C8 Cloudstrider!(2)

He had spent three years mastering twenty-seven forms, but this guy had effortlessly executed all thirty-six forms in the blink of an eye?

A deep sense of defeat began to quietly take root in Yang Xiao's heart.

"Hmm? He's not stopping?"

Just then, a voice tinged with astonishment arose from nearby.

Su Wanqing's brow furrowed, her beautiful eyes reflecting a hint of amazement. She noticed that even after completing the thirty-sixth form, Ling Chen's movements hadn't ceased in the slightest.

"The thirty-seventh form, Cloudstrike!"

"What?!" Yang Xiao cried out, his face turning pale in an instant.

A tumultuous wave of shock surged through his heart.

Thirty-seven forms... How could that be?

"The Cloudstrider technique only has thirty-six forms. Where did this thirty-seventh come from?" Yang Xiao blurted out.

"The essence of swordsmanship is its infinite nature; it has neither a beginning nor an end... If one only clings to the moves listed in the manual, how can they ever grasp the true sword's will?" Ling Chen said with a light chuckle, his sword dancing in his hand once more.

"The thirty-eighth form, Cloudstrike!"

"The thirty-ninth form, Cloudstep!"

"The fortieth form, Aetherblast!"

...

After completing the fortieth form, Ling Chen sheathed his sword and exhaled deeply.

Yang Xiao finally came to his senses and asked with a hint of longing, "Is that it? What comes after the fortieth form?"

"I don't know what comes after the fortieth form," Ling Chen replied, shaking his head with a serene smile. "To be precise, I'm not yet capable of performing the forty-first form. But the world is wide and limitless. I'm certain that there is a forty-first form out there, and perhaps even a fifty-first or sixty-first form!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao was momentarily taken aback.

A complex emotion flickered through his eyes.

The animosity he once felt towards Ling Chen had faded, replaced by an indescribable sentiment... Was it respect? Or envy?

"I lost!"

Yang Xiao's face fell as he uttered these three words.

This time, he was thoroughly convinced by his defeat, harboring no resentment whatsoever!

The gap between him and Ling Chen was indeed vast!

As Yang Xiao made his admission, the students around them erupted into a buzz of disbelief.

"Yang Xiao actually lost?"

"Our class's top genius was defeated so terribly by Ling Chen?"

"After today, this guy is definitely going to make a name for himself!"

The students whispered among themselves, their words tinged with jealousy, admiration, and for many, a complex mix of emotions.

They had pegged Ling Chen as a nobody, but now it was clear that wasn't the case. He had simply been keeping a low profile, not wanting to show off his skills.

Everyone had underestimated Ling Chen, but today he had taken everyone by surprise.

No one had anticipated that Ling Chen's abilities would outmatch even Yang Xiao.

The two teachers who had come to intervene exchanged bewildered glances.

Ling Chen's homeroom teacher, Liu Yan, could never have imagined that the typically unremarkable Ling Chen was actually so powerful!

At that moment, the silence was deafening; you could have heard a pin drop.

Liu Yan and Tan Wei were the first to snap out of it.

Liu Yan angrily exclaimed, "What are you all still doing here? Aren't you embarrassed?"

With that, the students quickly scattered from the contest field.

As Yang Xiao departed, he gave Ling Chen a complex look before swiftly leaving the scene.

Once the students had gone, Liu Yan turned to Ling Chen with a helpless expression and said, "Ling Chen, you've kept your strength hidden so well, I was worried you'd be bullied."

Ling Chen smiled and shook his head.

He bowed respectfully to Liu Yan and said, "Thank you for your concern, Teacher. I'm alright."

Liu Yan gave Ling Chen a relieved glance and said, "Well, if you're alright, I'll be on my way. Don't forget to come to class the day after tomorrow."

Ling Chen nodded in agreement.

Just then, Su Wanqing playfully winked at Ling Chen and asked, "Ling Chen, do you want to walk to school together tomorrow?"

Upon hearing this, Ling Chen paused thoughtfully and replied, "Class president, our homes aren't exactly on the same route..."

Su Wanqing immediately pouted in response.

She huffed, feeling slightly annoyed.

Suddenly, she thought Ling Chen was being dense. Did they really need to be on the same path to walk to school together?

Su Wanqing cast a slightly resentful glance at Ling Chen and said with a hint of annoyance, "Fine, I'm leaving. Just make sure you get to the academy early the day after tomorrow. And don't you dare be late!"

She issued a playful warning to Ling Chen before departing from the contest field.

Once Su Wanqing and the rest had left...

Ling Chen didn't linger. He swiftly exited the contest field.

But Ling Chen didn't head back to the Ling family's residence.

Instead, he set off in the opposite direction.

His duel with Yang Xiao earlier had stirred a flood of memories.

Today, he was on his way to meet an old friend.

Following the street, Ling Chen soon paused in front of a grand estate.

The Yang family was undeniably a premier family within the vast Nacuan Empire. Their estate spanned over a thousand acres, with guards posted at the entrance, exuding a solemn and imposing aura that could be felt for miles around.

They were leagues beyond the reach of a secondary power like the Ling family.

Five centuries prior, the patriarch of the Yang family first made his mark in the Nacuan Empire during a time of internal strife and relentless warfare. The neighboring countries harassed without cease, and the common folk suffered greatly.

In those days, the patriarch of the Yang family ventured alone into the heart of the rebel encampment.

One man, one sword, half a day.

He single-handedly ended the conflict that had tormented the Nacuan Empire for decades, earning him the title of War God from the founding emperor.

It was this very legacy that allowed the Yang family to ascend to the pinnacle of Nacuan society, becoming the foremost family without ever dabbling in politics or commerce.

"Who would have thought that the kid would actually pull off such a monumental feat?" Ling Chen mused, a smile playing on his lips and a soft warmth in his eyes.

"But knowing him, how could he ever be content in a small place like the Nacuan Empire?"

As Ling Chen lost himself in thought, he was abruptly interrupted.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

"This is the Yang family estate. No unauthorized persons may approach!"

The two guards at the entrance barked their challenge, a formidable presence emanating from them.

They were at the Seventh Heaven of the Warforged.

With that level of skill, he would be regarded as a top-tier expert throughout the entire Nacuan Empire, yet he was assigned by the Yang family to stand guard at the gate?

Truly, this speaks to the prestige of the foremost family in the Nacuan Empire.

Ling Chen approached and spoke calmly, "Is the patriarch of the Yang family named Yang Shanhe?"