A sword sweeps Xiaoxiang
On the high platform, Yuan Yi's golden light grew increasingly intense. His expression remained calm, yet his strikes with the staff were as powerful as if he were controlling wind and thunder.
While the Northern Dipper Seven Star Steps Wuleng is ingenious, there isn't much space to move around on the high platform.
Although Yuan Yi's staff technique was simple, he easily suppressed Wuleng. In less than ten moves, Wuleng was forced into a corner of the high platform.
Seeing the long staff sweeping down again, Wuleng choice but to risk raising his sword to parry it.
She intended to use the Yaoguang Sword to neutralize the opponent's powerful force with the long staff. However, as the staff and sword clashed, the golden light on Yuan Yi's body intensified. Although her Sword Qi was strong, she could not withstand such a powerful force, and the wooden sword in her hand shattered and broke.
Yuan Yi stopped making moves, withdrew his staff, took two steps back, and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.
Wuleng paused for a moment. She was actually a little Qi Ingestion. If she had used her Yaoguang Sword, and if it weren't for this small, high platform, she wouldn't have lost so badly, even if she couldn't win.
She hadn't actually lost yet, but since she couldn't break through Yuan Yi's Vajra Demon-Subduing Staff, there was no point in continuing the fight.
Seeing Yuan Yi win, the monks of Golden Leaf Temple were all beaming with joy, and many commoners cheered loudly.
Respecting the Lower Court is one thing, but feeling admiration for Genichi when you see Yuan Yi so imposing is quite another.
To solidify its foundation, Golden Leaf Temple actively engaged in exorcising demons and monsters in Yunyang City, and also suppressed a large number of small gangs and thugs, earning it a high reputation among the people.
Another advantage of Golden Leaf Temple is that it accepts many disciples, teaching them martial arts skills instead of incantations.
These disciples, once one becomes an apprentice, naturally bring their entire family to the Golden Leaf Temple.
Within a few years, Golden Leaf Temple became increasingly popular.
It was this great victory of Cloud Dragon Lower Court over the Five Dragons Gang that greatly enhanced its reputation, allowing it to surpass Golden Leaf Temple in popularity Lower Court the people.
Zhihe the cheering crowd, Zhihe sighed inwardly. Golden Leaf Temple Golden Leaf Temple had already established a deep foundation, and even if they won this battle, they wouldn't be able to defeat it.
Qianhu Zhai Jun, however, was very interested in Yuan Yi. He asked, "Has Yuan Yi mastered the Root Chakra? I see that his Vajra Incantation and Skanda Incantation are extremely profound, truly possessing the power to subdue dragons and tigers."
Fearing that Prefect Wang Yan might not understand, Zhai Jun explained, "Buddhist mantras also have different levels. For example, the mantras for the Arhat Realm are divided into six levels."
"Their names are: Gatekeeper, Deer Rider, Elephant Rider, Pagoda Bearer, Tiger Subduer, and Dragon Subduer."
Wang Yan nodded in agreement. "The Admiral is very knowledgeable and well-versed in Buddhist mantras. Impressive."
"You flatter me, Your Excellency." Zhai Jun glanced at Xinjue, "Master Xin Xinjue's disciple is truly remarkable; his cultivation is so profound at such a young age."
Hearing Zhai Jun's praise, Xinjue hurriedly replied modestly, "Yuan Yi has indeed condensed his Root Chakra and advanced to the Sixth Rank, but his cultivation is not pure. What 'subduing dragons and tigers'? The admiral flatters me."
Although Xinjue was not afraid of Zhai Jun, he was also very wary of this newly arrived admiral.
Why is Zhai Jun praising Yuan Yi for no apparent reason? Is he trying to suppress the Golden Leaf Temple because they're too strong?
Do you still believe that so many things happening in the prefectural city are related to their Golden Leaf Temple?
While the group was talking, Zhou Wuji had already taken off the White Rainbow Sword and handed it to Yang Tie Ying. He then took a four-foot wooden sword from someone else and gracefully ascended the high platform.
Although Zhou Wuji did not use the Tianji Step, he still moved gracefully as if he were walking on Flowing Clouds, thanks to his perfected level of the Flowing Cloud Movement Method.
