Chapter 164: The Great Accomplishment Realm of the Thunder Smoke Saber

Duan Rong's mind was likewise in a state of shock.

Only after he himself reached the Great Accomplishment realm did he truly understand the terrifying and bizarre nature of Ximen Kankan's Thunder Smoke Saber; before this, he had merely been playing along with him.

This time, seeing that he couldn't take him down, he had unleashed his full realm!

It was only by using the Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber at the Great Accomplishment realm and those Three Style Residual Moves from Xiao Zongting that Duan Rong could manage to fight Ximen Kankan to a draw.

The two men's saber light was like water, their figures as fast as ghosts as they fought for nearly half an hour; both were drenched in sweat, yet they still hadn't determined a winner.

Ximen Kankan suddenly stepped back and jumped away, panting, "I'm exhausted! No more, no more!"

Duan Rong smiled, sheathed his saber, and wiped the fine sweat from his forehead. For half an hour, with his realm fully unleashed, he had fought with great satisfaction and clarity!

Ximen Kankan glanced at Duan Rong. He hadn't expected that, having not seen him for only two or three days, Duan Rong would have become so formidable; in terms of saber technique, he was already completely on par with him.

"Your saber technique has changed?" Ximen Kankan said.

"Mm. I had a major realization by chance yesterday," Duan Rong said with a relaxed smile.

"Is that so?" Ximen Kankan squinted at Duan Rong. Yesterday?... And by chance?

The two walked back to the carriage, wiped off their sweat, and ate some fruit.

The two beautiful maids and the servants had all witnessed the scene of Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan's duel, and they all looked at Duan Rong again with expressions of astonishment.

They all knew that Ximen Kankan was already at the Great Accomplishment realm, but considering the resources and talent their young master possessed, and the fact that this person didn't look very old, it was incredible that he could fight their young master to a draw.

Having dueled for half an hour, Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan were both a bit tired, so they lay down on the grass to rest for a while.

Duan Rong suddenly glanced at the Moon Blade Curved Saber at Ximen Kankan's waist and said, "Kankan, may I see your saber?"

"Why do you want to see my saber?"

"Your weapon has a unique style, I'm just a bit curious," Duan Rong said in an indifferent tone.

A martial artist's weapon is generally not handed over to others lightly; if not for the fact that he and Ximen Kankan had been getting along increasingly well lately, Duan Rong would not have dared to make such an overstepping request.

Ximen Kankan lay on the grass, drew his weapon, and with a flick of his hand, slapped it onto Duan Rong's stomach, saying, "Take a look! This weapon was custom-made based on the Thunder Smoke Saber technique."

Duan Rong gripped the Moon Blade Curved Saber in his hand. He saw that the saber had a peculiar design, and its color was not as bright as an ordinary weapon, but rather somewhat dull.

Duan Rong's eyes flickered, and he thought to himself, "Spirit Reader!"

Artifact: Moon Blade Curved Saber

Spirit Artifact Tier: Third Tier

Devouring Requirement: Host Spirit Power Level 3 (Met)

Devouring Effect: Thunder Smoke Saber Great Accomplishment

Looking at the data floating before him, Duan Rong hesitated for a moment, but he couldn't resist the temptation. He truly wanted to understand why Ximen Kankan's Thunder Smoke Saber was so sharp and bizarre; it seemed completely different from the saber principles of the other techniques he had comprehended!

Holding Ximen Kankan's Moon Blade Curved Saber, Duan Rong thought to himself, "Devour!"

Just as Duan Rong silently recited the word "devour," the data panel before his eyes blurred and shook, then dissipated. Duan Rong handed the Moon Blade Curved Saber back to Ximen Kankan and casually praised it as a good saber.

Ximen Kankan didn't think much of it and sheathed the saber.

Just as Ximen Kankan was about to chat with Duan Rong, Duan Rong suddenly said, "Kankan, I'm sleepy, I'm going to nap for a bit."

After saying this, Duan Rong turned to his side and actually fell asleep...

Duan Rong slept for a full half hour. When he woke up, he found a blanket covering him, while Ximen Kankan was not far away, squatting on the ground with a twig, teasing two small turtles he had caught from somewhere...

Duan Rong stood up, stretched, and his eyes flashed.

The Spirit Tool of the Great Accomplishment realm Thunder Smoke Saber had been fully digested and absorbed. He instantly understood how Ximen Kankan executed those elegant and ghostly moves.

The predecessor who created this Thunder Smoke Saber clearly had a thorough understanding of feints and real strikes in martial arts that was far beyond the ordinary.

Therefore, the most formidable aspect of this Thunder Smoke Saber lay in the interplay between the false and the real...

