Chapter 7 - 47

Wang Tian sat next to a boulder, waiting for the appointed time. He was dressed in all white, showing the demeanor of a peerless swordsman unstained by the dust of the mortal world.

Despite his middle-aged appearance, his looks could only be described as godlike or a face that even the Heavens would be jealous of. His black danced with the wind, displaying his peaceful nature as he blended with the surrounding.

Wang Tian conquered an entire generation not only because of his unmatched strength but also because of his handsome face. In his generation, he could not think how many Saintess, Young Lady, Sect Madame, and Empress felt for his peerless look. Many of these peerless women wanted to kidnap him and place him under house arrest so he could become their companion or plaything.

In some ways, Wang Tian had to become powerful. Otherwise, his fate would have been worse than death.

Despite how popular he was in his generation, Wang Tian was glad he ended up with his current wife. Influenced by his father, he never considered having more than one companion. However, most of the women in his generation only saw his peerless look and talent. And Yu Yan saw beyond the surface and saw his core: a simple or straightforward sword lover with a lot of emotional baggage.

During his cultivation journey, he interacted on many occasions with Yu Yan, and they always had a connection. However, they restrained themselves until they almost died inside the Blood Earth.

During that moment of desperation, as they entrusted each other lives to an "enemy," they could no longer suppress how they felt and admitted their feelings. Wang Tian remembered that day as if it was yesterday despite nearly a million years almost passed.

On that day, he liberated his mind and, in turn, his sword. His swordsmanship reached another level, allowing him to forge a blood path from that dangerous Forbidden Land.

After exiting the Blood Earth, Wang Tian realized his sword was no longer lonely; he no longer was practicing the sword only for himself–he had something to protect.

A few hours passed as Wang Tian awaited his opponent's arrival. He did not mind the wait since he could take the time to organize his mind and ensure he was in the peak shape for this battle.

Then, he sensed something and looked in one direction. Ji Lanfang, dressed in a blue robe with an alcohol gourd in his hand, rode on a giant sword, flying toward Wang Tian. Ji Lanfang was no longer as sloppy and unrepresentable as in the Deception Trial. Instead, he looked handsome in his blue Taoist Robe, exuding a more noble and sword-immortal vibe.

The only thing that destroyed his image was the strong smell of alcohol.

"Fellow Daoist, I'm sorry for my tardiness. Traveling in the Endless Void is not easy, " Ji Lanfang said as he put the flying sword away.

"It's fine. I'm just glad Fellow Daoist was willing to travel from so far away," replied Wang Tian. Although they've become close over the years, installing a Trans-World Transmission Array was inappropriate. Plus, it was too expensive, and the current Myriad Emperor World was in a semi-closed state.

As such, they discussed and agreed for Ji Lanfang to come here for the battle since he did not have to worry about his fellow competitors gathering information on him.

Then, the drunk swordsman frowned as he looked at Wang Tian.

"Such vitality, you've tempered your body?"

"Yes," replied Wang Tian, not hiding the truth.

"Why? I thought we walked the same path." Ji Lanfang did not hide his disappointment; he thought he had found a peer after so many years, but now, he might have been wrong.

"I was, but I learned our previous path was wrong."

"That is a bold statement," said Ji Lanfang with squinted eyes. The path of pure swordsmanship has existed since the beginning of time. So, he did not know whether his new friend was arrogant or he truly transcended that path and found a better one.

"But it's the truth," calmly added Wang Tian.

"Even if what you say is true, do you think body refining is the proper way for swordsmen?"

"You won't understand until you experience it yourself," added Wang Tian, not wanting to argue; he wanted to use actions to show his friends he was walking on the wrong path.

"Yes, as the sages said: actions speak louder than words," nodded Ji Lanfang.

"Before we begin, can you tell me your maximum power?"

Ji Lanfand hesitated for a moment before replying, "5-Leaf peak."

"I have 7-Leaf Peak, so I will seal myself to the same strength."

Ji Lanfang readily agreed; this was the best method to determine whose swordsmanship or path was the best. He took out a black sword and gently caressed it.

"The sword is called Black Lotus, and it's my proving Dao artifact. This was the first sword I ever touched when I was five years old, and it has accompanied me throughout many battles. In my world, it is known as the Swordsmen Reaper."

Wang Tian was envious as he heard Ji Lanfang's description; he wished his first sword could accompany him throughout his life. Unfortunately, he had to cast a new one in the Divine Body Realm as he cast his Proving Dao Artifact.

He kept that sword and hoped to pass it to his son as a form of a family inheritance. Unfortunately, his son crushed his dream when he chose not to be a swordsman.

Wang Tian waved his hand, and a blue sword appeared in his hand. Following Ji Lanfang's example, he explained the name of his sword.

"This sword is called [Life Cyclce], named in honor of my mother."

He reminisced for a moment before continuing, "I have traveled all over the five continents, defeating all the swordsmen of my generation and the previous, substantiating my status as the greatest swordsman.

"And one day, I will have the entire Endless Void acknowledge this title."

"I never knew Fellow Daoist was so ambitious."

"I have to hide my edges because I know this is not my era," replied Wang Tian with a smile. "But now, my son has grown up, and his light is already shining brilliantly, so there is no need for me to hide anymore."

Ji Lanfang nodded even though he could not relate on a personal level. He had no children and was the brightest star of his generation. Just like Wang Tian, he suppressed all his peers to the point of suffocating them.

"The greatest swordsmen of the lower dimension. That's an interesting title," commented Ji Lanfang. Although he had never thought about such a thing, he suddenly had the desire to have this title. However, he still said, "This is not an easy title to acquire."

He was not only referring to the strength required to gain such a title but how feasible the entire idea was. There are 3000 World Communities with billions of worlds and trillions of swordsmen. So, a swordsman would need to defeat many people for this title to be acknowledged or accepted by Heaven and Earth. Unfortunately, it was not feasible to get so many swordsmen together.

"I have my way," said Wang Tian, who was not lying; one of his son's plans inspired him, so he had an idea on how to acquire the title of strongest swordsman after proving the Dao.

"It's good to be ambitious and take steps to achieve one goal," said Ji Lanfang. "However, you must first get past me before you can talk about being the best."

As he said these words, he gathered his Sword Will before floating in the air.

"No problem," replied Wang Tian with a smile, following him in his actions.

Twink!

As these two gather their Sword Wills, countless swords flesh from different directions of the Central Continent, floating in the void outside the domain where their battle took place.

The masters of these swords tried to prevent their swords from flying away, but it was pointless. Swords after sword left their masters, floating in the void as they wished to experience this ultimate battle of swordsmanship.

And this phenomenon did not only occur in the Central Continent. The East, West, South, and Northern swordsman and sword users experienced the same thing. Their swords flew from their control and fled to the Central Continent, floating in the void. Most of these swords left their masters' Sea of Consciousness.

Only a few rare swordsmen could stop their swords from flying away. Regardless, they still had to fight the restlessness of their swords, trying to prevent them from leaving.

As such, the entire world became alarmed as they searched for the source of this phenomenon. Numerous Emperor Lineages and below used different means before discovering Wang Tian and Ji Lanfang's battle.

They became in awe and immediately realized this was an opportunity–especially for swordsmen and sword users. They will learn a significant amount by watching this peak battle.

The two brewed their aura and Sword Will to the peak. They observed each other closely, monitoring every aspect of their opponents–including breathing, eye movement, and muscle contraction.

Then, once their momentum peaked, Wang Tian and Ji Lanfang moved. In an instant, they met in the air and fought.

Twink! Twink! Twink!

Their swords clashed, creating brilliant silver light in the air. Whether it was Wang Tian or Ji Lanfang, none used the energy inside their bodies or the laws they cultivated. Their clash was pure swordsmanship, relying on the fundamentals of the sword, like cutting, stabbing, parrying, and other moves.

Their battle was like two mortal swordsmen battling without relying on cultivation or supernatural powers.

The sound of metal clashing echoed throughout the sky. These two swordsmen reached the pinnacle of their craft. However, like every person who dares call themselves as 'swordsman," they started by learning and practicing the basic of the sword when they were nothing but children.

With their talent, it only took a few days to master the basics and learn more advanced swordsmanship that involved more variations and application of power. However, these geniuses never stopped practicing the basic.

Whenever they had time, when they encountered a bottleneck in their swordsmanship, when they felt sad, happy, or myriad of emotions–they would always return to the basic.

And today, they displayed that solid foundation. Wang Tian and Ji Lanfang only used the most basic of swordsmanship that children first learn once they begin their journey with the sword. However, every one of their attacks contained Dao Rhymes, showing how they resonate with Heaven and Earth. Many swordsmen watching this battle entered a state of enlightenment just by watching these people's display of basic swordsmanship.

After fighting for nearly two hours with no victor, the two suddenly separated. And without saying anything, they attacked each other from afar with sword slashes.

They began with the first level of sword slash, which simply involved converting the energy inside their bodies into a sharp attribute and transferring them out through their weapons.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Wang Tian and Ji Lanfang slashed nine times, canceling each other's attacks. Their eyes brightened before they decided to elevate the skills of this battle. So, they used second-level sword slashes.

