I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Biting, chasing... it was quite intense!

Although Katakura Takanobu is already a middle-aged man over forty, he and Kiryu are the same type of monsters—while time has weakened their physique and taken away their youthful vigor, it has also etched glorious marks on them!

Putting aside everything else, his practical experience alone is far richer than that of Shimada Kanichi, Asai Moriyasu, and others.

When to attack, when to defend, when to be aggressive, when to back down... every action he takes is like a concrete manifestation of the word "cautious," making it difficult for Qing Deng to find an opportunity to exploit.

These long-armed creatures are always difficult to deal with.

This wooden spear, several times longer than a bamboo sword, effectively eliminated the difference in strength.

Qing Deng rallied his spirits and did not underestimate his opponent.

Since there is only one opponent left, the "Lone Wolf +3" effect has disappeared.

However, due to the prolonged and intense battle, Qingdeng's other god-level talent—"Born to Fight +9"—was activated instead!

Qingdeng felt a surge of heat throughout his body, his blood was rushing, and he could almost hear the adrenaline pumping in his ears! He didn't feel tired at all; on the contrary, he felt stronger and stronger as the battle progressed!

The two figures engaged in a fierce battle at breakneck speed.

The repeated, fierce shouts shook the air inside the dojo.

The bamboo sword and the wooden spear struck each other with a clear, resonant sound.

"Haaaaaah!"

Katakura Takanobu suddenly lowered his wrists, the tip of his spear touching the ground, and unleashed a "sweeping attack" to ambush Aoto's lower body.

In the blink of an eye, Qing Deng leaped into the air and dodged the attack.

Seeing Qing Deng leap into the air, Katakura Takanobu's eyes flashed with a sharp light.

Leaping in battle—this is a grave taboo!

The earth is the source of human power.

Only by firmly planting one's feet on solid ground can one gain leverage and then perform a series of complex movements.

The so-called "power originates from the ground" is exactly this.

Once you jump into the air, your feet will lose their footing.

At that time, let alone moving, even the most basic dodging will be impossible.

As a seasoned and experienced martial artist, Katakura Takanobu would not let this precious opportunity slip by.

Although Qing Deng's time in the air was only a fleeting moment, it was enough for a martial artist of his level!

He immediately pulled the wooden spear back to his side and then thrust it out again!

"Black snake"... no, it should be called "black dragon"!

The "black dragon" rose from the ground and bit at Qingdeng's body.

Nobutaka Katakura originally thought victory was assured.

Unbeknownst to him... he had fallen right into Qing Deng's trap.

He deliberately jumped into the air to lure the opponent into attacking!

At the critical moment, Qingdeng exerted his strength from his waist and abdomen—activating his talents "Nine Oxen and Two Tigers +3" and "Elephant Core +9"!

With his incredible muscle strength and core power, even without any support, he forcefully swung his bamboo sword, blocking the tip of Katakura Takanobu's spear with the blade!

In the next instant, using his own weight and the potential energy brought by gravity, he slid down with the sword blade close to the shaft of the wooden spear!

Katakura Takanobu stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Unable to dodge in time, he had no choice but to abandon the wooden spear in his hand and dart backward in a somewhat disheveled manner.

Qing Deng's strike missed.

However, his attack was not without effect.

Katakura Takanobu lost his weapon and was left empty-handed.

Looking at Aoto in front of him, Katakura Takanobu gave a bitter smile:

"I lost."

He knew that without weapons, it was impossible for him to defeat Qingdeng.

Rather than doing useless work, it's better to admit defeat readily.

[Ding! Talent detected]

Successfully copied the talent: "Lionheart +4"

[Talent Description: A stronger heart than the average person.]

[Ding! Detected that the host already possesses a talent of the same type]

[Ding! Initiating talent fusion]

[Ding! Talent fusion successful]

[“Heart of the Lion” Ability Upgrade – “Heart of the Lion +5”]

The heroes of the Gourd House are all wiped out!

Qing Deng let out a long breath, then turned to look at Kinoshita Rin in the main seat—who happened to be looking at him as well.

Their eyes met.

"……Wonderful!"

Kinoshita Rin smiled and praised him lavishly.

"Besides 'wonderful,' I really can't think of any other words to describe it!"

“All the elite warriors of my Gourd House have been dispatched and attacked in unison, yet they have no way to defeat you.”

"As expected of Jiulang's last disciple!"

"The name 'Nioh' is truly well-deserved!"

She paused at this point, as if recalling something.

Then, she adopted a quiet, somber tone.

"Your skill, and the way you become so engrossed in battle... reminds me of my great-uncle..."

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PS: Following a reminder from a reader, Leopard has changed Kinoshita Rin's address to Aoto to the more formal and official "Tachibana Yasuki". Please be aware of this.

Chapter 777 The "Hidden Sword Saint" is my relative?! [4600]

—Uncle?

Uncle-grandfather is the grandfather's elder brother.

Kiryu's boss once said that he and Kinoshita Rin have had a friendship of nearly eighty years.

By calculation, Kinoshita Rin is at least eighty or ninety years old, and is of the same generation as Kiryu.

My great-uncle is nearly 100 years old... The time span is enormous! He must be a figure from the last century!

As Qing Deng pondered Kinoshita Rin's words, he thought to himself, half-jokingly:

—Could it be that her great-uncle was also a skilled swordsman who was passionate about fighting?

Who was Kinoshita Rin's great-uncle, and whether he was a highly skilled swordsman, Aoto had no idea.

However, there was one thing he was certain of—Kinoshita Rin was definitely a martial artist! And quite skilled at it!

Although she was dressed in a magnificent long sleeve that was far removed from the image of a "warrior" and she was not carrying any weapons, Qing Deng could clearly sense that she always exuded a majestic and heroic aura!

Whether walking or sitting, every movement she made exuded the agility unique to martial artists.

She must have been a heroic and spirited woman like Sanako when she was young.

"My lord, I am so sorry."

Katakura Takanobu knelt on one knee, his face showing shame.

"We are incompetent and have brought shame upon you."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Asai Moriaki, Makimura Taichi, and the others followed suit.

They knelt down in a large group, heads bowed, begging for forgiveness from Kinoshita Rin.

Upon seeing this, Qing Deng was secretly astonished.

Although he just won with ease, that doesn't mean his opponent was weak.

It's more like the exact opposite – the heroes of the Calabash House are very strong!

It's only because Qingdeng is stronger that this situation of "they seem weak" has been created.

Whether it was their individual skills or their teamwork, the outstanding performance of the Calabash House heroes earned Qing Deng's high praise.

Any one of them could be an outstanding talent capable of serving as a squad leader in the Shinsengumi.

Thinking of this, Qingdeng couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion:

—A gathering of talents… The Calabash House truly has a profound history!

These outstanding martial artists were all completely submissive in front of Kinoshita Rin... This shows that Kinoshita Rin's prestige was exceptionally high!

Kinoshita Rin smiled calmly:

“You don’t need to blame yourselves, just lift your heads.”

"Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war."

"Moreover, losing to 'Niou' is not a shameful thing."

After saying that, she waved her hand.

"Thank you for your hard work. Jiulang, please stay. The rest of you can go and rest."