Gao Wu: I became a saint through daily settlements

After dinner, Lin Yue did not choose to return to the room assigned to him by the Martial Hall to rest, but instead went alone to the public training room of the Martial Hall in Handong Province.

"Practicing martial arts is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind."

A banner like this hangs in the huge practice room.

Looking at these words, Lin Yue nodded to himself.

"Martial arts must not be neglected."

Lin Yue practiced a few basic body-strengthening techniques to warm up his body.

After completing the entire set of exercises, Lin Yue straightened his body, his chest heaving, and exhaled a long, turbid breath.

"call."

"Comfortable."

As Lin Yue became more and more proficient in the Xiong Jing body-tempering method, the improvements he gained from practicing it became increasingly apparent.

At first, the benefits brought by the Bear Sutra were barely enough, but now, the improvement brought by the Bear Sutra allows Lin Yue to be in his element in battles against opponents of the same level.

"The second-tier sword technique, 'Hidden Currents,' still needs refinement."

Lin Yue stood up and gripped the Mo Dao again.

The blade gleamed with a cold, eerie light under the lamplight. He closed his eyes and slowly swung the blade.

This time, he didn't pursue power, but rather felt every minute resistance as the blade sliced ​​through the air.

The essence of second-order swordsmanship lies not in the amount of power, but in how power is transmitted.

The Dark Surge technique emphasizes the restraint of power and the endless potential for future strikes. What appears to be an ordinary strike actually conceals three layers of power.

The first layer of defense breach, the second layer of penetration, and the third layer of explosive power.

Today, when he struck Han Lie with his sword, he only used the first layer of force, yet he still sent his opponent flying.

If all three forces were unleashed, Han Lie would likely suffer far more than just coughing up blood.

Take your time.

Lin Yue did not rush for quick results. He maintained a steady rhythm, each strike, each movement, each pause, each moment of enlightenment. With each swing of his sword, he strived to precisely control the flow of energy.

……

After two full hours of meticulous polishing, Lin Yue's clothes were soaked with sweat, his palms were slightly hot from the hilt of the knife, and his arm muscles were sore.

Suddenly, Lin Yue felt a thud in his head.

In an instant, a profound and enlightening realization swept over my entire body.

Lin Yue felt a strong sword intent surging through his body, urging him to swing his sword.

Feeling this way, Lin Yue swung his knife at the iron block in front of him.

"collapse!"

With a single swing of the blade, the iron block was already cracked in two or three places.

"This is the dual force of the hidden surge!" A faint smile appeared on Lin Yue's lips.

During his previous sparring session with Han Lie, Lin Yue had already vaguely sensed the feeling of suddenly comprehending the second level of strength, but he never expected to break through so quickly.

"It seems that this double force has a bit of an indirect impact effect," Lin Yue said thoughtfully, looking at the mangled piece of iron in front of him.

"Let's solidify this double strength a bit more," Lin Yue said in a low voice.

Another hour of intense training came to an end, and Lin Yue was already drenched in sweat.

Sweat dripped from his forehead down his chin, his soaked clothes clung tightly to his back, his limbs ached and felt numb, and he was completely exhausted.

"Now, I'm about 70-80% confident that I can unleash this dual force in actual combat."

Real combat and training are not the same. Due to factors such as pressure and condition, what is shown in real combat is often inferior to what is shown in training. This is why Lin Yue chose to consolidate his strength after making a breakthrough.

If you are 99% confident you can use it in training, you are probably 90% confident you can use it in actual combat.

Lin Yue sheathed his knife and swallowed a small pill to replenish his energy.

"We still have two tough battles tomorrow, it's time to rest."

He slung his longsword over his back and pushed open the door to go out.

The corridor was quiet; most of the contestants had already returned to their rooms to rest and recharge for tomorrow's elimination rounds.

Back in his room, Lin Yue calculated and obtained a wisp of sword intent. After absorbing it, his swordsmanship improved by a bit.

On the other side, in the head instructor's office.

