Chapter 232: Weak Grass

For this rare opponent she had a chance of winning against, Shen Yao had carefully thought about how the battle between the two would end.

—She wanted to put her sword on her chest or neck, which required a gap; and for the opponent to break her defense, she needed to use the first or second layer of Overlapping Waves.

Because the opponent's blade was strong, she had to avoid head-on collision; and her true Qi was deep and her sword technique was superior, so the opponent's reliance on the slashing blade and so-called root bones was not enough.

If she couldn't catch this gap from the opponent's defense, she could only look for it between the Overlapping Waves.

There were naturally gaps between the Overlapping Waves.

That wasn't even a gap, but an interval.

This was the natural defect that restricted this blade technique from going further—to strike with this rhythmic overlapping force, one had to accept the gap between the overlapping forces, and this gap was something that martial artists of the same realm could barely react to.

The reason why this blade technique could still be used, and was deservedly the number one in Bowang, was because this defect could be solved by the quality of the blade wielder themselves.

Gu Guang was originally the number one strongman of Zheng Shou, and Zhang Junxue was even more superior with her natural divine bones. When the two slashed their first full-power blade, the enemy receiving the blade often already felt powerless.

They could block this blade, but unloading the power of this blade also required time and true Qi, and before they could do more, the stronger second blade would whistle.

And even if they could leave a gap to attack, they had to consider whether the time was sufficient, whether the moves used to attack were fast enough and strong enough, otherwise they would face a situation even more tragic than continuing to block—a sword stab, just meeting the iron rod-like second blade coming whistling, and the outcome would be like a wheat straw meeting an iron rod.

And if they continued to block the blade, they would be broken by the heavy overlapping waves.

Therefore, to break this situation and touch that gap, two conditions had to be met—first, facing the first blade, they couldn't be dragged down by the surging blade energy, and had to leave space for their own attack; second, facing this space, they had to have a sword fast enough to use it—when their sword edge forced the opponent's throat, the opponent's second blade, which was gathering momentum, was still drawing a circle behind them.

Shen Yao knew she had a fast sword enough, but she couldn't handle the opponent's giant thunder-like slashing.

Not only had she not learned the sword of dissolving force recorded in the Cicada Pulse, but she hadn't even mastered 【Immovable Dangerous Wind】 in "Yellow Jade."

Facing the opponent's blade, she seemed to only be able to block hard, dissolve force, and then welcome the next blade.

And at this moment, the first layer of Overlapping Waves had already surged.

Before this giant wave, Shen Yao suddenly rose, as if blown away by the wind brought by the wild waves.

But of course not.

This blade wasn't to blow her away, but to hit her.

This was clearly her own sudden jump, and it was a floating flip. In the blink of an eye, she was already above and behind Zhang Junxue.

Exclamations had already sounded on the field. Those who didn't know the skills marveled at this handsome and wonderful body technique, while those who knew the skills recognized its name.

—This was clearly 【Reverse Flip Kite Wings】!

The senior sister of the Cuiyu Sect used the iconic body technique of the White Bamboo Pavilion in the championship, and what it represented was far more than just on the field.

"If you draw Zhang Junxue, it's a coincidence. This body technique can break 【Overlapping Waves】," Zhang Mozhu laughed at the time, explaining the interval and breaking method of Overlapping Waves to her. "... I've thought about this matter."

"But... if this blade technique relies on the heavy force of the slash to control the enemy, can't I just not take her blade?" Shen Yao frowned and said cleverly. "I can go directly to catch its interval."

"... Oh, so the people defeated by Overlapping Waves are all fools."

"..." Shen Yao blushed immediately, realizing her stupidity—if she didn't take a heavy enough blade, the opponent naturally wouldn't continue to connect the Overlapping Waves.

Therefore, at this moment, after she took the first blade, Zhang Junxue immediately entered the rhythm of Overlapping Waves.

She indeed couldn't organize an effective attack in this interval after eating the first blade, but she could use the last time to come behind the opponent—in this way, she had won another half-circle of time for herself.

At this moment, the situation on the field was clear and distinct.

