Ximen Tinghua

He cursed as the Spirit Sword in his hand never stopped!

With a sharp shing, Wang Xian's wooden sword pierced a small hole in Tang Shisan's sleeve in the blink of an eye.

A fierce Sword Qi slashed past Tang Shisan, letting out a piercing whistle.

Startled, Tang Shisan darted to one side and boldly swung the Spirit Sword in her hand.

That single sword strike made her realize that the young man before her was no pushover.

He clearly lacked experience fighting others to the death, but he wasn't someone who backed down from trouble.

The two swept past each other in an instant. Not a soul on or below the platform saw Wang Xian pierce Tang Shisan's sleeve with his sword.

Tang Shisan drew a sharp breath and muttered to herself, seemingly sending a message to someone.

A moment later, she looked at the Spirit Sword in her hand and said, "Well, would you look at that. You little brat were pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger!"

"Fine. I'm going to teach you a lesson today, one way or another."

Before her words had even faded, a clang rang out.

In an instant, a blade of light flashed into view.

The silver Spirit Sword shimmered with a faint, elusive glow. It gave a clear ring, then instantly cut through the air toward Wang Xian!

This was the move Flowers Parting, Willows Brushed Aside!

Before the sword stroke had run its course, she changed moves midway, transforming it into Flying Star Chasing the Moon!

The sword tip came within a hair's breadth of piercing Wang Xian's chest...

Clang!

Who could have guessed that Wang Xian would change moves in an instant, turning his left hand from a fist into a palm?

The moment he struck, he flicked his finger like an orchid, repeating his old trick and using White Rainbow Piercing the Sun to snap against the back of Tang Shisan's sword.

Wang Xian's finger flicked against the three-foot Spirit Sword thrusting straight at him...

A metallic ring burst out, and the Spirit Sword in Tang Shisan's hand nearly flew away!

That finger flick was far too domineering!

It was as though a heavy sword had slammed into her Spirit Sword. Tang Shisan cried out and shot backward, retreating three zhang.

She gave a muffled grunt and staggered back in shock.

On the viewing platform, Dantai Xiaoxue shook her head. "Master, did Junior Brother change that palm strike into a finger flick?"

Watching Wang Xian fight two opponents and use the techniques she had taught him one after another, Dongfang Nishang smiled.

"That's called adapting. Did you expect him to punch them instead?"

Dantai Xiaoxue chuckled. "True. Junior Brother's orchid fingers look lovely."

Just then, she saw something terrifying...

Wang Xian drew back his left hand. The wooden sword in his grasp slashed like lightning, darting across the platform like a shooting star, so fast it dazzled the eye!

Like a wisp of breeze, it swept toward Tang Shisan.

This sword was swift as the wind and fierce as fire!

Before anyone on or below the platform could make out what had happened, the sword had already flashed before Tang Shisan like a streak of light.

For an instant, Wang Xian seemed to Tang Shisan like a breeze brushing past her cheek.

Before she could catch it, it had quietly slipped through her fingers!

No! That sword, a blade of wind, had already slashed right in front of her!

"Ah..."

Tang Shisan cried out in alarm. Wang Xian's sword had silently pierced her neck, leaving a bloody hole!

She even seemed to be rolling her eyes as she fell toward the ground.

But in that split second, instinct—or perhaps intuition—saved her!

Just like Wang Xian's sword, she moved in a flash. Her red robes fluttered as she drifted off the three-zhang-high platform and down toward the plaza.

Still in midair, she cried, "I give up!"

Boom!

The prodigies, cultivators, and elders watching from the plaza erupted.

No one had expected the Tang Clan's prodigy to concede so readily and stop fighting.

Dantai Xiaoxue was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "Junior Brother, you're rich now!"

Wang Xian sheathed his wooden sword on the platform.

After a moment's thought, he clasped his hands toward the Tang Clan girl in the plaza. "Hey, you. Thanks."

It was over!

The crowd hadn't even had its fill of the fight before it ended in the blink of an eye.

The sword rose like a sudden peal of thunder; it returned like a breeze brushing the face. Everything fell silent.

Tang Shisan smiled faintly. "Tell big sister, what was the name of that sword strike? Do you have some kind of demonic art?"

Wang Xian froze, then chuckled. "No, I'm just pretty fast!"

Just as he was clasping his hands to thank everyone in the plaza and preparing to leave—

Whoosh!

