444th Rank of The Outer Sect

Zheng Chang made his way towards the sparring hall slowly, traversing the windy forest as safely as he could. From within the main area of the outer sect, he felt much more comfortable. The area was filled with disciples walking and conversing with each other as they go to wherever they need to go. A couple of disciples could be seen sneaking away towards the wilderness every once in a while, smiling somewhat deviously as they leave the main area.

Zheng Chang paged such disciples no attention and quickly made his way towards the sparring hall. From within the hall, he saw a single platform where two disciples were duelling each other using their techniques.

"SCORCHING DRAGON SLASH!" One of the disciples howled as they brought their sword over their head for an overhead slash.

HONG

"Stop yelling your techniques at me, you're making this way to easy!" The other duellist sidestepped to he left and a shroud of blueish qi immersed his sword.

"Let me show you what a true sword technique looks like!" The disciple dashed back towards his opponent and span his sword around his body like a twister.

"Its the Skyward Azure Sword Technique!" One of the spectators shouted in shock.

"2nd layer!"

BOOM

The opposing disciple could only accept his own defeat as he was blown off the platform by the powerful disciple.

"That's right, Lei Kai is undefeatable!"

Zheng Chang watched the battle and thought it was rather slow paced. His exact thoughts were 'they talked too much.'

They just seemed too slow and unaware. His instincts told him that he could easily defeat Lei Kai, assuming the latter to be a below average outer disciple.

"I, Zheng Chang, rank 2961st, requests to challenge Lei Kai." Zheng Chang spoke towards the sparring platform.

"Hmmph! Another idiot to be slapped in the face by the great Lei Kai!" One of the spectators laughed.

"Hah! This fresh meat does not know what he just got himself into."

Lei Kai smiled and placed his right palm in front of him.

"Silence! This junior brother requests to challenge me? When have I ever declined a challenger? I, Lei Kai, rank 444th, will gladly accept your challenge!"

"State your cultivation realm." Lei Kai spoke with anticipation.

"7th stage of Qi Condensation." Zheng Chang responded.

"Not bad, I am at the 9th stage of Qi Condensation. I will not go easy on you." Lei Kai warmed as he drew his sword.

"Neither will I to you." Zheng Chang assured as he leapt onto the platform.

Zheng Chang drew his sword and assumed a balanced Sword stance. With his mind focused and his body in equilibrium, he felt like he was ready to begin. Today would mark his first duel in the Profound Sword Sect.

"I will waste no effort and use the Skyward Azure Sword Technique!" Lei Kai dashed towards Zheng Chang with his sword spinning around his body furiously. With the bezerk fury of an azure lion, Lei Kai directed his qi towards his opponent.

HONG HONG HONG HONG... HONG

Zheng Chang parried every single strike with a balanced block and accurately shifted his balance after each move.

"Only the Balanced Sword Technique? Any new disciple can get to get to the 3rd layer after a few months. This kid really wants to die!" A spectator berated.

"I bet this kid will get chopped up within seconds! That basic technique can't keep up with such a high level technique!"

While the Skyward Azure Sword Technique was a high-human Technique and the Balanced Sword Technique was merely low-human grade, there was indeed another factor in play. Lei Kai had obtained numerous different techniques while in the sect, over the years, he had collected numerous high-human techniques. The only problem was that the techniques had barely any affinity with each other and his cultivation technique actually put burden on him when using the Skyward Azure Sword Technique.

At this stage, one could say that Lei Kai, like many others, had already ruined their foundations and utterly crushed their future prospects.

HONG HONG HONG HONG HONG HONG HONG HONG HONG HONG HONG HONG....

Lei Kai continued his vicious offensive against Zheng Chang but began to fell tired after a few hundred strikes. With his Qi waiting and his concentration fizzling out, he attempted to end the duel with one last move.

"Accept this move from the 3rd layer of the Skyward Azure Sword Technique!" Lei Kai touched the tip of his sword with his left index finger and a miniature twister of azure qi started spiralling around his blade. With this qi as his last reserve, he knew that he would win.

SLASH

Suddenly, a diagonal slash cut swiftly through Lei Kai's robes.

SLASH

Another slash made a complete 'x' on Lei Kai's robes.

SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH SLASH

BOOM

Lei Kai was propelled off of the platform with his robes utterly destroyed. With only his skin showing and not a single cut on his body, he laid on the floor, utterly in shock.

"..."

The scariest part of the ordeal had yet to hit him.

"He shredded my robes without even so much as a cut on my body!"

Lei Kai fainted from shock.

"ZHENG CHANG, 444TH RANK!"