I don't understand swordplay, but I don't understand combat?

"Watch closely, this is how the Mount Hua Sword Technique is used."

Beside the pool below Siguo Cliff, Wang Jingyuan was practicing his swordplay, holding a treasure sword clearly crafted by a master.

Golden Geese Crossing the Sky, Green Pine Welcoming Guests, White Rainbow Piercing the Sun—each style of the Mount Hua Sword Technique was executed with perfect precision. As his opponent, feeding him moves, Yue Lingshan twirled her long sword, easily parrying all of his attacks.

Yue Lingshan frowned deeply, her small face scrunched up as if she had just eaten an extremely sour apricot.

What bothered her wasn't Wang Jingyuan's mediocre swordsmanship, as he had only recently joined the sect and his beginner-level swordplay was already quite standard, which was remarkable.

Moreover, the core of the Mount Hua Sword Technique was Control Sword with Qi, and without the boost of Internal Energy, its power would be greatly diminished.

What truly bothered her was that he wasn't using the Mount Hua Sword Technique in the correct sequence, making the transitions between different sword moves stiff and causing significant pauses.

During these pauses, he would use his free hand, either waving or flicking it, making meaningless gestures. This only amplified the existing openings in his stance, making them even more fatal.

And yet, he dared to tell her, "This is how the Mount Hua Sword Technique is used."

Yue Lingshan stared at his hands, which he ostentatiously waved in front of her twice more. She could no longer stand it, and with a swift sword thrust, she forced Wang Jingyuan back, ending their sparring session.

Watching Wang Jingyuan leap back and steady himself, Yue Lingshan complained, "Junior Disciple Brother, why aren't you using the sword techniques in order? And what are you doing with your other hand, constantly moving it?"

Wang Jingyuan sheathed his sword and nonchalantly picked his nose, asking, "So, according to you, how should this sword technique be used?"

"Of course, it's White Clouds Emerging from the Cave, A Phoenix Arriving in Ceremony..."

Wang Jingyuan continued picking his nose and added, "Then it's Golden Geese Crossing the Sky and Green Pine Welcoming Guests, right?"

"See? You know it too."

"Everyone at Mount Hua knows this sequence, of course I know it. Not just me, but the other four sects of the Five Great Sword Sects, as well as Shaolin and Wudang, all know this sequence.

Because this is the most fluid sequence for the Mount Hua Sword Technique, connecting the moves seamlessly. We practice using this sequence, and we mostly fight using this sequence.

Only disciples who are extremely proficient in the sword technique will mix up the moves and adapt them to the situation. However, most would not string together two moves that connect poorly.

Junior Disciple Sister, if I used the moves in the fixed sequence, you could probably parry them with your eyes closed, right?

Unlike now, where you have to keep your eyes open to watch me."

Yue Lingshan looked confused. "But with your current style, your openings are even bigger. When fighting an enemy, wouldn't you be defeated more quickly? Also... Senior Disciple Sister is Senior Disciple Sister, don't call me Junior Disciple Sister!"

"Where are you not young anymore?" Wang Jingyuan eyed the sixteen or seventeen-year-old loli before him and muttered. He placed his right hand back on the sword hilt and looked behind Yue Lingshan.

"Huh? Master is here."

Hearing Wang Jingyuan's words, Yue Lingshan didn't even turn to look. Instead, she pointed her sword at him and said indignantly, "You're trying that trick again!"

Wang Jingyuan, who was just trying his luck, didn't care that Yue Lingshan didn't fall for it. He drew his sword, leaped into the air, and executed another Golden Geese Crossing the Sky.

Yue Lingshan easily blocked it, but Wang Jingyuan stubbornly continued his small movements with his other hand. This time, however, Yue Lingshan's eyes widened in horror.

Because Wang Jingyuan's left hand was poised as if to flick something, and the finger he was using was the same one he had just used to pick his nose.

As his finger flicked out, Yue Lingshan didn't even care if "something" had been flicked out by Wang Jingyuan. She shrieked and dodged to the side, completely losing her composure.

Wang Jingyuan's subsequent Green Pine Welcoming Guests perfectly knocked Yue Lingshan's sword out of her hand.

[Mount Hua Sword Technique Proficiency +10]

Seeing the text appear before his eyes, Wang Jingyuan felt great.

Having saved ten practice sessions, Wang Jingyuan nodded with satisfaction and sheathed his sword. He turned to look at Yue Lingshan, who was still shaken and glaring at him resentfully. He spread his hands:

"See? Just like I said. Being rigid and following the rules makes you predictable and easily countered. But breaking the sequence creates obvious wind-ups, making you vulnerable to attacks.

As a qualified Player, you need to learn to insert viable fancy moves between the wind-ups to cancel them, or even better, insert attack commands in between to increase DPS."

"Junior Disciple Brother, you're speaking nonsense again!" Yue Lingshan stomped her foot in anger. "You're just bullying me... I'm a clean person. If you encountered someone else, what use would that move of yours have?!"

Wang Jingyuan gave Yue Lingshan a disdainful sidelong glance. "Tsk, that was just practice. Do you know how expensive quicklime was back in this era? Such a valuable item shouldn't be used on BOSSes, at the very least it should be used on elite monsters.

You, an NPC training dummy, aren't worthy of such high-class goods. You need to understand your position."

Yue Lingshan ignored the unfamiliar words Wang Jingyuan was using, but she finally understood. Wang Jingyuan's move was originally intended to throw lime powder?

This explained all his previous waving and flicking gestures. Yue Lingshan was instantly horrified. "You plan to use lime powder in combat?!"

Wang Jingyuan shook his head.

Yue Lingshan breathed a slight sigh of relief.

But then Wang Jingyuan continued, "You need to broaden your horizons and not limit your own tactics so rigidly.

Besides quicklime, there are also aphrodisiac powders, poisoned hidden weapons, rusty cleavers, hammers smeared with feces, and so on."

Yue Lingshan's mouth hung open in shock. "Our Mount Hua Sect is a righteous and honorable sect!"

Wang Jingyuan waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine, I'll just say I'm from the Sun Moon Holy Cult before I make my move."

Hearing such blasphemous remarks, Yue Lingshan was even more aghast. "You! You want to claim to be from the Demonic Cult?!"

"What's so surprising? When venturing into Jianghu, one should have multiple alts. As the saying goes, Li Feiyu for murder and arson, saving people and rescuing the suffering..."

Before Wang Jingyuan could finish, Yue Lingshan interrupted him. "How can you be like this! I... I'm going to tell my father!"

With that, Yue Lingshan picked up her sword from the ground and fled as fast as lightning.

Wang Jingyuan shook his head behind her. "Back in the day, when I killed a chicken in Ximu Town, I was chased by a bunch of ruffians. Even when I returned wearing full plate armor, they recognized me instantly.

It's just that this game is hardcore. If you cover your face and don't speak, people around you won't recognize you. Not using this mechanic is just stupid."

After speaking, Wang Jingyuan picked up his sword and began practicing the Mount Hua Sword Technique again, simultaneously recalling the beginning of it all