Nangong Wenjian's words echoed in the sea of clouds, carrying an undeniable confidence and a hint of imperceptible anticipation.
He no longer lingered, his white-robed figure like a lone swan, suddenly transforming into a streak of light, shooting straight towards the horizon.
The clamor on the Sword-Viewing Platform grew louder; everyone's gaze chased the disappearing white light, a great sense of loss and even stronger curiosity surging in their hearts.
Will the Demon-Slaying Sword Master accept the challenge?
Lü Tianxing's brows were tightly furrowed, his Divine Sense quietly spreading out; he was also very curious about who the Demon-Slaying Sword Master truly was.
....
A thousand li away from Tongtian Peak, on a rarely visited mountain peak perpetually shrouded in clouds and mist, Nangong Wenjian slowly descended.
The biting mountain wind swept by; a green pine stood unyielding on the cliff edge, still verdant after enduring wind and rain.
Nangong Wenjian stood alone by the cliff, his white robe fluttering; his expression was calm, seemingly without any tension, but his Sword Intent was formidable, and falling leaves silently turned to dust as they approached him.
He stood as still as a deep abyss, his gaze fixed on the depths of the sea of clouds, waiting.
Time seemed to slow down immensely.
After an unknown duration.
The mountain wind suddenly paused for a moment.
A subtle ripple finally appeared in Nangong Wenjian's eyes, which had been as calm as an ancient well.
He slowly turned around.
Just three feet behind him, at some unknown point, another person had appeared.
The newcomer wore a white robe, his figure not tall, even appearing somewhat slender in this vast world.
His face was ordinary, save for a pair of eyes, profound as if containing the stars of eons, calm and unruffled, yet seemingly capable of seeing through all sharpness in the world.
The entire person stood there, his aura completely integrated with the ancient pine behind him, the mountain rocks beneath his feet, and the falling leaves; had it not been for seeing him with his own eyes, Nangong Wenjian's incomparably powerful Divine Sense would not have detected him even a tiny bit in advance.
"Demon-Slaying Sword Master?"
Nangong Wenjian's voice was still clear, but it carried an unprecedented gravity.
He could feel that the person before him was not in the Void Realm; his Realm, like his own, was that of a Soul Transformation Cultivator.
But this aura, as profound as a mountain and as vast as the sea, made him unable to fathom him.
Han Xuanji calmly looked at Nangong Wenjian; there was no hostility or disdain in his gaze.
This time, he had gone all out.
His arrival was an admission of his identity.
There was no other way.
Who told the Shenxuan Sect to be so useless? Although he was reclusive, deep down he didn't want the Sect to suffer such a great humiliation.
On the other hand, he also wanted to see how strong the peerless Geniuses of this world truly were, and incidentally test his own strength.
"Good."
A brilliant light instantly erupted from Nangong Wenjian's eyes; it was the ultimate excitement of meeting a worthy opponent.
Even without having exchanged blows, he could vaguely sense the power of the person before him.
He no longer held anything back, and a colossal aura suddenly exploded!
"Clang—!"
A clear Sword Cry, as if piercing through the nine heavens, resounded through the valley!
The sword box on his back opened, and seven Flying Swords were arranged within it, radiating Killing Intent.
The sword light was not dazzling, but it was condensed and pure to the extreme; the sword body hummed, causing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to converge wildly, and Sword Qi instantly crisscrossed the valley, with countless invisible Sword Intent manifesting from thin air, densely filling the Void Realm, each containing a sharpness capable of tearing apart the Divine Soul!
At this moment, he used himself as the guide, transforming Heaven and Earth into a sword!
The hard rocks beneath his feet silently developed dense, web-like sword marks
An invisible Domain unfolded; this was Nangong Wenjian's proud Sword Domain, powerful enough to crush those of the same Realm.
Han Xuanji was slightly surprised; this move of his opponent was somewhat like Sword Intent transforming into a Domain; it seemed the opponent had already begun to touch upon this stage and had gained some insights.
"Please!"
Nangong Wenjian gave a clear shout, gripping one of the ancient long swords in his hand, his Sword Intent formidable.
Facing this terrifying Sword Intent, which could instantly cause an ordinary Soul Transformation Cultivator's mind to collapse, Han Xuanji remained expressionless; he didn't even look at the crisscrossing Sword Qi that filled the sky, capable of annihilating everything.
Han Xuanji slowly raised his right hand, his index and middle fingers pressed together, forming an exquisitely profound sword incantation.
The Spiritual Qi within his body erupted like a volcano, and an indescribable Qi surged into existence from nothing.
It was not a sharp edge, but a complete "control," a power that saw through all laws and pointed directly to the Origin!
Nangong Wenjian's proud Sword Domain, condensed as if solid, melted away silently like ice and snow under the sun the moment it came into contact with this power!
It wasn't violently shattered, but rather seemed to be "smoothed" and "straightened" by a higher-level power; those chaotic, unruly Sword Qi actually became docile and obedient, and then... completely annihilated!
Nangong Wenjian's pupils contracted sharply; his Sword Domain, which had drawn upon the power of Heaven and Earth, had crumbled so easily?
This completely exceeded his understanding of the Dao of the Sword!
However, what was even more terrifying was yet to come.
Han Xuanji gently pointed forward.
Great Wilderness Sword Finger!
There was no mighty torrent of Sword Qi, no dazzling light.
Only a thread, condensed to the extreme.
A three-inch sword light, thinner than a strand of hair and almost transparent, silently emerged from his fingertip.
Fast!
Faster than thought, faster than perception!
In Nangong Wenjian's vision, that sword light seemed to cross the distance of space, appearing three inches in front of his glabella the moment his Sword Domain collapsed and his mind was severely shaken!
It was as if an invisible hand instantly seized Nangong Wenjian's heart!
All the blood in his body seemed to freeze at that moment!
For the first time in his life, he so clearly felt the aura of death, so powerless!
His proud Sword Intent, speed, and reaction, all failed before this seemingly weak three-inch sword light!
He didn't even have time to make any blocking or dodging movements!
Fortunately, the sword light's target was not his vital glabella.
Clink—!
A faint, almost imperceptible crisp sound, like a jade bead falling onto a jade plate.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
On the tip of the high-grade spiritual sword in Nangong Wenjian's hand, a tiny, almost imperceptible crack quietly appeared.
Immediately after, an incredibly condensed and terrifying force, like countless invisible steel needles, pierced fiercely into his entire body along the sword body and his arm.
"Pfft—!"
Nangong Wenjian was struck as if by lightning, his face instantly turning ashen white, and a large mouthful of hot blood uncontrollably gushed out, staining the white robe on his chest.
The tiger's mouth of his sword-wielding right hand burst open, the long sword almost flying out of his grasp, and his entire body was pushed backward by that irresistible force, staggering rapidly; with every step he took, the hard rock ground deeply caved in, leaving web-like cracks!
He retreated all the way to the green pine by the cliff, his back heavily hitting the gnarled tree trunk, shaking down pine needles like rain.
Nangong Wenjian barely managed to stabilize himself, half-kneeling on the ground, leaning on his sword, breathing heavily; each breath pulled at the tumultuous pain within his body.
He lost.
A single finger made him realize that there are always people stronger than you, and there is always a higher heaven