Successful Escape

Noticing the sharpness in Feng Qingyang's eyes, Song Qingshu knew something was amiss. However, he wasn't particularly afraid; instead, a sense of eagerness welled up within him.

With a sweep of his left hand and a whoosh of his right, he struck towards Feng Qingyang. It was the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms' "Dragon Ascending to Heaven."

Seeing that Song Qingshu was still quite far from him, and considering the peculiar and unpredictable nature of his previous moves, Feng Qingyang decided to meet change with steadfastness. He secretly condensed his innate sword energy into his fingers.

Without waiting for his move to age, Song Qingshu drew a circle with his left hand again and unleashed another palm strike, the identical "Dragon Ascending to Heaven."

The force of the two palms combined, like a raging tide, unstoppable, striking Feng Qingyang like an invisible wall of energy.

Feng Qingyang felt his breathing become difficult. He quickly formed a sword gesture and met the attack with a Qi Breaking Style.

Leveraging the momentum of his charge, Song Qingshu leaped into the air. Using "Soaring Dragon in the Sky" from the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, he unleashed a third "Dragon Ascending to Heaven." The three palm strikes, their energies layered, surged towards Feng Qingyang with immense power.

Feng Qingyang's expression finally changed. He had underestimated Song Qingshu's strength. His innate sword energy from his right hand was more than enough to break through the first two palm strikes. He hadn't anticipated that in the flash of an eye, Song Qingshu could deliver a third strike. With the three palms layered, the power of the palm wind grew exponentially. Just as Feng Qingyang broke through the first two energy waves, his innate sword energy was dispersed by Song Qingshu's third palm. With no other choice, he had to use his footwork to evade several yards away.

Feng Qingyang's face was somewhat grim. After all, this was the first time in many years that an enemy had forced him to retreat and defend with his sword, and his opponent was merely a young man barely out of his teens. "Three Dragon Waves! Are you Xiao Feng of the Khitan?"

"If the Great King Xiao were here, Old Feng, you probably wouldn't be as at ease as you are facing me now," Song Qingshu's words provided a negative answer. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He knew the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms and understood the principle behind Xiao Feng's signature move. He had tried his best, and it had actually worked. Of course, there was still a significant gap in power, energy angle, and timing compared to Xiao Feng, which was why he needed "Soaring Dragon in the Sky" to complete the final palm strike.

"Then who exactly are you? You possess the orthodox martial arts of Emei and Wudang, yet you also use evil techniques like the Nine Yin White Bone Claw, and you've even employed the Beggar's Clan ultimate skill, the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. Your mastery of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms is such that only Xiao Feng and Guo Jing of the Beggar's Clan can barely surpass you; all other clan leaders and elders are far inferior." Feng Qingyang's insight was extraordinary, and he quickly discerned Song Qingshu's martial arts style.

"You can call me Gou Dan'er." Song Qingshu glanced back at Mu Wanqing, who stood beside him, her eyes wide with astonishment, and flashed a playful smile. In his heart, he thought it was best to build up resources and wait to establish his power. He had done wrong by Zhou Zhiruo, and if he made a name for himself, he wasn't sure how he would handle Zhou Zhiruo coming to find him.

"The three moves are done. Since you refuse to speak, you shall stay here." Feng Qingyang was slightly angered and formed a sword gesture, attacking.

The speed of the sword energy astonished Song Qingshu. In his haste, he quickly used the Snake-like Dodge technique, rolling on the ground to evade Feng Qingyang's incredibly sharp sword.

However, he had lost the initiative. Feng Qingyang's sword energy followed one after another, ceaselessly. Song Qingshu could only evade, with no power to counterattack. Moreover, the gaps for his evasive maneuvers were being deliberately compressed smaller and smaller by his opponent.

Song Qingshu realized that if this continued, he would be defeated within ten moves. However, he didn't easily counter with the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms. Through the previous exchange, he understood that palm wind was too disadvantaged against the opponent's sword energy. Coupled with the Qi Breaking Style of the Nine Swords of Dugu, even the most profound palm force would be like paper.

