The Legend of Min Hong

Chapter 25: Breakthrough in Swordplay: ‘One with World'

Although Hong's fame had become widespread amongst the army and guards, he's been acknowledged as a rare talent, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. But of course, when sparring, Hong used all the possible permutation of all skills in the sword technique and footwork technique.

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The ten guards surrounded Hong, walking in circles around him like a predator circling its prey. They were all at the Peak Qi Sea stage and they were staring at him as though they were looking at a bag of gold waiting to be looted. But Hong just stood there, unmoving like a sturdy mountain.

"Swish!" one of the guards surrounding him suddenly charged forward he was at 6 Star Qi Sea stage. The hairy guard was wielding a spear, and struck out with it like a venomous viper, abruptly arriving next to Hong.

Faced with this fierce spear strike, Hong's body leaned a little to the side, then with a single burst of chaotic step, he appeared next to the hairy guard, causing the spear to miss its mark by about an inch, slicing the hair on Min Hong's neck in the process.

This left the hairy guard open, since close quarters combat is the bane of spear arts. "Chi!" the blunt sword in Hong's hands flashed towards him, but his years of battle experienced kicked in and the hairy guard gave the spear a kick, sending it sweeping towards Hong as he did a back roll into the formation of the surrounding guards.

"Woah! That was dangerous. I almost got ended in the first exchange. Brothers, be cautious." The hairy guard quickly warned as he fell back into formation.

Min Hong had already kicked away the spear, looking at guards around him, he spoke. "I think it would be best if you all come at me together. Otherwise, you all won't stand a chance."

"Let's do this!" "For the Gold!" The ten guards, sensing the difference in power, didn't hesitate anymore and lunged forward with full power and determination.

The wind howled in a melodious manner, as sabers and other kinds of weapons flashed and whipped around. But there was a specific shadow of a sword agilely and smoothly dancing about in a precise, elegant and continuous pattern.

Spears hissed through the air like enraged dragons whilst hammers smashed down like elephants throwing tantrums.

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Different erratic but coordinated attacks rained down on Hong from every direction, but he just stood there, as calm as the water in a thousand-year-old well.

Then he started making some subtle but precise and calculated steps that completely rendered all the attacks null and void, as they terribly missed their target.

Then what followed were few clanging sounds of weapons clashing against one another, resounding as loud as a bell in a temple, clearly portraying how intense this sparring was as well as how much force was behind their moves.

Occasionally, some soft chink and snick sounds were heard.

"The Death Squad really lived up to their fame. They had perfect teamwork and resonance in their attacks and defense. If it was just five or six of them I would have defeated them instantly. But the ten of them working together makes this a lot harder and trickier." Hong was finding it difficult to deal with the torrents of attacks bearing down on him by these guards.

After all, he was only wielding a single sword and using fifty percent of his total power, whilst the guards weren't bound by such rules. Under this intense pressure, he was forced to use both his sword and footwork techniques to their peak.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

Swords and spears howled all over the training ground.

In just a few minutes into training, Min Hong was already intoxicated. At this moment his footwork and swordplay had already merged into one. They now feel like a single technique rather than the combination of two techniques.

He had somehow lost the feeling of holding a sword, and he felt like he was just using his arm to deflect, block and attack the guards. It was so intoxicating. Not to talk of the melodious music his sword was making as it sliced through the wind at high speed.

"Clang!" the blunt sword rapidly collided against another sabre. It trembled a bit, then with a flick, it pushed the incoming blade aside and out of the wielder's control. Then the tip of the sword whisked forward stabbing into the guard's chest.

Immediately the guard felt the stab, he retreated from the sparring ground and sat nearby on the floor, breathing heavily whilst eagerly watching the ongoing battle, awaiting the final outcome of the sparring session.

"Fwoom!" the blunt sword slashed out this time, in an arc, easily bypassing the opponent's blocking stance, then slapping the guard with the flat face of the sword, and with a bang, two of the guard's teeth flew out while the guard himself was sent flying.

To Min Hong, he had gotten battle heated to the point where time seemed to crawl like a larva on a leaf, as he lost track of time. His sword had abruptly turned as nimble as rabbit, and the strokes of his sword were carefully calculated and straightforward, but still fluid enough to abruptly change trajectory in a flash.

A momentary advantage or lack of awareness can change the outcome of a battle into a victory. Thus, even though Hong had found it hard to resist these ten guards, he was now able to dispatch them in a blink of an eye.

"Congratulations, young master"

"Congratulations, young master on advancing to the 'One with World' level in your swordplay." The guards were both stunned and ecstatic, as they all gathered to congratulate him.

