Chapter 861 - Peak Battle(2)
Chapter 861: Peak Battle(2)
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Marquis Sword Star’s Seven Star Strike Technique was already at the fourth strike three years ago. I wonder if he has refined the fifth strike this time. If he has, Ye Chen will basically have no chance.”
Lu Tiandu creased his brows. Ranked second in the previous Life and Death Substitute List, he couldn’t not have exchanged blows with Marquis Sword Star. Ten years ago, Marquis Sword Star had completed the third strike, and it was this third strike, which cut through his defense like butter. In the following seven years, Lu Tiandu’s strength greatly improved, and he was itching to spar with Marquis Star Sword. But, he heard that the latter had already cultivated the fourth strike, causing him to immediately dispel any such thoughts.
“Marquis Sword Star against Ye Chen?”
A hint of graveness appeared on Marquis Sword Snow’s face. Neither of these two people could be looked down upon, especially the Seven Star Strike Technique of Marquis Sword Star. It was an ancient technique and was said to have each of its strike having double the might of the previous one. At the realm of the sixth strike, one could kill a same ranked dragon, while the seventh strike could allow a ‘strongest’ half-step King to kill an ordinary Life and Death King.
Marquis Sword Star’s appearance was that of a thirty years old guy. His brows were like swords and eyes like stars; he was wearing exceptionally white robes. Standing amidst his gently fluttering robes, he gave off a heroic and elegant feeling.
Ye Chen looked much younger, merely around twenty years old. His robes were blue and appearance refined; his gaze was mild, but without any shallowness. It was more like an all-encompassing abyss.
The two sword artists slowly moved toward each other and stopped upon arriving a hundred meters away from each other.
“This sword is Lupus!” Marquis Sword Star unsheathed a longsword. The sword’s body gleamed with a cold light, emanating a killing aura. Yes, swords also had killing intent, and it was much purer than that of humans, devoid of any impurities.
Ye Chen didn’t unsheath the Evil Shattering Sword, but it slightly slid off its sheath under his control, only slightly. However, it was enough to feel a chilling sword Qi spreading out of it.
“Good sword!”
Marquis Sword Star’s eyes shone. Ye Chen’s Evil Shattering Sword was not inferior to his Lupus at all, and could even be considered as the best among pseudo supreme grade weapons.
“Careful, I’ll be going all out.” Holding Lupus in his hand, Marquis Sword Star’s eyes gradually turned cold.
“Seven Star Strikes, first strike!”
Many people thought that Marquis Sword Star would probe Ye Chen a little with other techniques. Thus, it came as quite a shock as he immediately began with the Seven Star Strikes, even though it was only the first strike.
Puff!
Starlight flickered and a chilling sword Qi assaulted Ye Chen’s perception. The appearance of this sword Qi was so sudden that it seemed bizarre.
Clang!
Without a blink or a look, Ye Chen unsheathed Evil Vanquishing Sword and cleaved the sword Qi.
“Second strike, Star Flash!”
Swish…
Marquis Sword Star’s figure flickered like a star, turning hazy. When he reappeared, he was already right before Ye Chen as Lupus thrust forth while giving off a pure killing aura. The second strike was a movement art that complemented the sword. This strike was impossibly quick, an almost seamless blend of movement art and sword technique. The body’s forward momentum increased the sword’s might to new heights.
If Lashan Mei’s blade art was vibrational power and Marquis Sword Snow’s sword art was compression power, then Marquis Sword Star’s sword art was the power of impulse. A burst of force thrusting the sword forward could pierce anything.
Clang!
Sparks flew around as Ye Chen raised the Evil Vanquishing Sword across and defended. However, the impulse of Lupus was not so easy to dispel. Ye Chen’s feet slid backwards on the floor, setting off huge sparks.
“Third strike, Star Extinction!”
Marquis Sword Star was not one to lay down his upper hand. He abruptly pulled back Lupus and thrust again with a speed far above the previous.
‘So, this is Marquis Star Sword? Too fierce! Ye Chen is absolutely unable to strike back!’
‘As expected of Marquis Sword Star! When he is quiet, he is quiet, but when he acts, he goes for the kill.’
Such a quick fight didn’t allow the spectators to talk, and they could only think in their minds.
Woosh Woosh!
This thrust, however, was slanted. This was not because Marquis Sword Star was not precise enough. When his and Ye Chen’s swords met, he was astounded to know that the latter’s sword actually contained a high-level power of vibration. This power of vibration, transmitting from Ye Chen’s sword to his, caused the strength behind his sword to lose a greater portion of its power and purpose.
“Vibrational Power!” Lashan Mei’s eyes were left wide open.
When did he learn to incorporate vibrational power in his sword arts? Moreover, it was not much inferior compared to hers.
“He learned at the last moment? That’s just impossible! Moreover, there are some differences.”
Marquis Sword Snow’s first thought was that Ye Chen had learned through Lashan Mei’s blade arts. However, on second thought, he immediately discarded this idea. Learning blade arts was not like comprehending profound. It required thousands of tempering before any hope of success. If Ye Chen’s body had not been familiar with the vibrational power, he would not have been able to incorporate it into his sword arts.
