Chapter 747: Chapter 746: Body-Sword Integration (Seeking Subscription, Seeking Votes)
The interior of the large hall spanned thousands of feet, built entirely of white jade. On the surrounding walls, all kinds of murals were carved -- some depicted masses slaying demons, others showed a long blade shattering the sky. However, the majority depicted a myriad of human pigs with fierce and malicious appearances.
Through those simple strokes, everyone seemed to visualize the bloodshed and brutality from a distant past, causing their hearts to palpitate with fear.
"It is said that the sword technique of the Blade Slaves Sect is the Heaven-Envious Sword Technique, which is practiced at the cost of self-mutilation and renouncing one’s conscience. Furthermore, the more souls killed, the stronger the destructive power of the sword technique,"
Duanmu Keren, who originated from Heaven and Earth Surprised Swan Castle and possessed exceptional knowledge, recalled particular phrases from historical records.
"Moreover, in order to intensify the evil in their hearts, they used the blood of human pigs as soup and their flesh as food. Even more disgustingly, they fed the excrement of human pigs to prisoners as meals,"
Mu Ling supplemented, horrifying Yuan Yuying to the point where her face turned pale. Hastily bending over, she vomited for a long time, while Hua Yiyun was by her side, comforting her with light pats on her back. Yet, even Hua Yiyun’s face was somewhat pale.
"Brother Gui, find Sister Ling quickly so that we can leave soon," Shi Xiaole said.
His statement brought everyone back from their frozen trains of thought. There were two passages in front, and following the direction indicated by the Ends of the Earth Linked Heart Ring, Gui Zhihang quickly headed to the left.
At this moment, a piece of the left wall bulged and then transformed into a figure that seemed to be missing all four limbs, with a twisted face, floating in mid-air.
No, this wasn’t a human, it was more like a blade.
"Intruders of the Blade Slaves Sect, die or surrender."
A raspy voice emanated from its mouth, sending chills down everyone’s spine. Could it be that the Blade Slaves Sect, which was believed to have been extinct long ago, still had surviving members?
What was even more frightening followed swiftly, without any apparent sign that the amputated figure was gathering strength, it suddenly charged towards Shi Xiaole. The frightening Sword Qi perforated the void with a sizzling sound.
Shi Xiaole swung his sword, hitting the opponent. It made a metallic collision sound as the amputated figure transferred horizontally to the right, again charging towards Shi Xiaole.
"My attack power has been suppressed?"
Shi Xiaole was well aware that the sword he just swung was definitely at its peak Fifth Tier, but the power it demonstrated was just high-tier Fifth Tier.
Without thinking, he knew it was due to the influence of the main hall.
Klang, Klang, Klang...
The speed of the amputated figure was mind-boggling, its defenses even more astonishing. Each time Shi Xiaole’s Sword Qi struck it, it was either deflected or neutralized. If it was any other top Fifth Tier Earth Immortal, they would probably be exhausted to death by this amputated figure.
All this happened in an instant. Just as Gui Zhihang and the rest were about to step in, another amputated figure appeared on the right wall, the overwhelming Sword Qi crushing over them.
"You guys go first, I’ll cover the rear."
Shi Xiaole said.
"Can you handle it?"
Duanmu Keren couldn’t help but frown.
She wanted to leave this ominous place as soon as possible, but if one amputated figure was already overwhelmingly challenging for Shi Xiaole, how could he handle two?
"Wild Wave!"
Shi Xiaole’s response was a sword strike. The blue tide from his sword split into two waves, simultaneously covering the two amputated figures on the left and right.
However, the latter two figures were not weak. Even though they were unarmed, their bodies were the hardest blades. Under the impact of the Sword Qi on their surface, they surprisingly broke open the blue wave.
"Chaotic Wind Cloud!"
Keeping his expression unchanged, Shi Xiaole unleashed his second strike. He knew that under the suppression of the great hall, the Wild Wave could not severely damage the amputated figures. Thus, the purpose of the previous move was just to build momentum for this move.
In the blink of an eye, countless strands of sword-tail were swirling around Shi Xiaole like a millstone. With each rotation, a fraction more of the surrounding energy was absorbed, the power increased bit by bit without end. This move was the Chaotic Wind Cloud, derived from the second form of Divine Wind Movement.
Ka-Ka-Ka!
Under the rapid spin of the sword-tail, the Sword Qi on the surface of the two amputated figures was heavily compressed, twisted, and in an explosive clash, blood mist mixed with machine parts scattered around.
"Unable to withstand his single strike?"
Gui Zhihang’s face color kept changing in shock.
Duanmu Keren, Mu Ling, Hua Yiyun, and others were all stunned, their expressions filled with awe.
Everyone could see that under the unique environment of the large hall, the strength of the two amputated figures was comparable to the strongest peak Fifth Tier Earth Immortals in the Martial World, but they couldn’t withstand a single sword strike from Shi Xiaole. This was simply too unbelievable.
"You guys, go now."
Shi Xiaole urged.
Everyone was extraordinary and knew they couldn’t waste any time. So, they quickly suppressed their emotions and hurried into the left passage.
"Mechanized puppets, is it?"
Looking at the scattered parts on the ground and the wounded flesh of the two amputated figures, Shi Xiaole’s face grew solemn.
The contemporary art of mechanized puppetry was ingenious.
However, it was alleged that during the ancient era, various lost methods were even more mystifying. For instance, a certain puppet sect could combine puppetry and living humans to create half-human, half-puppet monstrosities.
