Chapter 119: A Gentle and Refined Gentleman

As the two parties bowed to each other with cupped hands, the system automatically displayed small text above their heads:

"Qi Shiqi, Master of the Hidden Sword Villa, 4th Rebirth, Level 101, Reputation 2048!"
"Jin Mailang, Master of the Famous Sword Villa, 4th Rebirth, Level 102, Reputation 2031!"

Judging solely by the simple data provided by the system, the strength of these two men was evenly matched, but a closer look revealed a deeper complexity. Both were 4th Rebirth, Level 101 and 102 respectively. Since the prerequisite for the 4th Rebirth is Level 80, both had long since completed their 4th Rebirth. While neither had yet reached the 5th, their foundations were incredibly profound. This meant the battle would not end in a flash; it would inevitably be a fierce and grueling struggle.

A cold wind blew, and the wilderness fell silent. The two stood facing each other, separated only by the five-meter-tall giant stone sword sculpture. Both hailed from the lineage of the Divine Sword Villa and were intimately familiar with each other's styles and techniques. With their strength so evenly matched, this contest would likely come down to willpower, confidence, and the tactical application of strategy.

Another gust of cold wind swept through, and the peach blossom petals around the villa danced in the air like fluttering sprites. A few petals brushed across Qi Shiqi’s face, and his eyes seemed to blink. In that briefest of moments, a crisp "clanging" sound rang out. Jin Mailang had finally made his move. His sharp sword seemed to transform into a streak of golden light, piercing through the rain of petals and shattering the west wind.

The sword light rose into the air before striking directly at Qi Shiqi’s upper guard. Before the blade even arrived, the severe, piercing sword aura made Zhang He and the others watching feel as if blades of paper were slicing across their faces. A 4th Rebirth sword master was truly extraordinary; such internal energy combined with a sharp weapon naturally exuded a fierce, lethal intent.

As expected, Qi Shiqi did not meet the attack head-on. He leaped high into the air as well. A "clang" of metal striking metal echoed, and a white curtain seemed to envelop the golden light. In reality, it was not a physical curtain, but rather the result of movements so fast that the sword light merely appeared as one. What looked like a life-or-death struggle in mid-air was actually a wide-ranging, profound defensive maneuver.

The two swords clashed, followed by a rapid series of "clangs" around the stone sword. Sparks erupted wildly from their blades, flashing between the white shadow and the black shadow like two boiling cauldrons fused together, constantly spraying spectacular sparks. A duel of this level was no longer something Zhang He and his companions could follow with their eyes. The sword techniques themselves weren't particularly ornate, but they were simply too fast. If there was any real difference, it was that Jin Mailang’s golden sword was like a stunning rainbow across the sky—every strike possessed a fierce, sweeping momentum, much like the man himself: decisive, direct, and savage.

Qi Shiqi, on the other hand, was like the falling peach blossoms across the hills. Though his sword style was primarily defensive, his movements were composed and elegant, showing no signs of panic.

Suddenly, with a soft "thud," the two figures drifted backward. Compared to before, they had merely swapped positions around the stone sword. Jin Mailang held his sword level with his shoulder, his eyes wide as an ox’s, staring fixedly at Qi Shiqi, but a few drops of blood were dripping from his sword tip.

Qi Shiqi’s white robe was stained red, as if a peach blossom had bloomed on his shoulder, and a red damage value of "—208" appeared above his head. He had clearly suffered a setback in the first round of the exchange. Zhang He surmised that Jin Mailang was currently filled with righteous indignation, attacking with a ferocity that left no room for error, which made it difficult for Qi Shiqi to parry. However, it was still too early to determine the outcome.

Sure enough, Qi Shiqi let out a clear cry, leaped up once more, tapped his toe on the stone sword, and slashed obliquely at Jin Mailang with a flash of light. The second round of combat had clearly escalated. Qi Shiqi’s sword strike was no longer just a flash of light; it resembled a white fan, with each rib of the fan being an afterimage of the sharp blade. As he danced, the sword light became like a white butterfly flapping its wings, stirring up the peach blossoms and the freezing west wind, forcing Jin Mailang to parry and retreat continuously.

The sound of their swords clashing was now so dense it sounded like a single continuous note. The resulting shockwaves forced the watching disciples of the Hidden Sword Villa to retreat repeatedly, for if they did not, they risked being injured by the sheer force of the two masters' internal energy. If the onlookers were affected, the two experts in the midst of the battle were even more so. Though Jin Mailang’s defense was airtight, damage values of "—23," "—19," and "—31" appeared over his head as he retreated.

Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that this damage was not caused by the blade itself, but by the internal energy vibrating through the sword aura. Fortunately, the opponent was Jin Mailang; if this had been a player with a lower rebirth level or inferior equipment, those damage values would have instantly jumped from two digits to three. At that point, there would be no talk of defense—the sheer force of the internal energy would have been enough to vibrate them to death four or five times over.

Jin Mailang knew he couldn't keep this up. He leaped, kicked off a tree trunk, and vaulted onto the villa wall. Tapping his toe lightly on the glazed tiles, he soared seven or eight meters away, then tapped again to leap into a large tree. The movement technique he used was the rare "Dragonfly Skimming the Water." Not only was it fast, but it covered great distances. It was hard to imagine that someone as burly as Jin Mailang could execute such a light-as-a-swallow technique.