A subordinate, dressed in the uniform of the Martial Hall and standing tall, bowed respectfully with a hint of solemnity, and reported in a low voice to the middle-aged man in the main seat:

"Reporting to the Chief Instructor, I have thoroughly investigated the database and the lineage of ancient martial arts, but I cannot find any trace of the origin of the ancient martial arts practiced by Lin Yue."

In the main seat, Chief Instructor Sun Yi sat upright, dressed in a dark martial arts uniform, his posture tall and composed.

"Ancient martial arts have been gradually declining and disappearing in the tide of time. Many obscure ancient methods and folk traditions have long lost their lineage. There is no need to blame yourself for not being able to find the source."

Sun Yi himself practices traditional martial arts, so he expressed his understanding.

"You may leave now," Sun Yi said, waving his hand gently to signal his subordinate to depart.

"Ancient martial arts, oh ancient martial arts, can they truly regain their former glory?"

Sun Yi didn't know, because his skill ceiling was only at the sixth level of swordsmanship.

Although I may not be the one to bring ancient martial arts back to glory, I must do my part to contribute to its revival.

……

Six o'clock in the morning.

Lin Yue woke up on time, washed up briefly, and then practiced a basic body-strengthening technique in his room.

After performing Xiong Jing's movements one by one, Lin Yue's body felt slightly warm and his blood and qi flowed smoothly.

"You're in good shape."

He opened the window, and the morning view of the Wudian Hall in Handong Province was fully visible.

In the distance, people were already busy at the training ground, checking the arena and energy shield devices, making final preparations for today's elimination rounds.

At 8:00 a.m., the training ground was once again packed to capacity.

There were more spectators today than yesterday, with many martial artists from Handong Province coming specifically to watch the battle and witness the prowess of the martial arts prodigies from various provinces.

On the holographic screen, the list of the top 16 and the knockout stage matchups are clearly displayed.

Upper half:

Zhao Lingyun (Handong Headquarters) VS Zhou Chuchu (Southern Anhui)

Lin Yue (Jiangcheng) VS Chen Xue (Handong Headquarters)

Wang Hao (Jiangbei) VS Lu Qing (Jiangsu Province)

Han Lie (Jiangbei) VS Zhao Zhipeng (Handong Headquarters)

Lower half:

Zhou Yuanwu (Jiangcheng) VS Li Mu (Southern Anhui)

Jing Ruoyi (Jiangcheng) VS Su Wanqing (Su Province)

Zhang Chen (Handong Headquarters) VS Liu Wei (Jiangbei)

Chen Feng (Southern Anhui) VS Lin Yuyan (Jiangsu Province)

"The upper bracket is full of strong contenders," Zhou Yuanwu said, looking at the match schedule with a gasp.

Zhao Lingyun is the top seed from the Handong headquarters, a late-stage peak Martial Artist, and is said to have already touched the threshold of the Perfect Martial Artist realm. He is the biggest favorite to win this competition.

Wang Hao qualified as the top seed in his group yesterday, demonstrating his unfathomable strength.

Although Han Lie lost to Lin Yue, he is still a highly favored player to win the championship.

"You're in the upper bracket, so you're under a lot of pressure," Zhou Yuanwu said, looking at Lin Yue.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue's gaze fell upon the match schedule.

"Brother Zhou, you're under a lot of pressure too."

After saying that, Lin Yue turned to look at the other side of the waiting area. Chen Xue was chatting and laughing with her teammates. Noticing Lin Yue's gaze, she waved to him with a bright smile.

"This girl has a really good attitude," Zhou Yuanwu remarked.

"Don't be fooled by her appearance," Jing Ruoyi said calmly.

"None of the top contenders at the Handong headquarters are pushovers."

……

At 8:30 a.m., the referee team began clearing the area, and all unrelated personnel left the ring area.

Eight arenas will be in use simultaneously, and the round of 16 will be divided into four rounds, with four matches in each round starting at the same time.

Lin Yue was assigned to the first round, ring number three.

He carried his longsword towards the waiting area, and as he passed the audience seats, he heard a chorus of voices.

"Is that Lin Yue? The one who beat Han Lie yesterday?"

"That's him, a mid-stage Martial Artist. He sent Han Lie flying with a single strike. His strength is outrageous."

