Zhou Hong and Jian Feifan stood several meters apart, their sword intents already clashing before they even moved, startling the crowd into retreating.

Sword cultivators are indeed sword cultivators—truly different from everyone else!

The many martial artists were dying of envy.

The sword was a commonly used weapon. If one could become a sword cultivator, their prestige would skyrocket tremendously!

What a pity.

The requirements to become a sword cultivator were too harsh. It wasn’t something you could just become because you wanted to.

Even Sect Leader Jun, who had the system in hand—equivalent to having a cheat—lacked the qualifications for sword cultivation and could only obediently be a martial cultivator.

Even Ye Xingchen, who was reborn as a Great Emperor and cultivated the Soaring Sword Divine Art, was still only a martial cultivator, completely unrelated to sword cultivation by a long shot.

“Begin!” the judge shouted.

Zhou Hong and Jian Feifan continued staring at each other.

After a short moment, they simultaneously retreated ten steps, maintaining sufficient distance between them.

Neither erupted with aura nor spiritual energy. They just looked at each other like that, the scene frozen like a still image.

Jun Changxiao’s mouth twitched as he said, “Here it comes.”

When he recruited Zhou Hong into the sect, he had anticipated that a duel between a swordsman and a bladesman would surely be dull, and a duel between two swordsmen would definitely be even duller!

“Draw your sword,” Zhou Hong said.

Jian Feifan replied, “My sword only leaves its sheath when I make my move.”

“Make your move then.”

“Once I make my move, my sword will definitely draw blood.”

“So I should move first?”

“When sparring with a sword cultivator, I prefer to let my opponent draw their sword first.”

“Why?”

“Because it allows me to measure my opponent’s strength—whether they’re worthy of making me draw my sword.”

“…”

Everyone’s mouths began twitching.

You two, you’re here for a match. Could you stop chatting and actually fight? We’re all getting sleepy here!

“They’re getting impatient.”

Zhou Hong said, “They definitely want us to hurry up and start fighting.”

Jian Feifan said, “They don’t understand—this conversation between you and me is actually a form of contest as well.”

Even Jun Changxiao couldn’t take it anymore.

He really wanted to send a ‘Is this the world of sword cultivators?’ meme to express his inner collapse.

“Clang!”

Zhou Hong’s sword finally left its sheath as he said, “Not being understood by the world—sword cultivators are destined to be lonely and isolated.”

“I completely agree,” Jian Feifan said.

Zhou Hong held his sword with one hand and said, “I’m making my move.”

“Please,” Jian Feifan said.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Zhou Hong stepped forward, and his ancient, unadorned longsword immediately slashed through the void, with sword lights instantly bursting forth.

“So fast!” the experts from various sects exclaimed in shock.

Even though they had been watching without blinking the entire time, they still couldn’t capture how many times Zhou Hong had struck with his sword in that single breath!

Jian Feifan captured it, and his heart shook with astonishment!

He had actually executed sixty sword strikes in one breath—a full thirty more than himself!

This definitely employed some kind of profound sword technique!

“Clang—”

While thinking, Jian Feifan waved one hand, and a three-foot longsword appeared out of thin air, directly slashing through the void to create incomparably magnificent sword energy.

“Ding! Ding! Ding!”

The two streams of sword energy immediately collided, producing crisp sounds that wove together like beautiful music.

All the sword energy was neutralized, and both men still stood in their original positions with swords in hand.

Zhou Hong said, “You struck twice.”

Jian Feifan gave a bitter smile and said, “Your sword energy was too numerous—I could only strike one extra time.”

“Sword momentum!”

Zhou Hong turned his wrist and said, “Startling Swan!”

The sword left its sheath, sword light exploding brilliantly!

Whoosh!

Incomparably magnificent sword energy, carrying a cold and sharp momentum, instantly attacked Jian Feifan—its power far stronger than when executed in the Valley of Death!

Li Qingyang and the others were all growing stronger. If Zhou Hong, who constantly comprehended the sword, had remained stagnant, that would truly be absurd.

“Swish!”

Facing the incoming sword energy, Jian Feifan gripped his sword with both hands and suddenly slashed downward from above, shouting, “Rainbow Piercing the Sun!”

Whoosh!

Sword energy burst forth!

Boom!

The two types of sword energy collided directly, and a cold, fierce gale instantly howled forth, sweeping across everyone’s faces with pain like knife cuts!

These two sword cultivators talked a lot of nonsense, but when they actually fought, the sword intent they erupted with was so terrifying!

In this second exchange, they were evenly matched!

Zhou Hong bent slightly at the waist, his somewhat weathered face revealing a cold, sharp expression.

