The Almighty Martial Arts System - Chapter 263

“I never expected that the renowned master of the Two-Sword Style, the head of the Miyamoto family, would abandon it to practice Iaido instead. Does this mean your family has forsaken the ‘heretical path’ and embraced the righteous one?” Liu Yunduo did not immediately attack again but instead looked at Miyamoto Ichizen with a cold smile.

The previous series of seven devastating slashes was unmistakably Iaido, a technique from the One-Sword Style of Japanese swordsmanship. Only this kind of swordsmanship, which emphasized a single decisive strike, could produce such overwhelming force, making Liu Yunduo feel as though she couldn’t even thrust her sword forward!

Of course, Iaido’s greatest advantage lay in its element of surprise—its power was at its peak when the opponent was caught off guard. Now that Liu Yunduo was prepared, Miyamoto Ichizen’s Iaido would be far less effective, and she would no longer be suppressed as she had been earlier.

What truly surprised her, however, was that this legendary master of the Two-Sword Style had chosen to fight her with Iaido instead of his signature technique!

In Japanese swordsmanship, the Two-Sword Style had long been considered a “heretical path,” rejected by orthodox schools. Thus, Liu Yunduo’s taunt about Miyamoto “abandoning heresy for righteousness” was not unfounded.

“Indeed, what I just used was Iaido. But that doesn’t mean I’ve forsaken the Two-Sword Style,” Miyamoto Ichizen replied with a faint smile. “Don’t you Chinese have a saying—’Jade can be polished with stones from other mountains; one can grow stronger by learning from all schools’? If practicing Iaido can enhance my skills and refine my Two-Sword Style, then there’s nothing wrong with it.”

“Who would’ve thought the head of the Miyamoto family could be so eloquent!” Liu Yunduo sneered.

Miyamoto Ichizen remained indifferent.

In the martial world—whether in China or Japan—the boundaries between schools were strictly enforced. For a practitioner to suddenly switch to another school’s techniques was a major taboo, seen as a breach of tradition.

And Miyamoto Ichizen hadn’t just crossed into any other school—he had gone from the Two-Sword Style to mastering the pinnacle technique of its rival, the One-Sword Style. It was as absurd as a demonic sect master in wuxia novels suddenly practicing profound Buddhist techniques!

But for Miyamoto Ichizen, defeating Yagyuu Munenori was worth any absurdity.

Yes, the Iaido he had just used was none other than Yagyuu Munenori’s “Iaijutsu”!

After his crushing defeat against Yagyuu, Miyamoto Ichizen had secluded himself for over a decade, not only refining his Two-Sword Style and deepening his swordsmanship but also studying Iaido extensively. He analyzed its principles, its weaknesses, and even dissected his battle with Yagyuu to master it.

Miyamoto Ichizen was fond of an ancient Chinese stratagem: “Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.” To surpass Yagyuu Munenori and become Japan’s greatest swordsman, he had to understand Yagyuu’s techniques inside and out.

If he could grasp the essence of Iaido and pinpoint its flaws, wouldn’t defeating Yagyuu become far easier?

Yet, despite over a decade of relentless study—despite achieving considerable mastery in Iaido—he still had no confidence in defeating Yagyuu. The man’s weaknesses remained elusive.

And so, Miyamoto Ichizen had come to China for one final sharpening of his blade before his decisive duel with Yagyuu, hoping to push his skills to the next level.

Glancing at the Nagamaki in his right hand, he said, “A pity that my first Iaido duel, despite its surprise factor, failed to injure you, Alliance Leader Liu. Your final move—’Everything is Ready Except the East Wind’—was truly remarkable. It opened my eyes.”

Miyamoto’s Iaido had been unexpected, but Liu Yunduo’s counter had been equally brilliant. Without that last move, she would have already fallen to his seven consecutive slashes.

The strikes themselves hadn’t shattered her sword—she had. Using her internal energy and the force of Miyamoto’s attacks, she had deliberately shattered her own blade!

