"You..."
Wan Guiyun's eyes widened in disbelief.
The Ultimate Sword Art he had unleashed, his strongest sword strike, had actually been caught between two fingers?
That sword, which had condensed his lifetime of cultivation and drained all his strength and blood vitality—a sword capable of piercing an iron plate—was as fragile as a child's toy between Chen Xuan's two fingers.
"Your swordsmanship is very good." Chen Xuan looked at him and said blandly, "But your strength is insufficient, and your cultivation is too weak. No matter how exquisite a sword art is, it still requires powerful cultivation to wield it and bring out its proper might. Otherwise... it is nothing but flashy flourishes."
As his words fell, Chen Xuan gently twisted his two fingers.
"Clang!"
A crisp cracking sound rang throughout the arena.
The blade snapped in response. The ancient sword that had accompanied Wan Guiyun for many years was as brittle as a dead branch between Chen Xuan's fingers.
Half the broken sword spun through the air, tracing a desolate arc before finally embedding itself in the ground at the edge of the arena. Its hilt buzzed and trembled, letting out an unwilling wail.
Only half a broken sword remained in Wan Guiyun's hand as he stood there in a daze.
He had never encountered such a situation before.
Within Ten Thousand Sword Villa, he had relied on three perfected Peak Sword Techniques at the Body Tempering Realm level, along with one Ultimate Sword Art, to remain undefeated among his peers.
Whether Collateral-Line Disciples or Direct-Line Disciples, so long as they were his age, all bowed beneath his sword.
The elders of Ten Thousand Sword Villa had praised him as a swordsmanship prodigy seen once in a century. They had said he was a powerful contender for the future position of Sword Child, that his path of the sword would surely shine with boundless brilliance.
He had believed them.
He had thought himself already standing at the pinnacle among his peers, believed that beneath this vast sky, none of his generation could stand against him.
He had come to Tiannan Prefecture because his attainments in swordsmanship had reached a bottleneck.
With Peak Sword Techniques at the perfected stage and an Ultimate Sword Art at the major accomplishment stage, he had already reached the end of the road at the Body Tempering Realm. He needed more real combat, true life-and-death battles, and to comprehend the true essence of the sword amid blood and fire.
He had chosen Tiannan Prefecture because it was chaotic, because it was dangerous, because it had enough opponents to temper him.
But never in his wildest dreams had he expected that at his first stop in Tiannan Prefecture, in a tiny place like Lianshan City, he would lose.
And lose so thoroughly, so decisively.
It was not a narrow loss after a bitter struggle, nor regret after an evenly matched contest. It was a crushing defeat, an absolute gap in level.
His strongest sword move had been caught with two fingers.
His Ultimate Sword Art had been dismissed as flashy flourishes.
This blow was heavier and more unforgettable than any physical injury.
At this moment, Wan Guiyun could not help recalling what his lineage elder—his master—had told him when he left Ten Thousand Sword Villa.
"Guiyun, although you possess extraordinary comprehension in cultivating sword arts, geniuses in this world are as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river. Without sufficient experience and tempering of the heart, you will ultimately find it difficult to climb the peak. Though your swordsmanship is refined, you still lack the experience of true life-and-death combat. On this journey to Tiannan Prefecture, I hope you can cast aside your past pride and face every battle with a humble heart."
Wan Guiyun had merely nodded in agreement at the time, but inwardly he had not taken it seriously.
Ten Thousand Sword Villa was an Overlord-Tier Faction that ruled several prefectures. No one among his peers could contend with him, so who in the world could be his opponent?
Those so-called geniuses were nothing more than earthen chickens and porcelain dogs before him, beneath mention.
He had thought his master overly cautious, overly conservative.
A chaotic place like Tiannan Prefecture was precisely the stage where he could display his edge and build his reputation.
Yet today, Chen Xuan's two fingers had struck him like a blow to the head, making him realize that the swordsmanship he had been so proud of was no more than an insignificant carving trick before a truly powerful expert.
In martial cultivation, powerful techniques were certainly important.
But a martial artist's true foundation was still their cultivation realm.
Though the Yiyuan Sword Art was an Ultimate Art-level sword technique, his cultivation was only at the Body Tempering Realm, making it difficult for him to unleash its true power.
Only upon reaching the Zhuqi Realm could an Ultimate Sword Art display the splendor it deserved.
"Chen Xuan, I will remember you."
Wan Guiyun slowly raised his head, his gaze becoming clear and resolute once more.
He sheathed the half-broken sword in his hand. Though the sword had broken, a swordsman's dignity could not be discarded.
"I lost this match." Wan Guiyun's voice was calm, devoid of resentment or unwillingness. "But when I break through to the Zhuqi Realm, I will return to challenge you again. Next time, I will let you see the true power of an Ultimate Sword Art."
Having said that, Wan Guiyun turned and stepped down from the arena.
His back was straight as a sword, and his steps were steady. Though he had lost this match, there was not a trace of dejection in him.
On the contrary, an even fiercer flame burned in his eyes. It was fighting spirit, desire, and a pursuit of higher realms.
Victory and defeat were common in battle. He could afford to lose.
More importantly, he had seen his own shortcomings through this battle and seen the road ahead.
Recognizing one's shortcomings was more precious than any victory.
"Next time."
