Chapter 485: Divine Song
Chapter 485: Divine Song
Pan Xiaode and Qi Huixin both wielded stiletto swords, with the length varying due to their height difference. Their fighting styles were distinct; Pan Xiaode favored direct and straightforward attacks, while Qi Huixin preferred quick and unpredictable maneuvers. When combined, one would engage head-on while the other would flank and strike, creating a harmonious blend of offense and defense.
Chen Chuan's current physical condition, even when expressed at a lower level, could not possibly be reduced to the second limit. However, by guiding himself with mental power, he could precisely coordinate his body, ensuring his force was applied at the most appropriate moment.
With conscious influence, he could even lower his senses to a certain level. Previously, he had wondered how those with immense power managed their daily energy consumption. As their strength increased, so did their energy needs, requiring significant energy and nutritional intake just to maintain basic bodily functions, let alone during combat.
Chen Chuan could lower his second limit expression, but how did those powerful individuals manage? Now he understood that those skilled in mental power could self-impose limits, keeping their bodies at a certain level.
In this state, he didn't rely on his strength and speed advantages. At this moment, his only reliance was on his fighting skills.
Even if his body was adjusted to the same level as Pan and Qi, his experience, fighting skills, and combat observation abilities remained intact. These couldn't be diminished, but where was the true fairness in combat? Perhaps this was the norm.
Chen Chuan casually waved his hand, deflecting a thrust from Pan Xiaode's stiletto sword. Pan, sensing the opportunity, swiftly thrust his other sword forward.
Chen Chuan's body subtly shifted its center of gravity, appearing to retreat but suddenly surging forward in an instant. He dodged the sword's edge and directly charged into the gap.
Qi Huixin, who had flanked to the side, was momentarily distracted, causing her intended strike to miss. She had to adjust mid-strike, a move that left her feeling uncomfortable.
After reaching the inside position, Chen Chuan appeared to grab Pan Xiaode's wrist. Pan immediately retreated, lifting his sword to strike Chen Chuan's arm.
Chen Chuan, as if anticipating this move, slapped his palm sideways, striking the sword's spine a moment earlier. Simultaneously, he slightly lifted his elbow, making Pan feel threatened and causing him to immediately retreat, fearing a facial attack.
Chen Chuan ducked and rushed through the opening, blocking Qi Huixin's path from behind. Despite her adjustments, Qi's strike still failed to land.
Throughout the fight, Chen Chuan maintained his position, ensuring he always faced one of them, preventing them from encircling him. In a fair physical contest, either of them would be defeated within three moves, even without weapons. But with their weapons and coordination, they could hold their own against Chen Chuan.
The two seemed to have a telepathic connection, exhibiting impeccable teamwork and maximizing their individual skills.
Tan Zhi gave them the first-floor hall, observing from the second-floor balcony. From his vantage point, all three combatants were constantly in motion.
Pan and Qi desperately sought advantageous positions, trying to corner Chen Chuan or push him against the wall. But Chen Chuan always managed to escape their uncoordinated traps.
If they attempted to retreat and regroup, Chen Chuan would immediately close in on one of them, forcing the other to intervene and lose the initiative. This pattern repeated, with Chen Chuan firmly in control of the battle.
Pan and Qi considered luring Chen Chuan into a trap, but after several failed attempts, they realized they couldn't trick him and had to focus on seizing the initiative.
Tan Zhi, watching from above, wondered what would have happened if he had joined the fight. Would it have made a difference? Could he have secured victory?
Shaking his head, he decided against it. He was self-aware and knew he lacked coordination with the other two. Joining them would likely create chaos, making him the weak link.
Observing the fight was a great way to gain experience and conserve energy.
The battle lasted over an hour, ending only when Pan and Qi voluntarily conceded.
Although the fight was brief, they felt immensely drained, not just physically but mentally. Every moment required intense focus, coordinating their moves, anticipating each other's actions, and planning several steps ahead. In this short sparring session, they experienced more growth than they had in a year.
Initially, they didn't think they stood a chance when their physical conditions were equalized. But Chen Chuan consistently exploited their weaknesses and openings, making them realize the vast gap in their overall abilities, including judgment and experience.
