Huang Rongrong stood on the stage, listening to the murmurs of the crowd, her heart growing increasingly unsettled. Every mention of "Huang Family Stockade" would unexpectedly bring back memories of those carefree days.

After a moment, she drew the short sword from her waist, pointed it toward the gathered members of the Lei Jian Sect in the distance, and shouted, "If you don't have the guts to come up, then scram! I'll spare you today, but I will personally visit to challenge you another time!"

This declaration was met with a collective cheer from the assembled martial artists, whose contempt for the Lei Jian Sect members intensified.

Tianyi Zhenren and Master Huixin exchanged grave looks, letting out a long sigh. "Another inescapable situation. The righteous path of the martial world suffers so much!"

Just then, Bei Cheng Yan, the Sect Master of Bei Jian Sect, approached. Hearing the exchange, she merely stated, "The Lei Jian Sect brought this upon themselves! They used to be a major faction in the Jianghu, but their successors have become increasingly useless. Not only have their unique skills been lost, but they have created a farce of internal strife! Now... hmph, does such a sect deserve to call itself righteous?"

Although Bei Cheng Yan was a woman, she possessed a profound sense of justice. She particularly detested bullies who relied on powerful backing, like the Lei Jian Sect. Ever since Lei Zhenshan took over, she had maintained distance from the sect members, keeping her interactions cool even when meeting them in the martial world. After she became the Sect Master, she explicitly ordered her disciples to minimize contact with the Lei Jian Sect personnel.

Ordinary disciples simply believed their Master disliked the Lei Jian Sect, unaware that, as Sect Master, Bei Cheng Yan had heard numerous accounts of the Lei Jian Sect's bullying behavior, which only deepened her aversion and motivated her actions.

Tianyi Zhenren remained silent. He usually devoted himself to refining profound techniques within his sect, studying Daoist canons, and managing various administrative matters. Given the Heavenly Dao Sect's intricate connections with the current imperial court—many disciples served the government—he had too many duties to attend to, resulting in less movement within the Jianghu, and infrequent visits to the Eastern Prefecture area. He was largely uninformed about the Lei Jian Sect's recent troubles until now, realizing they had truly incurred widespread public wrath.

Master Huixin was similarly occupied. He softly chanted a Buddhist invocation again and remarked, "Karma, karma. The Lei Jian Sect planted the cause; now they must reap the consequence..."

At this moment, Lei Zhenshan was drenched in sweat, understanding that the Lei Jian Sect's reputation was irrevocably tarnished under his watch. Back then, he had painstakingly forced his senior martial brother out to claim the long-coveted position of Sect Master, believing he could elevate the Lei Jian Sect to new heights of reverence in the martial world. Yet, more than ten years later, not only had the sect failed to ascend to the ranks of first-tier factions, but it had steadily declined.

Now, even a young girl dared to humiliate him in front of all the heroes of the martial world!

"Master, no matter what, let this disciple go teach this girl a lesson! If we allow her to continue acting so recklessly, the Lei Jian Sect will be utterly finished!"

Lei Zhenshan snapped back to reality: the immediate priority was silencing this girl! He turned to see his senior disciple, Qi Sheng. This disciple had been with him the longest and possessed the most refined martial arts; he should handle this engagement without issue.

As long as he could strike Huang Rongrong off the stage, the situation could at least be temporarily stabilized. Whether the Shu Mountain Sect would send out another challenger... he hadn't had time to consider that yet.

"Good. Silence that girl first!"

"Yes, Master!"

Qi Sheng acknowledged the command, hefted his treasured sword, leaped from his seat, and with a few more bounds, landed on the raised platform. His Qinggong (lightness skill) was not poor, but compared to Ye Wen’s terrifying method of simply floating onto the stage earlier, the disparity was clear.

Having resided at Shu Mountain for a long time, Huang Rongrong was accustomed to Ye Wen’s formidable Qinggong, and Ning Ruchue and Xu Xian’s strange and swift movements. Even she, with her greatly advanced internal power, far surpassed this Lei Jian Sect disciple in lightness skill. Seeing Qi Sheng now show off his Qinggong, she couldn't help but sneer, "Showing off in front of an expert!"

