I made the entire cultivation world cry

Chapter 400 Swordplay Duel (Bonus Chapter for 1500 July Tickets)

The site was quickly repaired and leveled by the combined magic of the Shadowless Sword Master and several Nascent Soul cultivators.

Although it was nearing dusk, and the setting sun cast a golden glow, dyeing the Sword Testing Valley red, the enthusiasm of the onlookers remained undiminished.

Only Luo Qingsi was asleep, her head resting on her arm, emitting soft snores amidst the noise.

Liu Taozhi had already slipped into the crowd, clutching the jade slip and frantically recording the disciples' excited discussions and gossip.

After witnessing Senior Sister's spectacular battle today, Liu Taozhi is almost unable to contain herself and wants to write a story based on Senior Sister, a beloved figure in the Sword Sect.

Qiu Lang took a deep breath, walked to the center of the field, and was so nervous that his palms were sweating.

Eight games in a row, without stopping in between. A normal person would have exhausted all their tricks and had all their schemes and cards exposed by now.

Unfortunately, everyone, including Qiu Lang and the Nascent Soul Sword Masters watching the battle, were completely unaware of Jiang Yi's bottom line.

Jiang Yi walked up from off-stage, and Qiu Lang couldn't help but swallow, already imagining how embarrassing his appearance would be.

However, this woman who terrified him actually put aside all her strange and unorthodox methods and returned to the purest form of a sword cultivator.

He didn't sit down as soon as he entered the arena, nor did he take out his guqin. He even put away one of his swords, leaving only the Zhaoming Sword, which resembled black jade bamboo, in his hand.

Jiang Yi cupped his hands in greeting, "Jiang Heying of Liuyun Pavilion, please enlighten me, Senior Brother Qiu."

Qiu Lang was stunned, and so were the others.

"She wants to do it herself?"

"That's normal?"

"Is this normal?"

"This is not normal!"

Qiu Lang saw the seriousness in Jiang Yi's eyes and instantly understood that she was indeed going to fight him as a sword cultivator.

"Junior Sister Jiang, I am honored by your high regard."

Qiu Lang clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice a hundred times more solemn than usual, without a trace of arrogance.

"Qiu Lang of Guiyi Sword Pavilion, please enlighten me!"

Seven small swords flew out from his sleeve with a clang, hovering around him, their sword intent flowing seamlessly.

Jiang Yi nodded slightly, her Zhaoming sword pointing diagonally at the ground.

"Senior Brother Qiu, there's no need to hold back. Please give it your all and let me see the Dao of Ten Thousand Swords Returning to One."

These words ignited Qiu Lang's passion and thoroughly aroused the expectations of the onlookers.

Everyone held their breath, even Liu Taozhi temporarily stopped recording and stared intently.

Is this final match really going to return to the most fundamental duel between sword cultivators?
"excuse me!"

Qiu Lang let out a deep shout, his hands flashing out sword gestures. The seven floating swords suddenly transformed into seven golden rays, tearing through the air and stabbing towards Jiang Yi from various tricky angles!
The sword energy was sharp and condensed, and its speed was astonishing. Each sword energy naturally carried a sharp sword intent, and its power was already incomparably strong without Qiu Lang having to deliberately control it.

This is the hallmark of a sword cultivator in the late Golden Core stage, where sword intent and sword energy are no longer separate and have been completely integrated.

Sword energy is just a wisp of energy, but sword intent carries the power of the laws of swordsmanship, making its power incomparable.

A glint flashed in Jiang Yi's eyes. He stepped forward, his movements in harmony with the celestial phenomena, and his figure, enveloped by the seven swords, transformed into countless afterimages that were difficult to catch.

At the same time, she drew mysterious trajectories with the Zhaoming Sword in her hand, using the orthodox Tiangang Subduing Demon Sword. She wanted to test what level she could reach in the way of the sword.

Greedy Wolf breaks through evil spirits!

The Zhaoming Sword was thrust out, accurately striking the flank of a flying sword.

Giant Gate Locks the Demon!

The sword's spine slammed horizontally, deflecting another menacing flying sword.

Wenqu (a mythical instrument) cleanses the heart!

The Heavenly Gang Sword Intent swept over, dissolving the trace of divine consciousness impact attached to the sword energy.

Lianzhen burns away evil!

A wisp of sharp golden fire suddenly rose from the sword, rubbing against Qiu Lang's sword energy and creating dazzling sparks.

Every move was a solid sword technique. Without the assistance of demonic spirits or any strange methods, Jiang Yi relied solely on his own swordsmanship and footwork to maneuver and defend himself flawlessly against Qiu Lang's torrential rain of Returning to One Sword Technique.

The audience gasped in amazement.

"My God, her swordsmanship is so solid!"

