Testing Moves

"How does Hall Master Chen wish to compete?"

Wan Guiyun gripped the sword hilt, a hint of anticipation in his voice. He was like a sharp sword about to leave its sheath; though its edge had yet to show, its sword intent was already awe-inspiring.

"Stop at the right point," Chen Xuan said. "You use your full strength. I'll only defend, not attack."

Wan Guiyun frowned.

Only defend and not attack?

That was looking down on him far too much.

But on second thought, Chen Xuan had killed Liu Feng, a Qi Casting Realm Third Layer martial artist, with a single sword strike. His cultivation was far above Wan Guiyun's, so only defending without attacking might not necessarily be arrogance.

"Fine." Wan Guiyun took a deep breath. The surging emotions in his chest gradually settled, replaced by intense fighting spirit. He said in a low voice, "Hall Master Chen, be careful."

His right hand rested on the hilt as he slowly drew his sword.

It was a new treasured sword, long and slender, its entire blade silver-white and gleaming with cold light beneath the sun.

Silver-white True Qi flowed endlessly over the blade, sharp and fierce, as though it could slice even the air apart.

Previously,

Wan Guiyun had believed that a truly powerful swordsman would be the same whether he used an ordinary sword or a fine weapon.

A sword was an extension of the arm. What truly determined victory or defeat was the person holding it.

But after Chen Xuan had caught his sword between two fingers and snapped it, he understood the importance of possessing a treasured sword.

If he had been using a good sword, the other man could not have broken it so easily.

Thus, Wan Guiyun had changed to a weapon.

The person holding the sword truly determined victory and defeat.

There was nothing wrong with that statement.

But at the same cultivation level, possessing a fine weapon would naturally increase one's combat strength.

"This sword is called Shuangbai, a Superior Weapon." Wan Guiyun said, "Hall Master Chen, pardon my offense."

As soon as the words fell, he moved.

He thrust out with his sword, its radiance like a meteor crashing to earth.

Meteor Sword Technique—Line of Heaven.

Wan Guiyun had used this Superior Sword Technique during their tournament match.

That day, he had displayed it with Body Tempering Realm cultivation. Though the sword light had been swift, it lacked some of its true sharpness, and Chen Xuan had ultimately neutralized it with ease.

Yet today, it was the same sword technique, but it was completely different.

The True Qi of the Taibai Sword Scripture surged through his body like a silver-white river, vast and fierce. Silver-white Sword Qi shot from the sword tip, so fast that the naked eye could barely catch it. It drew a straight white line through the air, its sharp edge tearing the air apart with a piercing howl.

This sword strike was at least three times faster than when he had been in the Body Tempering Realm, and its sharpness could not be mentioned in the same breath.

"Good."

A trace of approval flashed through Chen Xuan's eyes.

He did not draw his sword, nor did he dodge. He merely raised his right hand, pressing his index and middle fingers together as he met the fierce sword light.

Wan Guiyun's pupils contracted.

This scene was far too familiar.

Ten days ago, on the arena stage, every time he used the Ultimate Sword Art, Chen Xuan had caught it between two fingers.

He feared he would never forget such a scene for the rest of his life.

His all-out attack had seemed like a child's game in the other man's eyes. That helplessness, that despair, had once left him unable to sleep for days on end.

"Clang!"

A crisp metallic ring echoed through the silent courtyard.

Wan Guiyun's sword tip was firmly caught between Chen Xuan's two fingers. The silver-white True Qi on the blade clashed against the pale golden radiance between Chen Xuan's fingers, producing faint crackling sounds.

But this time was different from the last.

The last time, after Chen Xuan caught the sword tip between his fingers on the arena stage, Wan Guiyun's sword could not advance another inch, as though it had struck an immovable mountain.

But this time, the silver-white Sword Qi exploded between Chen Xuan's fingers, actually making him feel a faint sting.

The sensation was like a wisp of cold wind in winter. Though it had not even broken the skin, it truly reminded him—

This sword strike was not entirely ineffective.

Though it still had not broken his skin, that indestructible sharpness was indeed countless times stronger than it had been in the Body Tempering Realm.

"The Taibai Sword Scripture truly is extraordinary." Chen Xuan released his fingers and said calmly, "Again."

Excitement flashed in Wan Guiyun's eyes. His sword momentum shifted, and the blade traced a strange arc through the air, like a spirit snake emerging from its hole, stabbing toward Chen Xuan from the side.

Wherever the sword edge passed, it left behind afterimages, making it impossible to distinguish what was real and what was illusion.

Spirit Snake Sword Technique.

This Superior Sword Technique was famed for its unpredictable changes. Its moves were tricky and impossible to guard against.

Driven by the True Qi of the Taibai Sword Scripture, the silver-white Sword Qi resembled a genuine spirit snake, twisting and changing in the air—now left, now right. No one could predict where it would ultimately strike.

Yet this ever-changing trajectory did not affect Chen Xuan. He neither dodged nor evaded, merely raising his hand and slapping the blade.

