Chapter 221: Chapter 221 - The Elegance of the Best Swordsman (First update, thank you for your support, please subscribe!)
By the sixth day of the tournament, only twelve competitors managed to maintain their winning streaks.
These were the Four Heaven Kings, the Four Junior Swordsman, Bali Wen, Situ Changkong, Mo Ye, and Shi Xiaole.
As for the Four Heaven Kings, no one had yet displayed the strength to challenge their ranking.
Each of the Four Junior Swordsman were masters of secret techniques, and unless something unexpected happens, they’re potential contenders for the top ten of this tournament.
Their competitors included Bali Wen, who was gradually earning a reputation as the top swordsman among the younger generation of Qingxue State; Situ Changkong, who was just as formidable as the Four Swordsman; the illusionist Mo Ye, and the ever-unpredictable Shi Xiaole.
Of course, those who had lost in the competition were by no means inferior.
Take Su Zhi’er and Xu Canghai for instance. Both were highly skilled martial artists who might be able to turn the tables against their opponents through unconventional strategies and tactics.
Overall, the number and potency of the talented participants in this tournament far exceeded those of any prior one, surpassing everyone’s expectations.
"Jade Opening the World!"
On the stage, Pan Yue was locked in a fierce battle. His opponent from Chunse Man Yuan, was a rising superstar. Both fighters were evenly matched and had exchanged over seven hundred moves.
Eventually, Pan Yue seized a fleeting opportunity and secured a hard-earned victory.
"I initially thought that with his seventh layer of the Jade Divine Skill, he could make it to the top twenty. But it seems like now, he can at most reach the top thirty, and might even fall beyond thirty-fifth rank if luck is not on his side."
Madam Gold Flower noted this quietly.
At this point, she couldn’t resist comparing Pan Yue to Shi Xiaole. The former had just barely managed to defeat an opponent who had previously conceded a match to Shi Xiaole.
The gap between them was considerable.
Just as she was musing, an intense yell pierced through the air. Madam Gold Flower looked towards the stage and found her attention riveted on the sight she saw there.
Standing on the stage were two towering figures, none other than the ’Wandering Dragon Swordsman’ Yue Tianlin and the ’Wind and Thunder Swordsman’ Nangong Yang from the Four Junior Swordsman.
"Yue Tianlin, I’ve been looking forward to this battle for a long time."
Excitement blazed in Nangong Yang’s handsome face.
Many knew of the historical disputes between the Nangong Family and Chunse Man Yuan, Yue Tianlin’s clan. Every time members of these two powerful factions met, they inevitably sought to best each other.
In Nangong Yang’s mind, there was no better place than the Martial Arts Tournament to defeat Yue Tianlin. By doing so, he would not only become the leader of the Four Junior Swordsman, but also bring glory to the Nangong Aristocratic Family.
"Expectation? I’m afraid your expectations will soon turn into nightmares."
With a proud, leisurely smile on his face, Yue Tianlin stared back at his opponent unflinchingly.
"Bold words. Taste my sword!"
The sharp cry was followed by Nangong Yang lashing out at Yue Tianlin, his sword stopping just two inches from Yue’s throat. An invisible Sword Qi instantly bridged the distance between them.
In the bright flare of the sword’s aura, another Sword Qi shot out. As the two collided, a strange metallic noise rang out, causing hearts to hammer in anxiety.
Nangong Yang’s body shifted and his sword transformed into a shadow, light as a feather, its rapid strikes creating a dazzling light show.
Many before had fallen to this technique, not managing to withstand even half a move.
Smiling gracefully, Yue Tianlin retaliated with only two strokes. His first disrupted all the changes and the second counterattacked Nangong Yang, flipping the situation.
A doppelganger appeared on either side of Nangong, who suddenly appeared above Yue Tianlin, his sword slashing down into him. Yue’s body split in half, then vanished.
"Amateur tricks."
He turned and swung his sword. With a clang, both swordsmen retreated, standing ten yards apart. Only then did the sound of cracking resound on the stage, as cracks spread across its surface.
The arena fell silent.
"Why does this feel so terrifying even though their moves aren’t flashy?"
"If I were in their place, I bet I wouldn’t survive three moves."
"This is a duel between top-notch swordsmen, filled with dangers and thrills. One false move and they might fall into the opponent’s trap and lose everything."
The muscles of the competing martial artists involuntarily tensed up as the audience on the sideline held their breaths in anticipation. Everyone expected this showdown to be the most eye-catching of the tournament thus far.
"Shadowless Split Sword Technique."
As a gentle breeze blew, causing Yue Tianlin’s black hair to obscure his eyes, Nangong Yang launched his attack. His sword wasn’t fast, but it was as unshakeable as a venomous snake out of its hole, there was no escaping it.
When Yue Tianlin dodged to the left, the sword split into ten streams of light, all aiming at him simultaneously. When he retreated backward, a bright light fell from above.
"This kid has actually mastered the Shadowless Split Sword Technique to the highest level."
The leader of Chunse Man Yuan narrowed his eyes.
Years of strife with the Nangong Family had led to deep awareness of each other’s abilities. He had once suffered greatly at the hands of the Shadowless Split Sword Technique, and so had a deep impression of it.
Being at the receiving end of an attack was not Yue Tianlin’s style. In the seventh move, he burst into laughter and swung his sword with an unmatched domineering and swift motion.
Wandering Dragon Sword Technique.
Clashing sounds filled the air...
