Free Web NovelChapter 185: Chapter 182: Ten Years to Sharpen a Sword, Sword Momentum and Sword Intent
WHOOSH.
A great force billowed forth, and the air began to surge. As Chu Bai’s sword descended, a vast and mighty force, like a mountain, bore down upon Ning Jiang.
This was the force of the world itself.
His sword drew upon the force of the entire world.
"How powerful. I’d say that attack is nearly on par with one from a Spirit Realm Master, wouldn’t you?"
"That’s right. After comprehending Sword Control by Force, Chu Bai’s combat strength is almost comparable to a Spirit Realm Master’s."
"Unless Young Master Wushuang uses that Spiritual Artifact, his chances of blocking this attack are less than ten percent."
"But if he uses a Spiritual Artifact to fight, it wouldn’t be a fair victory. Young Master Wushuang wouldn’t do that, would he?"
On both banks of the Qingjiang, countless Martial Artists broke into a flurry of intense discussion.
"That strike is incredibly strong. Facing it is like confronting the boundless, inexhaustible force of the world itself."
Duan Wuya’s expression was incredibly grave. Hearing this, a shocked Li Liushui asked, "Master, do you think Young Master Wushuang can break through this attack?"
"It will be very difficult. If it were so easy to break, Meng Bubai and I wouldn’t have suffered such a miserable defeat. And this strike is even more powerful than the one that defeated us."
Duan Wuya recalled that the strike back then had only contained a tiny sliver of worldly force, making it very difficult to perceive.
But now, the force was immense, and the air throughout the area surged and howled without end.
A strike like this made even him lose the will to resist.
"It’s that powerful? Does that mean Young Master Wushuang’s undefeated legend might end here?" said Li Liushui.
Many of the other Sword Cultivators present also didn’t think Ning Jiang would win.
The airflow was fierce. Dressed in white, the hem of Ning Jiang’s robes whipped about in the gale, making him look like a lone skiff on a tempestuous sea.
He held his Red Lotus Sword before him, meeting the attack head-on.
BOOM!
With a tremendous sound, Ning Jiang was thrown back a hundred zhang.
This was the first time he had retreated.
"Young Master Wushuang fell back!"
"Sigh. If this keeps up, he’s definitely going to lose."
Many people shook their heads, believing Ning Jiang was now at a disadvantage and his defeat was certain.
"Impressive power," Ning Jiang nodded, his expression calm.
"Take another one of my strikes."
Battle intent flared in Chu Bai’s eyes. With attacks empowered by Sword Control by Force, only Ning Jiang in all of Cyan Cloud Country could withstand them.
A worthy opponent was hard to come by, and Ning Jiang was an excellent one.
SHIIING!
He brought his sword down, harnessing the force of the world. A ferocious torrent of air swept outward with terrifying momentum, knocking many Martial Artists off their feet and filling their hearts with terror.
"Sever!"
This time, Ning Jiang thrust his sword forward.
A flash of sword light cut through the air.
Instantly, the massive force was severed, deflating like a punctured ball!
"How is that possible?"
Chu Bai was astonished. ’How can this intangible force be severed?’
"To sever the world’s force... how did he do that?"
The pupils of Duan Wuya and the others constricted in bewilderment.
"Borrowing the force of the world seems powerful, but it can be broken simply by severing the connection between you and that force. That is, unless you comprehend Sword Intent and truly merge with the force as one."
Ning Jiang said nonchalantly.
In his eyes, the realm of Sword Control by Force was not particularly profound. This so-called "borrowing" of the world’s force was just that—borrowed. It was ultimately an external power.
If one comprehended Sword Intent, however, the power would be their own.
Severing the worldly force was simply a matter of finding the point of connection between his opponent and the force, then breaking the entire structure from that single point.
Of course, in all of Cyan Cloud Country, Ning Jiang was the only one capable of such a feat.
"Sword Intent?"
Chu Bai’s gaze sharpened. He was indeed aware of the realm of Sword Intent.
Whether a Sword Cultivator could be considered Top Level was, in fact, best judged by one criterion: Sword Intent.
Other skills like Body Sword Control, Heart-Sword Control, and even Sword Control by Force were merely lesser, preliminary paths.
But comprehending Sword Intent was incredibly difficult. He had never heard of anyone in Cyan Cloud Country who had managed to do so.
Perhaps such Sword Cultivators could be found in the outside world—in the Six Eastern Provinces.
"This young man is a prodigy, able to sever even that intangible force," Meng Bubai lamented.
Chu Bai’s expression turned incredibly grave. Since comprehending the worldly force, his opponent was the first person to put him under such immense pressure. ’My so-called great force is so easily shattered before him. It seems a direct assault is my only option.’
"You may have severed one strike, but I refuse to believe you can sever them all!"
With a long cry, Chu Bai became one with his sword. He channeled all the force of the world into his Cyan Cry Sword and unleashed strike after strike upon Ning Jiang, giving him no room to breathe.
Under such a fierce assault, the slightest hesitation would decide the victor.
RUMBLE.
The air throughout the area surged as every strike brought the world’s force crashing down.
The faces of the surrounding Martial Artists changed drastically as they retreated again and again.
To them, it felt as if the world had become an ocean. Ning Jiang and Chu Bai were like two great fish dueling within it, each of their collisions stirring up monstrous waves.
Caught in the middle of it all, Ning Jiang’s expression was as tranquil as a still well, yet his hands moved without hesitation. His Red Lotus Sword flashed, unleashing dozens of strikes in an instant.
Each strike severed the worldly force and aimed for a vital point.
Chu Bai’s expression grew graver, his shock mounting with every exchange. Ning Jiang had met every single one of his storm-like attacks, leaving him completely unable to gain an advantage.
