The silvery shards that were spinning in the air a moment ago suddenly stopped and turned towards the Snowdrifts.

Just the pressure alone from facing so many blades was immense for their group. Nevertheless, they charged, but before they reached him, Jones lifted his arm and pointed at Kairos. Immediately, shards after shards of sword Ki hurled towards them.

Everyone hastily threw up some sort of defence, but unlike previous times, the Bagua formation immediately broke apart from a single exchange. The majority were struck down by the Ki shards, and they fell to their sides, unable to stop themselves from spitting out a mouthful of blood.

The design of their defensive formation is to disperse, redirect or rebound, any and all impacts received, but the sole requirement is for those standing at the very edge of the array to be able to withstand the attack. Unfortunately, no one could remain unharmed after taking a single blow from these deceptively powerful shards that were not even giving off an aura.

Like a water balloon pierced by a needle, the Snowdrifts collapsed in a large patch. Once the edge of the Bagua circle breaks, the people within falls quickly. Even Long, John and the three newly joined captains fainted immediately upon taking the attacks, despite their cultivation being higher than most.

Those assigned to the south had not joined back, and now that another batch had fallen, only twenty-one remains. Kairos privately sighed at the chaos a single attack brought about, “Mid D rank. He is definitely superior to Calculus in all areas.”

Their group quickly picked themselves up, and just by a quick look over at the numbers who could still fight, they promptly discarded the previous formation and switched to the Northern Star Formation. It's apparent how well-trained their group are.

Those that were seeing the effects of this array for the first time silently drew a deep breath when they saw how this whole group moved as one. No different from an individual.

They attacked Jones several times, then at the perfect moment to overwhelm their foe, Kairos shot out from the formation like an arrow released from an arched bow and appeared above Jones with blinding speed.

His Swallow slashed downwards with more power than one person should have, but Jones simply met it with a knife hand.

Dust blew outwards violently from their clash, as the two remained locked in a contest of internal energy.

His men behind had given him a burst of speed and energy with the supply of their Ki, but even this had barely forced their opponent backwards.

It was not strength that allowed Jones to face so many and still prevail, but his fearsome Ki that he controlled fluidly.

A surprised look immediately appeared on Kairos' face when he saw his weapon defended by bare hands. His attack was not simply the combined energy of twenty-one people, but a powerful strike that could split apart boulders after refined by the Northern Star Array.

Transferring Ki to another is, in fact, not a new technique. Even without a formation, it could be carried out by a simple touch, although the process is slow, and the purity of the energy transmitted is extremely poor.

Comparing the effects of using the Northern Star Array to a normal transfer of Ki is like comparing two swords made from the same material but one blunt and the other sharp.

“Looks like I am still underestimating him.”

Kairos gave a strained smile but had no intent to back down.

Among those he fought before, the highest rank was the Peak D ranked Orc War Chief, but Jones who is a grade lower at Mid D rank is incomparably stronger.

An uneasy feeling began in his stomach. He had been wondering what happened to the sixty practitioners protecting George, but if Jones has this much power left, they most probably were decimated.

His teammates quickly returned to his side, feeding him with their internal energy. Unfortunately, except for a few, most of those in the formation is only G ranked, and they quickly fell over from exhaustion. Before long only Alan, Edward, Tommy, and Kairos were left standing.

"I expected more of a challenge," Jones said with a tinge of disappointment.

He had come to see how powerful Kairos has become, but also to find out his own feelings towards the one who was once like his brother.

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He secretly sighed.

In his heart, he knew that Kairos has nothing to do with the death of his father, but even so, when he realised how he worried for the son of his father’s murder, he cannot forgive himself.

The complicated emotions within him are something he knows he needs to deal with or one day it will turn into a hindering block to his Martial Way. A practitioner with a shaken Dao Heart will be unable to progress on the path of self-improvement.

His thoughts were suddenly disrupted when he felt himself losing ground. Through his superior use of Ki, he was able to overwhelm his opponents in a short burst, but the combined regenerative powers of twenty-one students, are still too much for him.

Concentrating on the battle at hand, the shimmering sword-Ki shards that are hovering all around flew towards Jones like beautiful silvery shooting stars. Most arranged themselves neatly behind him, but some suddenly reversed and entered his body.

*!!!*

"What?" the onlookers gasped.

"Oh, come on!" Luciette groans in near despair, Jones is one of the most exasperating people that she knows. He had openly revealed to everyone his power even though she had repeatedly reminded him not to display it too much.

"You have reached the fourth form of Sword Mastery?" Kairos asked, his voice was calm, but his eyes betrayed his emotions and widened in surprise.

"Sure did."

The art of sword combat consists of but not limited to the following:

The first form, with the sword becoming an extension of the body, Body-Sword.

The second form, with the sword becoming freely wielded as the heart's desire, Heart-Sword.

The third form, with the sword projected by one's internal energy, Soul-Sword.

The fourth form, with the projected sword energy becoming one with the user, Spirit-Sword.

At the Spirit-Sword stage, Sword Ki sent out may be freely reabsorbed back into one's Dantian. This means that unlike other D rankers or even many of those above, those that mastered the Spirit-Sword have much more endurance in battles that even combating a hundred times may not wear them down.

