Chapter 115
It is unknown where she came from and who this woman Li Yue is. She just used a hooded robe that covers herself from head to toe as well as covered her slender body underneath it. The only clue that gives away her figure are the two bountiful mounds underneath it. Probably it's too big to be covered. She seems to wear a mask that covers her face accept for her eyes. Most people are curious of her as she is the only woman who entered the stage as a partic.i.p.ant.
As soon as the woman Li Yue went on stage. All eyes are on her as if they are trying to pry into her secrets. Even Yun Che and the others were curious as well. What cause him to be curious was not the fact of this partic.i.p.ant is a woman but she was the only one who came here without any backup. It means she was confident in her strength and her origin is probably not simple.
Kon feast his eyes on Li Yue's figure before turning his head to the other girls. "So, who is pretty woman? Any of you girls can figure it out?"
"No, I am sure she's not any woman I've encountered before."
"Really, I thought that Sister YueChan would be her but her energy isn't actually the same. Also, she must be confident and strong enough to enter this selection without any backups."
"Yes, I thought the same as well but her strength is at Seventh Level of Emperor Profound Realm. That necklace of her can't hide her true strength when it comes to that age measuring pearl." Retsu spoke emphasizing her point. Unless she had the help of the system like Yun Che. Maybe all of this would be possible.
Mio listened attentively as she too was curious when she heard of a foreign name being mentioned. "Sister YueChan?"
"Ara, you two haven't met yet. She's Chu YueChan. Our sister we met before we went to the Dragon G.o.d Trial. Yuu-kun told her to return to her sect to avoid any suspicion. Otherwise, she'll be in trouble."
"She's like a friend?"
"Ehheee, I am sure a closest friend to us and a special friend to Yun Che." Cang Yue explained.
"Special? Dannsama sure really like making friends with women though. Makes me wanted to double my efforts in seducing him." Mio spoke in her heart as she heard her.
As the girls making their speculation about the so called Li Yue, Yun Che was having his own thoughts on her. "Strange, I felt a sense of familiarity with this woman. I am sure this woman is not Little Fairy as I memorize her energy and she's not Qingyue as well. Hmmm… But I felt her energy somewhere but can't pinpoint it. Whatever this Li Yue is planning, she came her prepared and didn't want her ident.i.ty exposed. Her name is probably fake as well."
Li Yue stood on the center of the stage while her opponent step in as well. When looking closely, he is a middle age man wearing the clan's robe with the insignia on his back. Yun Che also seems to know this man as well but only because he had the system. Using the system's trivia, her opponent was Fen Zhong. He is the twenty-seventh elder of the Burning Heaven Clan but his strength is considered the weakest even if he's at the Peak of Sky Profound Realm. The other elders are being told to back down by the sect masters to avoid any injuries happening to avoid any clans from taking advantage when the selections are done. But he had high hopes for Fen Zhong to enter the tomb as one of the strongest eight.
Using the system's trivia, Yun Che was able to pinpoint him on the spot. Not much known about him but he was killed during Yun Che's a.s.sault on the clan back in the original novel. Never expected him to be here of all places.
"To see a beautiful doll standing on the same stage as me. Will you do the honors of taking off your mask so we can see the true beauty lies underneath the robes, fair lady?" Fen Zhong use his sweetest words to let the lady off her guard but she was prepared.
Li Yue shook her head before drawing her sword. "Thank you for the compliment kind sir. I don't think that is necessary."
"Oh, maybe this is your last chance. It's better for the people to know the ident.i.ty of the only woman to partic.i.p.ate. Even if you lose, you still have your dignity."
"Don't worry, I won't lose."
"You…. Then don't blame this master for tearing your robe and see for myself." Fen Zhong smirked while licking his lips as he too was curious on this woman's ident.i.ty.
"You wish… Why don't you spoke those words after I defeated you?"
"As you wish fair lady." With that, Fen Zhong immediately launch himself towards Li Yue in order to engage her. Li Yue immediately draw her sword before positioning it in front of her. Fen Zhong drew his sword before smas.h.i.+ng it as hard as he could on her.
"Clang!!!!'
The sound of two swords colliding with one another forced both of them to be stagnant. But, Fen Zhong widen his eyes as his strike just now failed to push Li Yue and she only fell one step backward. She didn't even lose her footing and her sword.
