Chapter 197

Chapter 197: First battle against Xiantian, complete sword intent!

Deep in the mountains, in a valley,

Lu Qing and Wei Shanhai stood facing each other, weapons in hand.

Of course, their weapons were ordinary, refined war swords, not divine weapons.

After all, they were merely sparring, not a life-or-death duel.

“Young Master Lu, this place is quiet and pleasant, with a wide view. It’s truly a great place for sparring,”

Wei Shanhai exclaimed, surveying the surroundings.

“I stumbled upon this place while gathering herbs in the mountains. I occasionally practice

here, and it’s truly wonderful,” Lu Qing said with a smile. The villa was too close to Jiuli Village.

The aura of a Xiantian Realm expert was too terrifying for ordinary people.

The village was also home to many elderly people, so to avoid startling them, Lu Qing chose to spar in the mountains, far from the village.

Ma Gu surveyed the surroundings and recognized this as the same unnamed valley where Lu Qing had rescued him from his pursuit.

Back then, Lu Qing and Xiao Li had slew two Tiancang Sect disciples.

Wei Zi’an, however, paid no attention to the valley’s surroundings. Standing on the hillside, he fixed his gaze on the two men below, filled with anticipation.

Seeing that Lu Qing and Wei Shanhai were about to engage in a sparring match, the two men, unwilling to miss such a spectacle, shamelessly followed.

“Master, who do you think will emerge victorious in this sparring match, Doctor Lu Qing or our ancestor?” Wei Zi’an asked.

Ma Gu pondered for a moment, then hesitated, “I can’t say for sure.”

Logically, although Lu Qing was a martial arts master, he was still at the Acquired Realm, while the Wei ancestor was a powerhouse of the Innate Realm.

The vast difference in their cultivation meant the Wei ancestor was undoubtedly superior.

Yet, somehow, Ma Gu instinctively sensed that something might be more complicated.

Since he’d known Lu Qing, the young man had performed countless miracles and astonished him so much.

Even in a battle between the Acquired Realm and the Innate Realm, he felt Lu Qing wouldn’t be easily defeated.

Wei Shanhai didn’t share this doubt.

As a powerhouse of the Innate Realm, he possessed absolute confidence.

Although Lu Qing was a rare martial arts prodigy, his future path was limitless.

However, he hadn’t yet fully matured.

The gulf between the Acquired Realm and the Innate Realm couldn’t be bridged by talent alone.

Therefore, he remained quite relaxed.

Looking at Lu Qing attentively, Wei Shanhai said, “Young Master Lu, how would you like to spar?”

“I’d like to experience the true power of the Innate Realm. Is that possible?” Lu Qing asked.

“Are you sure?” Wei Shanhai was taken aback.

“Yes, Senior Wei, please enlighten me,” Lu Qing said earnestly.

Wei Shanhai’s expression gradually grew serious as he observed Lu Qing’s sincere expression.

Suddenly, he smiled again. “The power of the Innate Realm isn’t something you can easily withstand. Here’s how: I’ll suppress my strength to the Acquired Realm.

If you can push me to a certain point, then you’ll naturally be able to feel the power of the Innate Realm.”

Lu Qing thought about it and felt it made sense.

If he couldn’t even defeat Wei Shanhai, whose strength had been suppressed to the Acquired Realm, how could he possibly witness the power of the Innate Realm?

He nodded, “Very well. I’ll see to your guidance, Senior Wei.”

He swung his long sword, making a starting gesture.

Wei Shanhai’s eyes lit up at Lu Qing’s profound, steady, and composed starting gesture.

“Excellent swordplay, Young Master Lu! Your swordsmanship can truly be described as mastery, the pinnacle of mastery.”

Wei Shanhai, equally skilled in swordsmanship, was immediately delighted by Lu Qing’s mastery.

However, he remained motionless, waiting for Lu Qing to strike first.

As a Xiantian realm warrior, Wei Shanhai possessed considerable pride.

He couldn’t possibly strike first against a post-natal realm warrior.

Lu Qing understood this, and after a simple “Excuse me,” he lunged forward.

As he approached Wei Shanhai, Lu Qing flicked his wrist, and in an instant, his long sword was unsheathed. A flash of sharp light flashed, and he slashed towards Wei Shanhai with unparalleled swiftness.

The chilling gleam of the blade gave goosebumps to Ma Gu and Wei Zi’an, both on the hillside. Their skin crawled, their eyes etched with horror.

“This swordsmanship!”

Even Wei Shanhai, sensing the might of Lu Qing’s strike, was astonished.

The power and sophistication of Lu Qing’s strike far surpassed even that of a master swordsman.

He recalled Lu Qing’s battle with Zhao Xiong, Wang Cangyi’s eldest disciple, two years ago.

Back then, Lu Qing, though far inferior in cultivation to Zhao Xiong, had managed to hold his own against him through his swordsmanship.

