Mirror Heart Codex of the Heavenly Dao: Chaotic Wind!
Lin Dongming slashed out three sharp sword winds, tearing openings in the storm stirred up by Wind Whirl, then shot toward one of the gaps at lightning speed.
Opportunities to duel with Yu Jianyi were rare, so Lin Dongming naturally felt a bit interested.
But he disliked trouble, and disliked pointless things with no gain even more.
A duel with Yu Jianyi was exactly that sort of thing.
Lin Dongming was fast, but Yu Jianyi was even faster!
The latter’s figure lunged toward Lin Dongming like a phantom, a cold sword light flashing past.
Heavenly Sword Seven Absolutes: New Moon!
New Moon was merely an opening move among the Heavenly Sword Seven Absolutes—not particularly powerful, but versatile, with countless variations, easily adaptable and able to connect seamlessly with following sword moves.
But in Yu Jianyi’s hands, the speed and power of this technique multiplied countless times, becoming almost a finishing strike.
Everyone who had been struck by Yu Jianyi’s sword knew—there was no false weight in his swordsmanship.
You could call him ill-tempered, arrogant, or even say his lack of restraint would bring disaster, but you couldn’t call him a fraud.
Lin Dongming frowned slightly, swinging his blade to deflect Yu Jianyi’s long sword.
Mirror Heart Codex of the Heavenly Dao: Lion Strikes Rabbit!
The name of this move came from the saying, ‘Even when a lion hunts a rabbit, it uses its full strength.’
It was a move meant to be powerful, but in this situation, it felt more like a rabbit fighting a lion.
Lin Dongming’s wrist tingled slightly from the impact, but it wasn’t over yet.
Yu Jianyi used the Yufeng Art to step on air, instantly charging toward him.
The silver sword light blazed brilliantly.
Heavenly Sword Seven Absolutes: Burning Moon!
Lin Dongming narrowed his eyes, raising his long sword high under the clear moonlight, the sword’s radiance bursting forth.
‘…Using the brightness and spiritual energy of the moon?’
Mo Qingxue’s mouth opened a bit in surprise, involuntarily admiring Lin Dongming’s cleverness.
From Yu Jianyi and Mo Qingxue’s angle, Lin Dongming was positioned above, the bright moon at his back, so the long sword in his hand appeared dazzling, far surpassing Yu Jianyi’s.
With Lin Dongming continuously channeling spiritual energy into the sword, its brilliance reached a blinding intensity.
If this were the opening move, it wouldn’t be too difficult.
But to be able to find the ideal striking position in such a fierce battle with Yu Jianyi—this was anything but simple.
If the opponent were an ordinary person, they might already have been blinded by the glare.
But Yu Jianyi was not.
The sword light in his hand showed no hesitation or delay, charging straight toward Lin Dongming.
—This move is even more powerful under the sun.
Lin Dongming knew this was an unavoidable attack from Yu Jianyi, so he had already prepared his counter.
Mirror Heart Codex of the Heavenly Dao: Severing the Void!
Lin Dongming’s sword shattered the air, carving a shining arc from above.
Yu Jianyi rose with even greater force, slashing upward with a blade of cold light.
A moment later, Lin Dongming landed softly, as if nothing had happened.
Under the gentle moonlight, fragments of their clothing fluttered to the ground.
Mo Qingxue froze, then spoke slowly.
“…Is this a draw?”
“…No, I suppose I lost.”
A crack appeared on Lin Dongming’s ordinary Xuan-rank Sword, quickly spreading across the blade until the once sharp sword crumbled into a heap of Broken Copper and Iron.
“You didn’t lose—your sword was just too weak.”
Yu Jianyi turned in midair, the hem of his long robe drifting in the wind.
“And besides, you’re the first person to dare not use your full strength against me.”
Mo Qingxue stared blankly.
“Huh??”
Didn’t use his full strength?
Lin Dongming knew such a thing could never be hidden from Yu Jianyi.
He shrugged candidly.
“Senior Brother Yuan didn’t go all out either, did you?”
Yu Jianyi’s gaze locked onto Lin Dongming.
“You mean to say, because I didn’t use my full strength, you saw no need to either?”
“That’s not it.”
Lin Dongming casually tossed the now empty sword hilt, startling a Ma Lou in the forest.
“I just think going all out is too troublesome. At this point, Senior Brother Yuan should already understand the outcome of a full-force battle. Right?”
Mo Qingxue looked confused.
“…What does that mean?”
Lin Dongming spread his hands.
“Even if I went all out, I’d still lose. Senior Brother Yuan, there’s no point in obsessing over it. You probably noticed I was struggling too.”
“Only by using the moon’s spiritual energy and brightness could I barely block that sword. Without such an advantage, I’d definitely lose.”
His words weren’t wrong, and Yu Jianyi also felt that the strength Lin Dongming had concealed wasn’t at his own level.
But Lin Dongming was almost too relaxed about it.
Anyone who could hone their cultivation and swordsmanship to this degree would have some pride in their heart.
If it were Han Xiangjun or White Zhiqing achieving this result, they might stubbornly claim they didn’t use their full strength, and if they did, who knows who would win.
That would be the normal response of a genius.
But Lin Dongming… simply didn’t care.
Though losing to Yu Jianyi wasn’t shameful, he truly didn’t seem bothered at all.
Yu Jianyi was thoroughly puzzled—so much so he suspected Lin Dongming might be hiding even more.
“Terrain is also a kind of strength.”
Yu Jianyi said.
‘Do you really not wish to surpass me?’
“I don’t.”
Lin Dongming shook his head.
“I have no attachment to winning or losing this duel.”
“If anything, Senior Brother Yuan’s ability to learn part of the Mirror Heart Codex of the Heavenly Dao is a strength in itself, no? That kind of power is far more dependable than mine.”
Lin Dongming knew the brilliance of that previous sword had indeed affected Yu Jianyi, for the latter had shut his eyes decisively to avoid distraction.
To be able to sense the opponent’s moves clearly while blind was a rare feat, and among all the arts in the Heavenly Extreme Sword Sect, only a few allowed for it.
Unfortunately, the Mirror Heart Codex of the Heavenly Dao was one of them.
But everyone knew that the Zhao Yue Sword Immortal refused to take Yu Jianyi as a disciple, so theoretically, he couldn’t learn the Mirror Heart Codex of the Heavenly Dao.
There was only one possibility—Yu Jianyi had grasped some of its mysteries through battles with disciples of Heavenly Mirror Peak.
Such extraordinary talent—no wonder the Elders protected him despite their dislike.
“Alright, thanks for holding back, Senior Brother Yuan. I’m heading back to my Dongfu to rest. Still have work tomorrow.”
Lin Dongming waved.
“See you later.”
To Lin Dongming, it was better to serve rich women for Spirit Stones than waste time tangling with Yu Jianyi.
“Hey? Wait for me, Junior Brother Lin!”
Mo Qingxue hurried after him, wanting to ask Lin Dongming many more questions.
Yu Jianyi reluctantly sheathed his sword, watching the two disappear into the moonlight.