Cloud-Water Sword Technique

Luo Yi kept darting about, dodging the Blood-Eyed Wolf's claws one by one.

The area Luo Yi moved within was extremely small, almost never exceeding a single step. Through such tight, high-frequency movements, he swiftly evaded the Blood-Eyed Wolf's attacks.

Such precise control! Lin Xuan marveled inwardly. Up to this point, Luo Yi had not made a single mistake. He was practically attacking right against the Blood-Eyed Wolf's body. This kind of footwork was highly efficient, but also highly dangerous. One misstep could result in severe injury.

As Lin Xuan thought this, there came a ripping sound. Luo Yi's clothes were slashed open, and three bloody marks immediately appeared across his chest.

"Hmph! Waves Fill the Sky!"

Luo Yi snorted coldly, and his sword technique abruptly changed, like a surging river that roared on without end.

The three-foot sword was wrapped in sea-blue spiritual power. Every slash was like a crashing wave. Luo Yi swung three consecutive strikes, and blue spiritual power churned through the air as that violent force swept forward.

Awoo!

The Blood-Eyed Wolf seemed to sense the danger. Every hair on its body stood on end as it pounced to the side.

Bang!

Yet the Blood-Eyed Wolf was still one step too slow. The sharp sword cleaved it in two, scattering blood across the ground.

"Brother Luo Yi's swordsmanship is incredible!" someone in the group cheered.

"I think his footwork is even better." Someone asked enviously, "Brother Yi, that footwork just now was so cool!"

Luo Yi looked at the Battle Group members behind him and said, "Enough. Sort out the wolf carcass. We're going to complete the next mission."

Lin Xuan crouched in the grass, still replaying that footwork in his mind.

It was not some special martial skill. It was simply a footwork technique trained to an exceedingly profound level, combined with precise calculations, that had created that scene.

"So exquisite. I like it!" Lin Xuan's heart stirred, and he resolved to work in that direction.

"First, find the Yin-Walking Grass." He had not forgotten why he had come out. After arranging his pack, he set off once more.

At last, Lin Xuan discovered three stalks of Yin-Walking Grass in a mountain ravine.

Lin Xuan was overjoyed. He immediately took a wooden box from his pack, picked one stalk of Yin-Walking Grass, and placed it inside.

"Huh, Yin-Walking Grass!" someone suddenly exclaimed behind him.

Lin Xuan's heart sank. He picked another stalk and put it into the wooden box, then stored the box away. He left one stalk outside; two were enough for him.

"Boy, put down the Yin-Walking Grass in your box!" the person barked.

Lin Xuan frowned and looked over. A square-faced youth stood ahead of him, dressed in white robes with a crescent moon embroidered on his sleeve.

"Someone from the Divine Might Corps." Lin Xuan raised a brow and slowly exhaled.

"There's still one stalk there. Go pick it yourself," Lin Xuan said in a low voice.

"One stalk?" The youth sneered. "I want all of them! You dare snatch a Divine Might Corps mission? Are you tired of living?"

"Sure enough, even more overbearing than I imagined." Lin Xuan tightened his grip on his sword and said coldly, "Move aside. I don't have time for you!"

"Oh? You want to fight?" The disciple looked arrogant. "You dare lay hands on someone from the Divine Might Corps?"

"Come on, then! Let this young master show you what I'm capable of." The square-faced disciple drew his sword and thrust it toward him.

"Cloud-Water Sword Technique!"

Though the square-faced disciple acted arrogantly, he did not hold back when he attacked. He opened with a fierce sword technique, showing no intention of underestimating Lin Xuan.

The sword technique drifted like clouds and flowed on like water. It felt exceptionally soft, like a lover's hand brushing across one's skin, enough to make one lose oneself in it.

Lin Xuan remained vigilant. As expected, any disciple able to join the Divine Might Corps had some real skill.

