Obviously, the girl thought the genius youth wouldn't concede because he could still fight, not because of her "ambush" behavior.
"That was the case originally, but you just ambushed me while I was speaking - that's against the rules." the genius youth said with slight anger.
"I ambushed?" the girl asked puzzledly, tilting her head to think about her actions just now.
The girl's confused head-tilting appearance deeply attracted everyone's gaze, unanimously sighing in their hearts that this was too cute.
Of course, some people felt they couldn't be bewitched at this moment and spoke up: "Yes, miss, you did have some suspicion of ambushing just now - he was still speaking."
The speaker was the referee. They had to say something, but his words weren't too direct and were quite tactful.
"He was speaking, that's correct, but he already said 'please' and I also said 'please instruct me' - that means the battle had already begun. Him speaking during battle is his own business and can't be blamed on me." the girl said very directly.
"This..."
Everyone thought back - the situation was indeed as the girl said. The girl's behavior couldn't be considered an ambush. One could only say the genius youth was somewhat overconfident, still showing off after the start. No, being magnanimous.
After thinking this through, some of those who had just felt indignant for the genius youth seemed to turn toward the girl's side. Perhaps because what the girl said made sense, or perhaps simply because of her appearance.
"What you say makes sense too. However, since this is combat and she was careless, let's give another chance. If you can win, you'll still win the same way." the referee said somewhat embarrassedly.
"Oh, fine then! I'll give you one chance, don't waste words this time." The girl thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"..." The genius youth was very depressed. He hadn't expected to be given a chance by someone. This had never happened to him before. Helplessly, he had to accept it now!
"Miss, please."
"Please instruct me." The girl continued bowing politely, as if nothing had happened just now and this was truly the beginning.
But unlike before, the girl didn't move and just looked at the genius youth.
"Miss, please..." the genius youth said again, seeming to want the opponent to attack first, possibly from gentlemanly courtesy of ladies first.
The girl shook her head and said: "You go first instead, to avoid you speaking again and then saying I ambushed you."
"..." The genius youth fell silent. The opponent seemed to imply he had been showing off just now and would continue doing so later.
"Then I won't be polite!" Seeing this situation, the genius youth had to attack first. As long as he proved his strength, everything would be fine.
"Vajra Heart Method, Demon Subduing Sword Technique!!"
Vajra Heart Method was Buddhist internal cultivation. Because Buddhism had many lay disciples, this heart method had become a popular technique like others circulating on the continent.
However, though it was a popular technique, its power was considerable. This Vajra Heart Method also had one benefit - it could later be converted to any other heart method while reducing chances of qi deviation.
Buddhist heart methods all had unique functions of cultivating body and mind, allowing peaceful mental states and naturally reducing chances of qi deviation!
Originally Xiaoyao had planned to practice this, even considering it for his boss. Even if they couldn't cultivate to high levels, they could convert to others later. But later he thought it was too troublesome - requiring conversion instead of practicing just one.
Of course, Vajra Heart Method could also be cultivated to the highest level, reaching supreme realms without losing to anyone. But first, one needed to go to Buddhist sects for more advanced secret manuals. Second, this was a Buddhist heart method - cultivating to the highest level generally required very high Buddhist dharma attainment.
Those with such Buddhist dharma attainment had basically converted to Buddhism, meaning becoming monks or nuns. Neither Xiaoyao nor his boss wanted this.
But removing these factors, Vajra Heart Method was indeed a very good technique. Many major sects and great families also had people practice Vajra Heart Method to stabilize their realms.
Demon Subduing Sword Technique was also a widely circulated sword technique. Generally those practicing Vajra Heart Method would train this in coordination, or Arhat Fist, Great Compassion Thousand Leaf Palm, and similar techniques.
The genius youth chose Demon Subduing Sword Technique probably because this was the only widely circulated Buddhist sword technique. Actually Buddhism didn't have many martial techniques using sharp weapons - only a few sword techniques.
When the genius youth began his move, the girl smiled. Though just a slight smile, it intoxicated many people while also confusing them - what was she smiling about?
Soon everyone understood what the girl was smiling about.
Shortly after the youth began his move, before his sword technique fully deployed, he discovered a jade hand that both intoxicated and frightened him appearing before him again, pointing directly at his vital point.
