Mountains and rivers are waiting for you to return

Chapter 28: Exploring the Clouds and Moon

There were only eleven groups with a total of twenty-two people left in the third round of the Heroes Conference. There was no need to proceed simultaneously, so even the fences on the fighting stage were removed, leaving a large open area for the contestants to show their skills.

The competitions continued one after another, and the news of Master Qianxuan's battle against Xing Xiaoren spread like wildfire.

The audience was talking about this competition enthusiastically. Most of them had no time to pay attention to other matches. They all placed their expectations on the eighth match, the match between Master Qianxuan and Xing Xiaoren.

Pei Nai was also lucky, as her competition with Zhao Xia Shi was in the seventh round.

Shen Zhentao of the Shanyin Sect changed his body shape instantly, avoiding the opponent's sharp blade in a flash. He curled up his five fingers into the shape of a flying bird's claws and took advantage of the situation to grab the opponent's hand holding the knife.

He used a few fingers to exert force, and the opponent's hand bones made a crisp "crackling" sound.

With a scream, the opponent's eyes rolled up, revealing the whites of his eyes, while his limbs trembled violently.

Shen Zhentao withdrew his Fu Yin Claw.

The opponent's long sword fell to the ground, and the hand holding the sword was exposed to people's sight. In an instant, it was covered with black, flowing back along the veins, quickly spreading upwards.

Shen Zhentao made another move, pressing the acupoints on the opponent's shoulder with two fingers, but the black blood that was spreading on the opponent's skin suddenly stopped.

He turned around and bowed to everyone around him, but unfortunately everyone's attention was on Master Qianxuan and Xing Xiaoren in the audience, and they were no longer surprised by the cruelty of Fuyin Claw.

There was only some careless and perfunctory applause all around.

After he stepped down, it was Penay's turn to take the stage.

On the VIP seats on the third floor, the children of the aristocratic families were sitting together chatting and laughing, when suddenly someone shouted, "Look, that Tang Mingzhi is on stage again."

Jin Ling'er patted Jiang Qingyue excitedly.

Jiang Qingyue smiled and spoke loudly to the son of the Minister of War at the next table: "Li Yanle, how long do you think Tang Mingzhi can hold out in this game?"

The man also replied with great interest: "It will take at most a cup of tea."

"A cup of tea? I think it's only half a cup of tea."

At noon, she consulted several martial artists. They said that Tang Mingzhi had a frail body and it was impossible for her to have practiced martial arts since childhood. It was probably Wei Kang's mistake in the last round that allowed her to advance to the third round.

Jiang Qingyue sneered as she finished her words and looked down, waiting to see the show.

Knight Zhao practiced orthodox swordsmanship. Pei Nai took a look before going on stage and also took down an ordinary black iron long sword from the weapon rack.

Many viewers took a deep breath and asked bluntly, "Isn't this Tang Mingzhi a stick fighter?"

"Why did she change her hand to a sword?" Everyone on and off the stage was puzzled.

Zhao Xiashi was also full of suspicion, frowning and glaring with an exaggerated expression, "Miss Tang, are you kidding me?"

Pei Nai smiled and gave him a firm look in return, "Give it a try."

She stepped onto the stage first and walked to the center of the fighting arena. Zhao Xia Shi hesitated for a moment, but was also pushed up by everyone.

Pei Nai understood that he probably felt that fighting with a weak woman was already unkind, and the other party was holding an unfamiliar weapon. If he continued, it would be like taking advantage of the woman's misfortune, which was really unjust.

That didn't matter, Pei Nai thought. In less than an incense stick of time, he would be off the stage, reflecting on how unrealistic his words were in advising her to do things within her ability.

The two bowed to each other.

Pei Nai turned the long sword in her hand. She had practiced swordsmanship for a period of time when she was a child. She was taught by General Lin Hua of the Pei family army in order to better familiarize herself with the striking and attacking rhythm of various weapons.

