"This... can't be happening..."

"Where does this guy get his confidence from..."

Right there in the exhibition hall, right after the sword Dao master Miyamoto Jiro had defeated Qing Shan with a single strike, Xu Fan brazenly issued a challenge, causing the crowd to break out into a low buzz of speculation.

They simply couldn't understand where this fellow got the reckless idea to do such a thing...

"Aren't you going to talk him out of it?"

With a grave expression, Xia Yanyu glanced at Xu Fan, then turned questioningly to Xiao Lan beside her.

"Why should I dissuade him?"

Xiao Lan smiled and turned his head, saying, "Isn't it enough to just believe in him?"

"..."

Believe in him? Xia Yanyu shook her head. Was she to believe that a miracle would happen?

"Hehe, the courage of the Huaxia people is indeed quite amusing. Miyamoto Jiro, you better not disappoint me next."

Shuichi Akita naturally couldn't pass up such an excellent opportunity when the prey had delivered itself to his door. After instructing Miyamoto Jiro, he stepped back.

Seeming to have sensed a hint of blood in the air beforehand, his eyes became feverish.

"It's starting!"

Within the ring of onlookers, Miyamoto Jiro made his move. For a time, everyone held their breath, their eyes shifting between Xu Fan and Miyamoto Jiro.

One could see Miyamoto Jiro's right hand slowly reaching toward the katana at his waist.

His body's center of gravity shifted forward slowly, his right hand tightly gripped the hilt, and his entire being was in a stance ready to draw his sword at any moment!

As if a storm was brewing, the onlookers could distinctly feel Miyamoto Jiro's entire aura change at that moment.

The sharpness and arrogance that had been so evident before disappeared as his hand gripped the katana, blending with his surroundings.

It was as though all his momentum, with the motion of drawing his sword, had been gathered entirely into the sheath in his hand.

The man became the sword; the sword became the man!

This master of the Sword Dao from Dongying, a genius unmatched in recent years, now exuded an aura that made everyone involuntarily hold their breath.

It was the oppressive calm before a storm, and beads of sweat began forming on the foreheads of those who were watching.

They were certain! The moment Miyamoto Jiro drew the katana from his waist, a tremendously strong aura would erupt.

When it happened, it would be dazzling and unstoppable!

...

In contrast, Xu Fan stood immovable as a boulder, still as long as the enemy did not move.

With his hands behind his back, he calmly watched the figure of Miyamoto Jiro before him.

This composure was out of place in such a setting, making onlookers wonder one thing.

Had this fellow been scared stiff by the sword Dao master before him?

However, what the crowd did not know was that Xu Fan's stationary stance was the best countermeasure.

The essence of Miyamoto Itto-ryu was to keenly identify the enemy's moment of action and their attack's weaknesses, then concentrate all one's power at that point and execute the Critical Slash.

One Blade Style was purely offensive with no defense, and thus often initiated a counterattack.

Xu Fan's unmoving stance was the perfect counter to the most powerful secret of Miyamoto Itto-ryu.

"Damn it, are we going to fight or not..."

"Hey, big guy, how long are you going to pose with that sword? Isn't it enough already?"

As seconds and minutes passed, a few impatient voices in the crowd began to curse.

Against an opponent who was clearly weaker, why all the dawdling? Is this the behavior of a master?

"..."

Under the impatient curses of the crowd, Miyamoto Jiro's brows furrowed slightly.

He completely disagreed with the thoughts of the people around him.

In his life, he had defeated countless foes, yet this was the first time he had encountered such a formidable enemy.

Looking at Xu Fan in front of him, he felt a sense that if he drew his blade now, no matter how fast, the man before him would react in an instant, targeting his weakness with a fatal move!

Years of cultivation had left his heart as calm as an ancient well, but now a few ripples were starting to emerge.

Drip, a bead of sweat fell onto the back of his right hand gripping the katana handle, and Miyamoto Jiro's heart grew more and more agitated.

This is merely a foolhardy kid, what am I afraid of!

"Bastard!"

If he hesitated any longer, he might not even need to fight, Miyamoto Jiro roared lowly, his foot slamming hard on the floor!

Under the crackling sound, the floor beneath Miyamoto Jiro's feet cracked quickly, and his leaning body, like an arrow off the string, shot rapidly toward Xu Fan!

"That! So fast!"

"My God..."

Like a black shadow, Miyamoto Jiro's figure was so fast it could hardly be caught, and at the very moment when everyone's thoughts of horror arose, he had already reached Xu Fan!

Clang!

Smooth as flowing clouds and water, Miyamoto Jiro's body moved with his heart, now pressing down on Xu Fan, with the pitch-black long katana being drawn! Like a dark rainy night split by a streak of lightning!

It was as if a sealed dragon surged out of the scabbard! The chilly blade Qi was pressing straight towards Xu Fan's throat!

The onlookers' eyes widened in fright, and involuntarily they all surged backward!

This Critical Slash was stunningly brilliant, questions bouncing in the minds of the onlookers: under the heavens, who could withstand such a meteor-fast Critical Slash?

The sharp edge of the katana carrying blade Qi was bearing down on Xu Fan's throat, and in the next instant, it would slice open and burst forth a blossom of blood-red!

At this moment, the agitated look on Miyamoto Jiro's face finally calmed down.

He himself was a Sword Dao master from Dongying, the heir to the Miyamoto Itto-ryu. How could this brash youngster be his match?

"Uh..."

The smile barely formed on his lips, but the scene before him made Miyamoto Jiro's expression freeze in the wind.

In the blink of an eye, Xu Fan moved!

Confronting Miyamoto Jiro's exposed Critical Slash, Xu Fan didn't advance but instead retreated, directly facing it head-on!

Two fingers, merely seizing the edge of the blade, acted later but arrived faster, clamping it steadily in his hand before Miyamoto Jiro's katana could reach his throat.

With a ping, the katana, once indestructible in Miyamoto Jiro's hand, was directly snapped by Xu Fan's two fingers! Followed by a cold light flashing toward Miyamoto Jiro!

All of this happened in less than one-tenth of a second, the crowd hadn't even realized what had happened, and it was all over.

Ping!

"What? How, how could this be?"

"What happened... Ah?"

The broken blade hit the ground, snapping the stunned onlookers out of their daze. They looked at Xu Fan, who had already moved behind Miyamoto Jiro, and began to query curiously.

No one had clearly seen what had just occurred, and now they were all utterly confused, asking around but finding no answers.

"The, the blade, it's broken!"

Finally, some observant people spotted the half lying on the ground.

This sole clue made everyone hastily look over at Miyamoto Jiro!

"This..."

Nobody could utter a word at the sight that lay before their eyes…

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