This was the girl's hand. She used a sword finger pointing at the youth's chest vital point. If she exerted force, this genius youth would be injured if not killed.
How did her hand penetrate my sword technique? This must be a coincidence.
"This is impossible."
The genius youth swept horizontally with his sword, driving back the delicate jade hand in front. Perhaps if he hadn't made this sword strike, she would have withdrawn anyway, because the girl felt she had already won. Since she'd won, there was no need to pose.
However, the genius youth obviously wouldn't admit defeat - he wanted to continue.
"Again."
The genius youth seemed somewhat angry and used another Demon Subduing Sword Technique move. But the result was still the same - before he finished his move, the girl's hand once again pointed at his vital point. This time the vital point location had changed, but unchanged was that this genius youth had lost again!
"I don't believe it. Again."
The genius youth still didn't believe it and wanted to continue.
The girl frowned slightly without saying much, just continuing to fight...
"Don't believe it."
"Again."
"Again..."
No one knew how many times the genius youth said "again." The battle was thus prolonged considerably, and every situation was the same, before the genius youth's sword technique deployed, the girl would penetrate his sword moves and point directly at vital points.
What was going on? Why could this girl achieve certain victory with one strike every time, and her attacks seemed to encounter no obstacles, appearing directly before her opponent?
This situation was truly too strange, as if this girl knew magic. This wasn't like combat but one-sided bullying.
Was the opponent too weak, or was she too strong?
No, that should be impossible. This genius youth was already very strong. Among peers, not many could surpass him, and even if there were, they wouldn't be much stronger.
To toy with him like this would require General-level or above warriors, and to do so this easily would need even higher levels. Did the girl before them look like such an expert?
She didn't seem like it. If so, then one could only say when genius met genius, this genius youth encountered a stronger genius than himself. This was the greatest tragedy of being a genius.
Generally in such situations, if one's psychology was poor, collapse would occur. Being a genius didn't mean good psychological quality - on the contrary, most geniuses had great difficulty accepting failure.
Because geniuses rarely lost to others - otherwise how could they be called geniuses? Precisely because of this, their experience with failure was minimal and they didn't know how to handle it.
Therefore, geniuses were sometimes more fragile than ordinary people.
"Why, why..." The genius youth was becoming frantic, showing signs of collapse.
"What?" The girl seemed not to notice the genius youth's reaction, just thinking about his question, tilting her head in thought for a while.
"I think I probably know what you want to ask. With your aptitude, you are indeed one in ten thousand. I'm not better than you, and you're also very hardworking. Even without advantageous conditions and resources, you've made up for it with diligent cultivation!" the girl said faintly.
"If that's the case, then why do I still lose to you, and lose so thoroughly?" The genius youth gritted his teeth. He hated, but he hated himself, not his opponent - he hated how easily he was defeated.
He wanted to know why he was defeated. This was what he hated more, because he didn't even know how he lost.
"The reason for your failure is simple - your acquired conditions were insufficient." The girl glanced at the referee beside her, seeming to hint at announcing the match's end, while casually answering the genius youth's question.
At this moment, the referee also wanted to know the answer, so temporarily didn't notice his responsibilities.
This was understandable for the referee to be unprofessional - after all, this result was too unexpected. Originally this genius youth had the highest support, even overshadowing those from noble families, faintly becoming Qingyun City’s first candidate.
But unexpectedly, this first candidate was so easily defeated.
Easily.
The key was easily. If it had been a hard-fought battle, everyone could understand and the genius youth himself would accept it. But what was this current situation? Completely incomprehensible.
"What do you mean?" the genius youth continued asking.
"You only know Demon Subduing Sword Technique and haven't practiced it to the point of leaving no traces. These circulated martial techniques are easily exploited for weaknesses because everyone knows the moves!! If you knew some secret exclusive martial techniques, you wouldn't have been unable to fight back just now!!" the girl said faintly, revealing the mystery in everyone's hearts.
The girl wasn't overwhelmingly stronger in power, but because she understood Demon Subduing Sword Technique very well. When the genius youth made his first move, she already knew how to counter it - this was why she could achieve victory with one strike.
(End of Chapter)