Chapter 1086: Chapter 1085: Sword Realm Breakthrough (Extra for ’poonlo’, 18/20)_1
"Boy, I will remember the hatred of today’s sword snatching!"
The old man retreated again and again, looked at the Cleansing Evil Sword, then looked at Shi Xiaole as if to carve his image into his brain; a venomous smile appeared on his aged face, then he flew away without turning his head.
His injuries only seemed severe, after all, Shi Xiaole was not yet capable of inflicting serious harm on him, but there was no benefit in staying. The old man decided that he would settle the score when the Netherworld Boat appears. Then he would see how the other party cries!
"Nonsense."
Shi Xiaole shook his head.
From beginning to end, it was the other party who started the fight for the sword, yet somehow it became his fault. But it didn’t matter. If the other party doesn’t hold a grudge, that’s fine, but if he provokes him again in the future, Shi Xiaole wouldn’t mind teaching him an unforgettable lesson.
"Let’s go!"
"Run!"
Watching the unrivaled old man being chased away, the experts of the Sky Alliance were frightened silly. They scattered like birds and beasts, and in no time they were gone without a trace.
The great Sky Alliance had thus disbanded.
Shi Xiaole walked toward Zhan Liye and smiled, "Senior Brother Zhan, please take me to meet Suzerain Zhan."
Zhan Liye stared at him for a long while before saying, "I remember back in Wuyuan Palace, Brother Shi was merely a Ninth Tier Earth Immortal. In just over a decade, from Ninth Tier Earth Immortal to top Heaven Realm Martial Emperor, Brother Shi, you really scare people to death!"
He had previously wanted to compete with Shi Xiaole, but now he knew how ridiculous that idea was; he guessed that Shi Xiaole could crush him with just one finger.
"I merely had a greater chance than others, that’s all."
Progressing step by step in his cultivation, Shi Xiaole could also reach the Void Origin Realm, but without the Witch God Pill, let alone the various top-tier martial arts, he would have been at most at the Earthly Realm level right now.
"There’s no need for modesty, if one doesn’t have the talent, no amount of opportunity would be of any use."
What Zhan Liye admired most was Shi Xiaole’s indifferent demeanor. Come wind or rain, neither swayed him. Perhaps this calm under pressure was the key factor for his considerable achievements. He punched Shi Xiaole hard in the chest as if in anger and said, "Let’s go."
Shi Xiaole just smiled and followed closely behind. In no time, the two disappeared into the clouds.
...
Headquarters of the Ten Sword Sect.
"I was wondering why I felt such joy today, haha, it turns out to be Xiaole!"
As soon as Shi Xiaole and Zhan Liye approached the Ten Sword Sect, Zhan Renxiong had already flown out ahead of them. Seeing Shi Xiaole, he immediately shouted, "Take the sword."
Drawing his sword, the blade’s brightness swept towards Shi Xiaole like a broom.
Zhan Liye immediately recognized that his father had only used seventy percent of his power; a strange expression appeared on his face.
Sure enough, when the broom-like sword brightness was still a hundred zhang away from Shi Xiaole, it unexpectedly shattered, then, like countless shards of glass being flung backwards, it rushed towards Zhan Renxiong.
Clang, clang, clang...
Zhan Renxiong executed three sword strikes in succession to dissipate the remaining force and couldn’t help but stare in shock at Shi Xiaole.
He was already a second-tier Earth Realm Martial Emperor and in recent years had even become a first-tier Earth Realm Martial Emperor. Because he took Shi Xiaole very seriously, he had used seventy percent force just now to test him.
But it looked like he was still no match for Shi Xiaole. To hell with it!
Zhan Liye said, "Father, I advise you not to humiliate yourself."
These words startled Zhan Renxiong, who was just about to go all out, as if he wouldn’t rest until he scared the daylights out of someone. He saw Zhan Liye continue to laugh and say, "Father, two days ago, Brother Shi just defeated the old man."
