Chapter 24: The Evolution of Swordsmanship and the Theory of Change!

  The black-robed examiner descended onto the surface of the emerald pool, his feet treading on the water's surface, with ripples occasionally spreading out from under his feet. He pointed his finger through the air, directly at the hundred-zhang mountain wall, and a thick voice resounded in everyone's ears.

  "This is the Sword Practice Wall, it was where my Taixu ancestor practiced his sword skills in the past."

  "Third pass of the entrance exam." The black-robed examiner changed his tone: "Let's see how many sword moves you can identify on this practice wall. Time limit is one incense stick, begin!"

  As soon as he finished speaking, the black-robed examiner suddenly closed his eyes and began to count with his right hand at an incredible speed.

  Ye Qinghong and Long Haitian did not dare to slack off, immediately breaking branches into swords, starting to carefully observe the crisscrossing, deep and shallow sword marks on the mountain wall.

  "Wall understands sword." Mo Bei's eyebrows slightly furrowed, and he whispered to himself: "It relies on comprehension, but... these intersecting sword marks make it difficult for me to ponder."

  No clue at all, Mo Bei could only grit his teeth and try one sword move after another.

  "This sword mark is deeper, with greater force. The sword's trajectory is arrogant and overbearing! A powerful slash!" Mo Bei's eyes lit up, he took a step forward, sweeping across the thousands of troops, the sword's edge suddenly appearing before his eyes.

  "This mark is shallower, with less force used, it's probably a feint, or a defensive move!"

  Mo Bei let out a low hum, his gaze rapidly scanning the mountain wall, his toes lightly touching the ground, his body floating and rising into the air, retreating three feet, making a swift slash in mid-air.

  Mo Bei's eyebrows furrowed slightly, shaking his head to himself: "Not right, not right. These two moves, one is extremely strong in offense, the other is unpredictable in power. The combination of the two seems a bit stiff. It shouldn't be like this... Hmm..."

  As he spoke, Mo Bei's gaze suddenly fell on a small indentation in one of the two sword marks, and his eyes lit up instantly.

  "Hey! There's still a trick, no wonder!" Mo Bei's heart moved, Qingjian slightly drew: "This sword mark, it seems to be a stab. Just now there was such a little bit, almost overlooked. I'll try it out!"

  Mo Bei took another half step forward, swung his hand horizontally, and a sword light flashed across.

  At the moment he drew his sword, he took a slight step back with his left foot and flicked his wrist: "Stab!"

  The sword's edge flashed, changing from a slash to a thrust, and his body involuntarily retreated.

  "The third move, stir!"

  Mo Bei's voice was low and hoarse, his wrist turned upwards, both arms exerting force, the sword moved with his hand, instantly slashing from below towards the void!

  "One powerful sword attack forces the enemy to retreat, then a feint with one move eliminates the enemy's counterattack momentum. The third move appears to be retreating but is actually advancing by retreating. They complement each other!"

  Mo Bei's eyes lit up: "That's right! Three moves of offense and defense, with a mix of fast and slow. It was as if it were made in heaven, perfectly matching each other."

  "This is too awesome! The legendary founder's skills are truly unmatched. With just three casual sword strikes, the sword moves change and shift between reality and illusion, making one feel terrified and intimidated!"

  "Haha... come again!" Mo Bei laughed loudly, focusing his mind and immersing himself in his own sword enlightenment, his eyes closely following the movement of the sword marks on the mountain wall.

  "Fourth, Fifth, Sixth Sword!"

  His gaze moved, sweeping across the sword scars. His heart stirred, and the sword technique in his hand changed, with sword shadows and lights flowing out, shining brightly, and a fierce wind was born.

  He was completely absorbed in his own world, and everything else in the world had nothing to do with him, and he didn't even feel the passage of time flying by.

  Until the examiner shouted loudly.

  "Time's up!"

  Just pulled Mo Bei out of his infatuation.

  "Sixteen moves, Crazy Dance Stirring the Moon!" Mo Bei shouted in surprise, his wrist constantly shaking, the sword's edge scattering everywhere. The light was about to disperse for a moment, but suddenly burst out again with dazzling brilliance, blooming continuously, almost enveloping Mo Bei's entire body, fierce winds howling, piercingly loud!

