Shing! Shing! Bang!

With the sound of an explosion, a blue-haired puppet was soon revealed to be hidden beneath what was once a towering ancient building. It looked up towards another puppet with red hair that floated above the earth descending like a G.o.d amongst men. As if unphased by this, the blue-haired puppet placed its fists together forming a ball of electricity around its hands, as it"s knuckle"s now shone with a bright blue light.

Buzz! KBang! Following the sounding of a loud thunder, a dazzling bolt of blue lightning struck towards to the sky from the ground, leaving behind only a remnant shade of the blue-haired puppet, as it shot towards the red-haired puppet with full momentum.

"Double Shock Palms!" The blue-haired form puppet, as it used a custom version of the first stance of the < heavenly="" shocking="" circuit="" scripture="">, the red-haired puppet seeing its actions looked on without any form of emotion as it slashed one of the swords by its side in an elusive manner. Soon, a trail of swords had formed creating an illusion of multiple swords surrounding the red-haired puppet.

"Burry Mantis Swords!" The red-haired form shouted as it reacted with the "Balance Stance" of the sword technique.

In an instant, there came silence, as the attacks of both puppets collided creating a shockwave that formed a vacuum zone. In the s.p.a.ce, all sounds had ceased, but after a moment this "zone" was soon destroyed by a raging current of blue electrical energies that spread outwards, scattering towards the distant buildings and constructs creating further ruin to the environment.

Buzz! As the electrical energies continued to wreak havoc, the red-haired puppet floated firmly in mid-air as it stubbornly blocked both fists of the blue-haired puppet with the blade of its sword. However, as both puppets were about to continue their battle, there was a change. The blue-haired puppet had promptly retracted its battle skill as it flickered with a flash of blue lightning appearing a few meters distance away from the red-haired puppet, its gaze soon after focusing towards the sky.

Not long after, a rain of arrows could be seen falling towards both puppets at terrifying speeds, blanketing more than 200 meters of the sky. They were followed by a voice that seemed to have sounded from everywhere but nowhere at the same time.

"HuiMang Bow Arts: Sky"s Stripper!" The voice of a black-haired puppet said as it could now be seen hiding at a few hundred meters away.

As the rain of arrows continued to fall, the two puppets that were within its area of effect were not panicked for they had both prepared to receive it directly. The blue-haired puppet moved and positioned its hands into a brawling stance.

"Heavenly Shocking Circuit - Shock Palm Barrage!" It roared as it launched a barrage of palm attacks towards the rain of arrows, creating thousands upon thousands of electric palm shades, the raining arrows which met its palms soon after exploded with loud booms creating a small shockwave for each collision.

The red-haired puppet seeing this did not attack the rain of arrows but aimed its sight somewhere else, looking directly towards the black-haired puppet in the distance. Slowly, it reached towards the other sword on its left side and drew it, fully equipping itself with two swords. It then crouched down and leaned its body forward as it positioned the tip of each sword towards the ground with both of its arms placed behind it, a.s.suming the form of a bird ready to take flight.

"Sword Foundation Tactics: Dual Blazing Sword Wave!" The red-haired puppet roared, as it used a custom version of the "Eruption Stance" of its sword technique.

Suddenly, a towering sword aura rose as an invincible prestige covered the entire small world. Cl.u.s.ters of flame essence-energies gathered around the red-haired puppet"s two swords, as blazing sword energies erupted towards the sky transforming the sky into a sea of flames. Just as the towering sword energy was about to unleash its wrath, there was an interruption.

Ping! "Your combat time has ended! Battle Result - Draw!" System Prompt.

Phew! After a flash of light, the magical battlefield on the platform disappeared, as Feng Yu, Dai Lin, and Hui Ying removed their hands from their separate compartments.

Hui Ying looked at Feng Yu in shock as he said, "Brother Yu! What on earth was that sword technique?"

Dai Lin also looked at Feng Yu with a bit of dread as he too remembered that final scene clearly. As if he did not hear their words, Feng Yu stood quietly with his eyes closed trying to remember the feeling he had just experienced. Sadly, the time was too short as the moment he inspired the strength of two swords he was "booted" out of the platform. After a bit of contemplation, he cleared his thoughts and opened his eyes.

Shing! As if a sword was drawn, an invisible intent appeared briefly for a moment only to disappear shortly after. Feeling this intent that flickered for a moment Hui Ying and Dai Lin once again fell into a state of shock.

"Half-Step Sword Intent! How could this be?!" Hui Ying shouted as he took a step back only trip and almost fall on the floor.

"Young Master Yu is truly extraordinary!" Dai Lin said as he looked in awe at Feng Yu, he didn"t think his talent could have been to such a level.

Feng Yu who was now fully aware of his surroundings heard their exclamations, he scratched his head and he replied, "A pity, it was only a vague feeling of grasping "Sword Intent." I"ll need to get another sword and try it to truly grasp the feeling. If so, I believe I may be able to not only step into the Sword Realm of "One with Sword" but also grasp initial insights into the "Sword Intent." Such a superb platform, to think it could cause such an effect."

"Mm. It is indeed an astounding device, even I feel a slight hint of a breakthrough regarding my "Bow Intent." Even though those puppets were roughly on the same level and we could only compete with our comprehensions. It was enough to temper our already solid foundations of our Martial Path"s," Hui Ying said as his bow that was on his back vibrated slightly.

"Yes, my has also reached another turning point, I believe I"m not far from unearthing another one of its true combat skills," Dai Lin said as he grasped his fists tightly causing a small electromagnetic field to appear around his fist like a "Domain."

