Fighting Flying Swords at the Ming Qi Stage is akin to commanding armies on both sides. The Spiritual Energy within one’s chest serves as the troops. Feng Ming knew his own Spiritual Energy was greater in quantity, but the opponent suddenly employed a cunning tactic, scattering his forces and putting him at a disadvantage. As long as the opponent couldn’t overwhelm him in one breath, Feng Ming believed that once he regained his footing, the one to lose would inevitably be the other side!
Based on his calculations, Zhang Yan’s Spiritual Energy must total between thirty-six and forty-two in number. He rely needed to hold on a little longer.
Clinging to this belief, he struggled to persevere under Zhang Yan’s relentless pressure, awaiting the mont of reversal.
When both sword balls rotated to thirty-six counts, Feng Ming noticed Zhang Yan still maneuvered with ease. His face showed a faint trace of panic, though he remained sowhat composed. Yet, he began to feel his strength waning, and an inexplicable anxiety arose within him, growing stronger with each passing second.
When the count reached forty-two, an unbelievable thought flashed through Feng Ming’s mind. His body began to tremble, and his control over the sword balls beca increasingly strained. By this point, he could only rigidly follow Zhang Yan’s sword balls in rotation, completely unable to counterstrike.
At the forty-eighth count, he could no longer hold on. He failed to muster his last breath of Spiritual Energy, and his sword ball faltered.
Zhang Yan’s sword ball effortlessly turned and darted directly toward Feng Ming’s chest. The latter could only watch helplessly, powerless to defend himself.
With a loud "pa," Feng Ming was struck in the chest by Zhang Yan’s sword ball. He staggered back two steps, his eyes filled with disbelief. His expression shifted multiple tis—from unwillingness to confusion, and finally to sheer sha and anger.
Zhang Yan smiled faintly, cupped his hands toward Feng Ming, and said, "Senior Brother, thank you for allowing the win."
Feng Ming stood there motionless and silent, his thoughts unknown. Yet his hands continued to tremble.
Observing from the stone platform, Elder Chen furrowed his brows. With a wave of his horsetail whisk, he muttered sothing softly. The Daoist boy beside him stepped forward and announced, "The Ancestor Master summons this Senior Brother to co up for a discussion."
Zhang Yan walked to the stone platform with composure and perford a bow to Elder Chen. However, it was not the deferential greeting of a junior but that of an equal.
Seeing this, Elder Chen’s expression darkened, and he asked coldly, "Let ask you this—have you studied this Flying Sword Skill before?"
Without hesitation, Zhang Yan shook his head and replied, "Never."
Elder Chen pointed his horsetail whisk at him and admonished sharply, "Nonsense! Do not deceive ! Judging by your mastery—your seamless transitions, perfectly smooth maneuvers—it’s evident you’ve trained diligently for years. Speak truthfully; who taught you this skill?"
Faced with Elder Chen’s piercing gaze, Zhang Yan remained calm and answered confidently, "Disciple has been part of the Upper Court for less than a year. Breaking through the Ming Qi Second Realm happened just a month ago. Recently, I carried out a mission to Water Country, and my return to the Upper Court was only today. I don’t know where years of training co into play."
In truth, although Elder Chen’s assessnt of years of training wasn’t incorrect, practitioners of Flying Sword skills couldn’t typically achieve such mastery in one year, let alone dedicating all their ti to swordsmanship. Zhang Yan, however, had spent two hundred days intensely refining amidst the Broken Jade, so "years’ worth of practice" was indeed an apt description.
"Hmm? Less than a year since entering?"
Elder Chen’s brows furrowed deeper. Having spent many years in seclusion, he’d only recently returned at Elder Xun’s request to impart swordsmanship. Feng Ming was soone he had only t today. Naturally, he knew nothing about Zhang Yan, and no one had bothered to ntion such minor details to him.
He asked, "What is your na? Whose disciple are you? Do you hold any official positions?"
Zhang Yan straightened his posture, his expression serious but calm, and replied, "I am Zhang Yan, honored to serve as an Inspector from the Elixir Cauldron Institute. My master currently holds the position of Dean of the Elixir Cauldron Institute."
Elder Chen was briefly stunned. "You’re Junior Master Zhou’s disciple?"
He thought to himself, "No wonder this person seed sowhat lacking in decorum earlier—it turns out we are of equal rank. That explains the matter, after all."
Then, Elder Chen turned his head to glance at Feng Ming, feeling sowhat conflicted.
Initially, he had promised Elder Xun to pass the Star Sword Ball to Feng Ming. Who’d have thought Zhang Yan would unexpectedly intervene? His skills in manipulating the sword ball were demonstrably superior. With tens of thousands of disciples watching, he couldn’t resort to an ungracious tantrum. Thus, he summoned Zhang Yan with the intention of pressuring him verbally to yield voluntarily. However, upon learning that Zhang Yan was Zhou Chongju’s disciple, he abandoned that idea altogether.
Zhou Chongju held a special position within the sect—his status was exceptionally high, and apart from the Sect Leader, he cared little about anyone else’s authority. Furthermore, Zhou Chongju was a renowned Elixir Dao Master in the East Splendor Continent, rendering Elder Chen’s usual intimidations completely ineffective against Zhang Yan. He simply had no jurisdiction over him.
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