  "Hah! Sixteen moves, and I've grasped the sixteen moves." Mo Bei wiped away the fine sweat beads on his forehead, letting out a long, satisfying sigh: "I didn't expect that swordsmanship could be so intricate, so perfectly matched. Truly, the benefits are immense!"

  "Haha, sixteen moves! My innate talent isn't just for show!" Long Hao Tian held up his sword with one hand and excitedly shouted: "Thirteen moves is already passing the test, I've exceeded it by three whole moves!"

  "Hmph, what's there to be proud of." Ye Qinghong gave him a cold glance and poured a basin of cold water on him. Ever since Long Haotian bullied her and was rescued by Mo Bei, Ye Qinghong seemed to have it in for Long Haotian, always looking for ways to take him down.

  Ye Qinghong turned her head again, her eyes fixed intently on Mo Bei, a faint blush appearing on her pretty face: "Mo Bei ge, I've figured out the Seventeenth Sword, how about you?"

  Mo Bei was speechless and choked with emotion, originally thinking that he had already seen the severity of the Sixteen Swords, but who would have thought that this little girl actually had a super strong comprehension, even more severe than himself!

  Mo Bei smiled bitterly: "Sixteen Swords, still can't compare with your insight."

  "It's okay," Ye Qinghong's eyes sparkled as she thought for a moment, then smiled and said: "Actually, the time of one incense stick is too short. If you give him a little more time, Mo Beigong will definitely be able to see even more sword moves! Mo Beigong is the most formidable."

  Suddenly! A loud shout exploded in the crowd.

  "What! Chen Qingzhu has seen through the Twenty-One Swords!"

  "Hmm, the four great geniuses are indeed extraordinary, deducing twelve moves to pass the test, eighteen moves, and they would be unparalleled prodigies!"

  "Twenty Swords! That girl, despite being ill, has also grasped the Twenty Swords! Indeed a genius!"

  "What's so great about that, huh. With this kind of talent, you dare to call yourself a genius? Genius, isn't it something that can be called casually?" The young master of the Fang family sneered and countered with the same tone, "Our Fang Luoyou Shixiong has seen through the 22nd sword!"

  Her face, normally free of illness, looked somewhat unsightly. In her heart, she secretly resented him, clenching her fists tightly as her sinister gaze swept across Fang Luoyou's body in the crowd, waves of anger filling her chest.

  Lao Ba glanced at Ji, whose face didn't look well, and his eyes shifted around before suddenly falling on Mo Bei. A disdainful cold smile appeared on his face as he shifted his gaze away and sneered, "So, the so-called Blood Demon Mo Bei only managed to see through the Sixteen Swords just now. I thought you were someone impressive, but it turns out you're nothing special after all."

  The young masters of the Ji family around them nodded one after another, changing the subject and saying: "Yes, yes, with this little bit of insight, it's simply laughable. And yet they still call themselves geniuses? The first round was just a fluke."

  "I'll watch for a while, this kid will definitely be eliminated! A mere grassroots, also wants to compete with my brother Ji Wu Bing, it's really not knowing how to behave."

  His voice was neither loud nor soft, just right for everyone around him to hear.

  Ji Wu Bing's expression improved slightly upon hearing the words, and she cast a disdainful glance at Mo Bei, her nose upturned, with a hint of contempt on her face.

  "This Ji family, deliberately trying to find fault! How detestable!" Ye Qinghong's small face turned white with anger, clenching her fists tightly, her teeth grinding audibly: "Mo Beige, compared to that Ji girl, you are much stronger!"

  Long Haitian rolled up his sleeves and scolded Lao Ba in a fit of rage: "What are you, can't even see the sixteen swords, and yet you dare to speak!?"

  The atmosphere suddenly became tense and was stretched into a straight line.

  For a moment, both sides were on high alert, with swords drawn and fists clenched.

  Mo Bei patted Long Hao Tian's shoulder, holding him back, and took a step forward, blocking Ye Qing Hong in front of him. His voice was calm, his facial expression didn't change at all, extremely serene.

  "Leave them alone."

