It's so painful! So hard! So difficult!

"Let's settle the winnings first, Mr. He."

He stood up without any hesitation, threw out a purse, and walked towards the weapon rack next to him while saying,

"Honestly, I don't lack money. Oh, and by the way, how about I pay you a lot of money to stay and be my sparring partner?"

"We'll talk about it later."

Bai Lin was very happy holding the heavy purse in her hand, but her purpose in coming to the alien race was not to make money. The maps she obtained, as well as the information about the strength and cultural development of each place, were the most valuable things for humans.

We must not put the cart before the horse. Fighting a few times is one thing, but fighting for a lifetime is impossible.

"So cold... From now on, I'll use this. It's been a while since I've played with it."

He muttered as he brushed off the dust that had stained his white robe. In his hand, he suddenly possessed another weapon, one noticeably longer than the spear. Atop the long white shaft was a broadsword embossed with a coiled dragon. Its fierceness and ferocity seemed subtly suppressed by the dragon, yet it was enough to conjure up the image of the carnage He would unleash upon his wielder.

Bai Lin knew the name of this weapon very well. It was a household name in her hometown.

The Guandao is an unconventional long-handled weapon, approximately 224 centimeters in length. Because its blade is both extremely heavy and prohibitively expensive compared to a spear, forging is rare, and it's beyond the reach of ordinary hands. The name Guandao comes from a man known as the "Martial Saint," Guan.

With his own power, he made this weapon, which was originally not used by many people, famous, so naming this weapon after him was also the popular wish.

He pointed the blade of his Guandao at Bai Lin, his back hand raised high, his front hand steady. Even in the brief movement of this stance, one could sense its heavy power, the air around him rippled like water. Standing still, He exuded a sense of intimidation.

In such a situation, Bai Lin was quite surprised to see her opponent take out such a weapon. She asked tentatively,

"What a powerful-looking weapon! What is this...?"

"You think it's a good thing, don't you? Lord Huang Shen brought it from the human side back then, and I used to like it. Unfortunately, among those who challenged me, there aren't many who can use long weapons, and even if there are, they all use spears. But when they saw this weapon that's even longer than a spear, they couldn't fight anymore, which was a bit disappointing. So I haven't used it in a long time, and I haven't even practiced with it in a long time."

What He said was quite realistic. For a master like her, whose moves were both swift and agile, the Guandao's slashing ability increased her range of movement, while also making her equally capable of thrusting as a spear. In such a situation, the Guandao's extra few centimeters of length could be truly lethal.

Ordinary spear users would probably feel powerless in front of Crane, a feeling of "Why is she better than me in everything?" Because Crane has already crushed her opponents in martial arts, and with such a weapon, it is even more despairing.

Although Bai Lin had just won, she didn't believe she had surpassed He in martial arts. She had simply outmaneuvered He during that fight. Even in another spear duel, Bai Lin wasn't confident she could win, let alone a Guandao.

Chapter 506: Changfeng Battle

The sunlight seemed to have moved a step further down the mountain, dimming the already dim Purple Pine Dojo even further. Even the clear air seemed to have acquired a vaguely turbid quality, making even breathing feel heavier. An overwhelming sense of oppression, both externally and internally, weighed on Bai Lin's body and soul.

Bai Lin took a deep breath and looked at He with a calm expression. But in fact, if she wasn't afraid of scaring Miyuki... her expression at this moment must have been almost the same as the slit-mouthed woman's smile.

That's a challenge, a hard-to-win sparring match—isn't that interesting? Besides, according to Terukuru, I have almost no burden.

Bai Lin rubbed his palm repeatedly on the spear, and with the strength to crush the spear into powder, he clamped it tightly, with the muzzle facing downwards, ready to attack.

"I'm only proficient with spears and staffs. Compared to staffs... I think the spear has a better chance of success, so I won't switch."

"Okay, whatever you want!"

He continued cheerfully. This time, she didn't attack directly. Instead, she calmly studied Bai Lin. Her elbows moved slightly, not locking like Bai Lin's, clearly trying to utilize the more agile nature of the Guandao.

Bai Lin's spear, however, only had the advantage of being faster and more convenient when facing a Guandao, leaving his attack methods significantly limited. The Guandao's power was heavy, but in He's hands it required greater flexibility and speed. If Bai Lin wanted to prevail, he had to avoid direct confrontation. Only when Bai Lin established an offensive rhythm could he engage directly.

