I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1132 The Nioh Martial Arts Tournament! A-Mai's Resolve! [5400]

Qinjin Clan, Dajin, Judi, Qingdeng’s private dojo——

boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
The loud sound of the wooden sword slicing through the air filled the entire venue.

Qingdeng stood in the center of the dojo, gripping a thick wooden sword tightly in both hands, practicing the Suzhen technique one stroke after another.

Calling it a wooden knife is a misnomer; it would be more accurate to call it a "wooden pillar."

This is a training tool specially made by Qingdeng. It is several times thicker and heavier than an ordinary wooden sword, so that the sound when it is swung is not "whoosh whoosh whoosh" but "boom boom boom".

Qing Deng did not swing his knife mechanically.

At this moment, the scenes of his confrontation with Ōtakemaru kept flashing through his mind.

He imagined Ōtakemaru standing in front of him, and imagined himself swinging his sword with all his might to cut him down.

The power, angle, speed, and technique of the strikes were all impeccable.

However, even with all his mental effort, he couldn't imagine the scene of Ōtakemaru being struck by his sword...

Before long, Qingdeng slowly stopped wielding his wooden knife.

His whole body was covered in fine sweat, and translucent steam rose up... Qing Deng, whose stamina was unfathomable, was so tired that it showed how intense his training was.

While secretly adjusting his breathing, he lowered his head and solemnly stared at the wooden sword in his hand... The image of Ōtakemaru reappeared in his mind.

At that moment, A-Wu's voice came from outside the dojo gate:

"Qingdeng, so you were here all along."

A-Wu peeked out, scanned the area, and after confirming that Qing-Deng was the only one in the dojo, she took small, quick steps to stand in front of him—even today, being shy, she still consciously avoids places where there are strangers.

Before entering the dojo, she carefully took off her socks, revealing a pair of clean, white, and very plump little feet.

"A-Wu, what brings you here? Did something happen?"

"Nothing important, I just happened to be passing by."

Qingdeng chuckled to himself:

"You've come at just the right time; I was just taking a break. It seems like we haven't talked in a long time. Could you keep me company for a bit?"

Upon hearing this, A-Wu was overjoyed and nodded vigorously.

Qingdeng put down the wooden knife and sat down cross-legged.

A-Wu obediently moved closer to Qing-Deng, their two little feet overlapping and buried under the fleshy bottom.

"Qingdeng, you've been exceptionally diligent lately, coming to the dojo to practice swordsmanship almost every day."

"After all, the 'Niou Martial Arts Tournament' is about to begin, so I need to make the most of my training time. It would be embarrassing if I were to lose."

A-Wu glanced sideways at Qing-Deng with annoyance:
"How could you possibly lose...?"

Qingdeng smiled meaningfully:
"There are always people better than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding... Perhaps, while we're chatting, a genius martial artist capable of defeating me has already been born somewhere in the world."

When the "Nioh Martial Arts Tournament" was mentioned, A-Mai's eyes lit up—she really loved martial arts competitions.

This competition is bound to attract many strong competitors, which makes her even more excited.

"Qingdeng, when the 'Nioh Martial Arts Tournament' starts, may I go and watch the matches?"

"Of course. Just don't let it interfere with important business."

Ah Wu said excitedly and quickly:

"As expected, the news caused a huge sensation as soon as it was released! Since yesterday, countless challengers have come from all directions, all eager to compete with 'Nioh'. The administrators in charge of handling the registration have been extremely busy."

[Note: "Discipline" refers to the basic unit of the General Affairs Division of the Shinsengumi.]

Qingdeng smiled:
"That suits me perfectly! The more people who come, the better!"

Qingdeng's specially devised training plan to defeat the "Southern Dynasty" was to hold the "Nioh Martial Arts Tournament"!
Official documents containing relevant explanations have been sent throughout the "Northern Dynasty".

The specific details are clearly stated in the official document.

In short, Qingdeng is going to hold an unprecedented martial arts competition with a unique format!

There is only one opponent in this competition, namely Qing Deng himself!
Qingdeng's intention was simple: to exploit his talent.

Make the most of your talent!

Relying on playing games to tap into talent – ​​this is an old trick of Qing Deng's.

In fact, Qing Deng had the idea of ​​"holding the World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament" a long time ago.

No longer confined to a single city or region, but aiming for the entire world! To plunder all martial artists under heaven!
Unfortunately, due to being preoccupied with various matters—first establishing the Shinsengumi, then the Hatazu Domain—and juggling numerous battles, he simply couldn't spare the extra energy.

