"A duel of swords?"
Wan Yunting looked at Zi Qing and Lan Xin with surprise. He hadn't expected these two Taoist nuns from the Wudang Sect to travel all the way to Hua Du City to seek him out for a sword duel. He found it very unexpected and asked with a smile, "Senior Sister Zi Qing, you've never met me before. When our Wuliang Dao Guan held the ancestral ceremony, your Wudang Sect didn't send a representative, only congratulations. How did you find out about my skill level? Aren't you afraid of being disappointed?"
Lan Xin spoke on behalf of her master, "Yes, that's right. My master saw the video of you participating in the Lanting Award calligraphy competition. After watching it, she descended the mountain wanting to seek you out for a sword duel."
"So that's how it is."
Wan Yunting nodded and smiled. At that time, he had written calligraphy while drunk, using his brush as a sword. It contained vital energy and powerful sword intent. Ordinary people who saw it would break into a cold sweat, and martial artists would be able to comprehend the powerful sword intent hidden within Wan Yunting's strokes.
It was precisely for this reason that Lu Xiaodie had comprehended and created several sword techniques from his calligraphy.
At that time, when Lan Xin showed him the competition video and the calligraphy he had written to Zi Qing, even though it was through a screen, Zi Qing could immediately sense the sword intent contained within Wan Yunting's strokes. This sent a shock through her heart, and her first thought was to descend the mountain and seek this person for a sword duel.
Thus, she had come.
"So, Senior Sister Zi Qing practices the way of the sword?"
Wan Yunting looked at Zi Qing. He hadn't expected them to travel all the way from Mount Wudang just by seeing his calligraphy. This showed that Zi Qing was a dedicated martial arts enthusiast.
Lan Xin said proudly, "Let me put it this way, my master is the person with the greatest sword dao talent in our Wudang Sect over the past thousand years, and she is also the top sword dao disciple among our current Wudang disciples!"
"Tch."
This statement drew a disdainful scoff from Duan Yingying beside them.
"What are you scoffing at?"
Lan Xin glared and sneered at Duan Yingying, "You probably couldn't beat me in your practice just now."
"Who are you looking down on?"
Provoked by this girl, Duan Yingying pointed her Tai Chi sword at her and challenged, "If you dare, fight me."
"Come on."
Lan Xin was naturally unafraid. Although she didn't have her master's talent, becoming Zi Qing's disciple meant her talent and skill wouldn't be lacking.
"Yingying, say less."
Wan Yunting could tell that Lan Xin was skilled. Duan Yingying might not be able to beat her. He looked up at the somewhat naive-looking Zi Qing. As it was the first time he encountered such a situation, he found it quite interesting and said with a smile, "So, Senior Sister Zi Qing traveled all the way to Hua Du City just to challenge my sword dao?"
"Mm."
Zi Qing nodded. She slowly unwrapped the long object wrapped in coarse cloth, revealing a section of a wooden sword blade. It turned out to be a wooden sword carved from peach wood. Seeing this, Wan Yunting smiled and said, "Senior Sister Zi Qing is well-prepared. However, with the depth of your Wudang Sect's swordsmanship, my skills are probably not worthy of your attention."
Zi Qing handed the coarse cloth to Lan Xin beside her. Her phoenix eyes gazed at Wan Yunting, seemingly unable to comprehend his words. Her voice was soft and pleasant as she said, "Your internal energy is slightly lacking, but your swordsmanship is already beyond your peers. I want to test it!"
Wan Yunting nodded and smiled upon hearing her words, "You're quite blunt. Alright, since you've traveled all this way specifically to visit me, I can't let you go back disappointed. Let's try."
Seeing that they were about to spar, Lan Xin and Duan Yingying naturally stepped aside. Wan Yunting reached out and called, "Yingying, give me the sword."
"Here…"
As she spoke, Duan Yingying tossed the Tai Chi sword in her hand over. Wan Yunting caught it, shook the blade, and it emitted a humming sound. He smiled at Zi Qing, who was holding a wooden sword with a still somewhat dazed expression, "I don't have a wooden sword here, but this sword is not sharpened. Do you mind?"
Zi Qing said lightly, "No matter."
"Good, then let's begin."
Seeing this, Wan Yunting said no more and slightly assumed a stance with his sword…
Zi Qing, holding the peach wood sword, extended her left foot to draw a semicircular arc on the grass. She raised her left hand holding the sword, the blade held horizontally in front of her right ear. As she looked up, her naturally naive phoenix eyes instantly shot out two sharp gazes like sword edges, making Wan Yunting's heart stir. He secretly thought, it seems that girl wasn't lying; this Senior Sister Zi Qing might truly be a sword dao genius!
Next, Zi Qing moved rapidly with her steps. As the challenger, she naturally attacked first. The peach wood sword in her left hand changed its position back and forth. In the blink of an eye, the wooden sword had already stabbed towards Wan Yunting…
"So fast!"
Wan Yunting's pupils contracted. He took a step back, and the Tai Chi sword in his hand immediately rose to block Zi Qing's direct thrust with the peach wood sword. Then, her body dipped low to the ground, she turned the wooden sword in her left hand, and with a flick upwards, vital energy circulated to the sword tip, emitting a metallic clang that did not belong to a wooden sword.
Wan Yunting's eyes sharpened. He dared not underestimate her. He leaped lightly with his right foot, jumping into the air. His legs were spread wide in mid-air, and the Tai Chi sword in his hand pressed down, colliding with Zi Qing's peach wood sword and blocking it with a "clang." However, before he could land, Zi Qing spun around, and the peach wood sword in her left hand once again stabbed towards Wan Yunting…
He landed with both feet, holding the Tai Chi sword upright in front of him. As his body spun, Zi Qing's thrusting peach wood sword slid along the edge of the Tai Chi sword. Wan Yunting took advantage of the rotation and the two of them immediately created distance.
