Chapter 514 - 491: Really Just a Sword Spar

Chapter 514: Chapter 491: Really Just a Sword Spar

Meng Dongye took another look. The man appeared to be an Early-Stage Core Formation Cultivator, but his aura fluctuated hazily, making it impossible to discern his specific cultivation level.

To be able to deceive a True Monarch’s Divine Sense, besides a Heaven-Defying Treasure, there was only one other possibility: the other party was also a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

"My apologies, Fellow Daoist. You’ve just witnessed a farce put on by two juniors. They arranged this themselves, manufacturing a series of hollow victories to boost their standing... The selection for our Sect’s Saint Heir is in a few years, so they’re trying to build up some prestige to gain an edge in the competition."

Meng Dongye showed no hesitation in exposing his own Sect’s embarrassing affairs. This was partly due to his magnanimity and his single-minded devotion to the Sword Dao, but it also stemmed from the confidence of belonging to a Super Sect.

"Fellow Daoist, you are not from the Central Domain, yet you saw through it in an instant. Your immersion in the Sword Dao must be beyond imagination. If you still claim your Swordsmanship is crude, then every Sword Cultivator in the world would die of shame."

"In that case, it would be more respectful to comply. I will experience this True Monarch’s divine might for myself."

Bai Zichen saw Meng Dongye’s stubbornness and knew he couldn’t get out of it, so he decided to just get it over with and have a good match.

Besides, this was a perfect opportunity to experience the true skill level of a Sword Cultivator from a Super Sect.

This place was remote anyway, with few Cultivators passing by, so word of the duel wouldn’t spread immediately.

"My sword’s name is Jing Ni. My sect’s founder plucked it from an Overseas Immortal Mountain. After I reached the Nascent Soul realm, it acknowledged me as its master in the Sword Court... Fellow Daoist, do you have a corresponding Tier Four Flying Sword? If not, I can switch to a Tier Three Flying Sword."

The sound of waves surged. The moment Bai Zichen agreed to the duel, Meng Dongye forgot all about questioning his identity. His eyes lit up, revealing a pure, childlike joy.

It was the excitement for the coming Swordsmanship duel, irrespective of victory or defeat. To him, every sword duel was a form of enjoyment.

No matter how tedious the repetitive sword practice or how difficult deciphering a Sword Scripture, he never felt any negativity, but rather found joy in the process.

"Tier Four Moon Xuan, formed from Taiyin Star Power..."

The Moonlight Sword Light landed in his hand and transformed at his will. It was as cold as frost, and the surrounding air temperature dropped by several degrees.

"So you’re Bai Zichen from the Northern Domain! My youngest junior brother has been waiting for you for a long time, planning to challenge you once you reached the Central Domain... I didn’t expect to get the first chance. Let me test your skills and see if you live up to your reputation."

Meng Dongye’s eyes brightened; he had clearly recognized Bai Zichen by his Flying Sword.

For a Cultivator like him, who had dedicated his entire life solely to the Sword Dao, his knowledge of the world’s Nascent Soul Sword Cultivators likely surpassed that of any intelligence organization.

The Jing Ni Turtle Sword slashed down. The world was instantly covered by a vast ocean, with one wave crashing after another, filling the air with the mighty sound of rushing water.

The Sword Light was long and majestic, possessing an immense power so heavy that even a Tier Four Flying Sword seemed as if it would be overwhelmed, trembling slightly.

Each slash of Sword Light was like a rushing river, turning his opponent within its range into a lone traveler battered by wind and rain.

"Excellent Swordsmanship!"

Bai Zichen narrowed his eyes. Since this was a contest of skill, there was no need to use the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword.

Besides, Xiaozhi’s origins were special, and its true rank was beyond imagination. Even the Abi Heavenly Prison Demon Sword had to address it as Venerable and bow its head in submission.

’I used it carelessly before because I didn’t understand.’

’The Central Domain is full of Sects with legacies spanning tens of thousands of years. Who’s to say one of their Transmission Hall pavilions doesn’t contain texts with secrets from Ancient Times?’

’If someone with ill intentions discovered that the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword was identical to the Lifebound Flying Sword of that mysterious Sword Immortal who made a brief, stunning appearance in Ancient Times, it would be another huge problem.’

’From now on, I won’t use the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword unless absolutely necessary.’

’The moment I draw it will be a moment of life and death.’

A bright moon appeared high in the sky, creating the strange spectacle of the sun and moon shining together, bathing the land in Moonlight. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

Wherever the Moonlight flowed, Sword Light would erupt, shattering the great waves and sending countless splashes of water flying.

The Moonlight and the water waves crashed against each other, seeming both real and illusory, making it impossible to distinguish what was a real-world scene and what was formed from Sword Light.

’He can achieve this much without using a lot of True Essence. The Primordial Court Sword Scripture is truly remarkable... I wonder what the Celestial Phoenix Shocking God Sword Technique, which is said to be even stronger, must be like.’

As the one at the center of the attack, Bai Zichen could feel very clearly that his opponent was using ten percent of his strength at most.

Otherwise, the range and destructive power of a fully unleashed Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator would be far greater than what he was seeing now.

