Chapter 41

In a flash of lightning, Su Peng's mind was suddenly enlightened!

"Second Master Brother's sword practice isn't for his own eyes, but for me!"

"Second Master Brother is using a special technique to let me see his sword techniques and sword intent!"

"The rich sword intent on the first day was just to lay a foundation for me, or... like a hypnotic guide, to help me follow his sword intent! The second day was just a regular trial, to imprint his sword intent in my mind, like deepening a hypnotic state!"

"So he said yesterday that I could still keep up! But today, it's getting serious!"

"His sword intent is hidden in his sword techniques. If I do nothing, it's like standing still, being injured by Senior Brother Dugu's sword intent. If I can't make it through today, I won't be able to watch the sword practice tomorrow, and my quality test will end here. I'll only be able to learn these mediocre sword techniques!"

"To learn Senior Brother Dugu's sword techniques, I must pass this test! This isn't a coincidence... To get through today, I must use sword techniques in my mind to resist Senior Brother Dugu's sword intent today!"

"But the techniques I know are too weak, so Senior Brother Dugu gave me two days to lay a foundation. Now, I should use the sword techniques and sword intent from the first two days to counter his sword techniques today!"

In an instant, Su Peng felt his mind become clear, as if a new world had opened up in his head!

His consciousness was no longer muddled but became clear. The sword techniques from the first two days, performed by Dugu Sheng, replayed in Su Peng's mind like a movie. He focused, gathered his spirit, and used the sword techniques and sword intent in his mind to resist Dugu Sheng's sword techniques and sword intent today!

Sure enough, when Su Peng did this, he was no longer just passively taking hits; he had some ability to resist. In Su Peng's mind, a heart sword gradually formed in his sea of consciousness, gradually engaging in battle with Dugu Sheng.

In front of the wooden pavilion, Dugu Sheng seemed to be dancing with his sword, moving gracefully and effortlessly, while Su Peng, sitting on the large green stone, was fully focused, his body tense, constantly observing Dugu Sheng's sword techniques.

Gradually, Su Peng found his rhythm. His spirit seemed to merge with Dugu Sheng's sea-like sword momentum. His sword techniques were sometimes bizarre, sometimes as gentle as a novel, and occasionally, he even learned Dugu Sheng's current sword techniques, bringing out a sea-like momentum.

Thus, Su Peng's spirit battled Dugu Sheng's sword techniques in his sea of consciousness for the entire day.

When the sun set, Dugu Sheng gradually stopped his sword practice and looked at Su Peng. Su Peng's eyes were wide open, and his body was drenched in sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of water.

"I'll go rinse off. If I still have the energy, I'll come back tomorrow." Dugu Sheng said as usual, not looking any more tired than yesterday.

Su Peng, on the other hand, felt his body completely exhausted, unable to jump. He barely managed to climb down from the large green stone, his body feeling like it was being pricked by needles.

"It's even more tiring than a real fight..." Su Peng said, feeling his drenched body. He walked to the mountain spring, washed himself, and checked his martial arts experience.

To his surprise, his martial arts experience had increased from over 1,100 to over 2,400.

"So much?" Su Peng thought. But it made sense; although his body couldn't use these sword techniques, the various sword techniques and their subtleties in his mind made Su Peng feel like they weren't something he could come up with himself.

"Endure the pressure... Come back tomorrow!" Su Peng thought to himself.

...

After logging out of the game, Su Peng realized he was also drenched in sweat in reality, his clothes almost soaked through.

"The mental strain is too great..." Su Peng thought. He walked with a slight stagger, barely managed to eat some dinner in the dining hall, and returned to his room, his mind still filled with Dugu Sheng's sword techniques.

...

The next day, when Su Peng went back to the machine, he immediately found Dugu Sheng practicing his sword. However, today, Su Peng noticed that Chen Qizhen and Zhong Lingxiu were also there.

"Senior Brother, Senior Sister, why are you here?" Su Peng asked the two.

"Of course, we're worried about you," Zhong Lingxiu rolled her eyes and said, "Haven't you noticed? You've lost a lot of weight."

"Oh, really?" Su Peng touched his face and indeed found his cheeks thinner.

"No choice... Even if I become a skeleton, I want to see Senior Brother Dugu complete his sword techniques," Su Peng thought. Zhong Lingxiu wanted to say something but was pulled by Chen Qizhen, who shook his head and sighed, "It's no use talking to him now. You haven't forgotten what Second Master Brother was like back then..."

Hearing Chen Qizhen's words, Zhong Lingxiu fell silent for a moment, then looked at Su Peng and said, "Take care of yourself."

"Okay," Su Peng nodded, feeling a warm current in his heart, then climbed back onto the large green stone.

Su Peng looked at Dugu Sheng, who today had two swords!

One was short like a fish intestine, and the other was a third longer than the sword from yesterday.

"Are you ready? Start when you are. If you can't handle it, just close your eyes," Dugu Sheng said in a low voice. Su Peng nodded, his spirit focused.

Dugu Sheng began his sword practice!

Su Peng's spirit gradually merged with the practice. He was surprised to find that today's sword techniques were different every day.

