54: Chapter 54 First Encounter with a Sword Immortal, Sparring Martial Arts

Meanwhile, Chen Xuan had just turned out of Bookstore Street, raising a hand to wipe the tip of his nose, his pace unhurried.

He had just inquired at a few shops, but the leads were still broken; he would need to find another way to get information about the old files of the Ministry of Rites.

Just as he was wondering whether to try his luck in the East Alley, he suddenly sensed a slight movement in the airflow ahead.

A woman stood three steps away, dressed in white clothes and white boots, with a green-edged sword at her waist, its sword tassel hanging down and swaying gently in the breeze.

Her features were picturesque, but her eyes were cold, like the unmelted snow on a mountain peak, fixing on him at a single glance.

"Are you the one who won the top spot at the husband-selection event the other day?" She spoke, her voice not loud, nor carrying any smile, straightforward and direct.

Chen Xuan's steps faltered, and he raised an eyebrow slightly. This opening was certainly blunt, skipping even the pleasantries. He grinned lazily and said, "So there are still people who remember that scene."

"I have heard rumors for a few days." The woman's gaze did not shift. "It is said that you suppressed the crowd, yet did not covet the rewards, leaving the city overnight. Your footwork is steady, your Qi is restrained; you are not like an ordinary Martial Master."

Chen Xuan touched his nose, thinking that this news had spread quite thoroughly.

He shrugged. "There were many people that day; I just wanted to leave after the excitement was over, I didn't think that much."

"Then why have you returned to the capital now?"

"I wanted to have a bowl of Old Zhang's tofu pudding." He chuckled. "Only his chili oil in the city has any kick."

The woman did not smile, nor did she get angry, only saying calmly, "I do not believe in gossip, I only believe in the skill of one's hands. Are you willing to spar with me?"

Chen Xuan narrowed his eyes and looked her up and down. This Aura was not that of an ordinary Jianghu person.

Even before the sword was unsheathed, there was a chill; she likely had real skills.

He originally did not want to cause trouble, but seeing the clear light in the other party's eyes, without malice, it seemed like a genuine request for a battle.

"If Senior is interested, this Junior will accompany you." He cupped his hands, his tone relaxed. "However, let us stop at the point of contact; let's not tear down the martial arts stage."

The woman nodded and turned to walk towards the center of the stage. Within a few steps, her figure was like floating clouds skimming the ground, landing without a sound.

Seeing that someone was about to fight, the surrounding people gathered around, pointing and whispering.

"That is Li Qingge! The female Sword Immortal!" Someone exclaimed.

"Which Li Qingge? Is it the one who walked the Southern Border with one sword, and killed three evil cultivators?"

"Who else could it be? I heard she has been traveling in the capital recently, specifically looking for experts to spar with."

Chen Xuan's ears perked up as he heard this, thinking that her background was not small. No wonder her Aura was so strong. He loosened his wrists and followed slowly.

The martial arts stage was wide and flat, with Bagua patterns carved around it. Li Qingge stood still and drew her sword from its scabbard.

The green-edged sword left the scabbard by three inches, and a streak of Sword Qi slashed across the ground, leaving a shallow mark on the stone slab.

The onlookers gasped.

Chen Xuan smiled, stepped in the Seven-Star pattern, stood sideways, held his hands in a void, and struck the most basic starting pose.

"Please."

Li Qingge did not say more; with a flick of her wrist, the sword light was like a ribbon, and the first move was the Three Layers of Floating Clouds. The sword momentum was continuous, aiming straight for the center, so fast that the trajectory was almost impossible to see.

Chen Xuan dodged sideways, slid his feet, retreated half a step, and wiped the tip of his nose with his fingertip again. His movements were unhurried and calm, as if he were dodging raindrops, or perhaps taking a stroll.

The second sword followed immediately, slashing horizontally at his left ribs. He twisted his waist, gently nudged the sword spine with the edge of his palm, used the force to neutralize the momentum, and with the flow, actually caused the sword blade to deflect by an inch.

"Eh?" Someone called out softly.

The third sword transformed into "Flying Waterfall Through the Forest," slashing down from above.

