The victor stood alone, dressed in white, and after nodding slightly to his opponent, looked toward the edge of the arena and said, “Next.”
Among the dozen or so cultivators, another person stood up, leaped into the air, and replaced the previous loser to engage the man in white.
Once again, sword lights flashed, and after just a few breaths, the challenger was defeated.
Again and again, the white-clad youth fought and won, one match after another.
After all the duels had concluded, the white-robed man sheathed his sword and returned to sit among the others.
Meanwhile, two other cultivators entered the arena to duel, and it was clear that their swordsmanship was evenly matched, making the bout even more exciting than the previous matches.
Some cultivators focused on watching the duel, while others approached the man in white to converse. One of them said, “Daoist Yun, I was defeated by your sword earlier, but I’m unclear on how it happened. Could you offer me some guidance?”
The man in white responded, “Your sword struck the crane’s head.”
The man seemed to ponder this and asked, “The crane’s head—is that a weak point?”
The white-robed man nodded slightly. “When you turned your wrist while wielding the sword, there was a momentary delay.”
Realization dawned on the man. “I see now.”
Hearing this, others nearby chuckled and said, “We didn’t notice that before. Perhaps we should test it out during our next spar with Daoist He.”
The man surnamed He laughed as well. “Now that I know, I’ll make sure to correct it early. There won’t be a next time for such mistakes!”
Everyone laughed together at this.
Afterward, some of them went off to spar, while others continued to consult the man in white about their weaknesses or discuss their own cultivation paths.
Amid the lively discussions, someone suddenly strode in from outside the hall. His aura was powerful, and even from a distance, it captured everyone’s attention, making them turn to look.
It was a tall, handsome young man, standing nine feet tall, broad-shouldered and with an imposing presence. A massive sword nearly as tall as him was strapped to his back, and with each step, a gust of wind seemed to follow, exuding an air of carefree boldness.
Upon seeing him, one of the cultivators chuckled and said, “Daoist Jiwen has arrived!”
The young man clasped his fists and greeted, “Jiwen Jing greets all fellow Daoists.” He then turned to the man in white and said, “Brother Yun.”
The man in white nodded slightly in return. “Brother Jiwen.”
Jiwen Jing was the direct descendant of the founding family of this Sword Debate Conference, a prodigious swordsman whose talent was truly formidable. Though his cultivation level was only at the mid-Nascent Soul stage, he had comprehended the ability to temper his sword soul at just over 400 years old, earning great respect from his family. In sword clans, while cultivation level mattered, swordsmanship prowess was of paramount importance.
Jiwen Jing, as one of the most outstanding young sword cultivators, was representing his family in this Sword Debate Conference, exchanging knowledge with talented sword cultivators from all over.
He was also responsible for managing the 18 sword halls in Luchuan City during the event.
With such profound talent, Jiwen Jing naturally had a sense of pride. Though he did not look down on other swordsmen, his speech and actions carried an unwavering confidence that made him hard to approach. His devotion to the sword was resolute, and his sword heart was indomitable. However… after sitting cross-legged, he glanced at the man in white.
Someone capable of receiving Jiwen Jing’s enthusiastic greeting was clearly no ordinary individual.
It was a coincidence that before the Sword Debate Conference began, Jiwen Jing had been busy arranging the reception of sword cultivators who had comprehended sword intent across various halls. As he hurriedly passed through the streets, he happened to see a young man dressed in white. For some reason, he noticed an overwhelming sharpness in the youth’s presence, one that was hard to forget. However, due to his busy schedule, Jiwen Jing didn’t approach him.
After the Sword Debate Conference commenced, Jiwen Jing, being the host, was preoccupied with connecting with sword cultivators and managing family affairs. During this time, he heard rumors of a sword cultivator who had broken through 18 rounds of challenges and was still pressing forward. His curiosity was piqued.
