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Sharpening The Knife Doesn't Delay The Cutting of Vegetables With The Bow

Sharpening The Knife Doesn’t Delay The Cutting of Vegetables With The Bow[eSports]: Chapter 6

6. Sudden Thunderclap

At the beginning of the Battle Royale game, all players gather on the spawn island to choose their landing locations. During this phase, players can freely communicate through voice chat, and it’s a reserved activity in the Battle Royale mode.

There are players who play DJ sets, use voice chat to advertise their own livestreams, or shout provocative phrases like “If you’re a man, come to Huntian City and fight me” to provoke others…

All sorts of characters come together, making the scene lively and bustling.

Chen Xingran’s head was pounding from listening to all the noise. He quickly moved away from the center of the plaza, where the player was playing music, and the noise subsided.

Chen Xingran breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at the panel in front of him.

Now, in front of him, there was a translucent virtual map, a massive island with complex terrain, including forests, wilderness, rivers, mines, ancient cities, valleys, and more.

Unlike parachuting down from an airplane in real-life skydiving games, in Destiny, players need to pre-select their landing point on the map while still on the spawn island. Once the countdown ends, they will be automatically teleported to their chosen landing point without the need for parachuting.

Chen Xingran glanced at the map and chose Huntian City.

He was unfamiliar with the game map, but during his training sessions with Luo Fusheng, they practiced in front of the Lord’s Mansion in Huntian City, so he was somewhat familiar with the area.

Other players also chose their own landing spots. Players who focused on careful development chose sparsely populated wilderness areas, while those who enjoyed early fights landed in high-resource areas.

Chen Xingran didn’t know that Huntian City, his chosen location, was situated in the center of the map. It was an ancient city with numerous buildings, complex terrain, and abundant resources, making it a holy ground for many blade-wielding players seeking fights.

Just after selecting his landing point, the player icons on the map for Huntian City began to rapidly multiply, “crackling” as more than ten player markers appeared. Including Chen Xingran himself, nearly 20 players had chosen Huntian City as their landing spot, making it highly conspicuous on the map.

After selecting his landing point, Chen Xingran quietly waited for the game countdown to finish.

“Oh, a new streamer?”

“Still playing as a Shadow Dancer? Are you a solo player?”

“What rank is the streamer?”

“Landing in Huntian City? So aggressive!”

A few viewers trickled into the livestream room, sending a few barrage messages that appeared on the translucent panel in front of Chen Xingran.

“Yeah, I’m new to this game, playing in solo mode, and currently in the Bronze tier.”

In Chen Xingran’s previous world, he occasionally watched livestreams, but this was his first time streaming himself, and he didn’t know how to engage the audience or create an exciting atmosphere. He simply answered the viewers’ questions, sounding rather dry.

“Are you a beginner?”

“Jumping to Huntian City right off the bat, are you trolling? Hahaha!”

“Are you an entertainment streamer?”

A few more barrage messages floated in, but Chen Xingran didn’t respond.

Because the match had started.

As the countdown reaches zero, Chen Xingran, along with the other 99 players on the field, froze simultaneously. Their bodies shattered into streams of white light and disappeared from the spawn island.

In the next moment, the colors rapidly fragmented and reassembled, presenting a different scene. White light descended from the sky, and scattered white fragments swirled like petals, transforming into the characters of each player.

After selecting their landing points, players would spawn at random locations within the designated area.

Chen Xingran quickly glanced around the surroundings.

He found himself inside an ancient city, standing on a long street. In the center of the road, there was a massive cherry blossom tree, and its pink petals fell like drizzling rain. On both sides were scattered quaint houses, along with numerous alleys and lanes, making the terrain quite complex.

There was a person beneath the cherry blossom tree, two people near the southwest-side houses, and another person on the rooftop of a two-story ancient building to his right…

Chen Xingran swiftly scanned the area, silently memorizing the positions of the other players within his field of vision. Then, decisively, he started walking toward the City Lord’s Mansion not far away.

