What kind of freak is this guy

"You picked this yourself."

Bai Jinghong spread his hands with a helpless chuckle.

The opponent is still using a sword, and you're already sweating buckets?

Cao Mu was meditating nearby, not even bothering to lift an eyelid—his stance was clear.

No swaps.

"Hmph, do you really think I'm scared? I never planned to switch anyway."

"He stepped onto the stage on the first day. By the time his spiritual energy depletes, he might not even face me."

Wu Chushu snorted coldly.

The sword trial lasted three days.

Even if the other’s energy ran dry, victory wasn’t guaranteed.

Besides,

Li Mo’s swordsmanship was impressive, but at least he could hold his own against him. Ying Bing or Jiang Chulong would be far tougher opponents.

......

On the stage.

Feeling countless eyes upon him, Young Li exhaled deeply.

This felt amazing.

Earlier, he’d felt a twinge of regret—perhaps the martial insights he’d poured into the Nine Swords of Dugu had gone beyond "business sense."

But now, his spirits soared. What was the point of living if he couldn’t do what brought him joy?

He had no sworn enemies he absolutely had to defeat, nor any world-saving burdens.

Li Mo then addressed the crowd loudly:

"Which brave soul wishes to step up and exchange a few moves?"

"The reward I mentioned earlier will stand for all three days."

The crowd erupted.

Most attendees were here to broaden their horizons and learn from others.

The privilege to study the Hengyun Sword Mark wasn’t something they’d ever expected to attain.

Sparring with Li Mo not only earned them gold but also revealed their weaknesses.

How could they refuse such an offer?

"I’ll go!"

"Brother Li Mo is just like the protagonist Jiang Chen in the comics—kind-hearted and ever-helpful..."

"Who said that? The comic hero wasn’t nearly this strong."

"After this, who knows how the Hidden Dragon Ranking will shift?"

A long line formed before Li Mo’s stage.

Even Zhong Zhenyue from the neighboring platform couldn’t help glancing over, clearly intrigued.

But duelists weren’t allowed to challenge each other.

Besides, if he stepped down now, he wouldn’t even make it to the front of the queue.

Li Mo had no shortage of challengers.

As an instructor, Young Li was remarkably authoritative.

Whenever he spotted a flaw, he’d patiently explain it to his opponent while simultaneously dissecting their techniques and integrating them into his own swordsmanship.

Now, with pure skill alone, he was confident he could defeat opponents two or three minor realms above him.

Not far away.

Bai Jinghong felt damned if he did, damned if he didn’t.

With a sigh, he stepped onto the stage.

"I am Bai Jinghong."

He clasped his hands in salute, suppressing his aura to the Inner Breath realm.

The sword trial aimed to identify martial prodigies.

After all, the greater one’s talent, the more they could glean from the Hengyun Sword Mark. Rules were rules—he had to restrain his cultivation.

"Please enlighten me."

"I-I dare not... truly."

Jiang Chulong shook her head like a rattle-drum, flustered by the courtesy.

She stole a glance at Big Brother Li nearby, then awkwardly mimicked his demeanor:

"P-please... you make the first move."

"Very well."

Bai Jinghong didn’t dare underestimate her. He focused entirely.

Striking first meant seizing the initiative!

With a flick of his wrist, he channeled his inner energy, activating his Hanguang Sword Body.

Sword qi surged like tidal waves—the signature Hengyun Sword Qi.

Yet within those waves lurked countless variations.

This was a technique his senior sister had spent three years meditating before the sword mark to comprehend.

Gasps rose from the crowd. Against the overwhelming tide of sword qi, Jiang Chulong’s petite frame seemed fragile as a leaf...

The raging currents crashed forth.

For once, a look of concentration flashed across Jiang Chulong’s delicate face.

She didn’t dodge.

Instead, she met the lethal storm head-on, her slender body swaying like a blade of grass in the wind—or a tiny fish navigating turbulent waters. No matter how fierce the sword qi, it couldn’t touch her.

She was like wild grass.

Delicate yet unyielding.

Tap—

A faint sound. The peachwood branch tapped Bai Jinghong’s hand.

