Chapter 73: Chapter 73: One Against Seven, Overwhelming the Arena with a Sword?
Sword Master Lin Feng possessed an Innate Middle Stage Cultivation. As a veteran Innate Realm expert, he could hold his own against even an Innate Late Stage powerhouse thanks to his mastery of Body Sword Control.
However, today was a friendly gathering of swords, and the key word was "sword."
When sparring on the stage, one could not use their Cultivation, only their Sword Technique.
They would compete solely based on their Sword Technique.
"There’s anger in your eyes. You want to avenge Gao Jin. Come on, then."
Ning Jiang was ever so calm. Neither the young man from before nor Lin Feng now was enough to make him take them seriously.
He was even empty-handed, with no intention of drawing his sword.
"Junior, if you can take ten of my sword strikes, I’ll consider it your win."
As Lin Feng spoke, his footwork blurred into a line. Like a hunting leopard, he was in front of Ning Jiang in the blink of an eye.
SHIING.
With a flick of his wrist, the golden edge of his sword weaved through the air. Two images became four, four became eight, and eight became sixteen, showering down like rain.
Golden Rain Swordsmanship.
This was also Gao Jin’s signature Sword Technique, but Ning Jiang had shattered it with a single strike.
Lin Feng and Gao Jin were master and disciple, so they had learned the same Sword Technique.
However, the very same Golden Rain Swordsmanship was several times more profound in Lin Feng’s hands, making it much harder to deal with.
Gao Jin’s training was clearly lacking. His Golden Rain Swordsmanship was all fury, relying on fierce and aggressive power to win.
But Lin Feng’s Golden Rain Swordsmanship contained softness within its hardness. It wasn’t purely rigid—for what is too rigid is easily broken. His was a fusion of hard and soft.
Just like real rain, it could be a torrential downpour one moment and a gentle drizzle the next—infinitely variable.
This unity of hard and soft was also in harmony with the natural way of heaven and earth.
Ning Jiang remained empty-handed, using his hand as a sword. He drew his arm back and chopped forward, his strike creating a breeze, its trajectory precise.
"This kid is unbelievably arrogant." An uproar went through the crowd.
There should be a limit to catching blades with one’s bare hands. After all, the young man from before hadn’t reached the state of Body Sword Control.
But Lin Feng was a long-famous, veteran Sword Master. His Swordsmanship was sublime, and in Luoyang City, he was known by the title "Golden Rain Sword."
To dare face such a Sword Master with nothing but his bare hands was simply an insult.
"Lin Feng’s Golden Rain Swordsmanship has already reached the Perfection Realm; it’s flawless. If he tries to block it with his hands, they’ll both be cut off."
A burly, middle-aged man spoke up. On his back was a Broadsword.
This was another Sword Master, Shen Fei.
Just as he was speaking, Ning Jiang’s palm had already plunged into the dense Sword Rain.
Completely unharmed.
Even the Golden Rain Swordsmanship at the Perfection Realm still had flaws in his eyes.
He made a grabbing motion with his five fingers, like a dragon extending its claws. His fingers were about to clasp the body of the sword, a grip like seizing a snake’s vital spot, rendering it immobile.
"How is that possible?"
Lin Feng’s pupils constricted. He never imagined Ning Jiang would break his move so easily.
But he was no rookie. His combat experience was vast, and his methods were exceptionally seasoned.
He gave the hand holding the sword a slight shake, and instantly, the blade began to spin rapidly. The rotation was like a coiling dragon breaking free, the sharp edge of the blade becoming like an electric drill.
With such a sharp change, if Ning Jiang’s hand were to grab it now, flesh and blood would fly.
However, Ning Jiang changed the direction of his palm, aiming for Lin Feng’s wrist instead.
When it came to combat experience, Lin Feng was nothing more than a child in his eyes.
Lin Feng rapidly retreated.
This retreat sent the entire crowd into an uproar. Facing an empty-handed Ning Jiang, Lin Feng, a Sword Master, had actually retreated?
Lin Feng retreated, but Ning Jiang was faster.
