Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: One Man, One Sword, Unstoppable, Invincible

’How is this possible?’ everyone roared inwardly, their eyes filled with profound shock.

Huang Qing lay dozens of zhang away, one of his arms shattered and dripping with blood from the earlier exchange.

His breathing was faint. He opened his mouth, and blood gushed out, preventing him from saying a single word.

His internal organs had been damaged.

In his current condition, even with healing Elixirs, it would take at least several months of rest to recover.

But even if his injuries healed, he would be a one-armed man for the rest of his life.

Who could have imagined that with a single punch, Huang Qing, a candidate for the Ten Great, would be beaten half to death?

What terrifying power!

"So strong."

Yan Shuangying took a deep breath, equally shocked by Ning Jiang’s power.

These candidates for the Ten Great were all similar in strength. A fight to decide a victor between any two of them would be a bitter struggle, most likely ending with both combatants grievously wounded.

Yet Ning Jiang had grievously wounded Huang Qing in an overwhelming display of force.

’There’s no way I could take a punch like that.’

Someone thought, a cold chill running down their spine. It was a good thing Huang Qing had been the one to attack.

Otherwise, he would be the one lying half-dead on the ground right now.

"Pathetic."

Ning Jiang flicked his fingernails nonchalantly.

Huang Qing had boasted that he’d show Ning Jiang what true Fist Technique was, that Ning Jiang wouldn’t be able to withstand a single blow.

The outcome was the complete opposite. Huang Qing was the one who couldn’t withstand a single blow.

"Your killing intent is even stronger than Huang Qing’s. It’s your turn, isn’t it?"

His calm gaze shifted to Gao Jin. Ning Jiang’s tone suggested he merely wanted to deal with Gao Jin quickly, showing no sign of considering him a worthy opponent.

Gao Jin’s expression darkened. "That punch just now was indeed astonishing, but how many times can you use an attack like that? That last one must have been close to your limit, right?"

"Do you think you can look down on me just because you beat Huang Qing? My sword is far stronger than he ever was."

"I’ll admit, you’ve earned the right to face me. But that’s all. The final outcome will not change. You will fall by my hand—that’s a foregone conclusion!"

"We’ll see who’s stronger after we fight. You people are all the same—self-righteous and full of nonsense," Ning Jiang’s tone was dismissive.

"Is that so? I’ll have you understand just where my confidence comes from."

The words had barely left his mouth when a powerful aura erupted from Gao Jin.

The aura swelled, climbing higher and higher, far surpassing anyone else present.

"This is?" Suddenly, Zhang Yao’s expression changed. "The Innate Realm?"

"It’s not the Innate Realm." Yan Shuangying shook her head. "To be precise, he’s at the Half-Step Innate Realm. All he lacks is condensing a Primordial Mansion in his Dantian. A year ago, Gao Jin was already considered the strongest person below the Ten Great. It’s only natural his power would have increased by now."

"That’s right. My current Cultivation has reached the Half-Step Innate Realm. In another ten or fifteen days, I’ll officially break through to the Innate Realm. At this year’s annual gathering, a spot among the Ten Great is guaranteed to be mine!" Gao Jin declared proudly.

"I didn’t expect Brother Gao to already be a step ahead of us. Congratulations, Brother Gao."

"Brother Gao is one of the three great Sword Dao geniuses of Luoyang’s younger generation. He’s no weaker than Liu Xianyu or Wang Ziming."

"Once Brother Gao officially breaks through to the Innate Realm, you must throw a grand banquet! I’ll be sure to come and offer my congratulations."

The others were already offering congratulations, their expressions now tinged with greater respect.

The Innate Realm and the Postnatal Realm were two completely different tiers of power.

Although Gao Jin was only Half-Step Innate, his current combat strength far surpassed what it was before.

His Gang Qi was somewhere between Postnatal and Innate. And while it couldn’t compare to true Innate Gang Qi, it was more than enough to crush any Postnatal Gang Qi.

Taking in the shifting expressions of the crowd, a hint of smugness flashed in Gao Jin’s eyes.

He was young and full of vigor, so he naturally enjoyed such praise and flattery, basking in the attention.

