Cang Min spoke: “Please enlighten me.”

  The bladeless epee had no sheath – there was no use for one.

  He raised his arms and performed a series of gestures. Spiritual power surged wildly around the arena and flowed towards his body, like a whale sucking in the sea.

  With Lin Shu’s eyesight, he could tell that the material of this sword was special, minimally weighing a hundred pounds. The spiritual power it could channel was even more daunting, perfect for overpowering opponents.

  But since it was said that Cang Min had no talent for martial arts, this must not be an ordinary form of martial arts.

  Studying him from afar, Lin Shu could see that the sword was deep inside the whirlwind of spiritual power. It was difficult to describe. It was the first time Lin Shu saw anything like this. He was deeply in awe.

  Fully concentrating on the duel, he analyzed tactics in his heart. If he was the one standing opposite Cang Min, how would he respond?

  First of all, it would be necessary to break the sword move, or block it. He could also force him back, in order to avoid being stabbed.

  Secondly, he must cut the flow of spiritual power entering the sword, so that it could not exert its full power. It would be difficult to connect subsequent sword moves, effectively disrupting the smooth actions.

  Doing both of these could be regarded as having defended against this tactic, temporarily gaining the upper hand.

  But to achieve these two things, one must have a very high level of intuition or experience and be able to control spiritual power more skillfully than the other party.

  The former made use of martial arts, the latter depended on cultivation, and cultivation depends on the level. Therefore, the immortal road and martial arts could really be counted as inseparable.

  Lin Shu turned his attention back to the arena. On Cang Min’s side, he swung his sword sharply at Xiao Shao, directly targeting his left shoulder. Due to his smooth momentum, it was successful. Coupled with the crushing spiritual pressure, it was almost possible to avoid it even if one tried.

  Xiao Shao stood, unmoving.

  Cang Min wielded an epee, while he used a snow jade flute. It was a disadvantage from the start. Now, it was even harder to sense any spiritual power coming from him.

  At this moment, comparing the two, Cang Min was like the ocean before a storm, and Xiao Shao was a lone boat drifting at sea.

  The sword started glowing .

  The situation in the arena abruptly changed.

  Once more directed at his shoulders, the amount of force packed into the swing could split a person in half. Instead of avoiding or blocking, Xiao Shao moved forward, as if welcoming the blow.

  The audience collectively sucked in a cold breath.

  However, Xiao Shao was not sending himself to his death.

  Fast as a ghost and light as feather, in a blink of an eye he twisted to the left, narrowly brushing against the tip of the sword. At the next moment, he lashed out with his snow jade flute, striking the sword in Cang Min’s hand.

  At the sound of the strike, metal against stone, spiritual force rippled from the point of contact, and violently splashed out. Lin Shu felt a tingling sensation all over his body, and silently pinched his fingers together to create a barrier, preventing himself from being affected by the burst of power.

  Cang Min was the first to bear the brunt of this power that could be felt a 100 metres away.

  All of his spiritual power that was overflowing mere seconds ago vanished instantly.

  \r \r \r

  The jade flute was dragged up along the length of the sword, leaving a trail of spiritual power in its wake. Every person with eyes could clearly see that the sturdy sword was easily lifted up by the thin jade flute.

  Cang Min pressed his lips together tightly, and took advantage of the situation to withdraw his sword. But why would Xiao Shao give him the chance to regain control over his sword?

  That jade flute was extremely fluid. With a swift flick of his wrist, the flute turned in his hand. In a flash, it was pressed on Cang Min’s sword. Xiao Shao leaped up in the air, using qi to keep himself hovering, much like a falling leaf.

  Cang Min formed a barrier with spiritual power. Titing his sword, he slid it out from under the jade flute. A long sword against a short flute, it was an easy enough maneuver.

  However, Xiao Shao did not pay any mind. Instead, he did something that caused everyone to become thunderstruck.

  He withdrew his jade flute that was entangled with Cang Min’s sword, and threw it high up towards the sky!

  At the next moment, the flute which was still in mid air flew towards the sword.

  Cang Min’s sword was originally swathed with impenetrable spiritual power.

  But even Lin Shu only just realized that that flow of spiritual power, from the very beginning, in the split second when the jade flute collided with the sword and spiritual power was blocked, was subsequently thrown into chaos by the shock of Xiao Shao’s spiritual power.

  Xiao Shao had a pair of beautiful hands.

  They were the hands of someone who played the piano, chess, or wrote calligraphy.

  In any case, it was not a pair of hands belonging to one who practices martial arts.

