Chapter 175: The Sword Aura Erupts!

Chapter 175: The Sword Aura Erupts!

On the training ground.

As Qin Xuan voluntarily jumped off the arena, only Jiang Ning and Yuan Fei remained on the stage.

"It's your turn!" Yuan Fei grinned, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins as he looked at Jiang Ning.

At this moment, Yuan Fei's temperament was completely different from before, resembling an ape filled with violent and fierce energy.

As he grinned, his bright red gums were exposed.

On the other side.

Hong Minghu's gaze slightly condensed.

"Ape Demon True Body!"

"Ape Demon True Body?" Gongsun Yu, the third elder from Medicine King Valley, was startled upon hearing this.

Hong Minghu nodded slightly, "Yes, it's the upper-tier martial art, the Ape Demon True Body."

"So, this young man has already entered the Ape Demon True Body?" Gongsun Yu was suddenly astonished as he looked at Yuan Fei on the arena.

Then, he sighed, "What a pity! This young man is already twenty-seven, but he's still at the Eighth Rank of Martial Arts. Even with the Ape Demon True Body, his future in martial arts is limited. What a waste of such extraordinary talent!"

"Indeed, it's a pity," Hong Minghu nodded slightly, expressing his agreement.

At twenty-seven, this age, the peak years of martial arts would only last another seven or eight years.

Based on Yuan Fei's current achievements, in the remaining seven or eight years, unless he encounters a tremendous opportunity, it's unlikely for him to reach the Fifth Rank of Inner Strength like Hong Minghu.

Without reaching the Fifth Rank, given Yuan Fei's age, seven or eight years later, his physical functions will decline, his vitality will wane, and his strength will regress rather than progress, making it difficult to achieve greater success.

Thinking of this, Hong Minghu shook his head slightly, and then his gaze fell on Jiang Ning, who was on the arena.

"What a pity for this young man as well. He's unlucky to encounter Yuan Fei, who has mastered an upper-tier martial art, at this critical moment."

Upon hearing this, Gongsun Ming immediately spoke up, "Elder Hong is right. This young man is indeed unlucky. To encounter someone who has mastered an upper-tier martial art in such a small place is indeed unfortunate."

At the same time.

On the arena.

Ape Demon True Body?

Upper-tier martial art?

Hearing these words, Jiang Ning was also slightly surprised.

"No wonder Qin Xuan lost; he didn't lose unjustly!"

"Weapon combat or hand-to-hand combat, you choose!" Yuan Fei looked at Jiang Ning and said nonchalantly.

At this moment, in his eyes, the only thing that mattered was the position of Deputy Commander, which he considered to be within his grasp.

Qin Xuan had been easily forced off the arena by him, and Jiang Ning would be no exception.

In Yuan Fei's opinion, with his current strength, not to mention an Eighth Rank Martial Artist, even against those two Seventh Rank Martial Artists, he had a fifty percent chance of defeating them.

The reason he didn't fight those two was merely to play it safe, not out of fear.

The confidence in his voice came from his mastery of an upper-tier martial art.

"Weapon combat,

"Weapon combat!" Jiang Ning said at this moment.

"Brave!" Yuan Fei grinned again.

Jiang Ning turned to the man in charge of the assessment and said, "Sir, I need a heavier long sword."

"Even heavier?" the man in charge asked.

"Yes, even heavier!" Jiang Ning replied.

"Okay!" The man nodded.

He went to the weapon rack beside the arena and selected a heavy, thick-bladed sword.

The back of the sword had nine holes, and within each hole was a ring.

"Be careful, this sword is heavy!" The man said, grabbing the hilt and tossing the sword towards Jiang Ning.

The heavy, thick-bladed sword sliced through the air.

Clang!

Jiang Ning caught the sword with his right hand, and the rings on the back of the sword collided, emitting a series of clanging sounds.

"Good sword!" Jiang Ning's expression immediately brightened.

As soon as he held the sword, he knew the weight of the heavy sword in his hand.

It weighed a full three hundred pounds.

A three-hundred-pound sword was still relatively light compared to his current strength of nearly four thousand pounds, but it was already quite impressive.

After all, this was just a training ground, and to find such a heavy sword here was an unexpected delight for him.

With this three-hundred-pound heavy sword in hand, Jiang Ning felt even more confident in defeating Yuan Fei.

Given his current strength, a suitable sword could greatly enhance his power.

A sword weighing a few dozen pounds and a sword weighing three hundred pounds would have vastly different explosive power when swung with the same strength.

Moreover, with similar sizes, a heavier sword naturally indicated the use of more extraordinary materials.

After witnessing Yuan Fei's fighting style, Jiang Ning understood that to deal with Yuan Fei using his own combat style, he needed a sufficiently heavy and sturdy sword.

After all, his specialty was overpowering his opponents with strength, not relying on techniques.

In a battle of strength, if the sword wasn't heavy and sturdy enough, it would be ineffective.