Chen Xuan lowered his body and rolled, sliding two feet along the ground. When he stood up, he casually brushed the dust off his pants and even winked at Li Qingge.

"Senior, your sword is truly agile, it's just that the wind is a bit strong, it makes my eyes hurt."

Li Qingge frowned slightly, her sword momentum unchanged, changing five moves in a row, the sword light becoming increasingly compact.

The pressure of the Dongxuan Earth Realm faintly emerged, and the air seemed to stagnate for a moment.

Chen Xuan still did not fight back, relying only on his footwork to dodge and maneuver. Sometimes he narrowly brushed past the sword blade, and sometimes he simply spun around in place, diverting the sword momentum.

His movements were simple, yet always managed to hit the most ingenious spots.

"Why isn't he attacking?" Someone muttered.

"Look at his footsteps, every step lands on a Bagua point; this person knows what he is doing."

An old Martial Master nearby stroked his beard and commented, "He does not move unless necessary, but once he moves, he will surely break the defense."

Sure enough, during the third round of attacks, Li Qingge suddenly unleashed "Crane Cry in the Nine Heavens," the sword tip piercing the air, emitting a sharp whistling sound, aiming straight for his throat.

Chen Xuan finally made a move.

His left palm reached out in a void, luring the enemy deep, while his right fist was sent out lightly; with a "Catch the Sparrow's Tail," he borrowed strength to strike back, pushing and guiding along the sword body with the edge of his palm, actually shifting the entire sword momentum by three inches.

At the same time, he slid forward half a step, closing in to within a foot of her throat, then stopped his momentum.

The whole scene was silent.

Li Qingge slowly sheathed her sword, a flash of surprise in her eyes. She stared at Chen Xuan for a few breaths before saying, "You did not use your full strength."

"Senior's Sword Intent is divine; if this Junior were to truly fight for his life, I fear I would have made a fool of myself on the spot."

Chen Xuan stepped back two paces, cupped his hands and smiled, "Besides, I am a rough person; I can fight, but as for sword dueling, let's forget it."

Li Qingge did not answer, just looked at him quietly.

She had originally thought this person had only won the top spot by luck, but seeing him today, she realized the rumors were inaccurate. This person appeared lazy, but in reality, his Foundation was solid, his reactions were extremely fast, and his adaptability on the spot was superb.

What was even more rare was that although he could have counterattacked, he remained restrained throughout, as if he were deliberately hiding his skills.

"If there is a chance in the future, I hope to ask for your guidance again." She finally spoke, her tone solemn.

"Senior's path in the Dao of the sword is supreme; this Chen has benefited greatly."

Chen Xuan cupped his hands. "If there is a chance another day, I will treat you to a cup of tea. I will pay, and you can order the chili oil."

The crowd burst into laughter.

The corners of Li Qingge's mouth moved imperceptibly, a smile that was not quite a smile, and then she turned and left. Her white clothes fluttered, her back retreating into the distance, like a wisp of cloud emerging from a mountain peak.

Chen Xuan stood in place, watching her back disappear around the street corner, before exhaling softly.

He looked down at his hands, then touched his nose, and muttered to himself, "This female Sword Immortal is really not easy to fool."

The onlookers gradually dispersed, and the sound of discussion still echoed in his ears.

"That 'Catch the Sparrow's Tail' move just now was clearly a technique of Taiji neutralizing force; when did he learn that?"

"I think he didn't use his full strength at all; that last move, if it had been a real fight, Li Qingge might not have been able to block it."

"He acts the part quite well, looking like a salted fish."

Chen Xuan ignored it, straightened his sleeves, and turned to walk out of the square.

He had to go near the Ministry of Rites again; the lead about the person surnamed Wang buried in the mass grave had not been fully investigated.

The sun shone on his shoulders, warm and cozy, his steps unhurried, his back looking casual, yet it revealed an indescribable steadiness.

Walking to the street corner, he suddenly stopped and looked back at the martial arts stage.

There was no one on the stage, only the wind blowing, stirring up a few fallen leaves.

He withdrew his gaze and stepped forward.