"What did you say?!"
Zhan Renxiong was so astonished that his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
Zhan Liye merely shrugged.
As father and son, Zhan Renxiong knew that Zhan Liye would never joke about such a critical matter. Didn’t that mean that Shi Xiaole was at least a top Heaven Realm Martial Emperor?
Despite Zhan Renxiong continually raising his expectations and estimation of Shi Xiaole, it was at this moment that he realized he still couldn’t keep up with Shi Xiaole’s pace.
Was this kid born to slap faces?
Upon entering the Ten Sword Sect headquarters, Zhan Renxiong immediately inquired about the whole process. After a long silence, he couldn’t help but be curious and asked to see the Cleansing Evil Sword.
Shi Xiaole naturally agreed. He had previously refused Yinhua Sword Emperor simply because they were not familiar and the latter was overbearing.
"Noble and upright, resisting all evil, what a fine sword!"
As soon as he drew the Cleansing Evil Sword, Zhan Liye’s eyes lit up in admiration.
The quality of a famous sword was beyond question, but even among famous swords, there were different emphases. In Zhan Renxiong’s view, the righteous aura of the Cleansing Evil Sword matched perfectly with Shi Xiaole’s cool exterior and warm heart. They both had a strong sense of justice, and long-term collaboration would benefit them both immensely.
Zhan Liye, who was on the side, jokingly expressed that he dreamt of owning a famous sword himself.
After returning the Cleansing Evil Sword to Shi Xiaole, Zhan Renxiong proceeded to inquire about the matters of the Martial World. Shi Xiaole told him everything truthfully. Upon hearing about the Emperor List and even the challenge between the Martial Emperor and the master of the Ghost Carriage, both father and son were greatly excited and regretful.
As martial artists, particularly those who consider themselves highly skilled, no one wants to miss the grand event where heroes vie for supremacy in a great era. Unfortunately, they had just left Rainbow State when they entered the Colorless Realm.
Zhan Liye said, "Father, hasn’t our opportunity arrived? Before long, the Color Crossing Ship will dock, and we can take it to leave."
Shi Xiaole was taken aback upon hearing this.
Zhan Renxiong took the initiative to explain, "To the north of the Colorless Realm lies the Returning Home River. Legend has it that this river is boundless, and only by taking the Color Crossing Ship can one reach the other shore, which connects to the exit of the Colorless Realm."
"Are the rumors true?"
Shi Xiaole’s spirits lifted, as he had no wish to be trapped in the Colorless Realm for life.
"I don’t know, but it has always been said so. Moreover, according to ancient texts unearthed in the Colorless Realm, in the past, there indeed were people who took the Color Crossing Ship. When the ship reappeared, the whereabouts of those on board was unknown; perhaps they had left the Colorless Realm."
With an air of excitement, Zhan Liye continued, "Brother Shi may not know this, but the Color Crossing Ship can only take fifty people at a time. Previously, with the old master around, our Ten Sword Sect and the Cold Crow Association together were only allotted ten spots. Your arrival was timely, and you’ve done us a favor."
According to the father and son, there are also some mysterious Ferrying Warriors on board the Color Crossing Ship, and only by defeating these warriors can one successfully take control of the ship.
The previous master did not completely annihilate the Ten Sword Sect and the Cold Crow Association, precisely because he wanted to unite the Void Origin Realm Martial Emperors from both forces to jointly contend with the Ferrying Warriors.
"The origins of the Ferrying Warriors are unclear, but each one is extremely powerful. It is said that the last time the Color Crossing Ship appeared was over three hundred years ago; fifty experts fought for the ship, but ultimately failed. Only the old master managed to escape safely."
Zhan Renxiong’s expression was grave.
Often, the unknown equates to danger. Even the current old master is willing to ally with everyone, showing how dreadful the Ferrying Warriors are.
Now the number one expert in the Colorless Realm has become Shi Xiaole, who, while stronger than the old master, knows far less about the Color Crossing Ship than the latter. The future is uncertain.
