49: Third Life: How Am I the Villain? (XIV)

"Reporting to Your Highness, Zhao Zheng is indeed on the list."

"I am grateful for the trust placed in me by Your Highness and the Sect Master in appointing me to assist You in competing for the Opportunity, and to protect the other fellow Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters."

A trace of Battle Intent flashed in Zhao Zheng's eyes; after all, he was only a step away from Foundation Establishment, and he had remained at the 9th Layer of Qi Refining specifically for this Blackwater Secret Realm.

Originally, when thinking of some of his past formidable enemies, Zhao Zheng had not been very confident about whether he would gain anything from this trip to the Secret Realm.

But, with the addition of Xu Yuan now...

What formidable enemies?

They are nothing but worthless rabble!

They don't even compare to a single hair of Daozi Highness!

"Mm."

Xu Yuan nodded slightly, not surprised by this. As the former Senior Brother of the inner Sect and with strength second only to him, Zhao Zheng was naturally the best choice for a deputy to lead the team.

Afterwards, Xu Yuan changed the subject and asked: "Is there any mention in the intelligence regarding opponents we might encounter from other Sects?"

"Senior Brother Zhao has traveled outside for many years, so you must have a more specific understanding."

Although Xu Yuan was confident enough in his own strength, he was not arrogant enough to underestimate the people of the world.

Xu Yuan was determined to obtain the Black Water Spirit Lotus in the Blackwater Secret Realm, so naturally, he had to learn more about the other competitors.

When the opponents were mentioned, Zhao Zheng's expression became serious, and he said in a deep voice: "The Jade Slip already contains some records, but there is indeed some information that needs to be supplemented."

"For this Secret Realm, the main opponents of our Overlord Blade Sect come from the Azure Wood Sect, Black Iron Mountain, Purple Cloud Pavilion, and... the Joyful Union Sect."

Zhao Zheng paused and began to introduce them in detail:

"The Disciples of the Azure Wood Sect excel in wood-element techniques. The troublesome part is their endurance and extremely strong recovery ability. The leader this time should be their chief Disciple, 'Mu Wanqing.' She broke through to the 9th Layer of Qi Refining several years ago. Her vine-binding entanglement technique is superb, and she can even communicate with the plants in the Secret Realm, making her extremely troublesome."

"As for Black Iron Mountain, they are famous for their Body Cultivator and Artifact Refining. Every Disciple has a formidable Physical Body and immense strength. Their leading Senior Brother, 'Shi Gang,' also has the cultivation of the 9th Layer of Qi Refining. I once fought him in my early years, and his Physical Body is terrifying. If Daozi Highness fights him, remember not to let him get close."

"Purple Cloud Pavilion cultivates lightning techniques; their attacks are the most violent and fierce, with extremely high lethality, but they consume a lot of energy and are not good at prolonged battles. I heard that this time, Purple Cloud Pavilion has also produced a Genius, 'Lin Feng.' His lightning techniques are swift and fierce. It is said that he has mastered an incomplete movement technique, the Lightning Escape, and it is rumored that he defeated the previous Senior Brother within a hundred Moves."

"As for the Joyful Union Sect..." When mentioning the Joyful Union Sect, Zhao Zheng frowned slightly, his tone tinged with disgust and vigilance. "The Disciples of this Sect have strange Cultivation Techniques and excel in Bewitching Arts, illusion techniques, and evil arts that drain others' cultivation. They are impossible to guard against. You must be especially careful of their Saintess, 'Liu Yaner.' This woman appears to only be at the Eighth Level of Qi Condensation, but the number of 9th Layer of Qi Refining cultivators who have died at her hands is no less than five. Her methods are extremely ruthless and strange, and she loves to target Geniuses. Your Highness must be extremely vigilant against this woman!"

Xu Yuan listened quietly, keeping these names and characteristics in his mind.

The persistence of the Azure Wood Sect, the ferocity of Black Iron Mountain, the violence of Purple Cloud Pavilion, the strangeness of the Joyful Union Sect, and the opponents hidden in the shadows... they were indeed not easy to deal with.

After talking with Zhao Zheng, Xu Yuan had a clearer understanding of the situation in the Secret Realm and the main opponents. Then, his gaze fell on Zhao Zheng.

Previously, Xu Yuan had noticed that the other's Aura was more condensed and heavy than it had been three months ago. Clearly, he had not slacked off in these three months, and his cultivation had also improved. It seemed that losing to him last time had instead stimulated his fighting spirit.

