Li Mo earnestly recalled the teachings of his ice-cold ntor while carefully observing the practical demonstration Xie Xuan was showing him, completely tuning out the surrounding commotion.
He focused intently on connecting with the sword resonance within the Celestial Divine Sword.
Perhaps the world he perceived was different from Ying Bing and the others—he could only sense faint, indistinct fluctuations of sword energy.
Every sword technique he had practiced, now mastered to a proficient level, responded to him in this mont.
Not enough...
Just a bit more...
And so, Li Mo continued, simultaneously attuning to the sword resonance while searching for an opening to strike.
Across from him, Xie Xuan, already frustrated by the prolonged stalemate, grew increasingly agitated as the purple-robed eunuch droned on:
"Enough! This is ridiculous!"
A crack appeared in Xie Xuan’s focus.
"Perfect timing!"
Li Mo’s eyes snapped open.
Hum—
The aloof Celestial Divine Sword finally responded to him with a faint resonance.
A brilliant sword shadow erupted from his spiritual intent—direct, unrestrained, and brimming with the sa straightforward, heroic spirit as the swordsmanship he had learned.
"Damn it!"
Xie Xuan stiffened, caught off guard by the precision and suddenness of Li Mo’s counterattack.
The uncomplicated yet decisive slash tore through the intricate web of ntal sword energy Xie Xuan had woven.
By the ti he reacted, hastily raising his ancestral wooden sword to parry, his mind was already struck as if by a hamr—vision darkening, balance faltering.
Staggering back, Xie Xuan dropped to one knee, bracing himself with his sword.
That strike had landed squarely on his spiritual essence.
Unlike Li Mo, whose ntal fortitude was monstrous, Xie Xuan felt a suffocating pressure in his chest.
"So it’s true—you’ve comprehended the third layer of the Celestial Divine Sword’s resonance. I never fully believed it before."
Shaking his head, Xie Xuan clasped his hands in concession. "I yield."
Li Mo chuckled. "You just lost the initiative in a ntal clash. If you’d pressed on, the outco might’ve been different. Why concede so quickly?"
"You didn’t even use your hamr," Xie Xuan replied bluntly. "Beating with a sword strike counts as your win."
A hush fell over the arena.
"That kid just unleashed a ntal sword strike—and Xie Xuan couldn’t block it? He actually won?!"
Du Wufeng’s eyes bulged as he leaned back slightly.
Defeating Xie Xuan wasn’t the sa as defeating just anyone.
On the Hidden Dragon Ranking, Xie Xuan was still the undisputed top swordsman of their generation. If Li Mo could beat him, would this kid grow even more obsessed with the sword path?
"This is what happens when you hand Eunuch Chen that ridiculous book to recite," Xie Yiding grumbled. Had Xie Xuan not been distracted by the storytelling, he wouldn’t have left an opening.
"I’ve been a fool!" Du Wufeng slapped his thigh in regret.
"Ah, his recklessness is his own doing. No one else is to bla." Xie Yiding sighed silently, watching his adopted son.
"Wait, he won just like that?"
"What the hell happened? I didn’t even see them fight!"
Most of the imperial citizens and martial artists in the crowd were baffled. They’d barely caught any action—just a random storytelling session—before Xie Xuan suddenly staggered back and surrendered.
"Xie Xuan lost a ntal exchange, so he conceded."
"If Li Mo defeated him, does that an the Hidden Dragon Ranking’s second spot is changing hands?"
"Sothing’s off. This can’t be a fixed match, right?"
"I rember now—I saw them together at Fengyue Pavilion a few days ago!"
"By the way, what was that story the judge was reciting earlier? I kinda liked it... Where can I buy a copy?"
Clearly, the sales of The Tyrannical Empress Falls for were about to skyrocket...
---
Under the golden imperial canopy, Zhong Zhenyue rose to his feet, applauding as he watched Li Mo and Xie Xuan step down from the stage.
"Grasping sword intent mid-battle—impressive!"
Amid the stunned silence of the nobles, Zhong Zhenyue glanced to his side.
