Chapter 422: Chapter 18 Liang Yi Micro Dust Sword Array
Tang Xiaolian supported Yan Yu as they entered the palace, only to see that the interior was not overly decorated but filled with weapon racks displaying various Flying Swords.
However, a scan with Divine Sense revealed that they all lacked luster, seemingly having lost their Spirituality and reduced to mere iron.
“Speaking of which,” Tang Xiaolian suddenly asked, “Why are they all Flying Swords? Aren’t there spears, knives, or hammers that can fly?”
“Yes, there are,” Yan Yu replied, “but the mainstream is still Flying Swords.”
“So why is that?”
“Because they are convenient, I guess.”
...
“Convenient?”
“Knives and hammers are more suited for slashing, while spears are only good for thrusting,” Yan Yu explained. “Swords can slash and thrust simultaneously…”
“That’s also a factor,” a female voice from the Mysterious Realm suddenly said, “but it is not the main reason.”
“Then, senior,” Tang Xiaolian asked curiously, “what is the main reason?”
“Because they are easier to forge and save on materials,” the Mysterious Realm female voice replied.
Both of them: ………..
“Come inside,” the Mysterious Realm female voice continued, “I am waiting for you in this main hall.”
Tang Xiaolian supported Yan Yu into the main hall and saw a white-robed female immortal standing in the center of the hall, holding a sword in her right hand and supporting it with her left as though she was examining something closely.
Suddenly, she swung a beautiful flourish with her sword, holding it behind her right arm with a backhand grip, and looked up at Yan Yu to ask:
“Are you the one seeking the legacy of the long-eyebrowed mentor?”
“Indeed,” Yan Yu replied, leaning on Tang Xiaolian.
“In that state, how will you withstand the final test?” Despite her face being a blur, the female immortal’s tone of voice made it clear she was slightly frowning and somewhat displeased.
“Could she undergo the test on my behalf?” Yan Yu pushed Tang Xiaolian forward, who immediately showed a nervous expression that read “What, can I really do it?” “Since the previous stage allowed me to bring her along, this one should also be manageable with her leading me.”
“It’s possible, but…” the white-robed female immortal chuckled softly, “her swordsmanship skills might not be enough to pass.”
Tang Xiaolian remained silent, sensing that the “might not” from the other’s mouth was actually giving her a lot of face.
That means I really can’t pass, right?!
“You flatter me too much,” Yan Yu said with a smile. “With her level of swordsmanship, there is no chance at all.”
Tang Xiaolian: ………..
“But with my guidance, that might not be the case,” Yan Yu noted. “Shall we give it a try first?”
“No problem,” the white-robed female immortal said meaningfully as she eyed them both, suddenly waving her Immortal Sword.
Immediately, countless lines appeared around them, enveloping the space from all directions, resembling the laser security grids one might see in a sci-fi movie.
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“This is the Liang Yi Micro-Dust Sword Array,” the female immortal mentioned casually. “Each line here is a strand of Sword Qi, capable of cutting through metal and stone without difficulty. When thousands of strands of Sword Qi form the Sword Array and are fully activated, they can split mountains, part seas, and even fracture space… Of course, that was the original capability.”
“Before ascending, the long-eyebrowed mentor sealed this sword, so the power it can unleash now is less than one percent of its original. Even the lines you see around you are merely the illusions of Sword Qi and possess no lethal power.”
“The final test is quite simple: endure within the illusion of this Liang Yi Micro-Dust Sword Array for the time it takes an incense stick to burn without being touched by these illusions of Sword Qi, and you will have passed.”
Tang Xiaolian immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Since these strands of Sword Qi had no lethal force, could she just keep trying until she got it right? Yay!
Yan Yu, however, frowned, as this test of the Liang Yi Micro-Dust Sword Array seemed tailor-made for him, who had mastered the Cloud Dividing Eight Trigrams Step. But his body had been too drained in the Ascending Heaven Stairs stage, and he had not recovered much, making it unwise to attempt the test immediately.
For the time being, he would learn from Wang Yuyan and guide Tang Xiaolian, this “Duan Yu from Dali,” to pass this challenge. If that still didn’t work, he would have to push himself to fight through it.
“Since there’s no lethal force, Xiaolian, go and give it a try,” Yan Yu instructed warmly.
