Chapter 135: Chapter 134 - Breakthrough on the Spot_1
After their brief enhancement in Cultivation, two astounding waves of Sword Momentum intertwined, generating sparks in mid-air.
Xu Ruoyan’s pretty face remained tranquil as she looked at Ling Chen and said, "This should be the extent of your ability."
Hearing this, Ling Chen nodded. "Yes."
"Then, I’m afraid you’re going to lose here."
Xu Ruoyan’s tone was icy, a chilling glare flashed in her eyes. Suddenly, the blue glow in her eyes brightened, and her Cultivation skyrocketed to the Martial Artist Sixth Realm.
She had fully activated her Ice Heart Divine Soul.
Pure True Qi spread out. An icy, bone-chilling aura pervaded the square, causing everyone to feel a sudden chill.
"What? Xu Ruoyan actually hid such a technique! She has cultivated her Ice Heart Divine Soul to the Third Stage!"
"She’s too strong. Truly the pride of heaven, unparalleled in her generation."
"Compared to Xu Ruoyan, Ling Chen is indeed a bit inferior."
Disciples from all major sects showed expressions of admiration. Xu Ruoyan’s combat power exceeded their expectations.
After her Cultivation advanced further, Xu Ruoyan’s aura overwhelmed Ling Chen, gaining an absolute upper hand.
"Ling Chen, at this point, I allow you to admit defeat."
Xu Ruoyan looked down on him arrogantly, seeming to have anticipated this scene. She then said, "But speaking of which, have you ever thought that the ’burden’ in your eyes would push you into such a desperate situation today?"
Hearing this, Ling Chen was slightly taken aback. He immediately shook his head. Women... always so petty.She’ll probably remember that one sentence for the rest of her life.
"Indeed, I didn’t expect it. But I don’t regret saying those things to you," Ling Chen said indifferently.
"You stubborn mule! After I defeat you, I’ll see what you have to say then!" Xu Ruoyan’s beautiful eyes flashed with anger, and her Cloud and Water Sword thrust out fiercely, carrying an extremely sharp Sword Momentum.
All her Sword Momentum was concentrated in this one strike.
"Ling Chen is in danger," Xiao Muyu watched anxiously at the scene in the center of the training ground.
"The battle is decided!" Feng Piaoliu declared, looking as if the outcome was already set.
Everyone could see that with Ling Chen’s current strength, he absolutely couldn’t block Xu Ruoyan’s strike.
However, in the face of this oppressive sword strike, the True Qi in Ling Chen’s body automatically surged. In his Dantian, it seemed as if an invisible barrier had shattered. The flow of True Qi greatly accelerated, and the vast true energy all poured into the True Qi Virtual Pill.
CRACK! As if something had broken, the True Qi Virtual Pill suddenly breached its limits and expanded further.
At this moment, Ling Chen’s aura also underwent a transformation, improving significantly.
Feeling the potent True Qi circulating within his body, Ling Chen lifted his eyes. His gaze was so sharp it felt tangible, seeming to transform into illusory sword qi that made everyone’s eyes sting from its sheer intensity.
"What? Ling Chen actually broke through?!" All the Sect Disciples were utterly shocked. Under such enormous pressure, Ling Chen hadn’t collapsed; instead, he had achieved a breakthrough in adversity!
Breaking through under pressure like this is rare across the Tianyuan Continent. Under intense pressure, most people can barely withstand the strain. Not every instance of pressure leads to progress; otherwise, it would be utter chaos, with people constantly achieving breakthroughs in desperate battles.
One could only say that the pressure had provided him the opportunity to break through. Judging from the powerful True Qi fluctuations, Ling Chen’s True Qi seemed much more consolidated than that of ordinary people. Although he had forcibly broken through to the next Realm, his True Qi showed no signs of instability.
"This just got interesting." A fascinating expression appeared on Feng Piaoliu’s face. For Ling Chen to withstand the pressure under such circumstances and achieve a breakthrough was simply unbelievable.
Xu Ruoyan’s pretty face fell slightly; she hadn’t expected such a variable to emerge at this crucial juncture.
After his aura surged, Ling Chen took a step forward. A sharp torrent of energy burst forth, and he seemed to merge with the eye of the storm, his astonishing Sword Momentum soaring skyward.
With a single hand grasping his sword, Ling Chen slashed out, cleaving Xu Ruoyan’s Sword Momentum in half.
