I am a female swordsman.

"Master has been slaying evil monsters everywhere for the sake of heroism, and he also mentions Miss Mado to us, urging us to learn from you." Iaian, who readily agreed with the advice, sat down. His words were clearly flattery of Yomi.

Upon hearing this, Sakura Yomi adjusted her black-rimmed glasses and smiled without saying a word.

The atmosphere became slightly awkward for a moment. Sakura Yomi's subtle smile seemed to see right through Iai-an, containing a strange and profound meaning. Only after the awkward atmosphere dissipated did she change the subject.

"You're a contestant too?"

"Yes, my master ordered me to participate in this tournament. My swordsmanship is too powerful but lacks agility, and I need to broaden my horizons." Iai-an is also a participant in this martial arts tournament; simply put, he plans to use this tournament to make a name for himself. He has also followed Kamikaze to become a professional hero, which is exactly the time when he needs fame.

The visit to the Yellow Springs was partly due to a chance encounter, and partly, of course, to gather intelligence on the enemy.

Iaian had witnessed Mado Yomi's swordsmanship style before. Before the monster impact, he had sparred with the current head of the Scattered Cherry Blossom Sword Style. To be honest, in Iaian's opinion, the Scattered Cherry Blossom Sword Style had long since lost its true essence and was practically extinct from the martial arts world.

But now, suddenly, the withered tree has come back to life, bursting forth with incredible vitality. This is truly...

"I'm really looking forward to playing against you."

Sakura Yomi's previously unremarkable gaze suddenly turned fiercely competitive, like a fleeting, gorgeous, and tragically beautiful sword light! Her plain and simple face shone with an irresistible charm. Iai-an was captivated by Sakura Yomi's aura, which was as beautiful as a flower and as cruel as a thorn. Her solitary wandering spirit amidst the white blades was so magnificent and free!

Chapter Seventy-Five Preliminary Round

"No……"

After Iai-an left, Sakura Yomi took another good look at the list of participants. Because she had taken away the qualification for the competition, a certain [Water Flow Rock Smashing Fist] was not among the participants, which meant that Garou had not come to participate in this martial arts tournament, which made Sakura Yomi feel a little disappointed.

To be able to escape the near-death sword intent infection at such a weak stage through sheer willpower.

They must have some extraordinary abilities.

"It doesn't matter. No matter what method I use, I'll recognize you as long as you're standing in the ring."

With a gentle smile, the elegant swordswoman removed her black-rimmed glasses. Her radiant face was even more beautiful and stunning without the glasses, and her soft smile seemed to express heartfelt gratitude.

Living so authentically!

She would never give up the chance to be reborn, and would instead use and scheme against each other before completely falling out with Huang Quan. Once things completely break down, Huang Quan would definitely take this body without any mercy!

"Ladies and gentlemen! We've kept you waiting! The 21st World's Number One Martial Arts Tournament is now officially beginning!!" Accompanied by the excited shouts of the host in a suit, martial artists walked out of the dark passageway toward the brightly lit venue.

A powerful aura, seemingly about to ignite, clashed back and forth in the pitch-black passage!

Swordsmen, boxers, and other martial artists gathered together!

Sakura Yomi, mingling among the many contestants, put her black-rimmed glasses back on. Her gentle, elegant smile, coupled with her slender and graceful figure, made her look less like a contestant and more like an accompanying staff member. The host introduced the contestants' basic information and fighting styles to the audience one by one. Those with good looks naturally garnered a lot of cheers, while those martial artists who had neither fame nor good looks received noticeably less enthusiastic applause.

Even when the successor of the "Scattered Cherry Blossom Sword Style," Yomi Mado, was introduced, some audience members sighed, feeling that such a gentle woman should not be standing on the stage.

Throughout the process, Sakura Yomi remained composed, and she even smiled and greeted Iai-an.

'They're so weak! They're so weak!'

Beneath that exceptionally gentle and intoxicating smile lay a surging, intense fighting spirit! Like a demon crawling out from the deepest depths of a blood-soaked hell, it grinned wildly at the brightly lit world! Sakura Yomi was almost bursting with rage; there were practically no one in the entire venue who could make her take anything seriously!!

"...The contestants have now been introduced. The competition officially begins!!!"

The deafening roar that erupted instantly was like a tsunami soaring into the sky! The most primal desire for a brutal, visceral experience, the intense, boiling emotions, were poured out without reservation! Even the most timid person, under such emotional resonance, would become a fierce man daring to throw a punch!

The first match.

