Chapter 63 - 57: This Sword Parts the River
Chapter 63: Chapter 57: This Sword Parts the River
The saber’s ring was as deafening as thunder, shaking one’s very soul. Even Yum Zhong, a Third-Grade Gang Condensation cultivator, covered his ears in pain.
The others bled from all seven orifices, falling to the ground and wailing in agony.
"This saber strike of mine... I’ve cultivated it bitterly for thirty years! It verges on the First Grade!"
"HAHAHA!"
The black-armored man was still laughing wildly.
But in the next instant, his laughter died.
A look of terror formed on his face.
"I’ll return this strike to you!"
Su Chen casually picked up a chopstick. Standing his ground, without moving a single step, he made a horizontal slashing motion toward the man.
BOOM!
An even more terrifying, jet-black saber Qi manifested from the tip of Su Chen’s chopstick and slashed out with a roar. An even more dreadful saber’s ring exploded across the tower ship.
When unleashed by Su Chen, the same saber strike possessed the might of heaven and earth. The gale it whipped up tore the roof right off the tower ship.
The black armor shattered.
The long saber fell.
And an endless spray of blood arched through the air.
"Why..."
"Can a chopstick... also be used to perform a Sword Skill...?"
The black-armored man collapsed, a massive gash slashed across his waist, his intestines spilling onto the floor. Blood frothed from his mouth, his eyes filled with shock, horror, and profound disbelief.
He had created this saber strike himself. After thirty years of studying sword techniques, he had finally achieved some success, and tonight was the first time he had ever used it.
’But how does this man before me know it?’
’And why is the essence of his strike so powerful! In comparison, my own feels more like a pale imitation.’
"Kill me in three strikes? You’re not worthy."
"You may have the potential of a Peak First Grade, but you’re too arrogant."
"Besides."
"What is a Peak First Grade to me?"
"You showed me a dance, so I’ll spare your worthless life."
"You got the better end of the deal."
"If we meet again and you still dare to be so arrogant in my presence, it won’t be as simple as just a strike to your vitals."
Su Chen ignored the black-armored man. His cold gaze fell upon the Marquis of Jiangling as he spoke.
"You forced my apprentice to her death?"
The same words now carried a completely different weight.
The Marquis of Jiangling was frozen stiff.
Only then did he realize.
He finally understood why Yum Zhong, a Jinjiang Supervisor, had been so subservient, serving this man tea and water.
"A... A First Grade?!"
At that moment, the Marquis of Jiangling was scared out of his wits.
Not even his own father would dare to provoke a First Grade expert.
"My adopted father is the Great Zhou Longxuan Lord, a Supreme First Grade! He’s the Long Xuanjun who single-handedly destroyed your Great Liang! If you dare touch me, your entire clan will be exterminated!"
"Believe me?"
the Marquis of Jiangling roared.
"I don’t."
"Let me test that."
Su Chen took a step.
BOOM!
A Thunderous Roar echoed.
The Jiangling Monarch’s body exploded into a mist of blood.
"How could you kill him?"
"He was the Jiangling Monarch, the adopted son of the Great Zhou Longxuan Lord! The world’s number one Supreme First Grade, who orchestrated the Battle of Liang’s Destruction, the day the world was turned upside down!"
"Even if you are a First-Grade Junior Grandmaster, you absolutely cannot offend Long Xuanjun! You’ll die..."
The Steward was scared witless. The whites of his eyes showed as he foamed at the mouth, nearly fainting from fright.
The others were also terrified by the death of the Marquis of Jiangling, trembling in fear of the dreadful Long Xuanjun.
"By the way,"
"can anyone tell me..."
"...who this Great Zhou Longxuan Lord you all keep mentioning is? I’m getting sick of hearing his name..."
"And when exactly did I fall to his sword?"
Su Chen’s cold gaze swept over the crowd.
’The Battle of Liang’s Destruction?’
’If they’re talking about the battle with the Immortal Whale’s appearance, the freezing of the Imperial City, the one that ended the Demon Emperor... then I was the one who personally experienced it. I was the last survivor.’
