Chapter 33

（Today is Xiaojian's birthday, a guest of Xuanbingzi and Xuanbing's junior brother. The author wishes him a happy birthday.）

Yang Yigu's sword technique was truly astonishing.

"Seemingly chaotic but orderly, seeking correctness in the unusual, Brother Yang's sword technique is remarkable," Chen Zong praised.

"You can tell that you admire my sword technique," Yang Yigu shook his head, raised his wine gourd, and didn't forget to promote his own wine: "Have a drink."

"Sure." Chen Zong picked up a new cup and placed it, very curious why Yang Yigu always asked people to drink his wine and why those he called all refused.

Then, Chen Zong knew what it meant to taste bitter fruit.

This was not wine, but clearly a cup of bitter water, and not only bitter but also very strong, making it hard to accept. Chen Zong finally understood why those people, upon hearing Yang Yigu's invitation to drink, quickly refused.

"Unable to appreciate it." Yang Yigu looked at Chen Zong's conflicted face and couldn't help but shake his head and sigh: "This wine is brewed from over a dozen first and second-grade herbs, capable of nourishing the body and blood. Moreover, don't you think this wine is like a person, who, if born in poor circumstances, must endure bitter fruit to eventually taste sweetness?"

Chen Zong couldn't spit it out, so he held it in his mouth, letting the bitterness spread throughout his mouth, making his scalp tingle.

Gradually, Chen Zong keenly felt a hint of sweetness growing amidst the bitterness, slowly spreading and eventually replacing the bitterness, becoming smooth and mellow.

The conflicted look on his face relaxed, replaced by a sense of pleasure. He swallowed, feeling warm and comfortable all over.

"Bitterness turned to sweetness, good wine." Chen Zong sighed sincerely, and his praise made Yang Yigu's eyes light up, as if he had found a kindred spirit.

"From now on, I, Yang Yigu, will recognize you as a friend." Yang Yigu's blurry eyes seemed to instantly become clear, speaking in a serious tone, then quickly returning to his drunken state, as if it were an illusion.

If it were someone else, especially those with good backgrounds, they would not be able to appreciate the taste contained in that bitter and strong drink, but Chen Zong understood, just as his previous dozen years and the current year, and the years to come, were a reflection of this.

Yang Yigu must be the same.

At the banquet, another sparring session ended.

"Kong Lianshan, you are just a commoner. What ability do you have to be listed among the six young heroes? Come out, I will show you that you don't have the qualifications," Wang Shenghong stood up, pointing directly at Kong Lianshan, without any courtesy.

"As you wish." Kong Lianshan sat as steady as a rock, his face unchanged, and responded in a deep voice, slowly standing up and walking to the center.

"See my fist." Wang Shenghong rushed out quickly, his fists like rolling stones, crashing towards Kong Lianshan, as if the sound of stones rolling down a mountain was continuous.

This was the perfected foundation-level martial art, Rolling Stone Fist.

Kong Lianshan's face was calm, his arms extended, his palms upright, and he used the Steady Rock Palm, steady and solid.

Wang Shenghong's fist attacks were fierce and continuous, while Kong Lianshan's palms were as steady as a rock. Both were at the fourth level of the Blood Qi realm and had refined their blood qi six times. They were evenly matched in all aspects, and the outcome would depend on their combat skills.

Fist and palm collided, the dull sound like drumbeats, resonating.

For a moment, Wang Shenghong could not break through Kong Lianshan's defense, his face growing more and more grim. After all, it was he who had spoken up to teach Kong Lianshan a lesson. In contrast, Kong Lianshan's face remained calm, unhurried.

"Great Stone Break!" After a long attack, Wang Shenghong directly activated his blood qi, using the first level of the lower-grade human martial art, Great Stone Fist.

The entry-level Great Stone Break made Wang Shenghong's fists swell, as if they had turned into huge stones, smashing towards Kong Lianshan.

Kong Lianshan's expression changed slightly, immediately activating his blood qi, his palms enlarging, like grinding wheels turning.

"Mountain Unmoving!"

The first level of the Steady Mountain Palm, entry-level.

The collision produced a terrifying dull sound, making everyone's hearts tremble.

"Great Stone Break!"

One attack failed, Wang Shenghong became furious, continuously activating his blood qi, using Great Stone Break repeatedly, like one large stone after another smashing towards Kong Lianshan.

Kong Lianshan also continuously activated his blood qi, using Mountain Unmoving to defend, both sides seemingly in a battle of attrition.

Using grade-level martial arts required the activation of blood qi, which would consume blood qi. Using blood qi multiple times would greatly reduce one's strength.

After several more attacks, Wang Shenghong's face turned pale, his blood qi greatly consumed. If he continued, he might damage his foundation, making it a loss.

A pause, and Kong Lianshan took the opportunity to strike with his palm, one palm blocked, the other hit Wang Shenghong's chest, a loud thud, like a drum, Wang Shenghong retreated, feeling as if his chest had been shattered, in great pain.

"Hmph." Wang Shenghong's pale face was filled with hatred, unable to teach a lesson and instead being defeated, he was very angry but said nothing, sitting down.

"Kong Lianshan is good at defense. If you fight him, either find a weakness or use a stronger attack to overwhelm him, there is no other way," Chen Zong thought to himself.

Then, someone else issued a challenge, sparring with each other, one after another.

Most of the sparring used foundation-level martial arts, and were between opponents of equal cultivation.

Different people, different martial arts, different combat styles, greatly broadened Chen Zong's horizons, forming a kind of accumulation. Perhaps it wouldn't have much effect now, but over time, it would subtly influence Chen Zong's future cultivation, leading him in a better direction.