Most people couldn't see the subtlety in it; they only felt that Zhou Wuji seemed to be riding the wind, his demeanor elegant and refined, quite different from other Daoist priests and monks.
A commotion and clamor immediately arose from the crowd.
The assembled dignitaries were all filled with admiration; this elegant, ethereal demeanor, with its flowing sleeves, was exactly to their liking.
This is the kind of demeanor and style they usually strive for. They all see themselves reflected in Zhou Wuji.
Jin Ying's eyes lit up as she watched, muttering to herself, "Wuji is like an immortal who stepped out of a painting, tsk tsk..."
Zhang Yun was more reserved than Jin Ying, and as a member of the Zhang Household, she also had some aversion to the Lower Court, but she had to admit that Zhou Wuji did indeed have a captivating charm.
She said softly, "That monk is powerful; I'm afraid he can't win."
"Indeed, that monk has clearly concentrated his Root Chakra, imbued his body with the Vajra Incantation, making it as strong as steel, Skanda Incantation has given him the strength of a thousand pounds. I'm afraid Master Wuji is going to lose..."
Those in the know almost all see it this way, after all, this small elevated platform is extremely advantageous to Golden Leaf Temple.
They cannot use Law Artifact or set up altars, and the Daoist incantations are very different from those of the Buddhist ones, putting them at a disadvantage in every aspect.
Even if Zhou Wuji is also Sixth Rank, he has little chance of winning.
Zhai Jun glanced at Zhihe, but couldn't discern anything from the old Daoist's face. He stared intently at Zhou Wuji.
Zhai Jun now suspects every master; Zhihe and Xinjue are all highly questionable. Yuan Yi and Zhou Wuji pushovers either, and they deserve close attention.
Especially Zhou Wuji, that kid is too active, he's involved in everything!
Even Prefect Wang Yan was looking at Zhou Wuji, somewhat curious whether this handsome young Daoist could maintain his composure after such a crushing defeat.
Zhou Wuji ascended the high platform, clasped his hands in a salute to Yuan Yi, and then clasped his hands in a salute to the crowd below.
"Zhou Wuji from the Cloud Dragon Lower Court. It is a great honor to receive the Secret Method of the Golden Leaf Temple today."
He raised his wooden sword and said, "The Swordsmanship I have learned is called Xiaoxiang Sword. It was created by my master, Daoist Yiyuan Swordsmanship, based on his observation of the natural changes of snow, rain, sun, and moon in Xiaoxiang."
"My knowledge is limited, and I apologize for any shortcomings."
While Zhou Wuji was speaking, Yuan Yi re-invoked the incantation and adjusted his breathing.
Winning against Wuleng wasn't too difficult, but it was quite taxing. He also dared not be careless against Zhou Wuji.
After Zhou Wuji finished speaking, Yuan Yi said in a deep voice, "I have long admired your name. This humble monk is eager to experience your Xiaoxiang Sword. Please show mercy."
When they engage in physical combat, comparing their martial arts skills, Law Technique, and cultivation levels, the humble and polite words they utter are merely a display of good manners.
Only rude and barbaric people make threats before even taking action.
Zhou Wuji exchanged a few polite words before flicking his sleeve to activate the divine talisman embedded in his Star Gold Cloud Brocade Daoist Robe, which then appeared as a deep blue light garment.
The onlookers couldn't help but gasp in amazement. Zhou Wuji effortlessly and gracefully unleashed the same empowering spell, a sight to behold.
Yuan Yi didn't care. He could see clearly that this was a Daoist robe with the Northern Dipper Heavenly Gang Divine Talisman, which could be activated with True Qi.
This Daoist robe can be considered Law Artifact, but there's no need to be too concerned about it.
"Please."
"Please."
Yuan Yi no longer held back. He gripped the long staff and swung it around. The six-foot-long wooden staff swayed like a snake's head, enveloping Zhou Wuji's upper body.
The key to this move, "The Strange Python Shakes Its Head," lies in the word "shake." The long staff is shaken, creating a dazzling display of movement that makes it difficult to predict its true nature.
