Chapter 1125: Chapter 1124: Sword Technique_1
At the massive crossroad of the passageway.
The Galan Sword Emperor and Dustless Sword Emperor were covered in blood.
Among them, the Dustless Sword Emperor had disheveled hair, his body riddled with scars, and his face sported several burn marks, nearly disfiguring him. For a Void Origin Realm Martial Emperor, especially a top-tier Heaven Realm Martial Emperor, these external injuries weren’t much, but the critical issue was the hot Qi and Sword Qi that had invaded his body.
With the continuous depletion of his strength, the Dustless Sword Emperor had almost no energy left to suppress it, causing his injuries to worsen steadily, and at this moment, they were about to surge into his heart meridian.
Once the heart meridian was damaged, at best his life force would diminish, shortening his lifespan, and at worst, it would result in death.
But under the current circumstances, there was simply no opportunity for the Dustless Sword Emperor to recuperate; he could only resist the onslaught of Fire Stiff swordsmen as best as he could, dragging out every moment possible.
The Galan Sword Emperor fared slightly better than the Dustless Sword Emperor, but not by much. With numerous injuries and severe depletion of his power, his strength had downgraded to the second-rate Heavenly Realm level.
If it weren’t for the extraordinary "Galan Guardian Sky Pass," the Galan Sword Emperor and Dustless Sword Emperor would’ve been slain amidst the encirclement long ago.
"Galan, I can’t hold on much longer, just go, don’t worry about me."
Clenching his teeth, the Dustless Sword Emperor shouted.
It’s better for one to die than two. Without him slowing things down, the Galan Sword Emperor could at least hold on a few more 2-hour periods. As for after that, perhaps there would be a turn of events.
The Galan Sword Emperor remained silent, continuously executing the "Galan Guardian Sky Pass," attempting to break into another, narrower passageway, which would reduce the Fire Stiffs’ encirclement and make it easier to deal with.
Boom!
Layers of firelight struck the blue crystal barrier, swaying it a few times, nearly breaking through. The Galan Sword Emperor, lips tightly sealed, could no longer hold back and spat out a mist of blood; his Qi was diminishing at a perceptible rate, almost falling to the Earthly Realm level.
The Dustless Sword Emperor shouted, "Galan, you’ve done enough. You didn’t force me to come here. I wanted the treasure and came of my own will; there’s no need for this."
While speaking, seizing a moment when the Galan Sword Emperor paused his attack, the Dustless Sword Emperor bravely rushed out, "Come and kill me, you monsters!" He struck down with all his might, drawing the Fire Stiff swordsmen’s attention to himself.
"Dustless!"
The Galan Sword Emperor’s eyes reddened slightly.
He was a detached man, passionate only about martial arts; aside from that, he showed little enthusiasm for anything else, having only a few close friends. The Dustless Sword Emperor was one of his closest, how could he just watch him walk into certain death?
Subconsciously, the Galan Sword Emperor swung his sword, abandoning his defensive stance.
Suddenly, both of them were exposed to the assault of thirty-six Heavenly Realm Fire Stiff swordsmen, their fiery Sword Qi easily shattering the protective Vigorous Air around them.
"Galan, you fool!"
The Dustless Sword Emperor cursed, but his unblemished heart grew warmer. It’s tough to find a confidant in life, to have a friend to share life and death with, what fortune!
They struggled to fend off a couple of strikes before they were sent flying, sprays of blood misting the air, nearly severing their limbs. As dozens of swords swung down once more, the two had no strength left to resist, sinking into despair together.
Clang!
Just then.
A blue figure suddenly swept in from a distant opening in the cave, dashing into the fray just before the flurry of swords could land, carrying the Galan Sword Emperor and Dustless Sword Emperor out of the encirclement with one under each arm.
Boom, boom, boom...
Behind them, left-leaning and right-curving, were their shattered shadows, left in place by blasts of Sword Qi.
"Kirin!"
