Chapter 44 - Broken Sword

Whoosh!

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Huai’s figure continuously leaped a few times and transformed into numerous afterimages. That was the visual error caused from speed attaining a certain level.

Extremely swift!

Li Huai was like a ghost as he moved about cautiously in an erratic manner. Tiny bits of sword lights covered his entire body as they fluctuated unsteadily; they were like numerous sharp arrows that were accumulating force while waiting to be shot.

He appeared to be like the wind as his figure was swift like lightning. He was shockingly using the ultimate technique passed down by the ancestors of the Li Clan, the Windflash Illusory Steps!

Within the cultivation world, although cultivation techniques of various grades could be purchased on the market, there were still some valuable cultivation techniques that were extremely difficult to purchase by spending spirit stones.

Within those great sects and great clans, the various cultivation techniques and ultimate techniques that were passed down from ancient times could only be seen and cultivated by core disciples. Moreover, these great clans and great sects had extremely strict rules. If anyone were to leak out an ultimate technique without authorization, then a light offense would warrant the crippling of the offender's cultivation, whereas a heavy offense would warrant death.

The principle was actually extremely simple: towards any clan or sect, the inheritance of cultivation techniques was its foundation and the leaking of cultivation techniques or other inheritances was undoubtedly self-destruction of its foundation.

At this moment, the move Li Huai executed was precisely the ultimate technique of his own clan, an extraordinarily valuable high-grade footwork technique that recorded in detail the three stages of basic-stage, advanced-stage, and unity-stage.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Li Huai’s figure was covered in layers of sword lights as he moved using his Windflash Illusory Steps. He was like a hedgehog covered in spikes, and the numerous sword lights that glowed with a cold light shot out violently.

Due to his movement technique being too swift and him moving around Chen Xi’s surroundings, these sword lights tore through the sky with extremely crafty and vicious trajectories, seeming to approach Chen Xi from every direction. These sword lights locked onto Chen Xi’s throat, eyes, heart, abdomen, back, and the back of Chen Xi’s head, seeming to have already taken Chen Xi to be a target board.

Want to fucking suppress me with your movement technique?

A trace of bright light bloomed with Chen Xi’s indifferent and empty pupils, then his body abruptly leaped out, and at the same time his limbs were like twisting and swaying branches of a willow when blown upon by violent winds, and he charged towards the far away Li Huai with a strange posture.

“Faced with an attack of sword lights that cover the heaven and earth, and left no openings. This fellow doesn’t know to defend, but wants to charge forward. Could it be that he has a death wish?” Someone within the crowd couldn’t help but cry out in a sharp voice.

However, the person had only just finished speaking when he suddenly noticed that while Chen Xi charged forward, although Chen Xi’s posture was strange and hideous, Chen Xi was always able to precisely dodge the sword lights that had locked onto him. Chen Xi was like a slippery and hideous loach, moving and leaping within the smallest of gaps. Even though his clothes were torn to shreds, his entire body didn’t receive a single injury. He was completely unharmed!

“This is… Heavenly Dragon’s Eight Steps?” Duanmu Ze asked in shock, and at the moment he spoke, he felt a burst of embarrassment within his heart. What’s wrong with me today? I’m constantly losing my composure. I’m virtually like an idiot that hasn’t seen the world…

Duanmu Ze wouldn’t have lost his composure like this if what Chen Xi executed was a type of rare cultivation technique. After all, there were nearly 100 billion cultivators and over 10 million sects or institutions within the entire territory of Darchu Dynasty. Cultivation techniques were naturally numerous like a river of stars and were uncountable. Even those almighty cultivators weren’t able to recognize all the cultivation techniques in the world.

Whereas the reason Duanmu Ze lost his composure was due to the Chaotic Windsplit Sword Technique and Heavenly Dragon’s Eight Steps that Chen Xi had executed. These cultivation methods were all ordinary and could be bought on the market, but after they were executed by Chen Xi, not only did their style and essence completely change, even their might had risen explosively. They seemed to not be inferior to some valuable high-grade martial techniques. Under these circumstance, Duanmu Ze was nearly unable to believe his own eyes, and thus the loss of composure was unavoidable.

