Sword Genius

"Sect Master, let me handle the second round."

Just as Wan Zhenshan was about to speak, Wan Guiyun had already stepped forward.

His voice was not loud, yet it reached everyone present with perfect clarity. His tone was calm, devoid of anger, contempt, or even a hint of battle intent, as if he were discussing something entirely trivial.

"I shall trouble you with this, nephew."

Wan Zhenshan glanced at him and nodded.

Although he had not returned to Ten Thousand Sword Villa in a long time, he had heard of Wan Guiyun's reputation. The young man's innate talent was not outstanding—it didn't even reach the middle tier—but he possessed exceptional comprehension regarding sword techniques, which allowed him to rise from a collateral disciple to a direct descendant, boasting combat power far exceeding his peers.

Chen Xuan being able to cripple Wan Shengkuang with a single palm strike indicated his cultivation was at least at the Ninth Stage of Body Tempering, but Wan Guiyun's cultivation had also reached the Ninth Stage of Body Tempering, Huajin Realm. Within Ten Thousand Sword Villa, no one of the same rank was his match.

Wan Guiyun walked slowly toward the arena, his pace steady and unhurried. His robes fluttered gently in the morning breeze, and the tassel on the sword at his waist swayed with his movement.

He exuded an air of composure, as if he were not heading to a duel, but attending a tea party.

On the arena, Chen Xuan watched Wan Guiyun approach with a calm expression.

Unlike Wan Shengkuang, Wan Guiyun did not release any deliberate pressure; his aura was restrained, to the point where one could not even sense a threat.

This person was not simple.

However, Chen Xuan was not afraid. Unless the opponent had reached the Third Stage of Zhuqi Realm and mastered a top-tier cultivation technique, they could not defeat him.

Wan Guiyun stepped onto the arena and stood still opposite Chen Xuan, three zhang apart. He rested his right hand on the hilt of his sword, watching Chen Xuan with calm eyes as he sized him up.

"The fact that you could cripple Wan Shengkuang with one palm shows your cultivation is at least at the Ninth Stage of Body Tempering, Huajin Realm. Such strength is not bad," Wan Guiyun began, his voice flat. "But my comprehension is exceptional. I began learning the sword at seven, and in the ten years since, I have mastered over a hundred sword techniques. Among them, twenty-three superior techniques have reached perfection, as have three top-tier techniques. I have even cultivated a peerless sword art. You are no match for me; concede!"

"Exceptional comprehension?"

Chen Xuan's heart stirred.

Comprehension, much like innate talent, was categorized by levels.

However, while innate talent could be tested and thus easily categorized, comprehension could not be measured by ordinary means; it was simply divided into ordinary and exceptional.

Exceptional comprehension meant being far beyond the average person.

It was just that this Wan Guiyun's exceptional comprehension seemed somewhat "lopsided," manifesting only in sword techniques.

At seventeen, it would be impressive for most martial artists to bring even one superior sword technique to perfection, yet he had perfected twenty-three, along with three top-tier techniques.

He had even cultivated a peerless sword art.

If the man wasn't boasting, he certainly had the capital to be proud.

However, Chen Xuan remained unmoved, saying indifferently, "Disciples of Ten Thousand Sword Villa don't rely on the swords in their hands during a duel, but on their glib tongues. Who can't brag?"

"You're courting death!"

Provoked by Chen Xuan, a flash of anger crossed Wan Guiyun's eyes. His long sword instantly left its scabbard. With a flick of his wrist, the tip of the blade drew a circle in the air, and energy condensed at the point, forming a silver-white halo.

"The first one: Meteor Sword Technique."

As the words fell, Wan Guiyun struck.

This strike was fast to the extreme.

The sword light was like a meteor, like lightning, like a fleeting glimpse.

Most of the people under the stage could not see how he had drawn his sword; they only saw a silver-white radiance shoot from the tip, aiming straight for Chen Xuan's throat.

Meteor Sword Technique—Line of Heaven.

However, this strike, which was invisible to the naked eye of a Body Tempering martial artist, moved at a speed that was nothing special in the eyes of Chen Xuan, who was in the Zhuqi Realm.

