The stone table in the courtyard was moved aside, clearing enough space for two people to spar.
Since it was a sword art competition, it was naturally unlikely to use the spiritual power advantage brought by cultivation realms. However, Jiang Lu felt that with his understanding of the "Huiyuan Sword Art," it would be more than enough to instruct this Senior Brother Gu.
After all, he was quite confident in his talent for cultivation methods and martial arts.
Moreover, judging by Senior Brother Gu's performance, he had only been cultivating sword art for about half a month, at most. There were no traces of other cultivation methods in his swordplay; it was very pure. And his own understanding of the "Huiyuan Sword Art" was already quite profound, coupled with his usual extensive reading, allowing him to subtly integrate the advantages of other sword arts. He thought instructing a beginner should be a piece of cake.
Of course, Jiang Lu wouldn't use his understanding of other cultivation methods to bully a beginner. After all, the purpose of this trip was to "correct," not to "spar." He only needed to demonstrate his purest understanding of the "Huiyuan Sword Art" to point out his senior brother's errors.
With this thought, Jiang Lu picked up a practice wooden sword, bowed remotely to Gu Chengming, and said in a deep voice, "Senior Brother, please."
Gu Chengming likewise held a sword and returned the bow.
Jiang Lu made the first move with "Sparse Shadows Oblique," his sword tip lightly tapping, like a dragonfly skimming the water, aiming directly at Gu Chengming's open chest. This move is the opening stance of the "Huiyuan Sword Art," emphasizing speed, precision, and lightness, intended for probing.
Gu Chengming neither dodged nor avoided, meeting it with the same "Sparse Shadows Oblique." The two wooden swords gently touched in the air, emitting a crisp "snap."
Jiang Lu's wrist flicked, and his sword stance instantly changed, transforming a thrust into a slash, sliding down Gu Chengming's sword, targeting his wrist. This was a standard follow-up variation, intended to make the opponent withdraw their sword to protect themselves, thereby seizing the initiative.
However, Gu Chengming's sword did not retreat. His sword blade seemed coated with glue, sticking tightly to Jiang Lu's sword, sinking with the opponent's slashing motion. His sword tip subtly flicked, and with a move that was later yet arrived first, it also pointed towards Jiang Lu's wrist.
Using the opponent's method against them.
Jiang Lu raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, "Interesting." He twisted his wrist, withdrew his sword to defend, and at the same time, shifted his feet, his body drifting like willow catkins, creating distance from Gu Chengming.
"Senior Brother, your sword is too sticky."
Jiang Lu commented:
"The 'Huiyuan Sword Art' values detachment; if a strike misses, one should retreat. Your entanglement loses the true essence of the sword art."
Saying this, he pressed forward again, unleashing his sword moves, each one a core essence of the "Huiyuan Sword Art." His swordplay was cool and swift, every strike stopping just short, weaving a loose yet inescapable net around Gu Chengming.
Gu Chengming, however, seemed not to have heard him, still employing his "sticky" sword art.
When Jiang Lu's sword thrust, his sword met it, not seeking to parry, but only to stick. When Jiang Lu's sword slashed, his sword followed the momentum, coiling like a vine.
Initially, Jiang Lu was at ease. He even deliberately slowed down, using the same moves as Gu Chengming to "correct" him, attempting to make him understand what true "cool detachment" was.
But who would have thought, the more they fought, the more something felt off.
Gu Chengming's sword art was like a tightening spiderweb. Every one of his strikes seemed to be easily resolved by Jiang Lu, but that viscous sword intent subtly permeated, causing Jiang Lu's movements to unconsciously slow by a fraction, to hesitate by a hair's breadth.
This slight delay, a fraction of a second, was unnoticeable at first. But as the number of exchanges increased, this tiny disadvantage began to accumulate. Jiang Lu gradually felt as if his sword was sinking into a quagmire; each swing required a little more effort than before.
He began to feel willing in spirit but weak in flesh.
What should have been an easy guidance session, after more than thirty exchanges, Jiang Lu was horrified to discover that he had unknowingly fallen into an absolute disadvantage.
He had been "managed."
It was then that Jiang Lu suddenly realized that the opponent's seemingly clumsy "entanglement" in every move, every stick, every coil, every dodge, was silently accumulating an advantage. He had diffused the sharpness of his own sword moves, disrupted his own rhythm, and limited his own maneuvering space. These tiny advantages, gathered together, had formed an undeniable pressure.