They waved their swords and created moon-shaped slashes to defeat each other; they attacked 18 times and were still equal. The second-level sword slashes did not come from the energy from their bodies; they came from pure skill.

The slash resulted from them controlling the airflow of the surroundings to control the wind and generating wind slashes; this level of sword slash required extreme control and understanding of the sword.

After the tie, the two did not hesitate or waste time; they tested the third level of sword slash. This level involved using the sword to resonate and control the Spiritual Qi between Heaven and Earth.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Wang Tian and Ji Lanfang used 27 third-level sword slashes, but each attack canceled the other out. Nevertheless, their aura ab momentum continued to rise as they pushed themselves to the limit of their skills.

Four-level slash: when the sword skill is so refined and superb, the swordsman can use the very fabric of space to cut the opponent.

Wang Tian and Ji Lanfang held their swords and slashed each other. The two seemed connected to their swords as if they were an extension of it, the fabric of space bending to their will as they slashed their opponents. No energy, soul, or law fluctuations emanated from their bodies.

After 36 attacks, the two stops since the result was the same as the previous contests. However, they knew the battle had just begun. Wang Tian suddenly stopped using his swords and used his index and middle finger together as a sword before making a slashing motion. Ji Lanfang followed his example and did the same.

Numerous sword slashes and energy manifested in the sky. And this time, they were not only moon-shaped but took multiple forms. There were wave-shaped sword slashes, tornado-shaped, and spiral-shaped.

Additionally, the attacks did not only originate from these two swordsmen. They came from the grass on the ground, the dirt, the mountains, and the surrounding forests. With these two's attacks, everything turned into a supreme sword that could slash the brilliant stars in the sky or the all-encompassing Heaven and Earth.

The two made 45 attacks before stopping this confrontation, changing to another category: Sword of the Soul. Each attack directly targeted the other's Primordial Spirit or True Spirit.

Before cultivating, the soul is both a real and non-existent thing; it exists in a spiritual plane where reality and fantasy meet. However, these two swordsmen–using only their skills and no cultivation–can touch this place of existence and non-existence with their swords.

After 54 attacks and still being equal, they elevated their skills to another level, focusing on using the Power of Heaven and Earth.

On Wang Tian's swords, 63 massive blue swords appeared between Heaven and Earth. Ji Lanfang was not intimidated nor backed down. He mobilized the Power of Heaven and Earth and created the same quantity of black swords.

Bang! freēwēbηovel.c૦m

A maelstrom of sword energy devastated everything in the surrounding billion of kilometers, damaging the already deserted Domain beyond repair. The sky separated into two, appearing as if two supreme swords were confronting each other.

Wang Tian and Ji Lanfang looked at each other with excitement while ignoring the devastation of the surrounding environment. Their momentum kept rising as their understanding of swordsmanship increased at a noticeable rate.

And they were not the only ones. Any swordsmen or sword users watching this battle learned a thing or two. However, the two did not care about these other people as they focused on each other.

Wang Tian waved his sword to create 1.269 trillion Sword Qi. No, these were Sword Essences, condensed from cultivating different sword techniques, taking their core, and creating Sword Qi. The Sword Qi fused to form 72 different swords floating before Wang Tian.

Ji Lanfang squinted his eyes after seeing this before sighing. He followed the same and created 1.269 trillion Sword Qi too. Unfortunately, only 300 billion were unique, while he condensed the remaining ones with Speed Essence.

Boom!

The 72 swords clashed, generating a terrifying power that could easily wipe a Quasi Emperor into oblivion. The two floated in the sky, intact and untouched, their aura not diminishing in the slightest. Nevertheless, Ji Lanfang secretly shook his head as he knew he had lost despite the equal outcome of the 72 swords.

In this stage of their Sword Realms, his opponent went deeper than him and had a more profound foundation. Regardless, it was not over since the battle had just begun.

Ji Lanfang regained his composure and focused on this battle; he gathered and condensed his Sword Will. As the name implies, Sword Wills are the manifestations of a Swordsman's Path; it is both a prototype of their Daos and a representation of their Will, a condensed representation of all their swordsmanship skills and abilities.

Only once a swordsman reaches a higher realm could they acquire their Sword Will, which is one of the things used to distinguish between a swordsman and a sword user since the latter does usually not have a Sword Will.

Ji Lanfang created 81 swords formed from his Sword Will, which embodied unexplainable speed. His Sword Will involved the concept that only absolute speed equals absolute power. With speed, there is no obstacle the sword cannot overcome–whether it is myriad laws, the soul, the Dao, or any concepts between Heaven and Earth.

Wang Tian's eyes brightened, unable to contain his excitement; he could not remember the last time he met a worthy challenger in the Way of the Sword. Without hesitation, he also gathered his Sword Will and created 81 swords.

His Sword Will was also an extreme one, like Ji Lanfang's. However, instead of focusing on speed, he focused on cutting. Wang Tian's Sword Will manifested his desire to cut everything between Heaven and Earth–time, space, matter, energy, soul, living and nonliving, everything existing and nonexistent concept, and all truths and falseness.

Boom!

The 162 Swords clashed, shaking the fabric of space-time in this Domain. The clash destroyed everything in the surroundings; however, the very fabric of this domain was embedded with the sword intent of these two peerless swordsmen.

In the future, this domain will become a paradise for all swordsmen all over the Myriad Emperor World.

"Another tie," commented Ji Lanfang as his first words since the battle began.

"Indeed," agreed Wang Tian, who felt refreshed and free after this short confrontation. He could foresee his swordsmanship taking great strides after this battle, and it should be the same for his opponent.

"We still have two realms to test out," added Ji Lanfang. "Let's see if we can decide a victor."

Wang Tian nodded, but he had an unknown and mysterious smile. Ji Lanfanf did not know the meaning of that smile and thought the opponent was confident. So, his competitive nature stirred up as he, too, was confident in his victory.

Eastern Azure Dragon Continent, Sword Casting Villa:

Villa Master Jian Yi stood before a formation, watching Wang Tian and Ji Lanfang battle it out like mortals, using only pure swordsmanship. As he experienced this peak demonstration of skills, he remembered the first time he picked a sword, learning the basic moves of the sword.

'Is this why he's so better than me?' he asked himself. Over the years, he has cultivated basic swordsmanship, returning to the basics to reach higher realms. However, he was not as consistent as he should have been.

Instead, he focused on practicing and cultivating more powerful and unique sword techniques, hoping to find a way to surpass Wang Tian and avenge the humiliation of that generation.

Jian Yi has never forgotten that year. Wang Tian had just entered the Saint Realm, so he decided to build momentum for himself before the final battle. So, he left the Dao Opening Sect and challenged every swordsman with a decent reputation.

During this grand journey of swordsmanship, the Emperor Lineages, who focused on swordsmanship, suffered the greatest humiliation as Wang Tian suppressed the younger and older generations. During that time, many swordsmen broke their swords and swore never to touch a sword and practice' they cut off their Sword Path after seeing how high Wang Tian's swordsmanship reached.

'Back then, he did not have such a deep foundation and still suppressed a generation of swordsmen. Now, I cannot fathom how high he's reached,' thought Jian Yi with a look of desolation.

He took a moment to control his emotions before taking out his swords. It was blue similar to Wang Tian, but with clouds designed on them. This sword was the first sword he ever forged, and he used it as his Proving Dao Artifact. It was blue similar to Wang Tian, but with clouds designed on them.

At that time, he was young and inexperienced, so he gave the sword a simple and direct name: Blue Cloud.

Without saying much, Jian Yi practiced basic swordsmanship as he watched the two clash. In a few hours, his Sword Realm drastically improved, thus also increasing his overall strength.

Jian Yi exhaled deeply as he finally found a way to improve moving forward. The irony is the answer was simple: practice the basic. He shook his head with a wry smile before saying: "Someone, come."

"Villa Master," said a disciple who bowed after entering the room. Jian Yi paused after hearing these words as a more profound sadness enveloped him. Their Sword Casting Villa should have already elected a new Villa Master. Unfortunately, no one in the current generation is talented enough to take the post.

"Go bring Shuang'er," he ordered after calming down his emotions. The disciple was momentarily surprised, but he did not say anything else. A few minutes later, he escorted a handsome young man in a wheelchair.

Jian Wushuang sat in the wheelchair with a listless aura and no expression. Even though someone pushed him inside, even though he met his master, he had a blank look and was not responsive.

Jian Yi looked at his disciple with pain in his eyes. No matter what the villa tried, they could not cure Jian Wushuang. So, they understood that the latter needed to get out of this situation on his own.

A cunning light flashed in Jian Yi's eyes as he rolled Jian Wushuang's wheelchair before the formation, allowing him to experience this peak swordsmanship battle.

Meanwhile, Wang Tian and Ji Lanfang's battle continued in the Central Qilin Continent.

After the previous 81 swords, the two chatted briefly before continuing their demonstration. They waved their swords to create 90 swords before them. And this time, the power of law echoed from their bodies.

