Chapter 337 - Uninvited Guests
Ai Hui was deeply shaken by Karakorum Sword League’s sword formations.
He had broken through the second formation as well. To be exact, it had been destroyed. Nevertheless, Ai Hui was not the least bit complacent. The second sword formation was completely different in style from the first.
The more complicated the sword formation, the mightier it was.
Although they were just gra.s.s swords, that feeling of having a blade on his back still caused him to break out a cold sweat. He appeared calm, but inwardly, he felt far from it. The reasoning behind the second formation was entirely different from the first as it used firewind swords.
When it came to the third formation, Ai Hui was already feeling the pressure. He recalled what Qin Xian mentioned earlier, about how some sword formations were created while the chief was playing games when she was young.
When she was young…
Games…
All right then. He got rid of any sense of satisfaction. Yes, this meant that he really was not an immoral character, unlike Fatty.
Ai Hui’s compet.i.tive spirit had been triggered.
Being the weakling in other aspects was something that Ai Hui was used to, but not when it came to swordsmans.h.i.+p. He had spent a significant amount of time and effort on training and on searching for functional objects amid the vast, boundless garbage heaps. He would find it difficult to accept if he could not even defeat a game that someone created at a young age.
Entering the third sword formation, Ai Hui was already certain that the Chief of Karakorum Sword League had a more holistic understanding and knowledge of the swordsmans.h.i.+p.
The third sword formation was actually a military-type swordsmans.h.i.+p.
Military-type swordsmans.h.i.+p appeared in the early days of the Cultivation Era, but were quickly replaced by more complex swordplays from swordplay sects. Only with the resurgence of large military units had military-type swordsmans.h.i.+p risen once again.
Military-type swordsmans.h.i.+p was unique in that it involved straightforward moves. Each blow was sharp, murderous, and without any excessive s.h.i.+fts.
With a flip of the sword in his hands, Ai Hui obstructed a sword that came for him from above. The strong impact made his wrist tremble. Before he could take a breather, another sharp presence locked onto him. He spun around abruptly, thrusting the gra.s.s sword out at a slight angle.
With a slight tremble, a faint glow appeared on the gra.s.s sword.
Clang!
The sound of metal colliding was painful to the ears.
The gra.s.s sword rose up and shot backward.
Ai Hui did not cower at all. With a twitch of his sword, he charged toward that recoiling gra.s.s sword. His strikes were plain, and after 12 consecutive hits, he struck the tip of that gra.s.s sword.
The blade of the recoiling gra.s.s sword split like a solid bamboo being forced open.
Crack!
The gra.s.s sword broke completely, transforming into chaff that drifted away.
Ai Hui lowered his body and dodged a gra.s.s sword that came at him from behind before chasing after it. With a flick of his wrist, a silver glow appeared. A silver sword wheel became entangled with the gra.s.s sword in front of it.
Shattering explosions sounded as the gra.s.s sword within the silver wheel snapped off inch by inch.
Ai Hui’s desire to win was so strong that he had no idea that those outside the sword formation were already flabbergasted by what they had witnessed.
Stupefied, Qin Xian suddenly turned around to ask his fiance, "Is he really going to destroy every sword formation?"
Lian Junyu did not even close her eyes for an instant. "It seems like he does have that intention."
Suddenly, they both reacted together by turning their heads and making eye contact.
The Karakorum Sword League’s sword formations had been open to public for quite some time now. They had given away many small swords and sold even more. This could be considered as one of the Karakorum Sword League"s important sources of income. For the longest time, those who were able to break through three formations were allowed to enter the main inst.i.tution and become registered teachers.
Break, not destroy.
The best record so far was four formations. Even the chief had mentioned that she might not successfully break through all six if it was her first time trying.
Notice! Break! Not destroy!
Breaking through and destroying were two completely different concepts. To break through meant to find a loophole in the sword formation and escape. To destroy, not only must the challenger find the loophole, he also had to attack the formation in order to shatter it.
Sword formations had many loopholes that could only be broken though.
To destroy… no one had even done that.
Even before the other students and teachers could process this, they were already shaken by Ai Hui’s swordsmans.h.i.+p. All sorts of cries and screams could be heard continuously.
"Oh dear, how did he do that?"
"Did anyone see how many sword moves Ai Hui unleashed? Nine or ten?"
"It’s 12!"
"Too… too crazy. How can anyone in this world do this?"
"I’m starting to see stars!"
Amid all the excitement, a silver sword wheel lit up, bringing the chatter to its highest pitch.
"Silver wheel! Silver wheel!"
"Silverwheel Swordsman!"
Chu Zhaoyang’s nickname was Silverwheel Swordsman, so this silver wheel was naturally his signature move. How could the students not feel moved when they actually got to witness a famous swordsman displaying his signature move?
Ai Hui was unaware of the commotion outside. He was totally in the zone and only had eyes on the gra.s.s swords within the sword formation.
Crack crack crack!
After the third gra.s.s sword was entangled, the whole sword formation was no longer able to keep up and it collapsed. The remaining gra.s.s swords burst into flames, and in the blink of an eye, the blaze engulfed the sword bodies, turning them all into ashes.
The third sword formation had been destroyed.
The whole hall quieted down when this scene ended.