’The Fall of Liang was caused by the internal strife of Great Liang’s Royal Race, the grudges between immortals and mortals, and the final, killing blow delivered by Xu Han and myself.’
’I was the only one who survived that battle.’
’Why have I never met this so-called Great Zhou Supreme First Grade, Long Xuanjun?’
’Wait.’
’It seems someone else actually did make it out of the frozen Imperial City alive.’
Su Chen’s brow furrowed slightly.
An image surfaced in his mind: a Peak First Grade expert who had kowtowed before him, banging his head on the ground, so terrified he would drop to his knees at the slightest provocation.
’What was that guy’s name again? I don’t think I asked.’
’What did he even look like?’
’I didn’t pay close attention and can’t quite remember.’
’Could he be the Great Zhou Longxuan Lord, the legendary Supreme First Grade? But... how would he dare?’
’The story is that *I*—the Wind Snow Little Grandmaster who ended Great Liang with a single, decisive strike—died by the sword of this Great Zhou Supreme First Grade, Long Xuanjun?!’
’Enough.’
’First, I have to save my apprentice!’
’Zhu Feng! My promise was indeed a heavy one. I brought down Great Liang and stood vigil over your tomb for a dear, departed friend. It truly delayed me, but I will not let your only bloodline perish.’
At that moment, a gale swirled around Su Chen like an Azure Dragon, ripping the top off the tower ship. He rode the wind upward and stood atop the vessel.
「In the distance.」
On countless black-canopied boats and painted pavilions, everyone paled, staring in shock at the figure in profound robes.
"Who is that?"
"What is he trying to do!"
"He looks like a young man?"
"Heavens! What is he doing! He’s trying to walk on the Nujiang River—no, he wants to split it open? Has he gone mad? That’s the might of nature itself, something even a First Grade expert would struggle to resist!"
On the Nujiang River, tens of thousands of people watched this scene, their eyes filled with terror and astonishment.
In Jinjiang City, a First Grade expert watched from afar, a sneer in his eyes.
’Even a First Grade expert shouldn’t be so arrogant.’
’To challenge the forces of nature, to challenge the Nujiang River with one’s own power... he’s simply courting death!’
’Tonight, a First Grade expert will fall beneath the waves of the Nujiang River!’
However, Su Chen stood upon the Jinjiang Nu River, his gaze indifferent. He ignored the thousand hundred-meter waves that came roaring toward him and looked at the girl sinking into the abyssal depths. Pointing a finger to the sky, his Wind Snow True Intent erupted.
"Wind, come!"
"Snow, arrive!"
"Split the waves, part the river!"
In an instant, wind and snow converged. Above the Nu River, a hundred miles of blizzard gathered into a sword of wind and snow in the palm of the youth in profound robes.
With one slash, the very color of the world changed. The sword clove through countless waves, cutting a ten-mile-long gash across the Nu River.
Just like that old man in the purple robe had done long ago.
The river was truly split apart.
Su Chen’s Wind Snow True Intent!
It had reached Perfection.
At the bottom of the Jinjiang River, Su Chen saw the girl named Cyan Sparrow, her frail figure drifting with the current.
"I’ve come to take you home."
"From now on,"
"I am your master."
Holding the girl in his arms, Su Chen walked up from the riverbed, treading between the parted waters that could not fall, and headed away from Jinjiang City.
"This..."
"Who is he?"
"A Peak First Grade... no, this is a First Grade who has reached the absolute apex! A sky full of wind and snow, parting a river with a single strike... he actually did it! Who in the world is this person?"
That night, both banks of the Jinjiang River erupted. Countless cultivators were in an uproar. Even experts as strong as the First Grade were so shocked their eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. They shot to their feet, staring in disbelief at the departing figure in the profound robe.
That strike... it really parted the river!!!
Only Yum Zhong was left with tears streaming down his face, as if in a daze.
"The Moonlit Guest in Mysterious Clothes... the Wind Snow Little Grandmaster... Lord Su."
"It really is you."
’Lord Xu, just like in the Library Pavilion, I will continue to take good care of Master Su...’
’You have passed away.’
’Let me take your place. Master Su, no matter how old he gets, is still as reckless as a boy, never cleaning up after himself...’