Huang Rong from The Return of the Condor Heroes: Brother Jing, let's get a divorce.

The wind howled in the arena, but it could not conceal the thunderous force beneath the seemingly clumsy sword moves.

Huo Du grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed.

The folding fan in his hand was made of fine gold from the Western Regions mixed with black iron. Its ribs were as sharp as knives. If it encountered an ordinary weapon, it could be easily broken into several pieces with a gentle twist.

But at this moment, this invincible folding fan seemed to have encountered an impenetrable wall when it came into contact with the unsharpened black sword in Yang Guo's hand.

"when!"

Another collision.

Huo Du felt a numbness in his hand, and half of his arm was almost numb. He originally wanted to use a clever trick to deflect Yang Guo's force, but the other party's sword was like a mountain pressing down on him, crushing everything no matter how clever or subtle his technique was.

"This move is called 'Parting Flowers and Swaying Willows'."

Yang Guo spoke slowly and deliberately as he swung his sword.

His sword swept out horizontally, without any fancy changes; the blade sliced ​​through the air in a plain and unremarkable manner, carrying a suffocating wind pressure.

The original Quanzhen sword technique, "Parting Flowers and Swaying Willows," emphasizes the lightness and agility of the sword movements, like a spring breeze swaying willows, with graceful postures.

But in Yang Guo's hands, this move became "sweeping away thousands of troops".

That dark, gleaming gentleman's sword, like a thick bolt, whistled through the air, threatening to uproot all the flowers and willows before it.

"It doesn't look like it at all! Not at all!"

Among the crowd, a young Quanzhen disciple couldn't help but mutter, "This isn't 'Parting Flowers and Swaying Willows,' it's more like... a country farmer wielding a hoe! How could such an ugly sword technique possibly be the ultimate skill of our Quanzhen Sect?"

The disciple had barely finished speaking when he received a slap on the head.

"Shut up!"

The one who took action was none other than Qiu Chuji, who was usually the most protective of his own.

At this moment, Master Changchun didn't even glance at his disciple. His eyes were fixed on Yang Guo's sword moves in the arena, his eyes slightly red, and his expression was as excited as a beginner student.

"Master, I..." The disciple covered his head, looking aggrieved.

"Look! Open your eyes wide and look!"

Qiu Chuji's voice trembled as he pointed at the arena and shouted, "You fools! All you know is how to learn fancy moves, chasing after flashy techniques and elegant movements all day long! You've forgotten the essence of Quanzhen martial arts!"

"That's the essence! It's the profound meaning of a heavy sword with no edge!"

Ma Yu nodded repeatedly, his cloudy old eyes filled with guilt: "Indeed, Master once demonstrated it, just like this... this kind of effortless mastery. Seemingly clumsy, it actually seals off all variations. No matter how the enemy changes their moves, one only needs to overcome all techniques with brute force!"

The Seven Masters of Quanzhen were as if they were possessed at this moment.

As they watched Yang Guo's every move, they compared it with the teachings of Wang Chongyang from back then.

The mistakes I'd made over the decades, the obstacles I hadn't been able to overcome, suddenly became clear at this moment.

"So 'wandering the world' wasn't about escaping, but about building up strength..." Wang Chuyi muttered to himself, watching Yang Guo shift his feet and his sword swirl around him, then suddenly realized, "We've been practicing wrong, we've all been practicing wrong!"

This is hardly a martial arts competition.

This is clearly a live lesson!

Yang Guo seemed to have done this intentionally.

He had several opportunities to defeat Huo Du directly, but he deliberately held back and switched to a new Quanzhen sword technique.

"Young Prince, how about this 'Colored Eyebrows' technique?"

Yang Guo pointed his sword tip and thrust it straight at Huo Du's brow.

This move should have been a light touch, as delicate as drawing eyebrows in a boudoir.

But when Yang Guo thrust his sword out, a piercing shriek echoed through the air, as if it had shattered space itself. Before the sword tip even arrived, the force of the wind had already made Huo Du's face sting.

Huo Du had no interest in appreciating swordsmanship.

He was like a small boat in a storm, in danger of capsizing at any moment.

He was both shocked and furious.

What was astonishing was that this kid's internal strength was unfathomable, and every sword strike made his blood and qi surge; what angered him was that this kid was actually using him as a target to teach these old Taoist priests a lesson!

What a shame!

"That little beast!" Huo Du gritted his teeth, took three steps back, and slammed his folding fan open and closed, looking for an opportunity to retaliate.

"What? You don't like this move?"

Yang Guo pursed his lips, giving her a "you're so hard to please" look. "How about another 'Flowering Blossoms'?"

Before he finished speaking, the Gentleman's Sword drew a huge sword flower in the air.

There was no lightness to speak of.

