Chapter 79 – From the Rural to the Temple

People finally realized that Mao Qiu Yu was praising Gou Han Shi instead of Chen Chang Sheng.

Luo Luo’s first move, as instructed by Chen Chang Sheng, seemed to be ordinary but it was actually the best choice to starting out a fight. The first person to move has to wait for the opponent to break the first move. This was the reason why the first attack should be defensive — to make it difficult for the opponent to break the momentum.

From Mao Qiu Yu’s point of view, it was a great choice but everyone would have thought the same so it didn’t look extremely clever.

Everyone could see that Gou Han Shi’s counter move was no special technique because what exquisite sword technique could an unknown sect of Dong Lin Province create? However, it was extremely well done, but just like the spectators, Chen Chang Sheng had never seen this sword technique.

Speaking nicely, Gou Han Shi’s counter was like a goat hanging itself on a tree by its horns so that its opponent couldn’t reach it. Speaking plainly, Gou Han Shi just spread some seeds into a farmland and never tended to it. He, himself wouldn’t know what this farmland would look like next year or whether the seeds would grow or not.

Then how would Chen Chang Sheng know?

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Rain’s Welcome was Chen Chang Sheng’s response.

Although it was just a battle without the use of qi, Luo Luo was still concentrated. She focused all her mind on the whip. This move was almost perfect.

Gou Han Shi said another move.

Still, no one knew the origin of this sword technique. Only until a foreign student who passed the semi-trial yelled out in shock did people find out that this sword technique was created by an old xiuxingist from a broken temple in Wen Shui. It was a bit famous in that region.

Tang Thirty Six was not happy because he grew up in Wen Shui and never heard of this sword technique. How did Gou Han Shi know this even when he lived in Mountain Li for most of his life?

“Very nice.” A woman wearing a white gown from Mountain Virgin complimented.

Chen Chang Sheng told Luo Luo to defend using the seventh combo of Wind and Rain Sword of Mountain Zhong.

Gou Han Shi then said another technique and it was once again, an unknown move from a small sect.

Chen Chang Sheng countered it again.

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In just a moment, Luo Luo and Guan Fei Bai attacked for dozens of rounds. The spectators on the stone stairs didn’t grow silent but rather, the discussions got louder.

People glanced at Gou Han Shi with admiration. It was amazing of him to memorize so many foreign sword techniques.

Xu Shi Ji nodded slightly and the head of Family of Qiu Shan grew calm. He was satisfied with the current situation.

Some people looked at Chen Chang Sheng and thought he did well too. Under his instructions, Luo Luo only used Wind and Rain Sword of Mountain Zhong but was still able to defended successfully against the strange and foreign movies of Gou Han Shi. There were two times that she used the same combo but their effects were completely different.

In some people’s eyes, another person who performed well was the fourth rule of Heaven, Guan Fei Bai.

The fact that Gou Han Shi knew about this many strange and foreign sword techniques made it clear that he was well read and wise. The world knew that he understood and finished the entire Scroll of the Way and all of Mountain Li’s Sword Sect own treasured sword techniques. Although people admired him, they weren’t surprised. However, every combo he instructed was used by Guan Fei Bai without hesitation. What did this represent?

This showed that Guan Fei Bai also knew about these foreign sword techniques and could control and use them properly!

There are thousands upon thousands of sword techniques in this world. People didn’t even hear of some strange or foreign ones, but he could use them all!

How much time did it take to practice them? How much determination and preservation did this take?

“Sword Sect of Mountain Li’s name is not in vain. It’s no wonder that many outstanding young people come from that place.”

Mao Qiu Yu said as he looked at Guan Fei Bai with a complicated expression.

Hearing his words, the spectators woke up from their amazement. The students of Six Ivies, especially the students of Heavenly Academy felt embarrassed.

Just this moment, the situation on the battlefield changed.

Following Gou Han Shi’s voice, Guan Fei Bai’s sword technique suddenly changed from the foreign ones to the most commonly used Xuan Zong sword technique.

This sword technique was the basic combo of the southern sect. It was very clean and open.

It was Guan Fei Bai’s most practiced sword technique as well. In the younger generation of xiuxingists in the continent, Qiu Shan Jun would be the best at using this sword technique while Guan Fei Bai would rank second.

Seeing the bored and common sword techniques being used in the arena and looking at the long sword slashing through the night sky, people finally fell into silence.

A lot of people knew about this sword technique. A lot of people practiced this as well. But not many could use this sword technique in the fashion Guan Fei Bai demonstrated. He was able to show off the sword’s spirit completely without using qi.

Tonight, Guan Fei Bai taught a lesson to the young students on the stone stairs by doing so.

Following Gou Han Shi’s voice, Guan Fei Bai’s Mountain Door sword advanced and the pressure fell on Luo Luo. For the first time, a heavy expression climbed up on her young face. Although the opponent’s sword technique wasn’t strange, following the foreign sword techniques, a unique rhythm was formed.

Previously, she only used Wind and Rain Sword of Mountain Zhong. It started from the Fallen Leaves and finished at the Eastern Mountain. Her rhythm was perfect, but as the opponent changed his moves, the rhythm stopped and it seemed that she was falling to the opponent’s speed.

How could she make a comeback?

Guan Fei Bai looked at her expressionlessly and attacked with the force of raging fire which burnt the entire prairie.

It was her turn to fight back.

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Luo Luo felt the pressure, but Chen Chang Sheng endured most of it. He never thought Gou Han Shi would switch from the rural sword techniques straight back to his Mountain Door sword in an unexpected fashion. In just a moment, he thought the situation was out of his control.

Looking at the calm expression of Gou Han Shi sitting on the other side of the field, Chen Chang Sheng admitted that this person was amazing.

The battle between xiuxingists focuses on power and momentum. Power is qi while momentum is another more complicated concept. It could be sword technique, it could be sect, it could be relic items, and it could also be mental state. It’s just like playing chess; one’s amount of skill is determined by the situation of the game.

The change from the foreign Seven Star sword to the Mountain Door Sword was basically a change from rural to urban. This change of rhythm was quick and deadly. The terrifying thing was that this sudden change enhanced the sword’s spirit of Mountain Door. Right now, the momentum was almost solidified. How could Luo Luo break through it with her sword?

It was a simple change, but the undetectable wisdom and experience of Gou Han Shi was hidden inside it.

Chen Chang Sheng knew he was close to defeat. Although he had read and understood the entire Scroll of the Way when he was young and had studied tirelessly in the library of Tradition Academy, he only touched the field of xiuxing for a couple of months. No matter how great his knowledge with different sects’ techniques and how experienced he was on the field, he had a long way to go before reaching Gou Han Shi’s level.

He didn’t want to lose and moreover, he didn’t want Luo Luo to lose because of him.

Although it would be difficult to defeat a genius who seemed to know every technique in this world like Gou Han Shi tonight, he wanted to at least break even.

In this kind of situation, he still retained his confidence. However, it was unrelated to his method of reaching the Way — to satisfy one’s will. Instead, he had this confidence because he believed that Luo Luo was stronger than Guan Fei Bai.

Then in order to claim victory, he must not lose to Gou Han Shi on the field of techniques.

Countless scrolls appeared in his mind. The xiuxing books and sword techniques in the library of Tradition Academy kept on appearing in front of his eyes. Pages were flipped through by the wind caused by the contacts of the swords. The moves and teachings of the past powerful xiuxingists were turning into images and they quickly flew before Chen Chang Sheng’s eyes.

Which move should he use?