Chen Xuan smiled.
Wan Guiyun's temperament was rather good.
To remain unbowed in defeat, swiftly adjust his mindset, and turn failure into motivation—those were qualities a true genius ought to possess.
But Chen Xuan knew.
Time would not close the distance between them. It would only pull them farther apart. By the next time they met, the gap between them would only grow wider.
He possessed the Zhaoxi Bizheng fate. Every day, Zhaoxi Value would flow into his account, allowing him to gain a year of cultivation in a single day. Wan Guiyun, though extraordinarily gifted in comprehension, merely benefited when cultivating sword arts. Breaking through cultivation realms still depended on one's innate physique and aptitude.
By the time Wan Guiyun broke through to the Zhuqi Realm, Chen Xuan might already be at the Zhuqi Realm Third Layer, Fourth Layer, or even higher.
Time stood on his side.
Chen Xuan withdrew his gaze and turned to walk down from the arena.
"Branch Master Chen is mighty!"
"Two battles, two victories! He crushed both opponents—he's too strong!"
"Even a Direct-Line Disciple from Ten Thousand Sword Villa who cultivates an Ultimate Sword Art was no match for him. Branch Master Chen is truly incredible!"
Cheers surged in like a tide. The Red Sun Gang disciples crowded around him, their eyes filled with worship and awe.
"Gang Leader, I did not fail your expectations!"
Chen Xuan walked before Sun Tianxing and gave a slight cupped-fist salute.
"Hahaha, good!" Sun Tianxing rose to his feet, laughed heartily, and heavily patted Chen Xuan's shoulder. "Chen Xuan, today you have brought great glory to our Red Sun Gang."
"You flatter me, Gang Leader."
Chen Xuan smiled faintly.
"I am not flattering you, not in the slightest." Sun Tianxing turned toward Wan Zhenshan and deliberately raised his voice. "Master Wan, thank you for yielding. Sixty percent of Baishui Town's share now belongs to our Red Sun Gang."
"Gang Leader Sun, congratulations." Wan Zhenshan struggled to maintain his expression and barely forced out the words. "Your gang having such talent is indeed enviable."
"Hahaha, Master Wan is too polite." Sun Tianxing laughed even more freely. "It was merely luck. Although Chen Xuan's talent is decent, he still needs much more tempering. Let Chen Xuan take the position of Branch Master of Baishui Town, then. I presume Master Wan has no objections?"
"Of course not."
Wan Zhenshan said no more and turned to leave.
The Iron Sword Sect elders and disciples hurriedly followed him, and their group soon vanished into the crowd.
"Chen Xuan, this victory was entirely your own achievement. Everyone has seen it. The position of Branch Master of Baishui Town shall be yours," Sun Tianxing said. "After we return, I will also seek merit for you from the sect. This time, not only did you win the match, but you also defeated a Direct-Line Disciple of Ten Thousand Sword Villa. You have greatly enhanced our sect's reputation. It will certainly be worth more than one Great Merit."
"Thank you, Gang Leader."
Chen Xuan clasped his fists in thanks.
"What are you thanking me for? You earned this." Sun Tianxing waved his hand, then said, "Chen Xuan, Baishui Town is yours to manage. I trust you can handle everything here. From now on, Baishui Town's resource allocations and personnel arrangements will all be under your full authority.
Of course, the medicinal fields in Baishui Town are a juicy piece of meat. The Iron Sword Sect will likely send a deputy branch master later to assist in managing them. But with your strength, I believe that even if the Iron Sword Sect sends someone, they will not be able to stir up much trouble.
As for the Blood Wolf Gang, they likely will not make any major moves in the short term, but you must not lower your guard. Qin Sihai is ruthless and vindictive. Now that the Baishui Town Branch has been lost, he definitely will not let the matter rest."
"Rest assured, Gang Leader. I will guard Baishui Town well."
Chen Xuan nodded.
"Good." Sun Tianxing nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Zhao Yuanshan. "Yuanshan, stay behind and help Chen Xuan for a few days. Return only after he has straightened out Baishui Town's affairs."
"Yes, Gang Leader."
Zhao Yuanshan answered with a cupped-fist salute.
One hour later.
Beicheng of Lianshan City, Blood Wolf Gang headquarters.
Qin Sihai sat in a tiger-skin chair, listening to a scout's report.
"One man caught several of Wan Guiyun's perfected sword techniques barehanded, and even an Ultimate Art-level sword technique could not injure him?"
After hearing the report, Qin Sihai's eyes sharpened.
"Yes, Gang Leader," the scout replied. "This subordinate saw it with his own eyes."
The iron balls in Qin Sihai's hand stopped spinning.
"Catching swords barehanded... He once obtained the Vajra Technique." The iron balls in Qin Sihai's hand stopped turning as he muttered to himself. "It seems the destruction of the Baishui Town Branch was Chen Xuan's doing."
"Whether it was you or not, I would rather kill the wrong one than let the right one go."
A flash of cold light passed through Qin Sihai's eyes.
However, he could not handle this matter personally.
The Three Great Sects openly and secretly competed and fought endlessly in Tiannan Prefecture, but there were still certain unspoken rules. One was that the strong could not bully the weak.
Therefore, if he wanted to kill Chen Xuan, he could only kill with a borrowed knife.
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