Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 320: Chapter 316: Top 10 of the Moon God Palace, Battle of the Two Swords

The young man who spoke had flowing robes and fair skin. He emanated no powerful aura, with only a longsword strapped to his back.

However, the moment he spoke, all eyes were drawn to him.

A disciple of the Moon God Palace!

This identity alone was enough to command everyone’s attention. The Moon God Palace was a Super Sect of the Six Eastern Provinces and one of the sovereigns of this vast land. The disciples they nurtured had always been among the most elite existences in the Six Provinces.

Furthermore, the fact that he came with Su Yuying was proof enough of his exceptional strength.

"Ji Tianxing."

From the side, a prodigy from one of the Top Grade Sects revealed his name.

’Someone ranked in the top ten of the younger generation in the Moon God Palace... Is even he going to make a move?’

The members of the younger generation all wore solemn expressions. Although they were the number one geniuses in their respective Top Grade Sects, even earning the moniker of "monsters," if they were placed within a Super Sect, their strength would be nowhere near the top ten.

This wasn’t just a gap in talent; it was, more importantly, an issue of resources.

As disciples of a Super Sect, especially those in the top ten, they received opportunities every year to be personally guided by a Celestial Martial Realm King.

A Celestial Martial Realm King might even use their own Power of Laws to help these disciples regulate their Cultivation.

Such an opportunity would move the heart of even a Heaven-Reaching Realm powerhouse.

Simply put, if you took two disciples of equal talent, with one nurtured by someone at the Heaven-Reaching Realm and the other by someone at the Celestial Martial Realm, their starting points would be completely different. They would be destined to have a massive gap between them.

A Heaven-Reaching Realm powerhouse could be considered a tall mountain.

But a Celestial Martial Realm King is the Qingtian, the firmament that towers far above any mountain!

The difference between the two, whether in methods or insight, was simply far too great.

The Sect Leaders of the major Top Grade Sects were merely at the Little Celestial Rank Realm. The gap between them and the Celestial Martial Realm was an uncrossable chasm, so how could the disciples they nurtured possibly compare to those taught by a Celestial Martial Realm King?

A great master produces a brilliant student; that was the principle at play.

"Fine. You go," Su Yuying nodded, agreeing to let Ji Tianxing take action.

Of the few from the younger generation she had brought this time, only Ji Tianxing was ranked in the Moon God Palace’s top ten. The other disciples were a bit weaker and not guaranteed to win against Ning Jiang.

But if it was Ji Tianxing, the odds of winning this battle were over ninety-nine percent!

As Ji Tianxing stepped forward, all eyes converged on him.

"Why bother?"

These were the first words Ji Tianxing spoke to Ning Jiang. His expression was indifferent as he said calmly, "The Vice Palace Master is right. You and Ye Chenyu are not of the same world. In the future, even I will only be able to look up to her. Your obsession is only harming yourself."

When he mentioned Ye Chenyu, even someone as powerful as Ji Tianxing admitted his own inferiority.

’Born with Heavy Pupils... a person like that is destined to become a King who rules the world.’

’And becoming a Celestial Martial Realm King... how difficult is that?’

’In the last hundred years, not a single person in all of the Six Eastern Provinces has reached the Celestial Martial Realm. How many dazzling prodigies have been halted at the Heaven-Reaching Realm?’

’He knew his own limits. With his talent, he was one hundred percent certain of reaching the Earth Martial Realm and had a greater than fifty percent chance of reaching the Heaven-Reaching Realm. But as for becoming a Celestial Martial Realm King... forget a ten percent chance; he didn’t even have a one-in-ten-thousand hope.’

From his perspective, Ning Jiang’s obsession with Ye Chenyu was nothing but a delusion born of his inability to recognize his own limits.

’How could a Phoenix soaring through the Nine Heavens ever be touched by a mere mortal on the ground?’

"One cannot speak of ice to a summer insect, nor of the ocean to a frog in a well. How could you possibly comprehend my Realm?"

