Chapter 60: Formless Tracing
In the end, Lu Changfeng lent Zhao Xingtian five thousand taels.
There was no IOU.
"Many thanks, Master Lu!"
After thanking him, Zhao Xingtian stuffed the silver banknotes into his chest, then leaped onto a small boat heading toward the Misty Rain Tower.
"I wish you a triumphant victory tonight!" Zhao Xingtian waved to Lu Changfeng from the boat.
Lu Changfeng calculated the time.
It was about time.
He started walking toward the Five Horses Street arena.
...
「Five Horses Street Arena.」
After a series of matches, the atmosphere for the evening reached a climax.
The duel for the title of Five Horses Street’s number one Blood Forging Realm Swordsman, which the audience had been waiting for, was about to begin.
The time limit for this match was extended from five minutes to ten, giving the two swordsmen ample time to perform.
The arena organizers placed great importance on this match.
Indeed, its influence was immense.
Even the matches between Tendon Transformation Martial Artists had been relegated to warm-up acts for the two Blood Forging swordsmen.
In the contestants’ seating area, none of the martial artists who had already competed had left.
They, too, wanted to witness the strength of a Martial Artist from the Hidden Dragon List.
Sikong Jue, ranked ninety-eighth on the Hidden Dragon List with only a Blood Forging Realm cultivation!
If he were to fully mature, he would undoubtedly become a towering figure in the Martial Arts Realm!
The other, Lu Changfeng, was a newly risen star who had come from Yunyang Prefecture to settle down in Jiangnan Prefecture.
Logically, since the audience was composed of Jiangzhou locals, they should have been rooting for Sikong Jue.
In reality, however, the people of Jiangnan Prefecture were extremely open-minded. Regardless of your origins, if you settled down and made a life in Jiangnan Prefecture, you were one of their own.
When Lu Changfeng stepped into the contestants’ seating area, all eyes in the venue fell upon him.
Lu Changfeng could clearly sense numerous powerful auras.
Some came from the contestants’ seating area, but many were also among the audience below.
The various powers of Jiangzhou Prefecture had all been drawn to this match.
"Lu Changfeng, you’re no match for Sikong Jue. That guy’s a monster."
A female Martial Artist with slightly wavy, jet-black hair and bewitching features rose from her seat in the contestants’ area and spoke to Lu Changfeng.
"And you are?" Lu Changfeng asked doubtfully.
"I’m Feng Jiu."
"Oh, the eternal number two?" Lu Changfeng teased.
Feng Jiu’s face flushed slightly. "I was just trying to be nice!"
Xuu Shaoying, who had come specifically to cheer him on, interjected, "Feng Jiu, Brother Lu’s Talent is no weaker than Sikong Jue’s. You’re speaking too soon."
Feng Jiu shot Xuu Shaoying a glare. However, for Lu Changfeng to receive such high praise from Xuu Shaoying, he must have some real skill.
She then said, "Well then, I’ll just sit back and wait for the good show!"
The announcer began to call the contestants to the stage.
Lu Changfeng glanced around but didn’t see any sign of Sikong Jue.
Shaking his head, Lu Changfeng walked onto the stage first.
Just then, a figure in a black robe shot out from the audience, executing a Light Body Technique to land gently on the fighting stage.
The figure grabbed the black robe and cast it aside, revealing a young and ordinary-looking face. It was Sikong Jue!
So, Sikong Jue had been here the whole time, just hidden in the audience.
Lu Changfeng’s lips twitched. ’This entrance... this kid seems a bit theatrical.’
The two stood at the designated A and B positions, sizing each other up.
Lu Changfeng’s expression gradually turned serious.
Because he had seen something different about Sikong Jue through his interface—perhaps this was the strange change mentioned in Zhao Xingtian’s intelligence report.
Name: Sikong Jue
Root Bone: Upper A
Talents: High-Grade Talent [Sword Eye], Basic Bloodline Talent [Ancient Sword Bone Dragon] 0.5%.
’A Bloodline Talent!’
’This Sikong Jue possesses a Bloodline Talent!’
’Judging from Zhao Xingtian’s report, could it be that Sikong Jue just recently awakened this Bloodline Talent?’
’In other words, Bloodline Talents might be very different from Martial Arts Talents.’
Lu Changfeng’s heart pounded. ’This Bloodline Talent... I have to copy it!’
Lu Changfeng glanced at his own interface.