【Scattered Cherry Blossom Sword Style】VS 【Demon Fighting Fist】

"Wow, the first match is already so exciting! A beautiful female martial artist and a strong male martial artist are going head-to-head! Mr. Haojie, as a martial artist yourself, what are your thoughts on the first match?" The host watched the competition with great excitement, while also trying to liven up the atmosphere and give the special guest, Haojie, a chance to say a few words.

On a solid brick stage about half the size of a football field, the two contestants were extremely far apart.

On one side was an elegant woman who didn't even carry a sword, and on the other side was a muscular man with bulging muscles like a red demon. Judging from appearances alone, no one would think that the [Scattered Cherry Blossom Sword Style] had any chance of winning. After all, martial arts is a form of unrestricted combat, and weight is still a very important criterion for judgment.

"You'll regret underestimating that woman." Sitting in the guest seats, the winner of the first World Martial Arts Tournament, Hao Jie, felt a strange unease from his martial arts instincts when he saw Sakura Yomi's exceptionally bright and gentle smile.

In contrast, the other side didn't have that feeling.

Hero didn't explain it very clearly either, because a martial artist's intuition is not something that can be explained. It's better to just mention it casually, and when the result is clear, his words will seem more prophetic.

"Hey little girl, where's your sword?"

He deliberately showed off his lean, muscular physique with a shout towards Huang Quan.

'What great luck! To encounter such a delicate woman in the very first match. Hehehe, winning the first match will save me a lot of energy for facing the monsters later.'

"sword?"

Sakura Yomi seemed to just realize that she hadn't drawn her sword, and scratched her head in exasperation. This was the effect of Yomi never drawing her sword; Sakura Yomi had unknowingly been influenced by some of Yomi's behavioral principles.

"Forgot your sword? Haha! Sorry, little girl, I won't show you any mercy, because from the moment I stepped onto the arena, you became my enemy!"

Like a roaring crimson Vajra!

[Demon Fighting Fist] Sneaks forward at lightning speed while grinning maliciously, creating gusts of fierce wind relative to Sakura Yomi's massive body! The huge fist that was swung out fiercely was aimed at Sakura Yomi's head without any mercy!

"Die!!"

call!

With an excited, ferocious grin, Oni Touken's forehead beaded with sweat. His straight, pounding fist, like a pile driver, exuded a terrifying, oppressive force! Even a layman who knew nothing of martial arts could feel the unadorned power contained within that punch. And the target of that punch, Sakura Yomi, raised her hand.

Clap hands together, and then...

We passed each other by!

While the joy of victory still lingered on [Oni Touken's] face, his vision was plunged into terrifying darkness. From the outside perspective, it appeared that the instant [Oni Touken] approached Sakura Yomi, the moment his massive body obscured her, he inexplicably collapsed to the ground.

It was like a joke, or rather, a drill.

There was no shocking, impactful blow as expected. The entire arena fell silent as everyone awaited an explanation.

"He's down! He's fallen! Mr. Onito, the successor of the [Onitoken] style, has fallen in a single move! What happened?! What just happened?! Could it be that in that instant when we couldn't see it, Ms. Mado, the successor of the [Sakura Kenryu] style, used a technique we couldn't detect?!"

The host was equally surprised and voiced his doubts aloud. These doubts were shared by everyone present.

What exactly did that woman, so graceful and charming, do standing on the ring?

"So that's how it is, she cut off the supply." Haojie, who was also somewhat puzzled, suddenly revealed a playful smile. That was truly a brilliant and decisive strike.

Chapter Seventy-Six: Cutting Off the Supply

"Cut off the supply?"

This was clearly a term used exclusively in the martial arts world. The host's face stiffened, and he could only quickly cast a pleading look at Haojie.

"That's right. Before martial arts training reaches the level of fetal breathing, the human body can only rely on the oxygen provided by respiration. In martial arts, there are specific interception techniques to counter attacks." Haojie's explanation was very simple and easy to understand, and at that moment, a battle replay appeared on the large screen.

That instant!

With minimal body movement, Sakura Yomi dodged Kito's straight punch by sidestepping, simultaneously placing her hand in a precise chop to Kito's throat. Kito, charging forward at full speed, was unable to stop and could only watch helplessly as his delicate throat and trachea collided directly with Sakura Yomi's chop.

"Wow, that's amazing!"

The host couldn't help but stand up as he watched the slow-motion replay; the movements were exquisite yet daring. In essence, it was a lightning-fast flash followed by a swift, decisive strike, but the fact that it happened in an instant made it all the more breathtaking.

