Seeing Ning Qi remain silent.
The little chubby Zhuang Chen switched into chatterbox mode.
"Ning Qi, really, you should back down."
"Ning Qi, that wasn’t all my strength just now."
"Ning Qi, why are you ignoring me?"
"Ning Qi, are you not too bright, sigh, if you won’t step down, then I’ll go easy on you."
When Zhuang Chen finally couldn’t help but say this, everyone’s expressions turned peculiar.
The Senior Brother of the Divine Sword Sect and the Divine Sword Old Man twitched at the corners of their mouths.
Taoist Longshan smiled faintly.
This little chubby is quite amusing.
Ning Qi glanced speechlessly at Zhuang Chen and finally spoke:
"If you keep talking, your master will beat you up."
Zhuang Chen looked back and saw the gradually darkening face of the Divine Sword Old Man, and couldn’t help but sniff hard.
He reached back and drew the Profound Black Wooden Sword, and his whole demeanor began to change.
A sharp aura began to rise and entwine, making Ning Qi slightly surprised, and only by facing him directly did he realize some people could change so drastically.
If the previous Zhuang Chen was just a silly, food-loving chubby kid, now he seemed to have the early makings of an unparalleled swordsman.
"Ning Qi, are you unarmed?"
Zhuang Chen’s voice was different from the previous seriousness; in this state, he seemed to see Ning Qi’s complexity.
Ning Qi slightly raised his eyebrows.
"I also use a sword."
He hadn’t specialized in the Sword Dao, but he had read numerous sword manuals. With his aptitude, he could spontaneously grasp more than what others toil for endlessly. Moreover, understanding one principle allows understanding of all; Myriad Phenomena Fist is also Myriad Phenomena Sword. The little chubby might be a peerless genius in swordsmanship, but before Ning Qi, he was still a bit immature.
Zhuang Chen’s eyes lit up with battle intent.
"Then why don’t you draw your sword?"
As soon as he finished speaking.
From the True Martial Sect’s side, Ye Qinghe’s voice rang out:
"Junior Brother, catch the sword."
A wooden sword matching Ning Qi’s height flew over; without turning back, Ning Qi effortlessly caught it, the sword seemingly falling right into his hand as if alive.
To ordinary eyes, it seemed nothing special, but the Divine Sword Old Man narrowed his eyes instantly.
Somewhat puzzled and uncertain.
Seemingly sensing Ning Qi’s complexity, Zhuang Chen couldn’t help but smile. Sword training was his greatest hobby, and he was delighted to spar with various Sword Dao experts. However, there was no one of his age to fight within the Divine Sword Sect, not even those a few years older.
"Ning Qi, be careful!"
His stout body moved with unmatched agility, having evidently refined his tendons to the Tendon-Refining First Realm, granting extraordinary resilience and agility, allowing him to perform incredible feats.
Zhuang Chen thrust his sword; with a flick of his wrist, a dozen sword flowers blossomed, drawing gasps of astonishment from the audience.
Zhuang Chen looked solemn, different from his earlier silliness, exuding sharp intent.
The sword flowers appeared light and fluttering, yet bore a sense of gravity, like a great cauldron, like a massive boulder.
"Lifting Light as Heavy!"
Qin Yun spoke clearly, his gaze focused.
Earlier, Zhuang Chen had already demonstrated the advanced state of Lifting Heavy as Light, able to maneuver elegantly; now he casually unleashed a dozen strikes of Lifting Light as Heavy. Such a state of Sword Dao was unimaginable coming from an eight-year-old child.
"Is this the Innate Sword Bone?"
Qin Yun pondered silently.
Initially, he was skeptical of the Divine Sword Old Man’s claims, but now he was silent.
Ning Qi held the wooden sword casually.
Presently, his physical body was flawless, capable of exerting tremendous force; if he were to exert himself fully, he could easily crush the little chubby. Even Taoist Longshan was unaware of his overwhelming foundation.
Not to mention Ning Qi’s Sword Dao realm far surpassed Zhuang Chen; they weren’t on the same level at all.