It seemed that two years later, Lu Qing had made significant strides in his swordsmanship.

However, Wei Shanhai was, after all, a Xiantian Realm expert, equally profound in the art of the sword.

Though surprised, his movements were unwavering.

With a shimmering light, Wei Shanhai’s longsword traced a circular arc, slashing forth with the same force.

The timing of the strike coincided with Lu Qing’s peak power.

He was actually planning to use strength against strength, attack against attack, to defeat Lu Qing head-on.

Bang!

The two swords collided, and the next moment, countless sword lights illuminated around them.

In an instant, it was unknown how many swords each side had thrown.

Layers of powerful energy and sword aura erupted between Lu Qing and Wei Shanhai, surging like a violent storm.

The two men unexpectedly chose to engage in a swift, swift attack, clashing with their swords.

Ma Gu and Wei Zi’an, standing on the hillside, watched with awe, their breath nearly forgotten.

They hadn’t expected the two to engage in such intense combat from the very beginning.

After Lu Qing and Wei Shanhai exchanged sword blows for more than ten breaths,

the sword light suddenly vanished, and a figure suddenly retreated.

After retreating several dozen steps, he finally stood, staring ahead in shock.

The tears in his clothing were striking.

“What? The ancestor retreated?”

“Brother Lu Qing won?”

Ma Gu and Wei Zi’an, watching from the hillside, couldn’t help but exclaim.

The retreating figure was actually Wei Shanhai.

“Sword power…”

Wei Shanhai’s heart was shaken, a turbulent sea.

He swallowed and looked at Lu Qing in disbelief.

“Young Master Lu, you’ve actually entered the realm of sword intent and comprehended its full potential?”

“I was lucky enough to gain some insight while practicing swordsmanship a few days ago.”

Lu Qing put away his sword, his clothes intact.

“It’s actually sword intent…”

Although he was mentally prepared, Wei Shanhai’s heart still skipped a beat at Lu Qing’s admission.

“To comprehend the complete sword intent in a body at the Postnatal Realm, young master Lu, you and your master both possess monstrous martial arts savvy.”

The fact that the old doctor, at the initial stage of the Innate Realm, could display a hint of the Innate Realm’s artistic conception, and later even comprehend the harmony of water and fire, cultivating both types of Innate Qi simultaneously, had already astounded Wei Shanhai enough.

Unexpectedly, Lu Qing rivaled his master’s abilities.

He had comprehended the complete sword intent while still in the Postnatal Realm.

You know, the realm of [Intention] is incredibly profound.

Even a master of the Innate Realm who has broken through many years ago might not be able to comprehend his own unique [Intention].

Even he, after decades in the Innate Realm, gradually developed his own sword intent.

Meanwhile, Lu Qing, at such a young age, hadn’t even broken through to the Innate Realm, yet he had already comprehended the complete sword intent.

If this news were to spread, it would likely cause immediate shock throughout the cultivation world.

More importantly, Wei Shanhai had a vague feeling that Lu Qing’s swordsmanship was even more profound than his own, a Xiantian Realm cultivator.

In the last few dozen moves of their swift swordfight, he had been completely suppressed by Lu Qing.

He controlled his swordsmanship with his own swordsmanship, but he couldn’t find any flaws in Lu Qing’s techniques.

Instead, Lu Qing repeatedly found flaws in his own moves, slicing through his clothes.

Had Lu Qing not shown mercy, he would have been injured long ago.

“Senior Wei, will you continue to spar with me at the Xiantian Realm with your acquired realm strength?” Lu Qing asked.

“Why would you?” Wei Shanhai said with a wry smile. “In terms of swordsmanship alone, I’m completely defeated by you.”

As he spoke, Wei Shanhai felt a pang of bitterness.

Before sparring with Lu Qing, he had been full of confidence. He

believed that although Lu Qing was incredibly gifted, a martial arts genius rarely seen in centuries,

he would be no match for his Xiantian Realm martial arts consciousness.

Unexpectedly, he would be the one to suffer the defeat.

“Am I now worthy enough to witness the power of the Xiantian Realm?” Lu Qing continued.

“Of course.”

Wei Shanhai, a Xiantian Realm powerhouse after all, quickly adjusted his composure, his expression serious.

“But Young Master Lu, I must tell you that the power of the Xiantian Realm is completely different from that of the Acquired Realm.

Those in the Xiantian Realm cultivate Xiantian Zhenqi.

Guided by the mind, absorbing the vital energy of heaven and earth, the refined Xiantian Zhenqi is incredibly profound and imbued with immense power.

The moves it unleashes are astonishingly powerful, far beyond the reach of those in the Acquired Realm. Using

the same martial arts, a Xiantian Realm warrior, using Xiantian Zhenqi to activate the same power, can unleash at least several times, or even dozens of times, that of a warrior in the Acquired Realm.

