Chapter 487 - 469: One Soul-Catching Slash
On the battlefield, Su Yu stood like an immovable mountain, firmly suppressing Cao Yanqing.
This scene caused the observing commanders and the experts from various Inner City factions to fall into an increasingly profound silence. Could the number one expert of the Outer City truly possess such strength? Was he actually going to defeat Commander Cao while only being in the Jiao Tendon Realm? If he also reached the Dragon Tendon Realm, wouldn’t he be absolutely invincible among those below the Profound Bone Realm?
No, no, no. With the strength and talent of Commander Gu and the others, they certainly wouldn’t be inferior to Su Yu. Who was stronger could only be known after they actually crossed blows. Besides, Su Yu hadn’t won yet. Commander Cao’s strength was definitely more than just this.
At this moment, another Great Commander, Zhao Daoran, arrived to watch the battle. He fanned himself with a feather fan, trailed by dozens of followers. After observing for a moment, he smiled warmly. "To push Commander Cao to this extent with only the cultivation of the Jiao Tendon Realm, Commander Su’s talent in the Sword Dao is indeed astonishing."
Several people beside him quickly nodded in agreement, though their faces showed slight embarrassment. To let an Outer City commander steal the spotlight like this made those who had always looked down on the Outer City feel somewhat awkward.
However, Zhao Daoran paused briefly, fanned himself again, and continued, "But ultimately, the Muscle Forging Realm focuses on refining the great tendons to improve one’s foundation. Commander Su started learning martial arts a few years late to begin with, and now he has poured so much energy into his Saber Stance. While his current combat prowess is indeed impressive, his cultivation realm is lagging behind. Whether he can break through to the Dragon Tendon Realm is still an unknown variable."
Hearing this, the people beside him immediately revealed looks of realization.
"Commander Zhao is absolutely right," one said.
"True geniuses all focus on refining their great tendons as quickly as possible to raise their realm. Once they step into the Profound Bone Realm and their lifespans increase, they’ll naturally have plenty of time to study martial arts," another agreed.
"Delaying his Dragon Tendon foundation for the sake of immediate combat power is indeed putting the cart before the horse."
In the distance, Li Jingfeng coldly snorted upon hearing this. He seemed extremely disdainful of Zhao Daoran, indicating an obvious grudge between the two.
In the center of the battlefield, Cao Yanqing was completely deaf to the surrounding discussions, throwing his entire being into the fight. Right now, his expression was terribly solemn. Only by truly exchanging blows with Su Yu could one understand how terrifying the pressure brought by his saber was. With every strike of the blade, the spear in his hands trembled violently. If they continued fighting like this, let alone building up his Spear Stance, even its last remaining traces of momentum would dissipate.
He even had a feeling that Su Yu wasn’t using his full strength at all.
It had to be said that his feeling was correct. Su Yu had always been cautious and careful, preferring to hold something back when revealing his strength to the public. His fight with Cao Yanqing had lasted this long not because his opponent was truly strong enough to exchange so many rounds with him, but because he was deliberately controlling the pace of the battle. First, it was to gain more Saber Technique Skill Level. Second, the territorial dispute lasted for a total of three days. Today was only the first day, and he didn’t want to scare away his opponents just like that.
Among the Great Commanders participating in this Martial Examination, there were still several experts in the Middle Dragon Realm. To say they didn’t covet Su Yu’s territory would be impossible. This Cao Yanqing was merely the first vanguard who couldn’t hold back.
Defeating Cao Yanqing meant obtaining a precious Dragon Tendon Pill. Over these three days, he had to fight at least three matches and secure three Dragon Tendon Pills!
"Take another strike from my spear!"
Cao Yanqing suddenly bellowed. He knew he couldn’t let this drag on any longer. He took a half-step back, gripping his spear with both hands. His White Jade Great Tendons pulled taut one by one, and his spine arched like an awakening great dragon. Power surged from the soles of his feet, running all the way through his waist and back, pouring completely into his arms.
In the next moment, he took nine consecutive steps forward—BAM! BAM! BAM!
With every step, a deep crater exploded into the riverbed. The momentum of his spear continuously climbed alongside him—one wave... two waves... three waves... all the way to the ninth wave!