As they continued to discuss with each other the benefits of the "Battle of the Dummies" game, there was a sudden announcement that came from a central RelayOrb inside of the room,

Ping! "Attention everyone and our Honored Guests, the Mystery Pavilion Auction will commence in 40 minutes, please take this time prepare for the event," The voice of a woman said.

"It"s about time this show got started, I wonder what kind of characters will show up?" Hui Ying said as he walked over to the window to look at the auction"s main room.

Feng Yu and Dai Li also went over to observe from their seats.

The view outside the window was a peculiar sight indeed, infamous, popular characters flocked towards their numbered seats with the guide of the Mystery Pavilion"s staff members. The auction room was a vast and s.p.a.cious room reaching a height of over 40 meters, as the room separate into layers.

The seated partic.i.p.ants were arranged as follows, with the bottommost layer accessible to those ordinary individuals with common status, while the second, third, fourth and fifth layers going upward belong only to the higher bra.s.s of the martial world, along with a few top-cla.s.s characters from distant places.

As these characters were settling themselves, a scene suddenly took place that drew most people"s attention.

Bang! Thud! A figure crashed towards the ground from the second-tier betting layer within the auction room, looking closely, it was a skinny, mouse-like faced young man with long loose black hair that trailed down to his knees. The figure who tossed him off the platform was an arrogant looking man who appeared to have come from a rich background.

"Che! Where did this rat come from? Why was I not told that the Mystery Pavilion could not even handle its pest affairs?" The arrogant looking man said as his voice spread across the entire room filing the ears of everywhere one observing or not.

Listening to his statement some of the figures in the room started laughing and making jeers as they looked towards the form which was now seated in crossed-legged posture.

"Hahaha! And here I thought I"d seen it all, who would have thought that I"d be able to see a mouse this big?" A man that sat within the ordinary individual"s section said while laughing.

The form who had recovered from the fall soon picked himself up from the floor and portrayed an indifferent look towards the individuals who mocked him as he said, "Oh? Only the inferior cla.s.s, looking to displace my state of mind, you are not worthy."

He then proceeded to walk towards his seat at the second layer once more, not paying any heed to the shock and anger of the ones mocking him.

When Feng Yu heard the commotion, he looked out of the window to see the familiar form that was tossed aside from the second layer of the betting room. He pondered for a while before muttering, "Hmm, why is that Xiang Shu here? I didn"t think the Xiang family would have the status capable of reaching even the second cla.s.s."

"Brother Yu, who"s that down there? Are you an acquaintance of that fellow?" Asked Hui Ying as he noticed Feng Yu"s interest in Xiang Shu.

Hearing his question, Feng Yu smiled with a hint of bloodl.u.s.t in his eyes as he replied, "We certainly are acquaintances, we have a score to settle, and it will be settled very soon."

"I see..." Hui Ying responded in a curious tone as felt the killing intent that lingered at the depths of Feng Yu"s words.

"It"s odd though," Feng Yu said once more as his recovered and took a deep glance and puzzled glance towards Xiang Shu"s form.

"What"s odd?" Hui Ying asked in puzzledly.

"Xiang Shu is an arrogant fellow by nature, there is no way he would simply sit down and take these kinds of insults directly to his face. There is something different about him, including the way he currently acts. It"s almost, almost as if..." Feng Yu muttered, his words starting to become unclear as he trailed off to his thoughts.

Dai Lin who was also observing Xiang Shu found it strange, he saw Xiang Shu"s current temperament and couldn"t help but ponder to himself, "Strange... he gives me the same feeling I had when I had mistaken the Young Master to be a beggar, this Xiang Shu, he seems as if he is not the usual Xiang Shu at all."

As they were discussing amongst themselves the arrogant looking man felt discontented by Xiang Shu"s response, it"s as if he thought that by not kowtowing towards him and apologizing for his behavior was an intolerable act done by Xiang Shu.

"You filthy, little mouse! Get down!" He roared as a towering aura covered the entire betting room, the power of a 5th Tier Aura Disciple was revealed to the world causing most of the weaker pract.i.tioners inside of the room to feel suffocated. As Feng Yu"s private booth was built with extraordinary means, it had the power to mitigate most of the aura.

"A random guest at the second layer already has such an overwhelming aura he doesn"t even look that old at most 26 years of age," Feng Yu said.

Hui Ying looked at the scene in silence while nodding his head.

However, before the arrogant man could act out of place and attack Xiang Shu once more, another change occurred within the betting room.

Bang! Suddenly, the entire Mysterious Pavilion began to shake slightly as an overwhelming aura was unleashed, a power that shocked everyone it swept across. It was a fierce and terrifying energy far above the cla.s.s of many individuals within the Auction. Soon, a cold voice sounded across the room into the ears of all pract.i.tioners.

"You"d do well to remember that this is our Mysterious Pavilion, all conflicts must be settled outside!" The powerful-sounding voice said as the ripples of energies began to fade away.

The pract.i.tioners in the betting room and outside were shocked as most of them had never felt such a terrifying aura in all their lives.

"That was..." Hui Ying said as he looked towards the topmost layer of the Mystery Pavilion betting room in surprise.

"The prestige of a man about to cross the threshold, the peak of Warrior realm," Feng Yu said as he also glanced towards the same location.

"To think they would even have someone with such might in such a remote town, could it also be because of that prophecy?" Hui Ying asked.

Feng Yu who heard this looked towards Hui Ying in surprise as he said, "Brother Ying, you also know of that prophecy?"

Hui Ying hearing this smiled and replied, "Let"s just say I have a few sources."