Hou Shing with incredible speeds rushed at Nee Chen. He brought his sword down to him only for Nee Chen to intercept it. Hou Shing is confident of forcing his way through only for Nee Chen to fluidly tilt his sword causing Hou Shing's sword to slide away.
Hou Shing felt humiliated but he has to keep a calm mind, well, that is until Nee Chen kicked him in his ass…
Miserably falling down face first to the earth, Hou Shing's cheeks heated red with shame. He stood up immediately not keen on humiliating himself anymore. With a spirited cry, he rushed at Nee Chen with the same energy only for the same thing to happen.
Ruan Kong frowned at this and approached Xiang Ya. Watching the embarrassing spectacle, Ruan Kong cannot take it anymore and addressed his emotions to Xiang Ya. "Does he really have to do this? Humiliating my disciple in front of me? Even if he was Xiang Fu's disciple, I won't forgive this!"
"…"
Xiang Ya looked at Ruan Kong. There was this grim stillness in the air.
The Sect Master doesn't know why but there is this chill creeping on his spine. He doesn't know if it is an illusion. "If I offended you, I apologize, but you have to tell me a reasonable explanation for this."
Xiang Ya removed her gaze from Ruan Kong and offered an explanation. "A duel is when two practitioners exchange notes to learn from each other. My grandfather once told me that cultivators have gone bane and rotten from pride and greed thus losing the great lesson that was supposed to be learned in a duel. Essentially, a duel is a form of training for cultivators… While it is true that duels are also a means to settle disputes in a more formal and peaceful manner, it could still not be denied that duels are a competition of skills… This is where the thought of 'training' comes from. That is how my grandfather convinced me that I should learn embroidery by competing with my fellow sisters back in the village…"
There was no emotion in Xiang Ya's eyes, but the words that she uttered are full-packed with them.
"And just to inform you," Xiang Ya chillingly added. "He is not grandfather's disciple. Nee Chen is self-learned. If there is something he inherited from grandfather then it would be his sword, and also the 'hatred' that came with that day's massacre…"
Ruan Kong observed Hou Shing and Nee Chen carefully.
Every time Hou Shing's sword is parried, he becomes better at adapting to his situation. Every time Hou Shing gets kicked to the ground, he becomes better at standing back up again. Every time Hou Shing gets blindsided, he becomes better at responding.
It is not just Hou Shing, Nee Chen also improves each time Hou Shing improves. In fact, Nee Chen is adapting to every improvement that Hou Shing achieves in a baffling manner. The second there is an improvement in Hou Shing's movement, Nee Chen would similarly improve himself in a microsecond of Hou Shing's improvement.
"I still don't understand. Instead of a duel, isn't asking for a sparring more apt?"
Xiang Ya nodded at Ruan Kong's assumption. "Yes, that might be the case if they are only exchanging skills, but they are not. Only through a no-holds bare can they rapidly improve. Nee Chen is willing to bleed just to hone his skills. At least to Nee Chen, this is the most optimized way in grinding proficiency points in his Parry Skill…"
Parry Skill? Proficiency points? Grinding? Ruan Kong doesn't know why but he finds these words odd.
In Nee Chen's eyes, he watched the gauge of his Parry Skill's proficiency points rapidly increase. Hou Shing is improving fast too, so some cuts managed to get past through his parry, but with Xiang ya's timely healing, these cuts are almost negligible.
After hours and hours of exchanging blades, Hou Shing drops to the ground.
Hou Shing cursed his rotten luck in his mind. 'Why did I even accept that challenge!?' He angrily scolded himself. He fearfully looked at the sweating swordsman who didn't even use any qi!
Sure, Nee Chen is a stage higher if compared to him, but still, it is unreasonable. Nee Chen doesn't have qi left, and even if he recovered some while they are dueling, Nee Chen still didn't use any.
Hou Shing dropped flat to the ground as he fainted out of exhaustion.
When Hou Shing woke up, the first person he met was his master. On his knees, Hou Shing started begging for forgiveness. "Sorry master, I have shamed you!"
Suddenly, his Sect Master threw a projectile at him. It was filled with qi comparable to the 3rd stage. Hou Shing panicked, but his hands did not. With a swift draw from his sword, he parried the Sect master's sneak attack.
Hou Shing was amazed by what he just did… "D-did I really do that?" It was like, his sword is flowing!
"Young man, you have gleamed on the Art of Parrying. Be thankful for that swordsman. I believe he will be a respected sword master in the future. You must build connections with him!"
"Yes, Sect master!"
"You must go with him, now! They are leaving this morning. You should join them on their journey!"
"Yes, Sect master!"
Hou Shing was about to go off and join the duo, but he remembered something. "Master, I have to tell you something first! The reason why I returned early here in the sect is that…"
…
Ruan Kong sat by the window gazing at the departing figures of Nee Chen, Xiang Ya, and Hou Shing.
To think that a new power is on the rise here in Biron Kingdom. It is more unbelievable that Nee Chen and Xiang Ya are a part of this power. Ruan Kong recalled how Nee Chen addressed themselves as disciples of the System's Providence Sect by their gates.
As the three elders haven't heard of this sect, they thought of the two as unworthy and rejected their request to enter and visit their sect. The end result was unexpected to everyone who was watching them. Ruan Kong knew because he was there too.
"So, elders… What do you think? How should we approach this new power? I am afraid the master behind this mysterious Sect came from a higher realm… We cannot treat this lightly…"
The three elders were silent. It was a too difficult question for them to answer in willy-nilly. The elders debated and the Sect master listened weighing the possibilities of the future.
…
"So, you two are from the System's Providence Sect?"
Hou Shing still cannot believe it. The world is this small, yet so big at the same time.
"Forgive me, elder brother and elder sister… I failed you… I believe one of your own who goes by 'Little General' got killed in Sword Metropolitan. Such a young cultivator, but he has to die like that."
Hou Shing is very apologetic, and also teary-eyed as he recalled the events in Sword Metropolitan.
Contrary to his expectations of maybe an angry Nee Chen or a saddened Xiang Ya, what he received instead is Nee Chen snickering and Xiang Ya having a small smile.
"At least that's better than Hyper Blast Super General…" Nee Chen commented.
"Yeah, Little General sounds better… But really, little Gao is definitely growing to become quite a schemer, don't you think?" Xiang Ya nonchalantly replied aware of the changes that must be going on in Desolate Mountain.
Hou Shing started questioning his life again. What are they talking about? Is it the same 'Little General' or not? Why is life so hard?
It has been some time since the system suddenly updated and increased the level cap to 3rd stage. As Nee Chen and Xiang ya were on the road, they suddenly received another system update.
Ping!
[New Update!
Specialization is now available!
Forum is now available!
Simplifying the Game Mechanics!
From now on, players can access their skill trees to create a build suitable for their styles! Players can access subclasses: Blacksmith, Tailor, Bard, Cook, Alchemist, and other stylized subclasses with unique bonuses.]
It was only some days ago since it was upgraded and allowed the two of them to reach the 3rd stage. Nee Chen was long at the peak of 3rd stage and Xiang Ya is halfway there.
Hou Shing curiously looked at his seniors who suddenly halted their steps. Currently, their destination was for another sect so that they can establish relationships with them.
But now with the system update, Nee Chen and Xiang Ya decided that it is better for them to return home.
"Hou Shing, it is up to you if you want to follow us… We are going to return home to our sect. Some things came up…" Nee Chen impatiently said to Hou Shing.
Just like that, the duo from System's Providence Sect started running in rapid steps for home.
???
Hou Shing dumbly looked at their fading silhouettes.
"Wait for me!!"