King of Ten Thousand Years

The silvery-white sword shadow in his mind grew more condensed and real, radiating a brilliant, sharp light. It was like an endless torrent of fierce Sword Qi, suffused with the vast, profound principles of the Sword Dao.

At that moment, numerous insights into the Sword Dao flooded Luo Tian’s mind. The level of his Sword Intent transformed and ascended.

In the depths of his eyes, a silvery-white sword shadow flickered between illusion and reality, emitting a sharp glint.

But at this moment, everyone was captivated by the battle between Ye Feng and the Celestial Evil Sword, and no one noticed the change in Luo Tian.

On the vast Martial Arts Arena.

Two figures flickered back and forth. Grand and sharp White Jade Sword Light clashed with a tyrannical, wicked jet-black sword glow, crisscrossing the stage as they collided and annihilated each other.

The duel between Sword Cultivators was incredibly perilous.

Every strike was immensely powerful; a single careless move could mean the next exchange would decide the outcome.

”Cloud Heaven Slash!”

”Chaotic Burial Kill!”

At a certain moment, the two simultaneously unleashed their strongest Sword Techniques.

Ye Feng hovered in midair as a dozen grand, White Jade Sword Lights slashed down from above, seemingly parting the very clouds.

The twisted blade in the Celestial Evil Sword’s hand danced wildly, his body instantly exuding an unparalleled, tyrannical killing aura. Hundreds of chaotic, jet-black Sword Lights formed a deadly web, threatening to entomb everything.

And just then.

The silvery-white sword shadow in Luo Tian’s mind suddenly flashed with a dazzling brilliance, completing its transformation.

A cold, sharp sword shadow materialized in his eyes. An invisible Sword Intent radiated from his entire body, rushing to the heavens.

The swords of everyone in the surrounding area began to hum and tremble!

Some people sensed the disturbance but didn’t realize it originated from Luo Tian.

The clash of ultimate techniques between Ye Feng and the Celestial Evil Sword completely overshadowed it!

BOOM! PSHHHH!

The black and white Sword Lights collided, and an invisible, sharp Sword Qi blanketed a hundred-meter radius, shredding all physical matter within.

The bolt of White Jade Sword Light shattered inch by inch, devoured by the tyrannical and wicked jet-black sword glow.

SHLICK!

A shocking, bloody gash appeared on Ye Feng’s chest.

He floated back several dozen meters, his face slightly pale, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

”I... concede!”

Ye Feng gritted his teeth and chose to concede, his tone tinged with helplessness.

When experts clash, losing a single exchange can mean losing everything.

The wound from that strike was not light, and he had also gauged the Celestial Evil Sword’s true strength. He was no match.

”Ju Tianxie is victorious!”

One-third of the Celestial Fate Qi on Ye Feng surged toward the Celestial Evil Sword.

The clash between two top Sword Cultivators had concluded in just twenty or thirty exchanges!

Ye Feng’s swift defeat left everyone shocked, marveling at the power of the Celestial Evil Sword.

The Celestial Evil Sword turned and walked off the stage. His dim, wicked gaze, brimming with sharp and intense battle intent, fell upon Qi Yuntian.

As number two on the Spirit List, he had only one true opponent in his eyes: Qi Yuntian.

Ye Feng also left the stage immediately to treat his injuries and avoid losing his subsequent matches.

His expression was somewhat dejected. Having lost to the Celestial Evil Sword, if he couldn’t also defeat Shangguan Su, he would have no chance of placing in the top three of the Celestial Pride Conference.

Just then, Ye Feng glanced at Luo Tian, a strange light flickering in his eyes.

’He feels... different,’ he thought, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

Next up, another Yunxiao Sect disciple took the stage.

Qiao Hai went up against the Yellow-robed Man, who had placed first in the elimination rounds.

The Yellow-robed Man’s combat power was greater than Yi Jingwen’s, estimated to be around the level of eighth place on the Spirit List.

In fewer than twenty exchanges, Qiao Hai was defeated.

Afterward, the mysterious white-robed woman took the stage, her opponent one of the five great prodigies.

The result, however, was a huge surprise. The white-robed woman managed an upset, defeating the Extreme Ice Fairy and stunning the entire audience!

「A few matches later.」

Luo Tian took the stage once again, his opponent his fellow sect member, Yi Jingwen!

Yi Jingwen’s brow furrowed slightly.

