Mi Zijing let out a slightly surprised “Hmph,” then turned his head to look at Meng Qi, Wang Zai, and others, wanting to see what they thought.
Although it had been agreed that they would only act as judges and occasionally offer some guidance without participating in the matches, Ying Shaozhuo’s challenge had ignited the crowd’s enthusiasm. After all, most of them had never seen a top-twenty figure from the Renbang in action and naturally wanted to witness it. Particularly, the spectacle of an “unknown” challenging a “renowned” martial artist always drew a crowd eager for excitement. If both parties were willing, it could add extra luster to the martial gathering.
After exchanging glances with Meng Qi, Yan Chong, and Chu Yunyu, Wang Zai smiled and said, “It’s not a matter of bestowing instruction, but giving a little guidance is fine. However, today’s martial gathering isn’t centered on us. If everyone starts challenging, it would deviate from the original purpose of mutual sparring. After Brother Ying, anyone else wishing to spar with us should first try to defeat him.”
Wang Zai had currently opened all nine orifices. Although he had not yet reached the Subtle Realm and had only just begun cultivating the ancestral orifice in his forehead, the Grand Righteous Qi shared some similarities with the Hun Tian Ba Jian. Once an orifice was opened, one could slightly harness the omnipresent Grand Righteous Qi. Although it couldn’t be used for long-range attacks, it was particularly effective for observing and analyzing opponents, even surpassing the Hun Tian Ba Jian at this stage. Thus, Wang Zai could already discern that Ying Shaozhuo possessed considerable strength, far exceeding his reputation and outward appearance. Using him as a benchmark could effectively filter out 99 out of 100 challengers.
Upon hearing Wang Zai’s suggestion, the disciples of Yuehua Sect exchanged glances, their expressions shifting as they looked at Ying Shaozhuo with more scrutiny, filled with doubt and uncertainty.
“Thank you, young masters,” Ying Shaozhuo said with a bow.
Wang Zai smiled: “May I ask whom among us you wish to challenge?”
Ying Shaozhuo had already made up his mind and cast his gaze toward Meng Qi: “I respectfully request instruction from Young Master Su.”
He had received guidance from his master, who had explained that Yan Chong had already achieved perfect unity with heaven and earth and was exploring his own path forward, his cultivation level far surpassing his own—perhaps a single strike could defeat him. “Moving Stars and Shifting Moons” Chu Yunyu, attuned with the forces of heaven and earth, excelled at redirecting force, making him a natural counter to Ying’s sword techniques. As for “Guardian Sword” Wang Zai, although he had only recently opened all nine orifices, he wielded the Grand Righteous Qi, growing stronger against stronger opponents and remaining formidable even against weaker ones—thus, not an ideal opponent either.
As for “Fierce Blade” Su Meng, although his record was impressive, his cultivation level was roughly equal to Ying’s own, at only seven or eight orifices, without a significant advantage in cultivation stage.
As for his hard techniques like the Golden Bell Shield, they were difficult to utilize effectively in sparring matches, allowing Ying to best showcase his sword techniques and agility. Even if Su Meng’s blade techniques were masterful and formidable, Ying was no weakling and could hold out until Su was forced to use an external-skill killing move, which onlookers would perceive as a draw.
If he could even force Su Meng to use the Golden Bell Shield, trading injuries for victory, it would equate to a win for Ying, instantly bringing him fame and renown.
Meng Qi was just waiting for an opportunity to show off. He laughed heartily, rose with his blade, and floated down slowly, his body as light as a falling leaf carried by the cold wind.
This display of martial agility immediately drew cheers. Compared to the previous participants, his skill was clearly superior, almost defying natural laws.
“Brother Ying must be a disciple of Yuehua Sect. I wonder why he isn’t well known? At twenty-three or twenty-four, with the cultivation of eight orifices, even among the great martial sects, he would be seen as a promising talent,” Meng Qi said without immediately attacking, instead adopting the posture of a senior martial artist exchanging pleasantries.
“Eight orifices?” The Yuehua disciples exchanged glances. Since when had the apprentice assigned to the herb garden cleaning duties reached such a level? He could easily rank among the top ten of this generation!
