Chapter 49: Five Horses Street’s Fifth Swordsman of the Blood Forging Realm
"You’ve trained in External Skills?"
Zhao Yan exclaimed in disbelief. His face then lit up with excitement as he swung his heavy sword, launching a relentless barrage of strikes at Lu Changfeng.
The gale-force winds generated by the swinging heavy sword were astonishing.
Lu Changfeng, however, gripped his Autumn Water Long Sword with both hands, meeting strength with strength and steadily parrying every one of Zhao Yan’s heavy sword techniques.
"External Skills? I suppose so."
Lu Changfeng even had time to reply casually during a lull in the action.
Both the Le Mountain Angry Vajra and the Fengtian Forging Body Saber Skill significantly increased his physical strength.
"Hey, this is about to end."
Lu Changfeng struck out again, his sword clashing against Zhao Yan’s.
Then, before Zhao Yan’s disbelieving eyes, Lu Changfeng shattered his Profound Iron Heavy Sword in two with a single strike!
Lu Changfeng pressed his advantage, and the tip of his sword came to rest on Zhao Yan’s forehead.
"You’ve lost," Lu Changfeng said flatly.
Zhao Yan’s heavy sword was quite effective at suppressing other Blood Forging Realm Martial Artists, and even some ordinary Tendon Transformation Realm Martial Artists.
But against Lu Changfeng, who was on the verge of mastering the Second Layer of the Fengtian Forging Body Saber Skill to Perfection, its suppressive force was practically zero.
Just like that, Zhao Yan’s greatest advantage vanished.
During their brief exchange of blows, while Zhao Yan was still stunned by Lu Changfeng’s strength, Lu Changfeng had been secretly using the speed and precision of the Storm Sword Technique, striking the exact same spot on the heavy sword with every clash.
Although Zhao Yan’s heavy sword was weighty, it was ultimately just a Profound Iron Mortal Soldier, no match for a true Treasure Artifact.
Under the immense force of their repeated strikes, a notch had been carved into it.
As the notch deepened, Lu Changfeng found an opportunity to destroy Zhao Yan’s heavy sword with a full-power strike, seizing the moment to end the match.
"You..." Zhao Yan stared at Lu Changfeng.
As a fellow expert of the Sword Dao, a moment’s reflection was all it took for him to understand Lu Changfeng’s strategy.
"You’re incredible. You could face my heavy sword head-on, and your Sword Techniques possessed far greater speed and explosive power than mine."
"If I didn’t have my heavy sword, I probably would have lost even faster."
Lu Changfeng nodded. It was true. If not for the wide attack range of the heavy sword, he would have found an opportunity to force an end to the fight long ago with the speed and explosive power of his Storm Sword Technique.
"I accept my defeat wholeheartedly. The title of Fifth Swordsman of the Blood Forging Realm on Five Horses Street is now yours."
After the referee announced the result, Zhao Yan vaulted off the arena. He had gained much from this battle.
Lu Changfeng also returned to the contestant area.
"Are there any more matches for me?" Lu Changfeng took the initiative to find a staff member.
"Uh, with your current level of strength, finding a suitable opponent is a bit difficult. How about you go back and wait for news?"
"Once we find a suitable opponent, we will come to your Martial Arts Hall to inform you."
Hearing this, Lu Changfeng nodded. "Alright. I’ll head back and wait for news then."
’Tonight’s gains weren’t bad at all.’
’Defeating Zhao Yan should earn me a good deal of prestige and fame.’
The main event featuring Tendon Transformation Martial Artists was still to come, but after watching a few matches and seeing nothing particularly outstanding, Lu Changfeng left the venue.
He waited for a short while outside, and soon Chunzhu’s figure appeared.
"Congratulations, Feng! I just knew your strength would let you make a name for yourself in Jiangnan Prefecture!"
Lu Changfeng smiled. "And who was it just a moment ago who was so worried I’d get hurt?"
He walked over and took Chunzhu’s hand, and the two of them returned to the Changle Martial Arts Hall together.
After returning to the Martial Arts Hall, Lu Changfeng practiced the Fengtian Forging Body Saber Skill once through, then began to ponder something else.
’Since the Changle Martial Arts Hall is now making a name for itself with Swordsmanship...’