In the past few days, Dugu Sheng's sword techniques had only made Su Peng's spirit sink in or brought illusions, but today's sword techniques, each stroke, could stir Su Peng's emotions!

Su Peng watched Dugu Sheng's two swords, one short and one long, as if they were narrators of two stories, constantly telling various stories. These stories seemed intangible, but scenes and emotions were directly imprinted in Su Peng's consciousness!

Frenzy, rage, sorrow, ecstasy, sorrow, horror, joy, grief, pain, depression,委屈, fear...

Each emotion was so clear.

Su Peng had never experienced so many emotions in such a short time. He forced his mind to react to Dugu Sheng's sword techniques while also dealing with his own emotions, a taste that was hard to describe.

Finally, this long and short day passed.

Su Peng's face was somewhat blank, and he was pulled by Zhong Lingxiu from the green stone to regain consciousness.

"Su Peng, you were scary today. Your face kept changing, looking very painful and angry, like you wanted to kill someone, or you might suddenly commit suicide," Zhong Lingxiu said to Su Peng.

Su Peng nodded blankly and said mechanically, "I'll go rinse off..."

Then, Su Peng stumbled away from the wooden pavilion.

Seeing Su Peng's disoriented state, Zhong Lingxiu gritted her teeth and turned to Dugu Sheng, "Second Master Brother! He's almost crazy! Still making him watch your sword practice!"

"His potential is not just this," Dugu Sheng shook his head, his voice still calm, "Without pressure, his maximum potential cannot be developed."

"Third Master Brother, Second Master Brother is still saying this, you persuade him!" Zhong Lingxiu turned to Chen Qizhen and said.

Chen Qizhen also shook his head, "Back then, Eldest Master Brother and Second Master Brother also went through this..."

"You're all crazy, crazy! I won't talk to you anymore." Zhong Lingxiu shouted, then turned and ran away.

...

Su Peng, disoriented, logged out and subconsciously walked to the dining hall. Sun Shijia and Ji Ming were still there, and they greeted Su Peng.

Su Peng responded blankly and started eating. After a while, he realized someone was talking to him.

"Brother Su, Brother Su? You finally came to your senses... Brother Su, what's wrong with you? You've lost a lot of weight, and while eating, you were crying and laughing, I thought you were possessed."

"Almost..." Su Peng said, a daze, and fell back into Dugu Sheng's sword intent.

Shaking his head, he tried to clear his mind. Su Peng stopped eating and said, "I probably didn't sleep well these two days. I'm going to sleep."

Saying this, he stumbled out of the dining hall, almost bumping into two people.

That night, Su Peng lay in bed, unable to fall asleep, constantly recalling Dugu Sheng's sword intent from today.

"No... I have to go back!"

Around 1 AM, a strong desire appeared in Su Peng's mind.

Thinking this, Su Peng got up and walked to the machine room.

Since Su Peng said he had a task, Lei Ming had opened the machine room, and Su Peng could enter with his card. Su Peng stumbled to the machine room, turned on the machine, and logged into the game.

In the game, the sky was pitch black, and it seemed to be gathering a lot of dark clouds, about to fall.

Su Peng rushed to the wooden pavilion and found Dugu Sheng standing there, carrying the heavy iron sword he had seen the first time.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time. If you hadn't come tonight, you wouldn't be a qualified swordsman, and you wouldn't have the qualifications to join the Purple Mist Sect," Dugu Sheng said in a low voice.

Saying this, he took off the heavy iron sword from his back and said, "The past few days were just a joke. Today, I will use my full strength. You will lose control, so be ready for this."

Dugu Sheng waved his hand, and an ordinary steel long sword fell at Su Peng's feet.

Su Peng picked up the iron sword, feeling a premonition, and looked at Dugu Sheng.

Dugu Sheng, holding the heavy iron sword, said, "If you want to move, move. I'm starting."

Saying this, he began his sword practice.

When Dugu Sheng swung the first stroke, Su Peng felt the difference.

It was a sense of despair, complete and deep despair!

In the past, Dugu Sheng's sword techniques, intentionally or unintentionally, made Su Peng blur the concept of whether he was receiving Dugu Sheng's sword intent or understanding it.

But now, Su Peng became a complete receiver of Dugu Sheng's sword intent.

Despair, complete and deep despair!

When Dugu Sheng picked up the iron sword, in Su Peng's eyes, he was a demon, a sword demon who would mercilessly kill him!

Complete suppression, unable to breathe, unable to move, only to be trampled by the sword intent!

The various emotions from the day flooded Su Peng again. Su Peng felt that his rational nerves were about to be overwhelmed!

No, they were already overwhelmed! Su Peng felt his body move uncontrollably, wildly dancing. The sword techniques imprinted in his mind, which his body's internal energy couldn't use, were being used without restraint!

But this was completely out of rational control!

Su Peng's body moved on its own, constantly dancing wildly. He had become a sword machine, all his will focused on escaping Dugu Sheng's sword intent, which was like an endless abyss of a demon!

But... even if Su Peng went crazy, could he escape that sword intent?

"Boom!" A thunderclap in the sky, and the rain began to fall...