Chapter 559: Hong Elder's Terror

Elder Hong's mouth twitched involuntarily as he watched the young man enter. The tragic experiences of the previous elders had deeply unnerved him, filling him with apprehension towards this young man.

"The Red Lotus Nine Swords is a technique I poured countless hours into creating. Even Hall Master Kang only managed to achieve proficiency in the time it takes an incense stick to burn, still a ways off from minor mastery. Even if this fellow's talent is considerable, reaching minor mastery is almost impossible. No need to worry..."

Elder Hong internally reassured himself, then let out a sigh of relief. Pointing forward, he said, "The book on the table in front of you contains the cultivation method for the Red Lotus Nine Swords. You now have the time it takes for one incense stick to burn to study it!"

Without further ado, he lit the incense stick beside him. Smoke immediately drifted upwards, and a faint aroma diffused throughout the room.

Zhang Xuan approached the table and, with a light touch, an identical book instantly appeared in his Library of Heaven's Path. He feigned flipping through the pages, while his mind was fully engrossed in his internal library.

"Red Lotus Nine Swords, created by Elder Hong Qin of the Myriad Kingdoms City Master Teacher Hall. A total of nine swords. Flaws..."

After finishing the review, Zhang Xuan wore a peculiar expression. "So many flaws? And he dares to call this a profound sword technique?"

This sword technique had over a hundred flaws. With so many imperfections, it was still touted as a profound technique... and he was supposed to learn it... Zhang Xuan truly wondered where the man's confidence came from. However, upon closer thought, he realized why. The sword techniques and martial arts he had previously acquired had been passed down for countless years, refined by generations of ancestors, and thus had far fewer flaws. This particular set, on the other hand, had just been created and hadn't even been tested in practice. It was only natural for it to have more imperfections.

"Heaven's Path Sword Art, merge!"

Speechless, he focused his mind. The Heaven's Path Sword Art and the numerous sword art manuals he had previously acquired began to violently vibrate, slowly merging with the newly obtained book.

A new version of the Red Lotus Nine Swords appeared before him, and he hastily opened it.

Soon, Zhang Xuan shook his head. He had collected too few Spirit-tier mid-rank sword techniques. Attempting to merge with such a sophisticated sword art using only his existing sword art foundation was clearly difficult. It was like trying to compare the finest cow dung to gold; their essences were fundamentally different. Even with the most accurate foundation in swordsmanship, fully integrating a Spirit-tier mid-rank sword technique was beyond his current capabilities.

"There are still over thirty flaws..."

After finishing the merged book, Zhang Xuan wore a distressed expression. Since his rebirth, he had always cultivated secret manuals with no flaws, which had ingrained in him a... perfect sensibility. Even the Red Dust Heaven-Treading Steps, which had three minor flaws, he had practiced with great reluctance. This sword technique, with over fifty flaws, was simply uncultivable for him! It was akin to someone accustomed to five-star cuisine being forced to eat street food; they would surely hold their nose and find it unpalatable.

Yet... if he didn't cultivate it, he wouldn't pass the assessment, leading to a failed cultivation attempt. For a moment, he was utterly perplexed, unsure how to proceed.

While Zhang Xuan was wrestling with his dilemma, Elder Hong's face alternated between red and white, feeling as if his lungs were about to burst! Though he didn't want his lifelong reputation to be ruined because of this young man, he couldn't simply ignore the situation. As soon as Zhang Xuan received the book, Elder Hong began discreetly observing him.

It would have been better if he hadn't looked at all. The moment he did, he felt an overwhelming urge to rush over and tear the young man to shreds. This set of Red Lotus Nine Swords was something he had created after observing red lotuses, spending a full decade perfecting it. He believed it was one of the finest martial arts in Myriad Kingdoms City, capable of being revered for centuries and remembered for a millennium. Yet, this fellow, the moment he received it, just casually flipped through it, clearly not bothering to study it properly. That alone was infuriating enough, but then Zhang Xuan would frown, then wear a troubled expression. What on earth was going on? He looked as if he had just encountered a pile of dung and was on the verge of vomiting...