The two are completely incomparable.”

“Junior understands,” Lu Qing said solemnly.

Wei Shanhai’s meaning was clear.

Even though he might have been slightly inferior in swordsmanship just now, if he had utilized Xiantian Zhenqi, the outcome would have been completely different.

As the saying goes, “One force conquers ten skills.” When strength reaches a certain level, technique becomes virtually oblivious.

Furthermore, Wei Shanhai has also grasped the existence of sword intent.

If he unleashes his innate true qi, he’ll be the one crushed.

But…

Wei Shanhai didn’t exert his full strength just now. Did he use his trump card?

A fighting spirit flickered in Lu Qing’s eyes.

Without a real fight, without experiencing the true power of the innate realm, how could he prepare for what was to come?

“Excellent, excellent! As expected of a peerless genius born before the great changes of heaven and earth. Only with such courage can one be worthy of the title of “Son of Fortune.”

Wei Shanhai sensed Lu Qing’s fighting spirit and felt a surge of pride in his heart, cheering loudly.

Lu Qing smiled. He had never taken the talk of the so-called “Son of Fortune” seriously seriously.

He trusted more deeply in his own strength and the sword in his hand!

“Please teach me, Senior!”

“Excellent!”

With the utterance of the word “Excellent,” Wei Shanhai suddenly erupted with a surging aura.

An overwhelming innate pressure suddenly emerged from nowhere, bearing down on Lu Qing.

Ma Gu and Wei Zi’an, perched on the hillside, felt this pressure and felt their bodies suddenly feel heavy, their legs weakening.

They collapsed to the ground, staring down in horror, their concern for Lu Qing growing. From such a distance, even the slightest impact of the innate pressure felt like a mountain bearing down on them, unbearable.

Just how terrifying must the mental strain be for Lu Qing, facing such overwhelming pressure head-on?

However, upon seeing Lu Qing’s condition, their eyes widened.

Lu Qing’s expression remained calm, not a trace of discomfort. It was as if the vast, oceanic innate pressure was a gentle breeze to him, causing no strain at all.

Even Wei Shanhai was stunned.

“Senior Wei, there’s no need for these empty tricks. Imposing auras and the like are of no use to me.”

With his battle spirit boiling, Lu Qing, in a rare display of arrogance, laughed loudly.

“Very good, then you be careful!”

Although he didn’t know what secret method Lu Qing had practiced, he was able to completely resist his innate pressure.

But Wei Shanhai didn’t want to dwell on these questions. He swung his long sword, and a stream of red blade energy emerged, swiftly slashing towards Lu Qing!

Without a second thought, Lu Qing slashed towards the blade energy.

Bang!

After all, the blade energy, condensed from pure Qi, was naturally not as strong as a fine steel sword, forged through thousands of hammers. Lu Qing easily shattered it.

But Lu Qing also felt a tremor in his arm. The power of the blade energy was so astonishing that it left a slight tingling sensation in his arm.

Swish, swish, swish!

But that wasn’t the end. Wei Shanhai slashed again, and several streams of red blade energy, tracing mysterious paths, intertwined and flew towards Lu Qing.

“Can the Qi and blood of a perfected acquired body alone withstand the attack of blade energy condensed from innate Qi?”

As he watched the oncoming blade energy, a thought flashed through Lu Qing’s mind.

“Then, a perfect explosion!”

As Lu Qing’s thoughts swirled, the Qi and blood within him instantly surged, and a powerful aura emanated from him.

The next moment, the blade flashed, and with a few crisp cracks, several streaks of red blade energy were instantly shattered by Lu Qing.

Boom!

After shattering the blade energy, Lu Qing exerted force on his foot, shattering a large rock. Like an arrow from a bow, he lunged towards Wei Shanhai.

Standing still and taking a beating was not Lu Qing’s style.

He hadn’t yet ascended to the Xiantian realm, lacking the ranged attack power of Xiantian blade energy. His only chance of victory lay in close combat with Wei Shanhai!

“Using your explosive secret technique? Well done!”

Faced with Lu Qing’s attack, Wei Shanhai, instead of being surprised, roared with joy. With a mighty force, he slashed towards Lu Qing with a mountain-splitting power.

The pressure this strike inflicted on Lu Qing was completely different from the previous one.

The immensely powerful blade completely enveloped him. The overwhelming force within the blade, even before it erupted, already made Lu Qing feel a faint sense of suffocation.

“Is this the true power of the Innate Realm?”

Feeling the might of Wei Shanhai’s blade and the subtle tremor in his heart, Lu Qing showed no fear. Instead, an endless fighting spirit rose within him.

Without a second thought, he swung his blade, slashing towards Wei Shanhai as well.

He had once again chosen a powerful attack!

(End of Chapter)