The two crouched down, sizing each other up like wild beasts waiting for their chance. This time, it was Bai Lin who lost her temper first. The tip of her spear lightly touched the ground, and then she sprang up, thrusting forward with her whole body, instantly dodging in front of He like an arrow from a bow.

If your weapon is shorter, it is best to take the initiative and find a suitable distance to engage in combat.

He, who had placed his hands low a second ago, immediately placed his hands more horizontally, and with an upward thrust, he directly swung the spear away. Then, instead of retreating, he advanced, closing the distance between his hands, and slashed horizontally towards Bai Lin's waist.

Compared to the spear, the Guandao actually has an absolute advantage in close-range defense. If the Guandao is swung horizontally, the spear, which is only suitable for attacking a single target, is actually difficult to deal with. This is especially obvious in a multi-on-one situation.

Even with a short weapon, if the attackers were willing to sacrifice their lives, they could still defeat the spear with a bit of luck. But the Guandao had no such luck. Sweeping through thousands of troops, swallowing mountains and rivers, not to mention the spear, even the most terrifying monsters wouldn't dare to take the Guandao's blow. With just the right moment to counterattack the spear, the momentum of the attack would instantly shift back to the Guandao's side.

This was the situation at hand. Forced to do so, Bai Lin raised her spear and took a step back, just in time to block He's attack. Although she wasn't injured, the heavy blow made her whole body buzz, as if she had been stuffed into a temple bell and then struck hard.

In this situation, Bai Lin naturally had no chance to fight back, but she had already thought of a way to retreat. Taking advantage of the momentum of this attack, she quickly retreated and stood firm with a very bad look on her face.

On He's side, the scene seemed completely different. She held the large Guandao in her hand at an angle, stirring up waves like a wave. She swung her big steps through the somewhat drowsy fog, leaped boldly into the air, and slashed at Bai Lin's head. Bai Lin naturally didn't dare to take the blow head-on, and quickly retreated again, at the same time taking a stance, ready to strike directly when He landed.

A blow that seemed to completely split the mountain gate apart left a dent in the heavily forged floor. The shockwaves of air caused Bai Lin's initial attack to tremble slightly, affecting it slightly. He, with a continuous flow of moves, raised his Guandao from the ground again, and like a crouching dragon, he shoveled it towards Bai Lin's body.

At this moment, the Guandao's length advantage was fully revealed. If neither of them retreated, the longer Guandao would surely kill Bai Lin first. The disadvantage once again fell on Bai Lin's side.

Bai Lin's mood was like a roller coaster, trembling violently. Unable to dodge, she quickly fell backward. Her knees bent sharply, her body pressed back against the ground, and she simultaneously swung her spear backward. While dodging the opponent's attack, she kicked off with her feet and flew up, her entire body dangling from the spear.

The Guan Dao's attack was incredibly fast and fierce. In just a few moves, he was already falling into his opponent's rhythm. "This monkey climbing a tree is really a bad idea," Bai Lin thought.

He didn't pause. Seeing his strike miss, he spun around and redoubled his strength. His robes flew up like snow, and the Guandao in his hand swung with the force of a raging wave, sweeping away the surrounding air as he slashed forward. Clearly, he intended to sever the "tree" on the "monkey." But this heavy and powerful blow landed in the air again. It turned out that the spear had suddenly broken free from the ground and was suspended in the air.

Before leaving the ground, Bai Lin gathered the strength to leap high, her legs tightly cinched together. With her own strength, she managed to hold herself steady, delaying the force of her suspension for a split second before the scene before her appeared. Then, miraculously, she released her grip on the spear, flipped 360 degrees in mid-air, and rested her toes on the base of the spear shaft.

As the spear, carrying Bai Lin's full force, plummeted like a meteor, He suddenly raised his head. Bai Lin's figure, backlit by the sunlight, blended into the shade of the trees, was a pose only she could achieve, a skill forged through the convergence of her extraordinary understanding of combat, her exceptional balance, and her bold thinking.

He seemed frozen in place, making no further movement. The Guandao, so majestic a moment before, was instantly stabbed into the ground like the black spear. Bai Lin, landing on the blade, stepped on the hilt and smoothly raised the spear behind him, striking He's throat, stopping steadily just before it.

Chapter 507: Fighting and letting go are not allowed

“Why release the water?”

Bai Lin's cold questioning voice lacked any sense of triumph, just like the Sima face she was wearing. He swallowed his saliva and replied without much emotion.

"I didn't let you win. How should I put it? It was more like an epiphany during the battle with you."