But there was no need to be so ostentatious.
Partly due to some interest in the Dragon Owl Sword, belonging to a Gang Essence Realm expert, and partly to uphold his sect’s reputation; a disciple stepping up when the master is preoccupied—this face Ning Qi needed to earn back. As for whether Taoist Longshan wanted it or not, it was his business.
"Just using a body strength similar to the little chubby’s, perhaps?"
For Ning Qi, it was no difficult task.
The sword light approached.
Ning Qi remained still.
This puzzled the Divine Sword Sect’s crowd.
But Zhuang Chen felt an unprecedented pressure. Ning Qi had yet to draw his blade; clearly, he was just standing there relaxedly, but it felt like he was facing countless invisible swords; sweat already dotted his forehead.
He had never encountered such an opponent.
Finally unable to withstand the pressure.
He went all out, the dozen sword flowers vanished, and the wooden sword thrusted straightforwardly, yet the piercing sound it made resonated clearly.
Taoist Longshan couldn’t help but exclaim:
"Is this... the Unity of Man and Sword?"
Though Zhuang Chen only had a rudimentary grasp of this realm, it was remarkable.
The Divine Sword Old Man didn’t feel proud this time because he witnessed something even more astonishing in Ning Qi. A look of shock slowly arose in his eyes.
Ning Qi finally moved.
Calmly watching Zhuang Chen, he casually lifted his sword and slashed as if a gentle breeze caressed a willow.
The speed and power weren’t striking, potentially even inferior to Zhuang Chen, yet it had an all-encompassing beauty and artistic conception.
In Zhuang Chen’s eyes.
The sword in Ning Qi’s hand seemed like a wisp of wind, a cloud, light and ethereal, yet omnipresent and inescapable.
Zhuang Chen widened his eyes, nearly stupefied.
When he came to his senses.
He discovered that his sword had unknowingly fallen to the ground, whereas Ning Qi’s sword pointed at his chubby belly.
Ning Qi grinned as he tapped the little chubby’s belly with the sword:
"This is how you use a sword."
Looking at the dumbfounded little chubby, he felt a guilty pleasure of bullying a child.
The Martial Arts Arena fell into silence.
Everyone around was dumbstruck by the sight, the Divine Sword Sect members incredulous, unable to believe Zhuang Chen was instantly defeated.
Within the True Martial Sect, those disciples who had never seen Ning Qi in action were incredibly excited.
"Ninth Master Uncle (Ninth Senior Brother) is actually so formidable!"
Ye Qinghe secretly stuck out her tongue.
"Jiu is truly monstrous, I can’t even comprehend his Sword Dao realm."
She initially thought Ning Qi would defeat the little chubby with overwhelming strength, but she didn’t expect the suppression through Sword Dao.
In an instant, Ning Qi had become the center of everyone’s focus.
Qin Yun watched the scene, his gaze complicated.
Filled with joy, yet tinged with bitterness.
A storm of emotions surged in the Divine Sword Old Man’s heart.
He finally understood why Taoist Longshan was only amazed but not envious before.
Having such a disciple, who would envy others’ disciples?!!
He suppressed his envy and jealousy, speaking with a tone filled with bitterness:
"So young yet comprehending Sword Intent, forging your own Sword Dao path, the makings of a Sword Saint... Longshan, what kind of luck did you stumble into..."
Taoist Longshan laughed heartily, feigning ease.
"You flatter me, Brother Divine Sword, you flatter me."
Secretly, his guard went up further, hearing the envy and covetousness in the Divine Sword Old Man’s voice was none too subtle.
Before addressing the audience.
Ning Qi was as calm as ever; a glance at his silly disciple made the sour feeling rise in his heart once more.
Zhuang Chen snapped back to reality, his eyes filled with fiery excitement, and he suddenly knelt down.
"I realize I don’t know how to wield a sword properly. Please accept me as your disciple!"
The Divine Sword Old Man’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot.
This rebellious disciple!