Chapter 209: Sharpening the Sword in Combat

Chapter 209: Sharpening the Sword in Combat

The moment these two met, after exchanging a few brief, formal words, they immediately started fighting.

Even Su Mo was taken aback.

Traditionally, before a fight, wouldn't they first introduce themselves, state their names, and share their battle history—how many fights they've won or lost?

Then, they should talk about the origins of their precious sword.

How long the sword is, who forged it, and what adventures it has seen since then?

And what about the cosmic signs when the sword was first unsheathed—like the earth trembling and the heavens roaring?

All of this is supposed to boost their reputation and make the fight more epic, right?

But these two skipped all the formalities and jumped straight into the fight. What’s up with that?

And the third palace master wasted no time, launching the *Stars in Turmoil* right away!

It could be said that when she moved, she didn’t hold back and went straight for her ultimate move.

When the third palace master executed this move, it was in a league of its own compared to Wei Ziyi's *Stars in Turmoil*.

Su Mo, who had previously observed on the Star Viewing Platform, had said that Wei Ziyi's *Stars in Turmoil* was actually nine-tenths illusion, one-tenth reality.

He even went as far as to say that it was all for show, just a bluff.

Of course, Su Mo was just being dramatic.

Even if Su Mo had truly seen through the foundations of martial arts, he wouldn't be able to explain it so clearly.

In this world, there are no secrets that can stay hidden forever.

Chu Qiuyu is certainly trustworthy, but even trustworthy people can have unreliable companions.

Even if all her companions are trustworthy, they might still accidentally let it slip.

Once it spreads, others will know.

Su Mo, who once executed the "Three Orders with One Sword" technique in Profound Theory Valley, has claimed that Wei Ziyi's *Stars in Turmoil* is nothing but a facade.

If her enemies in the jianghu take this seriously, they might dismiss her *Stars in Turmoil* and strike first, ultimately costing her life.

His words were a mix of truth and deception, making it hard to tell what was real. If the enemy believes it to be true, they will surely pay a heavy price.

This is why Wei Ziyi, instead of getting upset, thanked Su Mo.

Chu Qiuyu also grasped the deeper meaning, which is why she didn't pursue the matter further.

In reality, Wei Ziyi's *Stars in Turmoil* had already mastered the essence of the technique.

The saying "nine fakes, one real" should be interpreted in reverse.

It is, in fact, nine parts real and one part fake, capturing the true essence of the sword technique.

However, at this moment, the *Stars in Turmoil* demonstrated by the Third Palace Master was so intricate that even Su Mo couldn't tell how much was real and how much was feigned.

The transformation between real and fake was entirely within her control, following her will, becoming fake or real as she desired.

Upon seeing this, Su Mo couldn't help but feel a deep admiration.

This was far more advanced than anything Wei Ziyi could achieve, by an immeasurable degree.

At that moment, the sky erupted with a dazzling display of swordplay, stars flashing through the air, and countless figures weaving together in a breathtaking spectacle of martial prowess.

All the Cold Moon Palace disciples present couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment.

A stir of excitement rose in their hearts.

They believed that Liu Suifeng's legendary feat of entering East City alone was about to be challenged by this single strike.

In truth, Liu Suifeng didn't dare to act rashly in the face of this sword.

He stood firmly, his stance covering all directions, and occasionally he would lift his long sword, hearing a ting sound.

However, amidst the myriad of sword shadows, he couldn't completely discern all the changes between reality and illusion. Sometimes, when he lifted his sword to block, only a false shadow passed by.

In that moment, a sword mark appeared on the back of his hand.

His heart tightened.

With a soft exhale, he lowered the sword that had been held at the ready, its tip now pointing diagonally downward, abandoning all defense.

In that instant, all the illusory figures of the third palace master in the sky changed.

The next moment, the illusions merged, converging into a single figure before Liu Suifeng.

Raise the sword... and stab!!

Buzz... buzz... buzz!!

Following Stars in Turmoil, came the move Starlight Pierce.

This technique condensed all the sword energy from Stars in Turmoil into a single, piercing point.

As the sword was unleashed, it sliced through the air, leaving a glowing white trail in its wake.

The starlight was as bright as day, sending a chill down the spine.

At that very moment, Liu Suifeng's sword moved.