With a push of his foot, Ning Jiang followed like a shadow, sticking close to Lin Feng.
Sparring was like this: you couldn’t lose momentum. The moment you lost momentum was the moment the victor was decided. With that one retreat, Lin Feng had already lost his.
Ning Jiang’s five fingers formed a sword, thrusting toward Lin Feng’s chest. This strike was no less powerful than the thrust of an iron spear, capable of punching a bloody hole straight through him.
But just as his five fingers were about to touch Lin Feng’s chest, they suddenly flattened into a palm, which he then struck out with.
"BANG."
Lin Feng stumbled back several steps, the vital energy in his body roiling. His face flushed red then turned pale before he finally sighed. "It’s no injustice that Gao Jin lost to you. Thank you for showing mercy."
With that, he walked off the high stage.
Watching Lin Feng leave the stage in defeat, the area fell silent.
A Sword Master had lost.
And it was a crushing defeat!
One had to remember that Ning Jiang was empty-handed; he hadn’t even used a sword. With such strength, who else present besides Wenhua City could do the same?
From this moment on, who would dare to look down on Ning Jiang’s Swordsmanship?
"You said Mr. Ning wasn’t qualified to challenge you. Well, can *you* defeat a Sword Master with your bare hands?" Liu Xianyu’s voice slowly rang out, each word landing in Wang Ziming’s ears as a deep taunt.
Wang Ziming’s expression turned grim. ’My Swordsmanship is only on par with Lin Feng’s at best. But in front of Ning Jiang, Lin Feng was utterly played with. From start to finish, Ning Jiang didn’t even use three moves. It wasn’t that Ning Jiang was unqualified to challenge me. Rather, I’m the one who’s unqualified to challenge him.’
"What a fine White-haired Ghost Ning Jiang! I thought only Liu Xianyu and Wang Ziming were threats to us among the younger generation. It seems you’re even greater than them. I will be your opponent!"
The voice was thunderous, its owner a burly man with an immense vocal power. Carrying a Broadsword on his back, he strode onto the high stage.
"Shen Fei, famous for his Heavy Sword. Among the Sword Masters here, his Swordsmanship ranks in the top three," someone said slowly.
An ordinary sword is about a finger’s width, but Shen Fei’s sword was as wide as a man’s palm. It was forged entirely from bronze and was incredibly heavy, weighing ten thousand jin.
An ordinary Martial Artist would struggle just to hold this sword. But Shen Fei was different. In addition to being a Sword Cultivator, he was also a Body Cultivator, though he had not yet reached the rank of a Body Refining Master.
"Are you still going to fight with your bare hands?"
Shen Fei was tall and powerfully built, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Holding that Broadsword in his hand, he exuded a pressure that anyone facing him would feel.
"I am not empty-handed. My two hands are my swords."
Ning Jiang wasn’t just boasting. For someone like him, his hands were swords. Even a blade of grass, a piece of wood, a plucked flower, or a flying leaf could be used to injure someone.
Wenhua City could do this as well.
Any Grandmaster who had achieved Heart Sword Control could use their hands as swords.
Of course, this didn’t mean that swords were useless in their hands. It was just that their opponents were not worthy enough to make them draw their blades.
A Grandmaster of Heart Sword Control would only draw their sword when facing a truly powerful enemy.
They do not draw, but when they do, it is to kill.
"Good. Then I’ll be the one to force you to draw your sword."
Shen Fei wasn’t angry. Seeing Ning Jiang, he felt the thrill of a hunter spotting its prey. He couldn’t help but want to test his skills against an expert.
"Void-Breaking Slash!"
Shen Fei bellowed, gripping his sword with both hands. He brought it down in a vertical slash, driving straight forward with the force of a great axe cleaving a mountain—powerful and ferocious. To outsiders, it looked like this strike would cleave Ning Jiang in two.
"So fast."
The crowd gasped in amazement. A Heavy Sword like that was being swung with no sense of slowness at all. It was fast and sharp, cleaving through everything.
Ning Jiang tapped his foot lightly, dodging the blade.
"BOOM!"
