Chapter 1190: Chapter 1188: Breaking Extreme Killing Sword_1
"Why do I feel that this Shi Xiaole, silent as he is, seems much stronger than Liu Ruofei?"
"Not only that, according to the news from the Ling Family, this boy is only over seventy, a few years younger than Liu Ruofei."
The duel between Shi Xiaole and Thousand Real Person was far from intense; in fact, for Shi Xiaole, it could be described as ’taking it easy, as if lifting something light as though it were heavy’."
The significance behind this was clear to everyone.
In light of his information, the South Sea experts began to doubt for the first time whether Liu Ruofei truly deserved the reputation of being the number one talented swordsman in the Martial World.
If they knew that Shi Xiaole had understated his age and was actually not yet sixty, who knows what they would think.
"You felt it too, right? Dueling with this guy is pure masochism."
Seeing the dejected look of Thousand Real Person, Fan Shengnan actually felt a perverse pleasure of shared misery. Perhaps this is human nature, hoping others are the same as oneself.
"This kid is so strong?"
Purple Jade Great Emperor couldn’t believe it; not even seeing a ghost in daylight was this astonishing. If he faced Shi Xiaole now, he probably wouldn’t be able to withstand a single sword strike.
The Sentimental Demon Concubine beside him had eyes that moved fluidly, full of charm and allure, leaving one to wonder what she might be thinking.
One duel after another unfolded.
Inside the Nineteen Peaks, there was no distinction between day and night, and the vitality of Void Origin Realm warriors was extremely vigorous, so even consecutive battles for half a month would hardly affect their condition.
As the Fate battle in the South Sea raged on fiercely, heading towards a fever pitch, in another space, within the same Nineteen Peaks, many powerful presences converged together.
"Martial Emperor!"
"Master of the Ghost Carriage!"
"Daxia Martial Emperor!"
"..."
One after another, the peerless experts known throughout the East Victory continent and occupying the top ranks of the Emperor List appeared on the Fate platform in mid-air.
Aside from these figures, there were also several young masters, such as Zhang Xiangfeng, one of the four great monsters; the Fiery Flame Child Emperor, the number one talent of the Western Region; the Golden Rainbow Fairy, who had shocked the Martial World upon her debut; and Monk Liaolia from Shaolin.
There was also an ordinary-looking young man with an outstanding temperament, a stranger of a brawny man with a lazy demeanor, and a youthful-looking companion with a refined appearance.
But what truly drew everyone’s attention was another group of strangers. Their presence seemed even stronger than that of the Martial Emperors, likely hidden experts from the East Victory continent emerging to compete for the great Fate.
Compared to the 101 participants from the South Sea, far fewer people ascended the Fate platform in East Victory: only 39, of which 28 were Forbidden Martial Emperors, and the rest invincible experts below them. In terms of overall presence, they were far less formidable than the South Sea.
Divine Martial Peak.
Gui Zhihang, Duanmu Keren, and Mu Ling stood together, gazing off into the distance at the Fate platform.
All three were among the best of the Heaven Realm Martial Emperors, yet suffered from youth—barely over sixty. Due to lack of time, even Gui Zhihang, with his ordinary martial arts talent, had only reached ninety percent of its peak and could not partake in this decisive battle.
"Brother Shi hasn’t come?"
Mu Ling’s face suddenly changed.
It was hard to imagine Shi Xiaole would miss such a momentous opportunity to shake the East Victory continent. Unless something major had happened to him.
Gui Zhihang said, "Brother Shi is no ordinary man; no matter how big the matter, I believe he can handle it. We don’t need to worry too much."
If there was one person in the world in whom Gui Zhihang could place blind faith, that person would undoubtedly be Shi Xiaole, and no one else.
So many times, he had created miracles that seemed impossible in the eyes of others.
His journey through the Martial World was a path to becoming stronger; little did people know, the records he left behind were unattainable, almost mythological achievements to others.
He had long become the brightest star in the Martial World, and every move he made could capture the attention of the entire East Victory continent.
