Heavenly Sword Saint
The annual competition continued.
After Jian Chen defeated Jian Long, the atmosphere around the training grounds had quietly changed.
The disciples no longer looked at him with simple curiosity.
There was caution in their eyes now.
Some had originally believed the rumors about Jian Chen's swordsmanship were exaggerated.
After witnessing his battle...
They weren't so sure anymore.
Jian Chen paid no attention to the whispers.
He stood beneath the platform, quietly watching the remaining battles.
The competition had only just begun.
The strongest disciples had yet to reveal themselves.
And that was exactly what Jian Chen wanted.
He wanted to see how strong the Jian Clan's younger generation really was.
"Next battle!"
The supervising elder raised his voice.
"Jian Feng against Jian Qiang!"
Two disciples stepped onto the platform.
Jian Feng carried a long spear.
Jian Qiang held two short blades.
The elder looked at both of them.
"Begin!"
Jian Feng immediately released his spiritual energy.
A powerful aura spread across the platform.
Several disciples reacted.
"Seventh Stage!"
Jian Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.
Seventh Stage.
The increase in spiritual energy was obvious.
Jian Feng thrust his spear forward.
Swish!
The spear tore through the air.
Jian Qiang twisted his body and avoided the attack.
His short blades flashed toward Jian Feng's chest.
Clang!
Jian Feng blocked.
The two exchanged several attacks.
Jian Chen watched quietly.
Jian Feng possessed greater strength.
His spear attacks were powerful.
However...
His footwork was unstable.
He relied too much on his cultivation advantage.
Jian Qiang was weaker.
But his movements were more careful.
If their cultivation levels were equal, Jian Qiang might have had a greater chance of winning.
Jian Feng suddenly changed his attack.
The spear swept horizontally.
Jian Qiang jumped over it.
Jian Feng immediately thrust upward.
Bang!
The spear struck Jian Qiang's waist.
He was thrown several meters backward.
Before he could recover, the spear was already at his throat.
"Jian Feng wins!"
The crowd cheered.
Jian Feng withdrew his spear and stepped down.
Jian Chen looked away.
There was nothing particularly surprising about that battle.
The next few fights continued.
Some disciples possessed stronger cultivation.
Others possessed better martial techniques.
Some relied on brute force.
Others relied on speed.
Jian Chen quietly memorized them all.
Then
"Jian Yue!"
A young woman stepped onto the platform.
Her opponent was Jian Rui.
The supervising elder raised his hand.
"Begin!"
Jian Rui immediately released his cultivation.
"Seventh Stage!"
The crowd became excited.
Jian Yue's aura followed.
"Sixth Stage!"
A difference of one stage.
Many disciples assumed Jian Rui would win.
But Jian Yue didn't retreat.
She drew her sword.
Her first step was light.
Her second was even lighter.
Then she attacked.
Swish!
Her sword moved toward Jian Rui's shoulder.
Jian Rui blocked.
Clang!
Jian Yue changed direction immediately.
Another strike.
Then another.
Jian Rui was forced backward.
Jian Chen's eyes brightened slightly.
Her swordsmanship was good.
She didn't waste movement.
Every step supported the next attack.
Every attack concealed the following one.
Jian Rui attempted a counterattack.
Jian Yue moved around him.
Her sword flashed.
It stopped beside his throat.
"Jian Yue wins!"
The crowd erupted.
A Sixth Stage had defeated a Seventh Stage.
Jian Yue calmly withdrew her sword and stepped down.
Jian Chen watched her leave.
Cultivation wasn't everything.
A person's cultivation determined their foundation.
Their combat ability depended on how well they could use it.
Another battle began.
Then another.
The stronger disciples gradually appeared.
Sixth Stage.
Seventh Stage.
Eighth Stage.
The atmosphere became more intense with every fight.
Eventually...
"Jian Hu!"
Jian Hu stepped onto the platform.
His expression was cold.
His opponent was Jian Bo.
Jian Bo immediately released his cultivation.
Sixth Stage.
Jian Hu's spiritual energy followed.
Seventh Stage.
The crowd immediately became noisy.
"Jian Hu is at the Seventh Stage!"
"He hid his cultivation!"
Jian Hu's lips curled slightly.
He had clearly been waiting for this moment.
The battle began.
Jian Hu attacked aggressively.
His sword struck Jian Bo again and again.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Jian Bo couldn't withstand the pressure.
Within several exchanges, he was forced to the edge of the platform.
Jian Hu's sword stopped against his chest.
"Jian Hu wins!"
Jian Hu lowered his sword.
His gaze immediately moved toward Jian Chen.
There was clear battle intent in his eyes.
Jian Chen noticed it.
But he didn't respond.
If they met later in the competition...
They would fight.
The competition continued.
Then
"Jian Mo!"
The crowd became noticeably louder.
Jian Mo walked onto the platform.
His foundation was among the strongest in the younger generation.
His opponent was a quiet young man.
His name was Jian Sheng.
He had remained almost completely silent since the beginning of the competition.
Most disciples had barely noticed him.
The supervising elder raised his hand.
"Begin!"
Jian Mo immediately released his spiritual energy.
Seventh Stage.
The crowd reacted.
"Jian Mo reached the Seventh Stage!"
Jian Sheng remained still.
Then he moved.
His sword flashed.
Jian Mo's pupils contracted.
Clang!
The weapons collided.
Jian Mo was pushed backward.
His expression became serious.
Jian Sheng's cultivation was stronger.
Eighth Stage.
The difference was immediately apparent.
But Jian Mo didn't surrender.
He attacked again.
His sword moved with precision.
Jian Sheng blocked.
The two exchanged blow after blow.
Jian Chen watched carefully.