"It seems the fair lady had some skill." As he spoke, he was also shocked that this woman had the capabilities to block his Burning Heaven Blade. The blade forged by a skilled craftsman from the clan for all the cultivators of the clan. But, the most powerful of the sword was bestowed to the elders of Sky Profound Realm. He uses half of his strength to force the woman to lose but she immediately countered it and fell back one step.
"Then, let's see whether you have the skill to repel this!!!" Fen Zhong immediately went back a few steps before channeling his attack. "Hmph, fair lady you are… There's no way…."
s.h.i.+NG!!!
BOOM!!!
He didn't even finish channeling his attack before Li Yue closing in on him and begin her close range attacks.
"You…. I wasn't finish."
"If you had the moment to cease an opponent's momentum, then why should you waste it?"
As Yun Che heard those words, he immediately widens his eyes as he knew clearly who spoke those words before. "Wait, those words..."
"Such cowardice, …Hahaha… No matter, this technique doesn't actually take that long to channel. Now take this…. Burning Heaven Arts: Seafaring Flame Dragon!!!!" Suddenly, the sound of flames swirling around Fen Zhong as he waved his sword in the air before releasing a ma.s.sively thick flames in the air. The flames slowly formed a dragon-shaped flame flew out from the blade accompanied by a scorching heatwave and the whistling of the wind.
One of the clan master immediately recognized the flaming dragon and exclaimed "The Seafaring Flame Dragon!! That Fen Zhong used the Burning Heaven Arts against her. Is he wanted to kill that woman?" From their experience, the technique was executed multiple times in the past and was known as homing type technique. The technique used to track down their opponent even if they tried to run away,
However, Li Yue was relaxed as she immediately dived towards the flaming dragon with her sword on her side. Suddenly, her body began to blur as she slowly side step a few meters to the left side of the dragon. Gaining the required momentum, she immediately went to the side of the dragon in an instant before using her momentum to travel forward. The dragon might be ma.s.sive but she timed it perfectly, she immediately evaded the dragon's trajectory before it hits her. Then, she's closing in on him. Fen Zhong widen his eyes as he saw her ganking on the side before engaging him thoroughly.
Yun Che's eyes immediately widen as he saw her quick side step just now. Not only him, there's one more person suddenly activated her eagle vision as she saw the executed technique before both of them thinking at the same time. "The Table Hopper?!? how did she know...?"
SMAs.h.!.+
She immediately smashed her sword on him but Fen Zhong managed to raise his sword on the spot but one thing shocks him as the smash attack just now was enough to cause his hand to go numb. The flaming dragon just now smashed onto the barrier as dispersing itself. As for Fen Zhong and Li Yue, both them are back on stage with Fen Zhong almost stood at the edge of the arena.
"d.a.m.n, first that Hawk Eyes and now this Mysterious Fairy. Looks like both of them are going to be the dark horses of this selection." One of the disciple from an unknown clan spoke.
"You're right. Both of them doesn't belong to any sect and yet they were able to hold their ground easily."
"Aren't they supposed to be afraid whether they offended their opponents. Those clans behind them aren't simple."
"Never mind that. Did you see how she evaded that fire dragon just now? It looks like her body was blurring as she moved to the side of the fire dragon in an instant."
"That's impossible. Even if a person could only jump to in the air but the dragon will chase them but that side step moments before the execution was inhumane. No wonder she's the dark horse of this tournament."
Despite the talk of the spectators, Yun Che and Retsu were looking at the match as both of them were a little shock. The problem is not lies with the flow of the match but the fighting style. He knew that style clearly. It was the Table Hopper. The move from a game that he adapted into this world. The technique allows the user to avoid any cast techniques and attacks by sidestepping to the side with maximum speed by deviant themselves of their aura and strength. Making them totally invisible for a period of time. The execution, the engagement as well as the technique just now. Even the words she used just now were similar. However, the technique needed one particular moment to ensure success and used. It must be used during the last moment before an attack as it will trigger the adrenaline rush fused with their movement speed and instinct to avoid it. It was more of a last minute evasion technique. Even Retsu needed at least three days to complete and perfected the technique.
"Strange, I only taught one-person aside from Retsu to use the Table Hopper like that. Although her execution wasn't perfect but she managed to side step at the last minute before ganking on him. I am sure this one is not her but if she taught this fighting style to another person then it means she is someone close to her or someone she could trust. Looks like I need to get closer to her to figure it out." Yun Che spoke in his heart. It's true that he taught Retsu table hopper fighting style but he also taught another. That is his previous companion, Little Fairy during the one-month period before he met Cang Yue. But her aura isn't the same as this one even if she tried to mask it. So to be short, how did this woman learned Table Hopper? And more importantly, who is she? Even if the technique is not perfect, she was able to cast one side jump slide compared to Retsu, who perfected the move and cast five jump slides.