Despite the appearance of the Power of Law, this battle was still a display of pure skills. Technically speaking, a mortal swordsman could cultivate their swordsmanship realm to the level of controlling the laws.

However, such action would result in their death after one attack. And that's because, without sufficient cultivation realms, their souls and body cannot withstand utilizing such a level of power.

Of course, for a mortal to achieve such a feat, they must have a high talent like Sword Empress, Wang Tian, and Ji Lanfang. And they would need some level of luck or opportunity.

The 90 swords clashed together: Ji Lanfang's Absolute Speed Law and Wang Tian's Absolute Cut Law confronted each other, trying to determine which person has the most profound comprehension of Sword Law.

The sounds of swords howling echoed between Heaven and Earth. Potent Sword Energy shone through the sky, cutting anything in their paths. All laws in the domain were scattered, leaving room only for the Law of Sword to reign supreme.

"Still a tie," commented Wang Tian with bright eyes.

"Indeed," replied Ji Lanfang with a slight surprise. He thought his friend's realm would be tainted after losing his "purity" after tempering his body. But so far, there are no indications of such a thing.

"Then, let's continue."

"As you wish," nodded Ji Lanfang as he condensed 99 Swords before him. And as soon as they appeared, Heaven and Earth changed. Ji Lanfang took complete control of the laws of the surrounding environment. At that moment, he was Heavenly Dao and determined how the Sword Laws of Heaven and Earth operated.

And Wang Tian did not fall behind. He deployed his Sword Domain which manifested in the form of 99 swords.

The domain suddenly separated into two. If a swordsman stood by Ji Lanfang's side, they would discover they could only use fast swords. They could not use slow sword techniques, elegant sword techniques, variations sword techniques, or deceptive techniques.

And if they were on Wang Tian's side, they would discover they could not stab, parry, sweep, or evade–they could only cut.

The two forcibly bend the laws of reality in their surrounding, forcing their Swords' Path on the world, forcing Heaven and Earth to acknowledge their Sword Dao as the "correct" rule of the universe.

Bang!

The 99 Swords clashed, creating devastating power. The vortex of energy produced by their clash is enough to kill 1 or 2 Leaf Immortal Venerable.

Many people became scared after seeing the aftermath–especially members of the older generation; they did not imagine Wang Tian would reach such a level. The current generation–who previously looked down on the former because of the lack of people who broke the barrier between Mortal and Immortal–finally showed some respect.

Swordsmen throughout the Myriad Emperor had complicated emotions. They were proud as Wang Tian showed the world why they were considered the type of cultivator with the greatest attacks.

Simultaneously, they despaired as they realized the immense difference between them and the pinnacle of swordsmanship. Most gave up as they saw what the pinnacle looked like, but a few became motivated and decided to follow Wang Tian's path to death–even if they could never reach such a level.

Wang Tian secretly sighed after the aftermath of their confrontation ended. He lost by a slight margin in the confrontation–just like Ji Lanfang did during their clash with Sword Essence.

"It's a tie again," said Ji Lanfang this time around.

"True."

"Then, it seems we need to decide the final victor with an actual battle," he added. Previously, they only tested their realm. But an actual battle involved myriad things like their soul, energy quantity inside their bodies, control of laws, battle experience, and tactics.

"No, you have already lost," Wang Tian declared boldly.

"What do you mean?"

"Sword Domain is not the highest realm of swordsmanship, and there are not only 11 realms, but twelve."

In the previous battle, the two displayed all the realms or stages a swordsman would experience throughout their lives. Everyone began with learning and mastering basic swordsmanship before entering the first stage: sword slash. There are four levels of sword slash, and each realm requires more skills.

The fifth realm is Sword Heart: the swordsman is no longer limited by the sword in his hand. In this realm, a piece of wood, hair, or a string of grass can be a sword. freёwebnovel.com

Afterward is the Soul Sword or Mind Sword. In this realm, the swordsmen's attacks are no longer limited to physical aspects and can touch ethereal or nonreal concepts like the soul.

The seventh stage is when swordsmen begin to control the power of Heaven and Earth. In some cultivation systems, the swordsman has to comprehend Sword Intent before slowly reaching the stage of controlling the Power of Heaven and Earth. In others, they directly do it.

The eighth stage is Sword Essence, which requires swordsmen to gather the essence of countless sword techniques and incorporate it into their own, thus strengthening their foundation. The ninth stage condenses all these Sword Essences into the manifestation of a swordsman's path–their Sword Will.

The tenth stage is to control the Law, and the eleventh stage is the Sword Domain, where a swordsman has absolute control of the law, imposing his own Sword Dao on the world.

These stages are not all the swordsmanship realms, and depending on the cultivation systems, some swordsmen will not follow a linear path when cultivating these realms. For example, some people will condense their Sword Will first before nourishing it with their Sword Essence.

And many swordsmen will skip the fourth level of Sword Slash or would cultivate it after reaching higher realms.

"I call this realm Sword and Sword Unity," said Wang Tian with a smile.

Chapter

Ji Lanfang frowned as he immediately became more serious. Swordsmen must enter the realm of Human and Sword Unity to reach the four stages of Sword Slash.

There is also the realm of Human and Heaven Unity, which granted cultivators a higher level of control of Spiritual Qi and, eventually, the power of Heaven and Earth. However, this realm is not a realm that only swordsmen can achieve. Many cultivation systems require cultivators to reach the Human and Heaven Unity stage before they can comprehend and wield the power of Law.

However, with all his knowledge and experience, he had never heard of Sword and Sword Unity.

"This realm is easy to understand," said Wang Tian with a smile. "My body is the sword, my heart is the sword, and I hold a sword–I am the ultimate sword."

A terrifying momentum emanated from his body. He harnessed the power of his fleshly body, but oddly, it was not the power of blood energy: it was the power of a supreme sword.

Ji Lanfang looked at his opponent in shock. His vision changed, and what he saw was no longer Wang Tian but an actual sword; it was like the person before him had abandoned its fleshly body and turned into a real physical sword.

Wang Tian swung his sword to create 108 blades that fused into an enormous blue sword. Ji Lanfang's face changed as he mobilized his Sword Domain to respond. He also condensed 108 swords that combined.

Unfortunately, it was pointless. Wang Tian's attack cut through his sword like a sharp knife cutting through butter. And it was meaningless no matter how Ji Lanfang responded; that sword cut anything in its path.

Luckily for him, this was not a life-and-death battle, so Wang Tian stopped the sword from erasing him from the mortal coil.

Li Lanfang looked dazed, as if he had lost his mind.

"Is this the true realm of One Sword Breaking Myriad Laws?" he muttered to himself, but everyone watching through different means could hear him. Regardless, he did not care about these people as he was lost in his own mind.

"Nine is extreme, and 12 is perfection. The perfect Sword Realm: body, soul, and mind are all swords. So, we were wrong all along." Ji Lanfang's face underwent multiple changes; it appeared as if he was struggling with something, struggling to accept the truth.

"Hahahaha, so we were all wrong," he said with delirious in his voice. "We focused so much on pureness that we strayed from the true path of swordsmanship. How ridiculous."

Ji Lanfang was not the person whose mind was shocked by this revelation. All swordsmen who reached the Sword Law and Domain stage and thought they had reached the ultimate stage of swordsmanship had a similar reaction.

They realized they must temper their bodies to reach the same stage as Wang Tian. However, how could they easily accept their path was wrong? The idea of pursuing the ultimate attack of the sword by ignoring the body has been engrained in their souls and bloodlines for millions of generations.

This idea has become their core; it has formed their belief and personal philosophy, so how could they easily accept they were wrong?

Crack!

The whole world simultaneously heard a cracking sound. Many people were confused, but only a few knew this resulted from countless swordsmen having their Dao hearts broken.

Throughout the Myriad Emperor World, all swordsmen of a sufficient realm suddenly spewed a mouthful of blood and became extremely pale.

Sword Casting Villa:

Jian Yi looked at the screen with a pale face. He wiped out the blood from the corner of his mouth, trying extremely hard to reign in his mind. However, this task was more challenging than he imagined. All he could think about was his path was wrong, and he could not accept this.

'Maybe Wang Tian is wrong. Maybe he entered this stage for a different reason.' He repeated this thought over and over, trying to convince himself. Unfortunately, the evidence was right before him.

Jian Yi took a deep breath and swallowed several pills to help with his injury. The best choice for him would be to enter seclusion to heal properly. However, he knew he must watch this battle to the end.

While Jian Yi was distracted, something extraordinary occurred. Jian Wushuang suddenly moved one of his fingers. At first, it was barely perceivable, but with the passage of time, he truly moved his finger.

"Shuang'er, you!" asked Jian Yi with shock. He received no response, but he could still not control the joy on his face. He watched as Jian Wushuang moved his fingers over and over. Jian Yi did not waste time and called one of the villa's ancestors to check the situation.

Dao Opening Sect:

The ancestors–who were also watching this battle–rapidly looked at Sword One with a worried look. They detected many of the sect's swordsmen also spewed blood and even had their Dao Heart broken.

