
Arc II - The Birth of the Sword: Intermediate Swordsman Selection
Autumn arrives, making the hill overgrown with trees fall with yellow and red leaves on the surface completely covered by colors, looks very beautiful when viewed at a glance.
But at the top of the quiet hill was a fierce fight that almost claimed one life. Under a shady tree decorated with sprinkling spring leaves on the ground, a young man and young man stood face to face. The old man hung a slanted sword on his side, drops of blood falling on one of the dark yellow leaves. The serious and authoritative gaze was accompanied by firm footsteps.
Never once did he look scared in that face when he was facing the enemy.
"You're giving up?"
"Would never be. Until it's a carcass though!" shouted Xue Zhan who was now spewing blood, he melted it while looking straight ahead at where Zhao Xuyang was still standing firmly. Not one bit affected by his attack.
That man was a thousand times more powerful than Xue Zhan had imagined. Now he believed, Zhao Xuyang not only relied on luck to kill the Red Fingers' higher-ups, but also had great sword skills that could not be lied to anymore. He was the greatest hero of his time.
Xue Zhan drew his sword, pulled it from below and was immediately confronted by an absolute stalk from above. Zhao Xuyang smashed into his sword-grasping hand with the handle of his sword. Making a loud kick, Xue Zhan bounced onto the trunk of a large tree.
Dozens of leaves fell down following the wind. Sweat pours out at his temples. Xue Zhan got up.
He no longer felt pain. Three months of training with Zhao Xuyang, Xue Zhan was getting used to absolute injuries and defeats. Their strength levels were also much different. But Zhao Xuyang taught him many things that he did not get, even from Kang Jian himself.
The ability to fight individualism, not with groups. When circumstances forced him to fight one-on-one without a peer, Zhao Xuyang forced him to persevere with his amazing technique. Teach how to defend, fend off, read gaps and get to the basics, how to stand. Although Xue Zhan had obtained the knowledge for the first time from Kang Jian, but still, learning it twice provided a significant change to his proficiency.
"Say surrender, I'll end this exercise as soon as I can. You look so exhausted. It's been almost two days that we've been fighting non-stop. I might still be able to, but you're not."
"Relying is not my choice!"
Xue Zhan unleashed the strongest stance he had, "The Celestial Phoenix Book - the Hunters Breath!"
Time seemed to be running slowly in Xue Zhan's eyes, blood red eyes catching Zhao Xuyang's figure also moving sluggishly. He took off some small weapons. Running forward towards Zhao Xuyang, the three seconds he had were used to attack the man from behind his back.
Xue Zhan's eyes were wide open.
Even when his speed was slowed Zhao Xuyang could still fend it off empty-handed.
"It's not just speed, but the ability to read situations is important. You know Xue Zhan, I saw what you saw right now and in the next fights. When you attack, the gap you will take, also what technique you will use. I read it from your eyes."
Back then Xue Zhan was just speechless.
"If you are unable to deal with me it is better to just forget about wanting to take the Intermediate Swordsman Exam. You're just gonna die silly."
Zhao Xuyang put his sword back in disappointment.
Xue Zhan spoke in the back, half whispering.
"You only see the sights I see, don't you? But not with the instinct that moves me."
Zhao Xuyang was clearly still staring at Xue Zhan and warning of all kinds of attacks from the front. Yet an iron disk that Xue Zhan last used three months ago appeared behind a leaf that fell from a tree. It was covered by him and snatched towards Zhao Xuyang's face.
He was trying to digest what happened.
Before attacking with his greatest technique Xue Zhan had time to do something he had missed out on as trivial, Zhao Xuyang was focused on the strongest attack Xue Zhan was going to unleash and his prediction was correct. The boy used it.
But unexpectedly, an attack of that size was only used as a decoy, nothing more. Xue Zhan instead used a small attack, looked for the right time and threw it as one leaf fell. Making the disc invisible covered by falling leaves.
It was enough that Zhao Xuyang was stunned.
"Huh ... You've always surprised me, Xue Zhan." He wiped his cheeks, it had been a long time since he had fought and had never gotten a single scrap of wound.
"Follow the Intermediate Swordsman Exam, if that's what you want."
"May I ask for one thing?" Xue Zhan woke up and faced the man.
"Say."
"I still want to learn many things from Grandpa Zhao, of course I will keep it a secret from Master. I'd also like to thank you for helping and guiding me this far. I won't forget it," he said. Zhao Xuyang patted next to his shoulder.
"You still want to be a hero?"
Xue Zhan nodded steadily.
"Then remember my message. Don't throw people around you no matter what. Even forgetting who you are. If you can't help yourself, how can you reach out to save others?"
Zhao Xuyang had Xue Zhan raise his sword, "I really hope this is the Birth Sword that will save humanity from the next destruction. I have high hopes for you, Xue Zhan."
Look into her eyes as if she is saying goodbye. Three months into Zhao Xuyang, Xue Zhan started to know a lot about the man. He is a humorous person, very sociable and has his own wise side. Even so his sword ability is never dull eaten by age. It made Xue Zhan put awe towards him.
"After the Intermediate Swordsman Exam is over I can still train with you?"
I heard a soft laugh. "My tenure as Council of Nine has run out. I have to retire."
"But-"
"Next time we met. I wish I could see you grow even better."
Xue Zhan was silent. Seeing Zhao Xuyang leave just like that, he tried to catch up. But the man first vanished in the wilderness, a wild animal. When Xue Zhan searched he never again discovered Zhao Xuyang's whereabouts.
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Currently Author is mumbling, want to consistently write 2 chapters per day there are only obstacles
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