When he woke up the next morning and had breakfast, Zhou Wen bought some breakfast for Wang Lu.
"You’re back?" Wang Lu opened the door and asked in surprise.
"I came back yesterday." Zhou Wen entered and placed the breakfast on the table.
"Has the matter been resolved?" Wang Lu asked.
"Pretty much." Zhou Wen felt his mood elevate, but he didn’t know if the bureau would back down or not.
"That’s good. Let’s settle our scores now. You owe me a lot of breakfast. You need to make it up with lunch." Wang Lu very seriously listed down the number of breakfasts Zhou Wen owed her.
After taking Wang Lu’s breakfast, Zhou Wen went to the Xuanwen Club.
"Old Zhou, why are you always going missing? Can’t you let me tag along if there’s anything interesting happening?" Li Xuan said with a smile.
"I got into some trouble, so I went into hiding. What’s so fun about that?" Zhou Wen shrugged his shoulders helplessly.
As the two of them spoke, they saw Feng Qiuyan, Ming Xiu, and a girl walk in.
Zhou Wen knew Ming Xiu, but didn’t know why he had come to the Xuanwen Club. He wasn’t a member of the Xuanwen Club.
However, Zhou Wen still felt a little guilty towards Ming Xiu. After all, he was his student tutor, but he had not done anything since he had come.
"Zhou Wen, you’re finally back. Are you free now?" Ming Xiu’s eyes lit up when he saw Zhou Wen.
"What’s the matter?" Zhou Wen felt that if Ming Xiu had any questions, as his student tutor, he should provide some level of help.
"I’ve recently practiced a set of sword techniques. I want you to give me some pointers," Ming Xiu said.
Although he had asked Zhou Wen for pointers, Ming Xiu was very confident in his sword techniques. Ever since he saw Zhou Wen’s Transcendent Flying Immortal, Ming Xiu had gained inspiration and had been studying the sword techniques left behind by his father.
After repeatedly improving and practicing it with Feng Qiuyan, Ming Xiu felt that his sword techniques were rather perfect. They were in no way inferior to Zhou Wen’s Transcendent Flying Immortal.
"Alright." Zhou Wen nodded in agreement.
Feng Qiuyan was also very interested. He knew that Zhou Wen had already advanced to the Epic stage. If it was a life-and-death battle, Ming Xiu was definitely no match for Zhou Wen.
However, sparring was different from a life-or-death battle. They only fought to determine whose sword technique was better and not one’s strength and speed. Therefore, Feng Qiuyan felt that Ming Xiu probably had a chance.
During this period of time, he had been training with Ming Xiu. He knew that Ming Xiu’s sword techniques had improved significantly. Apart from his lacking level, just his sword technique alone was as good as his saber techniques.
When Ming Xiu fought Zhou Wen, he could also watch from the side and figure out how much Zhou Wen had improved.
Everyone went to the training ground and the two changed into combat uniforms. They held their training swords and faced each other. Tian Zhenzhen asked nervously, "Feng Qiuyan, what do you think of Ming Xiu’s chances of winning?"
Ming Xiu’s sword techniques had improved significantly, but Tian Zhenzhen had a nagging feeling that they were too simple. It was unlike Zhou Wen’s Transcendent Flying Immortal which was domineering and magnificent.
"I don’t know." Feng Qiuyan shook his head.
If it were the sword techniques that Zhou Wen had used in the past, and with Zhou Wen’s lack of understanding of Ming Xiu’s sword techniques, Feng Qiuyan felt that Ming Xiu would have a chance of winning. However, Zhou Wen definitely wouldn’t stop improving while he and Ming Xiu improved. Therefore, Feng Qiuyan couldn’t determine the outcome. However, deep down, he believed that Zhou Wen would definitely win. However, Feng Qiuyan couldn’t say it without any evidence.
"That goes without saying. No one can beat Old Zhou. We just need to see how many strikes Ming Xiu can last under Old Zhou." However, Li Xuan was confident about Zhou Wen.
"Tch, how would you know if they haven’t fought? I think Ming Xiu will definitely win." Tian Zhenzhen immediately retorted.
"Please guide me." Ming Xiu held the training sword and took on an elegant stance. Then, he sheathed the sword back into the scabbard.
"Please." Zhou Wen didn’t hold a scabbard. He only held the sword in his hand as he pointed it diagonally to the ground.
Ming Xiu’s expression didn’t change. However, his aura became increasingly calm. He seemed to fuse with the air. If one didn’t look at him with their eyes, one wouldn’t be able to feel his existence.
A sword flash appeared, an extreme movement after extreme stillness. After the practice sword was unsheathed, an earth-shattering strike, that was fast and powerful, appeared. It looked as if it would tear through the skies and pass through the ninth firmaments.
It was unlike Feng Qiuyan’s swift saber. Although Feng Qiuyan’s swift saber could exceed its limits, it did so with temperance. Particular attention was needed regarding control.
However, Ming Xiu’s sword technique wasn’t the same. It was as if he would explode with all the light of his life in this single strike. It squeezed every ounce of his strength. Every cell seemed to unleash all their energy.
There was only one survivor. The sword didn’t return once it struck.
There was no control, no hesitation, and no way out. It was as if he had staked his entire life on this one strike. Although it wasn’t brilliant, it had the determination to destroy everything.
Even though it was only a single strike, it went all in. It couldn’t be controlled, nor was there any need to control it. The sword lived with the person and died with the person. Either the enemy or himself fell.
When Li Xuan saw the strike, his expression turned solemn as he muttered to himself, "Is it worth it to stake his life on this strike?"
Zhou Wen stared at the earth-shattering strike, but he didn’t move his practice sword. He could sense Ming Xiu’s determination from the sword.
"Ah!" Tian Zhenzhen exclaimed in shock when she saw Zhou Wen did not react to it.
It may be a special rubber sword that was used for training, without any edge or sharpness, even to the point of being curved, but under the augmentation of Ming Xiu’s sword technique, even a practice sword could pierce through flesh and blood.
Feng Qiuyan’s and Li Xuan’s expressions changed as well. They didn’t know what was wrong with Zhou Wen. He had failed to react.
As the sword flew like the wind, the practice sword in Ming Xiu’s hand brushed past Zhou Wen’s neck, almost touching the skin on his neck, but, ultimately, it didn’t injure him.
"Why didn’t you fight back?" Ming Xiu asked Zhou Wen with a frown.
"Why should I fight back when you aren’t stabbing at me?" Zhou Wen said casually. Ever since he had sensed the power of spatial trajectories, he had a keen sense of trajectories. Others might not be able to distinguish the minute difference due to Ming Xiu’s sword being too fast, but Zhou Wen could see it clearly. That strike wouldn’t hurt him at all.
Upon hearing Zhou Wen’s words, Ming Xiu was stunned. He looked at Zhou Wen in a daze and didn’t say a word.
After a long while, Ming Xiu’s eyes gradually became resolute. He slowly retracted the sword that was sitting beside Zhou Wen’s neck and sheathed it. He bowed slightly at Zhou Wen and said seriously, "Coach, I understand. I won’t randomly strike in the future. The sword needs to kill before it’s unsheathed."
With that said, Ming Xiu turned around and left. Zhou Wen was somewhat taken aback. He didn’t know what had gone wrong with Ming Xiu. First, he didn’t stab him, and next, he left for no reason.