He gritted his teeth inwardly. No matter how I adjust, he's already there. Every strike… it's as if he's dictating where I'll move next.
Then, just as he prepared to unleash another flurry—
Clang!
A sharp flick of Lao Xie's wrist sent his blade sliding across Shen Yun's with eerie ease, redirecting the strike off-course. For the first time, Shen Yun's stance wavered.
The crowd gasped.
"He—he forced him back!"
"Lao Xie finally moved first!"
Lao Xie didn't pursue. He merely lowered his sword again, eyes steady. "Your technique flows well," he said softly. "But your rhythm is too honest."
Shen Yun's lips curved into a slow grin despite himself. "Honest, is it? Then let me be dishonest for once."
A faint surge of sword qi flickered through the air—thin, sharp, and refined. The air itself trembled faintly under it.
From the elders' seats, a few leaned forward, murmuring under their breath.
"He's touching on it…?" one elder whispered.
"Impossible. At his stage?" another replied.
But one elder remained silent for a moment before speaking, his voice calm yet firm. It was the bulky elder with a fierce expression. "No… that's not true sword qi," he said. "Look closer—it's only an imitation of Sword Intent."
Elder Mu nodded thoughtfully. "Brother Lu is right. If you observe carefully, the infusion is incomplete. His qi hasn't fully merged with the sword."
Another elder stroked his beard and sighed. "Still… to even imitate Sword Qi while only in the Body Tempering stage—what an impressive feat."
Shen Yun's qi flared. Faint threads of light danced along his blade, flickering like restless serpents of energy. Yet for all its brilliance, the sword didn't fully harmonize with his qi. It was close—almost there—but not complete.
The crowd stirred.
"What's that? It looks like sword qi!"
"But the aura's different, isn't it? It feels… thinner somehow."
"I heard there's something before reaching true sword qi," one disciple said eagerly. "They call it pseudo sword qi—when you can imitate the feeling, but not the essence!"
"Pseudo sword qi?" someone repeated in awe. "To think he's managed that while still in the Body Tempering stage…"
"He really deserves his reputation among Azure Edge Peak's top outer disciples."
Amid the growing buzz, the scene shifted toward the spectators' stand where Ling Ruxin and Elder Yao were seated.
Ling Ruxin leaned forward slightly, her tone quiet but laced with interest. "That's pseudo sword qi, isn't it?"
Elder Yao nodded, a faint smile curving on her lips. "It is. To imitate sword qi without truly comprehending it—few can manage that. His control over his qi and sword is remarkable for his level."
Ling Ruxin's gaze followed the movement on the stage. "To reach the stage of sword qi, one must first build a deep understanding with the sword. The stronger that bond, the clearer one's intent becomes. Understanding and proficiency—those are what allow a swordsman to ascend higher."
She paused for a moment, eyes flickering as if something had suddenly clicked within her thoughts.
Elder Yao noticed immediately and chuckled softly. "You're thinking about him, aren't you?"
Ling Ruxin blinked, a faint pink rising to her cheeks. "I was only wondering if he has reached the stage of sword qi, that's all."
Elder Yao's lips curved into a teasing smile. "That, I can't say for sure. But surely you'd know better than I do, no? You're always with him these days."
Ling Ruxin's eyes widened slightly. "W–With him? Elder Yao, that's—!"
The older woman's smirk deepened. "Don't try to deny it. You think I don't know about your little visits to the Azure Sky Waterfall Garden? Every day, without fail, meeting him there."
Ling Ruxin froze. "Y-you knew?"
"Of course I did, I'm an elder." Elder Yao's voice carried a faintly playful tone. "Cultivating with only the two of you? How bold of you youngsters these days."
Ling Ruxin's entire face flushed crimson. "Elder Yao! It wasn't like that! We—he was just—!"
"I told you to maintain a good relationship with him, but I didn't expect you to seduce him this quickly," Elder Yao interrupted smoothly, the teasing lilt in her tone impossible to miss. "I must say, Ruxin, you've grown quite daring."
Ling Ruxin's breath caught, words tangling in her throat as she stammered helplessly. "W–We didn't—! Elder Yao, please!"
A light laugh escaped Elder Yao's lips. "Alright, alright. Enough teasing. My little Ruxin gets so flustered it's hard to resist."
Ling Ruxin pouted faintly, turning her face away like a sulking daughter, though her eyes flicked back toward the arena soon after.
Elder Yao's gaze followed hers, her expression softening. Yet behind that warmth, a trace of quiet thought stirred in her eyes.
Her focus shifted to the stage—to the calm figure in white standing with his sword lowered. "Has he really reached that stage?" she wondered silently.
Her spiritual sense brushed out subtly, probing just beneath the surface. When she caught a faint pulse of his cultivation, her eyes widened ever so slightly.
"Qi Refinement… sixth level?"
Her heart skipped for a brief moment. That level of cultivation—among outer disciples—was rare. Even within the inner sect, it was the mark of an elite.
Elder Yao sat back slowly, concealing her surprise beneath a composed smile. "Such power lies beneath that calm surface…" she thought, her gaze never leaving Lao Xie.
"Is he planning for something?"
Shen Yun steadied his breath, his blade gleaming faintly under the sunlight. The faint wisps of qi around it shimmered like thin threads of light, weaving and twisting along the edge. His voice carried across the platform, calm yet edged with intent.
"So, tell me—" he said lightly, "is this enough to make you move?"
He lifted his sword slightly, the glow around it pulsing stronger. "It might not be the complete sword qi," he admitted with a small grin, "but this is my limit for now. A pseudo sword qi… my full strength."
Lao Xie remained quiet, his expression unreadable.
"Pseudo sword qi?" he thought. The term echoed faintly in his mind—something he'd once read about long ago, buried within an old manual from his childhood.
His gaze lowered faintly to Shen Yun's sword, the faint threads of light curling across its surface. "That's the pseudo sword qi?" he murmured under his breath.
A familiar voice suddenly echoed within his mind.
"Yes, host. That's the Pseudo Sword Qi."
Then, the system continued, its tone as calm as ever. "Pseudo Sword Qi is an imitation of the true Sword Qi. It allows the cultivator to partially channel their qi into the blade, forming a false resonance that mimics the real phenomenon. While incomplete, it can still enhance sharpness and penetration to a certain degree."
Lao Xie's eyes flickered faintly. "An imitation that borrows the shape of the real thing… interesting."
"How do I do that?" he asked inwardly.
"To wield true Sword Qi, you must create resonance between your qi flow and spiritual intent," the system answered. "Focus your consciousness on the sword as an extension of your will. Let your qi follow the rhythm of your breathing—once your flow aligns, the sword will naturally respond."
His fingers brushed along the hilt ever so slightly. He could feel it—the subtle pulse of energy waiting to be drawn out. Yet he didn't move.
"If I use it now, everyone will know."
The thought settled quietly in his mind, his gaze lifting back to Shen Yun. His expression didn't change, calm as ever.
Shen Yun's grin widened a little when Lao Xie stayed still. "Not impressed, are you? I expected at least a reaction."
Lao Xie's tone was mild. "It's interesting, I suppose."
"Interesting?" Shen Yun's chuckle carried a faint edge. "You'll find it more than that once you're on the receiving end."
"Then show me," Lao Xie said simply.
That calm response—so plain, so unshaken—made something tighten behind Shen Yun's smile.