After getting Yanqing's flying sword, everyone quickened their pace.
Following the sword, they soon found Yanqing.
The group crossed by boat from the dock and found the young sword genius at the Scalegorge Waterscape.
After arriving, they saw Yanqing's back on the platform. He seemed to be gazing into the Moonlit Deep, while countless flying swords swirled in the air around him, forming a tornado of gathered sword light.
It could certainly be called an impressive sight.
But for those from the Astral Express who had seen grand scenes before, it wasn't all that remarkable.
The countless flying swords were astonishing, but in terms of impact, they couldn't compare to the sharpness of a sword splitting the sky, nor the magnificence of a casual wave dividing the sea in two.
Still, Yanqing was just a child. Comparing him to that seemed a bit unfair...
Though... Nero wasn't that old either...
The Nameless's optimistic spirit was at work. Just a random thought caused March and Stelle to drift off.
Quickly shaking those strange thoughts out of their heads, the two followed the others toward Yanqing.
"Why are there so many swords at the Scalegorge Waterscape?" Sushang asked.
"It must be an illusion created by the heliobus," Guinaifen said. "Hey, where's that bell brother from before? Hurry and shake him a few times and see if we can talk to Brother Yanqing trapped inside the illusion."
"An illusion?" Before Guinaifen had even finished speaking, Yanqing turned around. "Since all of you can see it, doesn't that mean you've fallen into the illusion as well?"
After saying that, Yanqing shook his head, a confident smile still on his face.
"No need to panic. In my eyes, this sword formation is a real treasure vault."
"As long as I look up at any sword, thousands of techniques unfold before my eyes endlessly."
"Though they aren't even close to Nero's sky-cleaving sword, they still surpass everything Yanqing currently knows and has mastered."
"And it seems to welcome everyone. Anyone seeking a higher realm may come and have a look."
After speaking, Yanqing looked at Nero and asked, "Nero, you're already inside this formation. Have you looked at these techniques? What do you think?"
Hearing Yanqing's words, everyone suddenly reacted and quickly looked toward Nero.
This heliobus liked geniuses, and among everyone present, Nero's talent was much higher than Yanqing's.
March and Stelle were a bit nervous. If Yanqing had been deceived, perhaps he could still be suppressed, but if Nero had been deceived...
At the moment, aside from Nero himself, the least worried ones present were probably Tail, Fuyan, and Yanqing.
The two heliobi had long concluded that Nero couldn't be deceived by a heliobus.
As for Yanqing, he knew Nero's strength and his swordsmanship. He had asked sincerely because he really wanted to hear his good friend's opinion on these sword techniques.
Nero raised his head and looked at the countless flying swords. Sure enough, he saw sword techniques being demonstrated before his eyes.
After watching for a while, he frowned, then stopped looking.
"Those tricky attack angles are useful in actual combat, but they look too fancy. Doesn't seem that impressive. They're not really that brilliant."
"Hahahahaha..." Hearing Nero's evaluation, Yanqing burst out laughing.
"I knew Nero would say that. Even after learning all kinds of sword techniques, during our sparring, Nero only uses the most basic chops, slashes, smashes, and jumping chops."
"That's just how he uses the sword, straightforward and broad. Naturally, he'd look down on your techniques. Teacher Apyra, Yanqing was right, wasn't he? Nero definitely wouldn't think much of your moves."
[T/N: Apyra is a heliobus, and according to Cirrus, it's the most aggressive fragment of Ignamar]
Yanqing's reaction left the members of the ghost-hunting squad somewhat stunned, though they had at least learned the heliobus's name.
"He... he doesn't know a damn thing!"
Apyra's voice suddenly rang out. It sounded somewhat hollow, as though the entire sword formation itself was speaking. But the voice was old, matching people's first impression.
"This is the genius stronger than you mentioned? He... he's no genius. Does he understand swordsmanship? Does he understand martial arts?"
The ghost-hunting squad's expressions became rather strange as they listened to Apyra's furious roar.
Whenever they hunted heliobi in the past, Nero would do something first, and then the enemy would lose their temper.
But today, Apyra had already snapped before anything even happened.
"Talk all you want. Skill speaks for itself!" Nero said.
"Good. Then I shall show you what the peak of martial arts truly is."
Apyra's voice rang out. The countless flying swords above the formation merged into one and fell into Yanqing's hand. Then faint flames rose around Yanqing.
"Boy, lend me your body. I'll teach this ignorant brat a lesson!"
"Speaking of which... is this place an illusion?" Nero looked around at the vast sea. "If it is, then I'll fight with full strength. I won't have to worry about erasing the Scalegorge Waterscape and this Moonlit Deep from the Luofu."
"Haha, then naturally you should fight with full strength. Today, I shall humble you!" Apyra declared.
"Alright, then let's do it. Black Cutter, go!" Nero didn't even give anyone time to react and shouted immediately.
Apyra, possessing Yanqing, was startled, but when he didn't see Nero attack, he let out a cold laugh.
"Hmph. I thought you had some skill. Turns out you're just bluffing."
After saying that, he was about to move, only to discover that he couldn't move at all.
"W-What's going on?"
However, this was only the beginning of what shocked Apyra.
"What else could it be? Teacher Apyra, didn't I tell you before? Nero's Black Cutter can animate and control weapons.", Yanqing's voice rang out.
Then Apyra discovered that the boy he should have been possessing had actually released the sword voluntarily and slowly walked over to stand beside the white-haired boy.
"Y-You... why...?"
"Why can I break free from your control? Teacher Apyra, to tell you the truth, you never deceived Yanqing at all. After following Nero's training plan for so long, my will may not be unbreakable, but it is solid as a rock."
"And the reason I followed you here was only to see more sword techniques. After seeing Nero's swordsmanship, I don't find your techniques particularly amazing either."
"And I don't agree with your arrogant and bloodthirsty views. I saw the state of that Cloud Knight brother earlier. I may wish to reach a higher realm, but not to the point where I'd stop being human for it."
"Y-You..."
Only now did Apyra realize that he had been kept in the dark the whole time. He was so angry he felt like coughing up blood.
That feeling of frustration built up in his consciousness. Even though he was a heliobus, he suddenly felt the humiliation and grief of being force-fed three pounds of manure.
It had to be said that Jing Yuan's plan had been very successful.
Though Nero hadn't changed much, Yanqing had indeed become more mature through the former's tempering.
The only flaw was that the boy seemed to have picked up some of Nero's personality as well...
Apyra looked like he was about to die from anger...
"Hehe... I knew you wouldn't be fooled by this guy!" Nero laughed and hooked an arm around Yanqing's neck. "By the way, did you challenge him yet?"
"Not yet..." Yanqing was stunned for a moment by Nero's action, but soon replied with a smile.
"Then let Black Cutter do it. This guy isn't that strong anyway. Black Cutter's been complaining nonstop that this fellow ruined the reputation of swords with self-awareness, so it wants to teach him a harsh lesson."
[🎉 Shoutout to Justin for joining p@treon. Thank you very much.🤗]