Naked Sword Art

Chapter 460: Phantom Blitz Demonstration

In the quiet stillness of the Inner Court’s Sword Club dojo, dozens of disciples sat cross-legged in disciplined rows, the sharp scent of steel in the air and the rhythmic sound of blades meeting training dummies echoing in the background. Yet, all of it fell away the moment Xun Wei moved.

Xiao Fang stepped through the open doors just in time to witness the scene unfold.

At the front of the room stood a figure in white—robes of the Core Court fluttering gently as she moved with grace and precision. Her sword shimmered beneath the lantern light, each slash sharp, fluid, and deliberate.

Then suddenly, her blade disappeared.

This was the illusory sword technique, [ Ghost Blade ].

In the next moment, her arm appeared to remain idle at her side—an illusion crafted with the [ Illusory Mimic ] technique. A false image of stillness, while her real blade struck from an unseen angle.

Combining two techniques in perfect harmony. A feat many could study for years without mastering, yet she made it look effortless. Such seamless layering wasn’t just showmanship—it was what elevated a cultivator’s battle power to another level.

Although Xiao Fang had arrived late, what he saw—and heard—left him impressed.

Xun Wei stood unshaken before the crowd of inner court swordsmen, many of whom were older, more experienced, and notably skilled. Yet she lectured with poise and certainty, as if she had nothing to prove.

Her words rang familiar.

Much of what she explained were things Xiao Fang himself had once taught her in the Outer Court. Seeing her now, so composed and self-assured, filled him with a deep, quiet pride.

"You made it," Bai Fan whispered to him.

Xiao Fang gave her a quiet nod.

Zhao Pan glanced at Xiao Fang in silence, then turned her attention back to Xun Wei.

Even though she and Bai Fan were considered the strongest in their age group—having earned a place in the prestigious Phoenix Class—Li Lian and Xun Wei were on a different level entirely. They weren’t just exceptional; they were considered geniuses among geniuses, accepted directly into the Core Court and becoming direct disciples of the Matriarch and a Supreme Elder without needing to prove themselves through the usual trials.

Naturally, anything they had to teach was worth listening to.

Zhao Pan and Bai Fan both understood that. And in this moment, they were eager students.

Without a word, Xiao Fang raised the edge of his blindfold—revealing one violet eye—to see her clearly.

At that moment, Xun Wei noticed him.

Her usually calm expression flickered—just for a moment. A subtle light lit her eyes, but she quickly masked it, pretending not to notice him at all.

"Now," she continued, her tone steady and clear, "as for the technique I developed myself, I call it [ Phantom Blitz ]."

A murmur spread through the crowd. The disciples straightened, their anticipation rising.

Then—she vanished.

The demonstration had begun.

A blur of white zipped past the target dummy, fast enough to stir the air.

Then again—another blur, and another.

To the untrained eye, it looked as if Xun Wei was darting back and forth across the dummy at impossible speeds, faster than anyone should be able to move.

But Xiao Fang saw the truth.

[ Spirit Perception ]

Each time Xun Wei dashed past her target, her real body slipped into [ Stealth ], fading seamlessly into the shadows. In the same instant, a [ Shadow Clone ] emerged from the dummy’s own shadow, continuing the next strike. Then, Xun Wei’s real body dashed past once more—fading again, only for another clone to emerge on the opposite side.

Back and forth, clone and real, alternating in rhythm so smoothly that it created the illusion of a single body zipping endlessly across the target. Blades struck from all angles. Her presence flickered like moonlight rippling on a dark lake—untraceable, unpredictable.

It was a masterpiece of deception and technique.

To the disciples watching, it was as if she had transcended physical limits—her body moving faster than thought, faster than sight. But to those who understood, they saw the clever interplay of stealth, misdirection, and shadow clone manipulation—each movement choreographed to perfection.

The dummy stood no chance.

Strike after strike landed before finally, the figure reappeared behind it—blade drawn, stance immaculate.

The dummy fell apart in perfect, even slices.

Silence followed.

Not a single disciple dared to speak.

Even Xiao Fang couldn’t help but smile in admiration.

"That is quite the technique," he murmured under his breath as he lowered his blindfold to cover his eyes again.

And Xun Wei, standing tall and composed with her blade resting at her side, saw his face across the room, looking at him with a quiet, knowing smile.

The spectators were awestruck. The technique looked even more spectacular up close. Even some of the older Inner Court disciples—women in their later years—sat speechless, watching a girl from the youngest generation execute a technique they could barely grasp.

She stood out—brilliantly so.

The Core Court robe draped around her frame made her appear almost otherworldly, and her medium length raven-black hair flowed like a curtain of midnight down to her shoulders. Her face was calm, unreadable, but her silver eyes gleamed with quiet intensity.

She looked like a moon reflecting off a midnight lake: cold, beautiful, and impossibly distant. Yet the way she carried herself, her precision and power—it all hinted at something dangerous, something deeper.

This was the power of Xun Wei, she was certainly in her own league compared to the likes of Zhao Pan and Bai Fan.

"Any questions?" Xun Wei asked, her voice calm and collected as the last echoes of her technique faded.

The room buzzed with awe. After seeing [ Phantom Blitz ] up close, many of the disciples found themselves quietly wondering the same thing: How had Chu Piao managed to defend against it?

The technique moved so swiftly, so erratically, and struck from so many angles that it seemed to erase the very idea of blind spots. There shouldn’t have been time to think—let alone counter.

Finally, one of the older female disciples raised her hand, voicing what they were all thinking.

"How did Chu Piao defend against that? Wasn’t it impossible to predict where the strikes were coming from?"

Xun Wei smiled faintly. "Ah, that Chu Piao... he simply relied on his instincts."