With the same amount of force, the area of impact when a palm strike was delivered was far greater than the innate sword energy from the opponent's fingertips. Damn the pressure formula! Song Qingshu cursed physics fiercely. Under the opponent's ability to break through a surface with a point, all palm techniques were inherently disadvantaged.

Seizing an opening, Song Qingshu vibrated his internal energy, and the wooden sword on his back shot out. He grabbed it with his right hand and began to counterattack with several swift slashes.

Feng Qingyang had noticed his wooden sword long ago and had assumed it was merely decorative. He hadn't expected that at such a young age, he would have already reached the realm of "no sword." A faint layer of sword energy also emanated from the surface of the wooden sword, and his sword moves were precisely those carved on the wall, yet not rigidly adhered to. He executed a few ordinary Five Peaks Swordplay moves, the force contained yet not released, hinting at dozens of variations, waiting for Feng Qingyang's reaction to change his moves at any moment.

Feng Qingyang stepped on the Big Dipper formation and quickly retreated several yards. While Song Qingshu's first three moves had been astonishing enough, they hadn't shocked him as much as this. He asked in disbelief, "You grasped all these sword techniques on the wall just by glancing at them?"

Song Qingshu's expression was somewhat awkward. He said with a slight shyness, "It seems... yes."

Hearing his words, Feng Qingyang almost spat out a mouthful of blood. He was already a once-in-several-hundred-years sword prodigy, able to roam the world with his sword by the age of thirty. It was only through decades of sword practice that he could comprehend the sword intent from a mere glance at the techniques on the wall. This young man opposite him, who had practiced the sword for no more than three years at most, could actually match him in terms of pure realm. How could Feng Qingyang not be shocked?

"Whether it's true or not, we'll only know after trying." Feng Qingyang still didn't believe it and decided to test him with all his might.

Song Qingshu quickly gathered his spirits and channeled his energy into the wooden sword, moving to meet the attack.

For a time, sword energy crisscrossed the cave. Although Feng Qingyang was primarily attacking and Song Qingshu defending, and Song Qingshu was often forced into a desperate situation, Song Qingshu was like a small boat in a storm, always able to guard his own position. Using the ordinary Five Peaks Swordplay, he withstood Feng Qingyang's Nine Swords of Dugu without defeat. At times, he could even launch a few attacks that forced Feng Qingyang to retreat and defend. If this were to spread throughout the martial world, it would surely cause a sensation.

However, Song Qingshu knew the bitter truth. Although he could contend with Feng Qingyang for a hundred moves without defeat, if this continued, Feng Qingyang would no longer hold back. Eventually, his sword energy would invade his body, and he would surely die.

With this thought, he was no longer willing to continue fighting. He performed a strange sword gesture and shouted, "Behold my ultimate move – Myriad Swords Returning to Origin!"

Feng Qingyang was startled. This young man had brought him too many surprises, and he feared a careless mistake would lead to a significant loss. He formed sword gestures with both hands, preparing for battle.

Seeing that he had fallen for the ruse, Song Qingshu didn't dare to hesitate. He activated his Treading Sand Without Trace movement technique to its extreme, grabbed the stunned Mu Wanqing beside him, and shouted, "Quick, run!" The two of them shot out of the cave like shooting stars.

After a moment of stunned silence, Feng Qingyang became furious and immediately used his movement technique to pursue them. However, he had lost the initiative. Song Qingshu possessed the supreme movement technique of Treading Sand Without Trace. With a sincere desire to escape, even with Mu Wanqing in his arms, Feng Qingyang could only watch as the distance between them grew...

Sensing that he had finally shaken off Feng Qingyang, Song Qingshu gently put Mu Wanqing down, exclaiming with relief, "My dear, it's a good thing you're as soft as boneless and light as a feather, otherwise, we really wouldn't have escaped."

To his surprise, the response he received was a loud slap from Mu Wanqing.