Chapter 542: Elder Hong's Terror

Seeing the young man walk in, Elder Hong's mouth twitched involuntarily.

The tragic experiences of the previous elders had been etched into his bones, filling him with dread toward this fellow before him.

'Red Lotus Nine Swords, a technique I created with immense effort. Hall Master Kang, even after a full incense stick's time, only achieved proficiency, still far from minor mastery. Even if this guy has no weak talent, reaching minor mastery is nearly impossible. No need to worry...'

Comforting himself inwardly, Elder Hong breathed a sigh of relief and pointed forward: 'The book on the table before you contains the cultivation method for Red Lotus Nine Swords. You now have the time of one incense stick to read it!'

Having said that, he wasted no words and lit the incense beside him, smoke drifting as a faint scent filled the room.

Zhang Xuan approached the table, gently touched it, and a duplicate of the book appeared in the library.

He pretended to flip through the pages while his mind immersed itself in his thoughts.

'Red Lotus Nine Swords, created by Elder Hong Qin of the Ten Thousand Kingdoms Master Teacher Academy, consists of nine swords. Defects...'

After finishing the content, Zhang Xuan wore a strange expression.

'So many defects? And this is called a superior sword technique?'

The sword technique before him had over a hundred defects. With that many flaws, it was still touted as a superior technique... and he was supposed to learn it. He really didn't know where this guy got his confidence.

But on second thought, he understood. The sword techniques and martial skills he had obtained before were mostly passed down through countless generations, refined by numerous predecessors, with far fewer defects. This one, newly created and not yet tested in practice, having more defects was only normal.

'Heavenly Dao Sword Art, merge!'

Utterly speechless, he focused his mind, and the Heavenly Dao Sword Art, along with many sword technique manuals he had obtained before, shook violently, slowly merging with this book.

Whoosh!

A new Red Lotus Nine Swords appeared before him, and he quickly opened it.

Soon, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

The mid-grade spirit sword techniques he had collected were too few. Relying solely on the sword techniques he had learned before, merging with such a superior technique was clearly difficult.

It was like the finest cow dung could never match gold—different in essence. No matter how correct the foundation of swordsmanship, fully merging with a mid-grade spirit technique was beyond its power.

'Still over thirty defects...'

After flipping through the merged book, Zhang Xuan wore a grimace.

From his rebirth until now, he had always cultivated techniques without defects, forming a... consciousness of perfection. Even the Dust-Stepping Heaven Trampling Steps, which had three defects, he had practiced with pinched nose... Now, this sword technique with over thirty defects—he really couldn't bring himself to practice it!

It was like being used to the delicacies of a five-star chef and then being forced to eat street food—he would pinch his nose and find it hard to swallow.

But... if he didn't practice, he couldn't pass the assessment, leading to failure in cultivation.

For a moment, he was tangled in worry, unsure what to do.

...

While he was agonizing, Elder Hong's face alternated between red and white, feeling like his lungs were about to explode!

Though he didn't want to see the reputation he had built over a lifetime ruined by this guy, he couldn't just do nothing. As soon as the other party got the book, he secretly observed.

Not observing would have been fine, but once he did, he felt like rushing over and tearing this guy apart.

This Red Lotus Nine Swords, which he had created by observing red lotuses and spent a full ten years perfecting, he considered one of the best martial techniques in the Ten Thousand Kingdoms, worthy of eternal fame and lasting a thousand years. But this guy, as soon as he got it, just flipped through it randomly, without any intention of studying it properly.

That was bad enough, but then he frowned, then looked worried—what the hell?

He looked as if he had encountered dung and might vomit at any moment...

Damn it!

Does the technique I created really make you that nauseous? That disgusted?

His beard bristling with anger, Elder Hong was about to explode.

He had considered the possibility that the other party wouldn't practice, and also that he might have exceptional talent and achieve perfection within an incense stick's time. But he never dreamed that this guy, not only wouldn't practice, but would also look disgusted, as if about to vomit...

This is a peak mid-grade spirit martial technique, a masterpiece praised by Hall Master Kang and many elders... What do you mean by this?

Just as he felt burning rage, he saw the young man across from him, unable to bear it any longer, close his eyes, grit his teeth, and put on an expression of a warrior heading to his doom: 'Forget it, let it be. At worst, after practicing, I'll never use it again!'

'You!'

Elder Hong could no longer hold back, exploded, and stepped forward to stand before him: 'Master Zhang, what do you mean?'

Just as he was about to start practicing, Zhang Xuan saw the old man storming over, puzzled, and glanced at him: 'What's wrong?'

'Does the sword technique I created disgust you?' Elder Hong demanded without reservation.

'It's not entirely disgust, but... there are too many errors and loopholes. I really don't want to practice it...' Zhang Xuan shook his head.

'You...' Elder Hong felt his scalp explode, on the verge of madness.

When others asked like that, even if they hated it, they would save face, deny it, and even offer insincere praise...

But this guy shamelessly admitted it!

'Not entirely disgust'... means it's already disgusting enough!