Fortunately, the entire encounter was within their comprehension, and they believed they could make significant progress by reviewing and digesting the lessons learned.
Chen Chuan smiles and replies, "It's nothing."
Tan Zhi claps his hands and says, "Alright, alright, let's take a break and have some drinks." He brings down a few bottles of energy-boosting beverages and hands them to the three individuals.
Once they are seated on the sofa, Tan Zhi brings out a deck of cards and says, "The musical drama starts at 3 pm, but we need to enter early. We'll have lunch here, and after we're done, we'll play a few rounds before heading to the theater."
Pan Xiaode asks, "What's the name of this musical drama?"
"The foreign name is hard to remember, but the translated title is 'Wildland Divine Song.'"
"Yes, that's the one. I've heard about it many times but never had the chance to watch it. What's the story about?"
Tan Zhi explains, "It's said to be a true story of love and revenge that took place in the kingdom of Norlund."
He proceeds to narrate the plot, which goes as follows: During the Norlund kingdom era, a destitute knight discovers an ancient divine poem in a cave while resting in the wilderness.
Upon seeing the hidden martial arts of ancient heroes within the poem, the knight is overjoyed and returns to present these skills to his king.
However, the court swordsman and several noblemen see nothing but ordinary poetry, and they deem the knight a fraud.
The king, enraged, orders the knight's limbs to be crushed with stones and abandons him in the wilderness. But a mute shepherdess finds and takes care of him.
Unwilling to give up, the knight, through his efforts, composes the poem into songs and sings them daily by the roadside, hoping that passing nobles and merchants will understand their meaning.
However, no one understands, and they mock him. Amidst his daily singing, a daughter of a noble family passing by hears the song and comprehends the hidden martial arts within.
The noble lady takes the initiative to approach the destitute knight, and she is moved by his spirit, promising to help him complete his mission.
After learning all the verses she can comprehend from him, the noble lady goes to the court alone, relying on her own martial prowess to earn a title and bring sufficient honor to her family.
But after securing her position, the noble lady's attitude changes. She doesn't want anyone else to understand these skills, so she sends people to kill the destitute knight.
What she doesn't know is that the shepherdess, though unable to sing, has silently learned those verses. In the future, when she captures enemies, she forces them to reveal the reason, and the knight, in his anger and gratitude towards the shepherdess, sings out the final verse.
The shepherdess, wearing a rusty knight's armor and wielding a rusty gun, charges into the king's palace, where the two women engage in a fierce battle that almost overturns the court.
'Wildland Divine Song' has become a classic performance, and during the show, the roles are played by real third-limit fighters, who are chosen from hundreds of competitors.
To be honest, if it were just the musical drama itself, it might not attract them that much, but they are highly anticipating the fight scenes between the fighters within the drama. Moreover, the real draw of the show is said to be the song itself, which is believed to be a divine melody bestowed upon the original protagonist of the story.
The entire drama consists of thirteen chapters, each with a divine song, and it is said that some masters throughout history have gained insights and inspiration from these songs.
However, no one has been able to fully comprehend the complete content of the songs to this day, and the more elusive they are, the more people are drawn to watch the show. Not only fighters but also ordinary people find it incredibly appealing, as everyone has a dream hidden in their heart, and who knows, they might be the one to understand the songs?"
"Many politicians and company executives will be attending this time," Tan Zhi reveals as he plays a card, "We should go early; otherwise, we might get stuck in traffic."
Pan Xiaode agrees, saying, "I hope it's as impressive as they say."
Chen Chuan looks at the cards in his hand and plays a card, saying, "According to the introduction, both lead actors are third-limit fighters, so it's worth watching."
The three others nod in agreement.
After enjoying the lavish lunch prepared by Tan Zhi, the four individuals leave the house and drive straight to the Radiant Light District.
The musical drama will be performed at the Xiwei Opera House, which can accommodate three thousand spectators and often hosts concerts and performances. The excellent sound quality also makes it a popular venue for recording large-scale broadcasts.
As they drive towards the venue, they encounter denser traffic than usual, and the advertisements on the tall buildings on both sides of the road are all about 'Wildland Divine Song,' including a segment of the melody to showcase the captivating voices of the musical performers.
Even with their early departure, they arrive at the venue just before two o'clock.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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