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Just as Chen Xuanfeng's sword pierced through the void and struck the throat of the undead swordsman, the time-slowing ability of the cursed sword "Centennial" activated once more. This time, its effect was tightly confined to the immediate vicinity of the body, amplifying its power significantly. It stretched a fleeting moment to a span a hundredfold longer, granting the undead swordsman a sliver of opportunity to evade decapitation. Since Chen Xuanfeng's sword had already exited the void, it could no longer bend space to chase its target. Instead, it could only follow through with a downward slash, leaving a searing wound across the enemy's chest.

"Indeed, the laws of time cannot affect objects from another dimension. However, to strike a target in this space, my sword must momentarily re-enter this plane—and in that brief instant, it remains vulnerable to interference. This is the flaw in my swordsmanship," Chen Xuanfeng mused, unfazed by the outcome as he analyzed his own technique. "But this is inevitable. Otherwise, with this sword art alone, I could surpass even Master Leimen at his peak. The world doesn’t hand out victories that easily. It’s a pity that while Platinum Lightning is unmatched in sharpness, its very nature tears through space, disrupting my swordplay’s fluidity. The trade-off is hard to measure. It seems this is the limit of my current mastery. To advance further, I must first attain the rank of Sword Saint and wield my own spatial domain, only then can I truly roam the void with absolute freedom. But by that point, my own power would be enough to dominate the world—who could possibly rival me, requiring such formidable martial arts to defeat?"

As Chen Xuanfeng pondered, the undead swordsman opposite him also seemed lost in thought, muttering under his breath while slowly tracing arcs with his cursed sword, as if deep in contemplation. Chen Xuanfeng, however, had no intention of waiting. After a brief pause following his missed strike, he resumed his relentless assault, unleashing the full breadth of his sword art.

The "Sky-Overturning Sword Dance" combined unique techniques with esoteric mental cultivation to achieve the effect of freely traversing the void with the blade. Initially, it contained many movements ill-suited for combat, but through repeated refinement, Chen Xuanfeng had perfected the fusion of practicality and spatial manipulation, enabling both long-range strikes and close-quarters combat. The fluid, unbroken sequence of movements was necessary to maintain control over spatial distortions, giving the technique its dance-like appearance—hence its name. Now, fully unleashed, the void itself rippled like rain striking a still lake, countless rippling waves encircling the undead swordsman. Though the Sword of Divine Punishment lacked the sheer cutting power of Platinum Lightning, it was still wreathed in combat energy, striking unpredictably from the void, intent on shredding the enemy.

Yet the undead swordsman did not unveil any new techniques. Instead, he relied once more on his time-slowing ability and the defensive arcs of his earlier swordplay. While this defense could hold against the "Thousand Blades Piercing the Clouds," it was no match for the elusive "Sky-Overturning Sword Dance." Within moments, he had suffered multiple strikes—were it not for his undead constitution, he would have long since fallen to grievous wounds.

"Hmph, though I don’t know who you are, holding out this long is impressive enough. Swear to the God of Death that you will never leave the Isle of the Dead again, and I may spare you this once," Chen Xuanfeng offered, sensing victory but wary of provoking the unfathomable powers lurking within the Isle of the Dead. Unwilling to make an enemy without cause, he extended this chance for surrender.

But the undead swordsman seemed not to hear, his attention wholly absorbed by the "Sky-Overturning Sword Dance" manifesting in the void. Receiving no reply, Chen Xuanfeng’s resolve hardened. Casting aside restraint, he intensified his assault, intent on ending the fight. Yet after only a few more strikes, the enemy suddenly erupted into hoarse laughter, his voice now alight with realization, devoid of its earlier hollowness.

"Hahaha! So that’s it! Now I understand!"

The skeletal swordsman’s laughter sent chills down Chen Xuanfeng's spine, but he pressed on—until a series of metallic clangs abruptly halted his sword dance. The distortions in the void vanished, and the silver-haired werewolf staggered back, his face twisted in stunned disbelief, as if witnessing something utterly inconceivable.

"How... how did you just do that?" Chen Xuanfeng demanded, voice trembling.

"You already know. Why ask?"

"I don’t believe it. Again!" With a roar, Chen Xuanfeng unleashed the "Sky-Overturning Sword Dance" once more, sending ripples cascading through the void. But this time, the undead swordsman did not remain passive. With a flick of his cursed sword "Centennial," he conjured his own spatial distortions. A chaotic clash of steel rang out as the ripples collided, then dissipated into nothingness.

Now certain of his suspicions, Chen Xuanfeng paled. "How do you know my 'Sky-Overturning Sword Dance'?" he shouted.

In that exchange, he had realized his opponent was using the same technique—matching void with void, their blades locked in an endless duel across dimensions. Though Chen Xuanfeng hadn’t been overpowered, his offense had been completely neutralized.

The undead swordsman chuckled. "So this sword art is called 'Sky-Overturning Sword Dance.' For centuries, I sought the secret to spatial swordsmanship—only to have you teach me. My gratitude."

"You expect me to believe you mastered my technique just from our fight?" Chen Xuanfeng scoffed.

His disbelief was understandable. The essence of the "Sky-Overturning Sword Dance" lay in comprehending the laws of space. Without that insight, even a martial prodigy like "War Saint" Leimen, armed with all of Chen Xuanfeng’s secrets, could never replicate its effects. Had Chen Xuanfeng not once outwitted the Spider Queen Lolth, he himself would never have achieved this breakthrough.

The undead swordsman nodded. "Indeed. To grasp your technique’s essence, I endured over a dozen strikes. Had I gained nothing, wouldn’t that be pathetic? And it wasn’t as difficult as you think. I was already on the verge of understanding—your swordplay merely provided the final step. Nothing extraordinary."

...Nothing... extraordinary...

Chen Xuanfeng felt his face turn ashen. Even for a mundane sword art at the Sword Emperor level, no genius—not even the legendary young Sword Saints—could claim to master it after a single viewing, let alone a divine-tier technique like the "Sky-Overturning Sword Dance." Yet this undead being had replicated seventy to eighty percent of its secrets after witnessing only a fraction of its forms mid-battle. What kind of freakish genius was this?