Chapter 13

As Chen Ang was under the full attack of the two people, he remained calm and composed, moving gracefully through the sword light, looking completely at ease. This had already left the onlookers staring in amazement. The interweaving sword light was so exquisite that it could make over ninety percent of the sword practitioners below feel ashamed and embarrassed.

The disciples of Mount Tai and Mount Heng, seeing the exquisite sword techniques in his hands, felt that their own school's sword techniques were absolutely as bad as dog feces, and that they had learned something so unsightly in the first half of their lives. Disciples with ambition simply imitated Chen Ang's sword movements in public, and felt that their own sword techniques had greatly improved.

Seeing this, other martial artists also tried to imitate Chen Ang's sword techniques. Although they were not as familiar with the sword techniques as the disciples of the two schools, they still gained something. Those who wielded knives or used exotic weapons, seeing others studying intently, picked up long sticks or table legs and began to mimic sword techniques. For a moment, most of the people below were imitating and learning sword techniques.

The other sect leaders looked grim, feeling very embarrassed, but only on the surface. In private, each of them was paying close attention.

Ningyi, the nun, focused intently, looking for flaws in Chen Ang's Mount Heng sword technique. She relied on her own knowledge, and whenever she felt her sword movements were awkward, she would attack there. However, most of the time, she fell into Chen Ang's trap and was forced to jump around. Whenever she reached a critical point, Chen Ang would turn his sword to avoid it.

The three people's sword techniques became more and more exquisite. Tianmen Daoist and Ningyi, the nun, had moments of inspiration, and their sword techniques changed in surprising ways, forcing Chen Ang to retreat slightly. But he quickly learned and extended his techniques even further. At the height of his enthusiasm, Tianmen Daoist let out a long cry, and his sword movements created over a hundred sword flowers.

Turning around, a powerful sword beam swept across the sky, the sword momentum surging, the light like mercury spilling, the force like a mighty river. In this vast expanse, a sharp edge was hidden. It brushed past Chen Ang's sword technique and then turned again, even more powerful. This happened seven times, and Chen Ang managed to hold his ground each time.

Tianmen Daoist wanted to gather more strength, but he felt his hands empty and powerless, and his sword momentum was exhausted. He calmed his surging true qi and suddenly came to his senses, bursting into tears.

Ningyi, the nun, was startled and withdrew her sword, coming to his side and asking, "Tianmen, what's wrong with you?" Her tone was slightly impatient, as she was in the midst of her sword technique and couldn't stop.

Tianmen Daoist, half crying and half laughing, his face contorted, suddenly threw down his sword and said, "Can't you see? He's guiding us in our sword techniques!"

Ningyi, the nun, was struck as if by lightning, stunned on the spot. Tianmen Daoist picked up his sword and said despondently, "This old Daoist is convinced! Convinced in heart and mind. His sword technique is something I can never catch up to in this lifetime, and his heart is something I can't match. Why should I embarrass myself here? Let's go back! Let's go back!"

Saying this, he bowed to Chen Ang and walked away without looking back.

Ningyi, the nun, raised her head and said in a hoarse voice, "Aren't you afraid that we will study your sword techniques day and night, find your weaknesses, and create two moves to counter you? What will you do then?"

Chen Ang laughed loudly and said, "At that time, I will happily drink three cups of wine, rejoicing that there is more sword technique in this world for me to learn! If you can teach one or two disciples who surpass you, and take the two schools' sword techniques to a new level, I will be overjoyed and sing aloud!"

Ningyi, the nun, shook her head and smiled bitterly, clasped her hands together, and recited a Buddhist chant for Chen Ang, saying, "After practicing Zen for over a decade, I still can't see through the illusions. All phenomena are illusory. If you see all phenomena as not real, you will see the Buddha. Amitabha!"

She then led the Mount Heng disciples away.

The Five Great Sword Schools, with two sect leaders convinced by Chen Ang's sword, truly embodied the saying "the strong are respected." The onlookers looked at each other, unsure of what to do. Yue Buqun, however, held his sword and came to face Chen Ang, bowing and saying, "Yue Buqun of Huashan, I wish to learn from you!"

Chen Ang knew that Yue Buqun did not want to confront him, as this would only benefit the Songshan School. Preventing the Five Great Sword Schools from merging would not hinder Huashan but rather provide strong support. This time, he came up to prevent the Songshan people from taking advantage of the situation, and to display his gentlemanly demeanor.