"Qi Sheng of the Lei Jian Sect!" To salvage the sect's image, Qi Sheng executed all formalities flawlessly. His tone was polite, and his appearance was respectable, leading a small number of spectators to feel a sliver of improved sentiment toward the Lei Jian Sect.

"Huang Rongrong!"

Huang Rongrong merely stated her name, as she was unsure what else to say. If she claimed allegiance to Shu Mountain, she wasn't actually a disciple of that sect. If she claimed the Huang Family Stockade, it would make things difficult for Shu Mountain today. Thus, she chose to mention nothing but her name.

Seeing Qi Sheng draw his longsword and assume a stance, Huang Rongrong flipped her hand, and the two short swords at her waist were instantly pulled free. These blades were inconspicuous hanging by her side, but once unsheathed, Qi Sheng’s expression immediately changed.

"Straight blades?"

Some sharp-eyed experts in the crowd also noticed that what Huang Rongrong held were not swords, but two straight blades, each about half a meter long.

These straight blades had been specially forged by Yu Ye at Ye Wen’s request, precisely to enhance Huang Rongrong's combat power.

The straight blade has a perfectly straight body and a single edge. Though fundamentally a saber, it could also execute sword techniques, making the transition for Huang Rongrong, who specialized in dual short swords, relatively smooth. More importantly, considering her opponent belonged to the Lei Jian Sect—whose members primarily excelled in swordsmanship—using the straight blade’s inherent strength might provide an advantage against opponents relying on fencing finesse.

Because the straight blade is single-edged, with the sharpened section taking up only a quarter of the blade’s width, it possessed a cleaving or chopping effect akin to an axe during a strike. If clashed against an ordinary longsword, the opponent's sword would be ruined within a few exchanges! Furthermore, the Lei Jian Sect's style emphasized speed and agility, meaning their swords were typically light, forcing them to avoid direct blade-on-blade contact with a wielder of heavy blades to prevent weapon damage.

Ye Wen intended to force the opponent to fight weapon-to-weapon, allowing Huang Rongrong to capitalize on her superior armament for victory. To this end, Ye Wen heavily modified techniques from the Profound Void Saber Art and the Blood Saber Art, incorporating elements from his Point-Striking Brush methods. The result was a dual-wielding saber technique named the 'Blood Void Dual Slash'—a name that referred both to the technique and the specialized weapons required to perform it.

Though such blades have a more renowned name in Ye Wen's original world—the Tang Dao—this world possessed the weapon but lacked the historical context of that dynasty, hence the simple designation 'straight blade.'

The most crucial design aspect of the straight blade was its ability to cut through armor during combat—a key difference from katana blades, which initially did not need to pierce armor defenses and thus prioritized cutting capability over chopping force. Consequently, the straight blade (Tang Dao) was also heavier than a katana of comparable size.

Though Huang Rongrong’s twin blades were not long, they were weighty. Without half a year of ceaseless practice and rapid progress in her internal arts, wielding them effectively would have been arduous.

Qi Sheng’s astonishment at seeing these weapons stemmed from the straight blade’s significant armor-piercing capability. In this world, it was classified as a restricted weapon, rarely used by martial artists; it was primarily a tool for military personnel. The complexity of its forging and high cost were also major factors.

When Ye Wen first commissioned Yu Ye to forge these straight blades, Yu Ye was extremely anxious and sought clarification from his Master. Ye Wen merely asked, "Does the court prohibit short protective blades?"

"Well... no, they don't prohibit those!"

"Then forge them without worry. These two straight blades do not meet the specification for standard long swords or long sabers; they count only as personal protective gear!"

Only then did Yu Ye resume forging. Ye Wen had exploited a loophole to arm Huang Rongrong with these weapons.

Many quick-witted Jianghu figures immediately grasped that while Huang Rongrong's weapons were styled as straight blades, their length fell short of the standard specification, meaning they weren't contraband. Their surprise quickly subsided; after all, those who wander the martial world often hold a degree of disregard for imperial decree. Their primary curiosity remained: why would a disciple from the Shu Mountain Sect, known as a school of the sword, wield a pair of short sabers?

Some well-informed observers explained, "Although the straight blade is called a Dao, and many maneuvers are saber-based, its straight body and sharp tip still allow for the execution of sword techniques!"

