"Swish! Swish! Swish!..."
As Ziyi's words fell, Xu Taiping's seven afterimages suddenly transformed into seven glaring blades of light.
These seven glaring blades of light, one after another, slashed at Lu Yuan, directly cutting through the aura around him.
Then, the seven afterimages suddenly merged into one.
Xu Taiping, holding the long sword with both hands, appeared above Lu Yuan's head.
Without hesitation, he slashed down with his sword.
Despite using all his strength, Lu Yuan still failed to block this fatal strike and was sent flying backward.
As he flew, the protective aura around him was cut open, and a large gash appeared on his chest.
But in the end, he managed to stop himself just before falling off the stage and roared.
Immediately, a "blaze" rose around him again. He gripped the hilt of his precious sword with both hands and shouted:
As he spoke, the aura around him surged like a tidal wave.
Flame-like true qi spread out in all directions and then merged into the precious sword in his hand.
With a sharp metallic tremor, Lu Yuan, now one with his sword, transformed into a blade shadow over ten yards long, slicing horizontally toward Xu Taiping.
The terrifying blade shadow over ten yards long swept across the stage.
But at this moment, Xu Taiping and his long sword transformed into a spinning silver blade of light, like a flying knife, suddenly piercing through the entire stage, breaking through Lu Yuan's blazing blade aura and slashing into his body.
Caught off guard, Lu Yuan was hit squarely in the chest.
The heart-protecting mirror he used to save his life shattered.
Then, a cloud of blood mist rose around him, and he was sent flying straight off the stage by the immense force of Xu Taiping's sword.
This strike came from the Seven Killing Blade, the second ultimate move, the Soul Chasing Fatal Strike.
It could instantly slash across several dozen yards, targeting a fleeing opponent.
The examiners on the stage and the spectators below were all stunned.
Not only had he lost, but he had lost in sword technique.
Not only had he won, but he had won using the opponent's most skilled martial technique.
"The second ultimate move of the Seven Killing Blade, the Soul Chasing Fatal Strike..."
In front of the bronze mirror, Ziyi, after being stunned for a while, said in disbelief.
"Someone actually learned these two moves in three years."
She turned to Qingxiao, who was equally surprised.
"Senior Brother, is the Seven Killing Blade really that difficult?"
Zhaolong, who was delighted by Xu Taiping's victory, also looked curiously at Qingxiao.
"It's not so much difficult as it is tedious."
Qingxiao thought for a moment before answering.
"The techniques and mental methods of the Seven Killing Blade are not complex; they are even easier to understand than the Green Ox Fist. The difficulty lies in practicing each move to perfection."
"Practicing until the sword techniques become a natural reflex, ingrained in your muscles and bones, not just in your mind."
"So, to master the Seven Killing Blade, there is only one tedious method: continuous practice, day after day, year after year, without a single day's break until the techniques are perfected."
"Especially the Soul Chasing Fatal Strike, which can only be practiced after the body has memorized all the techniques of the Seven Killing Blade. The difficulty is like the old man moving a mountain."
"So, many people say that the Seven Killing Blade is a technique for the dull."
Qingxiao explained earnestly to Zhaolong.
"This method of practice is very monotonous, and to master the two ultimate moves in three years requires immense perseverance."
Ziyi nodded at this point.
After listening to their explanations, Zhaolong was initially stunned, then looked again at the slightly thin figure in the bronze mirror.
How much has little Taiping paid in these three years?
She suddenly found it hard to imagine.
At this moment, a snow-white cloud sparrow flew over the bamboo grove.
"This seems to be the communication sparrow of the Sixth Peak's Peak Master."
Qingxiao glanced at the sparrow, then looked at Ziyi beside him.
"Yes, the Peak Master must have something to ask me."
She extended her hand toward the sparrow, took it down, and removed the message from its leg.
"Sister Ziyi, what does your Peak Master want?"
Zhaolong looked curiously at Ziyi.
Xu Taiping had already won in the Dragon Gate Examination, and her heart, which had been tense, was now at ease.
Ziyi glanced at the content of the message and then smiled.
"The Peak Master wants me to inquire about Xu Taiping. If possible, she wants us to introduce him to the Sixth Peak."
Clearly, the Sixth Peak's Peak Master had already learned about Xu Taiping's past with the Seventh Peak.
Zhaolong immediately refused and pulled Ziyi's hand.
"Tell that bad woman that Xu Taiping is a disciple of the Seventh Peak and to give up on this idea."
Hearing Zhaolong call her Peak Master a "bad woman," Ziyi burst out laughing.
patted Zhaolong's shoulder and said:
"Alright, I'll tell the Peak Master, but..."
She paused and then turned to Qingxiao, smiling again:
"Based on Taiping's performance today, it's not just our Sixth Peak, but the other five peaks will likely send people to contact him, and the conditions they offer might be even better than ours. What do you think he will choose?"
Hearing this, Qingxiao frowned.
And Zhaolong, upon hearing this, suddenly realized the issue.
She thought, if Taiping really stands out in the selection, he will likely be fought over by all the peaks. Our Seventh Peak ranks last among the peaks. Will Taiping really choose us?
"Don't worry, at least before the final Seven Peaks Meeting, Taiping won't make any decisions."
Qingxiao looked at the worried Zhaolong and smiled calmly.
Zhaolong thought for a moment and then shrugged: "If Taiping doesn't choose the Seventh Peak at that time, I can understand. Who can blame my lazy father for being so unambitious, always ranking last in the annual Seventh Peak competition, and claiming it's about being indifferent to fame and fortune, which has led to the best medicinal gardens and spirit beasts being taken by the other six peaks."
"If the Master hears you say that, he might lock you up for half a year."
Qingxiao was both amused and exasperated.
Realizing her slip of the tongue, Zhaolong quickly warned Qingxiao.
"We're getting ahead of ourselves."
Qingxiao shook his head, then took out a scroll from his pocket, unfolded it, and placed it on the table:
"This list I got from an examiner this morning. The seven people on it were my predicted candidates to become formal disciples, but now we need to remove Lu Yuan."
He wiped his hand over Lu Yuan's portrait, erasing him from the scroll, and continued: "Of the remaining six, the probability of Taiping winning against any of them is less than thirty percent."