Luckily, their worry was in vain.

A powerful and mysterious aura suddenly enveloped Sword One as she looked in a daze at the Visual Transmission Array. A few seconds later, she muttered, "Is this the Sword and Sword Unity Realm? Besides the terrible name, it's not bad at all."

"You?" asked Origin One. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

"The Empress already told me of this realm and forced me to temper my body. However, I could not enter it before now."

Tempering the body was a requirement to reach this realm, but it was not guaranteed.

"Your strength?" asked Origin One with excitement.

"I don't know exactly, but I'm no longer afraid of these old Immortal Sovereigns."

Sword One was confident she would not need the help of the Human Preservation Array to find the Immortal Sovereign from the Spirit Genesist Sect.

"Good, good, good."

…

Wang Tian sighed as he felt the change between Heaven and Earth. He predicted this outcome before the battle. However, he knew his action was necessary for the Sword Path to continue forward and prosper.

The swords must break before being reforged into something stronger. He knew many people would not accept his new idealogy and concept even with conclusive evidence his path was the best. Regardless, he prepared to lay the foundation for this new path so it could become mainstream in a few generations.

As for the pushback he would receive from the majority of swordsmen? Wang Tian did not care and prepared to suppress all of them after proving the Dao.

'My Sword Path will become the orthodox way; I will ensure that.'

Ji Lanfang finally calmed down and regained his bearing.

"I lost," he said calmly. "However, I have not given up on my path."

He gathered his momentum again, his eyes shining brighter than before. "Let's decide which path is the best."

"Why are you being stubborn? You should know the outcome of this battle before it even started," convinced Wang Tian.

"I'm not being stubborn." Ji Lanfang was telling the truth. He knew Wang Tian's path was the best, and he even considered changing his path.

"I have cultivated this path for 230 million years," Ji Lanfang sighed. "I cannot give up so easily."

"I understand," replied Wang Tian. When the Sword Empress first suggested he tempered his body, he also refused even though he knew she was a Paragon and walked farther than him in the Dao of the Sword. And if not for his enlightenment, he would have never reached the current realm.

Wang Tian took a deep breath before also gathering his aura and momentum. He understood Ji Lanfang's last struggle was the manifestation of the desire of all the swordsmen of the old path.

Once Wang Tian defeats him, it will signify that the new Sword Path has triumphed over the old one: a new era for the Sword Dao will officially begin.

"Are you ready?" asked Wang Tian.

"I am."

"Then, let's begin."

Ji Lanfang nodded before gathering his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, ensuring they reached the peak. Then, he mobilized his law before slashing his sword.

The attack was so fast that matter, space-time, Heaven and Earth, and even fate could not catch its trajectory.

99% of swordsmen, or even cultivators, watching this legendary battle could not follow the trajectory of this sword. And even the people who could not see it but could only feel it.

Unfortunately, nothing happened when the strike reached Wang Tian. He floated in the air in the same place, not a scratch on his clothes. He still had the ethereal and sword-immortal-like atmosphere around him that woe countless women in his generation.

Ji Lanfang sighed, "You cut my speed?"

"I did," replied Wang Tian. Although he could not react to the speed of the attack, he had a passive Domain surrounding him. So, once Ji Lanfang's attack almost reached him, the Domain responded and cut off the latter's speed.

"Good," said Ji Lanfang, drastically increasing his fighting intent. "This battle has just begun."

Chapter

Ji Lanfang took a deep breath before rushing to his opponent. He had a terrifying fighting intent in his eyes as he entered a state of no thought and no distraction; he only cared about doing his best to win this unwinnable battle.

[No Distance Strike]

He swung his sword so fast that he ignored the concept of distance, thus drastically increasing the speed of his strike. Unfortunately, it was useless. Wang Tia cut the "no distance" concept of his technique, thus returning distance. In other words, Ji Lanfang's attack could no longer ignore distance and had to travel from point A to point B where Wang Tian.

Ji Lanfang smiled wrily as he watched the slow trajectory of his sword heading for Wang Tian, who easily evaded it.

[Beyond Death Strike]

Death is eternal and instant. However, Ji Lanfang's sword is even faster than death itself.

Wang Tian calmly watched this attack; he could feel the terrifying speed and the power of life and death in that strike. Regardless, it was pointless to him. With one strike, he cut off the death and speed power behind that strike.

Meanwhile, Ji Lanfang was not discouraged as he expected this outcome. He followed his previous strike with another technique: [Infinite Speed Momentum].

Slash! Slash! Slash!

With each strike, Ji Lanfang's momentum increased exponentially as those his speed. He touched on the concept of infinite speed and went deep into: 5 times infinite speed, ten times infinite speed, twenty times infinite speed …

Wang Tian calmly watched the incalculable sword slashes attacking him. The current attacks were beyond his physical senses or his soul sense. However, it did not matter since his passive Domain did its job and slowed once the slashes reached him.

Wang Tian suddenly swung his sword and cut off Ji Lanfang's infinite, forcing him to take a dozen steps backward in the sky.

[Infinite Mass Sword]

Ji Lanfang changed tactics and focused on a heavy attack instead; infinite speed converted into infinite mass. Moreover, Ji Lanfang did not target Wang Tian but directed his strength to affect the domain surrounding his opponent.

With this one strike, the power Law between Heaven shook as Ji Lanfang brought tremendous pressure to the surrounding Domain. His attack was as if a mighty fleshly body used pure force to break the laws of Heaven and Earth.

Wang Tian secretly shook his head. The opponent abandoned the advantage of speed, making things easier for him. He used the passive Domain to boost his sword before slashing.

Crack!

Ji Lanfang lost the infinite mass of his sword, and it became an ordinary attack with ordinary speed or attack potential. He smiled wrily as he finally understood how the swordsmen in his world felt when they fought him; their despair, helplessness, confusion, and doubt–he experienced them all in this short confrontation.

Luckily, he was not like these swordsmen; his mind and Dao Heart were better than theirs, so he soon regained his clarity and focused–he had not lost yet.

[Traceless Sword]

Ji Lanfang made the posture of the Sword Drawing Technique before rapidly swinging his sword. In this attack, his sword was so fast that it could not be seen, smelled, or detected; it escaped the world's shackles through sheer speed and simply disappeared–it became traceless.

The void around Wang Tian trembled for a moment before returning to normal. His eyes lit up with surprise as this attack had some effect on his Domain. Sadly, it suffered the same fate as the first attack: the domain cut off its concept of "being undetected" and drastically weakened.

"Even this one failed?" muttered Ji Lanfang before shaking his head. "I have two more attacks left. No, three. If you cut them, I'll admit my defeat."

[Future Slash]

A second illusory version of Ji Lanfang appeared next to him, wearing all-white clothes. The two fused before he slashed his swords.

Wang Tian looked in shock as he could not react. However, a potent slash suddenly appeared before him before stopping Ji Lanfang's attack. He sighed in relief as he reviewed that attack.

'He used his unfathomable speed to break the limit of the River of Time, thus accessing a future version of himself; they then fuse their speed to reach an unimaginable slash.'

Wang Tian understood this attack was similar to his son's Future Buddha Self, but Ji Lanfang used his Speed Sword Dao to achieve something similar.

Bloosh!

Ji Lanfang suddenly spewed a mouthful of blood as his complexion became pale. He hurriedly took out a talisman from his space ring and activated it.

"Are you alright?" asked Wang Tian.

"This is just the backlash from the River of Time." He did not cultivate the Law of Time, so using that sword slash will sometime have backlash. Luckily, he's always prepared with a special Time Talisman to help him resist.

"The second attack," continued Ji Lanfang.

"Do you want to recuperate?"

"No need." A ruthless look flashed in Ji Lanfang's eyes as he changed the sword to his left hand. "I've never used this attack before, and everything about it is theoretical; thus, I don't know the final result. So, Fellow Daoist, be careful."

This was only a friendly battle, so Ji Lanfang did not want to kill his friend accidentally.

"I understand," replied Wang Tian, taking the warning seriously.

Then, Ji Lanfang slashed.

[Nothingness Sword]

Nothingness has no form, no shape, and no intent. So, what would happen to a sword traveling to absolute nothingness? A sword with no matter, energy, laws, or concept like motion, distance, or friction to hinder its traveling speed?

The result would be beyond comprehension speed.

Bang!

Wang Tian flew a hundred thousand meters back before stopping. His face was pale, and his aura weakened.

"A sword that touched on nothingness taboo: brilliant," he commented. He would have lost to that sword if it was not for his previous battle with his son and learning how to cut off nothingness.

Suddenly, he frowned.

"Are you alright?" he hurriedly asked.

"Better than I anticipated," replied Ji Lanfang, who was missing his left arm; the thing disappeared after the attack, returning to nothingness.

"You're too reckless," said Wang Tian, but Ji Lanfang did not care. He created this sword but never had the opportunity to use it because he always felt something terrible would happen to him if he did.

So, he was prepared to die after that attack. Luckily, he only lost one arm. Of course, he knew he could not regrow that arm no matter what he did or what resources he used. His only chance is after he proves the Dao and becomes an Emperor.