Her impression of Luo Tian wasn’t good. During the trial at Xuankong Mountain, Luo Tian had stolen her Spirit Pond Mark. Then, during the final contention, he had lured an incredibly powerful Magma Monster over, forcing her out of the running.

But she had to admit, Luo Tian’s aptitude was astonishing.

Back then, Luo Tian lacked the ability to face her directly, yet now he had already defeated Shangguan Su, who was third on the Spirit List.

”We’ve never truly fought before. Don’t hold back. Let’s give it our all, but we’ll stop once a victor is clear.”

Yi Jingwen said calmly.

”Alright.” Luo Tian nodded.

The two stepped onto the stage.

Although Ye Feng had previously said that Luo Tian should just concede if he faced Yi Jingwen.

But after Luo Tian defeated Shangguan Su, third on the Spirit List, he now had a chance to break into the top three of the Celestial Pride Conference. Conceding was no longer necessary.

Besides, since they had agreed to stop once a victor was decided, it wouldn’t affect their subsequent matches.

Yi Jingwen attacked first, unleashing her Sword Intent. A cold, jet-black Sword Light, like a curtain of night, streaked across the sky and descended upon him.

’This sword strike...’

Luo Tian looked slightly taken aback.

Now that his Sword Intent had reached the prototype stage, it did more than simply enhance his swordsmanship.

Luo Tian’s understanding of the Sword Dao had also ascended to a new level.

In his eyes now, Yi Jingwen’s strike seemed mediocre. Several flaws instantly became apparent to him.

CLANG CLANG CLANG!

The Ice Trace Sword left its sheath. Circulating the Celestial Sword Technique, Luo Tian unleashed three consecutive strikes, accurately piercing those very flaws.

Instantly, Yi Jingwen’s powerful strike, empowered by her Sword Intent, collapsed and disintegrated.

’Just now...’

Yi Jingwen froze, not quite comprehending what had happened.

Many people in the crowd, especially the Sword Cultivators, also wore looks of confusion.

In terms of Cultivation, Yi Jingwen was far superior to Luo Tian. She had even used her Sword Intent, and her swordsmanship was exceptionally strong.

Luo Tian’s strikes, by contrast, seemed ordinary, yet they had neutralized her attack head-on.

”Perhaps he was just lucky and happened to spot a flaw in Yi Jingwen’s swordsmanship,”

said Yin Xiaofeng.

This was what most people thought—he was just lucky!

Next, Luo Tian went on the offensive.

With the breakthrough of his Sword Intent, Luo Tian’s Celestial Sword Technique had also reached the Second-Layer, the Ruyi Realm.

The First-Layer, the True Realm, accelerated the comprehension of Sword Intent. The Second-Layer, the Ruyi Realm, focused on improving Sword Skills, speeding up the learning and mastery of sword techniques.

Luo Tian didn’t use his Sword Intent, merely activating a fraction of his Nether Dragon Divine Vein’s power and channeling it into his swordsmanship.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Luo Tian’s swordsmanship was fluid and graceful, yet also unpredictable, sharp, and cunning.

Yi Jingwen felt uneasy. Her own Sword Techniques seemed constrained at every turn, unable to unleash their full power. She could only rely on the power of her Sword Intent, hoping to crush him with sheer force!

’What on earth is going on?’

The crowd was once again puzzled.

Mere luck clearly couldn’t explain how Luo Tian could fight on par with Yi Jingwen without even using his Sword Intent.

Furthermore, even onlookers could tell that Yi Jingwen’s swordsmanship was being restricted at every turn. Luo Tian’s Sword Techniques, in contrast, were fluid and masterful, not confined to any single move or form, but unpredictable and executed with microscopic precision.

The most immediate impression was that Luo Tian’s Sword Skill was simply superior.

When skill reaches a certain level, the weak can defeat the strong.

’Is this the change brought about by the breakthrough in my Sword Intent and Celestial Sword Technique?’

Luo Tian had a good grasp of the situation now.

The Sword Intent Prototype had elevated his understanding and perception of the Sword Dao, allowing him to easily spot flaws in others’ swordsmanship.

The Second-Layer Ruyi Realm of the Celestial Sword Technique, in turn, enhanced his Sword Skill.

With the two combined, Luo Tian could fight a Spirit List genius on Yi Jingwen’s level without using his Sword Intent and not be at a disadvantage.

Of course, Sword Skill was just one of many ways to increase the power of one’s swordsmanship.

