Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 262: Chapter 258: Invincible

RUMBLE.

The gate to the Ancient Hall was immense, forged entirely from White Jade. Following the death of the Golden Lion, it slowly began to open.

In an instant, countless fervent gazes were fixed on the gate.

Everyone knew this was the greatest opportunity in the Profound Celestial Ancient Land, and every single person yearned to enter.

"According to the rules, every time the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall opens, there are only fifty spots available for entry."

Liu Bingxue took a deep breath, a hint of excitement audible even in her chilly voice.

The Profound Celestial Ancient Land had a total of three hundred spots.

But for the Profound Celestial Ancient Hall, there were only fifty.

Ning Jiang wasn’t surprised, however. Any land of fortune and opportunity would have a limited number of slots.

One hundred thousand years ago, he had seen some ancient inheritances where the spots were even rarer, sometimes fewer than ten.

But an inheritance like that could attract countless geniuses from across the Great Thousand Realms—people with King’s Bodies, Sacred Bodies, and peerless heroes who appeared only once a millennium.

’Fifty spots is actually quite a lot,’ he thought.

"As we agreed before coming in, my Evil Spirit Sect will take ten spots." After saying this, Madman Tu directly led ten people inside.

As a Top Grade Sect, the Evil Spirit Sect was qualified to take ten spots. Of course, they couldn’t demand too many, or they would incite public outrage.

"My Earth Gate will take five spots."

"Withered Blade Sect, five."

"Beast Taming Sect, five."

The three great Upper Grade Sects each took five spots.

A total of fifteen people stepped forward and entered the Ancient Hall.

Just like that, only twenty-five spots remained.

And there were still many sects present.

Lei Province alone had over a dozen Middle Grade Sects, and adding the sects from Qing Province, there were more than twenty sects left.

On average, that meant each sect could only send in one person.

"I want a spot."

A voice rang out. It was a young prodigy from Qing Province named Ying Yuxiao. Though he came from a Low Grade Small Sect, he was one of the top ten from the Qing Province Convention.

"You?"

The cultivators from Lei Province, however, sneered and looked at him with disdain.

"What do you mean by that?" Ying Yuxiao frowned.

"Heh, my apologies, but all fifty spots belong to our Lei Province. You get none!"

"What?"

At these words, everyone from Qing Province turned pale with shock.

"According to the rules, Qing Province has always received ten of the fifty spots. Are you going to break the rules?" Ying Yuxiao demanded furiously.

"Rules? Strength is the only rule. Qing Province has always been weaker than Lei Province, so what right do you have to talk about rules with us? Starting now, the rules have changed!" The dozen or so Middle Grade Sects sneered.

Everyone wanted more spots, but the number was limited. Thus, their only option was to target Qing Province.

"Senior Brother Xinghe, what do we do?" The members of the Star Sword Sect frowned.

"Don’t worry. We are an Upper Grade Sect; they won’t dare make things difficult for us." Jian Xinghe waved his hand and announced loudly, "Everyone, the Star Sword Sect’s demands are not high. We and the Fire Cloud Sect will take five spots. That’s not too much to ask, is it?"

"Fine."

Faced with the Star Sword Sect, the various sects from Lei Province did not make things difficult.

After all, Upper Grade Sects had Earth Martial Realm experts. These Middle Grade Sects didn’t dare to completely offend them. The wrath of an Earth Martial Realm expert was not something they could easily endure.

Besides, Jian Xinghe’s strength was plain to see; he was qualified to demand five spots.

"Let’s go in."

Jian Xinghe selected three people from the Star Sword Sect, while the Fire Cloud Sect sent only Yuwen Chi.

Before walking through the gate, Yuwen Chi glanced back at Ning Jiang. His gaze finally settled on Liu Bingxue and Li Kuangba as he jeered, "If you hadn’t chosen him, you would’ve had a spot in this Profound Celestial Ancient Hall as well. What a pity."

He entered, laughing loudly as he went.

"Look at that petty man gloat." Liu Bingxue’s pretty face turned frosty.

"Everyone, there are twenty spots left. Let’s divide them among ourselves." The remaining major sects from Lei Province completely ignored Qing Province.

"Damn them."

Ying Yuxiao and the others had furious looks in their eyes, but they had to admit the disparity in strength. Every single Middle Grade Sect from Lei Province was on par with Floating Snow Hall and the War Elephant Sect, and each had its own young prodigies.

As for their Qing Province, they only had a handful of experts. The difference in numbers was simply too great.

’It seems they’re acting as if I don’t exist.’ A glint flashed in Ning Jiang’s eyes. "Splitting the spots among yourselves? Did you ask for my permission?"

"And what do you want?"

The crowd didn’t dare ignore Ning Jiang. They had witnessed his strength firsthand when he dealt with the Golden Lion.

"It’s simple. I want ten spots!"

"What? Ten? Are you insane? Even the Evil Spirit Sect only took ten spots. What gives you the right?" The crowd stared at Ning Jiang in disbelief. Ten spots—they would absolutely never agree to that.

"What gives me the right?" Ning Jiang let out a long laugh, his gaze suddenly turning sharp. "The right comes from the fact that I’m stronger than every last one of you!"

This was the kind of person he was. When calm, he was unassuming and easy to overlook.

But when he became sharp, it was like a divine sword being unsheathed—its edge revealed, radiating a suffocating pressure that all who faced him could feel.

"Stronger than us?"

Fury filled their eyes. The people present were all top figures of Lei Province’s younger generation. How could they accept Ning Jiang’s words without a fight?

"Strong or weak, actions speak louder than words. Let me see what gives you the right to say such things."

