Cultivation: But Not a Game-Chapter 233 - 144: Heart, Will, and Spirit United with the Sword
So he hesitated for just a second before striding up to Luo Qingchan, cupping his fists in a salute, and asking warmly:
"I am Fang Luochuan, may I know your name, miss, and make a friend?"
The next second, everyone turned to look at Su Yu, as everyone knew they were together.
For so long, they always walked together, and everyone thought they were a couple, if not lovers, then Dao companions.
Knowing full well about their relationship and still asking her name to make friends, it was obviously impure in intent.
This immediately sparked everyone’s interest, dispersing some of their previously defeated mood.
And under everyone’s gaze, Su Yu’s face instantly darkened, anger rising in his heart. He stared coldly at Fang Luochuan, ready to speak up, but saw Luo Qingchan step forward with a cold expression and said indifferently:
"Your family background seems extraordinary, yet your frivolous behavior shocks me. In my opinion, your family background does not match your upbringing. I’m sorry, but I disdain to answer your question!"
As soon as she finished speaking, many people were left slightly agape, and Su Yu’s eyes brightened, meeting her gaze with a knowing smile.
Su Yu was moved, directly walking up to Luo Qingchan and extending his hand. Her cheeks blushed slightly, and she reached out her small hand for him to hold.
Squeezing her warm, soft hand gently, Su Yu felt a lot of his anger dissipate, but when he turned back, his face was even colder, staring coldly at Fang Luochuan, he said:
"According to the rules, the loser has the right to challenge the winner once. I now challenge you!"
Already feeling humiliated and unable to speak up after being chastised by Luo Qingchan, Fang Luochuan suddenly looked up upon hearing his challenge, the bottled-up anger now having an outlet, he laughed heartily:
"You’re bold. I accept your challenge!"
Determined, he resolved to thoroughly humiliate him later, to vent the humiliation of being reprimanded by Luo Qingchan without being able to retort.
Luo Qingchan’s scolding seemed gentle, but to him, it was more humiliating than any harsh words.
With one sentence, she scolded not only him but also his parents and family, leaving him unable to retort, causing him extreme discomfort.
With both parties agreeing, the challenge was established. Shortly after, an arena materialized, and an invisible force pulled both of them onto the stage.
The 60-second countdown began, and a barrier divided the arena in half. Fang Luochuan flexed his fingers back and forth, making his joints crack loudly with a twisted smile:
"I admire your bravery, but also your ignorance to dare challenge a Sword Cultivator who has mastered the True Sword Intent. Don’t worry, I will let you experience powerlessness and despair!"
Fang Luochuan was absolutely confident.
Since mastering the Sword Intent, any Sword Cultivator who hadn’t grasped it was beneath his notice; his confidence was unwavering.
Opposite him, Su Yu said no harsh words, merely urged the double swords to spin rapidly around him.
This battle had to be fought; when someone flirts openly with your girlfriend, under so many watchful eyes, you can’t be indifferent; a response is necessary.
Not to mention Luo Qingchan had already strongly responded, so not fighting would make him despised by everyone present and ruin any chance with Luo Qingchan.
Whether he could win was one thing; having the courage to respond was another. No woman likes a cowardly man.
As the countdown drew to an end, at the instant the barrier vanished, four sword lights broke through the air and disappeared. The next moment, two points of starlight exploded in the center of the arena, sending invisible ripples outward, revealing four flying swords that quivered and flashed rapidly.
These swords didn’t actually flash, their speed was simply too fast, giving the illusion of flashing.
In just three seconds, the four flying swords clashed dozens of times, sparks flying through the air, the sound of clashing metal ringing incessantly.
"Oh!"
Almost everyone widened their eyes in shock, showing expressions of disbelief.
"This guy’s Swordsmanship has also reached an extraordinary level?"
"Surely, otherwise how could he withstand it?"
"Then why hasn’t he comprehended Sword Intent?"
"Maybe he recently broke through, leaving not enough time to grasp Sword Intent."
"Then he’s quite unlucky."
Someone showed an expression of realization:
"No wonder he dared to challenge, turns out he’s this strong."
"What’s the use, without mastering Sword Intent, it’s a gap as wide as heaven and earth. Sure, he can block a few hits now, but when the Sword Intent is unleashed, he won’t stand a chance."
"Indeed!"
Although everyone was hugely surprised, almost no one had faith in Su Yu.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!!!"
The air once more filled with a dense volley of metallic clashes, followed shortly by a loud bang as four flying swords were blasted away. Feeling the remaining seventy percent or so of mana in his Qi Sea, Fang Luochuan shrugged and said:
"Indeed, you have some skill, but it’s not enough. Now, I’ll get serious!"
As he spoke, two sword lights flashed and vanished. Su Yu extended his hand, his dual swords rising to meet them.
"Clang! Clang!"
Having been evenly matched until now, Su Yu’s dual swords trembled slightly, as two incredibly sharp Sword Intents pierced through the link between the flying swords and his Divine Sense, striking hard upon Su Yu’s very soul.
Su Yu grunted, his face visibly paling, but his actions remained unwavering, his dual swords as agile as ever, firmly blocking Fang Luochuan’s onslaught.
