Chapter 398 A Person Who Has Forgotten Himself Is Not Worthy of Being My Senior Brother, Ning Ping'an.

Ning Ping'an and Gongsun Cuo took a few steps back at the same time. After standing firm, they looked at each other with a hint of admiration in their eyes.

"Senior brother, your horizontal sword technique has indeed improved again." Ning Ping'an suddenly swung the long sword in his hand, and a powerful sword intent instantly blew away the dust and smoke generated during the battle.

When Gongsun Cuo heard this, he smiled calmly and said, "Junior brother, thank you for your praise. Your vertical sword skills are becoming more and more elusive."

Although the two of them were complimenting each other on the surface, in fact, they had already felt the terrifying power of the other's swordsmanship. They knew that if the opponent really went all out, it would be difficult for them to catch the opponent's sword.

"Senior brother, I have to be serious next time." Ning Ping'an suddenly pointed his sword at Gongsun Cuo and disappeared from the spot instantly.

"Qiang Qiang Qiang!"

Ning Ping'an's figure flashed quickly around Gongsun Cuo, and every time he appeared, he was accompanied by a slash of sword energy. These sword energies crisscrossed each other, like a dense sword net that enveloped Gongsun Cuo.

Gongsun Cuo moved forward instead of retreating, swinging the long sword in his hand faster and faster. Each swing of the sword could cut off several sword energy. However, Ning Ping'an's sword energy seemed to be endless, and no matter how Gongsun Cuo swung his sword, he could not completely cut it off.

As time went by, the pressure on Gongsun Cuo increased. He knew that he could not go on like this, otherwise once Ningping found a flaw, he might be defeated by the opponent.

"Across all directions!"

Gongsun Cuo shouted loudly, and the whole world seemed to be shaken by it. The long sword in his hand seemed to be wrapped in blazing flames, shining with dazzling light. Suddenly, a terrifying sword energy spurted out from the long sword, like a mad dragon bursting out of the air, slashing crazily in all directions.

"Boom!"

As the sword energy raged, the entire martial arts arena seemed to tremble. Wherever the sword energy passed, a deep ravine was instantly cut into the ground, as if it was about to tear the entire world apart. The training stones on both sides of the ravine instantly turned into powder under the stranglehold of the sword energy and scattered in the air.

"The sky and the earth move!"

Ningpingan groaned softly, and his figure instantly disappeared from the spot, as elusive as a ghost. When he reappeared, he was already behind Gongsun Cuo, and the long sword in his hand went straight to Gongsun Cuo's back with fierce sword energy.

Gongsun Cuo instantly crouched forward and avoided the blow.

"Pick up your sword and ask the sky."

I saw Gongsun Cuo holding the sword with both hands and squatting down. The long sword in his hand was swung up instantly, and the blade broke through the air, pointing directly at Ning Ping'an's jaw, as if he was going to stab the opponent's throat with a fatal blow.

Ning Ping'an seemed to have expected it. At the moment when Gongsun Cuo's movements changed, Ning Ping'an's figure drifted away like a puff of smoke, avoiding this fatal blow.

"The sword falls from the sky."

Gongsun Cuo caught up with Ning Ping'an in an instant, came above him, and slashed down with his long sword from top to bottom. Ning Ping'an held his sword to resist.

The two swords intersected, making a deafening collision sound. The martial arts platform under Ning Ping'an's feet instantly collapsed under the impact of this force. A terrifying crack spread out from under Ning Ping'an's feet, as if it was going to split the entire competition field into two. The crack instantly tore through the position where Ning Ping'an was standing. The ground beneath his feet collapsed instantly, and his body lost support and fell downwards.

For a moment, the entire venue was filled with dust and smoke, covering the entire martial arts stage again.

"Brother, you have regressed."

Ning Ping'an's voice came out from Chen Yan, and then a blue sword light flashed through, cutting Chen Yan into two parts.

"boom!"

The sword energy overflowed, and the entire martial arts performance stage was instantly enveloped by the sword energy. Gongsun Cuo was repelled by the sword energy. He flew backwards for several meters, and finally landed firmly on the ground.

He looked up at Ning Ping'an, his eyes full of shock. At this moment, his left shoulder had been pierced by the sword light. Gongsun Cuo covered the wound, and blood flowed out between his fingers, dyeing his white clothes red. He looked at Ning Pingan, his eyes full of disbelief.

"Junior brother, I have failed again." Gongsun Cuo's voice was trembling, and his tone was full of loneliness. He seemed to have aged several years.

Ning Ping'an put away the long sword in his hand and glanced at Gongsun Cuo indifferently, "Senior brother, master once said, what should a sword practitioner do?"

When Gongsun Cuo heard this, a trace of confusion flashed in his eyes, and then he seemed to have thought of something. He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "A swordsman should move his heart and move his sword at will, without being limited to shapes or moves. There is no regret when the sword comes out, and there is no fear when the sword falls.”

Ning Ping'an nodded, "Senior Brother, I still remember Master's teachings, but Senior Brother, your sword is no longer what it used to be."

"In other words, if the senior brother from three hundred years ago comes to fight with the senior brother today, and only competes in swordsmanship, then the winner today must also be the senior brother three hundred years ago."

Hearing this, Gongsun Cuo couldn't help but smile bitterly, with a trace of self-mockery flashing in his eyes. He looked up at Ning Ping'an, a complex emotion flashing through his eyes, "Junior brother, I am really old."

Ning Ping'an shook his head gently, "Senior brother, you are only over 700 years old this year. Only a literary giant can live for a thousand years, and a half-saint can live for two thousand years. If you compare it with a mortal's lifespan, senior brother is in his prime."

"Senior Brother, please forgive me for being disrespectful. Ever since Senior Brother broke through to Half-Saint, you have focused all your attention on breaking through the realm, thereby neglecting the practice of swordsmanship. Senior Brother, the sword is your true way."

Gongsun Cuo was silent after hearing this. He looked down at the long sword in his hand, a trace of confusion flashed in his eyes, and Ning Ping'an's words were like a sharp knife piercing his heart.

"People who practice cultivation all their lives, don't they work hard for the realm of saints?"

Gongsun Cuo replied slowly, but his voice was not loud, as if he was answering Ning Ping'an's question, and also as if he was convincing himself.

"Brother, you are wrong. The path of cultivation is certainly to pursue a higher realm, but the real practice is to understand and comprehend the Tao. If you only pursue the realm and ignore the essence of Tao, then even if you break through to the realm of saints, it is nothing but a castle in the air without a foundation."

Ning Ping'an's voice was calm and firm, as if there was an invisible force affecting Gongsun Cuo. He continued, "Brother, you once told me that the sword is your way and your life. But now, your sword has lost its former sharpness, and your way has deviated from its original trajectory."

"Brother, today's battle ends here. I will give you a year. I hope you can find your sword and your way again. One year later, we will fight again. I hope that you can let me see the Gongsun Cuo who was rampant and laughed at everyone back then."

"If the sword in Gongsun Cuo's hand is still as weak as it is today after one year, I will kill you then. A person who has forgotten himself is not worthy of being my Ning Ping'an's brother."

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