If the enemy hesitates even slightly, the long staff can be transformed from a feint to a real strike, killing the opponent in one blow.
With his keen eyesight and rich combat experience, Zhou Wuji saw through the changes in the Yuan Yi Staff Technique at a glance.
It wouldn't be difficult for him to win, but he couldn't win too easily, lest it arouse suspicion.
But he can't drag it out for too long, or he won't be able to show off his prowess.
Zhou Wuji twirled the wooden sword in his hand, and it swirled like white clouds, endlessly changing with the wind.
The long staff, which was being wildly swung, was guided by the wooden sword. The faint, ethereal Sword Qi on the sword rendered the staff's fierce power nowhere to be unleashed.
Yuan Yi felt very uncomfortable. He could continue to exert his strength, but he was afraid that he would misuse his strength and fall into Zhou Wuji's calculations. If he did not exert his strength and the two were entangled, his advantage of being fierce and tough could not be brought into play.
He was ultimately calm and collected; even though he was on the defensive in the battle, he was still able to remain composed and engage Zhou Wuji in combat.
The two fought back and forth, advancing and retreating, their sticks and swords clashing constantly, locked in a fierce battle.
The onlookers could only see two figures flitting about, their staffs and swords flashing wildly, yet the battle was ten times more intense than before.
Ordinary people stared wide-eyed, but couldn't see the details clearly. They only felt the strong wind blowing in their faces from the high platform, raising clouds of dust on the training ground.
The monks of Golden Leaf Temple all looked tense. It was clear that Yuan Yi was being forced to follow Zhou Wuji's sword moves, which was very bad.
Yuan'an and the others were secretly anxious, wondering why their senior brother hadn't exerted his strength yet.
Zhou Wuji's sword moves are unpredictable and elusive; continuing to fight like this will put us at a great disadvantage!
The Daoist priests of Cloud Dragon Lower Court were even more nervous. They all felt that Zhou Wuji win, but no one dared to show any joy.
Another point is that they practice the Northern Dipper Seven Star Sword, but they don't quite understand the Xiaoxiang Sword's methods.
The Swordsmanship seemed like Flowing Clouds in the sky, both real and illusory, yet endless.
After dozens of fierce exchanges, Yuan Yi felt as if he had fallen into a spider web. The light staff in his hand became increasingly sluggish, clearly trapped by the opponent's dense Sword Qi.
If this continues, he'll really suffer a loss.
Upon realizing this Yuan Yi immediately activated the Heart Lamp in his chest, its spiritual light shining like a wheel, drawing upon the Root Chakra his lower Dantian to propel the flow of True Qi.
The Thunderous Mantra emerged from the depths of the condensed Root Chakra, directly unleashed under the guidance of True Qi.
"May Buddha have mercy!" Yuan Yi suddenly chanted in a deep voice. The four words were not loud, but they gathered into four golden characters through the incantation, striking Zhou Wuji like thunder.
The thunderous sound is vast, internally stimulating the soul and externally breaking through the physical body; it is a secret and orthodox teaching of Buddhism.
Although Yuan Yi's cultivation of this Thunder Sound Incantation was shallow, his full power at this moment truly possessed the might of thunder.
Zhou Wuji's Mind Mirror had already reflected the changes in the Yuan Yi, and he was already prepared before the thunderous sound arrived, directly activating the Sunset Sword.
The wooden sword could not unleash a dazzling sword light, but thanks to the blazing Sword Qi transformed from the Heavenly Pivot True Qi, it still possessed some of the imposing power of the sun shining brightly.
When he was wielding his sword, he had to separate three-tenths of his True Qi to suppress his Qi Sea, in order to prevent any disturbances in his Qi Sea and to prevent outsiders from discovering his true physical condition.
That's why his True Qi cultivation is so refined, far surpassing that of Yuan Yi.
The wooden sword struck down, and the thunderous sound formed by the four Golden Light Talisman shattered instantly. Zhou Wuji seized the opportunity to strike again.
At the same time, Yuan Yi also swung his staff horizontally, unleashing the full force of the Vajra Incantation and the immense power of the Skanda Incantation.
