<h2 ss="wp-block-heading">Chapter 5272</h2>


    “Your foundation is sound, but your swordsmanship relies too heavily on bursts of spiritual energy,cking the agility a swordsman should possess.”


    Mo Chen would instruct David every afternoon in the Sword Hut.


    He never demonstrated himself, but simply sat on a bamboo couch, caressing a jet-ck wooden sword, asionally pointing out ws in David’s practice.


    “Look at this old bamboo,”


    Mo Chen pointed out the window, a stalk bent by the wind. “It bends when the wind blows, straightens when the wind leaves. It appears fragile, but in reality, it’s incredibly resilient. The same should apply to swords: rigidity cannotst long, and softness cannot be defended. Only bybining rigidity and softness can one achieve unparalleled maneuverability.”


    David gazed intently, observing that the bamboo, sted by the wind, seemed ready to snap at any moment, yet always managed to bend slightly at the peak of the force, dissipating much of the force. A sudden inspiration


    struck him, and the Dragon ying Sword in his hand hummed. His once ferocious and domineering sword moves suddenly became agile and nimble.


    The sword’s light flickered like the shadows of swaying bamboo, sometimes piercing straight ahead like a bamboo shoot breaking through the earth, sometimes shing horizontally like a bamboo leaf sweeping through the wind. “Hmm, that’s quite interesting.” Mo Chen’s eyes shed with approval.


    “The way of the sword has no fixed rules. Those who are trapped in the techniques are craftsmen, while those who fully understand the principles of the sword are masters. Your previous swordsmanship was too focused on ‘shing,’ forgetting that the sword can also ‘entangle,’ ‘circle,’ and ‘remove.''”


    With a flick of his finger, a bronze sword beside the bamboo couch soared into the air, transforming into a stream of light and shooting towards David. The strike seemed slow, but it blocked all of David’s angles for evasion.


    David’s heart trembled, and he instinctively tried to block with brute force, but suddenly remembered Mo Chen’s words. He twisted his wrist sharply , and the Dragon ying Sword wrapped around the bronze sword like a spirit snake.


    With a gentle slide along the sword’s spine, he actually diverted the sword’s force to the side. The moment the two swords crossed, he turned his wrist again, and the de was pointing directly at the bronze sword’s hilt. “Ding!” The bronze sword fell to the ground with a crisp sound.


    David stood there


    in shock. The realization he had just experienced was like a revtion. He felt his spiritual energy surge, and the bottleneck of the Seventh Rank of the Loose Immortal Realm was shattered. An even more powerful force filled his body—the Eighth Rank of the Loose Immortal Realm!


    “Breakthrough?” Hu Mazi watched from the side, astonished. “It’s only been a few days, and David’s cultivation speed is simply inhuman!”


    Mo Chen stood up, walked over to David, and for the first time, smiled with satisfaction. “Not bad, a single nce. Yourprehension is far greater than mine back then.”


    Just then, a Sword Sect disciple hurried into the courtyard, shouting excitedly, “Senior Brother! Master Mo Chen! The once-a-century Sword Saint City Sword Competition is about to begin! All the major sects are signing up!”


    David’s heart moved, and he asked, “What is this Sword Competition?”


    The Sword Sect disciple exined it to David.


    “Swordsmanship Tournament?” Hu Mazi rubbed his hands. “Sounds exciting, David, shall we go?”


    David looked at Mo Chen, only to see his brows furrowed slightly, seemingly unenthusiastic. He didn’t know why.


    A few dayster, news of the Swordsmanship Tournament spread throughout Sword Saint City. Major sects signed up, and even some sword-cultivating families from thousands of miles away sent representatives.


    The disciples of the Sword Sect couldn’t wait to participate. Ling Xue and several other core disciples even approached Mo Chen, begging him to join.


    “Master, this is a once-in-a-century opportunity. Even if we don’t win, we can at least witness the swordsmanship of other sects!” Ling Xue said earnestly.


    Mo Chen was silent for a long time, then finally shook his head. “Your strength is still limited. This tournament is full of hidden talents. Many sects will do anything to gain a spot. Going there will only mean you’ll die in vain.”


    “But…” Ling Xue wanted to argue, but Mo Chen interrupted her.


    “Especially the Divine Sword Vi,” Mo Chen’s voice deepened. “They have a long-standing grudge against our Sword Sect. Their disciples are known for their ruthlessness. If we encounter them at the conference, they will show no mercy.”