Chapter 61
Sichuan is boiling!
The eyes of the world, regardless of righteousness or evil, were focused on the clash between the Black Contemplation Fortress and the Sichuan Alliance in Kangding, Sichuan.
Although it had not been long since its formation, the Sichuan Alliance showed the renowned potential of the Sichuan martial families, and the Black Contemplation Fortress, led by its new masters, boasted that its notorious reputation was not exaggerated in the slightest.
But what drew the attention of the public more than their fight was the duel between the Twelve Honored Ones of the World, who had not faced each other even once in the past twenty years.
As the duel between the Sichuan Alliance and the Black Contemplation Fortress showed no signs of ending easily, the result of the contest eventually became the responsibility of the Sword Immortal and the Black Qilin.
Those who were interested in martial arts began to gather in Sichuan, regardless of righteousness, evil, or distance, to see the martial prowess of the Sword Immortal and the Black Qilin even once with their own two eyes.
On the top of a rocky mountain not far from Kangding, a small altar was set up, and next to the altar, a modest tent was pitched, providing shade from the sunlight.
And inside that tent, a Taoist was lightly enjoying medicinal wine.
"Boundless Buddha... why is the day of a life-and-death duel so clear?"
Although it was not a downpour with lightning ahead of the great duel of the world, it would have been a bit more atmospheric if it had rained, but unfortunately, the sky was as clear as could be.
The Taoist Lingbao, one of the Two Immortals and called the Sword Immortal, was tilting his wine cup, grumbling at the excessively good weather.
"Leader... aren't you drinking too much?"
"If you were me, would you be able to endure without drinking wine, knowing that you might die?"
Xi Xichang, who had accompanied him to witness the duel between the Sword Immortal and the Black Qilin, could not hide her anxious expression.
Although everyone wanted to watch the ultimate of the martial arts that the Sword Immortal would display and the once-in-a-lifetime duel, the one that the Taoist Lingbao had pointed out was her.
Lingbao briefly recalled the time when he had exchanged blows with the Tongtian Cult Master.
At that time, a life-and-death contest between the Martial Arts Alliance and the demonic cult was taking place, and in the midst of the screams and shouts, a storm of wind and rain raged, to the point that his two eyes stung.
A whopping ten years ago, just the two of them, who had stepped into the beginning of the supreme state, competing was enough to make the martial artists of the Martial Arts Alliance and the demonic cult stop fighting.
It was a fight where strength and strength clashed, and a fight where beliefs were entangled.
How surprised had he been when he, who had later been drawn by something and had gone to the Hermit's Valley and had chosen to live in seclusion, had met Tongtian there?
'Come to think of it, I'm a little worried about that guy too.'
Recalling Tongtian, who would be in the Hermit's Valley, he naturally thought of Agong, who would be with him there.
Although he had not taken a disciple in the end, even when his sect and the Martial Arts Alliance had told him to do so, to think that he would take a disciple in the Hermit's Valley.
Lingbao, recalling Agong, felt a chill run through his whole body for a moment.
If one were to think only of Tongtian's outward appearance, one would wonder why he was worried, but Lingbao, who knew that his character was originally violent and sinister, was worried that he might do something to Agong in his absence.
Of course, the virtual duel they were having with Agong as the subject was also important.
Lingbao had already planted his understanding in the form of a sword in Agong's mind.
Since the understanding that had once taken root in the mind could not be erased unless a person was made a fool, it was quite thrilling to think that Tongtian would be anxious while training Agong.
Xi Xichang, who saw Lingbao suddenly grinning while drinking wine, was worried that the Taoist Lingbao might have drunk too much and that a problem might arise in this important duel.
Of course, the elders of the Sichuan Alliance were already preparing at the foot of the mountain in case the Taoist Lingbao was defeated.
If the Taoist Lingbao were to find out about this, he would be greatly angered, but since the fate of the Sichuan sects, as well as the Sichuan Alliance, was at stake, it was worth enduring the Sword Immortal's anger.
"Ahem... but this Black Qilin is really rude."
The opponent was not showing up, even though the promised time was approaching.
The appearance of him, who was high in both seniority and rank, waiting was quite awkward.