Upon recognizing the rescuer, the Galan Sword Emperor was first stunned, then breathed a sigh of relief. The Buddhist doctrine highly regards cause and effect; had Shi Xiaole met with a mishap, he inevitably would have borne some responsibility. He had been feeling quietly guilty about it beforehand.
"Shi Xiaole!"
The Dustless Sword Emperor smiled wryly, "You’re still alive, that’s good. Don’t worry about us, just find a way to escape."
The words were said for the sake of saying them; even the Dustless Sword Emperor felt guilty about them. With the jade gates closed, where could one possibly flee to?
Shi Xiaole laughed, "Seniors, please rest well. Leave these monsters to me."
He retreated to the narrowest part of the cave and released the two.
"You?"
The Dustless Sword Emperor couldn’t help but look at Shi Xiaole suspiciously, only to notice that the youngster seemed unscathed, at least there were no visible wounds, apart from looking disheveled.
Such good fortune he had; did he not encounter any Fire Stiffs after they separated? With his lightness skill and body movements, it was possible.
This time Shi Xiaole had not changed into a fresh set of blue robes, since he wasn’t carrying any belongings, and fabricating clothes out of thin air would only provoke suspicion.
Just when the Dustless Sword Emperor and the Galan Sword Emperor were about to dissuade him, over a dozen Fire Stiff swordsmen rushed into the cave, attacking the trio with a surge of heatwaves and sharp Sword Qi.
Shi Xiaole took a step forward, his right hand firmly grasping the sword hilt and drawing the blade in mid-stride.
Clang!
The proud and lofty Sword Qi, compressed into a ten-meter-long, frost-white blade aura, swept across the group of Fire Stiffs, sending them flying. As they were still in midair, bursts of flame scattered from their bodies.
"What?"
The Dustless Sword Emperor watched in shock, his eyes bulging.
It was the same "Returning Sword," but the power Shi Xiaole displayed now was significantly stronger than when they first met. The Dustless Sword Emperor reckoned that even his own move "Dustless Purity" couldn’t compare.
The Galan Sword Emperor was equally astonished.
One sword strike sending over a dozen Heavenly Realm Fire Stiffs flying and severely wounding them—of course, he could do it, even more effortlessly than Shi Xiaole. However, how could there have been such a tremendous change in the latter’s strength after just a day and a night? Even if it was progress, it seemed too fast.
Ignoring the reactions of the two great masters behind him, Shi Xiaole took the initiative to rush out of the cave, instantly surrounded by thirty-six Fire Stiff swordsmen. Flaming Sword Qi slashes came at him from different directions, sometimes in a coordinated assault, but Shi Xiaole’s counterattacks were even faster.
No, in the eyes of the Dustless Sword Emperor and the Galan Sword Emperor, these counterattacks shouldn’t be called fast; they should be called divine.
Shi Xiaole was as if he had grown three heads and six arms, simultaneously repelling attacks from all directions. One could hardly imagine how he was managing it. The seemingly most casual of motions in his hands always resulted in unimaginably complex outcomes.
The Dustless Sword Emperor and the Galan Sword Emperor had always believed that a person’s combat skills were traceable and could serve as a reference. But Shi Xiaole, in his peak condition, made them realize for the first time that some individuals had transcended human limits, beyond what they could learn.
"Thirty-six Fire Stiffs, they cannot disrupt the balance of the life-and-death martial path, which means, I can wear them down alive."
After a moment of fierce combat, Shi Xiaole reached a conclusion. His confidence surged, and with a loud shout, his sword thrust repeatedly, utterly containing all the Fire Stiffs.
Several hundred breaths later, the first Fire Stiff was extinguished, followed by the second, the third...
A day ago, Shi Xiaole’s Vigorous Air wasn’t stout enough to go all out; he always held back some strength, but now, he had no reservations whatsoever. If he wished, his sword could pierce any part of the Fire Stiff swordsmen.
The twenty-eighth.
The twenty-ninth.
...
In less than a quarter of an hour, all thirty-six Fire Stiff swordsmen had been extinguished. Shi Xiaole sheathed his sword, his body free from even a scratch and not even gasping for breath.
