CHAPTER 86: CHAPTER 86: ARSENAL OF MARTIAL ARTS

Xiu Yingmei stared at Shang Ziyi and said, "I am the Deputy Commander of the Celestial Court Army. Standing against me means standing against the Celestial Court Army. Is the Shang Family rebelling against the Ancestral Court?"

"Xiu Yingmei, no need for more nonsense. The Xiu Family doesn’t represent the Celestial Court Army now, let alone you, Xiu Yingmei. Hand over the items or die; you have no third option." Shang Ziyi’s gaze was cold, with no expression on his face.

"Everyone says Shang Ziyi is the arsenal of the world. No matter what Martial Arts Techniques he learns, he masters them instantly and achieves excellence. At the age of twenty, he has reached the realm of Martial Arts Grandmaster where all techniques return to their source. Today, I want to see whether this rumor is true." Xiu Yingmei leapt forward, landing in front of Shang Ziyi, her finger shooting towards Shang Ziyi’s eye like lightning.

Shang Ziyi remained calm, flipping his palm to press down on Xiu Yingmei’s finger.

Xiu Yingmei’s finger reversed its direction, pointing towards Shang Ziyi’s palm.

Shang Ziyi formed a seal with his hand, bouncing his middle finger off Xiu Yingmei’s finger, resulting in a crisp, resonant sound.

Their movements were extremely quick, exchanging more than ten techniques in an instant.

Chen Guan watched in awestruck amazement. The combat capabilities of both far surpassed Master Yang San. Although at the same Second Awakening, these two, without using Secret Skills and relying only on Fighting Technique, posed a much greater threat than Master Yang San.

Despite the same varied techniques, it was clear to Chen Guan that Xiu Yingmei was actually at a disadvantage.

Xiu Yingmei’s Fighting Technique was exceptionally fierce; rarely can a woman launch such a powerful offensive like Xiu Yingmei.

Moreover, each of her techniques was domineering and forceful, using attack as defense with nearly no flaws, as any attempt to exploit her flaws would first require withstanding her assault.

This Technique was far superior to Master Yang San’s Ghost Claw Hand. Chen Guan mused that in pure combat technique, he might not be a match for Xiu Yingmei.

Nonetheless, Xiu Yingmei has undergone Second Awakening, so a comparison with Chen Guan is not appropriate.

Xiu Yingmei’s fierce offensive was, however, easily blocked by Shang Ziyi with one hand.

Shang Ziyi’s hand seemed boneless like a demon, appearing and disappearing mysteriously, deflecting Xiu Yingmei’s double-handed and double-legged attacks with one arm, still looking at ease, clearly not exerting his full strength.

"It’s bad, looks like Xiu Yingmei might not be a match for Shang Ziyi." Chen Guan saw Shang Ziyi casually use various techniques to neutralize Xiu Yingmei’s same move in several different ways, each approach leaving Xiu Yingmei helpless.

"You are not my match; have your big brother, Xiu Jie Ming, come instead. Stop putting up futile resistance. For the sake of the Xiu Family, just leave the items behind, and you can leave by yourself." Shang Ziyi effortlessly deflected Xiu Yingmei’s offensive, saying.

"How dare a Second Awakening challenge my big brother? Beat me first!" Xiu Yingmei’s hands formed into grips, producing one long and one short curved saber.

The long saber gleamed silver, while the short one shone in gold, a golden and silver pair, one long, one short, spun into a storm in Xiu Yingmei’s hands.

The blade flashed like a thunderstorm, seeming capable of shattering everything.

Chen Guan saw that Xiu Yingmei was serious now, the curved saber gleaming with blade light, indicating she was using Alien Elemental Energy with Secret Blade Technique, intending to cut Shang Ziyi down.

Yet Shang Ziyi remained unruffled as if strolling leisurely, fluttering like a butterfly amidst the flashing blades, avoiding even the slightest contact with Xiu Yingmei’s twin sabers.

"Your Alien Elemental Energy should be a product of Nine Extremes Divine Skill combined with some World-Defying Secret Spirit, possessing the Nine Extremes Divine Skill’s Unity of Nine-Nine trait, condensing Primordial Energy to the utmost, while having Armor-Piercing Effect attributes seemingly derived from that Secret Spirit."

While evading Xiu Yingmei’s attacks, Shang Ziyi even commented on Xiu Yingmei: "This kind of Alien Elemental Energy allows you to exert Sword and Saber Energy akin to what a Third Awakening could achieve, making you virtually invincible in Second Awakening, impervious to direct confrontation."

At this point, Shang Ziyi’s jade-like fingers flicked backward, striking the sabers’ blade to deflect them, while saying, "Regrettably, your Sword Skill is lacking; The Heaven and Earth Slaying Blade Technique is used too clumsily by you, lacking the domineering spirit of heaven and the immense continuity of earth, it’s truly a waste to pair it with these Mandarin Duck Butterfly Sabers."

Clang, Clang, Clang!

Shang Ziyi flicked with one hand repeatedly, forcing the twin sabers imbued with indomitable blade light to deflect time and again, rendering Xiu Yingmei’s offensive nearly impossible, forced to change techniques repeatedly.

"But this can’t be blamed on you, the Heaven and Earth Slaying Blade is inherently a supremely rigid, masculine, grand sword skill, meant for a heroic man to train in. You’ve chosen wrongly, such a sword skill isn’t meant for a woman." Shang Ziyi continued speaking.

Upon hearing Shang Ziyi’s words, a chill flashed in Xiu Yingmei’s eyes.

This was the kind of comment she despised hearing: "This isn’t meant for women, women aren’t suitable for this sword skill, women should be gentle like water."

Born in the Xiu Family, she had heard too many words like these, even her father only saw her future as supporting Xiu Jie Ming, or marrying into a well-matched family that could support the Xiu Family further.

No matter how hard and how much effort Xiu Yingmei put in, the family’s view of her role had never changed.

While Xiu Yingmei thought marrying a well-matched husband was fine and was willing to support her big brother Xiu Jie Ming, she could not bear being seen merely as a subsidiary.

Within the Xiu Family, only Xiu Jie Ming regarded her as an equal, not just a woman who could only become an accessory.

Chill flashed in Xiu Yingmei’s eyes, suddenly her hands crossed, switching the short and long sabers, and shifted from holding sabers normally to reverse grip.

"Now see for yourself whether my Heaven and Earth Slaying Blade is up to the mark." Xiu Yingmei’s voice was icy as her saber flashed deadly cold, each strike life-threatening from unexpected angles.

Suddenly, Shang Ziyi found himself unable to predict Xiu Yingmei’s blade path, let alone flick the saber. He had to continuously retreat to barely dodge Xiu Yingmei’s assaults.

Xiu Yingmei’s twin sabers in cascading succession, blade light one connection after another— Chen Guan seemed to see waves of moons flashing.

Slash!

Shang Ziyi quickly retreated to create distance. Xiu Yingmei did not pursue immediately, but coldly looked at Shang Ziyi’s sleeve sliced open with a long cut, saying, "How is my Heaven and Earth Slaying Blade Skill now?"

"People might say only Xiu Jie Ming has a heavenly talent within the Xiu Family, but it seems they’ve underestimated the other young ones in the family. To have dissected and reversed the Heaven and Earth Slaying Blade Skill, combining your own thoughts and improvements—your Martial Arts Talent, Xiu Yingmei, is likely no less than Xiu Jie Ming." Shang Ziyi stated sincerely.