  Yet, it was just this slightly pale right hand that was attached to a mighty body.

  The spiritual power in the air suddenly froze, and the flow on the sword was instantly disrupted.

  The next second, a crack appeared on the epee.

  Following that, it disintegrated.

  Cang Min coughed out a mouthful of blood, and was pushed back a dozen steps by this shocking force.

  At this time, the jade flute thrown by Xiao Shao landed back into his hands.

  Cang Min said: “Thank you fellow Daoist, for your teachings.”

  Xiao Shao nodded coldly, turned around and stepped out of the ring area. The crowd spontaneously parted to make way for him. After a while, his form gradually faded, until it finally disappeared.

  This was not an evenly-matched battle – it was a one-sided “enlightenment” session.

  The two were not at the same level.

  In fact, even after this brief duel, Lin Shu could not tell Xiao Shao’s martial art style or tactics, only knowing that this man’s control over spiritual power had reached a certain terrifying degree.

  He did not have to perform gestures to prepare for the move, because he had completely gathered his spiritual power the moment he struck out.

  To the untrained eye, one might not even be able to tell that Xiao Shao had used his spiritual power.

  Lin Shu was dazzled.

  He finally saw the top students of the academy in action today.

  Cang Min was already counted as a rare sight. Xiao Shao was closer to myth than reality.

  Lin Shu trained with swords. Strictly speaking, he was not under the same theoretical system as these people who fought with spiritual power.

  In the world of his past life, spiritual power was scarce, and he did not know the extent of his control over spiritual power.

  ——He still had much to learn from others, and to decide on a martial arts style, but that can happen another day. It was almost the time he usually slept, and watching the intense duel drained much of his energy.

  Lin Shu returned to the real world.

  The candles in the central atrium were still lit up. It looked as if Xiao Lingyang had just left, because Ling Fengxiao was gathering her books, seemingly in a poor mood. Her brother probably did not study properly today.

  Xiao Shao could not possibly be Ling Fengxiao.

  Lin Shu was secretly observing by the window. It was not until Ling Fengxiao looked over that he realized with a start that he had not drawn the bamboo curtain.

  Ling Fengxiao murmured lightly: “Come here.”

  Having been caught red-handed without a good excuse, he decided to answer the Big Miss’s call.

  His intuition told him that Ling Fengxiao was in a bad mood.

  Ling Fengxiao asked: “Do you really not want a token to enter the Huandang Mountain?”

  Lin Shu: “No.”

  In the duel with Autumn Dust today, he did not use much of his spiritual abilities. He was also able to enter the dreamscape on his own in his past life. It was not impossible for him to make it to the top thirty of the academy.

  Ling Fengxiao said: “After this time, Huandang Mountain may not ever open again.”

  Lin Shu: “Why?”

  “Originally opening in December, this time you can enter in mid-October,” Ling Fengxiao was speaking in a rare calmly manner, “Last night the Villa received a letter, saying that the Keepers of the mountain are going to ascend.”

  Ascension, the final step to achieve immortality.

  “No one on the Immortal Road is qualified to succeed as the Keeper of the Mountain at the moment. After opening this time, the mountain gates may no longer be opened.” Ling Fengxiao said softly, “Among the entire Immortal Road, the Keeper is the one who has reached the highest cultivation point, able to defend himself against a million other cultivators. This is also the reason why although Beixia and Xinjiang are at odds with each other, they do not invade. After the keeper ascends, Nan Xia will probably have a troubled autumn. Your cultivation is nonexistent. I do not feel at ease for you. “

  This was probably the longest speech Ling Fengxiao had given him since they first met.

  Because of the length, Lin Shu took a while to pick out the keywords.

  I do not feel at ease for you.

  He had yet to reflect on what this meant, but Ling Fengxiao spoke again: “Hand.”

  Lin Shu wanted to refuse, but the Big Miss’s aura was too strong. Under her influence, he had to obediently stretch out his hand.

  Taking proper care of your body did not show results overnight. This little fool’s body still seemed to be too light. Looking at his slender wrists, it could easily pass off as a girl’s.

  Ling Fengxiao did not ridicule him again for his “dwarfism”, but carefully studied his meridians once more.

  Spiritual power enveloped around his body. There was a slight phantom burning sensation. Lin Shu instinctively wanted to draw back his hand, but was firmly held by the Big Miss.

  Ling Fengxiao said: “Before unblocking your meridians, if we leave the school, follow me and don’t run around by yourself.”

  Lin Shu listened, but one sentence still echoed in his mind.

  I do not feel at ease for you.