Chen Tian faced Yao Yuan's unwavering stance with a calm, resolute gaze. His long sword lightly parried the incoming strike, its tip and blade clashing, sending ripples of sword energy outward. Everyone nearby stumbled back a few steps, disbelief etched on their faces. Chen Tian was actually matching Yao Yuan in sword intent – and Yao Yuan was the second most powerful among them, his sword intent considered peerless. Yet, the scene unfolding was one of equal martial intent between Chen Tian and Yao Yuan.
"My heavens, how much more strength does Chen Tian have hidden?"
Han Yun, standing to the side, watched Chen Tian with utter astonishment. If Chen Tian had unleashed this sword intent during their fight, defeating him would have been effortless. How had Chen Tian achieved this? His body-refining realm was already monstrous, and now his sword intent was equally monstrous. Was this guy even human? A cultivator could only truly dedicate themselves to one path. Even pursuing two would create significant divergence, as both body-refining and sword intent demanded immense time and resources, effectively doubling the investment.
The difficulty of cultivation varied greatly between different paths. Han Yun had barely managed to keep his realms on par, and he was currently stuck at a bottleneck. Chen Tian was different; his sword intent seemed to be at a higher level than his body-refining realm. What other surprises did Chen Tian have in store for them?
Seeing Chen Tian effortlessly block his attack, Yao Yuan shifted his sword, a subtle movement. Chen Tian understood Yao Yuan's intention and would not allow him to have his way. His own sword flipped, its body twirling, sword intent coiling around it. His long sword transformed into a cylindrical blur, and Yao Yuan, seeing Chen Tian's maneuver, instantly changed his own move, transitioning from a slice to a chop, bringing his sword down towards Chen Tian's.
Yao Yuan's long sword struck Chen Tian's. Chen Tian's sword remained unfazed, allowing Yao Yuan's strike to land squarely on his five-element energy sword. *Clang!*
The swords collided. Yao Yuan saw Chen Tian's placid expression and marveled at his composure. He was Chen Tian's equal in sword intent, and even their swordsmanship and techniques were not far off. Was this the Heavenly Dao's chosen representative from another world?
Indeed, the strength of a Heavenly Dao's chosen was not to be underestimated. Yao Yuan unleashed his full aura, his sword intent manifesting as sharp blade energy that wrapped around his sword. As their swords met, Chen Tian was forced back for the first time. He sensed a novel sword intent emanating from Yao Yuan, something he had never encountered before. It seemed to be a newly forged intent, created by Yao Yuan himself – an intent that was unprecedented and would likely remain so!
No one else could comprehend this sword intent; it was unique to Yao Yuan. Under its pressure, Chen Tian stumbled back a few steps but quickly regained his balance. His own sharp sword intent erupted from within him, tearing through the very fabric of the sky, soaring upwards.
The collision of their two intents triggered a massive explosion, and both figures retreated a few paces from the blast. Yao Yuan's eyes blazed, and he spoke with excitement, "Kid, I hope you can keep me entertained. We haven't even shown our full strength yet, have we?"
"Entertained? Naturally. We're fighting for the dignity of our worlds. How could I possibly hold back?"
"Good boy, that's what I wanted to hear. Taste my Cang Sheng Sword Intent."
Upon hearing Chen Tian's words, Yao Yuan's entire demeanor intensified. Cang Sheng Sword Intent wrapped around him, and under its influence, the surrounding space began to fracture, even the void showing signs of appearing. It seemed inevitable that this clash would send them fighting within the void.
In the sky above, a young man watched the battle between Chen Tian and Yao Yuan. He praised, "Yao Yuan truly lives up to his reputation as a Heavenly Dao's chosen. He created his own sword intent, based on the lives of the entire world. As long as all beings believe in the Heavenly Dao, Cang Sheng Sword Intent will grow stronger without the need for cultivation."
"Chen Tian is not bad either. He's a prodigy from a small world, yet he's on par with Yao Yuan. However, the commotion their battle is creating is far too great. We absolutely cannot allow them to enter the void."
With that, the young man made a gesture with his left hand, and the spatial fabric of the entire world stabilized once more. In the center of the battlefield, Chen Tian and Yao Yuan felt the space around them solidify, both astonished. The Heavenly Dao of the Dark Realm had intervened. Was it also observing their fight?
