Chapter 28

Clang!

In the first clash between his golden broadsword and "Hidden Suffering," Xu Xiaoshou was sent reeling backward, his spiritual energy surging violently, nearly making him cough up a mouthful of blood.

"Excellent!" Zhou Tianshen laughed heartily. "Again!"

Xu Xiaoshou's expression was odd. It was the first time his Innate physical body hadn't gained an advantage in terms of raw power; his line had even been stolen. Damn it!

"I can't confront him head-on..." Xu Xiaoshou mused. His opponent's Acquired Blade Intent was definitely the type meant for direct confrontation. Pitting weakness against strength would surely result in a bloody nose. He wanted to try fighting with his Innate-level "Sharpness" but was afraid of being sliced in half, so he decided against it. Thus, he could only use his opponent's blade techniques to refine his own Acquired Sword Intent.

Watching his opponent strike again with a sky-rending sweep, Xu Xiaoshou gripped "Hidden Suffering," and countless sword moves he had gained from the White Cloud Illusion that day flashed through his mind—killing techniques long hidden deep within.

As the golden blade reached its apex, Xu Xiaoshou parried with a slanted sword. He watched the broadsword scrape past his face with a clatter, then with a flick of his wrist, he imbued the sword with a gentle, yielding force, reflecting the principle of "four ounces deflecting a thousand pounds," sending the broadsword bouncing away. Swish! A sword swipe aimed at the throat, and Zhou Tianshen abruptly leaned back, a few strands of his long hair falling to the ground. He spun with the momentum, his broadsword sweeping in a circle, unleashing a surge of spiritual energy as he savagely hacked at Xu Xiaoshou's knee.

Clang! Xu Xiaoshou's sword strike missed. He inverted "Hidden Suffering" and plunged it into the ground, precisely wedging it between the broadsword's blade and its guard, causing a loud hum. Their eyes met, and the air seemed to ignite with tension. Both saw a fiery intensity in the other's gaze. Xu Xiaoshou flexed his arm, instantly pushing them apart.

The first round, swift as lightning, concluded. The spectator stands erupted in noise, everyone's blood boiling with excitement. "It's here! Acquired Blade Intent versus Acquired Sword Intent!" "My god, how thrilling! One wrong move, and either Zhou Tianshen gets his throat slit, or Xu Xiaoshou loses both legs. This fight is going to be spectacular!" "Indeed, and their reactions are so fast. This must be the standard for promotion matches; I really can't stand those one-sided crushing victories anymore." "Exactly, in just a few breaths, they've faced life-or-death moments several times."

Before the crowd's excitement waned, Zhou Tianshen stabilized his stance with his blade, but instead of attacking, he laughed grandly, "Xu Xiaoshou, take my 'Nine Tides'!" "Nine Tides" was a continuous blade technique, each wave higher than the last. If it built momentum, combined with freely controlled Acquired Blade Intent, who could withstand it? He slowly raised his vertical blade. As the edge lifted inch by inch, his aura climbed foot by foot.

The young man with the sword opposite him remained silent, instantly closing his eyes. The arena immediately became a scene of shifting, unpredictable currents; even the swirling dust seemed to slow down. Distinctly different artistic conceptions intertwined, the rivalry between blade and sword supporting each other. Crack! Crack! The arena beneath them groaned under the strain, and even the barrier trembled violently. The spectators sat upright, fingers intertwined. Even Xiao Qixiu's eyes narrowed slightly, his attention raised to its absolute peak. A sky-shattering intent seemed to erupt, shaking even the heavens.

The next second, Zhou Tianshen brought his blade down, his Blade Intent transforming into tumultuous waves that surged forth with murderous force. Meanwhile, Xu Xiaoshou's eyes snapped open, and his sword swept by with a leisurely grace, like white clouds enveloping the sun, completely absorbing the incoming tide. Clang! Clang! Clang! The audience held their breath, astonished to see that the Intents between the two, separated by several yards, had taken on tangible forms. Where the waves met the white clouds, blade glints and sword shadows crisscrossed, and the clang of weapons was incessant. "Holy cow, that's incredible!" One person couldn't help but exclaim, and someone nearby immediately snapped, "Don't talk, shut up!"

