Chapter 1296: Chapter 1294: Supreme Lord’s Great Battle
Thud, thud, thud...
Resounding drum beats thundered through East Victory City.
These were the battle drums, placed atop the highest Victory Tower in East Victory City. Whenever the drum beat sounded nine times in succession, it signified a call to arms for the entire city.
Suddenly, the sky was darkened, not by a blanket of clouds but by the countless warriors within the city who, upon hearing the drum, soared into the air, racing towards the front.
The miles-long and tens of meters-wide wall of East Victory City was like a magnificent trench of war, as batches after batches of masters landed, looking towards the void beyond the wall, their eyes filled with cold determination and tragic resolve.
The day had still arrived.
Everyone knew that East Victory City could not remain peaceful for long, yet no one had anticipated that in just over three years, the city would face its greatest crisis.
The Outer Heaven forces had dismantled the "Sole Supreme Array." Over four hundred Supreme Lords besieged the city, their numbers four times those of East Victory. This fact alone was enough to drive people to despair.
Clang!!
An unrestrained and vast Sword Qi struck the "Seal Heaven Array," its energy like parasitic nematodes incessantly burrowing into the Array System, causing continuous ripples on its surface.
The next moment.
Countless Sword Qi was expelled, piercing dense, numerous holes into the ground within sight, each hole emitting Sword Qi, rendering the void into shattered fragments.
The assailant was a black-robed swordsman wielding a heavy black sword as long as a grown man, displaying an aggressive stance. His eyes were a hundred times sharper than an eagle’s, and whoever was caught in his gaze felt as if they were being sliced and torn by thousands of blades.
The Limitless Sword Sovereign.
The number one swordsman from the lands beyond the sky, and historically, the number one Sword Path prodigy. He had achieved the rank of Sky Origin Realm Supreme Lord before his millennium, and although his sword technique was not particularly flashy, it was as his temperament – without restraint, acting on his every whim.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
No sooner had the Sword Qi dissipated than a terrifying onslaught of over four hundred Supreme Lords’ might surged against the "Seal Heaven Array," causing the entire Array to shake for the first time.
Those three Outer Heaven Array Supreme Lords, after three years of research and despite not finding a flaw in the Seal Heaven Array, had made some gains. Together with the combined efforts of over four hundred Supreme Lords, forcefully breaking the Array was just a matter of time.
"Demon Ruler, I’ve heard that you slaughtered many Outer Heaven Supreme Lords in the past. Today, as the war descends upon the city, why don’t you come out and meet your death!"
The Limitless Sword Sovereign bellowed, his long sword pointing towards Shi Xuanzhong, his sword presence fierce, causing the numerous East Victory warriors in Shi Xuanzhong’s direction to feel a mental sting, unable to look on.
All were horrified!
This was not actual Sword Qi damage; even if the Limitless Sword Sovereign was incredibly powerful, he still couldn’t breach the "Seal Heaven Array." But the fact that he could still evoke such terror with just an intangible sword presence hinted at the terrifying extent of his swordsmanship. Even the ancestral Fire Stiff and the leader of Blade Slaves Sect broke out in cold sweat, feeling they could not muster the courage to oppose him.
Without a word, Shi Xuanzhong soared out into the fray.
"Futile!"
Without any unnecessary talk, the Limitless Sword Sovereign burst into hearty laughter, dragging his heavy black sword with both hands and slashing out towards Shi Xuanzhong.
The sword was no longer just a sword, and the light no longer just light. This sword light was clearly a "Law," a type of "Law" that could break all laws of heaven and earth. The moment it appeared, it brightened the skies like a scorching sun, overwhelming the heavens and the earth, piercing through the stars, intending to submerge Shi Xuanzhong.
Hiss!
The Supreme Lords of East Victory drew sharp breaths.
The power of this sword was certainly far greater than the most formidable move of any invincible warrior, even surpassing the combined might of all those Outer Heaven Supreme Lords who died by the Holy Monarch’s hand sixteen thousand years ago.