That sword flower was incredibly heavy, like a giant millstone, rumbling as it crushed towards Huo Du.

"Stop! Stop!"

Zhao Zhijing watched from behind, his heart pounding with fear.

Although he couldn't understand the intricacies of the situation, he could tell that Prince Huo Du was currently at a significant disadvantage.

If Huo loses, wouldn't he, the "collaborator" who just surrendered, also be doomed?

Zhao Zhijing's eyes darted around, and he suddenly shouted, "Yang Guo! What kind of sorcery is this? Our Quanzhen Swordplay is a legitimate school of Xuanmen, emphasizing tranquility and non-action! Your murderous aura is clearly demonic! I think you've been corrupted by that female demon in the Ancient Tomb!"

His shout reminded Huo Du.

Huo Du's heart skipped a beat.

If you can't beat them physically, then try to win them over psychologically.

"Hmph, Master Zhao is right." Huo Du sneered while awkwardly parrying, "You keep claiming to be a disciple of Quanzhen, but your swordsmanship is full of killing intent. Where is the slightest bit of Taoist compassion? I think you've clearly stolen some unorthodox skills and come here to deceive the world and steal a reputation!"

Yang Guo almost burst out laughing when he heard this.

These two, one a true villain and the other a hypocrite, actually worked together quite well, singing in unison.

"A murderous and violent aura?"

Yang Guo's swordplay continued unabated, and he even increased the force of his strikes.

"That's for people."

Yang Guo looked at Huo Du with icy eyes, "To deal with a bunch of beasts like you who broke into my home, killed my fellow disciples, and insulted my teachers, if I were to talk about mercy, that would be a sign that I've lost my mind."

"Besides..."

Yang Guo suddenly grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. "Do you think your dog will understand reasoning with you? The best way is to break his legs and knock out his teeth, so he'll know who the master is."

"You!" Huo Du was speechless with anger.

He was a Mongolian prince, used to flattery, and had never been insulted like this before.

"Since you're courting death, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Huo Du's eyes.

Instead of retreating, he took a deep breath and channeled all his inner strength into the folding fan.

The steel folding fan emitted a buzzing sound, and its edges faintly revealed a bluish-black color.

This is his signature move – the "Whirlwind and Thunder Fan".

If you can't win by skill, then fight with all your might!

"Go to hell!"

Huo Du shouted loudly, his body suddenly rising high, and the folding fan in his hand, like a large axe, chopped down on his head.

This strike, imbued with the full power of his life, was as swift as thunder.

The Seven Masters of Quanzhen's expressions changed drastically.

"Guo'er, be careful!"

"Do not try to take it head-on!"

They could tell that this was a desperate, last-ditch effort by Huo Du.

Yang Guo, however, stood still, completely motionless.

He looked at Huo Du, who was swooping down from the air, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips.

Desperately?

You think you're worthy?

Yang Guo slowly raised the Gentleman's Sword in his hand.

His movements were so slow that everyone could clearly see his every move.

However, the internal energy of the Nine Yin Manual within his body surged out like a river bursting its banks in that instant, all of it converging on the sword.

The final move of the Chongyang Sword Technique is "Ten Thousand Swords Return to One".

However, Yang Guo changed its name.

"Smash it for me!"

Yang Guo let out a low roar, and his Gentleman's Sword, without any fancy moves, clashed straight into the descending folding fan.

"boom--!"

A loud bang, like a thunderclap in a clear sky.

A visible shockwave emanated from the two individuals, spreading outwards and stirring up clouds of dust.

Immediately following was a series of teeth-grinding metallic cracking sounds.

"Snap! Snap! Snap!"

Under the horrified gazes of everyone.

The fine steel folding fan in Huo Du's hand, which was said to be able to cut through iron like mud, was like a piece of fragile tofu, crumbling inch by inch under the impact of the Gentleman's Sword.

The fragments scattered and flew like hidden weapons, striking the surrounding bluestone slabs and sending up bursts of sparks.

Huo Du felt an overwhelming force surge into his body through his arm, and his internal organs were displaced in that instant.

"puff!"

He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his whole body flew backward like a kite with a broken string.

But he didn't fly very far.

Because a sword was already pointed at his brow.

The dark, unsharpened gentleman's sword had somehow pierced through the billowing dust and come to rest steadily on Huo Du's forehead.

It's less than half an inch from the skin.

Even though the sword's edge didn't touch his body, the tangible sword energy still caused a drop of blood to seep from Huo Du's brow.

The entire room fell silent.

The wind stopped.

Only the sound of Yang Guo's flowing robes could be heard.

He held the sword in one hand, his posture as upright as a pine tree, with a cynical smile on his face, as if the earth-shattering blow just now was nothing more than him casually swatting a fly.

