When Yu Xuan stepped onto the Foundation Establishnt stage, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Opposite him stood a disciple clad in pale violet green robes, a longsword at his side. His posture was elegant and steady not quite rigid, but clearly disciplined.
’A swordsman?’ Yu Xuan raised an eyebrow. That was rare for soone from the Elental Heaven Peak.
Most sword cultivators hailed from the Martial Heaven Peak. Still, sothing about the way this opponent stood... it didn’t scream "pure swordsman." More likely, he rely dabbled in sword techniques.
Even Lan Hao, his opponent from before, had possessed Fist Intent — an extension of the Will Path, though it had clearly been influenced by his fire affinity.
The Will Path wasn’t limited to swords or fists — it was about developing an intent powerful enough to influence the external world.
It wasn’t bound to weapons, or even martial arts. There was no such thing as a "pure" martial path. In the end, one’s path was simply the accumulation of their experiences and understanding.
The crowd leaned forward in anticipation. It wasn’t every day a Qi Condensation cultivator stepped onto the Foundation Establishnt platform.
"He’s going to lose."
"But the odds are insane!"
"I don’t know... he climbed to the top of the Qi Condensation bracket in just a few days."
"I’m betting on him."
In a shaded corner of the arena, a visibly anxious disciple wiped sweat from his brow. He looked down at his dallion, grit his teeth, and made the call.
"...Screw it. I’m all in."
With trembling hands, he placed every last sect point he had on Yu Xuan — then offered a silent, desperate prayer.
"Please, ancestors. Just this once. Let this madman win."
Back on stage, Yu Xuan calmly stretched his arms. His expression remained composed, eyes half lidded, as if this were nothing more than a light spar.
Now ard with confidence... and one desperate disciple’s ancestral blessing, the match began.
If Yu Xuan’s system had been the clingy type, a ssage might have popped up:
[Random Disciple’s Ancestor Blessing 1] obviously there were no actual benefits.
"Begin!" the referee called.
Yu Xuan yawned inwardly. He’d already had a satisfying fight today, and this opponent’s gaze lacked any intensity.
No pride, no sharpness, just vague superiority behind forced calm.
He didn’t like it.
So, he decided to end the match early.
With a swift motion, a sword materialized in his hand. His opponent narrowed his eyes, mistaking it for so pointless struggle.
He sneered, then channeled his Qi into his blade.
A faint glow shimred along the steel, not true sword intent, just a crude infusion of Qi to enhance his strike.
This was often called pseudo sword Qi or fake sword Qi, used without refined techniques or deeper understanding.
But most sword cultivators called it fake sword Qi.
At the Foundation Establishnt level, cultivators could finally project Qi beyond their bodies. In contrast, those in the Qi Condensation realm were limited to using Qi internally, mostly to reinforce their organs, limbs, or ridians.
Affinity also played a role. Lan Hao’s Fist Intent, for instance, had carried an unmistakable fire attribute — blending both Will Path and elental force.
Yu Xuan, though...
He wasn’t interested in playing fair. He had already decided, this match was ending in style.
And his opponent had no idea what kind of storm was about to break loose.
Slowly, a deep crimson aura began to gather around Yu Xuan’s sword. It shimred like molten glass, pulsating with an elegant yet oppressive rhythm.
The crowd erupted.
"That looks so cool!"
"Wait, that’s sword intent?!"
"No way, it’s gotta be so flashy technique right?"
"Judging by the pressure... that’s real sword intent!?"
Yu Xuan smirked faintly. That reaction? Exactly what he expected.
With a flicker of thought, he summoned the system description of the technique he was about to unleash.
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[Magic Swordsmanship of the Avalon Imperial Family] A prestigious and absurdly overdramatic magic sword style passed down through the ancient Avalon Empire — a civilization so arrogant they nad every planet after themselves. This technique combines refined swordsmanship with magical force projection, enabling the wielder to launch elegant, glowing sword arcs, deflect spells, and dramatically pose on high ground.
Originally designed for imperial heirs who wore capes for no reason and practiced speeches about galactic domination in front of mirrors. Has a 70% chance of making the user look cooler than they actually are, and a 100% chance of making nearby systems feel slightly nervous.
"All remaining systems will bow to the Avalon Empire." — Luthor Von Avalon VII
==================
His opponent’s eyes widened in disbelief. He had been bluffing with a crude Qi enhanced swing and Yu Xuan just responded with real sword intent.
It felt like getting slapped in the face by invisible nobility.
Again if Yu Xuan’s system was sarcastic, a ssage would have appeared.
[FaceSlapping Points (FP) 1]
Furious, the cultivator gritted his teeth. He still had the advantage in cultivation — Foundation Establishnt versus mid stage Qi Condensation. He would overwhelm this brat through raw strength and speed.
Or so he believed.
He lunged forward, aura flaring, blade gleaming with condensed Qi. He aid straight for Yu Xuan’s throat, hoping to end it fast.
But Yu Xuan’s body twisted like flowing water, dodging by a hair’s breadth. His footwork was immaculate, each step like a well-asured brushstroke on an invisible canvas.
Steel clashed.
Blades t in a brief flurry, but Yu Xuan didn’t give his opponent the tempo he wanted. He deflected, redirected, danced just beyond reach. His sword arcs shimred with red hue, and every ti they t, a slight shockwave spread across the stage. The runes of the platform shimred absorbing the impact from their clash.
Then Yu Xuan ducked under a wide slash, pivoted smoothly, and slashed diagonally.
His opponent barely blocked — but stumbled back, the air knocked from his lungs.
A flicker passed through Yu Xuan’s eyes.
’Ti to end this.’ he simply thought, not wanting to spare more ti in this fight.
[A/N: I am trying things like will path, rather than keeping the traditional ones, more will be explained as story progresses. Keep your support as always. We have a long way to go. (◉‿◉)ᕗ]
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