In anyone else’s case, an attack on their soul would leave them momentarily stunned, a moment sufficient for their opponent’s flying sword to rest upon their neck, deciding the outcome instantly.
But for the past few months, Su Yu has almost daily challenged the Four-Star Projection, often sparring with Qingchan, being struck by Sword Intent hundreds of times daily, each more powerful than Fang Luochuan’s Sword Intent, thus developing some resistance.
A single sword strike failed to succeed, Fang Luochuan was extremely surprised for a moment, his face turned graver, and he once again channeled Sword Intent onto his sword for another strike.
As he launched a frenzied onslaught, Sword Intent after Sword Intent gathered, unleashing its edge into the Sea of Consciousness, striking his soul. The light sphere representing his soul trembled continuously above the Sea of Consciousness, merging soul and body into one, thus feeding back to the physical body.
All of Fang Luochuan’s offensives were blocked by Su Yu, yet wounds continuously appeared on his body, blood streaming down.
Sword Intent can directly attack the soul, and since the soul and body are connected, it also inflicts harm on the physical body simultaneously.
Since the damage is projected from the soul, neither physical toughness nor Defense Treasure can withstand it; only the same type of Sword Intent or Martial Dao True Intent can counter it, or one must endure with sheer soul strength, although extremely rare soul treasures or Divine Soul Secret Skills can also resist it.
Su Yu neither mastered Sword Intent nor possessed extremely rare soul treasures or soul secret skills, so he could only endure with his own soul strength.
His swordsmanship never fell behind, and he blocked every sword Fang Luochuan delivered, but the soul-penetrating Sword Intent was utterly indefensible. Su Yu quickly became covered in wounds, dripping with blood as if being executed by slicing.
"I can still hold on!"
"I must not lose!"
Although he had not comprehended the Sword Heart, Su Yu’s will and resolve had been utterly transformed over those few months.
Inflexible will and the courage to face strong foes supported him in enduring the relentless onslaught of the enemy’s Sword Intent.
Though he lacked the Sword Heart, he was comparable to possessing one.
Outside the Sword Palace, many cultivators lingering inside saw this scene, and several murmured to each other.
"Yu, what do you think of this one?"
The old man known as Yu shook his head with a bitter smile:
"This one’s swordsmanship is exquisite, just a step away from mastering Sword Intent; why would he be interested in the stuff of an old man like me?"
"Uh, true enough."
A few people gathered around the screen pointed and talked, oblivious to the ripples suddenly spreading in the void above their heads, revealing a dozen silhouettes invisible to the naked eye. After a while, one of them spoke:
"Bai Yuan, do you want this one?"
After a pause, an aged voice answered:
"I need to observe a bit more!"
"Alright then."
A few silhouettes vanished directly.
On the stage, Fang Luochuan, who had channeled Sword Intent for hundreds of strikes continuously, was somewhat mentally exhausted, his face filled with bewilderment:
"How is this possible; without mastery of Sword Intent, how can he withstand so many of my swords?"
If not for the wounds all over his body, he would have thought there was some kind of soul treasure on Su Yu blocking the Sword Intent.
"Indeed remarkable, but this ends now."
Fang Luochuan shook his head, collected his thoughts, and directly activated the finishing move bestowed by the realm of True Sword Intent, where Sword Intent began to burn. The boiling will combined with his Divine Soul formed a power incomprehensible and unimaginable to ordinary people, injecting into the Flying Sword.
"He’s using his ultimate move!"
The boiling Sword Intent can’t be concealed, its intensity ten times stronger than before left him momentarily breathless.
"Can’t withstand it."
Su Yu had of course witnessed this move before during challenges against the Four-Star Projection, and each time he developed resistance to Sword Intent, he would always lose to this move.
Its tenfold intensity surpassed his limits of resistance, resulting in swift and complete defeat each time.
"He’s going to lose!"
Many sighed lightly, their hearts filled with complex emotions.
Everyone wanted to see the scene where the weak defeat the strong, but in reality, the weak are just weak; it’s extremely challenging to beat the strong while being weak.
All eyes were glued to the stage; even though they knew the outcome was determined, they still harbored a slight, unrealistic expectation.
Some glanced towards Luo Qingchan not far away; her gaze was fixed on Su Yu, her beautiful eyes displaying a hint of heartache as she murmured:
"Don’t give up. The more crucial the moment, the firmer you must hold on to your belief. It’s a very good opportunity."
Whether by a shared connection or not, at this moment, the supposedly wholly-focused Su Yu suddenly turned his head to look over.
Her eyes brightened, and she quickly chanted:
"Forget life and death, solidify your determination, soul, divine sense, will, belief, combine your heart and mind, seek that fleeting chance amidst death!"
The stage was isolated; Su Yu couldn’t hear her words, but at this critical edge of life and death, he suddenly recalled what Qingchan had once told him. At this moment, it felt divinely inspired, prompting a sudden epiphany.
Letting go of the heart, following instinct.
And at this moment, his sole instinct was to gather all strength to resist this Sword Intent.
What the heart thinks, what the intent acts, is the harmony of heart and intent.
The combination of will and Divine Soul is the union of intent and soul.
Heart, intent, soul became one in that instant, adhering to his true heart, aligning with certain cosmic rules, and in that instant began to ascend, transforming into a formidable force that combined heart, intent, and soul.
