Chapter 237: Twins Fan
Sword intent was something that could not be expressed by words, only felt through other sensations, akin to some kind of ethereal power.
If one wanted to comprehend sword intent, one did not only have to spend decades practicing the sword but more importantly, one needed to have outstanding talents and remarkable opportunities.
That was why while there were many people who used swords, only a few of them had a deep understanding of sword intent. Those who could gain a good sense of its essence were in the good graces of the gods.
As he watched the battle, Rocher could see that there was no sword intent in Zen's Sword Step. Strangely, though, Zen's Sword Step looked very childish as if he was not skilled in the technique and only just began trying it out.
Rocher knew that the thought of Zen crudely imitating his Sword Step was untenable.
It was undeniable that the technique could only be performed under the premise that one had a true understanding of it. If the person did not fully understand it, imitating the movements would be fruitless as he would be unable to adapt to the trails and find the direction of the sword intent. Merely copying a stance should have meant nothing.
However, although Zen was unskilled in the area, his every step was not only close to that of Rocher's but exactly like it.
How was it possible?
It left Rocher deeply puzzled.
Unless… Zen had already understood the sword intent and was only hiding his capabilities.
Still, how could a disciple at the second-grade of nature level understand sword intent?
Reluctant to accept such an assumption, Rocher shook his head.
There was no doubt that Rocher was a talent. Although he might not be the strongest in Skytop Peak, he was the one who was the most favored. All talents were very arrogant and Rocher was no exception.
For Rocher, though, being arrogant was not a bad thing. With such an attitude, he could be driven to reach the top of the field of martial arts.
But if Zen really understood the sword intent and had a knack for the Sword Step as well…
It was a shocking idea. Looking at Zen's unmatured, rather awkward steps, Rocher sighed. 'This guy… Has he only just learned the Sword Step?
I haven't seen him employ this skill before. Did he get it after seeing my own Sword Step?'
As his thoughts stirred, Rocher didn't dare continue guessing. If his assumptions were right, it would mean a great blow to him.
Among everyone present, Rocher was not the only one to notice this.
Kenneth was also shooting strange looks at Zen.
Someone like Kenneth who had already reached a high level had the knowledge about the levels of the martial arts that the saints and elders of the Cloud Sect couldn't claim to have.
Although he was a swordsman and didn't have an understanding of the sword intent, he also noticed a strangeness about Zen.
The disciple seemed to be demonstrating the Sword Step he just learned.
The more steps he advanced, the more skilled he became. But did such talent who could pick things up so quickly even exist? The competition became more interesting with this second-grade nature level guy.
As Kenneth pondered over it, he saw the respectable elder named Xu, who was standing beside him, stroke his beard and smile knowingly. “Xu, are you noticing anything odd?”
With a little chuckle, Xu said, “Are you asking if Zen learned the Sword Step just now?”
Kenneth nodded. “I'm not very sure. Zen is a green hand in Sword Step. He's improving rapidly but under close examination…”
“There's something you missed. I did catch it, though, while Rocher battled Kim, Zen imitated Rocher's Sword Step outside the arena. It's surprising, really, how Zen was so quick to learn things. He copied Rocher's Sword Step in such a short time. He is indeed a talent. Huh…When I was watching him, he practiced for a period of only ten minutes. But he mastered the skills so quickly. As far as I can see, Zen already has an understanding of sword intent and knows it well,”
with another smile, Xu spoke slowly.
Although his cultivation was far from Kenneth's, Xu was a swordsman and knew about sword intent much better than Kenneth did. With that background, he could immediately recognize Zen's situation and give a valid explanation for it.
“Guess how long this guy will stay in this competition?”
Upon hearing the words, Kenneth suddenly popped the question.
"Well…
Understanding sword intent would do him a great help, seeing as he's mastering the Sword Step. This talent is extraordinary. But…“ Xu shook his head. ”He's only at second-grade of nature level. It's very difficult for him to defeat Cecil, and even harder for him to advance further in the competition."
"Oh?
Is that what you think? I was actually thinking he could enter the top thirty."
The thought brought a smile to Kenneth's face.
Xu, on the other hand, was surprised to hear the other's comment about Zen.
The top 30 of the All Peaks Competition was the same as the top 30 of the Cloud Sect.
The closer the ranks were to the top, the more difficult it would be for them to advance.
Entering the top 100 was already a challenge, even more so was entering the top 50. To enter the top 30 was a nearly impossible task, leaps and bounds more difficult than just getting into the top 100.
With what Kenneth said, did that mean Zen had the strength to compete with the personal disciples?
It was unthinkable.
Zen should feel lucky if he could defeat Cecil. But for a second-grade nature level disciple to defeat someone of the Illuminating Soul Realm?
There had been no such thing in the history of Cloud Sect.
The personal disciples were the best talents.
