Sensing the fivefold sword strike unleashed by the formation, Jian Dan's violet-gold fist shadow split as it flew, a massive phantom fist dividing into five to meet the descending blades head-on.
Jian Dan's eyes brightened. She reached out and drew the second Mò Xī Jiàn into her hand, while her life-bound sword merely turned over in her dantian, continuing to be nourished. In its own words:
"Friendly sparring doesn't need my edge. Let Little Two get some grind. Save me for life-and-death battles."
Jian Dan could only roll her eyes, yet she did not refuse. With Jian Dan's rising cultivation, the Mò Xī Jiàn grew ever more destructive. If she really cut loose, she might overturn the entire arena. Meng Congjian would probably weep on the spot.
With a lift of her hand, Jian Dan sent a sword move into the enemy formation, Chaos Reigns. The chaotic sword radiance followed the cycle of the Five Phases, targeting and suppressing the opposing elemental sword shadows.
Wood overcomes Earth. Earth overcomes Water. Water overcomes Fire. Fire overcomes Metal. Metal overcomes Wood. The one-into-five sword light met each element in turn, and the protective barrier shuddered violently.
Jian Dan slid back two steps. From the pendant at her chest, the silver armors sensed their master under assault. Without waiting for her command, they poured out in a flash, layering over her robe in an instant. Silver light glittered across her figure, neutralizing a large portion of the onrushing sword qi.
Her black hair streamed in the turbulent wind, yet a smile tugged at her lips. If the Heavenly Sword Sect's high-level cultivators truly possessed this much strength, their odds against the insect race had just grown.
Before the sword qi fully dispersed, Jian Dan strode through the limited space of the arena with a footwork like shadow to body, slipping swiftly from point to point. The Mò Xī Jiàn in her hand carved out strike after strike, each attack threading in from a tricky angle to harry the formation.
The nine captains moved with excellent coordination. While maintaining the formation, they combined their strength to block Jian Dan's swordwork. All across the platform, crashing sword auras rang out in a relentless storm.
Everyone knew it was sparring, so no one pushed their techniques to the bitter end. They left themselves room to pull back, avoiding direct blows against the barrier.
Even so, the backlash from clashing sword intents rippled through the defense. Hall Master Meng's jaw clenched until his teeth showed.
Relying on swift positioning, Jian Dan constantly shifted angles so the nine men's sword moves could not land squarely. At the same time, when her blade fell, she would turn her sword flat to intercept counterattacks head-on.
They traded blows for a full incense stick of time. When Jian Dan judged it enough, she unleashed the Nine Heavenly Sword Forms, each cut tearing at a formation nexus.
The Nine Heavenly Sword Forms, wrapped in an irresistible surge of power, blanketed the entire formation. Nine blades, perfectly placed, split the battle array apart. The nine captains were scattered across the platform, and what greeted them was Jian Dan's fist.
A staccato burst of impacts slammed the nine men into the barrier. They slid down the shimmering wall in succession. The bout was decided.
When the aftershocks within the barrier finally ebbed, the nine had already risen. They clasped their fists to Jian Dan and bowed. "Many thanks for Hall Master's instruction."
"Your formation was excellent. You even forced me to draw the Mò Xī Jiàn," Jian Dan said without stinting on praise. Their cultivation was a full realm lower. Reaching this level was already admirable. Any further would require lethal moves to settle victory.
As Jian Dan stepped off the platform, the silver armors flowed back like a returning tide, vanishing into the pendant in a blink.
It looked as though she had changed robes mid-stride, which made the arena guards stare, eyes wide with curiosity.
At last, the strain on Meng Congjian's face eased. He lifted a hand and dropped the barrier, then stepped forward to salute Jian Dan.
"Greetings, Hall Master Jian Lu. The arena's defenses were raised to maximum today."
The unspoken meaning: spirit stones burned like kindling, please take it easy.
Jian Dan pressed her lips into a smile and nodded to show she understood. Only then did Meng Congjian make way from the platform steps.
As the captains filed past, each offered Hall Master Meng a polite cupped-fist salute. If they knew the spirit stones had been paid out of Hall Master Jian Dan's pocket, they probably would not have bothered to pretend.
The crowd of onlookers, satisfied the bout had ended, drifted away in small clusters, chattering about the most brilliant exchanges.
Elsewhere, those watching through water mirrors put their mirrors away.
Back Mountain, Forbidden Grounds.
"Senior Brother, the sword Jian Lu used today did not look like her life-bound blade," Tian Hong said after watching the entire match.
Tian Yun Zhēnzūn had just dismissed his own water mirror. He nodded. "Indeed. The sword Jian Lu used is no ordinary weapon, but it is still different from the one she obtained at the 'Sword Tomb.'"
"She knows how to hold back. Ever since that battle beyond Cloud Sea Sect's outer sea, where she forced the Evil Blade to seal itself beneath the waves, our Heavenly Sword Sect's 'Sword Tomb' has become famous. The other day, a Zhēnzūn from the Artifact Sect even sent a flying sword message asking to let his disciple enter our 'Sword Tomb' to claim a sword. I have not replied."
Tian Yun was in no rush. He poured spirit tea for his junior brother and said, "Since Jian Lu started this, let Jian Li go ask her for a solution, one that will not offend other sects yet still ensures our Heavenly Sword Sect's 'Sword Tomb' endures."
"Heh. Senior Brother is giving Jian Lu a hard problem, a little test, is it?" Tian Hong Zhēnzūn took the tea without ceremony.
"Who told her to throw responsibilities away so quickly. Your disciple, and you do not feel distressed?" Tian Yun Zhēnzūn asked with a smile.
"He is a sword cultivator. If Jian Lu can handle it, he can too. Before she acted as de facto hall master, he managed just fine," Tian Hong said casually.
Tian Yun could only shake his head. Did his junior brother not see Jian Lu's efficiency? She had practically dragged the entire cultivator population of Lingyun Continent aboard the great ship to battle the insect race.
"Have you seen that 'blood insect' Jian Jing, Jian Lu, and Jian Po brought back?" Tian Yun shifted topics.
"I went with Tian Shou and Tian Zhen to take a look. It is truly unnerving," Tian Hong replied, his expression turning grim.
"Fortunately, those three were quick and seized it first."
"Mn. Jian Lu wants to use poison. She has brought the Jin Clan's poison cultivator back to the Heavenly Sword Sect. He is currently in the Operations Hall, already starting the research," Tian Yun said.
"A good idea. We will have to see the result."
"It is a path, at least. We must let them try."
While the two Zhēnzūn discussed Jian Dan, she had already returned to the War Hall. Seated once more, she instructed the nine captains:
"Gather all your members. I have time today. I will send them into the trial realm as well."
How could they refuse? The nine immediately sent out message talismans, ordering their people to assemble at the War Hall.
While they waited, Jian Dan flicked her fingers and sent two white jade bottles to each captain, then said:
"During the bout just now, a few issues were exposed. In particular, several of you carry hidden injuries. They do not hinder you in daily life, but when exchanging blows with a higher-realm cultivator, your qi flow and sword execution will stall for half a breath."
The nine exchanged looks and nodded.
As sword cultivators and War Hall fighters, they battled often. Injuries were inevitable. Each wound might have bought them a rise in cultivation, but over time, hidden injuries accumulated. Of this, they themselves were most keenly aware.