Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 354: Chapter 350: Defeating the Three Great Swords

A sword’s gleam suddenly erupted without warning, and a single point of cold light flashed into view.

The speed of this cold star was a cut above the stern-faced middle-aged man’s Flash Sword Drawing Technique, and it was even more unpredictable and difficult to defend against.

The Flash Sword Drawing Technique was at least visible to the naked eye. This Sleeve Sword Swordsmanship, however, first used the sleeve to hide the sword and deceive the eye, then suddenly erupted for the kill.

This Swordsmanship was more like a Sword Technique meant for assassination.

Just like a master assassin: they either don’t strike at all, or they strike to kill.

The blade of this sword was short, less than a foot long.

A normal sword is between three and four feet long, but his was a short sword. Only a short sword could be hidden in a sleeve for an assassination.

RIP.

The blade thrust out silently, not at Ning Jiang’s vital points, but straight for his right arm.

Attacking vital points could certainly lead to a one-hit kill, but he knew better. ’Against someone of Ning Jiang’s strength, trying to kill him in a single blow is pure fantasy.’

’That’s why I’m attacking his arm. It may not be a vital point, but for a Martial Artist, arms are of the utmost importance.’

’Once I injure and cripple Ning Jiang’s arm, his combat prowess will be severely diminished.’

It was a strategy of gradually chipping away at his opponent.

It was like a spider hunting its prey. The moment the prey is caught in the web, the spider doesn’t rush to attack. Instead, it uses its silk to gradually sap the prey’s strength. Only when the prey is completely exhausted does it move in for the kill.

The old man in the raincoat had the personality of a large, patient spider—cunning and cool-headed.

But what kind of person was Ning Jiang?

No matter the opponent’s methods, they held no secrets from him.

He tapped his foot lightly on the ground, and his body drifted backward.

This was the first time he had retreated during the fight. It wasn’t because he was at a disadvantage, but rather an expression of the Celestial Dao—a measured choice, a natural ebb and flow of advance and retreat.

In battle, one couldn’t just attack relentlessly. While the momentum of such an assault was powerful, it was fueled by a single burst of spirit. As the saying goes: courage is at its peak on the first drumroll, wanes on the second, and is extinguished by the third.

Once that spirit was exhausted, defeat and death would follow.

A true battle required a balance of hard and soft, of being adaptable within and resolute without.

”Hm?”

The old man in the raincoat’s pupils constricted. Ning Jiang’s retreat was like a Wandering Dragon riding the clouds and wind, using retreat as a form of advance.

As Ning Jiang moved, the old man found that no matter how he attacked, he couldn’t even touch him.

Moreover, Ning Jiang’s aura was actually growing stronger. He appeared to be retreating, but in reality, he was accumulating Power. He was like a Wandering Dragon pulling back its Dragon Claws, all to prepare for an even more devastating attack.

Wandering Dragon Step!

This was a Top Level, Spirit Level movement technique, even more profound than the Ten Steps of Impermanence.

When he used this footwork, he moved like a dragon soaring through the sky, as free as the moving clouds and falling rain, leaving his opponent feeling completely adrift.

”Kill!”

The old man in the raincoat roared, his attacks growing even more ferocious. With a vicious stab, his short sword was right in front of Ning Jiang.

Even with the might of the Nine Tribulations Celestial Thunder Body, he would be injured by this strike; it was nearly impossible to block.

But just then, Ning Jiang suddenly stopped in his tracks.

His eyes shone brightly. With his palm held like a sword, he jabbed forward, producing a deep thud like striking diamond. Every thread of rain in the air trembled violently.

But with everyone’s attention fixed on the battle, no one noticed this detail.

”I’ll cripple that hand!”

The old man in the raincoat was confident. ’There’s no way Ning Jiang can block this strike with his bare hand.’

CLANG.

But when his palm collided with the sword’s tip, a sharp metallic clang rang through the air.

The old man in the raincoat’s body shuddered violently.

The Power from the impact traveled up the short sword and into his body. He immediately felt as if he’d been struck by lightning, and with a spray of blood from his mouth, he was sent flying backward.

Almost at the same instant, the other two men’s attacks descended.

The stern-faced man’s sword was a blur of light, moving at its absolute fastest, thrusting forward at a speed beyond human reaction.

The stout man’s sword, in contrast, was heavy and slow, but it carried immense power. His Sword Technique was just like that—simple, direct, crude, and brutish.

Ning Jiang took a step forward, using his hand as a sword.

With this strike, his palm was impossibly gentle, like a wisp of cotton. It seemed to hold no power at all as it lightly made contact with the stern-faced man’s sword.

He didn’t meet the man’s strike head-on. Instead, the moment his palm touched the blade, he gave it a gentle push.

It was a classic case of using a tiny force to deflect a massive one, redirecting the opponent’s own momentum against them.

Of course, the saying ”deflecting a thousand pounds with four ounces” is just a metaphor. In reality, one must use immense power to redirect the opponent’s own.

As the saying goes, brute force overcomes all techniques. If a thousand pounds of force came crashing down, four ounces would be crushed in an instant.

Now, with the stern-faced man’s sword stuck to his palm, Ning Jiang gave it a gentle push, sending it careening directly into the stout man’s greatsword.

”This is bad!”

The expressions of both men changed drastically, but there was nothing they could do.

CLANG.

Their swords smashed into each other.

The stout man’s sword was defined by its heavy, powerful momentum. But the stern-faced man’s sword now carried the additional force of Ning Jiang’s push, giving it an equally ferocious Power.

In that instant, the webbing of their thumbs split open, and they could no longer grip their swords, which went flying from their hands.

”Is that all?” Ning Jiang said lightly, his aura perfectly calm.

GASP!

A series of sharp gasps came from the crowd as the numerous Martial Artists stared at Ning Jiang, utterly dumbfounded.

”Am I dreaming?”

”The Three Great Swords, the three most outstanding Sword Cultivators in Qing Province, were defeated just like that?”

”Just who in the world is he?”

The crowd erupted in discussion, shocked by the defeat of the Three Great Swords and speculating wildly about Ning Jiang’s identity.

An expert of his caliber shouldn’t be a nobody. What kind of face was hidden beneath that mask?

”How can this be?”

Just as shocked as the crowd, if not more so, were the Three Great Swords themselves. ’In front of Ning Jiang,’ they thought, ’our Swordsmanship is as laughable as a child’s play.’

’Ning Jiang used just a few simple moves to easily neutralize our deadliest techniques, leaving us completely powerless.’

’Compared to his Swordsmanship, what right do we have to be called the Three Great Swords?’

’And he’s only been using his hand as a sword this whole time!’

’If he actually had a sword, how terrifying would he be?’

CLAP, CLAP, CLAP.

Just as the entire area fell silent, the sound of clapping suddenly echoed. All eyes turned to see a young man striding forward.

”Interesting. I thought the Three Great Swords were the finest Sword Cultivators in Qing Province, but it seems there are hidden masters here after all. I never expected to find someone like you.”

Acting as if no one else were there, the young man walked into the Ninth-Mile area.

’Another expert.’

Seeing him step into the Ninth-Mile so easily, the onlookers’ pupils constricted.

”Who is he?”

The crowd was puzzled. But then, they witnessed a shocking scene: the Three Great Swords all clasped their fists and bowed to the young man, saying respectfully, ”Greetings, Young Master Wei.”

”What!”

In that instant, the entire crowd was stunned.

Minds reeled. ’Just what is the background of this Young Master Wei?’