Damn it! Is the cultivation method I created truly that nauseating to you? Does it disgust you so much? His beard bristled with fury, and Elder Hong felt like he was about to explode. He had considered the possibility that the young man wouldn't cultivate it, or perhaps that his talent was so exceptional he would master it perfectly within the time of an incense stick. But he never, not in his wildest dreams, imagined that the young man wouldn't cultivate it *and* look utterly disgusted, as if he were about to vomit...

This is a peak Spirit-tier mid-rank martial art, an ultimate move that even Hall Master Kang and many other elders have praised without reservation... What exactly do you mean by this?

Just as his rage reached its peak, he saw the young man opposite him could no longer restrain himself. Zhang Xuan closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and with the resolute expression of someone walking into inevitable doom, declared, "Fine, if I die, I die. At worst, I'll just never use it again after cultivating it!"

"You!"

Elder Hong could no longer contain himself. He practically exploded, striding forward to confront him. "Master Zhang, what exactly do you mean by that?"

Just as he was about to begin cultivating, he saw the old man storming towards him. Zhang Xuan, bewildered, looked at him questioningly. "What's wrong?"

"Does the sword technique I created disgust you?" Elder Hong demanded, holding nothing back.

"Well, it's not entirely disgust, but rather... there are too many errors and flaws. I really don't want to cultivate it," Zhang Xuan replied, shaking his head.

"You...!" Elder Hong felt as if his scalp were exploding; he was on the verge of madness. If anyone else were asked such a question, no matter how much they disliked it, they would surely save face, deny it, and perhaps even offer a few insincere compliments... Yet, this fellow had shamelessly admitted it directly! "Not entirely disgust"... which meant it was plenty disgusting! And "too many errors and flaws"... My foot! Do you have any idea how much effort I poured into this martial art? Ten years, sleepless and relentless, believing that once revealed, it would be renowned throughout the world... And what do I get? "Too many flaws"...

"Then tell me, where exactly are the flaws in my sword technique?" With a cold snort, Elder Hong forcefully suppressed his rage, fearing that in a moment of impulse, he might strike the young man dead on the spot.

"You want my guidance? Very well, I'll enlighten you! Pay close attention, my time is limited, so I'll only say this once."

Zhang Xuan nodded, clasped his hands behind his back, and slowly paced. "Let's start with the first sword of your Nine Swords, 'Red Lotus Blooms, Qi Sweeps the Nine Provinces.' This move has ninety-nine variations. Its sword energy howls, dazzling brightly, and its power is indeed remarkable. However... when the sword thrusts from the waist, your true qi circulates through the Huan Gu and Wang Chang points, which inherently causes a slight energy blockage. Trying to unleash immense power at that moment is nearly impossible! If, at that precise moment, I had a weapon—even if not a long sword, just a simple wooden stick—and attacked your Hui Hai acupoint, how would you defend yourself?"

"Attack the Hui Hai point?"

Elder Hong, who had been furious moments before, mentally replayed the 'Red Lotus Blooms' sword move and the suggested attack. He suddenly froze. 'Red Lotus Blooms,' a flourish of splendor. This move was indeed dazzling and launched a powerful assault of sword qi, appearing formidable. Yet, it possessed a fatal flaw: the Hui Hai acupoint was its critical weak spot. Forget a wooden stick, even a mere finger touch there would completely paralyze the entire sword move, rendering it utterly powerless. He hadn't even discovered this flaw himself, yet the young man found it after only a brief glance at the book?

"No, that's incorrect!" Elder Hong suddenly snorted. "Even if you know my Hui Hai acupoint is difficult to defend with true qi, so what? The sword move is instantaneous. By the time you realize it, I would have already struck at least five times. How would you possibly defend against that?"

