Chapter 221 - 206: The Might of Heaven and Earth

Chapter 221: Chapter 206: The Might of Heaven and Earth

Everyone was stunned.

They had thought that after slaying Guan Duhai, Chen Yue would quit while he was ahead and return to the Panshi Sect with his victory.

They never expected him to be so unsatisfied as to continue challenging others on the Sword Heart Ranking!

"Insolence!"

Ding Yuli’s eyes narrowed instantly. An aura befitting an Innate Realm expert erupted from her body, pressing down on Chen Yue like an invisible mountain.

’A mere Refining Organ Realm disciple, on the Liuyun Sword Sect’s own turf, kills Guan Duhai, the eighth on the Sword Heart Ranking, and that’s not enough? He dares to publicly challenge the entire Sword Heart Ranking?’

However, before her Innate aura could have any effect on Chen Yue,

a flash of Sword Intent, like a bolt of lightning appearing from nowhere, streaked across the sky and severed the Innate aura she had released!

"What? The junior isn’t enough, so the senior is stepping in directly? How about I fight you instead?"

A hoarse, aged voice slowly rang out.

Song Mingke remained seated, not even shifting his posture.

He didn’t look at Ding Yuli directly, only turning his head slightly to glance at her from the corner of his eye. But that single glance was enough to make Ding Yuli’s body freeze.

She had no doubt that if she dared to pressure Chen Yue again, this old man, who looked to be on the verge of death, would draw his blade without a moment’s hesitation.

Although she was at the Mid-stage of the Innate Realm, she stood no chance against someone at the Peak of the Innate Realm. It was uncertain if even she and the other few Innate Realm experts by her side, all together, would be enough to handle Song Mingke.

Ding Yuli’s face paled and flushed in turns. Her chest heaved a few times, but in the end, she forcibly suppressed her anger and said nothing.

"As a Peak Innate Realm expert, what kind of honor is there in bullying someone at the Middle Stage?"

Just then, a deep, aged voice echoed from the distance.

While the voice still reverberated in the sky, a figure appeared beside Ding Yuli as if by teleportation.

The newcomer was an old man in a gray robe. His eyes were like lightning, and he radiated a powerful aura no weaker than Song Mingke’s.

He glanced at the grim-faced Ding Yuli, then turned his gaze upon Song Mingke.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Bei Sujian and the others quickly cupped their fists in a salute. "Elder Mu!"

Mu Cangya, a Peak Innate Realm Elder of the Liuyun Sword Sect.

Seeing the newcomer, Song Mingke grinned. "Mu Cangya, you old bastard, how are you not dead yet? Perfect. It’s been a long time since we last sparred. Why not today?"

As he spoke, he stood up directly.

As he rose, an incredibly sharp Sword Intent shot toward the sky.

That Sword Intent stirred the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi within a radius of dozens of yards, causing the surrounding air to grow thick and heavy.

Immediately after, the stirred Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, guided by the Sword Intent, rapidly condensed and compressed, forming a terrifying Sword Momentum powerful enough to suffocate.

Sword Momentum!

This was a power beyond Sword Intent, using one’s own Sword Intent to forcibly control the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi in an area and bend it to one’s will.

A single slash would carry not only the sharpness of the blade itself, but also the might of the heavens and earth of that entire region!

Its power was far beyond what mere Sword Intent could compare to!

The expressions of Bei Sujian, Ding Yuli, and the other Liuyun Sword Sect Elders all changed slightly.

They all knew that Song Mingke once had a chance to advance further and break into the Acupoint Integration Realm, becoming a powerhouse capable of ascending into the Cyan Netherworld and roaming the nine heavens.

However, due to a hidden injury from his youth, his attempt to break through to the Acupoint Integration Realm failed at the critical moment, and he was ultimately stuck at the Peak of the Innate Realm.

Even so, he had been immersed in the Peak of the Innate Realm for decades. His foundation was so profound that it was far beyond that of an ordinary Peak Innate Realm expert.

His comprehension of Sword Momentum, in particular, made him nearly unrivaled among those of the same rank.

Mu Cangya’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Of course, he wasn’t about to fight Song Mingke to the death here. He knew better than anyone how terrifying a dying Peak Innate Realm expert could be when driven into a frenzy.

He fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly, "Today is for sparring and exchange between the juniors. It would be inappropriate for an old man like me to interfere. If you truly wish to trade blows with me, I will seek you out on another day."

Hearing Mu Cangya’s words, Song Mingke grinned and didn’t press the matter further.

He sat back down in his chair, turned his head toward Chen Yue on the Martial Arts Arena, and gave a slight nod.

’Chen Yue understood Song Mingke’s meaning: Go and do what you want to do. With me here, no one can touch you.’

Chen Yue retracted his gaze and turned once more toward the area where the Sword Heart Ranking disciples were gathered.

"Senior Brother Mo Chuan? Senior Brother Cheng Jiang? Senior Brother Wu Guanyu?"

Chen Yue’s voice echoed across the silent Martial Arts Arena. "I wonder if you three Senior Brothers would be willing to come down and offer me some pointers?"

Mo Chuan, seventh on the Sword Heart Ranking.

Cheng Jiang, sixth on the Sword Heart Ranking.

Wu Guanyu, fifth on the Sword Heart Ranking.

Chen Yue’s gaze, like three invisible blades, locked onto these three prodigies, who were among the top-ranking disciples of the Liuyun Sword Sect in the Refining Organ Realm.

