Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 265: Chapter 261: Treasure Box, Who Is the Strongest?

The mountains were green and the waters were clear beneath an azure sky.

This World in the Painting looked incredibly real, almost indistinguishable from the true Great Thousand Realms.

But upon closer inspection, one could spot the flaws.

The entire World in the Painting was only a hundred *li* in diameter. Beyond that lay a formless void.

At that moment, the consciousnesses of all seven people, including Ning Jiang, had been pulled into this World in the Painting.

”Hm? What’s the seventh trial?”

”Madman Tu, that woman from your Sect once passed the seventh trial. You must know something about it, right?” Duan Lengya asked.

”Don’t bother asking me. The trials of the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall are different every time. The seventh trial we’re about to face will also be unique,” Madman Tu said indifferently.

”Quick, look.”

A brilliant light suddenly erupted in the void, and a Treasure Box appeared, shining with a dazzling radiance.

”What is that?”

Instantly, all eyes were fixed on it.

”Heh heh, anything from the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall is bound to be extraordinary. But there’s only one.”

”Hmph. Whatever it is, anyone who dares compete with me for it will die. This thing is mine!” Madman Tu was extremely domineering. As he spoke, he ignored the others’ expressions and took a step forward, heading for the box.

”Hahaha, Madman Tu, I want that thing too. If you want to take it, you’ll have to get past my blade first.” Duan Lengya’s aura flared, sharp and fierce, as he drew his Treasure Blade.

”Hm? You dare stand in my way?”

”Madman Tu, you may be strong, but you don’t get to call all the shots here,” Du Bing chimed in.

”Everyone who sees it gets a share. Madman Tu, if you think you can monopolize this, you’re dreaming,” said Yao Yingkuang.

The experts from the three Upper Grade Sects were all top figures of the younger generation. Each was a proud prodigy. How could they just hand over the treasure to Madman Tu for nothing?

CLANG.

A sword rang out. Jian Xinghe remained silent, but drawing his longsword was statement enough.

”Very well. Since you all wish to die, let’s fight!” Madman Tu let out a long roar, his spirit soaring. ”Come! Let’s see who is the strongest here. To the victor go the spoils, and only the strongest is worthy of this prize!”

The strongest!

At these two words, the others’ breathing grew heavy.

This was a tremendous honor. Every young expert here coveted that title.

”Fight!”

”Fight, fight, fight!”

Everyone was brimming with fighting spirit, including Jian Xinghe. He, too, wanted to defeat the powerful rivals from Lei Province and prove his own strength.

Under the circumstances, only Ning Jiang managed to remain calm.

But his calmness was of no use. In a situation like this, a fight was inevitable unless he chose to back down.

”Kill!”

Madman Tu was the first to strike. His eyes flew open, and two streams of gray light erupted from them as he unleashed the Eye of Evil Spirit.

”Break.”

Duan Lengya’s blade slashed through the air to intercept Madman Tu.

BANG—

A terrifying shockwave erupted. At the same time, Du Bing and Yao Yingkuang also clashed. The entire place descended into chaos, the air roiling like a stormy sea.

”Ning Jiang, I narrowly lost to you last time we fought. This time, victory will be mine!”

Jian Xinghe targeted Ning Jiang from the very start. He had once been the foremost expert of Qing Province’s younger generation, but Ning Jiang had taken that title from him. How could he take that lying down?

”Face my sword!”

A blade of Sword Qi hung in the air, seeming to slice through reality itself. Waves of Sword Intent radiated from his body, terrifying to the extreme.

”You’re no match for me. You weren’t then, and you aren’t now.”

Ning Jiang spoke with cool indifference. He unleashed his Four Seasons Sword Technique, its movements so exquisitely precise that they completely shut down all of Jian Xinghe’s attacks.

”Evil Spirit Finger.”

Suddenly, a finger strike aimed for Ning Jiang’s back.

As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Ning Jiang spun around with a single sword stroke and shattered the attack.

It was Xu Chen of the Evil Spirit Sect.

”Xu Chen, what are you doing?” Jian Xinghe frowned.

”This man killed Hu Hao of my Evil Spirit Sect. How could I possibly spare him?” Xu Chen’s gaze was ice-cold.

”You’re nothing but cannon fodder. Come at me together. Maybe then you’ll actually make things interesting.”

With that one sentence, Ning Jiang enraged both Xu Chen and Jian Xinghe.

”Kill him.”

Attacking from front and back, the two of them unleashed fierce strikes at the same time.

Jian Xinghe’s swordsmanship was clearly far deadlier than it had been during the Qing Province Assembly. As he struck, his Sword Intent flared, sharp enough to make one’s skin prickle with pain.

As for Xu Chen’s Evil Spirit Finger, it was rife with a sinister energy that felt deeply foreboding.

An ordinary young prodigy would have been killed by their combined assault.

But who was Ning Jiang?

Attacks like these weren’t even enough to make him flinch. With a flick of his wrist, he sent out two sword strikes at once, effortlessly neutralizing their attacks.

