Chapter 88: Those Who Obstruct Me Shall Die! (1)
In a clash between masters, were extra words necessary? Wu Yuan, maintaining the spirit of Thousand Mountains, exuded a cold, merciless demeanor.
As one gained power, their tendency toward violence grew. Indecisiveness was a trait of the literati. Drawing sabers at the slightest disagreement was the norm among martial artists. Therefore, when the black-robed elderly man did not retreat, Wu Yuan acted without delay.
Clang! The elderly man met Wu Yuan's attack head-on. His sword twirled like a graceful dragon, parrying Wu Yuan's fearsome blade ray.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Blade rays flowed like a river, sword lights rippled like waves. The two engaged in a fearsome exchange of blows, each clash reverberating through their bodies, the impact penetrating the ground beneath their feet. Cobblestones fractured, fragments soaring in every direction.
For the moment, the two experts were evenly matched.
Xu Shouyi watched them with his mouth agape. The blade rays and sword lights flashed with such astounding speed and power that he could barely make out their movements. This expert who had come to claim his life could probably end him in a single strike. A shiver raced through his heart.
Sect Elder Mo, you must kill him! You must! Xu Shouyi prayed fervently.
This assassin had to die. If he were to escape, Xu Shouyi would never know peace with such a fearsome enemy lurking in the shadows. He might very well choose to flee the region immediately and seek refuge at the sect headquarters.
Uncle Mo!
"Uncle." The injured Fu San and the white-haired youth felt their hearts pound with fear as they watched the fierce battle unfold. If the elderly mans swordsmanship was like an unstoppable torrent, then Wu Yuan's saber technique was the epitome of speed.
"Master Mo clearly exerts greater force with each strike. Yet, this mysterious expert can hold his own against him? Their skills are on par?" the white-haired youth watched on in disbelief.
"Master Mo has supposedly begun to grasp the Rigid Yet Supple stage. He is capable of unleashing Threefold Power Surge at will," the white-haired youth watched intently.
"No! The mysterious expert has a higher martial skill level." Fu San stated fearfully, clutching his wound.
He had faced off against such an expert? Fu San understood that Wu Yuan had shown mercy. Otherwise, the saber slash he received would have not merely grazed his waist, but sliced through his neck.
Clang! Clang! In a matter of moments, Wu Yuan and the elderly man exchanged nearly a hundred blows and the main hall was now in complete chaos. Wu Yuan was at a slight disadvantage, but his breathing remained calm and steady. He showed no signs of panic, which only made the elderly man in black more anxious.
So steady. His saber technique is unimaginably profound. The elderly mans shock grew as the fight progressed. How is it that he's always one step ahead of me? Every dodge is flawlessly executed, and every slash coincidentally leads my sword off-course.
Despite seemingly having the upper hand, the elderly man in black was immensely frustrated. From start to finish, he was being led by the nose.
So thrilling! Fighting a true powerhouse is indeed thrilling. Wu Yuan felt a rush of exhilaration.
How long had it been since he last felt this way? Since regaining consciousness, Wu Yuan's power had grown exponentially, and this was his first exhilarating fight in a long while. Both his body and heart began to unwind as he fought.
It appeared that both combatants were fighting with their full might. But in reality, Wu Yuan was holding back a little. Otherwise, in the hundreds of exchanges between them, he had two fleeting opportunities to land a killing blow. This restraint didn't stem from arrogance on Wu Yuan's part, but rather from the assurance that came with achieving Environmental Mastery.
Controlling the environment, analyzing variations, sensing changes in the opponent's weapon, steps, and posture, and then predicting the opponent's next move to strike one step ahead.
Through Visualizing the black pagoda, his soul grew stronger, deepening Wu Yuan's understanding of Environmental Mastery and unveiling its immense potential.
The Fundamentals, Threefold Power Surge, and Rigid Yet Supple all emphasized self-improvement. With each stage, one learned to master their body, developing it until it could unleash its maximum strength.
Environmental Mastery, on the other hand, extended beyond the self. At this stage, one began to perceive the external world and enhance one's combat power by utilizing the surroundings. This was a quantum leap from the previous stages of martial skill.
Is this the might of the 79th expert on the Jiang Continent Human Rankings? Ah, right, when he was young, he was a powerhouse ranked within the top twenty of the Human Rankings.
When he first entered the hall, Wu Yuan readily recognized Fu San and the white-haired youth due to their distinct appearances. Fu San, the purple-robed man, ranked 287th on the Jiang Continent Human Rankings. Lu Yuming, the white-haired youth, ranked 256th.
Only the elderly man in black eluded Wu Yuans mind. But after a few dozen exchanges, he deduced the man's identity. His combat prowess was frightening, capable of sustaining Threefold Power Surge for prolonged periods. His swordsmanship was also a sight to behold. Yet, his raw strength wasn't impressive. Whenever he employed Threefold Power Surge, his strength reached a mere 260,000 catties. On top of that, he was quite advanced in age.
Among the plethora of Savant experts in the Cloudstride Sect, only one individual fit this description - Mo Jingchen, 79th on the Human Rankings! He was a Savant expert, albeit an aged one, nearing 100 years old. His physical constitution had deteriorated significantly, and his strength was not what it once was. But through his top-notch martial skills which were nearly on par with a Land Rankers, he retained the rank of Savant expert.
Guan Zishan, a former first-rate Adept and previously the foremost martial artist of Li City, had also succumbed to the passage of time. Now aged and weakened, his strength had dropped to that of a second-rate Adept. Such was the fate of martial artists as they entered the twilight of their lives.
Forget it! I'll be joining the Cloudstride Sect soon, theres no need to burn bridges. He had spared Fu San for the same reason. Though they were strangers to each other, Wu Yuan did not wish to kill a first-rate Adept from the Cloudstride Sect unless absolutely necessary, let alone a Savant expert.
Whoosh! Wu Yuan's attacks suddenly transformed, taking on a breathtaking speed. A barrage of blade rays engulfed Mo Jingchen, leaving him startled.
Not good! Is this the saber secret technique mentioned in the intelligence? Mo Jingchen's expression changed slightly.
He too had practiced a sword secret technique. Alas, weakened and aged, engaging in regular combat was already a tremendous burden for him, let alone executing a secret technique.
In a flash, he made his decision. Retreat!
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