Jiang Yu, however, showed no surprise. Instead, he seed relaxed.
"Elder Brother, how is Li Mo’s swordsmanship also this formidable?" Princess Yuyang asked, her expression conflicted.
"Passable, I suppose." Jiang Yu took a sip of tea, having confird one thing.
In a battle of spiritual wills, he could perceive things even more clearly.
Jiang Chulong’s sword arts couldn’t have been taught by Li Mo—his skill was at best as displayed, with no hidden depths.
Which ant, for this Hidden Dragon Tournant, there was still only one person he needed to focus on.
Ying Bing!
Amid the murmurs of his peers on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, the young swordsman Li Mo descended from the stage.
"Xie Xuan lost a ntal clash and conceded?"
"Wasn’t his swordsmanship taught by the Frost Fairy?"
"Obviously!"
"Damn... The Frost Fairy’s martial prowess is terrifying. Even soone she taught can best Xie Xuan in swordsmanship."
"The ‘Wife-Blessing Battle Soul’ nickna—I never got it before, but now I’m starting to see it."
"The Frost Fairy’s beauty outshines even the Flower Ranking’s top contender, and her martial talent is peerless. What does she see in Li Mo? His wife-blessing aura?"
Damn it all.
Li Mo sighed inwardly. He hadn’t even used his hamr—but since he hadn’t drawn his sword earlier, who could argue?
"Li Mo, you’ve learned well."
Ying Bing wore her usual sacred, ice-cold ntor expression:
"But Xie Xuan didn’t go all out. To secure a spot in the top three, you must remain diligent."
"What about planting strawberries?"
Li Mo hadn’t just been studying the sword lately.
He wasn’t stupid—he’d realized Ying Bing seed to be teaching him sothing beyond re swordsmanship... Googlᴇ search novel-fire
"That... you’ve already mastered sufficiently."
Her hand ruffling his hair sped up slightly.
---
As dusk settled, the day’s Hidden Dragon Tournant concluded after multiple rounds, dividing the competitors into a winners’ bracket (25) and a losers’ bracket (25), with fifty eliminated outright.
Broadly speaking, those advancing to the winners’ bracket were the Hidden Dragon Ranking’s top fifty, with few upsets.
The Yantian Sect’s rankings had proven remarkably accurate.
The dark horses who’d defeated higher-ranked opponents were all familiar faces...
Huang Donglai had refined poison into his martial intent. Opponents, even those stronger, couldn’t catch him.
Thus, the typical scene on his stage was:
He flees! They chase! He flees effortlessly! They chase until foaming at the mouth!
Three wins straight!
But he wasn’t the strangest contender.
Murong Xiao had sohow learned the Buddhist Lion’s Roar. Though not yet refined enough to harm with sound waves, his sheer volu sufficed.
So on his stage:
A bald monk sat cross-legged, hurling insults like blooming lotuses. His opponents rapidly flushed crimson, launched desperate attacks—and ended up striking themselves.
The Shaolin monks below the stage wished they could vanish, too ashad to claim him as one of their disciples.
Two wins, one draw!
Xiao Qin was the most conventional, engaging in thrilling, evenly matched duels.
One win, one loss, one draw.
Of course, Li Mo paid closest attention to the Hidden Dragon prodigies wielding divine weapons.
If he fought them with a sword, every battle would be grueling...
"Jiang Yu’s taking the stage," Ying Bing murmured.
Li Mo focused.
BOOM—
The mont the Golden Dragon Sword’s imperial-suppressing aura unfurled, an overwhelming pressure surged like a tidal wave.
It felt as if the entire imperial capital trembled in faint resonance.
Even among the onlookers, those at the Fourth Realm of Inner Scenery felt the overwhelming pressure bearing down like a torrential rain, leaving them breathless.
"He hasn't even used the Eight Desolates and Six Harmonies Seal yet, and he's already this powerful?"
Though his cultivation realm hadn't advanced, he was several tis stronger than before!
Li Mo furrowed his brows.
Could it be... because they were in the Imperial Capital?
........
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