Chapter 305: The Blade's Seal, A Lifetime of Rust, and the Swordsman's Final Stand

Chapter 305: The Blade's Seal, A Lifetime of Rust, and the Swordsman's Final Stand

Boom—!!!

A terrifying explosion erupted!

The unleashed power, unreserved and fearsome, caused the wilderness along the official road to shatter into countless fragments, with cracks crisscrossing the ground as if the scorching heat within the earth's veins had been drawn out, hissing and steaming.

Su Leibao's body erupted with blood mist, and he lost control of his physique, shooting backwards. The air currents were completely crushed by his back, bursting into pieces.

Countless air currents surged like coiling dragons, lashing out relentlessly.

The ground exploded with one sandstorm after another, sending dust and debris flying.

Huge craters appeared, crisscrossed with fissures, like ripples on a lake, continuously shooting out hundreds of zhang high before Su Leibao finally stabilized his body.

His mouth overflowed with scorching red blood, each drop like a precious agate bead, falling to the ground with a clinking sound.

Su Leibao coughed up fresh blood, his body covered in bloodstains.

Indeed, the Ox Demon was formidable...

Among the many malevolent beings in the Netherworld, the Ox Demon was the most cunning and treacherous.

Even Ma Mian, who hid in the shadows and secretly attacked from ambushes, couldn't compare to the Ox Demon's treachery. At least Ma Mian openly attacked from a distance.

However, the Ox Demon appeared silently, and upon meeting, unleashed a terrifying full-power punch.

It was unexpected!

But what shocked Su Leibao even more was...

Martial Sage!

The Ox Demon... had broken through to the Martial Sage realm!

Su Leibao knew this Ox Demon, one of the Netherworld's most treacherous beings, as someone who had exposed himself numerous times. Before... he wasn't a Martial Sage!

Previously, killing a Divine Essence Master was extremely exhausting, but now the Ox Demon...

Had actually broken through to become a Martial Sage!

"Impossible..."

"Breaking through to the Martial Sage realm would undoubtedly attract the attention of heaven and earth, merging with the heavens and humans. There will surely be tribulation thunder as punishment!"

"The heavens won't easily allow the birth of a Martial Sage! But in recent days, there hasn't been any tribulation thunder in Heavenly Origin Dao City!"

Su Leibao's eyes widened in disbelief, filled with intense shock.

He had never imagined that the Ox Demon, one of the Netherworld's most dangerous beings, would become a Martial Sage upon revealing himself.

That was genuinely terrifying and powerful Martial Sage Primordial Energy, which even made him, a Qi Sea Realm cultivator, feel horrified and oppressed.

The Ox Demon's Martial Sage Primordial Energy was no weaker than his own Qi Sea Primordial Energy!

Was this a newly achieved Martial Sage?

Was this... the initial stage of the Martial Sage realm?

Unfathomable, his hair stood on end!

Boom—!!!

In the distance, where the carriage had turned into ruins, it was as if a great sun had suddenly risen, dazzling and blinding, as if in that instant, it had burned out its entire life's brilliance!

The scorching blood and Primordial Energy seemed to evaporate everything around them!

"Ox Demon—!!!"

Su Leibao slowly stood up, his bones crackling. His entire body became younger, taller, and more robust, like an inflated balloon, reaching two meters in height. His physique was majestic, and his skin turned a purplish-red color, stretched to the limit, almost to the point of bursting.

The ground shattered and exploded, and countless stones seemed to float, drawn by an invisible force, only to be crushed into dust by the terrifying and scorching Qi Sea Primordial Energy.

Vaguely, behind Su Leibao, a Qi Sea phenomenon emerged!

Although it was called the Qi Sea, it only appeared as a vast lake, with raging waves within. Countless Primordial Energy, condensed into a liquid state, churned in the Qi Sea.

In terms of the quantity of Primordial Energy, Su Leibao's far exceeded Li Che's at this moment.

"The Su Family... has no way out!"

"I must fight a bloody path for the Su Family!"

Su Leibao became younger, his entire being filled with a fierce and domineering aura.

He slightly levitated, and under the influence of the Heaven-Human Unity, his entire body floated in mid-air.

He stared at the masked Ox Demon, filled with murderous intent and determination.

Su Leibao's time was running out, and although his blood energy had weakened, with all his power unleashed, he returned to his peak!

The Second Stage of Qi Sea!

Su Leibao had accumulated too much killing intent, and in this moment, it all burst forth!

Boom—!

In an instant, a huge pit opened in the ground, and as the dust rose, a long-handled dragon-headed sword appeared in Su Leibao's hand!