His hand did not tremble in the slightest. It was incomparably steady, as though it did not belong to a youth, for no youth's hand could be so steady.

Lin Xuan knew this was thanks to three years of practicing a single sword skill day after day: Heavenly Meteor. Otherwise, he could never have reached this level.

He raised his hand and drew his sword.

Lin Xuan used the basic sword technique, without any needless flourishes. It was plain and simple, yet highly practical.

"Ha ha ha, this is killing me!" The square-faced disciple laughed loudly. "You're actually using a basic sword technique? You have no skill, yet you dare challenge the Divine Might Corps? You must think your life is too long!"

The Profound Sword Sect's rules were strict. No deaths were allowed within the sect. But once outside the Profound Sword Sect, deep in these mountains, no one could control such things, and no one would bother to.

"Cloud-Water Thirteen Swords, Clouds Fade, Clear Waters!"

The square-faced disciple slashed out twice in succession. One strike was dazzling as a long rainbow, while the other was misty and elusive, impossible for ordinary people to detect. Yet this concealed second strike was the true killing move.

A smile hung on the square-faced disciple's face, as though he could already see Lin Xuan collapsing helplessly to the ground and begging without end for mercy.

But in the next instant, the situation changed abruptly.

The Black Iron Sword in Lin Xuan's hand was like a black venomous dragon, stabbing out twice in rapid succession. The angles of those two strikes were extremely tricky, just enough to

defuse the square-faced disciple's offensive.

"What? Impossible!" The square-faced disciple's eyelids twitched. Those two strikes had been the essence of the Cloud-Water Sword Technique: one openly drew the enemy's attention, while the other lurked in the shadows, specially made to catch people off guard.

But Lin Xuan seemed to have known in advance, easily breaking both strikes.

"Damn luck!" The square-faced disciple could not understand it and could only chalk it up to luck.

"I'd like to see how long your luck lasts!" His face twisted savagely as he swung his sword move after move, severing and shattering the surrounding rocks, grass, and trees.

Lin Xuan was not in a hurry. This square-faced disciple was about as strong as he was, and his swordsmanship was decent—perfect for practice. Lin Xuan had only ever practiced his basic sword technique and basic footwork separately. He had never used them in actual combat, so this was the perfect chance to test them.

Without realizing it, Lin Xuan thought of Luo Yi's footwork from not long ago—agile, swift, efficient, and exhilarating.

"Let's try it." Lin Xuan suddenly closed in, preparing to practice that kind of footwork.

The move startled the square-faced disciple. But when he noticed that Lin Xuan's attack frequency had dropped and that his footwork kept going wrong, his face filled with a vicious grin.

"Out of strength, are you? Used up all your luck, have you? Then die!" Silver sword light gleamed along the blade, and an astonishing force surged forth.

Lin Xuan sighed. He had only just found a trace of the feeling, yet this square-faced disciple was already about to stake everything on a finishing move. Left with no choice, he could only abandon his practice.

His sword swept out, bringing a streak of sword light with it, and struck the square-faced youth's wrist like lightning.

A cold glint flashed. A half-foot-long wound appeared on the square-faced youth's wrist, and blood poured from it wildly.

With a clang, the sword fell to the ground. The square-faced youth clutched his wrist and stared at Lin Xuan in terror.

"You... what are you trying to do?" The square-faced youth looked panicked. "I'm warning you, I'm from the Divine Might Corps. Don't do anything rash!"

Lin Xuan could not be bothered with him. He turned, picked the remaining stalk of Yin-Walking Grass, placed it in the box, and prepared to leave.

Who would have thought that the square-faced disciple would scramble up from the ground, retreat at top speed, and, after reaching a very safe distance, fire a tiny golden arrow into the sky.

With a boom, the little arrow exploded in midair, forming a small golden sun that was impossible to miss.

"Boy, you dare bully someone from the Divine Might Corps? You're dead!" the square-faced disciple roared with a savage expression.