There was no visible sword light; his strike appeared deceptively simple.

Yet this move caused even Su Mo to feel his pupils slightly contract.

He felt that in this sword, Liu Suifeng had integrated all the principles of the Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword technique.

Ting!!

A light sound as the two swords met.

The tips of the swords touched, creating a sound that should have been almost inaudible, yet it resounded clearly in everyone's ears.

The next instant, ripples of sword energy surged from this point.

On the ground, the sword qi crisscrossed in a web-like pattern, dense and intricate.

A cloud of dust billowed across the Moon Viewing Platform, partially concealing the two figures locked in combat. The third palace master's eyes suddenly showed a hint of ripple.

It was unclear what Su Mo was thinking.

Behind him, someone else was mimicking his actions.

It was the scarred stranger.

This man had suffered serious injuries, and after recovering, his mind seemed to have been affected.

He began to mimic the people around him.

At this moment, no one else had moved, and he could only watch the battle between the two in the arena.

The *Stars in Turmoil* sword technique was too fast for him to imitate.

So instead, he began to mimic Liu Suifeng.

He brought two fingers together, using his hand as a sword, and pointed forward, clearly replicating the move Liu Suifeng had just used from the *Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword*.

His imitation was flawless.

But at this moment, his hand suddenly stopped for some unknown reason.

It was as if there were thousands of pounds of weight between his two fingers, and he could only slowly push forward.

But as he sent out this 'sword strike,' his expression suddenly changed.

The change was extremely complex, filled with hatred, loss, joy, confusion, helplessness, loneliness... Various emotions were condensed into one, constantly shifting and fluctuating.

Finally, he managed to point out that finger.

But after he did, his eyes became confused again.

The confusion lasted only a moment, and then turned hollow.

In that instant, sword lights burst into the sky in the arena.

The Third Palace Master was indeed the Third Palace Master. Although Liu Suifeng's sword strike had grasped the essence of the technique and his *Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword* had made significant progress,

The Third Palace Master did not fall to this sword strike like the previous opponents.

The sword edge turned, and layers of dense sword energy rose again.

The two of them leaped into the air, their sword lights crisscrossing through the void.

Seeing this, Su Mo raised an eyebrow.

Now, Liu Suifeng's swordsmanship had returned to the territory he knew well.

His earlier sword strike, though simple, was exquisitely precise.

The Third Palace Master's star-pointing strike was indeed formidable.

But in reality, she had already lost the mental edge by half a move.

Liu Suifeng had clearly made progress. For now, he had condensed the sixteen forms of the *Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword* into a single strike, while the rest remained unchanged.

As the sword lights flew, Liu Suifeng found himself gradually slipping into a disadvantage.

Yun Jiuying truly lived up to her reputation as a once-in-a-century genius of the Cold Moon Palace.

At sixteen, he comprehended the Flying Star Sword Technique, and his skills had long been seamlessly integrated.

Had she not been entangled in love, sealing herself in the Cold West Tower for twenty years,

her accomplishments would far surpass what they are now.

At this moment, with the clash of their swords, the two had moved from the ground to mid-air, and then from mid-air to the rooftop.

Their sword techniques and strategic shifts were unpredictable, each move defying others' expectations, each strike ingeniously crafted.

For a time, all present watched with rapt attention.

Su Mo leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping over the two swords.

After a while, he let out a light breath, and at that moment, Little Situ Taoist's voice reached his ears:

"Has Chief Escort Su discerned the subtleties?"

"Hmm?"

Su Mo smiled: "Little Situ Taoist is no weakling; I imagine you have seen something?"

"To be honest, these two are far superior to me in martial arts, and when it comes to swordsmanship, my limited talent has led me to rarely engage with it.

"I can say I have gained nothing."

Little Situ Taoist shook his head lightly: "Chief Escort Su is a master of swordsmanship, and I am eager to learn from you."

Su Mo pondered for a moment before speaking:

"The Third Palace Master's swordsmanship is exceptional, and her internal energy is even more profound.

"Her only weakness is that she has rarely engaged in combat over the past twenty years, which makes her practical fighting experience somewhat limited.

"By contrast, Liu Suifeng's internal energy is no match for hers. Thus, he compensates with his sword skills and his solid combat experience, allowing him to hold his own against her."

"Who do you think will win, Chief Escort Su?"

