Book 6, Chapter 73: Challenge
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
After Su Chen gave the command, countless Boundless Sect cultivators flew into the air, ready to take out their anger upon Black Flame’s soldiers.
Zhong Zhenjun didn’t expect Su Chen to immediately attack them, and his shock was palpable. “Sect Master Su, let’s be civilized here! If there’s something you want to say, then we should talk about it first. Isn’t there some kind of misunderstanding here?”
Su Chen completely ignored him.
Excuses were the weak’s defense, but they were pointless for the strong.
And right now, Su Chen was undeniably the “strong” in this relationship. Naturally, he was unwilling to waste any of his time verbally sparring with Zhong Zhenjun.
It was quicker to just fight.
The Boundless Sect’s disciples filled the sky.
They were no longer the same Boundless Sect that had entered the Abyss six years ago.
Back then, the Boundless Sect merely had twelve thousand Light Shaking Realm cultivators.
And now, after six years, the Boundless Sect’s Light Shaking Realm cultivators had swelled to twenty thousand strong, and they also had nearly a thousand Spirit Burning Realm cultivators on top of that.
How could Zhong Zhenjun not be jealous?
The Boundless Sect had gathered an incredible amount of talent!
Even though Zhong Zhenjun’s soldiers were quite skilled, compared to the Boundless Sect’s might, their strength was like a single hair pitted against nine oxen.
For this reason, when the Boundless Sect revealed its fangs, when the sight of powerful Origin Qi Scholars filled the sky, and when the terrifying sea of Origin Skills was in front of their faces, it was enough to send anyone into the depths of despair.
Even though Zhong Zhenjun was an Ultimate Emperor Realm cultivator, there was nothing he could do against so many high leveled cultivators.
For every Origin Skill that he unleashed, a hundred more Origin Skills came hurtling in his direction.
Despite Zhong Zhenjun’s strength reaching the apex of the human race, he was nonetheless drowned in this sea of Origin Energy. Like a stone cast into the ocean, all his efforts couldn’t even make a ripple.
Zhong Zhenjun knew that he was in deep trouble and let out a ferocious roar.
“HA!”
His moniker, ‘A Howl Shakes An Army,’ was not just for show. As the shockwaves of sound rolled through the Boundless Sect’s disciples, their hearts trembled momentarily.
Unfortunately, this roar was not indomitable. At the same time that the roar came, the Boundless Sect’s disciples also struck, stirring up a chaotic wind that disrupted the sound waves and prevented them from fully forming. The moment of shock rapidly passed as the roar was completely nullified.
However, Zhong Zhenjun seized advantage of this opportunity to fly backwards and yell, “Su Chen, don’t push me too far!”
Su Chen faintly replied, “From this day onwards, Black Flame will no longer exist on the Primordial Continent.”
His simple words were spoken with an overbearing, dominant tone.
Zhong Zhenjun was infuriated. He had also realized that there was no longer any point to exchanging words.
Su Chen had come to stir up trouble, not to negotiate.
He could only indignantly yell, “Su Chen, if you have the guts, then accept my challenge and duel me! If you beat me one on one, Black Flame will belong to you. If you lose, then take your men and leave. You can take the former disciples of yours that are on Thousand Illusions Island as reparation even if you lose.”
At this point, Zhong Zhenjun had been suppressed to the maximum degree. Even he had to admit that Black Flame would never be able to match up against the Boundless Sect. The only option left to him was to strike at his opponent’s vitals as hard as he could.
And the Boundless Sect’s most vital part was Su Chen. He should only be at the Spirit Burning Realm, so he would be relatively weak. Even with his Seven Bloodline Aspects, he would be no match for Zhong Zhenjun.
Zhong Zhenjun had challenged Su Chen in front of everyone to make it harder for Su Chen to refuse.
In this time period, where martial strength reigned supreme, it was normal for two generals to exchange blows to decide the outcome of a battle while their respective armies watched on.
If one of the generals was unwilling to accept the challenge, then their soldiers’ morale would significantly weaken.
Zhong Zhenjun wasn’t really hoping to lower the morale of the Boundless Sect’s soldiers. However, this would at least halt Su Chen’s momentum and aid him in the upcoming negotiations.
Unexpectedly, Su Chen raised his eyebrow in bored amusement. “Challenge? Fine by me!”
He placed his finger in his mouth and whistled loudly. The Boundless Sect’s disciples immediately stopped their barrage of attacks.