Ying Shaozhuo, holding a common steel sword, replied calmly: “I was assigned to guard the herb garden and was fortunate enough to be noticed by an elder of the sect, who secretly passed down a supreme technique. I have diligently practiced for many years without the slightest slackness, and now I have finally completed my training.”
“An elder of the sect noticed him? How come we didn’t know?” The Yuehua disciples grew even more puzzled. Wait, could it be that old man who always sneaked around the herb garden? Could he actually be an elder of the sect?
Meng Qi nodded “kindly”: “I see. Brother Ying, please make your move.”
As a renowned talent ranked sixth on the Renbang, naturally, he would allow the opponent to strike first.
Ying Shaozhuo did not decline. He drew his sword and performed the “Pine Greeting” stance as a sign of respect. Then, his movements unfolded, transforming him into a drifting cloud, unpredictable and elusive, constantly shifting positions to avoid being locked onto by Meng Qi.
As soon as Ying displayed his technique, a series of astonished exclamations arose.
He was far superior to those who had sparred or demonstrated techniques earlier!
The Yuehua disciples were already too stunned to react. In their minds, one thought repeated: Even if he had received secret teachings from an elder, Ying had always been mediocre in talent—otherwise he wouldn’t have been assigned to guard the herb garden. How had his strength improved so rapidly? Could it be that he had encountered a rare opportunity, consuming a miraculous herb that transformed his body and abilities?
Meng Qi stood still in the arena, his long blade lowered. His Subtle Realm perception, combined with his vision and hearing, rapidly constructed a mental image of his surroundings.
He did not rush to attack, treating the shifting Ying Shaozhuo as if he were invisible.
Ying’s fighting style was perfectly sound, exactly what Meng had done when sparring with the “Azure Blood Dragon King,” a half-step External Realm expert—avoiding strength and waiting for an opportunity.
It was clear he was no armchair theorist.
The training ground was covered in yellowish-brown earth, and the cold wind blew fiercely overhead. Ying Shaozhuo, like a drifting cloud, and his left hand forming seals, with his sword constantly shifting, all appeared vividly in Meng Qi’s mind, even the flow of qi and muscle reactions clearly perceived.
His overall strength should be close to Meng Qi’s own level when he first entered Yedu, ranking around the 30th on the Renbang. He should have been on the verge of a flourishing martial career, yet his first public challenge was against someone far beyond his level—just like a novice hunter encountering a demonic lord on his first hunt.
When Meng first arrived in Yedu, he was actually weaker than Wang Zai at that time. It had taken half a year of quiet cultivation to catch up. If he had challenged top experts like Jiang Hengchuan or Yan Chong, who were attuned to heaven and earth, he would likely have suffered a humiliating defeat. It was simply a different tier of battle!
From this, it was evident that Gu Yaonü had never revealed her true strength to him. The only time she had displayed her might was when she decisively defeated the heir of the Xuan Nu Sect, but he had not witnessed it firsthand.
Feeling Ying Shaozhuo drawing closer, his sword tip trembling, his gaze flickering over Meng Qi’s weak points, Meng Qi inhaled slightly and tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade with his right hand.
Letting him suffer a setback would be good for him, preventing him from becoming overly arrogant and recklessly throwing his life away.
Suddenly, Meng Qi moved. His long blade flashed with a silver-white light, slicing straight toward Ying Shaozhuo.
Drawn by the qi, Ying Shaozhuo shifted in response, changing his stance and thrusting his sword, aiming to evade the strike and counterattack Meng Qi’s left waist.
Halfway through the slash, the blade suddenly accelerated, unleashing immense force. The wind howled as if a mountain had been crushed, scattering debris and creating a sense of compressed space.
At Meng Qi’s level of blade mastery, he was no longer bound by specific forms or techniques. He didn’t need to rigidly follow established patterns to express the essence of blade techniques. He could improvise freely, incorporating the principles of sword, fist, and palm techniques into his blade work. To an observer, it was indistinguishable from any other style. Just like Jiang Zhimi, who had exchanged for countless sword techniques, she rarely used any of them except for Sword Twenty-Three, because the essence of all those techniques had already been fully integrated into her own style—capturing their spirit without being bound by their forms.
