Chapter 76

Everyone in the Tang family of Wen Shui knew that their young master couldn't endure prolonged battles—this impatience wasn't due to a lack of stamina, but rather a lack of patience.

Tonight, Tang Sanshi displayed great impatience. He stepped forward with his right foot, and the wild grass swayed with the wind. The Wen Shui sword in his hand shone with the brilliance of the stars, sweeping towards Qijian. The sword qi tore through the night sky, and faint sparks of fire appeared.

"Evening Clouds Gather!"

In the crowd watching from the stone steps in front of the hall, someone who recognized this sword technique cried out in surprise.

Tang Sanshi unleashed all his true essence, the sword qi surging, as if the night sky was truly ablaze.

The few wisps of clouds slowly drifting over the square were illuminated by the fire on the sword, as if they were burning, resembling the fiery clouds at sunset.

More terrifyingly, the burning evening clouds concealed boundless sword intent, an extremely fierce sword intent.

The crowd was stunned, thinking that this young man's arrogance and audacity were indeed justified.

Gou Hanshi's expression also became serious. He could imagine that after leaving Wen Shui and practicing for several months at the Heavenly Dao Academy in the capital, Tang Sanshi must have improved. He was no longer the thirty-sixth-ranked practitioner on the Green Cloud List, but he hadn't expected his improvement to be so great, to the point where he had reached this level.

The evening clouds burned in the night sky, the sword intent rushing towards Qijian, who swayed on his weak frame, his face slightly pale, but showing no fear.

He let out a light shout, the iron ruler sword held horizontally before his chest, like two mountains slowly closing to block out all the slanting sunlight!

Tang Sanshi continued to advance, the entire field ablaze, the sword moving through it, overwhelmingly dominant, gradually becoming brighter, with a blinding white light forming at the tip of the sword!

The dark square in front of the hall, first illuminated by the evening clouds, suddenly became as bright as daylight, as if the sun had just risen, or as if the setting sun had been pulled back to the world!

"Sunset Hangs!"

The crowd watching again cried out in surprise.

Only now did the discerning experts finally confirm that Tang Sanshi had completely mastered the true essence of the Wen Shui Tang family's sword techniques!

Evening Clouds Gather!

Sunset Hangs!

Maple River!

The Three Techniques of Wen Shui!

...

...

The Three Techniques of Wen Shui were the most powerful sword techniques of the Wen Shui Tang family. This set of techniques had only three moves, but they were enough to change the course of events.

Even with Tang Sanshi's current cultivation level, he could not fully unleash the power of these techniques, but they were already formidable enough.

With his lazy nature, he had dedicated four whole years to mastering these techniques, and with the recent months of intense practice, he had finally reached a level of proficiency. He had intended to use them at the Qingteng Banquet, either to cripple Tianhai Ya'er or to use them at the critical moment in his battle with Zhuang Huan Yu, but he never had the chance until tonight against Qijian.

A wave of shocked murmurs rose from the crowd in front of the hall.

Chen Changsheng was puzzled and asked Luo Luo, "What's going on?"

"These three moves are very powerful, they are burning killing moves," Luo Luo said. "But the reason everyone is shocked is not just because of that. No one expected Tang Sanshi to use his strongest techniques right from the start."

Chen Changsheng fell silent, wondering if there was something wrong with that.

"No one starts with their ultimate moves," Luo Luo, knowing that Mr. Chen had no experience in cultivation and combat, thought for a moment and said, "It's... too unrefined."

Indeed, it was very unrefined.

On the stone steps in front of the hall, whether it was the Zongci Temple, Qingyao Thirteen, or the Holy Maiden Peak and other southern sects, the senior masters were just about to explain the details of the battle to their disciples, but who could have thought that the battle would start with Tang Sanshi using his ultimate moves, and the outcome would be so imminent?

The teachers and elders of the sects and academies had no time to say anything, they could only sigh or be stunned into silence.

In the battles of cultivators, it was rare to use ultimate moves right from the start. This was not because of elegance or demeanor, nor was it related to refinement. The most important reason was that ultimate moves were the strongest moves, the decisive moves. Using ultimate moves meant that the outcome would be decided in the next moment.

This kind of situation only occurred in battles where the strength disparity was clear.

Extremely confident strong individuals would choose this method, or those who knew they were at a disadvantage and had no choice but to go all out.

Tang Sanshi and Qijian were of similar cultivation levels. If the battle were to proceed at a normal pace, it would take at least dozens of moves to determine the winner.

He had no reason to take such a risk and decide the outcome with his first move.

...

...

Tang Sanshi was not impatient, nor was he overly confident, nor was he lacking in confidence.

