Chapter 114
Chapter 114: Swordsmanship’s Renown
Outside the mountain, voices rose in a flurry, everyone murmuring that Wang Jie was too arrogant.
Wu Ming was speechless, [If I’d known, I wouldn’t have warned him. Is he really that confident?]
Yan Zhen Zhen and Yan Xiao Nian also stared as if meeting Wang Jie for the first time.
Luo Yan felt this man couldn’t possibly be the same Master Wang who had asked her to find his secret admirer. Such dominance.
Some sneered, yet others became wary.
To say such words under these circumstances required extraordinary confidence—or else it would become an utter joke. Could his swordsmanship truly be that powerful?
?? (Ru Mu) silently stared at Wang Jie: “Master, you’re truly this confident?”
Wang Jie smiled lightly, signaling his opponent to draw his sword. Yes, he was this confident. In a duel, just as his opponent observed him, he too could observe the opponent. His experiences had long surpassed those in this small place—as long as he wasn’t overwhelmed by realm, he had nothing to fear.
Indeed, a small place.
Never mind Shu Mu Night, the cultivators here couldn’t even compare to Wen Star Ru and the others. It wasn’t confidence, rather—there were no surprises.
Ru Mu gripped the hilt of his sword, its tip grazing the ground, slowly stepping toward Wang Jie.
Along his path, the sword’s edge etched shallow marks into the ground, scattering sparks. The closer he drew to Wang Jie, the fiercer the sparks flared.
Inside and outside Little Sword Mountain, everyone’s gaze locked onto Ru Mu. Only a few noticed the sparks blossoming.
Wang Jie’s eyes widened in astonishment. [The sword variations are revealed in those sparks. Rather than the sword’s friction igniting sparks, each step he takes creates transformations, manifesting in sparks.]
Stopping three meters away, Ru Mu raised his sword and swung upward diagonally. It was a simple strike, yet it bathed Wang Jie in chilling pressure. No matter how he moved, another strike awaited him. Ru Mu had predicted every step he would take.
This single sword contained countless transformations and immense power, embodying Drifting Sword Intent. Beneath the scattering sparks, a chill colder than Li Mo’s surged forth.
Facing the blade descending toward him, Wang Jie flicked his thumb, swiftly drawing his sword from its sheath, grasping it in reverse and swinging backhanded. With a soft clang, he moved at phantom speed, each strike precisely colliding with Ru Mu’s blade, sending sparks flying.
Though their swords collided repeatedly, neither man moved.
Neither retreated an inch.
The soft collisions echoed out from Little Sword Mountain, heard by everyone.
Yan Zhen Zhen’s eyes widened in shock: [He blocked it? Master Wang blocked Ru Mu’s Drifting Sword Technique.]
Li Mo and others stared intently, trying to follow each strike, yet failed. The variations were too swift, their minds unable to keep pace.
“Thirty-two.” Master Que Yi had appeared unnoticed, Tao Two at his side.
Li Mo and the others hastily bowed in greeting.
Master Que Yi observed the scene, “Ru Mu has already performed thirty-two variations, each blocked by Master Wang. If he cannot evolve further, he loses.”
The crowd could hardly believe it. Ru Mu’s Drifting Sword had always been known to have only thirty-two variations. Yet this person truly blocked them all. Was he truly still at Ten-Seals?
Suddenly, Ru Mu deflected Wang Jie’s blade, released his grip, and the sword spun behind him before hurtling forward again.
“A new variation!” Li Mo’s eyes shone.
Wang Jie’s expression remained calm. He raised his sword vertically. The blade was knocked aside, yet the hilt lunged toward him. He did not dodge. After delivering a strike, he hooked his middle finger back, his blade abruptly reversing, precisely blocking the hilt. Another clang rang out. Both reached out simultaneously, grabbing their swords, and swung horizontally.
Clang.
The blades shattered together.
Both swords broke simultaneously.
Face-to-face, Wang Jie and Ru Mu exchanged smiles.
Ru Mu casually tossed the broken sword, embedding it in the mountain wall, and praised, “Honored guest, your swordsmanship is admirable. I observed your techniques but couldn’t merge them into mine, because you remained passive in defense.”
Wang Jie raised his broken sword, examining it briefly. “This sword wasn’t bad. A pity.” With that, he also lodged it into the opposite mountain wall.
No more ridicule came from inside or outside Little Sword Mountain. All had seen clearly how effortlessly Wang Jie responded to Ru Mu’s techniques. His swordsmanship was truly formidable.