The City Lord’s Mansion was located in the center of Huntian City, grander and more spacious than other buildings within the city. It was also the most resource-rich area in the entire Huntian City.

However, Chen Xingran chose to go there simply because he was familiar with the location from practicing his swordsmanship in front of the City Lord’s Mansion.

He proceeded without pause and quickly arrived at the mansion.

Upon entering the magnificent mansion, the dazzling golden and purple radiance on the ground was overwhelming, as if stepping into a treasure trove, overflowing with wealth.

“Damn, this loot is fantastic!”

“Of course, it’s the fattest spot in the entire Hungtian City. It would be strange if there were no golden glows.”

“Streamer, there’s golden armor, golden armor!”

The most eye-catching spot within the City Lord’s Mansion was the dazzling golden armor lying on the ground, emanating an irresistible charm.

In the game, equipment is classified into four levels: white, blue, purple, and gold.

After spawning, each player starts with their initial health and can also pick up armor to add an extra layer of protection. White armor provides two bars of protection, blue armor has three bars, purple armor has four bars, and gold armor has five bars.

Obtaining gold armor greatly enhances survivability, effectively doubling the player’s health compared to those without armor.

Without hesitation, Chen Xingran headed straight for the golden armor.

However, he was a step too late. A figure suddenly dashed out from the second floor of the mansion, clearly a lucky player who had landed at the City Lord’s Mansion from the beginning.

That figure swiftly descended from the second floor and immediately spotted the golden armor in front of them. With a swift movement, the golden armor vanished into thin air, and the player’s head displayed a shiny five-bar armor.

Chen Xingran keenly noticed that the player already had a Tang Sword in their hand.

The player had both a weapon and armor, while Chen Xingran was empty-handed. He hesitated for a moment as he rushed towards the golden armor but quickly retreated.

Run!

However, the opposing player also noticed Chen Xingran. Seeing him unarmed, they immediately realized he was an easy target. Without any hesitation, they brandished their sword and charged towards him.

As Chen Xingran ran through the City Lord’s Mansion, he swiftly scanned the nearby equipment. Not far away, there was a white Tang Sword lying quietly. Without a second thought, he rushed towards it at the fastest speed and quickly picked it up.

“Ah, it seems like we’ve got ourselves a box-shaped newbie”.

“A white sword against golden armor, it’ll take ages just to make a dent.”

“Alright, let’s move on to the next one.”

“The streamer is still struggling, while the smart ones have already exited the game at the speed of light.”

Just as Chen Xingran picked up the Tang Sword, a sound of breaking air immediately came from behind him.

The gleam of the sword was upon him!

The player in golden armor was also a Shadow Dancer like Chen Xingran. Initially, there was some distance between them, but upon seeing Chen Xingran pick up a weapon, adhering to the principle of “seizing the opportunity to take your life,” they decisively activated their skill, Blink Step. Their figure turned into an afterimage, instantly crossing the distance between the two and aimed the blade directly at Chen Xingran’s back.

Without thinking, Chen Xingran, as if his back had grown eyes, swiftly bent down, narrowly avoiding the blade.

He didn’t pause for a moment and tightly gripped the Tang Sword in his hand. Following the direction of his body, he performed a reverse sweep, with the sharp blade skimming the ground, igniting a shower of sparks. Like a mighty dragon emerging from the sea, it rose vigorously, swift as lightning!

The opponent clearly didn’t expect such a move. Before they could adjust their angle to pursue after Chen Xingran evaded their attack by bending down, a flash of white light appeared before them. The cold blade had already swept across their waist!

Strike first!

Chen Xingran was no longer clueless about this game. He knew that this strike wouldn’t instantly incapacitate the opponent like it would in real life. It would only cause a momentary stiffness. Therefore, without any hesitation, his hand holding the sword swiftly ascended along the opponent’s waist, the long and sharp straight blade smoothly cutting through, followed by a flick and a swipe. The blade light passed across the opponent’s throat.

Targeting weak points!

