Chapter 1486: Zhang Family Sword Technique

"You..."Seeing Zhang Qin, whose head was stuck in the ground and who had already fainted, Zhang Xu and the others froze, unable to utter a single word. They had initially thought that even if this genius's swordplay was masterful, it wouldn't be overwhelmingly powerful. They never dreamed that Zhang Qin, using his full strength, couldn't even withstand a single move. In fact, the opponent didn't even use the sword qi from his fingertips; a single kick was all it took to end it!

"I'll go!"Taking a deep breath, Zhang Xu stepped forward. He was well aware of Zhang Qin's strength; even if Zhang Qin's understanding of the sword path wasn't as profound as his own, he was still undeniably a top-tier expert. The opponent had defeated him without even drawing a sword. If Zhang Hen went up, there was no doubt he wouldn't be a match either."Let me go instead. Even if I don't win, I can force him to use his sword arts, and then your chances of winning will increase significantly..." Zhang Hen stepped in front of him.

"Let's just fight together!" Seeing the two deferring to each other, Zhang Xuan looked indifferent. "I don't have time to waste; I'm a bit weak right now and need to cultivate!" As he spoke, he opened his acupuncture points, continuously absorbing the spiritual energy wafting through the air."Hmph, since you asked for it yourself, don't blame us for being impolite..." Seeing Zhang Xuan disregard them so thoroughly, Zhang Xu and Zhang Hen didn't refuse out of pride. They exchanged a glance and stepped forward together."Considering your previous moves, it would indeed be difficult for us to win in a one-on-one fight. Now, by joining forces and still using the Zhang Clan's combined sword art, it's not against the rules!" Taking their positions, Zhang Xu clasped his hands and bowed.

"Begin!"Knowing that the Zhang Clan always found excuses for their shamelessness, Zhang Xuan didn't bother to say more. With a flick of his finger, a streak of sword qi traced an arc in the air, and he gently entered the battle circle.Exchanging a glance, Zhang Xu and Zhang Hen instantly suppressed their power to the peak of the Domain realm. Their longswords simultaneously emitted a faint hum as they thrust from both the left and right sides. Their swordplay didn't appear fast, yet every attack aimed at a point Zhang Xuan couldn't help but defend. No matter how he moved, the strikes precisely targeted his vulnerabilities, making them impossible to guard against.

"This is... the Xingmeng Sword Art..." Jian Qinsheng's body trembled.The husband and wife, Xing and Meng, had profound sword arts that complemented each other. Even Master Yang had praised them, showcasing their power. The sword moves Zhang Xu and Zhang Hen were now performing were precisely those created by the duo, working in tandem. While it didn't make the swords faster, it significantly increased their power and made them even more formidable. Leaving aside others, even Jian Qinsheng himself, if he encountered this at the same level, his only option would be to surrender immediately!The Xingmeng Sword Art, named after the two creators, when unleashed, made one experience the rise and fall of history, like a dream. Not only was its attack power strong, but more importantly, it had a significant impact on the spirit. Those with slightly weaker cultivation would find it impossible to contend with.

"A good sword art!"Unlike Jian Qinsheng's shock, Zhang Xuan secretly nodded. As the two executed their combined sword art, he immediately experienced the illusion of witnessing the rise and fall of dynasties: seeing grand towers erected, banquets held, and then the towers collapsing... All the pomp and wealth, like fleeting dreams, were dazzling and gave one the feeling that life itself was but a dream.For anyone else, even with the firmest resolve, such a situation would surely have an impact. But Zhang Xuan was different; with the flow of Heaven's Path zhenqi, even inner demons couldn't bother him. This level of spirit attack was nothing to him. He remained completely clear-headed, moving through the rise and fall of dynasties like a spectator of history, his longsword at his fingertips, cutting through one dynasty after another.

*Pfft! Pfft!*Blood spurted. Zhang Xu and Zhang Hen simultaneously turned pale, their longswords having inexplicably flown from their hands, now impaled and trembling in the wall. Although their combined sword art was ingenious, it was still too weak before Zhang Xuan. He effortlessly shattered their intent, leaving them severely wounded."We... lost!"Taking a few steps back, Zhang Xu knew that if they couldn't withstand him together, there was no hope in a one-on-one fight. He was utterly disheartened. He had believed that having comprehended the true essence of speed and received the Clan Head's legacy, no one in the younger generation could surpass his swordplay at the same level. Yet, before this person, it was as laughable as a child's game. The opponent's understanding of sword arts clearly surpassed theirs by far; they were incomparable.

"Since you've lost, I hope you'll honor the first wager and take me to see your sword art manuals!" said Zhang Xuan. Although he had already gained some understanding of the so-called "true essence of speed" from their exchange, to truly learn it, he still needed to personally examine the books and condense the Heaven's Path cultivation technique.

"Taking you to see the manuals is no problem, but there's a time limit: one hour at most!" Zhang Xu stated.Although it was nearly impossible for outsiders to master the Zhang Clan's secret manuals without their bloodline power, they couldn't simply allow strangers to memorize them at will. When they had agreed to let him see them, they had already set a condition in their minds: one hour! In such a short time, with such profound sword arts, it would be impossible even to comprehend them, let alone memorize them!

"That's enough..." Knowing their intent, Zhang Xuan didn't bother to say more. For him, reading a book was just a quick glance. As long as they dared to show him, he could take as much as there was."This way, please..." Seeing that he agreed, Zhang Xu and the others, resigned to their loss, immediately led the way. Before long, they arrived at a spacious hall. Like the room Jian Qinsheng had taken Zhang Xuan to previously, there was a massive character for "sword" in the center. This character was different from those left by the Sword Old Man and Jian Liushui; it gave off a sensation of lightning, as if it could pierce through space at any moment and slip away from one's grasp.

"This is the sword art left by our ancestor. If you can understand it, you can learn it. If you can't, there's nothing we can do..." Zhang Xu said."Understood!" Zhang Xuan knew that comprehending such a sword art required insight. Without further thought, he immediately scanned his surroundings. Like the many places he had seen before, below the "sword" character were numerous engravings of insights, meant to guide future generations. With a silent thought, he absorbed all these texts into his Library of Heaven's Path, and a book appeared before his eyes. He gently opened it and began to read.

"He's here to look at the Zhang Clan's sword manual. He can't possibly be trying to learn it, can he?" Seeing how intently Zhang Xuan was reading, Zhang Qin looked over, puzzled. He had now recovered from his unconsciousness; although his head still felt a bit numb, it no longer significantly impaired him."The Clan Head, hailed as the foremost sword master in our clan for thousands of years, took a full three months to comprehend the true essence and achieve a breakthrough... Giving him only an hour, he won't even comprehend it, let alone fully understand anything!" Zhang Hen waved his hand. "Besides, without our Zhang Clan bloodline, how could he possibly comprehend it?""I think he just wants to look for loopholes to gain an advantage in future duels..." Zhang Xu analyzed."Loopholes? Our Zhang Clan's sword arts have been cultivated by generations of ancestors and possess astonishing power. How could there be any loopholes...?" Zhang Qin dismissed the idea.

*Crack!*Before his words had even finished, a crisp sound suddenly echoed. Immediately, everyone saw a subtle crack appear on the "sword" character before them.