Chapter 328: Ninth Rank of Swordsmanship, Li Hao's Wrath!
Ninth Rank of Artistic Mastery!
As Li Hao broke through to the Ninth Rank of Artistic Mastery, a flood of insights rushed into his mind, overshadowing his joy and immersing him in a profound state of enlightenment.
The passionate painting session, where he used his artistic heart to glimpse the sage and capture the ineffable essence of the sage, had refined his spirit.
Ninth Rank meant that Li Hao's art had transcended the mundane and entered the realm of the Dao.
He could see through the superficial appearances of all things, capturing their essence and spirit, depicting their inner bones and Daoic resonance. Painting was the Dao, and the Dao was painting.
"Finished?"
The Sword Master, sensing Li Hao's pause, felt the probing sensation in his mind dissipate. His gaze turned to Li Hao's canvas.
Li Hao came back to his senses, slowly removing the scroll and handing it to the Sword Master with both hands.
The Sword Master took it, and the ink was still wet, but the essence of the painting was already vivid and lifelike.
As he gazed at the figure in the painting, a resonant sword intent hummed in his mind, the very essence of his own swordsmanship! Li Hao had managed to capture a third of his swordsmanship!
The Sword Master's calm smile quickly turned serious, his eyes fixed on the painting in his hands.
The brushstrokes seemed to carry a Daoic resonance he had never seen before.
The Sword Master looked up at Li Hao, who appeared serene and ethereal yet grounded.
In the brief moment, the young man beside him seemed different.
The Sword Master gave Li Hao a long, deep look, waited for the ink to dry, then carefully rolled up the painting and said, "I will keep this painting. Thank you, I like it very much."
"Good to hear."
Li Hao smiled.
At this moment, he saw the changes in his Artistic Mastery panel. It had advanced from the Ninth Rank to the Tenth Rank, and the experience required had increased from one million to five million!
However, just painting the Sword Master once had earned him 370,000 experience points, which was astonishing.
But even so, to fill up the experience bar, he would need to paint two or three more sages.
The Tenth Rank meant reaching the sage level!
A masterpiece could stand the test of time, enduring for millennia and becoming a timeless classic.
However, Li Hao knew that to break through to the Tenth Rank, he needed not only to accumulate experience but also to achieve a profound state of mind.
As the sun set, the evening glow enveloped the Sacred Mountain in a twilight haze.
Geese flew south, and the bamboo shadows swayed in front of the Sword Cliff, with the waterfall's torrent creating a rare and breathtaking scene.
Li Hao casually painted this twilight scene of the Sacred Mountain, unexpectedly earning over 5,000 experience points.
After bidding farewell to the Sword Master, Li Hao descended the mountain and returned to the Alchemy Hall.
The competition on the Sacred Mountain had concluded, and when Li Hao returned to the Alchemy Hall, Lin Shanhai asked, "Why didn't you go to watch the matches today? It was a real shame; you missed some intense battles!"
"Oh?"
Li Hao found a teapot. He was thirsty after a day of fishing and took a few sips to moisten his throat. "Did they determine the four finalists?"
"Yes, tomorrow they will compete for the two remaining spots to advance to the top ten, and then the top ten battles will begin!"
Lin Shanhai explained.
The entire Sword Deity Competition would last a month, as it was a grand event that occurred only once every hundred years, with the tournament spanning several days.
Li Hao nodded and glanced at Lin Qingying, who was sitting quietly in the courtyard.
Seeming to sense his gaze, Lin Qingying opened her eyes and looked at Li Hao.
She had known that Li Hao had gone to fish with the Sword Master again today.
They exchanged a glance, but neither spoke, sharing a silent understanding.
Lin Qingying's gaze was calm.
She knew what Li Hao wanted to ask—whether she was confident in her abilities. Her response was to take it as it comes and do her best.
Lin Shanhai noticed the exchange of glances and sensed a hint of danger, feeling that his granddaughter might eventually be lured away by Li Hao.
He tugged at Li Hao's sleeve, diverting his attention to discuss the day's matches.
