Chapter 1126: Chapter 1125: The Conditions for Becoming the Sword Emperor_1
"Are you kidding?"
Already beginning to sit cross-legged and regulate his breathing, Dustless Sword Emperor could not help but open his eyes. Once he saw everything clearly, he felt as if his entire outlook on life had been overturned.
Had it not been for his previous serious injuries, with the peak strength of the Dustless Sword Emperor, he could have also dealt with the thirty-six Heavenly Realm Fire Stiffs. However, he knew his own abilities better than anyone else and understood that unless he resorted to using his killing moves in succession, it was impossible to finish everything within a quarter of an hour.
But to use killing moves consecutively would entail too great an expenditure of energy. How could it be as effortless as Shi Xiaole who was not even out of breath? This guy, was he even human?
Galan Sword Emperor kept his eyes closed, yet his breathing was unsteady.
Let alone Dustless Sword Emperor achieving such ease, even Galan Sword Emperor himself could not do it.
Of course, that’s not to say that Shi Xiaole’s strength surpassed that of Galan Sword Emperor, but rather it was due to the Life-and-Death Martial Arts and battle techniques that made Shi Xiaole more suited to handling group battles.
If it were one-on-one, Shi Xiaole definitely could not beat Galan Sword Emperor, but the latter also definitely could not kill him. With regards to Flying Skill and recovery ability, Shi Xiaole was truly not afraid of many, and in a fight to the death, it was more likely that he would tire Galan Sword Emperor to death.
Bring this up, and many people would likely go mad on the spot. Galan Sword Emperor was, after all, ranked eleventh on the Emperor List. Where did Shi Xiaole rank?
"Both seniors, please recover your strength quickly."
Noticing that the two of them were somewhat distracted, Shi Xiaole offered a reminder. Their faces tinged with embarrassment, they realized that now was not the time to be distracted and quickly concentrated on restoring their injuries with all their might.
Less than half a 2-hour period later, another group of Fire Stiff swordsmen charged at them. This time there were only over twenty of them, and naturally, Shi Xiaole easily killed them.
But by the third time, the number of Fire Stiff swordsmen had reached an astonishing forty-six.
"I can still hold on."
If there were forty-six Heaven Realm Martial Emperors, Shi Xiaole could easily kill them, but unfortunately, these Fire Stiffs’ physical strength was too high, and every move was deadly. With that number, even the Dustless Sword Emperor at his peak would not possibly be able to withstand them.
It took three quarters of an hour for Shi Xiaole to wipe out all forty-six Fire Stiff swordsmen.
The fourth time, there were only five Fire Stiff swordsmen.
The fifth time, when the number of attacking Fire Stiff swordsmen reached a terrifying fifty-seven, Galan Sword Emperor immediately opened his eyes and was ready to take action, but he was stopped by Shi Xiaole, "Senior, there’s no need to rush. Let the junior give it a try."
Keng Keng Keng...
From the initial close calls to the eventual ease of handling the situation, Shi Xiaole once again showed Galan Sword Emperor what being unparalleled in the world meant.
Yes, in Galan Sword Emperor’s heart, only the phrase "unparalleled in the world" could describe the grace of Kirin, even though he had not seen everyone in the world.
"Fifty-seven heads, I’m close to my limit for exchange of air."
While fighting vigorously, Shi Xiaole was also sensing his own condition. With his mental strength, he figured that once the number of Heavenly Realm Fire Stiffs reached sixty heads, it would probably be the limit of the Life-and-Death Martial Arts.
But bear in mind, this was just the limit for Shi Xiaole to keep up indefinitely, not the limit of his combat power. If he did not care about the expenditure of his energy and the consequences and fought with all his might, Shi Xiaole was confident that if he couldn’t kill a hundred attacking Fire Stiffs, ninety was still possible.
Otherwise, did they really think that his defeating nine of himself in a battle was a joke?
"This guy!"
Dustless Sword Emperor was at a loss for words and did not know what to say.
