The Almighty Martial Arts System - Chapter 253

Jiang Fei Finally Draws His Sword in Earnest

Jiang Fei finally made his move in the truest sense—and with just one strike, he left countless onlookers stunned, their eyes wide and jaws slack.

Liu Yunduo’s swordsmanship remained as flawless as ever, each move refined to perfection, stripped of all excess. Every strike was deliberate, aimed solely at defeating—or even killing—her opponent, targeting nothing but vital points.

But Jiang Fei?

His stance was unremarkable, almost like an elderly man bending forward. As Liu Yunduo charged at him, his sword merely slanted out in a swift, oblique thrust.

At first glance, Jiang Fei’s move seemed unimpressive—even clumsy. The angle of his strike appeared ineffective, as if he were merely thrusting at empty air, missing Liu Yunduo’s arm by half a meter.

But Liu Yunduo’s attacks were lethal, far beyond the realm of a friendly spar. She had committed fully, pouring all her strength into each strike, making her momentum too fierce to halt abruptly.

And by sheer misfortune, the trajectory of her movement happened to align perfectly with the path of Jiang Fei’s blade.

To the spectators, it looked as though Liu Yunduo had deliberately moved her own arm into Jiang Fei’s sword—as if she were trying to slice off her own hand!

“Watch out!” Su Mengnan’s face paled as he shouted in alarm.

Others gasped, some instinctively shutting their eyes. It seemed inevitable—Liu Yunduo’s hand was about to be severed.

For a martial artist, especially a swordsman, losing a hand meant becoming a cripple. One could only imagine how devastating this would be for the newly appointed leader of the Sword Alliance.

Even the usually unflappable Liu Yunduo turned deathly pale, her heart pounding in panic.

Yet, in that split second, Jiang Fei’s wrist flicked subtly. The blade, originally aimed at her wrist, twisted sideways, turning flat. With a sharp snap, it struck her wrist with the flat of the sword instead of the edge.

The impact sent a jolt of pain through her arm—her bones nearly cracking, her sword almost knocked from her grip. But at least her hand remained intact. Staggering briefly, she quickly regained her footing.

The crowd exhaled in collective relief, their hearts finally settling back into place.

“What just happened? Jiang Fei’s strike looked completely ordinary, yet it was terrifyingly effective! If he hadn’t held back, Liu Yunduo’s hand would’ve been gone!”

“I don’t get it either. It was like Liu Yunduo moved her own hand into his blade! Was it just dumb luck?”

Many of the less experienced spectators muttered in confusion, unable to grasp the technique behind the move. To them, it seemed like Jiang Fei had stumbled upon an inexplicably brilliant stroke by sheer accident.

But those who had crossed swords with Jiang Fei before—true masters of the blade—lit up with awe.

“This is the real Jiang Fei! The genius Sword Saint we know!”

“After holding back for so long, he’s finally unveiled his swordsmanship—pure, unadorned, cutting straight to the essence of the art!”

“No flashy techniques, no rigid forms—just absolute freedom. And yet, this… this is true swordsmanship!”

“This swordplay… is invincible!”

As the crowd split into two camps—those baffled and those enlightened—Jiang Fei’s single stroke had dismantled Liu Yunduo’s entire offense. Had he not shown mercy, she would’ve been crippled on the spot.

Liu Yunduo stared at him, dazed, ready to concede defeat—

But then Jiang Fei spoke: “Again.”

He had nearly deciphered her swordplay, identifying the various styles woven into her techniques. Stopping now would waste all that effort.

Frowning, Liu Yunduo studied his expression before gritting her teeth and raising her sword once more, charging at him with renewed ferocity.

That single strike from Jiang Fei had been a revelation. She knew now that her skill paled in comparison to his. Yet, losing in just one move felt… unsatisfying.

If she could exchange a few more blows with him, the insights gained would be invaluable. Since he was willing, she wouldn’t refuse.

This time, she poured every ounce of her strength into the attack, her sword a blur of lethal intent.

Jiang Fei shifted, his blade moving in an unpredictable arc—slamming squarely into Liu Yunduo’s elbow with a resounding crack!

The force sent her stumbling sideways.

“Why bend your arm like that?” Jiang Fei’s voice was cold. “Were you trying to gift your opponent a clean cut?”

Liu Yunduo flushed with embarrassment but had no time to dwell on it. With a sharp cry, she lunged again.

This time, her attack was a fluid combination—three strikes merged into one. The first, a straight thrust like a “Rainbow Piercing the Sun”; the second, an elusive feint; the third, a sudden upward slash—”Dragon Rising from the Sea!”

The transitions were seamless, leaving no room for counterplay. By the time the third strike arced toward Jiang Fei’s face, most wouldn’t even have processed the moves, let alone blocked them.

“Not bad,” Jiang Fei remarked casually, as if he had all the time in the world.

His blade tilted slightly, pressing down on the spine of Liu Yunduo’s sword—the exact spot where her strength was weakest.

“You focus too much on the tip,” he chided. “But what about the spine? A fatal flaw.”

A crisp clang echoed as Liu Yunduo’s sword was forced downward. Jiang Fei’s blade darted forward, stopping just shy of her chest.

He withdrew, nodding. “Again.”

———

The duel had the entire audience spellbound.

Su Mengnan, in particular, was reeling. Initially, he’d thought Liu Yunduo had the upper hand, pressing Jiang Fei into a desperate defense. But reality had flipped in an instant.

Now, Liu Yunduo—once a master in his eyes—looked like a novice under Jiang Fei’s scrutiny. Every flaw in her technique was exposed, every mistake corrected mid-fight.

It was like watching a teacher patiently instructing a student.

Su Mengnan’s pride took a brutal hit. He’d idolized Liu Yunduo, believing her invincible—that she could even conquer Japan’s sword masters.

Yet here she was, utterly outclassed.

He recalled his own grudge against Jiang Fei, how he’d once thought, If only I’d had my sword that day, I would’ve won.

Now?

He wanted to dig a hole and bury himself.

How is this guy’s swordsmanship so absurdly overpowered?!

Even those who had faced Jiang Fei before were stunned. They’d known he was strong—but not this strong.

Had he been holding back all along, just to spare their pride?

The thought was a stab to their egos.

What they didn’t realize was that Jiang Fei’s swordsmanship—the “Nine Swords of Dugu”—only revealed its full brilliance against worthy opponents. They simply hadn’t been strong enough to draw it out.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The duel intensified, the two exchanging dozens of blows in rapid succession.

As they fought, Jiang Fei made a discovery:

If he was a genius in swordsmanship, then Liu Yunduo was a prodigy.

She adapted in real-time, refining her techniques mid-battle, patching weaknesses as Jiang Fei pointed them out. Her movements grew sharper, her flaws fewer.

Take her latest thrust—her elbow had been exposed again, but this time, as Jiang Fei moved to strike, she abruptly shifted her stance. Her wrist dipped, her sword flexed like a whip, then rebounded with enough force to launch her three meters into the air.

Mid-flip, she kicked up a spray of stone shards from the ground, forcing Jiang Fei to dodge.

By the time he recovered, she was already upon him again, sword flashing.

Jiang Fei had to employ Threefold Cloud Step—a high-level evasion technique—just to stabilize the situation.

Finally, they broke apart.

“Good,” Jiang Fei said, smiling. “Let’s end it here for today.”

Liu Yunduo, her forehead glistening with sweat, exhaled deeply. Then, before the entire crowd, she bowed deeply, her voice solemn:

“Your guidance today is a debt I will never forget. From now on, whatever you ask—I will obey.”