It wasn’t just Gui Zhihang and his companions who were disappointed.
Heavenly Sword Peak.
Galan Sword Emperor and Dustless Sword Emperor looked at each other, along with many swordsmen, all secretly regretting, searching for something.
"That damned Protector Shi didn’t come? Didn’t he get taken out by someone?"
On the Fate platform, Mu Qianji turned her head to look around, appearing casual, but her bright and beautiful eyes betrayed a trace of worry and anxiety that even she hadn’t noticed.
"No Kirin?"
The brawny man with his arms crossed and a lazy demeanor squinted his eyes, shaking his head. The refined young man by his side maintained his expression but sighed quietly to himself.
Despite the huge risks, they had dared to enter the land of Fate, not only because the Shi and Meng clans had figured out a method of concealing their bloodlines, but also because they hoped to meet Shi Xiaole.
Even though Er Pingzhi had denied Shi Xiaole was a member of the Shi clan, what if? Such a peerless genius was not someone anyone would overlook.
Hum!
A pitch-black stele fell from the clouds above.
The Fate battle of East Victory, begun.
...
The competition progressed to the twenty-eighth round.
The nine great masters plus the unparalleled twins were still leading by a wide margin. Except for a battle between the Thousand Swords Emperor and the Startling Thunder Emperor, none of the others could withstand even ten of their moves.
The second group was led by the White Cloud Emperor, Elder Tiancan, and others, including Shi Xiaole and Thousand Real Person, who were both popular candidates vying for the top twenty.
Two beams of light shot out from the Fate stele.
The combatants were none other than White Cloud Emperor and Liu Ruofei—one was the leader of the second group, and the other, the third group.
"Liu Ruofei, with your age, to have achieved such strength is rarely seen in the world."
The White Cloud Emperor, clad in a white robe, billowed in the wind.
Among the ten proud youngsters, Liu Ruofei was the youngest, not yet eighty. Others, like Thousand Real Person and Phoenix Eye Goddess, were nearing ninety, so the White Cloud Emperor’s words were indeed sincere.
"It’s not enough."
Liu Ruofei said coldly.
"Oh?"
With just three words, the White Cloud Emperor sensed an ulterior meaning and his gaze turned exceptionally cold and profound. He appreciated the bravery and rapid progress of the young, but only on the condition that they did not boast excessively and strive for the unattainable.
"White Cloud Seven Seizures!"
As he channeled his power into the palm of his hand, the White Cloud Emperor pushed forth with a palm strike.
The overwhelming palm force created a sea of clouds around Liu Ruofei, from which emerged another sea of clouds. In total, there were seven layers, well-defined and resembling a copy and paste that progressed inward in circles, each one stronger than the last.
By the seventh layer, the powerful force seemed as though it could tear apart everything in the world.
The cloud was merely the appearance; the force was the essence. The White Cloud Emperor had understood and merged the changing and masculine force of cloud energy into his martial path, reaching the early stages of 110% of his potential. In terms of strength, perhaps he could even rival the Martial Emperor of the past.
Of course, the White Cloud Emperor was over two thousand years old, a full cycle older than the Martial Emperor.
"Limitless Killing Sword!"
Facing the attack of the White Cloud Emperor, any reservation was foolish, and Liu Ruofei immediately resorted to his killer move.
Sword Qi, killing intent, and spirit all merged at the tip of the sword, making his strike incredibly swift, like a meteor in the night sky, flashing by in an instant.
Hiss!
A narrow passage was pierced through the sea of clouds.
"Such strong Heart Sword energy."
It was the sensation between swordsmen that allowed Shi Xiaole to distinctly recognize that Liu Ruofei’s Heart Sword energy had reached at least five hundred and thirty strands, possibly even more.
Everyone has their unique talent; some excel at Flying Skill, others at inner strength, and some at spirit. Without a doubt, Liu Ruofei’s talent lay in heart energy.
"Cloud Wind Fury!"
