CHAPTER 200: CHAPTER 196: THREE SWORDS?

"My sword, why should it need to enter the Green Cloud?"

Li Fan’s words left the few who had spoken before him frozen in place.

Han Zhong paused briefly, then chuckled and said, "Are you implying that we ordinary men strive to join the Green Cloud List to make a name for ourselves, while you, disdain entering it altogether?"

With those words, Li Fan’s arrogance had ascended to a whole new level.

The crowd had assumed that he had come here today to make a name for himself, hoping to climb higher in the Green Cloud List and enter the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena for training.

But he had faced rejection from Cang Yunxuan, who made it clear that he was disqualified.

*Could it be that Li Fan was provoked by this?*

*Was this the reason for such deliberate words?*

*A youth with innate pride, displaying extraordinary talent in Sword Dao, yet being refused entry and thus humiliated—uttering such excessive words under this kind of provocation was perhaps understandable. He was expressing his dissatisfaction while further showcasing his brazen arrogance in Sword Dao.*

"Saying this makes me a little displeased as well." Xia Yao smiled as she spoke, a remark that subtly put Li Fan at a disadvantage.

"Your sword is commendable, but even if your single stroke reaches the pinnacle, earning you the Green Cloud List’s twenty-fifth spot, it’s still only twenty-fifth. Such words seem a bit inappropriate," Gu Qiu added. "If one day you ascend to the top three positions on the Green Cloud List, speaking like this would then be fitting."

*Only immense strength justifies audacious remarks.*

*Even though Li Fan was naturally gifted, those earlier statements were simply a bit too much.*

*Being ranked twenty-fifth on the Green Cloud List—he wouldn’t even qualify to make such claims if he broke into the top twenty.*

"All of you have said your share. What’s the harm in me saying mine?" Li Fan laughed nonchalantly. He was here today solely to block Su Chen’s path, yet they all started commenting as though they knew him intimately.

*Could youthful arrogance be unallowed?*

*If they already considered him audacious, then why not lean into it a little more?*

*He thought of the Old Blind Man, thought of Zuo Canglan—weren’t they once wildly arrogant in their time? Who would dare point fingers at them?*

Cang Yunxuan, Li Chengying’s disciple, had anticipated his intentions. Before he’d even expressed his desire to join the Shadow Bearing Sword Arena, they’d preemptively rejected him. The rest followed suit with their critiques.

*How hilariously absurd.*

Ultimately, the reason boiled down to simplicity—Cang Yunxuan was the Green Cloud List’s top-ranked individual from the previous cycle, Li Chengying’s direct disciple, whose name carved into the stone wall was the most prominent.

Thus, Cang Yunxuan’s opinions were taken as a matter of course.

In contrast, he—a junior newcomer to the Green Cloud List—his words amounted to sheer conceit and ignorance of his place; everyone felt entitled to weigh in.

Even though he had defeated Su Chen and Chen Xiao with a single sword stroke, they stubbornly clung to the belief that his abilities were confined to that single stroke. A peak of one strike.

*Swordmaster Jian Yi’s blade indeed embodied the zenith of singular strokes—but Li Fan had yet to demonstrate his second move. Upon what basis did they presume?*

*Was he truly limited to one sword?*

*Why should he be confined to just one blade?*

"If you claim to have no need for the Green Cloud, I imagine your confidence in your sword must be absolute. Then let me see how sharp it truly is." Han Zhong unsheathed the heavy sword from his back and pointed at Li Fan while speaking. "I rank seventh on the Green Cloud List. It would be unfair of me to fight you fully, so I will only use three strikes. What say you?"

"Are you Green Cloud List folks planning to take turns fighting him?" Huang Xiong strode over from the direction of the carriage, glaring at Han Zhong. "You’ll need to deal with me first."

"You’re the coachman?" Han Zhong glanced at Huang Xiong and said, "I’ve heard of your combat prowess, but for a mere coachman to challenge me—isn’t that absurd?"

"Boom."

Huang Xiong stomped forward, his Martial Soul Golden Body manifesting. Behind him, his Martial Spirit shadow solidified, golden brilliance flowed across his form, and his qi and blood surged forth. Han Zhong’s eyes flickered with a trace of astonishment as he observed him.

*A martial artist of the Heavenly Gang Early Stage exerting such an oppressive force?*

*If his cultivation reached the Late Stage of Heavenly Gang Realm, he would be truly formidable.*

However, for now...

The massive heavy sword rested in Han Zhong’s grip, and an equally fierce Sword Aura erupted from him. As Huang Xiong roared forward to attack, Han Zhong stepped forward, swinging his arm. A giant shadow of a sword materialized, slashing forward.

A massive sword phantom appeared above Han Zhong, roaring loudly. As the wild heavy sword swung down, a savage and sharp force battered Huang Xiong.

Huang Xiong let out a yell and unleashed a massive fist light, but Han Zhong’s strike descended relentlessly.

The collision of the wild heavy sword with the fist light produced a violent sound. The surrounding air trembled as the heavy sword continued its trajectory downward, cutting directly into Huang Xiong’s fist.

"Clang..."

The clash reverberated sharply, sending numerous thick sword rays outward. They landed on Huang Xiong’s body.

Terrifying power forced Huang Xiong’s body backward, his steps retreating repeatedly, his garments torn open, and several deep wounds appearing.

"Such tyrannical defense."

Han Zhong stared at Huang Xiong in mild shock. Despite being in the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, Huang Xiong, merely in the Heavenly Gang Early Stage—and facing Han Zhong as a powerful Sword Cultivator—had only sustained a few injuries?

*Had it been another martial artist, a single strike might’ve been fatal.*

Huang Xiong’s qi and blood churned within him, but his gaze still burned with fury as he prepared to advance again. Li Fan called out, "Brother Huang!"