It was the blade that extended from his dragon-headed cane, dazzling and fierce!

With a sweeping swing, the sound of the blade roared like ten thousand thunders.

This was Su Leibao's mastery of thunder power, living up to his name, and within the Divine Seed Martial Art he cultivated, there was also the essence of thunder!

Divine Seed, the essence of thunder!

A dazzling blade light, like the raging wind and thunder, seemed to have a beheaded dragon soaring into the sky, twisting and turning.

The domineering blade light seemed to pierce through heaven and earth, tearing through the gloom!

To slay the Ox Demon, and then the dragon!

In this moment, Su Leibao displayed his entire martial arts prowess, exerting all his strength without reservation!

Amidst the clanging of the blade, Su Leibao fully integrated his lifelong cultivation of martial arts, spirit, and Heaven-Human Unity, along with his boiling killing intent, into a single strike!

Soon, a powerful strike!

Hundreds of zhang in distance, almost instantly crossed!

Qi Sea Strike!

Second Stage Strike!

Ox Demon!

Accept!

Your!

Fate!

Su Leibao roared repeatedly, determined to avenge the Su Family's fallen members!

Even if the Ox Demon had broken through to the Martial Sage realm!

Even if the Ox Demon's Martial Sage foundation was extremely solid, and his Primordial Energy intensity, as a newly entered Martial Sage, was comparable to his own Qi Sea Martial Sage...

So what?

"Kill!"

A shout, and a tongue of winter thunder erupted.

Thunderstorm energy raged and intertwined around him, and the blade's light danced like a dragon within.

This strike was truly dazzling!

Beneath the Ox Demon's mask, Li Che's eyes blazed with a golden light that flowed like concentrated incense.

Thunderstorm... Sword technique...

Our cultivation paths are similar!

But...

You are not as strong as me!

Not even close!

Li Che's powerful martial will exploded, and a heaven-human resonance occurred.

The heavens and earth seemed to undergo a bizarre transformation at that moment, as boundless primordial energy surged forth. Li Che clenched his fist, and the Eight Treasures Mysterious Gold Thunder Dragon Staff was instantly enveloped by a crimson aura, transforming into a three-bladed double-edged saber!

The long blade trembled and danced, and the sword light crisscrossed wildly.

Li Che's Thundermagnet body went wild, and in every pore, there was thunder surging forth. These were the countless thunders he had captured after passing through the Martial Saint Tribulation.

It seemed as if ten Thundermagnet clones had formed around Li Che.

Countless thunders intertwined to form a sea, and the saber moved with them!

Divine Seed: Thousand Mountains Solo Divine Blade!

Buzz—

The sword light spread out, and in an instant, the dawn broke. Beneath the Ox Demon's mask, his black hair was strong and robust.

Li Che took three consecutive steps, and countless Thundermagnet clones followed closely behind, wrapped in sword light, and slashed down with a boom.

Su Leibao stared intently, his eyes filled with a mix of awe and fear.

He gripped the Thunder Dragon Blade, and the sword light rose. This fifth-grade divine armament was driven to its limit by him, and the sword light raged, clashing with each Thundermagnet clone that Li Che had separated from.

The clanging sounds exploded and echoed endlessly.

This was Li Che's first battle with a Qi Sea Realm expert.

Although he had previously pulled a heavily injured Two Flowers Demi-God corpse into Mo City for a siege battle, that Demi-God corpse had been severely injured by Lu Tai Bai's sword energy, and its power was barely one-tenth of its original strength.

But now, Su Leibao was different. Driven to the brink by the Netherworld, Su Leibao unleashed his full power, returning to his peak and displaying the true strength of a Second Opening Qi Sea Realm cultivator.

If it were still the Li Che from before, when he was at the Grand Master realm, he would have to activate five Divine Seeds to have a chance...

Otherwise, in terms of sheer power, even with all his trump cards revealed, it would be difficult to match his opponent.

When Li Che first broke through to the Martial Saint realm, he had wondered if he could challenge a Qi Sea Realm cultivator. Now... Li Che felt that he could fight!

And even...

Kill his opponent!

He took a heavy step forward, and the entire ground seemed to ripple like silk.

Thundermagnet clones, plus the sword light in Li Che's hand!

Thousand Mountains Solo Blade, plus the power of Thunderstorm!

At this moment, the Ox Demon and Su Leibao seemed to have a similar martial collision.

The two clashed, and countless dazzling sword lights collided, releasing powerful energy from the blades. Each collision produced a resounding thunderous sound.

Li Che's Thundermagnet clones and the sword light in his hand!

Thousand Mountains Solo Blade, plus the power of Thunderstorm!