The long staff emitted a sharp whistling sound, though not as loud as thunder, its fierce momentum was ten times stronger.
Zhou Wuji didn't dodge, but instead slashed down directly at the long staff. With a muffled thud, the staff broke in two.
Yuan Yi reacted extremely quickly, immediately throwing away the broken staff and striking Zhou Wuji with both palms. His powerful and unparalleled True Qi condensed into a giant golden palm that slammed directly at Zhou Wuji.
Zhou Wuji's wooden sword transformed into a sword wheel and slashed down, shattering the giant golden palm into streams of light under the Sword Qi.
Such a domineering sword strike left the onlookers speechless, many of them letting out a gasp of surprise...
Even Zhai Jun raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking to himself, "Such pure and refined True Qi, such fierce and domineering Swordsmanship."
Faced with the fierce sword intent that could cut through everything, Yuan Yi spread out his wide sleeves, and his palms, hidden inside the sleeves, had already transformed into the Formless Seal.
The Dharma transcends all forms, hence it is called formless.
The Formless Seal is capable of deciphering all external changes and capturing Zhou Wuji's wooden sword through its mysterious transformations.
This is also the Law Seals of Yuan Yizhen ascetic practice.
Yuan Yi, Genichi had no choice but to unleash his strongest technique. With a swift movement of his hands, hidden in his sleeves, he caught the wooden sword that was slashing towards him.
With his ability to transform the Formless Seal, he was able to neutralize all the Sword Qi on the wooden sword.
Just as Yuan Yi was about to destroy the wooden sword, he suddenly felt a lightness in his hand. The wooden sword somehow slipped out of his control and also out of the control of the Formless Seal.
His palms felt slightly cold and numb, followed by his arms and shoulders, and his upper body stiffened instantly.
Just as Yuan Yi was about to unleash his True Qi to resist, everything went black before his eyes, and the wooden sword was already pressed against his brow.
The chilling Sword Qi sent Yuan Yi's spine, and his heart turned icy cold.
Before Yuan Yi could react, Zhou Wuji had already drawn his sword and retreated.
Yuan Yi gently touched his brow; there was no wound there, not even a red dot. But he knew that if that sword had truly pierced him just now, even with the Vajra Incantation, he wouldn't have been able to stop it.
This sword strike reminded him of the misty rain of Jiangnan, wisps and strands like smoke, which had unknowingly soaked through his clothes, his bones, and even his True Qi.
Yuan Yi paused for a moment, then bowed deeply to Zhou Wuji with his palms together, saying, "Fellow Daoist's Swordsmanship is superb; I humbly admit defeat."
"You flatter me." Zhou Wuji smiled and returned the greeting with a cupped hand.
Yuan Yi, feeling ashamed to stay any longer, immediately turned around and stepped down from the platform.
The monks of Golden Leaf Temple all looked bewildered; most of them were completely baffled as to how Yuan Yi had lost.
Although there were many people present, few of them could clearly see the wondrous Night Rain Sword.
Zhai Jun was one of the few who clearly saw the sword strike, and he clapped his hands in admiration. "This sword is exquisite!"
He looked at Zhihe and said, "Your Swordsmanship has reached Transformation Realm perfection."
He had initially suspected Zhou Wuji of having some problem, but seeing this sword strike, he had no more doubts.
Leaving aside the idea that a sword reflects its owner, to reach such a level of Swordsmanship, Zhou Wuji was only in his early twenties. No matter how talented he was, he would never have had time to practice anything else.
Zhihe thought for a moment and said, "Indeed, it has captured some of the essence of nature."
Zhou Wuji on the high platform was also very proud, not because he had defeated Yuan Yi, but because he had demonstrated the wonder of Swordsmanship and felt that he had lived up to his master's expectations and his own.
He couldn't help but gently stroke the wooden sword and chant. "The Northern Star establishes the heavenly order, the Seven Stars illuminate the ten directions. The Cloud Dragon transmits the righteous law, the Sword Qi sweeps across the Xiao and Xiang rivers."
