Star Martial Soaring Cloud

As a swordsman, Hua Zhijun naturally knew the level Wang Xiao was currently at. It was precisely because he understood the mystery and rarity of this level that Wang Xiao had completely lost his fighting spirit.

This blow came from the deepest part of his heart, so suddenly that it completely shattered his mind in an instant.

Controlling a sword with your hand is merely the lowest level of swordsmanship; to reach the highest level of unity between man and sword, one must first comprehend the true meaning of controlling the sword with one's mind.

Throughout history, countless swordsmen have dreamed of reaching the realm of controlling the sword with their hearts, but very few have succeeded.

This level of understanding has nothing to do with the depth of one's cultivation; it depends entirely on personal fortune and comprehension of the sword—and this directly determines the upper limit of a swordsman's future achievements.

If controlling a sword with your hand allows you to apply 20% of your power to the target, then controlling a sword with your mind can increase the power conversion rate to 60%.

Only by mastering this level of understanding can one achieve a 100% precise output of power on the path of future cultivation, without wasting a single bit of vital energy.

At this moment, Wang Xiao had entered the profound realm of controlling the sword with his mind. The sword strikes he unleashed were no longer as fierce and terrifying as before, nor did they spread with terrifying energy fluctuations. Instead, they exuded an infinite beauty of returning to simplicity, which was intoxicating.

But it is precisely this seemingly gentle sword move that has increased its lethality several times over compared to before.

Previously, the ground struck by his sword energy would crack with a grotesque fissure the width of an index finger; now, only thin lines like the blade remain, and without careful observation, one might mistakenly believe that his sword energy had completely missed its mark.

But these slender seams actually reached several feet deep into the ground, their destructive power hidden invisibly. The giant tree that was unintentionally struck by his sword energy appeared to be undamaged on the surface, but in less than a breath, the giant tree snapped in two with a crash, the cross-section as smooth as a mirror.

With each swing of Wang Xiao's sword, the power was contained and not released, greatly reducing the damage to the surrounding environment, but elevating the control of power to a whole new level.

For martial artists in a duel, the most fatal blow is witnessing their enemy break through before their very eyes—Hua Zhijun's mind gradually became blurred, and his spirit began to deteriorate.

In this state of profound understanding, Wang Xiao's cultivation level rose to another level, successfully entering the Lesser Completion stage of the Fish Leap!

Suddenly, a thunderclap ripped through the night sky, and Wang Xiao's sword style changed accordingly. His swordsmanship suddenly became powerful and imposing, with unparalleled ferocity in his horizontal and vertical slashes. The long sword in his hand seemed to have transformed into a heavy blade or a giant club.

His swordsmanship became increasingly fluid, truly achieving the ability to move the sword at will, and a brilliant curtain of light spread outwards from him.

When a thin line of blood appeared in the center of Hua Zhijun's brow, this thrilling final battle finally came to an end.

As dawn broke and the sky cleared, golden rays of light emanated from the eastern horizon.

A hazy mist rises from the mountains and forests due to the thick moisture, and the bright red sun bursts forth, making the morning dew, tender grass, and bright flower petals shimmer with a fresh and lively luster.

Amidst the swirling mist, faint specks of crimson could be seen, and a lingering, pungent smell of blood assaulted the senses.

As the sun gradually rose higher, the thick fog was completely dispelled, leaving behind a clear world.

The trial cultivators who rushed over witnessed a scene they would never forget: corpses littered the ground, blood and rainwater mingled into red pools, and Wang Xiao's figure had vanished without a trace.

A night of heavy rain washed away the myriad vanities of the world and cleansed away the remaining blood and violence between heaven and earth.

Some people were given a respite by the rain, while others were plunged into despair.

Anger, curses, oaths, murderous intent, chill... all sorts of negative emotions intertwined and erupted in the forest, turning this once clear and peaceful place into a noisy mess.

The remaining members of the Hua family were pale-faced, and a sense of foreboding rose in their hearts—it seemed that they had really shot themselves in the foot and provoked someone they shouldn't have.

But there's no going back in this world, no turning back. If you take the wrong path or do the wrong thing, you have to bear the heavy price that comes with it.

The Hua family had no other choice but to continue their relentless pursuit of revenge. Young Master Lianhua immediately ordered that no expense be spared, and that all available resources be used to kill Wang Xiao. This time, they were truly afraid.

The Hua family sent out hunting dogs with keen sense of smell and released well-trained falcons, but all their efforts were in vain.

A heavy rain completely disrupted their tracking plan, and the heavy price they paid for underestimating the enemy was even more unbearable for them—all traces left by Wang Xiao had long been washed away by the rain.

Previously, they could roughly guess Wang Xiao's activity area and conduct investigations and tracking one by one; now, they have no idea where Wang Xiao is.