More importantly, starting around 1863, Qing Deng's physical abilities were nearing their physical limits.

Whether it's his "comprehension-type" talents like "Sword Saint" or "Archery Prodigy," or his "physical talent type" talents like "Nine Oxen and Two Tigers" or "Bear Waist," even after leveling up several times, he still couldn't significantly improve his strength.

The bottle has only so much capacity; even if you filled it with an entire ocean, it could only hold a limited amount of water.

However, things are different now.

After copying the eternal talent "Chosen One" from Ogata, Qing Deng's talent cap was removed, and his physical cap was also greatly enhanced.

[Note: Chosen One: Greatly increases maximum physical strength and removes the level cap for talents]

This made Qingdeng curious: what is his current physical limit?
Nowadays, the organizational structure of the Hatazu Domain and the Shinsengumi is quite mature, with Hijikata Toshizo, Yamanami Keisuke, and others taking on most of the tasks, and Seito is no longer as busy as before.

The long-delayed "Nioh Game"... ah, no, the "World Martial Arts Tournament" can finally be put on the agenda!

Thus, under Qing Deng's orders, the preliminary work for the "Niou Martial Arts Tournament" was carried out in full swing.

Issuing official documents, purchasing equipment, arranging venues... everything is proceeding in an orderly manner.

In recent days, people from all over the region, from Oshu in the north to the Gyeonggi region in the south, have been enthusiastically discussing this unique martial arts tournament.

Even the common people of the "Southern Dynasty" spontaneously began to discuss it after hearing the news.

The hype surrounding the assassinations of Sakamoto and Nakaoka has subsequently subsided... which can be considered a pleasant surprise.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to face off against Nioh!
Even if defeat is inevitable, just having the chance to fight Niou and witness his prowess up close will provide invaluable experience! This will undoubtedly be of great benefit to your future development!

Anyone aspiring to martial arts is itching to try it.

Those who act decisively have already packed their bags and are rushing off.

Not only were the energetic young men on their way, but even some gray-haired old men set off on their journey to Otsu with great spirits.

People who wanted to spar with Qingdeng, people who wanted to watch the excitement, people who wanted to find business opportunities... a considerable flow of people converged on Dajin!
It is worth mentioning that on their way to Dajin, they boosted the tourism industry along the route, indirectly contributing to the economic recovery of the "Northern Dynasty".

Although the official document clearly states that "everyone can apply," it also thoughtfully includes a reminder that "an assessment is required."

It's obvious that if just any Tom, Dick, or Harry could fight Qingdeng, it would be a huge waste of time.

Therefore, Qingdeng set a special threshold—only those who pass the assessment and reach a certain level of strength are qualified to participate in the "Nioh Martial Arts Tournament".

The examiners in charge of this task were a group of outstanding talents selected from the Shinsengumi, who were skilled and worthy of training.

During the assessment process, they will inevitably encounter highly skilled first-class martial artists.

In this way, we can eliminate the weaklings who are unlikely to have strong talents, and at the same time, hone the core strength of the Shinsengumi, killing two birds with one stone.

According to Qing Deng's plan, this "Nioh Martial Arts Tournament" will continue until the "Southern Dynasty" attacks.

He had made up his mind—for the next period of time, he would completely abandon all non-essential official duties and devote himself entirely to honing his skills! Before the "Southern Dynasty" attacked, he would try to acquire another wave of talent! If he was lucky, he might even be able to replicate another powerful talent!

In fact, there was another major reason why Qingdeng was so eager to increase his own strength: to fight against Ōtakemaru.

The oppressive feeling he felt when he encountered Ōtakemaru on a narrow path a while ago was something he couldn't forget for a long time...

Since his transmigration, he has been through countless battles and encountered all sorts of opponents, including amazing geniuses and impressive eccentrics.

But... this was the first time he had ever met such a special guy as Ōtakemaru.

The fact that "deserted and mute, yet able to become the 'highest fighting force for the Party's persecution" is simply incredible.

That night, as he and the other person faced each other across the rushing river, he couldn't see the other person's true form at all!
Putting Ogata aside, Aoto hadn't experienced a situation like this in a long time.

This only proves one thing—compared to him, the other party's strength is no weaker!
Qingdeng couldn't help but wonder: If I were to have a one-on-one battle with Ōtakemaru now, would I be able to win?

He simply couldn't give an optimistic answer to this question...