Ning Jiang was like a reef on the seabed: no matter how the waves crashed, he remained unmoving.
BANG—
With a loud bang, Sword King Chu Bai was forced back.
"Even after comprehending Sword Control by Force, he still can’t defeat this young man?"
The crowd was in shock.
They had all assumed that after Chu Bai comprehended Sword Control by Force, Ning Jiang would be no match for him unless he used a Spiritual Artifact. The outcome, however, completely defied their expectations.
"Good. Excellent! You are the most formidable opponent I have ever faced!"
Chu Bai wasn’t dejected. On the contrary, under the pressure from Ning Jiang, his battle intent grew more focused and his will more resolute.
"I have one final strike!"
"Oh?"
"This is a strike I comprehended only after hiding my name and working as a ferryman on the Qingjiang for ten years!" Chu Bai said, enunciating every word.
But when his words reached the ears of Elder Li and the others, they were utterly stunned.
"He really is Chu Fan!"
Elder Li was dumbstruck. Sword King Chu Bai had actually worked as his assistant for ten years.
"Brother Chu Fan... will he still acknowledge us now?"
The woman beside Elder Li gave a bitter smile, holding out no hope. ’Sword King Chu Bai is a man among dragons. Would he still acknowledge insignificant people like us?’
Just as she was grieving inwardly, Chu Bai’s gaze fell upon them, and he gave them a slight nod.
"Brother Chu Fan."
The woman froze, tears of joy streaming from her eyes.
Chu Bai hadn’t forgotten them. In that single glance, she clearly recognized the Chu Fan she had once known.
"Ten years to sharpen one sword. You are a respectable Sword Cultivator. Come."
Ning Jiang’s gaze was piercing. He, too, wanted to witness the splendor of the strike that Sword King Chu Bai had spent a decade comprehending.
All around them, countless people held their breath, their eyes wide and unblinking, afraid of missing a single detail.
Ten years to sharpen one sword, its frosty edge has not yet been tried.
This strike would surely be world-shaking!
"This strike is called... Great River Flows East!"
The Qingjiang River flowed from west to east, dividing the entire Cyan Cloud Country into northern and southern halves.
For ten years, Chu Bai had hidden his identity on the Qingjiang. He had not drawn his sword for a full decade, all for the sake of comprehending this very strike.
One could say he had been nurturing this single strike for a full ten years!
A beam of Sword Aura shot toward the heavens.
The clouds in the sky shattered instantly.
It was a full three hundred zhang long!
The spectators gasped in amazement. This was Sword King Chu Bai’s ultimate strike, one he had spent a full decade comprehending.
Gazing at the three-hundred-zhang-long cyan Sword Aura that shattered the very clouds, the many Martial Artists held their breath, completely dumbfounded.
Duan Wuya and Meng Bubai could only smile bitterly. A single strike like this would be enough to annihilate them both.
The moment this strike appeared, they knew they would never be able to catch up to Sword King Chu Bai.
"I have nurtured this sword for ten years, and today I finally unleash it! Ning Jiang, with my decade of comprehension, I shall meet your Shocking Sword Dao!"
The cyan Sword Aura descended slowly, evoking the feeling of a great river surging from west to east in an unstoppable torrent.
The strike was like a great river crashing down, possessing an irresistible might.
CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG—
A series of metallic vibrations rang out from all around. The Treasure Swords of some nearby Sword Cultivators began to tremble violently, as if wanting to merge with Chu Bai’s Sword Momentum.
’It’s very strong.’
Ning Jiang made his judgment. This strike was more than ten times stronger than the previous ones. The worldly force was far more condensed; even he would find it difficult to sever.
’I’m afraid even Aurora, the third form of the Great Sun Sword Technique, might not be able to block this.’
As Ning Jiang made his assessment, the terrifying worldly force pressed down on him like a mountain, forcing his body downward, unable to resist, descending bit by bit from the sky.
The Sword Momentum of this strike was on the very verge of becoming true Sword Intent.
’Looks like I can’t hold back anymore.’
At the critical moment, Ning Jiang held back no longer. His Red Lotus Sword swung upward in a motion that seemed slow but was actually fast. The instant its tip reached the apex of the arc, a torrent of Sword Intent erupted forth!
What was Sword Intent?
Sword Intent was the condensation of the world’s force, merging it with one’s own sword until it was no longer a borrowed power, but had become one’s own.
It was like a single drop of water merging into the ocean, becoming indistinguishable from the whole. Sword Control by Force, however, still fell short of true fusion. frёewebnoѵēl.com
Was it difficult to comprehend Sword Intent?
Incredibly so!
Across all of the Six Eastern Provinces, there were no more than ten people who had comprehended Sword Intent at Ning Jiang’s age.
But Ning Jiang had been a Venerable in his past life, one who had comprehended the very origin of the world. For him, grasping Sword Intent was a simple matter.
CLANG!
At that moment, the Treasure Swords on the backs of countless Sword Cultivators flew from their scabbards, all on their own accord.
This was Sword Intent!
When Sword Intent appears, a hundred swords sing in unison.
"Great Sun Sword Technique, Third Form: Aurora."
Ning Jiang had never used this third form before. This was the first time.
SHIIING!
He thrust his sword forward, and a beam of golden light shot out. It was utterly silent, as if it had erased sound itself.
Moreover, this strike was infused with Sword Intent. Amplified by the Sword Intent, the attack became even more fearsome.
That Chu Bai, with his decade of training, had not only forced Ning Jiang to use Aurora but had also drawn out his Sword Intent was something he could be proud of.
BOOM—
The cyan Sword Aura and the golden Sword Aura collided. The three-hundred-zhang-long cyan Sword Aura shuddered, then shattered, inch by inch.
