Dark Moon Era

Chapter 312: I Lost

If someone who was familiar with the way of the sword had to comment on the fight between Tang Ling and Han Xing, he would surely say the battle of swords between these two teenagers was nothing less than epic.

Han Xing’s understanding of swords was self-explanatory, but Tang Ling?

If he simply relied on Precise Instinct to stop every possible attack from Han Xing, the fight would be mediocre at best. What made the fight epic was Tang Ling’s battle consciousness.

It was top-notch battle consciousness!

The way he broke down Han Xing’s attack was not as stiff as how a machine would.

For example, if you stabbed my shoulder, I would just move my shoulder. If you stabbed my leg, I would just move my leg.

It was not as simple as that.

Tang Ling stopped Han Xing’s attack from the core! His method was nothing but astonishing!

The response was very close to a certain type of sword intent in the many ways of the sword, but Tang Ling did not understand what sword intent was. It also proved that Precise Instinct was the best talent. Coupled with Tang Ling’s top-notch battle consciousness, it shone like the brighter star.

No one knew whether there was a swordmaster hidden in the crowd or not, but even to the young geniuses watching from beneath the ring, the fight was astonishing and overwhelming.

Aside from basic abilities and talent ability, should any of the geniuses be in the fight themselves, they would have lost a long time ago.

The way the two of them fought with the swords was probably the best a teenager could do.

Especially Tang Ling’s sharp precision in breaking down the attacks, the battle consciousness that was contained in his movements always astonished the crowd unintentionally, inviting the crowd to think and be amazed by his battle mentality.

The fight was amazing in the eyes of those who understood what was going on.

In the eyes of the common audience, it was difficult for them to understand. They could not even see the meaning of the exchange between Tang Ling and Han Xing’s swords. All they saw were the swords moving so quickly that it was difficult for the ordinary eye to see how many strikes were dished out in a single minute.

Through the large screen above the ring, it looked even more boring. When Han Xing attacked, Tang Ling blocked, and that was it.

No blood was spilled and there was no brutality on display. In fact, it was so boring that some of the audience almost fell asleep.

The audience particularly disliked Mad Tiger because halfway through the fight, he closed his eyes! What was that about?

In the midst of the fight, the Wailing Pierrot sighed softly as if he felt Tang Ling and Han Xing’s grievance. All things aside, as the host of the Desperado Ring, how could he not have the eye to witness the fight?

The unfortunate thing was that high-tier battles were never meant for commoners to enjoy. Those who could enjoy it were usually in the master division ring area, not the junior division.

Regardless, it did not stop Wailing Pierrot from nursing the grievance of Tang Ling and Han Xing.

He picked up the mic, cleared his throat and said loudly, “You must think this is nothing but a boring and stupid match. I’ll admit that I didn’t comment on the match because even if I did, you people wouldn’t understand either. But I must say that this fight is the highest quality of the junior division in the past five years!

“Those who can understand will enjoy it. Those who can’t…well, just look at the screen! You people need to know that the replay on the screen is slowed down 50 times of the normal speed! I’m done with my explanation!”

Right after the Wailing Pierrot’s voice subsided, a thunderous discussion burst from the audience!

Was it a joke? The fight between two teenagers had to be slowed down 50 times of the normal speed? Some of the crowd fixed their gazes on the screen.

The two teenagers on the screen were exchanging strikes like normal people. There were no signs of slowing down at all!

What was happening?

The display of strength! The astonishing strength of the two of them! Their swords were so fleeting that if anyone else was in either one of their spots, they would have been stabbed into a sieve.

The common audience might not understand the fight, but they were still able to understand the icy cold numbers on display.

Therefore, right after the Wailing Pierrot’s little explanation, they went wild. As the audience got riled up, the essence of the sword in Tang Ling’s mind erupted as well.

Draw, carry, lift, block, strike, stab, point, break…There were more than a dozen offensive actions that a single sword could perform. Each and every movement had their own zenith and reaching it would mean realizing the sword intent.

The unpopular talent that was only possessed by a minority was actually the hardest genetic talent to acquire.

On top of that, there were many kinds of sword techniques: speed, angle, technique, power…Every single one of them had their own unique sword intent.

Through Precise Instinct, even if Tang Ling did not have talent in swordplay, he was able to somewhat see the complicated sword intents. However, seeing was not mastering!

For example, when you saw a dance, you could feel the rhythmic movements and the beauty of the dance, but you might not be able to perform every single one of the dancer’s moves.

Was it that difficult to dish out a single sword strike?

Han Xing almost grasped the feeling. Rather than describing the feeling like a realization, it was more appropriate to call it the memory of the sword strike that was inserted in his mind since he was young.

He was almost there. He almost remembered the feeling! It was the first time he recalled the feeling with a clear mind! Unlike before, he had to activate his talent and enter a certain state to be able to unleash the several astonishing strikes and slashes.

“So…” Tang Ling’s eyes remained closed. The essence of the way of the sword exploded in his mind. They were messy and vague as if he was trying to find the way in the mist, but he knew all he had to do was seize that particular point.

If he could, he would be able to dish out a single sword strike!

Unfortunately, no matter what point or where the point was, he had to achieve it first and since he was practically a stranger to the sword, he would never get it.

However, Han Xing got it! Tang Ling could simply find the essential point through Han Xing’s sword and the essence of his swordplay.

