Chapter 954: Chapter 953: The 24th Floor Cross Battle (Part 1) (Extra for ’poonlo’)_1
The Absolute Wind Tower consists of three levels, tapering from the bottom to the top.
The moment he entered, a rich essence of the Wind Martial Way hit him full in the face, desperately seeping into every pore of Shi Xiaole, leaving him feeling exhilarated, his mind spontaneously brimming with numerous insights.
One could imagine that spending time in such a place, even the most mediocre person would gain some understanding, and if one were a genius of the Wind Way, they would surely climb to new heights and comprehend the deeper essence.
"If the Absolute Wind Tower is so, the other twenty-three towers must certainly be the same, it would be best to visit them all."
Initially, Shi Xiaole was full of ambition for just the Sword King Tower, the Absolute Wind Tower, and the Floating Life Tower. Now, his thoughts had changed.
The martial path wasn’t just about the sword way. To put it another way, to glimpse the true meaning of the sword way, one must also draw from a variety of martial arts and absorb enough essence of the martial way.
Right now, there was an opportunity too good to miss.
Of course, if outsiders knew of his thoughts, they would surely laugh at Shi Xiaole for overestimating his abilities.
The gap in strength between him and the Qingyuan Sword Emperor couldn’t be bridged overnight, even with superb talent and help from the Absolute Wind Tower. It would take at least five or ten years. With bad luck, it could take decades.
After all, while you are progressing, the Qingyuan Sword Emperor is also progressing, and moreover, he stays in the Sword King Tower, which is a level above the Absolute Wind Tower in terms of character.
But Shi Xiaole had his confidence.
The mutual transformation of his three martial ways within his body meant he was progressing every moment. Moreover, his recently improved understanding enabled him to fully utilize the resources of the Absolute Wind Tower, constantly expanding his abilities, potentially creating miracles.
Pushing aside distractions, Shi Xiaole glanced at the vast, empty circular first floor, which was as large as two football fields, then swiftly leapt up, attempting to climb the inner spiral staircase to the second level, only to be blocked by an invisible force.
He tried various methods but could not break through.
Shi Xiaole didn’t force the issue and simply sat down to meditate on the first level. The essence of the Wind Way in the air was rich enough for him to comprehend for a long time.
With a posture of reverent openness to the heavens, Shi Xiaole quickly entered a state of vacancy and clarity.
One day.
Two days.
...
In the blink of an eye, five days had passed.
Whoosh!
That day, a sharp wind as fierce as a sword suddenly erupted on the first level of the Absolute Wind Tower, creating a localized turbulence in meaning that lingered for a long time.
"I have reached the peak of the Wind Sword Way by ninety percent."
Shi Xiaole opened his eyes joyfully.
He had been on the verge of a breakthrough in the Wind Sword Way for a long time, and originally he expected it would take two months. He could not have imagined that with the nourishment of the essence of the Wind Way, it would only be a matter of five days.
On one hand, it was the interaction of the three major martial ways; on the other, it was Shi Xiaole’s own understanding. If the crystal demon bone had not transformed, it likely would have taken at least eight or nine days.
With a light push of the palm, a cyan-colored sword’s radiance pierced through the martial essence and continued forward for five meters before dissipating.
"My sword way power should now be no weaker than my Illusion Way power."
Clang!
Just then, a bell sounded outside the tower.
Upon hearing the noise, Shi Xiaole flashed out of the Absolute Wind Tower.
"Boundless Fierce Wind!"
The challenger was the Fierce Wind Martial Emperor, who, without hesitation, struck out with his palm as soon as he saw Shi Xiaole, his body merging with the force of the wind, increasing in power rapidly.
"Wind Calamity!"
Unsheathing his long sword, Shi Xiaole confronted him head-on.
The two maelstroms of fierce wind constantly collided and struck each other, shaking the very heavens and threatening to break apart. One vortex was sharp and peerless, while the other radiated a domineering aura, its shrieking noise carrying for tens of thousands of meters.
"In the previous battle, Kirin won over the Fierce Wind Martial Emperor by a narrow margin with the help of a half-foot mirror. With Fierce Wind Martial Emperor’s temperament, he must seek a rematch."
"Heh, their strengths are about equal. Victory or defeat will depend on their performance in the moment. Kirin might just lose this round."