These two figures in front of his eyes undoubtedly confirmed that rumor.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The amputated figures kept charging towards Shi Xiaole, oblivious of pain or injury.
The killing move consumed too much Vigorous Air, and Shi Xiaole did not wish to use it consecutively. Moreover, he suspected that at least five Chaotic Wind Cloud moves would be needed to slay the foes in front of him. If that’s the case, the leftover power would not be enough to deal with unexpected danger.
That’s why I have to rely on other methods.
While relying on his superb fighting skills, Shi Xiaole observed the two disabled figures. Gradually, a spark lit up in his eyes.
The fighting style of the disabled figures was completely different from the traditional martial world, following the path of the Body-Sword Integration. They discarded complicated moves and changes, opting for a more direct and lethal approach.
Of course, the energy consumption was greater than using regular techniques.
"Can I learn from them?"
An exciting thought arose in Shi Xiaole’s mind.
He never minded having too many fighting styles, and no one thought it was too much. Moreover, he saw the beauty of simplicity in Body-Sword Integration. If he could incorporate this skill into his own, it might be surprisingly beneficial.
Keeping calm, Shi Xiaole switched from attack to defense, adeptly using Crossing the River with a Single Reed to dodge, dedicating most of his energy to observing the movements of the disabled figures.
One 2-hour period.
Two 2-hour periods.
To comprehend Body-Sword Integration from the perspective of an observer, even merely drawing inspiration, was not easy. Fortunately, Shi Xiaole was extraordinarily insightful and managed to grasp the rudiments.
Three 2-hour periods.
Four 2-hour periods.
Unbeknownst to him, half a day had passed.
Creak.
One disabled figure was pierced by a long sword and shattered into pieces of flesh and components.
Although half-dolls have amazing combat power, their shortcomings are quite obvious. Once their energy is exhausted, their combat power greatly diminishes, and they even self-destruct.
Half a 2-hour period later, the second disabled figure also shattered automatically.
Shi Xiaole found it regrettable, but his gaze shifted downwards and, surprisingly, he spotted two inch-sized crystals amid the debris.
These must be the energy crystals of the dolls. Unlike common energy crystals, Shi Xiaole detected a blood-soaked aura of sword intent from them.
"Could it be, the sword intent in these crystals imbued these two dolls with the instinct to use Body-Sword Integration?"
With this thought in mind, Shi Xiaole reached down and picked up the first crystal.
Boom!
As the sword intent entered his body, a blurry figure appeared before his eyes, ceaselessly exhibiting Body-Sword Integration. Even the essentials were clearly presented. Shi Xiaole only watched a few times, then many of his previous dilemmas were solved.
Unfortunately, dozens of moments later, the crystal of sword intent shattered. The residual intent within it was scarce, which was why the disabled figures had collapsed.
Hurriedly, Shi Xiaole picked up the second crystal of sword intent and used the same approach. After it also shattered, he sat down to digest his revelations.
After one 2-hour period.
Shi Xiaole stood up from the ground and walked into the left passage.
Whoosh!
After a short while, another disabled figure appeared, but its strength was far less than the previous two, probably only at the Fifth Tier.
Gripping his sword with both hands, Shi Xiaole charged out fearlessly.
In the void, it seemed as if two swords had appeared. One was the Red Left sword, the other was Shi Xiaole, transformed into a sword, although its lethality was far less than the Red Left sword.
Clang!
Sword clashed with blade. In the moment they passed each other, a great hole appeared in the chest of the disabled figure. Shi Xiaole’s green shirt was slightly torn, almost cracking his protective Vigorous Air.
However, his face was filled with exhilaration.
Objectively speaking, Shi Xiaole’s comprehension of Body-Sword Integration was just introductory. Surprisingly, using Body-Sword Integration against Body-Blade Integration was more effective than using Chaotic Wind Cloud.
Doesn’t this suggest that mastering such measures can greatly reduce the hazard here?
The consumption of Body-Sword Integration was considerable. After employing it a few times, Shi Xiaole smoothly acquired the third crystal of sword intent.
The sword intent in this crystal was much stronger than the previous two depleted ones, resulting in a significantly better comprehension. A moment after the crystal chopped open, Shi Xiaole’s mind was filled with insights.
As he continued on, more and more disabled figures appeared, from two to three, eventually increasing to nine.
But Shi Xiaole was far from tired.
In the midst of continuous battles, his understanding of Body-Sword Integration deepened, and the power he exerted invisibly improved. Initially, it took him three swords to kill a Fifth Tier disabled figure. Now, he killed one with every sword.
Eventually, even mid-Fifth Tier disabled figures couldn’t withstand his single sword strike.
After each battle, he would use the newly obtained crystals of sword intent to further deepen his comprehension.
...
Within a massive passage, a group of people were fleeing desperately, including Gui Zhihang and others.
What was noteworthy was the addition of an unfamiliar, strikingly beautiful woman in their group.
The woman was clad in a light purple dress covered with a plain cloak. Her jet-black hair was tied with a similar colored ribbon, slightly floating following her movements, creating an indescribable charm.
The beautiful oval face, complemented with perfect features, formed the woman’s captivating face, a far cry from Yun Chuoxi’s aloofness. It was as inviting as a jade peony in a garden, making people greatly desire to get close.
Glancing back at the dozens of disabled figures behind her, the woman’s face showed a trace of urgency and regret: "Little brother, you really shouldn’t have come in!"
