Chapter 382: Yan Lu

In the end, the first round of the sword competition ended with Zhang Liang admitting defeat himself.

Su Fan was also very satisfied watching from the side, his mind constantly savoring the two people's sword techniques and even their sword path concepts.

It was just that he felt Zhang Liang had been hiding his strength and hadn't revealed any sword path concepts.

While Sheng Qi was much simpler.

His sword path, for Su Fan, was also of great help. After all, in the *Smiling Proud Wanderer* world, Su Fan's sword technique was also similar to this.

Later, in the *Datang Shuanglong Zhuan* and *Shenhan* worlds, he practiced external skills, tempered his physique, and used long weapons. As a battlefield general, their fighting methods were also mostly grand and magnificent, containing their own momentum.

The victory of Sheng Qi in the first round was actually not surprising to both sides. After all, Sheng Qi himself was famous in the Seven States.

Ten years ago, he was only defeated by the Sword Saint Gai Nie and captured by Gai Nie.

Zhang Liang, although also a swordsman, was still a few points worse compared to these swordsmen.

In the second round, Fusu let a middle-aged swordsman by his side appear. This person was a palace sword master who had taught Fusu swordsmanship since he was a child, and was also a sword guard by his side.

His strength was naturally not bad.

As a palace sword master, naturally, he would not be bad in terms of sword technique; otherwise, how could he be a palace sword master and teach many sons swordsmanship?

It was just that in terms of fame, he couldn't compare to the swordsmen famous in the rivers and lakes.

However, no one looked down on these people.

"Yan Lu of the Little Sage Virtuous Manor, please give me your advice!"

At this time, Yan Lu stood out holding the Hanguang Sword.

Facing this deep middle-aged swordsman, Yan Lu's expression was solemn. Although he was mostly indifferent to fame and wealth, for the Mencius manuscript, as a Confucian disciple, he was also very curious.

Third Junior Brother Zhang Liang was defeated in the sparring, so his pressure was great. If he lost again, then their Little Sage Virtuous Manor would have lost.

Young Master Fusu came to the land of Qi and Lu this time, clearly to beat the Little Sage Virtuous Manor. Facing the momentum of Great Qin, their Little Sage Virtuous Manor could not bow down, but they also couldn't be servile.

As long as he won, then there would be a great chance of winning. After all, his Eldest Senior Brother Fu Nian's strength—outsiders didn't know, but he was very clear.

Eldest Senior Brother had long reached the peak of Profound Mastery, or even the Five Qi Morning Origin realm. He could break through at any time.

All these years, he had been suppressing it, constantly laying the foundation, so that he could walk higher in the future.

His strength was unquestionable, and he himself possessed the famous sword Tai'e, and his strength was extraordinary, it was just that he rarely showed it.

For the Eldest Senior Brother, Yan Lu was very confident.

So he wanted to defeat the middle-aged swordsman before him, and his eyes had a few more points of fighting spirit.

This expression made Zhang Liang and Fu Nian somewhat surprised.

Especially Fu Nian, who originally had no expectations for the sword competition. He knew that it was very difficult for the Little Sage Virtuous Manor to win. He was very clear about Sheng Qi's strength.

Among their three brothers, only he himself had the confidence to win steadily.

Third Junior Brother went out to fight, and he understood that there was no possibility of winning.

And Second Junior Brother Yan Lu, born without desire, seemed to have no spirit for anything, and didn't care about victory or defeat, so he didn't have expectations for him either.

It was just that now, it seemed he had misjudged.

This lazy Junior Brother of his seemed to have opened his eyes, which made Fu Nian sit upright immediately.

The Hanguang Sword came out, and the originally implicit sword light became brilliant.

Swoosh, swoosh!

The palace swordsman was not inferior, and his strength was also extraordinary.

The two exchanged moves, fast as lightning, making people dazzled.

"Little friend, who do you think is better?"

Chu Nan Gong suddenly asked Su Fan in a low voice.

"Hmm! My knowledge is shallow and my realm is not enough, I can't see it. Nan Gong, who do you think is the winner?"

The sword techniques of the two could be considered to have reached the peak of perfection, without any flaws. At least in Su Fan's eyes, there were no flaws to speak of.

To be honest, he really didn't know who would win and who would lose in the end; it also depended on the state of both sides.

"The old man is testing the little friend, but didn't expect the little friend to throw the question back at the old man."

"This disciple of Fu Nian is not simple. At a young age, his Zuowang Mental Method has already reached great success, not inferior to Fu Nian. And his character is clear, quiet, and indifferent, very suitable for this Zuowang Mental Method, even more suitable than Fu Nian."

"Pity! He entered the Little Sage Virtuous Manor. If he entered the Daoist school and practiced the method of Laozi and Zhuangzi, he would inevitably become a pillar of the Daoist school in the future."

Chu Nan Gong said in a low voice, his tone seemingly containing a trace of regret.

"Nan Gong is cherishing talent."

"The Confucian school is not worse than the Daoist school. That Xunzi of the Little Sage Virtuous Manor is even a sage who directly follows the various philosophers. With his teaching, Yan Lu, in the future, should not be bad. And as far as I know, this Zuowang Mental Method comes from the *Dao Te Ching*."

"So it's not bad either."

"Hmph! It's not bad, but compared to the Dream Butterfly Method of Laozi and Zhuangzi, it's still a few points worse."

Chu Nan Gong shook his head. It wasn't that he looked down on the Little Sage Virtuous Manor. The Little Sage Virtuous Manor was a top-tier existence among the Confucian lineages, and not worse than those lineages of the Daoist school.

Especially since they produced Xunzi, a Confucian sage who directly followed the various philosophers, but the Confucian school's concepts, in his view, had some discrepancies with Yan Lu's character.

This kid's character was completely in line with their Daoist school, especially the Laozi and Zhuangzi lineage—the realm of following one's heart and having no desires.

If he were handed over to him to teach, he believed he could absolutely cultivate him into a Three Flowers realm expert.

It was a pity that the pearl was cast into the dark; now it was impossible for him to force it.

"I didn't expect Nan Gong to think so highly of Yan Lu."

Su Fan could only support him on the side, but in his heart, he also added a few points of interest in Yan Lu. Being able to make Chu Nan Gong feel that he was a genius—the talent was definitely extraordinary.

However, at a young age, he had reached his current realm, especially now that he was sparring with that palace sword master, and he didn't fall into a disadvantage at all, and his strength was extraordinary.

The Hanguang Sword was even more suitable for himself. Even though the palace swordsman's attacks were becoming more and more fierce, it couldn't affect the former at all.

Instead, the other party's sword technique contained the realm of straight, soft, empty, and continuous. The *Dao Te Ching* says: "If the army is strong, it will be destroyed; if the wood is strong, it will break. The strong and firm are below, the soft and weak are above." And also: "There is nothing in the world softer and weaker than water, yet nothing can surpass it in attacking the strong and firm. Nothing can replace it. The weak overcome the strong, the soft overcome the hard; everyone in the world knows, but no one can do it."

Yan Lu's sword technique and sword path concepts contained Daoist thought. Water is soft and can overcome the

No matter how the enemy attacks, he can quickly neutralize it, which is somewhat similar to the Dao of Taiji, but the Dao of Taiji combines hardness and softness, and Yan Lu's sword technique did not manifest that.

Su Fan did not know if it was because he had not grasped it, or if it simply did not exist.

Of course, it is estimated that if the other party had truly grasped the Dao of combining hardness and softness, they would likely have already broken through to the Five Qi Morning Origin realm.