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

In an instant, an aura similar to spiritual power surged around his body. The tree leaves drifting over in the wind were immediately sliced apart on the spot!

The stone slabs beneath his feet, which had been shattered by the earlier battle between Xiao Zuiji and Qing Linfen, were also cut into small pieces!

Jian Feifan’s brows furrowed. He sheathed his sword and said, “You’ve won.”

Huh?

Everyone was immediately dumbfounded.

From the situation, neither could overcome the other—how did it become a surrender?

Only Ye Xingchen knew that the sword momentum Zhou Hong had released was actually the second form of the Soaring Sword Divine Art—the Two-Character Momentum Technique!

Having cultivated the Soaring Sword Divine Art for less than a year and already comprehending the second form—his sword cultivation aptitude was truly formidable.

“Clang!”

Zhou Hong sheathed his sword and said, “I humbly accept.”

He really wanted to have a satisfying battle with Jian Feifan, but at this moment he represented the Iron Bones Clanging Sect and had to prioritize winning the match.

Jian Feifan put his sword away in his spatial ring and cupped his hands, saying, “If there’s an opportunity in the future, I, Jian, will visit the Iron Bones Clanging Sect to properly experience your sword techniques again.”

“You’re welcome anytime,” Zhou Hong said.

“…”

The crowd collapsed.

You two talked a bunch of nonsense, but the actual battle ended in less than one minute—that’s just too outrageous!

This was the nature of duels between sword cultivators.

Once one fell behind the other to a certain degree, unless it was a life-and-death battle, there was no need to continue fighting.

Moreover…

Zhou Hong was inherently stronger than Jian Feifan in sword momentum, and he also executed the second form of the Soaring Sword Divine Art. If the latter couldn’t receive the sword strike, his fate would be death by the sword.

It wasn’t a life-and-death battle—why push things to such extremes?

…

The duel between sword cultivators ended with the Iron Bones Clanging Sect’s victory. The one hurt was definitely the Lingquan Sect, as they had lost another match.

“Chao Jiu.”

Elder Jin’s voice trembled as he said, “This final battle—you must win it!”

“I know, I know.” Gu Chao Jiu scratched his head and walked onto the martial arena with lazy steps.

“Qianqian, go ahead,” Jun Changxiao said.

Lu Qianqian touched the bracelet he had given her and ascended to the martial arena.

“This final battle is usually the grand finale, yet the Iron Bones Clanging Sect actually sent out a female disciple?”

“Having won too many matches—are they disrespecting the Lingquan Sect?”

“In my view, perhaps they’re going easy, giving the fifth-tier sect some face. After all, they’ve already lost seventy-one matches.”

The crowd discussed in low voices.

Gu Chao Jiu was startled and thought inwardly, “My Lingquan Sect has already lost seventy-one matches?”

No wonder the elder and fellow disciples looked so terrible!

Gu Chao Jiu, who had been somewhat casual before, immediately straightened his posture, his gaze becoming sharp, as if he had instantly transformed into a different person.

“Miss.”

He said solemnly, “Although you’re a woman, for the sake of my sect’s honor, Gu will not hold back.”

Lu Qianqian stopped and said calmly, “Iron Bones Clanging Sect disciple, Lu Qianqian.”

“Lingquan Sect disciple, Gu Chao Jiu.”

Once the two had finished announcing their names, the judge immediately shouted, “Begin!”

“Crack-crack-crack—”

In an instant, a surge of cold energy suddenly howled out from around Lu Qianqian’s body. Wherever it passed, the ground rapidly froze.

“What the hell!”

Gu Chao Jiu exclaimed in shock, “An ice-element martial cultivator!”

“Nine-Layered Ice Sealing Palm!”

Lu Qianqian raised her right palm, which wore the ice bracelet, and an even more powerful cold current swept forth.

“This is bad!”

Gu Chao Jiu’s expression changed dramatically. He was about to execute a movement technique to escape, but his speed became sluggish under the harassment of the cold energy, and frost gradually spread across his entire face.

“I…”

This disciple with sacred-grade spiritual roots and core disciple status was just about to speak when, under the frenzied harassment of the cold current, his legs spread wide in a running posture, transforming into a lifelike ice sculpture.

“Swish!”

Lu Qianqian swept her long sleeve, and vast spiritual power surged forth, instantly pushing him onto the ice layer on the ground. With a slide, he slipped right out of the martial arena.

“This…”

The crowd nearly collapsed collectively!

“Crack-crack-crack!”

After several breaths, Gu Chao Jiu was unsealed.

He hugged his shoulders, shivering from the cold and continuously sneezing, with snot involuntarily running down.

“Elder Jin.”

Jun Changxiao cupped his hands and said, “My apologies—my sect’s disciple has won again.”