Chapter 169: Xie Xiaojiu's Defeat

Chapter 169: Xie Xiaojiu's Defeat

On the arena.

Lin Qingyi's voice echoed in Jiang Ning's ear, and he immediately turned to glance at the stands.

He saw Lin Qingyi sitting in a corner of the stands, shrouded in shadows.

Lin Qingyi noticed Jiang Ning's gaze and her eyes instantly revealed a hint of faint guilt.

"I'm sorry!" Her voice echoed in Jiang Ning's ear again.

All this happened in an instant.

Then, Jiang Ning smiled at Lin Qingyi and turned to look at the black-clad sword-wielding woman on the arena, Xie Xiaojiu.

"I heard you're skilled with the sword?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Not bad!" Xie Xiaojiu nodded slightly.

"Good! Seems like you want to compete with me in blade skills!" Jiang Ning said, nodding as he spoke.

Then, he turned to the man hosting the competition beside him: "Sir, I need a blade!"

"No problem!" The host replied, and he grabbed a blade from the weapon rack on the nearby arena and tossed it to Jiang Ning.

"Take it! Show us what you've got!"

"Thank you!" Jiang Ning caught the blade and expressed his gratitude.

As soon as he held the long blade, the characteristic of man and blade becoming one instantly took effect.

The long blade seemed to extend his arm, allowing him to wield it with ease.

Jiang Ning was well aware of the weight of this blade, a hefty eighty-five pounds and three feet seven inches long.

"Do you know why I'm on this arena?" Xie Xiaojiu suddenly spoke up.

"Do we need a reason?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Of course we do!" Xie Xiaojiu tightened her grip on the long sword and continued, "Qingyi Sister has been saying that my talent is inferior to yours! I don't agree with that!"

"So!!!" Xie Xiaojiu slowly drew out her long sword, "So, I want to prove to Qingyi Sister that her judgment is no worse than Shen Congyun's! I, Xie Xiaojiu, am no less than you, Jiang Ning!"

"I see!" Jiang Ning nodded and then said, "If you lose, how about joining my command?"

"Okay!" Xie Xiaojiu readily agreed to Jiang Ning's suggestion, seemingly without a hint of hesitation.

Jiang Ning was slightly surprised by this.

Then, he smiled and said, "Alright, come on!"

At this moment, Jiang Ning felt a sense of pleasure.

Xie Xiaojiu's strength was beyond doubt, reaching the level of an Eighth Rank Martial Artist and above.

As Qingyi Sister's favored prodigy, she undoubtedly possessed both talent and strength.

After today, whether Jiang Ning secured the position of Squad Leader or Deputy Commander, he would need capable individuals by his side.

Xie Xiaojiu was undoubtedly a capable person.

After all, she had a connection with Qingyi Sister, and Jiang Ning's relationship with Qingyi Sister seemed to be on good terms as well.

Moreover, Xie Xiaojiu's appearance was quite impressive, with fair skin, good looks, and a tall figure.

Having such a subordinate as a mere eye-pleasing decoration was already satisfying, as everyone had a love for beauty, let alone her being one of the few Martial Dao Prodigies in Luoshui County.

At this moment, Xie Xiaojiu lightly brandished her sword.

Hum—

The blade vibrated, emitting a faint humming sound.

"Are you ready?" Xie Xiaojiu asked.

"Come on!" Jiang Ning gripped the long blade.

Whoosh—

The sound of the blade slicing through the air suddenly rang out.

In an instant.

Xie Xiaojiu's toes tapped, and her entire body instantly transformed into a black streak, rushing towards Jiang Ning.

Such incredible speed!

Jiang Ning's eyes narrowed.

With a slight movement of Xie Xiaojiu's body, Jiang Ning could tell that her body technique was extraordinary.

She must have specialized in body technique training, and her technique was undoubtedly of a high level.

"The Ninth Miss Xie's speed is so fast!"

"Indeed! Her body is like a lingering shadow, her Willow Fluff Technique is probably already proficient, or even perfected!"

"Is this the Martial Dao Prodigy? At an age not yet twenty, not only has she entered the Eighth Rank Martial Artist realm early on, but her body technique is also so outstanding. Most importantly, the Ninth Miss Xie of the Xie Clan, is known for her exceptional talent."

"No wonder she's a prodigy, it's no surprise that the Lin Louzhu of Wanhua Tower took notice of her early on."

At this moment, everyone on the arena was filled with awe.

And on the arena.

The ten-foot distance was instantly crossed by Xie Xiaojiu.

Clang—

As Xie Xiaojiu closed in, her sword gleamed like snow.

When everyone saw clearly, Xie Xiaojiu's sword tip was already blocked by Jiang Ning.

And Jiang Ning's upper body also slightly leaned back, using the strength of his waist and abdomen to neutralize Xie Xiaojiu's thrust, which carried the momentum of a thunderclap.

With this strike, the two's force was suddenly revealed.

"Such powerful force!"

"Indeed!" Jiang Ning's eyes narrowed.

