Chen Tian's twin blades showed a considerably higher level of proficiency in Xie Lingzi's eyes than his longsword. Xie Lingzi found it hard to believe, considering Chen Tian had only just begun cultivating in this life; how had he accumulated such formidable twin blade experience in such a short time? Disbelief warred with shock. Despite his astonishment, Xie Lingzi dared not be careless with his longsword against Chen Tian's twin blades. With Chen Tian switching to twin blades, all his previous understanding of Chen Tian vanished. Consequently, Xie Lingzi found himself at a disadvantage against Chen Tian's dual-wielding. Xie Lingzi's swordsmanship, however, had been taught by Chen Tian, and Chen Tian understood it intimately.
Chen Tian effortlessly neutralized Xie Lingzi's swordsmanship, both offensively and defensively, plunging Xie Lingzi into a completely passive situation. Xie Lingzi's eyes continuously studied Chen Tian's twin blades, believing that if he could just find a pattern, he might still regain the initiative. Chen Tian's twin blades swung violently left and right, unleashing a cross slash. This time, Xie Lingzi managed to block Chen Tian's attack with a swipe of his sword. Chen Tian displayed no outward reaction; he knew that with Xie Lingzi's powerful talent, seeing through his attack patterns was only a matter of time.
Xie Lingzi's longsword surged forward fiercely, tracing along Chen Tian's blade. Chen Tian's arms immediately released his twin blades, which dissolved into starlight and vanished. Xie Lingzi's longsword, about to cleave Chen Tian in two, found only an afterimage as Chen Tian's figure flickered out of existence. Xie Lingzi's offense was completely under Chen Tian's control. Chen Tian suddenly appeared behind Xie Lingzi, his twin blades descending, unleashing a cross-shaped blade aura. Black shell-like armor sprouted from Xie Lingzi's back. Chen Tian's strike landed on Xie Lingzi's back with a clang.
Chen Tian hadn't anticipated Xie Lingzi's defense being so strong. Failing to land a hit, he immediately retreated. How could Xie Lingzi let such an opportunity pass? He spun around, flashing past Chen Tian, and a black sword qi formed a blade aimed at Chen Tian. Chen Tian raised his twin blades to shield himself, crossing them. The blade aura of the crossed blades collided with the sword qi, resulting in a tremendous explosion and surging waves of energy. This was still just a normal exchange between Chen Tian and Xie Lingzi; neither had yet unleashed their true techniques or martial arts.
"Not bad. Your talent is indeed formidable, but you've unfortunately gone astray."
"Do I need your praise? I've already proven my talent to you. Next is your death."
"You can try."
Chen Tian spoke with a voice as calm as water, which irked Xie Lingzi. Facing any situation, Chen Tian's expression remained so placid, as if everything were within his grasp. "I know you're strong, but that was the you of the past. You are different now. I must kill you and gain even greater power." Chen Tian and Xie Lingzi locked eyes, their gazes clashing. Both intended to kill the other. Chen Tian would show no mercy to any traitor. In Chen Tian's eyes, there was no room for leniency towards traitors or enemies.
Chen Tian and Xie Lingzi's figures blurred into light as they collided, beautiful lines weaving and intersecting in the void, forming a tapestry. The sounds of their battle reverberated throughout the void. At the other end of the void, a pair of eyes opened, followed by a voice that grumbled, "So noisy! Can't a person sleep?"
There was a clear hint of anger, but this creature was unable to leave its current location; it was a powerful being sealed within the void. It only knew itself why it was sealed there. It simply closed its eyes again. So what if it was noisy? It couldn't leave anyway.
Suddenly, an aura emanated from the void. The figure trembled, and the surrounding void reacted, manifesting eighty-one formations poised for attack. As soon as this figure made a move, they would strike.
"This aura... it is My King. My King, I await your arrival."
The voice faded. There was still a long time until the appointed hour, so it could only sleep.
Chen Tian and Xie Lingzi stood in the void. Cracks webbed Chen Tian's twin blades, while Xie Lingzi's longsword was in tatters. Chen Tian had gained the upper hand in this exchange. Why could this be said? In their fight, Chen Tian hadn't unleashed his full blade techniques. Xie Lingzi, on the other hand, had deployed almost everything he knew and was still at a disadvantage. Xie Lingzi's sword energy entered his blade, repairing it anew. The black sword radiated an eerie aura.
Xie Lingzi had initially been reluctant to use his demonic energy to enhance his sword, but he had no choice now. He wasn't Chen Tian's match and couldn't afford to hold back any longer. He had to use every trick he had. This battle was either his death or Chen Tian's. What was there to hesitate about?
Seeing Xie Lingzi use his demonic energy, Chen Tian watched as it enveloped Xie Lingzi's figure, making him appear more like a demonic being. Xie Lingzi's aura surged, considerably higher than Chen Tian's. It seemed he hadn't revealed his full strength before. Chen Tian, too, hadn't been fighting with his all.
Chen Tian held his twin blades and made a move. Xie Lingzi slowly raised his longsword into a stance. The two entered the next stage of their battle. Divine Ice and Divine Fire flowed around Chen Tian's twin blades, forming a vortex that entwined them. On Xie Lingzi's longsword, demonic energy spun into a vortex. It was evident that they were employing the same technique, but with different energies and mediums. Chen Tian's energy was ice and fire, while Xie Lingzi's was demonic power. Chen Tian unleashed it with twin blades, while Xie Lingzi used his longsword.
Chen Tian and Xie Lingzi basically exchanged a look. Neither had expected the other to use this move. Xie Lingzi was even more shocked because when Chen Tian had taught him this technique, he had called it a sword art. Yet, now Chen Tian was using twin blades to unleash it. Wasn't that a contradiction?
"As I suspected, you didn't teach me the true technique back then."
"I won't refute your thinking."
Chen Tian understood the implication behind Xie Lingzi's words.
However, Chen Tian didn't want to explain. He'd let the misunderstanding persist.
In reality, this technique was indeed a sword art, created by Chen Tian himself. As its creator, Chen Tian could naturally use it with other weapons. This required a profound understanding of the technique. As its originator, no one understood it better than Chen Tian.
Chen Tian wielded the twin blades with simple execution. In Xie Lingzi's eyes, this made him believe that Chen Tian had not taught him the complete technique when he first imparted it, otherwise, how could he explain seeing it used with twin blades?
Who had said this technique could only be used with a sword? This made Xie Lingzi hate Chen Tian even more. It turned out Chen Tian hadn't trusted him from the very beginning.
Xie Lingzi and Chen Tian attacked almost simultaneously. Two waves of blade aura energy cannons collided, persisting for a full hundred seconds, one pushing forward as the other advanced, locked in a stalemate.
Chen Tian's red and blue energy cannons and Xie Lingzi's black energy cannon were inseparable. They advanced and retreated, the battle line constantly shifting.
A white void appeared at the center of the collision, and their attacks were sucked into it. Chen Tian and Xie Lingzi reacted swiftly, abandoning the energy transfer and their attacks vanished. Both Chen Tian and Xie Lingzi narrowly avoided having their energy completely drained by the void.
Fortunately, Chen Tian and Xie Lingzi stopped channeling energy, thus avoiding that outcome.
Chen Tian swung his twin blades continuously, launching attacks. Xie Lingzi, seeing this, refused to be outdone, as their techniques were essentially the same.
Only the form differed.
Xie Lingzi's blade and Chen Tian's blades operated on the same trajectory, their movements mirroring each other. The two remained in a stalemate.
This perfectly illustrated the saying: taught by the same master, neither could break through the other's defenses.