Chapter 401: Sword Master Challenge 4

[We can’t keep them all, but there is no problem with keeping two.] Zhen Yuan transmitted, and Shen Xu immediately understood.

Without anyone’s notice, he sent two formation disks into the space and left the rest in his sleeve.

As expected, the disciplinary hall cultivators didn’t relent, and Shen Xu was eventually forced to hand over the people.

“Two are missing.” The leader said, but Shen Xu shrugged with a careless expression.

“Maybe they escaped. I only caught these few.” He said, but the leader didn’t believe him.

In the end, the leader searched Shen Xu but didn’t find the formation disks he was looking for.

“I hope the disciplinary hall won’t disappoint us and will give us a satisfactory explanation.” The double said, his eyes narrowed into slits.

However, the leader didn’t answer.

Instead, he snorted and flipped his robe before leaving with his people.

Seeing this, Shen Xu smiled, but his eyes were colder than ice.

’Don’t think that this matter will end just because you have taken custody of the suspects. I will not tolerate anyone who harms Ayuan.’ He thought, his flaming hair blowing with non-existent wind.

“Disciple Zhen, do you want to admit defeat?” A voice broke the silence, and everyone turned to see Yang Zitao.

Although Zhen Yuan looked fine, everyone was a cultivator, and they all knew that he must have suffered some damage.

Considering that, they expected him to take a rest instead of continuing the challenge.

“I think we should nullify this challenge.” Lu Jing said and quickly continued.

“I will not accept an unclear win.” He said.

“Disciple Lu, you want to restart the challenge?” Yang Zitao asked, and Lu Jing nodded, but Zhen Yuan shook his head.

“There is no need to nullify the challenge. We can continue where we left off.” He said, shocking the surrounding cultivators.

“Disciple Zhen, you are injured.” Luo Jianfeng reminded with a concerned expression.

Even Shen Xu was worried and hurriedly transmitted.

[Ayuan, maybe we should accept the offer.] He said, but Zhen Yuan disagreed.

[I am seriously injured, but I can still manage.] He said.

[How is that possible? Those ambushers were Mahayana realm cultivators.]

[Have you forgotten my void body?]

[What do you mean?]

[The attacks were powerful, but most of their power dissipated within the void body. Only a fraction reached me.]

[Still…]

[Don’t worry. I am not forcing it. I am confident I can defeat Lu Jing in one move.]

[One move…, really?]

[Really.] Zhen Yuan said and rubbed the double’s hair to reassure him.

Seeing that Zhen Yuan would not change his mind, Shen Xu narrowed his eyes with a thoughtful expression.

A moment later, he turned to Yang Zitao.

“Elder Yang, my Taoist partner, was maliciously attacked because the challengers did not prepare well.” He said in a suggestive voice.

“What does disciple Shen mean?” Yang Zitao asked.

“We want a three-day break after this challenge.” The double stated his request.

“This…” Yang Zitao muttered in an uncertain voice.

He wasn’t ignorant and knew the purpose of spacing the challenges so close to each other.

However, Shen Xu’s request was fair and reasonable.

Unfortunately, he was just the host and couldn’t arbitrarily decide on such an important matter.

Thinking this, he sighed and looked at the two with an apologetic expression.

“This matter is up to the challengers.” He said.

Hearing this, Shen Xu looked at the Xuanyuan siblings and raised an eyebrow.

Seeing the look, Xuanyuan Yan clenched her hands and walked towards the group.

“The sword master challenge was supposed to take one day. If the winner is decided before the time runs out, disciple Zhen can use the remaining time to rest. How does that sound?” She asked and quickly continued.

“As for the ambush, I will make sure the disciplinary hall gives the two brothers a satisfactory explanation.” She said.

Shen Xu almost rolled his eyes when he heard this.

However, he didn’t argue and accepted the offer.

After all, Zhen Yuan had promised to end the challenge in one move.

Since there was more than half a day remaining in the original time, Shen Xu wasn’t too worried that Zhen Yuan wouldn’t have time to rest if they secretly entered the space.

’We have been staying in the open since the time between challenges is short. However, now that we have half a day, we can justifiably set up a portable cave and secretly enter the space.’ He thought.

