Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Palm: Mountain-Borrowing

The atmosphere suddenly changed.

The disciples who initially just wanted to watch the spectacle now had a different meaning in their gazes.

The people from the Four Symbols Sect stood on the territory of the Hanging Sword Sect and received the Hanging Sword Sect's sword move right in front of them. From their standpoint, this naturally aroused a sense of resistance towards Ye An in many people's hearts.

The voices supporting Zhao Yuanling from the audience gradually grew louder.

Zhao Yuanling did not stop; he continued to wield the Shocking Swan Sword Art, unleashing wave after wave of Sword Qi towards Ye An.

The True Essence attached to the sword tip was constantly accumulating; if it were an ordinary Qi Condensation Initial Stage, they would have been forced to retreat repeatedly.

But Ye An never took a step back.

Ye An rotated his palms, the power of the Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Palm seemingly slow yet profound. Each palm strike landed precisely on the weak point of Zhao Yuanling's sword stance, like waves crashing on a reef. No matter how big the waves are, the reef remains unmoved.

Zhao Yuanling's Sword Qi became increasingly dense, but his life force was also visibly depleting.

In Ye An's breathing remained steady, highlighting the difference between the two.

Zhao Yuanling had already realized this.

A thought he didn't want to admit arose in his mind—if things continued like this, he would probably be the first to run out of True Qi!

The disciples watching were still cheering for him, but he knew that those cheers would stop when he was defeated.

Therefore, he was going to take a gamble!

Zhao Yuanling gritted his teeth, his sword aura suddenly receded, and he took half a step back.

This sword strike was originally meant to be used more effectively when you reach the Mid Qi Condensation, but now you have to unleash it!

His sword tip slowly sank, and his True Essence poured out from his Dantian, surging into the sword and circulating rapidly in a way never before seen.

The white light on the sword did not brighten; instead, it dimmed.

The originally clear sword light seemed to be suppressed by something heavier. The light on the sword was compressed and gathered layer by layer, eventually forming a dark halo that flowed slowly along the spine of the sword. The air around the blade began to distort, as if it could not withstand the condensed Sword Qi. A faint humming sound emanated from the sword.

Every moment the dim light flowed across the blade, it was as if something was emerging from the depths of the blade—something sharper and more solid.

Someone exclaimed in surprise, "The Fourth Fold! Senior Brother Zhao has already mastered the Fourth Fold?!"

"That Sword Qi aura... seems to have a trace of Sword Intent? I'm not mistaken, am I?"

"It's Sword Intent! Although it's only a trace, it's definitely the rudimentary form of Sword Intent! Senior Brother Zhao has touched the threshold of the Sword Dao!"

"With this move, the Four Symbols Sect member will undoubtedly lose, and may even suffer unimaginable injuries!"

"This battle is won by my Hanging Sword Sect!"

Zhao Yuanling finally unleashed his sword, which he had been preparing for.

However, this sword strike didn't seem like something he had slashed out himself; it was more like he was being dragged along by the sword.

The dark sword light swept across several feet of space, leaving a shallow dent in the ground where it passed, and the wind pressure generated by the Sword Qi shook the ground, creating fine cracks.

Before the sword strike even arrived, that concentrated aura had already landed on Ye An.

The True Qi has not yet arrived, but the intention has already gone first.

Ye An sensed that this sword strike was different from the previous ones.

Sword Intent, though only a trace, is on a completely different level from mere sword skill.

Ye An did not use the Eight-Armed Asura. He calmed his mind and dismissed the opponent's Sword Intent.

Ye An's Black Tortoise True Qi circulated rapidly within his body, completing a full cycle along the path of the Black Tortoise Sea-Suppressing Art, before surging forth from his palms— Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Palm: Mountain-Borrowing!

Ye An extended both palms forward, his True Essence dissolving upon contact with the Sword Intent, tightly enveloping it, and then began to guide it. The Sword Intent's momentum was drawn down, flowing along Ye An's palms for a moment before being gathered and stabilized.

The Sword Intent did not disappear; rather, Ye An borrowed it!

Ye An unhurriedly pushed it out, and the sword Sword Qi wrapped in Sword Intent flew back to where it came from.

It added an extra bit of the power of the Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Palm compared to when it came.

"Disappeared?"

"No--"

Someone who saw it clearly had a change in expression.

"He... he returned Senior Brother Zhao's Sword Intent!"

"Mountain-Borrowing! That's the Mountain-Borrowing from the Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Palm! It can intercept and counterattack an enemy's attack! But this move is extremely dangerous; if you can't intercept it, you'll be severely injured! This person... is truly audacious!"

Zhao Yuanling's face turned deathly pale instantly.

He didn't have time to dodge; he couldn't even block this attack himself.

Moreover, the speed of this Sword Qi was even faster than when he had sent it out, so he could only hold his sword horizontally in front of him, already prepared to sacrifice this Spirit Grade -level sword.

