Chapter 976: Chapter 975: The Honor of a Lifetime (For ’poonlo’ Update, 10/20)_1
Before this, few had witnessed Wudao Xuan using the Power of the Selfless Sacred Bone; most only knew of its name, not its specific might. And now, seeing it, everyone felt a chill creep up their scalp.
It was because this punch exuded an aura far beyond the earlier ones, as if harnessing the mighty power of heaven and earth. Under this punch, there was no enemy or ally, no victory or defeat, only an insurmountable strength. Once unleashed, the punch was unstoppable!
Before Shi Xiaole could react, he realized the Void around him had been sealed; the tumbling might of the punch rushed towards him, making it clear that neither "Wind Vanishing Smoke" nor "Heart Thunder One Sword" could fend off this blow.
"Hahaha, you are doomed to fall to the Young Master’s power, you fool. Your existence merely highlights the Young Master’s unparalleled elegance!"
The moment the punch was unleashed, the Wind Thunder Blade Queen was already exultant with victory.
From start to finish, even when Shi Xiaole seemed to have the upper hand, she remained confident in Wudao Xuan, aware that the Young Master had not yet exerted his full strength.
The Power of the Three Great Sacred Bones could only be matched by a few holders of the Demon Bone from the ten major relics. The so-called supremacy was not merely spoken of.
After today, the Young Master will surely stand on the shoulders of the Flying Horse Dynasty’s top talent, commanding respect across the world!
Everyone was shocked by the boundless power of the Selfless Sacred Bone, the thought crossing their minds in a flash: Shi Xiaole was going to lose. They couldn’t fathom how he could counter such a transcendent force.
"Shi Xiaole, to fall at my hands is an honor for you," said Wudao Xuan.
With his fist driving his approach, Wudao Xuan advanced on Shi Xiaole, coldly watching him being overwhelmed by his punch.
His ambition was to stand on the world’s stage, vying with the outstanding heroes of this grand era for those rare opportunities and glories; he would certainly not be halted in his pursuit by this.
Just as pride began to swell, in the next moment, a cyan Sword Qi that seemed to pierce through heaven and earth, ignoring all else, suddenly flared in Wudao Xuan’s eyes.
Sssst!
The punch collided with the Sword Qi, and countless specks of light burst forth, like foam board striking a reciprocating blade. The dense prickling sounds, capable of penetrating mountains and seas, nearly caused the eardrums of some of the lower-powered Void Origin Realm Martial Emperors nearby to rupture, blood streaming from their ears on the spot.
The Void Origin Realm Sword Emperors present at the scene were stupefied, their faces incredulous, as the sound of swords buzzing in unison rang out, their scabbards half-drawn, all pointing towards the cyan-robed figure on the battlefield.
Characters like the Purple Wood Sword Emperor, the Mysterious Ice Sword Emperor, the Lotus Sword Emperor, and even Qingyuan Sword Emperor stood rigid, as if under a freezing spell.
"This is, this is the power of the Heart Sword, impossible..." muttered Qingyuan Sword Emperor, stars swirling before his eyes.
To make even an accomplished Heart Sword expert like himself feel pressured, to the point of having no courage to fight, only a master of the Heart Sword could accomplish that. But how many such people were there in the great Daxia Martial World?
As far as Qingyuan Sword Emperor knew, the few who had mastered the Heart Sword were at least first-rate Earthly Realm Sword Emperors, and among them, only one. The rest were all Heavenly Realm Sword Emperors!
But in comparison to the present, how could this individual from the Flying Horse Dynasty, not even forty years old and yet to reach the Void Origin, have come so far?
Yet, if not, how to explain such an overpowering Sword domain?
Even with Qingyuan Sword Emperor’s temperament, his thoughts were now in turmoil, his emotions surging uncontrollably.
For the Purple Wood Sword Emperor and the others, their minds were completely blank, their thoughts at a standstill.