Thinking this, he turned to Zhen Yuan with a confident expression.

“Ayuan, I will set up a portable cave.” He said, and Zhen Yuan nodded.

The group dispersed soon after, leaving Zhen Yuan and Lu Jing at the centre of the stage.

“Fellow Daoist Zhen, I won’t go easy on you just because you are injured.” Lu Jing said, and Zhen Yuan nodded.

“It would be meaningless if you did.”

After comprehending and practising the Formless Sword art for thousands of years, Zhen Yuan self-created two sword styles.

The first was the Aura Sword, and the second was the Intent Sword.

The aura sword used the surrounding aura as a sword and could transform itself to match the surrounding qi.

As for the intent sword, it could not only manifest a hint of sword intent but also the laws that Zhen Yuan had already comprehended.

This time, Zhen Yuan planned to use the more powerful intent sword to defeat Lu Jing in one move.

’Don’t blame me for being ruthless.’ He thought, but wasn’t actually sorry.

“Fellow Daoist Zhen, why don’t we decide it in one move?” Lu Jing unexpectedly suggested.

Although he wanted to have a good fight with Zhen Yuan, he didn’t like the idea of taking advantage of the injured man.

Considering that, he decided to pit his most powerful sword against his opponent’s strongest move.

“I am okay with that.” Zhen Yuan said and secretly thought that Lu Jing was reading his mind.

Hearing that the two had decided to end the challenge in one move, the spectators couldn’t help but be excited.

“As expected of swordsman Lu. He is righteous.” Someone said and nodded in approval.

“What’s the point of being upright? He should have just dragged the fight and ended it when Zhen Yuan could no longer hold on.” Another opined in a disapproving voice.

“Fellow Daoist Lu is a true swordsman and would never scheme to win a sword fight.”

“Sword cultivators are too pedantic. A win is a win regardless of the process.”

“There is a reason why swordsmen ascend more easily than other cultivators.” A female cultivator said with a meaningful expression.

“This fellow Daoist, what do you mean?”

“Most sword cultivators are straightforward and stay true to their hearts. As a result, they are able to perceive and comprehend the dao more easily than ordinary cultivators.”

“I have never thought of it that way.”

“I have also never thought of it that way, but now that I have, I think this fellow Daoist is right. At least half of the cultivators who have ascended in recent years were sword cultivators.”

“I suddenly feel like becoming a sword cultivator.”

“You think it’s easy to cultivate the way of the sword?” Someone said and quickly continued.

“Look at the clothes you are wearing and the weapons on your body…., which sword cultivator has them?”

“You mean…”

“Most martial artists and sword cultivators are poor. How can they compare to alchemists and other masters?”

“Brother is right. Although it’s easier for sword cultivators to ascend, it’s countless times harder for them to cultivate to the peak stage of the tribulation transcending realm because they often don’t have enough spirit stones to buy resources.”

“There is also no guarantee that a sword cultivator will be able to ascend.” Someone added, and the surrounding cultivators fell silent before a male cultivator finally spoke.

“The way of the sword is not for everyone. It’s best to stick to what you are good at.”

After that, the group turned to the stage, just in time to see Zhen Yuan and Lu Jing raising their swords.

“Witness the might of my full-power monarch sword.” Lu Jing said, and instantaneously, Zhen Yuan felt a discomfort on his skin, as if countless needles were pricking him.

At the same time, the shadow of an ornate sword superimposed on Lu Jing’s wooden sword, giving the impression of might and majesty.

’Not bad.’ Zhen Yuan thought, but his heart didn’t waver.

Instead, he continued brewing his attack, and at almost the same time, the two people moved.

“Gravity sword / Monarch sword.” Both shouted, and the attacks fell.

Zhen Yuan’s gravity sword was derived from his understanding of the laws of gravity.

As soon as it was unleashed, Lu Jing felt like he was suddenly pressed under a mountain.

He felt unreasonably heavy and couldn’t blink, let alone use his sword to block the attack.

As a result, he helplessly watched as Zhen Yuan’s attack crushed his own and continued towards him.

’It’s over.’ He thought and tried to close his eyes, but couldn’t.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep