Chapter 526 - 536: Ghost Sword

SHOO!

The two of them drew their swords at almost the exact same moment. A faint, cold Sword Aura glinted from the blades, like tiny specks of starlight.

SHIING!

Lu Wushuang’s sword swept out. His Body Technique was incredibly profound, making him move like a Peerless Swordsman drifting through water as he aimed a slash at Moo Luo’s neck.

Feeling Lu Wushuang’s Sword Aura, the hair on Moo Luo’s arms stood on end. A flicker of imperceptible surprise crossed his eyes before he swiftly swept his own sword forward, protecting all of his vital points.

CLANG!

A tremendous clang of metal on metal rang out, making everyone’s eardrums ache.

Moo Luo and Lu Wushuang both retreated four or five steps, a grave look in their eyes.

After briefly separating, the two clashed once more. Their figures blurred together, moving at an incredible speed that the audience’s eyes struggled to follow.

Before anyone knew it, the time it takes for an incense stick to burn had passed.

"Lu Wushuang, let’s see how you handle my Sword Sect’s Celestial Heart Sword Technique!"

Moo Luo roared, thrusting his sword forward. It streaked through the air like an arc of light, carrying an unstoppable, destructive force.

"Hmph!"

Lu Wushuang watched the charging Moo Luo, his fighting spirit surging. ’I absolutely cannot lose this time! I, Lu Wushuang, will protect the honor of Cloud Conceal Peak!’

"Cloud Concealed Thunderbolt Sword!"

Lu Wushuang gripped the hilt with both hands. A faint blue arc of light flickered on the blade, radiating the overwhelming power of a thunderbolt.

BOOM!

Everyone present was stunned to see Lu Wushuang’s attack. Wasn’t that the most difficult technique from the Cloud Concealing Sword, the ultimate Sword Technique of Celestial Profound Sect’s Cloud Conceal Peak?

CLANGGG!

The crowd heard a deafening collision ring out.

Then, a violent gale erupted from the point of impact, spreading outward in all directions.

Lu Wushuang’s gaze was icy as he pointed his sword at Moo Luo. "You’ve lost, Moo Luo!"

"Lost... Yes, I’ve truly lost," Moo Luo said, shaking his head with a small smile. There was now a new tear on his sleeve—just a tiny mark from a sword, but Moo Luo knew it meant he was defeated.

Moo Luo walked back with a smile, accepting his defeat with grace and ease.

Before the crowd could even recover from Lu Wushuang’s victory, another voice came from where the Sword Sect members were gathered.

"Lu Wushuang, it seems you’ve improved a bit."

Just as Moo Luo returned to the Sword Sect’s ranks, a refined-looking young man slowly walked out. He was dressed in blue martial arts attire, his gaze was calm, and he carried a short sword.

Liu Xiaomo! The prodigy of the Sword Sect, the peerless genius ranked third on the Cyan Cloud List.

Lu Wushuang’s pupils trembled. ’It’s him.’ This was the person who, before the watchful eyes of everyone at the Sword Sect’s Sword Washing Pool, had defeated him with a single strike. It was because of him that Lu Wushuang had endured endless ridicule for so long.

Unconsciously, the sword in Lu Wushuang’s hand began to tremble slightly.

Liu Xiaomo gave a slight smile. "Come now, Lu Wushuang. Let’s see how much you’ve improved."

Lu Wushuang didn’t say another word. His rapid steps and the sharp edge of his blade said everything for him as he viciously slashed toward Liu Xiaomo.

Neither of them used their cultivation, merely competing in pure Swordsmanship. Otherwise, how could the sixteen-year-old Liu Xiaomo be a match for the twenty-six-year-old Lu Wushuang?

SHOO!

Lu Wushuang slashed at Liu Xiaomo, who tilted his body slightly to the side. The blade scraped past, almost touching the tip of his nose.

SHOO!

Lu Wushuang followed up with a horizontal slash, but Liu Xiaomo bent back at the waist, once again effortlessly dodging the Sword Technique.

No matter how fast Lu Wushuang attacked, Liu Xiaomo was always able to easily avoid his blade.