He knew that Qijian's true essence quantity and purity were slightly better than his own. If it came to the true essence and subtleties of sword techniques, the Lishan Sword Sect might be superior to the Wen Shui Tang family. If the battle continued, he would still be the one to fall in the end.

He wanted to win, so he had to seize the initiative.

The initiative in a battle was who could take the lead.

He used the Three Techniques of Wen Shui without hesitation, "Evening Clouds Gather" followed by "Sunset Hangs," two extremely powerful sword moves that swept through like a tidal wave, directly enveloping Qijian.

This was what was meant by momentum.

He had studied the battle between Zhuang Huan Yu and Qijian two years ago in great depth. He knew Qijian's weakness.

He believed that although two years had passed, Qijian had become stronger and more mentally stable, but that weakness could not be completely overcome.

Because a twelve-year-old child, after two years, was still a child under fourteen.

Children are, after all, children.

...

...

Children were too young, with too little experience, and most importantly, they could not bear as much pressure as adults—after all, not everyone was like Chen Changsheng, who had lived under the most terrifying pressure in the world since the age of ten.

Qijian was the youngest disciple of the Lishan Sword Sect, but also one of the two people who bore the most pressure on the entire Lishan, the other being Qiushan Jun.

At less than twelve years old, he could face the strongest student of the Heavenly Dao Academy head-on. Even if he lost, it could still be called a shocking feat. The most legendary uncle-grandmaster of Lishan, who had returned to the mountain during his travels, once commented: "With this child, Lishan will not fall for a thousand years."

This was an extremely high evaluation, and an extremely heavy burden.

Qijian practiced and studied under this pressure, becoming increasingly silent and more like a little adult at a young age.

But as Tang Sanshi thought, children were, after all, children.

Tang Sanshi used the Three Techniques of Wen Shui to push Qijian's pressure to the extreme.

He wanted to crush Qijian with this pressure alone.

...

...

Apart from senior experts like Mao Qiuyu, only Gou Hanshi understood Tang Sanshi's intentions from the start.

His expression became increasingly serious. He knew that his junior brother was talented but, due to his age, had a weakness. Two years ago, he lost to Zhuang Huan Yu, and the world thought it was due to a lack of experience and cultivation years, but Gou Hanshi knew that the final loss was due to a lack of decisiveness.

The reason for the lack of decisiveness was that Qijian panicked, and the reason for the panic was the immense pressure.

Sure enough, facing the burning sword momentum like evening clouds and the white glow at the tip of Tang Sanshi's sword like a setting sun, Qijian's expression remained calm, the iron ruler sword steady, his aura undisturbed, the two invisible cliffs still slowly closing, but Gou Hanshi could see... he was starting to panic.

Gou Hanshi's brows furrowed.

Regarding the thoughts hidden in Tang Sanshi's sword intent, some might consider it despicable, bullying a younger opponent, but he did not think so. As he had said earlier, as long as it was one's own ability, it could be used. Since it was a battle, both psychological and pressure-bearing abilities could be attacked.

He just felt a bit sorry that his junior brother, who was clearly stronger than the opponent, would lose due to psychological reasons.

Tang Sanshi's figure was already in front of Qijian.

The Wen Shui sword had set the clouds in the night sky ablaze, and the wild grass in the cracks of the square's bricks had all turned jade-like.

The entire field was ablaze, the setting sun enveloping the earth.

Qijian's expression was resolute, the iron ruler sword like a cliff gradually extending, guarding the clear stream in his heart, refusing to dry up.

Tang Sanshi gave him no chance.

With a clear whistle, the Wen Shui sword trembled violently, as if thousands of streams were flowing on the sword, eventually forming a river.

The burning evening clouds in the sky, the setting sun at the tip of the sword, and the jade grass on the ground all fell onto the sword, into the river, turning into hundreds of thousands of gold coins.

The sword intent was completely reined in, the river gently lapping the shore, and the row of green trees on the shore burned like autumn maples.

The last move of the Three Techniques of Wen Shui.

Maple River!

...

...

A hint of panic appeared on Qijian's face.

At this moment, many people could already see that he was about to lose.

This disciple of the Lishan Sword Sect's headmaster had not yet fully unleashed the subtleties of the Lishan Sword Technique and was about to lose so humiliatingly.

Seeing the hint of confusion and pain in his junior brother's eyes, Gou Hanshi could no longer bear it.

He shouted, "Clouds come and go, far and near mountains!"

The words reached Qijian's ears, and the young man was puzzled. Why would his senior brother say such a thing at such a critical moment?

This phrase was a side technique in the Lishan Sword Technique, a very common move, more accurately, a move from the Qingxin Sword Manual that all disciples learned after entering the sect.