The passive ability of the Shadow Dancer was to deal additional damage to weak points. These two flowing and seamless attacks didn’t give the opponent any time to react. Bend down, counterattack, waist cut, upward strike, throat swipe—done in one breath, instantly causing significant damage.

With the weak point attack adding extra damage, even the golden armor couldn’t withstand it. The opponent’s five-grid armor immediately dropped by three grids, leaving only two grids of armor.

The key was that not only was Chen Xingran quick in his response, but his movements were also incredibly graceful. There was no hint of stiffness caused by adjusting his actions, as if his movements had been choreographed like those of a martial arts actor. The smooth aesthetic and the dangerous intent contained within them were mesmerizing.

“F*ck, his reaction is so fast!”

“This counterattack is beautiful!”

“He’s handsome, but do these moves exist in Destiny? I don’t recall them…”

“How much motion correction has the streamer done?”

“Hold on, you’re telling me he’s a newbie? Are you trying to bully me because I haven’t played games before?”

Chen Xingran’s playing style was exceptionally aggressive and merciless. Once he gained the advantage, he didn’t give the opponent any breathing room. He lunged forward once again, and the sharp blade light surged toward the enemy like successive waves.

Even the golden armor couldn’t withstand such a fierce onslaught. The opponent wasn’t a skilled player either. Faced with such a fast-paced and relentless attack that left no room for respite, they soon couldn’t defend themselves any longer. With a light clang of metal collision, the Tang Sword slipped from their hand.

The Tang Sword, radiating a shimmering purple light, seemed as if it were made of glass. It escaped the enemy’s grasp and spun as it flew into the air.

He executed a weapon burst.

It seemed that Chen Xingran had anticipated it. Without lifting his head, he took a straight step forward, brushing past the enemy. The sharp blade of the Tang Sword once again sliced across the enemy’s neck, causing damage from the weak point attack. The opponent’s health bar dropped again, with no armor left and only one-fifth of their health remaining.

In the next moment, the Tang Sword in Chen Xingran’s hand disappeared.

— He stored the weapon in his backpack.

Then, Chen Xingran reached out his hand, and the falling Tang Sword in mid-air seemed to have eyes as it rotated. It landed perfectly in his palm, as if it had been precisely calculated.

With a tight grip of his hand, Chen Xingran’s gaze turned dangerous in an instant. He paused his footsteps, and his left foot drew a smooth arc on the ground. The force from his waist and legs instantly tightened like a spring, accumulating fierce power within his body. Then, like a volcanic eruption, his momentum reached its peak in the next moment. The Tang Sword in his hand left a purple arc in the air, dragging behind it a strong afterimage as it slanted down diagonally–

Thunderclap!

If the martial artists of the original world witnessed this scene, they would undoubtedly exclaim in surprise.

Thunderclap. This was Chen Xingran’s move that made him famous. In the ancient martial arts competitions, he had shocked the audience with this move. It concentrated all his strength and kinetic energy into the blade, erupting terrifying force in an instant. It abandoned all defense and pursued maximum destructive power. Like lightning tearing through the night sky, it would be deadly when unleashed.

The air seemed to freeze in that instant, and the scene momentarily paused. Only the arc left by the lightning-like blade light and its residual afterimage remained in their vision.

The opponent’s head floated a staggering 947 damage, thanks to the formidable power of the Thunderclap combined with the already impressive damage of the purple-quality Tang Sword. Their remaining health was emptied, and they collapsed on the ground, turning into a dim soul mound.

*”魂冢” (hún zhǒng) is a term in Chinese martial arts fiction that refers to a specific concept related to defeating an opponent in combat. In these stories, when a character is defeated or killed in a battle, they may “transform” into a soul mound or soul tomb, symbolizing their defeat and departure from the game or world. It is a metaphorical representation of their defeat and demise. The term is commonly used in online gaming and virtual reality settings, where players’ characters can be defeated and their “souls” represented in this way.

“Ye Shao has killed QCMMD with the Tang Sword.”

“!!!”

“???”

“What damage? 947? Did I see that correctly?”

