Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

"Li Hu, stop embarrassing yourself." A clear, cold voice rang out. Everyone turned around and saw a young man dressed in the robes of the Lieyang Sect walking over. He had a handsome face and a crimson longsword hanging at his waist. "This is Jin Hao from the Qingyun Sect. I saw his swordsmanship during the secret realm trial."

Li Hu's expression changed: "Senior Brother Zhao, do you know him?"

The young man, addressed as Senior Brother Zhao, nodded: "He is Elder Shi Tie's disciple, and his swordsmanship is a true inheritance from the Flowing Cloud Secret Realm. If you want to duel with him, you're just asking for trouble." He turned to Jin Hao, cupped his hands slightly, and said, "I am Zhao Yan of the Blazing Sun Sect, and I have long admired the name of the Azure Cloud Sword Master."

Jin Hao was taken aback: "Qingyun Sword Master?"

"Heh, you don't even know your own name?" Zhao Yan laughed. "In the last secret realm trial, you single-handedly defeated three Qi Refining Level 9 cultivators and won first place. Now, among the younger generation of sword cultivators in the Southern Region, who doesn't know 'Azure Cloud Sword Master' Jin Hao?"

Jin Hao touched his nose, feeling a little embarrassed. He hadn't expected that his performance in the secret realm had already reached the outside world.

At this moment, the emcee ascended the platform and announced loudly, "The Sword Testing Tournament officially begins! Round One: Matches by drawing lots!"

Jin Hao drew the lot number "Bingzi No. 3". His opponent was a burly man with a face full of scars, holding a mountain-splitting axe, who called himself "Black Wind Village Chief".

"Boy, state your name!" the burly man roared as he leaped onto the arena. "My axe doesn't kill nameless nobodies!"

"Qingyun Sect, Jin Hao." Jin Hao spoke calmly, his longsword drawn half a foot from its sheath, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground.

"Qingyun Sect?" The burly man paused for a moment, then grinned maliciously. "That's the nearly bankrupt, crumbling sect, isn't it? Haha, today I'll act on behalf of Heaven and wipe out your hypocritical sect's reputation!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already swung his axe! The axe whistled through the air, stirring up dust on the ground, its momentum fierce.

Jin Hao swayed, dodging like a willow catkin in the wind, and thrust out his longsword in the process—with a "clang," the tip of the sword touched the axe blade, sparks flying everywhere! The burly man felt a numbness in his wrist, and the axe almost slipped from his hand.

"Impossible!" he exclaimed. "How could you be so fast?"

Jin Hao remained silent, his swordplay shifting again, transforming into a golden streak that circled the burly man. The man saw nothing but sword shadows, unable to distinguish reality from illusion, and could only wildly swing his axe to defend. After three moves, he was panting heavily, sweat pouring down his face.

"Admit defeat." Jin Hao's voice came from within the shadow of the sword.

The burly man's face flushed red; knowing he was no match for the other, he gritted his teeth and said, "You win! I... I admit defeat!"

A cheer erupted from the audience. Zhao Yan stood in the crowd, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes: "What a magnificent 'Flowing Cloud Sword Technique,' truly living up to its reputation."

In the following rounds, Jin Hao was unstoppable. He used the sword intent of "concealing the edge in the sheath" to neutralize his opponent's fierce attacks; he used the continuous sword moves of "flowing clouds and overlapping waves" to exhaust his opponent's spiritual power.

Neither Zhao Yan of the Blazing Sun Sect nor an inner disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect could withstand more than thirty moves from him.

In the finals, his opponent was the chief disciple of the Blazing Sun Sect, who was at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining and wielded a "Crimson Flame Sword" with raging flames wrapped around its blade.

"Jin Hao, you are very strong." The young man looked at Jin Hao with a solemn expression, "But the Blazing Sun Sect's 'Heaven-Burning Sword Technique' is not something you can withstand."

Jin Hao gripped the sword hilt tightly: "We'll see when we try."

"Burning Heaven Sword Technique - First Form - Fire Dance!" the young man shouted, and the Crimson Flame Sword transformed into a fire dragon, rushing towards Jin Hao!

Instead of retreating, Jin Hao advanced, thrusting his longsword at the fire dragon—"Flowing Cloud Sword Technique: Concealed Edge"! The sword tip was hidden in the scabbard, only half an inch of it was exposed, seemingly weak and powerless, but at the moment of contact with the fire dragon, it burst out with astonishing sword energy!

With a deafening boom, the fire dragon was torn apart by the sword energy, dissipating into sparks. The young man's expression changed drastically: "You...you actually dared to use your scabbard to block my sword?"