Su Chen flew forth by himself.
Zhong Zhenjun didn’t expect that Su Chen would actually accept his challenge and was caught dumbfounded for a moment. “Sect Master Su, thank you for finally showing yourself. Listen to me……”
His goal had never been to fight because he could not kill Su Chen even if they did fight. As such, all Zhong Zhenjun wanted was an opportunity to reestablish relations.
Unexpectedly, Su Chen raised his hand to interrupt Zhong Zhenjun’s reconciliation speech as he impatiently said, “Didn’t you want to challenge me? I’m right here. Let’s not waste any more of my time.”
“What? You……” Zhong Zhenjun couldn’t understand what was happening. A Spirit Burning Realm cultivator had accepted his challenge? Had Su Chen gone crazy?
Su Chen, however, had already sprang into motion, jabbing his finger at Zhong Zhenjun.
As soon as this finger jab appeared, Zhong Zhenjun immediately realized that something was off.
The finger strike’s aura was extremely vast and broad, as if it had been imbued with some kind of heavenly law.
The Thought Manifestation Realm was known as such because any cultivator that reached that realm would be able to perceive the will of the Heavens. Their intentions and will, then, would all gain a sense of naturalness and oneness with the world.
For this reason, every attack launched by a Thought Manifestation Realm cultivator, even simple punches and kicks, would be filled with power.
Su Chen had truly reached the Thought Manifestation Realm.
This finger strike of his was not one of the many techniques that he was known for, but even so, its might was definitely extraordinary. If Zhong Zhenjun still couldn’t tell what was going on by this point, then he would truly be an idiot.
He hurriedly raised his hand to defend himself as his expression shifted. “You’ve reached the Thought Manifestation Realm?”
“Stop wasting your breath!”
Su Chen’s finger jab chained into a palm strike, which thundered forth. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed as the domineering palm advanced through the sky. In an instant, a raging storm covered the battlefield.
Casual attacks simply couldn’t compare to the meticulous use of Origin Energy. As such, Su Chen immediately opened with a combination attack of his wind, thunder, and fire Arcana Techniques.
The combination of Arcana Techniques and Origin Skills was astoundingly effective. Not only did this combination skill possess the majestic, boundless might of an Arcana Technique, but it was also extremely easy to cast — a characteristic hallmark of an Origin Skill.
Su Chen continued to unleash overwhelming attacks one after another, filling the sky with Origin Energy. Each bolt of lightning was as sharp as a peerless spear, each streak of fire as overbearing as a primordial phoenix, and each gust of wind as violent as a maelstrom.
Zhong Zhenjun had to scramble to deal with Su Chen’s powerful onslaught of attacks.
As he frantically defended himself, Zhong Zhenjun’s anger finally reached its boiling point.
“Did you really think that you would be invincible once you reached the Thought Manifestation Realm? Don’t forget that I’m still an Ultimate Emperor Realm cultivator!” As he roared out, Zhong Zhenjun unleashed a dragon-like punch. This punch surged forth from his fist, howling fiercely as it blew away all of Su Chen’s attacks. All of the other Boundless Sect disciples were stunned by this display of power, and they couldn’t help but suddenly start worrying for Su Chen.
Su Chen, however, smiled slightly. “You said it correctly. My Thought Manifestation Realm…… is indeed invincible!”
He drew his sword!
The Lightless Blade!
He slashed at the oncoming dragon fist.
A faint, almost imperceptible ripple of light flickered through the sky.
The bystanders watched on as the violent, domineering, earth-shattering dragon fist was split in two by this sword strike that barely made a sound.
The dragon fist had been destroyed!
Zhong Zhenjun’s dragon fist had been easily sliced in half by Su Chen’s simple sword strike.
After the dragon fist was cut apart, its momentum became greatly reduced. After a loud explosion, it completely disintegrated.
Zhong Zhenjun was stunned. “This…… How is this possible?”
Su Chen gestured with his Lightless Blade. “Keep going.”
Su Chen had managed to slaughter even a Sovereign without the use of Dimensional Slash.
Zhong Zhenjun was obviously weaker than that Sovereign, but Su Chen was now able to use his Lightless Blade against Zhong Zhenjun. Under these circumstances, Su Chen was too lazy to even use the Seven Bloodline Microcosm against Zhong Zhenjun.
No matter what Zhong Zhenjun threw at him, Su Chen would respond with a simple sword strike.
