Chapter 251 - Immortal Sword Rankings!
"Exiled Sword Immortal!" Countless fierce voices, almost tearing their throats, erupted with scorching intensity, shaking heaven and earth. Legend had become reality!
Tens of thousands of Sword Cultivators, as if in a trance, had eyes only for the proud, unmatched youth in gray. His current splendor and explosive presence were enough to etch a lifelong memory in the minds of all the surrounding Sword Cultivators.
Witnessing the birth of a myth in person!
This was a miracle surpassing history!
"Ling Chen!" This once scorned name of the Ling Family's discarded son, now resounded through the Nine Hells. Over a million fervent gazes set upon him, pushing him to the pinnacle of all beings!
All 999 sword-shaped peaks of the Sword Ruins seemed to reverse their course in honor of his current glory! He was like a blazing sun, fiercely rising, dazzling the sky, illuminating the Sword Souls of the entire Eternal Sword Prison.
"Ling Chen." A deep voice emerged from the Sword Warden Gate, "The history of the Nine Hells will start a new chapter with you. You are the unparalleled Exiled Sword Immortal from ancient times. From now on, the Eternal Sword Prison fights for you!"
BUZZ! The words of the Sword Warden confirmed the legitimacy of this Exiled Sword Immortal.
It was madness! Complete madness! Inside the Sword Ruins, a hundred thousand Sword Judges appeared, gazing at the graceful youth in gray as if beholding a miracle.
Disciples from every level—Yellow, Black, Earth, Heaven, True, and Supreme.... All looked up at Ling Chen in deep admiration and reverence.
Even the Supreme Adjudicators and Overseers, beings ordinarily invisible to common folks, now appeared under the Sword Baptism Ceremony altar. Their swords could stir the clouds and thunder, awe-inspiring to all. Yet, before the nine sounds of the Eternal Sword, they too felt diminutive.
Even these lofty pinnacle masters of the Sword Dao, at this moment, looked up to Ling Chen just like ordinary disciples.
"Exiled Sword Immortal!" Another wave of deafening cheers swept across the vast lands of the Eternal Sword Prison. Only by witnessing this moment could one understand the Eternal Sword Prison's reverence for the Exiled Sword Immortal.
This was truly a meteoric rise to the heavens!
The Sword Warden, the Withered Bone Keeper, Overseers, and other powerful figures of the Sword Ruins had personally declared their allegiance to Ling Chen. In the Nine Hells, who else could now harm him, even in the slightest?
Ling Chen watched the scene unfold, a slight smile curling at the corners of his mouth. He was the picture of calm. All of this was within his control. Bathed in the divine radiance of the Eternal Sword, his eyes suddenly locked onto a middle-aged man in violet robes—Qin Tian!
BANG! Qin Tian spread his arms wide, prostrating and kneeling on the ground, his eyes red with desperation, slamming his head on the ground. "Exalted Exiled Sword Immortal! I was blind and have wronged you. I beg for your mercy, considering my Qin Family's generations of dedication to the Sword Ruins. Please spare my worthless life..."
"Silence!" Among the group of terrifyingly powerful figures, an old man with white hair but a youthful face stepped forward. His icy gaze fixed on Qin Tian, he spoke chillingly. "Qin Tian, as a Supreme Adjudicator, you dared to plot against the son of two heroes of the Sword Ruins. This crime warrants the death penalty in the Sword Ruins!"
"Overseer Sikong!"
To many Sword Cultivators, Overseer Sikong was a legendary figure, his stories enough to fill a hefty tome.
Overseer Sikong respectfully stepped forward towards Ling Chen, seeking permission. "I request the Exiled Sword Immortal's judgment. This man deserves his fate. May I execute him?"
Everyone knew the Ling Family's discarded son had been suffering for more than just a year or two. Qin Tian had been untouchable before, but now, he faced death. All because of the Exiled Sword Immortal. Such was the harsh reality of their world.
On the altar, Ling Chen raised an eyebrow at the trembling Qin Tian and chuckled coldly. "Scared now? How dull." After speaking, he waved his hand dismissively at Overseer Sikong, "Do it."
"Yes!" Overseer Sikong sighed in relief! Qin Tian was his disciple. If he had erred, it was best to dispose of him swiftly.
A changing of the guard was taking place in the Sword Ruins!
