The two remained silent, facing each other for quite a while, until someone nearby couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke up, addressing Li Yunxian.
“He’s Professor Duan Sen’s student.”
The emphasis was clearly on the character “Duan.”
Only then did Li Yunxian come to a realization, her eyes widening with curiosity as she looked at Yu Juanshu.
This man was Duan Sen’s student, yet he didn’t seem to harbor any hostility towards her.
Otherwise, Li Yunxian would have noticed the extra person beside her earlier, instead of only realizing it after the duel ended.
“Are you here to avenge Duan Rong?” Li Yunxian asked.
Yu Juanshu recalled Duan Rong’s tears and pleas.
That was his teacher’s only child; Yu Juanshu could not simply turn a blind eye.
“Yes,”
Yu Juanshu replied, “I heard you want the Xuanwen Token? I’m ranked 91 in the Practice Arena.”
“You can prepare whatever you need. When you’re ready, come challenge me anytime.” After saying this, Yu Juanshu nodded respectfully at Li Yunxian and turned to step onto the arena.
On the stage, he accepted a challenge.
***
Someone among the applicants below immediately grinned upon receiving the notice, leaping up from the crowd and sneering at Yu Juanshu:
“Yu Gou, you’re already ready to fight a Qi Refinement Third Layer, yet you still want fairness?”
This challenger also wielded a sword.
It was clear Yu Juanshu was deliberately showing off his skill in front of Li Yunxian,
to prepare her mentally.
Li Yunxian raised an eyebrow slightly, watching Yu Juanshu on the stage.
Yu Juanshu’s expression remained calm, as if he hadn’t heard the taunt, he cupped his fist toward his opponent and said, “Please guide me.”
The challenger chuckled, drawing his Spirit Sword, the sword’s force heavy and oppressive like a mountain, thrusting fiercely toward Yu Juanshu’s face.
Yu Juanshu shifted his stance swiftly, body turning like the wind, his wrist agilely flipping the long whip in his hand as if it had a life of its own, twisting and entangling, instantly neutralizing the overwhelming momentum of the opponent’s Spirit Sword.
With a flick of the whip, the Spirit Sword immediately fell, crashing onto the ground, while the whip followed up, striking toward the sword-wielder’s neck.
The whip’s momentum was like a blade!
The sword wielder instantly fell into a disadvantage.
But this person had reached the top hundred through countless battles; such a slight disadvantage wasn’t enough to end the fight just yet.
Lowering his body, the sword wielder changed his footwork, performing hand seals.
The whip’s killing strike was dodged, and the fallen Spirit Sword suddenly shot back up, flying along the whip’s arc, attacking Yu Juanshu again.
Yu Juanshu’s gaze didn’t waver; his wrist trembled slightly.
The whip twisted like a serpent, enormous force rolling like a wave.
The Spirit Sword was ruthlessly flung aside once more.
Watching this, Li Yunxian already sensed how the fight would end.
Though the Spirit Sword still pressed the attack, constantly probing for Yu Juanshu’s weak spots,
Yu Juanshu’s whip technique was clearly on a different level from Duan Rong’s.
Duan Rong’s whip style relied on grand gestures; the louder the momentum, the bigger the gaps.
With Li Yunxian’s keen eyes, she could easily find those gaps, pierce through the attack with a sword, and cut off Duan Rong’s right hand at close range.
But Yu Juanshu didn’t seek grandeur; he was all about spirit and transformation.
He had perfected the art of finesse.
Without unnecessary movements, within the range of his whip, he could treat a line as a surface, both attacking and defending; he was completely in control.
Though the opponent’s Spirit Sword technique was already mature and methodical, it still wasn’t enough against Yu Juanshu.
“Yu Juanshu’s whip is extremely effective against Spirit Swords,” someone beside Li Yunxian whispered.
Li Yunxian turned to look.
It was another Great Completion of Qi Refinement practitioner.