Thinking of this, Qingdeng unconsciously lowered his eyelids, adopted a serious expression, felt a dark cloud gather in his heart, and his facial lines tightened.

A-Wu, who was standing nearby, immediately noticed Qing-Deng's change in mood.

She gazed thoughtfully at Qingdeng's face... and then, a silent smile appeared on her face.

"Qingdeng, it's been a long time since we've sparred. How about we have a long-awaited match today?"

A-Wu's sudden challenge caught Qing Deng off guard.

The daze was only temporary. He quickly snapped out of it and nodded without hesitation:
"Alright. It has been a long time since we last sparred. Let me see if your skills have improved."

A-Wu smiled without saying a word, nimbly jumped up, ran to the edge of the dojo, picked up the wooden wakizashi, and helped Qing Deng get a bamboo sword.

Qingdeng reached out and took it, waved it a few times in the air to make sure there were no problems, then turned to Awu and said:

"Since it's not a formal competition anyway, let's skip the formalities and get started."

"No problem! That suits me perfectly!"

Amidst laughter and conversation, the two moved to the center of the dojo without any difference in pace. Qing Deng gripped the bamboo sword tightly with both hands, raised the tip of the sword, and assumed a mid-stance stance.

A-Wu struck a unique pose—standing sideways, her right hand gripping the wakizashi (a type of Japanese sword) and extending it forward; her left hand, as if stroking a tiger's whiskers, was loosely clenched and held at her chest.

The standoff between the two men caused the air in the room to freeze.

The one who launched the first attack was A-Wu.

But then I saw her pretty little feet slide forward half a step—

The next moment, Qingdeng suddenly smelled a pleasant fragrance.

With a loud thud, A-Wu covered the distance of three steps in a single stride, reaching Qing-Deng in an instant!

The wakizashi in her palm drew a perfect arc in mid-air, slashing towards Qing Deng's neck.

Qing Deng's pupils contracted slightly—A Wu's speed far exceeded his expectations!

Despite his shock, he didn't slow down his movements at all.

Talent "Godspeed +7" activated!
He instinctively raised the bamboo sword in his hand—

Snapped!
A clear, resounding impact echoed through the air.

The force of this strike wasn't great, but it was more than enough to cut through flesh!

As if she had been flung away, A-Wu quickly leaned back—a movement that allowed her to just dodge Qing-Deng's counterattack.

The tip of the bamboo sword grazed his chest, only striking a speck of dust.

Qingdeng's offensive did not stop there.

The second move, the third move, the fourth move... a rapid series of moves poured towards A-Wu from all directions.

Faced with the dense barrage of sword shadows, she remained calm and collected. She exhaled all the stale air from her lungs and quickly regulated her breathing before calmly launching a counterattack.

She slid, crouched, and did backflips... she dodged all of Qing Deng's moves.

Her agile movements, combined with her graceful figure, were extremely beautiful, much like a butterfly dancing among flowers.

Seeing that his opponent was able to withstand his fierce attack, Qing Deng's eyes flashed with surprise.

Just as he was preparing to intensify his offensive and unleash more of his skills, she "disappeared" from his sight—she quickly lowered her body, braced herself on the ground with her left hand, and spread her long legs like scissors, clamping them around Qing Deng's waist.

Upon seeing this, Qing Deng immediately became alert.

A-Wu was originally a master of hand-to-hand combat, especially skilled in jujitsu.

If she gets on your nerves, you're in trouble.

Therefore, it is essential to avoid physical contact with her!

Although Qingdeng was not afraid to fight Awu physically, and even if she clung to him, he could break free with rough methods, doing so would definitely hurt her.

There's no need to think too much about how to proceed.

Qingdeng retreated with lightning speed, dodging Awu's two long legs.

If one move doesn't work, try another—A-Wu retracts her legs, lands on all fours, and after gathering her strength, bursts out like a cannonball.

She lowered her body to an extremely low position, almost touching the ground, and unleashed a series of swift slashes at Qing Deng's legs.

Qingdeng immediately lowered his sword, nimbly changing his footing while swinging his sword to block Awu's slash, carefully preventing his lower body from being injured.

She skillfully used her petite figure to her advantage, focusing her attacks on Qingdeng's lower body.

Qingdeng's vision and center of gravity are much higher than Awu's, so compared to ordinary attacks, the "focus on the lower body" approach is more likely to catch him off guard.

Her body seemed boneless, effortlessly performing all sorts of tricky movements.

Her waist could bend to such an angle, her legs could be raised so high... Even today, Qingdeng is still amazed by her "boneless and supple body".