"Do you realize now how vast the gap between us truly is?" Gao Jin asked, clasping his hands behind his back in a superior stance.

"If you were in the Innate Realm, you might be qualified to fight me. But a mere Half-Step Innate? What does that amount to?" Ning Jiang’s gaze was distant.

"HAHAHA! You’re incredibly arrogant. It seems defeating Huang Qing has inflated your confidence to the breaking point." Gao Jin’s face was a mask of disdain. "In my current state, I can defeat you in just ten moves!"

As he spoke, he drew the longsword from his back, his entire aura turning sharp.

A keen edge burst forth from his body. To the onlookers, it felt as if Gao Jin had transformed into a sword, radiating a piercing sharpness.

"Now that’s a true Swordsman," someone exclaimed in admiration.

At this moment, Ning Jiang also drew his Wind Chasing Sword.

"Huh? He’s not using that Fist Technique? He wants to face Gao Jin in a duel of Sword Techniques? Does he have a death wish? Gao Jin has achieved Body Sword Control; he’s a genius of the Sword Dao. Using a sword against him is like trying to teach a fish to swim."

"It’s a foregone conclusion. Gao Jin is sure to win," everyone agreed.

Looking at Ning Jiang’s sword, the corner of Gao Jin’s mouth curled into a sneer. "A sword? I’d advise you to use your Fist Technique. With that, you might last a few more moves. With a sword, you won’t even be able to take three of my strikes."

"A frog in a well knows nothing of the vast ocean. Gao Jin, you’ll never understand the kind of existence you’re facing."

Ning Jiang’s voice was calm and measured, every word perfectly clear. "If you can withstand a single strike from my sword, I’ll consider it your victory."

"You’re courting death."

Gao Jin’s eyes narrowed. Done with pointless talk, he achieved Body and Sword Unity. His sword’s light streaked like a thunderbolt as he lunged at Ning Jiang.

His sword was incredibly sharp; even from dozens of feet away, its presence was a stinging pain on the skin.

Ning Jiang stood his ground, unmoving, as if his feet were rooted to the earth.

"Is he really a Sword Cultivator?"

Some people doubted.

One could feel the sharp, imposing aura of a Sword Cultivator from Gao Jin, but Ning Jiang was utterly placid, as calm as a windless sea, appearing no different from an ordinary person.

"Golden Rain Swordsmanship!"

With a great shout, Gao Jin made the golden longsword in his hand tremble.

In an instant, a torrent of what looked like golden raindrops fell, blanketing the sky and enveloping the entire space before Ning Jiang.

The air tore with a continuous ripping sound.

The strike was as magnificent as it was deadly.

"All style, no substance."

Ning Jiang shook his head, his calm gaze making it clear he thought nothing of the attack.

With a flick of his arm, his sword shot forward like a weaver’s shuttle, a single, precise thrust.

The thrust was like snatching chestnuts from a fire—incredibly risky. To the onlookers, it looked like suicide.

Gao Jin’s Golden Rain Swordsmanship was a furious, high-speed, all-out assault. It was like a hundred swords striking at once, capable of riddling a person with holes in an instant.

But instead of retreating, Ning Jiang advanced, thrusting his sword into the heart of the golden rain.

With his keen perception, he had spotted the weakness in the Sword Technique.

Instant Sword Technique!

The longsword vanished in a flash.

A single strike in an instant—it was faster than the eye could follow.

To everyone else, Ning Jiang challenging Gao Jin at Swordsmanship was like a novice showing off before a master. But who among them knew that Ning Jiang had attained Heart-Sword Control, a level so high that even Liu Xianyu had to humbly seek his guidance?

Heart-Sword Control was the realm of a Sword Grandmaster. In the face of such mastery, Gao Jin was no more than a toddler learning to walk.

"AHH!"

A pained cry rang out as Gao Jin staggered back.

Blood flowed from his right wrist, where a gash from a sword had severed the tendons.

What’s more, his sword was no longer in his hand.

The moment the tendons were severed, Gao Jin’s hand lost all its strength, and he could no longer grip his sword.

Now, the golden sword rested in Ning Jiang’s hand!

"And you think you’re worthy of using a sword in my presence?"