The other smiled at Li Yunxian: “I’m Xu Zhu, ranked 99.”
“One inch longer is one inch stronger. Yu Juanshu’s whip is very long. The entire sword is within its attack range.”
“When sword users break through with their blade, the whip can bypass the Spirit Sword and strike directly at the wielder.”
“If they try to kill by flying the sword, their force usually isn’t enough to break the whip’s defense.”
“In recent months, the few challengers who have beaten Yu Juanshu were all wielders of long weapons like spears or halberds.” Xu Zhu’s tone carried a trace of consolation.
Li Yunxian nodded in agreement.
No need for consolation.
“You make good points, but beating him isn’t that difficult,” Li Yunxian said, watching the sword user on stage tiring.
Xu Zhu made a puzzled sound.
Explaining it to Xu Zhu would be complicated, so Li Yunxian chose the simplest way: “I dare to grab his whip. Does he dare to grab my sword?”
No matter how good the reasoning, no matter how strong, a long whip is not a killing weapon.
From Li Yunxian’s perspective, this was the whip’s greatest weakness.
Xu Zhu’s face showed astonishment, looking at Li Yunxian with disbelief.
Yes, the whip wasn’t a killing weapon.
But Yu Juanshu’s whip wasn’t something anyone could casually grab.
At best, you’d be badly torn; at worst, bones in your hand would shatter.
Xu Zhu believed Li Yunxian knew this, but… Li Yunxian spoke with complete confidence.
Xu Zhu had heard about and watched the recordings of Duan Rong’s death match. It was brutal, no doubt.
But being brutal to an enemy was nothing special.
Li Yunxian being merciless even to herself—that was truly terrifying.
Xu Zhu watched as Li Yunxian fell silent.
Just from that one sentence, Xu Zhu felt that Li Yunxian might not lose if she faced Yu Juanshu.
After all, the fact that Yu Juanshu chose the long whip as his weapon showed he wasn’t the type to be overly ruthless.
But Li Yunxian unquestionably was.
Spirit, will, and determination—these qualities often seem invisible on the surface but make all the difference when it really comes to life-or-death fights.
Meanwhile, the duel on the stage ended during their conversation.
Just as Li Yunxian predicted, Yu Juanshu won.
Yu Juanshu’s face remained cold as he cupped his fists toward the exhausted sword wielder, then lowered his gaze to Li Yunxian.
His look clearly said, “Did you see my attack patterns clearly?”
Li Yunxian smiled.
To her, Yu Juanshu’s entire display revealed that he wasn’t a bad person.
***
Li Yunxian leapt onto the arena, looking at Yu Juanshu. “Thank you for the demonstration, senior. Now… it’s my turn.”
With that, Li Yunxian drew the Spirit Sword gifted by Duan Qiu.
The long sword hummed softly in her hand.
Sword Intent condensed.
Everyone felt a chilling wind swirling around, and all raised their heads to watch Li Yunxian.
She made no extra movements, swinging the sword down.
The sword tip seemed to tear through the air instantly.
The arena, forged from hard stone as a magical artifact, let out a sharp groan.
Dust and debris rose, and the crowd felt countless tiny stones pelting them.
They blinked in a daze, staring at the arena, nearly split in two, speechless.
It was impossible to imagine what would happen if that sword struck a person.
Li Yunxian smiled slightly, looking at Yu Juanshu’s stunned face. “I’ve finished my demonstration. Now, senior, you can think about how to deal with me.”
She couldn’t care less whether someone was good or bad; she hated pretentious people the most!
She had spent half a month brewing this Sword Intent, only to use it all at once—a bit of a waste.
But after expending the Sword Intent, she could fully focus on the Xiayun Sword.
Li Yunxian sheathed the sword, imitated Yu Juanshu by nodding in respect, then turned away with a casual flair, without looking back.
Yu Juanshu stood stunned, staring at the huge gap in the arena before him.
Even from that gap, the faintly surging sharp Sword Intent could still be felt.