This scene happened too quickly. In just thirty seconds, they had exchanged three moves. Zi Qing turned around, her sharp phoenix eyes fixed on Wan Yunting. At this moment, her entire demeanor had changed, exuding unparalleled confidence. She held her peach wood sword and pointed it at Wan Yunting.
Facing this Senior Sister, the number one sword dao practitioner of the Wudang Sect, Wan Yunting's expression became slightly solemn. He couldn't help but assess her. After just three exchanges, Zi Qing hadn't revealed the full speed or power of her strikes, nor the vital energy she circulated. She was definitely the most formidable opponent Wan Yunting had ever sparred with. Moreover, her sword moves were unpredictable and difficult to anticipate, making it impossible to defend against her next move.
"Senior Sister Zi Qing is indeed the number one in sword dao."
Wan Yunting couldn't help but praise her, which made the onlookers Lan Xin look full of pride. She turned and cast a triumphant glance at Duan Yingying.
"Tch, the outcome is not yet decided. Our Sect Leader was just being polite," Duan Yingying snorted disdainfully.
"Then just wait and see. My master will definitely defeat your Sect Leader," Lan Xin said confidently.
Swish!
The next second, Wan Yunting, holding the Tai Chi sword, rushed out. This time, it was his turn to attack. Vital energy circulated to the sword tip, and he thrust it at Zi Qing like lightning, accompanied by a humming sword qi. Zi Qing's delicate eyebrows slightly raised. In an instant, her left hand circulated the peach wood sword to block Wan Yunting's sharp, lightning-like sword move. She twisted her body, and the peach wood sword appeared behind Wan Yunting like a phantom, forcing him to spin like a top in place. He attacked Zi Qing's lower body with the Tai Chi sword, but she dodged it with a leap…
Then, she leaped into the air, and in a flash, the peach wood sword moved downwards, stabbing towards Wan Yunting's head. Vital energy exploded in the air, crushing the small grass on the lawn flat…
Wan Yunting looked up with wide eyes. Facing Zi Qing's peach wood sword descending from the sky, he let out a soft shout and thrust his Tai Chi sword upwards. The sword tips met, and the two remained in this posture, frozen for about ten seconds. Zi Qing's sharp phoenix eyes met Wan Yunting's sharp and solemn gaze.
Clang!
The next second, the vital energy of their two sword tips collided and exploded. Zi Qing flipped in the air and slowly landed on the grass, her expression unchanged…
Wan Yunting, on the other hand, retreated a few steps in place, his left toe digging into the grass before he steadied himself. He looked up at Zi Qing with astonishment and murmured, "Late-stage Dan Jin!"
Duan Yingying, who was watching, heard that Zi Qing was at the late-stage Dan Jin realm of martial arts. Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. Lan Xin said proudly, "My master is only twenty-nine years old, and she's already at the late-stage Dan Jin."
"Then how old is she?" Duan Yingying couldn't help but ask.
From Zi Qing's exquisitely crafted face, it was impossible to determine her exact age.
"Twenty-nine," Lan Xin replied.
This made Duan Yingying gasp. No wonder she had claimed to be the once-in-a-millennium sword dao genius of the Wudang Sect. Based on her martial arts talent alone, she had surpassed the vast majority of her peers, and could even be said to have annihilated them, with no one being able to match her.
When Zhou Ruoxi of the Emei Sect was called a martial arts genius back then, but compared to this usually low-key Zi Qing of the Wudang Sect, she couldn't even be called a martial arts genius.
"Gang Jin! Isn't this the sword technique of your Wuliang Dao Guan?" Zi Qing asked doubtfully, her phoenix eyes fixed on Wan Yunting.
Wan Yunting sheathed his sword and stood up straight, smiling, "This is our Wuliang Dao Guan's Wuji Tiangang Sword Technique."
Zi Qing's delicate eyebrows slightly raised, and she asked, confused, "Why have I never heard of such a domineering sword technique in your Wuliang Dao Guan?"
Wan Yunting waved his hand and said with a smile, "That's not the point. Senior Sister Zi Qing's swordsmanship is excellent. If we were to continue, I wouldn't be your opponent."
Zi Qing shook her head slightly and resumed her stance, saying, "A duel of swords is not about winning or losing!"
Wan Yunting's expression faltered for a moment. He understood her meaning, nodded, and also resumed his stance, smiling, "In that case, I shall seek Senior Sister Zi Qing's guidance again…"
As soon as he finished speaking, Wan Yunting, holding the Tai Chi sword, rushed at Zi Qing again. The two immediately clashed. Although Zi Qing was holding a peach wood sword, her sword swings were like hundreds of sword qi flying wildly, blowing away the surrounding flowers and plants. Her sword moves were extremely sharp, each one aimed at a vital point…
Facing Zi Qing's fierce sword moves, Wan Yunting was naturally unwilling to be outdone. He used the Wuji Tiangang Sword Technique, and even incorporated moves from the Wushuang Sword Technique. Although this was a sword technique they practiced together, and one person couldn't unleash its full power, the individual moves were still immensely powerful. They sparred for ten minutes, exchanging hundreds of moves, fighting to a standstill…
Duan Yingying and Lan Xin, who were watching, widened their eyes and mouths, and couldn't help but exclaim, "So powerful…"