CHAPTER 116: SWORD INTENT

His sword intent, normally able to bite through normal defenses and overwhelm opponent’s weapons — was dulling against this club. The strike had landed true, yet the pressure of his intent hadn’t fully passed through.

It wasn’t just raw force.

That club was resisting his sword intent.

"Hehe..." The goblin grinned, his yellow eyes glinting with smugness. "Surprised? My weapon can counter your precious sword intent. This baby’s forged from Star Eater Alloy. Good luck slicing through that!"

True to his background being from the immortal realm, the green skinned man, had some unusual weapons. Then why did the other’s Yu Xuan encounter had no such weapons? Were they poor? This question bugged him.

Yu Xuan didn’t respond to his taunt, the most special skill of Goblins.

Instead he stepped back lightly, adjusting his grip.

’So it’s a material that dulls will based techniques... Interesting.’ he thought.

But rather than discouragement, a faint smile tugged at the edge of his lips.

’This might actually be fun.’ he thought.

Until now, he had only been using the novice level of his sword intent — not because he was stuck at that level, but because he hadn’t deemed these matches worthy of more. He was saving his full strength.

During the seven years he trained under his father, a seasoned sword cultivator, Yu Xuan had honed his swordsmanship to a terrifying degree. Their daily sparring had pushed his comprehension beyond the basics, shaping not only his sword intent but the core of his combat instincts.

His father, while a traditionalist, had even helped him adapt and refine the absurdly over the top principles of the [Magic Swordsmanship of the Avalon Imperial Family] — despite calling it "frivolous posture play."

Of course, Yu Xuan remembered complaining that his father was stealing his cool moves, only to be beaten soundly "for discipline."

Now, standing before an opponent wielding a rare metal that could resist sword intent, Yu Xuan felt something stir in his chest.

’Alright, then. Let’s see if your fancy club can handle the real thing.’

Yu Xuan didn’t go all out — just a slight upgrade. After all, he was more of a sword cultivator than a fist fighter.

He adjusted his grip on the hilt, the tip of his blade angled slightly downward as if drawing a line between arrogance and reality. He was ready to wipe the smirk off the goblin’s face.

The wild, untamed red aura that had previously spilled from his sword suddenly receded, condensing into a razor thin edge of dark crimson light along the sword.

But instead of weakening, the intensity surged. The sword now seemed to hum with restrained power, its edges glowing like blood forged steel.

Some in the crowd immediately noticed the change.

"That’s not novice sword intent anymore..."

"Look at that control... Is that—?"

"Yes. That’s beginner, ...No intermediate level sword intent."

"And he’s only in Qi Condensation realm."

"Really, is he a normal genius?"

Murmurs swelled across the arena as cultivators recognized the shift.

While novice intent was just entry level qualification showing the person’s will, beginner level intent showed that the person is learning, but true intermediate sword intent required not only deep comprehension but an instinctive harmony between will and weapon.

Most not even achieve it in Core Formation realm but in Qi Condensation realm Yu Xuan was actually wielding intermediate level sword intent, that spoke volumes of his talent.

The green skinned man heard the whispers and felt his heart sink.

His confident smirk faltered. His weapon was an Earth grade weapon, but that did not ease his worry. Even if his opponent’s weapon was a grade lower than his, the earlier novice level sword intent compensated for that.

But Intermediate level sword intent?

This wasn’t just a skilled fighter — this was someone on the path of true mastery.

But then, a bigger question hit him like a brick: Why is he in the Elemental Heaven Peak... and not the Martial Heaven Peak where sword cultivators belong?

He gritted his teeth at his own foolishness. He’d underestimated Yu Xuan and very badly at that.

This match was slipping beyond reach, and worse, this wasn’t just any genius... this was someone who might already be under the watch of elders.

He had been arrogant, yes, but not stupid. Antagonizing Yu Xuan further will do him no good.

"I get it now," the green skinned man said aloud, voice low but steady. "So that’s where your confidence comes from."

Yu Xuan gave a calm smile. "Then don’t disappoint me, Senior."

They clashed again.

The club, once so confidently swung, now met resistance that pushed back harder. Though the metal resisted novice level sword intent, it faltered under the precise pressure of a more refined force.

Crimson arcs trailed in the air as blade met club, again and again. Sparks flew. With each clash, the green skinned fighter was pushed further back. His knuckles ached. His footing grew less stable.

And Yu Xuan? Calm. Composed.

Every step deliberate.

Every swing filled with elegant, efficient violence.

And yet, he wasn’t even aiming for his opponent’s weak points. He didn’t need to. Weapon clashed with weapon, over and over, until the sheer difference in power became undeniable.

Yu Xuan could see it clearly now: his opponent was struggling. The goblin’s prized club, once effective at resisting his sword intent, had reached its limit. The resistance it offered was visibly weakening with every blow.

Then, without a word, Yu Xuan stepped back.

The crowd hushed. They knew what was coming.

He was preparing to end it — with his signature sword arc.

But just as he raised his weapon, the green skinned opponent made a desperate move.

The horn on his forehead began to glow. A focused beam of energy shot forward, sharp and fast.

Yu Xuan didn’t flinch. Instead of dodging, he angled his sword, catching the beam with the flat of the blade. The impact rattled his arm, and the sword vibrated under the strain, but it held.

Then, without hesitation, he slashed.

A crimson arc tore through the air, elegant and devastating.

It struck clean across the goblin’s chest. The blow knocked him off his feet, his club spinning out of his hand and clattering to the side.

The match was over.

Yu Xuan stood tall, his sword still humming softly in the aftermath. Victorious — again.

And somewhere in the challengers area a pale youth with dark circles under his eyes thought to himself, ’Great talent, I want that.’