This had no negative consequences for Chen Tian and Yao Yuan. Facing each other, their auras clashed head-on. Chen Tian's sword intent was weaker, forcing him to retreat. With no other choice, Chen Tian unleashed three distinct sword intents, their fusion colliding with Yao Yuan's Cang Sheng Sword Intent.
The Sharpness Sword Intent, the Elemental Sword Intent, and the Floating Cloud Sword Intent – these three disparate intents merged, immediately matching Cang Sheng Sword Intent. Yao Yuan was greatly surprised. For a sword cultivator to master two sword intents to their extreme was already the limit. Chen Tian had managed to cultivate three intents to their peak. Was his talent even more monstrous than his own?
What Yao Yuan didn't know was that Chen Tian had recovered his memories of Samsara, and with them, everything related to his past lives. These sword intents were merely those cultivated in his first and third lives. Both the first and third Chen Tians had favored the long sword, wielding it with imposing grandeur and elegant flair.
In his current life, Chen Tian still preferred similar weapons, though he rarely familiarized himself with many sword-type weapons. However, this did not mean he was incapable. His swordsmanship and sword dao surpassed Yao Yuan's. Chen Tian had not unleashed his full strength.
He continued to conceal his power, just in case there were any hidden threats among these individuals. Without knowing the true capabilities of his opponents, Chen Tian dared not fight recklessly.
Yao Yuan and Chen Tian's forms transformed into blinding streaks of light, colliding with each other. The battlefield became a maelstrom of clashing sword lights, sparks flying with every impact, the sound akin to the crisp ringing of hammered steel.
The speed of the light intensified. In the time it took for their sword moves to meet, they exchanged tens of thousands of strikes per second. It was a clash of speed, a collision of techniques, driven by the unwavering spirit of a swordsman, prioritizing speed and sharpness above all else.
Unwavering, fearless!
During their fierce encounter, Chen Tian's long sword moved in rapid succession. Though it appeared to be only a single second, he executed hundreds of sword strikes, bathing Yao Yuan's vision in a torrent of sword light.
Yao Yuan faced Chen Tian's barrage without flinching. His own sword, the Yao Yuan Sword, blazed with light, unleashing astonishing energy. Gripping the hilt with one hand, he made a simple sweep. This single stroke seemed to cleave the heavens and the earth. All of Chen Tian's sword light was extinguished by this blade. However, it was not over. Chen Tian, at an unseen moment, appeared behind Yao Yuan and thrust his sword forward.
Yao Yuan brought his left hand behind him, his sword held vertically against his back. Chen Tian's thrust struck the sword's body. The Yao Yuan Sword vibrated, and Chen Tian was sent flying backward. As Chen Tian stabilized himself, Yao Yuan seized the opportunity to attack. A swordsman never wasted an opening.
His long sword surged towards Chen Tian. Chen Tian swung his own sword, forming a sword flower. The flower directly intercepted Yao Yuan. Seeing this move, Yao Yuan flicked his sword, his sword intent weaving into a net, which immediately enveloped the sword flower.
*Boom!*
A deafening explosion echoed. Chen Tian's sword flower and Yao Yuan's net detonated together, sword energies interlacing at the center between them. Both combatants lunged towards the epicenter, their intentions aligning. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
This sight drew gasps of admiration from the onlookers. These two were madmen. The sword intent generated by the central explosion had yet to dissipate, and the sheer power of it made them hesitant to approach, fearing severe injury. Truly, they were lunatics.
No, it could be said that all sword cultivators were essentially sword fanatics, sword madmen. After all, sword cultivation emphasized sharpness and fearlessness!
Chen Tian and Yao Yuan collided directly within the explosion's heart. Both summoned energy shields, their forms protected within the chaotic vortex of sword intent. Their swords met, and the resulting blast wave and energy diffusion scattered the surrounding sword intent.
Chen Tian and Yao Yuan emerged from the explosion's center, both appearing unharmed, as if the chaotic sword intent zone had been a mere illusion.
Before entering the explosion's core, both Chen Tian and Yao Yuan had enveloped their bodies with Heavenly Dao power. This protective force shielded them from any harm. In such a volatile area of sword intent, even without defense, one would have sustained minor injuries.
Furthermore, this chaotic zone contained not just one type of sword intent, but four, greatly amplifying the potential damage.
Neither Chen Tian nor Yao Yuan was foolish enough to enter the core without any defense and engage in combat.