232: Chapter 232 Drawing the Sword Shocks the World

Senior Brother Wang Yidao made his move.

This strike held no probing; he opened immediately with the Golden Light Blade Technique. Golden blade light exploded from the edge, tearing across the arena like a streak of golden lightning, slashing down directly at Lin Tian.

Wherever the blade light passed, the air was compressed, emitting sharp sonic booms, and a shallow groove was plowed into the bluestone floor by the Saber Qi.

Lin Tian flickered, unleashing the Cloud Shadow Step, transforming into a blurred shadow as he narrowly dodged the edge of the blade light. The strike landed on the arena, carving a three-foot-long gash into the bluestone floor, sending stone fragments flying.

Having missed, Senior Brother Wang Yidao remained expressionless, twisting his wrist to follow up with a second strike. This strike was faster than the first, the blade slashing diagonally toward where Lin Tian had landed.

Lin Tian tapped his toes lightly on the arena, shifting his body once more. He moved three feet to the side just an instant before the blade light reached him, the edge grazing his robes and only shattering an afterimage.

The third strike followed immediately. Senior Brother Wang Yidao's blade momentum was continuous, one strike after another, surging like a tide, each faster and more vicious than the last.

The golden blade light wove into a web of death across the arena, completely enveloping Lin Tian's figure.

Yet, Lin Tian moved through this sea of blade light with ease, dodging left and right, retreating suddenly, or flipping through the air.

His movements were extreme, so fast that the spectators below could only see a blurred shadow weaving through the gaps in the golden light. Every strike seemed destined to hit him, yet each time he dodged by a hair's breadth at the last moment.

After three strikes, Lin Tian remained completely unscathed.

The entire crowd gasped in shock.

"Such speed! Senior Brother Wang Yidao's blade is so fast, yet he hasn't landed a single strike!"

"He slashed three times and didn't even touch the hem of his robe; this movement technique is simply Heaven-Defying!"

Zixia Peak erupted in excitement. A young Disciple, his Face flushed with excitement, shouted at the top of his lungs: "Did you see that! Did you see that! Senior Brother Shen was defeated in four strikes earlier, but Lin Tian has dodged four strikes and hasn't suffered a single injury! This is what a real movement technique looks like!"

Another Disciple nearby was dancing with excitement: "There's hope! There's hope!"

Several Elders could no longer sit still, their eyes reigniting with light. Shen Haoran's defeat in four strikes had weighed heavily on their hearts, but seeing Lin Tian dodge four strikes unscathed gave them unprecedented hope.

"Perhaps Lin Tian, relying on this movement technique, can truly go the distance with Senior Brother Wang Yidao!"

"Indeed, even if he cannot win, a draw would be enough! Being able to draw with a 5th Grade Peak expert is already a huge amount of Face!"

The Elders discussed among themselves, the solemnity on their Faces finally easing slightly.

However, Peak Master Su Hanyan stood to the side, slowly shaking her head. Her gaze remained fixed on the elusive figure on the arena, a meaningful smile playing on the corners of her lips.

"Rest assured, it will not be a draw," she said, her voice calm and firm. "The winner will certainly be Lin Tian."

At these words, the surrounding Elders were stunned. They turned in unison to look at Peak Master Su Hanyan, their Faces filled with uncertainty and shock.

They felt a draw was already an extravagant hope, yet the Peak Master claimed Lin Tian would definitely win? Where did this confidence come from? Could it be that Lin Tian possessed some trump card they were unaware of?

The Elders' curiosity was piqued, and they stretched their necks, looking toward the arena with anticipation.

The side of Jinxia Peak was in an uproar.

"What is this? Just dodging around is too cheap!"

"Exactly! If you have the skill, don't hide, fight head-on! Relying solely on movement techniques to dodge back and forth, what kind of real skill is that?"