As Overseer Sikong nodded, he suddenly flung a Flying Sword from his hand! WHOOSH! The sword, too fast for Yun Xiao to see, pierced through Qin Tian's head.
SPLATTER! Qin Tian's head exploded, his trembling body collapsing lifelessly. With a loud explosion, the Flying Sword's momentum swept into the heavens, the sky and earth changing colors. A storm of thunder and lightning spread across the sky, unleashing countless bolts of electricity!
"This, this is the essence of the sword!" Yun Xiao's eyes burned with emotion. That sword strike was formidable! Qin Tian was dead in an instant!
THUD! Behind him, one after another, the knees of the Qin Family members buckled, collapsing to the ground, weeping uncontrollably. They pleaded desperately.
"We beg the Exiled Sword Immortal for mercy!"
"Qin Tian and his son Qin Luo deserve death for their crimes, but we are innocent..."
And young Qin Luo, pale as a ghost behind his father's headless corpse, trembled from head to toe, even his eyelashes quivering.
Nearby, Bai Qingxue and her son Bai Wuque were already pale with fear.
What would happen to them?
Everyone looked towards the Exiled Sword Immortal with awe.
Atop the altar, Ling Chen shook his head and chuckled, musing to himself. "Sure enough, the stronger the reborn, the swifter the revenge. Those who flounder for months after rebirth are probably just failures reborn, right?"
After his reflection, he dropped the smile, casting a cold glance at the Qin Family members, and said icily, "Those who abet tyranny share the guilt with the mastermind. I decree the Qin Family's extinction. Any objections?"
BUZZ! A shock went through the crowd as they gazed at the Qin Family, including many children and elders, speechless. They knew, this Exiled Sword Immortal was not one for mercy.
"This is what you call decisive action!" Many young people felt a surge of admiration.
"As you command!" Overseer Sikong, ever the loyal follower, flashed a cold look in his eyes and ordered the execution of the frantic Qin Family members.
THUD! Upon hearing this, Qin Luo finally collapsed to his knees, looking helplessly at Ling Chen, a chill running down his spine.
"Spare Qin Luo!" Just as Overseer Sikong was about to execute the Qin Family, Ling Chen suddenly raised an eyebrow and said with a smile.
"I..." Qin Luo's eyes dimmed, staring blankly at the once scorned son of the Ling Family.
Seeing everyone's confusion, Ling Chen chuckled and declared, "Ladies and gentlemen, although I am gifted, I understand one thing. Talent is just a starting point. Before achieving greatness, a genius is no different from a blade of grass! For me, the priority is to turn the talent of the Exiled Sword Immortal into tangible strength and combat power, step by step."
"Exactly!" Overseer Sikong agreed.
While most of the powerhouses remained silent, Ling Chen glanced at Qin Luo and spoke earnestly, "Although I am the Exiled Sword Immortal, after taking my revenge on the Qin Family, I don't wish to abuse my privileges. Coming up, it's time for the talented of the Sword Ruins to compete in swordsmanship. When the Immortal Sword Rankings is named, I will join the Sword Cultivators in the contest!"
This statement earned Ling Chen newfound respect from the crowd. He willingly gave up his power, seeking only to compete in talent. The Exiled Sword Immortal, though lofty, was not aloof.
"Qin Luo!" Ling Chen raised an eyebrow at him, "Get ready. In the Immortal Sword Rankings, I will defeat you with my combat skills!"
This proclamation sent a shock through the audience.
"The Exiled Sword Immortal is only in the Saint Realm, while Qin Luo has awakened his Dao Heart and is already a top contender on the Immortal Sword Rankings, nearly ten stages higher! Can he really defeat Qin Luo in such a short time?"
"Even as the Exiled Sword Immortal, that's a matter of Sword Intent talent, not cultivation, right?"
"Is he overestimating himself?"
The crowd watched Ling Chen with mixed feelings.
Yun Xiao, however, saw right through it. "This so-called renouncing of status and power to engage in a pure duel of swordsmanship is just a ploy to attract mockery and then spectacularly defy expectations."
Yun Xiao was familiar with this tactic, but he wouldn't play it so bluntly. Yet, as it turned out, such dramatics won over hearts.
Ling Chen's focus on the Immortal Sword Rankings sparked immense anticipation among the Sword Cultivators! Even earth-shattering talent had to be converted into strength!