Compared to five days earlier, a few less people were watching the excitement.
By now it was clear who could vie for the pavilions and who could not, so some, like the Lotus Sword Emperor, had abandoned this place. Still, about seventy percent chose to remain, probably hoping to try their luck.
"Kirin’s prowess in the Wind Way seems to have improved," said the Purple Wood Sword Emperor with a smile.
Next to him, the Mysterious Ice Sword Emperor, with a cold expression, shook his head, "Hmph, don’t exaggerate." No matter how talented, it was impossible to overcome obstacles in just five days.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Shi Xiaole’s sword momentum suddenly soared, and his rapid strikes quickly overwhelmed the Fierce Wind Martial Emperor in a gust of power.
"Peak of ninety percent in the Wind Sword Way?"
The Mysterious Ice Sword Emperor sucked in a cold breath, his mouth agape.
The Purple Wood Sword Emperor didn’t mock his companion’s loss of composure, because his own words had been casually said, never expecting them to be prophetic.
The others too were stunned, amazed by Shi Xiaole’s progress.
Swish!
After hundreds of exchanges, Shi Xiaole forced the Fierce Wind Martial Emperor to retreat with a Wind Wound, without using any Illusion Way ultimate skills from beginning to end.
"This guy..."
The complexion of the Fierce Wind Martial Emperor changed multiple times. He had spent several days in the Absolute Wind Tower and had improved, but not as much as Shi Xiaole. Was this the difference in talent?
"Kirin, I, the Gale Sword King, would like to learn from you."
The bell sounded again, and a Sword King appeared, his aura indicating that he too had comprehended the essence of the Wind Way.
Unlike the Fierce Wind Martial Emperor’s straightforward style, the Gale Sword King’s Wind Way leaned towards variability and yielding force, resulting in extremely fast movements by both parties during the battle. One had to pay close attention to discern the winner and determine the outcome in a split second.
After more than a hundred moves, Shi Xiaole sent the Gale Sword King flying with a sword strike.
To be fair, the Gale Sword King was not as strong as the Fierce Wind Martial Emperor, and Shi Xiaole’s style countered his. To really win, it would’ve been a matter of just a dozen moves.
But for Shi Xiaole, facing different opponents was a process of learning and practising, a way to constantly improve himself. Pursuing victory for its own sake would be missing the point.
"Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge me?"
Shi Xiaole looked around.
For a moment, no one spoke, then a voice rang out, "I’ll come."
It was the Mysterious Ice Sword Emperor.
"Please."
"Mysterious Ice Wuji!"
This time it took ninety-three moves, but Shi Xiaole defeated his opponent with ease. Seeing him without a hint of heavy breathing or flushing, even the most composed person could no longer remain calm.
Shi Xiaole once again issued a challenge, and Purple Wood Sword Emperor hurriedly said, "Young Emperor, you’ve already taken down three cities; perhaps take a rest first."
"No need for now."
"Haha, then let this old man accompany you for a bit."
Those familiar with the Purple Wood Sword Emperor secretly despised him, as the old chap had always been eager to make good connections, rarely lifting a finger. His eagerness now was probably to curry favor with the Kirin.
After sixty moves, the Purple Wood Sword Emperor conceded with a hearty laugh, "My younger brother, truly you are a celestial being descended upon earth. I see that in less than ten years, the Young Emperor will become the Sword Emperor, the great emperor of swordsmanship."
This flattery made everyone’s scalp tingle. Old thing, just a moment ago it was Young Emperor, and after one fight you’re suddenly calling him younger brother. Aren’t you climbing the kinship ladder a bit too quickly?
And what is a Sword Emperor? That title represents the strongest swordsman recognized by the entire world, the Martial World no less, reigning supreme. How often does such a figure emerge since the annals of recorded history?
As a Sword Emperor of the Void Origin Realm, to flatter someone much younger than himself as the great emperor of swordsmanship, where was the dignity of a swordsman, the pride?
Although the Purple Wood Sword Emperor was shameless, people had to admit that Shi Xiaole indeed possessed an air of superiority. In the previous four battles, he hadn’t gone out of his way to be vicious, clearly holding back with the intention to spar and promote mutual advancement.
Thinking this, the remaining Martial Emperors from the Void Origin Realm grew restless, knowing that sparring with a stronger opponent was beneficial and harmless to them. People like the Qingyuan Sword Emperor wouldn’t normally play along with them, but now that the opportunity was right before them, how could they let it pass?