Several Jinxia Peak Disciples were so angry their Faces turned red, shouting loudly below the stage. In their view, a battle should be a head-on collision, blade against sword, fist against fist; that is real kung fu.

For Lin Tian to just dodge without attacking, slippery as a loach, was simply too frustrating.

On the arena, Senior Brother Wang Yidao also furrowed his brows. Having missed several consecutive strikes, a trace of irritation welled up in his heart.

He stood with his blade sheathed, staring coldly at Lin Tian with disdain in his eyes.

"Still just a guy who only knows how to dodge," his voice was cold, carrying undisguised mockery. "And he claimed to have other martial arts; what nonsense."

He paused, his eyes suddenly becoming sharp, a cold glint blooming from the depths of his pupils: "But even if you only know how to dodge, so what? Sooner or later, I will strike you."

As his voice fell, a piercing light exploded in Senior Brother Wang Yidao's eyes. He held nothing back, pushing the Golden Light Blade Technique to its limit. Saber Qi surged around him, dyeing half the arena a blinding gold.

The next moment, he struck again.

Golden Light Blade Technique—Golden Light Like the Sea!

A strike was unleashed, and endless golden blade light poured from the blade edge like a bursting flood. The blade light was not a single line but a vast expanse, overwhelming the sky, spreading forward in a fan shape, almost enveloping half the arena.

The golden blade light merged into one; from afar, it looked like a golden ocean, intending to swallow Lin Tian along with all the space around him where he could dodge.

The brilliance of this strike was not in its power, but in its range. You can dodge, can't you? Then I will seal off every place you can hide; let's see where you can dodge to now!

Gasps of shock erupted from below the stage.

The people from Jinxia Peak laughed heartily: "Let's see where he hides this time! The blade light has sealed off all retreats; no matter how fast his movement technique is, it's useless!"

Below the arena, Xu Ying's expression changed upon seeing this. His movement technique cultivation was second only to Lin Tian's among everyone, so his judgment was the sharpest.

He saw Lin Tian's predicament at a glance—his positioning was poor, too close to the edge of the arena. Senior Brother Wang Yidao's strike had too large a range, covering all space around Lin Tian. Given Lin Tian's current position, he would collide with the blade light regardless of which direction he dodged.

"Not good," Xu Ying said in a low voice, his brows furrowed tightly. "Lin Tian's positioning is too poor; now that he's locked in by the blade light, he has no way to dodge. If he wants to avoid it completely, he can only jump off the arena."

Jump off the arena? That would be admitting defeat. Not jump? Then he can only take it head-on.

The surrounding chatter exploded.

"Take Senior Brother Wang Yidao's blade light head-on? Are you kidding!"

"Will Lin Tian choose to jump off the arena and admit defeat? That way, at least he can preserve his strength and enter the subsequent matches unscathed."

Shen Haoran's Face was pale as he forced himself to sit up straight. His eyes were fixed on the overwhelming golden blade light on the arena, his hands involuntarily gripping his robes.

He had personally withstood Senior Brother Wang Yidao's blade technique and knew better than anyone how terrifying that strike was. That force, that destructive Saber Intent, was simply not something a Late Stage 5th Grade could withstand head-on.

He had only blocked four strikes before being knocked off the arena, and his chest still ached faintly.

"If he jumps off the arena to admit defeat, he can still preserve his strength and remain unscathed," Shen Haoran said in a low voice, his tone tinged with bitterness. "But if he tries to take it head-on... that would be disastrous."

On the arena, the golden blade light surged over like a tsunami, drawing closer and closer.

Lin Tian stood at the edge of the arena, the boundary right behind him. The overwhelming golden blade light sealed off all space in front of him; a fierce wind whipped his robes, causing his hair to fly backward.

Yet, there was no sign of panic on his Face.

Since there was nowhere to hide, he would stop hiding.

He had dodged for long enough; it was time for him to attack.