The Overlapping Waves in Zhang Junxue's hands were restraining the surging power. When she used them, she was also bound by them. The blade master had to follow certain rules, the "Circle of Overlapping Waves," to drive this power that exceeded the limit.

And 【Reverse Flip Kite Wings】 had already brought Shen Yao to the most suitable position to strike. The young woman's back of the neck was clearly exposed to her eyes.

The true Qi required for that sword had long been accumulated in her body.

The fastest sword Shen Yao knew—Yellow Jade · 【Stepping on Water to Pick Scales】.

This sword could completely shave off a feather of a bird as it skimmed past the window, as long as it was a quarter of a circle of time.

Shen Yao reached out her arm to strike. The white light that had just converged and disappeared suddenly appeared, and in an instant, it was about to reach Zhang Junxue's back of the neck.

But that circle suddenly shattered.

The heavy blade like a mountain suddenly met the long sword.

There was no so-called Circle of Overlapping Waves. The blade path was the shortest straight line from point to point. The young woman paused her arm, and the giant blade that was like thunder was immediately strangled by her. After a moment of stillness, it was immediately endowed with completely opposite giant force.

Still like thunder!

This tall young woman had the power to easily control this blade.

The Black Mountain and the White Stream collided, and the stream suddenly shattered.

Giant force was transmitted, and her wrist felt like it was collapsing and twisting. Shen Yao abandoned her sword and retreated urgently, but she didn't master the higher level of 【Reverse Flip Kite Wings】 after all. She fell in the air, but Zhang Junxue's blade edge had already pressed up faster, forcing her neck.

The outcome was decided.

Zhang Junxue stood with her blade and bowed.

Shen Yao stood in place without moving. In fact, she was a bit stunned looking at Zhang Junxue, her eyebrows already slightly furrowed.

—It was very obvious that the young woman did it on purpose.

She hid her ability to control this power, deliberately exposed this interval, tricked her into attacking, and then captured her in the air.

This was naturally a way to win, but... Shen Yao had invited her to abandon tricks and fight dryly.

If you have this ability, then don't leave me an interval. I will have other responses—although it will still be you who wins most of the time.

【Reverse Flip Kite Wings】—others didn't know, but Zhang Junxue knew about it. Shen Yao let her attack, just wanting to clearly decide the outcome—to see if your blade is heavy or my sword is fast.

But Zhang Junxue didn't care about this matter and defeated her unexpectedly in the way of facing an enemy.

This was naturally understandable, but it indeed caused a subtle discomfort in Shen Yao's heart—this was not the feeling of losing to a friend.

But there was nothing to say at this time and place. The young woman in front had already lowered her head and turned around. Shen Yao bent down to pick up her long sword and also bowed before leaving the arena.

The red curtain in the air was retracted, and the sound of chanting spread throughout the field: "The first match of the championship, the winner, Xu Gu's Zhang Junxue!"

"Your sect's sword technique is very beautiful," Gu Yunfu said, watching the two walk off the arena from the high platform.

"Haha, that doesn't sound like a compliment."

"How dare I, how dare I. A sword technique that makes people feel beautiful just represents its profound meaning," Gu Yunfu said. "This sword is like a cloud sparrow in the mountains, dancing on branches and drinking from streams—your sect is named Cuiyu, so it should indeed be a bird-shaped sword?"

Li Weiru sighed in admiration. "It is indeed taken from the kingfisher."

He laughed again. "Then comment on this disciple?"

"My talent is shallow, and I've only watched for a few glances, so it's not good to make big remarks."

"Hey~ just say it."

"Then it is more quality and less spirit, with sound but no rhyme."

Li Weiru sighed with a laugh. "These are all one of the best talents in our sect. The vision of the noble people of the upper sect is too high."

"Haha, high eyes and low hands, I am also more quality and less spirit, the same."

"Hehe, then look at this match?" Li Weiru pointed down, seeing that the second match was about to start.

"Oh?" Gu Yunfu looked down at the field. Two men were leaning toward the arena. One was a young man in a black cloak, carrying a bright red sword, with an extraordinary temperament. The other was older, in a long gown and scholar's cap, dressed as a scholar.