”Tu Yuan Blood Hand.”

Meanwhile, Madman Tu was locked in a fierce battle with the members of the three Upper Grade Sects. He let out a furious roar, and his hands became wreathed in crimson flames.

”What? He’s even mastered the Tu Yuan Blood Hand?”

Duan Lengya and the others’ expressions all grew grim. The Tu Yuan Blood Hand was a Martial Technique on par with the Eye of Evil Spirit, and it was just as difficult to master.

Fewer than ten people in the entire Evil Spirit Sect had ever mastered this technique.

To have mastered both the Eye of Evil Spirit and the Tu Yuan Blood Hand, Madman Tu was without a doubt a true genius of the Martial Arts.

”Watch out! They say if the Tu Yuan Blood Hand hits you, your own blood will ignite in your veins!”

”The three of us need to stop fighting amongst ourselves! Let’s team up against him!”

”Agreed.”

The three reached an agreement. They would stop attacking one another and face Madman Tu as one.

After all, Madman Tu’s power was undeniable. He was their greatest threat.

Besides, in a situation like this, there was no need to insist on honorable one-on-one duels. They were fighting for a Treasure; securing it was all that mattered.

”Earth Shattering Fist.”

Du Bing from Earth Gate threw a punch. The force of the fist was swift and unstoppable, and the resulting roar, like that of a dragon, shook the very mountains and rivers.

”Eagle Strikes the Sky.”

Yao Yingkuang of the Beast Taming Sect activated his Demon Transformation Technique. His hands transformed completely into massive eagle talons, and his gaze turned as sharp as a hawk’s. He slashed out with his talons, moving with the speed of lightning.

”Sword Qi Like a Mountain.”

Finally, it was Duan Lengya’s turn. He gripped his blade with both hands, tongue pressed to the roof of his mouth. The heavy blade swung out, seemingly slow but actually fast, and a massive wave of Sword Qi crashed down like a mountain.

All three unleashed their most powerful attacks.

”Hahaha, so what if you team up? You’ll still lose! Break!”

Despite his scholarly appearance, Madman Tu was utterly crazed in battle, exuding an overwhelming bloodlust.

”River of Blood.”

This was one of the ultimate killing moves of the Tu Yuan Blood Hand. A river of blood materialized, churning with skeletal remains. At that moment, Madman Tu looked like an Asura straight out of Hell.

RUMBLE.

The river of blood surged forth, colliding with the three attacks. Instantly, the Sword Qi shattered, the Fist Force dissolved, and the eagle talons splintered.

The three of them coughed up blood and were sent flying backward.

”Hahahaha, you thought the three of you were enough to fight me? Who can stop me now!”

Madman Tu cackled, his eyes now glowing with a layer of blood-red light, looking utterly demonic.

”Argh!”

Just then, a pained cry rang out. As a deathly-white Sword Aura swept by, Xu Chen was sent flying, and Jian Xinghe coughed up a mouthful of blood.

’Why? Why can’t I ever beat him!?’ Jian Xinghe’s heart seethed with frustration. ’After passing the sixth trial, I finally achieved a breakthrough with my Sword Techniques. I thought I could finally stand up to Ning Jiang’s Winter’s End. But now that we’re actually fighting, I see how naive I was. The moment Ning Jiang used Winter’s End, I was defeated again. I’m no match for him at all.’

”Jian Xinghe, you’re not the only one in the world who’s making progress.” Ning Jiang’s gaze was indifferent, as deep and unfathomable as the night sky.

He grew stronger every day, every moment. Compared to that, Jian Xinghe’s meager progress was nothing more than child’s play.

He would only ever improve faster than Jian Xinghe.

’Xu Chen and Jian Xinghe’s strength is no weaker than ours. It looks like there will be a battle between him and Madman Tu.’

Duan Lengya and the other two exchanged wry smiles. They knew they were already out of the running for this prize.

The final victor would be decided between Ning Jiang and Madman Tu.

At this moment, their gazes inevitably met in mid-air.

”Oh? I almost forgot about you.” Madman Tu looked at Ning Jiang and grinned. ”You’re pretty strong to be able to defeat those two. But in front of me, you’re still not much to look at. Are you going to concede, or are you going to foolishly challenge me?”

”You’re a frog at the bottom of a well, ignorant of the vast world outside. There’s always a higher mountain to climb, always someone stronger. Do you even realize who you’re speaking to?”

Ning Jiang’s tone was chilling, yet it carried an air of boundless authority.

The others were secretly astonished. Ning Jiang spoke as if he were a True Dragon high in the heavens, gazing down on the mortal world below. In comparison, Madman Tu was nothing more than an ant, senselessly challenging a being far beyond his comprehension.

”Boy, you’re the most arrogant person I’ve ever seen. Let’s see if you can keep that attitude up when I’ve got you pinned under my foot.”

Madman Tu let out a slow laugh, but as his smile widened, his eyes grew glacially cold.

Killing intent flared.

A great battle was imminent!