Feng Zhong was on the edge of the arena as he was recovering from his shock. The dragon he executed just now was enough to harm a Sky Profound Realm pract.i.tioner but this woman was able to avoid it at the very last minute before ganking on him. If he didn't raise his sword, he will be the one getting thrown off the arena.
Feng Zhong looked at Li Yue's figure with serious expression as he spoke "Hmph, little girl, looks like you really wanted to me to go serious on you."
Then, he slowly channel his profound strength into his Burning Heaven Sword. His aura was slowly flaring with flames as he spoke "You will face this technique with pride…. Even though you will die in the process. It is an honor to fight you…" Fen Zhong started channeling flames and profound strength into his sword before charging it to the maximum. As for Li Yue, her robes suddenly wave itself in the air as it reveals her black clothing underneath it. She channeled her profound strength into blocking the scorching heatwaves but what she did next revealing a little bit of her ident.i.ty to Yun Che and the others as their sensitivity of elemental energy.
As Yun Che detected her profound strength, he immediately widens his eyes. "Cold aura? So I was right. She's an ice profound cultivator. It means she's a disciple of the Frozen Cloud Asgard by default. By the looks of it, she entered this place in secret and doesn't want her ident.i.ty known to the world. She's not Little Fairy and she's not QingYue as well. Then, who is she?" Yun Che slowly wondered as he didn't know much members of the Frozen Cloud Asgard currently. He had to postponed his trip there until he obtained the Evil G.o.d Seed of Water.
The fire pillar process was almost complete. By the looks of it, it seems that Fen Zhong wanted to end this instantly by slas.h.i.+ng all over arena. This way, Li Yue won't be able to
Swoos.h.!.+
What happens next shocked Fen Zhong to the core as she appeared right in front of him while and pus.h.i.+ng her speed to the maximum. She didn't use any revealing signature move but she immediately increased her speed to the maximum before approaching right in front of him.
"What!!?!" Fen Zhong wasn't ready to counter her but Li Yue immediately slammed her sword on his body launching Fen Zhong outside the arena. The ma.s.sive fire pillar created by him just now immediately dispersed into thin air as he coughs blood while being catapult from the arena.
"Wow, looks like she really does take any chances. That guy's weakness was his techniques are all channeling technique. If that moment was his most vulnerable state, I would take that chance as well." Mio make a remark as she was impressed with how this Li Yue girl defeated her opponent.
"That's right. Nee-san. Why bother taking those techniques on if we can just beat the h.e.l.l out of it?" Kon nodded as he stood on her shoulder.
On the arena, Fen Zhong suffered a backlash from his incomplete technique as he coughs out more blood than the initial part. Li Yue sheath her sword once more as she walked out of the arena with a relaxed expression. Until….
"YOU COWARD!!! ARE YOU COWARD ENOUGH TO INTERRUPT MY TECHNIQUE?!?" Fen Zhong roared to her accusing of her being a coward for not letting him finish her technique.
"Hmph, why should I face it if I can just beat you? It might be a bizarre technique but I am not taking it on like everyone else." She spoke with a cold and m.u.f.fled voice without as much as turning her head. She immediately steps down from the arena back to the empty seating zone to recuperate. Yun Che and the others could feel that her profound energy was scrambled indicate that she pushed herself to the limit just now. It was scrambled as the table hopper required absolute concentration to be executed. Clearly she didn't have enough training to use it.
"You…YOU!!!" Fen Zhong cough out blood once more before collapsing due to internal injuries.
"The twenty-seventh elder is down. Have our men carry him out. Looks like the sect master isn't going to be pleased when he hears this." The Burning Heaven Clan escort elder ordered the disciples to carry Fen Zhong out of the arena. The moment they lose, humiliation was inevitable. Moreover, their opponent isn't affiliated with any sect and took him down even if he uses bizarre techniques just now.
The crowd went wild as The Burning Heaven Clan faced humiliation just now as they're one of the strongest sect in the empire but being defeated on the first round by an unknown female cultivator. The humiliation was unbearable as the other sect started to doubt their position but none of them can rebuked. Even if they lose, their backbone as the strongest sect still exist which other clans won't dare to offend.