From the moment she realized her sword couldn’t pierce forward, suppressed by Miyamoto’s Iaido, she had already been preparing her final gambit.

As Miyamoto had described, it could be called “Everything is Ready Except the East Wind.”

When the wind swept through the courtyard, Liu Yunduo seized the moment—shattering her sword and using the gusts to propel the fragments toward Miyamoto. Had there been no wind, she might have endured more than just seven slashes.

“Now that my Iaido has been broken, it’s time for our real battle,” Miyamoto declared.

Almost simultaneously, the two moved.

Liu Yunduo’s feet seemed to glide through the air as she leaped several meters high, soaring like a great roc before plunging her sword downward from above!

“So high!” Su Mengnan and the others watching couldn’t help but marvel. The scene could rival any high-budget martial arts film—no special effects needed.

Jumping this high and far would put Olympic champions to shame.

This was blatant defiance of gravity!

With internal energy, one could afford to be this reckless.

Like the muscular Tian Fei, whom Jiang Fei had once pursued—carrying a hostage, he had leaped from a second floor unharmed and nearly outrun Jiang Fei, whose agility was triple that of an average person.

Liu Yunduo’s internal energy was no weaker than Tian Fei’s, and without any encumbrances, her explosive leaps allowed her to briefly glide through the air.

Like a divine blade descending from the heavens, her sword aimed straight for Miyamoto’s crown. This was the best counter she had devised against the Two-Sword Style after her battle with Miyamoto Fujino.

The Two-Sword Style’s deadliest techniques were its cross slashes and spinning dual strikes. Once unleashed, their power was overwhelming, far surpassing the One-Sword Style.

But by attacking from above—thrusting instead of slashing—Liu Yunduo minimized the Two-Sword Style’s advantage.

Unfazed, Miyamoto pushed off the ground, arching backward with his swords braced against the floor, narrowly evading her strike.

Clang!

Liu Yunduo’s sword hit the ground, bending before rebounding sharply. Instead of using the momentum to leap again, she angled the blade toward Miyamoto in a fierce upward slash.

Shink!

The stone tiles split as the sword carved a trench, sending debris flying toward Miyamoto’s legs.

Still braced on his swords, Miyamoto twisted mid-air, rolling sideways to evade.

Liu Yunduo landed, her blade weaving intricate patterns—deceptively simple yet lethally precise—as she pursued him.

After shifting several meters, Miyamoto finally found an opening. Kicking off the ground, he flipped upright like a butterfly taking flight.

Without hesitation, he met Liu Yunduo’s thrust with a horizontal slash from his left sword, followed by a stab and another slash from his right.

The “Spinning Cyclone Slash”—the Two-Sword Style’s ultimate technique—was now fully unleashed.

Cross slashes high and low, alternating thrusts, reverse grips, and relentless repetition.

Miyamoto’s blades whirled like a spinning wheel of death, turning him into a human shredder that could mince anything within reach.

The move resembled a certain anime’s “Starburst Stream.”

“The Cyclone Slash, huh?” Liu Yunduo, failing to maintain the offensive, was forced into defense, retreating step by step.

Yet her eyes held a strange glint—not fear, but anticipation, as if waiting for something.

“Up, down, left, right, up, down, left, right…” Her vision filled with flashing steel as she parried desperately. Her sword was notched, and fresh cuts bled on her body.

But her gaze only grew sharper, analyzing Miyamoto’s rhythm.

Finally, as Miyamoto completed another cycle—cross slashes, thrusts, and a reverse grip—her eyes flashed with realization.

“Now!”

With a shout, she unleashed her strongest thrust—a culmination of over a decade of swordsmanship, refined further by insights from Jiang Fei. It was her fastest, most precise, deadliest strike.

She aimed for the fleeting gap in Miyamoto’s rotation.

No technique was flawless. Even the fastest cycle had a split-second pause—perhaps just 0.1 seconds.

And that was all she needed.

She had defeated Miyamoto Fujino the same way.

Of course, Miyamoto Ichizen’s Cyclone Slash was far more powerful.

But it, too, had a weakness.