"Still being stubborn, huh? With your speed, you could have easily dodged my attack."

He sighed deeply, and continued to explain to Bai Lin, seemingly helpless.

"Yes, but that's meaningless now. Long weapons are weapons that have been developed to the extreme of practical combat. Although your skills are not as good as mine, in terms of actual combat, I am completely defeated."

"You always manage to find the best solution in the blink of an eye, using your extraordinary thinking and demeanor even on the brink of danger. If the spear fight was a lucky opportunity for you, then what about this one? With a few such opportunities, the possibilities are endless. In comparison, I've already been completely defeated. I possess near-crushing skills, but lack your practical understanding of combat. Continuing this round after round would be meaningless. I underestimated you by sparring with you using a Guandao, a weapon I haven't used in ages. I apologize."

He's calm and carefree words were filled with genuine apology. She didn't continue to face Bai Lin directly, but turned around and revealed the four words "Unparalleled in the World" that had already been covered in dust behind her. Bai Lin, somewhat stunned, slowly lowered his gun.

The other party's words were not wrong. Long weapons were inherently different from other weapons. Their stage was a real battle, like a battlefield. Their design and considerations were all based on absolute combat. No matter how many tricks a long weapon wielder had, they could never compare to someone more skilled in actual combat. In a long weapon duel, there were few who could exploit martial arts techniques like Bai Lin did.

"I really doubt it. Are you really an elf? Your movements and courage are like someone who has been on the battlefield for hundreds of years. You are nothing like the elves I know. If this world didn't have magic or anything like that, I'm afraid no one in this world would be able to be your opponent."

He's voice floated over from the other side again. This time, Bai Lin couldn't help but ask,

"You've been unrivaled for hundreds of years, and now you're just giving in? Just like that?"

"Hmm? What are you thinking about? I just admit that I'm not as good as you in long weapons. Don't even think about running away. We have to fight for a few more rounds. Although the title of "Unparalleled in the World" means that I have never lost in all aspects of weapons, I'm not disappointed after losing today. On the contrary, I'm even more excited."

A cold light flashed across the weapon rack, and a silver sword appeared in He's palm. She slowly turned around and pointed the sword at Bai Lin. The floating sense of comfort, mixed with the sharpness, made He even more pure.

"I underestimated you earlier. Now that I've already lost to you in pure combat, I'll use this pure martial arts to challenge you again. If you want to take the title of unrivaled from me, you'll have to work harder."

The silver-white sword surface clearly reflected Bai Lin's face. She raised her head and looked into the pair of purple eyes that were filled with pure desire to win. She took a deep breath again and then casually threw the spear in her hand.

"If it's unlimited close combat... then I'll use this."

In the blink of an eye, the familiar black iron shield and long-handled machete appeared in Bai Lin's hands again. She held the round shield in front of her and the machete upside down behind her neck, forming a relatively conservative stance.

In close combat, the shield has always been a weapon with great advantages. Just the small round shield of this size in Bai Lin's hand can easily block attacks from most angles.

However, the sword and shield also have their own disadvantages: their offensive capabilities. While it's a one-handed sword, it's impossible to casually turn it sideways and use it as a stabbing weapon. Offensively, it suffers from poor range, poor attack speed, and moderate power. Compared to sword attacks, shield strikes are even more aggressive.

The longsword in He's hand was a familiar one to Bai Lin. It was the sword known as the "King of All Weapons." This ancient longsword was primarily used with one hand and was not particularly adept at stabbing, but rather at slashing.

To be honest, although this weapon also originated from Bai Lin's original homeland, she had almost never practiced against wielders of ancient longswords. However, Bai Lin was not worried at all. In theory, as long as the weapon was of normal specifications, there was only one way to fight with the sword and shield: to strike steadily, block the opponent's attacks, and wait for the opportunity.

"Ultimate martial arts"? Bai Lin was still a little curious about this statement. If you lose in actual combat, what's the point of so-called martial arts? So in this battle, she chose to use the sword and shield, which had a more practical significance, to fight back.

He stood proudly, looking at Bai Lin who was somewhat moody. She calmly slid her fingers slowly across the sword. A buzzing sound mixed with sharpness suddenly condensed the air around her, just like smoke rising everywhere, making the entire dojo enter a state of battle.

"The last fight was the last fight, and this fight is this. I admit that you are quite proficient in long weapons, which has given me some new insights into martial arts. But if you don't face me with your full strength, you will soon lose your life."

