In the stands, Nie Nanfu had at some point pressed his right hand to the sword hilt at his waist. Leaning forward slightly, his eyes bright, he stared at the two figures crossing blades onstage and murmured:
"Fine swordsmanship. Fine moves."
Dozens of exchanges passed in a blink.
The longer Wang Beichuan fought, the more agitated he became.
He had thought defeating Yao Yuan would be as easy as reaching out and taking her. Never had he imagined her soft, winding swordsmanship would entangle him so completely, leaving him unable to break through.
His hunger for victory grew more urgent. Impatience crept into his attacks, and openings quietly appeared.
Now!
Yao Yuan's eyes flashed. She seized the instant between the end of Wang Beichuan's fierce attack and his next move.
The gleam of the Flower-Washing Flowing-Wind Sword changed abruptly. Its seemingly gentle, falling-blossom strokes drew in, and its tip shot straight for the opening in his guard!
Wang Beichuan's heart lurched, but he was a direct descendant of a Spirit Cultivator family. His combat experience and cultivation foundation were both exceptionally solid.
Though he had exposed an opening, he forced his body around and twisted his wrist at the last possible moment. With an exquisite sword move, he barely managed to parry the deadly thrust.
Then the full profundity of the Abyss-Gazing Palace-Seeking Sword Technique erupted!
His sword light turned broad and weighty as a majestic pressure swept outward. Riding that burst, Wang Beichuan reversed the situation in an instant and briefly gained the upper hand.
But Yao Yuan's reputation was no empty boast.
The Flower-Washing Flowing-Wind Sword Technique excelled at overcoming hardness with softness. Its unbroken flow of sword strokes perfectly countered Wang Beichuan's technique.
Even when Wang Beichuan switched techniques mid-fight, alternating between devious, unorthodox strokes and grand,