*The disparity in cultivation was simply too vast—two minor realms apart. Additionally, Han Zhong was ranked seventh on the Green Cloud List and possessed incredible combat prowess. Huang Xiong stood no chance of victory.*

Huang Xiong glared at Han Zhong, unwilling to concede.

*For a powerful Sword Cultivator at the Late Stage Foundation Establishment, ranked among the top ten of the Green Cloud List, to step forward and face Li Fan—it was shameless.*

Li Fan steadied Huang Xiong before turning his gaze toward Cang Yunxuan. *At this moment, he didn’t stop them?*

*Since he didn’t intervene...*

Li Fan raised his hand to settle Huang Xiong and stepped forward, once again drawing the blade marked "Jian Yi."

All eyes fell upon him.

Li Fan truly intended to test this?

"You’ll use three strikes?" Li Fan looked at Han Zhong and asked.

Han Zhong stated that he wouldn’t overwhelm Li Fan; he’d use only three strikes.

"Indeed," Han Zhong replied while locking eyes with Li Fan. "You act as though the Green Cloud List means nothing to you, which prompted me to step forward and temper your attitude with three strikes."

"Because I disregard the Green Cloud List, you feel the need to temper my attitude? Who do you think you are? Aren’t you even more arrogant than I?" Li Fan countered. "So, you stand atop your lofty perch, pointing your finger at me."

*They assumed their status entitled them to lecture him, while he lacked the right to be audacious.*

*Youthfulness, it seemed, had become a fault.*

"Three strikes?" Li Fan let out a mocking laugh.

"Bring it on!"

He shouted boldly, eager to see if Han Zhong could truly defeat him in three moves.

*If Han Zhong couldn’t, what would he do then?*

After that declaration, Li Fan still felt unsatisfied. Scanning the crowd, he added, "Anyone who wants to join is welcome."

*They wanted to see if his sword was sharp?*

*Then let them see it clearly.*

Standing in the center of the crowd, sword in hand, sunlight spilling over his handsome face, the youthful Li Fan radiated a vibrant spirit—a desire to challenge them all.

Though many onlookers thought him audacious, the scene stirred silent admiration: *Life is fleeting; the young should be this bold.*

*If not in youth, when else would one dare to be audacious?*

"Fine."

Han Zhong roared loudly, his heavy sword in hand as he strode toward Li Fan. An overwhelming pressure bore down on Li Fan as Han Zhong wielded his Earth-based Sword Intent.

Iron Sword Han Zhong, ranked seventh on the Green Cloud List.

Every eye locked on the battlefield. Could Han Zhong truly defeat Li Fan with three strikes?

They watched as Li Fan stayed perfectly still, holding his sharp blade. Sword Aura danced around him, forming whirlwinds—a fusion of sword and man.

His posture remained upright, with an inner vitality as radiant as the rising sun, thunder and wind accompanying him.

"The first strike, Windbreaker." Han Zhong roared, stepping forward. His heavy sword tore forward with brutal simplicity, cleaving through the wind without emitting a sound.

Above Li Fan’s head, a massive sword phantom appeared, the heavy sword slicing down and tearing the air apart.

A Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator unleashing an attack, its force overwhelming.

*How could Li Fan block such a strike?*

A dragon’s roar emanated from within Li Fan’s physique. He did not block; he counterattacked.

Leaning forward, Li Fan swung his sword—a single stroke to the peak, the singular "One Word Slash," roaring with thunder and dragon cries.

The heavy sword descended, colliding with Li Fan’s blade. A storm of destruction erupted, sweeping outward.

Both bodies slid backward simultaneously—Han Zhong retreated one step, Li Fan three.

Han Zhong’s sword was weighted, forceful; Li Fan’s blade, sharp.

"One strike!"

Han Zhong had unleashed one blow yet only caused Li Fan to retreat slightly.

"Boom..."

Han Zhong stomped forward, shattering the cobblestones beneath his step. An even stronger pressure erupted as he leaped into the air, gripping his heavy sword with both hands to deliver a downwards slash.

"The second strike, Mountain Cleaver."

Han Zhong soared through the sky, hefting a domineering slash toward Li Fan, numerous sword phantoms converging above Li Fan’s head.

"Buzz."

Li Fan propelled himself off the ground, rising into the air with a whirlwind of sword intent. Riding the momentum of his first strike, he unleashed the second.

His Sword Aura coiled like dragons, breaking through wind and thunder, channeling the Li Hen Sword Technique.

This stroke followed the lineage of the first, even surpassing it in strength.

As Mountain Cleaver came down, Li Fan’s dragon-like Sword Aura surged forward. A phantom True Dragon seemed to materialize, roaring toward Han Zhong’s descending slash.

"Boom..."

Another explosion shook the air—Han Zhong was forced upward; Li Fan, back to the ground unscathed.

After the second strike, Li Fan remained without injury.

Han Zhong landed heavily, lifting his gaze toward the figure opposite him. He had underestimated Li Fan.

*Li Fan wasn’t limited to one blade.*

"The third strike—I’ll hold nothing back," Han Zhong declared as he eyed Li Fan.

*Three strikes down; still audacious?*

Li Fan smirked and mocked, "Had we been at the same level, you and Chen Xiao or Su Chen would have been indistinguishable. One sword would have sufficed to defeat you."

The crowd was silent. Even being two cultivation levels apart, Han Zhong had used two strikes and hadn’t gained any advantage.

*Were they equal in realm...*

*Perhaps it really would be resolved with one sword.*

*Ranked twenty-five on the Green Cloud List?*

*Not even those in the top twenty could hold him off anymore!*