’...perhaps it’s time to change the Blood Forging Technique as well.’
With his current Root Bone Talent, combined with everything he had learned and cultivated, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to create a new Swordsmanship-based Blood Forging Technique.
Lu Changfeng planned to use the first two layers of the Fengtian Forging Body Saber Skill as a core, supplement it with the characteristics of the Storm Sword Technique, and create a new technique corresponding to the Blood Forging Sixth Layer: the Storm Body Forging Sword Skill.
He worked on it through the night and quickly made some headway.
He estimated that if he set aside a few hours each day, he could produce the First Layer cultivation method for the Storm Body Forging Sword Skill within two to three days.
’Under my influence, the Changle Martial Arts Hall has transformed into a Martial Arts Hall specializing in Swordsmanship.’
’I hope this will help me encounter some disciples with good Sword Technique Talent.’
’As for the arena, I should be able to fight against higher-level Blood Forging Realm Swordsmen soon. I hope their Talents don’t disappoint me...’
Lu Changfeng was just one High-Grade Sword Technique Talent away from synthesizing a Supreme Sword Technique Talent.
...
「The next morning.」
At Zhou Feng’s invitation, Lu Changfeng went to visit the Round Saber Martial Arts Hall, which Zhou Feng had founded.
Lu Changfeng gladly accepted.
The Round Saber Martial Arts Hall was located at the other end of Five Horses Street. It took Lu Changfeng and Zhou Feng over an hour of walking to get there.
This just went to show how large Five Horses Street was. No wonder the two martial brothers, despite living in the same district, had never run into each other on the street before.
Upon arriving at the Round Saber Martial Arts Hall, Lu Changfeng saw dozens of disciples in the training grounds practicing a Body Forging Technique.
Zhou Feng was still teaching the Le Mountain Angry Vajra Body Forging Technique.
A look of pride appeared on Zhou Feng’s face as he watched the disciples diligently training in his Martial Arts Hall.
Zhou Feng clapped his hands, and all the disciples on the Round Saber Martial Arts Hall’s training grounds assembled.
They shouted in unison to Lu Changfeng, "Greetings, Martial Uncle Lu!"
"Alright, everyone, continue your training!"
Zhou Feng sent the disciples back to their training, then led Lu Changfeng to a small pavilion in the corner of the training grounds for tea.
The two martial brothers discussed recent events on Five Horses Street and the problems one encounters when running a Martial Arts Hall.
Lu Changfeng learned a great deal.
It was noon by the time Lu Changfeng left, after having lunch at the Round Saber Martial Arts Hall.
He returned to the Changle Martial Arts Hall.
Hei Niu scurried over, a joyful expression on his face.
"Master, someone wants to join the Martial Arts Hall!"
Hei Niu had been the senior disciple of Changle Martial Arts Hall for a long time, but unfortunately, he didn’t have a single junior martial brother under him.
’Now I’ll finally have junior brothers.’
Hei Niu pointed to the side of the training grounds. Four youths were looking their way, their eyes clearly lighting up when they saw Lu Changfeng.
’Looks like last night’s two matches had an effect,’ Lu Changfeng thought.
The young men had sought him out, drawn by his reputation.
Lu Changfeng strode forward.
The Root Bone Talents of the four youths came into view one by one.
Lu Changfeng’s expression remained unchanged.
Among the four youths, three had mediocre talent.
However, one of them, a cold-looking youth, possessed B Class+ and Low-Grade Sword Technique Talent.
’He’s a perfect fit to join the Changle Martial Arts Hall and practice Swordsmanship.’
"You, and you two, are not suited to join the Changle Martial Arts Hall."
"You can stay."
Lu Changfeng said.
While the tuition at Changle Martial Arts Hall was cheap, that didn’t mean he would accept disciples with mediocre talent just to make money.
’Even if they don’t have Sword Technique Talent, they should at least have a Lower B Class Root Bone, right?’
’Otherwise, they’d be better off learning another trade than practicing martial arts. It would be a waste of their lives.’
The other three youths left, dejected.
The remaining black-clothed youth looked up at Lu Changfeng, his face tense.
"Tell me about yourself." Hei Niu brought over a grandmaster’s chair for Lu Changfeng to sit on.