Chapter 1031: Shock
Chapter 1031: Shock
Chapter 1031: Shock
"What did I just see?!!!"
"Flight by sword?!"
"Mo Hua, that damned brat, he can actually fly by sword?!"
"How can he fly by sword? How is that even possible?!"
"It’s impossible, absolutely impossible!"
This fact was so shocking that many of the spectators, cultivators, first doubted not their eyes but their minds:
"Am I under an illusion? Is this all just an illusion?"
"Did the pills I took mess with my brain? I can't tell what's real anymore..."
"I drank too much last night, and I must still be drunk."
"I must be dreaming... But to dream of Mo Hua flying by sword, that’s just too ridiculous. My mind must be playing tricks on me..."
...
Of course, most cultivators were still rational and trusted what they saw.
But precisely because of this, they found it even harder to believe:
"Is that really Mo Hua flying by sword?!"
"He actually killed Ye Zhiyuan with a single sword strike?"
"The 'True Dao Supreme Hand' of Tai Xu Gate, flying by sword, killed the sword-flying Tianjiao of Daluomen with one strike?!"
"Does this even make sense?"
"Totally absurd."
"This cultivation world is crazy..."
Most people were filled with shock and confusion.
"One more question, where did Mo Hua learn to fly by sword, and how could he even learn it?"
"He clearly has no trace of sword qi, so he definitely doesn't have a sword cultivation lineage."
"What method did he use to fly by sword?"
"There's not a hint of the usual unity between man and sword..."
"I've practiced sword cultivation for so many years, and I've never seen such an unconventional sword technique..."
"Does Tai Xu Gate have such a sword technique?"
"Also, what kind of sword did he use? Why did it explode?"
"Was the explosion intentional or accidental?"
"Was it a mistake?"
"Did he lose control of his sword? Did the spirit sword explode? Did he accidentally kill Ye Zhiyuan?"
"Ye Zhiyuan must have had the worst luck..."
"You’re all so focused on the sword, did you notice that the distance he flew by sword was a bit off?"
"Seemed a bit farther than Ye Zhiyuan's, didn't it?"
"That distance is close to the Zhu Ji limit, right?"
"Hard to estimate the distance in Fangtian Huayin, but it’s probably around a hundred and several dozen zhang..."
"Is this the flying distance of an array master who doesn't practice sword techniques?"
"Even with strong divine perception, it shouldn't be used like this, right?"
"An array master's divine perception is for drawing array formations, not for flying by sword. Does Mo Hua have any sense at all?"
"Unfathomable..."
...
The spectators, either puzzled, stunned, confused, or shocked, whispered and discussed among themselves, the noise never ceasing.
In the mountains, countless cultivators chatted and buzzed, the entire Lundao Mountain filled with the sound of chatter.
Not just the ordinary spectators, even those who were somewhat familiar with Mo Hua, like Wenren Wan, Murong Caiyun, Hua Qianqian, Gu Changhuai, and Zhang Lan, were all in shock.
They never expected that Mo Hua, who had always been low-key and had never even touched a sword, could actually fly by sword.
Especially Zhang Lan.
He remembered clearly that during their time in Tongxian City, Mo Hua couldn’t even pick up a sword, let alone practice sword techniques.
But now, after just a few years,
He could kill the famous sword-flying genius of Daluomen at the Lun Jian Conference with a single sword strike.
If he wasn’t going to make a big impact, he wouldn’t make any at all.
Truly... absurd to the point of absurdity.
On the viewing tower.
Flower Valley Master stared at Mo Hua, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.
The heads of the various sects also wore expressions of disbelief.
In the tea room.
The heads of Taixu, Tai'e, and Chongxu mountains sat quietly, unable to speak.
Everything happened too quickly and ended too suddenly.
From the start of the Lunjian, Mo Hua flying by sword, his sword flying and exploding, to the sound of the Dao Bell, it all ended in an instant.
Then, it was...
A win?
The heads of the three mountains were momentarily unable to believe it, even doubting their own eyes.
The joy of winning the Lunjian couldn’t dispel their shock and disbelief.
Finally, the head of Tai'e Mountain sighed:
"This child... He’s simple, but also..."
Not that simple.
It was truly too "simple."
From start to finish, it was just a blink and a flying sword.
