Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 817 Eyes flashing with swords and spears, hearts burning with hatred and enmity (Part 10)
The Dao Qi Society has been established for thirty years, and Tianmu has stayed in the Pulse Realm for thirty-nine years.

Ji Jiuying is twenty-four years old this year.

Ji Jiuying had considered many ways she might lose, how those eyes could see through her, how her keen sword sense could react... but she never expected that the other woman would recognize the sword and use it even better than she did.

Over countless years, this Heavenly Mother had already mastered every sword technique imaginable in the world. She knew it as well as she knew her own fingers.

The Seven Jade Swords are not listed in the Daoqi Society's register, but they are certainly not entirely a secret.

Tianmu put the sword back in its sheath, looked at him with satisfaction, tossed it back to her, and turned to leave the sword platform.

Tianmu's victory was not unexpected at all. In fact, people were not really looking at the outcome of this battle; they were just there to see this legendary top-ranked player.

"That's the pinnacle of the Pulse Realm," Nan Guannu sighed softly.

Among the densely packed seats of the various factions in the west, the Shaolong group occupied the lower right. Their trials had already concluded, and they had all made varying degrees of progress.

At the Tianshan Villa, the group had intended to make some contact with the Jade Sword Register No. 1, who was actually still alive. However, his conflict with Yun Lang shocked everyone, and they hesitated. They did not see the boy again until the end.

Later, Nan Guannu said that it was best not to disturb this stranger who came and went so quickly. Now, his friends and enemies were all remarkably distant from the Shaolong Sword Sect. It seemed that if he were alive, he would soar to great heights; if he were dead, he would be doomed forever, and it would have little to do with you all.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

However, Nan Guan Nu himself still seemed to be addicted to going to that so-called hobby club.

Even though they had no connection, being from the same Shaolong region, the group still looked forward to Pei Ye's appearance when they saw the name on the sign. They discussed these powerful opponents and anxiously hoped to see how the young man would perform when facing them.

It's hard to say where the motivation came from. Perhaps it was the pride that "Shaolong Peiye" made it to the top, or perhaps it was the unforgettable feeling of being "humiliated and crushed" that day, and the group wanted to retaliate and show these famous sects what they were made of.

In short, the group kept an eye on the matches, watching as they got closer and closer to that name.

Qi Mengchen looked at the girl in blue sitting at the end of the table: "Has Sect Leader Li seen Young Master Pei recently? What did he say?"

Li Piaoqing, who was lost in thought with her chin in her hand, turned her head and smiled slightly: "I only met him once at the last Illusionary Tower Banquet, we exchanged a few words, but we didn't talk about this... But I think knowing his personality, he shouldn't be nervous. If he doesn't want to fight, he won't care, and if he does want to fight, he'll put in a lot of effort and fight well."

Nan Guannu turned around and agreed, while Cui Zijie and Su Xingke remained silent, staring intently at the stage.

Yan Feiqing and Shang Yunning went up.

Shang Yun Ning is the most typical type of person who is not often seen in the martial arts world, but is considered formidable by everyone who talks about her.

Some people have reached the top twenty at their peak, while others have not yet unleashed their full potential and are currently ranked outside the top ten.

Yang Zhenbing and Shang Yunning are such people.

The most talented junior brother of Tianshan this generation, with the most advanced path in sword cultivation, was already famous before he left the mountain to travel the world. He is three years older than Yang Zhenbing, and this year's Feather Scale Trial should be the time for him to exert his strength.

"The Chang'an Sword Chronicles," "The Divine Capital Gazette," "The Daily News of the Hundred Workshops"... even the storytellers in teahouses and restaurants had already analyzed the situation of each contestant clearly. Everyone knew that Shang Yun Ning's performance was one of the highlights of this year's competition.

This was especially true after he faced Yan Feiqing.

After winning the title of Southern Sword Master and bringing glory to the Tang Dynasty, he remained out of the public eye for a long time, letting expectations turn into resentment, which later all fell back on the young man at the Winter Sword Platform.

But new love is new love, and old love is old love. As soon as the name Yan Feiqing appeared, adults and children buying candied hawthorns on the outskirts couldn't help but cast their gazes at him from afar.

A refined and handsome figure, Yan Feiqing is a Taoist, but completely the opposite of Wang Jiuqiao. Clean, calm, and ethereal, she is more like a seed of immortality.

Indeed, this is true. When it comes to the successor of Wang Jiuqiao, the Taoist master, Yan Feiqing is often the first name that comes to mind.

However, he hasn't made a move in a long time, and his ranking on the ranking list is about to drop out of the top ten.

Although he is only twenty years old this year.

Two swordsmen, ranked next to each other, of similar age, and carrying the same expectations, stood together.

Shang Yun Ning, holding her sword, bowed and said, "Master Yan, please enlighten me."

Yan Feiqing returned the greeting casually without saying a word.

Yang Zhenbing looked at him, tilting her head: "Who do you think will win?"