Du Qingxi was similarly bewildered, but she was able to maintain her composure because she knew that the nearby Song Lin would surely give her a satisfying answer.

As expected, after he saw the Heavenly Dragon’s Eight Steps Chen Xi executed that was beyond recognition, Song Lin’s eyes grew even brighter as he muttered in excitement, “There’s surely an expert with exceedingly high comprehension in the Martial Dao behind this kid. The expert is actually able to improve the Heavenly Dragon’s Eight Steps by one grade, truly too formidable!”

Rip!

The clothes on his body were torn off once again, but Chen Xi’s expression remained unfazed as he executed the advanced-stage Heavenly Dragon’s Eight Steps to the limit, outdoing Li Huai’s Windflash Illusory Steps.

This fellow’s footwork is so formidable as well?

Li Huai was once again shocked inwardly, then he secretly gritted his teeth and the sword lights that shot out violently from his Pine Ripple Sword grew denser, like a dense torrential rain that enveloped the ceaselessly approaching Chen Xi.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Chen Xi’s pressure abruptly skyrocketed when faced with the practically insane sword light attacks of Li Huai. When faced with some sword lights that he was unable to dodge, the Azurebolt Sword in his right hand seemed as if it had eyes, and it stabbed, slashed, flicked, chopped, swept… to precisely crush the sword lights that came close to him.

30 steps!

20 steps!

10 steps!

…

Everyone present couldn’t help but sweat at every step closer Chen Xi came to Li Huai as the shock in their hearts grew even more intense. Their gazes towards Chen Xi gradually developed a trace of respect and admiration.

Still moving towards the attack even when knowing full well that the sword lights ahead were coming down like the rain was indeed extremely idiotic and stupid, because there were too many methods to ward off this move. There was no need to place oneself into such a dangerous situation. However, when this practically idiotic action came closer and closer to the target, that fearless and tenacious imposing manner was something that everyone felt heartfelt admiration towards.

“Li Huai is in danger. Do you want me to help out?” Cang Bin frowned and asked.

“No. It isn’t the last moment yet.” Su Jiao bit her lips as she said in a light voice. Although she said this, her gaze when looking at Li Huai revealed dense disappointment, coldness, and indifference.

Chen Xi’s posture when dodging the sword lights was extremely hideous, yet his footsteps were extremely firm. He who was besieged by sword lights that covered the sky was like an ascetic monk that walked against a rainstorm to head forward, and his face remained expressionless with eyes that were indifferent without the slightest ripple.

How can this be possible? He’s only trash from an impoverished family, a talisman crafting apprentice that only knows how to craft talismans. How could his strength become so formidable?

Li Huai’s state of mind became even more restless with anxiety as he watched Chen Xi ceaselessly pressing forward. Although victory hadn’t been decided yet, such a situation had already completely exceeded Li Huai’s expectations.

A piece of trash is actually locked in combat with me?

How would Miss Su think of me? How would everyone present think of me?

Damnable Southern Barbaric Nether Domain, why does it restrict my cultivation? If it wasn’t for this, I would have fucking killed this piece of trash a long time ago!!

A vicious feeling instantly surged in his chest and Li Huai was on the verge of going mad with grievance.

However, right at this moment, a feeling of extreme danger surged into his heart and caused a chill to run down his spine. Li Huai suddenly jolted awake from that vicious feeling, but he saw the tip of a sword that had sharp cold lights condensed on it swiftly enlarging within his pupils, and the piercingly cold winds from the sword seemed to carry along an aura of death as it assaulted his face!

No!

Li Huai emitted a hysterical and explosive shout within his heart as his figure abruptly flashed in explosive retreat,

However, he was still a step too slow.

The Azurebolt Sword in Chen Xi’s hand was like a cancerous tumor on the bones, and at the instant that Li Huai retreated, it moved straight to stab towards the center of his chest.

Bang!

At the instant the tip of the sword hit Li Huai’s chest, it seemed as if to have stabbed on a plate of steel and emitted a clear ringing of metal.

