For Lu Qinghe, this night unraveled the puzzles that had lingered for a long time.
For Gu Tong, and even for the Snow Eagle Swordsmen remaining in the courtyard, this night was sleepless—everyone was awaiting the arrival of the next morning.
Time did not stop for anyone.
One night quickly passed.
When Lu Qinghe got up, he discovered that the breakfast had not been delivered as usual.
Furrowing his brow, Lu Qinghe left his room and headed to the outer courtyard.
However, the entire courtyard seemed quite deserted. Only in the direction of the martial arts stage could some faint discussions be heard.
After adjusting his direction, Lu Qinghe soon arrived at the martial arts stage.
At this moment, six beautiful figures had gathered at the martial arts stage.
Caiyun led a team of Snow Eagle Swordsmen to hunt and train in the Xiantian Mountain Range. Four people had gone out and not returned, leaving only six people, including Muyan and Gu Tong, who were now all gathered here.
"Lu Qinghe, you have finally decided to show up. I thought you wouldn't get up until after the sun was high in the sky," Gu Tong couldn't help but speak as soon as Lu Qinghe arrived.
Finally getting rid of this freeloading pretty boy, she was indeed excited for the whole night.
This was the greatest victory they had obtained in their service to Miss Snow Eagle Swordsmen.
"No breakfast today?"
Lu Qinghe turned to a Snow Eagle swordsman in charge of catering.
"Hmph, I didn't prepare for you, anyway, you will leave Wuxian Sect today, we have no more relationship, why waste it for nothing."
"Go prepare."
Lu Qinghe said to the Snow Eagle swordsman, his tone was unquestionable.
"You..."
"Yaner, go prepare, this is after all the last meal for our young master Lu Qinghe, don't spread rumors that we mistreated him, and if he refuses to admit it later because of hunger, it will be troublesome."
Gu Tong said.
"Okay, I'll go prepare."
The Snow Eagle swordsman named Luo Ziyi responded and left.
"Young Master Lu, do you need to have breakfast before the competition?"
"No need."
Lu Qinghe stepped forward, entered the martial arts field, and glanced at these Snow Eagle swordsmen, his expression indifferent: "Although, Lu Qingyun regards you as sisters, but one thing you must understand, your identity is only guards, there's a difference between master and servant."
"What does it have to do with you, if it weren't for Miss's strong family ties, you two wouldn't be in the same world at all."
Gu Tong said, slowly drawing the sword in her hand: "I can't wait to let you understand what self-knowledge is, come at me."
"Clang!"
The Moon Frost Sword was unsheathed.
The next moment, a dazzling stream of light shattered the void.
The chill approached instantly.
"Not good!"
Muyan, the few remaining Snow Eagle swordsmen, widened their eyes at the same time.
It's fast!
Too fast!
As fast as a stream of light!
At the moment Lu Qinghe thrust his sword, the blade turned into a stream of light, appearing in front of Gu Tong in an instant. Before Gu Tong could react, the blade had already stopped firmly in front of her throat.
With just a little more force, he could pierce her throat with a sword.
Cold sweat, disbelief, and fear appeared on Gu Tong's face at the same time.
Just a moment ago, Gu Tong looked disdainful and contemptuous, but now there was no hint of casualness on her face, no longer the aloofness of the past, only an inner coldness, and disbelief.
Death.
If...they were in a life and death duel at this moment, she would have already died under Lu Qinghe's sword.
Time...seemed to stand still.
"Gu Tong..."
"So fast...such a fast sword..."
"Is that...the top-grade sword technique, Flowing Light Thirteen Swords?"
Muyan, the remaining four Snow Eagle swordsmen, stared at Lu Qinghe holding the sword in front of Gu Tong in astonishment, their brains a muddle, unable to connect the scene before them with the Lu Qinghe who had only practiced to the second level of True Refinement in the past decade.
"I was going to say that as long as I make a move, you won't have a chance, but considering that if I say that, it will definitely invite your mockery. So, let me make a move first."
Lu Qinghe said calmly, then sheathed the Moon Frost Sword and stepped back: "I was careless just now, that's the reason for not being prepared, now you can try again, I'll let you make the first move."
Gu Tong blushed at this moment.
If Lu Qinghe really said that just now, she would definitely refute it without hesitation.
But at this moment...
Thinking of the lightning-fast sword of Lu Qinghe just now, she no longer had any contempt in her eyes, and involuntarily took four steps back, distancing herself from Lu Qinghe, her right hand gripping the hilt of her sword, steady and cautious.
Serious.
Gu Tong, she had to focus.
"Lu Qinghe, was that...Flowing Light Thirteen Swords just now?"
At this moment, Muyan couldn't help but ask.
The tone was somewhat incredulous.
"Flowing Light Thirteen Swords, can't you see that?"
Lu Qinghe looked at Muyan and said calmly.
"But...but..."
Muyan had originally wanted to say that the Flowing Light Thirteen Swords were a superior sword technique, and how could you, a fourth-level real refining practitioner, be able to display it. However, just now, Lu Qinghe had truly demonstrated this sword technique in front of her. If she continued to ask in this manner, it would only show her own ignorance.
Immediately after, she thought again...
Lu Qinghe, only came into contact with the Flowing Light Thirteen Swords a few days ago...
In just a few days, he was able to comprehend this superior sword technique to the extent that he could use it. How astonishing was his talent in swordsmanship?
Thinking about it, Muyan was full of astonishment.
Lu Qinghe?
Wasn't he just an ordinary disciple who had been completely marginalized by the Xuejian Villa?
"Lu Qinghe, I admit, I underestimated you. Your proficiency in swordsmanship is truly rare, but you only stepped into the fourth level of real refining just a day ago. You want to defeat me..."