This was an unprecedented foe!
Even the twelve Holy Envoys, who worshipped the Holy Monarch, couldn’t help but hold their breaths, fearing the Holy Monarch might be at a disadvantage. If so, the morale of East Victory would be severely damaged.
Craaackle...
The sword light was pierced by an unremarkable beam of light. Within it, Shi Xuanzhong’s hands moved like lightning, casting countless palm shadows towards the Limitless Sword Sovereign.
"Well met, Limitless!"
Laughing wildly, the Limitless Sword Sovereign swung his second sword.
If the first sword could break through all laws, indifferent to rules, then this sword seemed beyond even the capacity of heaven and earth to contain.
The void seemed like a balloon stretched to its limit, suddenly punctured by the swift and fierce sword, with every place within sight breaking apart as if reduced to dust, scattering to the wind.
Shi Xuanzhong’s expression unchanged, raised one hand to meet the sword light head-on.
"Ignorant fool!"
Far off, a Supreme Lord with surging vitality drew up a smirk at the corner of his mouth.
He was the Blood Sea Old Demon, ranked among the top twenty Supreme Lords from Outer Heaven, more powerful than any unbeatable warrior, and one of the three great masters summoned from the Yang Separation World.
Another figure, enshrouded in mysterious energy, barely discernible, also emitted a faint laugh.
The "Limitless" of the Limitless Sword Sovereign, touted as one of the top ten techniques from beyond the sky, was now bolstered by the divine-grade weapon, the Limitless Sword. In a frontal attack, he was near invincible.
Truly an ignorant bumpkin from the backwoods, fearing nothing for knowing nothing.
Clang!
The sword light struck the palm, and the hearts of East Victory people skipped a half-beat.
Instead of the expected bloodshed, upon closer examination, the sword light was still half an inch away from Shi Xuanzhong’s palm, but that half-inch seemed as vast as the ends of the earth, a force that slowed time was permeating it, continuously weakening the power of the sword light.
"Supreme Realm? Heh, no wonder so many fear you; you indeed possess some skill. However, it’s merely an underdeveloped Supreme Realm. The old man of Yang Separation had a higher realm, yet he still lost his head to me. You are worthy of staining my Limitless Sword with blood."
The expression on the Limitless Sword Sovereign was akin to that of a hunter sighting delectable prey, his eyebrows raised as if it was only at this moment that he genuinely started to take Shi Xuanzhong seriously.
Whoosh!
How fast can a person be?
At least in the eyes of the Blade Slave Sect leader, who was publicly recognized as the fastest with the blade in the East Victory world, even if he exerted all his strength, he could never get within a hundred zhang of Shi Xuanzhong.
But——
As soon as the words fell, the Limitless Sword Sovereign, clad in a black robe, rushed towards Shi Xuanzhong in an inconceivable manner, closing the gap between them to just ten zhang.
Behind him was a dynamic scene composed of countless afterimages, with many Supreme Lords exhausting their strength to observe, yet still only able to see the Limitless Sword Sovereign’s movements in a blur.
A teeth-gritting distortion sounded as two forces collided, with the Supreme Realm belonging to Shi Xuanzhong being constantly eroded and pushed back.
Both being in the Supreme Realm, it was clear the Limitless Sword Sovereign’s prowess was more mature and on a higher level.
"Die."
A flash of black light, like the gleam of the grim reaper’s scythe, split the invincible Holy Monarch into two halves before the eyes of all.
"No!"
Countless people shouted, utterly devastated.
"No matter how strong the Demon Ruler is, how can he be stronger than the future Sword Emperor?"
Man of Invincibility laughed excitedly, yet was also incredibly shocked.
After breaking through the Supreme Realm, the strength of the Limitless Sword Sovereign truly reached an unparalleled level. Apart from the three Celestial Masters who were infinitely close to breaking the void, he could likely rank within the top five in the vast world.