  The news spread immediately, that Blood Demon, who had created the Clear Wind Sword Technique last time, this time only gained insight into the Sixteen Swords.

  Ye Qing's eyebrows slightly furrowed, Fang Luo looked at Mo Bei with curiosity, and many people let out a sigh of relief. It turned out that it was just luck last time!

  "Alright."

  The black-robed examiner looked at Mo Bei and Ji Wubing, each of them taking a glance, his voice was flat, but revealed an unquestionable majesty.

  Those piercing eyes, swept across every face. Like arrows, they stabbed into everyone's heart. The powerful momentum, instantly rose to the sky, weighing on everyone's mind.

  For a moment, everyone's face changed slightly, murmuring in agreement, their eyes darting around, not daring to say another word.

  "Next," the examiner waved his right hand, and a stack of talismans and countless wolf hair brushes appeared in front of him out of thin air.

  "Unleash the Sword Technique!"

  As soon as the words were spoken, a flurry of paper slips and brushes danced in the wind, fluttering about, drifting everywhere, floating to and fro, and landing in the hands of each young man.

  The examiner paused for a moment, then opened his mouth, his words cold and icy: "I'll demonstrate three moves. Through these three moves, see how many variations you can infer that are hidden within them."

  Derive twelve variations and you pass! Failure to reach twelve variations, eliminated!"

  After finishing speaking, the examiner's green sword behind him, unsheathed and shot out! Turned into a streak of green shadow, rushed into the clouds!

  "Drink!" The examiner shouted, his feet treading on thin air, and with a sudden leap, his right hand grasped the hilt of the sword. He turned sideways and made a swift slash.

  "Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!"

  The sword's blade burst forth from his palm.

  A shrill sound pierced the air, incessant wails surrounded me.

  The official's figure was like a ghost, floating and uncertain, his pace suddenly fast and slow, sometimes stepping carefully, sometimes taking big strides.

  Such a strange movement, dazzling.

  All the young men present furrowed their brows, staring intently at the examiner's body in the void, lost in thought.

  The examiner's wrist shook, and the sword tip flashed in and out of sight. His body leaned back strangely, with bizarre movements and a multitude of postures.

  The sword, however, never stopped, its body humming with a "yin yin" sound, seemingly thrusting forward in one swift motion, but the examiner's wrist flicked and his pace retreated half a step, the sword's momentum suddenly shifting to transform into a slashing motion, sweeping horizontally through the empty air.

  "It's really strange." Ye Qinghong lightly pursed her lower lip, and her willow eyebrows slightly furrowed: "This clearly is just three moves, yet it makes people feel as if it encompasses everything, containing thousands of moves, how strange, how strange."

  Long Hao Tian heard this and cried with a sad face: "I, I couldn't even see one sword..."

  "These three moves, what's changed? I clearly feel that the person is not even using swordsmanship, but is just blindly slashing." Long Hao Tian stared at the sandalwood incense that had burned down to only four-fifths left, his face covered in sweat.

  "Don't be impatient," Ye Qinghong whispered, "What you see is just the surface. These three moves are full of variations. Look..." Ye Qinghong pointed to the examiner's wrist and continued:

  "Look at that person's wrist, constantly flipping over, each twist seems like a stab, but can actually evolve into a flirt. Alternating between virtual and real, combined with the movement of the steps, one posture can have countless variations."

  "If the enemy attacks head-on, turn slightly to the left and thrust out with a slanting sword, this is one variation. If the enemy uses force to chop down, retreat and dodge, then thrust out with a sword from both sides, this is the second variation!"

  Long Hao Tian narrowed his eyes, carefully staring at the examiner's feet, waist and hands for a long time. Suddenly enlightened, he was extremely grateful: "I know! Thank you, thank you!"

  Having said that, he immediately picked up his brush and began to write and draw on the yellow paper, occasionally looking at the examiner, constantly outlining the sword moves, deducing and changing.

  Unfortunately, the many young people present did not have as good luck as Long Hao Tian. The vast majority of them furrowed their brows, with beads of sweat the size of soybeans constantly flowing, unsure of how to pick up their pens, leaving a blank sheet of yellow paper.