Galan Sword Emperor had long been immersed in a state of deep meditation, completely losing awareness of himself and the outside world. Unless there was an accident, he did not think anything could break through Shi Xiaole’s defense.
Even if this was the grave of a master of the Fire Stiff Palace, it was unlikely to have too many Heavenly Realm Fire Stiffs.
Perhaps due to being almost wiped out by Shi Xiaole, under the influence of the deep sword intent, Earthly Realm Fire Stiffs began to appear, coming in hundreds. There were so many that they filled the sky and the earth, and there was no problem of having too many people.
The offensive and defensive abilities of Earthly Realm Fire Stiffs were not as strong as those of the Heavenly Realm Fire Stiffs, but their sheer numbers posed an even greater threat when they swarmed together.
In the end, Shi Xiaole had to wake up Galan Sword Emperor and Dustless Sword Emperor, leading them to dart left and right. Once they shook off the Fire Stiffs, he would let them continue to recover. When surrounded by Fire Stiffs again, they would take off running.
This went on for a full nine days.
"This time, I truly owe a debt of gratitude to Shi Xiaole."
Noticing that his injuries were fully healed, Galan Sword Emperor was moved and deeply bowed to Shi Xiaole. He did not possess the Life-and-Death Martial Arts, but he had various precious elixirs to aid him, and his injuries were not as severe as those of Shi Xiaole, making his recovery not too slow.
Before setting off, Galan Sword Emperor had a premonition that they should invite Shi Xiaole along, and reality once again proved the correctness of this premonition.
Without Shi Xiaole this time, unless they brought the Forbidden Martial Emperor, even if someone else came along, both he and Dustless Sword Emperor might have already died here.
"There’s no need for formalities between seniors who have both saved my life."
Shi Xiaole waved his hand and smiled.
Dustless Sword Emperor laughed heartily, "Indeed, after going through this ordeal together, the three of us can be considered to have forged a bond through life and death. Expressing thanks back and forth will only seem contrived. Instead, we should have a good drink together when we get out."
In front of outsiders, Dustless Sword Emperor appeared very reserved, almost proud, but towards those he respected, he was informal. Like his path of the sword—pure and untainted—his every word and deed came naturally.
"Dustless senior is right."
Shi Xiaole did not refuse Dustless Sword Emperor’s effort to befriend him. Friendship is valued by one’s character, and the willingness to make sacrifices for each other previously said it all.
The three exchanged glances and burst into laughter together, dissolving any barrier or unfamiliarity with a single laugh.
Having braved life-and-death situations, the trio’s resolve to explore the depths of the tomb only intensified rather than diminished.
With the addition of the Galan Sword Emperor and the Dustless Sword Emperor, Shi Xiaole had it easier. After spending a few more days taking turns to fight, they finally killed the remaining Fire Stiffs with swords.
From then on, they met no further obstructions.
Eventually, the three of them arrived at the very end of the passage, where stood a jade door, identical to the one in the previous section. Here, the sword intent was even stronger, emanating a palpable threat that even suppressed their own mastery of the sword.
Seemingly responsive to their approach, the jade door opened automatically without warning.
"A trap?"
The Dustless Sword Emperor furrowed his brow.
The Galan Sword Emperor also paused, hesitating to proceed; he tried to probe beyond the door with his mental force, but a Sky Origin Realm Array System blocked him, preventing him from seeing what lay beyond.
It seemed that they would have to enter in person, but what if they encountered grave danger?
The Galan Sword Emperor wanted to say something, but he saw Shi Xiaole by his side, frowning in contemplation, as if considering something. The Sword Emperor inexplicably held his tongue and did not disturb him.
Seeing this, the Dustless Sword Emperor also waited in silence. Ordinary people could not be judged by common standards, and he now had no intention of underestimating Shi Xiaole.
They waited for a whole half a 2-hour period.