Jiang Lu secretly gritted his teeth, he couldn't let this continue!
With a thought, his sword path suddenly changed. A hint of sharp, killing intent abruptly appeared within the originally cool and detached "Huiyuan Sword Art." This was a technique he had comprehended from another high-tier sword art of his sect, the "Startled Swan Sword." His sword momentum suddenly accelerated, attempting to tear through Gu Chengming's sticky net with absolute speed.
By this point in the match, both their sword arts had deviated significantly from Jiang Lu's initial understanding of the "Huiyuan Sword Art."
Jiang Lu originally thought that after bringing out his true skill, he could at least recover some of his disadvantage.
Who would have thought that his sharp strike only made Gu Chengming pause for a moment.
The next instant, the ceaselessly entangled sword moves responded like a persistent ailment. And this time, the "entanglement" became even more cunning, even harder to shake off.
If the cool and detached sword moves were difficult to contend with against entanglement before, it was understandable. But now that he had changed his moves, why was he still unable to prevent the opponent from "entangling"?
Jiang Lu was greatly alarmed. He felt that no matter how he changed his moves, no matter if his sword path was fast or slow, hard or soft, the opponent could always find a perfectly appropriate way to stick to, slow down, and neutralize his sword momentum, then continue the endless entanglement.
At this moment, Gu Chengming was completely immersed in his sword moves. His eyes were bright, his mind highly focused, and every swing of the wooden sword in his hand resonated wonderfully with the constantly flashing favorability prompts for the "Huiyuan Sword Art" on his panel.
Jiang Lu retreated steadily, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, only able to barely hold on.
He felt extremely stifled. Clearly, in terms of strength and speed, he hadn't lost much to the opponent. If Gu Chengming had chosen to directly clash with him, he might not have fallen into such a sorry state.
But the opponent simply refused to engage in a head-on clash. He only used those endless entangling and evading moves to constantly wear down his sharpness and patience, leaving him with power he couldn't use, feeling so frustrated he wanted to vomit blood.
No, this can't go on!
Jiang Lu knew that if he continued to be "managed" like this, he would inevitably lose.
A look of determination flashed in his eyes. He made a decisive move, letting out a loud shout, and seizing the moment when Gu Chengming's sword had just finished its old force and new force had yet to generate, he poured all his strength and spirit into the sword tip. The wooden sword in his hand let out a strained hum, and with an unstoppable, resolute posture, it pierced towards Gu Chengming's chest!
This strike condensed his years of arduous cultivation insights, it was the summation of his sword dao experience, it was the most stunning strike he could unleash at this moment.
Jiang Lu's ultimate is ready, Jiang Lu is coming!
However, the moment he struck, Gu Chengming, as if he had anticipated this, suddenly changed his originally entangled sword path.
He did not dodge, he did not parry, but instead, he also extended his wooden sword forward, meeting Jiang Lu's desperate strike head-on!
At the instant the two swords clashed, Jiang Lu finally saw clearly.
He saw what was contained behind Gu Chengming's seemingly unremarkable sword strike.
It wasn't mere strength, nor was it exquisite technique.
It was an invisible yet incredibly heavy "momentum" accumulated from countless sticks, coils, wraps, and dodges, right from the first move.
This "momentum" was like rivers flowing into the sea, like a hundred streams returning to one source.
It contained all of Jiang Lu's previously neutralized sword moves, all his diminished sharpness, all his disrupted rhythms. Every concession, every entanglement Gu Chengming had made before, was like adding a drop of water to this great momentum.
And now, this magnificent momentum, formed by countless drops of water, finally poured down!
Jiang Lu felt that the wooden sword in his hand didn't collide with another sword, but with a towering mountain pressing down on him, a surging, boundless giant wave! That pressure was heavy, vast, and irresistible, making him feel a sense of insignificance and powerlessness from the depths of his soul.
His stunning sword strike, which he was so proud of, was as fragile as a withered branch before this magnificent momentum.
"Clang!"
A loud clang. Jiang Lu felt a violent tremor in his tiger's mouth, and an overwhelming, irresistible force came from the sword blade. He could no longer hold on, and the wooden sword flew from his hand, tracing a parabola in the air before landing on the distant grass.
The cold sword tip stopped precisely at his neck, not an inch off.
Gu Chengming's calm voice echoed in the courtyard.
"Junior Brother, you lost."
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