However, Zhang He realized that Qi Shiqi hadn't been lying earlier—this was the Hidden Sword Villa. He was intimately familiar with every blade of grass and tree here. This was home-field advantage; Jin Mailang truly held no edge in terrain. No matter how beautifully or quickly he dodged, he could not shake off the pursuit of Qi Shiqi’s "Butterfly Strike Light Shadow" skill.

"Bang!"

After trading a palm strike in mid-air, the two drifted apart and stood still once more. This time, Jin Mailang had definitely suffered the greater loss. Zhang He calculated that Qi Shiqi had drained nearly 300 points of health from Jin Mailang in this round.

The third round began in an instant. Jin Mailang roared like thunder, his golden sword wrapped in such intense light that it appeared to thicken several times over. He jumped four or five meters into the air and brought his sword down in a heavy, overhead strike. It was like a blunt, clumsy blow from a corrupt official, but once unleashed, it was filled with murderous intent and the force of a thunderbolt. No one dared to meet it head-on.

Qi Shiqi had to dodge. He had just finished executing a technique and was at a moment of exhaustion. Though he managed to evade, the ground exploded with a loud "boom," shattering the bluestone tiles into countless pebbles that sprayed into the air.

Jin Mailang suddenly swirled his golden sword, and the debris seemed to gain a life of its own, aggregating into a tornado that swept toward Qi Shiqi like flowing clouds. Within the stone storm was a thick streak of sword light; from a distance, it looked like the Monkey King’s golden cudgel. It was truly a case of "the wind sweeping away the clouds"—a strike of immense power.

Retreating, Qi Shiqi raised his sword again, which instantly transformed into a cluster of light pupils to shield his chest.

Now, one could only see the skills, not the person; one could only hear the sound, not feel the momentum. Although the light pupils blocked the stone storm and the sword light, a few small stones still struck his lower abdomen and collarbone.

Damage values of "—46," "—51," and "—58" gushed out like mown grass. The faces of Fatty Mantis and the disciples of the Hidden Sword Villa turned pale. Qi Shiqi had been dealt a heavy blow; he was sent flying backward, performing several somersaults in the air before landing. Although he was safe, his footing was clearly less stable than before, and he could barely stand his ground.

Everyone present knew they lacked the strength to participate in a clash of such martial prowess. Yan Jiu and the Fourth Miss looked ghastly. Although they were also 4th Rebirth, not all 4th Rebirth strength was equal. Foundations, martial arts, skills, reaction speed, judgment, and on-the-spot adaptability—these factors combined could create an insurmountable gap between two people. Some 4th Rebirth players were even stronger than 5th Rebirth ones.

For instance, if Gui Yu Feng and Lei Ting Feng were here, and they had to choose either Qi Shiqi or Jin Mailang to face, even if they worked together, they would be thanking their ancestors if they could survive ten moves. Thus, for Yan Jiu and the Fourth Miss to face Jin Mailang—let alone the two of them, even four would not be enough to stand a chance.

Teacher Guang Xi was even more dumbfounded. He had always believed the Beggar Sect’s martial arts were strong and powerful, but after seeing this, he realized that even if he used his "Wind-Splitting Palm" to resist, he would not be an opponent. He would likely be swept down the mountain on the spot. Of course, then it wouldn't be called the "Wind-Splitting Palm," but the "Wind-Fart Palm"—it wouldn't even be worth a fart.

Zhang He sighed inwardly. Qi Shiqi’s "Butterfly Strike Light Shadow" had been held for too long without landing a combo, which gave his opponent an opening. Now, it was Jin Mailang’s turn to launch a storm-like counterattack.

After all, Jin Mailang was Level 102, 4th Rebirth, while Qi Shiqi was Level 101. Perhaps that one-level difference wouldn't create a massive statistical gap, but as time passed and the battle deepened, the gap would gradually widen, eventually leading to a one-sided slaughter. This was why, in a duel between masters, the slightest difference could lead to a total collapse.

Zhang He finally realized that Qi Shiqi was definitely no match for Jin Mailang. Qi Shiqi followed the path of agility, focusing on lifting the heavy as if it were light, with grace and ease. Such a style was ill-suited for heavy offense and better suited for defense. He was like the man himself: intense feelings do not last, and excessive strength invites humiliation; he was a modest gentleman, gentle as jade.

Jin Mailang, however, followed the path of masculinity, emphasizing majesty, dominance, and ferocity. Once his sword was drawn, even if it couldn't kill the enemy, it had to be devastating. He was also like the man himself: if you respect me an inch, I will repay you a foot; you behead my Third Miss, and I will take your life, Qi Shiqi. His might shook the mountains and rivers, his dominance shocked heaven and earth.

The key was that Jin Mailang also had the stamina. At this rate, within ten rounds, Qi Shiqi would surely die under Jin Mailang’s sword.

But now, ten rounds had already passed, and not only was Qi Shiqi still alive, his footwork had actually become more agile, while Jin Mailang’s movements and power were not as overwhelming as before.

Zhang He’s eyes lit up; he had spotted where the problem lay.