A deep sonic boom echoed—the sound of the air itself exploding.
Shen Fei gripped his longsword and swept it viciously. He was attacking directly with the flat of the blade, as if trying to smash a person into pulp.
The advantage of a Heavy Sword was on full display. Even if you weren’t hit by the edge, a blow from the flat would be enough to break bones and cause severe injury.
Suddenly, Ning Jiang stopped moving, his feet planted on the ground as if they had grown roots.
He extended his palm, his five fingers flawless like White Jade, and slapped forward.
"What? He’s going to meet force with force?"
Many of the Sword Cultivators present saw his intention and found it unbelievable.
"BANG."
With a tremendous crash, Ning Jiang’s five fingers struck the body of the Broadsword like a Great Seal. The massive shockwave made the ears of many nearby Sword Cultivators ring.
The Broadsword vibrated violently. Shen Fei’s expression changed drastically; he almost lost his grip on the weapon. He stumbled back several steps before he could dissipate the immense force.
"A Body Cultivator!"
Shen Fei’s expression was grave. Ning Jiang was clearly a Body Cultivator as well, and his physique was even stronger than his own.
His Broadsword held no advantage before Ning Jiang.
The expressions of all the Sword Cultivators present had grown heavy. Lin Feng and Shen Fei, two Sword Masters, didn’t even have the qualifications to force Ning Jiang to draw his sword.
Until now, they still had no idea what level Ning Jiang’s Sword Technique had reached.
"I’m afraid he’s probably the number one Sword Cultivator of Luoyang’s younger generation now, isn’t he?" someone exclaimed in awe.
"Indeed. In terms of Sword Technique alone, he’s definitely number one among the younger generation. But in terms of overall strength, Wang Ziming should still be stronger. After all, Wang Ziming is an Innate Realm expert."
"I’m no match for you," Shen Fei said. "But I want to see your Sword Technique."
"All of you come at me together. Then I can draw my sword." Ning Jiang’s gaze swept over the remaining Sword Masters. He didn’t want to waste any more time and intended to end this quickly.
As soon as he said this, the entire venue erupted.
As the saying goes, two fists are no match for four hands. Did Ning Jiang actually want to fight one against seven?
"Arrogant."
The expressions of the several Sword Masters darkened.
"His Sword Technique is indeed very strong, but there’s no chance of victory in a one-on-seven fight. Not unless Senior Wenhua City takes action," Wang Ziming said decisively.
"No chance of victory? Or is it that you don’t *want* him to win? You just can’t stand seeing someone stronger than you," Liu Xianyu mercilessly exposed Wang Ziming.
While the two were talking, the remaining Sword Masters walked onto the high stage one after another.
The atmosphere in the venue reached its boiling point.
Seven Sword Masters simultaneously facing off against a sixteen-year-old boy. This had never happened in the history of Luoyang City.
"To make the seven of us face you together... even if you lose, you have reason enough to be proud."
The one who spoke was a female Sword Cultivator. Her posture was graceful, and she held a Rapier.
She was the only woman among the seven.
But no one present dared to underestimate this woman. Among the seven Sword Masters, if Shen Fei ranked third, she was more than qualified to rank second.
As for the one ranked first, he was a one-eyed old man who looked to be in his eighties or nineties. His face was covered in wrinkles, and he let out a few coughs from time to time, like an ordinary old man who could breathe his last at any moment.
But only when you saw his gaze would you discover the sharpness of a sword within his cloudy eyes, a piercing and intimidating sharpness.
"Let’s begin. Let’s see if you can force me to use my full strength."
Ning Jiang’s white hair flowed as his sword left its sheath. Facing seven opponents, his aura was not the least bit diminished.
At this moment, the seven even had the illusion that Ning Jiang was as vast as the heavens and earth—unbeatable.
"Kill!"
Instantly, three of the Sword Masters attacked at the same time.
"I told you, all of you at once!" A sharp glint flashed in Ning Jiang’s eyes.
At this moment, everyone present held their breath.
One against seven.
Could Ning Jiang dominate the entire field with his sword?
