Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 21: Chapter 21: How is My Acting?

Condensing water into a character and controlling it to stand up from the water’s surface elicited a wave of cheers and applause from the crowd.

Even the two Innate Realm experts, Liu Xianyu and Liu Yun, admitted they couldn’t do it.

Most Martial Artists in this world pursue dense and condensed True Qi. Condensed True Qi makes attacks sharper, while dense True Qi sustains them in battle for longer.

Methods for controlling True Qi like this, however, required special training, which most considered a waste of time.

”I remember Liu Li practices a Cultivation Technique related to True Qi control.”

”Liu Li’s aptitude isn’t actually bad, but he’s spent so much time practicing True Qi control that it has held back his Cultivation. Otherwise, he’d be at least in the Postnatal Realm.”

”You can’t really say that. Liu Li uses the Exotic Weapon, the Pear Blossom Needle, which demands precise True Qi control. Each needle requires an independent strand of True Qi. The more needles he can control, the more terrifying the Pear Blossom Needle becomes. With it, even a Martial Artist at the Tenth Layer of Qi Cultivation is no match for him.” Quite a few people present were familiar with Liu Li’s background.

At that moment, Liu Li struggled to control the character for ”Liu,” trying to keep it stable. His face grew increasingly pale, and cold sweat dripped from his brow.

After a full ten breaths, the character for ”Liu” finally collapsed.

SPIT.

Liu Li spat out a mouthful of blood, his face ghastly pale. He could barely even stand.

”He must have activated a Secret Technique to enhance his True Qi control for a short period, but he’s suffering from a severe backlash,” Liu Xianyu observed, seeing through his method.

”Liu Li went all out to win this time, even revealing his trump card. His chances of winning this round are at least eighty percent—no, ninety percent!”

The members of the Liu Family crowded around Liu Li, the atmosphere fervent and their confidence soaring.

”You’re guaranteed to lose,” Liu Li said, glancing at Ning Jiang with a proud smirk.

”Shiyi, what do you think?” a woman on the other side asked.

Liu Shiyi considered for a moment before saying seriously, ”When it comes to True Qi control, I’m afraid no one here can match Liu Li. He even used a Secret Technique to hold the water character for a full ten breaths. In this round... perhaps he has a trump card of his own.”

Liu Shiyi’s beautiful eyes rested on Ning Jiang’s face. She couldn’t understand the source of the confidence that allowed him to remain so calm.

”If you admit defeat now and apologize to us, we might just spare your life,” Liu Feng said, certain that victory was in their grasp.

”You’re celebrating too soon.”

No matter what they said, Ning Jiang remained unfazed. He walked to the water vat and extended his hand. The surface of the water immediately churned, and in the next moment, a ball of water leaped out.

”Hmph, and here I thought he had some special trick. It’s just a ball of water. Over ninety percent of the people here can do that,” Liu Feng sneered.

Condensing water into a character required precise control over every stream of water, but forming a crude ball of water could be done just by wrapping it with True Qi.

”If that’s all you’ve got, don’t embarrass yourself,” someone else jeered.

Liu Shiyi frowned as well. ’Is this the extent of Ning Jiang’s ability?’

The surrounding mockery didn’t affect Ning Jiang. With a gentle grasp of his hand, the ball of water rapidly changed shape. Slowly, an exquisite water lotus appeared before everyone’s eyes!

Condensing Water into a Lotus—such a skill silenced many in the crowd.

”This water lotus is indeed on par with condensing water into a character, but Liu Li held his for ten breaths, and he...”

Before Liu Mi, who was off to the side, could finish her sentence, a wave of gasps swept through the crowd. Even her own beautiful eyes flickered with deep surprise.

Two more balls of water leaped from the vat, twisting and transforming into water lotuses.

Three immaculate water lotuses floated above the surface, so vivid they looked as if they were carved from crystal.

The area fell silent.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Five breaths.

Ten breaths.

Fifteen breaths!

Ning Jiang withdrew his hand, and the water lotuses slowly descended back into the water.

The winner was obvious at a glance.

Liu Li’s fists clenched, his body trembling. He had used a Secret Technique and pushed himself to the point of vomiting blood just to last for ten breaths.