Li Hao listened to his vivid recounting, which included some exaggerations, but he could vividly imagine the battle scenes, including the clashes between the sages and their disciples.
After all, he had watched the first round of matches, so he had a good idea of the sword techniques and methods these people possessed, allowing him to predict how their battles would unfold.
After their chat, Li Hao went to the kitchen to prepare some small pastries. He gave one to Lin Shanhai and invited Lin Qingying to try them.
Lin Qingying, hearing Li Hao's invitation, slowly stood up, her beautiful green robe flowing as she walked to the alchemy room and began to taste the pastries.
Lin Shanhai, who had been enjoying the pastries, noticed his granddaughter accepting Li Hao's invitation. Seeing the two of them quietly dining together, he suddenly found the pastries less appetizing.
Although Li Hao and Lin Qingying didn't speak, Lin Shanhai could sense something between them that seemed to bypass him.
He chuckled bitterly, feeling the frustration of a father whose daughter is growing up.
After finishing the pastries, Lin Qingying stood up, thanked Li Hao, and returned to the courtyard to continue her sword practice.
Li Hao also bid farewell to Lin Shanhai, patted the dust off his clothes, and returned to his own courtyard.
Upon returning to his courtyard, Li Hao casually set up a barrier. With the help of his compendium, it would be difficult for anyone to detect his activities unless they deliberately searched.
After completing this, Li Hao checked his panel and saw a new state of mind listed:
Artistic Heart (Unused).
Previously, he had used his Cooking Heart on the Physical Dao and the Riding Dao, which had caused his swordsmanship to stagnate. Although his realm had advanced, his sword attacks were lacking.
Now, with the Physical Dao at the Ninth Rank, combining it with swordsmanship would maximize his combat power in the short term.
After all, he had the strength; he just needed the attack methods!
Without hesitation, Li Hao selected swordsmanship and embedded it.
Instantly, a wave of insights flooded his mind, using his Artistic Mastery to comprehend swordsmanship!
His mind seemed to be filled with countless sword intents and sword auras. The small courtyard vanished, and he was transported to a world of swords.
Endless sword auras, various types of swords, all appeared before him, all within his mind.
These swords included long swords, short swords, thin swords, heavy swords, and more.
Each type of sword had its most suitable offensive techniques and sword arts.
All of these now surfaced in Li Hao's mind, like a series of phenomena. When all the swords merged, Li Hao felt a profound enlightenment.
A sword is a sword, and only a sword.
Whether it's a long sword, a short sword, or a heavy sword, they are all swords.
Flowers and grass can also be swords.
When you have no sword in hand but a sword in heart, that is the Way of the Sword.
At this moment, Li Hao's Sword Way had advanced to the Ninth Rank, achieving perfect clarity!
The solitary sword intent he had previously condensed now merged with the insights from the Ninth Rank Sword Way, transforming into the Solitary Sword Way!
What is Solitary?
When one's Sword Way is unleashed, all other paths bow to it!
This is the Solitary Sword Way, the epitome of supreme dominance!
Li Hao opened his eyes again, but he did not feel the sharpness that usually accompanies such a powerful Sword Way. Instead, he felt as if he were sitting at the center of a river of time, calm and profound.
If one looked closely, they would see that his seated position had become the center of the small courtyard, and even the center of the entire region for dozens of miles. His posture and spine were like a sword planted in the ground, its sharpness hidden, but any glimpse of its edge would be enough to cut through anything.
At this moment, Li Hao had already reached the level of a Sword Saint in terms of his Sword Way.
If he reached the Tenth Rank, he could transcend and become a true Sword Saint!
That would be the ultimate Sword Saint, the supreme master of the Sword Way!
However, although Li Hao's sword skills were now on par with a Sword Saint, his combat power still fell far short. Just as his Sixth Rank Sword Way was enough to slay a Dao Realm cultivator, the Sixth Rank was considered the lowest among the inner disciples of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land.
"Sword Way, Sword Intent follows the heart, Sword Way follows the will…"
Li Hao murmured to himself.