Before they could even prepare mentally, the Lunjian was over.
Even the tea on the table hadn’t even boiled...
...
Amid the "debate" of the cultivators, this round of the Lunjian ended.
The spectators left, and Lundao Mountain gradually quieted down.
But Mo Hua’s unexpected flying sword move was so out of the ordinary that it was unforgettable.
The shockwaves it caused lasted for a long time...
At night, in the main hall of the sect.
The elders of the various sects gathered.
The Shadow Map hung high.
On the Shadow Map, Mo Hua took the sword, controlled it, pointed with his fingers, and the sword flew, slicing through the sky and hitting a disciple of Daluomen.
Initially, there was nothing unusual.
But in the next moment, the spirit sword began to glow, the sword formation activated, the sword patterns transformed, sword qi accumulated, until it exceeded its capacity, and the spirit sword cracked and exploded into pieces.
The fragments of the sword, mixed with sword qi, produced an unprecedented killing power...
This scene played on a loop in the main hall.
The elders of the sects watched it over and over, from dusk until deep into the night, no fewer than a hundred times.
No one spoke a word.
This method of flying by sword was completely beyond their normal understanding.
They kept asking themselves in their hearts:
What kind of sword flying is this?
How did he do it?
What sword technique did he use?
What sword principles did he follow?
How does spiritual energy circulate?
How does Sword Qi transmit?
Why can the sword explode?
...
Everyone was utterly baffled.
In their lifetimes, they had never seen such an unconventional method of sword flying.
Why?
Why could Mo Hua, who clearly knew no sword techniques, control a flying sword and instantly kill a sword-flying prodigy from the Daluomen?
Where did his sword art proficiency come from?
Was it just a lucky guess, a stroke of good fortune?
Or was Mo Hua truly an unparalleled sword genius, even surpassing Daluomen's Tianjiao, a prodigy of extraordinary talent?
Did he master a sword technique that was both shocking and beyond the comprehension of ordinary people?
With this mix of shock and disbelief, the elders of the Daoist sects carefully examined Mo Hua’s shadow map, going over it repeatedly, back and forth, countless times, afraid to miss a single detail.
Finally, they understood and angrily declared:
"Rubbish sword flying!"
"This is not sword flying at all!"
"It's not even a sword technique!"
"A cultivator’s sword flying involves a deep connection between human and sword, a unity of mind and intent, allowing the sword to be controlled as an extension of the arm, maximizing its power."
"Sword flying is a more advanced form of sword technique, requiring a deep understanding of the sword path, the refinement of Sword Qi, the harmony between human and sword, and the unity of mind and intent..."
"Mo Hua lacks all these essential qualities of sword art."
"Of course, he's not a sword cultivator; he's just using the method of 'divine perception to control objects' to control the sword."
"You think he's flying the sword, but in reality, he's just using it as a 'club.'"
Everyone was truly infuriated.
"How can this be..."
"An insult to the sword path, a heinous crime!"
"Almost fooled again by this little brat. I thought he was some heaven-defying, ghost-crying sword genius, capable of mastering sword flying at a whim..."
"Turns out it’s just a trick..."
"He's got more tricks up his sleeve than anyone can count."
"Could he have figured this out on his own?"
"Who else would? A genuine sword cultivator wouldn't waste a spirit sword by making it explode."
"Truly a ‘heretical’ path..."
Some disagreed:
"To be fair, this is not simple. It can almost pass for a powerful sword flying technique."
Another sword elder sneered, "It only looks that way. The principle is actually quite ‘crude.’ It has only a superficial resemblance, lacking the essence, soul, and spirit of a true sword technique, far inferior to orthodox sword flying."
"But the orthodox sword flying prodigy from Daluomen was killed by his sword."
The sword elder was speechless, "That's because... Ye Zhiyuan... he was only at the Zhu Ji stage. It would be different at the Jin Dan stage..."
Someone agreed, "Right, now he's only at Zhu Ji, and the power of sword flying isn't fully realized. At Jin Dan, the orthodox sword flying lineage will show its strength."
"Once the orthodox sword flying technique is fully unleashed, Mo Hua’s ‘heretical’ method will be powerless."
"Agreed."
"So, we understand this..."