Meanwhile, Ning Jiang had maintained three water lotuses for a full fifteen breaths without the slightest change in his expression, as if he had done something trivial.

The gap between them was as wide as a chasm. Anyone could see that Ning Jiang was still holding back.

He recalled the four words he had said earlier: ”You’re guaranteed to lose.” Liu Li’s face burned with humiliation.

Without any suspense, Ning Jiang won all the Primordial Stones for this round.

”Let’s begin the fourth round,” Ning Jiang said.

”Not bad, kid. But you will lose the fourth round,” Liu Feng’s tone was sharp.

”Shiyi, it’s your turn,” the women beside Liu Shiyi said with a smile.

”Getting to hear Shiyi’s music makes today’s trip worthwhile.” Many expectant gazes turned toward Liu Shiyi.

As one of the four great beauties of Luoyang, Liu Shiyi was no mere decorative vase. On the contrary, her skill with the guqin was famous throughout the entire city.

The two great Ming Zhu of the Liu Family each had their own merits. Liu Xianyu was famous for her mastery of Body Sword Control, while Liu Shiyi was known for her music.

Countless people longed day and night just to hear Liu Shiyi play a single song. However, she rarely performed. Or rather, she only played for those she admired.

Under normal circumstances, it was incredibly difficult for even members of the Liu Family to hear her play. In a way, they had Ning Jiang to thank for this opportunity.

”Then I shall perform, however poorly,” Liu Shiyi said, as elegant as a lotus, as she gracefully stepped forward.

A Guqin was brought out. It was three chi, six cun, and five fen long, symbolizing the three hundred and sixty-five days of a year.

The body of the guqin was fiery red, crafted from the heartwood of a three-thousand-year-old Fire Pear Tree, and its strings were made from Golden Silkworm Jade Silk.

These Golden Silkworms were fond of eating precious jade. After consuming the jade, they would slowly digest it for a year before spitting out a supple Jade Silk. However, the Golden Silkworm would die after producing the silk, making it exceptionally precious.

This guqin was named ”Sorrowful Autumn.”

Liu Shiyi sat down in the small pavilion within the bamboo grove and caressed the ”Sorrowful Autumn” guqin. The cold moonlight of the night, a silver radiance spilling down, made her seem even more beautiful.

”You two, please come in,” Liu Shiyi’s voice was as crisp and clear as jade beads falling.

Ning Jiang stepped forward. With him was a tall young man whose temples bulged and whose muscles seemed forged from iron, brimming with explosive power.

This was a Body Cultivator!

”So, you’re Ning Jiang? You got lucky winning the first three rounds.”

The young man’s voice was cold and arrogant, and he didn’t even glance at Ning Jiang. ”I have been Body Refining since I was three years old—for nineteen whole years, I have endured endless suffering. To cultivate my physique, I have broken the bones in my body a cumulative one hundred and eighty-six times, gritting my teeth through the pain each time without a sound. I have pushed my body to its absolute limit hundreds of times until I was completely exhausted. My will has long since been forged to be as unyielding as steel.”

”In this round, I will be victorious.”

”As for my name, you are not worthy of knowing it!”

Body Cultivators walked a harsh and arduous path. They treated their bodies as their training grounds, constantly pushing themselves through bitter practice. Anyone who embarked on this path had to possess a will of steel, or they would inevitably fall along the way.

In terms of sheer willpower, this young man probably surpassed everyone present.

’Cultivating the physical body... that is a path I will also walk.’ Ning Jiang thought to himself. Once he stepped into the Postnatal Realm, he would officially begin Body Refining.

He had already chosen his Body Refining Technique: the Great Sun Glazed Golden Body!

”This piece is called ’Night Dream Chant.’ It has the power to lull people to sleep. The rules are simple: the two of you must resist the music’s hypnotic effect and avoid falling asleep. Whoever lasts longer wins. Of course, you cannot use your Cultivation to resist.”

This round was a test of willpower.

The stronger one’s willpower, the longer they could stay awake.

”Let’s begin,” the arrogant young man said. As a Body Refiner, he had absolute confidence in himself.

Ning Jiang had no objections and nodded.

Liu Shiyi glanced at Ning Jiang. ’I wonder how long he can last against my music?’

She focused her mind, her slender, jade-like fingers pressing upon the strings.