Since they had agreed to a duel of Swordsmanship and not a life-or-death battle, and his opponent was acting with such integrity, Bai Zichen certainly wasn’t going to be petty.

He controlled the True Essence in his hands, and his Moonlight Sword Light grew fainter and more ethereal, almost disappearing into the waves, becoming difficult to perceive.

The massive ocean waves roared again, surging forward and shrinking the scope of the moonlight.

After several dozen exchanges like this, Meng Dongye, leveraging the characteristics of his Swordsmanship, was steadily gaining the upper hand and was about to extinguish the moonlight completely.

Just then, a silver thread lit up. All the Sword Light, all the manifested phenomena, slowed for an instant.

A single Silver Moon Sword Thread pierced through countless waves, tore open the heart of the ocean, and shot almost all the way through the vast sea.

The ocean vanished, the waves were gone. All that remained was Meng Dongye, his sword held horizontally before his chest, blocking the Silver Moon Sword Thread as he took a small step back.

"One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws!"

Meng Dongye trembled, looking at his palm in disbelief. The webbing between his thumb and forefinger had split open, and blood stained the hilt of his Jing Ni sword.

"The greatest Sword Dao Talent since the Near Ancient era... Fellow Daoist Bai, you truly live up to that title. You reached the Nascent Soul realm only a few decades ago, yet you’ve already walked a path that we of mediocre talent might not traverse in centuries. I fear the emergence of the next Sword Cultivator to master the Four Realms of Sword Dao is not far off."

One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws had shattered the great waves and torn apart the ocean, but it was far from enough to decide the victor.

Meng Dongye had several methods to regenerate his Sword Light and continue the Combat, though he would be at a slight disadvantage.

But since they had agreed to a contest of Swordsmanship, with nothing else involved, the difference in their skill was already clear.

He readily admitted defeat without a hint of hesitation, completely unburdened by the pride one would expect from a True Monarch of a Super Sect.

"True Monarch Meng, you flatter me. I merely had the advantage of surprise."

Bai Zichen had been preparing to make his next move and hadn’t expected his opponent to actually withdraw his sword and admit defeat.

This was difficult for Bai Zichen to process. Having grown up in the Northern Domain and just toured the Southern Domain, a land rife with Demon Sects, he found it hard to believe that a sword duel was really just a sword duel.

Faced with such a true Sword Cultivator, his attitude naturally changed, becoming much more polite.

It wasn’t just empty pleasantries, however. Bai Zichen could sense that Meng Dongye had also been holding back; the strength he had displayed was far from his limit.

This was normal. It was just like how he himself wouldn’t set up the Star River Sword Array or activate the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword during a friendly match.

The man was from the Five Phoenix Sword Sect; it was only natural for him to have a killer move or two, some Divine Techniques up his sleeve.

After the duel, the two grew much closer. Meng Dongye led the way, and they descended to a rustic thatched cottage in the mountains.

"My progress in sword training was slow when I was young, so I avoided any negative factors that might affect me, including drinking... Alcohol makes the hands tremble. My draw was already not as steady or fast as others, so how could I dare touch alcohol? I have been on the path of Entering the Dao for nearly six hundred years and haven’t touched a drop. Therefore, I can only offer you tea in place of wine. I hope Fellow Daoist Bai will forgive me."

With a wave of his wide sleeve, Meng Dongye drew forth a stream of water from a Spiritual Spring and poured it into the tea set.

He then took out some Spirit Tea, and after brewing it, a rich, fragrant aroma immediately filled the air.

"True Monarch Meng, you are truly a model for all Sword Cultivators. To maintain such self-discipline for six hundred years without straying from your original purpose—how many people can achieve that?"

Bai Zichen accepted the teacup. Inside, the Spirit Tea leaves unfurled, looking like swimming dragons.

White mist curled upwards, gathering in a ball above the cup.

Even the strongest wine could hardly affect a Nascent Soul True Monarch. With their Nascent Soul providing insulation, they could dispel any intoxication with a surge of True Essence.

Meng Dongye’s so-called abstinence from alcohol was merely a rule he had set for himself. Once a rule was established, it had to be followed.

"I’m getting old. At this age, I still haven’t reached the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul realm. I’ve given up on the idea of advancing further... I only hope I can achieve some breakthrough in the Sword Dao before I die. It would be best if I could witness the true legacy of the Taibai Sword Sect and see for myself what the so-called Fifth Realm of Sword Dao is truly like!"

Meng Dongye let out a long sigh. Beneath his youthful appearance was a world-weary Nascent Soul True Monarch.

The two of them sipped their tea and discussed the sword, speaking of the various Sword Cultivation Sects in the Cultivation Realm and the powerful Sword Cultivators who had left their names in history.

Of course, they could not avoid discussing the most dazzling of them all: the Taibai Sword Sect.

"It’s a pity that the Taibai Sword Sect’s Fundamental Great Method was lost. We Cultivators of this generation can no longer witness the peerless style of the Sword Cultivators of that era."

Bai Zichen nodded lightly. Even he felt this way, to say nothing of other Sword Cultivators.

"That might not be true!"

Meng Dongye fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said something earth-shattering.