89 Chapter 88: Peak of Swordsmanship

AN: If you noticed me deleting this chapter before, is because I accidentally posted it on the wrong volume. I fixed it now so enjoy!

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"What?!" Xie Xie exclaimed with his jaw down, the others sharing the same feeling as him.

It was surprising. Shrek wasn't supposed to enter the tournament after all, as it was undeniable that they were powerful that not even the previous champions of the Skysea Alliance Tournament was no match for them.

"..." They shared glances with each other.

"How long do you think she'll last?" Xu Xiaoyan asked.

"10 seconds, if Ye doesn't want to play around with her." Tang Wulin said.

"Nah, it'll be 5." Mu Xi waved her hand.

"Pfft. You give the girl too much credit. I say two." Xie Xie confidently said.

"I say that she won't last not even a second." Gu Yue simply said, crossing her arms.

Wu Zhangkong flatly stared at them, cold sweat dropped down his cheek.

As they were talking, Xiu Ye was already heading towards the stage with great confidence and gait. He was smiling calmly. His hands in his pockets, his head held high and his legs moving in swag.

He wasn't taking it seriously!

This infuriated Ye Xinglan. She balled her fists up, her eyes blazing in anger. In that moment, she forgot all about that restaurant incident. Now, she was beating him up for not taking her seriously.

It was petty and childish, but she is a ten year old child after all. Their minds aren't always acting rational and most of the time their emotions would get the better of them.

"Oh sea god... that's her 'Imma beat you up' face." Xu Lizhi swallowed a nervous gulp down his throat, his eyes wide in terror and worry for his friend.

Today's referee was the same as yesterday's. After unceremoniously announcing the rules for the match, he let the two start preparing.

Xiu Ye raised his right hand and a red tribal sword tattoo appeared on top glowing red, a familiar long katana soon materializes in his hand. His hand grasping at its white handle. Its two meter long crimson blade shimmered brightly under the sunlight, giving off a deadly feeling and sending chills down everyone's spines.

Crimson Yang Sword 2.0.(AN: Comment if you want this name to change or not.)

Everyone was surprised at seeing him already drawing out his 'martial soul'. Especially Ye Xinglan.

'He already summoned his martial soul? Is he still underestimating me? Or is he really confident?' She narrowed her eyes, her emotions soon died down into a calm and calculated state. She was taking this seriously. 'Where's his soul rings?'

Xiu Ye smiled at her. He shifted his right foot forward and moved his long sword in front of him, its tip pointing towards her, and he hold its handle with his two hands.

'What a strange stance.' Ye Xinglan thought. This was the first time she'd ever seen someone holding a sword like that. Though this was also the first time that she'd ever seen someone having a very long, and thin looking sword.

'Hm. How should I finish this? In one move? Or in a few?' Xiu Ye could finish this fight in so many ways in little time and with little moves. He was just too powerful. His skills, abilities, combat experience and overall power is several leagues beyond Ye Xinglan that he could one hit defeat/kill her.

But where's the fun in that? Also, he needed to show off some of his skills so whoever the teacher that's guarding Ye Xinglan and her group would notice him.

'I also want to see her swordsmanship.' And not that he would copy her martial soul and her sword techniques. Nope.

Seconds passes by and the referee raised his right arm.

"Fight!"

Xiu Ye used flash step and appeared in front of Ye Xinglan, his sword over his head and swung it down for a vertical slash on her head and it would have cut her in half but Ye Xinglan sidestepped back, cutting only a few strands of her hair off.

"Oh? Nice reflexes." Xiu Ye grinned. He could tell that she wasn't able to follow the way he moved and attacked. She was only able to dodge because of her combat experience and instincts.

He shifted his footing and the handle of his sword so his blade faced towards Ye Xinglan and made to a diagonally slash-up at her chest when a unfamiliar double edged blade appeared before his sword, blocking his attack.

Xiu Ye stared at the sword in front of him.

It was a long double-edged sword, with its beautiful handle held within Ye Xinglan's hands. Sparks of light twinkled along the slender brilliance of its yellow blade like the stars in the night sky, showcasing a splendor that was attention-grabbing even in daylight. Two yellow soul rings appeared underneath her feet and around her torso.

'Stargod Sword, that's the name of her martial soul. It's a variant of the Starsaint Sword. The Stargod Sword had only appeared seven times in all of the Ye clan's history. The wielder of the Stargod Sword always became the head of the Ye clan and led them into a new generation of prosperity. That is what Ye Xinglan's fate, what the elders of her clan wanted. But Ye Xinglan rejected her fate. She wanted freedom and absolute strength. That's why she went to Shrek Academy. To be free and grow stronger, to reach the peak of this world. That is also the reason why she sought me out and fighting me right now. Seriously, this girl.' He couldn't help but admire her for her decision and path in life. Not a lot of people would have the courage to run away from such a responsibility.