Little Situ couldn't resist asking.

However, as soon as she asked, she regretted it. This is the Cold Moon Palace, after all—wasn't she putting Chief Escort Su in an awkward spot?

She quickly backtracked. "Just a random question, Chief Escort Su—please don't take it seriously."

Su Mo smiled and didn't take it to heart, but after looking up for a moment, he slightly furrowed his brow:

"If it were any other time, I would say the Third Palace Master's martial skills outclass Liu Suifeng's.

"She would have definitely won this battle.

"But now..."

Su Mo shook his head. "Do you know what kind of person it is who entered East City with a single sword, challenged the seven major sects, and now aims his blade straight at Tianqu City?"

"I'd like to hear the details."

Su Mo then began to recount the story of Liu Suifeng's past.

The Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword technique, a story of repeated defeats and relentless comebacks.

Liu Suifeng went into closed-door training several times, forcibly modifying the Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword technique into sixteen forms.

From then on, he was nearly unmatched in the southwest.

Even when he used this sword to enter East City, he was only slightly outmatched by the once-in-a-century genius of Cold Moon Palace.

Little Situ listened, lost in admiration, but after hearing the account, she couldn't help but ask:

"So, Chief Escort Su, are you saying Liu Suifeng has the upper hand in this battle?"

"A guaranteed victory..."

Su Mo sighed softly. It was only now that he fully grasped the situation.

Liu Suifeng's trial by the seven major sects was because he had reached a bottleneck.

The Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword had indeed evolved and sharpened under his mastery, but by this point, it was impossible for him to continue improving in isolation as he had before.

Therefore, after receiving Wan Zangxin's invitation, he decided to challenge the seven major sects.

The experts of the seven major sects allowed him to hone his swordsmanship through combat.

His previous strike hadn't reached its full potential, but at this moment, as the two exchanged more moves,

Liu Suifeng gradually regained his momentum, building up his sword intent with each exchange.

Once this sword intent was fully charged, his next strike would undoubtedly be even more refined.

And that strike... Third Palace Mistress would likely find it hard to defend against.

As expected by Su Mo, just as he finished speaking, the two leaped back onto the Moon-Viewing Platform.

Their sword lights rose, and Third Palace Mistress Yun Jiuying unfurled her long sword, creating thousands of sword lights like bright moonlight shining high in the sky, illuminating the surroundings.

In that moment, Liu Suifeng closed his eyes.

Closing his eyes wasn't because his ears were more sensitive than his eyes, but because he needed to focus without distractions and integrate all he had learned in this battle.

Suddenly, his eyes flew open, and Third Mistress Yun's sword qi was already upon him.

Liu Suifeng exhaled deeply, his sword light pointed, and in the next moment, he took a step forward, leaving behind a shadow.

Seven consecutive steps, his sword moving in a straight line.

He left behind seven shadow figures in the original spot.

The seven shadow figures charged into the moonlight-like sword qi, cutting through it as if splitting the moonlight in half.

As his sword unfolded, the sword in Third Mistress Yun's hand began to tremble more and more.

The "moonlight" scattered, creating ripples.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she stomped her foot hard, her figure spinning abruptly.

The sword light, bright as the moon, gathered around her, flowing like a long river, and as she pointed her long sword again, the sword qi, like a long river, wrapped around her sword.

The sharp intent tore through the void, causing the sword qi to buzz continuously.

And at that moment, Liu Suifeng's long sword arrived right before her.

The six illusory figures behind him suddenly merged one after another into his body, and the seven figures instantly became one. Liu Suifeng's sword gleamed momentarily as bright as the stars and moon!

Buzz buzz buzz!!!

Cling cling cling!!!

In an instant, the sword's cry resounded like a howl, each note piercing the air.

An ordinary person hearing this sword cry would feel nothing out of the ordinary.

However, the Third Palace Master felt a wave of dizziness wash over her.

The events of the past reemerged before her eyes, and her already precarious, fragmented state of mind could no longer be maintained.

With a sudden burst, it all collapsed completely.

And as her state of mind shattered completely, the sword in her hand slipped from her grasp, the qi enveloping it dissipating as the sword fell away.

As she lifted her gaze, Liu Suifeng's sword was already inches from her heart.

Yet she felt no fear, only a faint sense of peace and anticipation welling up in her heart.