"Today he's facing Chen Xue, who is a master of lightness skills from the Handong headquarters. Her movements are unpredictable, and he probably won't be able to catch up."

"No matter how strong you are, it's useless if you can't hit anyone."

Lin Yue ignored him, walked to the waiting area, placed the Mo Dao beside him, closed his eyes, and adjusted his breathing.

"Jiangcheng Branch Hall, Lin Yue! Arena Number Three!"

As the broadcast sounded, Lin Yue opened his eyes, picked up his Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword), and walked steadily toward the arena.

At the same time, Chen Xue walked over from the other side, her soft sword still sheathed at her waist, her steps as light as a cat's, landing silently.

The two stepped onto the ring at the same time and stood ten steps apart.

An energy shield slowly rose, and a pale blue light curtain isolated the arena from the outside world.

The referee stepped onto the ring and glanced at the two men.

"Both sides are in position, no equipment violations, and ready for action!"

"The match begins!"

The moment the words left her lips, Chen Xue moved.

Her movements were indeed superb. With a light touch of her toes on the ring, she moved like a falling leaf, unpredictable and elusive.

The soft sword was drawn from its sheath, its blade trembling like a serpent and emitting a faint humming sound.

Instead of launching an attack, she circled around Lin Yue, searching for an opening.

Lin Yue stood still, holding his broadsword horizontally, without moving.

Chen Xue's fighting style is a typical hit-and-run assassin, using her agility to constantly change positions, looking for gaps in the opponent's defense, and quickly creating distance after a successful strike.

To deal with this kind of opponent, rashly pursuing them will only lead to being led by the nose.

"Not moving?" A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Xue's eyes.

She has seen many power-type athletes who, when facing her, mostly choose to take the initiative and try to take her down in one fell swoop with explosive power.

But those people all met a terrible end—they couldn't catch up with her, and instead, she gradually exhausted their strength and inner energy.

Lin Yue's choice was unexpected.

"Then I'll force you to move."

Chen Xue flashed forward, her soft sword striking like a venomous snake, aiming straight for Lin Yue's nape!

The sword strike was swift and silent; even before the blade arrived, the sword energy had already made Lin Yue's neck skin tighten slightly.

Lin Yue did not turn around; he thrust the hilt of his Mo Dao backward, precisely blocking the sword's edge.

"Ding!"

The soft sword pierced the hilt of the knife, bending the blade and dissipating most of the force.

Using the force of the impact, Chen Xue bounced back and flew backward, creating distance again.

"Such a quick reaction," she murmured in praise.

She thought her sword strike was at a tricky angle and fast enough, but Lin Yue blocked it without even turning his head.

"This person's combat intuition far surpasses that of others of the same level," Chen Xue murmured in admiration.

"It's my turn," Lin Yue said with a smile.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Yue moved.

Instead of sprinting in a straight line as before, his steps suddenly became unsteady—

Walking on the waves.

Chen Xue's pupils contracted sharply.

She saw Lin Yue's figure suddenly become unpredictable. Although he was moving forward, his trajectory had a strange arc, and every step he took was in a position that she did not expect.

"This is... a movement technique?!"

Before she could think any further, Lin Yue had already closed in on her.

The broadsword swept out with great force, blocking all her escape routes to the left and in front.

No matter how fast Chen Xue's movements were, it was impossible for her to move out of the attack range of the Mo Dao in an instant.

She gritted her teeth, her soft sword coiling upwards, attempting to dissipate the power of the long-handled sword.

"Too naive."

Lin Yue's Mo Dao suddenly changed its momentum, transforming from a horizontal sweep into a downward slash, the blade crashing down like a meteorite falling from the sky!

Once the hidden double force is unleashed, even if the force is deflected, the user will still suffer most of the damage.

"collapse!"

Chen Xue's expression changed, and she slammed her toes on the ground, retreating rapidly.

But the blade's energy had already grazed her sleeve, tearing the fabric and revealing her fair arm.

Under the power of the double force, Chen Xue felt a sharp pain in her arm.

"It can't be uninstalled..." Chen Xue was a little shocked.

The audience erupted in uproar.

"Lin Yue knows movement techniques too?! Why didn't he use them yesterday?"

