Chapter 274: As Fast as Sound

The guard on the fourth floor was a strange-looking old man. With greyish-white hair. He had longer hands than normal people. He looked like an ape with hands that dropped down to the knees. In addition, his hands had distinctive joints, resembling sculptures.

Meng Qi sensed that he was a Nine Acupores master who used genuine Qi as his outside Protective Upstanding Qi. However, it was easy to perceive the power of his Protective Upstanding Qi, and there were flaws in his genuine Qi circulation. Besides that, he concentrated all of his strength in his hands, so Meng Qi was keenly aware of his strengths and weaknesses. He was less powerful than Xiao Yue, and he seemed to have spent years opening the Nine Acupores.

“Defeat me to go upstairs.” The old man announced. He did not change his attitude toward Meng Qi, who had already passed four floors.

Meng Qi stretched out the sheathed Heaven Inflicted Pain knife. “Please make your movement.”

The old man struck with his palms from quite an eccentric angle with several joints on his palms moving freely. In spite of his tough-looking fist style, part of his genuine Qi was gathering into his shoulders and back, so that he could change his movements at random.

Meng Qi knew all of them by heart. He wielded his long saber, and cut at the old man’s chest at a slant with thunder-like speed as a way of defending himself.

This strike was wisely angled with a perfect timing. The knife momentum was also very fierce with deep energy, seemingly containing both Yin and Yang. Under these circumstances, regardless of how the old man distributed his genuine Qi, he could not dodge it.

He struck his fists directly onto the long saber. His palms, enveloped with genuine Qi, were unstoppable. They could even have cracked open a rock.

With a muffled sound, the old man’s fists hit the knife directly and unloaded its energy. However, he could not absorb it, as if it was disappearing into thin air.

Transforming soft to hard and Yin to Yang, the long saber increased its inner force abruptly. Combining with the power of the man’s palms, it flew at him with an unstoppable force.

Attacked by the Immortal Pressing Art, Trio Combination of Yin and Yang as well as the weighty Heaven Inflicted Pain, his Protective Upstanding Qi was smashed. He stepped back against the wall, as if he was pushed by giant hands, leaving holes on the floor with every step he took.

Meng Qi stopped attacking him and held the long saber upside down. He nodded in respect. “You have my gratitude.”

He walked over to the staircase to the fifth floor.

“He still only used one movement!”

The crowd burst into cheer. Although the guests inside did not witness the combat, the outsiders with good eyesight could see the fight clearly, thanks to the distinctive design of Hero Tower.

“He’s used just one movement to win each of the four battles in a row, even if his competitor has opened Nine Acupores. He’s insanely powerful…”

This was too incomprehensible to them. Defeating others with one move was only done in fairytales. They had never expected to witness it in reality.

“He’s used fierce attacks as his defense all this time and triumphed by his valor. He is really the ‘Killing Blade’.”

Meng Qi could not help twitching his lips because of the familiar praises. He had always received such comments when he used his sword.

Naturally, they would compare him with “Five Emperors’ Knife” Qing Yu. He was another listed master, who had recently challenged Hero Tower.

“How many moves did ‘Five Emperors’ Knife’ use?”

“Three …”

“Is it possible that ‘Killing Blade’ is stronger than him?”

“Maybe. Taoist Qing Yu always utilizes his upright knife art to conquer his enemies, showing his elegance as Five Emperors. However, Su Meng is adept at head-on attacks, famous for his fierce strength and extremely strong bladesmanship. Based on these two different styles, it’s normal if Su Meng is defeated.” Someone made a so-called fair judgment.

“How is that a fair judgment?” Meng Qi was so furious that he wanted to hit the ground with his head. “We both use a sword, but why is he dignified and elegant, while I’m audacious and unscrupulous?”

Between thoughts, Meng Qi turned the corner and saw the guard on the fifth floor.

Still in his early 30s, the guard looked very young. He hid his breathing, as well as his strength, like a long sword in its scabbard standing there coldly. However, if he launched an attack, he would definitely kill the target.

Facing the momentum oppression, Meng Qi subconsciously stood upright. At first sight, “Aurora Electric Sword” Xiao Zhenhai dominated a momentum and spirit competition. Meng Qi could not help but admire him as one befitting the title of a once listed master.

