The End Of The Exchange Match

Haoxuen stepped out to the center of the training ground with a staff in hand. When he observed Unran’s qi, he could infer that he was at the Tenth Tier.

“He really is on Senior Brother Kou’s level. Winning might be impossible. Just as Senior Brother Bowen said, all I can do is try to fight in a way that will not shame me as a Taoist practitioner of Gyorei Cave.”

He sent Floating Yang Qi through his yang meridians and Heavy Yin Qi through his yin meridians, circulating them throughout his body. Then he applied pressure to his Floating Yang Qi and prepared so that he would enter the state of Moment of Foam at the same time as the signal.

“Begin!”

The battle began at Elder Chiu’s signal. The moment Haoxuen heard that voice, he entered the state of Moment of Foam. Then he felt as though the flow of time had slowed. Moment of Foam was divided into the shallow layer, middle layer, and deep layer depending on the stage of mastery, and Haoxuen, who had only just learned it, was in the shallow layer. For reference, Kou was in the middle layer.

Unran looked at Haoxuen with eyes that seemed to say, “Poor thing,” and grinned. He seemed confident.

“His qi flow has no disturbance. He’s on Senior Brother Kou’s level. He’s definitely a genius.”

When Haoxuen took a cautious stance, Unran closed in with his practice blade in hand. Unran smoothly closed the distance and swept his practice blade at a speed too fast for the eye to follow. Haoxuen deflected that attack with his staff.

Unran’s eyes sharpened after his attack was deflected, and he began unleashing attacks in succession. Those attacks gradually grew faster. Haoxuen deflected a downward slash with his staff while twisting his body, then jumped backward to dodge the practice blade that attacked as if scooping up from below. Haoxuen was already doing everything he could just to defend with all his strength.

It was an attack that he could not have defended against if he had not gotten used to that speed through training with Kou. The defensive technique of the Broadsword Fox-Flame Technique was fundamentally about deflecting attacks, not stopping them. Haoxuen faithfully followed that, guiding his deflections so that his opponent’s stance would collapse, but Unran’s core was so strong that it did not crumble in the slightest.

“He’s fast. How can the Taoist practitioner from Gyorei Cave defend against those attacks?”

A young Taoist practitioner from Goyou Cave raised his voice as if he could not believe it. The Taoist practitioners around him nodded in agreement.

“Haoxuen, keep going!”

Seiran raised his voice in support. Bowen did not take his eyes off the battle as he asked Seiran a question.

“Why can Haoxuen defend against those attacks?”

“Because they seem a little faster than the attacks he receives in training with Senior Brother Kou, but they still aren’t too fast for him to defend against.”

Unran’s attacks had reached a speed that even Bowen could not read unless he used Moment of Foam. Elder Tsuen and Elder Chiu watched both of their movements with their eyes wide open.

“This is bad. Haoxuen is being cornered.”

Seiran said it in a murmur. The next instant, Haoxuen, who had only been defending, squeezed out the last of his strength and unleashed Yang Fox-Flame. When flames burst from the tip of his staff, they attacked Unran.

Unran stopped the attack of Yang Fox-Flame with his practice blade. However, the practice blade could not withstand its power, and a cracking sound ran through it as fissures appeared. Noticing that, Unran jumped into Haoxuen’s chest and drove in a thrust.

Haoxuen, who had no strength left, took the blow directly and crouched on the ground.

“That is enough. Unran wins.”

Elder Chiu declared it happily.

“What was that technique the Taoist practitioner from Gyorei Cave unleashed at the end?”

“Flames came out.”

Haoxuen somehow managed to get up, then staggered back to Seiran and the others.

“This is the Healing Pill Senior Brother Kou gave us.”

Seiran took a Healing Pill from his small case and gave it to Haoxuen to drink. After drinking the Healing Pill, Haoxuen sat on the ground and began refining his qi.

“Still, I did not think you would have learned a secret technique when it has not even been a year since you entered the sect.”

Bowen said that to Haoxuen.

“My Yang Fox-Flame is still far from Senior Brother Kou’s.”

“There is no need to be modest. It was a splendid battle.”

In this way, the exchange matches ended. Goyou Cave had intended to win while showing overwhelming strength, but that was prevented by the efforts of Haoxuen and the others. Afterward, a banquet was held to praise the young Taoist practitioners for their hard fighting.

The Taoist practitioners of Gyorei Cave ate delicious food, took sufficient rest, and then set out on the road back to Mount Gyorei.

After I was injured fighting the Black Wind Tiger, I rested in my room. According to Elder Mon’s explanation, she had sewn up the wound, so I was to stay at rest until it closed up again.

I continued only my qi training and otherwise spent my time resting quietly. As a result, I healed on the seventh day. Once the wound closed and the stitches were removed, I was fully recovered.

Around then, I resumed full-scale training. There, I decided to train myself again from the basics. First, I reviewed Immortal Qi Body Control Art and went over even the fine details once more. Through this, I was able to discover a principle I had overlooked. It was a trick that could be used when circulating qi inside the body.

Thanks to that, I became able to circulate my qi more smoothly than before, and my qi level rose by one. I had reached the Twelfth Tier. After that, I reviewed Demonic Horn Warhammer Art, Phoenix Will Broadsword Art, Broadsword Fox-Flame Technique, Thunder Technique Fist, Dragon Qi Sword Art, and Dragon Qi Throwing Art.

Around the time that review training ended, Haoxuen and the others returned.

“Senior Brother Kou, we made it back safely.”

Seiran greeted me with a bright expression. Haoxuen looked somewhat gloomy.

“Haoxuen, did something happen?”

Instead of Haoxuen, Seiran explained it to me with a laugh. According to him, Haoxuen had apparently lost to the genius Unran of Goyou Cave.

“Your opponent was a genius who had only just entered the sect but was already at the Tenth Tier of qi. It couldn’t be helped.”

“I knew I could not win, but even so, it is frustrating. How can I win?”

“You have no choice but to train. If you master the Broadsword Fox-Flame Technique and then learn Lightness Skill next, I think it will become a good match.”

Haoxuen raised his face and turned his eyes toward me.

“But Senior Brother Kou, you have not completely mastered Lightness Skill either, have you?”

I gave a wry smile.

“I am talking about the first stage of Lightness Skill, movement on the ground. The second stage, walking on water, is highly difficult.”

“How long does it take before you can walk on water?”

Seiran asked.

“Let me see. I think I still need about another year of training.”

“What about the third stage, in the air?”

“That would probably be after I can use spiritual power. I think it would be impossible unless I graduate from the Qi Refining Stage and enter the Spirit Formation Stage.”