This essential point is…

Tang Ling suddenly widened his eyes!

At the same time, Han Xing finally grasped the feeling. It was a feeling that transcended above the shackles. Normal sword techniques had not much of a meaning essence-wise. The reason they existed was something that Tang Feng had once said to him.

“Sword techniques that contain no sword intent shouldn’t be called a technique because it’s just a change in the wielding. The changes exist to deepen your understanding of the sword.”

Given what Tang Feng said before, one must first learn a technique from a stiff start to mastery, then a thorough merge of the mastery, and from there…breaking techniques!

The strike depended on the situation to unleash its mystifying changes.

He could start with the Eighteen Style Swimming Dragon, and when he thrust, he could use the Plum Point Sword…

This would be the real technique of breaking attacks!

If Han Xing applied the breaking techniques in his sword, Precise Instinct would never be able to keep up. How should he unleash such a mystifying strike?

With that in mind, he shut his eyes all of a sudden.

“What happened? Mad Tiger opened his eyes but Han Xing has shut his?”

“Are they working together tacitly?”

The audience beneath the ring could not understand why the two of them suddenly swapped conditions.

Those who knew what happened, including the young geniuses, held their breaths nervously. Everyone knew the most crucial moment in the fight was about to happen. Han Xing ought to unleash the most crucial strike and that Mad Tiger, who people suspected to be Tang Long, had realized something in the techniques of breaking. Would he unleash a strike as well?

All the young geniuses guessed correctly.

Han Xing unleashed his strike the moment he closed his eyes. He knew the key of breaking techniques was the heart of the sword. Free the heart of the sword!

All I have to do is acknowledge that there is an opponent in front of me that I have to fight with my sword. The sword techniques are no longer important. All I have to do is adapt to my opponent’s condition and strike using my sword in the most effective and necessary way.

Han Xing’s elbow trembled when he unleashed the sword as though the glare of the sword came from every direction. It was the reflection of a certain type of sword intent! He was telling his opponent, ‘No matter which angle you strike at, I’ll be waiting for you with my sword!’

It was glamorous!

Someone among the young geniuses cried out in surprise, “Sword intent! This sword intent is formed when the way of the sword is fused with the wielder’s spirit! The spirit will transform into sword intent and will be buffed by a few hundred times, then it is able to generate a materialization effect!”

It was indeed the materialization of something surreal. Upon a closer look, the myriad of sword glares looked ethereal, but when sensed through human perceptions, they existed!

When a person was as fierce as a tiger, one might hear the roars of a tiger or see the figure of the tiger behind the person!

The sword intent shared the same theory.

What about Tang Ling? What would he do?

Tang Ling did not choose to break Han Xing’s attack anymore because Han Xing had dissolved his technique himself, so Tang Ling had no techniques to break anymore.

Therefore, Tang Ling also unleashed a sword strike of his own. There was no myriad of sword glares or glamorous sword power. It was just a simple thrust with indomitable momentum, a thrust without any tricks or changes.

Clunk!

The sword of a teenager, who was also a sword wielder, fell on the floor. Palely, he picked up his sword from the ground. He muttered to himself in the process, “The clash between the swords is inevitable.”

He was referring to Tang Ling’s sword. He was one of the young swordsmen whose swordsmanship could boost him to the top 10 in the Torrential Teen Ranking. It seemed like his comment on the fight was correct.

The sword intent that Tang Ling picked had no changes. Simply, it was thrust forward with nothing but speed and strength combined.

Without dodging, he was as still as a monolith. His goal was to muster all his concentration and strength to thrust the sword at his opponent.

Han Xing unleashed his strike! At that very moment, his sword seemed to have split up into a myriad of glares and landed on Tang Ling.

Heavy rustling followed and countless cuts were left on Tang Ling’s body.

Tang Ling unleashed his strike! It was simple and absent of elegance, yet it was able to instantly reach Han Xing’s throat before stopping in the nick of time. The tip of the sword poked Han Xing’s throat, and a drop of blood oozed out.

All Tang Ling needed as a little push and Han Xing would fall under his sword.

“I lost.” Han Xing’s sword fell to the ground, and he looked a little depressed. His face turned slightly pale when he smiled at Tang Ling. He added softly, “I never thought you were able to discern a strike from my sword. Your realization is even better than my understanding of the essence of swordplay, even though there is no sword intent mixed in it.”

“You are also powerful. If it had been a real battle, with the cuts on me, it’s not exactly the best bargain,” said Tang Ling. He then added, “Actually, not all things are that complicated. If you feel that the technique shackles you down, throw it away. You don’t even have to care about what your opponent does. Like what I did: a single thrust with indomitable momentum to force my opponent.

“Breaking attacks and techniques is about searching for freedom. If that’s the case, you shouldn’t be shackled by your own techniques, and don’t fall into your opponent’s pace. Your opponent’s reaction isn’t important at all.”

“I’ve learned something. Thank you for the fight! You are really strong, but it’s not your Precise Instinct that’s strong. It’s you.” Han Xing clasped his fist, bowed, and walked off from the ring.

As Han Xing said, being able to realize such a powerful sword strike was not because of Tang Ling’s powerful Precise Instinct. It was because Tang Ling was born with a battle consciousness as though he was born just to fight.

When Tang Ling was equipped with such a battle consciousness, it would be a whole new talent that others had yet to understand!