Wandering Swordsman |

Third match: Kunlun Qin Yi versus Diancang Jiang Yunfei

Both were masters of swordsmanship, but their styles were quite different. Qin Yi used the Kunlun "Mountain-Breaking Saber," which was powerful and imposing, with each move carrying the wind; Jiang Yunfei, on the other hand, was skilled in the Diancang "Eighteen Dragon Slashes," whose swordsmanship was flexible and unpredictable, like a dragon soaring across the four seas.

The battle began with a head-on clash, swords flashing, wood chips flying, and the arena floor cracking in several places. The audience was thrilled, erupting in cheers from time to time.

Ultimately, Jiang Yunfei gained a slight advantage and won the victory thanks to his faster reaction and more exquisite footwork.

The third and fourth battles then continued...

The various sect leaders below the arena displayed a range of expressions. Zhang Taixuan wore a gratified look, nodding frequently, especially pleased with the performances of his disciples Zhang Ye and Lin Wan'er. He whispered to Zhang Zhenren beside him, "Junior brother, look at these young people. The future of the martial arts world rests on their shoulders."

Master Zhang smiled and nodded, but his gaze remained fixed on Zhang Ye.

On the other side, Li Chengyan, the head of the Huashan Sect, frowned slightly and whispered to the Huashan elder beside him, "Although Zhang Lingfeng lost, Zhang Ye's martial arts seem to be beyond the realm of ordinary... Could it be that Wudang has encountered some extraordinary event again?"

Shen Mo stood to one side of the arena, his gaze sweeping indifferently over the martial arts competition among the disciples from various sects. Although these young rising stars displayed remarkable strength and skill, to Shen Mo, who had already reached a profound level, it all seemed like mere child's play. He felt a slight disappointment, and his thoughts drifted involuntarily into the distance.

Suddenly, the commotion in the crowd interrupted his thoughts. Zhou Xinlian of the Emei Sect slowly walked onto the arena. Dressed in pristine white, she held a long sword, her dignified beauty exuding an aura of unapproachability. However, her opponent was not the Diancang Sect disciple originally chosen by the draw, but a complete stranger—another Diancang Sect disciple.

When Zhou Xinlian saw this disciple, a hint of disgust flashed between her brows, clearly indicating some unpleasant past between them. The Diancang disciple, on the other hand, wore a smug smile, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling light.

"Gentlemen," the Diancang disciple announced loudly, "my junior brother, who was originally supposed to be on stage, has suddenly fallen ill and is unable to participate in the competition. Therefore, I will be fighting in his place." His tone seemed respectful, but the wicked smile at the corner of his mouth revealed his inner elation. He seemed unusually excited to be able to stand on the same stage as Zhou Xinlian and compete.

Below the arena, the audience whispered and discussed amongst themselves. Some felt this was a rare opportunity, while others suspected there might be something else going on. Shen Mo, however, kept his gaze fixed on the Diancang disciple, keenly sensing a malicious intent hidden in the other's eyes.

As the drums sounded, the duel officially began. Initially, the Diancang disciple performed reasonably well, his moves steady and his offense and defense orderly. However, as time went on, Shen Mo gradually noticed something amiss. He discovered that Zhou Xinlian's breathing was becoming increasingly chaotic, and her internal energy circulation seemed to be interfered with in some way. Only someone with extremely high cultivation like Shen Mo could perceive this subtle change; the leaders of other sects might not have noticed it, and even Zhou Xinlian herself might not have realized it yet.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before Zhou Xinlian's brows furrowed. She felt an invisible force disrupting the flow of her internal energy. Every swing of her sword, every dodge, felt more strenuous than usual. Her movements were no longer as fluid and free as before; instead, she gradually found herself on the defensive.

Just then, the Diancang disciple suddenly revealed a wicked smile, his eyes filled with malice: "Junior Sister Zhou, since you are unmoved by my pursuit over the years, then I will let you taste what it's like to lose everything."

Zhou Xinlian's heart skipped a beat. She finally understood that the other party's purpose was not a simple martial arts contest, but to use some means to harm her. She tried to concentrate and stabilize her internal energy, but the invisible interference grew stronger and stronger, making it difficult for her to resist.

"You think you can escape?" The Diancang disciple's voice was twisted with pleasure. "Since I can't have your heart, I'll just destroy you!"

Then, the Diancang disciple gathered all his inner strength at an extremely fast speed and thrust his sword at Zhou Xinlian.

Shen Mo stood below the arena, his gaze grave. He could see that a conspiracy lay hidden behind this match, and Zhou Xinlian was clearly in grave danger. As a bystander, he could have remained indifferent, but he knew that if he didn't intervene in time, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Just as Zhou Xinlian tried to raise her sword to defend herself but lacked the strength, she could only watch helplessly as the sword pierced towards her. At this moment, the Emei Sect Leader's heart tightened, and he immediately used his lightness skill to prepare to jump onto the arena, but the distance was too far, and there was no time to spare.

In this critical moment, Shen Mo, who was standing below the arena, suddenly appeared and leaped onto the stage like a bolt of lightning. His appearance immediately silenced the entire arena, and all eyes were focused on this mysterious young expert.

"Stop!" Shen Mo's voice was deep and powerful, as if carrying an invisible pressure. He stood in front of Zhou Xinlian, directly pinching the sword blade between two fingers to block the attack of the Diancang disciple, and then released the aura of a beast king towards the Diancang disciple.

The atmosphere on the arena was so tense it was almost suffocating. The Diancang Sect disciple felt the powerful aura emanating from Shen Mo, like the aura of some ancient and mysterious beast king, causing him to involuntarily shiver. A flicker of fear crossed his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by anger: "Who are you?!"

Shen Mo gave a cold laugh, his gaze sharp as a knife, staring directly into the other's eyes: "Instead of asking who I am, ask what you're doing! It's just a martial arts sparring match, yet you resort to despicable means, attempting to kill me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Mo raised his right hand slightly, and a powerful gust of air instantly swept across the entire arena. The invisible pressure hit him like a tangible force, making the Diancang disciple feel suffocated. His face turned ashen, his legs went weak, and he could barely stand. He seemed to be nailed to the spot, unable to move.

Shen Mo did not launch any further attacks, but instead said calmly, "Get lost, don't embarrass yourself here."

The Diancang disciple retreated from the arena in a disheveled state, his heart filled with resentment and fear. He knew he was no match for the mysterious young man before him, and he understood that his conspiracy had been completely exposed. The crowd below the arena erupted in enthusiastic applause, cheering for Shen Mo's righteous act and also breathing a sigh of relief for Zhou Xinlian.

Zhou Xinlian looked gratefully at Shen Mo's retreating figure and said softly, "Thank you for saving me, Young Master Shen."

Shen Mo turned around and smiled slightly: "No need to be polite." His voice was calm and gentle, as if everything that had just happened was nothing more than something he had done casually.