Chapter 60: A Fraction of the Heavenly Sword

Cui Xiucheng and Meng Yuxi stood facing each other upon the elevated platform. Cui Xiucheng slowly drew his precious sword from his waist, gradually mobilizing the true qi gathered within his dantian and circulating it throughout his entire body.

Cui Xiucheng desired to win this match with undeniable flair, ensuring the Sovereign recognized him as the undisputed champion. Therefore, he could not win simply by overwhelming his opponent with sheer true qi. Cui Xiucheng surmised that the Sovereign would not wish to witness a mere brute force suppression of true qi; rather, the test must evaluate combat techniques, valor, and adaptability. True qi should serve merely as an auxiliary aid for this martial arts duel, serving to protect his vital points from being injured by Meng Yuxi’s weapon.

Meng Yuxi unfolded his black fan, waving it gently and leisurely. Fortunately, ever since the tournament began, he had yet to reveal his ultimate trump card—the Cloud-Supporting Star-Pressing Sword Technique. At this moment, the black fan in his hand had successfully captured the vast majority of Cui Xiucheng’s attention.

"Brother Meng, this fan of yours is truly wondrous. It seems ordinary iron weapons can scarcely scratch it!"

As Cui Xiucheng spoke, he slowly walked to a spot seven paces away to the northeast of Meng Yuxi.

Ever since Meng Yuxi had mastered the footwork of the Cloud-Supporting Star-Pressing technique, he had become extraordinarily sensitive to spatial orientations. The steps Cui Xiucheng had taken placed him precisely at the optimal striking range for his long sword. Meanwhile, his own black fan, heavy though it was, remained structurally a broken blade, incapable of inflicting a decisive blow from a distance of seven paces. Cui Xiucheng’s judgment of distance and timing was impeccably precise.

"If Brother Cui is afraid, you may simply concede defeat."

Meng Yuxi smiled, spun around to face Cui Xiucheng directly, and without waiting for a reply, strolled casually forward with just two steps, arriving directly behind Cui Xiucheng.

He raised his heavy black fan with his right hand, and with a low, whistling howl, the heavy fan carried the deep, violent roar of displaced air as it fiercely smashed toward the back of Cui Xiucheng’s head.

"Oh?"

Down below the arena, Eunuch Wen could not help but let out a loud gasp of astonishment. What amazed him was not merely the ferocious power behind Meng Yuxi’s fan strike, but the fact that, despite his own half-step grandmaster realm, he had failed to comprehend how Meng Yuxi had executed those two steps.

If he were to flash and leap behind Cui Xiucheng, he could certainly move faster than Meng Yuxi. However, he would be forced to jump to achieve it. To move like Meng Yuxi, strolling as if taking a leisurely walk down a street, was something he could not accomplish even if he were to break through to the grandmaster realm.

The strangeness of the stepping coordinates resembled the sudden flashing of countless stars across the night sky, and the unpredictable transitions of the footwork mirrored a sprawling chessboard where immortals dropped their pieces with untethered imagination. It was truly a sight he had witnessed for the very first time in his life. Had the Sovereign not been present, he would have broken convention and shouted out in praise.

"Splendid!"

High upon the viewing terrace, a voice had already rung out in praise. By the sound of it, it was none other than the Sovereign Himself.

***

Cui Xiucheng’s expression turned unsightly. Meng Yuxi had vanished into thin air right before his eyes. Straining his vision to its utmost limits, he barely managed to catch the landing point of Meng Yuxi’s first step, but the very moment Meng Yuxi lifted his leg for the second step, his entire figure disappeared from the first spot entirely, leaving no trace to be found.

A howling gale erupted behind his ear. True qi surged explosively through Cui Xiucheng’s entire body; winning decisively or gracefully no longer mattered—he needed to survive and win first.

Channeling true qi into his blade, he executed an Iron Bridge Horizontal Sweep. Supporting his entire weight on a single leg, his whole body swung horizontally in a flat, rigid line. The sword edge cleaved through the air with a piercing screech, and a small tree more than fifty paces outside the arena was struck by the residual true qi and snapped cleanly in two.

Yet Meng Yuxi had already vanished from his original location.

