Before this, Jiang Fei had never heard of classifications like ordinary Internal Energy or the Dan Energy level. But come to think of it, ordinary martial artists probably wouldn’t even know about such divisions anyway.
After all, in the modern martial world, martial artists who could cultivate Internal Energy were already as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Very few experts could actually cultivate Internal Energy, let alone reach the pinnacle of the Internal Energy level and achieve the Dan Energy stage.
Since he couldn’t absorb the Internal Energy inside this guy, Jiang Fei simply let go of Yagyu Munenori’s arm.
There were still so many people watching. Most of them were probably already shocked and captivated by the formidable strength he had just displayed. He didn’t want anyone to think he actually had some kind of interest in this old man or had developed real feelings for him; if word of that got out, it would ruin his sterling reputation.
Of course, Jiang Fei’s wooden sword was still pressed against Yagyu Munenori’s neck. He had no intention of letting him off just yet.
Yagyu Munenori didn’t resist either. He couldn’t resist, and now he didn’t even have the strength to try.
After giving his all in that fight, his body was covered in wounds large and small. Even someone as formidable as him couldn’t hold on any longer. He felt completely exhausted, like an oil lamp running on fumes, as if he could burn out at any moment.
A strange look of surprise flickered in his eyes as he looked at Jiang Fei and asked, “What technique did you just use? It was actually able to stir the Internal Energy within my body, making it feel like my Internal Energy was about to break out of my body and surge into yours. If I hadn’t already reached the Dan Energy stage, able to guard my primordial unity and firmly lock my Internal Energy within my dantian, you might have succeeded.”
Jiang Fei, already in a bad mood, found this guy even more irritating now. Was he implying he was here to mock him for failing to absorb his energy?
“What if I had chosen the other option just now? Do you think you could have held it together?” Jiang Fei said with a cold laugh.
Exactly.
If, when he used his Ultimate Reward earlier, he hadn’t upgraded the Dugu Nine Swords but instead chosen to upgrade the Northern Dark Divine Art, he could have absorbed this guy’s Internal Energy for his own use right now. Even if he was some Dan Energy level expert, it wouldn’t have mattered!
Unfortunately, to have a one hundred percent guarantee of victory, he had to upgrade the Dugu Nine Swords first. Now that the Ultimate Reward was gone, if he wanted to advance the Northern Dark Divine Art to the second level, it would take him a full ten years of hard training!
“What kind of martial art is this exactly?” Yagyu Munenori didn’t comment on Jiang Fei’s retort, his curiosity piqued. “Chinese martial arts are profound and extensive. Even our country’s swordsmanship originated from China. But as far as I know, even within the Chinese martial world, there isn’t any sect’s martial arts manual that can stir another person’s Internal Energy and cause it to burst forth…”
Jiang Fei couldn’t be bothered to talk more with this guy. He frowned and asked, “Aren’t you afraid of death?”
“What is there to fear in death? Ever since I set foot on the path of the sword, I have dedicated my life’s entire pursuit to the sword. For this, I can sever attachments, cut off desires, and abandon anything that shouldn’t be there. How could I possibly fear death?” Yagyu Munenori still wore a gentle smile on his face, his gaze becoming somewhat distant. “However, no one truly wants to die.”
Not afraid of death, but doesn’t want to die.
That was a rather novel way of putting it. Unfortunately, it didn’t sway Jiang Fei.
“From the very beginning, you were the one who sought me out, forcing me into this duel. And throughout the duel, every move, every look, every stance was filled with killing intent, all desperately aimed at taking my life. So, wouldn’t you say it’s only right for me to kill you now?” Jiang Fei asked coldly.
A shadow dimmed Yagyu Munenori’s eyes for a moment, but they soon shone brightly again. He nodded, speaking with heroic boldness, “Yes, I have lost. Dying by your sword is only fitting. Isn’t there a saying in your Chinese martial world? ‘Kung Fu is about two things: one upright, one fallen. The one who’s right stands; the one who’s wrong, falls.’ So, let us fight until the very end!”
Like a final flicker of life before death, as he spoke these words, Yagyu Munenori’s right hand shot up like lightning. He grabbed Jiang Fei’s wooden sword, and before Jiang Fei could react, he burst forth with Internal Energy, shattering the wooden sword into pieces. Then, using his fingers as a sword, he thrust them back towards Jiang Fei.
“Looking for death!” Jiang Fei was incredibly annoyed by this pretentious guy.
In this broken state, he dared to counterattack? Since you want to die with dignity, then I’ll grant your wish!
Having already reached the realm of ‘the sword’s absence,’ Jiang Fei’s techniques certainly didn’t rely on a wooden sword to be effective. His figure drifted like a gentle breeze, effortlessly dodging the severely injured and slow attack from Yagyu Munenori. Then he threw a punch, landing it squarely on Yagyu Munenori’s exposed chest, which was covered in wounds. The force nearly caved his chest in, leaving a fist mark imprinted on it, and sent him flying.
Bang!
Yagyu Munenori, the unparalleled genius revered by thousands in the Japanese swordsmanship world, a veritable martial arts legend, flew for over ten meters before crashing heavily onto the snow-covered ground. He spat out a large mouthful of blood, laughing wildly but unable to get up.
In his laughter, there was a touch of heartache, a truly poignant lament for the downfall of a hero.
If the masters of the Japanese swordsmanship world witnessed this scene, they would probably burst into tears, wouldn’t they?
Jiang Fei leaped through the air and landed beside Yagyu Munenori. Looking down at the man lying on the ground, laughing as he stared at the sky, he prepared to finish this fight once and for all.
Since he couldn’t absorb his Internal Energy, why keep him around? It wasn’t like he could wait ten years and then come back to claim it, was it?
Yagyu Munenori knew what was about to happen too. Smiling faintly, he closed his eyes, calmly waiting for Jiang Fei’s final move.
But just then—
“Ding! Congratulations to the player for completing the quest: Defeat Japanese ‘Swordsaint’ Yagyu Munenori. The system is now drawing the quest completion reward for the player. Please wait…”
Jiang Fei, who had already condensed a snow sword in his hand and was about to strike, was taken aback by the voice that suddenly rang out in his mind.
That’s right.
He had previously accepted the system quest to defeat Yagyu Munenori!
He had been so focused on winning this fight, which was all about dignity and pride, and so focused on staying alive, that he had completely forgotten about the quest. He had even forgotten to claim the reward.
“If I remember correctly, the penalty for failing this side quest after accepting it was pretty harsh, right? It was directly reducing the character level by one, and also reducing all learned martial arts skills by one level! If failure carried such a severe punishment, then success must come with a pretty decent reward, right?” Jiang Fei squinted his eyes, his bad mood suddenly lifting considerably.
Lose at sunrise, gain at sunset.
Defeating Yagyu Munenori turned out to have its rewards after all…