It was fortunate that he was a Taoist with a broad mind and high cultivation. Although the paths of righteousness and evil were different, it was not the courtesy that a junior should show.
Lingbao tasted the fine wine on the table again.
If he did not win today, this wine would be his funeral wine.
As the promised noon approached, Xi Xichang suddenly felt a chill run through her whole body and trembled.
Swoosh!
The clear sky darkened, and the clouds covered the light.
Lingbao, seeing a man slowly appearing from a distance and a boy following half a step behind him, emptied the wine in his cup once again.
The Black Qilin.
The duel between the two was held at the request of the Sichuan Alliance.
Since it was a duel with a huge impact, they had hoped that only the two of them would meet and compete without anyone else, and in the end, they had chosen this place, which was more than a hundred li away from Baidao Wumen, and had held the duel.
A total of four people, including the witnesses who would watch the result of the duel.
The boy who was following behind Wenzhong was, as predicted, surely Jeshin, who was said to be the young master of the Black Contemplation Fortress.
Jeshin's expression was also very stiff.
Not only was it the first time he had seen the Sword Immortal, but he was also in a state where his momentum was greatly suppressed by the tension and the fame of the Sword Immortal.
Moreover, to be drinking wine so peacefully ahead of such a duel?
That appearance, as if it were showing how confident the Sword Immortal was, made him clench his fists tightly without realizing it.
Meanwhile, the complexion of Wenzhong, who had appeared, did not look very good.
His skin was dry, and his face was pale, as if the great master of the Black Contemplation Fortress had not even eaten his meals well.
But the edge that was reflected in Wenzhong's two eyes was as sharp as a blade, and it made the heart of Lingbao, whose eyes had met his, ache.
'He has prepared thoroughly.'
Unlike Lingbao, who had started preparing for the duel with Wenzhong after arriving in Kangding, it was clear that Wenzhong had been preparing for the duel with him for a long time.
He could not even imagine how powerful a force an edge that a supreme martial artist could not hide would contain.
"You're late! How can you make an old Taoist wait?"
Wenzhong, who had slowly appeared from the opposite side, saw the sight of Lingbao, who was grumbling and tilting his wine cup, and bowed his head briefly in greeting.
Since they were enemies who had already taken opposite positions, there was no need or reason to show any more courtesy.
"A stuffy man with no taste."
Lingbao lightly gripped his sword on the table.
"Oops, there's a little wine left."
The wine in the wine bottle rose from the wine bottle like a fog and was sucked into Lingbao's nostrils in an instant. After that, a steam rose from his head like a haze.
Lingbao, who had blown away the effect of the wine in one go, was inwardly disappointed that he could not enjoy the taste of the wine a little more, but he could no longer enjoy his leisure, leaving behind an opponent who had been preparing for a long time.
The two went up to the altar and took their places.
"Sword Immortal, it is truly regrettable to face you like this."
"I also never dreamed that I would compete with the Black Qilin in the martial world before leaving the Hermit's Valley."
"And you?"
At Wenzhong's question, Xi Xichang barely opened her tense mouth.
"I am Xi Xichang of the Qingcheng Sect, who has been entrusted with the witnessing on the side of the Elder Sword Immortal, the leader of the Sichuan Alliance."
"I am Jeshin, who has been entrusted with the witnessing on the side of the Black Qilin, the number one sword of the evil path of the Black Contemplation Fortress."
As Xi Xichang revealed herself, Jeshin, who was next to Wenzhong, also revealed himself. After the introductions were over, the two slowly walked out of the altar.
Both of their steps were heavy, and their hearts were pounding with tension.
Clang!
As all the witnesses of the duel left the vicinity of the altar, the golden whip, his unique weapon, revealed itself from Wenzhong's pocket, making a clear sound as if a bell were ringing.
Compared to the sword that Lingbao, who carried around any sword, had bought for three nyang in the market, it was a dazzling weapon.
"The one who loses in this duel will bow down cleanly and withdraw."
"Very well."
"You two, make sure you don't get swept away."
Swoosh!
The moves of the two superhumans were made in the blink of an eye.
Wenzhong, who was already holding the golden whip, and the Taoist Lingbao, who did not even know when he had drawn his sword, swung their swords in the air in one go.
