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墨書 Inktalez
Although it was hard to accept, Zuo Leng had lost, and there was no need to continue. Zhang Yuqing had already sheathed his sword; what else could Zuo Leng do?
Zuo Leng's expression was grim. Proud and arrogant, he had once again faced a setback. His defeat at the hands of Wei Chen had been expected, but this time, being defeated by Zhang Yuqing left him bewildered. Just when he was about to unleash his Divine Power to its fullest extent, how could it be that Zhang Yuqing executed such a brilliant strike and defeated him?
If his previous loss to Wei Chen was something Zuo Leng could understand, this time it felt like a devastating blow.
"Did Master Zuo Leng lose?"
"Of course he lost; Zhang Yuqing has already put away his sword."
"If Master Zuo Leng had continued to gather strength for that last move, Zhang Yuqing would have been severely injured by his Divine Power, but Master Zuo Leng would have lost his life."
"That's right; Master Zuo Leng indeed lost. I just don't understand how it happened so inexplicably."
"Zhang Yuqing's swordsmanship is superior; he managed to create an opening. That strike of his looked ethereal and agile. It’s only natural that Master Zuo Leng couldn't compete."
"Yes, Master Zuo Leng's loss is not unjust. I didn't expect Zhang Yuqing to possess such formidable sword skills. He truly deserves to be called the foremost young swordsman of the Southern Ming Divine Domain."
"Not just among the youth, though. In terms of swordsmanship alone, few can match him."
"Exactly! Within our Temple of Martial Arts, Zhang Yuqing is undoubtedly the top swordsman."
"And there's Zhang Shi too; he is a true master of swordsmanship."
"That's true; the Thunder Sword Sect is indeed powerful. Their Thunder Sword Technique has long been renowned. It's a privilege to witness it today."
"The real fortune is that the Thunder Sword Sect has become part of our Temple of Martial Arts, and Zhang Shi has taken on the role of Vice Hall Master. If we seek him out to learn swordsmanship, he will surely teach us."
"The most advanced Thunder Sword Technique won't be easily imparted to us, but ordinary sword techniques should be no problem."
Within the Temple of Martial Arts, the atmosphere for cultivation was excellent. No matter who you were or who your master was, as long as you wanted to learn a certain skill, you could seek guidance from others, even if they were not from the same lineage. Overall, everyone belonged to the Temple of Martial Arts, so this was permitted.
As a result, the culture of the Temple of Martial Arts continued to thrive, and no one would dare to go against it. Regardless of their lineage, anyone could approach Wei Chen for advice on formations or Zhang Shi for swordsmanship; their masters had no say in the matter.
"Master Zuo Leng is somewhat pitiful. He was just defeated by Wei Chen last time, and now he's been beaten by Zhang Yuqing again. This must be a devastating blow to his pride."
"Who isn't? Sigh, Master Zuo Leng really is quite unfortunate."
"Those who are pitiful must also have something to be hated about. This saying holds some truth; Master Zuo Leng has always looked down on others with his high and mighty attitude. A little lesson like this is a good thing for him."
"Exactly. Zuo Leng has always held himself above us; when has he ever looked at us properly? This time he has been humiliated by Zhang Yuqing, which is a bit of relief for us."
"We shouldn't say that; after all, Zhang Yuqing is still considered an outsider."
"What do you mean by outsider? Thunder Sword Sect has paid homage to its ancestors and joined the Temple of Martial Arts. Zhang Shi has become the Vice Hall Master; how can he be considered an outsider? You should be careful with your words; if someone hears you, it could lead to trouble."
The disciples of the Temple of Martial Arts whispered among themselves, and most took pleasure in Zuo Leng's defeat. After all, Zuo Leng had always been seen as arrogant and unlikable within the Temple.
While ordinary disciples could not discern how Zuo Leng lost, the Golden Spear Elder Master and Yue Songyang, Deputy Hall Master, along with Ancestor Xu Elder and others, understood clearly.
"Zhang Yuqing's swordsmanship subtly carries the demeanor of a master. That strike was not some intricate high-level technique but simply a thrust. However, that thrust required control and agility beyond ordinary people’s capabilities—Zhang Yuqing achieved it. He will undoubtedly become a Swordsmanship Master in the future!" exclaimed the Golden Spear Elder Master.
Ancestor Xu Elder chuckled, "Indeed, that child Zhang Yuqing is calm and steady—a good seedling. It's just a pity that among us old fellows, none excel in swordsmanship; he can only continue learning from Zhang Shi."
"Although Zhang Shi's swordsmanship is exquisite, in terms of agility, he may not even compare to Zhang Yuqing. Given time, Zhang Yuqing's skills will surely surpass those of Zhang Shi. Unfortunately, his progress will stop there; once he surpasses Zhang Shi, he will have to rely on himself."
At this moment, Yue Songyang, Deputy Hall Master nodded in agreement: "Zuo Leng's loss was not unjust; Zhang Yuqing is indeed a swordsmanship prodigy. It's just a pity we cannot find him a true Swordsmanship Master as a mentor; that fellow Zhang Shi's talent in swordsmanship pales in comparison to his son."
"After all, Thunder Sword Technique has its limits, while swordsmanship knows no bounds. If Zhang Yuqing can find a good mentor, he will become a powerful blade."
"Hopefully that person will appear."
The high-ranking officials of the Temple of Martial Arts whispered among themselves.