“Is this a bug? Or some technique I’m not aware of? Can reaching maximum attack spirit jade and using a golden Tang Sword in a full combo only result in this damage? Is this what the purple sword is capable of?”

“I have no idea. It’s my first time seeing this too.”

The viewers were taken aback, and the initially sparse bullet comments suddenly became more intense.

Under normal circumstances, players who don’t equip Spirit Jade for health only have a base health of 1000. Adding one armor grid with 250 armor points and the additional 1250 armor points from a five-grid golden armor, the total would be 2250 health.

Yet, Chen Xingran’s attack had directly dealt over 900 damage!

What does that even mean?

It meant that with just one strike, if the opponent had purple armor, it would break their armor in one hit. If the opponent’s armor was already broken, it would be an outright kill with a single strike.

This was too outrageous!

Is he cheating?

Chen Xingran let out a sigh of relief, sheathed his Tang Sword, opened the opponent’s soul mound, and casually began looting the items.

With the golden armor in his possession, Chen Xingran immediately switched from a pea shooter to a cannon. His head now boasted a shiny golden armor bar with five grids. Additionally, he took the armor pieces and health potions from the opponent’s inventory, leaving nothing behind as he thoroughly plundered.

“Wow, a bandit streamer, I’m following!”

“Golden armor + purple Tang Sword, what kind of dream-like start is this?”

After licking clean the opponent’s loot, Chen Xingran noticed the barrage of bullet comments drifting across the corner of his vision.

“I’m not cheating.”

Chen Xingran said, “This can be considered… a personal little trick of mine.”

“Wait, I suspect you’re fooling us, but I have no evidence.”

“What kind of amazing technique is this? There are so many professional players in Destiny, but I’ve never seen anyone use this move in a match.”

“Another big shot pretending to be a newbie, is trolling fun?”

“He’s definitely cheating. Do you think I’ve never watched a match before? One hit with a purple Tang Sword deals over 900 damage. Why don’t you become a coach?”

“I’ve recorded and reported it. Streamer, face the consequences.”

Chen Xingran looked at the bullet comments floating by, feeling somewhat helpless.

“I’m telling the truth.”

He sighed, “After I finish this game, I’ll go to the training room. I can teach you.”

“Is it true or not?”

“I’ll follow for now. If you don’t teach, the streamer will decide.”

“Wait, let me call a friend to come and witness it.”

“It’s true, I’m not lying.”

Chen Xingran responded, but then he didn’t answer any more comments from the bullet barrage.

Because he heard footsteps.

In the game of Destiny, a battle royale mode, its greatest allure lies not only in the exhilarating sword fights but also in the constant sense of danger. You never know how many enemies are lurking around while you’re engaged in combat. They wait for the perfect moment to strike, like a mantis catching a cicada while the oriole lurks behind.

Until the final moment, there is no absolute safety in every minute and second of the game.

Chen Xingran swiftly left his original location, quickly searched the Lord’s mansion, and picked up some supplies. He briskly walked out of the mansion.

At that moment, another player hurriedly approached the mansion’s square, intending to search for resources. They collided head-on with Chen Xingran, startling both of them.

Without wasting any words, Chen Xingran brandished his blade and charged forward.

His swordsmanship was as swift and fierce as ever. While other players often needed to consider their opponent’s moves and respond accordingly, which slowed down the pace of battle due to the need for strategic thinking, Chen Xingran did not require such considerations.

The clashes between weapons seemed to be engraved in his very bones. He calculated every change and movement of his opponent, always leaving room for himself in each strike. Regardless of how the situation changed, he could respond immediately, seemingly without thinking, yet each strike had a purpose.

In his hands, this unreasonable assault was executed with ease. The dazzling display of sword strikes formed a dense web of attacks, leaving the opponent defenseless. The oncoming sword strikes seemed direct and straightforward, but suddenly, Chen Xingran’s swordsmanship changed dramatically, attacking from a tricky angle that the opponent couldn’t anticipate.

No chance to compete.