"Look at that footwork, it's clearly a high-level astrological stepping technique, not inferior to the Starry Sky Stepping Technique of the Starry Sky Pavilion."

"With Senior Brother Qiu's attacks, anyone else would have been riddled with holes by now!"

Qiu Lang grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed.

He thought that in a pure sword duel, his cultivation alone would be enough to suppress Jiang Yi.

However, Jiang Yi's understanding of swordsmanship and his physical reaction speed far exceed those of ordinary early-stage Golden Core cultivators, and he is already very close to the late-stage Golden Core realm.

Her sword technique, though seemingly righteous, always managed to strike at the precise points where his sword intent flowed, breaking through the extremely subtle stagnation in the coordination of the seven swords.

Moreover, Jiang Yi's sword was always held in her hand, and she never used her sword energy extensively. She moved among his seven swords like an ordinary swordsman.

Without absolute confidence, ordinary people would never dare to take such a risk.

The Nascent Soul Sword Masters, having nowhere else to hide, gathered at the sidelines. They looked at each other, but no one dared to offer any comments, fearing that Jiang Yi would embarrass them at any moment, or that they would look like clowns and be ridiculed by others.

The two had already exchanged more than a hundred blows, displaying an evenly matched fighting spirit.

The pressure and frustration of being unable to break through made Qiu Lang decide to take a risk and give it a try.

"The sword unites with the void, shattering illusion!"

With a sharp cry, Qiu Lang's seven flying swords suddenly merged into one, forming a magnificent giant sword several meters long. It carried a terrifying power that could tear through the void and slashed down at Jiang Yi from the sky.

This is the signature technique of the Guiyi Sword Pavilion, a final strike unleashed by combining the power of seven swords.

Facing this sword strike imbued with Qiu Lang's full spirit and energy, Jiang Yi neither dodged nor evaded, her eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

Return to dust!

Jiang Yi flicked his longsword, and the Zhaoming Sword instantly disintegrated into a jet-black whip. The golden leaf phantom at the tip of the whip flickered, carrying a supple yet powerful meaning that could purify evil.

"My goodness! How can the Zhaoming Sword transform into a whip? That's incredibly versatile!"

"Here it comes, here it comes, Jiang Heying's dirty trick is about to be used!"

"I knew it! Hahaha!"

Faced with the colossal sword that seemed poised to cleave the heavens and earth, Jiang Yi's wrist trembled violently.

A swan pierces the sun!

The whip flashed like a rainbow, its trajectory unpredictable, coiling upwards like a serpent against the giant sword's blade.

The evil energy contained within the whip clashed violently with the fierce sword intent, actually dissipating the sharpness of the killing intent at the core of the giant sword.

The long whip of returning dust coiled around the giant sword again and again, using its force against it, gradually diverting and disintegrating its destructive power! The Four Symbols Return to Nothingness!

Jiang Yi switched between whip and sword, seamlessly connecting with the Returning Heaven Dipper Demon Subduing Sword. She continued to step into the Dipper formation, and a powerful and profound annihilation sword intent, carrying the rotation of the four elements, suddenly erupted.

boom!
The greatsword, struck by this force that combined both strength and gentleness, finally lost its balance and crashed heavily into the ground beside Jiang Yi with a tremendous whooshing sound, creating a deep crater.

Qiu Lang's face turned pale, and he was terrified!

His strongest attack was neutralized, and it was entirely through skillful force rather than brute force, indicating that she had completely seen through and countered his move the moment it was unleashed.

How profound must one's swordsmanship be to be able to see through things in an instant?
"it is good!"

Finally, even a Nascent Soul Sword Master couldn't help but cheer.

"She combines strength and gentleness, switching between whip and sword at will! Her own swordsmanship surpasses even her strange and unpredictable methods of controlling demons!"

"Those footwork techniques, those basic swordplay breakdowns—it would be impossible without ten years of relentless, dedicated practice!"

Upon seeing this, Tianyuan Sword Lord was even more heartbroken. "Stepping the Dipper and treading the Stars... she is a prodigy who is well-versed in the Way of Stars! It is a waste of her talent to keep her in Liuyun Pavilion."

These words caused immense grief, and it wasn't just the Sword Master of Xingyi Pavilion who was heartbroken; didn't the other members of the Sword Pavilion also feel pain?

The Cloud Sword Master of Liuyun Pavilion had better return as soon as possible; they very much wanted to invite him for tea!

I didn't mean anything by it, I was just expressing my respect.

On the field, Qiu Lang's competitive spirit drove him to a point of madness, as if he had been pushed to the brink.

He bit his tongue sharply, and seven swords flew out of the pit, instantly circling Jiang Yi at high speed!
"Primordial Qi Sword Qi! Seal!"

The sword energy rapidly split, and a golden sphere composed of thirty-six interwoven sword energies instantly enveloped Jiang Yi.