Name: Lu Changfeng
Root Bone: Upper A x2, Middle A Class x3
Talents: Supreme Talent [Longevity Sword Dao (Lifespan +2.6 years, Combat Power +0.5%)], High-Grade Talent [Flying Swallow], High-Grade Talent [Fist Martial Arts], High-Grade Talent [Saber Extremity], Low-Grade Palm Technique.
Realm: Blood Forging Seventh Layer
Blood Forging Technique: [Le Mountain Angry Vajra] Perfection. [Fengtian Forging Body Saber Skill] Third Layer. [Storm Body Forging Sword Skill] Perfection.
Martial Arts: [Blood Burst Step] Perfection, [Antelope Leaping Skill] Perfection, [Falling Leaves Saber Technique] Perfection. [Long-Armed Great Ape Fist] Minor Achievement, [Blood-Drinking Frenzy Saber] Minor Achievement
Martial Arts Insights: Storm Sword Intent (Intermediate Sword Intent) (Sword strike power increased by 200%), Falling Leaves Saber Intent (Basic Saber Intent) (Saber strike power increased by 55%)
Replication Cooldown: 9 days.
’There are still nine days until I can replicate again.’
’It seems I’ll have to get close to this Sikong Jue after the match.’
"Contestant A, Sikong Jue, True Disciple of the Taizhen Martial Arts Hall! Blood Forging Sixth Layer! A record of eighteen wins and zero losses! The number one ranked Swordsman in the arena!"
"Contestant B, Lu Changfeng, Master of the Changle Martial Arts Hall! Blood Forging Sixth Layer! A record of three wins and zero losses! The rising star of Five Horses Street!"
"This match is the title bout for the number one Swordsman of Five Horses Street, and the time limit has been extended to ten minutes!"
The announcer finished his introduction and stepped down from the stage.
Below the stage, an incense stick was lit, signaling the start of the timer.
Neither of them made the first move.
This Sikong Jue had an ordinary face, but his eyes were as deep as the abyss. He was a cunning one.
Sikong Jue just stared at Lu Changfeng.
Suddenly, he moved.
In an instant, the long sword at his waist was drawn. Executing a Body Technique, he created three phantoms that simultaneously slashed toward Lu Changfeng!
"It’s the Taizhen Martial Arts Hall’s Taizhen Illusionary Sword!" the referee exclaimed excitedly.
Sikong Jue had used his Ultimate Technique right from the start!
This was a Martial Arts technique that should only be usable by those in the Tendon Transformation Realm, yet Sikong Jue had forcibly executed it with sheer physical strength!
Lu Changfeng’s eyes narrowed slightly as his Autumn Water Long Sword instantly left its scabbard.
Before, if he hadn’t used his Sword Intent, he wouldn’t have been able to block this move unscathed, no matter which technique from his Storm Sword Technique he used.
But now, Lu Changfeng possessed the [Longevity Sword Dao].
All of his techniques had vanished, yet they still existed in his heart. Formlessness was superior to form. Lu Changfeng could see through the flaws in all techniques, and as he devoured more and more Swordsmanship, his ’Formless’ state would grow even stronger.
"Break for me!"
Lu Changfeng saw through the secret of the technique. He suddenly split into two phantoms of his own. After a fierce clash, Lu Changfeng’s figure stood firm, and he struck out with another slash, meeting Sikong Jue’s true body.
’How does Lu Changfeng also know a similar Sword Technique?’ The question arose in the minds of the audience.
"That guy... in just a split second, he imitated some of the essence of the ’Taizhen Illusionary Sword.’ How did he do that? Such Talent is truly terrifying!" In the contestants’ area, Feng Jiu couldn’t help but stand up.
She was the most familiar with Sikong Jue’s Sword Techniques, and she could already tell that Lu Changfeng didn’t just know a similar move—he was imitating it on the spot!
Seeing the slightly surprised look on Sikong Jue’s face, Lu Changfeng’s lips curled into a slight smile. The insecurity he’d felt about his Sword Techniques disappearing was now completely gone.
The [Longevity Sword Dao] didn’t devour his Swordsmanship for nothing. This principle of formlessness being superior to form meant that Lu Changfeng had forgotten every technique he had ever learned, but when facing an enemy, he could always execute the perfect move.
For now, Lu Changfeng could only imitate a portion of the essence on the fly.
But as his [Longevity Sword Dao] devoured more Swordsmanship, sooner or later, the day would come when Lu Changfeng could instantly see through an opponent’s move and return it with double the force.