Xie Xiaojiu's strength was instantly revealed.

Xie Xiaojiu looked at the nearby Jiang Ning, and a hint of shock also flashed through her eyes.

She was well aware of her strength.

Her strength reached two thousand eight hundred pounds.

As a woman, reaching this strength at the Eighth Rank Martial Artist realm was extremely challenging.

If not for being the Ninth Miss Xie, if not for her overflowing martial talent that received much attention, if not for the recognition and help from Lin Qingyi.

If any of these factors were missing, she wouldn't have been able to reach this level of strength in the Eighth Rank as a woman.

Originally, she thought that with her current strength, even if she didn't dominate in the Eighth Rank, she would still stand out like a crane among chickens.

She never expected that her first outing as a disciple would end in such a way.

It was known that this sword of hers held back no strength, striving for a decisive defeat.

With the momentum of a thunderclap, this sword burst forth with speed and explosiveness, both surpassing the usual by two to threefold.

Yet, Jiang Ning merely stood in place, blocking her with his blade, and effortlessly received her most ferocious strike.

After the initial surprise, Xie Xiaojiu instantly made a judgment.

Her strength must be inferior to Jiang Ning's.

Otherwise, Jiang Ning wouldn't have received her most ferocious sword with such ease, not even taking a step back.

At this moment.

As their gazes shifted, only the two of them knew of each other's strength.

To outsiders, they could only see Xie Xiaojiu's swift movements and Jiang Ning's fearless composure.

The next moment.

Jiang Ning's right arm, holding the blade, trembled, and the force passed through the blade, causing Xie Xiaojiu's expression to change once more. Her body, like willow fluff, drifted backward.

Whoosh—

The blade tore through the air, sending a sharp gust of wind howling.

Facing this blade, Xie Xiaojiu's body in mid-air seemed like a tuft of willow fluff. Influenced by the wind from the long blade's slash, her body drifted slightly once more.

A hair's breadth off, and they'd be a thousand miles apart.

The blade grazed Xie Xiaojiu's shoulder, passing by.

Suddenly.

The blade, mid-swing, abruptly halted in mid-air.

Then, with a force from Jiang Ning's wrist, the long blade's path changed from a downward slash to a horizontal chop.

This blade aimed straight for Xie Xiaojiu's shoulder.

But at the moment the blade's motion paused, Xie Xiaojiu's calm eyes suddenly sank, and her upper body fell with the momentum.

Xie Xiaojiu instantly revealed her soft, boneless waist, her black long hair sweeping the ground as she avoided the horizontal chop.

The blade grazed her soft waist, cutting a corner of her tight black clothing.

After that.

Mid-swing, the blade halted once more, as Jiang Ning intended to change from a chop to a slash.

But Xie Xiaojiu had already anticipated this move, and as her waist bent, her toes lightly tapped, and her calf exerted force.

Like a windmill, she circled around Jiang Ning's front, arriving at his side.

"Ninth Miss Xie has such strong adaptability and exceptional body movements!"

"Indeed, Xie Xiaojiu's Willow Fluff Technique must have reached perfection! With even her body movements perfected, Xie Xiaojiu's martial talent is truly unimaginable!"

"Forget about Xie Xiaojiu, Jiang Ning is also clearly much stronger than we anticipated!"

"It's true, such fast blade work, yet so smooth and effortless in its transitions, Jiang Ning's blade skills are not to be underestimated!"

"Speaking of which, I've always had a doubt. Did Jiang Ning really just start practicing martial arts a few months ago?"

"That's definitely not wrong! I have a friend who drank with Jiang Ning, and he told me himself."

"..."

Seeing this exciting scene on the arena, the crowd began to chatter.

At this moment.

On the arena.

Xie Xiaojiu, using her body movements, circled around Jiang Ning's front to his side, then her sword tip flashed, pressing towards Jiang Ning's right arm.

Perceiving this.

Jiang Ning's blade tip rotated, and his blade speed surged again.

Although his combat experience was not yet sufficient.

In most cases, Jiang Ning's previous opponents were also defeated by a few slashes.

But at this moment, Jiang Ning still showed no signs of slowing down.

In his eyes, combat was simple.

If one's reactions were fast enough, and their speed was sufficient, then all experience would be surpassed.

Fast reactions meant one could easily respond to any enemy attack.

With enough speed, one could achieve the advantage of striking last but arriving first.

And at this moment, Jiang Ning's five senses were incredibly sharp.

Any slight movement or change from Xie Xiaojiu would be instantly noticed by him.

Even behind him, Jiang Ning could sense the changes in the wind and air currents, feeling as if he had eyes on his back, easily perceiving all changes around him.

Clang—

The clash of blade and sword, a flash of firelight.

Xie Xiaojiu's expression changed abruptly.

Jiang Ning's sudden burst of speed with his blade completely caught her off guard.

This blade conveyed a force that left her heart pounding.

With one strike, her right arm went numb, almost unable to grip her sword hilt firmly.

Her balance was completely disrupted by Jiang Ning's single blade.