Sure enough, Yue Buqun said loudly, "Your sword technique is astonishing, but you have already fought for a long time with two sect leaders. I won't take advantage of you. Let's fight after you rest."

Ding Mian below was shocked and quickly said, "Brother Yue, there's no need to be polite. The heretic should be killed by all!" He then turned to the crowd and said, "Don't talk about chivalry with him. Attack together!"

This was another powerful weapon of the righteous schools: "Don't talk about chivalry with him."

Even though Chen Ang heard this, he almost couldn't help but laugh. However, the martial world was not yet so shameless. The crowd, hearing his words, did not rush forward but instead stepped back, letting the Songshan disciples come forward, indicating that they wanted to distance themselves from them. Some even coldly said, "Master Yue did well! We are not like those despicable people and will not take advantage of others in distress!"

Yue Buqun bowed to everyone and said, "I am at odds with the Demon Sect, but this young brother may not be a member. After such a long fight, how can I take advantage of him?"

The crowd cheered, saying, "Master Yue did the right thing!"

The Songshan people, seeing the crowd's reaction, knew that if they attacked, the others would not agree and might even draw their swords to stop them. Many had received guidance from Chen Ang's sword techniques and felt grateful or admired him. If they attacked, these people might rush forward and cut them to pieces.

Yue Buqun waited for a moment, and with Chen Ang's indication, he drew his sword and came forward. In fact, Chen Ang had no internal energy, and his exhausted appearance was mostly an act. His physical strength was best suited for endurance, and in his current perfect state, he could fight for three days and three nights without his condition deteriorating.

The two engaged in a fierce battle, with Chen Ang using the Huashan sword technique he had just learned against Yue Buqun's Huashan sword technique. The Huashan School's use of qi to control the sword was not just talk. Yue Buqun's simple and precise sword technique, powered by the Purple Mist Divine Skill, was incredibly powerful and highly effective against Chen Ang's sword technique. Even though Chen Ang's sword technique was superior, they were evenly matched.

Later, Yue Buqun focused intently and began to learn Chen Ang's sword technique. Chen Ang also gained something, understanding most of the Purple Mist Divine Skill. Once he had a foundation in internal energy, he could integrate it into his own internal skills, gaining a deeper understanding of using internal energy in sword techniques.

This could be said to be his greatest gain, though he couldn't use it immediately. He accumulated it, waiting for his internal energy to be established, at which point it would burst forth as potential.

After hundreds of exchanges, Yue Buqun deliberately left a hidden flaw and pretended to lose. On the surface, he sighed, "I am not as skilled as you, I am ashamed!" In his heart, he thought, "I only used six-tenths of my strength. If I had used my full strength, I could have defeated him in 120 moves."

Chen Ang, on the other hand, thought, "Yue Buqun probably only used six-tenths of his strength, likely to guard against Zuo Lengshan. I used my full strength in my current state, but compared to my overdrive state, it was only about two-tenths. In close combat, I would need 1,321 moves to kill him, and from a distance, just 13 darts to force him into a corner."

"If I activate the second overdrive state, I could kill him in three moves or with one dart."

Next, several martial artists who considered themselves skilled came to challenge him. In name, it was a life-or-death duel, but in reality, it was just a friendly match. Each time, Chen Ang used the martial arts of the challenger to defeat them, and in his hands, these martial arts were far more powerful than when used by their original owners.

Only then did the crowd realize that Chen Ang had not learned these sword techniques beforehand but had learned them during the matches and then returned them with ten times the power.

This was almost like a fairy tale, and the crowd found it hard to believe. They preferred to believe that there was a school that mastered hundreds of martial arts, and Chen Ang was a disciple of that school. Even as they saw Chen Ang rapidly mature before their eyes, his boxing and footwork showing the signs of a master, they still preferred to believe he had been hiding his true abilities.

After all, such martial talent was so incredible that it made people doubt themselves, and the blow to their confidence was almost fatal! If they admitted that there were geniuses who could learn techniques at a glance, what was the point of their hard work in martial arts?

If their disciples spent decades practicing a sword technique, only to find that someone could learn it in a few breaths and use it to a divine level, who would want to practice martial arts anymore?

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