Dimensional Slash ripped through the fabric of space and reality. It would cut through any object, Origin Skills, and bodies in its way.
Zhong Zhenjun discovered, to his great surprise, that all of the Origin Skills that he had learned and cultivated over the many centuries of his life were all useless in the face of Su Chen’s sword.
No matter how he tried to change up his attacks, Su Chen was always able to nullify them with a single sword strike.
“Spatial power? That’s spatial power?” Zhong Zhenjun yelled in astonishment.
“So you noticed,” Su Chen replied with a faint smile.
“How is that possible? How could you know a skill like that?”
Su Chen sneered. “Did you forget where I just came back from? If I was able to return alive from the void without gaining some mastery in spatial power, then that would be the true miracle.”
Zhong Zhenjun was stunned.
He suddenly felt that his opponent’s words were extremely logical, and that there was nothing he could say in rebuttal.
Su Chen raised his sword once again, pointing its humming edge at Zhong Zhenjun. “Alright, you’ve had enough fun. It’s time for this pointless battle to come to an end.”
“This is not fair! Su Chen, you’re using a Divine Tool……” Zhong Zhenjun yelled out in a panic, still trying to find the words to resolve the situation.
Su Chen, however, didn’t give him an opportunity to continue. His next Dimensional Slash seemed to tear open the sky itself as it ignored Zhong Zhenjun’s magical barrier and easily cut him in twain.
Zhong Zhenjun’s bisected body floated backwards as they merged back together on their own. He was still yelling. “If there’s something you want to say, then we can talk it over in a civilized manner!”
Su Chen harrumphed, and the sword in his hand flickered yet again as he slashed twice at Zhong Zhenjun in a cross-shaped pattern. Zhong Zhenjun wanted to try to escape again, but he suddenly discovered to his astonishment that the air around him seemed to have congealed.
Sumeru Void.
Sumeru Void combined with Dimensional Slash was probably the closest an attack could come to being “overpowered.”
Zhong Zhenjun was cut into four pieces.
A moment later, however, his body merged together once again. “Please, have mercy!”
“I am,” Su Chen replied calmly.
He slashed out four times.
Then eight.
Then sixteen.
Su Chen unleashed more and more sword strikes with every new round. As time went by, Su Chen’s sword strikes eventually became as densely packed as a fine mesh weave.
Zhong Zhenjun was completely stunned when he saw that fine net of swordwork.
In the past, he had once encountered a legendary Arcana Master who could use a skill similar to Su Chen’s Dimensional Slash. He, however, had only been able to unleash one Dimensional Slash at a time before he had to recover.
Zhong Zhenjunhad never heard of a person like Su Chen who could use multiple Dimensional Slashes in rapid succession.
Su Chen’s Origin Energy output was tens of thousands of times greater than that legendary Arcana Master. His strength was simply jaw-dropping. Of course, the Lightless Blade played a pivotal role in his ability to do this, as did Su Chen’s comprehension of spatial Method Power. If this were anyone else, then they wouldn’t have been able to achieve this feat.
Zhong Zhenjun was doomed. He was diced into thousands of tiny pieces, immediately forcing him to the brink of death.
As an Ultimate Emperor Realm cultivator, his lifeforce was extremely vigorous. Even if he was cut into pieces, his body would be able to reform.
However, even an Ultimate Emperor Realm cultivator couldn’t handle being cut into so many pieces like this.
Every one of Su Chen’s attacks ate away at his lifespan, and the attacks only continued to grow denser and denser. At first, he was sliced into large chunks, then medium, and now small. If this were to continue, he would soon become nothing more than ground meat.
Actually, Zhong Zhenjun wouldn’t even survive to that point.
Su Chen swung his sword yet again, sending out another barrage of densely packed sword strikes.
At this point, the Dimensional Slashes were so closely packed to each other that they had basically formed a web that threatened to envelop Zhong Zhenjun and extinguish his life.
Zhong Zhenjun gazed at the web of dazzling sword light.
He suddenly realized that he had truly reached the end of the line.
No!
There was still a chance.
At this point in time, only this move could still save him.
He gazed past the mesh of light, staring straight into Su Chen’s eyes.
He gritted his teeth.
There was no other choice.
Then……
He plopped onto his knees, prostrating himself.
“Sect Master, please spare my life!!! I am willing to surrender and become the Sect Master’s slave! You can treat me like an ox or a horse and I won’t ever complain!”