Chapter 97: Supreme Sword Dao (Part 8)

Chapter 97: Supreme Sword Dao (Part 8)

Ning Xiaochuan glanced slightly at Princess Lanfei and said, "Allies."

Yu Tiadi nodded in silent understanding.

Just as everyone thought the turmoil was about to subside, a man carrying a heavy sword stepped out from the crowd. His steps were steady, leaving deep footprints with each stride.

As his footsteps echoed, the heartbeats of every martial artist present inexplicably synchronized with his rhythm—a feat only possible for someone whose cultivation had reached an extraordinarily profound level.

He walked straight up to Princess Lanfei, his gaze indifferent and cold as he spoke calmly yet imposingly, "Hand over the Ancient Cauldron to me."

Had anyone else dared to speak to Princess Lanfei like this, they would have been deemed insane. But when he uttered these words, an overwhelming sense of pressure filled the air.

This man was none other than the mysterious figure Ning Xiaochuan had encountered on the mountain path—Ming Yang, whose cultivation was unfathomable.

"Why should I give the Ancient Cauldron to you?" Princess Lanfei held the crimson cauldron in her palm, her pride unwavering as she stared directly at Ming Yang without a trace of fear.

Though she had been turned into a Half-Corpse Slave, her memories and innate demeanor remained unchanged.

Ming Yang replied calmly, "Because I possess the power to kill you."

Without even making a move, every martial artist present could vaguely sense his immense strength—though none could gauge just how powerful he truly was.

Yu Tiadi pocketed the bag containing the Black Firewood Pearls and turned to leave.

His association with Ning Xiaochuan and Princess Lanfei was merely a transaction of interests, not a life-and-death alliance, so there was no need for him to stand firmly on their side.

"How arrogant! How dare you threaten a princess of the imperial court!" Two of the six guardians behind Princess Lanfei leaped forward, unleashing a Martial Arts Divine Ability simultaneously.

Two massive claw-like attacks surged toward Ming Yang.

Ming Yang stood motionless. The black heavy sword on his back emitted a faint hum as six Sword Souls dispersed from the blade, flashing through the air before vanishing.

"Thud!"

"Thud!"

The two First Level Divine Body Realm martial artists who had attacked Ming Yang collapsed, blood seeping from their seven orifices as they let out agonized screams. Their bodies convulsed violently before finally going still.

Ming Yang hadn't moved an inch—merely the resonance of his heavy sword had slain two Divine Body Realm experts.

The scene was utterly chilling.

Everyone was struck speechless, their gazes fixed on Ming Yang in shock.

Even Yu Tiadi's expression darkened with intensity as he muttered three words, "Supreme Sword Dao... the formless Sword Qi of the Supreme Sword Dao!"

Many martial artists didn't understand what "Supreme Sword Dao" signified, but those hailing from noble families suddenly recalled a legend, their hearts trembling with even greater astonishment.

"Could it be... that this man before us has truly mastered the Supreme Sword Dao?"

"What is the Supreme Sword Dao?" someone asked in confusion.

"The Supreme Sword Dao is a unique cultivation method where practitioners transfer all the divine abilities born within their bodies into their Sword Bodies. They cultivate the sword, not the person, causing the Sword Dao to grow increasingly powerful, making the sword sentient, and even divine.

"Transferring the divine abilities born within one's body into the Sword Body—is this something an ordinary person can achieve?"

"Naturally, it is not something an ordinary person can accomplish. Only martial artists who possess the Heart Palace of the Sword Body have even a chance of succeeding. Moreover, out of ten such martial artists, fewer than one may ever master the Supreme Sword Dao. Thus, the Supreme Sword Dao is exceedingly rare. Yet, once it appears, it inevitably stirs boundless storms and is hailed as the unrivaled combat prowess within the same cultivation realm."

Many were whispering among themselves, treating the Supreme Sword Dao with deep apprehension.

Yu Tiadi remarked, "Earlier, six sword shadows emanated from the sword on his back, indicating he has already transferred six divine abilities into his Sword Body, reaching the Sixth Level of the Divine Body Realm. I fear he will be the Champion of this year's examination."

Though Yu Tiadi was arrogant, he did not believe he could defeat an expert at the Sixth Level of the Divine Body Realm—let alone one who was a practitioner of the Supreme Sword Dao.

This was a genius who defied common sense, surpassing the comprehension of many.

Ming Yang's gaze locked onto Ning Xiaochuan. "The sword 'wave' you unleashed was formidable, comparable to the Supreme Sword Dao. Had we been of the same cultivation realm, you would undoubtedly have been my greatest rival. Hand over the Ancient Cauldron, and I will spare your lives today."

This was not a negotiation but a command.

An overwhelming confidence radiated from Ming Yang. Even if a princess stood before him, in his eyes, she would be little more than an ant.

Ning Xiaochuan had no intention of surrendering the Ancient Cauldron to Ming Yang—this cauldron was tied to the lives of Yu Qianqian and Murong Wushuang.

A faint smile touched Ning Xiaochuan's lips as he struck the Ancient Cauldron with his palm.

"Boom!"

The Ancient Cauldron was sent flying, plummeting into the Abyss of Thirty Thousand Meters and vanishing into the mist.

Ning Xiaochuan kicked off the ground, attempting to retreat into the Demon Palace.

Only by placing himself in mortal peril could he find a path to survival.

His reaction was swift, but the gap in cultivation between him and Ming Yang was too vast. Before he could reach the Demon Palace, Ming Yang had already stepped in front of its gates.