Occasionally, he would discuss with Yang Yigu, expressing their views on combat and sword techniques, exchanging ideas.

"Chen Zong, you are just a mere branch clan member, you have no right to be listed among the six young heroes," Yang Feiyu's eyes blazed with anger, drawing his sword and pointing it directly at Chen Zong.

Clearly, Yang Feiyu had transferred his anger towards Yang Yigu onto Chen Zong, who had been talking to Yang Yigu so happily.

However, since someone had specifically challenged him, Chen Zong naturally would not refuse. To be honest, after watching so many battles, his hands were already itching.

Standing up, drawing his sword, the sword light flickered, he walked towards Yang Feiyu.

"Branch clan members are branch clan members, you can't even afford a precious iron sword. Do you want me to give you one?" Yang Feiyu glanced at Chen Zong's long sword, a sneer on his lips, full of contempt.

"Sure, the one in your hand." Chen Zong's response made Yang Feiyu's face turn from shock to dark, and also made others laugh out loud in surprise.

Yang Feiyu had picked up a stone to throw at his own foot.

A precious iron sword was not cheap, let alone giving it to someone he hated. Not a chance.

"Don't just talk big." Yang Feiyu's voice was cold and stern, a sword thrust out, light and fast, clearly the perfected Flying Goose Sword Technique.

One sword after another, the sword light followed, like unending flying geese, piercing at Chen Zong from all angles.

Chen Zong's expression was calm, his wrist turned, the long sword stabbed out, and a sharp eagle's cry echoed, making everyone think an eagle had swooped down, very piercing.

In terms of skill, the Eagle Strike Sword Technique was on par with the Flying Goose Sword Technique, but Chen Zong's Eagle Strike Sword Technique had reached the subtle level, making it stronger than the perfected Flying Goose Sword Technique.

One sword after another, in the blink of an eye, the dozen sword lights Yang Feiyu had thrust out were all shattered.

The sword light was sharp, piercing Yang Feiyu's brow, blinding him. When he finally saw clearly, he felt as if his brow had been pricked by a needle, and when he touched it, there was a bit of red.

"What a fast sword!"

"What a sharp sword!"

The crowd murmured in amazement.

Tang Junluo's eyes flashed with a sharp light. From Chen Zong's sword, he could see that the other's sword was faster, more accurate, and sharper.

"Such is good." Tang Junluo said to himself: "Otherwise, defeating you would have no sense of achievement."

Yang Yigu, holding the wine gourd in his left hand, paused, a sharp light flashing in his eyes. Chen Zong's sword technique was beyond his expectations.

At this point, Yang Feiyu was defeated.

"Go to hell!" Yang Feiyu was not willing to accept defeat. This Chen Zong, the more he looked at him, the more he hated him, and he even dared to injure him. Unbearable, he activated his blood qi, using the first level of the Flying Eagle Sword Technique.

Flying Eagle Kill!

The precious iron sword was sharp, the tip like an eagle's beak, fiercely stabbing towards Chen Zong's chest, aiming to pierce through with one strike.

"Stop!"

"You dare!"

Fierce Tiger Skill, blood qi flowing, strength greatly increased, the subtle level Willow Breeze Sword Technique, body like the wind, sword like a willow, swaying, lightly touching the Flying Eagle Kill, then retracting, the subtle level Eagle Strike Sword Technique striking continuously, hitting around the Flying Eagle Kill, fast, accurate, and steady to the extreme.

The subtle level Phantom Sword Technique was used, the sword light dazzling and blinding, instantly turning into shadows, the alternation of light and shadow making people's eyes blur.

With the Fierce Tiger Skill enhancing blood qi, the three subtle level sword techniques changed and alternated continuously, overwhelming the Flying Eagle Kill, a sword slicing towards Yang Feiyu's face, the fast, accurate, and steady execution showing ruthlessness and decisiveness.

Yang Feiyu's pupils contracted, his face full of shock, but the sword was too fast, mercilessly slicing towards his throat, mercilessly.

"Show mercy!" A group of people shouted, Tang Junhao even directly intervened, a long spear in his hand, blood qi bursting, a spear thrusting at an astonishing speed, like a meteor chasing the moon.

The spear tip and the sword tip lightly touched, a terrifying force blocking Chen Zong's sword, Chen Zong quickly retreated, but the sword tip was shattered.

Tang Junhao's long spear was of the precious iron level, and of the best quality, while Chen Zong's long sword was a common fine iron level. In a direct clash, damage was inevitable.

"Yang Feiyu, you are not welcome here, please leave," Tang Junhao said angrily. Everyone could see that his sword was clearly aimed at killing Chen Zong.

Yang Feiyu left with a dark face.

"Sorry, I damaged your sword, I will compensate you with one." Tang Junhao turned to Chen Zong, a smile on his face: "Someone, bring a precious iron sword."

"No, a fine iron sword is fine." Chen Zong was surprised and quickly said.

The sword tip is a very important part of a sword. If damaged, the sword's power would be greatly reduced.

"Without a precious iron sword, how can you have an exciting battle with me?" Tang Junluo said, and everyone was greatly surprised.

Tang Junluo's words implied that Chen Zong could actually be his match?

Wasn't he overestimating him?

Soon, someone brought a precious iron sword and handed it to Tang Junhao, who then passed it to Chen Zong, his tone firm: "Your sword technique is truly remarkable, worthy of this sword."

"Thank you." Chen Zong solemnly accepted the precious iron sword with both hands, his right hand gripping the black sandalwood handle, slightly exerting force to draw out a section, the sharpness visible, the blade emitting a faint blue light, reflecting in his eyes.

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