Awakening

The first few seconds of the fight were simple blows, yet most spectators only saw flashes. Zabimaru's sealed state matched the Celestial Yuan Sword strike for strike evenly, clashing across the Sword Discourse Arena. However, in terms of raw power and speed… Ling Yun seemed to have a slight edge.

The Villa Master observed with a calm expression. He didn't expect any other result…

For Ling Yun, beating an opponent of the same profound strength was as simple as breathing. 

BANG.

Slash.

James raised an eyebrow as he suffered a small cut on the face from Ling Yun's sword intent. Even though he had perfectly blocked the attack, he hadn't come from it unscathed. Ling Yun aimed to take advantage of James' lapse and continued attacking at a rapid pace… his Celestial Yuan Sword dancing with graceful power.

James observed the technique with keen interest, continuing to block.

"Clearly, Ling Yun has Cang Chao on the backfoot with hardly any effort…"

"This might not be all that much of an exciting match that I expected it to be."

WOOOSH.

Ling Yun struck with greater force, knocking James off his feet and into the air. He proceeded to raise his sword to the sky.

'Sword intent's a neat trick…' James remarked, grinning slightly as he floated in the air. 'Let me guess, Heavenly Star Frenzy? Or Heaven's Might Absolute Sword…'

Hundreds of sword auras surged from Ling Yun's sword and straight towards James, surrounding him.

'Heavenly Star Frenzy…'

"Heaven's Might Sword Formation… Heavenly Star Frenzy!"

"It's over already…" Xiao Juetian, the Sect Master of the Xiao Sect, sighed.

Cang Yue's expression grew pale for a moment.

James unleashed his profound energy and converted it into a violent wind surrounding his body, spreading out to clash against the sword auras.

BOOOM.

James landed on his feet, performing a graceful few backflips mid-air.

His clothes were slightly tattered, and he had a few small cuts all over his body.

"That was very impressive… especially for a defence that you formed in the last second." Ling Yun remarked, readying his sword. "What is the name of that profound art? I've never seen anyone from the Blue Wind Profound Palace use something like that."

"It's the second stage of the Crown Prince's Celestial Wind… called Heavenly Guardian." James chuckled, shaking his head. "Truthfully, I don't have a set profound art I follow… I simply control my profound energy how I see fit."

"... You improvised?" Ling Yun's eyes widened.

"That combo was pretty damn good, too," James replied, smiling slightly. "You are worthy of your title as the strongest of the young generation."

James formed wind at his feet, creating a swirling ball of wind. He kicked it up a few times and increased the velocity each time. Ling Yun recognised the threat of this ability, flashing forward.

James kicked it right before Ling Yun could reach him…

The young master sidestepped and kept moving forward.

'Damn, lil bro isn't slow.'

'Star God's Broken Shadow.'

Ling Yun's eyes widened with shock as he was completely blitzed. Even better, there were two James's, and he had no idea which one to target.

James reached the other end of the arena, outpacing his windball and preparing one hell of a wind-infused kick.

BANG.

The windball was smacked in the opposite direction at practically twice the speed…

Ling Yun's expression instantly changed. He was absolutely serious.

WOOOSH.

BANG.

Ling Yun managed to turn in the last second…

'Scatter windball.'

BOOOM.

The wind ball blasted against his blade, shattering into dozens of smaller wind attacks and cutting into Ling Yun's body while pushing him back many metres. Ling Yun, however, managed to grasp his blade and channel his absolute strength, scattering the wind with one powerful swing before he took too much damage.

Even so… his blood had spilled onto the Sword Discourse Arena. By underestimating James, he had suffered the price and almost took several grave wounds. He struggled to stand completely upright with the same confidence as he did before.

James rested his katana on his shoulder, and his blue eyes flashed with confidence.

"Are you done holding back?" James questioned.

A wave of shock reverberated over the stands

Ultimately, despite dishing out far more strikes, Ling Yun had taken considerably more damage.

Ling Yun… had looked like the weaker fighter.

"Remarkable…" Xiao Juetian stroked his beard.

"Where did the Blue Wind Profound Palace attain such powerful profound skills?" Ling Yuefeng began to worry, frowning slightly. "That speed…"

"That Crown Prince truly is quite impressive." Xuanyuan Yufeng's eyes lit up as she observed the confident radiance of James. "Even so, there isn't too much to worry about. Ling Yun has been holding back so far…"

"Lin'er, you must not hold back! This is a fight that you must absolutely win… and do so swiftly!"

Ling Yun's expression changed completely as he heard his father's voice in his mind. Ling Yuefeng stood up and drew in the Celestial Yang Sword with a simple gesture, sending it flying in Ling Yun's direction.

"Lin'er, catch!"