The audience looked at Ai Hui with respectful, but not agitated nor shocked, eyes.
To the audience, the image of Chu Zhaoyang wielding a gra.s.s sword seemed to become a majestic, towering mountain and an extremely admirable sight.
Ai Hui’s fiery fighting spirit surged. The sword formation had already collapsed, but he had no wish to stop yet. He walk toward the fourth formation with the gra.s.s sword in hand.
Qin Xian, who was trailing, opened his mouth and prepared to stop Ai Hui.
This was enough validation. Destroying three sword formations was a feat only he and the chief of Karakorum Sword League could accomplish. Although the formations were made up of gra.s.s swords, the cost was not low.
Deep down, Qin Xian already saw Chu Zhaoyang as member of his group, so there would be many opportunities in future for him to experience the sword formations. Plus, they could tackle them peacefully. Why was there a need to be so violent… They were all money…
Lian Junyu was quick enough to stop Qin Xian. "Notice his state of mind," she reminded.
Qin Xian snapped out of it, stared at Chu Zhaoyang, and immediately realized that something was amiss. Chu Zhaoyang was becoming increasingly vigorous, and they could feel his intense battlel.u.s.t even from far away.
Qin Xian had experienced being in such a state.
To put it simply, it was an indescribable excitement and pa.s.sion that a fighter felt when competing against an evenly-matched opponent.
The stimulation of violence was another easy way of explaining it.
Since Chu Zhaoyang was in such a state, it was unsurprising that he entered the fourth formation without even giving anybody a second glance. He was in a senseless state, indicating the beginning of a breakthrough.
This state was one that could be discovered, but not sought.
Qin Xian instantly shut his mouth as his eyes filled with antic.i.p.ation. It was clear to him that six sword formations in exchange for an opportunity for Chu Zhaoyang to break through was definitely worth it! Everything else aside, Chu Zhaoyang would then owe them a favor.
The more esteemed people were, the more they placed an importance on favors. They would avoid owing favors, but at the same time, they would definitely pay them back when necessary.
Chu Zhaoyang’s abilities were already greater than what he had imagined, so what kind of standard would he reach if he were to undergo a breakthrough?
He had no idea, but he knew that if Chu Zhaoyang did experience a breakthrough, they were going to strike it rich.
A group of uninvited guests appeared in Small Leaf Town.
"Have you run a check on Karakorum Sword League’s background?" The burly-looking leader asked in a low voice. He looked ordinary and had no striking traits. He was the type that could blend in and disappear into a crowd, but when he narrowed his eyes, a thick b.l.o.o.d.y smell automatically oozed out.
"Nothing great." A pet.i.te man shook his head.
Someone beside them laughed softly. "How great would it be? Opening a training hall in such a remote place. If Karakorum Sword League really was something, why would it be established in such a place rather than in the city?
The rest nodded their heads in agreement. These words made too much sense.
Training hall owners with greater abilities would naturally pick livelier places to open their training halls since the livelier the place, the better the business.
"The chief of Karakorum Sword League Isn"t around," the pet.i.te man said somewhat regretfully. "I heard that the chief is a young girl. She never ever removes her veil, but she has a gorgeous figure with curves in all the right places. There’s no doubt that she’s a great beauty, heh heh."
Someone immediately stirred restlessly, saying, "And that Xiao Shuren, eh. She’s a great beauty too. We should not forget about her."
"Yeah, what a waste to let them go."
Enraged, the boss suddenly yelled, "Shut it, all of you!"
Everyone fell silent out of fear.
The big man narrowed his eyes like a tiger hungry for human flesh as he coldly said, "I’ll say the ugly words first. Keep your pants on. If anyone screws up, I will personally extract his brain and kill his whole family."
No one dared to utter a sound. They all knew that their boss was truly furious.
The burly-looking boss surveyed his people, and no one dared to meet his gaze. "This is Silver City. Is Silver City a place for us to create trouble? Know your place. You think those aristocratic families are good people? They’ll be the first to get rid of us if anything happens."
Finis.h.i.+ng this sentence, he slowed down, adding, "We need to get this done in the shortest time possible. Let’s capture Xiao Shuren and leave immediately. Do not stir up any trouble at all. Since the chief of Karakorum Sword League isn’t around, let’s cut the bullsh*t and head straight for it."
The pet.i.te man hurriedly asked, "Boss, should we wait for nightfall?"
"No." The boss lowered his voice. "There could be compet.i.tors, so let’s stay alert and make our move."
Upon hearing that there were other people of the same trade, their faces changed and all of them suddenly stood up straight and became vigilant.
The boss looked pleased. "Let’s go. To the Karakorum Sword League."
The gang arrived at the Karakorum Sword League’s entrance and immediately felt suspicious.
There was no one standing by the big entrance.
"Let’s go in and see," the boss said in a low voice.
The well-prepared gang walked through the entrance, but the place was still empty, and not a single soul was present.
The boss’s gaze fell upon the pet.i.te fellow, and the latter quickly said, "Boss, it was full when I came previously."
Just then, an alarmed cry sounded from somewhere.
A murderous look flashed across the boss’s eyes as he said without hesitating, "Go. Let’s go and have a look."
They started walking toward the sword formations.