"Draw your sword."
Lu Qinghe looked at Gu Tong, not intending to say much to her.
"Alright!"
Gu Tong gritted her teeth, a glint in her eyes, and the true qi of her fifth level of real refining was stirred up. The sword edge silently pierced out, soundless and unpredictable.
"Shadowless Sword Technique."
Muyan and the others immediately recognized this sword technique.
The Shadowless Sword Technique and the Snow-Falling Soul-Stealing Sword Technique were the two most commonly practiced sword techniques by the Snow Eagle Swordsmen.
Lu Qinghe looked at the ever-changing sword shadows in front of him, and it seemed as though he was already too lazy to look anymore after just a moment.
He contemplated the Green Ping Sword, and his insight into the details was far better than ordinary people, not to mention...
"Swish!"
Lu Qinghe took a step forward, facing those sword shadows, and pierced out a sword again.
This sword had no subtlety.
It didn't have any change at all.
Just plain and unremarkable.
Its only feature was its speed, extremely fast!
A speed that could break through anything!
"Ah!"
Gu Tong was the first to detect the coldness approaching her, raising her sword to defend.
"Bang!"
A burst of flames.
Lu Qinghe's sword edge trembled slightly, seemingly an ordinary sword, but when its power exploded, it had the force of a thunderbolt, dispersing Gu Tong's true qi at the fifth level of real refining.
So light and effortless.
Then, he took a slight step back, already out of the battle circle.
Gu Tong was shaken by Lu Qinghe's sword, her hand trembling, with traces of blood, her body faltering, her movements completely off. If Lu Qinghe did not withdraw and pursue, but instead continued his attack, it would only take one or two more strikes to take her life.
"Two strikes, two strikes, you have just struck twice."
Gu Tong looked slightly embarrassed, but her eyes were fixed firmly on Lu Qinghe. "You said you only needed to strike me once, but just now, you struck me twice and didn't defeat me."
However, as soon as she said these words, even Muyan and the four Snow Eagle swordsmen felt embarrassed for her.
Although Lu Qinghe's two strikes did not defeat her, anyone could see that if the two of them were really fighting to the death, within ten breaths, Gu Tong would surely die under Lu Qinghe's sword.
Without giving any attention to Gu Tong's questioning, Lu Qinghe's Moon Chill Sword trembled slightly and returned to its sheath, turning away and heading back to his room.
Lastly, he said to Muyan, "Remember to have my breakfast sent to my room."
After speaking, he left calmly.
"Lu Qinghe..."
Seeing Lu Qinghe leaving like that, Gu Tong still felt a bit unwilling in her heart.
But at this moment, a Snow Eagle swordsman seemed to have sensed something, looking at where Lu Qinghe had just stood, and exclaimed, "What is that?"
"Hmm?"
Her exclamation drew the attention of several Snow Eagle swordsmen, as well as Gu Tong and Muyan, and their gazes all converged on the floor of the martial arts arena.
There...
Were a few strands of black hair.
"Swish!"
Muyan's gaze swiftly shifted, staring intently at the half-moon fringe on Gu Tong's forehead...
Some of the strands of hair were missing...
At this moment, Gu Tong also seemed to have realized what had happened. Her face turned deathly pale in an instant.
"How is it possible!"
"Is this kind of swordsmanship really something that a fourth stage cultivator can perform?"
"Hiss! Young Master Lu's swordsmanship is so exquisite and extraordinary to this extent!?"
The other Snow Eagle Swordsmen also understood one after another.
Lu Qinghe's first sword drove straight in, cutting off a strand of hair from Gu Tong, the second sword shook, resolving Gu Tong's Shadowless Swordsmanship...
But his sword speed was just too fast, too fast for them, mere fourth stage cultivators, to react.
Gu Tong had focused all her energy, fully displaying the Shadowless Swordsmanship, but in the end, she still couldn't withstand a single sword...
If the two were to fight to the death, would there be a need for ten breaths?
One sword!
Lu Qinghe could kill her with just one sword!
"Hiss!"
For a moment, everyone looked in the direction where Lu Qinghe had disappeared, filled with complexity and strangeness.
Lu Qinghe.
With just this swordsmanship, except for those top experts at the sixth stage of cultivation, there was probably no one else among the close attendants who could rival him.
"No wonder... no wonder Young Master Lu is known as the number one swordsman of Qingyuan Academy. At that time, I thought it was just a boast. At the fourth stage of cultivation, what qualifications did he have to dominate as number one in a medium-sized academy? Now, I understand, it's the swordsmanship! It's the swordsmanship!"
A Snow Eagle Swordsman felt somewhat embarrassed.
Back then, she thought that Lu Qinghe, the number one swordsman of Qingyuan Academy, was all talk. But now it was clear that they were short-sighted.
"The swordsmanship, perhaps Young Master Lu's cultivation talent is ordinary, but his talent in swordsmanship is top-notch!"
Mu Yan affirmed in a certain tone.
Without top-notch talent in swordsmanship, how could he, at the fourth stage of cultivation, overpower the heroes and win the title of the number one swordsman of Qingyuan Academy?
Without top-notch talent in swordsmanship, how could he comprehend the Superior Swordsmanship Flowing Light Thirteen Swords in just a few days?
Without top-notch talent in swordsmanship, how could he, as a newly advanced fourth stage cultivator, defeat Gu Tong, at the fifth stage of cultivation, with just one sword?
"Top-notch talent in swordsmanship!"
Thinking back to their previous indifferent and mocking attitude towards Lu Qinghe, everyone was extremely ashamed, wishing they could find a hole to hide in.