"Why? How can Liu Xiaomo dodge Lu Wushuang’s sword so easily?"

Everyone in the crowd was wondering the same thing.

Watching the duel, Qii Yue gave a wry smile. "All of Wushuang’s Sword Techniques are within Liu Xiaomo’s expectations. It seems..."

Yum Baobao asked curiously, "Brother Wen, what’s going on?"

It wasn’t just Yum Baobao; Yann Chuxue, Sunx Li, Qiuu Ming, Zhou Yue, and the others all turned to Wen Qingye with curiosity.

Wen Qingye pointed at the two duelists, his expression calm as he smiled and said, "Just watch. When Lu Wushuang performs a Sword Slash, Liu Xiaomo sidesteps three feet. From that position, if Lu Wushuang wants to press the attack, his only option is a horizontal cut. Liu Xiaomo naturally knows this. So, it doesn’t matter how fast Lu Wushuang is. Since Liu Xiaomo already knows his next move, any speed is useless."

Yann Chuxue’s eyes lit up with understanding. "So you’re saying Lu Wushuang has already fallen into Liu Xiaomo’s trap?"

"Mm, that’s right," Wen Qingye said with a nod.

Hearing Wen Qingye’s explanation, Yum Baobao’s eyes shone with adoration. "Brother Wen, Brother Wen! If you and that Liu Xiaomo competed in Swordsmanship, who’s better?"

Hearing Yum Baobao’s question, the corners of Wen Qingye’s mouth curled into a faint smile, but he said nothing. Seeing his smile, Yann Chuxue couldn’t help but smile as well, as if she alone understood the unspoken answer in his calm expression.

No matter what Lu Wushuang tried, Liu Xiaomo never drew his sword. He simply shifted his feet slightly, effortlessly neutralizing all of Lu Wushuang’s attacks.

"Liu Xiaomo, draw your sword!"

After having yet another attack thwarted, Lu Wushuang’s eyes turned bloodshot as he roared in frustration.

Liu Xiaomo shook his head and smiled. "Alright, I’ll oblige you."

SHIING!

Liu Xiaomo’s sword left its sheath, gleaming like sunlight on water as it shot forward.

The attack was just a simple thrust, but in Lu Wushuang’s eyes, it was a stroke of genius—subtle, traceless, and utterly perfect. ’I feel like I’m completely pinned by its pressure,’ he thought, ’My body won’t move an inch!’

’I... Why can’t I move?!’ Lu Wushuang screamed frantically in his mind, but his body remained frozen in place.

SQUELCH!

The crowd heard the sound of a blade sinking into flesh. Liu Xiaomo’s short sword was now buried three inches deep in Lu Wushuang’s abdomen.

Everyone knew the match was over.

Liu Xiaomo looked at Lu Wushuang and said with a smile, "One strike again. And you’ve lost again."

Lu Wushuang staggered backward, blood from his abdomen dripping onto the ground. He muttered, his eyes vacant, "I lost... Defeated by a single strike again."

"Did Lu Wushuang of Celestial Profound Sect’s Cloud Conceal Peak just lose?"

"Looks like Lu Wushuang lost to Liu Xiaomo again. And with a single strike, too. That’s got to have left a scar on his psyche."

"With Lu Wushuang’s defeat, the Celestial Profound Sect has no one left who can compete in the Sword Dao."

"Liu Xiaomo truly is the most outstanding Swordsmanship genius the Eastern Profound Domain has seen in a thousand years. His talent is simply monstrous."

Watching this, the crowd sighed with a mixture of awe and pity.

Watching this, Gu Yifeng was also slightly startled. ’This Liu Xiaomo is truly a dazzling talent. To think the Sword Sect has produced someone like him... It seems we can’t afford to underestimate them.’

Liu Xiaomo shot Lu Wushuang a pitying glance, then turned to Qii Yue, who was standing nearby. "Peak Master Qii," he said, "I wonder if you might grace me with a lesson?"

Silence!

The moment Liu Xiaomo finished speaking, the somewhat boisterous Absolute Peak Hall fell utterly, deathly silent.