Book 14: Chapter 72
Slimeball Among Slimeballs Among Slimeballs (Part 8) 𝙛𝑟𝘦ℯ𝘄e𝙗nov𝙚𝑙.𝐜𝑜𝗺
Since mounting the horse, Su Xiao’s concentration was off the charts; he was oblivious to the fact that he rode faster and faster. All he could see was Bronze Mask killing Ming Feizhen over and over. He wasn’t even aware of the precarious situation he was in when he stood atop his steed, yet he performed flawlessly. Only after landing on the ground with Ling Shaoxuan did he snap back to reality.
When he came to, Su Xiao was holding Ancient Cold and watching Ling Shaoxuan fly toward him, sword aimed at his face. Su Xiao had to enter combat mode before he could sort out everything in his mind.
Though Su Xiao gained more experience from his fights in Huzhou and Nanjiang, he was still green. Likewise, despite being a direct descendent of Ling Clan, sheltered Ling Shaoxuan hadn’t lived a violent lifestyle, so he wasn’t that much more experienced than Su Xiao.
Ling Shaoxuan still didn’t dare to go all out due to Su Xiao’s dismounting attack traumatising him, so he lost a prime opportunity to seize victory. On the other hand, Su Xiao entered the zone as the fight dragged out. Ever since Su Xiao was forbidden from utilising his family’s broadswordplay in battle, he only had Liu Shan Men’s swordplay and Ming Feizhen’s teachings to fall back on. In this match, Su Xiao relied on the swordplay he was most familiar with – Six Phenomena Swordplay. Using Six Phenomena Swordplay against Flying Thrust was practically insulting the latter, but Su Xiao’s progress in internal training combined with Ancient Cold allowed him to fight an even fight. Frankly, Su Xiao felt as anxious as Ling Shaoxuan did.
Su Xiao didn’t realise the cold energy emanating from his blade was enough to inflict damage to his opponent; he, instead, tried all sorts of ways to hold his own against an opponent he deemed more skilful than himself. What made this fight different to all of Su Xiao’s previous fights was that it was the first time he tried to use strategy in battle. In his past matches, if the match didn’t end in the blink of an eye, someone took over, so he never had the chance to use his eyes and mind to observe, deduce and map his own route to victory. Moreover, all his opponents were more skilled and experienced than him, leaving him with no alternative besides imitation. This time, he was able to learn defence and offence from Ling Shaoxuan.
When Su Xiao snapped the tip of Ling Shaoxuan’s tip, he failed to ride the wave of momentum due to inexperience. He knew he had the upper hand in terms of equipment, but he thought, “Ah, my weapon is better. Maybe this means I will win unfairly,” instead of continuing to press the attack and shut out Ling Shaoxuan. Had he done so, he could’ve defeated Ling Shaoxuan already. If you overlooked that, however, Su Xiao had shown marked growth because he wouldn’t have been able to snap Ling Shaoxuan’s sword if he was his past self.
Although the offensive and defensive skills Su Xiao learnt from Ling Shaoxuan were abysmal, he was gradually able to apply them in a real fight. The combined knowledge helped make things that didn’t make sense in the past finally click. Gradually, he inwardly relished the experience of fighting, which eventually reminded him of the night he clashed with Bronze Mask.
As Su Xiao believed Ling Shaoxuan was Bronze Mask, the battle reminded him of the fight from that night. That was when Ling Shaoxuan suddenly went into top gear and executed Flying Thrust. Su Xiao didn’t have an answer, so he resorted to the method Bronze Mask used against him, copying it exactly as he remembered it.
“H-how do you know that style?!” Ling Shaoxuan also recognised Yearning Broadswordplay.
In a nutshell, Flying Thrust was a style comparable to a waterfall column. If Ling Shaoxuan had mastered it to the same level as his cousin, Ling Ruoyun, then he’d be able to modify the tempo for a completely different weapon. Alas, Ling Shaoxuan revealed holes as soon as he reduced his speed.
Su Xiao didn’t attempt to continue using Yearning Broadswordplay when his was only a terrible copy. Hence, he instantly followed up.
Ling Shaoxuan knew one of the most basic principles of attack and defence was, when one fell, the other rose. Still, he couldn’t evade in time, especially since the cold energy had virtually frozen his feet. As such, he held his sword parallel to the ground as a last line of defence, only for Su Xiao to snap it in a single slash without producing any sound.
Seeing that Su Xiao was going to press forward again, Xun Feng hastily yelled, “Stay your hand!”
Ling Shaoxuan was supposed to have ended up in the same state as his sword in the next split second, but Su Xiao suddenly performed a broadsword flower and then gently set his blade beside Ling Shaoxuan’s neck.
Wearing an expression as cold as his blade, Su Xiao ignored Xun Feng and threatened, “Are you Bronze Mask?! Answer honestly, or I’ll tear your head straight off!”
“Y-you’re Bronze Mask. Why would I…” Ling Shaoxuan could barely talk as his proximity to Ancient Cold made him awfully cold.
“Then why did you lie on that day?!”
“When did I lie?”
“We have a witness who can testify they saw you leave the academy that day!”
“I… I… I’m never telling you!”
“Brother Ling, if there is a misunderstanding, explain yourself sooner.” Xun Feng, anxious watching, urged, “Miss Su has no hesitation assaulting a Prince. She is definitely not shouting empty threats.”
“One more chance! If you don’t talk, I’ll take your head off! Why are you after Big Brother Ming’s life?!”