Chapter Thirty-One: Defeated in a Single Move
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Time passed quickly.
Chen Xuan sat meditating in his room, resting until noon, when a servant brought him a meal.
After lunch, he once again glanced out toward the spacious courtyard.
The courtyard was still packed with heroes. Several pairs were sparring, and the constant clanging of swords was accompanied by wave after wave of cheering.
The more Chen Xuan watched, the itchier his hands became.
These were all vast amounts of fame.
If he casually fought a few matches, he ought to gain a considerable amount of fame.
After struggling with himself for a while, he finally could not hold back and decided to go out for a look.
The nearest match had drawn a crowd all around it, with cheers ringing out one after another.
Only after Chen Xuan pushed his way closer did he see who was fighting.
The leader of the Four Heroes of Yunzhou!
The Carefree Swordsman, Zhou Qing!
Dressed in white robes and wielding a long sword forged from tempered steel, he was fighting desperately against a saber wielder in the center of the courtyard. It was obvious, however, that he was at a disadvantage. He could do little more than defend, dodging again and again under relentless pressure. His originally spotless white robe had already been slashed in four or five places and was smeared with quite a bit of dust.
The other three members of the Four Heroes of Yunzhou watched with tense expressions.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
The sounds rang out without pause as sparks flew in every direction.
Suddenly, the saber wielder launched a fierce flurry of attacks, forcing Zhou Qing to dodge in disarray. A flaw appeared in his swordplay.
The saber wielder raised one foot and kicked Zhou Qing in the chest. With a bang, Zhou Qing was sent stumbling backward, crashing toward the crowd.
“Good!”
The surrounding spectators erupted in cheers.
By sheer coincidence, Zhou Qing came tumbling directly toward Chen Xuan.
Chen Xuan gently pushed one hand forward, placing it against Zhou Qing’s shoulder.
Boom!
Zhou Qing’s retreat abruptly slowed, as though he had run into a mountain.
He secretly sighed with relief and turned around. “Thank you…”
Then his expression froze.
“Great Hero Sword!”
Chen Xuan smiled faintly and released his shoulder.
“Thank you, Great Hero Sword!” Zhou Qing said awkwardly before turning back toward the arena and cupping his fists. “Thank you for showing mercy!”
“Who else wishes to challenge me?” the young saber wielder called out. “I am the Stormcloud Saber, Feng Tian, and I am ready at any time. Anyone who can last a hundred moves against me without losing will naturally qualify to challenge for the bottom ranks of the Human Rankings!”
The spectators began discussing among themselves. They looked at one another, but no one stepped forward.
Chen Xuan frowned in confusion.
Anyone who could last a hundred moves against him would qualify to challenge for the bottom ranks of the Human Rankings. Could this man be a ranked expert?
“Is he a master from the Human Rankings?” Chen Xuan asked in a low voice.
“No. Several months ago, he challenged for a place on the Human Rankings and narrowly lost by one move,” Zhou Qing explained. “So, anyone who can last a hundred moves against him must have strength close to his own and will likewise qualify to challenge for a place. But qualification is only qualification; it does not mean they will definitely make the rankings.”
“I see.”
Chen Xuan nodded.
Their conversation was overheard by the Stormcloud Saber. He frowned, clearly displeased, and glanced over. His eyes happened to meet Chen Xuan’s.
“Why don’t you come up and spar with me?” he said coolly.
“Me?”
Chen Xuan’s expression froze.
Everyone else turned to look at him as well.
The other three members of the Four Heroes of Yunzhou wore wonderfully complicated expressions.
The Sword That Holds Up the Heavens, Jian Feiwo…
He had actually been singled out?
But could he really be a match for the Stormcloud Saber?
“That’s right, you. Please come up. Do you prefer using a saber or a sword?”
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Feng Tian asked evenly, clearly intending to teach Chen Xuan a lesson.
“Hmm. I am most skilled with the sword, but my sword cannot be drawn lightly. Whenever it leaves its sheath, blood must surely be spilled. How about this? I will fight you barehanded for a few exchanges. If you can injure me, I will count it as my loss!”
Chen Xuan put on the full bearing of a hidden master as he spoke.
The crowd erupted in an uproar, whispering among themselves in astonishment.
What an arrogant tone!
His sword could not be drawn lightly, and whenever it was drawn, blood had to be spilled!
Even a master from the Human Rankings would not dare make such a claim!
Could he possess the strength of a ranked expert?
Zhou Qing’s expression shifted repeatedly as he studied Chen Xuan once more.
Could this really be a supreme expert?
Earlier, when he had heard Chen Xuan say such things, he had assumed Chen Xuan was joking. But to say it in front of so many heroes now—was this not far too arrogant?
And he actually intended to fight Feng Tian barehanded?
What kind of joke was this?
“Great Hero Sword, Feng Tian is at the ninth level of Qi Accumulation,” Zhou Qing murmured, afraid that Chen Xuan might not know.
After all, in Zhou Qing’s eyes, Chen Xuan looked utterly ordinary and unimpressive. The several medicinal plasters stuck to his face made him look even rather ugly. How strong could he possibly be?
The Stormcloud Saber, Feng Tian, did not grow angry. Instead, he laughed.
“Good, good! What an arrogant fool. Since that is the case, please!”
He raised his long saber and fixed his gaze on Chen Xuan.
Chen Xuan smiled faintly and walked out of the crowd.
Everyone stared at him uncertainly, looking him up and down.
“Make your move!” Feng Tian said coldly. “To prevent anyone from saying that I bullied you with saber techniques, I will give you three moves.”
“Then I shall accept your generosity.”