Despite not being particularly strong, Mai always adhered to the ninja's fighting style: "Quick and decisive!" Never procrastinate!

Compared to before, her skills have become much more refined, making her seem like a completely different person.

There are no fancy or complicated moves; every move is designed for "quick kills"!
Now, she already possesses the charisma of a top-tier ninja!

Looking at A-Wu, who had become much stronger, Qing Deng's lips curled into a smile.

call out!
In a flash, the wakizashi in her palm sliced ​​through the air again, sweeping diagonally toward Qing Deng's right knee.

This time, Qing Deng did not passively defend.

He held the sword extremely low, the tip almost touching the ground, and his narrowed eyes looked as if they might close at any moment.

Everything that followed happened in the blink of an eye.

With a snap, the wakizashi in A-Wu's hand flew out.

Qingdeng observed the sword's path, then lightly flicked his wrists, sending a skillful force honed through countless trials into the bamboo sword in his palm.

In an instant, the tip of the bamboo sword trembled like a live fish as it struck Ah Wu's slash.

The bamboo sword may seem unremarkable, but it actually contains astonishing potential energy!
Unable to resist its force, A-Wu felt as if struck by lightning; her fingers went numb, and she could no longer hold onto the wakizashi, letting it fly out of her hand.

In the next instant, Qingdeng stepped forward and rushed in front of Awu, holding the bamboo sword to her neck.

Looking at the bamboo sword so close to her, A-Wu blinked her beautiful eyes a few times, then raised her hands in surrender with a regretful expression:
"I lost."

"Concession."

Despite the overwhelming victory, the shock on Qing Deng's face grew even stronger.

"Ah Wu, you startled me... I didn't realize you'd become so much stronger..."

Ah Wu smiled gently:

"I've been practicing my skills diligently, you know."

As she spoke, she picked up the flying wakizashi, put it back in its place, and then sat down near the window with her knees bent.

Seeing this, Qingdeng silently moved to catch up and sat down next to her.

"Ah Wu, where do you usually practice your skills?"

In Qingdeng's memory, while A-Mai faithfully fulfilled her duties as the captain of the Ninth Division, she would often come to the dojo to practice, but the intensity of her training did not seem to be enough to enable her to make such great progress.

Ah Wu chuckled softly, a sly look on her face.

“‘Working hard in secret’ is something that can’t be discovered, otherwise it would be very embarrassing! That being said, I haven’t worked that hard, and I haven’t reached the point where I deserve praise.”

Despite what A-Wu said, Qing Deng was certain that she was just being modest.

To achieve such remarkable progress in one's abilities, simply being "not very hardworking" is far from enough!

In other words, behind everyone's back, Ah Wu was diligently honing her martial arts skills...

Upon realizing this, Qingdeng couldn't help but purse his lips, a bitter expression appearing on his cheeks.

"I'm such a bad husband... I don't even know when and where my wife was practicing her skills so diligently."

Ah Wu's sly look deepened:

"This shows I hid it very well."

"If even you didn't notice, then it's even less likely that Sanako would have noticed!"

"Qingdeng, don't you dare tell Sanako, I'm planning to give her a 'surprise' in the future!"

"I'm going to defeat her fair and square! Then I'll savor the look of disbelief on her face!"

As she spoke, she seemed to be imagining some "delicious" scene, her pretty face filled with a joyful expression.

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng jokingly retorted.

"Then you'd better keep working hard, Sanako isn't so easy to deal with."

"Hmm...that's true..."

Her initial elation turned into a bitter smile as she looked down at her still numb right palm.

"I'm still far from good enough... Just now, I thought I could at least hit you once..."

Qingdeng shook his head.

"There's no need to underestimate yourself. Your strength is already quite formidable. With your current abilities, you could easily defeat even a martial artist at the level of Master of the Unparalleled Martial Arts."

As soon as Qingdeng finished speaking, Awu quietly shook her head.

"That won't do. I need to become stronger."

"With a formidable enemy at hand, everyone needs to give their all to overcome the current difficulties."

"As the captain of the 9th Division of the Shinsengumi, I must set an example!"

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PS: After the sparring session, Qingdeng and Awu did some rather intimate activities at the dojo, but we'll leave the details for now.

Leopard really loves writing about A-Mai's battles; the female ninja who specializes in jutsu is just too sexy! (Leopard Hi.jpg)

In her next book, Leopard will write about a female bear ninja who specializes in jujitsu!