Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

Chapter 1158: Making a Move, the Battle with Gu Jian!

It was a very simple movement: a clenched fist, a straight punch. There were no fancy moves, no powerful outward display of internal energy; it was just an ordinary punch. But in Wang Xi's eyes, this punch felt as if the entire world was pressing down on him. Wherever the fist passed, the air emitted a groan of unbearable pressure, a mournful cry of space being squeezed by extreme force.

will die.

This was the only thought in Wang Xi's mind.

Just as the fist was about to touch Wang Xi's chest, a willow branch suddenly pierced through.

It is Si Gu Jian.

He was still sitting under the locust tree, but the willow branch in his hand had somehow stretched more than three zhang (approximately 10 meters) away. The willow branch was supple, but now it was as straight as a spear, its tip pointing precisely at Gao Yao's fist.

Time seemed to slow down at that moment.

Gao Yao's fist and Si Gu Jian's willow branches approached at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

The moment the fist made contact with the willow branch, there was no earth-shattering roar, only a soft "plop," like a pebble thrown into a deep pool. But then—

"boom!!!"

Centered on the point of contact, a visible shockwave exploded outwards. The bluestone slabs in the courtyard shattered inch by inch, the fragments being swept up by the shockwave and spraying outwards like a torrential rain. The old locust tree lost all its leaves instantly, leaving countless scratches on its trunk. The courtyard wall cracked open with a spiderweb-like fissure.

Wang Xi was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the courtyard wall. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face ashen. He struggled to lift his head and look towards the center of the courtyard.

There, Gao Yao and Si Gu Jian had already parted ways.

Gao Yao took three steps back, leaving three footprints three inches deep on the bluestone slab beneath his feet. Si Gu Jian remained seated, but the front half of the willow branch in his hand had turned to dust, leaving only the back half still in his grasp.

The two looked at each other, both showing surprise.

"Well done." Si Gu Jian spoke slowly, his voice carrying emotion for the first time—the excitement of seeing a predator. "Over the years, there haven't been many people who could make me draw my sword!"

The "sword" he spoke of was that willow branch. In the exchange just now, the willow branch carried his sword intent, making it no less formidable than a divine weapon.

Gao Yao flexed his wrists and laughed, "The title of the number one swordsman in the world is well-deserved."

That last attack, seemingly evenly matched, actually put Gao Yao at a slight disadvantage. Si Gu Jian's attack was hasty, and he only used a willow branch; he had prepared his strength before unleashing it, yet he was still forced back three steps. This veteran grandmaster's cultivation is indeed unfathomable.

But Si Gu Jian was even more shocked. His sword strike, seemingly casual, had actually used seventy percent of his cultivation. An ordinary ninth-rank expert would have been pulverized by that strike. Gao Yao not only withstood it, but the refinement of his fist and the vigor of his blood and qi were simply unbelievable.

“What you’re practicing isn’t true qi.” Si Gu Jian stared at Gao Yao, as if trying to see through him. “It’s pure physical strength. In my eighty-three years of life, I’ve never seen anyone cultivate their physical body to such a level.”

"Is it important? I've come here today to learn from you!"

As Gao Yao spoke, he drew the Crimson Sky Sword from his waist. Seeing Gao Yao take out the sword, Si Gu Jian's expression changed slightly, and he then waved to Wang Xi, who was not far away.

"Step back, do not disturb!"

"Master, this... is it!"

Seeing Gao Yao's sudden visit and attack, Wang Xi was naturally displeased. This was Dongyi City, and attacking Si Gu Jian was clearly going too far. However, judging from Si Gu Jian's expression, Wang Xi knew it wasn't appropriate to interfere and could only silently accept it.

There were no words, no movements, yet the air in the courtyard was heavy as iron. The raindrops twisted and swirled strangely in the space between the two, forming tiny vortexes. It was the result of the collision of two invisible forces—Si Gu Jian's sword intent was as condensed as a needle, penetrating everywhere; Gao Yao's qi was as thick as a mountain, unmoving.

“Your cultivation method is very special.” Si Gu Jian finally spoke, his voice dry like the grinding of a whetstone. “It’s not true qi, not internal force, but pure qi and blood power. In my eighty-three years of life, I have never seen anyone cultivate their physical body to such a level.”

Gao Yao smiled slightly: "Senior's sword intent has also broadened my horizons. Man and sword are one, and the sword follows the will. You truly deserve to be called the number one swordsman in the world."

This was no flattery. The moment Gao Yao stepped into the courtyard, he sensed it—every drop of rain, every leaf, every wisp of wind carried the essence of swordsmanship. Si Gu Jian's sword was no longer just the wooden sword in his hand; it had become one with the entire environment. This was a realm of mastery, a realm he had never seen before.

"Make your move." Si Gu Jian slowly stood up, his movements as slow as an old man getting out of bed, but Gao Yao's pupils suddenly contracted.

The moment Si Gu Jian stood up, all the raindrops in the courtyard suddenly stopped.

It wasn't truly still; rather, every raindrop hovered in mid-air, trembling slightly. Thousands upon thousands of raindrops, each reflecting the scene in the courtyard, each carrying a hint of sharp sword intent. At this moment, the entire courtyard transformed into a massive sword formation, with Si Gu Jian at its core.

Gao Yao took a deep breath.

He took a deep, long breath, his chest bulging like a bellows, his blood and qi surging within him. The thirteenth level of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Technique—Dragon Elephant Power, activated!

"Roar--"

It was as if the roar of an ancient beast emanated from within him—not a sound, but a shockwave. The suspended raindrops trembled in unison, many bursting into mist. Within three feet of Gao Yao, the rainwater was completely dispersed, forming a dry, spherical space.

He moved.

There were no fancy footwork techniques, just a single step. The instant his foot landed, the bluestone slabs shattered inch by inch, the fragments being ground into powder by the protective energy before they could even fly. This stomp was as heavy as a thousand pounds, shaking the entire courtyard.

Si Gu Jian's eyes lit up.

The wooden sword was raised, its tip pointing at Gao Yao. A simple movement, yet it made Gao Yao feel as if he were locked on—not just at one point, but as if all 365 acupoints on his body were simultaneously pierced by needles. Si Gu Jian's sword strike had managed to attack all his vital points at once!

"Well done!"

Instead of retreating, Gao Yao advanced, clenching his right fist and throwing it straight out. The punch was delivered without wind, yet wherever it passed, space distorted and rain evaporated. This was pure power, ultimate power, without any technique—simply using brute force to overcome all laws.

The fist and the sword tip met at a distance of three feet.

There was no contact.

The force of the fist and the intent of the sword collided in mid-air, producing a piercing shriek like metal scraping against metal. A visible ripple spread out from the point of impact. Wherever the ripple passed, raindrops instantly vaporized, the branches and leaves of the old locust tree burst open, and the moss on the courtyard wall peeled away, revealing the bricks and stones beneath.

First move, a draw.

Both of them took a half step back at the same time, their eyes showing seriousness.

Si Gu Jian flicked his wrist, and the wooden sword traced an enigmatic path. The sword strike was slow, so slow that every detail of the sword tip's movement could be seen. But as the wooden sword moved, the raindrops in the courtyard began to spin, faster and faster, eventually forming a waterspout that roared towards Gaoyao.

This is not a technique driven by true qi, but rather pure sword intent drawing upon the power of heaven and earth!