Legend of Swordsman

“Urghhh!”

A huge mouthful of blood gushed from Xia Mang’s mouth, escaping like a pouring dam. Like a kite with a broken string, he staggered uncontrollably for a moment and collapsed to the ground.

“The greatest Eternal Realm warrior of the Eternal World?”

Jian Wushuang smirked faintly as he slowly withdrew his fist.

But his words were hardly a lie. With the power Jian Wushuang now wielded, the title of “the greatest warrior of the Eternal Realm” was nothing but a paltry sideshow to him. Even Zi Dong whom he had encountered during his second test at the Star Island was much stronger than Xia Mang.

“With the power of the Divine Realm I wield, I could have pummeled Zi Dong into heaps of filth during the third test of the Black Tower back then. Now that I have reached the Eternal Realm level, it is hardly surprising that my power has increased many folds.” Jian Wushuang brooded to himself.

The cacophonic dissonance of cries and screams in the arena instantly fell into a deadly silence.

The tens of thousands of spectators were all dazed; their eyes wide with disbelief and their jaws dropped and speechless.

Even the greatest experts who have been watching from the Void were awe-struck into a bewildered taciturnity.

One stroke!

Indeed, it was all he took!

But it was not Xia Mang who annihilated Jian Wushuang; instead, it was Jian Wushuang who had so easily crippled Xia Mang!

“X-Xia… Xia Mang… lost?”

A voice broke the eerie silence across the arena. It was a voice which escaped from an unknown mouth. In the next moment, the entire arena erupted into roars and jumped to its feet.

“Impossible!”

“A-am, am I dreaming! A warrior of the Eternal Realm defeated Xia Mang! And he did that with a single stroke!”

“Is he really only at the Eternal Realm level and not a Dao Master? But how was it possible that a warrior of the Eternal Realm could defeat Xia Mang with only one blow?”

“This is inconceivable!”

None could easily believe what they were now seeing.

The notion of Xia Mang being so carelessly defeated was only too unthinkable to everyone around. The uproar was very much greater, even much greater than the moment when Jian Wushuang had produced the Magic Weapon Pavilion.

After all, his opponent was none other than the greatest warrior of the Eternal Realm, the indomitable Xia Mang.

The crowd witnessing the unbelievable spectacle would hardly be so terrified if Jian Wushuang had defeated Xia Mang in a close fight. But the fact that Xia Mang was utterly incapacitated with only a single blow had sent the crowd into delirious fervors of insanity.

Who else but Dao Masters could so easily defeat Xia Mang with only one stroke in the vast domain of the Eternal World?

“Step Seven!”

High above atop the platform, the Lord of Cercis Island was the first to rise to his feet. His eyes gleamed brightly as his gaze was transfixed upon Jian Wushuang.

“Indeed. Only a prodigy of immeasurable talent who had reached the fabled Step Seven could possess the strength of a Dao Master despite being only an Eternal Realm warrior. Jian Wushuang is clearly such a prodigy.”

“The legendary Step Seven… It was said that only one had reached Step Seven many long years ago. Who would have expected that we would witness the emergence of another equally talented prodigy?”

“This is unthinkable! An Eternal Realm warrior who possesses the power of a Dao Master?”

Even the greatest warriors in the domain could hardly refrain from being surprised and amazed as they surveyed Jian Wushuang.

The strength and talents that Jian Wushuang had displayed had utterly exceeded their imaginations.

“Your Junior Brother is remarkable indeed, Blood Saber. I wager the Temple Master would be pleased to have one of such talents if he is here.” The elder with flowing white hair said. He was the other Master of the Void Temple.

“That may be so. This Junior Brother of mine commands greater talents and potential that dwarfs even mine.” Xue Lingtian smiled with pride. He immediately turned towards Xia Yu who was seated right opposite of him and sneered, “Do you have anything else to say, Xia Yu?”

“Hmph! The battle is far from over. What are you being cheerful about?” Xia Yu retorted coldly.

“Ah?” Xue Lingtian’s eyebrows twitched suspiciously.

Everyone above the stands turned immediately to Xia Yu, watching him dubiously.

It was clear that Jian Wushuang had reached Step Seven, the level of strength that Xia Mang could never hope to defeat.

But why was Xia Yu not admitting being defeated when Xia Mang was already in such dire state?

Was he hoping that the Master Mubai of the Xia Clan would die in battle here and now? In the hands of Jian Wushuang?

“Ha ha!!!”

As if on a cue, the answer revealed itself to the entire arena instantly: Xia Mang, who was sprawled on the ground, drenched in the blood and viscera of his mangled and gnarled arm, began to scream and laugh maniacally.

“Jian Wushuang!”

“Jian Wushuang!!!”

Xia Mang howled continuously, like a deranged and wounded beast. His voice rang through the entire arena, filled with hate and malice.

Jian Wushuang looked intently at Xia Mang, his expression grim and sullen.

With a face as pale as death, Xia Mang’s eyes flared with rage and contempt. An icy voice reverberated from his throat, echoing in a crisp and clear tone across the arena. “I have not expected that you wield such power! Jian Wushuang!”

“Surely you have reached the legendary Step Seven, unless I am very much mistaken?”

“Hahahaha! Great! You are powerful indeed! You are the second to have reached the fabled Step Seven in the entire history of the Eternal World!”

Xia Mang continued yelling deliriously.

Jian Wushuang frowned with a foreboding dread, not knowing what else was hidden in his opponent’s sleeves. Everyone in the arena could only watch in silence and doubt.

“Why is Xia Yu not admitting being defeated? What does he intend to do?”

“Hahaha!!”

His insane voice turned sharp and steely suddenly, “Do you honestly believe that this is enough to defeat me, Jian Wushuang?”

“Hahahaha! How naive! What revolting arrogance!”

“Wait. Just wait till you see this.”

Xia Mang continued breaking into another fit of maniacal hysteria. No one could understand what he was trying to say. Even Jian Wushuang himself was puzzled, but he could not shake off a strange feeling of premonition.

Just then… Poof!

A figure shot from the sky, smashing into the grounds with the suddenness, speed, and intensity of a comet falling from the sky, creating a huge crater in the middle of the dueling grounds.

Slowly, the dust began to subside, revealing the identity of the figure. But everyone, including the many prominent warriors of the land who were seated upon the stands, instantly jumped with shock.

The person was completely the same with Xia Mang! He was a complete double, bearing the same appearance and poise.

There was only one difference between them both: the newcomer wielded an aura many times greater than the “Xia Mang” that Jian Wushuang had defeated; a superior aura that was at another complete level!

“You have done well, Jian Wushuang. Despite being at the Eternal Realm level, you have managed to defeat my doppelganger.”

The frosty voice came from the “Xia Mang” who had just appeared! With a blink of an eye, the entire arena burst into another frenzy of panic and madness!

“A double! It was a doppelganger!”

“It was merely a double that Jian Wushuang defeated!”

“But his double could defeat Li Tianchou with ease. His true power would surely be invincible…”

The gazes and stares of the spectators in the arena froze instantly upon the true Xia Mang, all of them shared an uneasy shudder.

For it was clear that Xia Mang’s aura was many times greater than that of his doppelganger…

An aura which was clearly of the level of Dao Master!