Regardless, Ji Lanfang did not care since this sword was the pinnacle of his skill, talent, and years of cultivation. Anyway, even with one arm, he was confident of suppressing his peers and becoming the one who sat on the throne.

"I have basically lost this battle," declared Ji Lanfang. "However, I have one last sword, but it is not mine."

He looked in the distance before sighing, "Before then, I would like to apologize for being presumptuous."

He pointed his fingers at the sky, and countless motes of light suddenly flew from different corners of the Myriad Emperor World: the Eastern, Western, Central, Southern, and Northern Continent–all had motes of light. Most originated from the Eastern Continent, with the Central Continent offering the second most number.

The motes of light gathered together to form an enormous golden sword hanging above Heaven and Earth.

"You want to open a new Sword Path, but most swordsmen will not accept it," said Ji Lanfang. "But now, this is your chance. I've condensed the Will of the current Sword Path. Defeat it, and Heaven and Earth will acknowledge your new Sword Path as the dominant one."

Wang Tian calmly looked at the golden sword in the sky. He could tell it was the final resistance of the swordsmen of the old path. Otherwise, how could an outsider like Ji Lanfang condense such a sword?

"As you wish."

Wang Tian's aura suddenly increased as he gathered all his power–including his new Sword Realm. He swung his sword to create a pure white slash toward his target.

Crack!

Ji Lanfang's face changed as he watched a considerable crack appear in the golden sword, almost separating into two.

"You!"

He did not think his old friend would be so ruthless and cut off most of the old path; this meant from now on, it would become a hundred times more difficult for swordsmen of the old path to cultivate and reach a higher realm of swordsmanship.

The only way forward for these swordsmen is to acknowledge Wang Tian's Sword Path and change their mindset or ideology; that's the only for their swordsmanship cultivation to return to normal.

"It's a shame," commented Wang Tian, sad he could not completely cut it off. "It does not matter; there is still a chance in the future." Once he proves the Dao, the first thing he would do is cut off the old path, forever eliminating from this world.

"Brat, what have you done?" suddenly roared a voice that echoed throughout the sky.

Wang Tian frowned as he looked at the old man who suddenly appeared in the sky.

"I remember you: you're Casting One from the Sword Casting Villa."

Casting One did not answer Wang Tian but looked in the distance.

"Sword One, you're a Sword Cultivator too. Don't you understand the meaning of his actions?"

"Why do you care? Anyway, people on our level won't be affected," replied Sword One.

"That's because he's too weak now," replied Casting One; he could foresee the fate of swordsmen once Wang Tian proved the Dao.

"Plus, I have to consider my sect's foundation."

"Then, change to his path," added Sword One. "His path is better and can increase the strength of your entire sect."

"Do you think it's easy for people to change paths?" Casting One could foresee the devastating catastrophe Wang Tian's actions will have on swords cultivators throughout the Myriad Emperor World.

"I don't care," replied Sword One. "The world is changing, so you guys should change to adapt. Otherwise, prepared to be eliminated by the time."

Casting One gritted his teeth before looking at Wang Tian with terrible killing intent. Then, he gazed at Ji Lanfang with the same eyes but felt another person on his level gazing at him. He understood this foreigner came with an Insurgent to protect him.

He snorted coldly before disappearing; he needed to manage the situation to ensure their sect's foundation was not destroyed.

Wang Tian watched Casting One leave in anger and did not care. He already expected the backlash he would receive for his actions. However, his previous plan was to cut off the old sword path after he proved the Dao. By then, he would have the strength to suppress the entire world and even affect the entire lower dimension.

Although his decision was spontaneous, he analyzed that it was not such a bad thing; the swordsmen of the Myriad Emperor would have an entire generation to adapt to the status quo. Unfortunately, other Heaven Will Worlds will not have such a luxury once he completely cuts off their path.

Wang Tian secretly shook his head before focusing on Ji Lanfang's state. Although he was slightly injured, Ji Lanfang's situation was worse than his.

"You were reckless."

"Haha, true. But I've never had such a thrilling battle in my cultivation journey," replied Ji Lanfang. "So, it was worth it." He can confidently say he learned more than a million years of cultivation retreat and battle experience in this short battle.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm not stubborn beyond saving," replied Ji Lanfang. "Since you showed me a better path, I would be a fool not to walk it." His goal or ambition is to see the pinnacle of swordsmanship. And since Wang Tian showed him the actual peak of swordsmanship, he will not hesitate to change his path.

"That's g…." Wang Tian stopped midway through his sentence as he raised his head to see purple light emanating from the cloud.

"Purple Merit," commented Ji Lanfang with slight surprise before realizing it made sense. Wang Tian did not create a new path as many people claimed. No, throughout the entire lower dimension–and even the Eternal Ascensions World–the Way of the Sword went astray as swordsmen walked an extreme path, abandoning the core idea of the harmony of Essence, Spirit, and Qi.

What Wang Tian did was redirect swordsmen back to the correct path that was in harmony with Heaven and Earth. Despite this, he still received the highest level of purple merit for his contribution.

Wang Tian calmly received the merit with a smile; he could use this event to show these stubborn swordsmen his path was orthodox while they were crooked. Under the banner of orthodoxy, he can gather many swordsmen on his side.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist," said Ji Lanfang with a smile.

? "Thank you," replied Wang Tian before thinking of something. "Wei'er, come here."

The void opened, and Wang Wei walked out.

"Brother Ji, how have you been since we last met?" asked Wang Wei with a smile, making Wang Tian's lips twitch. He considered Ji Lanfang a close friend and even a brother; he even considered becoming a sword brother with the latter.

Unfortunately, Ji Lanfang was technically in the same generation as his son. If he became sword brother with the latter, Wang Wei would have to call him uncle. But now, Wang Wei called Ji Lanfang brother, which further made the seniority between the three becoming more complicated.

The worse part is Wang Tian knew his son did it on purpose.

"I've been well," replied Ji Lanfang with some embarrassment as he, too, felt awkward with the entire seniority dynamic of this group. The previous him at the Deception Trial was carefree and would not care about such a thing.

However, a long time has passed since then. And after becoming the sect master of his faction, he had to mature and conform to societal's customs.

"I see you've been well," added Ji Lanfang, a little envious of Wang Wei's ability to completely ignored societal norms and be as free as he wants; he often misses his younger self.

Indeed, I've been well. Let's hope this will last long," replied with some unknown meaning.

"We'eir, can you help Ji Lanfang's arm?"

"I can combine the power of Time and Nothingness to turn back time to the moment he had lost his arm."

"Will you be alright?"

"It will take a few days."

"That's fine."

"There is no need," suddenly added Ji Lanfang, shaking his head.

"Fellow Daoist?"

"I've only been able to simulate that strike without training it properly. So it can be considered incomplete. However, with the missing arm, I can better feel the power of nothingness and finally complete it," explained Ji Lanfang.

"Are you going to be alright with one arm?" asked Wang Tian.

"Even with one arm, I can still suppress my generation," replied Ji Lanfang. Of course, his explanation was not the only reason he refused Wang Wei's aid. His intuition as a swordsman told him it was not a good idea to owe any karmic debt to the latter.

Wang Wei sensed Ji Lanfang's reservation toward him, but he did not say anything. Ji Lanfang can be a powerful ally for his plans. However, if the latter gets in his way, he would have mercy on him because of his father and just exile him to the upper dimension.

"Yes, a man should have such a domineering spirit," nodded Wang Tian as he felt his friend's state of mind was to his lacking. For swordsmen of their caliber, limbs are only important when meeting someone of equal strength, and the slightest difference could determine the victor.

"Alright, it's time for me to fulfill our end of the bargain," added Wang Tian before looking at his son. Wang Wei nodded before placing an array in the surrounding domain for the next few minutes. freēwebnovel.com

He activated the array, and the River of Time suddenly manifested above the group. Then, an enormous piece of land came from the River of Time. Luckily, Wang Wei stopped the prying eyes of everyone in the world. Otherwise, the people would realize this piece of land was a perfect copy of the domain where the two previously.

"Brilliant," blurted out Ji Lanfang, and he met his words. He could see Wang Wei had pulled out the same piece of land they fought from another timeline.

"Phew!" exhaled Wang Wei. "I'm glad it worked." Messing with parallel timelines with his current strength is dangerous and can result in terrible backlash. Luckily, the battle between these two was a recent event, and he had some karmic connection to this piece of land.

"As we agreed, this land belongs to you," said Wang Tian, and Ji Lanfang nodded before waving his hand to create a small world and putting the land inside.

A middle-aged man dressed in all black with piercing eyes suddenly appeared behind Ji Lanfang. Wang Tian and Wang Wei immediately guessed the latter's identity and saluted.

The old man saluted back before saying, "Sect Master, we need to leave."

Ji Lanfang frowned for a moment before realizing the current situation. Although Wang Tian decided to break the old path, it was he who condensed it. As an outsider, the swordsmen of the Myriad Emperor World will not care that they gave him permission; many will still place the blame on his head.