The faint voice resounded clearly throughout the dojo. A sharp, cutting sensation sent Bai Lin's brain trembling, as if countless icy blades were piercing her body, causing her senses to stagnate. By the time Bai Lin realized what was happening, dozens of sword shadows had suddenly descended upon her from every corner.

What is going on?

Bai Lin clearly captured every moment of the opponent's sword strike, but the direction of the attack seemed to have a thousand possible outcomes, leaving her brain completely unable to distinguish them, and she was momentarily confused. Taking advantage of the weakened mental defense caused by this confusion, the opponent's sword intent instantly caused Bai Lin's brain to crash. It was not until the attack reached her that she regained her consciousness and saw them all clearly.

Chapter 508 Another sword strike!

However, since Bai Lin was holding a shield, how could she be pierced so easily? She retreated several steps, moving her small round shield rapidly, and finally managed to block the dozens of sword attacks that attacked almost simultaneously.

There was a deep wound on her shoulder, and a bit of her braid was cut off. Bai Lin was really shocked. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He was panting, as if he had not yet recovered from the blow. Looking at the opponent in front of him who did not attack again, with sharp eyes and holding the long sword in his hand, he asked

"Your speed...what's going on?"

He didn't seem to want to chase directly and let Bai Lin lose quickly, but once again slowly stroked his fingers over his sword and patiently explained,

"My speed isn't actually that much faster than before. It's your reaction time that's shortened, which is why this happened. But if you pay attention, you should be able to tell the difference, right?"

Bai Lin was a little confused. Although her mind was a little distracted just now, she was still absolutely serious about this battle. She looked at He again and fell into deep thought.

There had been about thirteen attacks, almost all of them within 0.1 seconds. He could still manage to react in those tiny moments. But the problem was, what he saw and felt was half a beat slower than reality. He couldn't even detect the slightest desire to attack from Crane.

"It appears. Lady He's martial arts realm is the ultimate in intentionlessness. Hundreds of years of honed martial arts skills have enabled her to render it difficult for her opponent to detect the moment of her attack. You did well, at least you were only grazed by the sword. I've never seen anyone escape unscathed from such a blow."

Huan Gui's exclamation was full of praise for Bai Lin, but Mi Yu, who was listening to him, was not happy. Even if Bai Lin, who was being praised, heard it, he would not be happy either. Mi Yu was a little anxious now and asked repeatedly,

"Then how do we break this trick?"

Huan Gui shook his head. "It's impossible. Lady He, who has reached this level, has integrated martial arts into her body. She is martial arts, and martial arts is her. Drawing a sword is as natural to her as breathing. Would you feel a sense of crisis because of someone else's breathing?"

"If you want to escape unscathed, you must reach the same level as Master He. However, it seems that the guest is not yet at that level."

Ever since being beaten up by the goblin, Bai Lin hadn't felt this powerless to fight back for a long time. This was something similar to her own realm, but it was fundamentally different.

The circle of existence was to achieve instantaneous disappearance in vision and aura, disrupting the enemy's rhythm and facilitating one's own attack. Although Bai Lin had practiced this ability and it was effective against many people, its effectiveness against He was minimal.

This Wuxin Jiyi first makes it difficult for the opponent to detect her moves, and combined with Crane's speed and the murderous intent that gathers and bursts out in an instant, it causes super-current in the opponent's brain, thus achieving this effect.

Without any intention or thought, like a child's fingers passing through a stream, they could cut the fish intestines in a moment of trance.

Bai Lin, who had a rough understanding of the principles behind her opponent's moves, was still completely clueless. This...was this really martial arts? Even if Bai Lin's brain hadn't crashed, she wouldn't have been able to resist this sword speed that far exceeded the human body's ultimate reflexes.

Each strike had its own weight and impact. Some were clearly two-handed, while others, judging by their angle, were stabbing strikes. Clearly, He's swordsmanship possessed its own unique qualities. This gave Bai Lin a new perspective on his opponent. It was outrageous, yet in this magical world, it made sense.

Bai Lin quickly straightened her expression. She straightened her shield, and there was no longer any confusion in her eyes.

This was a sword technique beyond her comprehension, a magical art that left her powerless to resist, completely at a loss for words. It was like a human watching a UFO descend upon the same blue sky they gazed upon every day; they could only feel helpless.

But isn’t Bai Lin coming here just for this feeling?

"Kill one more!!"

