"isn't that person Ling Aotian ? What is he doing ? "
"It doesn't matter what he is doing , is he looking to die? Does he not know who Master Yun is? "
" You piece of trash! You're holding up the action. Hurry up and beat it!! "
The moment Ling Aotian spoke, hundreds of people in the crowed cursed. None of them hiding their disgust since he dared talk dirty about master Yun. All they wanted was to continue watching the sword dance performance. They could care less about some trash branch member of the Ling family.
However, up in a pavilion at the right of the stage, a woman in a mask sipped her wine slowly as he looked at the spectacle below.
"Who is that? I can't feel the slightest of Qi fluctuations in him" She asked distastefully. She also was watching the Sword dance and was annoyed by the sudden inturuption.
"That is Ling Aotian, Lady Feng Wei. He is the new owner of Jade Cloud auction. " Replied another woman adorned in countless accessories.
"Oh.. isn't that the place uncle Feng Zi always wanted to purchase ? "
"Yes ,that's the place."
Hearing this affirmation, Lady Feng Wei looked at the crowed with renewed vigor. He wanted to see what kind of person would dare refuse her uncle's offer. Initially, when she heard her uncle putting up a fuss about Jade Cloud Auction and the Ling family not taking the bait to sell, she thought it was an elder of the Ling main family. Not some random branch member who wasn't even in the first heavenstage of spirit awakening realm. What was even worse was that he wasn't leaking any spiritual Qi, indicating that he was suppressing himself.
"Send someone to stir up the situation. " Ordered Feng Wei as she took another sip of her wine.
At the stage,the crowd turned rabid when they heard Ling Aotian call master Yun a fraud in tandem.
"Who does this trash think he is?!" a cultivator spat. "Even a blind man could see Master Yun's sword intent is peerless!"
Aotian was stunned. This commotion was erupting a little too fast. " It seemed I made enemies without even knowing." He jeared at those fanning the flames of conflict.
"Ling Luo, don't listen to this fool! He's just jealous he'll never touch the hem of true sword dao!"
Hearing this,Ling Luo's eyes flashed with disdain as he stood. "You, who can't even awaken your Qi, dare to judge a Sword Master? Your ignorance is pathetic."
All he got from Aotian was squinted eyes and a sigh of disappointment. He even got Aotian to second guess his decision to help him.
Taking advantage of the momentum,Master Yun stroked his beard, feigning humility. "Young friend, if you have… 'insights'," his lips twitched with mockery "this humble one would gladly accept your guidance."
Aotian didn't bother looking at him, but at that moment, a sinister smile appeared on his face as a plan concocted itself in his mind."Guidance? Save your false courtesy. Your 'sword dao' is a dance for fool's eyes."He turned to leave, walking slowly as if he was waiting for ...
"Hah! The coward runs!" a lackey crowed.
"Ha! ha!ha! there it is. Just how many times has this familiar scene occured to me." He laughed since he knew he had already won. The lackey continued, making Aotian's expression change.
"No wonder even that slut follows him! Trash only attracts- "
Slap!
A palm struck like divine retribution. The lackey's cheekbone shattered, his body hurtling backward through the crowd, smashing into a stone pillar. The air itself seemed to recoil.
Silence. The crowd went silent. They could not understand what was happening. Even Lady Feng Wei was stunned, making her spit all her wine. That speed and angle was just too bizzare.
Master Yun's also face darkened. Hitting his man was the same as not giving him face. How could he allow such a thing to go unpunished? What he didn't know was that Aotian was counting on the same thing.
"You dare strike my disciple?!"
His Qi erupted, the pressure of a 5th Heavenstage of Qi Refining crushing the air. "I challenge you to a duel! Unless you're too much of a coward?"
Aotian scoffed. He couldn't believe this Master Yun's face. Just how thick was it.
"Did you spend your lifetime cultivating your face and not your sword? Well that sure explains things. Be it your shamelessness or your trashy sword dance."
"You..?" Master Yun almost coughed up blood. He wanted to retort but he restrained himself.
"You're at Qi Refining, yet challenge someone without even Qi Awakening? If that isn't the thick face refining godly skill at its peak, I might just commit suicide."
Cui Long couldn't help but chuckle. The expression and gestures Aotian was making were just too funny.
Ling Luo, who couldnt watch a fellow swordsman be humiliated stepped forward, his fists clenched tightly. "Then I'll fight you! I'm only at the 1st Heavenstage of Qi Awakening. That's fair, no?"
Aotian ignored him, continuing making faces as soon as he saw Cui Long chuckling. Being ignored, Ling Luo unsheathed his sword, finally gaining Aotian's attention. Aotian looked at him, staring as if he was seeing a ghost. He then said," sheath your sword fool, I view you favorably but... If that sword is pointed at me, you will be welcomed at the netherworld tonight."
Ling Luo was astonished, his face constricting as his back was full of sweat. As a sword cultivator, even though he was barely one, his high intuition told him not to dare move. And so he froze, like an ice puppet during winter.
