C12 The Tenth Move

Murong Xue was the sole student from the three classes who felt joy when Ye Tian succeeded. She had been concerned that Gu Kun's attack might injure Ye Tian, but now he was dominating the fight, a far cry from the "trash" label he once bore.

In the heat of the moment, Ye Tian quickly got to his feet. The Spirit Cloud Nine Swords technique had straightforward counters, but they required an immediate reset after execution to avoid vulnerability.

"You little punk, you actually ambushed me. Did you think you were that impressive?!" Gu Kun, having failed with two consecutive moves, was livid—a situation unheard of before, but now Ye Tian, the so-called trash, had thwarted him.

Initially, Gu Kun only intended to give Ye Tian a harsh lesson, but his intentions shifted. He resolved to cripple Ye Tian to extinguish the fury within.

"Spirit Cloud Nine Swords, Broken Character Formula!" Gu Kun's gaze sharpened, his pupils reflecting a murderous hue, signaling the final technique of the Spirit Cloud Nine Swords. A successful hit could shatter bones or damage meridians, inflicting irreversible harm.

Murong Xue, who had just begun to ease her worries, tensed up again. Gu Kun's expression signaled serious trouble. If Ye Tian were to be injured, the regret would be immeasurable.

Despite Ye Tian's reputation as a class hindrance, Murong Xue saw the good in him and held him in high regard. But if this incident led to tragedy, it would mean a permanent farewell to Spirit Wind Academy.

Du Chun and Lin Zhilan couldn't hide their malicious grins. Ye Tian had previously managed a fluke victory, but with Gu Kun now unleashing his full power, Ye Tian's luck seemed to have run out.

Yet, under the watchful eyes of all, Ye Tian remained astonishingly composed.

Moreover, as Gu Kun launched his attack, Ye Tian met him head-on, unarmed.

"Die!" Gu Kun, upon seeing Ye Tian approach, clenched his sword's hilt and thrust viciously at Wu Song. But a sudden spark of lightning in Wu Song's eye was a harbinger of the unexpected—Gu Kun's sword had inexplicably ended up in Ye Tian's grasp.

Even Gu Kun, the very person involved, was clueless about how Ye Tian managed such a feat. His Broken Character Technique fell apart before he could even unleash it!

"You claim to have perfected the Spirit Cloud Nine Swords, but from what I see, you've barely scratched the surface."

Ye Tian shook his head, clearly disappointed, and his words left onlookers astounded.

The academy teachers had praised Gu Kun's mastery of the Spirit Cloud Nine Swords as flawless, yet they were unaware of Ye Tian's deep familiarity with the technique.

If I say you're not up to par, then you're not up to par!

"Nonsense! Who do you think you are to reprimand me like this? Give me back my weapon now, and I might just let you off the hook!"

Already bested by Ye Tian, Gu Kun's anger flared further at his words. He reached out his hand, shamelessly demanding his weapon back from Ye Tian.

"If you're still a skeptic, then I'll show you what the true Spirit Cloud Nine Swords is all about!"

With his sword in hand, tip pointing to the ground, Ye Tian advanced towards Gu Kun, instilling an inexplicable sense of dread in him.

Suddenly, Ye Tian struck. The Spirit Cloud Nine Swords' techniques, including the Floating Character Formula, flowed from him with ease.

Ye Tian's execution was now even more polished, suggesting he had practiced longer than Gu Kun, though he had never shown it before.

"This can't be. This kid's a nobody; he shouldn't be able to pull off such techniques!"

Despite witnessing it firsthand, Gu Kun refused to believe Ye Tian could execute such formidable moves. He struggled to evade each attack, finding them all incredibly challenging.

"Your Floating Character Formula lacks essence, your Flying Character Formula isn't free-flowing enough, and your Falling Character Formula needs more intensity... Your Broken Character Formula is completely off the mark..."

"How can you dare to claim mastery of the Spirit Cloud Nine Swords with such skill?"

Ye Tian pressed Gu Kun with each technique of the Spirit Cloud Nine Swords, making him wish he could just disappear.

Though Gu Kun managed to dodge, it was clear to him that Ye Tian's mastery of the Spirit Cloud Nine Swords surpassed his own.

After executing nine moves, Gu Kun was taken aback to see that Ye Tian showed no signs of stopping!

At that moment, Ye Tian's eyes sparkled with clarity, a streak of inspiration darting through his mind—his moment of breakthrough had arrived!

With each successive strike, Ye Tian seized the chance to shatter his current limits. Just one final move stood between him and a new realm of power!

"Well then, prepare to witness the tenth form of the Spirit Cloud Nine Swords!" Ye Tian declared, his eyes shining with anticipation. The thrill of the moment invigorated him.

Originally, the Spirit Cloud Nine Swords, as crafted by the Spirit Cloud Ancestor, consisted of nine formidable, layered moves. But in his past life, Ye Tian, captivated by the swordsmanship's ingenuity, had extended the sequence, innovating a tenth move.

This addition was unknown even to the Spirit Cloud Ancestor. Ye Tian had no desire to undermine his disciple's confidence, especially since the number nine symbolized ultimate completion in the cosmos.

"You're spouting madness! There's no tenth move in the Spirit Cloud Nine Swords—you've lost your mind!"

Gu Kun was utterly astounded by Ye Tian's technique, and his denial grew more fervent upon hearing of the tenth move.

"Heh, why not see for yourself?" Ye Tian retorted, sparing further explanation. He launched another attack, his sword tracing patterns in the air, exuding a singular allure.

The swordplay was deceptively simple, stripping away complexity to reveal its pure essence. Ye Tian's execution was seamless, the tenth stroke harmoniously intertwining with the previous nine, not a hint of discord.

Gu Kun watched, his sense of impending doom surging like a mouse in the presence of a primordial predator.

In a mere moment, Gu Kun was drenched in sweat, his clothes clinging to him as he collapsed, drained, to the ground. Ye Tian then pointed his sword's tip at Gu Kun's brow.

In a true fight to the death, Gu Kun would have been a gory spectacle by now. But it was in that same fleeting moment that Ye Tian's sword began to show cracks, eventually shattering into pieces.

The tenth move of the sword technique might have appeared unremarkable, yet it was the most vicious strike of all. The weapon itself couldn't bear the overwhelming force, shattering spontaneously under the strain!

"Are you convinced by this bout?"

Ye Tian maintained his composure, his strength having ascended to the fourth level of the Qi Profound Stage. His level might not have been exceptional, but he had managed to defeat Gu Kun of the ninth level—a feat unprecedented before him.

"I... concede!"

Gu Kun struggled to utter those final words. At this point, further denial was futile; he had to concede.

The tenth technique had shaken Gu Kun's Dao heart, leaving him fearful that Ye Tian might unleash it once more. He knew he had to accept defeat.

Recognizing his shortcomings from their clash, Gu Kun resolved to return to his training, determined to redeem himself in the future.

"Ye Tian, mark my words, this isn't over!"

In a disheveled state, Gu Kun clambered to his feet and hastily retreated with his classmates. Lingering any longer would only add to his embarrassment...

Meanwhile, in the academy's office, Zi Hanyue had already observed the entirety of the martial arts display through the recording crystal she had set up in advance.