He looked at his small courtyard. Now, when he looked at this simple place, his perception of it was entirely different.
The weeds, stone slabs, and old jars in the courtyard all seemed to possess a certain resilience, a resilience that was also a part of the Sword Way.
He could see the shadow of the sword in everything.
After a period of absorption, the night had grown deep, and the stars shone brightly in the sky.
Li Hao reined in his thoughts. He did not try to swing his sword to test the power of his Sword Way. At this level, he had an extremely clear understanding of his own strength and did not need to experiment to know it.
With a casual gesture, he summoned a piece of wood from the courtyard, and a carving knife landed in his hand. In his eyes, the carving knife transformed into a sword blade, and his carving became even more fluid.
His carving skill had now accumulated to the Fifth Rank.
Li Hao checked his current attribute panel.
- Physical Dao: 9th Rank
- Mastery Dao: 7th Rank
- Sword Dao: 9th Rank
- Body Technique: 6th Rank
- Fist Dao: 6th Rank
- Art Skills:
- Chess Dao: 7th Rank
- Music: 4th Rank
- Poetry and Calligraphy: 4th Rank
- Carving: 5th Rank
- Cooking Dao: 9th Rank
- Painting Dao: 9th Rank
- Fishing: 6th Rank
- Remaining Art Points: 7
His Body Technique and Fist Dao were both stuck due to the lack of a Spirit Realm mindset.
These two were quite important. Currently, Li Hao relied on the Ultimate Realm of the Abyss to compensate, but if his Body Technique itself reached the Ninth Rank, combined with the Abyss, he could hardly imagine the level he would achieve. The utilization of the Ultimate Realm of the Abyss would surpass expectations.
Fist Dao, besides enhancing his fist techniques, also increased the strength of his arms, which in turn boosted the power of his Sword Way, making it indispensable.
"Mindset, mindset. If my Fishing and Carving both reach the Seventh Rank, my combat power will rise to another level."
Li Hao felt a sense of regret. Time was still too short, even though he had been working very hard every day to cultivate, fish, and carve, but the progress was still too slow.
Shaking his head, Li Hao put away the panel and continued his carving.
This time, Li Hao aimed to carve a representation of the Sword Master. He slowly etched the essence he had memorized into the wood, and soon, a subtle aura began to emerge.
When the carving was complete, Li Hao saw that he had gained over five thousand experience points.
Just by carving the image from memory, he had gained such a vast amount of experience.
If he were to carve in person, it would likely be in the hundreds of thousands.
Li Hao did not stop and immediately started on the second piece.
Although the experience was generous, Li Hao could clearly feel that carving a Saint was more challenging than carving others. If not for his Sword Way, he might have injured himself several times while carving.
With the second piece completed, Li Hao's Carving Dao experience reached the bottleneck of the Fifth Rank and broke through to the Sixth Rank!
Sixth Rank required fifty thousand experience points to fill.
Li Hao continued carving, and over the next four or five attempts, he averaged about two to three thousand experience points each time.
As the experience started to diminish, Li Hao thought of the semi-Saint elder Yaozu and the Sword Saint.
The image of Yaozu appeared in Li Hao's mind, and he immediately began carving. The carving knife moved like a dragon's pen, and wood chips flew. A beautiful figure, like a celestial being descending to the mortal world, appeared in his palm—it was Yaozu.
While Li Hao was immersed in his carving, the Sword Master, who was sitting quietly on the rooftop of the Sword Tower, gazing at the moon and drinking, suddenly felt a slight disturbance, sensing a probing presence.
The feeling was guided by the Holy Dao, and his melancholic gaze suddenly turned sharp, looking in a certain direction.
His gaze seemed to penetrate thousands of miles, landing on a small courtyard.
When he saw the familiar face, he was momentarily stunned, and the sharpness in his eyes vanished. His gaze then fell on the young man's hands.
Seeing the young man earnestly carving a piece of wood, he was taken aback and then fell silent.
He had thought that the boy's obsession with painting was enough, but now he was playing with carving?