Chen Xuan raised his hand and flicked the blade lightly, causing the tip to veer off course.

Wan Guiyun's brows furrowed slightly. The sword momentum shifted, and a second strike followed immediately.

This strike was no longer a straight thrust, but moved like a spirit snake emerging from its hole. The blade twisted and changed in the air, making it impossible to judge where it would ultimately strike.

This was yet another superior sword technique brought to the realm of perfection.

The blade vibrated, emitting a buzzing sound like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

Wan Guiyun's wrist turned repeatedly, the tip of his sword tracing eerie arcs in the air, biting toward Chen Xuan's vital points from different angles—the throat, the heart, the dantian, and the eyes.

Someone under the stage gasped.

The Spirit Snake Sword Technique was known for its devious changes; the moves were tricky and impossible to guard against.

Wan Guiyun had cultivated this technique to perfection, and every strike carried the agility of a spirit snake, dazzling the eyes of the onlookers.

But Chen Xuan remained standing in place, unmoving.

He raised his hand, fingers spread, and grabbed into the twisted shadows of the blade.

"Clang!"

A crisp sound rang out.

Wan Guiyun's sword tip was caught between Chen Xuan's index and middle fingers, motionless. All those strange paths and tricky angles lost all meaning in the face of absolute power.

Wan Guiyun's expression shifted slightly, but he did not panic. With a flick of his wrist, the blade spun violently, breaking free from Chen Xuan's grip, and he used the momentum to retreat three steps.

"Good." Wan Guiyun's eyes shone with a sharp light, and he whispered, a hint of excitement flashing in his gaze: "You are qualified for me to use a top-tier sword technique."

He took a deep breath, and his sword stance shifted once more.

This time, infused with his internal energy, his sword became heavy.

It was no longer lightning-fast or unpredictably deceptive; instead, every strike was upright and imposing, carrying the weight of Mount Tai as he swung it down.

This was a top-tier sword technique, the Nine-Fold Mountain Sword Technique.

The Nine-Fold Mountain Sword Technique sought neither speed nor finesse, only power. When cultivated to its peak, a single strike contained nine layers of force, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks with an unstoppable momentum.

Chen Xuan did not move his feet, simply raising his arm to block.

"Clang!"

The blade struck Chen Xuan's forearm, producing a loud sound like metal colliding with metal.

Wan Guiyun's pupils constricted.

This strike of his was enough to split a slab of bluestone in two, yet when it landed on Chen Xuan's arm, the other man did not even frown.

"Your physical body..." Wan Guiyun's voice carried a hint of disbelief, "Are you practicing a top-tier hard-body technique?"

Chen Xuan did not answer.

Wan Guiyun gritted his teeth and changed his sword stance again.

He unleashed his second top-tier sword technique, the Falling Leaf Sword Technique.

The Falling Leaf Sword Technique was renowned for its agility.

The sword moved like falling leaves, silent and traceless, making it impossible to guard against.

Wan Guiyun's figure drifted like an autumn leaf, flickering unpredictably across the arena, and his sword became light and weightless, yet every strike was aimed precisely at Chen Xuan's vitals.

Chen Xuan still did not dodge or evade.

The tip of the sword struck his chest, producing a crisp "ding" sound, as if it had hit an iron plate.

Wan Guiyun stabbed more than a dozen times, each strike landing on the exact same spot, yet Chen Xuan's robe did not even tear.

The third top-tier sword technique, the Armor-Piercing Sword Technique.

Wan Guiyun changed his tactics.

The Armor-Piercing Sword Technique was specifically designed to counter hard-body techniques.

This sword style was not known for its sharpness, but rather for the principle of "penetration," focusing all the sword energy into a single point to pierce the opponent's defense and strike their internal organs directly.

Wan Guiyun thrust his sword out, a silver-white energy gathering at the tip, as thin as a hair but incredibly sharp.

This strike landed on Chen Xuan's chest.

"Clang!"

The sword tip pressed against Chen Xuan's chest, emitting a crisp sound.

Wan Guiyun felt as if his sword tip were pressing against an iron mountain; the piercing force, which had concentrated all of his energy, could not break through the other man's skin.