He dropped his sword.
With a smile, Aotian looked straight at Master Yun. "Why would I waste time on a puppet like him?" He pointed at Ling Luo.
" How about this , if I defeat this Master Yun of yours, you will be my follower for 100 days." Ling Luo didn't speak or consent.
"I'll take your silence as a yes. If you don't agree, just not in the next three seconds..3..2..1. okay it's settled."
He then turned towards Master Yun who then asked." And when you loose? "
"You can have my life if you're capable."
The crowd gasped.Did he really not want his life? They were amused as they knew that there was no chance of Aotian walking out of here alive.
"That won't be enough. How about this, if I win I get her.." master Yun paused and looked at Cui Long with lustful eyes.
" You won't lose out, you can also have my woman and 1000 mid grade spirit stones in my spacial ring." He said magnamanously.
"Deal." Said Cui Long before giving Ling Aotian any chance to back out. She had at most confidence in Aotian. Although she knew it would be a cruel battle, she wanted to know Aotian's abilities. She also knew that he wouldn't agree to something that he wasn't sure of. He was clear on his intelligence.
What if he dies then,one would ask. To her it was all the same... If survives it would prove that she was right to pick him and if he died she would just be starting at base point again. It was not such a big deal yet.
Aotian smiled, he had seen through her a long time ago. Part of the reason of his scheme was to show her that he was capable. Another part was Ling Luo. He was clear on his potential and knew that his sword comprehension capabilities were astonishing. It was just that he was a bit naive and needed guidance.
"We meet at the life and death arena at noon" Aotian walked away. Cui Long trailing behind him silently.
***
Lingfeng market had one supreme rule 'no fighting at the market'. Due to this, an arena was constructed for people to dissolve their differences when it reached a certain point. The point where they would not allow each other to live in the same sky.
In this arena, as long as both parties have agreed and signed a contract of terms, killing was allowed.
Aotian stepped into the arena, just in time to watch Master Yun entering.The air turned heavy as he stepped into the arena square. His face was calm, but his eyes brimmed with rage. He unsheathed his gleaming lsword in a flash, and spiritual energy roared from his body like a dragon waking from slumber.
He wanted to end this in one move. Glaring at Aotian, he concentrated all his energy onto his sword, leaving his body mortal.
"Five Heavenstages of Qi Refining… concentrated at one sword"
"Just what kind of treasure is that?"
Someone asked, then another spoke,his voice trembling. "He's going all out!"
Master Yun's sword pulsed as he raised it to the heavens. The clouds above twisted and parted in a spiral unnaturally, drawn into a vortex of sword energy.
"Witness this!" Master Yun's voice boomed, echoing like thunder. "My proudest technique."
"Heaven-Piercing Flowing Radiance Slash!"he roared.
From Ling Aotian's point of view,the vortex shrieked down like a heavenly spear. With searing sword energy surging behind Master Yun, carving cracks into the marble beneath his feet. His form blurred with light, his spiritual aura condensing into a single world-ending strike.
The audience gasped in awe.
"So that's the Yun Clan's strongest sword art!"
"It's said that even a late-stage Spirit Qi refining expert once had to flee from that move!"
Ling Luo's eyes lit up, his fists clenched in expectation. This was the power of a sword cultivator. The power he would one day command. He gritted his teeth.
"Let's see what you'll do now, Ling Aotian… Let's see you talk your way out of this." he looked at him, but Aotian stood still. His sword sheathed. Unbothered. Silent.
Then,he turned his head slightly looking at Cui Long, then towards Ling Luo.
"Watch carefully," he said, speaking only to Ling Luo. "See the difference ."
A breath.
The wind stopped.
Aotian took one step forward.
The air warped.
The moment his killing intent surged, a ripple passed through the world itself. Invisible but undeniable. For a single heartbeat, reality bent.
Master Yun's attack halted.
No,it froze.
The vortex above lost its form. Master Yun's sword, still mid-swing, began to tremble. Cracks splintered across his condensed energy blade…before it shattered in silence.
A single golden arc shimmered across the air. There was no light, no sound, just will.
Then Aotian moved.
A clean, unspectacular draw of his sword.
Shiiing !!
Master Yun didn't even flinch. And for a moment, nothing happened.
Then, like a marionette with its strings cut, his body slid apart in two clean halves. His sword fell first. Then his corpse collapsed to the ground, severed perfectly.
Silence gripped the world.
The crowd stared, dumbfounded.
"What…just happened?"
"He… he..didn't even touch him?"
"He didn't even swing…? Did he? No ,I didn't see anything!"
In the pavilion above, Lady Feng Wei paused mid-sip.
Her voice was quiet. "Wha..what just happened !!"
The woman beside her nodded slowly. " So... domineering !!"
Down below, Ling Aotian sheathed his sword with a soft click, his voice barely louder than a whisper.
"For a Swordsman, one move is always enough !"
And with that, he walked off the stage, leaving behind a broken genius, a stunned crowd, and a suffocating silence.