The swift wind rustled, scattering Ning Yue's tied hair, and the scorching sun overhead could not conceal the sharp edge of the Whispering Blade as it erupted!
When the Vajra glares, one realizes the sea of suffering is boundless; when the blade shines, it signifies the separation of life and death!
Ning Yue's disheveled hair flew, and he instantly leaned back, his long saber held perfectly straight horizontally.
An invisible, ineffable, indescribable, untouchable straight line pierced the sky!
Refining Qi into Silk!
A single line separated them, like mountains and seas!
The Hidden Void Blade returned without success, firmly constrained before this line.
It was as if the martial arts rules of this realm forbade the blade from advancing further!
As soon as this blade appeared, the expressions of the various important figures on the platform all changed.
Mo Yingshuo only felt an infinite power firmly pulling at his long saber.
The blade's edge was already pressed against the whisper, and just one more inch of pressure would make that damned Ning Xiaoqi bleed, yet he could not push it down any further.
So, Mo Yingshuo withdrew his saber and spun back, his Azure Cloud steps returning as they had left!
Like waves crashing on the shore, the retreat was for better accumulation of power.
The long saber suddenly erupted with a cold light, with scattered ice crystals spreading and then dissipating into steam, making everyone close to the stage feel thoroughly chilled.
It was like falling into an ice cave on a blazing summer day!
Mo Yingshuo's long saber shimmered with mesmerizing icy edges and white frost, and he twisted his body to strike, executing a Earth Grade saber art—Six Arts of Arrogant Coldness!
A Glimpse of Startling Cold!
Two Earth Grade saber arts were wielded with ease, both having been cultivated to mastery, reaching a state of perfection, clearly displaying the profound heritage of his noble family.
Ning Yue, however, merely smiled faintly, his long saber seeming to casually point, precisely blocking the long saber's path.
Making the ice melt into rain, and the chill no longer generate cold!
"I say, the martial arts you practice aren't quite up to par!"
Ning Yue's soft whisper instantly made Mo Yingshuo's eyes turn fierce!
He ignored his slightly trembling palms and the purplish-blue patches on his ulnar styloid processes.
His long saber danced with layers of blade flowers; in an instant, Heavenly Heart Saber Art, Array-Shattering Saber Art, Vajra Demon Subduing Saber, Seventeen Kills of the Cloak—various exquisite saber arts emerged endlessly, engulfing Ning Yue entirely within a vast expanse of saber light!
"Truly splendid! Chief Mo's saber techniques are profound and unique, already showing signs of a young saber master."
Xue Zhenfu commented indifferently.
Mo Zhenfu clenched his jaw but did not respond.
On the high platform, it seemed Mo Yingshuo held the absolute upper hand, suppressing Ning Yue with no escape route.
But who couldn't see that the moment Ning Yue unleashed his first saber strike, Mo Yingshuo had already lost!
Ning Yue had actually comprehended Martial Dao True Intent!
And it was the extremely rare Refining Qi into Silk, which amplified his saber techniques by more than just a multiple!
Although his mastery was still shallow, it was entirely sufficient to deal with Mo Yingshuo, who was still at the Outer Heaven Perfection stage; being in the Yi Jin Realm, without absolute suppression in cultivation, it was perfectly adequate.
"A true dragon might really emerge from this small pond."
Zhao City Lord's gaze turned to Zhao Zhige at his side.
Zhao Silu, hearing this, revealed two shallow dimples.
Zhao Zhige, however, merely lifted his gaze and gave a disdainful smile.
Zhao Xingwu, nearby, seemed to ponder, then walked over to Zhao Nan Ting and began whispering to him.
The crowd below watched, mesmerized, feeling that all their life's learning might not compare to the ordinary exquisite saber strike of Chief Mo, while only Zhu Qimo at the front of the stage grew increasingly solemn.
Martial Dao True Intent?!
Heroes across the land are as numerous as carp crossing a river; indeed, he is not the only one to reign supreme!
This is a formidable opponent!
Zhu Qimo shed his arrogance, withdrew his gaze, and began to circulate his Qi and blood, slowly accumulating power, preparing for the crucial battle ahead!
"Clang!" The sound was like a chime striking.
After countless clashes, Mo Yingshuo's palm was already slightly numb, and his mind was disturbed by the buzzing, strange cries of the whispers.
But looking at Ning Yue, who moved with unhurried steps and wielded his saber into lines before him, anger once again filled his chest.
"I don't believe I can't cut through your damn line!"
