Chapter Fifty-Five: The Void · Collapse Pattern

“If I win, your apprenticeship ends right here!”

Xiao Xuanzhen’s lips curled slightly, a distinctive beauty mark perched conspicuously at the edge of her dimple on her profile.

“Be careful, ‘Little Sword Immortal’!”

Chen Yi smiled, his hand resting on the Chunyu Sword, fingers tapping rhythmically on the hilt.

“Thank you for the warning, senior sister. If I lose, naturally I will fail the assessment and immediately descend the mountain.”

“But what if senior sister loses?”

Earlier, Ning Xue had mentioned Xiao Xuanzhen’s strength: at only six years old, she had already reached the seventh rank of the Transformation Origin Realm.

Though formidable, Chen Yi was confident in his own swordsmanship.

If Xiao Xuanzhen had reached the sixth rank of the Return Origin Realm, he might find it challenging, but the seventh rank was merely a bit more true essence.

Even with her exquisite palm techniques and agility, she was still within his realm of combat.

“Me? Lose?”

Xiao Xuanzhen almost laughed in disbelief. She had only heard that Senior Sister Ning had been defeated in swordsmanship and wanted to use this opportunity to remind Chen Yi that there are always greater talents, so he would strive harder in the Tai Xu Dao Sect.

Unexpectedly, this boy, not yet four years old, was so arrogant.

Therefore, Xiao Xuanzhen resolved not to hold back and to teach Chen Yi a lesson.

“Then I agree to do one thing for you!”

Chen Yi’s expression shifted oddly. “Anything?”

“Of course.”

“Deal!”

At this exchange, Ning Xue’s face changed instantly. She quickly moved to the center of the courtyard.

“Junior Sister Xiao, this is against the rules!”

Xiao Xuanzhen glanced at her and shook her head. “Senior Sister Ning, I am hosting this assessment.”

“As long as it does not go beyond the sect’s requirements, I am responsible for all matters.”

“Even if the sect leader or peak elders are here, the rules must not be broken.”

“But—”

Before Ning Xue could continue persuading, Xiao Xuanzhen tossed a token from her bosom to her.

“Please guard from the side, senior sister.”

Chen Yi chimed in, “Mr. Ning, no need to worry. Since I truly comprehended the essence of swordsmanship, I have yet to reach my limit.”

“This time, please grant this student his wish.”

Joking aside, his duel with Xiao Xuanzhen was not merely about joining the Tai Xu Dao Sect.

More importantly, it was about the reward for mastering swordsmanship.

If he could win and reach the state of great accomplishment in swordsmanship, mastering the complete sword intent, he would gain a means of self-defense.

Once his cultivation caught up, no place in the world would be unreachable.

At least, he would no longer be powerless against a third-rank Heaven Harmony Realm warrior like Zhou Tiance before!

Ning Xue looked around anxiously, feeling conflicted.

Just then, she heard Gu Tiangang’s voice in her ear: “Ning junior niece, don’t worry. Let them fight without holding back.”

Ning Xue was startled, sensing the presence of Senior Masters Gu, Sun, and Pang, and immediately transmitted back.

“But if Chen Yi loses, my master will blame me, and I won’t be able to explain.”

“Rest assured, Brother Li will explain,” Gu Tiangang continued transmitting. “Besides, this duel hasn’t even started yet, and that little fellow Chen Yi is unlikely to lose.”

“Then... alright.”

Hearing this, Ning Xue reluctantly withdrew from the bluestone terrace, standing nearby to prevent any accidents during the duel.

Unbeknownst to her, after transmitting, Gu Tiangang, Sun Daofu, and Pang Kuan quietly positioned themselves above the terrace, ready for any emergency.

“Who do you think will win?” Sun Daofu eyed Chen Yi carefully.

He had seen the prodigious swordsman’s moves before; though impressive, he still lacked something to defeat Xiao Xuanzhen.

Remember, Xiao Xuanzhen was the sect leader’s daughter, having trained in martial arts from childhood to the peak of the entry level.

Moreover, she inherited the Tai Xu Dao Sect’s legacy directly from the sect leader Xiao Huang, possessing top-tier cultivation, techniques, and methods, far beyond what a ninth-rank Mortal Realm warrior could overcome.