Furthermore, a character like Shi Xiaole was destined to shine brightly—who wouldn’t want to get to know him better?
"Kirin Young Emperor, I, the Qizheng Martial Emperor, challenge you."
"Young Sword Emperor, please make your move."
"..."
The crowd was eager and enthusiastic, and Shi Xiaole was no less receptive to all comers.
Of course, not everyone bore him goodwill.
By the time he faced the seventh person, a man named Bosom Truth Martial Emperor thought Shi Xiaole was running low on energy and took advantage of the situation to strike a heavy blow underhandedly. Shi Xiaole retaliated with the Heaven and Earth Changing Great Method, grievously injuring his opponent and severing one hand and one leg, nearly splitting half of his body in two, before the assailant barely escaped with his life.
"Kirin, I’ll remember today’s grudge!" The resentful voice of Bosom Truth Martial Emperor came through.
Shi Xiaole just laughed. In the face of such a person, he couldn’t be bothered to even respond and instead looked around with a cupped fist, "Everyone, I’ve expended a great deal today. How about we fight again in five days?"
"Good!"
"Looking forward to battling the Young Emperor!"
The cordial air before the fight, and the ruthless ferocity during it, deepened everyone’s impression of Shi Xiaole, making it clear he was a man not to be provoked.
Inside the Absolute Wind Tower.
While Shi Xiaole was recovering, he digested his gains from the day and cross-referenced them with his insights from the past five days. He felt many questions clearing up, while also encountering many new ones.
Before he knew it, he was fully immersed once again.
In the following days, Shi Xiaole would leave the tower every five days to battle with others, sometimes for half a day, sometimes for a whole day. Through these exchanges, he turned contemplation into practice and insights into progress; his strength invisibly grew at each step.
The other Martial Emperors of the Void Origin Realm also reaped their benefits.
Sometimes when they faced dilemmas, they would boldly consult Shi Xiaole and invariably received satisfying answers. In their hearts, they couldn’t help but start to respect him.
After two months, Shi Xiaole reached the third level of the Absolute Wind Tower.
On its walls were inscribed some of the precious scriptures of the Absolute Wind Sect, including first-class superior martial arts, handwritten notes, and extraordinary records, all protected by an Array System that made them indestructible.
Shi Xiaole took them all down and exchanged them for reward points. He also used these scriptures to accumulate knowledge and managed to elevate the Wind Sword Way to the early stage of ten percent proficiency.
Of course, in order not to affect the sparring, he kept suppressing his realm quietly.
"Next up, the Floating Life Tower."
The Floating Life Tower contained the essence of the Illusion Martial Way. Without much surprise, Shi Xiaole defeated the Illusion Supreme Martial Emperor, who was only slightly stronger than the Fierce Wind Martial Emperor.
Days passed, one by one.
On the third month, the calm was shattered.
A handsome young man walked out of the Miaoji Tower, headed straight to Shengguang Tower, and rang a bell.
"Wudao Xuan, is he challenging the Mingguang Martial Emperor?"
The Mingguang Martial Emperor was even stronger than the Fierce Wind Martial Emperor. To everyone’s surprise, in just thirty moves, the Mingguang Martial Emperor was defeated by Wudao Xuan.
Hss!
"Just now, was that the power of the Sacred Bone?"
"So strong!"
In the midst of shocked exclamations, Wudao Xuan left behind a mysterious and unreachable back figure to the crowd.
Apart from Wudao Xuan, others like the Mysterious Heart Blade Empress and the Thunderbolt Martial Emperor also emerged from seclusion and attempted to challenge higher-tiered tower masters, but unfortunately, they all ended in failure.
However, it was undeniable that they, including the challenged tower masters, all made significant progress and could no longer be compared to their past selves.
"Why do I feel that not just Wudao Xuan, but even the Mysterious Heart Blade Empress and the others seem stronger than the Young Emperor now?" someone whispered.
"Helping us in battle was ultimately a drain on the Young Emperor’s energy. Moreover, the Young Emperor left the Absolute Wind Tower after just two months; he must not have fully understood the Wind True Intent."
"To master two martial paths and elevate both is indeed too difficult."
People sighed in unison, some starting to worry for Shi Xiaole.