The furious Mo Yingshuo condensed all his Qi and blood into a single point; his blood seemed to burn, surging through his entire body, making his battle intent roar!
The Azure Cloud beneath his feet suddenly misted into smoke, and a gust of wind instantly scattered it.
Mo Yingshuo's hand rose and fell, his long saber striking his opponent like a thunderbolt!
This saber strike simplified the complex, abandoning flashy moves, cutting straight ahead with astonishing speed!
And the blade itself faintly glowed red, making the passing air carry a subtle scorching heat.
Behind Mo Yingshuo, an apocalyptic illusion of raging fire burning the heavens and scorching all things unfurled!
Earth Grade Saber Art - Heaven-Burning Strike!
The clang of the saber and the howl of the wind filled his ears, and before his eyes was a saber strike that seemed to incinerate the world.
Ning Yue's gaze held a moment of solemnity.
He released force from his right foot, stomping hard on the spot, causing spiderweb-like cracks to spread across the green jade stone.
"Swish! Swish!"
The Whispering Blade, first vertical then horizontal, two intersecting lines seemed to seal space.
On the high platform, the wind howled and the fire blazed, yet they could not stir the corner of Ning Yue's clothes nor burn through the silver threads of his Flying Fish Robe.
His scattered hair slowly fell before the Whispering Blade, but Ning Yue's aura slowly rose with it, standing tall like a peak, unmoving as a mountain.
The heaven-shattering, earth-collapsing power of the Heaven-Burning Strike stirred up layers of airwaves, completely engulfing the figures of the two.
Making it impossible for the soldiers below to see clearly.
But just as everyone was in doubt,
"Clang!" An extremely faint impact sound reached everyone's ears.
From the swirling mist, a long saber flew out.
It was Mo Yingshuo's Dark Gold Wolf Head Saber!
Mo Yingshuo looked at his tiger's mouth, which had already burst with blood, and his empty palm; his lofty ambition and a surge of anger seemed to fly away with the saber in his hand...
"Young Master Mo, I accept your concession!"
Ning Yue's gaze remained calm from beginning to end, calm like a boundless sea.
Mo Yingshuo's saber techniques were exquisite, wielding various Earth Grade saber arts with ease, and his mastery was not shallow; Ning Yue felt that after watching them once, his Heavenly Evolution Saber had advanced a step further, and hundreds of Yellow Grade and Black Grade saber arts could not compare to Young Master Mo's personal demonstration.
He truly couldn't bear to interrupt, even sealing his cultivation at the early Yi Jin Realm to supplement his knowledge and nurture his saber techniques.
It was only when Mo Yingshuo's saber momentum waned and his strength declined that Ning Yue unleashed the winning strike.
With one strike, victory and defeat were decided!
Mo Yingshuo's hair was already disheveled, his image as a noble young master completely gone; he looked at Ning Yue in disbelief, "Did I... lose?!"
But Ning Yue's answer was even harder for him to accept.
"Yes, Chief Mo, from now on, we'll be colleagues!"
Ning Yue moved the blade from his opponent's neck and said with a smile.
Mo Yingshuo stood motionless on the platform, seemingly in a daze for a moment; his scattered and unstable martial arts aura suddenly solidified, then slowly began to climb upward!
He smiled brilliantly and said to Ning Yue, "Chief Ning, I must thank you for helping me break through this martial arts bottleneck!"
Ning Yue also clearly sensed the other party's cultivation loosening, seemingly on the verge of a breakthrough, so he congratulated him with a smile, "Chief Mo, you've taken another step forward!"
"Ning Yue is overjoyed to witness this!" There was a hint of genuine sincerity in his words.
Mo Yingshuo glanced at the dark gold saber stuck on the platform, still trembling on its own, and laughed nonchalantly, "A defeated weapon, I don't need it!"
"Ning Yue, I'll take my leave first!"
With that, he lifted his head and stepped off the platform, departing.
Xue Youwei below slapped his thigh, and despite the surprised glances of the crowd, blurted out, "This is a sure win!"
However, on the high platform, a radiant star path spread out from beneath Ning Yue's feet, dazzling like a daytime star river, reaching directly to the Dark Gold Wolf Head Saber.
Then the saber flew up, was flicked by a whisper, and landed in front of Wei Xian, "My spoils of war, keep it safe."
Wei Xian's eyes were filled with reverence, and he nodded vigorously.
Xue Youwei looked at the hazy gray light emanating from the dark gold saber, as if it wanted to snatch his very soul.
For a moment, he scratched his ears and cheeks, and the Cold Light Blade in his sheath suddenly felt unappealing!