The training ground fell silent.
Han Jianyu stood motionless in the center of it, eyes closed, his left hand held in the familiar sword seal. There was no overwhelming aura or tremendous surge of mana.
No spectacular display of cultivation whatsoever. Yet the longer Xiao Mingyue looked at him, the more uncomfortable she became.
Something was wrong. Han Jianyu's sword intent wasn't simply surrounding him. It was disappearing into the air, the earth, tthe trees beyond the courtyard and even the very space between them.
Xiao Mingyue's expression became solemn as soon as she made a staggering realization: Distance did not matter anymore. His attack would reach her regardless.
At some point, Third Elder Xiao Canghai was alerted to what was going on and came to oversee the match. Of course, the telepathic message from Xiao Lingxi was also part of what convinced him that this match was interesting enough to personally oversee.
He raised his hand, then swiftly brought it down. "Begin!"
The instant the word Xiao Canghai's mouth—
Boom!
Mana erupted from Xiao Mingyue's body and her figure vanished. A pale-blue streak crossed the training ground as she shot toward Han Jianyu. The difference between their cultivation levels was immediately apparent.
Spirit Spring middle stage versus Peak Body Strengthening. There was simply no comparison in speed, which was exactly what she decided to rely on in order to render Han Jianyu's insane reach useless.
Several younger disciples didn't even see Xiao Mingyue move.
"Too fast!"
"Senior Sister Mingyue is already attacking!"
Han Jianyu's eyes opened jsut as Xiao Mingyue appeared before him, her palm covered in brilliant white light.
She struck toward his chest, but Han Jianyu didn't move. A number of individuals like Xiao Canghai were already writing him off- even Xiao Lingxi was having a hard time believing he could make up for the difference in speed.
However, much to their surprise, Han Jianyu's right hand slowly rose...
...and a jade-colored blade appeared within it.
It wasn't made of metal nor was it even made of physical matter. It was an illusory sword formed entirely from sword will and sword intent.
And the moment it appeared, the entire courtyard seemed to tremble.
Xiao Mingyue's pupils contracted and she immediately abandoned her attack. Her body twisted sideways.
SHING!
A crescent-shaped distortion flashed through the space where she had been standing. The stone ground behind her split apart. A thin, perfectly straight cut extended for several meters.
The surrounding disciples stared. Among them, various top-ranking youngsters started arriving after hearing news of someone daring to challenge Xiao Mingyue. Even crazier than that was the fact that this challenger was a servant, of all people.
Xiao Fan was the first to appear, a slender young man with dark circles for eyes, clutching a bamboo staff, watching Han Jianyu's movements in awe. "What!? He didn't even swing!"
Xiao Ran and Xiao Qi were next to appear, standing next to one another as they assessed the situation.
Xiao Mingyue landed lightly, then she glanced toward the enormous cut in the ground. Even Xiao Canghai was stunned by the sight of it, and had to check again to confirm Han Jianyu's cultivation level.
Xiao Mingyue stared back at Han Jianyu. His sword was still pointed downward, indicating that he hadn't moved. Yet, somehow, he had cut.
Xiao Mingyue's eyes narrowed. She could not know that Han Jianyu's sword cultivation had already reached the 'One With the World' stage, causing his sword intent and will to merge with his surroundings.
The sword in his hand was merely a visible manifestation of that. The actual blade was everywhere. The air itself could become an edge, as could the floor beneath their feet.
In truth, if all he wanted to do was use a basic attack like that... there was no need for Han Jianyu to physically swing his sword.
Han Jianyu took one step forward, and this time his sword rose. Xiao Mingyue immediately retreated.
SHING!
Another invisible slash tore across the training ground, causing Xiao Mingyue to dodge sideways. Another followed. Then another and another. Each slash was absurdly powerful, but none of them were particularly fast.
At least, not compared to Xiao Mingyue.
Which was precisely the terrifying part. She could see them and she could evade them, but she absolutely could not afford to be hit. A single mistake would end the match.
Xiao Ran frowned, "What is this sword technique? What kind of magic is he using? Junior Sister Qi, any ideas?"
Xiao Ran parted her bangs and looked over to Xiao Qi, only to find the younger girl in a state of something akin to mental decline, repeated saying, "He's a servant, right? Right? Right... ?"
Xiao Ran was at a loss, and nobody else was going to answer.
Xiao Mingyue moved again, her figure blurring as she circled Han Jianyu, trying to find an opening.
Han Jianyu slowly turned with her, his eyes remaining calm and his sword following.
SHING!
A slash which Xiao Mingyue swiftly dodged.
SHING!
Another.
SHING!
Another.
Xiao Mingyue accelerated. Her mana surged through her body as she began utilizing her superior cultivation to its fullest. She wasn't going to fight him head-on.
That would be foolish.
Instead, she would exhaust him. After all, Han Jianyu was only at Peak Body Strengthening. Whatever strange sword technique he was using, it clearly required mana.
And unlike her—
He had barely any. She could see it. His mana fluctuations were weak and his reserves were shallow. His attacks were monstrously powerful, but each one consumed a considerable amount of mana.
Xiao Mingyue smiled faintly.
I understand. His sword is powerful, but how long can he maintain it?
She accelerated again and Han Jianyu's eyes sharpened.
His sword moved, then the world around him responded. For an instant, dozens of faint jade-colored sword traces appeared throughout the training ground.
Xiao Mingyue's expression changed and she immediately stopped. She could tell that the sword traces weren't illusions. What she didn't know was that they were manifestations of his sword intent embedded into the environment.
Han Jianyu raised his sword, his eyes closed as he basked in the euphoric feeling of that marriage between mana cultivation and sword cultivation. The world was quiet, in those moments.
