Though the sword has not yet left its sheath, the intent of the blade already surges forth mightily from within.
Mu Nianhua swiftly moved to the side of Nangong Xi’er and said softly, “It seems I’ve heard the rumbling of thunder.”
“The softest whispers of thunder.”
“Emanating from the space within the sheath.”
The Crouching Tiger narrowed his eyes slightly; in the world, there exists a sword technique, singular in its form, known as the Sword Drawing Technique. It is said that swordsmen who practice this art do so beneath cliffside waterfalls, tirelessly honing this technique for decades. Only when the day comes that their sword can cleave the cascading waters, is it time for them to descend the mountain and wander the earth.
“Your sword-drawing technique…” As the Crouching Tiger’s cleaver fell, shattering Mu Nianhua’s previous strike, a moment’s breath was typically needed before he could deliver an even finer blow. Yet, intuition screamed within him, he must not allow Su Baiyi to unsheathe his sword.
“Is it merely sword-drawing technique?” Su Baiyi leapt up, dodging the blade from the Crouching Tiger, his sword drawn halfway, “Think bolder!”
“Be bolder!”
“For instance, like Seeing Flowers in the Mist.”
“What a joke,” scoffed the Crouching Tiger with a cold laugh, as he swung his cleaver eleven times in succession at Su Baiyi, who was in mid-air.
The blade energy was so vast that it caused the river water around the Golden Wind to surge and swell. Huge waves rose up, one after another.
A cold light flashed.
The Junyu sword was finally drawn.
The moment it was unsheathed, it smashed the surrounding sword qi to pieces.
A single sword strike followed.
Everyone else present stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sword, their eyes filled with amazement.
“This kid’s martial arts…” Elder Long looked at Nangong Xi’er. “Ascending Realm?”
The Autumn Water Realm is like the autumn water flowing into the sea, endless and unceasing. The Soaring Realm is like an eagle soaring upwards, traveling a thousand miles in a single day. Those who can reach these two realms are often able to become the leaders of their sects, and are highly respected masters wherever they go. Most martial artists, even after a lifetime of practice, will never be able to touch the threshold of these two realms. But only those who reach the Ascending Realm are truly worthy of the title of “Martial Arts Grandmaster.” The Ascending Realm is like reaching the peak, boundless and endless. But how can a young man under twenty years old achieve this?
Nangong Xi’er’s brow furrowed slightly, for only she knew that the formidable power of Su Baiyi’s sword was drawn from the three strands of internal energy still lingering within him. After this sword strike, the three strands of energy would dissipate completely. Thus, he only had this one chance.
As the energy of the Crouching Tiger’s cleaver was smashed by the Junyu sword, a surge of qi welled up in his chest. He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and, with gritted teeth, uttered two words, “Collapsing Tiger.”
“Be careful!” Mu Nianhua, in his anxiety, wanted to draw his sword again. But after taking a step forward, he was forced back.
At this moment, the energy of the Crouching Tiger’s cleaver had reached its zenith, making it impossible for others to approach, while he simply stood there, holding the cleaver, neither advancing nor retreating.
This was the sword technique that Crouching Riger created on the day he became the vice-chair. The Collapsing Tiger, as it was called, first breaks oneself, then kills the enemy.
His upper garments were shredded by his own blade’s energy, revealing shallow cuts that slowly emerged, yet not once did he furrow his brow.
Su Baiyi finally descended with his sword.
The two men locked eyes.
Crouching Tiger cracked a smile, murmured softly, “I see it clearly now.” He lunged forward, his right shoulder pierced straight through by the Junyu sword, but his cleaver halted just at Su Baiyi’s head.
The winner has been decided.
“This is not the true Seeing Flowers in the Mist; the genuine technique has one more form that you have not learned,” Crouching Tiger said slowly.
Su Baiyi panted heavily. “But you are injured, while I am unharmed. Why don’t you just cut me down with your cleaver?”
“You are so fearless, perhaps because you know that only alive are you of value to the Shanglin Heavenly Palace.” Crouching Tiger said somberly.
The man wearing a mask emerged from the cabin. “Although the dead are not as valuable as the living, if push comes to shove, even if we bring back a corpse, the Courtyard of Thousand Inventions will be able to find the answers that the Shanglin Heavenly Palace seeks.”
“That’s it then.” Manager Yan glanced at the masked man.
“Is that all?” Crouching Tiger laughed, “This Su Baiyi may be spared, but the rest, I want them all dead.”
“Vice-chair, Shanglin Heavenly Palace is the number one sect in the world, not a demonic cult.” The masked man said plainly.
Nangong Xi’er’s expression changed slightly.
Crouching Tiger glanced at the masked man, then at Manager Yan. “It seems you two have already made a deal.”
“Hey.” Su Baiyi suddenly called out.
Crouching Tiger looked at him and said, “Boy, are you still not convinced?”
“Do you think I’ve already lost?” Su Baiyi said slowly.
Crouching Tiger frowned slightly. His technique, the Collapsing Tiger, unleashed an energy so fierce at the moment of the strike that not even he could fully control it. It surged wildly like a mad tiger, so much so that he himself would be injured, let alone his opponent. When Crouching Tiger had stopped his cleaver just above Su Baiyi’s head, the scattered energy should have converged and shattered all of Su Baiyi’s meridians. But now, Su Baiyi still stood there steadily, his expression calm, seemingly unharmed.
“I possess four strands of internal energy. Two were used in that previous sword strike, one blocked your blade energy, and there is still one left.” Su Baiyi suddenly retreated, reversed his grip on the sword hilt, raised it high, and then brought it down.
“Both the orchid and the mugwort perish together!”
Everyone in the audience exclaimed.
This is a sword technique many have seen or heard of but will never use in their lifetime, for its use signifies a time to perish alongside the enemy. Xie Kanhua did not teach this technique to Su Baiyi, yet Su Baiyi had witnessed it once in his youth. The man who raised him had used this move and died before his eyes.
Su Baiyi closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh, “There are still some regrets.”
But a hand grasped his, a touch so familiar, Su Baiyi immediately opened his eyes and met those eyes, as clear as water.
“While senior sister is still here, it’s not your turn to die first.” Nangong Xi’er said indifferently.
“Senior Sister, I told you I would handle it. As long as he dies, you will be safe.” Su Baiyi lowered his head slightly.
“We’ll advance and retreat together.” Nangong Xi’er pulled Su Baiyi behind her with a forceful tug.
Startled into a cold sweat by the recent events, Crouching Tiger, now that he was saved, had no thought for sparing lives. He swung his blade down only to be met by an exquisite and graceful sword.
The sword is named Liangren.
Nangong Xi’er pointed her sword forward, her purple robe billowing in the wind.
Crouching Tiger took three steps back, braced his cleaver against the ground, and said slowly, his face grave, “The Everlasting Flowing Sword.”
In the deepest part of the cabin, a door that had never been opened before suddenly swung open.
A woman dressed in red opened her eyes.
“The Everlasting Flowing Sword!”
Thank you so much…