Duan Rong recalled the moves used when he sparred with Ximen Kankan...

He had previously devoured the Yellow Springs Saber Technique and the Reckless Bull Saber Technique. Before devouring them, he had felt these techniques had some bright spots worth taking, but after devouring them, he felt greatly disappointed, with a sense of loss similar to having a magic trick revealed. "Is that it?"

However, this Thunder Smoke Saber was completely different. Once Duan Rong understood its principles and methods of execution after devouring it, he was instead even more amazed by the ingenuity and subtlety of this saber technique.

In terms of the Great Accomplishment realm alone, the Thunder Smoke Saber surpassed the Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber he was practicing.

But Duan Rong also remembered Xiao Zongting's words: the Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber must be practiced to Consummation to truly unleash its power.

Relying on his ability to devour Spirit Tools, Duan Rong had comprehended the realms of many saber techniques, but the Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber and the Thunder Smoke Saber were undoubtedly the two most formidable among them.

The creator of the technique clearly possessed a deep foundation and a unique understanding of martial arts. The Five Tigers Flock of Sheep Saber had comprehensive balance, while the Thunder Smoke Saber pushed both offense and defense to a brand-new level through the clever use of feints and reality...

"These two saber techniques..." Duan Rong's gaze suddenly sharpened as he looked at Ximen Kankan, who was teasing the turtles, and said, "Come, let's go another two rounds!"

Once Duan Rong understood the Thunder Smoke Saber, the parts of his sparring with Ximen Kankan that he hadn't understood suddenly became clear. He immediately had many new ideas echoing in his mind and was eager to find Ximen Kankan to verify them.

"No more fighting. I came here for an outing; fighting back and forth is just like practicing martial arts," Ximen Kankan was having a great time teasing the turtles and really had no interest in drawing his saber.

Duan Rong saw the laziness in Ximen Kankan's eyes and said, "Then, I'll count it as one Spring Palace Painting for you!"

Ximen Kankan immediately sprang up like a rubber ball, his eyes shining, and said, "Come on!"

For the sake of his great collection of Spring Palace Paintings, any outing or turtles were not worth mentioning...

Duan Rong gave a wry smile, drew his saber, and began to fight with Ximen Kankan. For a time, the saber light was like water, flashing left and right...

But after only ten moves, Duan Rong suddenly dodged, his saber blade passing through Ximen Kankan's smoke-like saber net from the right, tapping Ximen Kankan's shoulder with the back of the blade before retreating.

Ximen Kankan was stunned, looking at Duan Rong with a strange expression; this was the first time he had lost in a duel with Duan Rong.

Ximen Kankan's eyes moved, and he shouted, "Again!"

After three moves, Duan Rong jumped away again; this time, he had grazed Ximen Kankan's throat with the back of his blade.

Ximen Kankan touched his own throat, quite surprised; how could Duan Rong suddenly be able to beat him just after taking a nap?

This was too bizarre.

Before, it was one thing that you could become stronger just by thinking about it, but now, you can become stronger by taking a nap?

"How did you suddenly become so formidable after taking a nap?" Ximen Kankan truly felt a sense of powerlessness, because it seemed as if Duan Rong could see right through his Thunder Smoke Saber.

Duan Rong smiled and said, "Because I am the God of Sleep!"

Ximen Kankan looked at the smile on Duan Rong's face, illuminated by the afternoon sun, and decided not to probe further; in any case, there were many things about Duan Rong that surprised him, and this was not the first time.

Ximen Kankan sighed, sheathed his saber, and sat down on the grass, feeling somewhat dejected.

He did not care that Duan Rong had beaten him, but rather that after Duan Rong beat him, he feared Duan Rong would no longer spar with him, and thus his great undertaking of collecting Spring Palace Paintings would be hindered.

Duan Rong looked at Ximen Kankan's somewhat dispirited face and felt a sudden sense of shame; he had devoured Ximen Kankan's Weapon Spirit and gained the Great Accomplishment realm of the Thunder Smoke Saber, which allowed him to see through Ximen Kankan's feints and strike at the opening, defeating Ximen Kankan twice in a row—truth be told, it was truly a victory without honor.

Duan Rong plopped down beside Ximen Kankan, draped an arm around his shoulder, and said, "What's wrong, unhappy about losing the fight?"

"It's not that, I'm just heartbroken over my Spring Palace Paintings," Ximen Kankan said.

Duan Rong couldn't help but be stunned, grinning to himself: This kid!

In Jiuzhou, where martial arts are clearly the fashion, you just happen to love Spring Palace Paintings instead of martial arts!

(End of chapter)