Chapter 5

The Sword Duel Platform, a place where students engage in sword duels and competitions, is also known as a tournament stage. Any academy has multiple such platforms, and once students step onto the Sword Duel Platform, they must determine a winner.

Yi Yingying led Lu Qinghe to a rather secluded Sword Duel Platform, which was currently unused, with only a few dozen students around, clearly out of consideration for his face.

Lu Qinghe did not object to this. The two of them did not say much and directly stepped onto the Sword Duel Platform.

"Your meridians are damaged, and you cannot move your true qi. Even though you still have the peak true qi of the third level of Refinement, the power you can exert is only at the first level. I will use the first level of Refinement true qi to determine the winner with you."

As soon as Yi Yingying finished speaking, she pointed a slender sword at Lu Qinghe.

"Controlling true qi will distract you, and you won't be able to use even seventy percent of your full strength. Moreover, if our true qi is similar, just comparing sword skills won't be a satisfying battle. Yi Yingying, give it your all and let me see your true strength now."

Lu Qinghe slowly gripped his sword, and his eyes instantly became sharp.

Sensing the aura of Lu Qinghe, which was as majestic as a mountain and as deep as a valley, Yi Yingying's eyes lit up, and her expression became serious. "Alright, let's have an all-out battle. I'll go first!"

"Whoosh!"

As soon as Yi Yingying finished speaking, her true qi was activated, and she instantly charged forward. Her sword slashed through the air, and a brilliant cold light flashed in Lu Qinghe's eyes.

Yi Yingying's famous sword technique, the Hundred-Fold Sword Technique.

"Good!"

Lu Qinghe's body buzzed, and the Thunder Sound Body Cultivation Technique was activated. In coordination with his true qi, his blood was fully activated, and his heart beat powerfully.

Although his true qi cultivation was far inferior to Yi Yingying's, he relied on the explosive power of his physical body to move, directly breaking free from Yi Yingying's sword lock.

"Hmm? Nine Turns and Ten Folds!"

The Hundred-Fold Sword Technique is known for its unpredictable trajectory. No one could predict where the next strike would land.

Just as Lu Qinghe broke free from Yi Yingying's sword lock, her sword technique suddenly changed. The sword tip turned sharply, piercing through the air, and was already within a meter of Lu Qinghe.

"Whoosh!"

Meteor Piercing the Moon!

At the moment the sword tip approached, Lu Qinghe took a half step back, avoiding the peak power of Yi Yingying's sword. When Yi Yingying's sword tip turned again, Lu Qinghe's sharp sword was already like a streak of light, piercing out and striking the turning point of Yi Yingying's sword technique at the critical moment.

"Clang!"

True qi oscillated!

The advantage of the peak true qi of the third level of Refinement made the true qi on Yi Yingying's sword tip oscillate, reducing the threat of Lu Qinghe's sword to the minimum. The interrupted sword technique changed again, about to penetrate and approach Lu Qinghe's forehead.

However, just as her technique was about to reach its peak, Lu Qinghe's sharp sword pierced out again, faster than her, triggering the power of her sword technique in advance, resonating in the air.

"This is..."

The sudden change caused a vacuum in Yi Yingying's true qi connection.

Old strength was exhausted, new strength not yet generated.

At this moment, Lu Qinghe's sharp sword pierced out again.

Meteor Piercing the Moon!

The ultimate speed of Meteor Piercing the Moon!

One sword pierced out, sealing all of Yi Yingying's impending attacks, forcing her to raise her sword to block and retreat quickly.

"Bang!"

The two swords clashed, sparks flying.

Yi Yingying was pushed back a step by the force of the sword, while Lu Qinghe was blocked by the thick true qi on Yi Yingying's sword tip, causing his fluid attack to be hindered.

"Good! Take my sword!"

Yi Yingying's eyes flashed with excitement, and she took advantage of the opportunity to launch another sword technique.

"Thousand Swords, Hundred Folds!"

One sword pierced out, not yet reaching the target, but already transformed into dozens of variations, like a hanging antelope horn, leaving no trace. At a glance, it was all flashing sword light, true and false, with countless changes.

"Excellent sword technique!"

Lu Qinghe's mind was highly focused, and his blood and qi were boiling due to the intense movement. His true qi was running at a speed that broke through twelve cycles in an hour.

"Cold Moon Meteor!"

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

In the next moment, Lu Qinghe's sharp sword seemed to split into ten, and ten sword shadows pierced out simultaneously, encompassing all of Yi Yingying's dozens of variations.

Ten against dozens, this was an unequal confrontation.

But Lu Qinghe's ten swords were real, while Yi Yingying's dozens of variations were derived from the subtlety of the sword technique, like a reflection in a mirror or a moon in water.

Under the peak burst of Lu Qinghe's ten swords per second, the illusory reflections were forced to reveal their true form, and all the variations dissipated.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

With continuous collisions, sparks appeared in the air, and Yi Yingying's sword technique was completely broken by Lu Qinghe.

In the world of sword techniques, only speed is invincible!

In the chaos of the swords, Lu Qinghe's sharp sword advanced, breaking through all of Yi Yingying's locks and striking her forehead.

A chill quickly spread from Yi Yingying's forehead.