Having had experience breaking through a Sky Origin Realm Array System, Shi Xiaole’s mental force smoothly penetrated the array’s barrier, and he quickly grasped the specifics of the situation.
"Those three coffins are the array’s focal points; they must not be touched. The rest of the place appears safe."
"The sword intent originates from even deeper within."
"Eh, what is that...?"
Suddenly, Shi Xiaole’s spirit was shaken, his mental force firmly locking onto something beyond the door. His expression remained calm, but his heart surged with confusion, excitement, concern, and other indescribable emotions.
"If the two seniors trust me, you can go in and take a look," Shi Xiaole said after a long silence, having confirmed his suspicions multiple times.
"Really? How will we get out then?" asked the Dustless Sword Emperor. He did not distrust Shi Xiaole; it was just that the dangers of this door were already considerable, and it was unpredictable what might happen after passing through the next one.
Could it be that Shi Xiaole was able to sense something through the Sky Origin Realm Array System?
The Dustless Sword Emperor and the Galan Sword Emperor exchanged glances, each seeing in the other’s eyes a profound shock.
"I’m seventy percent sure we can get out," said Shi Xiaole.
Upon hearing Shi Xiaole’s words, the two of them hesitated no longer. They didn’t believe that Shi Xiaole would trick them into going inside. Besides, having come this far, to retreat now would render all their previous efforts meaningless.
Shi Xiaole took the lead, and the other two, cautious, followed him through the doorway.
What met their eyes was a conical stone chamber with its tip pointing downward. Each side had a staircase leading down to the bottom, with a flat platform at the top, empty of any items.
Seeing Shi Xiaole walking down the stairs, the Galan Sword Emperor and the Dustless Sword Emperor no longer hesitated and followed closely behind.
Reaching the second level,
they saw rows of wooden racks around them, on which were placed numerous books, sorted by categories. The Dustless Sword Emperor quickly browsed with his mental force, and was instantly astonished.
There were no fewer than a thousand volumes; the worst amongst them were second-rate middle-grade manuals, with sixty-six first-rate manuals, and even eight top-tier manuals!
It should be noted that most of today’s top forces have only two to three top-tier martial arts, fewer have just one, and at most, they have four or five.
Who on earth was the master of this tomb?
But the most astounding discovery was yet to come.
"A comprehensive summary of the Supreme Sword Way?"
The Galan Sword Emperor quickly walked to the eastern section, where in a very conspicuous place, he found a book as thick as the palm of a hand. Hearing his words, the Dustless Sword Emperor hurried over as well, his handsome and tranquil face filled with unspeakable fervor.
The two immediately began to read, ignoring even the top-tier manuals. After just a few pages, they were completely engrossed, which caught Shi Xiaole by surprise.
Eventually, he couldn’t help but interrupt them. The Galan Sword Emperor took the initiative to explain, "Young friend, do you know of the legends concerning the Sword Emperor?"
Shi Xiaole nodded. Any swordsman would likely know of them.
"It’s said that no one has ever assumed the title of Sword Emperor, nor has anyone reached that realm. Aside from talent and opportunity, do you know what the most significant reason is?"
"I would like to hear the details," responded Shi Xiaole.
"My master once told me that to become a Sword Emperor, there is a crucial condition: one must obtain the recognition of the Supreme Sword Way! Since the emergence of martial artists, they have drawn spiritual energy from the world, and similarly, the world absorbs the imprints left by martial artists, most notably in various martial ways," said the Galan Sword Emperor, pausing for a moment before continuing.
"There are various sword ways in the world, and the essence of these sword ways, engraved into the world, will automatically converge, eventually forming a single sword way, which is the Supreme Sword Way!"
"Only a swordsman who has been recognized by the Supreme Sword Way is qualified to be called a Sword Emperor! By the same logic, the one recognized by the Supreme Saber Way becomes the Saber Lord. The same is true for the Spear Emperor, Whip Emperor, Axe Emperor, and so on. Such a person, if they exist, there can only be one in the world!"