Good grief, even when alone, he doesn't cultivate and still has the time for these things. How did he manage to cultivate the 97 layers of the Dao Domain?
He observed for a moment and saw that Li Hao's carving possessed a certain essence, clearly not a passing interest. Without dedicated practice, it would be impossible to achieve such a level.
Shaking his head, the Sword Master reluctantly turned his gaze away.
He had seen many people, but this boy was the first of his kind.
The calm and profound aura around him was not an act but a natural part of him.
"Wonder which old soul has reincarnated, appearing in the Sword Ancestor Holy Land. Could it be one of those old friends? It's been a long time, and one of them might have been reborn?"
The Sword Master muttered.
He hadn't seen his old friends in a long time, and usually, they communicated through spirit. When they did meet, there was little to say, as they had already talked about everything in their younger days.
He planned to find time to visit those old friends, just in case one of them had quietly reincarnated without him knowing.
On the Holy Mountain, in another green peak pavilion.
Inside the pavilion, the Sword Saint, dressed in snow-golden robes, sat under a large locust tree in the courtyard, watching a woman practicing her sword under the moonlight.
The opponent was unleashing his Frost Sword Intent, his attacks sharp and relentless, transforming a three-yard radius into a frosty domain.
"Your Frost Sword Path is stuck in a bottleneck."
The Sword Saint immediately identified the problem, having noticed the flaw in the opponent's sword intent during the daytime match.
Hearing her master's words, Bian Ruxue sheathed her sword and bowed her head. "Please, Master, guide me."
The Sword Saint smiled. "Don't be discouraged. For someone your age to grasp this level of sword intent, it's a testament to both my teachings and your own natural talent. You have a solid foundation from your early years."
Bian Ruxue had won her match earlier, but it was a hard-fought victory that left her feeling defeated.
Hearing the Sword Saint's words, especially the mention of her "early years," her thoughts drifted back to that courtyard.
The child who had casually corrected her flaws while playing chess on the courtyard's chessboard was a prodigy in swordsmanship.
The Swordless Master had also praised her solid foundation.
But what she didn't know was that she had met a sword prodigy.
Unfortunately, that prodigy had later strayed from the path.
Bian Ruxue snapped back to the present as her master continued.
"Frost Sword Intent is not about sharpness, but about cohesion!"
The Sword Saint explained, "In your earlier match against Lin Qingying, her sword intent was of the utmost softness, which lies in dispersion. Your Frost Sword Intent, however, lies in cohesion!"
"Pushed to the extreme, cohesion is far more powerful than dispersion."
"The two sword intents have different focuses, much like how some sword techniques are defensive while others are offensive. The soft sword intent is weak in attack but impenetrable in defense. Your defeat by her earlier was due to this, as your sword intent lagged behind hers."
Bian Ruxue nodded slightly, understanding her master's point. If both sword intents were fully developed, hers would be more powerful and could overwhelm her opponent.
"Cohesion..."
Bian Ruxue murmured to herself, a spark of insight flashing in her mind.
The Sword Saint was about to say more when he suddenly sensed something and let out a light "hmm."
Someone dared to spy on him?
His eyes shot a sharp glance, and he turned to look, his gaze piercing through thousands of miles to a small courtyard.
When he saw the young man inside, carving his upper body with a sculpting knife, he was momentarily taken aback.
"Master?"
Bian Ruxue, noticing the Sword Saint's unusual reaction, was puzzled.
The Sword Saint narrowed his eyes for a moment before retracting his gaze.
He realized the young man lived behind Lin Shanhai's alchemy academy, indicating a close relationship. Carving him was not an offense, and it was more likely out of admiration.
This was not an uncommon occurrence for him, but the young man's ability to capture his essence while carving was somewhat surprising.
Only someone who revered him deeply would observe him so closely, but the Sword Saint could tell this was not reverence. Instead, the young man had exceptional talent in sculpting, which allowed him to capture his essence.
If it were reverence, he would have felt the faith and reverence from the young man.
Saints could see through their followers at a glance, and Li Hao was not one of his followers.
