26 Chapter 25
'Sometimes I cannot fathom the depths of a woman's heart.'
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Transparent screens briefly illuminated, casting a glow on Ji Wuye's focused face. Simultaneously, a surge of unfamiliar information inundated his mind. Undeterred, his body moved with an almost instinctual grace, deftly evading the relentless, shadowy onslaught.
The attacks materialized like phantom daggers, striking with swift precision. His widened, crimson eyes struggled to keep pace with the seamless assault, their glow intensifying in the dimly lit arena.
"Tsk," Ji Wuye clicked his tongue in annoyance, sensing the twinge of pain reverberating in his brain. Only five minutes had passed, yet beads of sweat now adorned the ground beneath him, saturating his martial robe.
The incoming strikes mimicked the sinuous movements of a snake—soft, elusive, and disruptive. They danced around his defenses, not triggering the expected instincts, creating a constant turmoil in his mind.
"It's like navigating shifting paths in the wind," Ji Wuye muttered to himself, his voice carrying the weight of both frustration and admiration for the elusive adversary.
As this thought crossed his mind, a sword materialized in the assailant's hands, launching a frontal attack. Ji Wuye's crimson eyes, however, caught the trajectory with ease. To his surprise, the sword, strained with momentum, bent unexpectedly, altering its course towards his left chest.
SWOOSH-!
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Having effortlessly sidestepped the attack, Ji Wuye glimpsed a fleeting surprise on Song Jia's face. However, her stoic composure swiftly reclaimed its place, and in an instant, her figure blurred into motion.
'Manipulating Qi with minimal exertion, wrapping it around the body instead of projecting it outward, barely skimming the surface,' Ji Wuye mused inwardly as Song Jia's hazy form gradually materialized before him.
He observed the deliberate positioning of her feet, spread wide as she executed the blade thrust, validating his earlier speculation with each precise movement.
'Tricking the opponent through a strategic shift in momentum mid-attack,' he mentally noted.
As the sword neared its midpoint in its trajectory, Ji Wuye's discerning eyes caught a subtle rotation in Song Jia's wrist—a nuanced disturbance.
To the unobservant eye, it might have gone unnoticed, but Ji Wuye keenly recognized the inception of another shadow, originating from below and aimed at his jaw. It was an attack designed to exploit unexpected angles, adding a layer of complexity to the unfolding duel.
Concluding his rapid analysis, Ji Wuye couldn't help but smile, the satisfaction mirrored by the appearance of a transparent screen flickering in the periphery of his vision.
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CLANK-!
...
Meanwhile, from Song Jia's perspective,
'Hmph! How? How is my sword? Fast, right?' she inwardly grinned, a snort of confidence accompanying her mental boast. Her body flowed effortlessly, an agile dance encircling Ji Wuye. He maintained his stance, only yielding slightly to the rhythm of her relentless attacks.
SWOOSH-!
A backward leap propelled her into the sky, a seemingly impossible feat achieved through the synergy of her momentum and the intricate sword technique she wielded. The wind at her side served as an ally, providing an extra boost that fueled the acrobatic maneuver.
In mid-air, her gaze flipped upside-down, scrutinizing Ji Wuye. A furrowed brow revealed her surprise at his unshaken calmness. 'For just a... 1st realm martial artist... he's quite remarkable, heh' she mused silently.
In her estimation, Ji Wuye surpassed expectations, proving stronger even than Qin Bai. Enduring for more than three minutes and deftly evading her attacks, seemingly predicting the nuances of her real sword technique, was a feat that exceeded her initial assumptions.
A 1st realm martial artist holding his own against a 2nd realm counterpart and a practitioner of the renowned sword technique of a great sage was undeniably impressive. In the hypothetical scenario where they were of the same realm, victory might even tilt in his favor.
'But that's not the reality of a battle,' she observed, her eyes noting the dampness on his clothes and the ground beneath. 'Well, can't blame fate... I heard he was involved with many Sisters...'
With a light thud, she landed gracefully just beyond Ji Wuye's range. Recalling one of her master's teachings, "A man's vision is like a narrowed cone," she raised the corners of her lips, determination and a hint of satisfaction emanating from her eyes as she advanced—
SWOOSH-!
With the grace of a feather, she lunged towards Ji Wuye, her sword poised for the next calculated strike.
CLANK-!
To her astonishment, Ji Wuye had deftly turned to meet her, their wooden swords clashing with an unexpected intensity. The air crackled with the force of their collision, and for a suspended moment, both swords seemed to defy gravity, frozen in mid-air.
For over three minutes, she had assumed Ji Wuye was teetering on the brink of exhaustion, barely holding on... but in reality...
"That's an impressive sword art, Sister Song..." His voice carried a teasing note, and the realization hit her. The lingering strength she felt in her palm, coupled with the absence of exhaustion on his face and the steadiness in his hands, painted a different picture.
The weariness that had etched lines on his features and the trembling that had once betrayed his fatigue were gone. Instead, he appeared as if he had just completed a simple stretch, his composure belying the intense exchange they had just shared.
'I've been deceived...'
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