Gu Yunfu's eyes lit up. "This person gives me a few feelings of watching the Divine Capital martial trial. He is a wonderful figure—is he also from your sect?"

Li Weiru laughed, and he didn't need to answer. Xu Sigong's chanting came: "The second match of the championship, the scholar's gown hides the sword, the dragon is shackled in the scabbard—Seven Serpents' Yu Yingcai, Seven Serpents' Qijiao Shang Huaitong!"

"Mm, hahaha." Gu Yunfu also looked up and laughed, watching carefully.

On the arena.

The two stood opposite each other.

Yu Yingcai drew his sword and abandoned the scabbard, took a deep breath, and set up a solemn sword frame.

As the strongest Fifth Life of the Seven Serpents, and most likely the number one Fifth Life in Bowang Prefecture, many people had looked forward to a top-four spot for him. The facts were indeed so. Among the Fifth Life today, no one dared to say they would definitely win against him.

And opposite, Qijiao Shang Huaitong was also standing on the stage for the first time.

Similarly, without any salute, he slowly drew his sword. This was the first time this sword was exposed to people. The sword body was not bright, even tending to be dim, but the texture was very smooth. The hilt was also bright red, and a thin red line extended downward, running through the center of the sword body to the tip.

It was a C-lower grade sword from the East Sea Sword Furnace. Luo Defeng had sought it for this beloved disciple in Shaolong Prefecture, and it took more than a year to get it. In the prefecture city, a "C-lower grade" sword was naturally not so rare, only because this sword was not purchased, but ordered from a sword caster.

It was inscribed "Fire on the Plain."

The clear sound passed through the sky. It was the tripod ringing, and the arena trial had begun.

Yu Yingcai held his sword and stared, not moving for the time being.

But Qijiao Shang Huaitong didn't care about his movements. He just looked down at the sword and brushed his finger over it slowly.

He drew his sword because he wanted to strike.

His true opponent today was not anyone standing here, but this sword within reach—this man in front of him, the Seven Serpents spent one hundred and twenty taels of silver to support him every year, can he help himself complete it?

He slowly closed his eyes and took a step forward.

It was as if something suddenly spread out, from the man's feet, silently covering the entire arena, and then radiating to the entire martial field.

It was not true Qi, nor other tangible or intangible things. It was just a feeling, born from the man's heart, reflecting the realm of the world.

Everyone felt something that couldn't be explained clearly. This was an experience that had never appeared in previous martial trials. Many audience members ignored it as an illusion. But unconsciously, their eyes had already gathered on the man.

And on the high platform, Gu Yunfu suddenly stood up, his eyes staring straight at the man on the field.

Qijiao Shang Huaitong was still closing his eyes, his heart had sunk into the realm of silence, and everything around him had been included in this realm.

This was the place he had carefully chosen—the championship, which was a very typical, simple "field," just like the small box where he planted grass in his room.

Cheers, eyes, benefits, future... condensed into the same quality, surrounding and filling this martial field. And when he spread out thousands of threads and accepted this field, among all the qualities that belonged to him, an obstacle, a competitor, appeared so obvious.

This was exactly the problem he faced when he understood "all is me," which was now placed in front of him so simply and purely.

After solving this problem here and using this sword, and then adapting to the much more complex situation in reality, it wouldn't take long for him to truly master this sword.

He wanted Yu Yingcai to withstand this first half of the sword intent and block his strike to death. Then, he would use the Grass Pulling Chapter to remove him.

Afterward, everything would open up.

Sure enough, at this moment, following the man's thinking, in a piece of darkness, that only eye-catching light spot suddenly became dazzling.

Qijiao Shang Huaitong hooked a smile, very good.

Yu Yingcai felt cold.

And the shock of needles piercing his skin.

As an "outsider," he didn't actually know what the young master was pondering every day. Of course, he was still confused now, but the feeling of heart-pounding had already truly captured his heart.

Everything around him seemed to be losing, becoming part of the enemy—the audience, the ground, the air, and even including himself.

If there was something entangled on his body, permeating, deepening, taking root... even though they hadn't fought yet, and the two were nearly ten zhang apart, Yu Yingcai was already almost suffocating. He gritted his teeth and gripped his sword tightly.

