Nine Star Hegemon Body Arts

Chapter 5527 A Close Female Friend?

Sword Qi soared into the heavens, slicing through the void and leaving black cracks in its wake. The Hidden Dragon warriors wielded their swords repeatedly, sending wave after wave of Sword Qi into the air, their enthusiasm peaking.

At the forefront stood Yue Zifeng. Unlike the Hidden Dragon warriors, whose faces brimmed with excitement, Yue Zifeng’s expression was cold and aloof.

The Hidden Dragon warriors were training under his strict guidance, practicing the release of Sword Qi. Normally, unleashing Sword Qi was second nature to them, but under Yue Zifeng’s scrutiny, their efforts seemed laughable.

“You call that Sword Qi? It’s nothing more than a gust of wind,” Yue Zifeng said coolly.

The Hidden Dragon warriors flinched. All these women had risen to the ranks of true experts under Long Chen’s leadership. They had trained, bled, and forged their strength through the fires of countless battles in the Seven Treasure Space. The name Hidden Dragon Legion had been earned with blood and pride.

Hence, they had long since admired the Dragonblood Legion and had heard tales of their legendary exploits. Yue Zifeng’s stunning display outside the Wind God Sea Pavilion’s gate had only deepened their reverence. To see a single sword strike unleash such devastating power had been awe-inspiring.

However, Yue Zifeng’s words cut deeper than any blade. Despite the sting, none of them dared argue. Instead, they listened in respectful silence.

And then, Yue Zifeng demonstrated.

The moment he showed them his method of unleashing Sword Qi, they were utterly stunned. It was a technique they had never imagined.

Compared to the method Long Chen had taught them, this one was far more advanced. Their old Sword Qi now seemed basic—childish, even. Afterward, with a simple stroke of their swords, the void itself split open, groaning as if cotton were being torn apart.

On a nearby mountain peak, Tang Wan-er and Long Chen watched the scene unfold while sipping refreshments.

“This fellow Yue Zifeng is really something. Look at that expression—so cold and distant! He’s not giving me any face,” Tang Wan-er muttered, pouting slightly.

Long Chen chuckled. “You should be glad he’s teaching them at all. If it weren’t for the bond of brotherhood, he wouldn’t lift a finger to help anyone, no matter how much you begged him or threatened him.”

Yue Zifeng was a peerless genius of the Sword Dao. From the mortal world to the immortal world, Long Chen had never met anyone who could match Yue Zifeng’s mastery of the sword. True geniuses like him had little patience for mediocrity. For the first time, Long Chen understood why the Sword God, despite his unrivaled power, had never left behind a true legacy or established a sect.

Tang Wan-er suddenly leaned closer, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “Say, do you think any of my sisters here could tempt him?”

Long Chen didn’t even pause to consider. He shook his head firmly. “No chance.”

“Why are you so sure?” Tang Wan-er asked, surprised. Then a sly smile crept across her face. “Don’t tell me... you think he doesn’t like women, huh?”

Long Chen nearly choked on his drink. “What nonsense are you talking about? If he doesn’t like women, are you saying he likes men! Wait... you—”

Seeing Long Chen’s scandalized expression, Tang Wan-er burst out laughing. “I’m joking! You’re too easy to tease. Didn’t you say he had a close connection with Mu Qingyun? Any hope for them?”

Tang Wan-er’s eyes were shining. Clearly, women were far more curious about these matters than men.

Hearing Mu Qingyun’s name, Long Chen sighed. “I did play matchmaker for them back then. Mu Qingyun is a Sword Dao genius too, and I thought they might complement each other perfectly. At first, it seemed like there was something there—Mu Qingyun was clearly infatuated with him. But now...”

With a bitter smile, Long Chen shook his head and continued, “Now, it’s like they’re just master and disciple. Whatever infatuation Mu Qingyun had at the start was devoured by the Sword Dao. The only thing either of them cares about anymore is their swords.”

Long Chen smiled bitterly when he thought about the two of them. Sword cultivators were all fanatics. The deeper their comprehension of the Sword Dao, the less they cared about romance.

Tang Wan-er sighed in disappointment. “What a shame.”

It was hard to say whether those words were for Yue Zifeng, Mu Qingyun, or both.

Suddenly, Tang Wan-er’s playful mood resurfaced, and she probed, “Hehe, speaking of close connections, did you talk to Bai Shishi this time?”

Her tone was casual, but the way she watched Long Chen betrayed her true curiosity. The more casual she tried to act, the less casual she seemed.

Long Chen’s face fell slightly. “I didn’t even have time. I had to leave before I could say anything.”

Thinking of the look Bai Shishi had given him when he told her he had to leave again, Long Chen felt a wave of guilt. When it came to romance, he was also helpless.

“Don’t misunderstand,” Tang Wan-er said as she lowered her head, her voice softening. “I’m not jealous. I just want to know more about this big sister. I want to get along with her.”

For Tang Wan-er to be able to say such words was already a huge concession for her, so Long Chen’s heart warmed at her words. Reaching over, he took her hand gently. “You’re all good people. I’m the only bad one here.”

Long Chen then thought back to Meng Qi, to the advice she had given Tang Wan-er back then. What must she have been feeling at that time? Long Chen couldn’t help but feel like an evil scoundrel. Yet, in the chaos of his life, what choice did he have?

Their quiet moment was interrupted by a thunderous explosion.

On the battlefield below, Yue Zifeng unleashed a devastating sword strike that split a distant mountain in half. The upper portion of the mountain slid smoothly off before collapsing with a tremendous crash.

Tang Wan-er covered her mouth and giggled. “Does this count as a single man’s frustration?”

Long Chen was speechless. When did this girl learn to talk like this?

But seeing her lighthearted mood reassured him. If she could joke like this, it meant she had truly accepted Bai Shishi’s presence.

Yue Zifeng’s strike wasn’t frustration, of course. It was a demonstration—teaching the Hidden Dragon warriors how to project their Sword Qi farther without losing power. The warriors erupted in cheers, overjoyed by this newfound skill. No one could resist the allure of this attack.

...

Seven days later, Yue Zifeng approached Long Chen, his face taut with exasperation. “Boss, I’ve done my best. They’re too incompetent. I can’t teach them any longer. Spare me!”

Long Chen was speechless. Couldn’t Yue Zifeng have been a little more tactful? Tang Wan-er was sitting right there! How could she be happy hearing her sisters being called incompetent?

Before Long Chen could smooth over the awkwardness, Xiao Yue arrived in a hurry.

“Big brother Long Chen, there’s a woman here who calls herself your close female friend. Do you want to see her?” Xiao Yue asked.

Long Chen froze.

From the corner of his eye, he could feel a gaze as sharp as Yue Zifeng’s sword locking onto him.