Chapter 746

With San Yue Qi's current skill, those golden people are no problem; she disposed of them in a few quick moves.

Although her sword moves are still rather raw, some techniques indeed exceeded Yan Qing's expectations, prompting him to cluck his tongue in amazement: "Really, some strange skills, but to be able to employ them so naturally in her swordplay—this could rightly be called San Yue Xiaojie's own secret art."

I originally thought that San Yue Xiaojie wandering around at Yunli's urging was a waste of time, but it seems not entirely wasted.

Yunli let out a soft hum: "How come some masters are still being stubborn?"

"Thank you for the guidance, two little masters—did I pass the test?"

Yunli nodded: "Without a doubt, you passed."

San Yue Qi glanced at Xing beside her: "Great! Xing, shouldn't you praise us..."

"If you pass the next test, I'll praise you."

San Yue Qi pouted dissatisfiedly: "Praise next time for next time, praise this time for this time—no IOUs."

"San Yue is awesome! She's mastered her secret art!"

"Hehe! This time I won't be modest—I've really improved a lot!"

Yan Qing: "The general had told me before that when learning swordsmanship, I shouldn't be picky about teachers. Not only cloud cavalry instruction, but also various wandering performers and foreign friends… To be frank, I once had my sword swallowed by Miss Gui Naifen—that's indeed a skill you can't learn in sword practice."

——

Lu Xiaohei War Chronicle

"Does swallowing swords help with sword study?"

Xiaohei perked up his ears, imagining Yan Qing swallowing a flying sword into his belly, and quickly shook his head—too terrifying.

Luye took a sip of tea, his expression still calm and carefree.

"Yes." she said.

"Eh? Really?" Xiaohei leaned in, "Could learning to swallow swords be part of achieving 'sword‑body unity,' and also overcome the flesh's fear of swords?"

"Impossible." Luye set down his teacup, turned to Xiaohei, "If one day on the battlefield you get beaten into a cripple, end up on the streets, you could still perform sword‑swallowing to make a living… upon reflection, that's actually quite practical."

"What kind of help is that? Besides, this isn't 'helpful for sword study'—it's 'helpful after failing at sword study,' right?"

"Is there a difference?" Luye tilted his head, "Either way, it's help."

——

"Yunli asked, 'San Yue, what are your own chances of victory?'"

"Three or four tenths?"

"You've already beaten him three times—how come your confidence seems to have waned?"

San Yue Qi raised a finger, smugly waving it before her face: "Hmph, you don't understand—great heroes in fantasy operas always hide their strength before battle."

Xing nodded: "Makes sense—after all, those who say they'll win usually lose."

"Ah, that's just wisdom from experience."

"……"

Meanwhile, on the other side.

"You're saying that San Yue Qi actually knocked down Gong Zao Si's golden people with a sword? Tsk tsk, those measly Astral Express golden people—how could they compare to our company's mechs!" Si Ke Te ordered, "Go deploy the nearest best mech! Then reinforce and thicken it—I don't believe that little metal sheet can really bluff our cutting‑edge technology!"

"But the armor is already thick enough."

"Not enough—keep adding!! Losing my face is like losing the company's face, losing the Amber King's face—can you afford to lose that?"

"A company employee muttered quietly, 'Isn't it already been lost three times?'"

"Shut up!!"

——

Dragon Clan

"Si Ke Te probably only now realizes that San Yue Qi teasing him three times wasn't due to lack of strength—just her friends simply wanted to mess with him." Kaisar chuckled.

Gazing at the distant Tokyo Tower, its spire like a sharp divine sword piercing the clouds, amidst the rolling gloom it resembles the Heavenly Cloud Sword that, after slaying the eight‑headed serpent in myth, cleaves the serpent's thick body—if Little San Yue wielded such a divine sword, she could surely slice through the company's mech with ease, right?

... No, even if it were a national treasure like the Heavenly Cloud Sword, in the Vermilion Bright Astral Express it'd probably be just cheap street‑market fare—that Huoyan General wouldn't even deign to glance at it.

"Can you take that guy down with Muramasa?" Kaisar pointed at the golden person lying shattered into a heap of parts in the sky.

"No." Chu Zihang said calmly, "Usually I'd request special equipment from the Ordnance Department—something like a rocket launcher—for dealing with such things; normal people wouldn't risk using a blade."

"Quite right… When did I get the illusion that San Yue Qi was a normal person?" Kaisar rubbed his head, "Those lot walking the path of destiny aren't normal people—only they could pull off slicing a mech to pieces with a sword."

Sometimes Kaisar doubts these people are even carbon‑based lifeforms—what carbon‑based life could withstand the Divine Lord's Day and Phantasmal Onslaught attacks?

——

"……"

"Is it hard for her?"

When Xing saw San Yue Qi withstand Yan Qing's attack for over ten minutes without defeat, he felt greatly shaken.

"Not bad, San Yue Xiaojie has held on till now—it looks like your swordsmanship has improved quite a bit." Yan Qing slowly sheathed his flying sword and clapped.

"Oh oh oh oh oh!" San Yue Qi excitedly raised her hand to celebrate.

"The test is over; the real trial begins now."

San Yue Qi let out a light hum: "Although what you say makes sense, this isn't the time to fool me—quick, praise me."

"Congratulations, San Yue Qi, on joining the club that has defeated Yan Qing."

San Yue Qi said embarrassedly, "Actually, I haven't defeated Master Yan Qing…"

"I recall Yan Qing once said, 'There are many ways to defeat a band of villains, but if you want to become a great hero, besides improving yourself there's no shortcut.' Yunli said, 'San Yue Qi, do you feel you're now closer to your ideal of a great hero?'"

San Yue Qi nodded solemnly: "Of course! My ideal great hero would do exactly that!"

On the day appointed for the match with Si Ke Te, San Yue Qi arrived early at the Jinren Xiang dock; after a brief wait, Si Ke Te and his lackeys slowly showed up.

The mech behind him was clearly different from before—not only were more heat weapons mounted on it, but its size had also increased considerably.

"Take a look—isn't this our heroine San Yue Qi?"

Hmph, I, Miss, haven't hidden or fled; you've posted a battle challenge, so I'll naturally come to accept it. San Yue Qi glanced at the weapons loaded on his mech, then looked around at the bustling crowd, and said worriedly, '... I've wanted to ask this for a while: why do you still choose to hold it in Jinren Xiang? There are quite a few tourists here; if someone gets accidentally hurt, that wouldn't be good.'

"Why Jinren Xiang? Do I really need to be asked that??!!"

"I deliberately chose Jinren Xiang because I want those who mocked me, the elders and folks, to come and watch. They'll be astonished, 'Ah——?! How did Si Te come back again? What is he going to do this time?'" Si Te gritted his teeth, "They'll see that the Si Te who was once publicly humiliated has returned to Jinren Xiang to wipe away his shame!"

He's learned enough of pig and dog calls; it's like an ever-accumulating prize pool— as long as he wins once, he can take it all!

I need to make the elders and folks understand clearly: whoever is learning the ways of little beasts here today won't be me—it'll be you——!