Although her swordsmanship was difficult to defeat a master, it was enough to defeat an ordinary person. Pei Nai leaped forward, like a flying swallow and a swimming dragon, with lotus flowers blooming under her feet. When she got close, she raised her sword and chopped it in the air, hitting the opponent's three-foot green sword.

Knight Zhao pushed back with his hand, putting pressure on the sword.

Pei Nai retracted the sword in time, circled half a circle, and stabbed through the air.

The opponent was startled, raised his arm and turned, the two swords collided, and Pei Nai's black iron sword was blocked.

The two men advanced to defend each other, fighting back and forth, their swords colliding, the clear sound pleasing to the ears.

Knight Zhao was humble at first, but as the moves unfolded, he became more and more astonished. Miss Tang's swordsmanship was full of vigor and energy, not inferior to that of an ordinary swordsman with more than ten years of attainment.

Pei Nai attacked based on her subconscious reaction, and she was trying to avoid following General Lin Hua's swordsmanship routine.

After all, many masters have gathered here. Although General Lin Hua retired ten years ago, there are still people here who can recognize his swordsmanship.

Knight Zhao's three-foot green sword stabbed and slashed, forcing Pei Nai to retreat half a step to the left.

She raised her sword to block, but the moment she made her move, the opponent turned around and changed the sword's momentum, swung it horizontally through the air, and slashed at her from the right, with a flash of sword light appearing.

It’s actually a fraud!

Pei Nai was shocked and subconsciously used half of General Lin Hua's "Exploring the Clouds and Moon" move.

He retreated and chopped down with the long sword vertically. The moment it hit the opponent's sword, it disrupted the opponent's sword path, causing it to pause for a moment and completely lose the initiative.

In the blink of an eye, Pei Nai raised his sword and chopped back, and with a deflection of his foot, he completely avoided the three-foot green sword that caught him off guard. In a moment, the black iron sword stopped in front of Zhao Xia's chest.

"You lose." Pei Nai's tone was not at all hurried.

Pei Nai did not use the full "Exploring the Clouds and Moon" style of General Lin Hua. She tried her best to change the path of the sword, but it still looked somewhat similar.

No one noticed that in a VIP seat on the third floor, someone was looking at Pei Nai's back, and his fists were clenched in the corner.

Knight Zhao's eyes were full of admiration. He sheathed his sword and retreated, returning it to its sheath in one go. He bowed and said, "I admire you! It was Zhao who was short-sighted and looked down on the girl. I am willing to take back what I said before!"

Pei Nai also bowed in return, "Master Zhao is also very skilled, and has saved Mingzhi from difficult situations many times."

Applause came from the observation towers on all sides. Jiang Qingyue heard the applause and cheers, which was undoubtedly tantamount to humiliation and ridicule. She had questioned Tang Mingzhi's strength many times and said that he could not last more than half a cup of tea.

Now that Tang Mingzhi has replaced his stick with a sword, he is showing off in front of everyone, but it seems like a slap in the face in front of the aristocratic children of the same generation.

Jiang Qingyue's ears turned red, and she felt that everyone around her was looking at her with ill intentions.

"This Tang Mingzhi is indeed very powerful and has some talent in martial arts." A young master from the Marquis' Mansion in Kyoto gave an objective evaluation.

Someone responded: "Yes, it's not bad."

This incident greatly hurt Jiang Qingyue's face. She had never felt so embarrassed before. She always felt that someone was looking at her with mockery behind her back, which made her tense and feel like she was sitting on pins and needles.

Jiang Qingyue said nothing more and just gritted her teeth.

On another observation building, Yi Xi was talking to Ju Lian Cheng with joy. She kept praising Pei Nai, but halfway through her words, the entire fighting arena suddenly became quiet.

Yixi turned her head in confusion and looked down. She was so happy about Pei Nai's advancement that she even forgot for a moment the highlight that was about to take place.

Master Qianxuan and Xing Xiaoren!

Everyone in the fighting arena knew that this would be a battle of Tianyao’s dignity!
(End of this chapter)