"Damn it!" Xu Ruoyan’s entire body pulsed with True Qi. Her white dress danced wildly in the wind, making her resemble a Nine-heaven Fairy. With an elegant spin, she brandished her Cloud and Water Sword. The sword qi seemed to transform into clouds on the horizon, dividing into seven streams that fiercely descended upon Ling Chen.
Xu Ruoyan’s sword qi appeared gentle and light, but to Ling Chen, it felt like the weight of Mount Tai pressing down. The air before him was swept clean, as sword qi surged and roiled like waves.
This sword strike, infused with Xu Ruoyan’s full power, was meant to be the decisive blow.
Then, Ling Chen moved. He simply swept his sword out, yet an invisible power swept across the entire training ground. It was the fluctuation of the Mountain and Water Sword Intention.
Everyone sensed this sharp, extraordinary, and incredibly potent aura.
HUM. HUM. HUM.
On the training ground, many Sect Disciples wore Treasure Swords. Now, these swords began to shudder uncontrollably. To their astonishment, the swords automatically flew from their sheaths, landing all around the edge of the central area and forming a circle.
All the Treasure Swords trembled violently, as if a sliver of their sharp essence was being drawn out and infused into Ling Chen’s Juechen Sword, enhancing its keenness.
"This is Sword Intent! The emperor of swords, it shatters all other swords, commands all other swords! With the blessing of ten thousand swords, it can cleave the world!" one of the sword-wielding Sect Disciples exclaimed excitedly.
The crowd saw fine Sword Lights converging, finally blooming into a dazzling radiance in Ling Chen’s hand before shooting out.
Two terrifying streams of sword qi collided. Everyone could only see a dense, honeycomb-like barrage of sword qi falling from the sky, obscuring the figures of the two combatants.
The Sword techniques negated each other, collapsing almost simultaneously. Ling Chen, holding the Juechen Sword, executed the Wind Shadow Step and charged towards Xu Ruoyan like a gale. She, too, pushed her Light Skill to its utmost limit, thrusting her sword at Ling Chen’s chest.
The Juechen Sword and the Cloud and Water Sword, both renowned Jianghu swords, shimmered with a chilling light, incomparably sharp.
In Xu Ruoyan’s eyes, Ling Chen seemed to perceive a trace of resentment, a hint of cold indifference, and a flicker of unwillingness.
At this moment, a faint smile touched Ling Chen’s lips. It must be rather difficult to make an ethereal Fairy Maiden, so detached from worldly affairs, develop such strong and conflicting emotions for a man, right?It seems I must settle things with her today.
Just as their bodies were about to meet, Ling Chen suddenly made an astonishing move. At this critical juncture, he abandoned his sword strike midway, placed the Juechen Sword behind him, and met Xu Ruoyan’s incoming sword qi with his unprotected flesh body!
"What?!" Xu Ruoyan’s pretty face drained of color. She wanted to retract her sword, but it was already too late.
The Sword Momentum was already established and could not be withdrawn.
PSHCHT!
The Cloud and Water Sword pierced Ling Chen’s chest, and blood stained his white robe.
"Ling Chen!" Xiao Muyu cried out, her hands flying to cover her small, cherry-like mouth. Everyone, including Feng Piaoliu, was stunned. Who could have anticipated such a sudden turn of events?
Blood blossomed on Ling Chen’s robe like a vivid, crimson flower.
After the initial shock, Xu Ruoyan withdrew the Cloud and Water Sword from Ling Chen’s chest.
DRIP! DRIP!
Beads of blood fell to the ground, quickly staining the stone slabs red.
Fortunately, at the last moment, Xu Ruoyan had managed to shift the trajectory of the Cloud and Water Sword. Otherwise, it would have pierced Ling Chen’s heart.
"Why did you do that?" Xu Ruoyan’s gaze was complicated.
"I know you hold a grudge." Ling Chen swallowed a hemostasis Elixir, then met Xu Ruoyan’s gaze directly. "But if this one strike can dispel the resentment in your heart, then what harm is there in me taking it?"
"You..." Xu Ruoyan had initially planned to humiliate Ling Chen severely, to make him lose all face before the large crowd. But now, at the very moment the Cloud and Water Sword had pierced Ling Chen’s body, she had felt an agonizing, heart-wrenching pain. This man... although he had once hurt her deeply, she found she couldn’t bring herself to hate him at all.
*PS: Many of you have said the update rate isn’t great, and I agree. It’s partly due to my busy work schedule and partly because the support in terms of collections and recommendation tickets hasn’t been strong. So, how about this: starting now, once this book reaches 200 recommendation tickets, I’ll release an extra Chapter. After that, for every additional 50 tickets, I’ll release another bonus Chapter.*