Many would say that it would be easy, but having to leave your family that had been with you for most of your life is just ain't. The guilt of doing such an act would crush them.

Yet Ye Xinglan wouldn't think twice. Although she was still in her clan right now, she had already decided to never return in a few years later when her training in the clan was over.

Xiu Ye admired her for it but he wouldn't respect it. He had Yamamoto's memories as a Captain Commander of Soul Society after all. Running away from the duty and responsibilities that was given to you without any proper good reason was something he did not agree with, at all.

Xiu Ye knocked her away with his sword, making her jumped back and landed on her feet properly, and got into a certain stance.

"That's-!" Ye Xinglan gasped and her jaw dropped in utter shock. That stance! She recognized it! How could she not, when she herself uses it?

It was the Stargod Sword Arts! It's an ancient sword arts passed down through her clan. It was worshipped as divine techniques for thousands of years. And the reason for that is...

Bright yellow glittering sparkling lights suddenly appeared around Xiu Ye's blade and surrounded him. The temperature around them started to rise as his entire figure was covered in specks of yellow light. He was like a sun in the middle of a starry night sky.

Stargod Sword Arts harnessed the power of the stars.

"You..." Ye Xinglan gritted her teeth, glaring at him fiercely. She entered into the sword stance of the Stargod Sword Art and her Stargod Sword shined resplendently as she brandished it and used her first soul skill, Sword God's Star. In that instant, she became one with her sword. "How do you know that stance?"

Xiu Ye smirked and played dumb. "What? This? "

"Don't play dumb! That's the Stargod Sword Arts fighting stance! That sword art are ancient techniques that my family's worshipped as though they were divine techniques. It is the most well guarded set of techniques that only my parents, the grand elders and myself could only have seen and used! How did you manage to get that?!" Ye Xinglan was no longer calm and collected, she was angry. Anyone would be if their most powerful and secret skills was used by someone else.

Xiu Ye merely smiled at her and suddenly leaped towards her, leaving trails of stars behind him as he approached her. His blade cut through the air as it was about to cut her right shoulder off when the Stargod Sword intercepted it in time. She let out a yell as an explosion of bright yellow light exploded and Ye Xinglan's feet skidded away and she felt as if she was about to fly away from the power and force behind his attack but she managed to blocked it well enough; reinforcing her body with her soul power and Stargod Energy: a powerful innate energy that solely belongs to her martial soul and in which she can use.

She mostly uses the energy as a added attack buff but the Stargod Energy is also capable of strengthening her body, which is why she wasn't flown off by Xiu Ye's attack.

They soon came to a stop, ten meters away from where she had stood. Ye Xinglan gasped and snarled.

"Answer me!" She yelled out in demand.

"..." Xiu Ye was silent for a moment and tilted his head to the side, looking thoughtful and the ends of his lips widened into a grin. "I'll tell you if you defeat me."

Ye Xinglan growled.

Their blades retracted for a moment before they clashed against each other once more, star energy surging around them.

Stargod Sword Arts vs Stargod Sword Arts!

Xiu Ye would always go on the offensive and try to cut her down with fast and brutal strikes that seem impossible for the long sword he was using to do so. But Ye Xinglan would always go on to either block or parry it with all she got, is quickly draining her soul power, Stargod Energy and stamina.

Ye Xinglan quickly parried away several quick and deadly successive thrusts that would have put several holes in her chest; though it didn't mean she was left unharmed. She huffed and did the same to Xiu Ye, she mostly targeted his throat, who parried them away easily.

She blocked a slash that would have cut her arm off and retaliated by swinging her sword down to his shoulder but he blocked it effortlessly.

This went on to a clash of swings and parries, with Ye Xinglan being the only one being pushed back.

She jumped over his head, her sword raised, pointing down; Stargod and Star Energies covering her blade. She was like a goddess of war as she brought down divine punishment. She was about to strike him down but he blocked her attack with his blade, covered with Star Energy, he pushed her away and leapt towards her in midair. But she used her second soul skill, Stargod's Net, to drive him away from her.

'Damn it! This is going nowhere!' Ye Xinglan inwardly cursed, panting hard as she gripped the handle of her sword tight. Its blade embedded into the concrete as she used it as a temporary crutch. She was tired and injured. Continuously using her sword techniques and souls skills had quickly bled her battery almost dry. While the occasional cuts and stab wounds that got through to her defenses had stacked up and made her exhaustion go even faster.

