Back at the Changdao Martial Arts School, Master Jade Feather had demonstrated "Jade Glow." Its airy grace and beauty had won everyone's admiration, but only now, seeing her eldest senior sister's sword before her, did Zhang Junxue understand what essence that earlier display had lacked.
-A kingfisher was no plaything for people to admire. Only in the icy instant when it skimmed the water to catch a fish did its beauty burst forth at its most magnificent.
A keenness that struck straight at the soul!
Zhang Junxue drew her saber to block. Its broad blade immediately covered that thin, bright sword light, but the next instant, the light swept through a sharp angle and darted out beside the saber.
In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged several moves. Sharpness and weight wheeled, opened, and closed. The bright sword light was a winding, leaping stream, the broad, heavy saber a black mountain. White light scattered and danced, its reach extending even beyond the two fighters-though Shen Yao stood directly before Zhang Junxue, sword light kept finding its way beneath her ribs from slightly behind her flank.
Yet even such intricate sword paths could not escape that black curtain. Pei Ye had long since experienced the woman's airtight defense; now Shen Yao experienced it for herself.
For the spectators, the clash between light swiftness and heavy ferocity that they had not seen between Zhang Zongyuan and Zhang Mozhu now unfolded before them. Only this time, it was the lighter, swifter fighter who attacked without pause.
Eighteen breaths later, Shen Yao had tested every angle and still found not the slightest opening.
Looking at the silent woman opposite her, she knew that with their true qi so close, and neither her strength nor her speed sufficient to overpower her opponent, there