Pei Ye thought for a moment: "Shang Yun Ning is very strong. We played swordsmanship at the Illusionary Pavilion Banquet. As for Yan Fei Qing... he refuses to practice with me, so who knows?"

Yang Zhenbing nodded: "He doesn't practice with me. He just sits in his chair reading all day. His swordsmanship must have gotten rusty."

Yan Feiqing, of course, couldn't hear the whispers of his two fellow students; he drew his sword.

With a single chime, Shang Yunning drew his sword.

Yan Feiqing accepted the sword.

The confrontation between the two no longer resulted in an unexpected and swift victory. Just as Yan Feiqing was skilled in the Qingwei Sword, Shang Yunning was just as skilled in the Tianshan Sword.

The Tianshan swordsmanship system is generally more profound and extensive than the Qingwei swordsmanship system, but Shang Yunning learned it with extreme humility. As early as the age of fifteen, he was able to learn the highest level, the "Mu Wang Sword," but he diligently practiced the "Five Peaks Sword" for five years.

To outsiders, this behavior is a genius's eccentric act, and those who look down on it criticize it as pretentious. But for Shang Yun Ning, it's very simple: since she doesn't understand it, she'll keep trying to figure it out.

However, when it comes to a sword like the Five Peaks Sword, he can see more and more fundamental issues than others.

When Ming Qitian asked about swordsmanship at Tianshan, he specifically sought his advice on the Five Peaks Sword Technique.

He only learned the "Eight Steeds Sword" in the past year, and he only spent a month learning the "King Mu Sword" this April because he was going to go down the mountain to fight the Feather Scale Trial.

Ye Wohan called her "the one who will grasp the Tianshan sword lineage," which was no exaggeration. Almost as soon as she got her hands on it, Shang Yunning reached an extremely high level in this sword technique without any obstacles, as if she had been learning it for countless years.

Of course, he later faced even more profound and complex problems, and his usually calm face was often filled with distress, but no one could truly understand his feelings.

Shang Yun Ning's sword is that powerful.

He was almost completely different from the one at the Illusionary Pavilion Banquet. Back then, it wasn't that he was holding back, but rather that he knew Pei Ye wasn't going all out either. Now, his strength seemed to have entered another realm.

There are no shortcuts; true strength comes from the fundamental skills in every move.

While others can see three steps ahead, he can see five; while others can make ten sword movements, he can make fifty; each sword move is both a continuation of the previous one and a response to the present moment, as well as a prelude to the fifth or fifteenth sword move to come.

His understanding of swordsmanship has reached a profound level, far surpassing the realm of pulse cultivation. Many Xuanmen swordsmen cannot even understand his sword strikes.

But Yan Feiqing understood everything.

As always, he remained calm and indifferent, his eyes lazy. With a clean sword, he caught Shang Yunning's barrage of sword strikes. Pei Ye couldn't figure out when Shang Yunning had laid the groundwork. If he were present, he would have had to rely on his intuition and reaction. But Yan Feiqing's sword had no flaws whatsoever.

This wasn't the first time Pei Ye had seen Yan Feiqing wield a sword; the last time was when they faced Qiu Tianyu together. Qiu Tianyu used a halberd, so naturally he wouldn't play the game of swordsmanship with them. That time, Yan Feiqing used the "Limitless Self and Other," the sword chapter of "Creation Body," and the "Pure and Subtle Divine Fierce Secret Technique," all of which were deadly moves. Pei Ye admired his prowess in his heart. If it weren't for Yan Feiqing that night, he might have already perished in Xichi.

But he had never truly experienced Yan Feiqing's swordsmanship.

As he arrived in Shenjing and got closer to it, he learned many powerful sword techniques and met many formidable people—some of whom were even his defeated opponents—and the name "Yan Feiqing," which he had admired since childhood, gradually lost its luster.

In reality, he was only ninth on the list.

He lies on a chair under the tree every day, like a pretty ornament. Yang Zhenbing brings him his meals, and he has to sweep the yard himself. He doesn't practice swordsmanship when invited to do so. He can't do anything except order people around.

But the moment he picked up his sword and stood on the platform, Pei Ye seemed to suddenly see him in a new light.

His previous victory over Chu Shuiting was insignificant.

Now that he has fought with Shang Yun Ning, the sword in his hand has awakened for the first time.

It wasn't from any particular sword technique that he sensed it, but rather the sword feeling buried within his body began to buzz, excited and trembling, as if he were facing an invincible opponent... In this year's Feather Scale Trial, no one had given him this feeling.

Pei Ye stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly said, "We won."

Yang Zhenbing turned around: "What?"

The outcome on stage has been decided.

Yan Feiqing's longsword struck Shang Yunning's chest.

He did not break through Shang Yun Ning's continuous sword strikes; he merely overwhelmed her. In this 174-round battle, there was no scheming or flashes of inspiration, only direct and deeper mastery.

In terms of pure swordsmanship, this was clearly the most solid and profound match of the year, with each move being worthy of inclusion in the Dao Qi Society as a teaching example.

Yan Feiqing sheathed his sword, cutting off Shang Yun Ning's path to continue upwards.