*The One-Word Sword Sect! While other sects plant both feet on the ground when performing the Iron Bridge posture, only the One-Word Sword Sect utilizes a single supporting leg.*

*To think this Cui Xiucheng has already reached the Bone-Forging Realm!*

*Since Cui Xiucheng has advanced to the Bone-Forging Realm, suppressing three entire minor realms, wouldn't Meng Yuxi be destined to lose?*

Upon witnessing this sword strike, this exact thought immediately flashed through Eunuch Wen’s mind. However, when he caught sight of Meng Yuxi’s subsequent landing spot, he instinctively felt that the outcome remained uncertain. These two youths were truly dragons among men; at such a tender age, both were masters concealing their true prowess.

"Brother Cui, your true qi technique is formidable indeed. I wonder if getting struck by it would cost a man his life on the spot."

At this moment, Meng Yuxi was already standing three paces to the northwest of Cui Xiucheng. With his exceptionally long arms, he thrust the heavy black fan directly toward Cui Xiucheng’s ribs.

With a heavy whistle, another blast of fierce wind surged forward.

Relying on sound to determine direction, Cui Xiucheng raised his sword to parry. With a crisp clang, the resounding clash of the precious sword against the black fan echoed across the entire arena.

The sword in Cui Xiucheng’s hand continued to vibrate incessantly. Had he not infused his true qi into the blade just then, the precious sword would likely have shattered from the impact.

Meng Yuxi felt the Qi-Transforming Bead hidden within his garments grow momentarily warm, though it returned to its normal state a moment later.

Staggering backward by several paces, Cui Xiucheng thought to himself: If he continued to rely solely on defense against Meng Yuxi’s bizarre footwork, a moment of carelessness at any point would inevitably result in him taking a heavy blow from Meng Yuxi. Even with true qi protecting his body, he assumed he would remain uninjured, but before the Sovereign, his status as a Bone-Forging Realm disciple of the One-Word Sword Sect would appear utterly pathetic—worse even than an ordinary person with no martial realm at all.

His resolve hardened. Brandishing his precious sword, he pointed the tip straight toward the heavens, his feet moving ceaselessly according to the spatial footwork of the sword array. Following this, he unleashed a succession of slashes, formally executing the ultimate signature technique of the One-Word Sword Sect: the Heaven-Splitting Sword.

Sword light flared violently. More than a dozen dazzling sword beams abruptly materialized around Meng Yuxi, descending from high above like a series of continuous lightning bolts flashing across the midair!

"Lord Meng, this Heaven-Splitting Sword technique wielded by my son is the peerless secret art of our dynasty’s mightiest sword sect, the One-Word Sword Sect! Though it is merely a sequence of sword forms, when executed, it resembles a coordinated sword array wielded by five men simultaneously! Ordinarily, within the One-Word Sword Sect, disciples with mediocre talent find it exceedingly difficult even to catch a single glimpse of this secret art. Today, the boy Meng Yuxi is truly fortunate to experience it at such close quarters. Hahahaha."

Cui Yufan laughed aloud beside Meng Hongchang, stroking his beard as he spoke.

"However, Lord Meng need not worry. My son will certainly exercise the utmost restraint; we shall determine only victory and defeat, not life and death! Hahaha."

Cui Yufan’s laughter instantly stirred displeasure within Meng Hongchang. Although Meng Yuxi possessed innate divine strength, he stood absolutely no chance of winning against a Bone-Forging Realm disciple of the One-Word Sword Sect. For the moment, Meng Hongchang had no retort. Yet if Cui Xiucheng dared to harm Meng Yuxi—humph—the entire Cui household would sooner or later pay with their lives.

Meng Hongchang let out a heavy, deliberate "Humph."

"I certainly hope so!" Meng Hongchang replied.

"Beloved Consort, look at these two youths in their early teens. Which of them do you suppose will win this Imperial Examination?"

As soon as the Sovereign spoke, both Meng Hongchang and Cui Yufan fell silent, bowing their heads respectfully as they awaited the imperial words.

Though the Noble Consort’s face bore unmistakable signs of maturity, her exquisite facial features and the brilliant radiance within her eyes constantly proclaimed to all that she remained a woman of captivating grace and charm.

The Consort turned toward the Sovereign and smiled brightly. "Replying to the Sovereign, this concubine cannot tell. However, I am deeply fond of both youths, and I truly hope neither of them is injured."