Before the long sword even arrived, the White Cloud Emperor swung his sleeve forcefully, and the Vigorous Air gathered like sliced pieces of white cloud, striking out consecutively, making a sound that seemed to shatter the heavens.
Liu Ruofei did not stop, instead, he sped up under the pull of his long sword, as if he was breaking free from shackles, from the bounds of the void.
Once.
Twice.
Shi Xiaole was surprised to find that Liu Ruofei’s sword speed had reached twice his usual pace. The emptiness couldn’t retain his shadow; there was only a one-meter polar light that appeared in front of the White Cloud Emperor, within three feet, flickering and emitting an intimidating cold gleam.
"How is that possible?"
"Is this the true Limitless Killing Sword? Limitless, indeed."
In such a short span of time, everyone hardly had time to speak, but their thoughts were tumbling in waves.
Even Qi Muchu turned his gaze to Liu Ruofei.
Clang!
A layer of misty light screen stood between the White Cloud Emperor and Liu Ruofei, the masculine and powerful force circulating endlessly in cycles.
"The Clouds of Ages Past," one of the White Cloud Emperor’s two great killer moves, any force of attack that hit it would immediately rebound. But the sword was too sharp and actually pierced through the cloud screen, with the Sword Qi condensed and thrusting straight at the White Cloud Emperor’s face.
Bang!
His protective Vigorous Air shattered, and the White Cloud Emperor was sent flying thousands of meters back, his black hair instantly turning white, as the excess Sword Qi snuffed out the vitality in his hair.
The White Cloud Emperor couldn’t help but cough up a mouthful of blood as his body staggered.
Hiss!
Those who saw this scene couldn’t help but have their hearts pound furiously, shocked to their core.
"Liu Ruofei, it seems everyone underestimated you. Your swordsmanship talent is unprecedented, surpassing anyone of the current era. I admire you, truly admire you."
The White Cloud Emperor gazed directly at the impassive young man across from him. For a moment, he thought he would lose, which showed how much pressure Liu Ruofei had put on him.
Among the young generation, apart from Xuanyuan Di and Qi Muchu, whose potential was nearly exhausted, who else could achieve this?
But he could not lose.
"Annihilate!"
Clouds swirled around the White Cloud Emperor, and with a punch he threw, all the clouds merged into one, spiraling like a soaring dragon, tightly binding everything. The void creaked under the strain, shattering widely.
The violent masculine force, like a churning whirlpool wave, could pulverize anything ensnared by it, leaving no remnants.
"Cloud God Vanishing," the White Cloud Emperor’s strongest killer move!
After executing the Limitless Killing Sword, Liu Ruofei’s body felt emptily afloat. His gaze passed beyond the White Cloud Emperor to a blue-clad figure in the far distance, his dim eyes suddenly bursting with boundless fighting spirit.
I cannot lose yet.
"Breaking Extreme Killing Sword!"
With a roar, Liu Ruofei’s Sword Qi, killing intent, spirit, and even his killing energy, fierce energy, and battle energy all merged at the tip of the sword. He transformed into a strange force entering the long sword. He was no longer himself but solely to execute this one sword wail!
The Fate Platform suddenly turned pitch black.
The silence of death.
In the darkness, an extremely thin sword light brushed by, followed by a splash of red.
"Pfft..."
After gliding hundreds of meters, Liu Ruofei crashed to the ground, a hole punched through his chest, utterly devastating his body’s meridians — the handiwork of the White Cloud Emperor’s killer move.
Behind him, the White Cloud Emperor’s eyes widened as a blood line rapidly spread across the side of his neck, dyeing the ground red.
"Liu Ruofei, you were so close to winning."
The White Cloud Emperor turned around, his weakening breath directed towards the dying white-clothed swordsman, a complex expression on his face.
It was clear the other had recently developed this sword technique and had not fully mastered it yet. Once he could wield it effortlessly, the one to lose would certainly be himself.
Liu Ruofei, you are formidable!