It’s important to note that this Sword Debate Conference was different from typical duels. The cultivators’ spiritual power was sealed, and they could only rely on their understanding of swordsmanship—technique, form, intent, and essence. This ensured that the competition measured each sword cultivator’s knowledge and comprehension of the sword path, making it entirely fair.
Breaking through 18 rounds… that would require facing hundreds of consecutive victories to achieve.
How could Jiwen Jing resist meeting such a person in person?
Later, Jiwen Jing did indeed go to see this mysterious sword cultivator and immediately recognized him as the same youth in white that had caught his attention earlier. His competitive spirit stirred, and he challenged the young man to a duel.
In their match, the two were evenly matched. Jiwen Jing quickly realized that not only was this man’s cultivation level equal to his own, but his swordsmanship was also on par. What surprised him even more was that the youth was over a hundred years younger than him, sparking a desire to befriend him.
Jiwen Jing subsequently invited the youth to stay at his family’s hall, ensuring he was treated with care. Over the following days, they exchanged sword techniques and eventually became familiar friends.
It was then that Jiwen Jing learned the youth’s name was Yun Lie, a disciple from the Wuling Mountain region of the illustrious Zhoutian Immortal Sect.
Sitting down, Jiwen Jing smiled and said, “I’ve arrived late today; I hope you’ll all forgive me.”
The gathered sword cultivators laughed. “Daoist Jiwen is busy with many affairs; we all understand. No need to be so formal.”
Jiwen Jing’s words were mere courtesy. After the small talk, he asked, “So, what were the results of today’s sparring?”
The cultivators present were all accomplished swordsmen—whether in technique, sword intent, or comprehension—each had something noteworthy. Jiwen Jing, not wanting to neglect them, asked with genuine interest.
One of the sword cultivators shook his head with a wry smile. “I was still defeated by Daoist Yun, though I managed to hold out a bit longer than before.”
Others sighed in admiration. “Daoist Yun’s abilities are truly awe-inspiring.”
Someone else added, “We’ve been waiting for you, Daoist Jiwen, to have a match with Daoist Yun so that we can witness something truly spectacular.”
Jiwen Jing raised an eyebrow. “I’ve had some new insights recently. I’ve been looking forward to sparring with Brother Yun!” He then glanced at Yun Lie.
Yun Lie nodded slightly. His figure blurred and reappeared in the center of the arena.
Jiwen Jing turned into a black shadow, his movements swift as lightning.
Neither used their true energy nor their sword souls. Since they had already dueled with their sword souls before, there wouldn’t be much progress in a short time. However, from observing countless sword cultivators over the past few days and constantly sparring with others, both had gained new insights in their swordsmanship.
Now, the two moved like gentle breezes, so fast that it was difficult for the naked eye to follow.
This duel was far more impressive than the previous ones but also harder to appreciate.
Impressive because of the numerous sword techniques and profound insights that emerged, leaving the spectators in awe. Yet difficult because the moves were executed so swiftly that before anyone could fully comprehend one technique, they had already exchanged seventy to eighty more.
They battled for half an hour before both simultaneously withdrew their swords, standing at opposite sides of the arena.
The sword cultivators watching from outside the arena noticed that the two had switched positions, but their stances, footing, and expressions remained identical to how they had been before the duel began.
Cheers erupted from the crowd.
After that, the group continued their sword discussions. While everyone shared their thoughts, Yun Lie and Jiwen Jing offered most of the insights and guidance.
The atmosphere was harmonious, and everyone benefited greatly.
Jiwen Jing, being a good conversationalist, and Yun Lie, though reserved, got along well with the straightforward nature of the other sword cultivators.
As they were deep in discussion, a streak of green light suddenly descended from the sky outside the hall.
The group noticed it immediately and turned to look.
Someone was sending a message?
The green light descended and flew straight toward Yun Lie.
Yun Lie raised his hand, catching the small green sword. He probed it with his spiritual sense, and his expression subtly shifted. In the next moment, he stood up.
Jiwen Jing and the others were surprised.