James watched the sword fly over to Ling Yun's side. He hesitated for a moment, having to swallow his personal dignity and accept the support. 

"You're going to dual-wield?" James tilted his head. "That other sword… is also supported by another, isn't it?"

Ling Yun nodded. "I have only subdued the Celestial Yuan Sword… as for the Celestial Yang Sword, under my little brother's spiritual prompting, I can use it temporarily as if it were my own."

"I see…" James stroked his chin. "Wouldn't that be technically cheating?"

"... Forgive me, I did not intend to win this way." Ling Yun frowned slightly. "Yet…"

"The dignity of your Heavenly Sword Villa is of paramount importance, even beyond your own wishes, that much I can understand." James nodded, his lips curling to a smile. "If the combination of these swords leads you to perform at your peak… then so be it! I, Cang Chao, will face you head-on without any complaints or regrets. May the best fighter between us emerge victorious!"

"..." Ling Yun managed a smile. "Thank you, Your Royal Highness." 

He changed his stance, incorporating both swords.

"Yuan Yang Combination…"

James braced himself.

Ling Yun flashed forward before he could blink.

"Heaven's Might Absolute Sword - Moon Break."

Two mighty sword forces shot forward from both Sky Profound swords, clashing against James' last-second defence. His sealed katana could hardly suppress one of the beams… let alone two.

BOOOM.

The supremely powerful attack pierced through James' guard and exploded against his body, sending him flying to the edge of the arena. Ling Yun hesitated for a moment before raising his Yuan sword to the sky.

A gigantic sword of light sixty metres long and one and a half metres wide formed above Ling Yun… crashing down as he lowered his sword.

"Heaven's Might Absolute Sword - Universe…"

James emerged from the rubble of the wall he had smashed into, looking up at the attack.

'That's a pretty big one for a lower-end Earth Profound Realm practitioner…'

"How shameless…" Fen Juecheng sighed. "It really is over…"

He raised his katana, facing the gigantic sword head-on.

"WRAAAAAAAAAH!"

With true courage that shocked the entire crowd, James held up the gigantic sword with his much smaller katana. That was when Ling Yun moved the Yang sword horizontally.

With only one blade to protect himself and being attacked from two completely angles…

Slash.

BOOOOM.

James suffered a deep gash to the side of his chest and let go of his blade… leading to both gigantic swords crashing down upon him. A dense wave of smoke covered the area where the explosion had occurred, leading to Ling Yun awaiting the result.

"It is over." Ling Yuefeng remarked, managing a smile. "That is good. Very good-"

His face dropped when he saw a bloodied James rise from the ground.

'Surely… this is enough of a handicap for us to be equals.'

"Oh boy…" James chuckled, having two clear slashes across his body. One horizontal and one vertical. He coughed up a mouthful of his own blood. "This… is quite the predicament."

"Concede, Your Royal Highness." Ling Yun almost sounded like he was pleading. "You'll only get hurt mo-"

"What did I say three years ago…" James took a few steps forward, closing his eyes for a moment. "When you represent… the Blue Wind Imperial Family… you… FIGHT!"

Ling Yun was stunned.

"You fight… until your body gives in. You fight until there's no blood left in your body… you… FIGHT TO THE FUCKING DEATH IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES!"

"That is what it means to truly represent my Blue Wind Imperial Family!!!"

James raised his sword and pointed it at Ling Yun.

"You're asking me to concede? Do you think making it to the round of thirty-two is enough for me!? No! Fourth place isn't enough… third isn't enough… not even second is… ONLY FIRST PLACE WILL WASH AWAY THE SHAME THAT MY FAMILY HAS GONE THROUGH ALL THESE YEARS!" 

The charisma, the passion, the fire coursing through his body…

It was infectious. Everyone spectating could feel it burning their body. Most of all, the person facing him, Ling Yun, did.

He didn't even feel like fighting, even.

For a moment… he had completely forgotten his goal. He wanted Cang Chao to win.

'I've never seen a better actor…' Xia Qingyue thought to herself. Even her usually still expression was affected by this performance.

"On this day… I SWEAR THAT I WILL WIN!"

Ling Yun raised his swords once again as James prepared to face him.

"So be it…"

'Star God's Broken Shadow.'

James charged forward, making his afterimage attack Ling Yun from behind. He assumed that the right one would be the one attacking from the back… but the real James was still charging right at him.

Slash.

Ling Yun sustained a slash to his back.

He turned instantly, retaliating with his twin Sky Profound swords. James managed to block both with a single sword stroke… his own sword flowing with sword intent and spiritual pressure. It was practically leaking out of the blade. Both sword and master were perfectly in synch, going so far as to suppress the Yuan-Yang combination.

Ling Yun's eyes widened as he observed the rather… frightening blue eyes of James.

