Chapter 26

Wood chips flew everywhere as another sword puppet was shattered by Zong Shou's sword light. The crowd below the Mingjian Platform finally burst into a buzz, discussing the matter. It seemed that all the astonishment they had accumulated up to this point was now fully unleashed.

Few disciples had emerged from the Dao Palace, only about a hundred. Yet, all of them wore expressions of surprise, their faces fluctuating between shock and disbelief.

"Who is this person on the platform? In the ten thousand years since our sect's Xiaoluotian Sword Array was established, only a few have managed to last for four hundred breaths. He broke it so easily?"

"From start to finish, he used only basic sword techniques. Could this be what they call 'returning to simplicity'?"

"Not only his sword techniques, but even his footwork is remarkable!"

"A thirteen-year-old child, who has just started practicing martial arts, what simplicity can he return to? What truth can he achieve? It's just that this boy has practiced this set of sword techniques to a level of perfection. Our sect's elders were right. Even the most basic martial arts, if mastered to the extreme, can possess immeasurable power—"

At the entrance of the Dao Palace, a young man and woman stood with blank expressions.

When Zong Shou stepped into the trap of the Xiaoluotian Sword Array, even they, who prided themselves on their discerning eyes, thought he was walking to his death. The outcome of the battle was clear at a glance.

But in less than a breath, the young man on the platform had completely turned the tide. At the most impossible moment, he broke the sword array in one move.

"This Zong Shou can actually be so cool!"

After a long daze, the young girl came to her senses, her cheeks flushed like a love-struck fan: "I, Ge Hanyun, have lived for fourteen years, and this is the first time I've been moved by someone. If it weren't for his noble lineage, I might have considered marrying him. Feibai, he really is stronger than you—"

"Though his sword techniques are basic, he has already delved into the essence of swordsmanship!"

The young man nodded slightly, not refuting her. His words were full of admiration, with no hint of dissatisfaction: "At least for now, I am not as good as him! But within ten years, the unparalleled talent of Donglin Yunlu will still be me, not him!"

Ge Hanyun was slightly taken aback. Even after witnessing a peer of her age break the Xiaoluotian Sword Array with a single sword, her childhood friend remained completely unshaken, his words filled with terrifying confidence.

Then she smiled, wondering what the future would hold if Zong Shou were not a dual-meridian body but like them.

Right! And the person opposite, his expression must be quite interesting now.

Liang Miaozhi, standing in front of the first major hall, was already pale as paper. Looking at that exceptionally agile figure, her gaze was like an arrow, wishing to pierce through the young man.

When the first puppet shattered, she already felt regret. Now, she wished to tear that person apart completely!

What kind of waste is this? What kind of ant can be so easily manipulated? This exquisite sword technique, how many people in ten thousand years, at this age, could achieve such a feat?

Her face turned slightly blue and purple. Liang Miaozhi could feel several distant gazes, filled with pity and schadenfreude, watching her. Deep inside, she felt a faint pain.

With a diagonal slash, she severed the legs of a sword puppet at the root. Then, like a flash of lightning, she turned her sword behind her, piercing through the 'heart' of another puppet where the beast crystal was placed. Zong Shou then moved quickly, carefully stepping away from his original position.

At his feet, the ground was already littered with various puppet parts. Not only did this hinder the movement of the wooden figures, but it also restricted his own movement.

He was slightly out of breath, and the conflicting qi in his body felt like it was about to explode. However, Zong Shou's spirit was even more vigorous.

Since the first sword, each time he slew a sword puppet, a cold and sharp aura would enter his body.

Each time, it restored some of his strength, making his current physical condition still surprisingly abundant. There was no sign of the expected exhaustion and weakness.

This also made him completely focused, completely oblivious to the noise below.

All honor and all schemes were cast aside. In his eyes, there was only the sword in his hand and the puppets before him.

Stepping into the Kun position, just as three puppets were about to surround him, Zong Shou took several steps back. Then, with a sudden burst of strength, he charged forward at high speed, piercing through the necks of two wooden figures that were too slow to react with a single sword!

With a diagonal slash, he severed these fragile necks completely, followed by a 'ding' as his sword clashed with another, sparking countless sparks. The overwhelming sword force made Zong Shou take a step back, almost falling over.

The wooden figures, whose strength and resilience could match those of the Xuanwu Sect, made his blood surge and almost unable to withstand the impact with just one sword.

But at this moment, the light in Zong Shou's eyes did not diminish; instead, it became even more brilliant.

Basic Sword Technique No. 44—External Spiral Sword!

"Eighteenth puppet, cut!"

The green pine-patterned wind sword suddenly drew a circle, a gentle force subtly redirecting the puppet's sword momentum.

Then, the green sword shadow, like a venomous snake's tongue, suddenly pierced through the sword puppet completely!

When Zong Shou looked around again, he saw that the platform was in ruins. No puppet remained that could raise a sword against him.

The ground was littered with broken wood. The eighteen sword puppets of the Xiaoluotian Sword Array were all gone.

After a while, Zong Shou withdrew from his intense battle state, his consciousness gradually becoming clear.

Then he saw Lin Fei on the platform and the countless gazes from below the Mingjian Platform, filled with disbelief, amazement, and jealousy.

Zong Shou was stunned for a moment, then gave a cold sneer.

"Three hundred and forty-three breaths, this is the Xiaoluotian Sword Array of the Lingyun Sect? It's nothing more than that—"

These few short words made the Lingyun Sect disciples below slightly angry. But in just a moment, they fell silent.

Breaking the array within a hundred breaths, and at three hundred and forty-three breaths, completely shattering the eighteen sword puppets, each of which already possessed considerable combat strength.

Such a person indeed had the right to say, "It's nothing more than that—"

Except for the exceptionally handsome young man on the Mingjian Platform, no one else had such a right.

In the minds of many, they even thought that the Xiaoluotian Sword Array left by the Lingyun Sect's founder was deliberately making things difficult for the heroes of the world. No one in the world could break this array without using internal qi.

But today, they witnessed this miracle with their own eyes.

Those who knew the background were all blushing with shame, unable to utter a word of rebuttal.

Huang Yi, standing beside Liang Miaozhi, sighed inwardly. His uncle had indeed gone too far, and such humiliation was understandable.

The pine-patterned wind sword in Zong Shou's hand was already dulled, with a slight crack on the blade. He casually threw it, embedding it in the center of the Mingjian Platform. Then, his gaze turned to the left, to the similarly sized stone platform.

Without much hesitation, he walked down from the Mingjian Platform and directly headed to the opposite side.

As he walked, he did not display any overwhelming aura. Yet, the Lingyun Sect disciples and the many young people instinctively moved to the sides, making way for him as he walked to the base of the Tianfu Platform.