Ling Tian Sword God

Green Cloud Mountain.

Ling Chen didn’t announce the death of the Black Market Master. As Liu Feiyue had explained, haphazardly revealing such news might only invite suspicion.

Upon his return to Green Cloud Mountain, Ling Chen secluded himself in the back mountain. This time, his duels with the World Masters had brought him significant gains. His swordsmanship techniques, Sword Intent, and the True Essence of Fire he had mastered had all been honed, reaching a higher level.

If Ling Chen’s True Essence of Fire was initially at ten percent mastery, it had now increased to twenty percent after this practical combat experience.

Although the increase was only ten percent, one shouldn’t underestimate this improvement. The improvement of Martial Arts True Meaning, however minimal, was difficult to achieve. Unlike True Qi cultivation, which could be gradually improved through practice, Martial Arts True Meaning relied solely on personal comprehension.

The level of accomplishment wholly depends on the individual.

In the back mountain, outside the wooden hut of the Cyan-robed Guest, Ling Chen sat on a stone bench, holding a copy of the ”World Masters List”.

Flipping to the first page of the World Masters List, Ling Chen saw his name. The entry read: ’Ranked first on the World Masters List: Dustless of the Unbeatable Sword Sect. A rare sword genius unseen in ten thousand years, he topped the World Masters List at the age of nineteen, earning the title Unbeatable Sword Sect. He is now the Sect Leader of the Cyan Robe Association... In the spring of the 358th year of the Yunchu Calendar, at the Nine Dragons Lake Sword Contest, he consecutively defeated Yin Tianxi of the Iron Finger Divine Sect; Seat Yun Qinghong, foremost of the Four Prodigies; and the elder masters from the Phantom Sword Sect, Thunder Fire Blade Sect, and Ice Extermination Sect. After evaluation by numerous elders from the Myriad Dao Sect, he was ranked first on the World Masters List and granted the title ’Unbeatable’.’

The Myriad Dao Sect held Ling Chen in high esteem and spoke of him with certainty.

They just directly called me the Unbeatable Sword Sect? Ling Chen was slightly surprised. When Mo Tao had called him the Unbeatable Sword Sect, it was merely an alias. However, being addressed as such in the ”World Masters List” was a different matter entirely. The latter held more authority and essentially confirmed his identity as the Unbeatable Sword Sect.

Not dwelling on this thought, Ling Chen continued to flip through.

The number of young experts on the list this year was indeed high—seventeen in total, accounting for nearly a quarter of the World Masters List. Among the top ten, this proportion was even greater.

The rankings followed as such: Yun Qinghong was second, Huyan Xiong third, Liu Feiyue fourth, Fang Baiyu fifth, Su Ziling sixth, Yin Tianxi seventh, Yue Ruohai eighth, and Leng Jue ninth...

The title of Unbeatable Sword Sect has fallen upon me. It seems I have no choice but to strive even harder.

Closing the book, Ling Chen smiled faintly.

「At that moment, a hundred miles north of Green Cloud Mountain,」

In the sky, a flash of white light streaked by, sharp as a sword, like a phantom flying sword traversing the heavens.

It was a sword-shaped bird, entirely white, moving at a fantastic speed. In an instant, the white light was hovering over Green Cloud Mountain.

Astride the sword-shaped bird stood an elegant, white-robed elderly man with a sword at his waist. His demeanor was otherworldly; in his youth, he must have undoubtedly been an exceptional young swordsman.

To have reached this level at merely nineteen, he is indeed an unprecedented sword genius. However, a tree that stands out in the forest will be buffeted by the wind. It’s not good for a young man to lack subtlety. Let me teach him a thing or two!

With a slight pause, the beam of light increased its speed and headed towards the back mountain.

”There’s an intruder!”

Green Cloud Mountain was protected by the Great Formation, and the white-robed elder’s intrusion was instantly discovered by the experts of the Cyan Robe Association.

”He’s heading straight for the Sect Leader’s residence! Hurry and notify the Elders!”

