Batian Martial Soul

Chapter 14577 Cunning Sword Cultivator

The sword's blade is mottled and covered with fine scratches, yet it exudes a profound sense of antiquity, clearly a battle-hardened weapon that has been forged through countless trials.

Sword repair!

The young man in the fine robe steadied himself, his gaze sweeping over Ling Xiao. A perfectly measured smile played on his lips as he bowed respectfully, his tone humble and courteous: "My name is Zhang Hong. May I ask your esteemed name?"

He was courteous and composed, appearing to be a true gentleman.

Seeing this, Ling Xiao also raised his hand in return, bowing slightly, and said in a calm tone, "I am Ling..."

The word "霄" was not uttered yet!

A sudden change occurred!

Zhang Hong's smile remained unchanged, but a sinister killing intent suddenly flashed in her eyes! With a sudden stomp of her foot, the arena floor trembled slightly, and she shot out like an arrow, so fast that she was just a blur!

Instead of thrusting straight forward, the longsword in his hand drew a strange arc at lightning speed. As the sword tip trembled, seven or eight sword shadows, indistinguishable from real ones, emerged, like poisonous dragons emerging from their caves, instantly enveloping Ling Xiao's vital acupoints!

Sneak attack!

It was a premeditated and completely unexpected sneak attack!

Sword shadows clashed, and the sharp sword energy stung the skin, instantly sealing off all space for evasion. The killing intent was as real as a physical attack, and even the surrounding air was torn apart by the sword wind, making a sharp "hissing" sound!

The crowd below gasped in surprise. No one had expected that this seemingly refined young man in his elegant robes would be so ruthless!

Ling Xiao's pupils contracted sharply, but there was not a trace of panic in his eyes... This guy's polite demeanor just now was a flawless disguise!

But he was already used to the treachery and deceit of the desperate situation, and he never underestimated his enemy, nor would he easily trust any stranger.

In the blink of an eye, his body moved before his consciousness could react! His toes, sharp as nails, slammed against the iron rocks of the arena. Instead of retreating, he took a half-step diagonally to the left front, his figure turning as lightly as a willow catkin in the wind, narrowly avoiding the deadly sword shadow that was heading straight for his throat!

The longsword grazed past his neck, the sharp sword energy stinging his skin, tearing a gash in his clothes and revealing the firm muscles beneath.

Zhang Hong missed her first attack, but didn't pause for a moment!

Twisting his waist and hips, his body arched like a bow, the longsword, using the momentum of the rotation, changed from a thrust to a sweep, the blade carrying a dull whistling sound, smashing down like a heavy hammer!

This change of move was fluid and ruthless, demonstrating masterful skill. It was clear that he had been immersed in swordsmanship for many years and had already ingrained speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness into his very bones.

"Well done!"

Ling Xiao let out a low shout, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. Instead of retreating, he stepped forward, gripped the hilt of the black sword tightly with both hands, and swung it up from bottom to top!

There were no fancy techniques, only the purest clash of power. The demonic intent swirling around the blade added an extra layer of dominance to this strike!

"clang……!!"

The ear-piercing clang of metal against metal resounded throughout the arena, making the ring vibrate and causing ripples in the surrounding air, with pebbles falling in a flurry.

Zhang Hong's expression suddenly changed drastically. She felt an overwhelming force surging through the sword, and her hand instantly split open, blood sliding down the hilt. The sword almost flew out of her hand!

He staggered back seven or eight steps, each step leaving shallow marks on the black iron rock, his blood churning uncontrollably.

Ling Xiao was also pushed back about ten feet by the recoil, but his feet took root and he stabilized himself instantly like a pine tree.

His fighting spirit burned even brighter. Before Zhang Hong could catch his breath, he swung his right hand and the black blade flew out of his hand, transforming into a spinning black light. The demonic aura surrounding the blade caused subtle ripples in the void, and it tore through the air with a shrill whistle like a ghost's cry, heading straight for Zhang Hong's chest!

Throwing knife?!

