Chapter 369: Gold-Medal Sparring Partner

After Wangchuan and Lu Ping’an had exchanged more than three hundred moves and both discovered that neither could do anything to the other, Old Seven, having heard the commotion, stepped in and called a halt.

“Hahahaha...”

“If the two of you keep fighting like this, you still won’t have a winner even by dawn!”

“Take a break.”

At this, Wangchuan pulled back and cupped his fists.

“Young Master Lu, you truly are formidable!”

“Hahahaha... Hall Master Wangchuan, your reputation is the one that truly lives up to its name. Ping’an admires you deeply!”

Lu Ping’an was breathing a little hard. In a prolonged fight, he was slightly inferior, and if the match continued, it would become increasingly disadvantageous for him.

The two of them felt the mutual appreciation of worthy opponents.

Old Seven walked over and said, “Young Master Lu, we meet again.”

“Lu Ping’an greets Old Seven.”

Lu Ping’an cupped his fists in greeting, neither arrogant nor servile. A young master from a great family truly was different.

The group followed Old Seven back to the main hall and took their seats.

Old Seven expressed his welcome to Lu Ping’an’s arrival and ordered Wangchuan to take full responsibility for Lu Ping’an’s food, lodging, and daily arrangements, and to ensure his safety throughout the period of the martial tournament in Sanhe Commandery.

Wangchuan accepted the order on the spot.

Lu Ping’an smiled and said, “I am not a man with many amusements. I do not enjoy wandering about. What I like most is cultivation and sparring. Hall Master Wangchuan, before the martial tournament begins, how about we cultivate together?”

“I could not ask for more!”

A smile spread across Wangchuan’s face.

While Old Seven had been speaking just now, Wangchuan had quietly summoned his Status Panel and taken a glance. To his surprise, 《Swift Sword Art》, 《Qingcheng Sword Art》, and 《Water-Moon Sword Art》 had all gained a little Experience Value!

《Water-Moon Sword Art》 in particular had risen from 3/2000 to 11/2000.

He speculated that 《spirit realm》 must have judged that he had gone all out, thereby triggering the cultivation effect and allowing him to gain experience.

Although he had consumed quite a bit of internal energy, the Experience Value had risen solidly. That much was fact.

Lu Ping’an had taken the initiative to suggest sparring and cultivation. Naturally, Wangchuan wanted nothing more. He was already considering how he could verify this more thoroughly later and see whether he could use Lu Ping’an to raise 《Water-Moon Sword Art》 to Integration.

Old Seven arranged a banquet in the hall that same evening.

After welcoming Lu Ping’an with a proper reception meal, Old Seven left.

Divine Physician Shen also rose and took his leave.

Lu Ping’an, Lu Ningshuang, and the Lu Family’s two fourth-rank martial artists remained in the hall to rest.

Wangchuan arranged for them to stay in the courtyard next to his own, so that if anything happened, he could respond at once.

Wangchuan sat down in a wooden tub and cultivated 《Xuanwu Art》, rapidly restoring his internal energy.

After a little over half an hour, his internal cultivation had returned to its peak state. Only then did he notice that Lu Ping’an next door was also recovering his internal energy.

He did not disturb him.

Instead, he went to the practice grounds again and resumed training, continuing his cultivation of 《Cloud Ladder》.

Not long after, Lu Ping’an came looking for him.

Seeing Wangchuan full of vigor, and looking as though he had already been cultivating alone for quite some time, he was greatly surprised.

“Hall Master Wangchuan, you’re even younger than I am. How did you cultivate your internal cultivation method to such a level, to the point that your realm is deeper than ours...”

“And Young Master Lu’s swordsmanship is also extraordinary. You must have cultivated all your sword arts to Perfect Mastery, yes?”

The two of them exchanged polite flattery, though each was speaking the plain truth, so neither took it to heart.

“Well then, shall we spar?”

Wangchuan saw that night had already fallen and that there were not many people in the practice grounds, so he made the suggestion.

Lu Ping’an was a sword fanatic. Without another word, he drew his sword on the spot.

“Gladly!”

The two of them clashed once more.

This time, Wangchuan used 《Swift Sword Art》.

Lu Ping’an immediately understood what he was doing.

“I was prepared to have Hall Master Wangchuan serve as my sparring partner, yet somehow it has become me serving as yours.”

Lu Ping’an took the attacks easily.

Wangchuan smiled and said, “Young Master Lu is currently sheltering under another man’s roof and has no choice but to lower his head. Watch the move.”