Even a swordsmanship master at the ninth-rank Mortal Realm with a small accomplishment would be no match.

“I favor Chen Yi more,” Gu Tiangang answered straightforwardly.

“Oh? Brother, you don’t know Xiao junior niece’s martial progress has reached the seventh rank?”

“I know.”

“Then you...”

At that moment, Pang Kuan scratched his ear and scoffed, “You two old fogies, can you just bet clearly?”

“All this beating around the bush is exhausting.”

Gu Tiangang and Sun Daofu exchanged glances and immediately produced a contract.

“I’ll stake this as the bet,” Gu Tiangang said.

“Since brother is straightforward, I’ll put up this rare Sumeru pouch,” Sun Daofu said cautiously, confident but prudent.

Gu Tiangang snorted but nodded in agreement; at this moment, neither could afford to lose face.

Then, their gazes turned to Chen Yi and Xiao Xuanzhen below.

“‘Little Sword Immortal,’ be careful, senior sister is coming!”

With Ning Xue no longer blocking, Xiao Xuanzhen stopped talking and shot forward like lightning.

Two streams of true essence appeared in her hands, her arms moving up and down drawing a perfect circle.

Invisible energy condensed in her palms, ready to strike.

“Huh?”

Chen Yi also moved, but his eyes were drawn by the energy in her hands.

This martial art, unlike the demons he had encountered in the illusionary realm, seemed to circulate true essence, but within that circle was some profound mystery.

He couldn’t help but focus more seriously.

Compared to his caution, Xiao Xuanzhen, relying on her higher cultivation and abundant true essence, held nothing back.

Her footsteps shifted, swiftly moving sideways to block Chen Yi’s path, hands clasped together.

“Tai Xu · Collapse Style!”

A tangible wave of energy formed two discs, one black and one white, with faintly visible eight sharp edges, rushing ferociously towards Chen Yi.

Sword steps!

Chen Yi’s gaze sharpened, his feet quickened, old power giving rise to new, sidestepping.

The Chunyu Sword in his hand released sword blossoms that pierced the edges of the energy discs.

In an instant, electric sparks flew from the sword tip, as if striking metal, waves of immense resistance transmitted to his hand.

“Can’t resist this power!”

Chen Yi realized, stepping back with a frown as the discs soared into the sky.

The gust raised by the energy waves brushed against his cheek.

At this moment, Chen Yi fully understood that he had underestimated the sect leader’s daughter!

Seeing his expression, Xiao Xuanzhen smirked faintly. “How is it, ‘Little Sword Immortal’? How do you find senior sister’s Tai Xu Dao martial art?”

Though using Tai Xu martial arts against a ninth-rank Mortal Realm warrior wasn’t much to be proud of, combined with her “Supreme Swordsmanship,” it still excited her.

“Heh, not bad,” Chen Yi retorted confidently.

He carefully recalled the collision between the Chunyu Sword and the energy discs and immediately knew that with his current cultivation, he had little chance of gaining advantage.

Unless he could stall for time, defeating Xiao Xuanzhen quickly would be difficult.

With this judgment, Chen Yi’s mind stirred as he summoned a light screen.

[Reward obtained!]

In the next instant, a pure surge of true essence suddenly erupted from Chen Yi’s dantian, circulating throughout his body along the fundamental cultivation method.

As the true essence surged, his brocade robe rhythmically pulsed outward from the dantian.

In just three breaths, everything stabilized as if nothing had happened.

Yet Chen Yi was clear: his cultivation had now reached the lower stage of the eighth rank of the Assimilation Origin Realm!

The smile on Xiao Xuanzhen’s face froze; after scrutinizing him for a moment, she blinked suspiciously.

“You... broke through?”

“Thanks to senior sister’s pressure, I felt it,” Chen Yi replied with a smile.

Fortunately, he had held back some strength; otherwise, Xiao Xuanzhen’s Tai Xu Dao true martial techniques might have defeated him.

From this, Chen Yi also understood one truth: the sect’s martial arts far surpassed those inherited by the court’s military commanders, as rumored.

No wonder his father, Chen Taiping, valued the Tai Xu Dao Sect’s recruitment of noble youths so highly.

This was far superior to the Chen family’s traditional methods!

“Senior sister, this time you should be careful!”