Only the three of them remained inside the pavilion; everyone else was gathered outside.

The next moment, the strings quivered and the music began, spreading out like ripples—continuous and gentle, yet far-reaching.

No one in the surroundings spoke; they were all enjoying the beautiful melody. Even Liu Xianyu gave her silent praise.

The music was melodious, at times soothing like flowing clouds and water, at times crisp like pearls falling on a jade disc, at times low like a soft whisper, and at times distant like a phantom wind in a deep valley.

’If I weren’t using my Cultivation to resist, I would’ve fallen asleep just now,’ a Postnatal Middle Stage Martial Artist thought in shock.

By using their Cultivation to resist, the music’s hypnotic power was reduced to a mere tenth of its strength, greatly weakening its effect on them.

But even so, many people still felt drowsy.

Without using their Cultivation to resist, a large portion of the crowd would have already fallen asleep.

Meanwhile, the arrogant young man and Ning Jiang were sitting closest to the music, and they were not using any Cultivation to resist.

One must understand that without using their Cultivation, a Martial Artist was no different from an ordinary person. If an ordinary person were sitting here, they would have been fast asleep within three breaths—so deep in slumber that not even a clap of thunder could wake them.

The music was pleasant to the ear, its echoes lingering in the air.

After thirty breaths.

Some members of the Liu Family with weaker Cultivation and willpower had already moved away from the pavilion to avoid the embarrassment of falling asleep to the music.

After fifty breaths, even the arrogant young man, who had remained impassive until now, found his eyelids starting to feel heavy.

Ning Jiang glanced at the arrogant young man, a faint smile flashing across his lips. Then, his own eyelids began to droop, and he took on a listless expression.

’To last this long, his will already far surpasses that of an ordinary person. But if this is all he has, it’s not enough to earn my respect,’ Liu Shiyi thought to herself as she observed Ning Jiang.

’He’s about to give out,’ the arrogant young man thought, a flicker of joy in his heart.

After seventy breaths.

’Damn it, how is he still holding on?’ The arrogant young man saw that Ning Jiang was on the verge of collapse, yet somehow, he refused to fall.

He steeled himself, bit the tip of his tongue, and used the sharp pain to regain some clarity.

After ninety breaths, the arrogant young man had dug his fingernails so deep into his palms that they were bleeding profusely.

After one hundred and fifty breaths.

Ning Jiang’s body swayed unsteadily, his eyes narrowed to a thin slit.

The arrogant young man was also down to his last shred of consciousness, on the verge of succumbing to the hypnotic music at any moment.

’Damn it, I’ll go all out! I have to beat him. As long as he loses, his head will roll. Compared to that, a small price is nothing!’

A ruthless glint flashed in the arrogant young man’s eyes. He extended his left arm, clenched his other hand into an iron fist, and smashed it down hard.

CRACK.

The crisp sound of a bone breaking rang out.

As a Body Cultivator, his Fist Power was still incredibly heavy even without using his Cultivation.

Such a decisive and brutal act shocked everyone present.

Finally, Ning Jiang closed his eyes.

The music stopped.

”Hahaha, I won!” the arrogant young man laughed, completely ignoring the excruciating pain in his arm.

Smiles also appeared on the faces of Liu Feng, Liu Yun, and many other Liu Family disciples.

”He lost after all.” Liu Shiyi shook her head, her expectations for Ning Jiang fading away.

”Liu Jian, well done.”

Liu Feng and the others laughed, surging forward to congratulate him.

However, an untimely voice suddenly drifted through the air.

”Who said I lost?”

Ning Jiang slowly opened his eyes. They were clear and bright, his mind perfectly lucid!

The smiles on everyone’s faces instantly froze.

”You all still underestimate him,” Liu Xianyu murmured. Only she knew that Ning Jiang wouldn’t be defeated so easily.

”Everyone, is there any need to be so surprised? Did you really think my head would be so easy to take?”

Taking in everyone’s expressions, Ning Jiang began to laugh. He looked at the arrogant young man named Liu Jian and said, ”I was feeling a bit playful just now, so I decided to play along. What did you think of my acting?”

”How would you rate it?”

The casual words exploded in Liu Jian’s ears like a clap of thunder. His face instantly turned ashen, as if he had just swallowed a dead rat.