1355 I Like The Number Eigh (1/2)

While fighting against Sword8, Lin Huang was almost continuously dominated by her in battle.

Sword8 seemed small and harmless, but once she was in battle mode, it was as if she were a whole other person. She transformed into someone extremely ferocious, focused, and even intelligent.

Indeed, she was not only very skilled at using brute force but in battle mode, she was also very good at analysis. She could decipher most of Lin Huang's moves. Even the few rare moves that she was unable to crack, she could always find a way to counter them when Lin Huang used them for the second or third time.

Lin Huang was practically certain that of all the sword cultivators he had encountered in so many years, Sword8 was the most terrifying in terms of natural talent and potential.

As for why she was ranked eighth, Lin Huang speculated there might be two reasons.

One possibility was because she used a broken sword, and the weapon had no advantage compared to Great Heaven's other bodyguards. The other possibility might be related to her mentality. To a certain extent, Sword8's mentality was still immature, and her mind seemed to have stayed at the developmental level of a small child.

Great Heaven's bodyguards were ranked on their overall abilities, and mentality was one part of the whole package. Sword8 was very much not up to par on this particular point, which might have also contributed to why her overall abilities were only ranked in eighth place.

Previously when Lin Huang and Sword10's practice had ended, Sword10 had also mentioned that Lin Huang's overall ability should be sufficient to get him past all the stages below Sword3.

After encountering Sword9, Lin Huang had made a breakthrough in his Seraphic Speed divine ability and his rapid speed sword skill had skyrocketed, improving his overall strength.

Logically speaking, it was unlikely that he would encounter any great obstacles for the stages below Sword3.

However, Sword8's performance really surprised Lin Huang right from the start because he was overwhelmed in practically all aspects. Except for his slight advantage in rapid speed, Sword8 was stronger than Lin Huang in almost all other aspects of Sword Dao.

After regaining his equilibrium though, Lin Huang had worked out why Sword10 had not mentioned anything about Sword8.

Although Sword8 was extremely powerful, her temperament was such that it was very likely she would have suppressed her true abilities and let all the participants pass her level.

Lin Huang, however, had now encountered a Sword8 who had unleashed her full abilities at his request; she was also a powerhouse whose abilities might even exceed Sword4.

Lin Huang and Sword8's practice sessions passed by day after day.

Under the tremendous pressure exerted by Sword8, Lin Huang's use and expansion of the different Sword Dao paths such as rapid speed, force-type, and ultimate dao-type improved daily.

It took him less than a week to complete in-depth integration of different Sword Dao types. His rapid speed sword skill was no longer purely rapid speed, and his force-type was no longer merely force-type—he could now command a combination of various types at will.

Lin Huang could now use ultimate dao-type sword skills with force-type and could also perfectly switch between force-type and rapid speed. He had also learned how to perfectly integrate rapid speed sword moves with force-type, and ultimate dao-type (in reality, the different approaches in the cultivation of various Sword Dao paths were not completely independent).

…

On the fourteenth day of practice with Sword8, Lin Huang finally elevated his grasp of the lightning elemental attribute, and he mastered a force-type Lightning Elemental Enlightenment—Heaven's Punishment.

Then again, perhaps there might just have been too much pressure exerted on his force-type.

On the thirty-third day, Lin Huang's Superhuman Strength divine ability finally transformed into the Superhuman Strength God Rule.

At this point, Lin Huang's force-type abilities had finally advanced to the same level as Sword8.

His force-type was on par with Sword8, and his rapid speed was slightly stronger than hers. This elevated Lin Huang's overall ability to Sword8's standard.

Although Sword8 still held a strong advantage in ultimate dao-type, Lin Huang's Sword Dao was more powerful, which made up for his disparity in that path.

Lin Huang, who had been relying on the Seraphic Speed God Rule to contend with Sword8, finally had the ability to confront her head-on.

Lin Huang had initially thought he would make up for his shortcomings in ultimate dao-type by utilizing the pressure brought about by Sword8's ultimate dao-type.

He did not expect that she would walk out on him after less than a day of practice.