"That's it?"

Yang Guo looked at Huo Du, who was slumped on the ground with a look of terror on his face, shook his head, and looked disappointed.

"I thought the Mongolian prince was quite capable. Turns out this broken fan isn't even as sturdy as the fire tongs I use to start a fire in my kitchen."

Huo Du's whole body stiffened.

Although the sword was not sharpened, he could feel that if the other party's wrist twitched slightly, that terrifying internal force could instantly shatter his skull.

Lost.

We lost completely.

Not only did they lose in martial arts, they also lost face.

In front of hundreds of people, he was beaten like a dog by a young boy, completely powerless to fight back.

"Excellent! Excellent skill!"

Huo Du took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fear and humiliation in his heart.

He is a smart man.

A wise man doesn't suffer a loss he can avoid.

Since we can't win, let's admit defeat for now and save our lives first. As for revenge... there's always next time.

Huo Du slowly raised his hands, making a gesture of surrender.

"Your skill is unparalleled, and your swordsmanship is divine. I admire you greatly."

Huo Du forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, and said sincerely, "Today's battle has shown me the profound depth of Central Plains martial arts. The Quanzhen Sect truly lives up to its reputation for having a talent like you."

"Xiao Wang admits defeat."

As he spoke, he leaned forward slightly, as if he were about to kneel down and confess his sins.

Upon seeing this, the Seven Masters of Quanzhen all breathed a sigh of relief.

Although Huo Du is a despicable person, he is still a Mongol prince. If he were killed, it would likely bring annihilation to the Quanzhen Sect. Now that he is willing to admit defeat and submit, it is the best possible outcome.

"Guo'er, since he has already admitted defeat, then..." Qiu Chuji was about to speak up to persuade him.

however.

The moment Huo Du lowered his head, a sinister glint suddenly flashed in his eyes, which had been filled with fear.

That was the look in a venomous snake's eyes before it launched a fatal attack.

His right hand, hidden in his sleeve, suddenly pressed a mechanism on the broken fan handle.

This fan is not only a weapon, but also a concealed weapon!

Hidden within the fan handle are three bone-piercing nails laced with deadly poison, known as the "Soul-Chasing Deadly Nails."

Once the mechanism is pressed, the poison nails will be launched with the help of a powerful spring. At such close range, not only humans, but even immortals cannot dodge them!

"Go to hell!"

Huo Du roared inwardly, a ferocious look of pleasure spreading across his face.

In his eyes, all the rules of martial arts and the code of honor were utter bullshit!

As long as I can win, as long as I can survive, as long as I can kill this kid who made me lose face, I'll use any means necessary!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Three beams of cold, blue light, carrying the aura of death, hurtled straight toward Yang Guo's face.

fast!

too fast!

At such close range, there is simply no time to react.

Before the Seven Masters of Quanzhen could even utter a cry of alarm, the three poisoned nails were already in front of Yang Guo.

Zhao Zhijing, who was watching from a distance, was overjoyed: Good! Kill him! Shoot this little beast to death!

however.

The expected scene of blood splattering did not occur.

Yang Guo seemed to have known all along that Huo Du would have this trick up his sleeve.

The moment Huo Du lowered his head, Yang Guo was already sneering inwardly.

"Pretend? Keep pretending."

"I don't know how many times you used this trick when I was watching TV dramas in my past life. Do you really think I don't read spoilers?"

"This 'feigned surrender and sneak attack' tactic can only fool those naive and inexperienced people."

Just as those three poisoned nails were fired.

Yang Guo's left sleeve, which had been hanging down, suddenly bulged up as if it had been inflated.

The Nine Yin Manual – “Flowing Clouds and Flying Sleeves”!

With a flick of his left arm, the wide sleeve of his Taoist robe drew a circle in the air, creating a gentle yet resilient swirling force.

The three unstoppable poison nails, once they entered this swirling force, seemed to sink into a quagmire, their speed decreasing drastically.

Immediately afterwards, Yang Guo flicked his wrist.

"Go back to where you came from!"

An even stronger force than when they came in carried the three poisoned nails back at an even faster speed!

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

Three muffled thuds.

Before the ferocious smile on Huo Du's face had faded, he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

That was the sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh.

Three deep blue bone-piercing nails were driven precisely and neatly around his chest acupoint, Tanzhong.

"ah--!!!"

A heart-wrenching scream echoed throughout the Chongyang Palace Square.

Huo Du clutched his chest, rolling backward in agony. The poison was extremely potent; instantly, a dark purple tinge appeared around the wound, rapidly spreading outwards.

"You...you bastard, I'm going to kill you! I'm going to kill you..."

Huo Du screamed in agony as he hurriedly took out the antidote and swallowed it.

He never expected that his sure-kill blow would actually land on him.