"It's nothing, just a young man with excellent sculpting skills."
The Sword Saint's expression remained calm, neither concerned nor angry.
"Sculpting?"
Bian Ruxue was puzzled but didn't think much of it. The thought of the child who loved playing chess came to her mind.
He must have become a chess master by now... Bian Ruxue's lips curved into a bitter smile.
...
Li Hao was unaware that his sculpting had been detected. He continued to focus on his work.
As his experience neared the peak of the sixth rank, time passed quickly, and the next day arrived.
Lin Qingying and Lin Shanhai went to watch the matches as usual, but Li Hao had no interest and stayed in the courtyard, continuing his sculpting.
When he felt tired, he would go fishing with the Sword Master.
On the Holy Mountain, the battles were intense, and two fighters emerged from the loser's bracket to reach the top ten: Qiu Wuheng and Bian Ruxue.
After a three-day break, the top ten matches began.
This time, Lin Qingying would also participate, and Li Hao accompanied Lin Shanhai to watch the matches.
During the break, Li Hao had successfully advanced his sculpting skills to the peak of the sixth rank, just short of the spirit realm.
His courtyard was now filled with various sculptures, including many of his acquaintances and half-saints like Yao Zu, as well as the Sword Saint and the Sword Master.
On the floating seats, Li Hao and Lin Shanhai sat among the alchemists, quietly watching the matches.
The atmosphere of the top ten matches was clearly more intense, with the previous battles in the loser's bracket stirring the blood of the holy land disciples and heightening their anticipation.
Lin Qingying's opponent was Bian Ruxue again, a result that surprised many and elicited sympathy for Bian Ruxue.
After struggling to rise from the loser's bracket, she now faced the one who had defeated her before. Many felt despair on her behalf.
Bian Ruxue was also surprised by the draw, her expression changing slightly.
This seemed like a fated confrontation, leaving her with a sense of unease.
Though her master had guided her, her Frost Sword Intent had not yet reached perfection. She was still on the path to enlightenment, but she had made some progress.
Lin Qingying was also surprised but showed no change in expression.
Others envied Lin Qingying, as this match was almost a guaranteed win for her.
The Sword Saint sighed lightly at the result. He could have manipulated the rules to favor Bian Ruxue, but he saw no need.
The more a Saint believed in fate, the more he trusted in its inevitability.
For they could glimpse it, albeit faintly.
Fate cannot be reversed!
In the Fourth Establishment Realm, while the Reverse Fate Realm is named for reversing fate, it is ultimately thwarted by the Concealment of Heaven in the Enlightenment Realm.
Reversing fate is merely a single opportunity granted by the heavens to those who have toiled to reach this point.
It is a chance to petition the heavens for a new fate.
Not a reversal, but a swap.
True fate cannot be reversed!
As the battles began, the Radiant Moon Saint Son triumphed with overwhelming force, using his Sun and Moon Divine Eyes to track the traces of the Abyss and his own Abyssal Teleportation and Dao Domain, making him almost invincible in his realm and showing no weaknesses.
The battle between Lin Qingying and Bian Ruxue also commenced. This time, Bian Ruxue unleashed a stronger sword aura, more powerful than before, but it was still easily defeated by Lin Qingying's Utmost Softness Sword Intent.
After two defeats, Bian Ruxue felt bitter, but her Dao heart was not significantly affected. She was still young, and her early years were spent in the mortal world. Although she had received excellent resources and training in the Divine General Manor and guidance from her master, Swordless Master, her starting point was still lower compared to these prodigies.
The other Holy Sons and Daughters were mostly born in the Holy Lands, and some were even reincarnated avatars of sages. It was no surprise that they surpassed others.
Bian Ruxue sheathed her sword and returned to the Holy Platform. She still had to compete against other prodigies from the Canglan Realm. During this period, she could focus on refining her sword intent to achieve perfection.
"Qingying has made it into the top five. She's truly amazing!"
"But tomorrow's competition will be tough. The others have also perfected their sword intent, so the outcome will depend on other factors."