Chen Xuan smiled.
Boom!
He stamped his foot against the ground, and his body shot forward in an instant.
Eight Steps Chasing the Cicada!
Although he had only just begun to master it, it was still far faster than an ordinary charge. With every ounce of his strength erupting, his body flashed forward, and he drove a fist toward Feng Tian.
Feng Tian sneered.
“Too slow!”
His body swayed lightly, drifting through the air like a willow catkin. He narrowly avoided Chen Xuan’s fist and said disdainfully, “First move!”
But at that very moment, Chen Xuan’s eleven years of internal energy and six hundred points of physical strength suddenly combined. His explosive power erupted, and his speed nearly doubled in an instant. His fist tore through the air with a shrill whistle as it swept toward Feng Tian.
Feng Tian’s expression changed. He had no time to dodge again.
The distance was simply too short!
The wind from the fist howled with terrifying force, compressing the air into something resembling a surging wave.
He could hardly believe that Chen Xuan had been hiding his strength!
At the critical moment, he raised his long saber vertically and held it before him.
Boom!
A muffled impact rang out.
One thousand and forty pounds of force erupted in an instant, shaking a groan from Feng Tian as though he had been struck by a massive boulder. His tiger’s mouth split with pain, blood bursting forth, and the long saber flew from his hand with a clang. Staggering, he was driven backward, retreating wildly until he finally came to a stop outside the arena.
The crowd erupted in disbelief.
One move!
Feng Tian had been defeated in a single move!
“My apologies,” Chen Xuan said with a smile.
Fame +10
+15
+12
Streams of blue light flew through the air.
Chen Xuan was overjoyed.
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Just as he had expected!
Another massive gain in fame.
“This does not count! This match does not count!”
Suddenly, Feng Tian roared furiously, his face ashen. His right hand trembled and spasmed uncontrollably.
He had not even had the chance to unleash his saber techniques or movement skills. He had never imagined that Chen Xuan would be so cunning as to conceal his strength and suddenly increase his speed. As a result, he had been struck head-on by a single punch!
Feng Tian believed that once he had fully unleashed his saber techniques, Chen Xuan would certainly not be his match. He was therefore completely unwilling to accept this defeat.
Chen Xuan frowned and looked at him.
Did it not count?
What kind of joke was that?
The crowd immediately broke into an uproar, criticizing Feng Tian one after another.
“Young Hero Feng, your saber was knocked from your hand, and the web between your thumb and forefinger was injured by the impact. How can you claim that it does not count?” Zhou Qing said.
“Exactly! Young Hero Feng, you must honor your wager. This great hero’s strength is clearly superior to yours!”
The spectators all began to speak.
Feng Tian trembled with rage, his face turning pale, yet he did not know what to say. After thinking it over carefully, he realized that although his saber techniques were profound, Jian Feiwo’s swordsmanship might not be any weaker.
Even so, he was still deeply unwilling to accept the result, because he had not even seen his opponent’s swordsmanship.
Ultimately, he had simply been too careless.
If he had not looked down on his opponent from the very beginning, Chen Xuan would not have been able to seize the opportunity.
“Very well. Your strength is profound, and I admit defeat. But may I ask you to leave me your name?”
Feng Tian restrained his anger and asked the question.
“I am the Sword That Holds Up the Heavens, Jian Feiwo!”
Chen Xuan replied.
“Thank you for the instruction.”
Feng Tian was furious inside, but after cupping his fists, he picked up his saber and left.
Watching him depart, Chen Xuan secretly clicked his tongue.
It seemed he had offended someone.
But it did not matter. If the man dared to play dirty behind his back, Chen Xuan would simply use the Death-Grip Technique to crush him outright.
Chen Xuan repeatedly cupped his fists toward the crowd before withdrawing, secretly delighted.
It was a pity that he knew so few martial arts. The Ironcloth Shirt and the Five Venoms Scripture could not be revealed easily; otherwise, he would certainly have continued challenging people and raising his fame.
At that thought, an idea suddenly occurred to him.
Why not learn a sword or saber technique in the future and use it to keep up appearances?
“I will raise the Ironcloth Shirt and my internal cultivation by a few levels, then find a sword technique to try.”
Chen Xuan made up his mind.
The crowd continued discussing him, their eyes repeatedly sweeping over his body.
The name Sword That Holds Up the Heavens, Jian Feiwo, had begun to take root in their memories.
Chen Xuan opened his status panel and looked at it, secretly pleased.
His fame had changed from Newcomer to the Martial World (89/140) to (126/140).
His Luck had risen from 19 to 26.
At this rate, his fame would soon break through, and his Luck would also soon reach forty points.
Once his Luck reached forty, he would be able to open another grand gift pack.
The Four Young Heroes of Yunzhou wore complicated expressions as they gazed at Chen Xuan with sighs of wonder.
Earlier, they had looked down on him, believing that Chen Xuan had merely been boasting. They had never expected him to truly be a supreme expert. Regardless of how strong his swordsmanship was, his physical strength alone was enough to crush them completely.
The fact that he had sent Feng Tian flying with a single punch proved that this Great Hero Sword was also absolutely at the ninth level of Qi Accumulation!
“Great Hero Sword, please forgive us for our earlier offense.”
Zhou Qing approached with the other three and cupped his fists, his face full of shame.
“No offense taken, no offense taken. I already said that my sword cannot be drawn lightly. The reason I did not show it to you earlier was for your own safety. I hope you will not take it amiss.”
Chen Xuan smiled.
The hearts of Zhou Qing and the other three tightened.
For some reason, they had begun to believe that Chen Xuan’s swordsmanship was truly extraordinary.
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