"I see," he nodded before saying farewell to Wang Tian and Wang Wei before finally leaving.

"Sword One, make sure they return without any problems," suddenly said Wang Wei.

"I'm on it." She was intelligent to know some people might kill the group to force the sect behind Ji Lanfang to become enemies with the Dao Opening Sect.

Wang Wei then focused on his father, "What will you do with this place? Leave for the sect only, or open it to other swordsmen?"

"The sect will have control, but I will use it to solicit more swordsmen into my path."

"In that case, I suggest you create the Sword Alliance to gather and control the swordsmen of the world. Make the base in this place and grade someone from 1 to 12 based on their Sword Realms.

"You will be the Alliance Leader, and every generation, the best swordsmen will be chosen as the leader."

Wang Tian's eyes lit up as he realized how much of a great idea this was. With this Sword Alliance, the Dao Opening Sect will increase both its military and political power.

And even if subsequent Alliance Leaders are not from the sect, the land where the Alliance Headquarters is built will belong to the Dao Opening Sect, thus granting them a lot of power in the alliance.

"Many swordsmen do not like to be restrained, but that does not matter," added Wang Tian. "They can become outside members of the alliance and do missions to acquire points. Points they can use to comprehend Sword Realm in this Bless Land."

"Good idea," uttered Wang Wei. Swordsmen are one of the best military forces in the world. And through the Sword Alliance, he can gather and use their power.

"In the future, the sect should use more resources to cultivate swordsmen," added Wang Wei. The Dao Opening Sect has the inheritance of Sword Empress, so there were many swordsmen–especially during Wang Tian's reign as sect master. However, Wang Wei suddenly felt it was insufficient, so he decided to increase the resources to cultivate more swordsmen.

"That's a good idea. Plus, I know the perfect person for the position of Vice-Leader," replied Wang Tian.

"Oh, who?"

"An old acquaintance I need to apologize to," he said with a sigh. However, he did not go into much detail. "I will leave you to deal with the aftermath. I need to go somewhere. He then disappeared, leaving a speechless Wang Wei.

"Being sect master sucks sometimes," he complained before calling people to deal with this domain.

As for the Dao Opening Sect taking over such a blessed land for swordsmen? No one dare say anything except express their regret

While supervising the sect's takeover of this blessed land, Wang Wei wondered whether it was possible to control the devil cultivators in the Western Continent through a method similar to the Sword Alliance.

'A Devil Alliance would require benefits to draw them in.' Devil cultivators used flesh, blood, and soul to increase their cultivation and strength forcefully.

Wang Wei can use his Time and Karma Law to take blood from the past for them to use. He can also use his Soul Law to steal some souls from the past. Although this method has risks of affecting Samsara, it's possible to achieve if he is careful enough.

Unfortunately, after thinking for a moment, he realized this idea was not feasible.

'Why would the devil cultivators join the alliance and be forced to work for others when they can kill a city of mortals to gather flesh and blood.'

These cultivators do not care about mortality, so they would choose the easier path to gather "cultivation resources." So, they would rather go on a killing spree than work for Wang Wei's Devil Alliance.

And the situation might not improve even if they joined. These devil cultivators would cheat the mission given by the alliance, delegate the task to their subordinates or slaves, kill each other for alliance points, and forcefully take the credit of others.

'The main problem in controlling them is their twisted mindset,' thought Wang Wei. 'So, the best approach is to use absolute force since they only worship strength.'

So, Wang Wei planned how to deal with the devil cultivators: instill the fear of God into them. He will kill them until they submit and behave. And if they refused to surrender, there won't be any devil cultivator factions from now on in the Myriad Emperor World.

'Although I cannot say for future generations, if they oppose me, I won't hesitate to wipe them out,' thought Wang Wei with a ruthless light in his eyes, scaring the sect Elders and disciples doing their business.

Wang Wei smiled apologetically before teleporting to the sect. Meanwhile, these people began to wonder what unlucky person offended their sect master; they shook their heads since they could only offer their condolences to that person.

Immortal Ascension World, Dharma Sword Sect:

Ji Lanfang and his Dao Protector, Silent Sword Immortal, finally arrived home.

"These people from the Dao Opening Sect are crazy," commented Ji Lanfang. In the way hope, more than five Insurgents attacked the team. Luckily, Sword One followed them along and protected them.

"The Dao Opening Sect has become too powerful, thus breaking the balance of power. So, it's normal for other people to want to deal with them," uttered Silent Sword, who took the opportunity to get a brief understanding of the Myriad Emperor World while he was there.

"True. Isn't something similar happening to our sect?" Ji Lanfang's rise of suppression in an entire generation was not well-received by many people. And unfortunately, the Dharma Sword is not the Dao Opening Sect. Although they are one of the most powerful sects with five Emperors, but they had no Eternals.

So, most factions won't just wait for the Dharma Sword Sect to cultivate not only an Eternal Emperor but an Eternal Supreme. After all, with the power and talent displayed by Ji Lanfang, he has a high chance of having such an achievement.

Silent Sword did not continue on this topic and said something else: "Sect master, do you want to repeat Wang Tian's method? It's an excellent method to gather merit. And maybe even…."

"No need: this is not my destiny," replied Ji Lanfang, who understood the subtle meaning behind these words. He could quickly enter the 12th Sword Realm with his talent, spread it in the Immortal Ascension World, and acquire merit.

Furthermore, he will prove the Dao even before Wang Tian. So, if he wanted, he could spread the new sword path to the entire lower dimension and garner countless merit. The only trouble with this method would be Wang Tian's son.

However, Ji Lanfang did not want to betray his friend; such a vile act would only affect his Sword Dao.

"As you wish." Silent Sword knew destiny could be fought for. However, he did not insist since the sect master did not want to. Furthermore, the decision might be a wise one. He could foresee that the sect master would become enemies with his friend's son if he walked the path.

Honestly, Wang Wei's talent and power scared Silent Sword.

'It may not be worth the trouble,' he thought.

"Sect master, what about your arm?"

"It's no problem." After cultivating for a few years and adapting, his strength will not decrease because of the missing arm.

"Are you sure it was a good idea to reject their help?"

"It was," replied Ji Lanfang. "Although I have only interacted with Wang Wei briefly, I can see he is a man of immense ambitions." He had a keen intuition for these kinds of things as a swordsman.

"Before we know how his ambitions will affect us, it's best not to owe him too much karma."

"Indeed." Silent Sword agreed with this cautious approach; he only worries about the missing arm affecting the Dharma Sword Sect's grand event of cultivating an Eternal Supreme.

"Well, I cannot stay long in Mortal Realm," said Silent Sword. "Sect Master, take care of yourself."

"Thank you for protecting me," saluted Ji Lanfang as he watched Silent Sword ascend to the Immortal Realm. He then decided to enter seclusion, not leaving until the start of the Heaven Will Battle.

In the Mortal Realm, without any Immortal Sovereign and Dao Ancestor, Ji Lanfang was literally invincible. However, he never used his overwhelming strength to give more benefit to his sect because he knew there were a few methods for Immortals to descend to the Mortal Realm for a short period.

Ji Lanfang had to learn the hard way to be low-key due to the sheer number of assassination attempts he suffered from Immortal Level powerhouses. Of course, he also became a legend after killing a few Immortal Sovereigns.

Regardless, he decided to stay indoors to ensure he would become an Emperor, making his sect rise to the pinnacle.

Myriad Emperor World, Eastern Azure Dragon Continent, Casting Sword Villa:

Jian Yi spewed another mouthful of blood after Wang Tian cut off a part of the Old Path.

"Danm it. Wang Tian, how could you be so crazy," he roared in anger. He took more pills to stabilize himself. A few minutes later, Casting One appeared in the room.

"Ancestor, what should we do?"

Jian Yi knew how much sword-based factions like themselves would suffer after Wang Tian's actions.

Casting One sighed, "The prosperity of this new path is the trend of Heaven and Earth."

Jian Yi's face became ugly to look at. What was the trend of Heaven and Earth? It meant something destined to happen, and nothing could stop it–just like the arrival of the new and prosperous era.

"Even as a trend of Heaven and Earth, there should be something we can do."

"The best option is to have someone as talented as Wang Tian use their skills to nourish the old path," added Casting One. "However, that would only delay the inevitable."

Jian Yi sighed with great sadness, "If Shang'er was still able, he might have a chance."

"Has there been any news about the Dao Heart Solution?"

"Unfortunately, not a single peep," replied Jian Yi. After Jian Wushuang's accident, the villa did not give up on him and searched for ways to treat him. They even send people to other World Communities to find a cure.

The only cure they found was a rare spiritual herb called the Dao Heart Solution that supposedly helped people fix their broken Dao Hearts. Unfortunately, that solution is, at best, a legend since no one has ever heard or seen it, let alone have it in their possession.

Bang!

A terrifying Sword Will suddenly emanated from the room, surprising the two. They reacted and found the source, and were shocked when they saw it was from Jian Wushuang.

"I…was…wrong," muttered Jian Wushuang with a hoarse voice. "My… swordsmanship…went astray."