Although the audience didn't quite understand what he was saying, they roughly grasped the meaning and immediately agreed with Zhou Wuji demeanor, leading to a burst of cheers.
Jin Ying, Zhang Yun, and the other women were particularly impressed; their Swordsmanship was superb, they were talented, and they were so handsome and elegant—such people were truly likable...
Zhihe couldn't help but frown; this kid was getting a little carried away, but he couldn't say anything.
Zhai Jun and Wang Yan both smiled; they could understand Zhou Wuji's youthful arrogance and self-satisfaction.
That's what makes a normal person...
Xinjue sighed inwardly. They understood why they had lost this sword strike, but they had nothing to say.
However, Zhou Wuji still wanted to recite a poem. The poem was simple and boasted about the power of their Northern Pole Sect and his Swordsmanship. It was truly arrogant.
If this poem gets out, it'll be like having it written on the gate of their Golden Leaf Temple!
But then he thought again, he couldn't let the Lower Court get too cocky, or let Zhou Wuji get too cocky.
As the saying goes, "adding fuel to a raging fire," since Zhou Wuji's momentum is so great that it's hard to suppress, we might as well add fuel to the fire and let him burn even brighter.
The more popular they are, the faster they die!
Xinjue stood up and said loudly, "Wuji Wuji's sword is superb, fully displaying the brilliance of the Evening Glow and the spirit of the Night Rain."
"Such Swordsmanship is unmatched not only in Yunyang, but also in the vast Chu Province. It is an honor for Yuan Yi to be defeated by your sword."
"This person is as pure as jade, this sword as swift as rain; even this old monk deeply admires him, truly deserving of the title 'Sword Lord Xiaoxiang '..."
The Xinjue Xinjue's voice was as loud as a bell, and everyone in the drill ground, numbering one or two thousand, could hear it clearly.
As the abbot of Golden Leaf Temple, Xinjue was highly respected in Yunyang Prefecture. With just one sentence, he firmly placed the title of Sword Lord Xiaoxiang on Zhou Wuji's head.
Many people who enjoy a good spectacle were chanting "Sword Lord Xiaoxiang!" repeatedly.
"Sword Lord Xiaoxiang!"
Zhihe's expression changed, and he hurriedly said, "He's just a junior, calling himself Sword Lord? Wouldn't that make him a laughingstock among the heroes of the world!"
The monk Xinjue laughed Xinjue: "Brother Dao, there's no need for such modesty!"
Zhihe inwardly groaned. That old monk was truly insidious. By putting Zhou Wuji on such a high pedestal, he was only bringing Zhou Wuji Zhou Wuji lot of trouble and encouraging his arrogance.
What's even more impressive is that it elevates Zhou Wuji Zhou Wuji, making it seem perfectly reasonable and not shameful at all to lose to him...
Zhihe cursed inwardly, but couldn't think of a way to resolve the situation. He couldn't very well say in public that Zhou Wuji was incompetent and unworthy of the title.
After all, it wasn't an official title bestowed by the imperial court; it was merely a nickname. His statement made him seem overly serious.
Moreover, Zhou Wuji was just reciting poetry to demonstrate his power, so these words were not appropriate for him to say.
He only hoped that Zhou Wuji would be smart enough to decline the title in public...
Zhou Wuji on the high platform suddenly brightened up. "Sword Lord Xiaoxiang," the name sounded both elegant and impressive. It was truly remarkable.
He knew the old monk was trying to flatter him to his detriment, but he couldn't refuse such a flattering title...
How can a person be without vanity? A person cannot be without vanity!
On the surface, Zhou Wuji still had to say a few polite words, "Master Xinjue is Xinjue. How could I possibly accept such praise?"
The Xinjue said solemnly, "This title is rightfully yours. You are a dignified sword cultivator, why be so modest!"
I'm ashamed, I'm ashamed.
Zhou Wuji flicked his wooden sword and bowed to the old monk, seemingly humble, but genuinely pleased.
The old monk looked at him and saw that his square face was full of kindness and compassion...
Zhai Jun smiled, but in his heart he was convinced that Zhou Wuji was young and arrogant, and although his Swordsmanship talent was high, he was not a threat...