The announcer immediately spoke with a hoa.r.s.e voice as he too tried to comprehending the situation from Li Yue's battle. "With our mysterious Fairy Li Yue win just now concluded our first round matches and will proceed on to the next thirty-two fighters. Then, we will begin the third stage where the final sixteen match will be conducted to select the final eight."
"For the semifinal thirty-two partic.i.p.ants will be conducted and their opponents will not be chosen at random. They will fight the opponent who won the match after them. The winner of the first match will fight the winner of the second match and so on." With that explanation, the audience nodded in understanding while Yun Che maintained his calm composure. He was on the twentieth match so his opponent should be the winner of the ninetieth match. This match up should place him on the tenth match against him while Li Yue should be placed on the sixteenth match. Even in the finals he can't even face her. So, he decided to find her later in the tomb to acquire her ident.i.ty. He wanted to know who did Little Fairy trust to teach his Table Hopper technique to.
He immediately s.h.i.+fted his eyes to the winner of the ninetieth match who sat quite far from his current position. From his observation, his opponent is also an elder but this time he is from the strongest sect from the Northern part of the Empire. Aside from the four strongest sect, he'll be facing an elder from the Heavenly Spear Thunderfire Fortress. Mu Jiu.
From the system's information, this sect will send two of their strongest disciples underneath Earth Profound Realm during the Blue Wind Empire Ranking Tournament. From what he read, the sect master of this sect himself will attend the tournament in order to emerge as the strongest and tried recruit him. But, the original Yun Che rejected before teaming up with Fen JueCheng to kill him. Only ended up being slaughtered by Jasmine inside the secret realm. As he read the trivia, he slowly smiled as he can send an early message to him through this match. Only this time, he will not be chased by him but he will be doing the chasing instead.
Seeing Mu Jiu's expression, it seems that middle age man wanted to face him as he looked at him with curious eyes. He seems unfazed by the bizarre display Yun Che performed in defeating the strongest sect of the southern half of the empire. The Qin clan. Probably their pride as the strongest sect underneath the four great sect won't let them. Not that he would mind any way.
As the matches begun. The atmosphere was intense as this match is even more serious than the rest. The previous match up was merely testing the waters and now the fight between elders are even more serious. Techniques after techniques were cast and it sometimes..h.i.t the barrier and shaking it but not enough to shatter it. The crowds going wild as they saw the bizarre techniques of the higher realms being cast in the arena. Some of them taking the fight in the air but the arena only allows limited height so they won't get far or destroy other places during the battle. Some matches are won and some lose their dignity in the battles. However, most of them decided to stay to find out the final eight who had the capabilities to enter the tomb.
The matches proceed and ended with a bang as the elders went all out with one another. Yun Che could feel like gazes are on him like a piece of meat waiting to be devoured. Aside from that, the crowds gave him admiration gazes while the other clans either look at him with contempt or admiration. He can feel the same gaze were s.h.i.+fted to Li Yue as well. As the dark horses of the tournament, all of them will do whatever it takes to recruit him and her to their cause so they could obtain for whatever is in that tomb.
When the match reached the ninth match, the crowd were going wild once more. The ninth match involves around an elder from the Heavenly Sword Villa which considered as the strongest sect in the empire. From Cang Yue's explanation, they are also will be the host for the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament two months from now but it seems that they also wanted the inheritance of the Moon Empress. They will spare no effort in keeping the strongest t.i.tle in place and the Moon Empress inheritance was the ticket for them. Moreover, Yun Che also smiled as not only the Xiao Clan and the Burning Heaven Clan. He also had some beef going on with the Sword Villa as that villa held something important to him.
As expected the match up was bad on the opponent's side as he easily defeated an elder from smaller part of empire with ease. Seeing the crowd's reaction, it seems that the people knew this elder quite well and he did some background searching on him through the crowds using his Kenbunshoku No Haki. Looks like little of what he knew, this elder is quite famous in the Blue Wind Empire as the political elder. He might be unfamiliar but this elder's name is Ling Hai, one of the great elders in the sword villa. From the crowd, he was famous for entering city by city establis.h.i.+ng relations.h.i.+p as well as making the smaller sects bid to the villa's command.
With his win just now, his opponent for the finals was set. He is going to face this sword villa's elder but seeing him from there. He kind of wanted to cause some humiliation to that sect by kicking that elder's a.s.s. Marking the slow downfall of the sword villa later in the future. So he decided to make this one as a message.