"Clang!"

The sword body trembled violently. Wan Guiyun staggered back several steps, his tiger's mouth going numb.

But he did not pause. His sword momentum changed again.

Nine-Fold Mountain Sword Technique.

This was the Peak Sword Technique. It sought neither speed nor cleverness, only strength.

Wan Guiyun gripped the sword with both hands and chopped downward. Silver-white light blazed from the blade as it descended toward Chen Xuan's head with the force of Mount Tai bearing down.

This strike was immensely powerful and heavy, several times stronger than the previous Meteor Sword Technique and Spirit Snake Sword Technique.

Chen Xuan raised his arm to block it.

"Boom—"

The sword edge struck his forearm with a dull, thunderous sound.

Chen Xuan did not move in the slightest, but his sleeve was torn open by the Sword Qi, revealing the pale golden sheen of the skin beneath.

"Good sword technique." Chen Xuan praised, "The True Qi of the Taibai Sword Scripture is indeed far stronger than the internal force from the Body Tempering Realm."

Wan Guiyun withdrew his sword and stood upright, giving a bitter laugh. "Hall Master Chen, I've used every trick up my sleeve, yet I can't even hurt your skin. How are we supposed to continue this match?"

His voice carried helplessness, but no dejection. He knew that it was not because his sword was not sharp enough, but because the other man's defense was too terrifying.

"You're already quite impressive." Chen Xuan said. "At the First Layer of Qi Casting, you can make me feel a trace of pain. There are very few people at the same realm who can accomplish that."

He was speaking the truth.

The Vajra Technique was a peak body-tempering technique. With the Vajra True Qi of the Fifth Layer of Qi Casting and the fleshly body of Indestructible Vajra, Chen Xuan's defensive power had reached a terrifying extreme.

With First Layer of Qi Casting cultivation, Wan Guiyun could drive the Superior Sword Technique and Peak Sword Technique to the point of making him feel pain. That was already an astonishing performance.

Had it been any other First Layer of Qi Casting martial artist, even their all-out strike against him would probably not count as scratching an itch.

"Your True Qi's characteristics are very strong." Chen Xuan said. "Indestructible and supremely sharp. If you fought someone at the same realm, very few would be able to block your Sword Qi. Once you cultivate the Taibai Sword Scripture to a higher level, you will be invincible among those of the same rank."

Wan Guiyun nodded.

The Taibai Sword Scripture he cultivated was one of Ten Thousand Sword Villa's Ultimate Arts. It cultivated neither the fleshly body nor defense, focusing solely on Sword Qi and pursuing the ultimate offensive power.

This technique was extraordinarily difficult to cultivate, with outrageously high demands for comprehension. Over the past century at Ten Thousand Sword Villa, only a handful of people had managed to gain entry into it.

The reason he had been able to cultivate the Taibai Sword Scripture to the First Layer of Qi Casting at seventeen was his exceptional comprehension of the sword.

"By the way, you still have the Ultimate Sword Art. Why haven't you used it?" Chen Xuan asked. "If you use the Ultimate Sword Art, you should be able to break my skin. I'd like to witness the Ultimate Sword Art at the Zhuqi Realm level."

At those words, the corner of Wan Guiyun's mouth could not help twitching.

Ultimate Art True Qi combined with the Ultimate Sword Art, just to break Chen Xuan's skin... If anyone else had said that, Wan Guiyun would certainly have thought it was naked mockery, a victor taunting a defeated man.

But when Chen Xuan said it, it was simply an obvious fact. In their exchanges just now, Wan Guiyun had personally experienced the terror of Chen Xuan's fleshly body.

Beneath that pale golden skin seemed to lie a fortress forged from Vajra, unbreakable and impregnable. Forget breaking his skin—even leaving a white mark on Chen Xuan's body required him to exhaust every bit of True Qi in his body.

Therefore, Wan Guiyun could only give a bitter laugh. "Hall Master Chen, I've only just broken through to the Zhuqi Realm. My Ultimate Sword Art is still at the Body Tempering Realm level. I need time to fully integrate my True Qi with my sword technique before I can use the Ultimate Sword Art from the Qi Casting Chapter. When that time comes... I will certainly return to seek Hall Master Chen's guidance."

"So that's how it is." Chen Xuan nodded. Rather than disappointment, a trace of anticipation appeared on his face. "Then I'll wait. Once you've mastered the Ultimate Sword Art, come fight me again."

After speaking, he turned and walked toward the courtyard gate.

"Hall Master Chen, are you going out?"

Wan Guiyun noticed that Chen Xuan had changed into clean clothes and had also instructed his subordinates to prepare a fast horse.

"Yes." Chen Xuan nodded. "I have a personal matter to handle. I'll be away for a few days, so I'll have to trouble you with Baishui Town's affairs."

"Rest assured, Hall Master Chen." Wan Guiyun cupped his hands. "I'll keep watch over the branch hall."