Whether it's a sword technique or a cultivation method, as long as it's in motion, there are bound to be vulnerabilities and flaws; absolute perfection is impossible. So what if the Hui Hai acupoint is the biggest weakness of 'Red Lotus Blooms'? Once the sword is unleashed, its energy surges forth. It would be nearly impossible to pinpoint that specific issue amidst the flashing sword energy.

"Strike five times? You're mistaken. If, from the outset, I took three steps forward with my left foot, first striking the Hong Hai point, then turning to strike Luo Qiao, then sidestepping for a third strike at Fu Jiang... and only *after* striking those three points, then struck your Hui Hai, I wonder if you would still be able to dodge?"

"Strike Hong Hai, I would block with a horizontal sword and retreat a step. Strike Luo Qiao, I would quickly defend, interrupting my offensive true qi and preventing me from unleashing sword energy. Strike Fu Jiang, and the Hui Hai point would surely be left exposed... You, you..."

As he mentally simulated Zhang Xuan's proposed sequence of moves, Elder Hong was initially dismissive. But after a moment, his face turned pale, and his entire body began to tremble uncontrollably. If this were a real battle, and Zhang Xuan executed three consecutive sword strikes from those precise directions, his 'Red Lotus Blooms' technique would undoubtedly collapse instantly. Not only would he fail to injure his opponent, but he would also suffer severe internal injuries from true qi backlash! Just by striking three ordinary positions, without even needing to use true qi, he would be injured due to the flaws in his sword technique... This...

"And that's just the first move. Your second move, 'Red Lotus Illuminates the World,' is even more riddled with errors. Facing that move, I wouldn't even need a weapon. I could simply curl my body and directly assault your Zhong Gong, striking the Ruo Hai point, and you would inevitably retreat... The rest, needless to say, would be equally simple!" Zhang Xuan continued.

Once the flaws were known and combined with his knowledge, finding a way to break the technique became exceedingly simple.

"I..."

Elder Hong took a step back. The second move, 'Red Lotus Illuminates the World,' involved a sweeping sword stroke with energy as vast as the sea, designed for long-range attacks. While dazzling, it was virtually indefensible at close quarters, creating a significant vulnerability. At that precise moment, a close-range attack on his Zhong Gong and Ruo Hai points would instantly disrupt his true qi, shattering the sword move. To break the first move, Zhang Xuan had to strike four consecutive positions to defeat him. For this second move, only two attacks would be needed, giving him no time to even prepare a defense! How was this possible? Was the sword technique he had created truly this vulnerable?

"Wait... when my sword sweeps across, how could you possibly have enough time to execute so many actions and moves?" He reconsidered, raising an eyebrow. What the young man described was purely theoretical. In a real battle, with the speed of his sword technique, how could his opponent possibly have enough time to launch several consecutive attacks?

"No time?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Watch closely!" With a swift sway of his body, Zhang Xuan instantly transformed into a blur, passing through three positions in the blink of an eye. Simultaneously, he formed his fingers into a sword and struck forward three consecutive times, each strike landing precisely where he had described.

"This..."

Witnessing this display, Elder Hong's body convulsed violently, and he nearly stumbled. The young man's speed and attacks were utterly flawless. If Elder Hong had unleashed his sword move just now and Zhang Xuan had countered with this, in a real fight... he would have been instantly defeated, utterly incapable of resisting! Unless... he abandoned the sword technique entirely and relied purely on overwhelming strength, otherwise, relying solely on his swordsmanship, he would suffer a devastating defeat, possibly even sustaining serious injuries.

A cold sweat immediately trickled down his spine. He had created multiple martial arts techniques, believing that once this particular move was perfected, he would be invincible in Myriad Kingdoms City. He never imagined that ten years of arduous cultivation... would result in something so utterly vulnerable!

"Master Zhang, I must ask... is there a method to perfect this move of mine?" Cupping his fist, Elder Hong bowed respectfully, performing the student's salute.