Ten Directions Sword Master

Chapter 99 Nine Moves

Yu Tian was enraged, but after taking a few steps, he regained his composure.

With a flick of his wrist, the strips of cloth binding the sword scattered like snowflakes, revealing the blade.

It has no hilt, no guard; from tip to tip, it is a single, seamless piece.

It's called a sword, but it's more like a giant steel needle that has been stripped of all its embellishments.

This type of weapon demands extremely high levels of sword control and eyesight from the user.

Otherwise, it is very easy to injure yourself.

"Extremely simple and unadorned, with a hilt removed and edges sharpened, the sword is named Wuji, a superior weapon."

Yu Tian raised his longsword, parallel to his arm, as steady as a single unit.

"Star-Picking, a low-grade treasure weapon."

Lu Li flicked the gem closest to the hilt of the sword, and a clear, melodious sound echoed out.

He thought to himself, "The Lushan Sword Alliance really makes a grand entrance."

Despite his special status, Jianzi was still just a Foundation Establishment disciple, yet he was willing to take out a high-grade treasure weapon.

As the strongest weapon below the divine weapon, many people who have reached the peak of spiritual refinement or even half a step into the Dharma body only use high-grade treasure weapons.

Its improvement to a martial artist is not as exaggerated as that of a divine weapon. Once a martial artist reaches the peak of the Divine Refinement stage, if they have a suitable divine weapon of the same cultivation method, they can even temporarily contend against a Dharma Body Grandmaster who has no divine weapon in hand.

However, they often possess a true supernatural power, which would undoubtedly elevate the envoy's strength by one level.

Lu Li instantly became vigilant. Yu Tiansheng's strength was inferior to his opponent's, yet he could cut through melons and vegetables with ease. This must be thanks to this sword.

In fact, Lu Li had some misunderstandings about this matter.

If he knew more about the stories of the martial arts world, he would know that this Wuji Sword was the sword that Qinglian Jushi wore for a long time.

Within arm's reach, everyone is an enemy.

The sword flashes, cleaving the sky; life and death are separated by the slightest difference.

After the condensation of the Dharma body, this sword remained in the Lushan Sword Alliance, becoming the weapon of each generation of sword masters, and was not exclusive to Yu Tian.

There are probably very few people in the world who would dare to covet this Unbound Sword.

Yu Tian reached out and sent it, but nothing changed; instead, there was a faint sound of wind and thunder rumbling.

To an outsider, the sword was extremely slow, and anyone with normal mobility could easily dodge it.

But countless cold lights overlapped, as if hundreds of swords had already pierced before his eyes, arriving in an instant.

This situation, where the naked eye and the senses are completely opposite, means that if you hesitate even slightly, you will be struck by the cold light.

No wonder Yu Tian's opponent was defeated so quickly!

Ding!

With a single stroke, he extinguished the flames of the late summer heat, his feet planted firmly on the ground, and he blocked dozens of sword strikes in succession.

Each ray of cold light was tangible, causing Lu Li's palms to go numb.

Only then did the sound of wind and thunder arrive.

The speed of the sword was faster than the sound of wind and thunder!

The sword was already flying high into the sky, beyond the limits of sight, and I had to block it entirely on instinct.

The reason it appeared slow was simply because hundreds of swords were thrust out simultaneously, enveloping the entire space.

The Five Dragons Manor warrior, who was in the late Foundation Establishment stage, was defeated in two moves. His defeat was not unjust, as this was clearly a sword technique that approached the principles of law.

After delivering such a powerful thrust, Yu Tian seemed to need no respite, and his Unbridled Sword struck out once more like a raging storm.

Lu Li stretched out his fingers to ease the recoil, and without thinking, he flicked his fingers upwards with a swift and awkward Autumn Equinox, precisely parrying Wu Ji's attack.

"My sword isn't as fast as yours, but as long as I get there first, that's enough!"

At this moment, Lu Li was very glad that he had refined the Seven Aperture Exquisite Sword Heart.

It possesses both superior eyesight and a deliberate ability to react faster.

The excessive length of the Star-Picking Sword actually allowed him to catch up with his opponent with just a few movements.

In an instant, he was surrounded by afterimages, and a series of intense, rapid sounds erupted.

