Meimei And Hongfa

“Meimei, do your best.”

Seiran cheered her on. Meimei nodded. After learning a qi training method and Swallowtail Swordsmanship from Kou, Meimei had gained enough ability that, aside from Seiran and Haoxuen, she would not lose to Taoist practitioners of the same cohort.

When Meimei stepped forward, the Taoist practitioners of Goyou Cave began murmuring.

“She’s cute.”

“She looks like she’ll become a beauty.”

The onlookers were noisy. Meimei’s opponent, Kaaje, seemed to be an axe user and held an axe with a wooden blade. This wooden axe was called a practice axe.

The Taoist practitioners of Goyou Cave seemed to think Meimei would lose. However, Meimei showed no sign of giving up. The fight began at Elder Chiu’s signal, and Meimei started running.

Meimei’s qi was at the Fourth Tier, and her opponent’s was the same. Victory or defeat would be decided by the skill of the martial arts they had mastered. At a stage when it had not even been a year since entering the sect, the sect’s martial arts had not yet been fully learned, so the martial arts one had learned before entering the sect often influenced victory or defeat.

However, there were cases where those who encountered a good teacher improved their ability by an entirely different degree. Haoxuen and Seiran, as well as Meimei and Hongfa, were examples of that. Having gained a teacher named Kou, Meimei had been shown examples over and over, then taught the basics of the principles behind Swallowtail Swordsmanship, and began basic training after understanding them in her head.

Understanding it in her head meant that she could imagine the ideal movements sought by Swallowtail Swordsmanship. After that, she simply trained relentlessly to realize the ideal movements she imagined. As she continued that kind of training, her skill in Swallowtail Swordsmanship rose dramatically.

Meimei circulated Floating Yang Qi through her body and watched her opponent’s eyes. The next instant, Kaaje, holding the practice axe, leaped in and swung the practice axe down. Meimei jumped left at the last moment to dodge it and sent her practice sword toward Kaaje’s chest. It was blocked by using the practice axe like a shield.

Meimei jumped backward to create distance and readied her practice sword.

“You’re pretty good. From now on, I won’t hold back.”

Kaaje raised the practice axe and closed the distance. Seeing that, Meimei smiled faintly and prepared a Swallowtail Swordsmanship technique called “Three Flashes.” This Three Flashes was something learned before training in the secret technique [Eight-Flash Sword], and it unleashed three slashes in an instant.

When Kaaje was about to swing the practice axe down, Meimei unleashed Three Flashes. Three Flashes was not a secret technique, but it was a powerful technique. The first move of Three Flashes struck Kaaje’s dominant hand, the second struck a vital point on his right leg, and the third snapped against his head.

Kaaje, who had received three strikes in an instant, let go of the practice axe and collapsed to the ground.

“That is enough!”

Elder Chiu declared that the match had been decided. The Taoist practitioners of Goyou Cave who had watched this fight widened their eyes in surprise. It was probably because none of them had thought Meimei would win.

“No way.”

“Kaaje lost……”

The Taoist practitioners of Goyou Cave spoke as if they could not believe it. His ability seemed to be about the same as Kuulin, whom Seiran had defeated, and he seemed to have the second-highest ability among the young Taoist practitioners. That was apparently why they were surprised.

“Meimei, that was amazing.”

“Congratulations.”

Hongfa, Haoxuen, and Seiran gathered around Meimei when she returned and congratulated her. With Seiran and Meimei’s victories, the results became even.

After thinking about whom to send next, Elder Tsuen chose Toumi. Toumi had been relieved of his tension by Meimei’s performance, but the young Taoist practitioner from Goyou Cave was superior in ability.

“Tch, he lost? Men cannot be relied on. Next is Hongfa.”

After saying that, Elder Tsuen went to Elder Chiu and decided the opponent. The chosen Hongfa stepped forward with a slightly tense expression.

“She seems nervous. I wonder if she will be all right?”

Meimei said worriedly. Haoxuen observed her opponent. He felt that the opponent’s ability was lower than Kaaje, whom Meimei had fought.

“Hongfa, finish it in one blow.”

Haoxuen advised her in a loud voice. Hearing that, Bowen turned his eyes toward Haoxuen.

“Does Hongfa have a technique that can decide it in one blow?”

“Yes. She learned a secret technique called [Wind Cutter] from Senior Brother Kou.”

“That is a secret technique I have never heard of. What kind of technique is it?”

“It is a simple technique where one leaps in with extraordinary speed and cuts the enemy.”

Hearing that, Elder Tsuen snorted and mocked it.

“Calling such a simple technique a secret technique is exaggerated.”

“Senior Brother Kou also seemed unsure whether it counted as a secret technique, but he apparently thought it would become a terrifying technique if perfected.”

Just as Haoxuen said that, he heard the voice saying, “Begin!” Haoxuen focused on Hongfa’s movements. Hongfa’s body seemed to be filled with Floating Yang Qi.

At that moment, her opponent started running. Hongfa, holding a shorter staff, seemed to be waiting for him. The next instant, many of the inexperienced Taoist practitioners lost sight of Hongfa. A whoosh echoed through the training ground, and Hongfa’s opponent rolled across the ground.

Before anyone realized it, Hongfa was staring at her fallen opponent while holding her staff ready.

“Match decided!”

Elder Chiu’s voice rang out.

“Is this the Shrinking Earth Method?”

Bowen asked in a surprised voice.

“Yes. It is a secret technique Senior Brother Kou created.”

“It is a simple technique, but it seems deep.”

The young Taoist practitioners of Gyorei Cave grew excited at Hongfa’s victory. Last was Haoxuen’s turn. And his opponent was Unran of Goyou Cave. Unran was larger than Kou and had a sturdy build.

“Be careful. That Taoist practitioner named Unran is apparently a genius like Kou. And he seems to be learning Dragon Fang Dao.”

Hearing that, Haoxuen’s face stiffened.

“I wish I had not heard that.”