"A duel between swordsmen sure is exciting," a disciple exclaimed from the audience.
"But duels between swordsmen often determine a winner more easily," another disciple added gravely.
Li Liuxing’s swordsmanship was infamously unpredictable. An opponent whose strength was even slightly inferior would find it difficult to block a single strike from him. Only those of comparable or superior strength could hope to contend for victory. If the disparity in swordsmanship was too great, the outcome could be decided in an instant.
In midair, currents wildly intertwined like a storm.
"You are a disciple of Supreme Sky Feather. Ling Chen, you will be my whetstone to test my Sword Way!" Li Liuxing drew his Long Sword, the Qi Sword above his head vanishing abruptly. He made the first move, his foot lightly touching the ground like a dragonfly skimming water, as he thrust his sword toward Ling Chen.
"Not so sure who’s the whetstone yet!" Ling Chen sneered. Never before had anyone dared to belittle his swordsmanship. While he wouldn’t claim his skills were unparalleled among the younger generation, he certainly wouldn’t allow others to underestimate him.
Li Liuxing’s sword arrived. Its distorted black Sword Light seemed slow yet fast, moving from top to bottom like a nightmare, making it impossible to distinguish his point of attack.
Ling Chen’s sword jabbed out almost simultaneously. His angle was tricky. Although slower than Li Liuxing’s sword, Ling Chen had the upper hand in terms of accuracy and force.
Li Liuxing’s first sword strike missed and was blocked. Unfazed, he was about to launch his second to press his opponent hard when Ling Chen managed to strike first.
"Divine Gate Stands in the Snow!"
Ling Chen executed the penultimate technique of the Thirteen God’s Gate Swords. This move was notable for its novelty, reversing expectations and creating a surprise effect that could catch an opponent off guard.
Li Liuxing pressed on rather than retreated, his sword dancing in a magnificent Sword Flower, attempting to drive Ling Chen away.
When swordsmen dueled, retreating meant losing half the battle. Therefore, the offensive initiative must not be lost. One should meet an attack with an attack; a counterattack should be repelled with an even stronger offense.
Trying to take the initiative? Ling Chen saw through Li Liuxing’s intention, his gaze incredibly sharp. He reversed his grip on his sword and sprang forward, executing the third move of the Dragon Seeking Sword Technique: Seeking Dragon without Shadows.
He seemed to transform into a dragon’s shadow, man and sword shooting out like an aurora.
The two figures intertwined. Several sharp streams of sword qi streaked across midair like meteors.
When their Sword Lights clashed, the platform was cut to pieces; even the sturdy stone pillars at the edge were sliced off.
All these actions happened in a flash. Many people didn’t see how they engaged; it was terrifyingly fast.
An awe-inspiring sight emerged. The tips of the two swords pressed against each other. Their respective sword qi formed semicircles, confronting each other on the martial arts platform and cutting crazily.
"So, this is a duel between swordsmen? It’s really ruthless! I keep getting chills down my spine!" a disciple said, his face full of awe.
"Yes, I’m getting goosebumps all over! If I weren’t watching from below, I’d probably get hurt by this piercing qi!"
"Senior Brother Ling Chen is really powerful! He even managed to seize the initiative from Li Liuxing!"
Everyone’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
On the martial arts platform, sparks scattered as the two figures split apart. Ling Chen and Li Liuxing each retreated about ten steps, stopping at opposite ends of the martial arts platform.
"Great! Worthy of being my acknowledged opponent. You indeed have some skill. But next, I’m getting serious!"
Li Liuxing kicked off the ground and leaped high. He swung his sword in midair, and almost instantly, eight Sword Qi attacks emerged. In the blink of an eye, the first beam of sword qi shot in front of Ling Chen.
Eight Sword Qi attacks! He definitely held back when he dueled me.
Below the stage, Bai Ruhui witnessed this, and his face hardened slightly. He had lost to seven streams of sword qi back then. It seemed Li Liuxing hadn’t lied; this was truly not his opponent’s full strength.
Light suddenly converged in Ling Chen’s eyes. His body was extremely agile. The Heavenly Mansion Sword in his hand swung in quick succession as he retreated while parrying, managing to evade and block all eight Sword Qi attacks.
But the eight swords, released together, had nearly forced Ling Chen to the edge of the martial arts platform.
"Impressive! He actually withstood Li Liuxing’s eight Sword Qi attacks!"
Bai Ruhui knew the power of this sword qi. That Ling Chen could block eight such attacks unharmed was undoubtedly terrifying.
"Isn’t Li Liuxing out of moves now?" other disciples asked, staring in surprise at the situation on the martial arts platform.
"Not necessarily." Bai Ruhui narrowed his eyes. He didn’t believe this was Li Liuxing’s ultimate strength.
"Impressive! You’ve forced me to go all out!"
Li Liuxing gathered his energy again, rapidly flashing in front of Ling Chen. Then, he forcefully swung his Long Sword. Like before, he launched his attack furiously!
Nine Swords Flying Together!
Nine streams of sword qi swept toward Ling Chen, like a horizontal line, blocking all of Ling Chen’s escape routes.
This time, Ling Chen had nowhere to run.
"Seeing Dragon in the Field!"
Ling Chen poured his True Qi into the sword. A frightening Sword Momentum gathered under his control. A dragon shadow roared out from top to bottom, sweeping out with a force that threatened to demolish everything.
The waves of sword qi were swept into dust. The Nine Swords Flying Together technique was completely blocked by Ling Chen, dissolving into nothingness.
Nine Swords Flying Together was broken!
Bai Ruhui and the others wore expressions of utter surprise. Li Liuxing had elevated his technique to Nine Swords Flying Together, yet even that had been broken by Ling Chen.
After shattering Nine Swords Flying Together, Ling Chen’s sword techniques remained powerful. His sword qi, like a dragon, tore toward Li Liuxing.
On the martial arts platform, sword qi crisscrossed, and the atmosphere grew heavy. The platform surface became riddled with holes, a complete mess.
"Life-Threatening Sword!"
With Nine Swords Flying Together broken, a fierce glint flashed in Li Liuxing’s eyes. He gripped his sword in a backhand hold. The Sword Light turned blood-red, and with his assault, he sliced Ling Chen’s Dragon-shaped energy in half.
The sword qi was unstoppable, as if it had divided the entire martial arts platform in two.
"White Dragon Breath!"
Ling Chen’s stance resembled a white dragon emerging from water. He deployed the fifth move of the Dragon Seeking Sword Technique. His sword qi, like the breath of a White Dragon, exhaled onto Li Liuxing’s Sword Light.
SIZZLE! SIZZLE! SIZZLE!
The astonishing sword qi, like an electric current, surged chaotically, filling the entire martial arts platform. It even extended beyond the stage, causing nearby spectators to feel a chill of fear.
At this evenly matched moment, Ling Chen’s eyes suddenly emitted a sharp light. A nameless aura erupted from his body. This power spread a fierce and unparalleled presence across the entire Martial Arts Plaza.
The Treasure Swords of the numerous Divine Intent Sect disciples began to tremble, as if drawn by some unseen force, or perhaps celebrating the emergence of something new.