Ning Jiang responded faintly.

’Regarding his relationship with Ye Chenyu, it wasn’t that he was overly obsessed. On the contrary, the one who was truly devoted was Ye Chenyu; her feelings for him were simply too deep.’

’If, back when they met in the Cyan Cloud Country, Ye Chenyu had wanted to sever all ties with him, he would not have held on to a single lingering feeling.’

’As a Legendary Venerable, what kind of woman had he not seen?’

’But Ye Chenyu’s love for him was profound. She had declared that for a thousand years, ten thousand years, even for eternity, she would be his woman.’

’It was precisely this sincere love that made Ning Jiang accept her.’

"Since you refuse to face reality, I can only use my sword to make you understand the gap between us."

Ji Tianxing sighed softly. Reaching back, he slowly drew the longsword from his back.

The blade was fiery red from hilt to tip.

With every inch he drew, the air temperature climbed. When the sword was fully unsheathed, the entire area instantly became searingly hot.

It felt as if they had entered the crater of a volcano, and the smell of singed hair filled the air.

"This sword is named Li Fire. It was forged entirely from Li Fire Profound Stone. When it was created, flames shot into the heavens, turning the land for ten li around into scorched earth. The blaze burned for ten days and ten nights without fading. To be defeated by this sword is your honor!"

Ji Tianxing slowly recounted the origin of the Li Fire Sword. As he spoke, crimson flames erupted from the blade.

"A Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact."

Ning Jiang recognized the sword’s grade with a single glance.

Treasure Artifacts were graded as Low, Middle, Upper, and Top Grade, and Spiritual Artifacts were no different.

Generally speaking, Spirit Realm Powerhouses used Low Grade Spiritual Artifacts. Experts at the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm were qualified to wield Middle Grade Spiritual Artifacts. Cultivators at the Earth Martial Realm used Upper Grade Spiritual Artifacts, and Heaven-Reaching Realm powerhouses used Top Grade Spiritual Artifacts.

Of course, Top Grade Spiritual Artifacts were exceedingly rare, and most Heaven-Reaching Realm powerhouses did not possess one.

The Sect Leaders of the Six Top Grade Sects, for instance, did not have Top Grade Spiritual Artifacts. For them, using an Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact was worse than using nothing at all.

That was why they had hardly used any weapons when they fought Golden Cicada earlier.

"This sword is named Ice Soul."

Ning Jiang also drew a sword. It was entirely white, with what looked like a python’s spine running down the center of the blade. It emanated a faint, cold aura that dispersed much of the surrounding heat.

"A Low Grade Spiritual Artifact."

Ji Tianxing recognized the sword’s grade at a glance, then said coolly, "Resources are a component of strength!"

His meaning was simple. Although he was using a Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact, it wasn’t unfair; Ning Jiang could only blame his own lack of resources.

"You’re not wrong. Resources are indeed a part of one’s strength," Ning Jiang replied. "However, while swords may vary in quality, the person wielding the sword is what truly matters! With this sword, I am more than capable of defeating you."

An invincible aura that looked down upon all creation was laid bare in Ning Jiang’s words.

’So what if weapons have different grades? As long as the wielder is strong enough, they can overcome anything!’

"Arrogant."

Ji Tianxing’s gaze turned cold. Without another word, he stepped forward, his body moving as one with his sword.

"Face my sword!"

With a flick of his wrist, he sent a simple slash from the Li Fire Sword. In an instant, a fiery red Sword Aura bloomed, blazing with a rolling inferno that seemed intent on incinerating everything in its path.

The air in its path instantly evaporated.

"A petty trick."

With a flick of his fingers, Ning Jiang grasped the Ice Soul Sword and swung it lightly.

The white Sword Aura, carrying a bone-chilling cold, collided with the Flame Sword Aura.

At that moment, everyone held their breath.

In this battle of ice and fire, who would emerge victorious?