Swift Sword

"There's an open space up ahead. Let's go there," said a disciple of the Divine Might Corps.

A group of people surrounded Lin Xuan as they headed toward the clearing. The disciples who loved a spectacle gathered around again, looking as though they were here to watch a show.

"What's going on? Wasn't this settled yesterday? Why are they here again today?" one disciple asked in confusion.

"No idea. It seems members of the Divine Might Corps have come to challenge Lin Xuan. This is outright bullying!"

"Damn! Lin Xuan actually accepted? Is his brain broken? Those are people from the Divine Might Corps! Doesn't he know only elites can enter the Divine Might Corps?"

"He'll probably lose horribly. He might even be seriously injured or crippled!" No one thought highly of Lin Xuan, because they knew the strength of Divine Might Corps members all too well. They were absolutely powerhouses among those of the same level—otherwise, they would never have entered the Divine Might Corps.

"Thirty contribution points per challenge. Do you dare?" Lin Xuan said with a smile.

"Kid, you know the rules of a challenge, right?"

"Bullshit. Other than no killing, anything goes. Am I right?" Lin Xuan shrugged.

"Let's hope you can still smile in a moment!" the Divine Might Corps disciple sneered.

"Enough nonsense. Who's first?" Excitement flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes.

"I'll go!" The speaker was a lean disciple, who stepped forward with a treasured sword at his waist.

His opponent was a disciple at the Fourth Level of Meridian Condensation. He was tall and thin, with an ordinary face and a golden curved saber hanging from his waist.

A Divine Might Corps disciple took out a palm-sized jade formation disc and activated it with spiritual energy. The jade disc grew with the wind, and a large blood-red banner appeared in the air.

With a boom, the blood-red banner planted itself into the ground, forming a sealed space three meters wide that enclosed Lin Xuan and the Divine Might Corps disciple inside.

This was a formation banner specially used for sparring. It could create an independent little space, making it convenient for disciples to spar while preventing injury to bystanders.

The disciple facing Lin Xuan was called Su Xing. His cultivation was at the peak of the Fourth Level of Meridian Condensation, only a single step away from Meridian Condensation Stage Five. He could be said to have few opponents within his level.

He sneered, drew the golden curved saber from his waist, and instantly locked his cold eyes onto Lin Xuan.

"Ha!" Su Xing roared and leaped into the air. The curved saber in his hand turned into a streak of golden light as it slashed diagonally down, its saber radiance flashing as it aimed straight for Lin Xuan's chest.

Lin Xuan thrust out with his sword, so fast it made hearts tremble.

Clang!

The longsword was like a dragon, striking the golden saber. The tremendous force made Su Xing's arm go numb. He had never imagined Lin Xuan possessed such strength.

Damn it, he's only at the Fourth Level of Meridian Condensation too. How can he have this kind of power? Su Xing was greatly alarmed.

I can only go all out! Su Xing had originally intended to toy with him, but now it seemed he could only reveal his true skill.

Golden Flame Saber Technique!

Su Xing roared, and a layer of golden light lit up over the saber, like golden flames burning upon its blade.

"I didn't expect Su Xing to use his real skills right from the start. It looks like Lin Xuan is doomed!"

"Yeah. It's a mid-grade Yellow-tier martial art, and Su Xing's cultivation is already at the peak of the Fourth Level of Meridian Condensation. Lin Xuan will probably lose within three moves." The watching disciples murmured among themselves. None of them favored Lin Xuan.

Su Xing slashed out with his flaming saber, stirring up a wave of heat in the air. That blazing temperature enveloped Lin Xuan.

A faint smile remained on Lin Xuan's face. His swordsmanship did not change; every strike was like thunder from the Ninth Heaven tearing through the sky. His icy sword edge sliced through the air, and his sword struck Su Xing's right shoulder.

Pfft! Su Xing seemed to have been struck by lightning. His entire body flew backward before crashing to the ground.

"Hiss—"

Everyone's eyes widened. No matter what, they had never expected Lin Xuan to defeat Su Xing with a single sword strike. After all, Lin Xuan's cultivation was lower than Su Xing's.