These insightful words reached Qi Sheng on the stage. He instantly understood Huang Rongrong's intent: "She thinks she can shatter my Lei Jian Sect's sword techniques with superior weaponry? How naïve!"

Hearing the comments, Qi Sheng became more convinced that Huang Rongrong lacked the necessary personal skill, hence her reliance on weaponry—which informed his dismissive statement.

Huang Rongrong’s expression remained icy. She responded, "Whether it is naïve or not, we shall see when we test it!" With that, she ceased wasting breath, and her dual blades flashed, transforming into a blur of steel slicing directly toward Qi Sheng’s face.

Seeing the utterly unadorned attack, Qi Sheng permitted himself a slight sneer. He casually stated, "Is that all you have?" His longsword thrust forward, then flickered, unleashing several streaks of sword light that stabbed toward Huang Rongrong, executing the Lei Jian Sect’s signature technique, the Thunder Sword Style.

Since the Sky Sword Technique and the Soaring Dragon Sword Art were lost, the Thunder Sword Style was the only high-level art the Lei Jian Sect still possessed. Because of this, they had thoroughly mastered it. When Qi Sheng deployed it now, it carried a hint of swift, thunderous momentum, its power far eclipsing that of Lei Ying.

Huang Rongrong felt a chill flash before her eyes as several sword lights surged towards her, each carrying astonishing force, commanding respect. In the past, she would have been paralyzed with confusion. Now, having practiced extensively with Xu Xian, she was most familiar with techniques involving feints and reality. While Qi Sheng’s swordplay was fast, it was nowhere near Xu Xian’s speed. Moreover, no matter how swift the sword, it could only target her body; this drastically narrowed the area of engagement.

She recalled Ye Wen’s advice: "The Lei Jian Sect’s sword style is fast, but their footwork cannot keep up with their quick blades! Therefore, however fast his swordsmanship, he can only attack the side facing you. They cannot cover the other flanks! When engaging him, do not panic; simply guard the side facing your enemy!"

Recalling this, Huang Rongrong immediately danced her dual blades into a sphere of steel, protecting her vital points in front of her. Clang! A perfect parry met Qi Sheng’s thrust.

"Once you locate the position of their blade, do not hesitate. Immediately swing your short blades to chop at him, forcing him to use his weapon for defense. A few continuous strikes will destroy his weapon. At that point, you will have the advantage of armament, and he will have lost his most proficient skill—he will be entirely at your mercy..."

Huang Rongrong’s left blade did not retract; it slid along the line of his longsword, using the momentum to press downward, while her right blade swept down in an overhead chop toward his head.

Qi Sheng was greatly alarmed. He hastily twisted his wrist, freeing his longsword from the constraint of the opposing short blade, and swiftly brought the longsword up horizontally to block Huang Rongrong’s descending strike. Because he had been charging forward, this sudden halt forced him into a defensive posture where evasion was impossible; he could only block head-on.

Huang Rongrong deflected the first blow, but showed no annoyance. Her left blade swung around to shear toward Qi Sheng’s wrist. Seeing this, Qi Sheng immediately rotated his longsword again, blocking the second strike.

Two sharp clangs echoed in succession, each sending a shock through Qi Sheng. Though the crowd couldn't see clearly, he observed with dread that Huang Rongrong’s weapons were embedding themselves slightly into his sword body with every impact. After only two exchanges, his longsword already bore two notches. A few more blows, and it was likely to snap entirely.

"Damn it!"

He cursed under his breath, but it did nothing to change the tide of the battle. Huang Rongrong launched herself upwards, airborne, and brought both her dual blades down squarely toward Qi Sheng's nape. This strike perfectly blocked the direction Qi Sheng intended to retreat to. Having no choice, he was compelled to block again with his longsword.

Clang! Clang! Two more gashes appeared on the longsword, and these two strikes were far more brutal than the previous ones. His sword was now riddled with damage.

Looking at Huang Rongrong, one saw a personality who loved to play and roam; she had been constantly moving as a bandit. Her Qinggong was already perfected through unrestrained practice. After reaching the Shu Mountain Sect, her internal energy improved, and with direct tutelage from the Qinggong master Xu Xian, her lightness skill elevated even further. Now, her small figure darted left and right, weaving around Qi Sheng, striking and cutting, forcing him to parry with his sword on every single attack.