"This isn't his own level of mastery. If swordsmanship could touch upon the principles of law, it's impossible for him to only be ranked this high on the Human Ranking. It's highly likely that it's a supernatural power bestowed by the Unbound Sword—so, when the martial arts school determined the order, did they consciously exclude external factors?"

The elusive glint of cold light and the unpredictable sword shadows that appeared before him did not distract Lu Li from his ongoing contemplation.

The third move arrived as expected. His Star-Picking technique had changed direction, and he calmly slashed down from top to bottom.

Such a longsword, wielded in such a manner, should have been a powerful and heavy strike, capable of piercing through armor and the body.

As a result, it fell lightly, as if without any force.

Wherever the star-plucking technique went, the cold light and sword shadows vanished simultaneously, completely severing the opponent's moves.

This perfectly countered the incredibly fast swordplay that came from different angles.

"What kind of swordsmanship is this?"

Yu Tian dragged Wu Ji back a step. This feeling of being unable to exert force and having strength but not being able to use it was very uncomfortable.

It felt like I was back in that fight with the direct descendant of Zhenwu Temple, where I was suppressed from beginning to end by the Taiji Chunyang Sword, and was defeated after using only six or seven tenths of my skills.

The key opponent remained calm and composed, neither using the unstoppable sword described in the martial arts room nor urging the use of any secret techniques.

With just ordinary sword moves, he calmly blocked the half-form of the Dharma Body sword move bestowed by the Unbound Sword.

"Isn't this the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique you've been longing for?"

Lu Li took a step forward, and the Cold Dew Falling Star fell with immense force, indestructible and unstoppable.

Yu Tian put on a stern face, and actually switched Wuji to his left hand, changing his sword moves once again.

A crackling of electricity flashed as the sword thrust out, like a lone arrow released from a bow, unstoppable and never looking back.

Sword energy crisscrossed, lightning flashed, and more than ten sword strikes clashed at lightning speed, successfully blocking the Star-Picking Sword.

He even had the strength to thrust out rapidly, forcing Lu Li to change his sword stance and defend.

"Excellent swordsmanship! This single lightning sword strike looks much more precise than the previous techniques!"

Lu Li shouted, still having time to offer his comments.

Yu Tian's expression hardened, and Wu Ji continued to accelerate, the lightning scorching the ground black, scattering arcs of lightning that crackled and hissed.

The sword is simple and fast.

Lu Li retreated again and again, the autumn season flowing freely within the six sword techniques.

Only in actual combat can the value of the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Sword Heart be truly demonstrated.

Without using his Dharma Body Sword Techniques, he appeared to be in a dangerous situation, yet he managed to neutralize each of the attacks.

It's impossible to resolve every battle with a deadly move.

On the one hand, it can create a dependency mentality; on the other hand, it puts too much strain on the body.

If surrounded, it will expose obvious weaknesses.

"The sixth move—"

Lu Li's words were meaningful. He suddenly changed his sword style and switched to "Summer Solstice". The sword energy was scorching and forced his opponent back.

Yu Tian remained silent, but his left arm was bright red and about to bleed. He let out a suppressed, painful growl and quickly switched the Wuji Sword back to his right hand.

Five slender fingers, seemingly adorned with a silk glove, were extended forward to form two fists.

The blade touches the skin, but the speed of the strike is faster, more ferocious and decisive.

There was only forward thrusting; there was no parrying, no retreating.

There's even this kind of sword-wielding technique!

Lu Li was startled. This was no longer a friendly sparring match, but a life-or-death struggle between extremely small forces.

A perfectly timed small step to the left, the Lesser Heat brings rising clouds, and the sword emerges from the void.

How many moves can he withstand with such an attack?

What silk glove could possibly be as sharp as a top-grade weapon?

The sword energy that rushed towards him, though it didn't actually hit him, still managed to cut off several strands of his hair and leave many tiny cracks on his skin.

The eighth move.

Blood was seeping from Yu Tian's fingers, staining his silk gloves red.

So-called invulnerability to swords and spears, or even the most exquisite sword-wielding techniques, are all meaningless in such a life-or-death struggle.

When the lightning sword is faster than sound and outruns the wind and thunder, it has no time to worry about self-protection.

"You've never defeated a worthy opponent beyond nine moves—so you only have one strike left!"

