Naked Sword Art

Chapter 472: A Divine Swordsman Hits Harder

They were wrong.

Deep within Xiao Fang’s soul sea, his Golden Core began to churn violently. A surge of radiant light spread through his body, mending bones, organs, and torn muscles in under a minute. Everything healed — except his shoulder, the spot where the staff had struck.

’That staff... it seems they came prepared,’ Xiao Fang thought.

Whatever it was, the weapon interfered with his body’s natural regeneration, suppressing his ability to fully recover. He tried moving his left arm, but its mobility and strength were nearly gone.

Xiao Fang frowned.

’That staff... I definitely blocked it.’

He recalled the instant before impact — his instincts screaming that his blades weren’t in the right place to intercept the strike. And yet, here he was, wounded all the same.

’Are their attacks... fooling my senses?’

There wasn’t much he knew about the Heavenly Fate Sect under the Royal Court. They were rarely seen — always the ones hosting the events, never the ones participating in them.

But there was one time he remembered asking his father about them...

.

.

.

"Have you ever fought anyone from the Heavenly Fate Sect before?" young Xiao Fang asked.

"Never," Xiao Jianhong replied with a faint smile. "But I did see your grandfather fight one once."

"Grandpa Kong?"

"Mhm. I was very young at the time, but they were some of his toughest opponents."

"He fought more than one?"

"He did," Jianhong said with a quiet chuckle. "Five of them, actually. Back then, your grandfather was quite the troublemaker — always stirring up conflict with the Heavenly Fate Sect. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned about them... fighting one is difficult, but facing two? Even a small army would be helpless against them."

"They’re that strong?"

"They are," Jianhong said, his voice softening as he looked off in thought. "There’s a saying: if you fight a member of the Heavenly Fate Sect, you’re fated to lose."

Xiao Fang frowned. "Why’s that?"

Jianhong laughed, shaking his head. "Because their attacks never miss."

"Never miss?" young Xiao Fang repeated, confused.

"That’s right," Jianhong said, his tone low and certain. "Their attacks are impossible to avoid, impossible to outrun, and impossible to block. Getting hit by them is inevitable. That is the power of Fate."

Xiao Fang furrowed his brow. He couldn’t make sense of it — how could an attack be impossible to evade? And what kind of power allowed someone to control fate itself? None of it made any sense to him then.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Jianhong began to laugh.

"Fated to lose," he repeated mockingly.

"Why are you laughing?" young Xiao Fang asked, tilting his head.

"I was just remembering something your grandfather said during that fight," Jianhong said, a proud smirk spreading across his face. "He was covered in blood from head to toe when they told him to surrender — telling him that the power of fate couldn’t be avoided. But do you know what he said to them?"

Xiao Fang shook his head.

Jianhong chuckled, his voice lowering as if reciting a legend.

"Fate isn’t avoidable? Did you hit me with anything I needed to avoid?"

...

"Grandpa’s too arrogant," young Xiao Fang muttered. "How could he fight people whose attacks never miss?"

Xiao Jianhong’s laughter faded. He looked down at his son for a long moment.

"Listen carefully, Fang," he said, his voice low but firm, as he slowly untied the front of his robes, revealing a chest covered in deep scars. "A Divine Swordsman isn’t afraid to get hit."

Xiao Fang continued to frown. "That doesn’t make sense..."

Jianhong smiled faintly and knelt so they were eye level.

"Do you know why?" he asked.

Young Xiao Fang shook his head.

"Because a Divine Swordsman will always hit harder."

His tone grew solemn — each word sinking into Xiao Fang’s heart like a brand.

"So be brave... be fierce — like a tiger that never retreats."

Xiao Fang was afraid, but what could a blind little kid like him do?

"What about Grandpa?" he asked softly. "Did he lose?"

Xiao Jianhong leaned back, a nostalgic grin tugging at his lips. "It was a tough fight. I’ve never seen anyone take a beating like your grandfather did that day."

"So... he lost?" Xiao Fang said quickly.

Jianhong slowly shook his head.

"He won."

Xiao Fang’s brows raised.

"It’s the truth," Jianhong said, a hint of pride in his voice. "And he did it with nothing but his bare fists." He flexed his arm and gave his bicep a playful pat. "Heh, sounds just like your grandfather to defy fate, doesn’t it?"

"Defying fate..." Xiao Fang whispered, awestruck.

Jianhong smiled faintly, his tone deepening with conviction.

"That’s a Divine Swordsman’s pride. As long as there’s air in our lungs and courage in our veins, victory is never out of reach."

Young Xiao Fang blinked, silent with understanding.

Jianhong chuckled softly. "Thinking back on it, your grandfather really was something. He told me he couldn’t remember it happening, but I definitely saw him dodge a few of their attacks."

.

.

.

Regaining movement in his once-broken arm, Xiao Fang rolled his shoulder, flexed his fingers, then cracked his knuckles. His heart began to pound like a war drum.

He knew he couldn’t use his Illusory Body or Death Reaper techniques against them, but what did that matter, there was one Cultivation method he needed.

’That’s right... I am a Divine Swordsman.’

The clouds around him were too thick to see through, but he knew their [ Clairvoyance ] technique would still reveal his position to them.

So, Xiao Fang closed his only open eye... and listened.

There they were. And it sounded like they were planning something.

...

"This isn’t good," the silver-haired man said. "He’s going to reach the ground first. Once he does, and if he still has the strength to throw his spear, we’ll be sitting ducks up here."

"What do we do?"

"I need you to throw me down there, I need to reach the ground first."

The Quiet one didn’t hesitate to grab Yu Hanlin to throw him down. Faster than Xiao Fang was falling.

A few moments later, Xiao Fang watched as the Silver-haired man passed him. Understanding what they had planned, Xiao Fang wasn’t worried. He knew what he needed to do.

[ Ascending Immortal ]