Recalling the old master’s expression before he left, Shi Xiaole said, "Suzerain Zhan, rest assured, when the Color Crossing Ship approaches, the old master is bound to come. He will not be content to spend his life holed up in the Colorless Realm."
With some time remaining before the Color Crossing Ship would dock, Shi Xiaole simply stayed in the Ten Sword Sect.
The news of his victory over the old master finally spread throughout the Colorless Realm, terrifying those in both the upright and the underworld communities, with everyone speculating about his identity.
In the midst of this brewing storm, Shi Xiaole sat on an isolated peak provided by the Zhan family, fully focused on breaking through the bottleneck in his sword techniques.
The sun rose and set.
In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.
During these two weeks, the experts of the Ten Sword Sect occasionally felt a terrifying Sword Qi emanating from the back mountain. Sometimes it was as sharp as iron needles, sometimes as diffuse as flickering stones, but what remained unchanged was that whenever the Sword Qi appeared, it would pierce one’s heart, instilling a soul-deep terror.
It was unclear who spread the rumor that claimed the peerless swordsman who defeated the old master was hiding within the Ten Sword Sect. With the frequent appearance of Sword Qi, most of the sect members were half-convinced.
"Brother Shi’s sword realm is beyond my reach; the gap is too great," said Zhan Liye with a bitter smile on his face atop the suzerain’s mountain.
The Sword Qi emitted by Shi Xiaole lately had been increasingly unstable, a clear sign to the discerning that he was on the verge of a breakthrough. It was hard to imagine the level Shi Xiaole, already overwhelmingly strong, would reach after his breakthrough.
Zhan Renxiong, with his hands behind his back, looked towards the direction from which the Sword Qi came and said with a sigh, "Not just you, I too feel the same. But there’s no need to belittle oneself. There’s only one Shi Xiaole. Having such a target ahead might be a good thing for you."
Taking a deep breath, Zhan Liye stated confidently, "Father, rest assured, I understand this principle. In this world, only Brother Shi can quell my urge to challenge; as for everyone else..."
Another half-month passed.
Like a statue, Shi Xiaole sat cross-legged on the mountain peak, unfazed by the wind and rain. At first, his sword intent could not be contained, but later it became more stable, and now it was firmly held within a radius of thirty feet around him. As the sunlight reflected down, it was segmented into countless pieces by the sword circle, casting Shi Xiaole in a golden hue.
The day was as tranquil as usual.
Until the evening, when a terrifying sword intent suddenly burst out from behind the Ten Sword Sect’s mountain, drawing everyone’s eyes.
This sword intent was invisible and colorless, omnipresent. As soon as it emerged, it pierced a hundred-meter-wide channel through the orange-red sea of clouds and continued unabated, as though it aimed to penetrate the evening sun in the sky.
"Invisible Sword Qi, I’ve finally mastered it," exclaimed Shi Xiaole atop the mountain as he took a long breath.
Above the "Body-Breaking Invisible Sword Qi" lies the "Invisible Sword Qi." At this level, Sword Qi is not differentiated between inside and outside the body—Vigorous Air can form swords, and so can one’s energy. This meant that Shi Xiaole’s attack speed would be even faster than before.
Shi Xiaole flicked his finger.
Whoosh!
Almost as soon as he moved his finger, a section of a distant mountain spontaneously fell, the severed surface smooth as a mirror, as if carefully polished.
"Impressive; while my attack power hasn’t improved much, my sword speed has become incomparable to before."
Speed is essential for seizing the initiative. With his current speed, combined with his combat skills, Shi Xiaole was fully confident that he could defeat the old master within a few hundred moves.
It should be noted that when Void Origin Realm Martial Emperors clash, hundreds of moves can be exchanged in an instant. Defeating someone within thousands of moves is a crushing victory, while a few hundred moves are almost like toying with the opponent.