The entire training ground erupted as he did so.
SHING—SHING—SHING—SHING!
Jade-colored slashes tore through the air from every direction. Xiao Mingyue's expression finally lost its composure. She moved.
One step. Two. Three.
Her body twisted between the attacks with astonishing precision.
One slash passed beneath her arm, another skimmed past her shoulder, and a third struck the ground beside her and carved a deep trench into the stone.
The crowd erupted.
"She's done a good job dodging so far, but there's nowhere to run this time!"
"Senior Sister Mingyue!"
Xiao Wei, a handsome young man with long, straight hair and sword-like brows had arrived, and he watched the match with a fervent and intense gaze, a small smile refusing to leave his face. The light in his eye suggested that he was an absolute battle maniac. "How fun."
Meanwhile, Xiao Mingyue gritted her teeth and she called forth even more mana from the depths of her spirit springs. A brilliant layer of light enveloped her as her speed increased once again.
This time, she broke through the barrage while concurrently preparing one of those quasi-spell techniques. She appeared several meters behind Han Jianyu, who slowly turned as Xiao Mingyue raised her hand.
A sphere of concentrated light appeared above her palm. "This should be enough. Dwarf Nova!"
The sphere expanded as the pressure of her Spirit Spring middle-stage mana swept across the courtyard.
Several spectators instinctively retreated just before Xiao Mingyue thrust her palm forward.
BOOM!
A massive and explosive beam of light shot toward Han Jianyu, whose expression remained unchanged.
His sword rose and the jade-colored blade became brighter as he stepped forward, then swung.
BOOM!
The incoming beam split cleanly down the middle, the two halves passing around him, searing his sleeves and shoulders before exploding against the walls of the training ground.
Smoke billowed. Silence followed.
Han Jianyu lowered his sword, his breathing noticeably heavier and his shoulders badly burnt and smoking. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.
Xiao Mingyue noticed immediately. He's reaching his limit, and there's no way he can ignore those injuries.
Her eyes brightened.
So that was it. The sword technique was terrifying, but Han Jianyu's mana reserves were simply too small, and his cultivation was insufficient for him to properly defend. She could keep going, but he couldn't.
Xiao Mingyue rushed forward; Han Jianyu's eyes narrowed.
His left hand tightened once again into the sword seal, and the surrounding world trembled as his mana surged. The jade-colored sword in his right hand suddenly became substantially more solid.
The faintly translucent blade developed an almost tangible appearance as sword intent and mana fused together. Perfect resonance.
Han Jianyu looked at Xiao Mingyue as he huffed, and as his sizzling shoulders continued to sting. "Come."
Xiao Mingyue's heart skipped a beat, but she sucked her teeth... and she attacked with yet another- "Dwarf Nova!"
Han Jianyu swung as well, meeting her attack much the same way. Only, this time, he was making to cut straight through...
BOOOOOOM!
The collision sent a shockwave across the training ground.
Xiao Mingyue was forced backward, her feet digging trenches into the stone as a jade-colored sword arc slammed into the defensive mana on her. She eventually arrested her momentum and stopped herself.
Han Jianyu remained standing, but his face had gone pale, his breathing even heavier. His mana was practically exhausted.
Xiao Mingyue knew that he had reached his limit, and so she raised her hand as mana once again gathered around her.
Han Jianyu stared at her, his fingers trembling slightly around the illusory sword. He had almost nothing left, yet his eyes remained completely calm.
"This kid..." Xiao Lingxi sighed as she looked on.
Xiao Canghai nodded in approval, "It seems we misjudged you, Gray Hair. You are a monstrous young talent."
Xiao Wei, Xiao Ran, Xiao Qi and Xiao Fan were all stunned beyond words. It had to be known that Han Jianyu and Xiao Mingyue were seperated by almost two entire realms of cultivation.
The fact that Han Jianyu could so this well was, for lack of a better word, unbelievable.
"To think that this Peak Body Strengthening stage servant could so this. I don't think anyone has ever done something like this," Xiao Ran lamented. "It's not fair."
Xiao Wei licked his lips, "I want... to fight him!"
The others were forced to regard him as the freak he was.
It was at this point, while she was preparing herself for the final blow, that Xiao Mingyue noticed something. The sword in Han Jianyu's hand was becoming brighter, not weaker.
Brighter.
Han Jianyu's sword cultivation was still resonating with the world around him. He didn't need to generate everything himself, as the world itself had become an extension of his sword. His remaining mana was merely the catalyst.
Xiao Mingyue's expression changed. No.
Han Jianyu stepped forward and, once again, the jade-colored sword rose. A terrifying sword intent descended upon the entire courtyard.
Even the spectators felt it.
Han Jianyu's voice was quiet. "I know what you've been planning. However, I only need enough mana..."
His sword pointed toward Xiao Mingyue.
"...for one more."
The atmosphere froze. Xiao Mingyue's pupils contracted. For the first time since the battle began—
She felt genuine danger.
Far from the courtyard, Xiao Lingxi slowly lowered her teacup and her faint smile disappeared. Her eyes became serious. "That sword... this feeling... "
Below, Han Jianyu's sword intent continued spreading. The entire training ground had seemingly become his domain. Everything had somehow become a sword.
Xiao Mingyue stared at him, then she took a deep breath as mana surged through her body, and the aura of flame started to appear on her body.
She understood now. She had the advantage in every conventional aspect. Speed, endurance, mana reserves.
She was too wrapped up in the fact that if she allowed Han Jianyu to land even one decisive strike- she would lose. And so, for the first time, the Xiao Clan's number one young talent stopped thinking about evading her opponent.
She decided to ignore Han Jianyu's insane offense, and go on the offensive herself.