"It's very powerful; even a regular cutting attack is dangerous. If the power isn't controlled properly, it can instantly become a killing technique." Smash the throat, cause cardiac arrest, or apply a blocking force to the carotid artery. A woman as confident as Haojie can easily conjure up many killing techniques that could result from poorly controlled cutting forces.

If one is not absolutely confident, one would not resort to an attack method such as cutting off supplies.

Insufficient force will not achieve the desired effect, while excessive force will be fatal. Although female martial artists are naturally more refined in their techniques and may even surpass male martial artists, the technique of cutting off the opponent's body is not merely a simple skill, but requires countless hours of practice and solid striking to achieve such a level of control over the human body.

In other words...

Standing on the arena now, this unremarkable black-haired, red-eyed girl, beneath her gentle and lovely appearance, is actually a stairway to the throne paved with countless white bones!

"The victor is truly deserving: [Scattered Cherry Blossom Sword Style] Mado Yomi!!"

After the replay and the commentary from the guests, the audience naturally understood the ingenious and daring maneuver and generously offered their enthusiastic applause to the victor on the stage.

As for those who are eliminated, no one will pay much attention to them anymore.

This arena is so cruel and real; the winner takes everything, and the loser loses everything. Sakura Yomi thoroughly enjoyed the cheers and whistles from the audience. She closed her eyes and became completely immersed, as if she had returned to the moment in her previous life when she first stepped onto the Xu Zu arena and defeated the general.

But the difference is this time! Her body is perfectly healthy!! She has never been stronger than before! Not only will she return to the peak of her previous life's Flying Flowers Chasing the Moon, but she will also go further to reach that unknowable realm that countless swordsmen admire!

………………

"Ms. Mado is indeed amazing."

Sakura Yomi, who had just stepped off the stage amidst applause, heard Iaian's voice. He had witnessed Sakura Yomi's entire performance from the sidelines. Although it was a pity that he still didn't see Mado Yomi draw her sword, the exquisite control she displayed was enough to impress Iaian.

"Thank you for the compliment."

"Then I'll be going on stage in a little while." The next written test is a duel between Iai-an and another martial artist, and he is ready to give it his all.

"Ten seconds."

"...Ms. Mado?"

Sakura Yomi didn't say much, only smiling as she looked at Iai-an, whose gaze was slightly lowered. When people are angry, some subtle expressions are hard to hide, and Iai-an's hand gripping his sword and his downturned eyes revealed his true emotion: anger.

I was humiliated and ridiculed.

After all, it was the world's number one martial arts tournament, a gathering of outstanding new talents. It was perfectly normal for them to dislike each other and exchange sarcastic remarks. Sakura Yomi didn't know anyone in this circle, thus avoiding some verbal disputes. Iai-an, on the other hand, was different. As a disciple of the swordsman Kamikaze, he was undoubtedly knowledgeable and experienced.

Because of his status as a professional hero, he was looked down upon by some martial artists.

Currently in the martial arts world, there's a saying that some young martial artists become professional heroes by escaping from a fiercely competitive circle to a more relaxed one. Undeniably, some young martial artists with insufficient skill do this, which is why Iaian couldn't directly confront his opponents' taunts.

But fortunately, his chance for revenge is coming soon. His next opponent is a rude and disrespectful person!

"I'll be waiting for your challenge in the finals." Sakura Yomi had no interest in inquiring about these personal grudges. Her personality was the most free and unrestrained. If she couldn't stand someone, she would slash them with her sword. If she liked someone, she would raise a glass and laugh it off, letting bygones be bygones. She roamed the world freely and unrestrained.

To say directly that you'll wait for someone else in the finals is an act of extreme arrogance.

Sakura Yomi's arrogant words actually made Iaian feel a little ashamed. Although he never doubted his own strength, he was still impressed by her ability to say it so openly and without any regard for the opinions of others.

Juhe'an could only say that his own spiritual practice was still insufficient.

Seeing that Sakura Yomi did not linger and walked into the venue, Iai-an subconsciously frowned.

"Ms. Mado, aren't you going to watch the rest of the matches?" Martial arts duels are invaluable, especially those involving all-out effort. One can learn a great deal from such matches, exchanging knowledge and improving one's own martial arts skills.

The experience of watching it live is naturally the best.

Sakura Yomi's current dismissive attitude is giving Iaian a chill down his spine.

"I have no interest in juggling."

Speaks with unparalleled arrogance in a gentle tone, and then disappears from Iaian's sight. Completely stunned by her wildly unrestrained words, Iaian doesn't see Sakura Yomi as arrogant; instead, he senses in her an absolute confidence in the sword she wields!