Vast Sea Overturning River Spear, Nine Waves Return to the River!
BOOM!
Cao Yanqing thrust his spear, focusing the unparalleled ferocity of his Ninefold Spear Stance entirely onto a single point! Before the spear’s tip even landed, the mud in front of him was torn apart by the condensed Gang Force. A trench about ten feet long appeared, rapidly spreading toward Su Yu’s feet.
"It’s the Nine Waves Return to the River!"
"What a terrifying move! Commander Cao has been forced to use his trump card."
"Nine Waves Return to the River is the unification of Ninefold Force. Its power is unstoppable! In the past, even a Middle Dragon Tendon Incense Master of the Black Lotus Sect couldn’t block this strike!"
The crowd stared intently at the battlefield, all wanting to know if Su Yu could actually withstand this attack.
The smile vanished from Li Jingxuan’s face, replaced by a flash of worry in his eyes. None of the Inner City’s Great Commanders had unearned reputations; this spear strike was incredibly powerful.
The side-profile pose Li Jingfeng had struck unknowingly disappeared as he turned to face the battlefield head-on once again.
Zhao Daoran, meanwhile, lightly fanned himself, the smile returning to his lips. His previous commentary on Su Yu seemed like praise, but his intent to suppress the man was obvious. After all, Su Yu was an Outer City commander. If he truly overshadowed the many commanders of the Inner City, none of them would look good.
Facing this astonishing spear thrust, a trace of seriousness flashed through Su Yu’s eyes. The sphere of Ape Demon Evil Qi inside his body spun rapidly. An even denser, dark red Evil Qi swarmed out from the great tendons across his body, swiftly wrapping around the long saber in his hand like boiling magma. As the Evil Qi fused with his Saber Stance, the blade emitted a low rumble, akin to a Demon Ape suppressing its fury, growling softly into everyone’s ears.
Su Yu lowered his stance slightly, hiding the long saber behind him with its edge almost touching the ground. In the next instant, thunder flashed beneath his feet and exploded outward.
Demon Ape Leaping Abyss!
Su Yu’s figure charged forward fiercely, much like a Demon Ape leaping out from an abyss. Relying on massive momentum and the explosive spring of his great tendons, he slashed the long saber upward with blistering force, plowing a deep trench into the riverbed.
CLANG!
The edge of the saber and the tip of the spear clashed once again. The Ninefold Spear Stance poured down like a rushing river tide, forcing Su Yu’s robes to whip wildly behind him as the earth beneath his feet continuously collapsed. Yet, the long saber in his hand never yielded. His arm abruptly unleashed more power, slashing the blade upward. With a loud boom, the spear’s tip was forcefully deflected.
The moment Nine Waves Return to the River was broken, Cao Yanqing let out an angry shout. Using the residual momentum to spin the spear’s shaft, he swept the tail of the spear toward Su Yu’s temple like a vicious dragon.
Surfacing Dragon Shock!
"Excellent!" the spectating crowd couldn’t help but gasp in amazement.
Cao Yanqing’s talent in the spear arts was truly astonishing. His original killing move, Nine Waves Return to the River, had been broken by Su Yu. Any ordinary person would have been thoroughly shocked and panicked long ago, losing the will to continue fighting. Yet, not only did he not concede, but he also utilized the reach advantage of his spear over the saber to seize the opportunity and launch a fatal counterattack. And this was precisely the moment when Su Yu’s Saber Stance was spent, leaving him no time to pull back and defend.
This strike was truly ruthless to the extreme and brilliant to the peak!
On the sidelines, Li Jingxuan’s expression changed drastically. If he were faced with this sudden turn of events, he definitely wouldn’t be able to block it.
The smile on Zhao Daoran’s lips grew even more pronounced. He had critiqued Su Yu just a moment ago specifically to suppress his rising fame. If he were to lose to Cao Yanqing at this very moment, then the threat this man posed would cease to exist entirely.
Tiemu Xiaoyun’s gaze narrowed slightly. He pressed a hand over the twin sabers humming softly at his waist, suppressing his eager fighting intent.
However, in the split second before the tail of the spear could strike Su Yu, the long saber in his hand twirled back, and a wisp of invisible force spread outward.
Soul-Catching!
