Chapter 581: 534 Momentum Like Splitting Bamboo

"Momentum like—splitting bamboo."

A streak of Sword Light lashed out with lightning speed, striking exactly at the cross-section of a bamboo node.

The thin bamboo snapped at the sound, and immediately following, the Sword Light slid downward along the split in the bamboo, its speed not diminishing in the slightest, as if it were smoother than slicing through air.

In the blink of an eye, the bamboo was completely split; when the Sword Light struck the air again, it still emitted a "Crack—" sound like splitting bamboo, as if the air and everything existing within it were, like that bamboo, being solved by the blade!

Open!

The Momentum of the splitting bamboo had already cut to the edge of Fang Weiran's virtualized space, and it cut right through without any obstruction.

The sword did not pass through the virtualization as before, nor was it virtualized; instead, it cut right through along with the virtualized space!

Solved by the blade!

Fang Weiran was just mobilizing his Sword Art to displace space, intending to grind the opponent and her sword to pieces, when he saw the long sword coming like a White Rainbow Piercing the Sun; the displaced space was split open just like tofu!

The sword tip reached his face, and he hurriedly retreated violently—

That Sword Art followed like a shadow, the blade chasing him, cutting toward his body, swearing to cut him in two. Fang Weiran's expression changed slightly; suddenly, his figure turned ethereal, space faltered, and he instantly appeared a zhang away out of thin air.

Instant shift!

Although the speed of this flash was not fast, it was exactly in the blind spot of the long sword's trajectory. For Xing Qing to drag the sword over and catch up, she had to make a ninety-degree turn, and this turn immediately caused the incomparably smooth Sword Light to pause.

This pause made Xing Qing's expression turn cold; while pondering, she stopped the sword, and the previously invincible strike ended there.

Fang Weiran also stopped, keeping a distance of more than a zhang from her, and said coldly:

"Indeed, this Sword Art treats everything as the same piece of bamboo to be split; even space can be split, so it can be called indestructible. But the momentum cannot turn corners, because bamboo does not bend. Once you leave the 'Momentum' of the bamboo, you can no longer use such a fine sword."

"Your technique requires splitting bamboo to form Momentum; splitting bamboo is like the prerequisite for the Sword Art. Is this a condition set by imitating the Changjie Sword Technique? Although there is only one step. How powerful is that person's Sword Art? Setting a few more steps to trade for an instant burst is one thing, but you set conditions for a Sword Art that cannot turn—you truly don't have the life of a Sword Hero, but you've caught the sickness of a Sword Hero."

Fang Weiran looked at her, slowly stating the intelligence he had analyzed while observing her expression.

A battle of wits and words, disrupting the opponent's mind, is also a very important part of Sword Fighting.

Xing Qing was noncommittal, instead saying indifferently: "Your use of space is very crude. Whether it is twisting space or escaping, you must resolve it at close range. Whenever there is close range, there is risk. Why don't you just grind me and the space together from afar? I don't believe you only escaped a zhang in a life-or-death moment just to seek thrills. It seems this is the maximum distance you can manipulate. Just one zhang; it may not even be as long as a common red-tasseled spear."

She sneered: "What profound mystery of space; it is nothing more than defending the one zhang around yourself. A martial artist who has practiced farm-style spear techniques for a few years can also make the one zhang around them impenetrable; what is the difference between that and you?"

The two exchanged a jab, then suddenly rose up simultaneously. Xing Qing's heart stirred, and a bamboo appeared in the air again.

However, before she could split it, the bamboo twisted slightly and shattered into fragments!

"One zhang distance? Everywhere I have stood is mine! How could I let you split bamboo? Let's see who is inconvenienced!"

The agitation of space not only ground the bamboo to pieces but also ground the place where Xing Qing stood. In her panic, Xing Qing flew backward; the space ground off half of her white hair, and the other half lost the restraint of the braid, scattering in the air like daisy petals.

"Go—"

Seven or eight bamboo stalks suddenly grew in the air, each several zhang long, truly like long spears. Immediately after, it was as if several bamboo knives were slashing wildly in the air; each bamboo stalk broke into several sections along the nodes, and the air was instantly filled with dozens or hundreds of bamboo nodes.

The positions where these bamboo nodes floated were three zhang away from Fang Weiran, forming a crescent-shaped bamboo belt, as if she were leading an army of thousands in a military formation.

"I only need to lock onto you through one of them, and all directions can be split. I can use this one to split your head, or I can use that one to split your shoulder. Or your ribs, heart, kidneys... I want to choose whichever one I choose. You guess, which one do I choose?"

Xing Qing's hand pointed in the air: "This one, or that one? Or... I want them all!"

She actually stopped using that indestructible "Momentum like splitting bamboo" and instead swung her sword; all the bamboo nodes began to tremble in the air.

"Hum—"

A dragon's hum sounded. Listening closely, it was the sound of wind blowing through bamboo leaves, but one sound of bamboo leaves was a rustling, sorrowful noise, while hundreds or thousands of them were like a dragon's hum in the sky, causing the souls of those who heard it to tremble.

The sound was pervasive; bamboo leaves still had gaps, but the sound could surround from all directions. The thin Shadows around were shaken into a tumble; there seemed to be a black vortex in the arena, rolling outward from the bamboo belt. All living things within the roar of the dragon's hum were trembling under the dragon's might.

The range of the dragon's hum quickly broke through their track, swept through the other seven directions, broke through the black fog, and even the surrounding stands were affected.