Xu Xiaoshou's clothes rustled. His hands moved like afterimages, seemingly slow and leisurely like white clouds, but in reality, they were moving at high speed. Endless sword light slashed out from "Hidden Suffering." This ninth-grade spiritual sword, for the first time exerting its full power, displayed immense might, humming with excitement. However, he still had to frequently dodge and evade the blade lights he couldn't block. Even so, spots of blood still appeared on his clothes.

"Attacked, Passive Points +1.""Attacked, Passive Points +1."...

The information bar constantly refreshed. Zhou Tianshen's Blade Intent was overwhelmingly dominant; even a slight graze could cause immense pain, and a powerful Vajra force lingered in the wounds, making them difficult for ordinary people to heal. However, at this moment, the terrifying regenerative power of "Endless Life" was fully demonstrated. Each time a wound opened, this passive ability activated. The Blade Intent, which was difficult for ordinary people to dispel, was healed as good as new in less than a moment. Xu Xiaoshou was inwardly overjoyed, thinking, *As expected of a "Basic Passive Skill," its healing ability is maxed out.*

Zhou Tianshen was different; he was practically the epitome of a stand-and-fight brawler. He didn't move an inch, yet just a few slashes were enough to force Xu Xiaoshou to retreat step by step. "Hahaha, Xu Xiaoshou, you're out of options, aren't you?" "Once the 'Nine Tides' blade momentum starts, let alone you, even an Innate master would be cut down by me, Zhou Tianshen, not to mention your mere Acquired Sword Intent?" Indeed, the blade and sword Intents in the arena were almost completely one-sided, with Xu Xiaoshou about to be forced off the stage by the overwhelming blade light.

"Xu Xiaoshou, hang in there!" "Get up and fight him! You absolutely can't be forced off the stage like this!" "Boohoo, he's covered in blood! Xu Xiaoshou, ahhh, my heart aches!" "Xiaoshou, don't push yourself so hard, come to big sister's arms! I can't take it, why is there so much blood?" Xu Xiaoshou was indeed covered in blood, but wasn't all this just an illusion? He tried his best to survive under the blade light at the smallest cost, so his injuries were almost never fatal or movement-impairing. And under the frantic operation of "Endless Life," his condition was almost perfectly maintained. With each sword move he unleashed, Xu Xiaoshou became a thirsty sponge, constantly reflecting what he had learned in his mind through Zhou Tianshen's attacks. The nascent sword moves were almost fully assimilated in moments.

Seeing that he was about to be pushed off the stage, he didn't hesitate, exchanging two skill points and directly allocating them to "Sword Mastery."

"Sword Mastery (Acquired Lv.2).""Sword Mastery (Acquired Lv.3)."

In an instant, boundless knowledge flooded his mind. Xu Xiaoshou let out a roar, and amidst the dancing blade light, he swept away all the Blade Intent with a single sword stroke, then violently struck back. Boom! The void exploded, and the barrier hummed. Zhou Tianshen was knocked back several steps, his face filled with shock. The audience was also confused, each person bewildered by what they saw. "Has Xu Xiaoshou... broken through?" "It seems so. Under such intense pressure, he actually retaliated with a counter-attack. That final sword retraction looked a lot like the second form of 'White Cloud Sword Art,' 'Clouds Roll and Unroll'!" "But what about the subsequent counter-attack? The third form of White Cloud Sword Art isn't like that." "This... you ask me, who do I ask?"

Xu Xiaoshou had indeed made a breakthrough; that sword move was also learned from Di Xin'er. However, he had never successfully cultivated the second form. In that moment of urgency, he had forcefully altered the sword move, pushing "White Cloud Sword Art" in an entirely different direction. Or rather, though he had entered the path through "Leisurely White Cloud," his sword technique was no longer strictly "White Cloud Sword Art." Xiao Qixiu's eyes held shock. This Xu Xiaoshou actually modified his sword technique on the fly during battle, relying solely on his Sword Intent? This was something even Sword Sect masters wouldn't easily attempt. To achieve such results purely through Sword Intent? This talent was truly unparalleled!

Xu Xiaoshou seemed to be bathed in a rain of blood. Already reddish from exertion, his clothes were now torn, and even his hair was stained with blood. Even so, he curved his lips into a smile, raising his sword and inviting, "Junior Brother Zhou, can you be a bit faster? Don't stop!"

Zhou Tianshen, whose "Nine Tides" had been broken, was still fuming with shock and anger. Hearing Xu Xiaoshou's words, his face contorted into a grimace as he drew his blade and sneered, "Just as I like it!"