Searching for a person in the vast mountains is no different from finding a needle in a haystack.

If Wang Xiao's difficulty in dealing with them exceeded their expectations, then at this moment, they truly realized the seriousness of the problem.

From the sword marks left by Wang Xiao, they finally understood just how terrifying their enemy was.

They had already discovered that Wang Xiao had reached a higher level of swordsmanship. They were certain that no one in the entire Hua family could achieve such restrained sword energy and momentum.

This potential cannot be compensated for by mere cultivation level. And their enemy is so young; if he is allowed to grow unchecked, what a bright future awaits him! What price will the family pay for this? The Hua family dared not think too deeply about it, and could only relentlessly pursue Wang Xiao.

The Hua family wasn't the only ones worried. Even those hiding behind the scenes, who believed they were in control, couldn't help but start to panic.

After listening to his subordinate's detailed report, the man fell into deep thought for a long time before finally uttering, "That's quite unexpected!"

The many trial participants remained silent. Thanks to the Hua family's deliberate cover-up, they had no way of knowing that all the dead were members of the Hua family.

Amidst a mix of shock, astonishment, and fear, everyone understood that silence was the best option at that moment.

Those who were previously excited by the generous rewards have gradually calmed down and begun to think and back down—perhaps they have come to realize the cruel reality, or perhaps they have finally understood the preciousness of life.

When everyone recovered from their shock, the entire Lishan area and even the city of Lishan were in an uproar.

Everyone was in a state of fear, regarding Wang Xiao as a ruthless killer, and no one dared to participate in the Lishan Trial anymore, let alone hunt him down for the reward.

Faced with the threat of blood and death, everyone finally realized the preciousness of life and retreated. Wang Xiao's record was too terrifying; in the eyes of most of the trial participants, he had become a bloodthirsty demon.

Despite their fear, everyone was also filled with curiosity about Wang Xiao.

All the conversations revolved around Wang Xiao; they were eager to know everything about this young man.

Aside from knowing that he had participated in high-stakes gambling in Zhongyun City, people could only speculate about his background and sect based on their imagination.

Some people know that he may come from the Seven Stars, but no one dares to say it.

The words "Seven Stars" are too dazzling and too heavy. All the myriad storms and changes in the land of Kyushu seem insignificant and as light as dust in front of these two words.

The saying "public opinion can be a fearsome thing" was perfectly exemplified at this moment. Just like that, Wang Xiao became a ruthless killer, a rat that everyone wanted to beat.

In an instant, all the blame was directed at Wang Xiao. Fearing Wang Xiao's attack but powerless to resist, the crowd turned their anger towards the Xuanyuan family, demanding an explanation and a reasonable and satisfactory response from them.

Such is human nature: when one is powerless, one can always righteously demand that others take responsibility.

The riot by numerous cultivators put immense pressure on the Xuanyuan family. To stabilize the situation, the Xuanyuan family stepped forward once again, first trying their best to appease the anxiety of the trial participants, and then promising to send Xuanyuan family knights to protect everyone's safety and to pursue Wang Xiao with all their might.

This move has caused the controversy surrounding Wang Xiao to reach new heights.

"What do you think this serial killer is trying to do?"

"This is terrifying! I can't believe he's so young! Could he become the next Song Qing?"

"Yes, if we don't find a way to get rid of him now, who knows how many more people will die tragically under his sword!" Amidst the various opinions, Wang Xiao was described as increasingly terrifying and bloodthirsty, and some indigenous residents of Lishan even used him to scare disobedient children.

While everyone was still shocked and terrified by his deeds, Wang Xiao had already met up with Kung Pao Chicken and discussed their next plan.

"Wow! Kid, I'm awesome, right? This time..." As soon as Kung Pao Chicken saw Wang Xiao, he couldn't wait to boast about himself.

"How's the investigation going with what I asked you to do?" Wang Xiao interrupted it directly.

"Kid, what kind of attitude is this? Is this how you treat your benefactor?" Kung Pao Chicken rolled his eyes, feigning anger, after being ignored.

"Alright, I know protecting rare animals is everyone's responsibility. Just tell me." Wang Xiao said calmly.

"A phoenix can be killed but not humiliated! Besides, I am the fighting rooster among phoenixes! Today I'll fight you to the death!" Kung Pao Chicken shouted, its neck stiff.

But when Wang Xiao took out a roasted pheasant that was golden brown and dripping with oil, Kung Pao Chicken's eyes widened instantly, his mouth watered, and his tone immediately became spineless: "What did I just say? Oh right, I'm going to fight those guys from the Hua family! The only way to leave here is through Lishan City."

Wang Xiao tossed the roast chicken to the Kung Pao Chicken and muttered to himself, "I can't escape it... It seems I have no choice but to find a way to clear my name."