The crowd heard a continuous, deafening sound of steel colliding—ping-pong-ping-pong—since the fight began. A few observers directly stated, "That dog of the Lei Jian Sect is done for!"

Most people understood the outcome of steel meeting saber head-on, and they nodded in agreement. Just then, there was a sudden, loud CLANG! from the stage, followed by the sight of half a blade flying skyward, flashing brilliantly in the rising sunlight.

Thwack.

While the crowd’s attention was drawn to the severed weapon, they suddenly heard the sound of steel penetrating flesh. Looking down, they saw Huang Rongrong’s dual short blades plunged up to the hilt into Qi Sheng’s chest and abdomen. The thwack was the unmistakable sound of a weapon entering the body.

"Ah!" Because his weapon was destroyed, Qi Sheng, momentarily stunned, felt searing pain in his chest and stomach. Looking down, he saw the dual blades that had ruined his sword sunk deep into his body. The intense agony, coupled with the primal fear of death rising within him, utterly shattered Qi Sheng’s composure. With a tragic howl, he sent a chill down the spines of the surrounding martial artists.

This was not the end. After burying the blades, Huang Rongrong twisted her wrists, turning the twin short blades within Qi Sheng's body. This action elicited another bout of agonizing cries from him.

However, this scream was cut short. Huang Rongrong put force into her hands, drawing the dual blades straight out. She immediately retreated backward, leaping away. As her body flipped in mid-air, blood streamed from the blades, splashing onto the stage and dyeing the platform with vibrant color.

When she landed, her twin blades were once again gleaming coldly, devoid of any trace of blood. Qi Sheng lay dead on the stage with a heavy thud.

"Sheng'er!"

After all, he was his personal disciple. Watching him die before his eyes, Lei Zhenshan was both shocked and enraged. However, Huang Rongrong’s attack was too swift; the entire sequence, from shattering Qi Sheng’s weapon to delivering the killing blow, happened in an instant. Even if Lei Zhenshan had wanted to save his disciple, it would have been impossible.

"You... you are so vicious! And you call this righteous conduct?"

Huang Rongrong fixed Lei Zhenshan with a cold gaze. "When you permitted your disciples to slaughter more than a hundred souls in my stockade, why did you not speak of viciousness? I declared today that I came for vengeance, yet you sent a disciple to his death. If we speak of ruthlessness, I am far inferior to you!"

"You!"

Lei Zhenshan felt his blood surge, his face turning the color of liver. His fingers trembled uncontrollably as he stammered, "You... Good! Good! Very good!"

With that, he struck his scabbard with his left hand. The internal force propelled the longsword straight out, landing perfectly in his grasp.

"This old man accepts Miss Huang’s challenge! I want to see who dies today, you or I!"

Saying this, he leaped from his seat, and with another powerful bound, landed directly on the stage. In this vertical leap and subsequent bound, his Qinggong proved far superior to Qi Sheng’s, and his movements suggested a relaxed exertion, implying he had not used his full strength.

Huang Rongrong inwardly gasped at the sight: "Sect Master Ye warned me that while I could exploit the weaker footwork of ordinary Lei Jian Sect disciples, against someone whose movement skills were equally swift, my own skills might prove insufficient! Looking at Lei Zhenshan now, his lightness skill is countless times better than Qi Sheng’s. Can I truly kill him today?"

Yet, upon reflection, her father and all her uncles had died because of this man. A surge of accumulated grievance rushed to her mind, overriding all caution. She resolved inwardly, "I will fight to the death!"

With this thought, she brandished her twin blades, focusing her spirit and searching for the opportune moment to strike.

Across from her, Lei Zhenshan held his longsword horizontally before him, then sneered, "You think you can defeat me based on superior weaponry? That is merely a pipe dream..."

As he leveled his sword, the spectators finally noticed that Lei Zhenshan's longsword was vastly different from those carried by the other Lei Jian Sect members; it was a broader longsword. A blade this wide, they speculated, could likely withstand several blows from a saber, diminishing the effectiveness of Huang Rongrong’s twin short blades.

Ye Wen, watching from below, also started in surprise, sensing trouble. However, he immediately detected a slight flutter in Xu Xian’s robes, realizing his junior martial brother was already activating his internal arts in readiness, which somewhat eased his concern.