The difference in Cultivation between Luo Tian and Yi Jingwen was plain to see. She was also using her Sword Intent, making her swordsmanship incredibly powerful. Luo Tian couldn’t win relying on profound Sword Skill alone.

Perhaps if his Sword Intent Prototype advanced further and his comprehension of the Celestial Sword Technique’s Second-Layer deepened, he could truly turn the mundane into the miraculous.

”Lose!”

A silvery-white Sword Mark flashed in Luo Tian’s eyes as the Ice Trace Sword in his hand burst forth with a brilliant and deadly light!

This strike, possessing both skill and power, landed precisely on a flaw in Yi Jingwen’s Sword Technique, shattering it instantly.

TSSS!

A line of ice-cold Sword Qi hovered before Yi Jingwen’s neck, then dissipated.

”I’ve lost!”

Yi Jingwen sighed, giving Luo Tian a deep look.

In the fight just now, Luo Tian had clearly not used his full strength, yet he had defeated her with ease.

The surrounding audience also felt the ending was anticlimactic. Yi Jingwen had given it her all, but the fight wasn’t very intense and had ended quickly.

”Luo Tian wins!”

The light on Luo Tian’s Genius Order flared, growing even brighter. He remained at the very top!

He stepped down from the stage and closed his eyes, reflecting on the battle.

After all, this was his first battle since his Sword Intent and Celestial Sword Technique had broken through, and he had gained many insights.

’Although my Sword Intent has reached the prototype stage, I can control its strength. I only needed to use forty percent of my Sword Intent to claim victory...’

Luo Tian murmured to himself.

「Half a day later.」

Luo Tian faced his second opponent of the day, the eighth-ranked expert on the Spirit List—a powerful foe.

Luo Tian discovered that if his opponent didn’t use a sword, he couldn’t see the flaws between their techniques as easily.

However, that didn’t affect the outcome.

After fifty or sixty exchanges, Luo Tian used seventy percent of his Sword Intent and claimed victory.

The final competition was gradually drawing to a close.

By now, the number of geniuses with an unbroken winning streak had dwindled to only four: Qi Yuntian, the Celestial Evil Sword, Luo Tian, and the mysterious woman in white.

’That brat is still undefeated!’

The Extreme Ice Fairy shot Luo Tian a cold glare, considering using her one active challenge on him.

But on second thought, she decided against it.

As the finals progressed, the probability of her facing Luo Tian naturally increased. There was no need to waste her single opportunity to issue a challenge.

”Extreme Ice Fairy, Ju Tianxie!”

With the judge’s announcement, another battle between two of the five great prodigies began!

The two prodigies clashed for fewer than twenty exchanges before the Celestial Evil Sword, with his tyrannical and unmatched Sword Dao, managed to wound the Extreme Ice Fairy, forcing her to concede.

”Luo Tian, Yu Yao!”

Luo Tian’s next match was announced, and his opponent was none other than the Yunxiao Sect’s mysterious external reinforcement.

The other Three Major Sects immediately revealed smug smiles.

Two of the Yunxiao Sect’s strongest geniuses were pitted against each other; one of their winning streaks was guaranteed to end.

Based on the current situation, the Yunxiao Sect’s external reinforcement was incredibly strong. Having already defeated the Extreme Ice Fairy, she had a real chance of making it into the top three.

But Luo Tian was a Core Disciple of the Yunxiao Sect, and he also had a slight chance of placing in the top three. Neither would be willing to compromise, so a fierce battle was inevitable.

The upper echelons of the Yunxiao Sect also felt a headache coming on.

The Grand Elder and Third Elder knew something of the white-robed woman’s background. Given her distinguished status, she would certainly not throw the match for Luo Tian.

Luo Tian was currently riding a wave of momentum, and the gap between him and the white-robed woman wasn’t large. Besides, he wasn’t the type to surrender easily.

Luo Tian and the white-robed woman stepped onto the stage.

’She defeated the Extreme Ice Fairy. She’s a powerful opponent!’

He was just about to tell the white-robed woman not to hold back, that they should have a proper match that would stop once a victor was decided.

But as Luo Tian’s gaze fell upon the white-robed woman, he saw not a trace of battle intent. Instead, he felt a sense of warmth and familiarity, as if they had met before.

Suddenly, the image of a beautiful figure who had been his constant companion day and night surfaced in his mind. Her elegant and stunning silhouette began to overlap with the masked, white-robed woman before him.

”Have we... met before?” Luo Tian couldn’t help but ask.