When the disciples turn to look in the direction Longwei was looking, wanting to see what he found so interesting than his brother's safety, they couldn't help but become slacked-jawed.
Over sixty chi away from the stage, they saw another Longmin standing there in his white scholar's robes looking as handsome as ever.
However, his refine and scholarly air was gone, while his handsome smile was replaced by an icy one.
The disciples immediately did a double-take before they turn to look back at where Longmin had been sitting, only to see the image of Longmin fading away. They did a triple take as their eyes started to widen in amazement, Longmin had moved so far a distance with such speed, that an afterimage was created, causing the misconception of him being pierced through by the three Sword Qi.
"You actually infused Sword Qi into the palm!!"
"What if I weren't able to dodge in time what would you have done?!!" Longmin roared while his body started to tremble from anger.
Longwei however, just smiles and nonchalantly said "What are you so angry about? At most you'd only get a scratch"
"Bullsh*t!!" Longwei's words immediately provoked the refined and scholarly Longmin, to the point of cursing.
Looking as if he wanted to eat his brother alive Longmin said "If I hadn't dodge those by such a large distance, anywhere I go on that stage the two Sword Qi you have hidden in that palm would've poked a hole in me!!", "And the worst thing of all, knowing that I would dodge the first attack, you purposely created a smokescreen to catch me off guard if I were to appear anywhere on that stage". Thinking about his brother's scheme, Longmin's expression became more indignant.
He was truly enraged by this brother of his, ever since they were kids he didn't know the meaning of pulling his punches. The worst thing of all back then, and even now, he would purposely hide his cultivation and wait until the last minute before revealing it, 'I shouldn't have taught him that Runic Seal' Longmin said while sighing to himself, 'It was a good thing I had the idea at the time to put a 'back door' in the technique, so I could tell when he was using it, otherwise...'
Longmin stopped that train of thought as he didn't want to think about the torment he would have suffered.
Hearing what his brother said about the two remaining Sword Qi in the palm, Longwei's smile turned wider, showing off his neat row of pearly white teeth.
"Haha!! good little brother, you actually notice" After saying that he waved his hand, and from within the little bit of dust remaining on the stage, emerged two Sword Qi. The shine and luster of these two were a lot more prominent than the previous three, hinting that they were a lot more powerful. In fact, one of them was equal in strength with the three combined.
The two Sword Qi danced around each other as they came closer to Longwei's outstretched hand. The length of them was the same as a regular sword, so when they fused and rested in his palm, it looked as if he was holding a real brightly-colored sword.
The one he had strapped to his waist when he visited the Ancestral Mountain was tucked away into his storage bag at his side. If he had carried it around, it would've been immediately recognized as the Sage level weapon the Patriarch of the Wu Clan had bestowed to his firstborn son.
Seeing the two Sword Qi, Longmin started trembling harder from rage.
As he lifted his foot and took a step forward, everything paused. The disciples' movements and expressions stilled, even some birds that were flying overhead looked frozen unable to move. Longmin's one step seemed to have caused the operations of the heavens to come to stand still, however, that wasn't the case, it's just that Longmin's proceeding steps were so fast that everything in his vision look slowed down to the point of not moving.
In just the blink of an eye, he was back on the stage, standing in front of Longwei.
As soon as he stopped, everything returned to normal as if it never happen. The disciples staring at Longmin all this while only saw him take a step forward, then disappeared and reappear on stage.
"Haha, Little brother, that movement technique of yours, isn't that the 'Soaring Cloud Steps' from the 'Emperor Tactics'?"
"And you've also reached Initial Mastery, 'little brother' it seems I can't slack off, I would lose too much face if my 'little brother' were to surpass me in skill"
Hearing how Longwei kept using 'little brother' every chance he gets, Longmin just hatefully stared at him in response.
"I really don't like that look on your face little brother, it's rather displeasing to look at. As your elder brother, I have no choice but to teach you some discipline!!"
Longwei slashed out with his 'sword' right after he finished speaking, causing a blue arc to travel at high speed towards Longmin.
Longmin snorted and said "You're the last person to teach me anything about discipline", with that, he took a step forward, and with his fist glowing a silvery-white light, he punched out.
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"Boom!!"
The collision of the fist and sword slash made a deafening sound that echoed in the training grounds. Longmin slowly pulled back his fist and looked at Longwei with a calm expression.
Flicking of his risk to alleviate the numbness in his arms, Longwei clicked his tongue and said "You've even learned the 'Emperor's Fists, I really need to step up my game"
"Swoosh"
"Swoosh"
Two more blue arcs flew towards Longmin but ended up just passing through him.
As his figure fades away from in front of Longwei, he reappeared two chi behind him and punched out, Longwei as if expecting this already had his sword slashing out to meet the blow.
