Having climbed the cliff and experienced the changes of the wind, incorporating it into the moves of the Confucian Sword Art, Xun Wu You asked himself whether his sword had reached the stage of mastery. While it might not be the fastest, the changes had already reached the peak of his current mastery.
In martial arts and cultivation, the most important thing is enlightenment!
Even the extremely capable Jun could only marvel at Xun Wu You's comprehension.
The system's lucky tasks, it seemed, had been guiding Xun Wu You step-by-step.
As if it knew Xun Wu You's foundation was not yet enough to clash with top-tier Inborn masters, it used tasks to improve his sword techniques.
This way, his shortcomings were compensated.
This was the first time Jun looked at Xun Wu You up close. In his deep, unfathomable eyes, Xun Wu You slowly grew larger, nearly reaching his own height.
It wasn't very apparent now, but one day in the future, he would surely become a formidable opponent.
“This kid is even more suitable for nurturing the Devil Sword Saint Sword than Jian Zhi Chi and Hen Wu Feng!”
Jun slightly nodded, pondering ways to acquire Xun Wu You.
“Young friend.”
After a brief moment of contemplation, Jun abruptly changed the subject, “What’s your take on Ni Shen Yang's chaos in Shenzhou?”
Xun Wu You, immersed in his joy, couldn’t extricate himself. He was now eager to find an opponent to test his newly improved swordsmanship.
Jun, a powerful Inborn master, had now adopted the air of a reclusive expert, pretending to be a stranger. Wasn’t this the perfect opponent?
He wouldn’t need to worry about the old man taking advantage of the situation, and he could fully assess his own strength.
“Ni Shen Yang can wait.” Xun Wu You drew his rusty sword, “Master Ren Jue, would you be willing to spar with me?”
Surprised by the sudden request, Jun was taken aback for a moment. He then smiled and nodded, “Very well. I want to see what you’ve learned from climbing the cliff!”
He held his umbrella with one hand, his expression relaxed. Just standing there, he created his own world, seamlessly blending with the natural flow of change, becoming one with it.
Perfectly natural!
Xun Wu You narrowed his eyes. This was his first encounter with a powerful Inborn master, two whole realms above him.
In terms of experience, cultivation, and foundation, Jun was leagues ahead of him.
Against an ordinary Inborn master, facing Jun’s composure and tranquility, they might even struggle to figure out how to attack. He was flawless and full of harmony.
But for Xun Wu You, this so-called harmony was merely a facade. It was like lovers who initially saw perfection in each other but later found too many flaws.
It’s natural, after all. Whether it's lovers or enemies, nobody is perfect. It's our perception that blinds us to flaws and shortcomings.
The wind's role was to break these patterns, to shatter our perceptions.
“Sacred Forest Thousand Falls!”
Xun Wu You's sword pierced the void. He didn't use cultivation, just pure swordsmanship. The speed of his sword, seemingly slow, was actually swift, instantly locking onto Jun's three vital points on his chest.
In Jun’s eyes, it looked like a stream of water lifted by the wind, with no weight of its own, simply changing with the wind's speed.
This mirrored his own enlightenment. He gave a slight smile.
Swish!
The umbrella closed, and Jun pushed out a move against the wind.
There was no actual clash between sword and umbrella, yet the rusty sword suddenly deviated, circling around to target the back of Jun’s head.
Unless you stood still, any movement would affect the flow of air. The strength of a move determines the strength of the wind. While Jun’s move was soft and weak, it still affected the movement of the air.
This sword strike, which had been aimed at the front, now turned to attack from the rear, an unexpected maneuver.
It was like facing two opponents simultaneously, one in front and one behind, coordinating seamlessly.
Jun remained calm and composed, lightly tapping his index finger. The path of the rusty sword changed again, as if a snake flicking its tongue, it unfolded into multiple afterimages, brushing past Jun’s finger and continuing to pierce towards the back of his head.
Like shadows following the wind, it relentlessly pursued.
Jun chuckled lightly, using his legs as an axis and his body as an arc, he drew an oval, not only dodging the rusty sword but also striking towards Xun Wu You's wrist with his umbrella.
He was truly a powerful Inborn master, renowned for nearly a thousand years. His rich combat experience was breathtaking.
He didn’t yield an inch, and he could also turn defense into offense.
Instead of retreating, Xun Wu You advanced, generating a gentle breeze. He lightly dodged the umbrella, his rusty sword extended, also striking towards Jun's wrist, forcing him to change his move.
These two, like they were playing Tai Chi, exchanged blows, their moves never growing stale. It wasn't a fight, but rather each practicing their own art. The sword and umbrella never truly clashed.
The gentle breeze surrounding Xun Wu You turned into a strong wind, guided by his swordsmanship, it transformed into a raging gale. A deep blue, sky-obscuring whirlwind charged towards Jun.
“Truly gifted.”
Jun praised him.
Under the waterfall, his enlightenment and Xun Wu You's differed by a hair’s breadth.
Jun’s enlightenment was to transition from stillness to motion, like a wind rising from the slightest touch of an autumn leaf,
While Xun Wu You's understanding was to transition from motion to stillness. A mountain rainstorm, furious and relentless, yet the most powerful moment was the stillness within.
On the cliff, one was getting faster, the other slower.
Jun was the faster, his yellow figure flickering everywhere, his true form remained stationary.
Xun Wu You was the slower. He had reached a distance of two feet from Jun and seemed to be completely still.
Finally, the shadows dispersed, and the wind ceased.
A rusty sword hung in midair, less than an inch from Jun's throat. The umbrella rested on Xun Wu You’s forehead!
In terms of just swordsmanship, Xun Wu You still fell short of a powerful Inborn master. That slight difference in distance determined who would live and who would die.
Jun’s calmness was only on the surface. Inside, a colossal tidal wave had been unleashed.
This kid's progress was astonishing. His understanding of swordsmanship had already reached a level comparable to a powerful Inborn master.
If he couldn’t subdue this kid quickly, wouldn’t he soon be on par with him?
By the time he tried to control this Confucian rogue again, it would be too late.
“Still, Master is more skilled.”
Xun Wu You sighed, plunging his rusty sword into the ground.
It was strange, the rust on the sword had actually fallen off, as if acknowledging Xun Wu You's newfound mastery of swordsmanship.
Jun didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the exposed sword blade. What attracted him were the characters etched on the bare metal, ancient seal script, a single character - 魔 (Mo, Devil)!
Just this single character left Jun speechless, completely bewildered.