Chapter 645: Adaptation
It wasn’t about laying traps or localized enhancements; instead, he used himself as the center to form a constantly shifting Gravity Field within a thirty-foot radius. The Gravity would sometimes triple in strength, sometimes halve, sometimes deflect to the left, and sometimes twist to the right. There was no pattern, no logic—it was completely random Chaos.
When Shao Yu’s next sword strike pierced this area, an extremely slight deviation occurred. The tip of the sword was originally aimed at Xu Wuyi’s left shoulder, but under the influence of the Gravity Field, its trajectory shifted downward by less than half an inch. This half-inch deviation caused the blade to merely graze Xu Wuyi’s sleeve, failing to harm his flesh.
A hint of surprise flashed in Shao Yu’s eyes. He did not retract his sword. Instead, he rode the Momentum to change his move, turning the sword light and thrusting again. But this time, the Gravity Field shifted again, causing another deviation in the sword’s trajectory. Once, twice, three times... Shao Yu’s Fast Sword remained relentless and unending, but under the interference of the Gravity Field, the trajectory of every strike suffered a slight deviation.
These deviations were minuscule on their own, but accumulated together, they rendered his sword less precise than before. Xu Wuyi finally had a chance to catch his breath. He didn’t counterattack immediately. Instead, under the cover of the Gravity Field, he began to set up his defenses. Gravity Seeds were quietly planted one by one. They were not distributed evenly, but strategically placed in key positions based on the pattern of Shao Yu’s movements. Those positions were the points of Prejudgment for Shao Yu’s next footsteps.
This was a tactic he had comprehended during his battle with Ye Yixin. It wasn’t about passively waiting for the opponent to step into a trap. Rather, it was about analyzing the opponent’s movement patterns, making a Prejudgment of their next step in advance, and laying a trap right there. Shao Yu’s sword was fast, but his movements still followed a traceable pattern. After all, he was a man, not a god. The movements of any Martial Artist had to adhere to basic mechanical principles and were restricted by their physical structure. As long as these restrictions were found, the pattern could be uncovered. Xu Wuyi’s gaze grew increasingly focused and calm. He was no longer on the passive defensive; instead, he began to actively observe, analyze, and apply Prejudgment.
Shao Yu quickly sensed the anomaly. He discovered that with every move he made, his landing spot happened to be in the area with the most severe Gravity anomalies. The Gravity changes in those zones were completely erratic, forcing him to expend extra focus and energy to adjust every time he exerted force. What was even more troublesome was that Xu Wuyi had started to counterattack. Although the frequency of the counterattacks was not high, each one struck at his most uncomfortable moments. The instant the sword and spear clashed, he could feel Xu Wuyi’s spear growing heavier and heavier. That heaviness was not a suppression of physical strength, but an indescribable sense of sluggishness. It felt like swinging a sword underwater, with resistance everywhere.
Shao Yu’s brow furrowed slightly. He hadn’t felt this way in many years. This twenty-three-year-old young man was actually able to hold his ground under his Fast Sword and begin to fight back. Furthermore... Shao Yu could sense that Xu Wuyi had not yet used his full strength. That dark gold spear had yet to truly unleash its brilliance. He knew that Xu Wuyi’s Heart Image consisted of two parts, and in his early years, he was renowned for his Flame. Yet right now, he was solely using the spear and Gravity Manipulation—employing the most fundamental methods to deal with his Fast Sword. It was as if he were testing the waters, as if he were learning.
This realization caused a surge of complex emotions within Shao Yu’s heart. There was surprise and reluctance, but more than anything, it was an intense battle Intention he hadn’t felt in a long time. It had been so many years. So many years since he had encountered an opponent like this.
Shao Yu suddenly smiled. The smile was faint, but the light in his eyes grew even sharper.
"Young man," he suddenly spoke up, "you are quite good."
Xu Wuyi did not reply. His entire Heart and Spirit were immersed in the battle, leaving him no room to be distracted by conversation.
Shao Yu also said no more. His sword became even faster. If his previous Fast Sword was like an exploding thunderclap, then his current Fast Sword was a flash of lightning, so fast that its trajectory was nearly invisible. The sword light cascaded down like a waterfall. Xu Wuyi’s gaze was solemn, yet he was not flustered. The Gravity Field operated at full capacity, and Gravity Seeds detonated one after another. The Liaoyuan Long Spear wove an impenetrable barrier in front of him. The crisp sounds of the sword and spear clashing were as dense as a torrential downpour, exploding continuously across the training grounds. A streak of sword light broke through the curtain of spear shadows, thrusting toward Xu Wuyi’s right shoulder. Xu Wuyi dodged sideways while sweeping his spear horizontally, forcing Shao Yu back. But Shao Yu’s figure flashed, merging into the sword light once more to attack from a different angle.
The fierce battle waged on.
Time seemed to lose its meaning. There was only the clash of sword and spear, only the flickering of light and shadows. An unknown amount of time passed. Xu Wuyi suddenly retracted his spear and retreated. Shao Yu also halted his steps, standing firmly in place. The two stared at each other, separated by ten meters. Xu Wuyi’s breathing was slightly ragged, a thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead. There were several new tears in his clothes—all marks left by the blade’s edge—but not a single one had harmed his flesh. Shao Yu appeared to be in better condition. His breathing remained steady, and his clothes were completely intact. But Xu Wuyi knew he had won. It wasn’t because Shao Yu had revealed a flaw, but because he had finally found a method to Break the Fast Sword.
From a certain point onward, Shao Yu’s sword could no longer threaten him. Those lightning-fast streaks of sword light had become crystal clear in his eyes. He could plainly see the trajectory of every strike and accurately make a Prejudgment of every landing point. It wasn’t that his speed had increased, but rather his perception had grown sharper. Or rather, he had adapted. Just like how he had adapted to Ye Yixin’s Fast Sword in the past, he had once again adapted to this rhythm.
Shao Yu looked at him, silent for a long time. Then, he spoke.
"You win."
His voice was calm, devoid of any discernible joy or anger.
"Thank you for yielding, Senior," Xu Wuyi bowed slightly.
"I didn’t yield," Shao Yu shook his head. "From the very beginning, you were testing, adapting, and learning. Once you truly adapted to my sword, I was no longer your match."
He paused and suddenly gave a small smile. There was a complex nuance hidden in that smile. "Twenty-three years old, yet possessing such temperament and strength... You really are extraordinary, kid."
Xu Wuyi didn’t respond. Shao Yu sheathed his longsword and turned to walk toward the edge of the training grounds. After a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back at Xu Wuyi. "What are you still standing there for? Let’s go inside and have some tea."
Xu Wuyi blanked for a moment, then nodded. Retracting his Liaoyuan Long Spear, he followed along. One after the other, the two passed through the small door and returned to the Sword Listening Lodge. Shao Yu sat down by the stone table and pulled out a teapot and two teacups from underneath. The water in the pot was still hot. He poured tea into both cups; the liquid was a pale golden color, exuding a faint, refreshing fragrance.
"Sit." Shao Yu pointed at the stone stool opposite him.
Xu Wuyi sat down, picked up the teacup, and took a sip. The flavor of the tea was crisp and clear, carrying an almost imperceptible hint of sweetness. It was vastly different from Wang Hanshan’s wild tea.
"How is the tea?" Shao Yu asked.
"Good tea," Xu Wuyi said.
Shao Yu smiled and took a sip himself.