Chapter 61

When Su Peng heard this, he couldn't help but show a look of surprise and said to Fu Yi, "Mr. Fu, where have I been impolite? Why do you want to fight so suddenly?"

"Haha... It's actually Fu who has been rash, not explaining the reason clearly," Fu Yi couldn't help but laugh and said, "Apart from other things, I am quite confident in my discernment. I observed those young heroes like Huo Sijie, although they act arrogantly and their weapons look excellent, a closer look reveals that their long swords are more for show than practical use. Only Huo Sijie's weapon from Hengshan is somewhat impressive, but it's just a high-quality standard weapon of his sect."

"On the contrary, when I looked at you, Su Xiaoyou, your long sword, though plain and unadorned, is truly a treasure. Whether in craftsmanship, polishing, or material, it surpasses those young heroes by far..."

"From this, I can see that you must be a true connoisseur of swords. Since you use such a treasure, your sword skills must be quite formidable. I've been traveling in the martial world for several years, but I've hardly engaged in any fights, almost three or four years. Tonight, after walking around, I felt a bit itchy. Seeing you with a treasure sword, it seemed you had remarkable skills, so I couldn't help but want to spar with you. I hope you will oblige me."

Su Peng couldn't help but laugh when he heard this. It turned out that Fu Yi, after pretending to be a good person for so long, felt unsatisfied with the occasional fight and had an itch to show his skills.

This was normal. People who practice martial arts spend more time on their skills than on anything else, even more than eating. For a qualified expert, martial arts are deeply integrated into their life. Not fighting for several years is like a lecher not seeing a woman for several years. It's fine if there's no stimulation, but when Fu Yi caught Yao Tong earlier, he didn't fight very comfortably. Now he was looking for a match with him.

However, this suited Su Peng's intentions... Since learning the half-form sword technique from Zixia Sect, Su Peng hadn't fought anyone in the martial world. Although he knew the sword technique was powerful, he didn't know his exact strength in the martial world. He needed a few fights to confirm his strength. Fu Yi was clearly a strong opponent, and it wasn't a life-or-death battle, making it a good opportunity to test his skills. When Fu Yi proposed a sword duel, it was exactly what Su Peng wanted.

Thinking this, Su Peng nodded and said, "Then Su Peng will follow your lead... But, Mr. Fu, I see you don't have a weapon, how can we duel?"

"No problem," Fu Yi said, looking around and spotting a branch. He used two fingers to lightly cut the branch, then trimmed off the leaves, making a wooden stick similar in length to Su Peng's long sword.

"I'll use this branch as a sword. We'll stop at the first touch. You are still young, and from your lightness and internal strength, it seems you haven't reached the peak. I won't use my internal strength to bully you. I'll use just one layer of internal strength. How about that?"

"One layer of internal strength?" Su Peng felt a bit slighted but, since his intention was to test his skills, he didn't get angry and said, "In that case, Su Peng will have an advantage."

"Good, since that's the case, why don't we start now? Su Xiaoyou, draw your sword, I'm coming!" Fu Yi said, making a sword flower with the branch to warm up.

Su Peng didn't hesitate, drawing his dull sword and placing the scabbard on a nearby large rock, saying, "I'm coming!"

With that, Su Peng thrust his sword forward with a simple move!

"Good move!" Fu Yi exclaimed, his aura suddenly changing. Su Peng suddenly felt that Fu Yi seemed much taller, and the branch in his hand turned into a flurry of points, coming at him!

Su Peng immediately used the half-form sword technique, engaging in a fierce battle with Fu Yi!

The two flashed and dodged by the lakeside, exchanging about eighteen moves quickly.

After using the half-form sword technique, Su Peng felt that the pressure from the opponent's attacks wasn't great, as if these moves were just for testing and warming up. He said, "Mr. Fu, you don't need to hold back. My sword path grows stronger with stronger opponents. Please attack with all your might; I can handle it."

"Growing stronger with stronger opponents? Coincidentally, my sword path is the same. Then I won't hold back," Fu Yi said, and his branch's attack suddenly changed, delivering over a dozen strikes in an instant!

Su Peng felt the pressure increase sharply, and Fu Yi's sword technique slowly unfolded, creating a vast net of sword momentum. Su Peng felt as if he was being enveloped in a large web of sword energy.

"Indeed, a true master!" Su Peng thought, continuing to use the half-form sword technique, which gradually unfolded, subtly resisting Fu Yi's vast web of sword energy. Though he seemed to be at a disadvantage, he slowly broke through Fu Yi's sword momentum.