Even with a willow leaf sword, no matter how strong he was, it would be impossible to block Yuan Fei's thousand-pound force with a single blow.

Because in such a situation, a willow leaf sword, as thin as a cicada's wing, would snap instantly.

Jiang Ning held the sword and walked to the center of the arena, standing opposite Yuan Fei.

Yuan Fei slammed the long sword onto the arena, emitting a dull sound.

"Come!" Yuan Fei spoke.

His eyes were bloodshot, his face sunken, and his arms were long and thick, resembling an enraged ape.

Just then, Jiang Ning stomped his right foot on the ground, instantly transforming from stillness to motion, becoming a dark shadow rushing towards Yuan Fei.

At the same time, the vital energy within Jiang Ning's body circulated and accumulated.

As the vital energy gathered, it seemed to transform into a flood ready to burst forth.

"Well done!" Yuan Fei's gaze intensified.

He kicked the staff on the ground with his right foot, instantly gripping the staff with both hands, and swept towards the charging Jiang Ning.

Clang!

In mid-air,

The sword and staff clashed.

With the explosion of the five layers of vital energy, the heavy sword, weighing three hundred jin, was reinforced.

Boom!

Yuan Fei's right leg involuntarily stepped back, and as his right foot touched the ground, a terrifying force suddenly erupted.

Hiss!

At this moment, Yuan Fei's muscles violently collided, and his swollen arms and legs tore through his clothes.

For a moment, fabric fluttered in the air.

"Take my staff!" Yuan Fei shouted, exerting force with both arms, ready to turn from defense to offense.

However, Jiang Ning's heavy sword seemed unaffected by the force.

As the sword and staff separated, another slash descended.

Clang!

Seeing this, Yuan Fei could only continue to defend with the staff.

Thud!

Facing the powerful burst of energy, Yuan Fei retreated with his left leg, stepping back.

As his sturdy left leg landed, the arena cracked.

"What formidable strength!" The man overseeing the assessment beside them couldn't help but change his expression slightly.

A single foot had cracked the arena's ground, and the power contained within it left him in disbelief.

This was far beyond the strength an Eighth Rank Martial Artist should possess.

"Just how powerful is his sword?" The man looked at Jiang Ning, feeling extremely incredulous.

Then,

Thud!

Yuan Fei took another step back, and the arena cracked again, with cracks spreading in all directions.

Clang!

Jiang Ning raised his hand and slashed again.

With the explosion of the vital energy, this slash forced Yuan Fei to retreat once more.

Then, one slash after another.

The sword aura was relentless, and Yuan Fei retreated again and again.

Just as Qin Xuan had felt stifled earlier, Yuan Fei now felt the same.

Facing Jiang Ning's powerful and heavy sword aura, which moved like lightning, Yuan Fei couldn't find any opportunity to counterattack.

He could only retreat repeatedly, gradually falling into the same situation as Qin Xuan before him.

Below the arena,

Qin Xuan felt a secret thrill in his heart.

He had just blocked Yuan Fei's continuous staff attacks, but he was almost breathless and on the verge of spitting blood.

If not for that, he wouldn't have chosen to jump off the arena and concede.

At this moment, seeing Yuan Fei following in his footsteps, Qin Xuan felt a sense of relief.

At the same time, he was also extremely shocked by Jiang Ning's strength.

Having faced Yuan Fei personally, he naturally knew how powerful Yuan Fei was!

Being suppressed by him, the sense of oppression was not insignificant.

And he was among the top few in terms of strength among the many people present.

Among the outstanding patrol captains, he could rank in the top three at least.

Such strength was completely suppressed by Yuan Fei.

And Yuan Fei, in turn, was completely suppressed by Jiang Ning.

"What kind of monster is this!" Thinking of how Jiang Ning had just revealed his age of eighteen, Qin Xuan's heart was filled with complex emotions.

He once thought he was Heaven's Pride, born into a prestigious family, with a wealthy background, and exceptional innate talent. He had sailed through life with ease, and few among his peers could match him.

But today, in such a small place, he witnessed what a true Martial Dao Prodigy was.

He looked at the arena and saw that Yuan Fei's face was flushed red, his eyes bloodshot, and filled with a crimson hue.

"Claiming to be Heaven's Pride, yet lacking the qualifications to even stand before him!" Qin Xuan's face twisted into a bitter smile.

Yuan Fei could suppress him to the point of breathlessness, and Jiang Ning could do the same to Yuan Fei.

The gap between them was so immense that it was almost unbelievable.

Furthermore, Jiang Ning, who had achieved this level, was still so young, not yet twenty years old.

On the arena,

Yuan Fei had retreated to the position where Qin Xuan had been, only about half a zhang away from the edge of the arena behind him.

At this moment,

This battle, which seemed intense to outsiders, was like a breeze for Jiang Ning, thanks to his minor achievement in inner strength, his five viscera were exceptionally strong, far surpassing ordinary people.