Ning Jiang tossed the weapon, and the golden longsword embedded itself in the ground before Gao Jin.

Gao Jin’s eyes reddened, and his body trembled uncontrollably. For a Sword Cultivator to have his sword snatched away was the ultimate humiliation.

"He lost?" ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

The others felt like they were in a dream, finding it all unbelievable.

The imposing Gao Jin, a Half-Step Innate expert, had given his all, yet he hadn’t even been able to withstand a single strike from Ning Jiang.

One punch to defeat Huang Qing, one sword to defeat Gao Jin.

Now, who would dare question Ning Jiang’s power?

"I’m afraid... he’s the real number one below the Ten Great now, isn’t he?" someone stammered, swallowing hard.

Everyone froze at his words.

It was true. The moment Gao Jin fell to Ning Jiang, the title of "strongest below the Ten Great" had passed to Ning Jiang!

"You’ve all been camped out here for three days. I’ll give you a chance now. Come at me together." Ning Jiang’s gaze swept over the rest of the group. "Don’t tell me you’re afraid."

"Two fists can’t fight four hands. You may be strong on your own, but you think too highly of yourself if you want to fight one against ten. Do you think you’re an Innate Realm expert, protected by a full-body shield of Gang Qi and fearless of being besieged?" freewebnoveℓ.com

Someone shouted in anger. They were all candidates for the Ten Great; they had their pride. Ning Jiang might be strong, but challenging all ten of them at once was a blatant insult.

"It’s true, two fists can’t fight four hands, and the few are no match for the many. But unfortunately for you, you’re just a pack of stray dogs!" Ning Jiang’s longsword hummed, and he took the offensive.

His figure moved like a ghost as he charged into the crowd.

Ten Steps of Impermanence, where I alone decide who lives and who dies.

This Body Technique, capable of governing life and death within ten steps, had appeared once more.

In an instant, everyone felt the air grow cold. It was as if the gates of the Underworld had swung open, and Ning Jiang had transformed into a soul-reaping Impermanence.

"KILL!"

The ten of them, enraged, attacked with fury.

Gang Qi flew from all directions.

Even Gao Jin would have been instantly defeated by their combined attack.

Only an Innate Realm expert, relying on the protection of their Innate Gang Qi, could be fearless.

"Did we miss?"

They all watched their attacks land on Ning Jiang, yet there was no sensation of impact. It was an afterimage!

"The first!"

Ning Jiang’s voice was utterly cold. He moved with his sword, and with a single slash, one of the men staggered back, a bloody gash on his chest.

He had already shown mercy; otherwise, this person would already be a corpse.

"The second."

"The third.

"The fourth."

Ning Jiang’s sword hacked, stabbed, flicked, chopped, thrust, and pressed.

With every strike and every word he spoke, another opponent would be grievously wounded and sent flying back.

The sword in his hand seemed to have come alive.

He used no Martial Techniques, just simple, casual strikes, yet every blow drew blood.

"The ninth."

"The tenth!"

As his last word fell, Ning Jiang’s sword finally came to a halt. He sheathed it and stood still, his white robes unstained by a single drop of blood.

Everyone on the field stared in shock and terror at the white-robed, white-haired Ning Jiang, as if they were looking at a demon from the abyss.

The blow to their pride was far more painful than their physical injuries.

One man, one sword, one against ten.

The ten of them combined were no match for Ning Jiang.

There was no desperate battle they had imagined. Ning Jiang had simply struck ten times. Only ten strikes!

It was an overwhelming victory, an unstoppable force crushing all resistance. With sword in hand, he had swept the field. No one could stand against him.

"He really... did it!"

Yan Shuangying murmured, her lovely eyes wide with shock. Ning Jiang’s words echoed in her mind.

From this day on, I reign supreme over the Postnatal Realm!

Those hadn’t been the arrogant words of a reckless youth.

They were the undeniable truth.

The outcome of this battle made one thing crystal clear to Yan Shuangying, Zhang Yao, and everyone else present.

Ning Jiang wasn’t just the strongest below the Ten Great.

More importantly.

In the Postnatal Realm, Ning Jiang was invincible!

In the Postnatal Realm, Ning Jiang reigned supreme!