The sword energy circulated like the stars in the heavens, forming an incredibly powerful confinement field, where the internal space seemed to be distorted and compressed.

This is the ultimate move of Xingyi Pavilion, and also the strongest Golden Core Realm sword formation of Lingxu Sword Sect to date, combining offense, defense, trapping and locking into one.

Trapped in the formation, Jiang Yi's expression was solemn.

The formation is already set, and forcibly breaking through will be no easy task.

Qiu Lang stood outside the formation, the seven swords hovering in the air, drawing the power of the entire formation to condense into a single, dazzling golden light above his head.

"go with!"

Qiu Lang's face was deathly pale, clearly indicating that activating this move was a great burden for him.

That point of golden light, carrying the power to tear apart the void, struck Jiang Yi at the heart of the formation!
With no way to avoid it, a fierce glint flashed in Jiang Yi's eyes. Instead of retreating, he took a step forward, gathering all his strength and drawing most of the Heavenly Gang Sword Qi from the Sword Nourishing Gourd.

Heavenly Gang United!

High in the heavens, the stars of the celestial constellations suddenly shone brightly.

Starlight, like a cascading Milky Way, forcefully penetrated the Zhaoming Sword. The golden patterns on the sword's spine burst forth with boundless brilliance, instantly draining the spiritual energy of the entire Sword Testing Valley. All the cultivators' swords trembled violently in response to the power of the stars, their buzzing sounds echoing through the sky.

"Holy crap, is this the 'Ten Thousand Swords Return to One' technique?"

"My sword!"

Everyone held onto their swords tightly, afraid they would fly away.

A vast starry river faintly appeared around Jiang Yi, and as she slashed with her sword, the dazzling starry river surged upwards against the destructive golden light.

boom!
The starlight and golden light collided with a deafening roar!
In an instant, heaven and earth fell silent.

The blinding light engulfed everything, and the terrifying shockwave swept across the newly repaired ground. The protective array, reinforced by the combined efforts of the Nascent Soul cultivators, emitted a blinding arc of light.

The bright light engulfed the two figures.

Time seemed to freeze for a full three breaths, until the clanging sound of the sword energy that made even the soul tremble slowly dissipated.

Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the center of the energy storm.

On the ground, now shattered into pieces, Qiu Lang lay sprawled at the edge of the plaza, his clothes torn and covered in blood, only managing to survive thanks to the protective array.

In front of him, another figure stood tall and straight like bamboo.

The dark, jade-like luster around Jiang Yi slowly receded like the tide, revealing a slightly pale face.

Her blue robes were torn open in several places by the violent sword energy, and drops of blood seeped out, but her breathing remained steady and calm.

The Zhaoming Sword in her hand hung low, its tip still gleaming with starlight, indicating it still possessed considerable power.

"My God, that's incredible!"

Jiang Yi won!

He won fair and square, head-on, against Qiu Lang, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator from Guiyi Sword Pavilion.

"Senior Brother Qiu, you flatter me!"

Jiang Yi's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

Qiu Lang forced himself to sit up, looking at the figure sheathing his sword in the twilight. His face was no longer filled with resentment or arrogance, only complete and utter admiration.

He propped himself up with his sword, solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute to Jiang Yi, and spoke each word slowly and deliberately.

"Junior Sister Jiang... your swordsmanship is divine, Qiu Lang... is truly convinced! I have benefited greatly from today's battle!"

This respect has nothing to do with any particular school of thought; it stems solely from the genuine power earned through the sword in one's hand.

The next moment, the entire Sword Testing Valley erupted in earth-shattering cheers and applause!

"Jiang Heying! Jiang Heying! Jiang Heying!"

"Strong! Too strong!"

"I give up, I'm really convinced now. Anyone who disagrees, I'll beat them up!"

All eyes were focused on that slightly tired yet radiant figure, filled with pure admiration and respect.

Even those Nascent Soul Sword Masters looked at Jiang Yi with completely different eyes at this moment.

She is no longer that outcast who relies on demonic and ghostly methods, but a true sword cultivator!

Liu Taozhi stood in the crowd, silently watching her dazzling senior sister, smiling foolishly, feeling proud of herself.

Luo Qingsi was awakened by the loud cheers and looked around with bleary eyes.

"Huh? You're done playing? Is dinner ready?"

As dusk settled, the sky was ablaze with the colors of the sunset.

Jiang Yi looked up at the sky and let out a soft sigh.

Finally... I can go back to sleep.

As soon as Jiang Yi turned around, several Nascent Soul Sword Lords suddenly appeared in front of him. They all had lewd smiles, were rubbing their hands like flies, and looked like they had ulterior motives.

Jiang Yi: ………

　A 3500-word chapter, brimming with extra chapters as a token of my sincerity (I'm so proud!).

　　See you tomorrow~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)