"The grand Exiled Sword Immortal, why worry about any challenge in his path of growth? Rest assured, he has spoken, and he will surely top the Immortal Sword Rankings, no matter how short the time. He will definitely top the ranking!"
"Which peerless powerhouse hasn’t fought their way to the top?"
"True!"
Hearing these discussions, Qin Luo finally snapped back to reality. Gritting his teeth, he stared at Ling Chen. "Fine! Fine! If you insist on seeking death, don't blame me!" He stood up abruptly, stepping over the corpses of his Qin family, his eyes blood-red as he left at his life's nadir.
"The Sword Baptism Ceremony may continue!" Suddenly, the voice of the Sword Warden echoed from the gate.
"Yes!" The elder overseeing the ceremony nodded.
"Exiled Sword Immortal, please!"
Overseer Sikong, leading all the Supreme Adjudicators and other seniors, respectfully invited Ling Chen down from the altar and into the Sword Ruins to embark on his brilliant journey.
"Esteemed seniors, please, you're too kind. You flatter me," Ling Chen said, scratching his head with a sunny smile. His affability soared instantly!
The Supreme Adjudicators and other seniors of the Sword Ruins chuckled and then led Ling Chen into the ruins, departing with him in tow. As he left, it seemed as though he took all the attention with him into the Sword Ruins, even stealing the limelight from the Sword Baptism Ceremony.
Keep in mind, ninety percent of the people hadn't yet undergone the ceremony! Many around were already preparing to leave, eager to spread the sensational news about the Exiled Sword Immortal.
Almost all the seniors, Supreme Adjudicators, Sword Judges, and disciples followed Ling Chen into the Sword Ruins.
For a moment, even the Eternal Sword seemed to dim!
"Damn, just like that, he forgets his lifesaver outside. Couldn't he at least show some concern?" Yun Xiao said with a mix of laughter and tears.
"You, a mere extra, expecting a role?" Blue Star scoffed.
"Quick, write yourself into the script!" Red Moon cackled.
"Forget it!" Yun Xiao actually didn't know how his Sword Intent talent measured up. All he knew was, the fatter Ling Chen got, the happier he'd be! So, he didn't mind Ling Chen skyrocketing to fame, drawing all the attention. The faster Ling Chen hoarded resources, the better for Yun Xiao to strike.
As for the nine resonances of the Eternal Sword, that was the true skill of the Divine Sky Sword Emperor, beyond reproach.
"The Sword Warden Gate, and access to the Ancestral Sword Tomb... not bad at all!" Yun Xiao sighed. Such status, position, and resources were exactly what he coveted. He didn't even need to acquire everything at once. Just having a footing in the Eternal Sword Prison, with his resources, was enough for a terrifying ascent.
"But how much I can gain isn't up to me. It depends on how many times the Eternal Sword resonates," Yun Xiao mused.
After Ling Chen's splendid entry, the Sword Baptism Ceremony continued, but the excitement had fizzled out. Even when a disciple who caused the Eternal Sword to resonate six times appeared, it seemed dull.
Ling Chen, the Exiled Sword Immortal—this was the only thing that occupied everyone's minds, leaving no room for anything else. Everything else lost its flavor! Only the young Sword Cultivators ascending the altar felt tense.
"Honestly, discounting the Exiled Sword Immortal, this is still the best batch in decades."
"Pity these kids got their limelight stolen by the Exiled Sword Immortal."
"What's there to say? The worth of one Exiled Sword Immortal equals countless generations of talented Sword Cultivators!"
"True!"
As time passed amidst such discussions, the crowd at the altar dwindled. Before anyone knew it, a day had passed!
Yun Xiao, bored out of his mind, had even advanced to the Late Saint Realm. After his breakthrough, he looked up to find that nearly all of the hundreds of thousands of Sword Cultivators had left, and most of the spectators inside the Sword Ruins had returned home.
Dusk fell, and the Eternal Sword shone even brighter, its colorful radiance enveloping the Sword Ruins in a kaleidoscope of colors! From inside the Sword Ruins, cheers still echoed, the Sword Cultivators excited about the Exiled Sword Immortal's arrival. Those left outside were a forgotten bunch.
"Yun Xiao!" When the elder overseeing the ceremony for the Sword Ruins called his name, Yun Xiao realized he was the last one left!
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