A tall, slender figure stepped forward. As he walked, a torrent of water surged beneath his feet.

"It’s an expert from the Water Element Sect."

Liu Bingxue said. The Water Element Sect was a sect that specialized in Water Element Techniques.

They had been quite impressive when crossing the lake earlier. Relying on their Water Attribute Techniques, not a single person from their sect had been injured by the monsters.

This young prodigy from the Water Element Sect was named Nangong Yun, and his strength was among the top ranks of all the young prodigies present.

"Take this! Tiger Shark Break!"

Nangong Yun activated his Martial Technique, manipulating the currents into a terrifying, ten-zhang-long tiger shark. The shark thrashed its head and tail and lunged, attempting to swallow Ning Jiang whole.

"Insignificant as an ant."

Ning Jiang took a single step forward. His seemingly slender figure appeared capable of holding up the heavens and the earth, radiating an invincible aura that looked down on all.

BOOM.

He threw a punch, unleashing a Thunder Seal.

The Nine Tribulations Celestial Thunder Seal.

He couldn’t be bothered to get entangled with these people, so he opened with a tyrannical attack.

BANG—

Water splashed everywhere as the massive tiger shark was obliterated in a single strike. The Thunder Seal continued on, unabated, and slammed into Nangong Yun, sending him flying backward while vomiting blood.

"What? Defeated in one move?"

Everyone was stunned. Although they knew Ning Jiang was strong, they hadn’t expected him to be *this* strong.

"Come at me together. I’d like to see who can stop me today!"

Ning Jiang flicked his wide sleeve, his words causing a huge stir. He actually intended to fight many at once, taking on more than a dozen Middle Grade Sects by himself.

"Arrogant."

"Heh, even the number one expert of your Qing Province, Jian Xinghe, wouldn’t dare say something like that."

"Don’t be afraid of him. That move must have a huge cost. How many times can he possibly use it?"

"Attack! Let’s end this quickly."

BOOM!

The airflow in the entire area erupted into chaos, and the place descended into utter pandemonium.

At the same time, a total of fifteen young prodigies attacked, charging toward Ning Jiang.

The sheer power of their combined assault horrified Liu Bingxue and Li Kuangba. If it were them, they would have been killed instantly, with absolutely no chance of survival.

"Hahahaha, well come! Now this is getting interesting!"

Ning Jiang laughed heartily, his full head of white hair whipping about as the aura around him surged higher and higher.

His spine undulated like a dragon, and with a thrust of his arms, a torrent of lightning burst forth.

"Kill!"

Ning Jiang didn’t retreat in the slightest, charging straight into the barrage of attacks.

BANG—

It was like two meteorites colliding, sending a circular shockwave sweeping outward.

"Nine Tribulations Celestial Thunder Seal!"

His pupils blazed as he unleashed his killing move, tearing through the crowd’s attacks and appearing before one person to strike with his seal.

SPLAT.

In the first breath, someone was sent flying backward, vomiting blood and heavily injured.

"Ah!"

In the second breath, another pained cry rang out as a young prodigy was wounded, his chest nearly caved in.

In the third breath, a third young prodigy was sent flying.

After that, with every passing breath, another young prodigy was grievously wounded and sent flying by Ning Jiang.

"Strong... He’s too strong."

Li Kuangba trembled all over as he watched, his heart pounding with fear.

What was invincibility?

This was it!

The moment the Nine Tribulations Celestial Thunder Seal was unleashed, a young prodigy was immediately and heavily wounded. They were completely unable to resist.

"Damn it, how can he use it so many times?"

The crowd was both shocked and enraged. A killing move this powerful—was there no toll on Ning Jiang for using it?

How could they possibly know that Ning Jiang cultivated the Heaven-Devouring Demon Skill, and that the Spiritual Qi in his body was more than ten times denser than theirs?

BAM.

In the fifteenth breath, the last young prodigy was blasted out of the air by Ning Jiang’s strike and slammed hard onto the White Jade Square.

After that, the entire square fell into a dead silence.

The various major sects all stared at Ning Jiang as if he were a monster, gazing at this youth who was as invincible as a Divine Demon!

"Even Duan Lengya and the others from the three great Upper Grade Sects don’t have this kind of strength, do they?"

"With power like this, perhaps only Madman Tu could compete with him."

"The number one expert of Qing Province isn’t Jian Xinghe—it’s him!"

The way the crowd looked at him changed. Their previous disdain and contempt vanished, replaced by a sense of awe.

This was a world that revered strength. The strong were respected, and they would always command respect, no matter the circumstances.

"I want ten spots. Does anyone have any objections now?"

His faint voice drifted out. As his gaze swept across the crowd, everyone averted their eyes. No one dared to meet his stare.

"Very good."

Of the ten spots, Ning Jiang claimed four for his Yanyue Sect; he would enter with Tang Lin and two others. The remaining six spots were split evenly between the War Elephant Sect and Floating Snow Hall.

This was mainly because the Yanyue Sect didn’t have many other experts, and the Ancient Hall involved certain trials. It would be a waste of a spot to send in someone who wasn’t strong enough.

"Thank you! We are determined to be friends with the Yanyue Sect!"

Neither Li Kuangba nor Liu Bingxue had expected Ning Jiang to give each of their sects three spots.

"It’s laughable that Yuwen Chi was mocking us. His Fire Cloud Sect only got a single spot." Liu Bingxue sneered. ’If Yuwen Chi knew about this, the look on his face would be priceless, wouldn’t it?’

"Let’s go."

Under the envious and jealous gazes of the crowd, the ten of them entered the Ancient Hall.