Chen Yue’s voice echoed across the silent Martial Arts Arena, reaching everyone’s ears with perfect clarity.

Upon hearing Chen Yue challenge them by name, the expressions of Mo Chuan, Cheng Jiang, and Wu Guanyu instantly turned grim.

The three of them were used to being highly influential figures; when had they ever been called out and challenged so publicly?

But at this moment, not one of them uttered a word in response.

Before entering the Sword Grinding Pool, Guan Duhai’s strength was about on par with theirs. But after he emerged, his Sword Intent underwent a transformation, and his power surged, actually surpassing them.

The three of them were well aware of this fact.

And just moments ago, Guan Duhai had been beaten to death on the Martial Arts Arena by Chen Yue in what was almost a complete stomp.

The entire process was swift and decisive, like breaking dry twigs. Guan Duhai was given no chance to turn the tables.

How could they possibly dare to accept Chen Yue’s challenge now?

Although it was a loss of face, it was far better than getting on stage to be thrashed, or worse, losing their lives like Guan Duhai.

The three remained silent. No one spoke, and no one moved.

Seeing that not one of the three—Mo Chuan, Cheng Jiang, or Wu Guanyu—dared to answer Chen Yue’s challenge, the Liuyun Sword Sect disciples around the Martial Arts Arena grew restless.

Whispers spread through the crowd like a rising tide.

"Senior Brother Mo Chuan and the others... they don’t dare to fight?"

"Isn’t that Chen Yue too arrogant? Killing Senior Brother Guan wasn’t enough, and now he wants to keep challenging people?"

"Arrogant? He has the capital to be arrogant! Didn’t you see how Senior Brother Guan died?"

"But Senior Brother Mo Chuan and the others... are they just going to take it?"

"What else can they do besides take it? Go up there and get themselves killed?"

Though the murmurs weren’t loud, they were like tiny needles stabbing into the hearts of Mo Chuan and the other two. Their expressions grew even uglier.

Chen Yue paid them no mind when they didn’t respond. He slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping past the three of them to land on several figures standing further ahead.

The top five of the Sword Heart Ranking.

Those five were the true apex predators among the Liuyun Sword Sect’s Refining Organ Realm disciples.

Each one possessed the terrifying strength to crush an ordinary peak Refining Organ Realm disciple.

Among them, He Linxi, first on the Sword Heart Ranking, already had one foot through the gateway to the Innate Realm and could break through at any moment.

As Chen Yue’s gaze swept over, one of the top five stirred slightly, preparing to step forward.

But just as he was about to move, a hand reached out from the side and grabbed his arm.

The person who stopped him was Zhao Jiuchu. And the one who had been stopped was He Linxi.

Zhao Jiuchu shook his head slightly at He Linxi.

If He Linxi won, it would be one thing. But if he lost, the Sword Heart Ranking would have no recourse left.

The entire Sword Heart Ranking would have been utterly defeated by Chen Yue alone, from top to bottom.

After stopping He Linxi, Zhao Jiuchu took a deep breath, and with a flash, he appeared on the Martial Arts Arena.

He stood about thirty yards opposite Chen Yue, watching him from a distance.

Zhao Jiuchu’s build wasn’t imposing; he was even a little on the thin side. But standing there, he exuded a natural sharpness.

His gaze was as sharp as a falcon’s, locked tightly onto Chen Yue.

In truth, Zhao Jiuchu himself wasn’t confident he could defeat Chen Yue.

The combat power Chen Yue had displayed when he killed Guan Duhai was extraordinary. Zhao Jiuchu knew he could also defeat Guan Duhai, but he could never do it as cleanly and decisively as Chen Yue had.

’His reason for taking the stage now was not to defeat Chen Yue, but to stall him.’

’If he could entangle Chen Yue in a drawn-out fight until he was exhausted, draining a significant amount of his Inner Strength and stamina, then even if he lost, he would have created an opportunity for He Linxi.’

’Then, if Chen Yue still dared to challenge He Linxi, fighting in a state of exhaustion against a well-rested opponent, he would surely have no chance of winning.’

"Zhao Jiuchu. I await your instruction," Zhao Jiuchu said coldly.

As his voice fell, he gave his right hand a light flick, and a five-foot-long Soft Sword, as thin as a cicada’s wing, appeared in his palm like a nimble snake.

Part of the Soft Sword’s blade dragged on the ground, twisting gently with the slight movements of his wrist and reflecting cold, chilling glints of light.

The Soft Sword looked less like a sword and more like a whip.

The area around the Martial Arts Arena instantly fell silent. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the two figures on the stage.

On the Observation Platform, the Innate Realm experts from both sects were now also watching the Martial Arts Arena with rapt attention.

The mindset of the Innate Realm experts from the two sects had completely shifted. If, at the beginning, it was Feng Hansheng and his group who were worried about Chen Yue, now it was Bei Sujian and his group who were worried about the Sword Heart Ranking disciples.

Ding Yuli took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Begin!"

The moment her voice fell, Zhao Jiuchu’s figure abruptly vanished from his spot.

He didn’t launch a direct frontal assault like Guan Duhai. Instead, he pushed his Body Technique to its absolute limit.

Countless afterimages appeared on the Martial Arts Arena. It was impossible to tell the real from the fake, and for a moment, it seemed as if dozens of Zhao Jiuchus had appeared, completely surrounding Chen Yue.

Immediately after, the piercing shrieks of countless Soft Swords cutting through the air erupted from all directions at once.