"Hmph, the famous elder of the Heavenly Sword Villa, Ling Hai versus The Great Swordsman, Dracule Mihawk. How ironic, but that's the way I like it." Yun Che slowly spoke in his heart but he had to get rid of the elder he's going to fight after this. Which is around....
"Fellow citizens, we have now reach our tenth match which is clearly one of the match everyone is waiting for. Please welcome to the stage our newest compet.i.tor, the swordsman Dracule Mihawk versus the Mu Jiu of the Heavenly Spear Thunderfire Fortress."
Yun Che didn't teleport just like previously did but he jumped into the arena before slowly moving towards the stage with hands in his pockets. Just like before he wanted to see the capabilities of the elder before he makes his move or drawing his sword. As he moves, the elder was also the same. From his observation, the elder is practically the same as everyone else but it seems that he used a dual hammer and sword combination. A unique style compared to usual single weapon fighting style but it wasn't enough to impressed him as the hammer might of a bit smaller than usual.
Both contestants are now face to face with eyes of contempt as both of them had a single purpose in this match. The desire to win this battle. Only this time, Li Yue's gaze was on him as she too was curious on the second dark horse of the selection.
The elder Mu Jiu looked at Yun Che as he remembers the match between Qin Wu of the Qin clan with him previously. No matter what, this mysterious and unknown swordsman must not be underestimated.
"Dracule Mihawk, quite a name you have there. Not the name common from Profound Sky Continent. Are you someone from a hidden clan perhaps?"
Yun Che remained calm before speaking with his eyes closed. He carefully choose his words as he thought on the kind of words Mihawk would said. "Not quite. I am someone who didn't care about the matters of the world after all."
"Someone who didn't care? Then why are you here of all places?"
"The tomb has something I want. That's all."
The elder from the Heavenly Spear Thunderfire Fortress looked at him curiously before he spoke "Ohh, what might that be?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"As expected for someone who's been absent from the world. Full of arrogance. Then again, I too required something from that tomb so I need to stop you right here right now. Also, a man of your talents would cause the empire to fight for you. Along with that woman." Mu Jiu spoke while pointing towards Li Yue.
"So, as a fellow swordsman, I would like to extend my invite to join the Heavenly Spear Thunderfire Fortress. A talent like yours must not laid waste." Mu Jiu spoke shocking the audience as well as other clans including the city lord himself.
"d.a.m.n, striking while the iron is hot. Since he's the closest, we couldn't blame him but if that mysterious swordsman went under his banner. With those two under their wings, the Heavenly Spear Thunderfire Fortress would become the strongest in the empire one day." The other clan members thought as they hear Mu Jiu's proposal.
"I am not interested." Yun Che instant rebuked the elder causing him to feel endless humiliation. He lowers himself so that the sect chose to recruit him but only to have them rebuked?
Mu Jiu tried to save his face by saying "You…. You could go as a guest. We won't stop you if you want to do anything you want."
"Like I said, not interested." With that answer, the crowd went wild once more. The strongest sect underneath the four great sect was instantly rejected. One can feel the feeling of being rebuked without a second thought. Clearly this Mihawk was either aiming something higher or overestimating himself.
"Then… you leave me no choice." Mu Jiu bang's covered his eyes as he draws his twin swords and a.s.sume battle stand before continued "It's a waste that your talent ends here."
"Hmph, a foolish man in deed. I won't waste myself with this pointless talk." Yun Che stood on the stage just like he was before. Unfazed and moving, he observed the elder as he was preparing to make his move. But Mu Jiu saw his previous fight and he wasn't foolish enough to engage him without any weapons.
Mu Jiu gritted his teeth as he spoke "You…if you underestimate me like the previous elder. You're wrong. As a fellow swordsman, it is appropriate for you respond with a weapon as well."
Yun Che gave it a thought before raising his right eyebrow as he too spoke "It seems that you truly overestimate one's self as well but you were right on the later part. Indeed, it's been a while since I saw someone dual wielding different weapons."
"Is he going to use his sword?" One of the audience exclaimed as everyone was curious on the capabilities of the black sword.
"Hmph, finally. I was thinking that sword was merely useless. Then again, its logic thinking if he refused to draw that sword if his opponents weren't up to it." What happens next shock all of the spectators as well as Mu Jiu himself. The swordsman Mihawk didn't pull his bizarre sword but he actually pulled the smaller dagger like necklace from his neck before pulling the sheath revealing a small blade underneath it.
