Chapter 45 Cyan Dragon Secret Sword

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Cyan Dragon Secret Sword

Xie Jingyuan called Feng Yin over, looking at him with gentle eyes.

"Feng Yin, since you possess such talent and have essentially mastered Dragon Transformation, I can now teach you other Fixed Forms."

Feng Yin’s eyes flickered. Before he could speak, Xiao Yu leaped up beside him. "Ah? Master, are there other Fixed Forms in Jiao Swordsmanship?"

Xie Jingyuan glanced at her. "The core of any Extraordinary Swordsmanship lies in its Fixed Forms. How could there be only one, especially one that merely enhances physical functions?

"Jiao Swordsmanship is actually a prerequisite for higher-tier swordsmanship. Naturally, there are other, more profound Fixed Forms to follow."

Xiao Yu puffed out her cheeks. "Then why didn’t you teach me, Master? Do you not like Xiao Yu anymore?"

Xie Jingyuan frowned. "Jiao Swordsmanship is special. Its upper-rank Technique-type Fixed Forms can only be used in the Dragon Transformation State. Xiao Yu, you can’t even use Dragon Transformation properly yet. Don’t bite off more than you can chew."

Xiao Yu lowered her head in frustration. "But I don’t even know the names of the Fixed Forms yet! Feng Yin gets to learn them right off the bat. This is blatant favoritism."

She began to kick at the floor pitifully.

Watching his young apprentice’s dramatic display, Xie Jingyuan smiled. "Alright, stop pretending. You can learn along with Feng Yin, but remember—do not use them until you can proficiently enter the Dragon Transformation State."

"Hehe." Xiao Yu immediately looked up with a sly grin. "You should have just agreed sooner."

Such masterful face-changing skills. Feng Yin watched from the side, absolutely amazed.

Xie Jingyuan was already used to his young apprentice’s quirky antics. He turned his attention back to Feng Yin.

"Our Gangrou Sect Swordsmanship essentially originates from the Basic Sword Technique of our main branch, the Yin Yang Sword Sect. Within it, the Steel Sword ’Jiao’ actually belongs to the ’Cyan Dragon’ lineage, while the Soft Sword ’Snake’ belongs to the ’Black Tortoise’ lineage.

"By using the Jiao Sword as an entry point and achieving ’Dragon Transformation,’ you have effectively entered the Dragon Gate. Now, you can learn the true Cyan Dragon Secret Sword."

"The Cyan Dragon Secret Sword?" Feng Yin’s spirits lifted. Judging from the naming convention of the Jiao Sword and the Fixed Form Dragon Transformation, he had guessed that the subsequent Swordsmanship would be related to "Dragons." However, he hadn’t expected it to jump straight to the level of the "Cyan Dragon."

Beside him, Xiao Yu’s eyes widened. "Cyan Dragon! That sounds so much cooler than ’Jiao.’ Master, teach me quickly!"

Xie Jingyuan frowned. "Don’t be so impatient. Try to be as steady as Feng Yin."

Xiao Yu shook her head from side to side. "I don’t want to! I’m already steady enough in front of outsiders. It’s suffocating."

Xie Jingyuan really didn’t know what to do with this apprentice of his. He wanted to be strict, but the little girl was simply too endearing. He could only ignore her and look back at Feng Yin.

"If Jiao Swordsmanship is the entry-level skill, then the Cyan Dragon Secret Sword is a high-tier Martial Art," he said. "It consists of Seven Techniques, and every single one of them is a Fixed Form. Today, I will teach you the first form—Azure Dragon Shocking Horn."

With that, Xie Jingyuan moved to the center of the suite and gestured for Feng Yin to step forward. "Attack me."

Holding his riot baton, Feng Yin hesitated. "Master, I believe you mentioned that other Fixed Forms cannot be used without activating Dragon Transformation."

Xie Jingyuan calmly unhooked his sheathed sword from his waist and assumed the Hidden Blade stance, pointing the tip backward.

"Only unskilled beginners like you and Xiao Yu need to build up momentum for Dragon Transformation beforehand.

"As your Master, I can enter the Dragon Transformation State at any moment.

"Just attack."

Though Xie Jingyuan’s tone was flat, it carried an indescribable sense of confidence and an imposing aura.

"Master is extremely strong. It’s not my place to worry right now," Feng Yin thought.

Taking a deep breath, he hesitated no longer. Within two or three seconds, he explosively entered the Dragon Transformation State once again.

His heart began to pound like a thundering drum, and his appearance morphed into a ferocious and brutal visage.

Seeing Feng Yin easily re-enter his explosive state, the corners of Xie Jingyuan’s mouth curled into a quiet smile. To activate Dragon Transformation again so smoothly and quickly... this kid’s talent is truly astonishing.