Jian Mo had changed.
Compared with their previous battle, his movements were more disciplined.
His swordsmanship had improved.
He wasn't relying entirely on his cultivation anymore.
He was learning from his defeat.
After nearly thirty exchanges...
Jian Sheng suddenly changed his rhythm.
His sword struck Jian Mo's shoulder.
Bang!
Jian Mo staggered.
Jian Sheng's blade stopped beside his throat.
"Jian Sheng wins!"
The crowd erupted.
Jian Mo lowered his sword.
His face was disappointed.
But there was no despair in his eyes.
Instead...
His battle intent became stronger.
As he walked down from the platform, he passed Jian Chen.
He stopped.
"I'll defeat you."
Jian Chen looked at him.
A faint smile appeared.
"I'll be waiting."
Jian Mo nodded and left.
Jian Chen watched his back for a moment.
Jian Mo wasn't weak.
If he continued improving at this rate...
He could become a troublesome opponent in the future.
Then the supervising elder spoke again.
"Next battle!"
He looked down at the list.
"Jian Chen!"
The training grounds suddenly became quiet.
Hundreds of eyes turned toward him.
Jian Chen raised his head.
His opponent had not yet appeared.
The elder looked toward the opposite side.
"Jian Xuan."
A young man slowly stepped forward.
He wore simple black clothes.
There was nothing particularly remarkable about his appearance.
He wasn't surrounded by followers.
He hadn't spoken much since the competition began.
Yet...
The moment he stepped onto the platform, the atmosphere changed.
Several of the stronger disciples became serious.
Jian Chen noticed.
Interesting.
Jian Xuan stopped several meters away.
His gaze settled directly on Jian Chen.
He didn't need to ask his name.
Everyone in the Jian Clan knew who Jian Chen was.
Jian Xuan's eyes briefly moved toward the sword at Jian Chen's waist.
"I've heard about your battle with Jian Mo."
Jian Chen remained silent.
Jian Xuan continued.
"Defeating him..."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"You are more interesting than the rumors suggested."
Jian Chen looked at him calmly.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Jian Xuan's fingers slowly tightened around his sword.
"Good."
His eyes became sharp.
"Then show me."
The supervising elder stepped between them.
"Prepare yourselves."
Jian Xuan placed his hand on his sword.
Jian Chen rested his hand on the hilt of his own sword.
It was an ordinary iron sword.
Nothing about it was special.
No ancient inscription.
No powerful aura.
No mysterious origin.
It was simply a weapon he had obtained from the clan's weapon hall.
For Jian Chen...
That was enough.
The elder raised his hand.
"Begin!"
Jian Xuan moved.
There was no roar.
No explosive movement.
No wasted motion.
He simply stepped forward.
His sword left its sheath.
Swish!
The sword shot toward Jian Chen's chest.
Jian Chen's eyes sharpened.
He stepped sideways.
Clang!
The two swords collided.
The impact forced Jian Chen half a step backward.
His eyes narrowed.
Strong.
Jian Xuan immediately attacked again.
One sword.
Simple.
Precise.
Jian Chen shifted his body.
The blade passed beside him.
His iron sword swept toward Jian Xuan's wrist.
Jian Xuan withdrew his hand.
The sword missed.
Their weapons collided again.
Clang!
Neither gained an advantage.
The disciples below watched in silence.
Jian Chen's expression became more serious.
This opponent was different from Jian Long.
Different from Jian Mo.
Different from everyone he had fought today.
Jian Xuan wasn't wasting a single movement.
He wasn't attacking wildly.
He was testing Jian Chen.
Then...
Jian Xuan released his spiritual energy.
Boom!
A powerful aura spread across the platform.
The crowd fell completely silent.
Someone whispered:
"Ninth Stage..."
Jian Chen's eyes narrowed.
Ninth Stage.
So this was one of the hidden experts of the younger generation.
Jian Xuan raised his sword.
"Your swordsmanship is good."
His gaze became sharp.
"But your cultivation is too low."
Jian Chen's expression remained calm.
His grip tightened around the iron sword.
The Flowing Cloud Sword Art had only recently reached Minor Mastery.
But Jian Chen knew that wasn't enough.
His opponent was stronger.
Much stronger.
For the first time during the annual competition...
He couldn't rely on cultivation to narrow the gap.
He would have to rely on his sword.
Jian Xuan suddenly disappeared from his position.
Swish!
The sword came toward Jian Chen's chest.
Jian Chen's eyes flashed.
He stepped forward.
Instead of retreating...
He entered the attack.
The iron sword moved.
Clang!
Their swords collided.
Jian Xuan's expression changed slightly.
Jian Chen's body twisted.
The Flowing Cloud Sword Art unfolded.
Step.
Turn.
Redirect.
Strike.
His sword slid along Jian Xuan's blade.
Then suddenly changed direction.
Jian Xuan withdrew.
The iron sword stopped less than an inch from his shoulder.
The crowd gasped.
Jian Xuan's eyes narrowed.
For the first time...
His calm expression disappeared.
Jian Chen lowered his sword slightly.
A faint smile appeared.
"Your cultivation is higher."
"But..."
"Your sword is telling me something."
Jian Xuan stared at him.
"What?"
Jian Chen's eyes became sharp.
"You're holding back."
Silence.
Jian Xuan's fingers tightened around his sword.
Then...
A faint killing intent appeared in his eyes.
The atmosphere on the training ground changed instantly.
Jian Chen's expression became serious.
This battle...
Was no longer as simple as it had seemed.
And somewhere among the elders...
The Clan Master's eyes narrowed.
He had noticed it too.
Jian Xuan had not yet used his true sword technique.
Neither had Jian Chen.
The real battle...
Had only just begun.