In less than three seconds of engaging with Chen Xingran, the opponent’s blue-quality broadsword was already on the verge of shattering.

Who is this high-ranked player who came to fish for points?

The thought flashed through the player’s mind. He didn’t dare to engage in a direct confrontation with Chen Xingran any longer. In the next moment, a transparent sword aura erupted from his body, exerting a tremendous repulsive force that forcefully pushed Chen Xingran away at close range.

“Sword Aura Protection”, Divine Frost’s skill, can be used when being attacked to unleash a powerful sword aura that repels the enemy.

Chen Xingran, despite his formidable swordsmanship, couldn’t defy the rules of the game. His body jerked, being forcefully pushed back two meters, creating distance between him and his opponent, abruptly interrupting his attack rhythm.

This is… a skill?

Chen Xingran thought uncertainly.

He had just become proficient in the game’s swordplay and hadn’t had the chance to understand the abilities and techniques of each game character.

The opponent’s Sword Aura Protection pushed Chen Xingran away, giving him a brief moment to catch his breath. However, in the mere seconds of their sword clash, his armor had already been shattered, and his health had dropped by almost a quarter.

Unable to win, he should make a quick escape.

The Divine Frost player didn’t even look back, swiftly running away.

Chen Xingran was momentarily stunned, but upon seeing the opponent retreating, he quickly pursued.

However, the opponent clearly had a better understanding of the terrain in Huntian City. They maneuvered through the intricate alleys, taking every opportunity to repair their armor. Soon, their armor was fully replenished.

Once they reached a safe area, the opponent showed no intention of engaging Chen Xingran in combat. They continued to navigate Huntian City, seizing opportunities to escape, moving as agile as a slippery eel.

Moreover, their cat-and-mouse chase also attracted the attention of other players in Huntian City. Players who were gathering supplies heard the commotion and rushed over, setting their sights on Chen Xingran, dressed in golden armor.

It was as if sharks had caught the scent of blood.

“Clang—”

Chen Xingran held his Tang Sword horizontally, blocking the enemy lying in ambush inside the house. Then, with a swift backhand strike, the blade descended upon the unsuspecting opponent.

His footsteps were impeded by the enemy in front of him, and he could only watch helplessly as the opponent he had previously injured darted into the alley and disappeared without a trace.

The enemy lying in ambush inside the house had thought they could successfully launch a surprise attack, catching a big fish wearing golden armor. However, they didn’t expect their opponent to be a shark that immediately engaged them in combat, with its fierce blood-stained jaws and sharp fangs instantly draining their health.

They didn’t even have time to use their skills, and five seconds later, they collapsed on the ground, their figure gradually fading away, transforming into a dimly glowing soul mound, departing peacefully.

Chen Xingran licked his lips while watching the direction in which the player had just escaped. He sighed, “Can’t catch up… Too fast, it’s frustrating.”

How could a martial artist retreat upon meeting someone? Even if they knew they were no match, they should still rise up and resist, seeking a breakthrough between life and death.

If they could win, they should fight; if they couldn’t, they should run. How could there be any progress like this?

Chen Xingran thought with some frustration.

“Hahaha, that was an intense fight!”

“Divine Frost: Bro, don’t chase after me, or I’ll dig up your ancestral grave?”

“I missed the low-health target, but I got a free kill. You’re fierce!”

“Streamer, you didn’t forget that you’re playing as Shadow Dancer right! Use your skills! Couldn’t have caught up with a Blink Step just now?”

“Oh, right! The streamer seems to have forgotten to use skills.”

Chen Xingran was taken aback and then embarrassedly said, “Sorry, I forgot.”

He had been focused on swordplay and had completely forgotten about his own skills.

“Hahaha, he suddenly became adorably silly.”

“Uh-oh, he’s so cute. Hey, guys, I have a bold idea…”

“He’s fierce and ferocious when fighting, but silly and adorable when speaking. I’m just in love with him!”

“Followed! Followed!”

Chen Xingran: “…”

He couldn’t understand what the barrage was saying.

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