While in comparison Xiu Ye, several feet away from her, was completely unharmed with not a nick on his clothes. He wasn't injured. Nor was he occupied by her soul skill, he already tore that apart in a matter of a second, no, he was just waiting for her.

She gritted her teeth.

'Its like I'm fighting a mirror version of myself, but stronger. There's a clear difference of Xiu Ye's mastery of the Stargod's Sword Arts and mine. He's clearly more skillful, carries more power with the sword techniques; what's more, his ability to harnessed the power of the stars is even better than mine! Moreover, he still hasn't summon his soul rings! Just who in the hell is he?!' Ye Xinglan shook her head, she would think about that later on. For now, she has to plan on how she could turn this around.

Could she?

Xiu Ye observed Ye Xinglan thinking to herself and let out a sigh.

"Ye Xinglan, how about you forfeit? You know that you can't win against me."

Ye Xinglan frowned and she yelled, "Shut up!" Shivering, she took a moment to compose herself and stand straight. Her eyes sharp and determined. "I won't give up! I'll win this fight!"

Despite her exhaustion, her injuries, her voice was as firm and unshakable as a mountain.

Xiu Ye chuckled. 'Heh, there was a reason why I like you.'

"Alright. How about let's make a deal? If you manage to take this one hit of mine, a small peek of the peak of swordsmanship, you win; I'll forfeit. But if you don't, you forfeit. Sounds like a fair deal ain't it?"

Ye Xinglan opened her mouth to tell him off, normally the fights she's been and seen don't usually have people talking this much, but she closed it as she processed the words he said.

"Wait, what did you say? A peek... of the peak of swordsmanship?"

"I'll take that as a yes?" Xiu Ye said, not answering her question.

Ye Xinglan narrowed her eyes. She took a big and long breath in before letting it out. She entered into the Stargod's Sword Arts fighting stance, bright glowing yellow lights converged around her, and she gripped the handle of her sword tight.

"Yes."

Xiu Ye's smile widened before his expression turned serious.

"Well then, be prepared."

Ye Xinglan gripped the grip of her sword tight, her breathing slow and calm.

She expected a lot of things: Xiu Ye delivering a powerful swing, thrust or hack with his sword, used that strange movement technique that lets him move so fast. She also expected him to reveal his soul rings and used a powerful soul skill.

But she hadn't expected, nor be prepared, for the absolute god level sword skill that was unleashed upon her.

One blade, one swing, and there were three sword slashes that had completely trapped her, with no way to dodge or defend against it.

Dead. She was going to die. Ye Xinglan felt the world around moved in slow motion. She saw her life flashed before her eyes and teardrops came out. 'I don't want to die...' She was going to die. She knew that she couldn't escape such an attack, it was impossible. As she closes her eyes for death to claim her, she couldn't help but feel awestruck of the sword skill.

That sword skill, compared to her Stargod Sword Arts, was a true divine technique. It was like comparing a rubber knife to a real sword. Ye Xinglan would have like to learn such a sword technique.

But she was dead.

Or she would be if she wasn't saved by Xiu Ye, who teleported her into his arms and handled her in a bridal carry.

Xiu Ye had a small smile of apology and worry on his face as he looked at her was the last thing she saw before she went unconscious from both exhaustion and shock.

"Sorry," Though she was able to hear those words before the darkness claimed her.

'I pushed her too far.' Xiu Ye thought, feeling a lump in his throat, as he carefully carried Ye Xinglan in his arms. Maybe using Tsubame Gaeshi on her was a bit too much?

'Yes.' Xiu Ye inwardly winced as he heard the cold and strict voices in his head. Though he was surprised at Tiangou to comment on his actions, he thought she wouldn't have cared.

'I wouldn't but even I would think that using a sword skill, that can bend the laws of physics and space-time, on a small kid is definitely too much. No one is that overkill!' Tiangou coldly said.

'I second that.' Ryūjin Jakka added.

Xiu Ye sweat dropped. He really messed up...

'You think?!' Tiangou exclaimed.

Ryūjin Jakka was silent for moment. '...Why did you use Tsubame Gaeshi on her, Ye?'

'...' He didn't respond.

He let out a sigh and looked down at her, her sleeping face wrapped in fear. Guilt rose in his heart as he saw her like that.

'I wanted to see how she'll overcome this. Face with the power of such a powerful sword skill, will she be overwhelmed by fear or rise above it and become even stronger.'

'That's not your decision to make.'

'I know,' Xiu Ye turned around and began to walk away towards the resting area. He spared one last glance at Ye Xinglan. "I promise I'll make it up to you."

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