Moreover, he could see that Ye Chen’s vibration sword arts were different from Lashan Mei’s demonic blade arts. Demonic Blade Arts harnessed the vibration from the blade’s body, making it inside out; whereas, Ye Chen’s vibration sword arts seemed to be harnessed from metal profound, making it outside-in. There was no point comparing which version was better.
Swish!
Failing his assault, Marquis Sword Star flew back and looked at Ye Chen befuddled. The latter didn’t return his gaze. Instead, he raised his head and looked at Lashan Mei’s small chamber, even though he could not see inside.
“He is looking at me?” Lashan Mei could feel Ye Chen’s gaze.
Retracting his gaze, Ye Chen revealed a faint smile. It was not far-fetched to say that the inspiration behind his vibration sword arts were indeed Lashan Mei’s Demonic Blade Arts. Back in the day, he had purchased a profound martial skill from an auction named Golden Splendor Vibration Sword. As per its name, this technique naturally consisted of vibrational power.
However, this technique’s vibrational power came from energy—originating from sword’s edge or sword Qi. It didn’t make use of the sword body’s vibrations. For a while, this technique did make Ye Chen invincible. However, it declined with time. After all, solely relying on vibrations from energy didn’t allow one to challenge high rank experts.
However, Lashan Mei’s Demonic Blade Arts gave him a new inspiration.
Demonic Blade Arts first created vibrations through the blade’s body, then created energy vibrations with the blade as the medium. When these two combined, the resultant might was astonishing, be it in close-combat or long-range-combat. In that case, why couldn’t he make some adjustments to the Golden Splendor Vibration Sword?
It should be known that Ye Chen’s metal profound had already reached ninety percent completion, and thus, had an enormous innate superiority. Even the original Golden Splendor Vibration Sword was not weak at all in his hands. Except for the peak geniuses, ordinary ‘strongest’ half-step Kings couldn’t exchange a single move before this technique.
After some improvements, this technique’s might had increased by several folds, adding another card up Ye Chen’s sleeves.
“Many things are just short of an opportunity. This was Golden Splendor Vibration Sword’s time to shed its skin.”
When he had cultivated this technique back in the day, he had already gained a deep understanding of vibrational power. Adding it on ninety percent complete metal profound, his foundations were extremely sturdy. Therefore, upon observing the skill with which Lashan Mei used her Demonic Blade Arts, Ye Chen had formed his own unique vibration sword arts; using energy vibrations to create sword vibrations—outside-in, then inside-out.
‘My understanding of vibration power is not bad, but my body is still somewhat incapable of adapting to this power. I currently have no way of increasing the realm of vibrational power.’ Ye Chen inwardly sighed.
Knowing was one thing, and actually applying it was another. He was not Lashan Mei, who could cultivate Demonic Blade Arts for years and adapt his body to the vibration power.
“Very good! To actually use vibrational sword arts to break my third strike…” A cold, almost maddening gleam flickered in Marquis Sword Star’s eyes.
“Fourth strike, Meteor Shower!”
Taking in a deep breath, Marquis Sword Star stepped out and pounced. Lupus in his hand waved, issuing more than a hundred strikes within an instant. Each strike contained a powerful impulse power and created a resplendent starlight that ground against the space, as if drilling into it.
“This is the fourth strike?”
Lu Tiandu stared unblinkingly from within the small chamber.
‘I’ll just call you Vibration Sword Arts!’
Ye Chen decided to give up on dealing with Marquis Sword Star’s fourth star with the Vibration Sword Arts. He was too unfamiliar with this art, and thus couldn’t use it to perfection. Using this art right now would be fighting the opponent’s strong points with one’s own weak points, which would be quite stupid. After all, the might of this strike was far higher than the third.
“Sword Domain!”
An enormous sword pressure emanated from Ye Chen’s body and instantly acted on Marquis Sword Star’s body.
“It’s that sword pressure!”
Marquis Sword Star couldn’t have forgotten the sword pressure Ye Chen had previously used to instantly kill Young Undying Demon Lord. However, he still underestimated its might. His body suddenly turned sluggish, causing a gap to appear in his fourth strike. Meanwhile, a cold light flickered as Ye Chen swung his sword.
Puchi!
Blood droplets flew about and a sword scar appeared on Marquis Sword Star’s face. At the crucial moment, he’d forcefully tilted his body and protected his vitals.
“Break!”
Marquis Sword Star wiped the blood off his mouth and forcefully retracted the fourth strike, causing him to suffer a small rebound. His Zhen Yuan rampaged before Lupus in his hand erupted with an intense yet muted moonlight, sweeping across the chamber that was instantly covered in intense light rays.
Moonlight Slash!
It was a profound sword art created by Marquis Sword Star himself.
“Waning Moon!”
Marquis Sword Star’ Moonlight Slash was a bright shade of light yellow, whereas Ye Chen’s Waning Moon was deep black. The two colors interweaved, each occupying half of the chamber.
Peng!
Amidst an explosion of gales, the two flew back. However, Marquis Sword Star spurted out a huge mouthful of blood. Forcefully moving his body had injured his internal organs. Then, his fourth strike was interrupted, and he even exchanged a direct blow with Ye Chen immediately afterwards, which caused him to no longer be able to suppress his injuries.
Wiping the blood off his mouth, he said coldly, “You’re fortunate to become the first person to experience the fifth strike of Seven Star Strike. Once this move is out, even I can’t control it.”