“How many strikes just now?” asked a female disciple suddenly.
“Ninety-one,” someone replied.
“So Senior Brother Ru could only strike eight more times?”
“Nonsense. You’re implying Senior Brother Ru would definitely lose at the hundredth strike. Impossible!”
The female disciple stuck out her tongue, falling silent.
Ru Mu glanced at Wang Jie’s broken sword. “Your sword isn’t very good. How about it? Need to borrow one?”
Wang Jie agreed, “If possible, thank you.”
Ru Mu laughed, “You don’t pretend modesty at all.”
“I’m short on swords. If you’re willing to give them, I’ll take them all.”
“That won’t do. Others need swords too.” He waved, and two nearly identical swords flew from a distant valley.
Wang Jie caught one, tested it with a flick. The clear ringing showed it was indeed better than his previous sword.
His own sword had been forged by Wu Ming using materials from the Berserk Clan—already good—but clearly inferior to this one.
Ru Mu grasped his sword. “I won’t take advantage with a better sword, otherwise I’d have used it earlier.”
“Then let me see how you plan to win with your next nine strikes,” Wang Jie raised his eyes.
Ru Mu suddenly struck again, different from before. Now, he himself became a sharp blade, countless sword images filling the heavens and earth, far exceeding his earlier variations.
Li Mo and others exclaimed joyfully, “Sixty-four variations!”
Even Master Que Yi marveled. For one so young to fully grasp Drifting Sword’s sixty-four variations—he was indeed a true disciple.
Wang Jie was unsurprised. He had known Ru Mu had held back. Good—the more variations, the more fame.
Endless sword shadows surrounded him. Wang Jie glided through the storm, weaving effortlessly among the blades. No matter Ru Mu’s changes, every deadly strike was easily read.
Though he hadn’t reached One Glance Three Thousand, he was close enough. What Wang Jie saw differed from others—he saw even more clearly than Ru Mu himself.
To wield a sword did not mean full mastery of it.
Ninety-two, ninety-three… ninety-seven, ninety-eight.
One strike remained.
Ru Mu’s expression turned grim. He had not even touched Wang Jie’s robe. Refusing to believe the gap was so vast, he prepared his ultimate technique. If this next strike, his lifetime culmination, still failed, he would concede defeat.
The ninety-ninth strike.
Drifting Sword Finale.
Sword images converged from all directions, leaving Wang Jie nowhere to evade, forcing him into the center. Unless Wang Jie fled instantly, this final strike would overwhelm him—this was Drifting Sword’s ultimate killing variation.
Wang Jie observed the scattered blades forming a circle in the void. [Good swordsmanship.]
He raised his arm, gripping his sword: Star Gazing Sword Style.
His sword fell like stars from heaven, each precise stroke shattering Ru Mu’s sixty-four variations. The countless sword shadows exploded into glimmers of starlight, scattering wildly, forcing Ru Mu backward several steps.
Ru Mu stared, stunned. His sword had been defeated.
Star Gazing Sword Style rivaled Heaven and Earth Luo Xuan Finger, a lost Armor One Sect technique surpassing even the Eighteen Ultimate Techniques. With Wang Jie’s cultivation, breaking Ru Mu’s Drifting Sword was effortless.
Wang Jie stepped forward, his sword at Ru Mu’s throat. The hundredth strike was simple and pure.
Ru Mu felt the chill at his throat and murmured, “Excellent swordsmanship.”
Wang Jie lowered his blade. “Yours is excellent as well.”
Ru Mu looked skyward. “What was that technique called?”
“Star Gazing.”
“Star Gazing… No shame in losing.” Ru Mu smiled without despair. “Master Wang, thank you for letting me witness such a magnificent technique.”
“Keep that sword as a gift.”
“Thank you. It suits me perfectly.”
Ru Mu glanced afar. “Yin Bei Yi asked me to trouble you. Be cautious.”
Wang Jie nodded, glancing at Yin Bei Yi, knowing this man hadn’t forgotten Green Mountain City.
Within Little Sword Mountain, respect now mingled with caution—Master Wang’s swordsmanship was truly astonishing.
Congratulations poured in.
But due to Master Xu and Cold Domain Master’s influence, many hesitated to approach Wang Jie openly.
Master Que Yi admired Wang Jie’s skill, then asked meaningfully, “When do you plan to reach Star Breaking Realm?”
Wang Jie hesitated, realizing his strength could no longer be concealed.
He decided—it was time to return to Heavy Depth Star.