Xu Yuan nodded slightly in his heart, suddenly feeling a desire to test him, and also wanting to personally verify his own combat capability after mastering the basic blade techniques.

Afterwards, Xu Yuan said: "Senior Brother Zhao, your cultivation seems to have improved again. There are still a few days before the Secret Realm opens. Since we are idle, why don't we spar and stretch our muscles?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zheng was stunned for a moment, and then a scorching Battle Intent erupted in his eyes!

Although he had been convinced after losing to that terrifying finger of Xu Yuan last time, he had always longed to fight Xu Yuan again, especially after feeling that his three months of hard training had yielded great results.

"That is what I have wished for; I dared not ask! Please, Your Highness, offer your guidance!"

Zhao Zheng cupped his fists and said in a deep voice, his tone filled with excitement and solemnity.

The two came to the dedicated martial arts arena outside the hall.

"Your Highness, please!"

Zhao Zheng gave a low shout. Not daring to be arrogant, he directly took out his newly acquired First-Order High Grade magical weapon, a broadsword. His Aura suddenly became as heavy as a mountain, and his 9th Layer of Qi Refining Peak Spiritual Qi surged, more rounded and free than three months ago.

Xu Yuan did not use any magical weapon; he just casually took the most ordinary refined steel long saber from the weapon rack beside him.

He stood holding the saber, with no powerful Aura revealed around his body, as if he were just an ordinary Qi Refining Disciple.

"Senior Brother Zhao, please," Xu Yuan said indifferently.

Zhao Zheng felt no dissatisfaction at being underestimated; on the contrary, he knew the terror of Xu Yuan well, so he did not dare to hold back at all. As soon as he made a Move, it was with his full strength—the Mountain Splitting Blade Technique!

The saber momentum was heavy and domineering, like a collapsing mountain, carrying a shrill whistling sound as it slashed directly at Xu Yuan's face!

This strike seemed to have added a bit more weight and determination compared to three months ago!

However, facing this fierce and peerless blade, Xu Yuan only flicked his wrist slightly. The ordinary long saber in his hand drew an arc that seemed extremely simple yet perfect. It was not a block, but rather, he used the side of the blade to gently press against the spine of Zhao Zheng's saber.

Clang!

A light sound.

Zhao Zheng only felt an extremely flexible and ingenious force coming from the opponent's saber. His own violent and heavy saber momentum seemed to have slashed into a slippery mass of cotton, and his force was actually diverted slightly, brushing past Xu Yuan's side and striking the ground, carving a shallow pit into the floor.

"What?"

Zhao Zheng was shocked; he hadn't seen clearly at all how Xu Yuan had done it.

Refusing to believe it, he changed his blade technique again. His Spiritual Qi surged all over his body, and his offensive was like a violent storm, bringing the essence of the Mountain Splitting Blade Technique into full play.

But Xu Yuan's figure was like a small boat in a raging sea.

It looked perilous, but he could always find a gap in the dense saber light, and with the simplest, most basic movements—blocking, parrying, guiding, or deflecting—he easily resolved them one by one.

What Xu Yuan used were completely the most basic blade Moves, such as chopping, hacking, lifting, hanging, wiping...

There were no bells and whistles, no profound techniques, yet he always moved second but arrived first, striking accurately at the weakest and most critical point of the flow of Zhao Zheng's blade technique!

It was as if he had already completely seen through all the changes and flaws in Zhao Zheng's blade technique!

"Senior Brother Zhao," Xu Yuan suddenly spoke, his voice calm and ripple-free, "Your Mountain Splitting Blade Technique has enough ferocity, but lacks variation."

"While concentrating power at one point to explode is indeed powerful, being too rigid makes it easy to break. When exerting force, your shoulders are too tense, and when recovering Qi, the transition of your Dantian is slightly sluggish."

"If you can contain a trace of soft force within the ferocity, exerting seven parts of force while reserving three, and making the transition between Moves smoother, the power could increase by another thirty percent."

As Xu Yuan spoke, the long saber in his hand slashed casually, just right, pointing toward a subtle flaw at the moment when Zhao Zheng's old force had just ended and his new force had not yet been generated.

Zhao Zheng only felt his wrist go numb, and his long saber nearly slipped from his hand!

He retreated several steps abruptly and stopped his attack. His face first showed a bit of contemplation, and then it was filled with shock and sudden realization!