His eyes brightened up, becoming alive; they were no longer dull and listless.

"I should have…never tried to control infinity…whether directly or through Law Resonance." Jian Wushuang coughed severely, but he ignored the situation of his body. Even the other two did not interrupt or help him.

"I should have incorporated it into the basic swordsmanship. My Sword Will is infinite slashes, infinite cuts, infinite parry, infinite stabs, and even infinite striking speed."

Jian Wushuang's Sword Will sublimated as he found his own Sword Dao: a pure Sword Dao similar to Wang Tian and Ji Lanfang.

"Shuang'er, you're healed!" Jian Yi could not contain his excitement.

"Not really," replied Jian Wushuang, who knew very well the terrible shape of his body. "The breakthrough in Swordsmanship has awakened me from the stupor state. But my Dao Heart is still broken."

"This…"

"Don't worry," added Jian Wushuang, calm to the point of scary. "I have already found a way to heal completely. However, my fate with the Emperor Path is cut off in this generation."

Jian Wushuang decided to walk a path similar to emotionless swordsmen, dedicated only to the Way of the Sword with no desire to have a Dao companion. In this life, he will live and die for the sword.

"It's fine," reassured Jian Yi. "You can seal yourself. You have a high chance of becoming an Eternal Emperor with your talent."

"Do you have any idea on how to deal with the situation?" suddenly asked Casting One.

"Isn't it obvious?" said Jian Wushuang. "We have a better path; why struggle holding into something destined to become useless."

"Things are not that simple."

"They are," he retorted. "We will lose much of our power, but so will most swords factions. We need to eliminate those who cannot keep up while also focusing on cultivating the new generations with the right mindset for this new sword path."

Casting One and Jian Yi frowned, pondering the consequences of the latter's words.

"This is a disaster but also an opportunity," said Jian Wushuang. "After all, things sometimes need to break before rising and becoming stronger; the same principle applies to a sword."

The two's eyes lit up before calming down.

"Old folks like us are too conservative," said Casting One with a big sigh. "You can be in charge of this issue. I only ask you to be more sensitive when dealing with this transition." He then disappeared.

Jian Yi also sighed but did not refute. "Heal your physical problems. Then, I will pass the Villa Master position to you." He also disappeared. Jian Yi could tell his disciple had grown up. It's a shame he had to experience such a cruel fate to mature to such an extent.

Wang Tian teleported to the far northern part of the Central Continent, to a place known as the Supreme Sword Domain. He headed to the most prosperous place of this domain: Mighty Sword City.

Wang Tian secretly went to the City Lord. But to his surprise, two people seemed to be waiting for him. One was a middle-aged man dressed in a red robe, and the other was a young woman with a blue dress full of blood energy.

"Are you this generation's sect master of the Demon God Sword Sect?" asked Wang Tian toward the little girl.

"Xue Xiang has seen Lord Wang Tian," saluted the young girl.

"Are you waiting for me?"

"My master told me you would come here."

Wang Tian sighed after hearing this. "Alright, lead the way."

"Your excellency, this way," said the middle-aged man who was the City Lord. Although he controlled this large city full of powerhouses and resources, he did not dare have any attitude toward the former sect master of the Dao Opening Sect.

The City Lord led the two to a secret room full of formation. He activated them without wasting time, and Wang Tian and Xue Xiang disappeared.

Wang Tian soon found himself in another small word. A towering mountain was in the distance, with numerous cities at the base and the surrounding. He saw innumerable people flying in the sky with their swords. Wang Tian quickly noticed that 95% of the people he saw in this small world had a sword as their primary weapon.

Additionally, he noticed the Spiritual Qi between Heaven and Eart was violent, making it more challenging to absorb for cultivation.

'In the past, I was arrogant and called the people of the Demon God Sword Sect sword users, not swordsmen. But now…'

He secretly shook his head, admonishing his young self. Then, he followed Xu Xiang to the towering mountain's peak. She guided him inside a hall but did not follow. Meanwhile, Wang Tian saw an older man with white hair and beard, bulging muscles, and mighty sword intent. However, the most striking thing about him was a scar on his left eye.

"So, you've reached this realm as well."

"Of course, " replied Fan Shun with a calm but heavy tone. "I already had the foundation. So, it's normal I reach the stage after seeing you demonstrate."

"Indeed. Your Demon God Sword has been right all along," muttered Wang Tian.

The Demon God Sword is an old sect despite having only one Great Emperor. Their founder–Demon God Sword Emperor– existed during the Incense Era and was quite talented. He was the first to preach that swordsmen need a powerful body, then condense their Essence, Spirit, and Qi to reach higher realms.

Unfortunately, he was talented in body refining but not swordsmanship. Before proving the Dao, he only reached the Sword Law Realm, not even the Sword Domain Realm; this meant he could use the power of his sword through the Domain of the Saint Realm, but not individually like other swordsmen who reached the 11th realm.

Despite this, he was still a mighty First Class Emperor.

The Demon God Sword Emperor created a sect, hoping to pass on his ideal to the next generation. Unfortunately, their sect has been ridiculed by pure swordsmanship factions for over four eras.

Until today.

"Why are you here?" asked Fan Shun, not even asking Wang Tian to sit down or offer tea.

"You know why I'm here."

Fan Shun did not say anything but stared at Wang Tian.

"I'm here to apologize," added Wang Tian, looking at the scar on the latter's face. When he was young, he could sometimes be too hotblooded. So, he once met Fan Shun and discussed the Way of the Sword.

Wang Tian thought Fan Shun was a mediocre swordsman and disdained interacting with the latter; he even called him a sword user–meaning someone who only uses the sword but does not cultivate the Sword Dao. This was one of the worst insults a swordsman could receive, so Fan Shun criticized Wang Tian's ignorance and pride.

Angered, Wang Tian almost killed the latter with one slash, leaving that scar on his face. However, Wang Tian remembered Fan Shun's words as he lay bleeding on the floor:

"One day, you'll realize I was right."

Before leaving, Wang Tian sneered; he felt he would dirty his sword to kill someone like Fan Shun.

"What did you say? I didn't hear it correctly," said Fan Shun as he casually cleaned his ears.

"Is this necessary?"

"What do you think?" replied Fan Shun. "I knew this day would come, but I thought it would be way later in your cultivation path when I'm dead and buried. So, I prepared for my descendants to receive that apology."

Fan Shun sneered before laughing; his voice echoed like a dragon roaring.

"Who knew Heaven favored me and allowed me to see this day."

"Alright. I sincerely apologize for my actions back then. I was young and ignorant," uttered Wang Tian with a wry smile.

"Yes, you were," sighed Fan Shun, as a weight lifted from his shoulder. He looked to the sky, "Founder, do you see this? You were right, all alone. It's a shame your unfilial descendant spent so long before showing the world your vision and broad mind."

Fan Shun thought of countless Demon God Sword Sect disciples since ancient times, all with the mission of proving the founder was correct. And only with his generation did they succeed.

Unfortunately, he had no chance of proving the Dao. Otherwise, the sect could use this opportunity to rise and prosper in the Myriad Emperor World. They could have even inherited the destiny of the new sword path, ensuring the longevity of their sect for countless generations to come.

Fan Shun sighed again before focusing on Wang Tian, "Something tells me you did not come here only to apologize."

"You're correct," nodded Wang Tian. "I came to invite you to be the Vice-Leader of the Sword Alliance?"

"Sword Alliance?"

Wang Tian explained the situation to him regarding the creation of the alliance, and Fan Shun's eyes lit up, but only for a moment before returning to a dull calmness.

"Our Demon God Sword Sect is not powerful enough to hold the position of Vice Leader." He could foresee the power such an alliance would have and the strength he would wield as a Vice-Leader. As such, he knew many people would not be convinced that such a small and weak Emperor Lineage to hold such a high position.

"I need to send the message that anyone with the right qualification can have a high position in the alliance–no matter their background," persuaded Wang Tian. "Furthermore, your Demon God Sword Sect has been following the ideologies of the new sword path for generations. You have the foundation for the alliance to quickly get a foothold."

Fan Shun understood why Wang Tian chose him. His sect has the foundation to rapidly cultivate swordsmen of the new path, thus allowing the alliance to gain power and influence in the Myriad Emperor World.

Meanwhile, he can use this opportunity for his sect to rise and set foot at the top of the food chain of this world. It's a win-win situation. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"It's going to be dangerous and risky," commented Fan Shun.

"Everything in the cultivation world is dangerous and risky," countered Wang Tian. "The question is the risk is worth the reward."

"Indeed," said Fan Shun. He was not an indecisive individual. On the contrary, once he makes up his mind on something, he will do it with all his strength and ability; this is the reason he can persists that the old sword path was wrong for so many years, ignoring the world's scorn and disdain.

"Fine, I accept."

"Excellent." Wang Tian discussed the establishment of the Sword Alliance with Fan Shun before heading out to recruit a few more people he thought would fit.