"Be careful, this is just the beginning," Fu Yi said, his eyes gradually becoming cold, not out of cruelty but entering a highly rational state. His sword momentum also slowly unfolded.

Su Peng countered a few moves and realized that Fu Yi's sword wasn't as simple as it seemed...

"Wrong! Fu Yi's sword technique seems like a net enveloping me, but my half-form sword technique is the Dark Gold Sword Technique, which appears weak but is extremely resilient, capable of slowly breaking through... However, Fu Yi's next few moves are interconnected, the earlier moves seem casual but are actually foreshadowing, subtly controlling my sword path... It's like a chess game where the earlier moves seem casual but, as the game progresses, they form a brilliant strategy, enveloping me. Once in the game, the opponent's sword momentum becomes increasingly profound, simple yet full of depth, far beyond what an outsider can understand. With this sword technique, Fu Yi can be called a master!"

The more Su Peng fought with Fu Yi, the more amazed he became, thinking to himself.

Fu Yi was also surprised.

"I observe that Su Peng is young, his internal strength not yet mature, and he doesn't seem to be from a famous sect. Although he has a treasure sword and perhaps a few unique sword techniques, that's why I invited him to a duel... But now, he has truly exceeded my expectations. His sword technique seems ordinary at first, lacking aggression, but upon closer inspection, it is extremely profound, aligning with the highest principles, and incredibly resilient... This sword technique is probably not inferior to mine... However, it seems he has practiced this technique for a short time and hasn't fully grasped its true essence. I'll use a few more layers of skill to see his true strength."

Thinking this, Fu Yi's sword technique became even more profound, though he didn't use much internal strength. His sword technique became increasingly complex and profound, like a chess master, combining orthodox and unorthodox moves, each move full of deep meaning and multiple changes, truly a brilliant sword technique.

Su Peng's sword technique, though seemingly ordinary and clumsy, was actually highly defensive. It appeared to have many weaknesses but was actually flawless, solid as a rock, and highly skilled. No matter how profound Fu Yi's sword technique was, it couldn't harm him at all, truly a testament to the Dark Gold Secret Sword Technique of Zixia Sect.

The two were like two chess masters, one making stunning moves and the other seemingly making ordinary moves that subtly neutralized the opponent's brilliant strategies. They were truly well-matched.

Thus, they fought back and forth, exchanging hundreds of moves without any clear winner.

Both were amazed. Su Peng felt that Fu Yi's sword technique was several times stronger than at the beginning, and the longer they fought, the stronger the opponent's moves became, as if they could infinitely stack.

Fu Yi's sword technique became stronger the longer they fought. He knew that he was in the flow of his sword technique, using brilliant moves one after another, each move doubling the pressure on the opponent. However, Su Peng's seemingly ordinary and clumsy sword technique was incredibly resilient, as if the stronger Fu Yi's moves, the more resilient Su Peng became. Fu Yi was curious to see how long Su Peng could hold out and the potential of his sword technique.

The two continued to duel, and after more than forty minutes, neither was tired. At this point, their swords, the dull sword and the branch, rarely touched. They often made seemingly meaningless strikes into empty space and quickly retracted, which would confuse outsiders. Only the two of them knew they were competing for sword momentum and path, like the struggle for 'momentum' in Go. This had risen to a higher level of combat.

However, Su Peng's 'half-form sword technique' seemed to be on the verge of collapse, as if it would be broken by Fu Yi's brilliant and seemingly divine sword technique, but it stubbornly held on, though at a disadvantage.

But Fu Yi wasn't having an easy time either. Su Peng's sword technique was like a hard bone, extremely difficult to break. Although his sword technique could continuously produce more profound moves when triggered by a high-level technique, Fu Yi was under significant pressure. Although it seemed the opponent was about to lose, he didn't. Fu Yi sensed a terrifying force in the opponent's sword momentum, as if a volcanic eruption would occur if he let up.

Su Peng was also under pressure. Using the half-form sword technique, he felt like using a highly resilient rubber ball. The more the opponent squeezed, the stronger the resistance, but if the opponent exceeded his limit, the 'rubber ball' might burst.

But Su Peng had a trump card!

After more than forty minutes of the duel, Su Peng felt that the killing move of the half-form sword technique was fully charged!

This feeling was like inflating a ball; when it's about to be full, you naturally feel it.

At this moment, Fu Yi's increasingly brilliant sword technique suddenly reached a climax, with several moves that were like divine strokes, greatly increasing the pressure on Su Peng!

Just as Su Peng felt he couldn't block these powerful moves, he suddenly heard a 'ding' in his ear!