A senior elder summarized:
"Mo Hua’s sword flying is fake. He doesn’t know any sword techniques or sword flying. Essentially, he’s using his advantage in divine perception to control objects with divine perception."
"More or less..."
"I still have one question. Where does the power of his sword flying come from? He doesn’t know sword techniques, has no sword formulas, no Sword Qi, no sword intent, and his spirit sword is of poor quality..."
"The sword explodes."
"Can an explosion have such a great killing power?"
"Not just that..."
A sword cultivator elder from a prestigious family, who had studied sword arrays, explained:
"Mo Hua drew a sword array inside the sword."
"This array is modified and specially designed to directly convert spirit stones into Sword Qi."
"It’s not just that..."
"Mo Hua’s spirit sword is also specially made."
"This spirit sword is made of low-quality materials, easily broken and prone to explosion. Once it carries too much Sword Qi, the sword blade fragments upon explosion, which also have significant killing power."
"The self-destructing sword array combined with the self-destructing spirit sword is what makes this 'sword flying' truly formidable."
The elders were amazed upon hearing this.
"So, in the end, this is still the technique of an array master, not a sword cultivator?"
"It’s just the form of a sword, but the core is the array."
"The sword is merely a container for a 'self-destructing' sword array, designed to 'explode.'"
This concept, while strange, was practical.
Some orthodox sword cultivator elders, who were deeply devoted to sword techniques and cherished their swords, cursed Mo Hua for destroying a spirit sword, calling it a waste and a desecration of the sword path.
But most of the elders were still impressed.
Mo Hua truly had a godlike talent for array techniques, unconstrained by form and full of creativity.
The Qianxue True Dao Champion lived up to his name...
Even some elders secretly felt a sense of admiration for his talent.
Of course, no matter how much they admired his talent, they still had to do what needed to be done.
An elder sighed helplessly:
"Let’s study and find a way to counter this..."
They had said this countless times over the past few days, and it was starting to feel numb...
...
In the grand hall, the sect’s elders were busy studying Mo Hua’s “sword flying,” unable to sleep at night.
Meanwhile, the Kill Mo Order was also abuzz with activity.
"What is Tai Xu Gate, anyway?"
"Exactly."
"They just happen to be the top of the Eight Great Sects by stepping on Daluomen."
"Mo Hua is just a reputation-seeker. He can’t even hold a sword, let alone practice sword flying."
"Mo Hua can’t hold a sword, but he can 'fly' it and kill... who was it again?"
"From Daluomen?"
"Seems to be surnamed Ye, Ye Zhiyuan..."
"Never heard of him, probably another reputation-seeker?"
"You must be uninformed. You’ve never heard of Ye Zhiyuan?"
"Speaking of which, didn’t someone in the alliance call himself 'Ye Zhiyuan' yesterday and claim he would 'take Mo Hua’s head with one sword'?"
"I think there was such a person..."
"Today, during the sword duel, someone was beheaded by Mo Hua. This person was also called 'Ye Zhiyuan'?"
"No way, right?"
"Could it be... these two Ye Zhiyuan are the same person?"
"Really?!"
"Absolutely impossible! Be careful, or the Daluomen might sue you for spreading rumors and defamation..."
"Exactly, impossible. Who is Ye Zhiyuan? The famous swordmaster of Daluomen, renowned as the foremost sword cultivator in Qianxue."
"Renowned as the foremost sword cultivator in Qianxue, and then killed by another sword cultivator with a single strike?"
"Tsk, tsk, I really can't say anything..."
"Seems like the one who killed him was an array master?"
"A swordmaster, killed by an array master with a single strike?"
"Is this even a swordmaster?"
"Exactly, 'if even Mo Hua can't kill him, what kind of swordmaster is he?' Who said that?"
"Alright, alright, these are minor issues. In my opinion, selecting a capable leader for our alliance is the most important thing."
"Agreed."
"Speaking of which, didn't our leader say he was going to be crowned king today?"
"Yeah."
"Where is our leader?"
"Killed by a single strike, I guess..."
...
Every arrogant word once spoken, now etched in the annals of time.
Like spiraling flying swords, each strike piercing back into Ye Zhiyuan himself.
The Tians of the Tumomeng, seizing the opportunity, repeatedly mocked Ye Zhiyuan's words, gloating and humiliating him in public.