"The scabbard is also part of the sword." Jin Hao slowly drew his longsword. The blade gleamed with faint cloud patterns. "Sect Leader Shen once said, 'There are no fixed forms for the sword; wherever the heart leads, the sword will follow.'"

As soon as he finished speaking, his sword technique changed again—"Flowing Cloud Sword Technique: Overlapping Waves"! Three golden sword energies overlapped and surged towards the youth like a monstrous wave!

The young man hastily raised his sword to parry, but was forced back three steps by the sword's energy, and the Crimson Flame Sword clattered to the ground. His face was pale as he stared at Jin Hao, his eyes filled with shock: "You...you've already comprehended 'Sword Intent'?"

Jin Hao sheathed his sword and said calmly, "Just a fluke."

The audience erupted in cheers! Shouts of "Qingyun Sword Master! Qingyun Sword Master!" were deafening. Zhao Yan was the first to stand up and applaud, followed by the other disciples of the Lieyang Sect, their eyes filled with admiration.

The emcee announced loudly: "The champion of the Sword Testing Tournament—Jin Hao of the Qingyun Sect!"

Jin Hao stood on the arena, gazing at the cheering crowd below, but felt little joy. He recalled Shen Mo's instructions before his seclusion, the expectations of the sect's disciples, and the days and nights he had spent practicing his sword. He knew that the title "Qingyun Sword Master" was not the end, but a responsibility.

Unlike Jin Hao's sharp and outspoken nature, Mu Qingqing's exchanges with alchemists were much more relaxed.

The exchange meeting was held in "Hundred Herbs Valley," the largest spiritual herb trading market in the Southern Region and a grand gathering for alchemists. Mu Qingqing, as the representative of Qingyun Sect, entered the venue with the "Seven-Colored Spiritual Flame" formula given to her by her Martial Aunt Li Xiaocao, as well as several precious "Star Pattern Grass" samples.

A row of alchemy furnaces stood in the center of the venue, where alchemists from all over were refining pills. The air was filled with the aromas of various elixirs, which mingled together to create a peculiar smell.

"Mu Qingqing from the Qingyun Sect?" A middle-aged cultivator in fine clothes approached, sizing her up. "I heard you improved the formula for the 'Heart-Clearing Pill,' increasing its efficacy by thirty percent?"

Mu Qingqing nodded slightly: "Senior, you flatter me. These are just some of my insights."

A hint of disdain flashed in the middle-aged cultivator's eyes: "Insights? I've been refining pills for thirty years, what insights haven't I seen? Don't think that just because you have a little cleverness, you can establish yourself in Hundred Herbs Valley."

He pointed to the alchemy furnace beside him, "How about this, we each refine a batch of 'Qi Gathering Pills,' and whoever's pills are more effective stays; the loser gets out of Hundred Herbs Valley!"

A murmur rippled through the crowd. The Alchemist Exchange Meeting of Hundred Herbs Valley had never before faced such a direct challenge.

Mu Qingqing remained calm despite the middle-aged cultivator's provocative gaze. She recalled her Martial Aunt Li Xiaocao's words, "The path of alchemy is like being a person—neither humble nor arrogant," and smiled slightly, "Very well, since Senior has such an interest, this junior will gladly oblige."

She walked to the alchemy furnace, took out the "Star Pattern Grass" and the "Mind-Concentrating Flower," and prepared them according to the improved formula. With a flick of her fingertips, seven-colored flames shot up in the furnace, the "Spirit Flame Technique" she had learned from the Flowing Cloud Secret Realm.

Seeing this, the middle-aged cultivator sneered and began refining pills as well. His technique was skillful, and the flames were crimson red, clearly indicating that he was using the "Crimson Flame Technique".

Half an hour later, the two batches of pills were produced simultaneously.

The middle-aged cultivator's pill was dark red with several cracks on its surface, emitting a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy. Mu Qingqing's pill, on the other hand, was entirely emerald green, with a smooth, jade-like surface and a faint shimmering starlight. Its spiritual energy fluctuations were far stronger than those of the middle-aged cultivator's.

"This...how is this possible?" The middle-aged cultivator's face turned deathly pale. "How could your pills be so good?"

Mu Qingqing took out a pill and handed it to him: "Senior, please look. This pill has 'star patterns' on its surface, which are the essence of 'Star Pattern Grass'. It can slowly release spiritual power and continuously nourish the meridians. However, your pill uses ordinary spiritual herbs, and the heat was not well controlled, so the effect is somewhat weaker."

The middle-aged cultivator took the pill and examined it carefully. He felt a surge of pure spiritual energy flow into his body through his arm, bringing him immense comfort. His expression shifted, and finally he sighed, "I've lost... The alchemy of the Qingyun Sect truly lives up to its reputation."

A chorus of exclamations arose from the surrounding area.

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