The brave warrior, clutching her shield tightly, powerfully challenged her opponent. Invisible drums of war rose from all directions, blaring a thunderous roar that stirred the blood of this heroic duel. The seeker, twirling her sword as if in resonance with it, readily responded.

"Okay, another strike!"

After receiving the other party's response, Bai Lin resolutely closed her eyes. She gave up her most powerful support when facing the attack and poured her body and mind into the feeling.

Since this is a martial arts challenge, then give your spirit, life, soul, everything you have to martial arts. Believe firmly in all the experience you have gained through hard work, and from that, condense your understanding of martial arts. Only then can you win.

Just like when she first learned the circle of consciousness from the goblins, Bai Lin's mind entered a transcendent state in the moment before being attacked. She felt as if she were under a torrent of water, being constantly washed away, feeling the pain of the test. She raised her head and opened her eyes, but only felt more pain.

Bai Lin stretched out her hands and, without hesitation, swung her fists at the waterfall. With her speed and strength, it wasn't difficult to reverse the water curtain. But as she exerted her strength, the waterfall became even stranger. A sharp sensation spread throughout her body, and blood was washed into the pool, as if countless blades were hidden in the water.

Exhausted, Bai Lin fell to the ground, letting the waterfall crash down on her. Suddenly, a lavender petal landed on her cheek. The petal was soaked in water and incredibly soft, clearly having come from upstream, yet showing no signs of being cut.

Following her suspicions, she pinched the petal between her fingers and held it under the water, only to discover that the water had somehow flowed backwards. Before Bai Lin could react, her vision shifted again, and she clearly saw that between her index and middle fingers, there was a feeling as cold as the petal, but in reality, it was an extremely sharp weapon, the long sword in He's hand.

Chapter 509: Flowers Falling in the Sky

Blood dripped continuously from the wounds on Bai Lin's body, and a strong sense of dizziness and weakness enveloped her entire body. She felt light and fluttery, as if her body was not her own. But the pain from the wounds all over her body did not waver in the slightest. Bai Lin's eyes were now focused only on the sword between her fingers, unable to move even an inch further.

Her eyes were extremely clear.

Without hesitation, Bai Lin suddenly exerted force between his fingers, lunging forward with a swift movement, thrusting his machete into He's chest. He, however, unhurriedly drew his own blade and, with a diagonal thrust, easily deflected Bai Lin's machete. Clearly, the force exerted by Bai Lin's two fingers wasn't enough to prevent He from launching a complete attack.

The flying sword blade swiftly struck in front of him. The ultimate sharpness, like a spring-loaded rope, firmly grasped Bai Lin's consciousness, forcing her to brake instantly and instinctively retreat. A five-meter-deep gully had been carved into the floor in front of He. Five meters deep in a place like this... If Bai Lin hadn't retreated, she would have died five times over.

"You figured it out so quickly! Even I'm a little jealous..."

He drew this line between the two of them, seemingly just to be able to continue communicating and talking with Bai Lin. She once again flipped her sword up and slowly brushed it with one hand. Bai Lin, whose physical condition was already extremely poor, was suffering from a lack of oxygen to his brain due to blood loss. He breathed heavily and replied,

"I understand... I understand. Cut it again!"

The hoarse roar revealed the most fundamental desire to win within her confused consciousness. Bai Lin stepped onto a new step, and she would stand on this step and challenge a higher level.

Hearing Bai Lin's request, He couldn't help but laugh for a moment, then immediately put on a serious expression, holding the long sword in front of her. Her purple eyes were reflected in the sword, and the transparency and clarity burst out from the sharpness emanating from her body.

"Then, cut it again!"

Just as numerous and chaotic as the falling leaves, a rain of swords rose from the sky, like a violent storm, blinding everyone's vision for a moment. This time, Bai Lin had to face not just a dozen attacks, but hundreds of slashing blows launched almost simultaneously.

The overwhelming darkness, like a dark cloud looming over a city, nearly choked the two on the sidelines. Yet, Bai Lin didn't retreat an inch; she even advanced a fraction. Her hands moved with the same ease as she parted flowing water, her form like a swallow, effortlessly tumbling through the torrent of deadly blades.

"Pfft"

As Bai Lin's pupils suddenly shrank and became blank for a moment, the first sound of blades entering flesh rang out, followed by the second, the third, and the remaining sword rains, all of which left their marks on Bai Lin's body without exception.

The brave man, having suddenly realized the truth, fell in a pool of his own blood. Her eyes looked towards the unclear sky, and reflected in them was a deep dissatisfaction.

So, is this the extent we can do?