Zhao Yingzhen and the others were delighted for Lin Shanhai. Making it into the top five was already a great honor, and if she could make it into the top three, it would be nothing short of extraordinary.
Lin Shanhai's face was filled with joy, but there was also a hint of worry in his eyes.
The next day.
The top five competition.
This time, the rules were not based on one-on-one matches but on mutual selection! The one not chosen would automatically advance to the top three.
This method seemed casual, but it also tested one's judgment. After so many intense battles, anyone who still underestimated their opponents and chose incorrectly would have no regrets.
The top five competitors were the Moonlight Holy Son, Lin Qingying, Qiu Wuheng, the Spirit Illusion Holy Son, and the Red River Holy Daughter.
On the Holy Platform, Lin Qingying and Qiu Wuheng exchanged glances. Due to their connection through Li Hao, they had some interaction at the Sword Tower and could see each other's intentions, so they did not choose each other.
Their gazes fell on the others, but they both avoided the Moonlight Holy Son.
The Moonlight Holy Son wore a calm expression, seemingly expecting this outcome, and a smile played on his lips.
Soon, the results of the mutual selection were announced.
Qiu Wuheng chose the Spirit Illusion Holy Son, and Lin Qingying chose the Red River Holy Daughter.
The Moonlight Holy Son chose Lin Qingying.
However, because the Spirit Illusion Holy Son and Qiu Wuheng chose each other, and the Red River Holy Daughter and Lin Qingying also chose each other, the Moonlight Holy Son was left out.
No one chose him, so his selection was invalid, and he automatically advanced.
The spectators were surprised by this outcome, but it was also expected.
From the beginning of the competition, the Moonlight Holy Son's reputation had been extremely prominent. Although some dark horses emerged among the other Holy Sons and Daughters, they were not yet a match for the Moonlight Holy Son.
As the battles began, Qiu Wuheng and the Spirit Illusion Holy Son clashed. Both were at the Fifth Level, and their final confrontation was a clash of their Heaven-Earth Law Bodies. Their sword intents surged like waves, colliding fiercely on the battlefield.
If not for the battlefield array set up by a Half-Sage, this power would have affected areas hundreds of miles away.
The Spirit Illusion Holy Son's sword intent was illusion, making his sword seem both real and illusory, difficult to guard against. In the intense battle, Qiu Wuheng's Thousand Threads Sword ultimately fell short.
The second match between Lin Qingying and the Red River Holy Daughter was equally intense. It also ended in a clash of their Heaven-Earth Law Bodies. The Red River Holy Daughter's sword intent was also complete, and her Crimson Flame Sword Intent turned the entire battlefield into a fiery inferno.
Despite the fierce sword Intent, Lin Qingying did not fall behind. They fought with all their might, and in the end, Lin Qingying narrowly won.
Next, the losers, Qiu Wuheng and the Red River Holy Daughter, battled to determine the fourth and fifth places.
Lin Qingying, the Moonlight Holy Son, and the Spirit Illusion Holy Son, would decide the top three rankings the following day.
Night.
The moon hung high in the sky.
Li Hao looked at the woman sitting alone in the courtyard. Today, she hadn't been refining her sword intent but was staring at the moon, lost in thought.
Li Hao brought some pastries and sat beside her, smiling, "Don't be too stressed. Have some snacks."
Lin Qingying's gaze shifted from the moon to Li Hao, looking at his smiling face. She didn't understand why he always seemed so relaxed and happy.
But this feeling made her secretly envious.
"Tomorrow, I will lose to the Moonlight Holy Son, but I still want to give it my all!"
Lin Qingying suddenly said.
Li Hao was taken aback, looking at her.
Clearly, she had already seen the gap between herself and the Moonlight Holy Son, which could not be bridged by merely perfecting her sword intent.
After all, his sword intent had also reached perfection.
"I will either burst at my limit or perish at my limit. I don't want to let my sword down. I won't give up until I've given it my all."
Lin Qingying said.
Her words seemed to be for Li Hao, but also for herself.