A young boy who was merely eight years old was able to reach the 'One with World' level in swordplay. There was currently the best record in the entire Min Family, with the previous holder being Min Bolin, who achieved his after training it for five years and Min Tian, who took twelve years to reach this level.

"Haha Haha!" Min Hong was extremely delighted himself as well. Three years. Three years of intense constant training with the sword. Every day, aside from a few hours' worth of sleep, two hours training in footwork and two hours of archery training in the forest at dawn, he had spent the rest of the time training with the sword.

He virtually spends fifteen hours a day training the sword. Sometimes with his grandpa, other times with his mother and then spar with the Death Squad. The sword had been etched into his heart and bones a long time ago.

After training each of the basic moves a million times each and the ability to split his mind into several different things, he had long ago reached the level of 'One with Man'. Then adding the technique perfecting capability of the 'Eye of Myriad Universe', both his sword and footwork techniques had become utterly deceptive, quick and synchronous.

He had reached the 5 Star Warrior Stage in body refining about six months ago, and got stuck at the bottleneck. But, instead of forcing the breakthrough or wasting time waiting, he began to cultivate his Qi, and he's currently in the 5 Star Qi Creation Stage.

This was possible because of the extra amount of liquid Qi he collected at the cave within the mountain of the Min Family Resort, and the concentration of the Qi mist at the family head cottage in the resort.

The 'Eye of Myriad Universe' has also been evolving with the increase in his cultivation base and motes of light. Although, he can't still access more information about the Chaos Treasure yet, but it had increased his mental strength and energy, heightened all his senses.

His mental energy can now cover a radius of about five Kilometers and the altar in his sea of consciousness was now about twice its original size.

All these separate factors combined to give a massive boost to the results of his daily training. Thus, the reward of his training was always multiplied by ten folds. It greatly enhanced his emotional control, physical control, speed, power and endurance. This was the major reason why his attacks were unstoppable.

Then finally, today! All of the accumulated training and experience had pieced together into a collective whole and pushed his swordplay into the 'One with World' level!

So, in summary the current Min Hong is a 5 Star Warrior stage and Qi Creation stage expert, who had achieved the 'One with World' level in both the 'Chaotic Shadow Steps' and twin swordplay [Song of the Wind Spirit], and finally a master archer at the age of eight! Overtaking his demon of a sister in the process.

"Everyone, today you all pushed my son to make a breakthrough. Although, it is not much, but each of you shall receive a pocket of gold and don't even think about rejecting it." Min Rou spoke joyously as she approached the training ground with a beaming smile.

Min Hong and the ten Death Squad guards turned around to the source of the voice, and approaching them were; Min Hong's grandpa: Min Tian, his mother: Min Rou and his elder sister: Min Qing who was currently ten years old.

As they approached the training ground, the Death Guards and Min Hong could sense fluctuations of the surrounding Qi coming from two of the three figures, they immediately turned their sights to the bewitching maiden who just spoke and the alluring, willowlike pretty young girl beside her.

Apparently, the two ladies just recently had a breakthrough. Min Rou had broken through to the 8 Star Dan Formation stage while Min Qing also broke through to the 2 Star Qi Sea stage.

All they needed now was a bit of time to stabilize their cultivation base and they would be, fully fledged experts in their respective cultivation stage.

"Grandpa!"

"Mom!"

"Big Sis!" Min Hong was extremely delighted to see the only set of people he considers true family.

"Congratulations on your breakthrough, Young mistress and Elder Rou" the Death Guards all happily chorused in unison.

Min Rou walked towards the Death Squad guards, and with a wave of her hand, several pockets of gold were flung towards the guards which they grabbed and kept as fast as lightning.

The ten Death Guards exchanged glances, then chorused in unison; "Thank you, Elder Rou!"

If they had simply lost, they would have rejected the reward. After all, the Death Squad guards had their own pride and dignity. But for Young master Hong, Young mistress Qing and Elder Rou to achieve breakthrough in cultivation and techniques was a very massive and joyous occasion.

It's only natural for them to receive some gifts in such occasion. So, they didn't stand on ceremony as they received the gifts and stored it in their storage bags.

Min Tian then arrived at the training ground and happily spoke "I'm really happy I have a daughter who has reached the 8 Star Dan Formation stage, a granddaughter who just entered the Qi Sea stage, and a grandson who has also reached the 5 Star Warrior stage in cultivation."

"It seems the Heaven's really do have eyes, and have decided to bless me this much. Especially, now that I'm still alive, healthy and still have few more decades to watch them grow into world class experts." He added, as he waved the guards off until they were alone.

Afterwards, the little family returned home together to have dinner, as Min Tian wanted his daughter and her grandchildren to rest and eat, as they've all been training hard. So, Min Hong had no other choice but to swallow his questions and curiosity till after the dinner.