”There’s no need to worry. The Sect Leader is the Unbeatable Sword Sect, the number one Master in the world. To deal with him, one would have to be among the Martial World giants. Moreover, Senior Sister Feiyue is with him.”

”Even so, we must not be negligent. Go and inform them!”

Several experts from the Cyan Robe Association hurriedly departed.

In the back mountain, Ling Chen was sparring with Liu Feiyue, practicing swordsmanship.

Previously, when they practiced together, Ling Chen would seek Liu Feiyue’s guidance, or at most, they would exchange pointers. But things were different now; Liu Feiyue was seeking guidance from Ling Chen.

While exchanging moves with Liu Feiyue, Ling Chen said, ”Your Bright Moon Sword Art can confuse enemies, making them unable to follow your sword’s trajectory. However, no sword art should be mere flash without substance, all form and no essence. Senior Sister, your swordsmanship is excellent, but it’s still a bit too unrestrained. The Bright Moon Sword Art emphasizes three principles: softness, entanglement, and ruthlessness. You’ve mastered softness, but you’re still lacking in entanglement and ruthlessness. Entanglement requires the skillful application of softness. Ruthlessness is the ultimate expression—like a whirlpool, it should draw in and devour your enemy.”

Liu Feiyue listened attentively and practiced diligently. She could feel some of her confusion subsiding, and in certain areas, she suddenly experienced a sense of clarity.

Ling Chen’s guidance was indeed very helpful.

If it were anyone else, Liu Feiyue certainly wouldn’t listen to a nineteen-year-old instructing her. But Ling Chen was different; he was a sword prodigy. If she didn’t utilize such a valuable resource, she would be the foolish one.

”Alright, let’s stop here.”

Ling Chen abruptly halted Liu Feiyue and looked up at the sky.

From the horizon, a beam of white light shot straight across. Its piercing sword qi resonated with the sky in perfect harmony, as if it had merged into one with the heavens.

This person...? Liu Feiyue held her breath, her gaze solemn.

”Emperor Sword Sect.”

Ling Chen didn’t need to guess to know who the newcomer was.

Among the top elder Masters, the Blade Dao Masters and Sword Dao Masters were the most formidable, as the largest number of people in the Jianghu practiced the blade and the sword, naturally leading to the highest probability of producing Masters. Among them, the Blade Dao Masters were led by the Blood Demon Blade Sect, while the Sword Dao Masters were led by the Emperor Sword Sect.

The Blood Demon Blade Sect was notorious for its ruthless and merciless slaughter, exuding an overwhelmingly bloody and murderous presence. The Emperor Sword Sect, in contrast, was far more noble and elegant. Like an emperor among swords, they controlled the grand momentum and commanded unsurpassed prestige, to which any Sword Dao Master would have to submit.

Without a doubt, before Ling Chen was titled the Unbeatable Sword Sect, the Emperor Sword Sect was the foremost among all Sword Dao Masters, the uncrowned king. The very word ”Emperor” in their name allowed them to consolidate immense influence, making them number one in the world. However, since Ling Chen was named the Unbeatable Sword Sect, the Emperor Sword Sect’s influence had greatly diminished, and they had lost their former glory.

The white light moved extremely quickly, soon hovering over Ling Chen’s courtyard. It was an old man with white hair. His robes fluttered as he landed gently by the lakeside, standing tall beside a large tree.

The Emperor Sword Sect glanced at Ling Chen, a hint of surprise in his eyes. He could discern a particular aura about Ling Chen, an aura directed at him. This aura was different from his own; it was a kind of subtle, overwhelming pressure, far more potent than his, making him feel uneasy all over.

So it is true!

The Emperor Sword Sect’s expression darkened. The title of Unbeatable Sword Sect was exceedingly lofty. Previously, all the Emperor Sword Sect’s accumulated influence seemed to have transferred to Ling Chen. Now that he had arrived in Ling Chen’s presence, he felt suppressed by him, as though a courtier had met his sovereign, or a vassal lord had encountered the true Emperor.