This slash came at just the right moment, right when Ying Shaozhuo’s movement was about to change but had not yet done so, catching him off guard and leaving him no time to dodge.
Facing this unadorned, straightforward strike that relied solely on speed and power, Ying Shaozhuo felt a gust of wind strike his face. If he tried to dodge, he would definitely be hit in the back or side. With no choice, he gritted his teeth and thrust his sword forward, using his long-practiced technique, “Closing the Door to Send Off a Guest.”
His sword blocked the “Heaven’s Wound.”
A sharp clang rang out. The sword bent, Ying Shaozhuo’s right hand trembled, and instinctively, he shifted into a horse stance.
What a heavy strike!
As the blade pressed downward, Ying Shaozhuo’s face turned red, his strength seemingly stuck to the blade, unable to pull away.
The “Heaven’s Wound” pressed further. The sword emitted a grating sound, as if it were about to snap. Ying’s feet sank half an inch into the muddy ground, slowly sinking further!
Pure power, domineering and overwhelming!
As the blade retracted, Ying Shaozhuo tried to rise again, but his legs trembled, and his hands shook, unable to pull his feet free from the mud.
“Thank you for yielding,” Meng Qi said, sheathing his blade with a smile.
Silence fell over the crowd. No murmurs, no exclamations. Who could have imagined that Su Meng could defeat Ying Shaozhuo, who had seemed so formidable, with a single strike?
Wang Zai stood up and exhaled: “Brother Ying’s martial agility was like drifting clouds, capturing the essence of Yuehua Sect’s ‘Pointing Clouds, Painting Shadows.’ His sword techniques were also masterfully deceptive, targeting weak points with precision. He truly possessed the strength of the Renbang. Unfortunately, he faced ‘Fierce Blade’ Su Meng. No matter how he changed, he couldn’t escape Su’s eyes. That straightforward strike came precisely at the moment he was about to shift, defeating him with sheer power and speed. In sword terms, this is known as ‘Heavy Sword Without Edges, Great Skill Without Craft.'”
A series of exhalations followed, each carrying a sense of realization. In just a single exchange, there was such profound knowledge. Indeed, the contest of experts was different from ordinary duels. “Fierce Blade” Su Meng truly lived up to his reputation, fully deserving the title “Fierce!”
Yan Chong nodded slightly, deep in thought. This kind of opponent was finally worth looking forward to!
Ying Shaozhuo’s face turned ashen, never expecting that he couldn’t even block a single strike. Only after hearing Wang Zai’s analysis did he feel slightly relieved. At least he still possessed the strength of the Renbang—it was just that he had faced a monster like “Fierce Blade” Su Meng.
After bowing and leaving, Ying was followed by cheers for Meng Qi, who smiled and returned to his seat, watching the subsequent matches.
Match after match unfolded, each followed by brief evaluations from them. In the end, the victors were either well-known figures from the Renbang or seasoned martial artists. Only a few, like Ying Shaozhuo, who had previously been unknown, managed to win.
Just as they were about to decide the final outcome and challenge Meng Qi and the others, a figure suddenly descended into the arena.
It was a woman in her forties, dressed in a light blue martial outfit that accentuated her graceful figure. Her appearance was above average, but she exuded a mature charm.
As soon as Mi Zijing saw the woman, his expression changed, and he sighed with a bitter smile: “Seventh Aunt, why did you come here too?”
The woman glared at him: “Why can’t I come here, Mi Qigu?”
“This is a gathering for young talents,” Mi Zijing explained with a forced smile.
Mi Qigu snorted: “Am I not young? I’m only forty-three. For a martial artist like me, this is the prime of youth. If I open my spiritual pass now and become a half-step expert, then harmonize internal and external forces, who wouldn’t praise me as a youthful External Realm expert?”
Though her words seemed unreasonable, Meng Qi, Yan Chong, and others had already turned serious, because the aura she exuded was already close to He Jiu’s!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage