Comprehending Myriad Techniques as Woodcutter

Inside the hemisphere of sword light, Xie Yuan’s expression shifted slightly upon seeing such an attack.

He wasn’t shaken by the power of his opponent’s attack, but rather because he felt he had seen this swordsmanship somewhere before.

’Since I’ve seen it before, it’s not some unfamiliar technique that will leave me helpless and caught off guard. Even if I hadn’t, I could still block it with my mastery of swordsmanship. But now, a countermeasure is forming in my mind—one that seems even better, more sublime.’

He held his Long Sword vertically and traced a semicircle, perfectly mirroring the hemisphere of sword light before him.

DING DING DING DING! A rapid series of clashes rang out as the Long Swords met countless times. The sword light illuminating the cliff came to an abrupt stop.

Xie Yuan’s Sword Edge pressed down on Yao Tianchuan’s Long Sword, revealing a face filled with disbelief as the light faded.

"You... How could you break my sword move like that?"

Yao Tianchuan’s face was a mask of utter disbelief.

He wouldn’t have been so shocked even if his ultimate move had simply been blocked.

But the way Xie Yuan had broken it was something he could never have imagined.

His opponent’s every strike had landed on the weak point of his own.

Every single one!

He had unleashed more than ten strikes in a single breath, yet at such a speed, Xie Yuan had still seen through and broken every last one.

How could a disciple of the same realm accomplish this? No, he didn’t believe anyone, not even disciples in the Qi and Blood Second Transformation Realm or Third Transformation Realm, could do what Xie Yuan just did.

To dismantle his signature move in such a way... it was the work of a Swordsmanship Grandmaster!

Yao Tianchuan was profoundly shaken, but Xie Yuan remained silent.

In truth, that counter had been a flash of inspiration; even he couldn’t explain it clearly.

But it didn’t matter. Even if he could, he certainly wouldn’t tell Yao Tianchuan.

Yao Tianchuan looked at Xie Yuan, and for the first time, his indomitable Sword Heart wavered.

Though the two had exchanged many moves, their dizzying speed meant it had all happened in a matter of moments. On a tournament stage, most spectators would have been completely lost, seeing only a blur of sword light and hearing the CLANG and CLATTER of steel.

Yet, after all these exchanges, Yao Tianchuan had not gained the slightest advantage.

His every strike, his every move, seemed to have been anticipated by his opponent. As for his opponent’s sword, he either couldn’t comprehend it at all, or if he did, he couldn’t keep up.

Seeing Xie Yuan still standing silently under the tree, his features obscured, Yao Tianchuan felt that this figure was an immovable and unfathomable presence.

He suddenly realized that his opponent had, up to this point, only been on the defensive. He had never once launched an attack of his own.

Yao Tianchuan asked in a strained voice:

"Why don’t you attack?"

Xie Yuan replied softly:

"I’m afraid the fun would end."

Hearing such a familiar reply, a flash of shame and anger crossed Yao Tianchuan’s face. He said indignantly:

"Attack me! I’d like to see if you’re really as good as you claim!"

"Fine."

With a movement of his hand, Xie Yuan’s Long Sword rose, floating erratically as it reflected the silvery moonlight.

Mist suddenly rose on the cliff.

Yao Tianchuan’s vision was instantly filled with a blanket of white; he could see nothing clearly.

At that moment, he could no longer tell if it was the dazzling light of his opponent’s sword or the mist drifting in from beyond the cliff.

He felt as if he had stepped into the clouds, unable to tell up from down. He couldn’t see his opponent, let alone his sword.

Yao Tianchuan looked around in a daze, a baseless fear inexplicably rising in his heart, wondering when a deadly blade would emerge from the mist.

’A sword... it’s the thing I’m most familiar with. So why does it fill me with fear...?’

His heart tightened. He suddenly felt a chill on his back and spun around.

A massive dragon’s head hung in the air beyond the cliff, its yellow eyes like giant lanterns, reflecting his silhouette.

"!"

The next moment, the cloud dragon lowered its head and lunged, ready to devour him.

Yao Tianchuan froze, his mind went blank, and he forgot to defend himself.

His vision blurred. The sword light dissipated, and a gleaming Long Sword stopped right before his eyes.

The Nine Cloud Dragon Forms, First Form: Cloud Dragon Reveals Its Head.

This move was overwhelmingly powerful. When the Long Sword moved, it was as if a mist had truly descended, and a divine dragon had lowered its head from the clouds—an awesome and irresistible sight.

Yao Tianchuan’s face was deathly pale. Staring at the tip of the sword before him, he swallowed hard and suddenly shouted:

"You’re not in the Qi Blood First Transformation Realm!"

"Why wouldn’t I be? Can’t you even tell that much?"

Xie Yuan said calmly.

Yao Tianchuan gritted his teeth. Although his opponent’s Qi and Blood realm had remained at the First Transformation Realm, even lower than his own, he refused to believe a Sword Sect disciple at that level could possess such mastery of swordsmanship.

"Your swordsmanship suppresses mine at every turn; that’s impossible without decades of training. And you even know the Nine Cloud Dragon Forms! How could a disciple in the Qi Blood First Transformation Realm use such a profound swordsmanship technique? You must be a Grandmaster from the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect who is suppressing their realm!"

Hearing this, Xie Yuan chuckled.

"Yao Tianchuan, don’t overestimate yourself. It doesn’t take a Grandmaster to deal with you. Is swordsmanship that can suppress yours so hard to master? I’ve only been practicing for three months, and it’s more than enough to defeat you."

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! The great Way of Swordsmanship is boundless. How could you reach this level in a mere three months?"

Yao Tianchuan waved his hand wildly, his face flushed with agitation.

"A frog at the bottom of a well cannot comprehend the vastness of the sky. Have you never heard that there is always someone better, and a heaven beyond the heavens? Swordsmanship is indeed a great Way, but what you have seen is but a trivial path."

Xie Yuan smiled faintly.

"Three months of practice. Why would I lie to you? The Way of the Sword is but one of my many skills."

He swung his sword lightly, and a burst of energy carved a deep gash into the ground. Then, sheathing his sword, he drifted away, vanishing without a trace after just a few steps.

Yao Tianchuan’s gaze was fixed on the gash in the ground. He stood motionless, as if turned to stone, for a long, long time.