Meanwhile, Feng Yin had already assumed his most familiar upper-level "Heaven" stance and took a sudden step forward.

With this single step, he closed a distance of nearly two meters!

A fiercely powerful overhead strike!

SWISH!

The unbelievably fast speed of the baton sliced through the air with a piercing whistle. Watching from the side, Xiao Yu was utterly dumbfounded.

Yet, what happened in the very next instant was even more shocking. The moment the riot baton reached within half a foot of Xie Jingyuan’s face at an exaggerated speed, Feng Yin, Xiao Yu, Xie Yanran, and Hong Yuan all felt their vision blur.

Xie Jingyuan’s entire body contracted and expanded with terrifying speed.

In a flash, root-like veins and nerves bulged beneath his skin, and his eyes abruptly turned a dark red.

Dragon Transformation!

He pushed off his foot, twisted his hips, and rotated his waist. His upper arm drove his forearm, his forearm drove his wrist, and his wrist snapped with a rapid twist.

The sheathed sword in his hand was drawn from the lower right and slashed upward toward the upper left. The flowing blade moved as swift as the wind, its trajectory resembling an Azure Dragon raising its head to strike the enemy with its horns.

SMACK!

Striking second but arriving first, the scabbard viciously slammed into Feng Yin’s descending riot baton.

Feng Yin’s eyes trembled with shock. At the moment of impact, he felt a profound, vibrating force transmit from Xie Jingyuan’s scabbard.

In the next second, unable to maintain his grip, the riot baton flew out of his hands!

CLATTER.

The baton spun through the air and crashed onto the floor.

Xie Jingyuan calmly twirled his sword with a flourish and re-hooked the weapon—which had never even left its sheath—back onto his waist. He looked at the somewhat dazed Feng Yin opposite him and smiled. "This is the Azure Dragon Shocking Horn."

Snapping out of his daze, Feng Yin quickly looked up and asked hesitantly, "Is this a... Counterattack Skill?"

Xie Jingyuan smiled and nodded. "From its outward movements, it’s essentially an advanced version of the ’Washing Sword’ maneuver found in regular Swordsmanship.

"However, its inner secret lies in a variation of the Dragon Transformation Breathing Technique. Through this secret method, you mobilize your bones and muscles to release a shockwave the moment your blades clash. This directly repels the attack or outright knocks the opponent’s weapon away."

He looked deeply at Feng Yin. "The Hard Sword Style oppresses enemies with raw power and momentum. But if you encounter an opponent with bizarre and unpredictable Techniques, it’s inevitable that you might suffer a disadvantage.

"As the Upper Rank to the Steel Sword, the very first form of the Cyan Dragon Secret Sword is a counterattack designed to break finesse with pure force. It specializes in dismantling all those flashy tricks, forcibly dragging the enemy into a Domain where we excel."

Feng Yin nodded thoughtfully. This Sword Form was entirely different from Dragon Transformation. Much like the "Snake Slaughter Poison" that Xie Yanran had once demonstrated, it was a true "Technique."

Xiao Yu excitedly ran up to them. "Master! This is it! I want to learn this! With this, I’ll be able to counter-kill those guys who act all high and mighty just because they know the Snake Sword Form!"

Xie Jingyuan glared at her. "You can learn it, but you are forbidden from using it until you can stably enter the Dragon Transformation State."

"Yes, yes!" Xiao Yu nodded vigorously, promising without hesitation. "Hurry up and teach me, Master!"

Xie Jingyuan didn’t dawdle either, straightforwardly calling Feng Yin to join her. The three of them headed into an empty room and began the instruction on the Fixed Form.

...

Outside the door, Hong Yuan enviously retracted his gaze from the closed room and looked at Xie Yanran. "Old Xie, your Master... is ridiculously strong. I’m honestly jealous of that kid, Feng Yin."

Xie Yanran nodded silently. "Over the years we’ve been apart, Master’s strength has improved again. I’m afraid he has already successfully broken through to the Ultimate Level. He is in the realm of a true Humanoid Monster."

She then turned back to Hong Yuan. "Old Hong, you’ll definitely be able to leave with me this time. How do you plan to arrange things for the brothers back at the Tongzi Building?"

Hearing this, a conflicted expression appeared on Hong Yuan’s face before he let out a sigh. "They’ve all followed me for so many years. There are still a few days left before we leave the island. I’ll think it over a bit more and find a good path for them." He added, "I’ll make some time to head back there in a couple of days."

Taking the initiative, Xie Yanran reached out and held his hand, speaking with a rare gentleness. "I’ll go with you."

Hong Yuan looked at her in stunned surprise before breaking into a deeply moved smile.