To Elder Xu's knowledge, Kenneth was not a person who would lie through his teeth. In truth, though, there was a great gap between Zen's realm and that of all the other opponents, making Xu doubt himself. Was he wrong in his judgment? Did Kenneth see something he failed to notice?
Anyhow, since Kenneth gave his remarks, Elder Xu would not refute him, but instead, he waited and saw how things moved along.
Doing his best to hide his sword intent, Zen demonstrated his Sword Step alone as he circled around Cecil.
As Cecil shook the feather fan in his hand, gusts of evil winds whirled towards Zen, brushing past him as Zen narrowly escaped every shot.
Seeing his performance, many disciples of the Cloud Sect who mocked Zen gradually began to shut up.
What was wrong with this copycat?
Why should anyone bother if he imitated Rocher's Sword Step?
Going back to the basics, Rocher did not, by any means, create the Sword Step. Moreover, if Zen mastered the rules of Sword Step without knowledge on sword intent, the only word that could describe him was genius.
Although Sword Step unaccompanied by sword intent only made one dabbler in the skill, Zen was able to move smoothly among the evil winds Cecil produced. How many disciples of the Cloud Sect could achieve such a thing?
"What else can you do but keep running?
You should know that by escaping, you'll end up with a more unsightly loss. The only way to go is by attacking. You're not qualified to be a warrior," Cecil shouted as he waved his fan. The whole arena was filled with powerful whirls of irregular winds but Zen was able to navigate through them with the Sword Step, remaining unscathed. Even the evil tornadoes had no effect on him.
Faced with Cecil's provocation, Zen felt no anger whatsoever and maintained the usual light smile on his face.
Zen was only avoiding him for the time being, because he didn't want to attack Cecil just yet. Although he already mastered the Sword Step, he had yet to use the technique in a real battle, keeping him at a green level. Since he needed to practice the technique and improve through real combat, he decided that Cecil was a suitable opponent for him to practice his skills on.
At the starting level of the Illuminating Soul Realm, Cecil's power was neither very strong nor very weak. It just so happened that he hated Zen to his core, so he was certain he would show no mercy to the man if faced in battle. It would be a fight to the death. There couldn't be a more suitable opponent.
Seeing the smile on Zen's face, Cecil's irritation only grew. Although his Sword Step was awkward, Zen was as agile as a rabbit as he avoided the evil winds from Cecil's feather fan.
“Ha! Do you think I will just sit by and watch you run around?” Cecil sneered as he tightened the grip on his fan. All of a sudden, two streams of life vitality appeared in his hands.
It was bicolored life vitality.
Streams of black and white life vitality surged from Cecil's body.
There were only a few people in the world's history who had the bicolor life vitality. It was special as it represented two different kinds of life vitality which would merge in the belly.
Even in Zen's case, as he cultivated a little demonic life energy, he had to quickly consume all the purple life vitality in his belly, as it couldn't hold two different kinds of life vitality at the same time.
Seeing as Cecil was able to cultivate the black and white life vitality, it was either he had a special body that could accommodate multiple kinds of life vitality, or he had two bellies, each able to accommodate a single kind of life vitality. Or perhaps, it could also be that the Zhuge Clan had some kind of secret method that could use an enchanted barrier to partition the belly.
As soon as the black and white life vitality came out, it immediately rushed towards Cecil's fan and dove into the Eight Diagrams on the fan, making it begin to rapidly spin.
Flashing a cunning smile, Cecil lifted the fan and waved it harshly towards Zen.
“Twins Chaos Cyclone!”
The feather fan Cecil held was a top-grade spiritual weapon called “Twins Fan.”
The said fan was a replica of an ancient fairy weapon called the Life Vitality Eight-Diagram Fan. A gentle wave of the fan could create terrifying and immense cyclones, capable of shaking the heavens and earth, turning everything to dust. As a replica, the Twins Fan was far from the capabilities of the Life Vitality Eight Diagram Fan, but it did inherit one-tenth of the power from the authentic piece.
With the bicolor vitality Cecil emitted, gales were blowing within the whole arena.
A tremendous cyclone formed, covering almost the entire area. The wind blade around the cyclone cut through the light curtain of enchanted barrier, crackling it with crisp noises.
“The Twins Chaos Cyclone can attack you from every angle. As long as you are within it, you will constantly suffer damage. I'll see how you can escape this time!”
As Cecil continued waving his Twins Fan, his movements turned harsher and the tremendous cyclone became more rapid in its speed.
It seemed that Zen had no way to escape as the cyclone engulfed the entire arena.
If he truly wanted to escape, he would have to find a way to leave the whole area.
Swoosh…
Because of carelessness, several winds blades grazed Zen's back. The sharp forces began scratching against his robe.
“Keep running! I want to see where you end up!”
As Cecil quickened the waving of his fan, the cyclone became more and more powerful.
Narrowing his eyes, Zen felt the wind blowing around him. Suddenly, he smiled terribly mischievously.
“Running? Why should I run?”