Yan Feiqing sat back down and glanced at the two of them indifferently. Pei Ye and Yang Zhenbing both tacitly avoided looking at him.

Next up are He Yaoyao and Ji Zhuowu.

This match was equally uneventful; the graceful and polite woman calmly and unhurriedly defeated the chief of the Kongtong sect.

This match didn't seem overwhelming at all; both sides went back and forth without any tension. But a little thought reveals that Ji Zhuowu's swordsmanship was definitely not gentle, which explains He Yaoyao's restrained and polite demeanor.

Thus, the competition was led to its conclusion under He Yaoyao's careful guidance.

He Yaoyao walked down with her back straight, and the huge name on the stage was changed to the final match of the sixteen to eight round: [Pei Ye] and [Yu Qing].

The voice from the Immortal Platform echoed throughout the Winter Sword Platform: "Eighth round, Pei Ye, yes, Yu Qing from Yunlang Mountain."

Before either of them even stepped onto the stage, the noise around the Winter Sword Platform had already subsided considerably.

A figure rose from beneath the seat, placed the cat on the seat, and walked down, sword in hand.

Yu Qingze had been waiting below the stage, and now he stepped onto the sword platform first.

Today, it would be impossible for anyone not to have heard of the name "Pei Ye".

Upon closer reflection, it wasn't Yong Ji who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, but Pei Ye.

Yong Ji had never been to Shenjing, but people already knew that the Prince of Yan had a son. This young man, however, had been leaving the name "Pei Ye" in Shenjing since the turn of autumn last year, appearing and disappearing in a fleeting manner.

His name stands out even more in the current Feather Scale Trial, appearing all alone and quite out of place among the disciples of various prestigious sects.

As for just how strong Pei Ye really is, the articles in various official gazettes have already covered it to death. To this day, the most verifiable achievement is still that last winter, in front of everyone, he broke Li Zhi's [Tianlin Yi] with a single sword strike.

However, it's hard to say for sure, because just how strong Li Zhi's [Tianlin Yi] really is is a very profound question.

Some say it allows the Fourth Prince to connect with the will of Heaven, to know everything he sees, and to observe even the smallest details; wherever he stands, Heaven and Earth serve him. But if that's the case, people can't help but ask, wouldn't that make the Fourth Prince invincible?

The answer was that he was indeed invincible within the same realm.

So people said, how did Pei Ye win? If Pei Ye can even beat the invincible, then isn't he truly invincible? Wouldn't even Tianmu be no match for him?
This conclusion is too far-fetched. Even those who believe Pei Ye is very strong would not dare to say such a thing. Since the various sword reports could not explain it, they could only give vague answers.

Therefore, the young man was always shrouded in mystery. If he had a sect or lineage, one could deduce his cultivation system and define its scope. However, he had no sect or lineage, nor any background, so no one knew what he was capable of.

So people knew he must be strong, but no one dared to say exactly how strong he was.

The results of the sword sparring at the Illusion Pavilion Banquet a few days ago have been circulating. His victory over nineteen people was truly astonishing and became the most talked-about news in the capital that day. However, his loss to Luwei and Pinghe Yaoyao was reassuring – these two were already considered to be a level above the other seven, which seemed to finally define the level of his swordsmanship.

Based on this level, he is most likely no match for Yu Qing.

Aside from Tianmu, the last one from Yunlang Mountain is also the strongest.

Of the nineteen people, four occupied the top spots, and three have already left the stage. Although Mei Jianxi failed to break through the world in Li Zhi's eyes, after Yu Qing's sword broke through half of Chen Quan's Youdu yesterday, he has been placed on the same level as Tianmu.

It seems to be slightly weaker than Deer Tail, but slightly stronger than Crane's Tail.

Pei Ye stepped onto the sword platform and subconsciously gripped the sword at his waist.

He was indeed no longer nervous in front of people, but the seating area, built on all four sides, was indeed like several city walls, high up, with countless eyes looking down. No matter which way he looked, there were people everywhere.

But this platform is incredibly flat and wide.

Pei Ye thought to himself, "Yes, who wouldn't want to use their best swordsmanship in such a place and defeat their opponent under the gaze of hundreds of thousands of eyes?"
The vast crowds in your field of vision are cheering for you.

Previously, he had even thought that Yu Lin would just try it out casually, and if he lost, so be it, and then he would go to the martial arts competition later.

How could I possibly want to lose in such a situation? So many eyes are fixed on me, and among them are so many familiar faces. And whose sword do you carry?

Pei Ye drew his sword, thinking it was understandable, because he had valued Yong Ji too much back then.

His eyes couldn't see anything else; no matter which way he thought, he was determined to defeat the man in black, so much so that he was unwilling to put in much effort or reveal any of his techniques during the Feather Scale Trial.

But in fact, the two things may not be related.

Pei Ye stood still, raised his hand in a fist salute, and his voice carried far and wide: "Feng Huai, Pei Ye. I would like to learn from you."

This was indeed his first true test.

(End of this chapter)