He was not at all afraid, despite all of his wounds…

If anything, he was thrilled.

Pressure… the more pressure he was under, the more James thrived. 

The more he was pushed to the edge, the further he tapped into his latent talent.

Clang.

Clang.

Clang.

Ling Yun kept attacking with both swords rapidly, using his full strength… yet James kept up, dodging and blocking the swords with just one of his.

'… This feeling… everything is just… right.'

James unleashed his wind profound energy all across his body, condensing it around his blade - greatly increasing its speed and strength.

CLANG.

He parried the Celestial Yang Sword, tossing it to the ground, and deflected the other right after… slashing into Ling Yun's neck.

Ling Yun flashed back, engulfing his sword with both sword intent and lightning.

"Here."

James kicked the Celestial Yang Sword in his direction, and Ling Yun picked it up. He placed his hand against his neck where James had made a decent-sized cut. 

The danger was all too clear… he had to use his ultimate trump card.

The Celestial Yang Sword floated up, glowing in a grey light overflowing with sword intent. An illusory shadow had appeared beneath it… and, as Ling Yun continued to mutter under his breath… that shadow had come to life in the form of a figure. A figure that was very much alike to Ling Yun.

"Sword… Spirit… Doppelganger!!!"

The doppelganger grasped the Celestial Yang Sword while the real Ling Yun took hold of the Celestial Yuan Sword. The only visible difference between them was the sword in their hands. The exact same profound strength, energy, appearance…

It was as if James was facing two Ling Yuns at once.

'What a neat trick…'

Ling Yun didn't say anything, attacking James from both sides.

'Star God's Broken Shadow.'

James outpaced both of them, sheathed his sword and focused on gathering a surge of wind between his hands. The wind rotated constantly, growing in strength and speed. Ling Yun's sword exploded with a deadly combination of sword intent and lightning as he turned to James.

"Heavenly Sword of Extreme Lightning!"

Hundreds of lightning sword beams struck out, surrounding James.

'This attack… would finish me… at this level.' 

James expanded the wind, forming a large whirlwind barrier around his body.

He took a deep breath, focusing completely on stopping the lightning… but not just stopping it… no, he intended to turn it against him!

Following similar principles as wind-fire merging… a moment of enlightenment came upon James. A moment where his heavenly talent, determination and willpower bent the laws of the world.

'Heh… I've truly outdone myself!'

Ling Yun watched with bewilderment as the whirlwind merged with his sword intent and lightning, forming a hurricane of monstrous power.

Both 'Ling Yuns' went to opposite sides, so James split the hurricane in half… sweeping the entire arena.

WHOOOOSH.

The hurricanes sucked in both of them… and, under the pushes from James, joined once again at the centre!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

Everyone was stupefied.

Even Ling Kun, who had been completely silent and inactive for these past six days… sat up.

"This level of control over the wind element…"

"A monster…" Xiao Juetian remarked, his eyes completely open. "Cang Chao simply is a monster!"

"So this is the heavenly genius of the Blue Wind Imperial Family…" Fen Moli stated. "The title now, more than ever, truly is deserved."

'So, you've grown even more…' Chu Yuechan thought.

Ling Yuefeng was outright shocked by the result.

"Lin'er… was defeated?" He couldn't believe it. Ling Yun losing to someone of the same level was plainly unthinkable to him - yet it had happened nonetheless. 

Xuanyuan Yufeng bit her lips slightly. 'What a brilliant young man…'

The hurricane scattered in the ensuing explosion, and the doppelganger dissipated into nothing. As for the real Ling Yun, he was severely wounded both mentally and physically. His body had lifelessly crashed against the ground. James stepped forward and observed his expression.

"I… have lost."

Ling Yun admitted, struggling to keep his eyes open as he looked up at James. "You have bested me."

James firmly nodded. "It was the hardest fight I've ever had to go through."

"My mind fought for the dignity of the Heavenly Sword Villa… yet my heart had hoped that this… would be the true result." Ling Yun managed to smile. "You deserve this… victory."

James offered his hand.

"Come on, don't go to sleep on me now. I'm struggling to keep awake, too." James chuckled, shaking his head. "Yun… you bastard."

"Forgive me…"

James sighed as Ling Yun seemed resolute.

"In that case, sleep well. You've earned your rest." James' blue eyes shimmered. "Also… don't ever hang your head in shame over this defeat. It doesn't matter if you didn't make it past the round of thirty-two because the person you lost to… was me. If you had fought anyone else, you would've beaten the life out of them."

'Anyone but Xia Qingyue, that is…'

"No matter what happens in the future… always stand proud, Ling Yun. You are truly strong."

Ling Yun's expression lightened.

"And you… are the strongest."

Ling Yun closed his eyes and drifted off into unconsciousness.