However, before the sword truly struck Yi Yingying's forehead, the peak true qi of the third level of Refinement counteracted, dispersing the sword technique. Lu Qinghe was forced to retreat, and his sharp sword almost flew out of his hand.

The significant gap in true qi cultivation could not be easily bridged by a subtle sword technique, even if the difference between the first and third levels of Refinement was not obvious.

Ten swords per second, Lu Qinghe broke all of Yi Yingying's sword techniques, but at the cost of heavy damage.

Yi Yingying's peak true qi of the third level of Refinement had split Lu Qinghe's palm, causing blood to flow, and his right hand, holding the sharp sword, was trembling.

...

"Ah! It's Senior Yi Yingying!"

At this moment, the dozen or so students around them, as if noticing the abnormality on the Sword Duel Platform, suddenly exclaimed.

"Isn't Senior Yi Yingying participating in the graduation ceremony? Why is she on the Sword Duel Platform? And who is the person dueling with her? In the entire Qingyuan City, besides Beizhen, Bila, and Yan Youyou, who else can be her match?"

"I recognize him, he is Lu Qinghe, known as the top young talent in Qingyuan City. Wasn't he said to have his meridians severed? How could he appear here to duel with Senior Yi Yingying?"

"Overestimating himself, can Senior Yi Yingying be challenged by him now? It seems Lu Qinghe still thinks he is the strongest in Qingyuan, trying to gain attention by challenging Senior Yi Yingying. Let's see how Senior Yi Yingying deals with him."

In a moment, the dozen or so students around them put down their tasks and conversations and gathered around the Sword Duel Platform.

However, Yi Yingying did not pursue Lu Qinghe, who had been forced to retreat.

"Is this... the Snow River Sword Technique?"

Looking at Lu Qinghe, who was sweating from the intense movement of his blood and qi, Yi Yingying's expression was somewhat dazed.

"Meteor Piercing the Moon Sword Technique."

Lu Qinghe reported the name of the sword technique he used, then added, "We haven't dueled for half a year, and you have already advanced the Hundred-Fold Sword Technique to the Thousand Swords, Hundred Folds level."

"Thousand Swords, Hundred Folds..."

Yi Yingying's mind replayed the lightning-fast scene, unable to recover for a long time. "But it was all broken by your Cold Moon Meteor."

"You still have strength left, but I, by activating my blood and qi to reach the peak of my physical body, cannot sustain this method for long. Now, I have no strength left to fight."

Yi Yingying shook her head.

At this moment, a faint chill still lingered on her forehead, caused by Lu Qinghe's sword tip.

"If your true qi were a bit stronger, you wouldn't need the third level of Refinement, just the second level... In that duel, I would have been killed by your sword. Even without true qi, in a life-or-death battle, the result would be my death and your injury, the outcome clear."

Saying this, Yi Yingying's expression turned melancholy. "I thought that by mastering the Thousand Swords, Hundred Folds, my sword technique would be on par with yours, but our gap is only getting wider."

"Isn't that perfect? You can continue to surpass."

"Continue to surpass..."

Hearing Lu Qinghe's words, a glimmer of determination appeared in Yi Yingying's eyes.

She had not been defeated by Lu Qinghe for the first time, but the fact that he, with only the true qi of the first level of Refinement, could force her to this extent, and that even the Thousand Swords, Hundred Folds could not win, left her momentarily dazed.

After a brief moment of respite, she had recovered and looked at Lu Qinghe with renewed determination. "Senior Lu Qinghe, I know a little setback won't defeat you. I believe in Qiancheng, I won't wait for you for long."

"Then you should practice your sword skills well. I don't want to find that the gap between us has widened when I go to Qiancheng."

Lu Qinghe said, glancing at the increasing number of Eastern Academy students gathering around, and asked calmly and seriously, "Did you enjoy this battle?"

Yi Yingying was slightly taken aback but answered honestly, "I did."

Thinking of Lu Qinghe's ten stunning swords, she added, "I enjoyed it thoroughly!"

"Good."

When he was reborn as "Lu Qinghe," he was severely injured, unable to carry or lift anything, and even daily activities were difficult. Thanks to Yi Yingying's support and care, he managed to get through the most difficult period.

This was a favor.

In today's battle, he activated his blood and qi, forced out a sword, and shook his meridians, but he did not care.

Just to let Yi Yingying achieve her goal.

Lu Qinghe nodded. "My purpose for this trip has been achieved. Go continue your graduation ceremony."

Lu Qinghe left.

He left with ease and grace.

Yi Yingying was dazed. At this moment, Lu Qinghe was clearly in front of her, within reach, but he seemed like a celestial being, as if he could disappear at any moment.

"Senior Lu Qinghe, with your cultivation, you can't go to the Northern Moon Royal Academy, but there are certainly other academies willing to accept you. Let's go to the Changkong Academy together to further our studies!"

"Academy..."

Lu Qinghe waved his hand but did not turn back.

Northern Moon Royal Academy, Changkong Academy...

These were just stops in life, like a landscape on the journey of life. They might pause or linger, but once missed, they would not return.

Because...

The path of seeking truth and asking questions was just beginning, and the wonders of this world were just beginning to be revealed.

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(Votes, all kinds of recommendations! Now the new book is lacking in nutrition, and it needs everyone's votes to nourish it. A malnourished child is the most pitiful.)

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