This is the current opponent that stood before them. Not only a high ranker but one who is a formidable weapon expert, a Sword Master.

Now, the things Kairos had been wondering were all been answered. With such abilities, decimating George’s party wouldn’t be difficult.

However, the fight is far from over. As they were engaging, Jim had silently returned, and he gave Tommy and Alan a signal.

Right at the moment when Jones’ guard was at his lowest, a hidden blade flew towards him from his blind spot. And at the same time, two of Kairos’ teammates charged forward, attacking him from the left and the right.

He recognised the attackers, all playmates from his childhood. He gave them a confident smile at the same time easily dodging their attempt, “An assault at this level is not…”

His words did not finish when he felt the winds turn chaotic and the ground tremble under him, as an incantation of deathly still voice seemed to chill him to the bones.

*The five elements of creation revolves on my arrows*

Hairs raised on Jones’ back when the world seemed to quiver with every word spoken, “This is a martial incantation!”

At the same time, Kairos began, in a voice almost too soft, too gentle, to be heard, "I call into existence, thine sixteen elements of the highest."

As he spoke, shining symbols, each representing an element, appeared at his back. They positioned themselves next to one another forming into a three-quarter circle.

“ANOTHER MARTIAL INCANTATION!”

When a technique becomes so high level that it alters the very surrounding in its casting, it is given the title, Secret Art. The moment that Jones heard the two Secret Arts grade martial incantations being unleashed, he almost panicked. It is a combat technique that definitely gives an E ranker the right to challenge a D ranker.

Under his breath, Edward quickly mutters his incantation; the essences and accumulation of the ideal he believes.

Alan, Jim and Tommy continued trying to stall Jones even after losing their advantage of a sudden attack. And, they brilliantly succeeded.

The archer unleashed a glowing arrow, as beautiful as it is dangerous. It flew at Jones with tremendous power, befitting, no, perhaps surpassing the usual level of Secret Arts.

Feeling the shadow of death, and with sweat pouring down the sides of his cheeks, Jones hastily summoned five blades made of pure Ki and sent them darting towards the arrow.

He watched, as time seemed to slow down, and one by one his blades exploded against the arrow trying to bring it down. The first, completely splintered by the archer’s Secret Art, the second met the same fate a moment later. Then, the third, and fourth. In the end, Jones failed to alter its course. But, it gave him time to jump to his side, dodging the near-fatal attack by a hair's breadth.

Before he could take a breath of relief, Kairos who had his eyes closed in concentration, whispered his incantation. Every word turn the air colder until it freezes.

"Clad unto me fury of gods!

Flee before me, you who are mighty.

For I am He, which Thou obey."

A beautiful light encompasses Kairos, illuminating him and causing the air to shudder. All foreign objects, even the falling leaves nearby, decimated to dust, and a layer of the ground around his feet disappeared in a circle.

Large runic words started spreading out from that circle, immobilising all that is within his range that even the higher ranked Jones found himself trapped.

"Heed my call, the True name of dominance, καιρός, and trample the indomitable underfoot!"

The ground beneath him cracks, and burns yet do not give way.

A powerful strike from the Swallow swiftly descends from overhead at Jones, and even before its edge reaches, Jones felt an unbelievable pressure.

Like a Titan about to strike down upon him, Jones his blood reverse, and his body as if shattering from its might.

Against such an incredible attack, Jones was compelled to meet it with all his powers.

With a shimmer, the rest of his sword Ki disappeared into him, and within his embrace a beautiful long sword, an embodiment of his ultimate sword intent, materialised.

In a motion as if letting go of something precious to him, Jones gently directed that silvery sword with both hands upwards.

A mighty clash reverberated throughout the camp when the two powers met and struggled to defeat each other.

Everyone nearby was blasted back. Only those that pinned their weapons to the ground avoided flying away, but most failed. George who was unconscious was no doubt the latter, and one of the few that "enjoyed" the full power of the blast. He was sent across the moat, skidding on the waters like a pebble with his face.

Unfortunately, he landed headfirst in another puddle, and the mud that was washed clean were once again reapplied. The once supreme commander of the red team that held the respect of both teams now lies less than dignified. His face swollen by the multiple waves of abuse it received.

Nearby where he has fallen, Luciette could be seen nearby creeping over, still determined to recover her prize.

"I've spent more than nine days of meticulous planning to take out George. I can't let that idiot Jones destroy everyone's efforts!" she thought angrily. No matter what, even if the sky has fallen, she must ensure that George was expelled from this training ground.

Their clash left only a cloud of dust that covered everything. It quickly settled down a few moments later, revealing Kairos who was found lying flat on his back.

The victor of this exchange is Jones.

With a look of confidence, the boy stood superior before all his peers.

"Nice try there. But you still lost," he declared and turned about immediately.

In one swift movement, Jones landed across the moat. George, who had woke up the second time today from near suffocation, noticed who was beside him. With a lasting wail, he disappeared like the wind.

"As agreed, I'll be taking George mudskipper!" an echo reached their ears from above.

After a silent moment of bewilderment, somebody asked, "Isn't George's family name Kitty?"

“…..”