Li Hao nodded, "It's just a match. Give it your all."
Lin Qingying looked at him, nodded slightly, and then her gaze fell on the pastries he held. She picked one up and ate it, her tone suddenly becoming more relaxed, "It's delicious. Where did you learn to cook like this?"
"I figured it out myself."
Li Hao smiled and started eating as well.
Under the moonlight, their shadows were cast side by side.
Lin Qingying asked, "I haven't seen you practicing your sword these days. Have you given up?"
She knew cultivation was arduous, but Li Hao had a talent for sword Dao, and she felt it was a pity to give up.
"I'm secretly practicing," Li Hao laughed.
Lin Qingying was speechless and didn't say more. She gently stroked the sword in her hand, "Since my parents passed away, this sword has been my companion."
Li Hao also looked at the sword in her hand and softly said, "Then it must be a very devoted companion."
Hearing this, Lin Qingying smiled and turned to look at Li Hao. The young man's face, half-lit by the moonlight, had deep contours.
She looked at him and then withdrew her gaze.
There was a second part to her words, but she didn't say it.
That was "before" and "now."
Now, she had more than just a sword for company.
After finishing the pastries, under the tranquil moonlight, Li Hao and Lin Qingying bid each other farewell and went to rest.
The next day.
The final of the Sword God Battle arrived. This match would decide the title of Sword God!
Even before reaching the Holy Mountain, one could feel the intense atmosphere.
Li Hao followed Lin Shanhai, and among the disciples below, excited discussions filled the air. Everyone speculated whether anyone could challenge the Moonlight Holy Son's position and who would take the second and third places.
Although the previous battles were intense, no one knew if anyone was still holding back their ultimate moves.
Today's confrontation was still based on mutual selection.
But to everyone's surprise, both Linghuan Sage Son and Haoyue Sage Son chose Lin Qingying.
According to the rules, this meant that Lin Qingying would sit out the first round. Haoyue Sage Son and Linghuan Sage Son would face off first, with the winner challenging Lin Qingying, and the loser fighting for second and third place.
As the battle between Linghuan Sage Son and Haoyue Sage Son began, everyone anticipated a fierce clash. However, the fight ended quickly. Linghuan Sage Son's sword intent was perfectly countered by Haoyue Sage Son's Sun and Moon Divine Eyes, which could see through the most illusory sword intent. The victory was swift and decisive.
This outcome sealed Linghuan's fate to compete for second or third place, with no chance of first.
The expected dark horse did not appear. Haoyue Sage Son's strength was overwhelmingly powerful, seemingly stifling any miracles.
Next came the battle between Lin Qingying and Haoyue Sage Son.
"Do you know why I chose you twice?" Haoyue Sage Son looked at Lin Qingying, a smile playing on his lips, but his eyes grew cold.
Lin Qingying frowned slightly, sensing the change in him. He had pursued her multiple times, but she always refused. Despite his persistence, something seemed different now.
"Join with me, let me sever your emotions, and we can form an emotionless sword heart. It's a win-win situation. Once I become a Sage, I will also seek a Sage path for you. But you are too foolish."
Haoyue Sage Son said this in a private transmission, so no one else could hear.
"If you truly have the ability to become a Sage, why do you need me? You can ascend on your own."
Lin Qingying frowned.
Haoyue Sage Son sneered, "Don't speak such grand words. Cultivation is about seizing and plundering. Whether it's taking elixirs or eating, isn't it all about using external means to strengthen oneself? How is this borrowing?"
Lin Qingying fell silent, not responding.
"It's no matter. Even if you refuse, I have my ways."
Haoyue Sage Son smiled coldly.
Seeing his smile, Lin Qingying felt a chill, sensing an ominous foreboding.
But she didn't choose to concede immediately. She took a deep breath. Since she had stepped onto this stage and embarked on this solitary sword path, she was destined to face challenges. Even if she lost, she would still gain something. Conceding would mean true defeat.
As the formation array condensed, the battle erupted.
Boom!