He didn't know what had happened. He only had one profound feeling—if he didn't strike, his flesh, true Qi, and even his life would be penetrated and drained by these things.

In the ghostly depression that was enough to drown his breathing, Yu Yingcai erupted with a determined roar. The long sword seemed to flash with light; that was the fierce true Qi.

As if a heavy ship broke through the waves, the man swept over with the wind.

"Ink Book Sword," the family learning he stole when he left home when he was young. He hated everything there, but this sword indeed allowed him to live for dozens of years longer.

【Shoulder Horizontal】

It was once unloaded by that boy on the Guanlu Platform, because he relied too much on sword technique and gave the opponent a chance. Now, with the fierce true Qi poured into it, this straight and unreturning sword was the best sharp weapon to break this ghostly and suppressed realm!

Perhaps he heard it, perhaps it was just an illusion. In short, the sound of crisp silk being crushed and broken seemed to ring in his ears. The distance of ten zhang was swept away under his feet, and Yu Yingcai splashed over with a heavy stroke of thick ink.

However, Qijiao Shang Huaitong sighed lightly.

If you have heard it, then it is in your mind; how can you break the realm?

He raised his sword to block. The two sword blades intersected, making a clear and long clang, like the last lingering sound of a zither piece.

Clearly carrying the momentum of penetrating everything, Yu Yingcai's sword dissipated all power in this touch. Qijiao Shang Huaitong held his sword and knocked, and thousands of threads suddenly drowned this small grass that had left the ground. As far as the intent reached, only a piece of darkness remained.

He opened his eyes. The man beside him fell straight to the ground. The man sheathed his sword and walked off the arena without looking back.

Yu Yingcai on the ground was stunned and stiff, his heartbeat and breathing were gone, as if he had been drawn away from life.

Several bailiffs rushed up immediately. Four or five breaths later, Yu Yingcai seemed to have come alive from drowning, took a heavy, crazy breath, his heartbeat recovered, his eyes thawed, and he breathed violently.

"The second match of the championship, the winner, Seven Serpents' Qijiao Shang Huaitong!"

Amidst the cheers, Li Weiru turned his head with a smile. "How is this person?"

Gu Yunfu looked solemn and said slowly, "Sword of Intent."

"Not bad," Li Weiru sighed. "We only found out last night that he wants to use this sword to enter the Sword Academy."

He added, "According to you, what stage has this sword reached?"

"... It has wisdom but no spirit, but it's only one step away," Gu Yunfu said softly, frowning slightly. "It's just that it looks a bit awkward..."

"The sword manual is missing a few pages."

"Oh, that's it."

Gu Yunfu was about to ask where this sword came from, but Li Weiru had already laughed, "Then is this sword beautiful?"

Gu Yunfu laughed, "Beautiful, extremely beautiful. This sword is like a thirty-jin beauty in black walking in the middle of the night."

"Thirty jin, a skeleton frame?"

"No, it's just that there is no flesh and blood, no quality but spirit, a gauze-clothed light skin."

Li Weiru nodded slowly, smiling. "Wait until we get this sword, let's see if it's like this."

"Hahahaha."

"Hey! This match is my sect's true transmission," Li Weiru straightened his body and pointed below the stage. "Look at this little girl. Look at it. She is my true favorite disciple. I think she has the 'spirit' and 'rhyme' you mentioned."

"Oh?" Gu Yunfu raised an eyebrow and looked carefully.

The old man beside him continued to add with a smile, "If you say no, then it must be your problem. I won't recognize or pay attention to it."

"Hahahaha." Gu Yunfu loved to laugh, and at this time, talking to the old man was even more relaxed and comfortable. He looked below the stage and pointed. "Then what about this boy?"

He didn't need the old man to answer. The chanting sound came up again, and Xu Sigong's voice was loud: "The third match of the championship, the sword is washed to green, the gentleman's soul is returned to the scabbard—Cuiyu's Li Piaoqing, Fenghuai's Pei Ye!"

Gu Yunfu clenched the armrest fiercely, his eyes staring over and fixed on the boy: "Who?!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 233 =====