Chapter 233: Chapter 233: The Battle of the Pinnacle (Part 2)
Two sword tips touched each other impeccably. At their convergence, the crowd saw two vortexes of wind, one blue and one white, exploded like the mouth of a fierce beast. Countless chaotic winds, like bone-chiseling blades, scraped the ground, piercing Shi Xiaole and Xue Changqing’s protective Qi, creating clusters of bright fireworks.
In the imaginations of the spectators, the two would naturally split and prepare for the next round of killing, but the reality turned out to be the opposite. Not only did they not split, they seemed to be pushing forward with all their might.
The two sword tips were like two welding machines. Every few moments, a painful brilliance lit up, accompanied by a strange noise. The noise wasn’t loud, but after a few times, the wizards watching the fight had to retreat far away, with some covering their ears in terror as blood trickled from their hands.
Their eardrums were ruptured.
"What on earth is happening? Why is it so frightening?"
Those with ruptured eardrums, their faces pale with fluctuating breaths asked.
"They’re contending in the Sword Realm."
The one who spoke was Nangong Yang, his usually refined face full of shock and disappointment.
Those who are close in realm level see more. In his eyes, the swords of Shi Xiaole and Xue Changqing were constantly trembling with minute vibrations.
And the Sword Qi was scattering around due to the unstable vibration, causing many people’s eardrums to rupture without preparation.
The unity of man and sword is ultimately the swordsman’s use of power, applying profound methods into the swordsmanship. Nangong Yang could imagine that if the vibrating sword tips pierced his body, his bones would be crushed instantly due to the strange vibration.
In other words, whoever fails on the stage would likely face a situation where all their meridians would be severed, leaving them crippled even if they survived.
What a pair of madmen!
What Nangong Yang could see, many others could too. So, barely after the start of the match, the scene was drowned out by shocked exclamations. From the chief to the elders of Snow Listening Mountain villa, everyone’s hearts were pounding, their body hairs standing on end.
Not many in the Cloud Triangle could understand the situation, but they were also engrossed, unable to take their eyes off it.
Chichi chichi...
MaFew dozen moments later, the vibration of the two sword tips became more and more intense. In the end, whether it was Shi Xiaole or Xue Changqing, what they held in their hands seemed no longer to be swords, but two fan-shaped light shadows extending outward from their hands, colliding with each other at a speed difficult to see with the naked eye.
"Impressive."
Xue Changqing burst into laughter, his sword-holding hand tightening and loosening rhythmically.
In comparison, Shi Xiaole’s hand never laid on the hilt, he controlled the sword by lightly touching it with his fingers as if he were playing a piece of music on a piano.
"These two are indeed the once-in-a-century sword prodigies of Qingxue State, hahaha, Master, we are so lucky."
Under the welcoming pine, Daoist Xuhuai couldn’t help but praise heavily.
The past few competitions, in comparison to the sightings in Qingxue State, were not inferior. But compared to this one, the difference is like a tussle amongst children to a contest amongst adults, with a glaring difference in technical quality.
Master Honest didn’t say a word, his old eyes shining brightly.
"My use of the sword is not limited to this."
Amidst the cold voice, Xue Changqing finally moved. No one could describe how coordinated his steps were, but with one step, it was as if the ground moved beneath him. He appeared right in front of Shi Xiaole, and delivered a sword flash at lightning speed.
People’s screams stuck in their throats. Under the entanglement of the two sword forces, Xue Changqing could move as soon as he wanted to, clearly having the upper hand. He was simply too powerful.
"Back off."
When the Snow Spirit Sword was still three inches from Shi Xiaole’s chest, it was blocked by the Green Edge Sword. To Xue Changqing’s surprise, Shi Xiaole had turned his body sideways at some point, and the Green Edge Sword was coming at him along the edge of the Snow Spirit Sword.
Did the other party anticipate this, or was it a spontaneous response?
Clang!
The two swords rubbed against each other, and both used their control of power again. The result was a long, straight rainbow light that seemed to split both of them neatly in half from afar.
"Five Broken Gang Swords."
Reflected in his blue pupils were two illusory points: this was Shi Xiaole’s flaw. Xue Changqing accurately tapped these two points five times.
Two bangs.
Shi Xiaole’s body tilted backwards, seemingly unstable. At this moment, the Green Edge Sword miraculously slashed at Xue Changqing’s shoulder from the front left, perfectly making use of Xue Changqing’s attack.
"You’ve exposed my flaw by attacking, or did you purposefully expose your flaw to get me on the hook?"
Dodging and whipping out a sword, Xue Changqing could not hide his amusement. Excited, he was so excited.
Whiz! Whiz!
Two sword Qis fell almost simultaneously, leaving two deep marks on the stage. Up until then, the two fan-shaped light shadows formed by their sword fight had not dispersed, and by the time the crowd heard the sound, many only then belatedly realized that the two had exchanged another few moves.
Hiss!
Shocked, terrified, and frightened, these emotions spread in the hearts of the Qi Absorption Realm martial artists and lingered.
They replaced one of them with themselves and pondered, only to find that whoever replaced, there was only one way to die. They simply couldn’t withstand the other.
Xuanqi Realm martial artists were not having a good time either. Perhaps they could defeat Shi Xiaole and Xue Changqing, but if it came to the same realm level, they would simply be grinded on the stage. The difference was too great.