"Thinking you can defeat me? You’re still not worthy," Shi Xiaole retorted.
Confronting the overwhelming might of the punch, Shi Xiaole swung his sword. Where the sword edge met the fist’s light, countless fine specks scattered, revealing Wudao Xuan standing a hundred yards away.
Now, apart from Uncle Wang and the Heaven King, who could have imagined Shi Xiaole’s true strength? As someone who had reached the mastery of the Heart Sword, he could end a fight with Qingyuan Sword Emperor in ten strikes.
The reason he had not used it before was to force Wudao Xuan to deploy the Power of the Selfless Sacred Bone.
As for why he didn’t strike first, the boost from completing the Heart Sword was too terrifying. Although Shi Xiaole’s spirit could endure it, the Vigorous Air was hard to control. He feared that once he executed it, Wudao Xuan wouldn’t even have time to use the Power of the Sacred Bones.
For Shi Xiaole, formidable enemies were rare, and each was worth cherishing. He wanted to defeat Wudao Xuan at his strongest.
"Receive my sword, Wind Vanishing Smoke!"
At this moment, Shi Xiaole, in his green robe, resembled a jade statue, his temples mottled with gray amidst the black, as if he were an invincible deity of the sword, enemies bowing before his sword’s edge.
What kind of sword was this?
It had no source, no limits, not even the constraints of a drawn blade. It was as if the Sword Qi was always present, enveloping Wudao Xuan in a relentless assault.
"I am invincible," Wudao Xuan bellowed at the sky.
Surrounded by a holy radiance, he stepped forward to meet the oncoming Sword Qi, which immediately dimmed upon contact, either merging into the light or parting around it.
"My sword, forms its own realm," Shi Xiaole said coldly, as he steadily brought down the Spring Fury Sword. Sensing its master’s will, the Sword Qi became even sharper and wilder.
Sizzle...
In less than the blink of an eye, the concentrated Sword Qi pierced through the holy radiance and crashed directly into Wudao Xuan’s fist.
Boom!
Heaven and earth trembled in unison, in a great silence so profound that it was deafening; then abruptly, as though a mountain torrent and tsunami had erupted, an enormous sound spread in all directions. The ground appeared as if it had been rolled over by countless bulldozers, absent of even dust, pressed down into a depression.
Even the accompanying soundwaves turned into a death knell, frightening the distant Martial Emperors of the Void Origin Realm into circulating their Vigorous Air. Despite that, some were still shaken and thrown a good distance away, and upon regaining their footing, their faces were filled with utter terror.
Bang bang boom...
In the center of the battlefield, a figure fought as he retreated, his body drenched in blood, his arm almost completely broken with bone fragments jutting out—it was none other than Wudao Xuan.
However, another figure, elegant yet fearsome, transformed into tens of thousands of sword lights. With each strike, Wudao Xuan’s body gained another wound, another sword hole, with fresh blood spurting unceasingly.
It was hard to imagine that someone raised from a young age by that legendary figure, revered as the possessor of the ultimate Selfless Sacred Bone, would one day be beaten so pitifully at the same level, powerless to fight back.
"You audacious cur!"
The Wind Thunder Blade Queen was both shocked and furious.
The shock was because, even after the Young Master had used the Selfless Sacred Bone, he was still defeated by Shi Xiaole, a blow as catastrophic as a thunderbolt from the ninth heaven, rendering the Wind Thunder Blade Queen unwilling to believe and even less willing to accept.
The fury was because that scoundrel, clearly holding the upper hand, still insisted on being ruthlessly thorough, utterly unreasonable!
That brat must die!
Just as the murderous intent arose, several powerful auras enveloped the Wind Thunder Blade Queen, making it impossible for her to move an inch. Looking up, her face turned exceedingly ugly: "Angry Flame Emperor, True Water Emperor, what is the meaning of this?"
The Angry Flame Emperor shook his head, "Have you forgotten the oath you made?"