“All right then, hahaha...”

Against 《Swift Sword Art》, Lu Ping’an received and blocked the attacks with effortless ease, as though it cost him no effort at all.

The internal cultivation method he practiced was special. Even when Wangchuan went all out, Lu Ping’an still would not be injured and could deal with him with complete ease.

Wangchuan struck roughly ten times in succession...

On the Status Panel, the Experience Value of 《Swift Sword Art》 jumped once.

It worked!

A smile appeared on Wangchuan’s face, and he continued striking with all his strength.

Before the martial tournament began, he could continue cultivating swordsmanship and lightness skills to raise his Agility, and as long as he ensured that his Strength remained at 79 and did not step into fourth rank, there would be no problem.

Fast sword attacks surged forward...

Lu Ping’an answered them with effortless ease, his longsword dancing lightly, skillfully dissolving Wangchuan’s force.

But Wangchuan was not discouraged in the least. Every single strike he made was with full power.

The Lu Family’s two fourth-rank martial artists stood separately to the left and right of the practice grounds.

Since the young master was willing to serve as a sparring partner, what objection could they possibly have?

Besides...

The closer they grew to Hall Master Wangchuan, the better they would be treated in Sanhe Commandery. What was there not to like?

What they had not expected, however, was that Wangchuan’s energy would be so abundant that he could keep practicing for well over an hour!

Even Wangchuan himself no longer knew how many times he had struck with his sword.

Then the system prompt sounded:

“Ding!”

“《Basic Sword Technique》 has advanced from ‘Integration’ to ‘Perfect Mastery’! Reward: +4 Agility, Reward: +1 Spirit.”

“Detected that 《Basic Sword Technique》 has reached ‘Perfect Mastery.’ You may now expend 100 points of internal energy and three hours to create one 《Basic Sword Technique》 martial arts manual. Limited to one martial arts manual per day.”

Joy stirred in Wangchuan’s heart, and at once he felt that his understanding of the sword, as well as the way he held it and the sensation of wielding it, had all changed.

Smoother!

Faster!

Lu Ping’an sensed the change in Wangchuan and revealed a faint smile.

Another hour or so passed.

“Ding!”

“《Swift Sword Art》 has advanced from ‘Entry-Level Mastery’ to ‘Integration.’”

No attribute reward was granted!

Because there already existed a fourth-rank sword art at Entry-Level Mastery.

Although Wangchuan felt a slight disappointment, he did not lose heart. After thinking it over briefly, he continued cultivating 《Swift Sword Art》...

If reaching Integration was useless, then he would try pushing it to Perfect Mastery instead.

His sword strikes came faster and faster in succession.

Each strike was fiercer!

The angles were more cunning!

Its sharpness was fully revealed!

Lu Ping’an noticed the change within it, but quickly stabilized again.

“Hall Master Wangchuan has remarkable comprehension!”

“I finally understand why, at such a young age, you have already achieved what you have today.”

Lu Ping’an gave a wry smile.

“Do you truly never tire?”

“You’ve already drawn your sword more than twenty thousand times. If this keeps going, I’ll soon be unable to lift mine.”

Wangchuan hurriedly stepped back to open the distance, cupped his fists, and sheathed his sword.

“Many thanks, Young Master Lu. My understanding of swordsmanship has increased greatly.”

“Hall Master Wangchuan has also reminded me of something. So one can train by switching between the left and right hand. To this day, I’ve never cultivated with my left hand.”

Lu Ping’an was inspired as well. He smiled as he put away his sword, his eyes burning with enthusiasm.

“Once the martial tournament is over and I return to Qinghe Commandery, I’ll find a way to try a left-handed sword.”

The seamless fluency Wangchuan had shown just now when he switched hands in training had indeed stimulated him.

“Good!”

“Ergou, get us something to eat.”

The two ate for a while before going their separate ways.

Wangchuan glanced at his Status Panel.

The Experience Value of 《Swift Sword Art》 had reached 1/5000.

Lu Ping’an really was a gold-medal sparring partner!

Even after reaching Integration, he could still keep feeding him experience!

Wangchuan was overjoyed.

Lu Ningshuang and Divine Physician Shen had not delivered him some troublesome burden.

They had delivered him a walking bundle of experience.

Early the next morning,

Lu Ping’an next door had only just risen and finished washing up.

Wangchuan had already sent people over with breakfast, then impatiently dragged him straight to the practice grounds to cultivate.