The moment the sword clashed with the Sword Qi, a piercing metallic clang was heard.

The sword shattered, Zhao Yuanling's hand split open on the spot, blood flowing down the hilt.

But before he could regain his footing, the palm Palm Force, imbued with Sword Qi energy, exploded completely.

Zhao Yuanling, sword and all, was sent flying from the edge of the arena, crashing onto the ground several meters away, where he tumbled several times before coming to a stop.

The high-grade Spirit Grade- level sword was broken and stuck in a crevice in the rubble, its blade still trembling slightly.

Zhao Yuanling lay on the ground, trying to get up, but he couldn't hold on and hugged the ground again.

The cheers for Zhao Yuanling that had just been heard have disappeared.

Instead, a silence fell over the disciples of the Hanging Sword Sect as they looked at each other in bewilderment.

Silence fell over the open space.

Zhao Yuanling finally stood up, his clothes torn open by the Sword Qi, and blood soaked through most of them.

He has already lost, and according to the agreement, he has to hand over that piece of Mystic-Pattern Cold Iron. But this is the material his family gave him to forge a Mystic Weapon!

He spoke in a muffled voice, trying to renege on his promise, "This match isn't right! I haven't admitted defeat yet, so it's not over!"

None of the onlookers spoke, because they could all see that Senior Brother Zhao was cheating.

Help Ye An? He's not a member of the Hanging Sword Sect.

Help Zhao Yuanling? He made the bet himself; how can you help him if you lose?

Just then, Bai Qiushuang, the Seventh Son of the Hanging Sword, stepped forward, her gaze sweeping across the entire arena. "Has enough of this, Junior Nephew Zhao? Since you were willing to gamble, you must accept defeat. This bet is over, everyone disperse."

Bai Qiushuang's words weren't harsh, but no one present dared to contradict her.

The disciples who had been watching gradually dispersed, but Ye An could still feel many people's gazes lingering on him, mixed with various emotions.

Zhao Yuanling had already been carried away by his disciples, but the piece of Mystic-Pattern Cold Iron was left behind.

At first, the disciple holding the cold iron tried to slip away, but after being stared at by Ye An, his legs went weak and he left it behind.

Lin Wanyue walked to Ye An's side and glanced at the black iron she had won.

"Weren't you afraid that your move just now would backfire?" She was naturally referring to the Mountain-Borrowing.

Ye An didn't answer that question, but instead asked, "You have nothing to say about what I did in your Hanging Sword Sect?"

"I only acknowledge your identity as the Demon Suppressing Guard. Besides, this is a bet between you and it. What does it have to do with the two sects?"

Ye An handed over the piece of black iron. Lin Wanyue was quite interested in the Lin Lineage, which was known for its weapon crafting.

The two did not continue the conversation.

Bai Qiushuang glanced at Ye An and the other person, then at Zhao Yuanling being carried away, and said calmly, "The elixir is complete. Follow me."

Ye An's figure disappeared from the arena, and Lin Shaoyun had been watching the entire match from the sidelines.

He remained silent, neither cheering for Ye An nor uttering a single word in support of the Hanging Sword Sect.

The boy who once practiced the Azure Cloud Finger in the corner of the Green Bamboo Martial Arts Hall, stabbing his hands until they bled, now stands on the territory of the Hanging Sword Sect, directly receiving the sword move of his Qi Condensation Realm senior brother.

Then, using a move called "Mountain-Borrowing," he returned the opponent's Sword Qi, directly blasting the opponent out of the arena.

Lin Shaoyun was still reeling from the shock of witnessing this scene.

He recalled that after leaving Anping County, he joined the Hanging Sword Sect because it was closer to his sister.

On the day he broke through to the Meridian Opening, he entered the Inner Sect and was overjoyed for the entire night.

I feel that I have finally embarked on the true path of martial arts.

Among the disciples of the Hanging Sword Sect, Lin Shaoyun was not outstanding, but he was not bad either.

Sometimes he even felt that if he continued to cultivate steadily like this, he would eventually reach the Qi Condensation.

But now, standing outside the crowd and looking at Ye An, he suddenly found his own smugness somewhat laughable.

Lin Shaoyun suddenly remembered Ye An when he was at the Green Bamboo Martial Arts Hall. No matter how others viewed him, no matter how Zhou Yuanlong mocked him, Ye An never stopped.

He was the first to arrive at the Martial Hall every day and the last to leave; he never slacked off for a single day.

And what about myself?

He once proudly told Ye An: We are kindred spirits.

At this moment, Lin Shaoyun realized that his thoughts had changed. Ye An continued to cultivate, while he had long since slowed down.

Since they were both practicing martial arts, wouldn't Ye An have stopped because he felt his progress was slow?

Lin Shaoyun conceded defeat on this point.

He had always thought of himself as the most talented, insightful, and Martial Dao Heart person in the Green Bamboo Martial Arts Hall, but now, he quietly bestowed this honor, known only to himself, upon Ye An in his heart.