiding the searing heat.

Screech—

The sword blade scraped against the axe, scattering sparks. Xiao Peng used the momentum to spin, circling behind the War Soul like a top.

As his wrist turned, his Sword Intent suddenly became light and agile, like wind flowing through a forest. It thrust through the gaps in the War Soul's heavy armor.

Sensing the disturbance behind it, the War Soul roared and twisted back with its axe. The black iron axe came smashing down with howling wind, churning the clouds on the ground like boiling water.

Yet Xiao Peng remained unhurried. He tapped the clouds beneath him and flew diagonally away like a paper kite, narrowly avoiding the axe's edge. His longsword then shot forward like a nimble snake probing a burrow, accurately piercing the joint between the War Soul's arm guard and shoulder guard.

Ding!

The sword tip struck the chainmail beneath with a crisp sound. Though it failed to break through the defense, it still stalled the War Soul's movements for half a beat.

Xiao Peng used the momentum to withdraw his sword and retreat, his mind racing.

Before long, Xiao Peng thought of a solution. His Sword Intent changed again as he unleashed the Nine Flowing Cloud Forms from the Upper Clarity Sword Technique.

He darted around the War Soul's body, his sword light sometimes like fine rain brushing against clothes as it struck at the gaps in its joints, and sometimes like a clear breeze caressing willow branches as it redirected the enormous axe's trajectory.

The War Soul's roars grew increasingly frantic, and its huge axe swung ever more violently. Yet it could not touch Xiao Peng at all. Instead, due to its excessive exertion, the dark red flames on its axe gradually dimmed.

Xiao Peng seized the moment. As the War Soul delivered a mountain-splitting downward chop, he abruptly closed in. Holding his longsword in reverse, he lightly flicked it like a pill spoon, accurately wedging it between the fingers gripping the axe.

Now!

Xiao Peng sharply twisted his wrist, pouring mana into the sword tip and using the War Soul's own force to pull outward.

The War Soul felt its tiger's mouth go numb, and its massive axe nearly slipped from its hand. An opening immediately appeared in its chest.

How could Xiao Peng let such an opportunity pass? His Sword Intent shifted sharply, and he stabbed straight at its heart like a streak of Green Light.

Pfft!

The longsword entered half an inch. The War Soul's movements froze abruptly, the flames in its red hair went out with a puff, and its entire body turned into countless specks of red light that dispersed into the clouds.

Xiao Peng leaned on his sword and panted softly. Sweat trickled from his brow down his chin, falling onto the sword's spine and reflecting a clear gleam.

Sect Leader Tongtian's voice sounded at just the right moment, carrying a hint of praise. "You understand how to use skill to overcome brute force. Not bad."

He flicked his fingertip, and a streak of light entered Xiao Peng's head.

Xiao Peng quickly finished absorbing it. Sect Leader Tongtian had rewarded him with Swordsmanship and Flame Spitting from the Seventy-two Earthly Fiend Transformations.

Swordsmanship: The art of controlling swords. Even other weapons could fly through the air and fight others on their own.

Flame Spitting: Spit fire.

Xiao Peng found these two arts rather ordinary. What he wanted more were Stone Boiling, Cloning, Invisibility, Immobilization, False Form, and Dream Weaving.

All of those arts were extremely practical. Obtaining them would greatly increase his strength.

If he could obtain the Thirty-six Heavenly Dipper Methods, he would truly soar.

Xiao Peng knew clearly that even if he obtained the Thirty-six Heavenly Dipper Methods, he would still be unable to use them.

His current strength simply could not support the use of the Thirty-six Heavenly Dipper Methods.

He estimated that even if all the mana in his body were drained dry, he still would not be able to use the Thirty-six Heavenly Dipper Methods.