He looked at Chen Ping with a serious expression, no longer showing the previous disdain. “Brother Chen, I admire your swordsmanship. But today’s battle concerns my sect’s honour, and I will not hold back.”
Chen Ping clasped his hands in respect. “Brother Li, please enlighten me.”
Li Hanjiang said no more. With a flick of his wrist, the Seven Stars Sword hummed, its seven gemstones glowing simultaneously with a faint blue light.
“Seven Stars Linked, First Form, Starry Chessboard!”
With a low shout, his sword swept through the air, unleashing countless blue sword lights like scattered stars, densely covering the space and sealing all of Chen Ping’s escape routes.
This strike appeared chaotic but contained the subtle principles of array formations, each sword light resonating with the others, where one move affected the whole.
The crowd below was dazzled, many sword cultivators gasping in awe.
“What a move, ‘Starry Chessboard’! Senior Brother Li’s swordsmanship has advanced further!”
“With such dense sword lights, there’s no way to dodge. Chen Ping’s in trouble now!”
Facing the overwhelming sword lights, Chen Ping remained calm.
He took a deep breath, and the Dragon-Slaying Sword spun slowly in his hand, forming a visible sword wheel.
As the sword wheel turned, it emitted a faint golden glow, a sign of his sword intent condensed to its peak.
“Ding, ding, ding…”
Countless blue sword lights struck the golden sword wheel, producing a rapid series of clangs, yet none could breach its defence.
Li Hanjiang’s brows furrowed slightly. He hadn’t expected Chen Ping’s defence to be so solid.
“Seven Stars Linked, Second Form, Shifting Stars!”
His left hand formed a seal, and with a sharp flick of his right-hand sword, the deflected blue sword lights abruptly changed direction, returning like boomerangs from all angles, even more precise than before.
This sudden change was lightning-fast, impossible to guard against.
Yet Chen Ping seemed to have anticipated it. He pushed “Snow Without Trace” to its limit, his figure weaving through the sword lights like a phantom.
As the Dragon-Slaying Sword danced, he always dodged the lights by a hair’s breadth, occasionally countering with a strike that forced Li Hanjiang to divert attention to defence.
The two traded blows, clashing dozens of times in an instant.
Li Hanjiang’s “Seven Stars Linked Sword” was unpredictable, each move deadly.
Chen Ping’s swordsmanship appeared simple but always turned danger into safety, overcoming strength with softness.
The crowd below watched, entranced, as this was no longer just a fight but a breathtaking display of swordsmanship.
“Great! What a fight!”
“Go, Chen Ping!”
“Senior Brother Li is mighty!”
Cheers rose and fell, deafening in their intensity.
On the VIP platform, the Sword Saint City overseer stroked his beard, nodding repeatedly. “Excellent, excellent! Such softness overcoming strength, such unpredictability! These two young men are the future of Sword Saint City!”
Qin Lie’s expression grew darker. He had thought Li Hanjiang would easily defeat Chen Ping, but they were locked in a stalemate.
“Seven Stars Linked, Third Form, Seven Stars Shatter the Moon!”
Unable to gain the upper hand, Li Hanjiang grew impatient. With a loud roar, he unleashed his full spiritual energy without reservation.
The seven gemstones on the Seven Stars Sword erupted in dazzling light. Seven blue sword lights, like seven giant dragons, circled in the air before merging into a massive sword shadow, slashing toward Chen Ping with earth-shattering force.
This strike, the most domineering move of the “Seven Stars Linked Sword,” combined the power of seven sword lights, its might comparable to a full-strength blow from a sixth-grade Earth Immortal!
The crowd gasped, their breathing tense.
“It’s over. This strike is too powerful. Chen Ping can’t possibly block it!”
“Such a pity. He’s already done so well!”
Ling Xue and the others clenched their fists, sweating nervously. Hu Mazi even closed his eyes, unable to watch.
Facing this earth-shaking strike, a glint of excitement flashed in Chen Ping’s eyes.