Ye Zhiyuan, seething with rage, could only pretend to be dead, not daring to utter a single word.
In his cultivation chamber, he made a scarecrow.
On the scarecrow, he pasted a crooked, hastily drawn portrait of Mo Hua, drawn by his own hand.
He no longer spoke of how the Tians of the Four Great Sects and Eight Major Gates were completely driven by hatred, making the "kill Mo Hua" mission seem trivial...
"Those driven by hatred lack true greatness..." Words like these were no longer spoken by him.
He was wrong.
Hatred is the greatest driving force for human advancement.
Enduring humiliation and hardship is the greatest measure of greatness.
Ye Zhiyuan began using the Mo Hua scarecrow to practice the Daluomen Flying Heaven Sword Technique.
He resolved to make "killing Mo Hua" his lifelong pursuit.
Revenge became his lifelong ambition.
Several flying swords soared through the air, each strike piercing the crooked face of the Mo Hua scarecrow.
Each strike left a grin, twisted and eerie.
...
At that very moment.
Tai Xu Gate.
A group of junior disciples took turns toasting Mo Hua, their eyes filled with admiration.
After this battle, their reverence for Mo Hua was like a surging river, endless and unceasing.
And with this victory in the Lunjian, Tai Xu Gate had firmly secured the position of "first among the Eight Major Gates."
Once, Tai Xu Gate was among the weakest of the Eight Major Gates.
Tai'e and Chongxu had suffered greatly, their rankings plummeting, nearly falling out of the top eight.
But now, with the merger of the three sects, they had turned a disaster into a blessing, and were on the rise again, climbing to the top of the Eight Major Gates.
Not just the ordinary disciples, but the elders of the Three Mountains of Taixu also felt immense gratitude towards Mo Hua.
Had it not been for the constraints of their positions and the need to save face, they would have raised their cups to toast Mo Hua.
And the good news didn't stop there.
Mo Hua then used his sword technique to win two more Earth Rank Lunjian matches.
The situation had quietly changed.
After careful consideration, the leaders of the three sects discovered an unexpected opportunity for Tai Xu Gate, though it was slim but real:
The chance to rank among the Four Great Sects.
The Qianxue Lunjian wasn't just a fierce battle for Tai Xu Gate; the other Four Great Sects were also competing intensely.
The Four Great Sects were not a unified entity; they too had their own internal competition, each vying for the top spot.
Externally, they might present a united front.
But when it came to the real competition for fame and profit, the Four Great Sects were merciless, none willing to yield.
The Tians among the disciples were no exception, each refusing to back down, leading to intense and indecisive battles.
Thus, after the fierce Earth Rank Lunjian, the rankings of the Four Great Sects hadn't changed much.
And because of the internal conflicts within the Four Great Sects, their mutual attrition and score deductions meant that their lead over Tai Xu Gate wasn't significant.
Now, only two Earth Rank Lunjian matches remained.
If Tai Xu Gate could win both matches, and any one of the other three sects, excluding the top-ranked Tianjian Gate, lost two matches, then Tai Xu Gate might directly ascend to the Four Great Sects.
This condition was somewhat stringent.
And it not only depended on luck but also on the performance of others.
But this was the only hope for Tai Xu Gate.
Honestly, having this hope was already a good thing.
Other sects couldn't even dream of such an opportunity.
As for the Heaven Rank Lunjian, the variables were too many, so they didn't consider it for now.
Currently, if Tai Xu Gate could win two more matches, there was a good chance they could ascend to the Four Great Sects...
This possibility set the hearts of the Three Mountains' leaders ablaze.
At this point, they had no other hopes; their only hope was that "luck" would be on their side.
They hoped that the ancestors of Tai Xu Mountain would bless Tai Xu Gate with a chance to advance to the Four Great Sects.
They hoped that in the next two Lunjian matches, Tai Xu Gate would face two "soft targets."
Or even if not "soft targets", it would be fine.
Mo Hua and his team were strong enough; as long as they didn't face top-tier Tians, they could fight and had a good chance of winning.
The possibility of winning two in a row was real.
With this expectation, the opponent list for Mo Hua's next Lunjian was determined by the Heavenly Instrument of Dao.
When the entire Tai Xu Gate saw this list, their faces changed, and their hearts sank:
"Qiandao Sect, Shen Linshu."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