This was a generational Sword Sovereign, with great potential to become the first Sword Emperor in history!
Suddenly, an ominous premonition struck Man of Invincibility like lightning.
Because he noticed that neither the Blood Sea Old Demon nor Mirror Ancestor made any statement, and even the Limitless Sword Sovereign himself seemed to have a slight freeze in his expression.
Freeze?
This is bad!
No sooner had the thought arisen than in the void, a slender hand pressed towards the back of the Limitless Sword Sovereign, and a massive surge of the Supreme Lord’s power poured into his body.
With a bang!
The robust Limitless Sword Sovereign was sent flying backward, and while still in mid-air, his body exploded, leaving behind a black orb that solidified into the figure of the Limitless Sword Sovereign.
"It seems I underestimated you. Has your Supreme Realm also reached great accomplishment?"
The Limitless Sword Sovereign stared coldly at Shi Xuanzhong, who emerged from the void.
"No."
Shi Xuanzhong sighed.
If it were so, he would have had the chance to kill several Celestial Masters three years ago. Why would he wait until now?
Far from reassuring the Limitless Sword Sovereign, these words only made his expression uglier.
With a less advanced Supreme Realm, Shi Xuanzhong held his own against a fully matured Supreme Realm. His combat genius clearly surpassed that of the Limitless Sword Sovereign.
"Kill!"
The Limitless Sword Sovereign’s sword was faster than the last, filling the sky with his sword light.
But Shi Xuanzhong’s reactions were even quicker. Palm winds, fist imprints, leg silhouettes, and even finger beams came effortlessly from him like flowing clouds and water, reaching a realm of exquisite mastery.
In merely moments and after tens of thousands of exchanges, the Limitless Sword Sovereign, who had the upper hand in raw power, was astonishingly forced to a stalemate by Shi Xuanzhong, shocking the Celestial Masters to the core.
"Blood Sea Demonic Fist!"
A punch imbued with an overwhelming stench of blood shot toward Shi Xuanzhong.
Shi Xuanzhong, as though he had eyes on the back of his head, didn’t even turn around; he intercepted the sword light with one hand while sidestepping with a gesticulation of his left arm as a sword, gently swinging backwards.
Crack crack.
The fist exploded.
"Blood Sea Old Demon, I don’t need your help!"
The Limitless Sword Sovereign’s face was ashen.
"This isn’t a fair duel, we seek victory, the means are insignificant," retorted the Blood Sea Old Demon.
The Blood Sea Old Demon was weaker than the Limitless Sword Sovereign but not by much. United, these two unparalleled powerhouses could take down any Supreme Lord of East Victory.
Yet Shi Xuanzhong, standing alone with his Supreme Battle Power, fended off both assaults, conquering the hearts of everyone in East Victory in no time with his unrivaled elegance.
Even the ancestor of the Fire Stiffs and the Blade Slave Sect leader did not wish to see the Holy Monarch fall at this moment.
As the battle wore on, the enigmatic and unpredictable Mirror Ancestor joined the fray.
The three strongest Celestial Masters leading the attack against East Victory’s leader Shi Xuanzhong turned the battle into one where the sun and moon lost their light, where the clash left the void in a fracturing state that could not immediately mend itself.
"Kill them!"
The remaining over four hundred Celestial Masters did not just stand by; they bombarded the "Seal Heaven Array" relentlessly.
The hundred or so Supreme Lords of East Victory had no choice but to engage them, as letting their assault continue would inevitably result in the Array being forcefully broken.
Boom boom boom...
This was the most intense and terrifying battle anyone had ever witnessed, beyond all imagination.
Nearly six hundred Supreme Lords fighting with all their might doubled the size of the pit in moments, transforming the battlefield into a blinding sea of light; a multitude of Supreme Lord powers and Daoist energies mingling, colliding, and annihilating. A single small wave was enough to slaughter many Martial Emperors of the Void Origin Realm.
Truly a battle of the gods!