Swoosh!
When Lingbao swung his old sword just once, dozens of sharp edges began to rage, aiming for Wenzhong in an instant.
The old sword in the Sword Immortal's hand was just a sword, no matter what its appearance was.
When it entered the Sword Immortal's hand, the grass that grew on the ground, the leaves on the trees, and even a single thread that fluttered in the wind all became swords.
The Nine Gates Harmonious Sword Art.
The ultimate sword art of the Nine Gates Harmonious Heart Art and a rare sword art that handled all things as swords.
The dozens of edges were each like the sword qi of a supreme master, and they rotated and extended here and there, circling around Wenzhong as if dancing.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
Wenzhong was moving very quietly among the dense sword qi that were aiming for him.
Although it was a slow step, a blue flame arose from the clash of qi and qi around him, and the dozens of sword qi that the Sword Immortal had created were all being struck down by his sword stance at a distance of half a zhang in front of Wenzhong.
An absolute domain.
When Wenzhong's spatial sword was displayed, that space was soon the space of a god.
And the ruler of that place was Wenzhong.
The Taoist Lingbao's sword qi, which had entered the space that made the laws of all things in the universe pale, lost its speed and edge, which had been like the wind, and began to shatter into pieces on Wenzhong's golden whip and to fly in all directions.
Thump! Thump!
The fragments of the scattered sword qi split the floor of the altar, which had been built as a training ground, and made holes in the rocks.
"My goodness!"
Xi Xichang, watching the duel between the two superhumans from a distance, could not blink her eyes for even a moment.
It was amazing enough to control the sword qi with the technique of controlling the sword, but the Sword Immortal, who scattered dozens of them, and the Black Qilin, who destroyed all the sword qi and walked towards the Sword Immortal, both did not have the martial prowess of a human.
If she had approached even a little closer out of greed, she would have become a bloody mess in the martial arts of the two.
The Taoist Lingbao, who was watching Wenzhong, who was walking towards him silently in the raging sword wind, soon twisted his body greatly and drew a circle with his sword.
Following the Taoist Lingbao's movement, the surrounding leaves soared high into the sky and gathered, taking the form of a huge sword.
"If you avoid the light rain, how about the downpour?"
As the ultimate art of the Nine Gates Harmonious Sword Art, the Sword Steel Downpour, was displayed, the leaves that had become a huge steel qi began to pour down towards Wenzhong like a falling waterfall.
"Hmph!"
Wenzhong, feeling the pressure as if the spatial sword would explode, gathered all the power of his whole body.
The sight of the steel qi and the steel qi burning each other was truly a spectacle.
The single sword created by the gathering of the leaves was exploded with light, and then Wenzhong, in a disheveled state, with a long breath, this time stabbed his sword towards the Taoist Lingbao.
The Taoist Lingbao, who had done a somersault to avoid Wenzhong's sword, soon realized that the surrounding scenery was gradually flowing slowly.
It did not take long to realize that Wenzhong's spatial sword, which was called an absolute domain, had swallowed him.
The old sword in his hand was chipped, and the protective qi of his whole body began to scream loudly.
The domain of the spatial sword was soon the domain of death.
The one sword that the master of that place struck was an unreasonable sword art that did not even allow one to avoid it.
'It is truly a strange and divine sword art.'
A sword art that could not be avoided even while seeing the sword qi approaching him with his eyes.
Since the Taoist Lingbao could not move his body, he had to move his mind.
The single sword that had been sharply honed in his mind soon emitted a blue light and began to scatter from the Taoist Lingbao's whole body with light.
The Nine Gates Ten Thousand Sword Adjustment.
The ultimate sword art that he, who had obtained the understanding of the ultimate art of the Ten Thousand Sword Master, had achieved.
The one move of the King of Swords, which said that if one handled a single heart sword, one could handle all swords according to the will of the heart sword.
Since Wenzhong's spatial sword was also a technique that subdued the space with the sword in the heart, he also could not refuse the King of Swords.
Wenzhong's domain was shattered into pieces, and the Taoist Lingbao soared high into the sky and scattered his heart sword into ten thousand swords.
(End of Chapter)