Volume One, Chapter Thirteen: The Gentle Breeze Sword
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Ye Chen’s gaze sharpened slightly as the golden swordlight flickered in Jiang Wu’s hand, blazing like the midday sun—dazzling and overwhelming. Yet, he quickly regained his composure, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips, as if fully confident in what lay ahead.
“So, junior brother, we’ve just met and you’re already looking to spar with me?” Ye Chen’s tone was laced with teasing resignation. Secretly, he mused that if he himself was already “shameless,” Jiang Wu was even more so.
A formidable cultivator at the Skywalking Realm level, daring to challenge someone like him who had only recently recovered to the early stage of the Tongmai Realm—it was simply bullying.
Jiang Wu’s face flickered with a trace of embarrassment but was soon replaced by a smile. “Senior brother, just a friendly spar, nothing serious.” His words were casual, as if he merely wished to exchange sword techniques.
But inwardly, Jiang Wu was plotting—hoping to provoke Ye Chen into accepting this “spar,” or find an excuse to engage him in battle, so as not to lose face. More importantly, he wanted to see if Ye Chen truly possessed the hidden potential rumored by Jiang Yun.
Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from afar, accompanied by voices and laughter, indicating more people were approaching. Jiang Wu’s expression shifted subtly; he knew that with outsiders present, initiating a fight would be ill-advised.
After all, as a Swordmaster, he needed to maintain some decorum and reputation, hardly the kind to casually strike a fellow disciple.
With a shift of thought, he immediately wielded his sword to strike at Ye Chen—not intending to kill, but to unleash a thunderous force, compelling Ye Chen to respond.
The golden longsword streaked through the air like a meteor, radiating dazzling, chilling light, carrying a sharp aura capable of tearing through the atmosphere, howling fiercely toward Ye Chen.
The sword aura was so powerful it seemed to split the very space, imposing and not to be underestimated.
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Facing this sudden strike, Ye Chen’s eyes remained remarkably calm. His body seemed to merge with the wind, smoothly tilting at an impossible angle, gliding past Jiang Wu’s seemingly flawless attack like a fish skimming water with ease.
In a flash, he appeared beneath a nearby tree, where dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a peculiar smile across his face.
He inwardly sneered—Jiang Wu was indeed a cunning fox, constantly scheming to leverage circumstances against him.
He well understood that within this sect, he was merely an ordinary disciple, while Jiang Wu was a lofty Swordmaster. Their status gap was vast, making Jiang Wu hesitant to strike openly for fear of damaging his own dignity.
As Ye Chen effortlessly evaded Jiang Wu’s fierce sword, a faint look of surprise flashed across Jiang Wu’s face, quickly replaced by a meaningful smile as his eyes locked onto Ye Chen once more.
“Senior brother, I didn’t expect your skills to be this agile now.”
Jiang Wu’s words carried a veneer of insincere praise, yet a sharp glint in his eyes betrayed his true intent.
He knew that the previous strike was only a probing attack at the Tongmai Realm level, aimed at testing whether Ye Chen’s cultivation had truly recovered as Jiang Yun claimed.
After all, if he had unleashed his full strength at the Skywalking Realm, the disparity would be too great to gauge anything.
Yet, Ye Chen seemed to possess insight into human nature, effortlessly piercing through Jiang Wu’s thin disguise.
A faint, almost mocking smile curved Ye Chen’s lips. He offered no further glance to Jiang Wu’s hypocritical words, replying with a tone so calm it bordered on indifference:
“Enough, Jiang Wu. We both know why you’re here. Everyone sees it clearly. Do you really intend, so openly and without regard for your lofty Swordmaster status, to strike an ordinary disciple like me?
“Such actions won’t enhance your reputation; on the contrary, they’ll damage the dignity of your Swordmaster title.”
Ye Chen was perfectly aware that his current cultivation was far inferior to Jiang Wu’s. If they truly fought, it would be like an egg striking a stone—only disgrace awaited him.
More importantly, he did not want to reveal his hidden trump card at this critical moment, lest he alert his opponent prematurely.
Faced with Ye Chen’s composed rebuttal, Jiang Wu’s smile froze momentarily before swiftly returning to its usual confidence and ease. He laughed heartily, “Ha! It’s just a friendly spar. Senior brother, why be so tense? Besides, by the time they arrive, I’ll expose all your secrets one by one.”
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His voice then grew cold, “By then, if you try to hide anything, it will be too late.”
At these words, a cunning and triumphant gleam flashed in Jiang Wu’s eyes, as if victory was already assured—just waiting for the right moment to tear away Ye Chen’s disguise and unveil all his secrets.
Hearing this, Ye Chen couldn’t help but admire Jiang Wu’s scheming and depth of character. No wonder he had failed to see his true nature when they were once friends.
Just then, a sharp command rang suddenly in Ye Chen’s ear, like a biting cold wind that sent chills down his spine:
“Senior brother, watch the sword!”
Following the voice, Ye Chen saw Jiang Wu advancing again, sword tip gleaming with a cold light, determined not to relent until Ye Chen was defeated.
Assessing the situation at once, Ye Chen quickly made a decision. He could not allow Jiang Wu’s plot to succeed; he had to hold him off until reinforcements arrived.
Only then could he rely on the others’ strength to stop Jiang Wu’s unwarranted assault.
With that thought, Ye Chen moved his right hand lightly, and in the next moment, a streak of azure light shot out from the room, heading straight for Jiang Wu.
It was a slender azure longsword, light and fluid like flowing water. Though it passed by Jiang Wu without striking directly, it skillfully disrupted his attack rhythm.
“Qingfeng Sword!” Jiang Wu recognized it instantly, his eyes flashing with surprise and anger. “Senior brother, you still dare to keep this sword? Are you worthy to wield it?”
Ye Chen smiled faintly in response, “Why not? Elder Qingfeng never reclaimed it back then, so why shouldn’t I use it? Besides, our Qingyang Sword Sect has a rule: ‘As long as the sword lives, so does the wielder; if the sword dies, the wielder perishes.’ Am I a man who shies from trouble?”
Jiang Wu’s face twisted with disdain and fury. He sneered, “Hah! You worthy to wield the Master’s Qingfeng Sword? If not for the Master’s pity for your young sister back then, do you think you’d still be allowed to stay in Qingyang Sword Sect? Today, I’ll reclaim the Qingfeng Sword on the Master’s behalf and teach you what true respect for the master means!”