Tang Xiaolian was stunned, how did Captain Yan suddenly start calling me “Xiaolian”?
Forget it… After all, we’ve fought side by side up to this point, perhaps it’s what the characters in the books described as a ‘life-and-death bond’? Maybe calling me by my name isn’t too much… So should I also change how I address him and not call him Captain anymore?
“Tang Xiaolian?” Yan Yu saw her spaced out and called out again.
“Oh, yes! Alright!” Tang Xiaolian snapped back to reality, chuckling nervously in her mind.
So, he was just talking off the cuff just now, and now he’s switched back, making me overthink everything.
“Then I want to give it a try!” She puffed her chest out and bravely stepped forward.
The woman in white waved her Immortal Sword, and immediately surrounding lines swarmed, slicing towards her from all directions.
Tang Xiaolian hastily controlled the Peach Blossom Tender Sword, just cleaving the lines coming from the front, when she suddenly heard the woman in white say,
“Struck from behind, you’re out.”
Yan Yu: ………
But the outcome wasn’t unexpected; one couldn’t expect a novice to get through the Sword Array on their first try, so he only showed a gentle expression and smiled asking,
“Xiaolian, didn’t you watch your back?”
“How could I watch it?” Tang Xiaolian said nervously, “The lines were slicing from the front, I was too busy defending there to turn around and check behind.”
“Divine Sense scan,” Yan Yu said lightly.
Tang Xiaolian’s face instantly flushed, thinking, how did I forget about the Divine Sense scan?
Argh, it’s all the team’s fault! When we venture into Mysterious Realms during usual team battles, scanning duties are handled by Deputy Captain Zhang, so I never got used to performing Divine Sense scans!
Efficiently blaming Deputy Captain Zhang in her mind, Tang Xiaolian seriously added,
“This time there won’t be a problem, I will keep scanning the surroundings with Divine Sense the whole time!”
“Mhm.” Yan Yu looked at the woman in white and said, “Go again.”
The woman in white waved her Immortal Sword, reactivating the Sword Array, creating a dense network of countless lines attacking towards the center where Tang Xiaolian was.
Tang Xiaolian hastily waved the Peach Blossom Tender Sword, spinning around, slashing all the Sword Array lines, but the next wave of Sword Qi followed immediately… forcing her into disarray, her only choice being to desperately control her sword everywhere fighting off the flames, when suddenly she heard the woman in white say,
“Right shoulder struck, you’re out.”
“These Sword Qi keep increasing!” Tang Xiaolian turned to convey by voice transmission, complaining to Yan Yu, “I was defending so well in the beginning, but each wave of Sword Qi was denser than the last. Although I don’t know how long an incense stick burns, how could I possibly hold them all off?”
“Your sword techniques have a problem,” Yan Yu responded, “Too many waste motions.”
“Waste motions?”
“How can I explain this to you?” Yan Yu hesitated for a moment, “Never mind, you don’t need to understand.”
“I have basically figured out this Sword Array. Next, you’ll break the array following my instructions.”
“Okay.”
The third attempt began, facing the overwhelming attack of the Sword Array, Tang Xiaolian was about to strike when she heard Yan Yu say,
“Cang Song Ying Ke.”
She immediately executed Cang Song Ying Ke, slashing all the Sword Qi approaching from the front and then heard Yan Yu say,
“Move forward two.”
Tang Xiaolian hurriedly stepped forward two paces, but then heard Yan Yu say,
“Too much, step back half a step.”
She was just about to hastily turn and retreat when an outburst of Sword Qi phantom exploded right in her face. Although it had no lethal force, it startled her, making her body jolt violently, instinctively shrinking back.
Yan Yu: ………
“Your commands need to be more precise!” Tang Xiaolian regaining her composure, complained, “It’s so urgent on-site, there’s no time to correct you! You can’t give ineffective commands, okay!”
“The command was fine, it was you who took two and a half steps,” Yan Yu said flatly.
“I did not take two and a half steps! I clearly took only two steps!”
“Actually, it was two and a half,” the woman in white suddenly said, “you were too tense and started with a small step, which counts as an extra half step.”
Tang Xiaolian was speechless, suddenly feeling an odd illusion as if Yan Yu and the woman in white, these two Sword Immortals, were actually conspiring together.
Shameless! Teaming up to bully me, a swordsmanship newbie!