Chapter 602: Heart of a King, Sword Dazzling the People
The moment Xiao Chen said that, astonishment spread through the crowd. His statement was even more sensational than Sima Lingxuan’s proclamation that he would defeat his opponent in ten moves.
Everyone had their pride. Xiao Chen might seem indifferent and calm. However, deep in his heart was a pride that no one else was aware of. However, it was not something that he would let anyone profane.
“Good! Good! Good!”
Sima Lingxuan said good three times in a row. Every time he said “good,” his face turned gloomier. A touch of murderous intent even appeared in his eyes.
“Heart of a King, Sword Dazzling the People!” Without saying anything else, Sima Lingxuan immediately executed his second move. His sword shone with a bright light, suddenly bathing the Wind Cloud Platform in glory. It was like all the commoners of the world would be illuminated by it.
The heart in the chest of Sima Lingxuan, who was floating in midair, seemed to really start to burn. After his clothes at that spot burned, everyone could see a fiery-red light pulsating there.
When Xuanyuan Zhantian saw this attack, he was instantly shocked. He said, “He is burning the heart of a king. This is a technique can be grasped only after the state of kings.h.i.+p reaches Great Perfection. The might of this sword will be raised at least threefold.”
“Let’s see how you break this!” Sima Lingxuan shouted ferociously. His figure flickered and in an instant, he arrived before Xiao Chen. There were no tricks to this attack. It merely used the faith of the ma.s.ses and burned the heart of a king to gain a great might for attacking the enemy. Aside from clas.h.i.+ng head-on, there was no other way to break this.
Xiao Chen used his Spiritual Sense to pick out a spot that was relatively weaker. Then, he immediately used the Roaming Dragon’s Nine Transformations.
Xiao Chen’s figure wavered and split into nine. The nine figures merged the two states and each sent out an attack targeting the weakest spot of the sword strike.
Although it was called the weakest spot, that was just relatively speaking. It would still be easy for the force in that “weak spot” to shatter a mountain.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
The might of this attack was too strong; Xiao Chen’s clones could not block it and were immediately shattered. However, by the time the eighth Xiao Chen was shattered, Sima Lingxuan felt that something was wrong. This was because without him realizing it, the might of the sword had decreased by half.
“You have discovered it already, right? However, it is now too late! Break!” Xiao Chen’s true body shouted, and his crystal Essence, which had already solidified, turned into a sharp saber light. After infusing his sixty-percent-comprehended saber intent, he hacked at that weak spot again.
“Boom!”
In the instant that weak spot was struck, it erupted with an intense shock wave. The crowd saw the shock wave strike Sima Lingxuan. He spun several rounds in the air before he could stabilize himself.
However, Xiao Chen did not move at all. The crowd only saw a horrifying scarlet light behind him and the immortal state of thunder above him. These flickered in turn, giving his delicate face a strange cast.
Sima Lingxuan had not believed that he would fail. So he executed the latter moves of the Emperor’s Swordplay to their limits. The king of a heart in his chest also burned even more ferociously.
Xiao Chen extended his Spiritual Sense, breaking his opponent’s Sword Techniques one after another. When he could not find a weak point, he would directly use the Four Season Saber Technique to break the technique with force, smas.h.i.+ng his opponent’s moves.
“The sixth move is broken; four moves remain.”
“The seventh move is broken; three moves remain.”
“The eighth move is broken; two moves remain.”
“The ninth move is broken; one move remains.”
The cultivators in the spectator stands watched with bated breath. As Xiao Chen had said, he simply allowed Sima Lingxuan to attack as he wished.
Xiao Chen did not chase after Sima Lingxuan or take the initiative to attack. He only broke the moves that were sent at him. Now, all that remained to see if Sima Lingxuan had anything to back his words when he said that he would defeat Xiao Chen in ten moves.
“The tenth attack! Spanning a Thousand Peaks!”
Sima Lingxuan was now so gloomy, he looked very scary. He ignited all the remaining Quintessence in his body and used the ninth move of the Emperor’s Swordplay. A thousand mountain peaks appeared in the air and was absorbed into his Sword Technique, causing the might of this attack to become extremely heavy.
Everywhere the sword pa.s.sed, a pitch-black tear appeared in s.p.a.ce. When the sword stopped, a sword light exploded forth. In that instant, it seemed like a thousand mountain peaks were pressing towards Xiao Chen.
Moonlight gleaming like frost;
flowing waters may wound;
beauty rapidly wanes;
where do I seek my home?
Despite seeing the danger, Xiao Chen calmly executed the fourth move of the Four Season Saber Technique—Grieving Frost. Frost silently permeated the mountain peaks. The faintness of the saber intent resulted in no one discovering anything strange about it.
When Sima Lingxuan saw Xiao Chen standing there, the gloomy look on his face cleared up. He laughed loudly and said, “With a large ma.s.s of mountains above you, let’s see where you can hide!”
Xiao Chen sheathed his saber and said calmly, “Why the need to hide?!”
“Ka ca! Ka ca!”
Suddenly, cracking sounds came from the mountains that filled the sky. The mysterious phenomenon that Sima Lingxuan materialized crumbled from the inside out and turned into dust and sand, blowing away in the wind and disappearing into nothing.
“Why did this happen?” Sima Lingxuan’s expression changed slightly; he did not dare believe what just happened.
Xiao Chen held his Lunar Shadow Saber and pointed it at his opponent. Under the bright illumination, he said calmly, “Ten moves are over. I have been standing here waiting to see how you are going to defeat me. Let me ask you, who is the arrogant one now?
“One can be proud but they absolutely cannot be conceited. Since you spoke so rudely and considered everyone else beneath you, I do not mind slapping your face ruthlessly in front of everyone. It does not matter that you are a disciple of a n.o.ble Clan or the top genius of the Great Jin Nation.”