Lin Tian's right hand gripped the autumn water sword at his waist. The moment his hand touched the hilt, his entire Aura suddenly changed. Before, he was just an elusive shadow, impossible to figure out.

But at this moment, a fierce and peerless Sword Intent soared from his body, like a long-dormant precious sword finally awakening, its sharp edge fully revealed.

The autumn water sword was unsheathed.

Clang!

A clear, ringing sound of a sword echoed through the entire Martial Arts Arena. The autumn water-like blade light flowed along the sword; the next instant, endless rosy light bloomed from the edge.

Xiaguang Sword Technique—Rosy Light Filling the Sky!

The sword light transformed into a brilliant display of rosy light, like clouds at sunrise, breathtakingly beautiful yet containing a fatal killing intent. The rosy light rushed toward the golden sea of blades, pressing forward without hesitation.

The blade light and sword shadow collided violently in the center of the arena.

Boom!

An earth-shattering roar exploded. The golden blade light and the rosy sword shadow intertwined, tearing at and devouring each other.

A violent blast of air swept out from the center of the collision, causing the torches below the stage to flicker violently. Several Disciples standing close by were unable to open their eyes, forced to shield their Faces with their hands.

After a few breaths, the blade light and sword shadow dissipated into the Void Realm simultaneously, as if they had never existed.

He blocked it.

Lin Tian stood in place, not moving an inch. The autumn water sword in his hand pointed diagonally to the ground, a few wisps of unspent rosy light still lingering on the blade.

The golden sea of blades in front of him had completely vanished, leaving only the crisscrossing sword and blade marks on the bluestone floor, silently telling of how terrifying that collision had been.

The entire crowd went wild.

"He blocked it! This kid actually blocked Senior Brother Wang Yidao's Golden Light Blade Technique head-on!"

"Heavens! Is his sword technique this strong too? It's not just his movement technique that's impressive!"

On the Jinxia Peak side, the Disciples who had been laughing heartily just moments ago now had their mouths wide open, unable to utter a single word. Their expressions were as if someone had doused them with a basin of cold water; their smug smiles still hung on their Faces, but their eyes were filled with shock.

The people from Zixia Peak were ecstatic. Several young Disciples hugged each other in excitement, jumping up and down. The Elders could not help but stand up, their eyes wide with astonishment.

Xu Ying stood below the stage, stunned. He had always thought he lost to Lin Tian only because of his movement technique, but now it seemed Lin Tian's sword technique was far stronger than he had imagined.

Shen Haoran was also dumbfounded. He lay half-reclined in his chair, his mouth agape as he stared at the figure standing on the arena with sword in hand, his mind a blank.

He had found it so difficult to block Senior Brother Wang Yidao's blade technique; each strike had caused his blood to surge, and four strikes had knocked him off the arena. Yet Lin Tian had neutralized Senior Brother Wang Yidao's Golden Light Blade Technique with a single sword strike, taking it head-on and remaining unscathed. This gap was even greater than the gap between him and Senior Brother Wang Yidao.

On the arena, Senior Brother Wang Yidao's pupils suddenly shrank to pinpoints.

He stared fixedly at the sword in Lin Tian's hand, which shimmered with rosy light, genuine shock appearing in his eyes for the first time. The opponent not only blocked his blade technique head-on but did so cleanly and effortlessly.

This was impossible. How could a Late Stage 5th Grade kid possess such combat power? Could it be that the other party hadn't lied? Could the other party's martial arts attainment truly be not weaker than his?

What a joke!

He didn't believe it.

"Blade Slashes Mountains and Rivers!"

Senior Brother Wang Yidao roared, gripping his blade with both hands, and took a step forward. This time, he did not use a wide-range attack; all the golden blade light condensed into one—a massive blade shadow capable of slashing through mountains and rivers, carrying a terrifying, world-destroying Aura, slashing fiercely down at Lin Tian.

He had used this strike to defeat Shen Haoran before. Now, he did not believe Lin Tian could block it.