# Chapter 23: The Ultimate? Surpassing the Ultimate!
When everyone saw that the sword technique Jian Wushuang was performing was also the Stacking Wave Sword Art, an uproar swept across the training grounds.
"How dare he perform the Stacking Wave Sword Art?"
"This Jian Wushuang is truly seeking death!"
Normally, two competitors performing the same sword technique in this contest would mean nothing. However, if one of them was the most dazzling, most brilliant peerless genius of today's contest, while the other was someone who, two months ago, had declared he would challenge that peerless genius face-to-face on this very day, then Jian Wushuang performing the same sword technique as Jian Meng'er right now carried an unmistakable air of provocation, no matter how one looked at it.
"Jian Meng'er has already brought this sword art to its absolute pinnacle. For Jian Wushuang to perform it now—isn't he just asking for humiliation?"
"That's not necessarily so. Don't forget, Jian Meng'er's swordsmanship was taught to her by Jian Wushuang himself."
"So what? Jian Meng'er has already executed the ninth slash. Even if Jian Wushuang can also perform the ninth slash, what would that prove? What meaning could there be in this kind of provocation?"
Everyone watched Jian Wushuang on the platform, most of them filled with mockery. A few Sword Pavilion disciples secretly wanted to defend Jian Wushuang, but such defenses seemed utterly pale and powerless in the face of Jian Meng'er, who had already executed the technique's ninth slash.
On the platform, Jian Wushuang paid no attention to the crowd surrounding the training grounds. He had already devoted his entire attention to performing the sword technique.
The Stacking Wave Sword Art stacked power layer upon layer, continuously building momentum. It demanded extremely high standards of strength control and fundamental swordsmanship.
Sword light surged like the tide. Jian Wushuang's movements did not pause for even an instant. Under everyone's gaze—sha! sha! sha! sha! sha! sha! sha!—he executed seven slashes in rapid succession.
After seven consecutive slashes, his movements remained as fluid as flowing clouds and water, noticeably more coordinated than Jian Meng'er's.
Then came the eighth slash, executed just as effortlessly.
"The eighth slash!"
Everyone on the training grounds watched with rapt attention. After executing the eighth slash, Jian Wushuang's sword technique still showed no sign of stopping, and everyone immediately understood—he was going to attempt the ninth slash.
But the ninth slash, the slash that represented the pinnacle of this sword art—could he actually perform it?
Just as this curiosity was rising in everyone's hearts, the momentum in Jian Wushuang's sword reached completion, and in the next instant, another slash cleaved out.
The ninth slash—achieved just as naturally!
The training grounds erupted in gasps of astonishment.
"Haha, as expected. Master Bai Chong was right—this little fellow can actually execute the ninth slash as well. And looking at his execution, it's even smoother than Jian Meng'er's. His talent in the way of the sword is in no way inferior to hers," Situ Qingyue said with a smile.
The other great figures in the stands all nodded in agreement with Situ Qingyue's words.
"Don't be hasty. It's too early to say that," Bai Chong suddenly said with a mysterious smile.
Everyone froze, then immediately turned to look at the platform, only to see that Jian Wushuang, having already executed the ninth slash, was not standing still with his sword sheathed as everyone had imagined. Instead, he continued to wield his blade.
"What?"
The entire training grounds fell silent in that instant.
He had already performed the ninth slash, which by all rights was the pinnacle of the art. Yet Jian Wushuang had not stopped—instead he continued to perform. What was he trying to do?
"Don't tell me... he wants to perform the tenth slash?"
No one knew who cried out first, but in an instant, the entire training grounds exploded.
"The tenth slash! He's going to perform the tenth slash!"
"The Stacking Wave Sword Art—could it even have a tenth slash?"
Everyone was shocked, and down below the platform, Jian Meng'er's beautiful eyes couldn't help but narrow slightly at this moment.
Jian Wushuang was indeed continuing to perform. His sword technique was still building momentum, its power still stacking. Finally, when this accumulated force reached a certain threshold, Jian Wushuang's expression turned cold. He stepped forward and, without the slightest hesitation, furiously cleaved out with his longsword.
The tenth slash!
Weng~~~ The blade tore through the air, producing a piercing sonic boom, its power clearly a full degree stronger than the ninth slash had been.
The training grounds instantly boiled over!
"Incredible!" Situ Qingyue rose abruptly from his seat, brilliant light bursting from his eyes.
"Jian Xinhong, your Sword Marquis Manor truly has no shortage of geniuses. There's no need to even speak of Jian Meng'er—she's monstrously exceptional. And now this little fellow who has appeared—by stacking the sword art's power ten times and executing the tenth slash, his talent in the way of the sword is somewhat terrifying," Ye Xiu said, glancing at Jian Xinhong with deep meaning in his gaze.
"This..." Jian Xinhong was somewhat dazed, at a loss for words.
"Jian Xinhong, didn't you just say that executing the ninth slash was already the absolute pinnacle of this sword art? Then what does executing the tenth slash make it?" Situ Qingyue asked.
Jian Xinhong drew a deep breath and said solemnly, "For the Stacking Wave Sword Art, the ninth slash can indeed be considered its peak—but not its true ultimate. Only the tenth slash is the true ultimate. However, executing the tenth slash is far too difficult. Since the Sword Marquis Manor obtained this sword art, only one person has ever managed to execute the tenth slash—the previous Sword Pavilion Master, Jian Nantian. And this little fellow... is Jian Nantian's son."
"Jian Nantian's son?" Situ Qingyue was taken aback, and the gazes of the great figures in the stands toward Jian Wushuang immediately changed, becoming extraordinary.
"The tenth slash—I knew this little fellow wouldn't disappoint me." A smile spread across Bai Chong's face. But suddenly...
"What?" Bai Chong cried out in shock.
"This..." Everyone in the stands was stunned as well.
At the center of the training grounds, on the platform, Jian Wushuang—who had already executed the tenth slash and shaken everyone present—showed not the slightest intention of stopping. His sword light danced, and in the next moment, he actually began to build momentum once more.
He was going to execute an eleventh slash!
"Impossible!" Even Jian Xinhong couldn't help but rise to his feet, deep terror flickering in his eyes.
"He's mad! This boy has definitely gone mad!" Jian Lan in the stands roared repeatedly.
"The eleventh slash?" Bai Chong and the others in the stands all rose involuntarily to their feet. Even Shui Hanxin, who had maintained her lofty, aloof demeanor all along, slightly contracted her pupils at this moment, casting her first truly serious gaze toward Jian Wushuang.
The training grounds sank into dead silence.
Everyone stared with blank, frozen eyes at Jian Wushuang performing his sword art above.
But Jian Wushuang had closed his eyes at this moment. In his mind, he couldn't help recalling the scene from many years ago, when his father had taught him this sword art. Even now, he remembered his father's words with perfect clarity.
"Shuang'er, you must remember—no sword art ever has such a thing as a true ultimate. Take this Stacking Wave Sword Art: if the tenth slash is its ultimate, then what you must do is surpass the ultimate!"
Sha!
The sword light was merciless as it furiously cleaved out.
This single slash seemed capable of splitting heaven and earth in two.
On the platform, Jian Wushuang opened his eyes, a trace of a smile on his face.
"Surpass the ultimate!"
"Father, I've done it!"
...