A white figure flashed past Tang Shisan like lightning and darted toward the three-zhang-high platform.

Before the newcomer had even landed, Tang Shisan laughed again.

"This guy came from beyond the Pass. He says he's a Rogue Cultivator named Ximen Tinghua. I don't think I can beat him, so watch out! Heehee!"

With that, she looked toward the platform.

Wang Xian stood there with a calm expression, his hands clasped behind his back. His Daoist robe whipped in the wind, but he showed no sign of drawing his wooden sword to face his opponent.

Tang Shisan stared at him in a daze.

Unable to help herself, she asked, "Wang Xian, this guy's called Ximen Tinghua. He wants to challenge you!"

Before Wang Xian could answer, Dantai Xiaoyu shouted out.

Waving her little hand, she called, "Senior Brother has money now! The wager for this round is a thousand Spirit Stones. Hey, you—do you have the money?"

Ximen Tinghua wore white robes whiter than snow, with sword-like brows and bright, starry eyes.

He was about the same age as Tang Shisan, yet his cultivation had already reached the Nascent Soul Realm.

Not to mention the Spirit Sword in his hand, which he was gently rocking.

The sword was clearly impatient to leave its sheath and teach the arrogant young man a lesson.

Hearing Dantai Xiaoxue's words from the viewing platform, Ximen Tinghua first froze, then clasped his hands toward Wang Xian and asked, "Are you very short on money?"

Wang Xian nodded. "I'm poor!"

He flicked his hand, and a Storage Ring flew toward Dantai Xiaoxue on the viewing platform.

"There are a thousand Spirit Stones in here!"

Ximen Tinghua thought for a moment, then asked, "What sword technique was that strike you used earlier?"

Wang Xian considered it, then replied, "One Sword No Trace. I don't know what kind of sword technique it is."

"Who taught it to you?"

"My master."

"Where is your master? I want to learn that sword strike from him!"

"My master is on Kunlun's South Mountain. I don't think he's taking on any more disciples."

At Ximen Tinghua's words, Wang Xian's mind wandered, and a trace of dismay appeared in his eyes. It seemed the girl on the platform hadn't been wrong.

Wang Xian standing before him was already a disciple of the Kunlun Daoist Temple.

Others might not know the old Daoist of the Cloud-Rising Taoist Temple on Kunlun, but as a sword fanatic, Ximen Tinghua could not afford not to know of him.

He had thought that by coming to Kunlun, he might behold the old Daoist's bearing. Who could have guessed that he would not see the divine dragon, but instead encounter Wang Xian, a young man like a demon?

Ximen Tinghua lightly tapped his sword sheath and sighed.

He said, "My cultivation is far above yours. By rights, I shouldn't challenge you, but I truly love that sword strike of yours!"

"How about this? I'll only make three moves. If you can take them, you win. How does that sound?"

"Huh?"

Wang Xian froze and blurted out, "Just three moves?"

Duanmu Xi, who had moved to the edge of the plaza, felt a chill run through her as she listened to Ximen Tinghua.

Wang Xian, at the Foundation Establishment Realm, could take three strikes from a prodigy at the Nascent Soul Realm?

He was crazy!

The prodigies in the plaza cheered at his words. "Say yes, Wang Xian! It's only three strikes. Don't be scared!"

"Junior Brother, don't be scared. If you can't beat him, I'll take him on!"

"All right. I'll give it a try!"

Wang Xian nodded, thinking that he could use the two moves his martial uncle had taught him, plus the one his master had taught him. That made three exactly!

Just as he was about to bring out his wooden sword—

Ximen Tinghua shook his head and said solemnly, "My sword is too sharp. If you don't have one, I can lend you a sword!"

Dongfang Nishang's expression turned grave at his words. She immediately said, "Wang Xian, if you don't have a sword, use mine!"

Dantai Xiaoxue nodded.

Wang Xian paused, then shook his head.

He thought of the Spirit Sword the woman in white had given him when they met on the road, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

He replied to Dongfang Nishang, "Thank you, Martial Aunt. I have a sword!"

Clang...

A sword's cry shot straight into the sky. Ximen Tinghua's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "What a fine Spirit Sword!"

"Wait!"

Just then, Elder Wang of the Mystic Heaven Sect cried out from the viewing platform. "Wang Xian, where did this sword come from?"