Haoyue Sage Son suddenly moved, his body bursting with divine light. He stepped into the void, appearing before Lin Qingying. Forty-nine layers of Dao domains condensed, crushing her Dao domain.
Then, his sword intent erupted, the Sun and Moon Divine Eyes focused, and he slashed directly at Lin Qingying.
Lin Qingying's pupils constricted. He had unleashed his full power from the start, a stance she had never seen before.
Her Dao domain rapidly unfolded, her body transforming into the most yielding sword intent. At the same time, her Dao embryo rotated, merging with the yielding sword intent, quickly reaching peak state.
But Haoyue's burst attack was too strong. The Sun and Moon Divine Sword slashed down, carrying the ultimate Yin and Yang destructive power. This was Haoyue Sage Son's true sword intent!
Boom!
Lin Qingying's yielding sword intent shattered instantly under the Sun and Moon Sword Intent's overwhelming pressure, scattering and becoming formless. She was directly suppressed.
A single slash sent Lin Qingying to the formation array, spewing blood.
"I wanted to join, to sever your emotions. Since you refuse, I will use more intense means to cripple you completely. The deeper the injuries, the more thorough the severance!"
Haoyue Sage Son said coldly, his eyes piercing through private transmission.
Lin Qingying's pupils constricted, trying to escape, but her Dao domain was covered. His Dao domain far surpassed hers.
"You!"
Lin Qingying was shocked and angry, never expecting his thoughts to be so malicious, using her to forge his sword path.
"I concede..."
Her words were cut off as she suddenly found herself isolated by his Dao domain.
Haoyue Sage Son's eyes turned cold. "You have no chance. When I chose you, I already planned this. In front of everyone, I will cripple my beloved one. This wound is too deep, too painful for me. I need this!"
Hearing his words, Lin Qingying felt a chill run down her spine and a wave of disgust.
Haoyue Sage Son took a large step toward her, his eyes reflecting a hint of satisfaction as he saw her hatred.
"Yes, that's the look of pain and hatred. The deeper you are injured, the more my heart aches, the more thorough my severance!"
He suddenly moved, a sword stabbing toward Lin Qingying's abdomen, aiming to cripple her Dao embryo.
Lin Qingying was terrified, hastily blocking, but a vast power emitted from Haoyue Sage Son, suppressing her Dao domain. The Sun and Moon Sword Intent fused into the Dao domain, displaying power far beyond other Sage Sons.
At this moment, Lin Qingying deeply realized the gap between them.
If it were a normal duel, she would have conceded, accepting defeat without regret.
But now, she was completely restricted, unable to even concede.
"Hmm?"
At the same time, those in the audience, like Yaozu, noticed something amiss. They were surprised by Haoyue Sage Son's overwhelming power, completely suppressing Lin Qingying.
Unless Lin Qingying had other means, she would surely lose.
But Lin Qingying did not concede, still resisting.
She seemed to be thoroughly suppressed.
"What's going on? Is Haoyue...?"
An elder's eyes narrowed, noticing Haoyue Sage Son's sword aiming for Lin Qingying's Dao embryo, sensing something unusual.
The Sword Saint also noticed, his brows furrowing slightly, but his eyes flickered, and he remained silent.
In the floating seats, Li Hao also sensed something was wrong. Haoyue Sage Son's current power was close to his full burst. Lin Qingying had no chance of winning.
He was relatively familiar with her abilities. She had known she would lose, saying she would fight to the best of her ability, just to see the gap. But in this situation, she clearly saw it and should have conceded, unable to continue fighting to the death.
Whoosh!
Li Hao's figure flashed, appearing at the formation array, in front of Lin Qingying.
Lin Qingying noticed the figure suddenly flying in from outside the formation array, her eyes revealing sorrow.
She knew she couldn't resist.
Boom!
Haoyue Sage Son's sword stabbed out, piercing Lin Qingying's abdomen, destroying her Dao embryo.
"Stop!!"
Li Hao saw Lin Qingying's eyes and instantly understood. His pupils constricted, unable to believe that a duel between disciples could be so malicious!