With a series of hand and leg shadows, Longwei and Longmin engaged in close combat.
The crowd of disciples below the stage was cheering in excitement, as it had been a while since their young masters' exchange moves.
Even as early as the 1st level of the Qi Gathering realm there was always competition between them.
"Who do you think will win this time? My bet is on young master Longwei!" one disciple said, causing the rest to start shouting out their answer.
"My bet is on eldest brother Longwei too!"
"Me as well!"
"Young master Longmin is going to win for sure! Just look how handsome he is"
"Definitely! Our good-looking young master Longmin will without a doubt win"
As the female disciples chimed in, only the answers 'handsome' young master Longmin and 'good-looking' young master Longmin will win, could be heard.
"Ugh....what does being handsome or good-looking have to do with winning a fight?" A male disciple said all of sudden.
The female disciples all quieted down, then, as if it were planned, they all simultaneously turned their heads to look at that male disciple.
Seeing such a scene unfold, that disciple felt a cold chill went up his spine while his scalp went numb.
All the male disciples that were closest to him immediately back away from him as if he were a plague.
The male disciple immediately started sweating bucks in panic, and just when he thought he was done for, a loud 'boom' echoed on stage drawing everyone's attention, seeing this he sighed in relief as he was barely able to escape an incoming catastrophe.
Upon the stage, the two brothers were still going head-to-head.
With slashes covering his scholar robes, and some blood visible, Longmin was attacking Longwei like a ferocious tiger. His previous refine and scholarly temperament was nowhere to be seen. Longwei was not better off as he had some bruises visible on his face, while his body felt numb all over.
They clash in the middle of the stage and then separated.
"You snake of a little brother, your final showing your true colors" wiping the blood from his lips Longwei took a jab at Longmin.
"Even Buddha can be vicious when he gets angry."
"Hahaha!! you're calling yourself Buddha now?!" Longwei burst out laughing as he heard his brother's words.
Longmin wore an indignant look on his face as he said "You're purposely misinterpreting my words."
"Well, this fight has gone on long enough, let's end this with the next move" As Longwei said that, the sixth condense Sword Qi in his hand dissipated.
The Runic Seal inside of him was released completely causing his cultivation to rise to the peak of the early-stage Foundation Building realm.
Longmin inhaled deeply to calm his ragged breath then said "So that's your current cultivation, no wonder you were acting more overbearing than usual".
Longwei smirked while he formed a series of hand seals. After finishing he pointed his finger into the air and shouted.
"Everlasting Sword Art: First style, Heavens Judgment!!"
Immediately after his finger started to glow with a ferocious-looking blue light.
In the surroundings the Spiritual Qi seemed to have become restless as it started to slowly gather towards him, however, this effect only lasted a moment before disappearing.
No one in training grounds realized what had occurred, not even Longwei himself.
In the Ancestral building, the Grand Elder and the Patriarch however had surprised expressions on their faces "He's actually able to affect the Spiritual Qi in the surroundings. Only a Core Formation cultivator with Spiritual 'Sense' can do that", "Even if that's Saint-level Daoist Sword Art, let alone comprehending one to the Initial Mastery stage, no Foundation Building cultivator should be able to do that without Spiritual Sense" When the Grand Elder finished speaking the Patriarch let a boisterous laugh, not caring for his image.
Back on the stage, Longmin had a serious expression on his face as he prepared for his brother's final attack "Here I come, little brother!!" With a shout, Longwei slashed his right index finger, which had all of his Sword Qi condense on it, down.
Longmin's arms up to his shoulders glowed with a piercing white light that subtly gave off the feel of an Emperor, with a loud shout of his own, he punched out with both fists at the incoming attack.
"Booooooom!!"
A loud explosion that nearly destroyed the stage sounded out.
Out of the dust and rubble that was kicked up on the stage, Longwei's figure could be seen flying out. His sleeves were gone up to his elbows, and he could barely stabilize himself in the air to prepare for his fall, but, all of a sudden, out of nowhere Longwei appeared behind him with a smirk still on his face.
He stretched out his hand ready to catch Longmin, thinking to himself he had won the match with his final attack, however, as his hand came in contact with Longmin, a runic symbol appeared below his feet that froze him in place.
The Longmin that he was trying to catch faded away, and out of the dust and rubble walked out another Longmin.
After coming to stand in front of his unmoving brother, Longmin placed his hand on Longwei's right shoulder and said with a dazzling smile on his face.
"I won"
With the smile never leaving his face, he pointed at the rune below Longwei's feet releasing him. Longwei's previous smirk was replaced with an ugly expression as he asked in a bewildered tone.
"How's it possible for you to use Spiritual Sense?"