Mu Jiu was feeling anger bubbling inside him before he gritted his teeth and asked "Oi, what is the meaning of this?"
"This? I thought you wanted me to use a weapon. So I did."
"I was referring to your sword."
"You might be one of the strongest in the Empire but you did not possess the capabilities for me to draw my sword. What I did right now is merely respecting you as a swordsman but you defiled the swordsman part by wielding a hammer as well. So, you can't blame me for using the smallest thing I could find in my robe."
"Then, let me show you whether I have the capabilities to make you draw your sword!!!" Mu Jiu immediately increased his speed producing several lightning bolts behind him. Using the thunder essence, he was able to increase his speed to the maximum and empowering his art with flame essence. Seeing him wasn't prepared, he immediately closing in on him he empowered his hammer with lightning and fire before swinging it to his face.
BOOM!!!
An explosion effect suddenly occurred as the hammer was swung to Yun Che's face producing a smoke after effect. The audience was stunned as elder managed to land an attack even Qin Wu was unable to.
"Hmph, in the end a person like you just all talk with no….." Mu Jiu's words was shoved back to his mouth as the smoke dissipates revealing Yun Che stop his thunder-fire hammer with the tip of the small dagger he just unsheathes.
The attendant of the city lord suddenly stood up as he saw the dagger's tip touching the hammer scene was unbelievable. "Did he just stop a full power attack with just a dagger?!?"
The city lord was also surprised but he kept his cool. "In the previous match, he stopped and break a sword swing with his finger and you're that surprised."
"But this is the Heavenly Spear Thunderfire Fortress, their thunderfire attacks are no joke." The other attendant as well as other sects members started speculating about Yun Che's abilities. Even the city lord was amazed with him. He turned his head towards his attendants and spoke "Whatever methods you do, recruit this mysterious swordsman to our cause. We will not let such an expert slips by."
Mu Jiu saw his movement and immediately backed away from him. He immediately looked at his yellow eyes before s.h.i.+fting his gaze towards the dagger and spoke "Grrr…you… It seems that dagger of yours is much stronger than I thought. Even with skill alone, the weapon should be able to hold the power of the cultivator. What grade is that dagger of yours?" He couldn't help but curious with Mihawk's weapons as he dismissed the rumor that the sword behind his back was a grade superior than his own and probably higher than any other swords in the Empire. He dismissed that rumor but seeing that he was able to beat his skill with a dagger. The kind of grade that will triggers greed within anyone. Seeing that dagger wasn't broken or bend, he a.s.sumes it was a higher grade as well.
"This? It's just a dagger I crafted using leftover materials."
Hearing him was able to craft a sword with a superior grade, Mu Jiu widen his eyes. "You're a craftsman? A swordsman who is also a craftsman. A rare talent indeed. So I a.s.sume that sword behind you was crafted by you as well." Mu Jiu was interested in the capabilities of the man who can crafted a black sword as well as handling it with ease. A man of his talents will cause sects fight each other for them. Not to mention he just pa.s.sed thirty-years-old.
"Of course."
"I see, that's more reason the other sect will not let you go."
"Hmph, if they have the capabilities."
"We might have the same strength but you're overestimating yourself." Mu Jiu again used similar method before clas.h.i.+ng against Yun Che again. He started to lose his cool as Yun Che perfectly parried every strikes he makes with his hammer and sword.
Cling...
Cling..
Cling...
The sound or parries sounded throughout the battlefield as Mu Jiu jumped, flew and engage him whenever the chance strikes. However, no matter what skill, movement and strategy he used. All the strikes were instantly countered and parried. What annoyed him the most was, he didn't even move an inch from that spot and even his sword strikes were easily parried. The similar situation repeated itself as certain someone from the VIP room slowly smiled as she witnesses the scene once more. She was the one who did the scene during a banquet a few months ago.
"Why did this scene looked familiar?" The red headed girl named Cang Yue asked herself.
"Familiar? I thought this is the first time he use that dagger." Kon spoke as he too was amaze on how precise his parries were.
"Ah, I remembered. Sister Retsu used a throwing knife to parried sword strikes just like this one. She really shocked me at that time."
"*Giggle, I aimed to please." Retsu smiled as she pat Cang Yue's head.
