Chapter 256 - 256: First Blood
"Underling Xuhan's move... shouldn't be possible to execute without a fairly advanced foundation in martial cultivation.
He's just a third-phase martial artist. So the only way he can possibly accomplish something like this is by utilising his vital energy. Won't he be accused of breaking the rules of the duel?"
Mu Ran's worries weren't unwarranted. Many in the audience, who shared Mu Ran's opinion, looked at the Elders on duty to judge the contest.
But even the Elders looked confused. All of them were frowning, as if they weren't certain whether Han Xuhan had just cheated or not.
Xuanyuan Zhou calmly asked Mu Ran, "What proof do you have that Han Xuhan broke the rule of not using vital energy?"
"Didn't I just explain?" Mu Ran looked puzzled. "At his level, a movement art so extreme cannot be executed without using vital energy."
"And what proof do you have of that assumption?" Xuanyuan Zhou replied in monotone.
"Have you comprehended every movement technique in the world?"
Mu Ran gave her a displeased look, but couldn't refute her logic.
Xiao Wu laughed softly and said, "Sister Zhou is right. As long as no one can detect whether Han Xuhan used vital energy or not, what proof could they provide to find faults with his move?"
Mu Ran snorted. "It's still cheating. Someone who forms a tendency to take shortcuts and use cheating methods to defeat opponents in martial contests won't be able to walk very far on the road of martial cultivation."
Then, giving Xuanyuan Zhou a sidelong glance, he asked, "You were the one who taught him this tricky movement technique, didn't you? It's definitely not from our sect, or any orthodox factions on this continent."
Xuanyuan Zhou ignored him. In her opinion, concepts of fair fights and honorable tactics didn't even make sense. If someone deserved a beating, being fair to them was a form of undeserved mercy.
Inside the arena, the two combatants were locked in a different conversation.
"That's a great movement technique, junior brother. Why did you never use it while you were rampaging across my mountain peak for a whole month?" Chen Yan asked while pressing against Han Xuhan's grip on his wrist, testing his strength.
"Your juniors were quite easy to defeat, to be honest. And I couldn't just let you learn all of my trump cards ahead of our battle, could I?" Han Xuhan said, teeth gritted from the effort he had to put behind fighting Chen Yan's overwhelming strength.
"Great tactics! What a shame that you use that brilliant mind to commit evil! Can't you pick up a good habit?"
"Senior Brother, can't you pick up your sheath? I'm afraid of being slashed to death by this sharp saber," Han Xuhan said, staring at the shivering blade between them.
"I'm not used to brandishing a sheathed saber. Accidents like that will keep happening. Don't blame me if you are slashed to death," Chen Yan replied.
"If you really are afraid, then surrender and admit defeat."
"Alright, then." Han Xuhan smiled wryly and let go of Chen Yan's wrist.
And then he immediately flashed forward three steps using the same movement technique and leaped up, smashing a knee into Chen Yan's right shoulder.
Lightfoot Swallow Art: Swallow Takes Off!
The speed and the shameless surprise attack ensured that Chen Yan couldn't dodge it in time. He had to defend himself with his right hand, but his right hand was gripping the saber at an angle too awkward to use effectively against an oncoming attack.
There were no defensive moves included in the Sweeping Saber Style to deal with a sudden strike aiming for the right shoulder.
Thump!
Chen Yan staggered back a couple of steps. But it didn't look like it had affected him much. His physique was obviously a few degrees sturdier than Han Xuhan's, thanks to a higher cultivation base in the martial path.
But the discovery only brought Han Xuhan a wave of encouragement!
The gap between them... was not an uncrossable chasm!
Chen Yan's countenance also underwent a change.
He stared intently at Han Xuhan and muttered dryly, "Last week, you were holding back while fighting my martial brother Zhao, huh? Junior brother, you've hidden your claws so well!"
Han Xuhan grinned.
His last duel on Chen Yan's mountain peak was against a senior disciple close to Chen Yan. Below the fifth phase of the martial path, he was considered unbeatable in the entire outer court.
Han Xuhan had ended up in the infirmary after that duel, brutally beaten. But his defeat wasn't a result of being purely outclassed in terms of strength and skill.
He had simply wanted to trick Chen Yan into believing that, in terms of pure martial prowess, he was still far inferior; that Chen Yan wouldn't need to take too many precautions to defeat him in a duel involving martial arts.
Judging by Chen Yan's grave tone, the trick had clearly worked to some extent!
With a snort, Chen Yan adopted a polished stance, gripped his saber with both hands for the first time, and held it just above his right shoulder, ready to swing down with maximum momentum.
Han Xuhan picked up the fallen sheath and twirled it casually, testing the feasibility of using it as a proper weapon.
"Thanks for throwing this away," he said. In response, Chen Yan snarled and rushed forward to strike.
Without caring for sophisticated techniques, Han Xuhan swung it at the oncoming blur of silver steel. At the last moment, Chen Yan used that familiar move of the Sweeping Saber Style to slip past the sheath again.
But this time, he didn't try to slash Han Xuhan's hands, which were the optimal target after executing that move. Rather, the blade traveled downwards in a swift arc, heading for Han Xuhan's knees!
As long as his bizarre movement technique could be restrained, Han Xuhan would lose much of his combat ability.
Han Xuhan seemed to have foreseen that Chen Yan wouldn't use the same move twice. He was clearly ready for surprises.
The moment Chen Yan's saber changed its trajectory, he flashed away three steps and brought down the sheath to defend his legs using the extended gap of timing and distance.
But Chen Yan's saber kept moving forward, accelerating and reaching beyond its typical range, as if he was determined to see this through, regardless of the consequences!
Sweeping Saber Style: Blade Yearns For The Moon!
A desperate move again, just like the first time he had used this technique!
Didn't he notice the sheath blocking the way?
Clang!
The saber and its sheath clashed, but...
The sheath split in half upon contact!
In that split second, Han Xuhan's pupils shrank as he realized that he had fallen into a meticulous trap woven from the very beginning of the duel!
No! This trap had been planned long, long before the duel began!
Fresh red blood erupted, trailing behind a swift silver blade!