Even the Divine Might Corps members were dumbfounded. They knew Su Xing's strength, which was why they had sent him out first. In their eyes, Su Xing defeating Lin Xuan had been a certainty. Yet Su Xing had lost so cleanly.

Cough! Su Xing coughed up a mouthful of blood and staggered to his feet, his eyes filled with shock.

"You lost. Don't forget the thirty contribution points you owe me," Lin Xuan said as he sheathed his sword.

Pfft! Su Xing trembled with rage and involuntarily spat out another mouthful of blood. He could not accept this outcome for the moment.

Still, although he was furious, he did not dare step forward. That sword strike had been too fast—so fast that before he could see it clearly, he had already been sent flying. That was enough to show Lin Xuan's strength far surpassed his own.

"Su Xing, come back!" said a Divine Might Corps member.

Su Xing could only withdraw from the formation platform unwillingly, while the Divine Might Corps members discussed in low voices.

"There's something strange about this kid. His swordsmanship is very fast."

"Mm. We can't lose again, or the Divine Might Corps will be utterly humiliated."

"Liang Hong, you go," said Xing Lifeng, the Divine Might Corps disciple in charge of this operation.

"Fine. I'll show him what a swift sword truly is." The disciple called Liang Hong gave a sinister smile.

With his arms folded over his chest, he strode arrogantly onto the formation platform. His gaze at Lin Xuan was full of disdain.

"Damn, it's actually Liang Hong!" someone in the crowd cried out.

"The Divine Might Corps is really ruthless. They actually sent out an expert at Meridian Condensation Stage Five—and a swordsmanship expert at that!"

"I wonder if Lin Xuan can hold on?" Many people were filled with anticipation.

"That sword strike just now wasn't bad, but against me, you're guaranteed to lose!" Liang Hong looked utterly certain of victory. "Don't worry, I won't take your life. You'll only need to lie in bed for two months!"

Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow. He sensed a dangerous aura from Liang Hong, but he was not afraid. The stronger his opponent, the more excited he became. Su Xing had been too weak; Lin Xuan had not even had the chance to practice his swordsmanship.

I hope you can let me properly practice Thunder Movement Swordsmanship! Lin Xuan looked forward to it.

"Have you prepared thirty contribution points?" Lin Xuan asked calmly.

Liang Hong froze, then sneered. "What an idiot who doesn't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth!"

He suddenly drew his longsword. With a whoosh, his body shot forward, the sword in his hand glowing crimson and carrying bone-piercing chill as it stabbed toward Lin Xuan.

A red flash appeared in the air and reached Lin Xuan in the blink of an eye. Its speed drew cries of alarm from the crowd.

Lin Xuan's pupils contracted. Liang Hong truly had the ability to back up his arrogance. Aside from having reached Meridian Condensation Stage Five, his swordsmanship was even more exquisite. With just one strike, Lin Xuan could tell that Liang Hong was no ordinary opponent.

He took a deep breath and immediately unleashed Thunder Movement Swordsmanship, thrusting out just as swiftly.

Clang!

The two longswords collided, scattering a trail of sparks through the air. Both men attacked rapidly, every move as fast as lightning. The crowd could not see their movements at all; they could only see a red and a blue-green blur locked in fierce combat.

Blood Spreads Across Cold Mountain! After meeting a blow head-on, Liang Hong's swordsmanship suddenly changed. Endless red radiance spread out, and his sword blade seemed stained with blood, incomparably sinister.

"It's a sword skill! Liang Hong is getting serious!" the Divine Might Corps members cried out. They had never expected Lin Xuan to force Liang Hong to use a sword skill. The two of them were separated by an entire level!

"Kid, you brought this upon yourself. I'll grant you your death!" Liang Hong's eyes were bloodshot, like a bloodthirsty demon king.

He turned into a streak of blood-red light and charged at Lin Xuan. The entire space seemed to be torn in half, leaving only a streak of blood-red light swimming through it.

"A sword skill?" Light flickered in Lin Xuan's eyes. The aura around him suddenly surged, and the Black Iron Sword instantly transformed into a bolt of divine lightning.