Even some Xuanqi Realm experts had a chill running up from their tailbones. Even now, they were no longer a match for the two. This was absolutely terrifying.
These thoughts only lasted a moment. The two people on the stage rushed together again.
If previously it was a contest of sword technique, it’s now a contest of comprehensive skills ranging from observational ability, reaction speed, body movements, to the incorporation of swordplay.
Both of them are proud swordsmen, intending to overwhelm their opponents in every aspect.
With each movement and step, Shi Xiaole is like a phantom. Every time he appears, he releases a spiral Sword Qi, leaving opponents uncertain of when he will strike and where it will hit.
Ding ding ding...
To Shi Xiaole’s astonishment and delight, Xue Changqing’s reactions are not a bit slower than his, always able to block and counterattack in time.
By the end, the entire arena echoes with their continuous sword strikes. Except for those in the Xuanqi Realm and Spiritual-Passage Realm, the others can only guess the situation of the duel from the blurred shadows.
"Take this strike."
At one point, Xue Changqing laughed aloud. When his Snow Spirit Sword swung, the tip of the blade surprisingly condenses into a line of white ice. Ice fragments seem to shatter like countless ice pieces and shoot in all directions towards Shi Xiaole.
This scene is similar to a small-scale hailstorm, and resembles Rivers and Lakes like Blood technique of Yuan Zong, but the lethal force is much greater than the latter.
"It’s Sword Qi Congealed Ice!"
Someone shouted.
Upon reaching the peak state of the unity of man and sword, the superb usage of sword qi can take many forms. Sword Qi Congealed Ice is one of them. This method is suitable for swordsmen who cultivate cold internal power. Once it is used, it concentrates the sword qi in a specific way, and its power is naturally stronger.
Of course, not all swordsmen who understand the peak realm of unity of man and sword can research out different superb uses. Nobody knows what the standard of understanding is.
But without a doubt, at the same level, swordsmen who have realized it are clearly stronger than those who have not.
Xue Changqing is clad in a white robe, his white hair flying. He swings his long sword three times, indulging lavishly in the sword qi condensed by his cold internal power. It invokes an unparalleled sense of fantasy.
Boom!
The vast ice and snow suddenly turns into ice shards flying around as a transparent sword qi slashes through, encapsulating Shi Xiaole, unpenetrated by the snowstorm.
With a light step, Shi Xiaole leaps up, his long hair flutters gently. Alongside the swift chop of his long sword, the thunderous sound shakes the arena, fiercely slashing towards Xue Changqing’s head.
"Sword Qi Thunder Sound."
At this moment, countless swordsmen were moved, almost lost in a trance.
Sword Qi Thunder Sound, like Sword Qi Congealed Ice, is another specific application of sword qi. However, it is more pure than Sword Qi Congealed Ice, not involving any attribute of internal power.
His body soared like a bird. Wherever Xue Changqing shifted, Shi Xiaole would follow. Often before his opponent could make a move, the thunderous sword qi from his hand had already made a preemptive strike, thrilling everyone.
At one point, the momentum of the sword qi suddenly plummeted.
"Not good!"
Xue Changqing’s blue eyes narrowed, and his body flew out at maximum speed. However, Shi Xiaole’s sword qi was faster.
At the critical moment, he tilted his head, feeling an intense heat on half of his face, as if scorched by a fireball. A strand of white hair was actually burned to ashes by the sword qi.
"It’s still Sword Qi Thunder Sound, yet, he condensed the sword qi again, causing a greater explosion."
Yue Tianlin widened his eyes.
The rest of the crowd, however, was stunned.
The inscrutable and unparalleled Xue Changqing was unexpectedly at a disadvantage.
The spectators’ minds almost stopped, but Shi Xiaole’s long sword didn’t. After an exerted and condensed Sword Qi Thunder Sound, almost before he could take a breath, he slid in front of Xue Changqing, the sword tip flicking from left rear to right.
In the clattering noise, the light on the surface of the Snow Spirit Sword seemed to shatter, turning into flying ice crystals.
Shi Xiaole forcefully stopped his steps, his body retreated, but he was still grazed by a few pieces, and immediately filled with cold internal power along his meridians, impeding his internal power.
"This..."
Many people were speechless.
Shi Xiaole had condensed Sword Qi Thunder Sound earlier, and unexpectedly, Xue Changqing had also made improvements to Sword Qi Congealed Ice, not revealing it until the right moment, unexpectedly ambushing Shi Xiaole.
This time, the two of them once again ended up in a tie.
"Forcing me to this point, you should be proud even if you lose."
Xue Changqing touched the sword with his left hand. In his cold voice, there was a hint of fiery fighting spirit.
"We shouldn’t speak too soon."
With Brahma-I Unity in operation, dispelling the coldness in his meridians, Shi Xiaole looked calm.
He admitted that Xue Changqing was indeed his greatest opponent in this competition, but so what? He will cut open any opponent that stands in his way.
"Whether it’s too soon, you will know soon."
As soon as the words fell, a cold aura emerged from Xue Changqing. The aura radiated outwards, centered on him, the temperature within a fifteen-feet radius lowered significantly.
Unable to settle the battle after a long fight, he finally used the secret technique of Snow Listening Mountain Villa - Ice and Snow Scroll.
