Jiang Yun's appearance undoubtedly brought more anticipation to this quiz. Many speculated whether Jiang Yun would dazzle everyone again with a sword strike as dazzling as a comet, just like he did the last time.
Wang Kaihai was also one of those looking forward to Jiang Yun's performance. Two months had passed without a trace of Jiang Yun. Wang Kaihai was eager to see how much progress Jiang Yun had made.
Soon, it was time for Jiang Yun to make his appearance. This time, his opponent was Yang Jinyan, who had ranked third in the previous quiz. He was considered one of the top talents among the outer disciples.
"Senior Brother Jiang Yun, please enlighten me."
Yang Jinyan bowed and saluted. Although he seemed composed on the surface, a hint of nervousness lingered in his heart. After all, the impact of Jiang Yun's sword strike had been immense. Even though he hadn't seen Jiang Yun in action for two months, he didn't dare to take this lightly.
"Go ahead!"
Jiang Yun was not modest. He smiled and let Yang Jinyan take the initiative.
Yang Jinyan naturally didn't dare to underestimate the situation. When Jiang Yun allowed him to strike first, he focused his mind and readied himself. Drawing his long sword, he formed a sword flower, and as the sword energy dissipated, he moved with the sword's momentum, swiftly approaching Jiang Yun.
Yang Jinyan's sword strikes were tight, well-ordered, and although they appeared chaotic, they contained an underlying pattern. Each move had follow-up variations. In the blink of an eye, Yang Jinyan had executed seven strikes, displaying remarkable speed.
After the seventh strike, the interweaving sword lights formed the shape of a lotus flower. This move held considerable power; if struck by the lotus sword qi, one would likely lose more than just a layer of skin.
However, Jiang Yun's movement skills were astonishingly agile within this confined space. The spectators couldn't see Jiang Yun's specific actions, but he had evaded Yang Jinyan's lotus sword qi effortlessly.
To be honest, Yang Jinyan's sword techniques were well-rounded, incorporating strength, speed, and skill. However, none of these aspects were exceptional enough. Such sword strikes might work well against ordinary opponents, but for Jiang Yun, they couldn't even graze his clothing.
In a flash, Jiang Yun's figure appeared next to Yang Jinyan. The Green Willow Sword had yet to leave its sheath, but it directly tapped Yang Jinyan's dantian. Yang Jinyan's internal energy stagnated momentarily, causing the lotus sword qi to disperse instantly.
Yang Jinyan weakly took three steps back. With this light tap, Jiang Yun had disrupted Yang Jinyan's circulation of spiritual energy. At this moment, Yang Jinyan was like a lamb to the slaughter, completely at the mercy of Jiang Yun's manipulation. However, Jiang Yun didn't intend to continue; he simply placed the sword back in its sheath and moved the sword's tip to Yang Jinyan's throat, indicating that he had stopped, without further action.
Yang Jinyan forced a bitter smile as he looked at the Green Willow Sword pointed at his throat. He said in frustration, "I've lost."
To be honest, the ease with which Jiang Yun made Yang Jinyan surrender left many feeling disheartened. Although they knew Jiang Yun was strong, they hadn't imagined it would be to this extent.
The onlookers cast complex glances toward Jiang Yun. None of them cheered for Jiang Yun's effortless victory. Such an overwhelming triumph didn't provide the exhilaration that usually followed a battle; instead, it dealt a harsh blow.
As the party involved, Yang Jinyan experienced the sense of powerlessness more deeply than anyone else. It was akin to a race where one contestant didn't even see the taillights of the other and found out the opponent had already crossed the finish line.
Both using swords, Yang Jinyan had employed his most potent techniques, yet Jiang Yun hadn't even unsheathed his sword. This simple fact left Yang Jinyan defeated on the spot.
"Your concession is acknowledged."
Jiang Yun paid no heed to Yang Jinyan's feelings. After Yang Jinyan admitted defeat, Jiang Yun turned and left the stage, awaiting the second round of the competition.
Wang Kaihai gazed intensely at Jiang Yun. Although Jiang Yun hadn't struck just now, Wang Kaihai had sensed the profound philosophy behind Jiang Yun's "Solitary Sword of Nine Styles." Each of Jiang Yun's moves pinpointed the deepest vulnerabilities, then he struck with momentum. Although it appeared weak, Jiang Yun hadn't defeated Yang Jinyan as easily as others thought.
Over the past two months, Wang Kaihai had been striving to achieve the perfect fusion of speed and technique. However, he had been wandering aimlessly like a headless fly and had yet to find the right path. Jiang Yun's strike had brought him an enlightening moment of understanding.
When Yang Jinyan attacked, Jiang Yun had anticipated where Yang Jinyan's strike would land. He had sidestepped Yang Jinyan's lotus sword qi in advance, creating the illusion of incomparable speed and mystique. Yet, all of this was merely part of his anticipation.
In fact, as Wang Kaihai had guessed, the mysterious quality of Jiang Yun's sword techniques and footwork were a result of anticipation. For instance, if you knew in advance where his sword strike would land, you could sidestep it before he even attacked. To onlookers, it naturally appeared mystical.
This was somewhat akin to the art of misdirection in magic. Seeing through it removes the element of surprise. Wang Kaihai was like the magician who had seen through Jiang Yun's tricks, but seeing through wasn't the same as executing. Achieving Jiang Yun's level of seamless, almost casual reaction required a long journey.
Within Wang Kaihai's heart, a light shone, dispelling the fog that had previously surrounded him. Everything suddenly became clear. This was a process of enlightenment. At this moment, Wang Kaihai felt enlightened. Once enlightenment was achieved and goals were set, continuous effort would eventually lead to the day of achievement, even if that day was far in the future.
Jiang Yun's gaze swept across Wang Kaihai, and he nodded approvingly. Wang Kaihai had a keen understanding and a natural talent for sword techniques. He was destined to become a skilled practitioner. Moreover, Jiang Yun saw a reflection of himself in Wang Kaihai, reminiscent of his own single-minded pursuit of the martial path.
After a short break, Jiang Yun was back on stage. However, this time his opponent was not as formidable as Yang Jinyan. In a matter of minutes, Jiang Yun had defeated his opponent again, leaving the opponent looking bewildered and defeated on the spot.
As Jiang Yun progressed through three more rounds in quick succession, the competition had whittled down to the final six participants. Jiang Yun's next opponent was none other than Zhou Ziyue.
Soon enough, the match between Jiang Yun and Zhou Ziyue commenced. Following Yang Jinyan's defeat, there were hardly any doubts left regarding Jiang Yun's strength. Still, many were hopeful that Jiang Yun would triumph over Zhou Ziyue, ideally leaving Zhou Ziyue utterly humiliated.
"Do you think you have a chance of winning against me?" Jiang Yun said with a light laugh. "I'll give you a chance – surrender now."
Jiang Yun, of course, knew that Zhou Ziyue wouldn't concede so easily. His words were merely intended to satisfy the crowd's desire to see Zhou Ziyue embarrassed, and this was also a way to ease the tension caused by the confrontation with Li Dadan.