Meng Qi affixed half of his spirit to the sword’s body, and released the other part. With the help of the Supernatural Power of Shaking Heaven and Hitting Earth, his spirit seemed to be harmonizing with its surroundings. His spirit perfectly integrated with the stair’s radian, the number of step’s as well as the autumn wind, making Xiao Zhenhai the only outsider.

The spectators stopped discussing it instantly. Although they had known that Meng Qi had vanquished four guards with just one movement, they could not differentiate between the four moves. In their point of view, “Killing Blade” Su Meng was very powerful, and even powerful enough to defeat a Nine Acupores Master in one strike. But, they could not tell in which way he was strong or how much strength he had, so they just made their compliments generously.

But now, Meng Qi made them feel his strength themselves. His astonishing momentum was mystic and delicate. His actions were full of meaning, as if it could integrate with heaven and earth.

“He’s a verifiable master.” The idea occurred to everyone.

Meng Qi utilized his Will-projecting and Supernatural Power of Shaking Heaven and Hitting Earth forcibly to mimic such a momentum. Although he was highly talented, and had great body potential, he had to awaken his Nine Acupores. He then needed to consummate his Interior, adjusting his Inner World to resonate with the Outer World before he could really achieve the Heaven-man Connection and the Oneness of Heaven and Men.

Before Meng Qi opened the Nine Acupores, his power was limited by this realm. Thus, he could only try his best to make the imitation look more vivid and stronger.

Seeing the mighty Meng QiXiao, Zhenhai’s countenance finally altered. He felt that as long as he thrust out his sword, the surroundings would become his foe, and he himself would naturally be rejected by heaven and earth. Hence, he slightly controlled his sword of heart, and taking back his sharp momentum.

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With each step, Meng Qi came closer and closer to Xiao Zhenhai. In the eyes of Xiao Zhenhai, “Killing Blade” Su Meng grew larger and larger approaching him. He also drew quite the attention.

“No, I can’t wait anymore.” .” Xiao Zhenhai was truly a strong master. He was highly aware that he would be crushed by the sheer momentum of “Killing Blade” if he still hesitated to wield his sword.

This was no joke. In a battle between masters, their momentums affected each other. By the time “Killing Blade” accumulated his momentum into a peak state, the strength of Xiao Zhenhai’s Sword of Heart would be confined to half. As a result, he would end up being defeated just like the previous four guards.

As a former master in the Ranking List of Young Masters, Xiao Zhenhai was arrogant. Giving off a distinctive noise, he used his Inner World to strengthen his Sword of Heart. Then, the Sword Qi skyrocketed high above, and the desire to fight aroused in his heart rapidly.

Right at that moment, he took out his sword with much difficulty.

Like the clap of thunder, his sword was so quick that the spectators only saw a flash, but they could not find out where it was. Even Meng Qi could barely catch the sword shadow with his Eye Acupores which had been reinforced by his Eight Nine Mysteries.

The sword had passed while its sound had just arrived. This was everyone’s feeling in a blink of the eye.

“Aurora Electric Sword” was his sobriquet to describe how quick his sword was. He had devoted his entire life to practicing his quick sword. He had not learned many artistic moves, nor had he obtained any of the Exterior supreme arts. Having solely depended on his speed, he gained a foothold in the Martial Artists Community and entered the Ranking List of Young Masters.

In one of his battles, he and his rival had attacked at the same time. Just as his rival held up the Long Sword, his sword had already reached the rival’s throat. He wielded his sword as swiftly as Aurora Electricity.

“That was so fast!” The spectators outside of Hero Tower did not have time to voice their praises, and could only sigh in their hearts.

It was not a pure fantasy that a sword could be faster than the sound. When Xiao Zhenhai could connect the Exterior with the Interior, he would become an Exterior master. By then, he could surely achieve that.

In the blink of an eye, the knife energy brightened, like a slivery Thunder Light. The spectators could not see the knife clearly, but they all knew that it could split seas and rivers.

“How swiftly the knife moves!” The same thought came to everyone. “Killing Blade” had learned a variety of Essences of Knife Dao, so his sword was as fast as others.

Clang!

The knife hit the sword, making a clear sound like the ringing of a clock in a temple.