This blade also deflected Xie Xiaojiu's longsword, opening up her defense.

The next moment.

She saw Jiang Ning's left palm, following the momentum, pass through her chest.

"It's over!" Jiang Ning's voice sounded faintly in her ear.

Xie Xiaojiu then felt an immense force transmitted through Jiang Ning's palm and landed on her soft chest.

Her figure was sent flying, heading towards the edge of the arena behind her.

Bang—

Her unbalanced form landed firmly on the ground below the arena.

"My apologies!" Jiang Ning spoke.

"Thank you!" Xie Xiaojiu stood up, her gaze fixed deeply on Jiang Ning, before turning and leaving.

Even though her chest ached slightly at this moment, she knew that Jiang Ning must have held back.

If he hadn't held back, based on the strength she had just felt from Jiang Ning,

One palm strike would have been enough to make her internal organs tremble and spit out blood.

Instead of the mere slight pain she was feeling now.

At this moment, feeling the pain in her chest, Xie Xiaojiu wanted to reach out and rub it.

But considering they were in the training ground, and with so many people around, she could only suppress her thoughts.

It would be rather indecent for her, as a young lady, to be rubbing her chest injury in front of so many people.

On the arena.

"She's quite something! This Ninth Miss Xie from the Xie family is indeed impressive!" Jiang Ning muttered to himself.

Then, he added another sentence in his mind.

But this was a bit too presumptuous.

He hoped she would keep the promise they just made.

Xie Xiaojiu's strength was much more formidable than he had imagined.

Even in his transformed state, Shi Xiaoyuan might not be a match for Xie Xiaojiu.

Below the arena, discussions were already buzzing.

"Is it over already?"

"It's over! Xie Xiaojiu underestimated him and was struck in the chest by Jiang Ning's palm. Then, Xie Xiaojiu, being too close to the edge of the arena behind Jiang Ning, naturally fell off and lost!"

"You can't say it like that! Losing is losing, there's no such thing as underestimating or not!"

"It's clearly underestimating! Can't you see, brother? Xie Xiaojiu is renowned for her sword talent, and she didn't even use her full strength before falling off the arena. That's not her true ability!"

"Speaking of which, Jiang Ning is indeed enviable! To openly take advantage of the Ninth Miss Xie from the Xie family."

"Brother, that's a bit despicable of you!!!"

". . ."

On the other side.

Zhou Xing's mouth hung open: "Jiang Shidi is actually this powerful?"

"Jiang Shidi is indeed formidable!" Li Qing's face showed a hint of jealousy.

"Good! Well done!" Wang Jin's face lit up with joy.

Especially when he saw Yu Yuan beside him, looking surprised, he felt even more delighted.

When a disciple excels, the master gains respect.

In the direction of the Cao, Liu, and Xie families.

"Xie Xiaojiu lost?" Cao Zijian's face showed surprise.

"Damn it! That kid just took advantage of Xiaojiu while she was off guard!" Liu Zhaonan cursed under his breath.

"Pfft!" Cao Zijian couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this, then said, "Brother Zhaonan, are you angry?"

Liu Zhaonan replied, "This isn't anger, it's jealousy!!!"

Then, Liu Zhaonan continued, "Xie Xiaojiu is so beautiful, talented, and the Ninth Miss Xie. It's such a shame that he took advantage of her."

"Brother Zhaonan, you're a man of passion!" Cao Zijian thought for a moment before finally saying these words.

In the direction of the Wu Yuan Academy disciples.

The pale and thin He Jinyun also showed a hint of surprise.

"This person is quite formidable! Not only is his body movement exceptional, but his control and use of the blade have reached the level of following his heart's intent. His blade techniques are clearly extraordinary!"

"Indeed extraordinary!" Qin Xuan also nodded slightly, then continued, "If a truly powerful opponent doesn't challenge him, this Jiang Ning will likely become the first squad leader of Luoshui County."

"The chances are slim, unless he can defeat Lu Renyao!" He Jinyun said calmly.

"Lu Renyao?" Qin Xuan, dressed in a black robe with gold trim, showed surprise.

"Look over there!" He Jinyun pointed.

Qin Xuan followed his gaze and immediately saw Lu Renyao walking towards the front.

"Is he going to challenge this kid's arena?"

"Most likely!" He Jinyun nodded: "Lu Renyao is a vengeful person! During the first round of the examination, he specifically targeted Jiang Ning, and Jiang Ning had humiliated him. With Lu Renyao's personality, he'll definitely seek revenge if he gets the chance."

Qin Xuan glanced at Lu Renyao's back and then smiled slightly: "If Lu Renyao goes up, he'll likely lose!"

"It's too difficult for Lu Renyao to lose! Although he's not as strong as Lu Renyao, his strength is said to be over 2,500 jin. Plus, Lu Renyao has perfected his body movement and the Iterative Cloud Palm. How could he lose in such a small town?"

"I think Lu Renyao might lose!" Qin Xuan said.

"Oh? You're quite confident in this kid from Luoshui County?"

"He gives off a different feeling!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end