Meanwhile, at the side of Zhang Shi and Zhang Yuchu, they showed no surprise at Zhang Yuqing's victory; their expressions remained unchanged. Even the new disciples from the Thunder Sword Sect had long grown accustomed to Zhang Yuqing's triumphs. In terms of swordsmanship, Zhang Yuqing was already the best, and defeating Master Zuo Leng was nothing remarkable.
"As expected, Zhang Yuqing won. That strike was quite elusive. If Zuo Leng had given up his sword earlier and used Divine Power against Zhang Yuqing, he could have won," Wei Chen remarked lightly.
Shaohuang God King said, "A swordsman fights with a sword. If he discards his sword, can he still be called a swordsman? That Zuo Leng, despite his lack of talent, has an arrogance that prevents him from doing so."
"Shaohuang God King, aren't you looking to take on disciples? Now would be a good time; I’m sure Zhang Yuqing would agree," Great Merchant God King chuckled.
Shaohuang God King replied coldly, "I'm considering whether to take both of them as disciples."
"Both? Zhang Yuqing's talent in swordsmanship is strong; it makes sense to take him on as a disciple. But what about Zuo Leng? His talent in swordsmanship is lacking; why bother?" Great Merchant God King asked.
"What do you know? Zuo Leng may lack talent in swordsmanship, but his hard work and arrogance are essential for mastering the art. As long as he continues like this, his skills will not be inferior," Shaohuang God King stated coldly.
Hearing this, Wei Chen smiled and said, "That's great! If we can bring both Zhang Yuqing and Zuo Leng into our camp, when we take Dinglong Mountain, they can join our forces. This is quite an open attempt to recruit them!"
At that moment, in the center of the battlefield, Zuo Leng also sheathed his treasured sword.
He slightly bowed to Zhang Yuqing and said, "Your swordsmanship is impressive; I am not your match. You won this battle fairly, and I admire you."
Seeing Zuo Leng being so polite made Zhang Yuqing feel somewhat uncomfortable. He quickly returned the gesture and said, "Master Brother, your Divine Power realm is stronger than mine. If you had used Divine Power earlier in the battle, the winner would definitely have been you."
"You use your sword; I will use mine. How could I possibly abandon my treasured sword? We are both practitioners of the sword; the sword is our life. How could I casually use Divine Power against you?" Zuo Leng still bore a hint of pride on his face. Despite losing to Zhang Yuqing, he did not lose his confidence; instead, his mindset became even more resilient.
"Junior Brother, your swordsmanship earns my respect. But I will work even harder; next time, I will defeat you with my skills," Zuo Leng said calmly.
Zhang Yuqing lightly gestured with his sword and said, "If we use swords, you won't win against me."
"Then let's wait and see," Zuo Leng replied.
At this point, the duel had completely concluded. Zhang Yuqing emerged victorious in the swordsmanship contest, while Zuo Leng gained a strong sense of resilience and confidence.
Losing once was nothing; next time, the situation would be different.
Zuo Leng's words instantly changed the impression of him among the disciples of the Temple of Martial Arts.
"Senior Brother Zuo Leng is truly strong; his conviction is something we cannot compare to."
"Indeed, he knows when to hold on and when to let go. Losing is just losing; no excuses—he'll win back next time!"
"Zhang Yuqing's swordsmanship is stronger, but Senior Brother Zuo Leng's strong heart is not weak at all! I'm already looking forward to their next battle."
"That's useless; if the next match is solely about sword skills, Zhang Yuqing will still win. However, Senior Brother Zuo Leng's overall combat strength is greater than Zhang Yuqing's."
"If this continues, Zhang Yuqing will become a strong driving force for Senior Brother Zuo Leng's swordsmanship. His progress will come quickly."
"Yes, it's hard to find worthy opponents in life; for both of them, it's a form of mutual assistance."
Due to Zuo Leng's magnanimity, those who had previously mocked him began to change their tune.
This confrontation had no losers; it was actually a win-win situation.
As both were about to leave the battlefield and return to their respective camps, Wei Chen suddenly appeared between them.
Seeing Wei Chen, both Zhang Yuqing and Zuo Leng were taken aback for a moment, but they quickly bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Chief Administrator."
Wei Chen's status was such that even the Hall Master and Vice Hall Master had to treat him with respect. Zhang Yuqing and Zuo Leng dared not act recklessly in his presence.
Wei Chen smiled lightly and said, "Congratulations to both of you. In this duel, you have found your direction and discovered your own motivation. Although Zhang Yuqing won this match, Zuo Leng, you did not lose. With more effort in the future, the next duel will be even more exciting."
Upon hearing Wei Chen's words, Zhang Yuqing and Zuo Leng quickly agreed.
Zhang Shi, Jin Ge, Yue Songyang, Qian Youshi, Gongye Long, Ancestor Xu Elder, and others looked at Wei Chen in confusion. What did he mean by saying such things at this moment?
Wei Chen was never one to speak without purpose; there had to be a reason for his words now!
"Zhang Yuqing, your swordsmanship is indeed strong, and your temperament is well-suited for practicing the sword. As for you, Zuo Leng, your tenacity and arrogance are also forms of swordsmanship. Keep it up; do not lose your edge," Wei Chen said calmly.
Both of them hurriedly agreed again, but they were puzzled about what Wei Chen was trying to achieve; it all felt very strange to them.
Wei Chen smiled and looked toward Shaohuang God King in the distance, calling out loudly, "Minor Sword God, are you still hesitating?"
Minor Sword God?
Who was that?
Everyone followed Wei Chen's gaze and saw Shaohuang God King.
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