Lu Li roared and, in coordination with Xia Zhi, deflected the Wuji Sword with the form of a sun wheel.

Yu Tian spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes blank, and for the first time, he saw self-doubt in them.

The sword was still fast, but it had lost its indomitable momentum.

His attack missed, and just then the Star-Picking Sword struck down, unleashing a tremendous force that caused Yu Tian to lose his grip on the sword.

With a clang, Wuji landed on the ground.

Yu Tian knelt on the ground, seemingly in a daze, with blood streaming from his right palm.

It's not that he's never lost before, but this is the second time he's lost so inexplicably, and it's even more unacceptable than the last time.

That person is a direct descendant of the Zhenwu Temple lineage. He will return to the temple to take over the duties of the Three Capitals and Five Masters. He keeps a low profile and has very few combat achievements, so his ranking on the Human Ranking is actually underestimated.

Yu Tian was mentally prepared to lose to such an opponent and could accept it.

Lu Li appeared out of nowhere; he was previously unknown. The Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique had always been famous, but it had no effect in actual combat.

He came with the Unbound Sword, but not only did he lose, he couldn't even force Lu Li to use the legendary Dharma Body Sword Technique that he supposedly mastered.

The gap between the two has become so large?

"That kid at least knew his limits and didn't kick someone when they're down—it's unbelievable how these prodigies cultivate. Last time, the little Taoist from Zhenwu Temple was one, and now there's this disciple from Bailu Academy. We old-timers won't even have a chance to be crushed in a few years."

The swordsman breathed a sigh of relief, and the sword, which was half-drawn, fell back into its sheath.

He could take this opportunity to show off his senior status. He knew very well that such a genius would reach the Foundation Establishment stage in just a few years.

Only when pursuing the state of harmony between humanity and nature will these obstacles become stumbling blocks on their path, causing them to linger for anywhere from several months to several years.

At that time, his duty to protect the sword had not yet ended, and he was most likely still in the early stage of refining the spirit.

The difference in combat strength between the two will be infinitely narrowed.

Their future prospects are worlds apart.

"Your Bailu Academy has produced an extraordinary talent. In twenty years, he may have a chance to bring down Yuelu Academy."

The swordsman glanced at Gu Jingyu, whose entire body was tense, and said with a light laugh.

The Lushan Sword Alliance has implemented the Sword Master system for several terms, with the best resources allocated to them, and they can even receive guidance from the Qinglian Hermit.

However, the success rate of previous sessions clearly did not meet the expectations of the Sword Alliance's higher-ups.

"Senior, you flatter me. Lu Li is still young and needs more experience."

After Gu Jingyu finished speaking, he laughed at himself.

"Young Master Lu, that was brilliant! How did you do that? I watched as Yu Tian's attack was like a raging storm, a tempestuous tempest, and suddenly his body went limp and he knelt on the ground!"

Fatty Luo was so excited that he was practically dancing with joy, but with his limited eyesight, he certainly couldn't see through the spectacular details of the sword fight.

"Having become accustomed to relying on top-grade weapons and having cultivated the One-Word Lightning Sword, which focuses solely on speed, he can no longer slow down. Those who cannot break his fast sword can only kill chickens and dogs and win quickly in a few moves; but when they encounter someone who truly understands the changes in moves, his style becomes nothing more than fancy moves."

Lu Li shook his head, not understanding why Yu Tian would take such an extreme path.

Logically, as a swordsman of the Lushan Sword Alliance, and with his father being a veteran Refiner of Divine Skill, someone should have pointed out the flaws in his swordsmanship long ago.

If you grit your teeth and keep going like this, at best you'll become a beginner-level martial artist known for your fast swordsmanship.

Taking even one more step forward would be very difficult.

For Lu Li, surpassing Yu Tian was not something to celebrate.

But the most perfect outcome would be to suppress the urge to unleash the "Autumn Wind and Golden Qi Sever Cause and Effect" technique, rely on the changing seasons to adapt the sword moves, and drag the fight until Yu Tianxin is exhausted, ultimately winning on the ninth move.

The sword intent within his chest surged and roared, as if it were about to burst forth.

"Let's go to Baixianglou!"

"Good! Congratulations to Lu Shao! Congratulations to the White Deer Twin Swords!"