Zhang Hong's pupils contracted sharply. The head-on collision earlier had made him realize that Ling Xiao's strength far surpassed his own, and he absolutely could not take this flying knife head-on!

In a moment of quick thinking, he suddenly leaned back, executing a clumsy yet extremely effective iron bridge move, with his back almost parallel to the ground.

The black blade spun past his nose, its sharp aura scraping his face painfully, and he could even smell the rich, metallic scent of demonic energy.

However, the crisis is far from over!

The moment the battle sword was thrown, Ling Xiao's figure pounced out like a shadow, his toes touching the air, his body twisting in mid-air, precisely catching the spinning sword hilt.

Using the momentum of his forward charge and descent, he raised the black blade high with both hands, channeling all his demonic intent into the blade, and slashed down with the force of splitting a mountain!

The blades whistled fiercely, carrying a chilling demonic intent, as if they were about to cleave the arena in two. The surrounding air was torn apart, emitting a sharp "sizzling" sound!

Zhang Hong was terrified. At this moment, his old strength was exhausted and his new strength had not yet been generated, so he had no way to dodge!

A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and he launched a counterattack instead of defending... His body sprang up like a taut bowstring, and his long sword abandoned all defense, stabbing straight at Ling Xiao's heart like a poisonous dragon emerging from its cave!

He bet that Ling Xiao wouldn't want to die together with him, and would definitely parry or dodge with his sword!

The cold glint of the sword tip arrived first, and the sharp sword energy had already pierced through Ling Xiao's clothes!

A hint of admiration flashed in Ling Xiao's eyes... Although Zhang Hong's methods were ruthless, he possessed a certain desperate ferocity. In a flash, the momentum of his downward slash suddenly changed, from a vertical cut to a horizontal strike, the heavy blade striking the middle of the incoming sword with perfect precision!

"boom!"

A muffled thud resounded as the sword tip, struck with tremendous force, veered off course, grazing Ling Xiao's ribs, tearing his clothes and drawing a trail of blood. Ling Xiao's momentum didn't end there; he continued his downward slash along the blade, a flash of cold light aimed directly at Zhang Hong's sword-wielding fingers!

Zhang Hong broke out in a cold sweat. Without hesitation, she dropped her sword, kicked off the ground with both feet, and darted backward like a startled rabbit, instantly retreating to the edge of the arena more than ten feet away, barely managing to stand firm.

His face was ashen, his chest heaved violently, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth... The force of that attack, which had traveled across mountains, had already damaged his internal organs.

Ling Xiao did not pursue, but pointed the tip of his blade at Zhang Hong, locking her firmly with an invisible aura. The demonic intent permeated the air, making Zhang Hong's hair stand on end.

Zhang Hong caught her breath for a moment, suppressed her surging blood and qi, and raised her hand without hesitation: "I admit defeat!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Xiao's blade stopped three feet above his head. The sharp blade aura made his hair fly, and he dared not make the slightest movement.

Ling Xiao sheathed his sword, looking at him with slight surprise... Zhang Hong, on the other hand, was decisive and accepted his defeat with composure.

Zhang Hong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said with a wry smile, "Brother Ling's strength is formidable, and I am truly convinced. My sneak attack just now was unethical, and I hope Brother Ling will forgive me." A rare hint of embarrassment appeared on his face, making him less sinister than before.

Ling Xiao waved his hand, his tone indifferent: "In a duel, nothing is more important than using any means necessary. Your swordsmanship is fierce and your moves are swift. If you weren't slightly weaker, the outcome would be uncertain."

This wasn't just polite talk... Zhang Hong's swordsmanship is indeed unique, and his ruthless determination to fight to the death when at a disadvantage is also commendable.

Zhang Hong's eyes brightened slightly, and he clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Brother Ling, you have a magnanimous heart, I admire you greatly. I am inferior to you in skill today, but if there is an opportunity in the future, I will definitely seek your guidance again! Farewell!"

Having said that, he gave Ling Xiao a deep look, then turned and leaped off the stage. Though defeated, he showed no signs of dejection; instead, he displayed a hint of excitement at having met a formidable opponent. (End of Chapter)