The Wind Thunder Blade Queen was stunned for a moment before realizing that in her anger, she had indeed forgotten her earlier vow. But when she beheld the expressions of the Angry Flame Emperor and the others, she couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.
Indeed, they spoke to stop her, partially to protect her, but if she took their words at face value, she might as well quit the Martial World altogether.
In the eyes of the Wind Thunder Blade Queen, it was Wudao Xuan’s talent that had made these individuals wary, hence their desire to use someone else to do their dirty work.
After that, they would send out Yan Jicheng and the Dark Night Proton to deal with Shi Xiaole, thus elevating Yan Jicheng’s fame, killing three birds with one stone.
Indeed, what a shrewd move!
With an ashen face, the Wind Thunder Blade Queen angrily said, "The Young Master carried the great expectations of Emperor Yan. If he dies here, I assure you that he will not rest in peace!"
The mention of Emperor Yan caused the bodies of the Angry Flame Emperor and the others to shake subtly, as they silently sighed.
That old monster, although he had not made a move in thousands of years, was known to be a terrifying figure to anyone in the Void Origin Realm circle with access to even a little information.
Truth be told, the Angry Flame Emperor and his peers truly did not wish to provoke that being. However, rules were rules, and they had the moral high ground. Moreover, with powerful figures backing them, there was no need for them to back down. All they could do now was pray that Shi Xiaole would ’know the times’ and in a fit of rage, execute Wudao Xuan.
To their disappointment, after kicking Wudao Xuan away and overwhelming him with absolute superiority, Shi Xiaole withdrew his hand.
Shi Xiaole was not foolish; though he had hidden support, he was still in Daxia, and in full view of everyone. Killing Wudao Xuan would not only be unbeneficial but also bring a myriad of problems.
Moreover, strictly speaking, he had no life-and-death vendetta against Wudao Xuan, although there was some enmity with his two servants. This distinction was very clear to Shi Xiaole.
His hair in disarray and his handsome eyes stained with blood, Wudao Xuan fixed a deadly stare on Shi Xiaole as if he was ready to rush into a do-or-die battle at any moment. This sight caused the Wind Thunder Blade Queen to quickly advise him in secret, outlining various pros and cons.
After a long moment, Wudao Xuan slowly receded his aura and said, "Shame propels one to courage, Kirin, I will repay you for this!"
He had not yet unlocked the true power of the Selfless Sacred Bone, not in the slightest. Once he achieved that, Wudao Xuan did not believe he would be weaker than anyone else in this world.
Shame?
A shiver ran through the crowd.
Hearing these words, Shi Xiaole said, "I’ve heard such things too often, but the people who say them—I can’t even remember their names. Wudao Xuan, one day you may find that being defeated by me might be the honor of your life."
Swhoosh, swhoosh, swhoosh.
Pairs of eyes turned toward Shi Xiaole, all stunned by the tone in which he spoke.
If Wudao Xuan implied that defeat at Shi Xiaole’s hands was a disgrace, driven by petulance and spite, then Shi Xiaole’s words were completely about stepping on his opponent and demanding gratitude in return.
This was more than just arrogance.
But there were also some who discerned a different meaning.
One’s character can be gleaned from his speech and behavior. This Shi Xiaole, seemingly modest and reserved, was actually sharp and aggressive. It’s likely that very few even caught his eye; he simply disdained to display his arrogance outright.
But objectively speaking, given his talent, he was well entitled to any pride.
"Hmph!"
As some praised him, there naturally arose those filled with indignation, Helian Duba’s face turning a sickly shade of green and white as he muttered something about overestimating one’s own abilities under his breath.
There were also masters from the Evil Blade Sect, the Yan Family, Sky Water Palace, the Dark Sect, and others, each either sneering or indifferent, a palpable and indescribable aura tightly constraining Shi Xiaole in the center of the stage.