Even though he appeared to wield a heavy sword weighing three hundred jin, his face remained calm, and his heart was steady.

This battle was, at most, a mere warm-up for him.

Then, he slashed again, and the sword wind brushed past the nine ring holes on the back of the sword, sounding like the wails of ghosts and wolves.

"Break!"

He shouted, and blood-colored clouds suddenly rose from his body.

The muscles of his limbs were also as solid as fine iron, and one could clearly see the meandering blue veins and the body's meridians on the surface of the muscles.

"Forbidden technique!" At that moment, Hong Minghu exclaimed from the spectator stand.

The next moment—

Clang!

The sword and staff clashed.

An immense force suddenly transmitted from the sword to Jiang Ning's right arm.

Thud, thud, thud—

Faced with this colossal force, Jiang Ning involuntarily took three steps back.

So strong!

Jiang Ning secretly admired.

"Kill!" Yuan Kong glared with rage.

At this moment, his eyes seemed to burn with a crimson flame.

His entire body was enveloped in a faint red mist of blood.

As the staff descended, when it reached mid-air, Jiang Ning felt a powerful gust of wind rushing towards him.

"Well done!" Jiang Ning smiled.

Although Yuan Fei was powerful, he didn't feel much pressure from him.

It was a bit boring.

But this staff strike had him excited.

This was the kind of intense clash he had been longing for.

The next moment—

Boom!

His heart suddenly skipped a beat.

It was like a pebble dropped into a calm lake, causing a sudden vibration.

The blood in his body seemed to surge like a wild horse breaking free.

In an instant, he felt an infinite surge of power within him, his energy overflowing.

His skin turned red, his veins bulged, and his muscles seemed to transform into the shape of a coiling dragon.

These changes occurred in the blink of an eye, just as the situation reached its climax.

At this moment, he had already removed his body's restrictions, a feat only achievable by a Fifth Stage Inner Strength Master.

By removing the body's restrictions, he fully unleashed his potential.

This allowed him to enhance his speed, strength, reflexes, and endurance comprehensively.

And this was just the basic ability of a Fifth Stage martial artist.

But when used at this moment, its effect far surpassed that of the so-called forbidden technique.

On the other side,

Hong Minghu, sitting on the spectator stand, witnessed this scene, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

Cultivating both inner and outer strength, with remarkable inner cultivation! Gong Sun Yu, seeing this, also had his pupils constrict intensely.

As both of them had reached the Fifth Stage, they naturally understood the techniques Jiang Ning was using.

These were techniques that could only be mastered after cultivating the inner organs to a certain degree, allowing the five viscera to function at an enhanced level.

Moreover, using these techniques required a strong mental power to control.

Only martial artists with mental power strong enough to visualize their bodies from within could employ these techniques, removing the body's restrictions and unleashing its potential.

These techniques were far superior to the so-called forbidden techniques.

Because most forbidden techniques drew inspiration from methods of removing the body's restrictions.

"What kind of monster is this?" Hong Minghu was secretly astonished.

Jiang Ning's current performance left him in awe.

"If I were to take on disciples, I'd find a way to accept this kid as my disciple. His performance is truly monstrous!" Hong Minghu gazed at Jiang Ning, amazed.

On the spectator stand, Gong Sun Yu watched Jiang Ning with envy.

"How I wish I could take him as my disciple."

"What a pity! What a pity!"

He glanced at Hong Minghu beside him and sighed inwardly.

On the arena,

Jiang Ning held his sword.

As the sword descended, a solid sense of oppression enveloped Yuan Fei.

At the same time, in Yuan Fei's fiery eyes, he saw only the sword in mid-air.

The reflection of the sword in Yuan Fei's burning pupils created an image of a flame-forged gold sword.

On the spectator stand,

Clang!

The table in front of Hong Minghu trembled, moving a centimeter forward.

Sword Aura!

Hong Minghu's pupils contracted again.

"How is this possible?" Gong Sun Yu's mouth hung open.

As the third elder of the Medicine King Valley, he had seen and experienced much, recognizing that Jiang Ning's sword move as the legendary Sword Aura.

Even he, as the third elder, had not mastered this profound and mysterious technique.

Among the Fifth Stage martial artists in the world, less than half could master any type of aura.

Because only by mastering an aura could one enter the Fourth Stage.

Aura.

It was a profound and mysterious technique beyond words!

But there was no doubt that this technique was incredibly powerful.

Regardless of the type of aura mastered, once unleashed, it was as if one could borrow the power of heaven and earth, merging with the world.

When facing a powerful opponent who had mastered an aura, one could only confront them head-on; there was no escape.

If the aura was strong enough, it could even suppress others.

It was a strategy to defeat the enemy without fighting.

Even the valley master couldn't achieve this.

He had once been fortunate enough to witness such a powerful opponent, a Fourth Stage powerhouse with an aura so strong it was unimaginable.

That Fourth Stage powerhouse's aura was so formidable that he dared not move a muscle, feeling completely overwhelmed.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end