"Outrageous, simply outrageous."

In the stands, the honored guests also heard the dragon's hum. Although the black fog of the Nether Sea greatly reduced the power of the dragon's hum, they still heard a burst of tinnitus. Sound attacks are inevitably indiscriminate among wide-range attacks; no matter how noble, it is hard to avoid being affected. If they were not Sword Guests, they would be even more effectively intimidated.

The master of Fuhu Manor was himself a Sword Guest, so he was not too affected, but the lid of the teacup placed on the table was rattled by the vibration. He felt quite offended: "What is this sword slave going crazy for? Wasn't that move of splitting bamboo just now fine? It also looked good. Why change to this meaningless move? Who is she showing off to?"

He heard someone outside the private room say: "Oh? Does the master of Fuhu Manor think this move is useless? I think this move is very powerful."

The master of Fuhu Manor said offhandedly: "Of course it's useless. Because..."

In the storm, Fang Weiran stood straight. The vortex composed of black Shadow swept through almost everything, yet it avoided the space within a foot of him, revealing a calm and tranquil void. Because of this void, his figure was clearly visible. He opened his mouth, but the sound was not heard by anyone; he only used his lip movements to say what he wanted to say:

"Fool, sound requires a medium. If space is disconnected, like a vacuum isolation, how can there be sound?"

Almost simultaneously, Fang Weiran also drew his sword and struck, a sword stroke sweeping forward: "Sword Art—Cleansing Sword!"

Compared to that indestructible bamboo-splitting Sword Light, this sword had almost no light, not even Sword Qi, but it triggered the swirling black Shadow vortex, just like someone standing outside the vortex and throwing a heavy punch into it. The fist wind was like overlapping waves, one wave higher than the next.

That was the conduction of spatial oscillation. Once space is divided into layers, it can naturally produce collisions; one oscillation can trigger another, like dominoes falling.

Naturally, using the space divided by Fang Weiran to collide with the space of the Great World was truly a mayfly shaking a tree, but even a mayfly, if it gives a force to a towering tree, that force will have an effect.

The spatial oscillation, acting as the ripples of the sword, pierced straight through the vortex. The vortex split. Xing Qing stepped on a bamboo pole and sprang out at a speed invisible to the eye, dodging the sword. In an instant, she stood firm, half of her white loose hair blowing backward. Her expression showed no panic; she only pointed at him coldly. She did not speak, but she let Fang Weiran understand her meaning:

"It's still early. I will—split you to pieces!"

"Look, I told you. This woman chose the wrong Sword Art and lost the great situation she just had. Fortunately, the opponent's strength is only so-so, and that Cleansing Sword is also just for show and useless, with too weak lethality. Who wins and who loses in this match is still up in the air."

The master of Fuhu Manor explained with full confidence, then suddenly realized: "Who am I explaining this to?"

Just then, that voice said: "As expected of the master of the Second-tier Manor, Fuhu Manor; what a keen eye."

The master of Fuhu Manor shouted: "Who?"

A person came up from behind the private room, looking to be about thirty years old, dressed elegantly, well-groomed, with five strands of beautiful beard under his chin. He looked to have both a scholarly air and a noble air. Upon entering, he first performed a salute.

The master of Fuhu Manor saw at a glance that this person was not from Wangliang Mountain, nor was he one of those vulgar, money-grubbing slave traders. He must be an honored guest from outside attending this Deep Shadow Society, perhaps even representing some major power. He could not help but return the salute politely, saying: "You flatter me. May I ask who you are?"

The man smiled: "I am surnamed Liu, from Jingshi, just a mere scholar." After saying this, he performed a salute.

Hearing the two words "Jingshi," the master of Fuhu Manor was slightly startled and said: "So it is an honored guest from Jingcheng, please sit." His private room was originally spacious, and there were a few scattered seats around, just enough for the guest to sit down. The Sword Guest who was originally standing by in the private room hurriedly poured tea and then silently retreated to the corner.

As for the other party being an uninvited guest, the master of Fuhu Manor did not care much. Because he was not the only one in the arena who had guests visiting; at this time, the stands were already chaotic. Many of those outside guests had left their seats to visit various manor masters or other honored guests, doing social networking or discussing business.

It was not strange for this situation to occur. For one thing, this was the purpose of most casual visitors coming here. This kind of occasion brings people together very well; it is the perfect occasion to meet people and discuss business. Otherwise? Did they spend so much money just to watch a Sword Fighting match with complex rules, long distances, and no stars?

Everyone's time is also very precious.

On the other hand, it cannot be entirely blamed on everyone running around; it is mainly because the current scene—is too boring!

Yes, although the tournament format is designed with great care, even allowing for eight matches to be watched simultaneously, the actual fighting still has to happen, right?

In fact, right now, more than half of the eight directions are acting with caution; both sides are playing "Voldemort," not even meeting face-to-face, and while there are two matches where they are fighting, it is not intense at all, just endless mutual probing with defense as the priority.

By comparison, this match between Fang Weiran and Xing Qing is already the most intense and spectacular one.

The Master of Fuhu is willing to continue watching this match, but chatting about business instead is also fine; distinguished guests from Jingshi are rarely seen, and who knows, perhaps there might be some good goods?

That person sat down and, without stating their purpose, Ask: "I wonder what the Master of Fuhu thinks of the outcome of this Sword Fighting?"