บท 40: Chapter 40: A Battle of Swordsmanship
"I think we don't need to fight anymore." Zhou Ming put away his knife and spoke calmly.
He didn't intend to kill Daishi Takashi at this moment.
Daishi Takashi harbored hatred towards him, and hatred was the fuel that could quickly enhance one's strength.
Daishi Takashi was young, talented, and had an enemy who killed his father standing in front of him, but he couldn't take revenge. This kind of pain would constantly lash at his heart, driving him to transform himself and become stronger in the shortest time possible.
This was exactly what Zhou Ming needed. He needed an opponent whose strength was a match for his own, to improve his swordsmanship level in a thrilling battle.
Daishi Takashi was like an immature fruit, and Zhou Ming looked forward to the moment when it would ripen, so he could personally pick it.
For this reason, Zhou Ming didn't mind waiting patiently.
"Go back and improve your strength. You're still too weak right now."
Zhou Ming pointed at Daishi Takashi's chest, where his clothes had been cut open, revealing a shallow wound on his chest.
With that strike, if Zhou Ming had used just a little more force, Daishi Takashi would have met a fatal end.
Daishi Takashi's face was very ugly because he couldn't even leave a scratch on Zhou Ming, even if they ignored the advantages of weaponry. This meant that he was still not a match for Zhou Ming.
"Find a better sword next time. If your strength has improved to my satisfaction, I can exchange my sword for a match with you." Zhou Ming waved his perfectly intact and still clear, and sharp Adamantium alloy sword and chuckled.
Daishi Takashi didn't say anything and sheathed his sword, turning back to his carriage.
Zhou Ming also returned to his carriage and said calmly, "Let's go."
The two carriages moved together, avoiding each other. They passed by each other without saying a word.
It wasn't until Tokugawa Hidetada's carriage had gone far away that Oda Hirakura couldn't help but ask, "Zhou Ming, which master made your knife?"
"'Guisei Muramasa' was crafted by the renowned swordsmith Odawara. It is a famous sword known throughout the world. The fact that it was broken in your hands will undoubtedly cause a great sensation when it gets out!"
"Don't get so worked up," Zhou Ming said, looking at his sword with a mysterious smile. "You have the energy to focus on this sword. Why not think about tomorrow's duel with Hirakawa Taisho?"
"Ah!" Oda Hirakura slapped his head in frustration and groaned, "Why did I have to be involved in something like this?"
Zhou Ming ignored Oda Hirakura's lament. As long as he successfully diverted his attention, it was enough. Why bother saying so much?
Time was like the balance in a bank account, it disappeared without warning.
In the blink of an eye, a day had passed, the moon had set and the sun had risen, and a new day had begun.
Zhou Ming sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, watching the fish swimming in the pond, while images of different people continuously flashed through his mind, performing various different sword techniques.
These were martial arts experiences that Zhou Ming had gained from defeating various warriors, containing the essence of different schools of swordsmanship, martial arts, and even martial arts philosophy.
They were not complete; they were presented in a very chaotic and fragmented state, without any system.
What Zhou Ming needed to do was sort out these fragments clearly. He didn't want a particular school of swordsmanship, but rather to absorb the nutrients of these colorful fragments and find his own path.
For Zhou Ming, this was not difficult.
Having reached a high level of understanding, he was able to create a half-move sword technique at will, but the level was not high and it depended on his own demands.
At this moment, Matsui Kyoshin walked in.
"My lord, lord Hirakawa Taisho, is here," Matsui Kyoshin bowed.
Zhou Ming's gaze moved away from the fish in the pond and towards the courtyard gate, where Hirakawa Taisho stood sternly.
"Let him come in." Zhou Ming smiled and patted the bamboo sword next to him, saying, "You can also stay if you want to watch."
Matsui Kyoshin was overjoyed and bowed even harder, saying loudly, "Thank you, my lord!"
Seeing Zhou Ming with a bamboo sword, he knew that Zhou Ming did not have any intention of killing today, and Oda Hirakura, who was worried about someone losing their life, could also be at ease.
As a samurai, being able to watch two powerful warriors fight was naturally a great honor for him.
Matsui Kyoshin stood up and hurriedly went out to invite Hirakawa to come in, and then quickly passed on the news to Oda Hirakura.
Seeing Oda Hirakura breathe a sigh of relief and a smile reappear on his face, Matsui Kyoshin couldn't continue to stay by Oda Hirakura's side and hurriedly ran back to the courtyard to watch the fight.
"What are you doing? Do you think only you want to watch? Don't I want to watch too?"
Oda Hirakura scolded and didn't have time to continue rebuking Matsui Kyoshin. He walked quickly towards the courtyard.
As soon as they entered, they saw Zhou Ming and Hirakawa standing face-to-face with bamboo swords in hand.
The atmosphere between the two was so solemn that it seemed as if the air had solidified, and the two onlookers couldn't help but hold their breath.
"Ha!"
Finally, Hirakawa broke the silence and swung his sword towards Zhou Ming's head. His momentum was fierce and unstoppable, as if he could sweep everything in his path.
This was Hirakawa's way of swordsmanship, striking first to gain the upper hand. His steadily rising momentum, accompanied by the fierce long sword, seemed as if no one could stop it.
If the opponent had any fear and wanted to avoid the sharpness of his sword, and took a step back, he would become increasingly passive, and be overwhelmed by Hirakura's fierce attacks like a tide.
If he tried to resist head-on, Hirakawa Taisho's immense power would come into play. He was tall and was a royal guard, with a physique far beyond that of ordinary people. He was confident that he would not fall behind anyone in a head-to-head confrontation.
Then, he learned what it meant when there were always people better than you, and what it meant when mountains could not be shaken [1].
Faced with Hirakawa Taisho's sword coming down on him, Zhou Ming simply raised his bamboo sword with one arm and blocked the descending blade perfectly.
Hirakawa Taisho's explosive force fell on Zhou Ming's bamboo sword, but it was like a mud cow entering the sea, not causing any ripples.
Zhou Ming's right arm, raised like a piece of finely-crafted iron, didn't move a bit, and he even smiled easily.
Then, a huge force burst out of Zhou Ming's body, and the sword slowly rose, turning the tables and pressing on Hirakawa Taisho bit by bit.
"How... is this possible..."
Hirakawa Taisho was full of shock. He wanted to lift his other hand to grab the hilt and fight against Zhou Ming, but he was unwilling to act due to his inner defiance.
However, as the force transmitted from Zhou Ming's body continued to increase, it soon reached the point where Hirakawa Taisho could no longer bear it with just one arm.
"Ah!"
Hirakawa Taisho shouted loudly, holding the sword with both hands and bursting out with force, pushing back the bamboo sword that Zhou Ming was gradually pressing down and launching a fierce counterattack against Zhou Ming.
Fast! Accurate! Ruthless!
Hirakawa Taisho's swordsmanship was even higher than that of Daishi Takashi.
If he hadn't tried to overpower Zhou Ming with his strength at the beginning, he wouldn't have fallen behind right from the start, and had to resort to an explosive move to get out of the passive situation.
Now, Hirakawa Taisho, who had completely turned the tables, was fully displaying his years of battle-tested swordsmanship.
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[1]-"When mountains could not be shaken" is a Chinese idiom, which means that even when everything else changes, the mountains remain steadfast and immovable.
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