Inner armor Magic Treasure?

Chen Xi was slightly stunned.

It was at this moment that Li Huai abruptly swung the Pine Ripple Sword in his hand to fiercely chop down, and the Azurebolt Sword in Chen Xi’s hand was instantly severed in two.

However, although Chen Xi’s sword strike hadn’t injured Li Huai, the terrifying impulsive force that had condensed atop the sword directly blasted Li Huai flying over 30m away to fall onto the ground in a sorry state, and Li Huai was barely able to stabilize himself from not dropping flat on the ground,

This turn of events practically happened within the blink of an eye.

Although the process was short, the breathtaking turn of events still caused waves to rise and fall within the hearts of everyone present and they nearly forgot to breathe.

Clang!

The broken sword emitted a clear clang when it fell onto the ground, and only now did everyone jolt awake as if awakening from a dream and they let out a long breath, but their expressions were already covered in shock.

If Li Huai didn’t wear an inner armor Magic Treasure, then wouldn’t he have died beneath Chen Xi sword earlier?

“So formidable!”

“Jin… No, Chen Xi is actually so formidable. His sword technique and movement technique seem to have surpassed Li Huai. This level of combat strength is simply beyond belief!”

“Is he transcending a cultivation Realm to do battle? No, this is the Southern Barbaric Nether Domain. At the very most, Li Huai is at the perfection-stage of the Congenital Realm at this moment. Even then, Chen Xi being able to defeat him truly too beyond belief.”

…

The crowd went into an uproar as everyone present expressed their feelings at the same time, and their discussions all held Chen Xi in high esteem. Those cultivators that came from Pine Mist City even silently changed the way they addressed Chen Xi.

“Unfortunately… That sword is only a high-grade mortal weapon. If it was a graded Magic Treasure, then even if Li Huai didn’t die, he would still suffer a heavy injury.” Duanmu Ze smacked his lips as he shook his head and sighed.

“Chen Xi has already surpassed our expectations. I originally only took him to be a spirit chef, but who would have known that he would attain the advanced-stage in both his sword technique and movement technique with a Congenital Realm cultivation? Even within the younger generation of Dragon Lake City, this level of comprehension is considered to be outstanding as well.”

Du Qingxi praised with a sigh, then her beautiful brows frowned as she said, “But if Chen Xi only possesses this sword, then he will be in an unfavorable situation after this…”

Song Lin didn’t speak, he wore his fluffy and disheveled hair that was like a birds nest as he stared fixedly at Chen Xi and a trace of anticipation was vaguely revealed within his bright eyes.

“Your strength has indeed exceeded my expectations. But if this was the outside world, do you think you’d be able to come close to me?” Li Huai said coldly.

It was indeed so. If it was in the outside world, Li Huai was completely capable of relying on the abilities of his Violet Palace Realm cultivation to fly up into the sky. Unless Chen Xi advanced to the Violet Palace Realm as well, otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to touch even the corners of Li Huai’s clothes.

“Even if it’s here, you’re still not a match for me, because… I possess True Essence that’s more abundant than you, and Magic Treasures that are more formidable than yours, whereas you…”

Li Huai glanced at the broken sword in Chen Xi’s hand, and his eyes were filled with disdain. “This sword was probably your only weapon, right? Now that it’s destroyed, how will you execute sword techniques?”

The spectators that were discussing animatedly shut their mouths when they heard this and they fell into silence.

Right, a battle is a battle, it doesn’t merely require the competing of cultivation, but it also takes into account martial techniques, weapons, courage, strategy, and many other factors.

Even if Chen Xi, who was impoverished since a young age, is able to be on par with Li Huai in terms of cultivation, but what about weapons? Li Huai is the eldest son of the Li Clan Patriarch. How could Chen Xi compare with the excellence of weapons and the completeness of his equipment?

Clang!

Chen Xi casually tossed away the broken sword, then gazed indifferently at Li Huai who was over 30m away and said slowly, “A pair of fists is enough to kill you!”