168: Chapter 168 Offensive
Bang!
The Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman moved with the power of a Dragon, the Sword Qi from its Bamboo Branch Sword exploding in the air and shattering hard stones.
Dust flew everywhere as rubble continuously fell.
Before the dust could settle, a figure leapt out like a tiger from the midst of the falling stones, raising a blade and slashing straight down.
The Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman looked up, its tiny black bean-like eyes meeting those ink-colored eyes surging with Battle Intent; it felt as if it were being watched by a fierce tiger on a mountain peak, and its power began to circulate uncontrollably.
Swish!
A sword thrust out, its sword light like a rainbow.
The Sword Qi surged forward from where the Bamboo Branch Sword pointed, the air being continuously sliced wherever the blade reached, producing a spine-chilling tearing sound.
A Martial Artist's instinct provided a warning as his skin felt an invisible stinging pain.
Yue Yun only felt an invisible sharp blade crashing toward him.
In an instant, he switched from attack to defense, holding the blade horizontally before him; the blade trembled and unexpectedly gained fine scratches, while Sword Intent enveloped the area at some unknown point and rapidly spread outward.
Yue Yun suddenly felt a daze as his mind fell into a world filled with Sword Intent, and his movements were no longer fluid, becoming exceptionally sluggish.
Others could not see the change in Yue Yun.
They only saw Yue Yun explode with terrifying speed, continuously swinging the Cleaver in his hand to clash with the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman.
Yue Yun was suppressed by the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman's Sword Intent and could not break free from this invisible restraint; every step he took seemed heavy.
Swish!
The Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman's Sword Intent surged, and the Bamboo Branch Sword shook slightly as if washing away all dust, its natural leaf veins looking brand new.
It stepped and flashed before Yue Yun's eyes, thrusting the sword without hesitation as the terrifying Sword Intent agitated incessantly.
Facing the Sword Intent suppression, Yue Yun's expression remained unchanged.
Those ink-colored eyes firmly followed the Bamboo Branch Sword, and his grip on the Cleaver tightened further; even with the mountain-like pressure of Sword Intent on his shoulders, it could not stop the blade from slashing out from his hand.
The trajectory of the Cleaver's swing became increasingly clear in his mind.
Crack!
A sound like an eggshell cracking rang out.
That sound was tiny yet crisp, suddenly ringing only in Yue Yun's heart, like invisible shackles being gently torn apart.
An indescribable quality emerged from him, and his suppressed body shook slightly as if shedding a heavy burden, the Cleaver in his hand slashing out naturally.
"Unsatisfied without slashing, follow the momentum!"
Yue Yun's "Momentum" was thus formed.
Before he could figure out where this strange feeling came from, the blade light slashed out like lightning along its trajectory, and a powerful force surged like an overwhelming tide.
The offensive and defensive positions were reversed.
The Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman's suppression was broken; the moment it saw the silver blade light, its slender body felt as if it had been hit by a high-speed truck, sent flying backward by the immense force.
Boom!
The Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman adjusted its posture and landed, a clear crater smashed into the ground as dirt spiraled outward.
The Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman struggled to straighten its body, its jade-like bamboo-jointed arms trembling violently, its five fingers formed from bamboo leaves almost unable to hold the Bamboo Branch Sword.
That emerald blade, which even a thunderstorm could not damage, now actually had a clearly visible nick from the blade.
If it could speak, it would definitely shout, "Awesome!"
Yue Yun's strange feeling, and the divine assistance he received no matter how he attacked, was exactly one of the lifelong pursuits of a Martial Artist—"Momentum," and specifically the most unreasonable kind, "Offensive Momentum"!
Through day after day of tempering, through life-and-death battles against any enemy, and through the suppression of powerful foes using their own momentum, Yue Yun's "Momentum" had come naturally.
With such a Heaven-Defying Comprehension Ability, was he really human?
The Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman's heart was somewhat shaken.
Others could not see the intricacies; seeing Yue Yun suddenly explode with terrifying power to force back the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman, they could not help but clap and cheer in their hearts.
Shen Dao, as the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman's Beast Tamer, had encountered the Martial Dao while training it, so he vaguely sensed what had happened.
Yue Yun's Aura had changed.
In that brief instant, just as the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman was about to win, an earth-shattering change had occurred.
Shen Dao cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone: "Qingye, you've already done your best, let's stop here for today!"
The Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman turned its head to Shen Dao, shook its head solemnly, and regripped the Bamboo Branch Sword, pointing it at Yue Yun.
Yue Yun was currently immersed in the changes of his "Momentum."
Seeing the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman still insisting on fighting, he was somewhat overjoyed and held his Cleaver level as a sign of respect.
His eyes were surging with Battle Intent, and every move exuded a sense of Perfection; no matter the angle or method of attack, it had reached a flawless state—his offensive was naturally formed!
Swish!
The wind howled as figures flashed.
The Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman and Yue Yun charged at each other simultaneously, their figures flickering at high speed in the eyes of onlookers as they clashed hard.
The Cleaver was like an extension of Yue Yun's arm, naturally pulling back and then striking out fiercely at the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman like both a blade and a fist.
The offensive was naturally formed, with power poured into it.
This strike was like a surging river, sweeping in with incomparable power and Aura.
The Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman's bean-like eyes looked cold.
The Bamboo Branch Sword glowed in its palm, like a spiritual snake flicking its tongue, elegant yet sharp, using skill to break force and block the fierce, overbearing strike.
Bang bang bang!
The Bamboo Branch Sword and Cleaver clashed continuously; the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman also traded blows directly with Yue Yun, Sword Intent and fist winds fighting each other.
Sword Intent vibrated, and fist winds scattered.
The contest between the two was no longer limited to weapons; both were using everything they had learned, exploding with all their strength.
Not only was the Bamboo Branch Sword in the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman's hand powerful, but its hand-to-hand combat was also not bad; in fact, due to its special structure, it had long since trained itself as a sword, a peerless divine weapon.
Yue Yun fought more bravely with the boost from his "Offensive Momentum."
His blade techniques reached a new level, and his hand-to-hand combat became increasingly Perfect, gradually suppressing the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman.
Yue Yun's gaze was calm as still water, but his punches were delivered with all his might, as if he intended to break the bamboo-jointed body opposite him.
Under his fierce offensive, the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman was beaten back.
Bang!
With another clash, Yue Yun threw a punch as fierce and overbearing as a tiger descending a mountain, the fist wind sweeping in and sending the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman flying several yards.
This time, the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman's strength was exhausted.
Its slender body became heavy, crashing onto the ground like a lead weight and kicking up dust and mud.
"Qingye!"
Shen Dao quickly rushed forward.
Yue Yun slowly exhaled a breath of turbid Qi, and after calming his breathing, he walked toward the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman to check on its condition.
The Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman pushed away Shen Dao's hand, struggling to rise unsteadily, Battle Intent still burning in its black bean-like eyes as it exerted effort to raise its scarred Bamboo Branch Sword.
"Qingye?!"
Shen Dao wanted to stop it but was pushed away by the Floating Leaf Bamboo Swordsman.
Yue Yun's brow furrowed slightly then relaxed; after giving Shen Dao a reassuring look, he lifted his Cleaver and walked forward step by step.
"You are a respectable opponent!"
Yue Yun's tone was no longer gentle but steady, his Aura like a tiger, fierce and overbearing, not looking down on the opponent despite their lack of strength to fight: "This battle has also benefited me. I sincerely thank you and look forward to our next encounter.
Now, let me bring today's battle to a close!"