The two opponents engaged both from a distance and up close, soon brawling toe-to-toe, continuing their fight from the eastern edge of the stage to the western, and then taking it up into the skies. after a while, half the stage was swallowed by the men’s shadows and the sheer power of their sword qi. A web of chaotic sword marks crisscrossed and densely covered the stage. The intensity of the scene left countless people with their hearts in their throats.
"Shadowless Triple Kill."
After his repeated attacks yielded no results, Nangongyang inwardly roared, his sword technique immediately changed. Silently, he seemed to merge into the air, becoming difficult to discern.
"Over here."
Yue Tianlin sneered as he swung his sword ahead. As expected, Nangongyang’s shadow emerged in the clash. But before Yue Tianlin’s sword technique grew old, his opponent suddenly appeared to his left and rear, sending a fierce wave of sword qi his way.
Using his arm as a sword, a bright yellow sword qi took the form of a wandering dragon that flew out from Yue Tianlin, biting the incoming sword qi directly.
"The third strike."
Heightening the tension, almost simultaneously, Nangongyang’s figure appeared on the right rear side and swung his sword, emitting the third wave of sword qi with a hearty laugh.
If anyone looked down from the sky, they would find that Nangongyang’s three shadows formed an equilateral triangle, and Yue Tianlin was standing right in the center of it.
Just as the third wave of sword qi was about to hit Yue Tianlin, he released a radiant light that expanded three feet around him, chipping away at the incoming sword attack bit by bit.
"Impressive, skillfully utilizing the defensive technique ’Wandering Dragon Armor’ from the Wandering Dragon Sword Technique. Truly worthy of being the most outstanding disciple of the Verdant Garden."
The Patriarch of the Nangong Aristocratic Family showed a smile, filled with both admiration and regret.
The opponent was able to block three waves of sword qi, proving he was worthy of the title of one of the Four Great Swordsmen. What a pity that the Shadowless Triple Kill technique, painstakingly developed by nearly ten elders of the Nangong family, was not so simple.
People marveled at Nangong Yang’s technique and were even more amazed by Yue Tianlin’s response.
Unexpectedly, in the realm of the triangular sword, a fourth sword qi appeared out of nowhere. This wave of sword qi was more formidable, sharper than the previous three, and it carried an irresistible momentum splitting down. Its fleeting brilliance made countless people agape, their throats going dry.
Yue Tianlin was going to lose.
That was the thought crossing many people’s minds.
The disciples from Verdant Garden were all screaming.
"Yue Tianlin, from today onwards, I will be the supreme among the Four Great Swordsmen."
Nangong Yang laughed triumphantly.
"Good technique, but it’s not enough to defeat me."
A clear voice echoed as the Wandering Dragon Sword moved in a never-before-seen fashion, triggering an invisible cross force. In an instant, the fourth sword qi was cut off, and the triangular sword technique that Nangong Yang had carefully built was shattered by this force.
"Is this..."
Nangong Yang’s face changed dramatically. Then, as if realizing something, he screamed: "The advanced stage of the Unity of Man and Sword?!"
For true sword users, their level of cultivation is not something to be proud of; their sword realm is their bragging rights. Unfortunately, the upgrade is extremely difficult.
From the beginning to the middle of the Unity of Man and Sword may take five or ten years. But from the middle to the advanced stage, it could take twenty, thirty years, or even forty years if you’re unlucky to gain insight.
Of course, if one suddenly comprehends it, the boost it gives to a swordsman’s strength is unimaginable. Especially when facing a lower-level swordsman, they could easily crush them under the same cultivation level.
The minimum requirement to stimulate sword qi is the mid-stage of Unity of Man and Sword. Naturally, Nangong Yang had reached this realm, but according to his estimates, he would not be able to step into a higher realm for at least three to five years.
He never would have imagined that Yue Tianlin, who was about the same age as him, had already grasped it—what a shocking revelation!
"Watch closely, this is the real Wandering Dragon Sword Technique."
Yue Tianlin’s body radiated with extraordinary swordsman prowess, as if he broke away from his shackles, and swung his sword casually. The sword qi, twice as large as before, surged out like a storm, roaring like an angry dragon. Nangong Yang stumbled back.
The second strike.
The third strike.
By the fourth strike, Nangong Yang began to bleed from the palm of his hand. The sword almost flew out of his hand.
"Yue Tianlin wins."
The first referee announced loudly to prevent Nangong Yang from severely injuring himself, which could affect his future matches.
"I can’t accept this."
Clenching his fist, Nangong Yang’s eyes were filled with bloodshot streaks, humiliation, and anger but most significantly was a profound sense of suppression.
"Now that Yue Tianlin has reached the advanced stage of Unity of Man and Sword at eighteen, if we say he is the top young swordsman in the Qingxue state, who would object?"
Someone couldn’t help uttering aloud, clearly astounded.
No one objected.
Actually, Yue Tianlin had broken the record in Qingxue State. Before him, the youngest swordsman to grasp the advanced stage of Unity of Man and Sword was aged twenty-three. He managed to achieve this feat five years ahead of the previous record.
Guan Duli and Situ Changkong’s expressions were complicated. Facing Yue Tianlin like this put a significant amount of pressure on them.
"The Verdant Garden picked up a treasure."
The Patriarch of the Nangong Aristocratic Family was both surprised and envious, but all he could do was sigh in frustration.
He saw deeper than many people. With the strength Yue Tianlin demonstrated, who could hinder him besides the Four Heaven Kings? Wouldn’t he be domineering in the next competition?