His prized sword clattered to the ground.

Bai Jinghong stood frozen, disbelief written across his face. He’d never imagined his sword qi could be dismantled like this—it defied all logic!

Then came the existential crisis.

He’d once believed only his senior sister surpassed him in swordsmanship talent.

"Are you... okay?"

"S-sorry... you’re not... that weak..."

"It’s just... my teacher... taught me well..."

Jiang Chulong fumbled through her apology, unsure how to comfort him.

Bai Jinghong: "..."

His crisis deepened.

......

The spectators were dumbstruck.

One of the Three Heroes of Hengyun, a prodigy on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, had lost like this?

Even the elders frowned. If they suppressed their cultivation to the Inner Breath realm, could they have replicated the girl’s feat?

Earlier, Cao Mu had also fallen.

Against that divine swordsmanship, he hadn’t lasted past the third stroke.

Raw talent aside,

Ying Bing’s performance had been even more terrifying than the girl’s!

Had the elders not seen their share of wonders, they might’ve thought the world had turned upside down.

"Records say when the Martial Ancestor studied at Sword City in his youth, did he ever display such brilliance?"

"If he wasn’t holding back, likely not."

"Once those girls reach the fifth or sixth aperture of Divine Observation, the Hidden Dragon Ranking will be rewritten."

"Having them here to study the sword mark is a blessing for our sect."

By now,

Almost no one dared challenge Ying Bing or Jiang Chulong.

Why bother? Even Hidden Dragon elites had been crushed. Did they fancy a beating?

Only Li Mo’s stage remained lively.

"That boy... hmm, how to put it? Strange."

Elder Zeng set down his Overbearing Empress Falls for Me comic, stroking his beard:

"He’s strong, yet it’s as if his strength lies purely in technique."

The other elders nodded. They shared the same unease.

To use an analogy—

They were mathematics professors watching someone wield formulas with peerless precision.

No sword qi, no sword momentum, no sword intent.

Just sheer, unrivaled skill.

Normally, even without dedicated training, traces of those elements would manifest naturally.

What kind of freak was this kid?

......

On stage.

[Congratulations, Host. Successful investment in ‘Huang Donglai.’ Prevented his return to a backwater town, sparing him from missing the grand era.]

[Investment reward: Seven-Rune Yingxu Pill.]

Indeed,

Young Li had just intercepted Huang Donglai, convincing him to change his plans and challenge him instead.

Their duel had been thrilling.

"Well fought."

Li Mo handed over a gold note.

"My shame."

Huang Donglai eyed the note warily.

After a thorough inspection—confirming no tracking marks or poison—he carefully tucked it into his robe.

Li Mo: "..."

He noticed that Huang Donglai's inner robe was stuffed with numerous small bottles and jars, many of which clearly weren’t healing medicines.

There was even a bottle of quicklime.

During their earlier exchange, he had distinctly seen Huang Donglai reflexively reach for it, only to hold back at the last moment.

A cultivator at the Observation Deity Realm still reaching for quicklime—pure muscle memory, huh...

After Huang Donglai left,

Li Mo exhaled softly.

He had just sparred with over eighty people.

And all the while, he had been channeling his martial insights to enhance his techniques.

He was just one step away...

The Nine Swords of Dugu wasn’t merely a sword technique—it could also elevate one’s cultivation realm.

If he were to employ the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Xuan Dan Scripture, wouldn’t that mean condensing yet another Mystic Elixir?

Though he wasn’t even sure if it could still be called a Mystic Elixir at that point...

At that moment,

a figure stepped onto the platform.

“This humble one is Wu Chushu. I seek your guidance.”

It was Wu Chushu, clad in a blue robe.

He had no choice but to act now.

Because as time passed, he realized Li Mo’s spiritual energy seemed inexhaustible, showing no signs of depletion!

Spiritual energy couldn’t truly be infinite, of course.

That could only mean his recovery speed was unimaginable!

Not only was his energy undiminished, but his swordplay was also growing more elusive, more formidable by the moment.

If he didn’t step up now, the opportunity would slip away entirely.