Finally, he found four more people and gave them the position of Sword Hall Master. As such, the Sword Alliance had a preliminary division of power: the Alliance Leader was the top, followed by the Vice Leader and the four Sword Hall Protectors, which Wang Tian named after the four divine beasts: Dragon, Phoenix, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise.

A month later, the sect finished constructing the alliance's headquarters with the help of many Weapon Refiners. Then, Wang Tian also had someone refine a Luck Condensing Artifact for the alliance in the form of a sword before condensing the luck of the New Sword Path.

On the opening day, visions appeared throughout the Myriad Emperor World as Wang Tian's voice could be heard in every corner of the world.

Many swordsmen then realized Wang Tian would not wait before shaking the power or foundation of the old sword path. No, he has already prepared for the future.

Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do. Many swordsmen joined the Sword Alliance after the opening. Most were young cultivators who were more malleable in their beliefs and philosophies. And the other group simply wanted an opportunity to enlightenment on the blessed land so their Sword Realm could improve.

Eternal Ascension World, Origin Seal Continent:

Wu Hong teleported to Sword Empress' hideout.

"What is it?"

"I feel the destiny of the Ultimate Sword Path connected to the Dao Opening Sect's luck," said Wu Hong.

"Oh, the kid must have succeeded," uttered Sword Empress with brilliant eyes. She thought he would be as stubborn as her.

"So, it's related to your descendant in the lower dimension."

"Yes, and it's quite the talented fellow."

"Oh, for you to acknowledge someone else's talent, he must be exceptional." She knew her son was very harsh when judging talent–maybe even too strict. However, her harshness had cultivated plenty of peerless talent for the Dao Opening Sect.

It's a shame many of them seemed to have terrible luck.

"Yes. I cannot wait for him to reach my level and challenge me for the Sword Grand Dao Source Position."

"You have so much faith in him?"

"Yes. The kid's talent is not under him," nodded Sword Empress. "The only thing he lacked was luck and destiny. Luckily, his son–who is an even bigger monster–made up for the deficiency."

"His son is even more talented?" Wu Hong was genuinely surprised since she knew how high such an evaluation was coming from Sword Empress.

"If nothing unexpected happens, he's the one destined to end the era of these parasites," replied Sword Empress, looking in the distance. "Plus, Brother Qishan believes he's the one who will show us a path toward detachment."

"He's that talented?"

"Although I have my skepticism, I must admit this kid is talented and has too many destinies intertwined with him. Plus, you know Qiyuan's vision."

Wu Hong nodded as she knew Qiyuan was the kind of talent that could take the entire Chaos Universe into account as he strategized and planned for countless Yuan Epochs in the future. So, his vision is unparalleled.

"Well, that does not matter now since the kid probably has not even proven the Dao yet," added Wu Hong. Before the latter takes that step, everything else is relevant since his Mortal Fate will forever hinder him from accomplishing all his destinies.

"I came to ask whether you would take the destiny of the Ultimate Sword Path after healing. It's a good way to heal."

"No need. I don't need to fight with my juniors." Although Sword Empress could take the destiny of the upper dimension and Wang Tian that of the lower dimension, she would not take something so beneficial from her descendant.

"Then, you should pave the way for him," added Wu Hong.

"Indeed. But I might not need to act." Sword Empress knew how stubborn swordsmen were–especially the ones from the upper dimension. They've learned the existence of the Ultimate Sword Path for eons, but no one has even gathered the destiny of that path. The swordsmen from the Extreme Sword Path would exterminate anyone who tried.

In the past, Sword Empress killed a few Paragons to show the Extreme Sword Path was better than the Ultimate Path. But now, she prepared to kill anyone who tried to gather the destiny of the Ultimate and protect Wang Tian from the cult-like swordsmen from the Extreme Sword Path.

"What I worry about is whether one of these parasites would train someone to gather the luck of the Ultimate Sword Path," said Sword Empress.

"If they do, we will secretly help the rebellion and kill them," said Wu Hong. Since her friend wanted to pave the way for her descendant, she would help.

"Good, but be careful not to be discovered. Anyway, they cannot achieve success in a short time even if they try." Gathering the luck of any path or ideology is not a simple thing.

"You're underestimating the situation," added Wu Hong. "Time Eater seemed in a hurry, maybe even a little desperate. So, cultivating a ninth Paragon on their side is an excellent method to stabilize the situation.

"And if it is one who controls the luck of the Ultimate Sword Path, his control over the world will become higher."

Sword Empress frowned, "We should increase our support for the rebellion. Otherwise, they may not last long."

"It's a perfect time now that Supreme Unity is busy with the Dark Truth."

"Do we contact them through Xu Junyao or Emperor Kong?" Sword Empress chose these two because they were the most reliable of their contacts with the rebellion.

"Xu Junyao has been in a bad position recently because of her apprentice," said Wu Hong after thinking for a moment. "So, let's use Emperor Kong. Anyway, he's well-hidden and protected by his Sage's Golden Body of Merit."

"Okay, but still be careful. Some of these people might be really crazy enough to ignore the consequence and kill him."

"I will."

Sword Empress suddenly sighed, "I cannot believe we have been reduced to such a situation."

Back at her peak, she could kill any of these parasites with one finger. But now, she has to hide like a rat and rely on a bunch of weak Tier 11 and 10 people to secretly fight her battles.

"The cultivation world has always been ever-changing, and fate even more mercurial: all things must rise before falling, then repeat the cycle," replied Wu Hong. "So, it's not surprising we reached such a low, given how high we once stood."

"I'm glad you're taking the situation better than me."

Wu Hong smiled but did not answer. Although her memories of the Ultimate Taboo were foggy and unclear, she knew she underwent a sublimation of the state of the mind because of an experience. At her level, such a change was rare and extremely valuable. As such, she could adapt to her situation rather swiftly.

Furthermore, she retained more strength than Sword Empress and did not suffer the humiliation of being hunted down.

"Alright, I'll get to it."

"Wait," said Sword Empress. "Are you sure we should not deal with these outside forces?" She was worried that other Chaos Worlds would take the opportunity while the Eternal Ascension World was weak to invade and acquire more resources or benefits.

"Don't worry. Nothing will happen as long as Maitrey and Supreme Unity are here." Wu Hong has already analyzed that these two tycoons wanted stability throughout the Eternal Ascension, hence the reason they supported the actions of the Eight Parasites.

Although Maitreya appeared to no longer care for stability recently, Supreme Unity remained the same. So, he will never allow outside forces to interfere and cause chaos. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

"What about the Dark Truth? Should we be worried?"

"What's the point?" she replied with a wry smile. "Even those two are powerless."

Indeed. The Dark Truth is something even Grand Dao cannot deal with. So, even if these two reached Half Step Detachment, they would also be powerless.

"I forgot that this world is so complicated that it's sometimes frustrating," commented Sword Empress. After reaching the end of the Grand Dao Source, many Paragons would feel they were now capable of discovering all the truths and secrets of the Chaos Universe.

And that idea would send them on a journey of realizing how small and insignificant they actually are compared to the vast Chaos Universe. The worst part about this journey is that the path forward is cut, so they have no way to truly unravel the universe's secrets.

Paragons would then realize the world was a cage and were simply prisoners with more rights than the others.

Wu Hong also sighed, "We are alive, which means we have hope." She then disappeared.

…

Wang Wei almost ran away from the Sword Alliance. His father wanted him to help with the early establishment of the alliance. Unfortunately, he barely managed his sect, let alone help others with their problems.

He rushed home to see his lovely wife. For some reason, he missed her terribly despite not seeing her only for a few hours. Wang Wei then spent the next few days in the bliss of Yin-Yang Harmony.

He wanted to enter seclusion but suddenly sensed Li Jun's return, so he went to see him.

"How did it go?"

"Although there were some twists and turns, the War Talisman is finally in my possession," replied Li Jun.

"Twists and turns?" Wang Wei thought it would be relatively easy to get the talisman.

"The Inheritance Spirit felt the War Dao was only a part of my Slaughter Dao, so the talisman would be wasted on me. So, he didn't want to give it to me." Li Jun had to convince the spirit, and the latter even made the trial ten times more challenging.

"Well, as long as you succeed," nodded Wang Wei before handing him the Slaughter Heart. Li Jun's eyes lit up after knowing the use of this thing.

'With the War Talisman, the Slaughter Heart, and my crazy plan, I might reach 6-leaf Strength.' And once he refined the Slaughter Weapon, his strength would further reach a higher level.

He was excited as he slowly placed the heart away.

"Oh, I met Di Tian."

"You what?"

"Yes. I think he was also searching for the War Talisman."

"Are you alright? You seem fine."

"I think it was only a clone. However, he injured me with one attack," said Li Jun, shaking his head. "I took the opportunity to activate my life-saving Talisman and ran away."

"That's smart," nodded Wang Wei. He spent the next few hours talking to Li Jun, preparing for the final battle. Then, he tasked his Fate Shadow Guard to check on Di Tian's movement; he knew his actions were pointless.

After all, it's very easy for people of their levels to hide their tracts. Afterward, he left a clone to spend time with his wife while he entered seclusion.