But just like practicing and testing techniques on Lishan, Qijian honestly followed his senior brother's guidance without any hesitation.

He raised his right knee, his wrist flicked, the iron ruler sword swiftly retracted, and his body moved like a withered lotus in the wind, retreating backward.

This retreat stopped the two cliffs that were about to collapse in mid-air.

Tang Sanshi's Wen Shui sword followed the momentum, shining brightly in the night sky, instantly reaching Qijian.

Rip! Rip! Rip! Rip!

Several corners of Qijian's robe were torn, a faint blood mark appeared on his shoulder, and he looked extremely disheveled, but he successfully escaped from Tang Sanshi's sword momentum!

No one could have predicted such an outcome.

People were certain that the key was Qijian's retreat.

What was so magical about this retreat that it could avoid the Three Techniques of Wen Shui?

Qijian knew that what avoided the Three Techniques of Wen Shui was his body movement and sword intent.

But the prerequisite was the retreat.

He had to retreat first to stand firm again.

The retreat was an acknowledgment of inferiority, a way to go with the flow.

Whether the mountains were far or near sometimes depended on whether the cloud at the horizon was coming or going.

What Gou Hanshi taught him was not a specific sword move, but how to correctly face pressure.

Due to his age and some objective reasons, there would always be a moment when he could not bear the pressure.

Braving it out was courage, but learning to retreat was also a kind of wisdom.

Gou Hanshi used his wisdom to help Qijian counter the pressure brought by Tang Sanshi's Three Techniques of Wen Shui.

Next, it was Tang Sanshi's turn to bear the pressure.

Qijian's expression calmed, and his sword momentum resumed, sharp like the rocks on a mountain peak.

But this time, the iron ruler sword in his hand moved with the flow, rising with the clouds.

The two cliffs no longer slowly closed as before but... collapsed directly!

The night wind blew fiercely, his clothes flapped, and the young man advanced with his sword, breaking through the setting sun, his sword momentum like a collapsing cliff!

The cliff's collapse disrupted the evening clouds!

Tang Sanshi grunted, blocking the sword, his feet stepping on the clouds and retreating, his movements graceful and casual.

A dull sound echoed through the night sky.

That was the sound of the Wen Shui sword and the iron ruler sword meeting.

In an instant, the situation had reversed.

In one exchange, a blood mark appeared on Tang Sanshi's chest and abdomen.

He landed, holding his sword to the side, his hand trembling slightly.

He knew he was at a disadvantage, but his mind was not in chaos.

At this moment, a voice sounded behind him.

"Retreat again!"

Tang Sanshi recognized Chen Changsheng's voice and thought, "What nonsense?"

Standing with his sword, waiting for Qijian to attack, how could he look more graceful? Retreating again, wouldn't that be embarrassing?

He thought this, but for some reason, his feet moved backward several steps.

Just as he moved, a deep crack appeared on the ground where he had been standing!

Tang Sanshi's face changed. Only then did he realize that Qijian's sword intent had quietly reached this point!

It was only now that the sword intent was exhausted!

The cliff's collapse, blocking the river, destroying the red maples on the shore, but the rocks that burst out were even farther than people could see!

If not for Chen Changsheng's warning, he would have been seriously injured by now!

...

...

Gou Hanshi was surprised and looked at Chen Changsheng.

The stone steps in front of the hall were quiet, and everyone's gaze fell on Chen Changsheng.

Tang Sanshi and Qijian's confrontation lasted only a few moves, and each encountered great danger in a short time.

Gou Hanshi could see through the true essence of the Three Techniques of Wen Shui, shouting to help Qijian use the most common method of the Lishan Sword Technique to counter and break through. This insight and wisdom were truly commendable, but since he was Gou Hanshi, no one found it too shocking or surprising.

However... why could Chen Changsheng see through Qijian's sword momentum? Why did he seem so familiar with the Lishan Sword Technique?

Could he also have the vast knowledge of Gou Hanshi?

No one could believe this conclusion.

Xiaosonggong did not believe it either. Thinking of the old incident from hundreds of years ago, he looked at Jin Yulv on the opposite side of the square, his eyes filled with even more resentment.

The silence in the square was broken after a short time.

Chen Changsheng seemed oblivious to the hundreds of gazes on him.

He withdrew his gaze from Tang Sanshi and looked at Gou Hanshi.

"Pour the Golden Bottle!"

"Sink the Sea Mist!"

"Window Shadow Lamp!"

"Hang the Sword in the Long Forest!"

He said four words in succession.

These were the names of four sword moves.

Four moves from the Wen Shui Tang family's sword techniques.