It was the first time that Meng Qi had drawn his knife since he entered Hero Tower. Though difficult, he blocked Xiao Zhenhai’s attack.

Due to an incorrect judgment, he had almost been hurt by Xiao Zhenhai. He had been so nervous that his sleeveless shirt became sweaty.

Meng Qi had used his spirit and genuine Qi to investigate Xiao Zhenhai, utilizing the theory of Nine Strategies Beyond the Swords to draw a conclusion. Xiao Zhenhai was not powerful enough to hide the changes in his genuine Qi and muscle. Furthermore, he could not rely on Divine Skills or supreme arts to make strange, swift, or beguiling transformations in his genuine Qi and muscle either. Thus, he knew exactly how Xiao Zhenhai would attack him.

However, to his surprise, Xiao Zhenhai’s sword art was so swift that he could not react in time. Although he had learned the Essences of Knife Dao, he still needed more practice. As a result, compared with Xiao Zhenhai’s speed, his knife moved a little slower. Plus, Xiao Zhenhai’s attack was earlier than his, so he struggled to block it.

It remained obvious that each renowned master had their merits.

Xiao Zhenhai used the rebounding force of his Long Sword, and he was ready to launch another attack with one move quicker than the next, leaving no time for Meng Qi to breathe. But, as soon as he was about to twist his wrist, he saw the strange-shaped long saber cut toward himself. If he thrust out his sword as he had planned, his wrist would be cut.

Even if Xiao Zhenhai had his Upstanding Qi to protect himself, he did not dare to use his own body to test Meng Qi’s knife. With the genuine Qi changing its route, he shook his wrist and tried to stab downward.

However, Meng Qi had already seen it coming. His long saber suddenly cut downward, and still targeted at Xiao Zhenhai’s wrist.

Xiao Zhenhai’s expression changed a bit and he changed his moves, again. However, he could not produce a sequence of moves, because Meng Qi had been predicting them, then shifted his attacks to forcing Xiao Zhenhai to alter his moves, too.

Meng Qi’s mind was as clear as a bright mirror, reflecting Xiao Zhenhai’s actions in his own genuine Qi and muscles. Based on the invariable laws and standards of Nine Strategies Beyond the Swords, Meng Qi used his knife to block the sword, and attacked Xiao Zhenhai, making him unable to pull his sword out.

“Isn’t your sword as fast as the speed of sound? I admit I can’t match you, but I will trap you!”

The Jianghu men outside of Hero Tower were so astonished that they could say nothing. Never before in history had “Aurora Electric Sword” been trapped in a dilemma where he could not wield his sword.

“‘Ledgerkeeper of Lives’ has possibly forced him into such a predicament!”

“Can ‘Killing Blade’ Su Meng also do that? Unbelievable!”

After seven moves in a row, Xiao Zhenhai could not change it up anymore. He tilted his body to avoid the knife, and witnessed Su Meng stepping toward the staircase.

He still had a killer move to exert, but given that Su Meng also had his own killer move, he ended up restraining himself. His Ananda Oath-breaking Bladesmanship was the high-water mark of Knife Dao. Unless he was making sneak-attacks, he had no chance of vanquishing him.

Pulling his Long Sword back, Xiao Zhenhai became dispirited. He was famous for his swift sword, but now he was unable to pull his sword out. He felt utterly depressed, gloomy and sorrowful.

As Meng Qi was about to enter the fifth floor, he looked back at Xiao Zhenhai. While shaking his head, he said, “What a pity.”

If Xiao Zhenhai had had a Divine Skill to reinforce his sword art, Meng Qi would have not easily found out his rules of attack. Pitifully, he was a Jianghu Rogue Cultivator who was inexperienced in adventures. Otherwise, he would have opened his life-and-death Hidden Latch earlier. Perhaps, this was the reason why the Tower Lord had invited him as one of the guards.

“Xiao Zhenhai is pitiful indeed.” Someone upstairs responded.

The response came from a young Taoist with high eyebrows and thin lips. He seemed to be mild, but he was indeed arrogant. In front of him was a medium-length knife. Its scabbard was dark purple, and it was decorated with bright stones.

Meng Qi looked up above as if he was in the ninth heaven. His genuine Qi flowed like mist and fog, creating many difficulties for Meng Qi to perceive it.