Such incredible speed!

Ming Yang's eyes were icy, devoid of emotion, as he slowly gripped the heavy sword on his back. A sweeping sword intent surged from him, engulfing the heavens and earth.

"Supreme World-Severing Sword!"

With a single thrust, a massive mirror-like surface, ten meters in diameter, formed in the air.

Ripples spread across the mirror, unleashing a mighty sword wave.

"Annihilation Sword Wave!"

Fearless, Ning Xiaochuan pointed a finger, condensing a sword wave at his fingertip and blasting it toward the mirror.

Ming Yang's strike covered an immense area, capable of shredding everything around the Sword Qi.

"Princess, be careful!"

The four guardians immediately positioned themselves in front of Princess Lanfei, forming a human shield to block the Sword Qi with their bodies.

"Pfft!"

In an instant, the four Divine Body Realm guardians were torn apart, their bodies shattered and blood splattering across the ground.

Ning Xiaochuan and Princess Lanfei were both struck by the Sword Qi. Despite activating their Protective Profound Qi Armor to defend themselves, the gap in their cultivation realms was too vast.

Boom!

Boom!

The Sword Qi of the Supreme Sword Dao pierced through their Protective Profound Qi Armor, stabbing them multiple times and sending them flying backward, plummeting into the bottomless abyss below.

With just a single move, four Divine Body Realm martial artists were killed, and two Third Level Divine Body Realm experts were severely injured and knocked off the peak of Blood Mountain. Such power was already considered heaven-defying among the younger generation.

The entire scene fell into silence. Many were so shocked they couldn’t speak, their breaths seemingly frozen.

"Ning Xiaochuan was so strong, yet he was defeated in a single move..."

"There was no helping it—the gap in cultivation was too great. Besides, he encountered a master of the Supreme Sword Dao. Dying in battle is still an honor."

"Ning Xiaochuan was still too young, only sixteen. Given his cultivation speed, if he had trained for two more years, he might have caught up to that Supreme Sword Dao cultivator. It’s a pity the heavens didn’t give him that chance. In the end, he perished prematurely."

"The two most outstanding geniuses of the Jian Pavilion Marquis House have both fallen. This will be a devastating blow to the house."

"No one even knows the name of this Supreme Sword Dao cultivator. He appeared out of nowhere, slaying Ning Xiaochuan with a single sword strike. This one move will be enough to make him famous across the world. Ning Xiaochuan’s talent was extraordinary, yet in the end, he only served as a foil, making this man appear even more formidable."

This was an earth-shattering reversal. No one had expected such a terrifying figure to emerge out of nowhere, completely altering the landscape of the trial. After the trial concluded, his name would surely spread throughout the entire Yulan Empire.

Ming Yang stared at the edge of the cliff, watching as Ning Xiaochuan and Princess Lanfei vanished into the sea of clouds. His fingers lightly touched his chest, where a small bloody hole oozed warm, sticky blood.

At the very last moment, Ning Xiaochuan had unleashed the "Annihilation Sword Wave," piercing through Ming Yang’s Sword Qi and wounding him.

Despite being three cultivation realms below Ming Yang, Ning Xiaochuan had still managed to injure him—proof of just how terrifying the Annihilation Sword Wave was.

Ming Yang, carrying his heavy sword on his back, walked through the crowd and descended the mountain.

Only then did the other martial artists snap out of their daze. They remembered—the Ancient Cauldron had been knocked off Blood Mountain by Ning Xiaochuan’s palm strike and must have fallen to the base of the mountain. That was a peerless treasure brought out from the Demon Palace, something even a Martial Venerable would covet.

Everyone surged toward the mountain’s base, scrambling to find the Ancient Cauldron.

When Ming Yang’s Sword Qi pierced Ning Xiaochuan’s Protective Profound Qi Armor and tore into his body, severely injuring him, it unexpectedly shattered his Fourth Divine Source.

Stimulated by the Sword Qi, the Fourth Divine Source immediately dissolved, transforming into his fourth divine ability.

Boom!

The Profound Qi between heaven and earth surged violently into Ning Xiaochuan’s body, merging with his blood and gathering in his Martial Arts Heart Palace.

Ning Xiaochuan had reached the Fourth Level of the Divine Body Realm.

Though he had broken through, Ning Xiaochuan was grievously wounded. Ming Yang’s Sword Qi had nearly shredded his body apart. Despite his breakthrough, he felt excruciating pain all over, on the verge of passing out at any moment.

The howling wind roared in his ears.

He could feel himself plummeting downward at terrifying speed.

No... I don’t want to die! I can’t die!

Ning Xiaochuan's body generated a strong will to survive, and he shouted, "Wings of Rage." His Profound Qi surged wildly, gathering behind his back. The Profound Qi on Ning Xiaochuan's back extended outward, undergoing a transformation and turning into a pair of nearly transparent light wings, each four meters long. By controlling the flow of his Profound Qi, Ning Xiaochuan made the wings flap slowly, resembling a large bird, which slowed his descent. This marked the birth of his fourth divine ability, the Wings of Rage. Lightning, thunder, heavy rain, and fierce winds—where there was lightning, thunder naturally followed. Where there was heavy rain, fierce winds were sure to arrive. Ning Xiaochuan clenched his teeth tightly, using his last ounce of willpower to control the Wings of Rage. Gradually, he stabilized his body, slowing his descent further until he could even glide through the air with his wings.