"I've wandered this world for twenty years, only to find that all my youth has faded into nothingness.

"Su Tianyang... if I seek you in the afterlife, will you still shun me as if I were a venomous serpent?

"I do not ask to stay with you until our hair turns white, I only wish for you... to look at me one more time, just once."

She closed her eyes tightly, feeling the sword spirit already entering her chest.

At that moment, Liu Suifeng also came to his senses. He was engrossed in the interplay of sword intents, even more captivated by the further breakthrough of the *Sky Rainbow Interrogating Heart Sword* technique.

In a moment of inattention, the situation had already reached this point.

In a sparring match, even if there is a prior agreement that swords are blind and life and death are irrelevant, to use this as an excuse to casually take a life would make him no better than a demon.

However, at this moment, even if he wanted to stop, it was already too late.

This sword was a new realization of his, far from being mastered to the point of seamless control. For a moment, he could only watch helplessly as the sword was about to pierce the Third Palace Master's heart.

At that moment, the *Cold Moon Palace disciples* cried out in alarm.

Simultaneously, Wei Ziyi instinctively moved to stop the sword, but it was ultimately beyond her grasp.

At that moment, Su Mo, who had been seated quietly to the side, subtly shook his head, his middle finger already hidden beneath his thumb.

Seeing this, he raised his hand with deliberate slowness, flicking it in the air without a sound.

No buzzing, no sound.

What he flicked out was a wisp of inner energy, and in the crook of his finger, the force had already reached the tip of Liu Suifeng's sword.

Crack!!

Humm!!

Liu Suifeng's longsword shuddered as though hit by a powerful force.

The blade wobbled incessantly, humming with a low, resonant buzz.

The sword's trajectory shifted abruptly, like the heavens realigning.

He spun on the spot, still holding his sword, six or seven times before finally dissipating the residual energy from his strike.

For a moment, he was taken aback, tracing the source of the force. He saw Su Mo rise and, with a single step, arrive in front of the Third Elder.

The Third Elder's body went limp, and Su Mo caught her smoothly. He glanced at Liu Suifeng and said,

"Lord Liu, please forgive the intrusion."

"I owe you a debt of gratitude."

Spirit Wind Liu breathed a sigh of relief only after hearing him say that. "But I wonder what kind of technique you used just now?"

"A small trick, called Finger-Snap Technique."

Su Mo smiled, then took the Third Elder's wrist, his brows slightly furrowing. "While the blade didn't pierce her chest, the sword qi has already seeped into her body."

Just as he finished speaking, the sound of swords being drawn rang out sharply.

The Cold Moon Palace disciples each held their longswords, glaring angrily at Liu Suifeng.

The elders and Wei Ziyi had already arrived by the Third Elder's side to check her injuries, but they saw the Third Elder cough lightly and shake her head slightly.

"What are you doing?"

"Are you still planning to force me to stay?

"Sheathe your swords and treat us with respect, so people don't think we can't take a loss gracefully."

The disciples exchanged glances, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded, sheathing their swords.

Liu Suifeng nodded politely, "You have my respect."

The Third Palace Master glanced at Su Mo, grabbed his arm, and stood up, turning to Liu Suifeng:

"Nice work with that sword... I'll be in Tianqu City, waiting to see how you fare against Wan Zangxin."

"Very well."

Liu Suifeng nodded.

Su Mo looked at the Third Palace Master. "Are you alright?"

"Hmph, I started learning swordsmanship at three and mastered it by ten. At sixteen, I grasped the Feixing Swordplay on the Star-Viewing Platform... Do you think all my training was for nothing?"

"...In that case, you're fine?"

Su Mo was somewhat surprised. The sword qi had entered her body, yet she still sounded full of vigor. It didn’t look like she was in serious trouble.

The Third Palace Master snorted, shot Su Mo a glance, and then her eyes rolled back as she slumped into his arms, unconscious.

"You could’ve at least waited a couple of hours before passing out."

Su Mo hurriedly picked her up and was about to call for Little Situ Taoist, who was already there.

In a rush, they carried the Third Palace Master back to the Cold Moon Palace for immediate treatment.

No one noticed that, hidden in the crowd, a scarred man was mimicking the exact stance Liu Suifeng had used in his second strike.