"Killing move fully charged!" Su Peng was overjoyed but, remembering he was holding a real sword, warned Fu Yi, "Mr. Fu, be careful!"

With that, Su Peng unleashed the fully charged killing move!

"Whoosh!"

A dazzling sword light lotus suddenly bloomed in Su Peng's hand!

In this sword light lotus, Su Peng seemed to make a simple move, but Fu Yi, momentarily distracted by the lotus, felt that this simple move was impossible to resist.

"I've won!" Su Peng was extremely confident as he unleashed the killing move, certain that this move would win.

But at that moment, Fu Yi suddenly let out a long whistle!

Suddenly, the power of Fu Yi's branch increased threefold. He rapidly made dozens of moves, each like a brilliant star, forming a brilliant strategy, barely countering Su Peng's killing move. Then, these dozens of moves converged into one, colliding with Su Peng's dull sword!

Su Peng immediately felt a shock like being struck by lightning, almost losing his grip on the dull sword. Fu Yi's branch, upon colliding with the dull sword, was cut in half.

Both stopped at this point.

After a while, Fu Yi shook his head and laughed, throwing away the broken branch and said, "I lost this match. I didn't keep our agreement and used three layers of internal strength, making you, Su Xiaoyou, laugh at me."

"Not at all," Su Peng, whose hand was still tingling, slowly sheathed the dull sword and said, "I had some insights during our match. If I'm not mistaken, your sword technique is based on internal strength, the stronger the internal strength, the stronger the moves... My sword technique doesn't require much internal strength, giving me an advantage. If you used seven layers of internal strength, I might not last thirty moves."

"My sword technique is indeed like that..." Fu Yi nodded, then shook his head and said, "But I did lose, as I broke our agreement."

"Mr. Fu is a gentleman to think so," Su Peng smiled, picked up the scabbard from the nearby stone, and sheathed the dull sword.

Sheathing the dull sword, Su Peng turned and bowed to Fu Yi, saying, "Mr. Fu, with such martial arts, you must be a well-known figure in the martial world, having met many martial artists. I'm new to the martial world, and I hope Mr. Fu can give me some advice... How does my sword technique compare to the Ten Lesser Swords?"

"The Ten Lesser Swords? I haven't had much contact with them, only met the top-ranked one. From what I observed, your sword technique, purely in terms of sword skills, surpasses all of the Ten Lesser Swords... However, your internal strength is a bit lacking. In a real fight, based on some rumors, you can easily defeat those ranked fifth and below, struggle a bit with the third to fifth, but still win, and have a seventy percent chance of winning against the top three, but if your internal strength is exhausted before that, it's hard to say."

Su Peng thought about it and had a general idea. The top three of the Ten Lesser Swords were probably around the level of a full blue or silver sixth to seventh level, but their internal strength was likely around the silver seventh to eighth level. If he didn't exhaust his internal strength, he had a seventy percent chance of winning against them.

Thinking of this, Su Peng couldn't help but look down on the so-called Ten Lesser Swords. Although his sword technique and internal strength were both Dark Gold, they were only at the first level. The top three of the Ten Lesser Swords were about the same as him, no wonder Ouyang Qing said they were a bunch of half-trained, fame-seeking frauds.

Thinking about it, Su Peng asked, "I heard from Huo Sijie and others that there are also the Ten Great Swords. How do I compare to them?"

"Ha, this isn't to discourage you, but the weakest of the Ten Great Swords is far beyond the strongest of the Ten Lesser Swords. You wouldn't win against any of the Ten Great Swords... However, your sword technique is unique. Against the sixth to tenth of the Ten Great Swords, you might not win, but you might not lose either. They could exhaust your internal strength, so in a life-or-death battle, it's best to flee. Your lightness skill is good, and half of the Ten Great Swords might not catch you. But if you face the top three of the Ten Great Swords, you won't even have a chance to escape."

Su Peng thought about it, considering that lightness skills were relatively rare in the martial world. His golden first-level lightness skill was already better than five of the Ten Great Swords, but his overall strength was much lower... So, the Ten Great Swords were probably at the full silver level or higher.

"How about compared to Brother Ouyang?" Su Peng asked again.

"Ouyang Qing can easily defeat the Ten Lesser Swords and the weakest of the Ten Great Swords, but against the eighth and ninth of the Ten Great Swords, he can only defend and not win."

Su Peng nodded slightly, getting a sense of Ouyang Qing's strength.

"Then... how about compared to Daxong Temple's Shi Daoxin?" Su Peng suddenly thought of someone else and asked Fu Yi...

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