"He's been hiding his true strength! This kid didn't even use any movement techniques when he fought Han Lie yesterday; he just overwhelmed him with pure brute force!"

"Chen Xue is in trouble now; she's lost her advantage in agility."

On the stage, Chen Xue's expression finally turned serious.

"You've been hiding it well." She took a deep breath, holding her soft sword horizontally in front of her.

"But do you think you can beat me like this?"

Chen Xue's aura suddenly changed. The soft sword shimmered with a pale blue aura of true energy, and the tip of the sword trembled slightly, emitting a sharp buzzing sound.

Second-tier sword technique - Thirteen Swords of Flowing Clouds.

With a light tap of her toes, Chen Xue shot out like an arrow, her soft sword leaving thirteen afterimages in the air.

"Good timing."

Lin Yue advanced instead of retreating, his Mo Dao swung horizontally, unleashing the full power of his second-tier sword technique.

Where the blade passed, the air was torn apart with a sharp, explosive sound.

Swords clashed—

"Clang clang clang clang—"

The dense clanging of metal against metal exploded like popping beans, and sparks flew wildly between the two men.

Chen Xue's Thirteen Flowing Cloud Swords were indeed exquisite. The thirteen swords were connected in one breath, each one faster and more ruthless than the last.

However, Lin Yue's Dark Surge Blade Technique was equally formidable, and his Mo Dao was powerful and heavy, each strike carrying overwhelming force.

Thirteen swords against three sabers.

Lin Yue blocked the first six sword strikes with two of his own.

Lin Yue cleaved the four swords in the middle with a single slash.

With the final three sword strikes, Lin Yue's Mo Dao was already slashing towards Chen Xue.

"you--"

Before Chen Xue could finish speaking, the aura of the Mo Dao (陌刀) was already rushing towards her.

She gritted her teeth, sheathed her sword, and parried, the soft sword dancing in front of her, creating a curtain of light.

"clang--!"

It's a double strike again.

With a loud bang, Chen Xue was sent flying, sword and all, crashing heavily into the energy shield.

The shield rippled violently as Chen Xue slid off it, kneeling on one knee. Her soft sword was stuck in the arena floor, supporting her body so she didn't fall.

"I..." She raised her head, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, her eyes filled with resentment.

"I admit defeat."

After uttering those two words, she seemed to deflate completely and slumped to the ground.

"Lin Yue wins the first match of the third group elimination round!"

A mechanical announcement sounded, and Lin Yue sheathed his sword and walked towards Chen Xue.

Are you alright?

"fine."

She stood up, supporting herself with her soft sword, dusted herself off, and forced a smile.

……

In the waiting area, Zhou Yuanwu was so excited that he kept slapping his thigh.

"We won! Lin Yue has advanced to the quarterfinals!"

Jing Ruoyi rarely showed a smile.

"They fought very cleverly, first using their movement skills to force Chen Xue into close combat, and then using their strength to overwhelm her. Their tactics were executed very well."

Zhao Hengshan walked over and patted Lin Yue on the shoulder.

"Well played. Stay calm and fight again in the quarterfinals to make further breakthroughs."

……

The second round of elimination matches began at 9:30 a.m.

Zhou Yuanwu enters the arena to face Li Mu from the Southern Anhui branch.

The two were evenly matched and fought fiercely.

Zhou Yuanwu's weapon was a pair of short sticks, which followed a fierce and powerful approach, with each strike being heavy and forceful.

Li Mu used a long sword, his swordsmanship light and graceful, to fight against Zhou Yuanwu.

The two fought fiercely for a full fifteen minutes. In the end, Zhou Yuanwu, with his superior stamina, managed to knock Li Mu's sword away with a single blow at the last moment, securing a hard-fought victory.

"Zhou Yuanwu wins in arena number six!"

When Zhou Yuanwu stepped off the stage, he was almost completely exhausted, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

"I've made it to the quarterfinals too!"

Jing Ruo glanced at him and said calmly, "Don't be too happy yet, the opponents in the quarterfinals will be even stronger."

Zhou Yuanwu's smile froze, and he said awkwardly, "Can't you let me be happy for a little longer?"

……