This was the Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber’s second Breaking Limit Trait, erupting and rippling outward like an invisible wave in the blink of an eye! Before the saber even arrived, the soul was already caught! This powerful Breaking Limit force was something no one in the Muscle Forging Realm, or even the Profound Bone Realm, could possibly withstand.
In the next moment, Cao Yanqing felt his vision suddenly darken. The Su Yu who had been right before his eyes abruptly grew taller in his perception, as if transforming into a peerless Demon Ape whose feet trampled over mountains and rivers. That long saber, wreathed in dark red Evil Qi, resembled a galaxy cascading down from the highest heavens, firmly locking onto his aura.
An indescribable terror surged into his heart. Even though Cao Yanqing clearly saw Su Yu’s movements, the reaction in his brain and the corresponding actions of his physical body slowed down simultaneously for a fraction of a second.
That single fraction of a second was the key to reversing the course of the battle.
Su Yu slashed with the long saber in his hand. Guided by the Demon-Vibrating Saber Stance, it slid flat against the spear shaft and turned inward.
Sealing Demon with the Ground!
The air around the long saber became like a thick mire, effortlessly snagging the spear shaft and deflecting Cao Yanqing’s counterattack by a few inches.
SWISH!
The tail of the spear brushed right past Su Yu’s temple. It looked perilous, but in reality, everything was completely under his control.
In the very next moment, Su Yu smoothly stepped half a pace forward. His long saber shifted from horizontal to vertical, raised high above his head. His golden Jiao Dragon Great Tendons all pulled taut simultaneously, compressing all of his Saber Stance directly into the blade’s edge.
Demon Ape Heaven-Opening!
BOOM!
The long saber cleaved down heavily with a force that could split mountains and sunder the earth.
Cao Yanqing’s mind had only just recovered. With no time left to dodge, he could only hastily raise his spear horizontally to block.
CLANG!
The spear shaft abruptly bent, transmitting an immense force directly into his arms. The webbing between his thumbs and index fingers ruptured on the spot, blood dripping down the spear shaft. His feet sank deeply into the riverbed, the mud rising all the way past his calves.
The long saber in Su Yu’s hand slid along the spear shaft, producing a crisp, resonant ring before coming to a steady stop right against the side of Cao Yanqing’s neck. The icy blade pressed against the skin of his neck, causing a single drop of dark red blood to seep out.
The surroundings suddenly plunged into dead silence.
After a few breaths of time, a voice filled with disbelief finally rang out from the crowd. "Cao Yanqing actually lost!"
"Incredible! Su Yu actually defeated the Middle Dragon Tendon Cao Yanqing with only a Jiao Tendon Realm cultivation!"
"Even a powerful move like Nine Waves Return to the River was broken head-on. Cao Yanqing’s loss wasn’t unjust."
Exclamations continued to erupt from the crowd as people from various factions began discussing the outcome fervently. Many people had come to the Riverway Department this time precisely to seek out Great Commanders with powerful martial strength and astonishing talent, hoping to build connections and become allies with them. Right now, one had abruptly appeared before their very eyes. Even though he was a Great Commander of the Outer City, didn’t that just mean his foundation was shallow and he was in greater need of cooperation from Inner City factions?
If anyone was the most shocked right now, it had to be the few commanders who had just been discussing how Su Yu had put the cart before the horse and lacked a solid foundation. Even if it remained unknown whether Su Yu could break through to the Dragon Tendon Realm in the future, he had at least managed to directly defeat a Middle Dragon Tendon genius expert with his Jiao Tendon Realm cultivation today.
One had to understand that Commander Cao wasn’t some artificially boosted Middle Dragon Tendon cultivator created by relying on the Black Lotus Sect’s Black Lotus Pills; he was a genuine, undisputed genius of the Inner City! At least the vast majority of the Great Commanders in the Muscle Forging Realm present here were no match for Cao Yanqing!
Thinking of this, the gazes the crowd cast toward Su Yu gained a trace of reverence. Those who had previously suspected Su Yu of having an unearned reputation, and who hadn’t seen his strength with their own eyes, began to change their minds.
With his current strength, Commander Su was more than capable of claiming a place for himself within the Inner City’s Zhenwu Mansion!