# Chapter 22: Layered Wave Sword Art
"The power of the sword art continuously accumulates and stacks?"
Several of the VIPs in the viewing stands couldn't help but be moved. Situ Qingyue even said, "A sword art like that must have extremely stringent requirements for sword force."
"Indeed." Jian Xinhong nodded. "The Layered Wave Sword Art continuously builds momentum, its power growing stronger with each strike. Under normal circumstances, as long as one can stack it seven times—that is, unleash a seventh strike—the sword art is considered mastered."
"Mastered in seven strikes? Then let us see how many strikes this peerless genius of your Sword Marquis Manor can perform," Situ Qingyue said with a smile.
Everyone watched in anticipation.
On the arena stage, Jian Meng'er's sword art flowed with incomparable smoothness. Gathering momentum in layered waves, she unleashed the first strike directly, without the slightest pause.
The second, third, and fourth strikes were slashed out almost in an instant.
Immediately after came the fifth, sixth, and seventh strikes!
The whole process flowed like drifting clouds and water, still without any pause.
The surrounding crowd could clearly see that Jian Meng'er's sword art was growing continuously stronger with each strike—that was the effect of the sword art's power continuously building and stacking. Yet even after unleashing seven consecutive strikes, it did not cause any stir in the arena.
A mere seven strikes was simply the baseline mastery of the Layered Wave Sword Art—nothing to be shaken by.
However, after the seventh strike, Jian Meng'er's wrist flicked.
"Hah!"
With a delicate cry, the eighth strike slashed out in smooth succession.
With the sword art's power stacked eight times, the might of this eighth strike had already surpassed the realm of first-rate sword arts.
"The eighth strike!"
Only then did a wave of startled cries ring out around the arena.
With the Layered Wave Sword Art, unleashing a seventh strike meant mastery, while an eighth strike represented perfection!
"She still hasn't stopped," Jian Xinhong said from the viewing stands, somewhat excited.
Sure enough, after unleashing the eighth strike, Jian Meng'er's sword art still had not come to a complete halt. She was still gathering momentum.
"The ninth strike?"
Under everyone's expectant gazes, the Peerless beauty in snow-white robes atop the arena stage wore a solemn expression. Her wrist twisted in an eerie motion, pushing the accumulated sword force to its utmost limit. Abruptly, a flash of brilliant light burst forth from her beautiful eyes.
Whoosh!
An incomparably savage strike slashed out, tearing through the air.
The Layered Wave Sword Art, ninth strike—effortlessly achieved!
Only after completing all this did Jian Meng'er breathe a sigh of relief, sheathing her sword and standing.
Uproar. The entire arena erupted in an uproar.
"The ninth strike—she actually performed the ninth strike!" Jian Xinhong's eyes blazed as he stared at Jian Meng'er. "The Layered Wave Sword Art is already the most profound among the eighteen sword arts of the Sword Pavilion. Unleashing the eighth strike is already perfection, but the ninth strike is the very pinnacle. This little girl, at such a young age, can actually perform this sword art to such a degree!"
"Truly remarkable," Situ Qingyue, Ye Xiu, and the others nearby all nodded secretly. Once they understood the mysteries of the Layered Wave Sword Art, they immediately realized how difficult it was to stack sword force nine times, yet Jian Meng'er, a girl of only sixteen, had accomplished it.
"Shui Hanxin, it seems you've taken on a fine disciple. That little girl's cultivation talent is already extraordinary, and her talent in the sword is no weaker than the most elite genius disciples of your Tianyuan Sword Sect," Bai Chong said, glancing at Shui Hanxin beside him.
"My disciple is naturally extraordinary," Shui Hanxin said calmly.
Meanwhile, Jian Lan, who was also in the viewing stands, heard the discussion of the VIPs beside him, and the smugness on his face grew ever stronger.
"Meng'er, come down," Jian Lan said.
"As you command." Jian Meng'er bowed slightly toward the viewing stands, then walked down from the stage under the gaze of countless eyes. Along the way, the corner of her eye couldn't help but glance at Jian Wushuang at the edge of the arena.
"Jian Wushuang, back when you taught me the Layered Wave Sword Art, when you demonstrated it before me, you also stacked the power nine layers, unleashing the ninth strike. And now, I can perform that ninth strike too!" A trace of pride was in Jian Meng'er's gaze.
But unlike what the other manor disciples expected, when Jian Wushuang saw her perform the ninth strike of the Layered Wave Sword Art on the stage, his face remained as still as an ancient well, without the slightest change—as if, in his eyes, the ninth strike was nothing special.
"Next—Jian Ying!"
The competition continued, but because Jian Meng'er's performance had been so dazzling, it completely overshadowed all the other manor disciples.
"The last one—Jian Wushuang!"
Finally, it was Jian Wushuang's turn, as he was scheduled last.
When Jian Wushuang's name was called, the gazes of the many manor disciples in the arena immediately turned strange.
Jian Wushuang, the well-known cripple of the Sword Marquis Manor who could not condense spiritual power. Although he had condensed spiritual power two months ago and opened people's eyes with his battle against Jian Lin, when everyone learned that Jian Wushuang intended to challenge Jian Meng'er face-to-face today, two months later, they all thought he was a fool who didn't know his own limitations.
And now, that fool had taken the stage.
Ignoring the gazes of the crowd around him, Jian Wushuang slowly stepped onto the central stage.
"Jian Wushuang." Jian Lan glanced at him, his gaze clearly different from how he looked at the other disciples.
"Perform your most impressive sword art—or the one you believe you're best at," Jian Lan said, his tone rather cold.
Jian Wushuang stood with his sword on his back, but his gaze first turned to the viewing stands directly ahead.
In the stands, those VIPs had no intention of paying him any mind, still discussing Jian Meng'er. Only Bai Chong, who had been lounging lazily all this while, cast a smile toward Jian Wushuang.
Jian Wushuang nodded slightly toward Bai Chong, then drew his long sword from its sheath.
Whoosh~~~
Sword light surged like a tide, vast and magnificent, likewise making one feel as if they were trapped deep within the sea—but with an even deeper meaning.
"Hm?"
The moment Jian Wushuang performed his sword art, a chorus of light gasps immediately rang out across the arena. Even the VIPs in the stands couldn't help but be astonished.
"The Layered Wave Sword Art?"
"This little whelp actually practices the Layered Wave secret art too?" Situ Qingyue laughed heartily.
"It's the same sword art as Jian Meng'er's, but because Jian Meng'er performed the ninth strike and was so dazzling, even if this little fellow is skilled in the same art, even if he can perform the seventh or even the eighth strike, it won't surprise us anymore," Ye Xiu said with a smile.
"That may not be so." At this moment, Bai Chong suddenly spoke up.
"What do you mean, Sir Bai Chong?" Situ Qingyue and Ye Xiu both looked over.
"If Jian Meng'er can perform the ninth strike and has mastered this Layered Wave Sword Art to its pinnacle, then as the sword dao genius who taught her this art, could his mastery of it possibly be inferior to hers?" Bai Chong said casually.
"What?" The crowd in the stands cried out in unison.
"Sir Bai Chong, you're saying the Layered Wave Sword Art was taught to Jian Meng'er by this little fellow? Don't tell me he can also perform the ninth strike of this art?" Situ Qingyue pressed.
"How many strikes he can perform, I don't know either. Just watch and see." Bai Chong chuckled and said no more.
But the VIPs in the stands had already had their interest piqued by Bai Chong's words, and one by one, they fixed their full attention on Jian Wushuang.