And 'too many errors and loopholes'... Too many, my ass!

Do you know how much effort I put into this martial technique? Ten years without rest, thinking that once it was unveiled, the world would know... And you come with 'too many loopholes'...

'May I ask where the loopholes in my sword technique are?'

With a cold snort, Elder Hong forcibly suppressed his anger, afraid that in a fit of rage he would directly slap this guy to death.

'You want me to instruct? Fine, I'll give you some guidance. Watch closely, I have limited time, so I'll say it only once.'

Zhang Xuan nodded, hands behind his back, and paced slowly: 'First, your first sword of the nine, Red Lotus Blossom, Qi Sweeps the Nine Provinces! This move has eighty-one variations, with sword light roaring, dazzling and brilliant, indeed impressive in power. However... when the sword thrusts from the waist, true qi travels through Huangu and Wangchang, which already causes some qi stagnation. To unleash great power is nearly impossible! If at this moment, I had a weapon, even if not a long sword, just an ordinary wooden stick, and attacked your Huihai acupoint, how would you defend?'

'Attack Huihai?'

Elder Hong, originally furious, heard this and visualized the Red Lotus Blossom sword move and attack, suddenly freezing.

Red Lotus Blossom, flowers bloom in prosperity.

This move, dazzling and brilliant, attacks with狂暴 sword qi, appearing powerful, but it has a fatal flaw: the Huihai acupoint is the most critical point. Even a finger touching it would paralyze the entire sword move, rendering it powerless.

He hadn't even discovered this flaw, and the other party found it just by looking at the book for a while?

'No, even if you know my Huihai acupoint's true qi is hard to protect, so what? The sword move is fleeting; by the time you notice, I would have already thrust at least five times. How would you defend?' Elder Hong suddenly snorted.

Whether sword techniques or cultivation methods, once in motion, there are bound to be loopholes and defects; perfection is impossible. Even if Huihai acupoint is the biggest flaw in this Red Lotus Blossom move, so what? With one sword thrust, qi surges, and finding that point amid the sword light is nearly impossible.

'Five thrusts? You're wrong. If I first step forward three steps with my left foot, thrust at Honghai, then turn and thrust at Luoqiao, then sidestep and thrust three times at Fujiang... After thrusting at these three acupoints, then thrust at Huihai, I wonder if you could still dodge?'

Zhang Xuan said calmly.

'Thrust at Honghai, I block horizontally and step back; thrust at Luoqiao, I quickly defend, interrupting the attacking true qi, unable to unleash sword qi; thrust at Fujiang, Huihai is inevitably exposed... You, you...'

Simulating the opponent's moves in his mind, Elder Hong was initially dismissive, but after a while, his face turned pale, and he trembled uncontrollably.

If it were a real battle, following these three consecutive thrusts, his Red Lotus Blossom move would definitely collapse immediately, not only failing to injure the opponent but also causing serious injury due to true qi backlash!

Just three ordinary thrusts, without even using true qi, and he would be injured due to the sword technique's flaws...

This...

'That's just one move. Your second move, Red Lotus Shines on the World, is even more riddled with errors. Against this move, I could even do without a weapon, directly charge into your center, attack Ruohai, and you would be forced to retreat... The rest goes without saying, it's very simple.'

Zhang Xuan continued.

Knowing the flaws, combined with knowledge, finding ways to counter them became very easy and simple.

'I...'

Elder Hong stepped back.

The second move, Red Lotus Shines on the World, one sword across the sky, qi like the sea, is a long-range attack. It looks dazzling but is defenseless at close range, a hollow situation. At that moment, just attacking the center and Ruohai at close range would disrupt his true qi, breaking the sword move instantly!

Breaking the first move, the opponent thrusts at four points, and he is defeated. For this one, just two moves would leave him without time to defend!

What's going on?

Could the sword technique he created really be so fragile?

'No... with one sword across the sky, how could you have time to make so many moves and actions?'

After another round of analysis, he raised an eyebrow.

What the other said was all theory. In a real battle, his sword speed was so fast, how could the opponent have time to attack multiple times?

'No time?' Zhang Xuan shook his head: 'Watch closely!'

His body flickered, turning into an afterimage. In the blink of an eye, he had traversed three positions, and with fingers together as a sword, he pointed forward three times in succession, exactly at the points he had mentioned.

'This...'

Seeing this move, Elder Hong's body jerked, nearly falling.

The opponent's speed and attack were flawless. If he had used his sword move and the opponent executed this, in a clash... he would be knocked down in an instant, with no ability to resist!

Unless... he abandoned the sword move and crushed him with absolute strength. Otherwise, relying solely on swordsmanship, he would lose badly, even getting injured.

Cold sweat streamed down his back.

Having created many martial techniques, he thought this move would make him invincible in the Ten Thousand Kingdoms. But now, ten years of hard work... turned out to be so fragile!

'May I ask, Master Zhang... is there a way to perfect this move?'

Clasping his fists, Elder Hong assumed the posture of a student.