Free Web NovelChapter 645: Chapter 645: First Place
"I have lost."
These three words pierced the Heartless Saint Heir’s heart like three sharp swords.
Upon his master’s orders, he had embarked on a journey through the world, choosing Mount Hua’s Arena of Sword Discourse as his first stop. He had thought he would make a name for himself in a single battle, but instead, he had been struck down before he could even take flight. His Heart Sword Technique had proven ineffective against the Nineteenth Prince, which was a huge blow to his confidence. Even using a Holy Artifact had been in vain; he was defeated by his opponent instead.
Though not deeply experienced in worldly affairs, the Heartless Saint Heir had his pride, and he could not accept the reality of his defeat. But at that moment, his sea of consciousness had been damaged, and his much-prided Heart Sword Technique was useless against Su Han. If he didn’t concede, he was likely to be sent flying out of the arena just like the Giant Que Saint Heir had been. He still wanted to preserve some dignity, so after weighing his options, he decided to admit defeat.
This isn’t a problem with my Heart Sword Technique; he’s just too monstrously talented. If it were anyone else, I would have definitely won!
The Heartless Saint Heir gazed at Su Han, his face full of unwillingness. He took great pride in his Heart Sword Technique, considering it the most formidable swordsmanship, and even in defeat, he was making excuses for himself.
On the Arena of Sword Discourse, the Heartless Saint Heir admitted defeat with reluctance in his heart. Below, the crowd was utterly bewildered.
"What just happened? Did the Heartless Saint Heir make a move? I didn’t see him attack, so how did he lose and sustain such serious injuries?"
"I thought I was seeing things. So it wasn’t just me. The Heartless Saint Heir and the Nineteenth Prince didn’t seem to move at all. How did the battle end so abruptly and inconclusively? Could something have happened that we didn’t see?"
"This is truly bizarre. None of us saw what happened clearly, but the Heartless Saint Heir’s injuries are real. What exactly is the Heart Sword Technique?"
The spectators were abuzz with discussion, their eyes filled with shock and confusion. In their view, Su Han and the Heartless Saint Heir had not moved a muscle on the arena, as if they had merely exchanged a glance, yet the Heartless Saint Heir was injured and had even conceded. This was simply too perplexing.
"I have heard that the Heart Sword Technique is a special sword technique that integrates the Illusion Technique with swordsmanship. It’s capable of affecting an enemy’s mind, causing their Dao Heart to collapse and inflict self-harm. However, the Nineteenth Prince is unharmed, while the Heartless Saint Heir is the one who’s injured. Could he have suffered a backlash from his own Heart Sword Technique?" the Yun Jin Holy Maiden wondered aloud, equally puzzled. She had never faced the Heart Sword Technique herself and only knew of it from the Holy Palace’s records, so she was unable to fathom the battle’s outcome.
However, she didn’t consider the Heartless Saint Heir weak. As a powerhouse of the Supreme Realm and the chosen Saint Heir of the Heart Sword Sacred Palace, he naturally possessed great strength. The only explanation was that the Nineteenth Prince was too strong. He had not only withstood the Heartless Saint Heir’s Heart Sword Technique but had defeated him using it.
If that was true, then the Nineteenth Prince was terrifying.
A heavy feeling settled in the Yun Jin Holy Maiden’s heart, and any sense of arrogance she held toward Su Han was replaced by deep apprehension.
"How... how is this possible?"
The one most unable to accept this outcome was not the Yun Jin Holy Maiden, but the Thirteenth Princess. She stared blankly at the Arena of Sword Discourse, her delicate, pretty face etched with shock. As a princess, she was also a member of the Imperial Family and a supporter of the Eighth Prince. She had accompanied him this time, hoping to witness him seize first place, ascend Mount Hua, and receive the baptism of Sword Intent. Yet, to her disbelief, the Eighth Prince had been the first to be defeated.
Moreover, she had witnessed Su Han rise step by step, defeating one Saint Heir and Holy Maiden after another. Now that even the Heartless Saint Heir’s Heart Sword Technique had failed, the Descendants of the three great Holy Lands had all been defeated by him alone. This put Su Han on par with the Second Prince and the Third Prince.
Eighth Brother, you might as well stay unconscious!
Seeing this, the Thirteenth Princess felt a bitter taste in her mouth. She glanced back at the still-unconscious Eighth Prince beside her, hoping he wouldn’t awaken anytime soon. Otherwise, seeing this result would surely anger him to the point of spitting blood.
"His Highness has won!"
Unlike the shocked and bitter Yun Jin Holy Maiden and Thirteenth Princess, Li Mingliang was so excited he was nearly jumping for joy. His fortunes rose and fell with Su Han’s, so naturally, he hoped Su Han would continue to climb higher and grow stronger. By this time, Su Han had successively defeated the Eighth Prince, the Thirteenth Princess, the Yun Jin Holy Maiden, the Giant Que Saint Heir, and the Heartless Saint Heir. He had already secured the undeniable first place, with no one else present who could challenge him. freewebnoveℓ.com
Qingyue, what a pity you can’t see this!
Li Mingliang’s only regret was that his granddaughter couldn’t witness this in person. He knew very well how much Li Qingyue admired Su Han; she would surely have been ecstatic to see this.
Although Li Qingyue remained motionless, she was still immersed in Enlightenment, not even stirred by the previous fierce battles. Meanwhile, the Sword Intent around her grew ever stronger, and her Aura was climbing by the moment. Once her Enlightenment ended, she was bound to make rapid progress. Although Li Qingyue missed the chance to witness Su Han battle his rivals, she gained a great opportunity for Enlightenment, which was definitely a good thing for her.
While the crowd buzzed with discussion, the Heartless Saint Heir, after conceding, walked off the Arena of Sword Discourse, leaving only a lonely silhouette behind him. Still, he fared better than some, managing to leave on his own terms, unlike the others who had been knocked off and defeated in disgrace.
"Is there anyone else who dares to challenge?" Su Han asked, taking the initiative after waiting a while and seeing no one come forth.
The crowd didn’t even have the courage to meet Su Han’s gaze, let alone challenge him. One by one, they lowered their heads, turning into a flock of quails.
Su Han asked twice more, but still, no one dared to step up and fight.
"Three calls have passed. Since no one dares to challenge this prince, this first place belongs to me!" Su Han declared, standing proudly with the Seven Stars Holy Sword in hand, having successfully won first place in the Mount Hua Arena of Sword Discourse.
Although there were tens of thousands of talented Sword Cultivators around the arena, not a single one dared to cross swords with Su Han.
The Yun Jin Holy Maiden and the Thirteenth Princess gazed at Su Han on the arena, their hearts trembling incessantly.
After today, the name of the Nineteenth Prince will likely resound throughout the entire Heavenly Sword Dynasty!
Becoming an overnight sensation by defeating the Descendants of the three great Holy Lands—once news of this spread, it would surely shake the world. They could already imagine the shocked expressions on people’s faces upon hearing this.
WHOOSH!
Just then, a Sword Intent as cold and clear as the moon burst forth. The sky grew dark, yet a bright moon slowly rose. In just a few seconds, they saw this moon transform from a crescent to full, then from full back to a crescent, cycling over and over, as if time itself were flowing.
Witnessing this scene, Su Han’s eyes lit up.
The Enlightenment has ended!