Kon slowly sighs as he heard Retsu was also like this before he was reborn into the world. "*Sigh, you monsters are getting stronger everyday."
"No fair….this is not fair… I use a superior grade sword and hammer and only getting beaten by a small dagger. This is not fair!!!" Mu Jiu roared to the heavens as he slumped to the ground overusing his profound strength against Yun Che. For the second time in history, the audience saw the elder of a sect was being made into a joke by an unknown swordsman.
Yun Che sighs as he stored the dagger back to its sheath before wearing it back on his neck.
"A true swordsman can wield a sword regardless of its rank. Even a wooden sword can cut the highest grade if it's being wield by a man who understood the way of the sword. Without power, the sword is nothing but just an iron bar."
"Are you saying that I am not qualified to be called a swordsman?"
"In a sense yes."
The same as Qin Wu, Mu Jiu immediately started empowering his sword and hammerbonce more with the Thunderfire before engaging Yun Che. But.....
With ease, Yun Che s.h.i.+fted to the side avoiding all of the attacks being swung at him stunning all the audience including clan masters and partic.i.p.ants. The sect master of the Heavenly Spear Thunderfire Fortress who is also Yun Che's future nemesis was stunned as he observe Mihawk's movements. It seems that Yun Che didn't noticed that Mu Tianbei himself was here but the current him didn't recognize him at all. He gritted his teeth as he clenches his fists before saying "First he use that small dagger to clash the empowered swings with Thunderfire but he now he avoided them with ease? What kind of monster is he?"
Then he continued while still keeping an eye on Yun Che. "It is a common knowledge for every cultivator who faced our Heavenly Spear Thunderfire Fortress. The swings the elder made was empowered with Thunderfire. The thunder increased its speed as well as explosive power using the fire. This is why the thunderfire sect is the most powerful underneath the four great sects. But, seeing him avoided each one of them with ease..."
"Sect master.... Is there something we can do?"
The sect master of the fortress shook his head and spoke "No... our elder lost the match before it even begun. Tell the rest of our spies to gather any information about this swordsman. We will use whatever methods we had to rope him."
As for Yun Che, he easily avoided all of the attacks given to him. Thunderfire or not, in front of the sharingan and haki. Those things are worthless. He had share of fun so he did what he wanted to do from the beginning. Yun Che immediately went to his front before countering the side of the sword as well as the hammer's handle with his arms. With quick action, he landed a punch underneath the Mu Jiu's chin before gently pushed his right elbow upwards before disarming him of his sword. As he disarmed him, he immediately grabbed his sword from his hand before giving him a light kick at his stomach with his leg.
"You....give me back my sword." Mu Jiu was holding his stomach as Yun Che went back a few step holding his sword. He used a basic disarmed technique that steals his opponent's sword. A modern way fighting style where he countered the movement just now before pulling his weapon from his hands. To see an elder fell from a basic hand to hand combat was pretty stupid. He slowly waved the sword in front of him and said "Hooo, another Earth Profound Sword? A decent piece."
"I SAID GIVE ME BACK MY SWORD!!!" Mu Jiu tried to attack him again but only have Yun Che swing the sword horizontally with ease as it missed Mu Jiu's neck by a small distance. Suddenly the upper part of the hammer fell to the arena grounds shocking Mu Jiu who was on the middle of his run towards him.
"My hammer!! What have you done?!?" Seeing his hammer being cut down by his own sword, Mu Jiu lost his will to fight as what he fought right now was not someone of the same strength but someone who understood the sword's principle itself. Usually, the weapon of the same grade can't cut each other but seeing his cut his hammer's upper part with ease.
"I told you before, a sword without power is just an iron bar." He spoke before flash stepping in front of the elder before landing a solid punch on his gut. "Guarkkk!!!" Mu Jiu shouted as he dropped the remaining piece of his hammer as he fell to the ground slowly losing his consciousness. He slowly watched Mu Jiu as he stabbed the sword next to him before slowly turned around leaving the arena. Ignoring the audiences reaction, he turned his head towards his future enemies.
One more battle and his gaze turned towards the Heavenly Sword Villa. Against them, he was not going to use a dagger or basic hand to hand combat. Its about time he play fire with fire especially against these guys. Besides, they are bunch of copycat swordsman who thinks the world revolves around them and if they going to use a sword to fight him...
Then...a sword must be used against a sword.
Lowering his gaze from them, he slowly muttered "Looks like Yoru is going to make an appearance after all."