The many cultivators in the spectator stands had faces full of disbelief. They had not expected Xiao Chen to actually succeed in breaking ten of Sima Lingxuan’s moves. This time, Sima Lingxuan had greatly embarra.s.sed himself.
The vast Wind Cloud Platform was full of holes. Right now, it looked completely ruined. Originally, the Wind Cloud Platform had regenerative abilities and would not end up this badly damaged.
However, the force from the two’s match was simple too great. It took a long time for the sword intent and saber intent infused into their Martial Techniques to scatter. Hence, the Wind Cloud Platform did not have a chance to recover.
At this moment, Sima Lingxuan’s heart was even more disordered that this dilapidated Wind Cloud Platform. He had not expected Xiao Chen to be this strong. When it came to strength, state, Martial Technique, or combat prowess, Xiao Chen was not inferior to him.
“d.a.m.n it! I did not lose. The one who will lose is you!”
Ten moves had pa.s.sed but Sima Lingxuan did not concede defeat as he said he would. His expression was frantic as he circulated his Essence and charged over with a ferocious aura.
“Scram back!”
This time, Xiao Chen took the initiative to attack. He used his solidified Essence to cover every acupoint, every bone, marrow, and blood in his body.
In that instant, Xiao Chen was encompa.s.sed in a dazzling purple light. Even his black eyes turned a deep purple as he flickered with electricity.
“Bang!”
Sima Lingxuan was already completely spent. His attack was full of openings. Xiao Chen grasped his saber with two hands and sweep it across. A purple light flickered and knocked his opponent out of the Wind Cloud Platform with absolute force.
“Bang!”
Xiao Chen sent the insufferably arrogant and strong Sima Lingxuan flying and cras.h.i.+ng right through the Wind Cloud Barrier.
A Superior Grade Martial Monarch of the Sima Clan instantly flashed over and caught Sima Lingxuan before he hit the ground. Hence, Sima Lingxuan was not reduced to a sorry state like Bai Qi; he managed to preserve his final shred of dignity.
“It is not good to boast. Even Sima Lingxuan is no exception. He got careless and had his face slapped before everyone.”
“The newcomers are too horrifying. Even Sima Lingxuan has fallen. Of the Great Jin Nation’s ten great sects and eight n.o.ble Clans, not one of them still has a winning streak.”
“All the geniuses of the Great Jin Nation have fallen. The only ones left with winning streaks are Xiao Chen and Chu Chaoyun.”
“I wonder where these two people came from? I have never heard of them before. The moment they appeared, they caused such a great sensation. How unbelievable!”
“What is even more unbelievable is yet to be seen. These two people are actually from the Great Qin Nation. I bet that the sects they are from will probably laugh even in their dreams.”
This Five Nation Youth Compet.i.tion brought too many surprises to the crowd. Unexpectedly, someone as strong as Sima Lingxuan did not remain undefeated until the end. This development had a great impact on everyone, one that was hard to describe.
Every generation would have someone outstanding. Every wave would be higher than the one before it. Indeed, anything could happen in this age of geniuses. Everyone sighed endlessly with sorrow.
Covered in dazzling purple light, Xiao Chen stood on the dilapidated Wind Cloud Platform and sheathed his saber, scattering his saber intent. The light faded away and his imposing aura immediately vanished, returning him to normal.
However, the absence of the blue strip of cloth he had worn now exposed a scarlet throne mark on his forehead. This gave his delicate face a charming and tyrannical aura.
Xiao Chen now seemed different from usual. When Jiang Chi, who was also a half-step Martial Monarch, saw Xiao Chen, who just returned from the Wind Cloud Platform, he felt a fear in his heart. The bright smile on Jiang Chi’s face vanished. Unexpectedly, he could not speak to Xiao Chen in a calm manner like he had before.
Seeing the reactions of the people around him, Xiao Chen recovered his wits. He took out another blue strip of cloth from the Universe Ring and covered up the throne mark on his forehead once again.
The charming and tyrannical aura instantly disappeared, turning him back into that calm and tranquil White Robed Bladesman Xiao Chen.
Right then, Jiang Chi did not know what to say. After thinking for a while, he said, “Xiao Chen, go and rest first.”
The expressions of Murong Chong, Yun Kexin, and the others looking at Xiao Chen were filled with shock. Although they had already guessed that Xiao Chen was very strong, they had not expected that Sima Lingxuan, whom they did not even dare to look in the eye, would be defeated by Xiao Chen in such a manner, getting his face slapped before everyone.
When Xiao Chen saw everyone’s expressions, he sighed quietly to himself. Regardless of everything, I just have to remain myself and not change.
Even if I climb onto the great Dao tomorrow, looking down on the world. I will still continue walking with respect and reverence.
---
The Dragon Sealing City’s City Lord, Zong Liang, picked up Sima Lingxuan’s card and casually tossed it into the flames. Soon, it turned to ashes and vanished into the air.
Now, only two cards remained on the table. One had Xiao Chen’s name and the other had Chu Chaoyun’s name. Zong Liang said gently, “There really are many surprises. What do you all think?”
When the elder to the right heard this, he smiled and said, “Xiao Chen versus Chu Chaoyun. This final match will attract a lot of attention. The suspense will last until the very end.”
“Indeed, who could have thought that this Xiao Chen is only a hair’s breadth away from advancing his state of ma.s.sacre to the will of ma.s.sacre? As for this state of thunder, he has infused the attribute of immortality. The most horrifying thing is that his Essence has completely solidified.”
“To be able to solidify his Essence completely before reaching peak Consummation half-step Martial Monarch, I wonder what kind of fortuitous encounters he has had? If he advances to Martial Monarch, then the Quintessence that he refines would put those of the older generation to shame.”