At this moment, the Ox Demon and Su Leibao seemed to have a similar martial collision.

The two clashed, and countless dazzling sword lights collided, releasing powerful energy from the blades. Each collision produced a resounding thunderous sound.

In the collision of their sword techniques, there was a clash of thunderous power.

But Su Leibao's thunder...

Under Li Che's thunderous release, it seemed like countless lifelike thunder dragons were surrounding him, making Su Leibao's thunder seem weak and broken, and he was being forced back step by step.

Su Leibao could only rely on his unparalleled sword technique to fight the Ox Demon.

Su Leibao gritted his teeth, his skin turning purple as he reached his limit.

His flesh seemed on the verge of disintegrating.

His physical body...

Was not as strong as the Ox Demon who had just broken through to the Martial Saint realm.

No! The gap in physical strength was immense, immense!

However, Su Leibao went a little crazy. He swept his blade across the sky and laughed wildly, still drawing his sword as he did.

"Since I was young, I've been supported by my family in my cultivation of the martial path. Holding a blade is like holding the heavens and earth!"

"Unfortunately, the blade talent I was once proud of also has its limits. After breaking through to the Martial Saint realm, every step became difficult."

"Later, for the sake of my family, I immersed myself in the intricate relationships between noble families, devoting all my efforts to the struggle for family interests, the continuation of the family, and its rise..."

"It turns out..."

"I haven't drawn my blade in over a decade."

Su Leibao's long blade rolled, and at this moment, his eyes were filled with tears.

The raging tears had just spilled when they were swept up and exploded by the raging sword energy. Boom—!

The sword energy raged, and the blade light slashed like a dragon. Su Leibao roared.

His physical body was disintegrating inch by inch.

As his end approached, it seemed that he had finally found his lost martial heart before death.

Li Che clenched his fist and pointed out with the three-bladed double-edged saber, and the Thousand Mountains Solo Divine Blade instantly burst forth with endless dazzling sword light, moving mountains and stacking layers.

Boom—!!!

The sword light exploded, and beneath the Ox Demon's mask, Li Che's eyes glowed faintly.

Su Leibao...

Was getting stronger!

His blade was getting fiercer!

Although Su Leibao was falling apart, his flesh and blood falling, he was still drawing his sword.

There was no retreat, no giving up, no despair!

The fiery sword light slashed, and with a 'pu' sound, it cut off a true dragon's head. Then, with unwavering determination and belief, it slashed towards the Ox Demon!

This was...

The joy of the blade technique, which had been sealed for over a decade, returning to its peak today.

This was...

The courage and madness of facing a tiger on a mountain.

This was...

A swordsman's...

Blade intent igniting!

"Good!"

A deep voice echoed from beneath the Ox Demon's mask.

Su Leibao burst into laughter: "There's more!"

The next moment, Su Leibao's entire body seemed to turn into a blurry figure.

His purple skin vibrated, and countless blood mists exploded.

Behind him, two Divine Seeds spun wildly.

One was "Thunderstorm," and the other was "Thunder Dragon Blade."

"Blade!"

"Come!"

...

...

In the dense forest, the cold wind howled.

He stood on a tree branch that seemed to be made of ice crystals, his eyes flashing like lightning.

He held a domineering long halberd with a tight grip, his face stern and focused.

His golden armor shimmered with radiance, and behind him, a large red cape fluttered in the wind.

Above his head, a Qi Sea phenomenon appeared, vast and overwhelming, swirling endlessly.

His Qi Sea...

Was far stronger than Su Leibao's, resembling a thousand-zhang diameter lake churning and roaring!

In the distance, distorted black air currents slowly condensed.

The golden-armored figure that had been blasted by his halberd slowly took shape again.

"Immortal?"

Yan Jing's heart trembled.

Yu Li Qing...

And that one, Huang Jianjiu!

And...

Dragon Queen Consort, Ao Yuxin!

These were all people who should have died!

"Killed by the Netherworld, then resurrected by the Netherworld, becoming an immortal existence?"

Yan Jing felt as if his heart was being struck by a terrifying force, leaving him in awe.

However, Yan Jing didn't pay much attention to these three because he knew they were only here to stop him from interfering in the distant battle.

Although Huang Jianjiu, Yu Li Qing, and Long Nu had all reached the limit of the Human Core, in the face of Yan Jing, a Qi Sea Martial Saint, they had no power to resist and were easily suppressed by his halberd.

The gap between the Human Core and the Qi Sea Martial Saint was significant, which was why Lu Tai Bai had set the rule restricting their power.

Yan Jing's halberd danced wildly, like a roaring lion, and Huang Jianjiu's sword light, slashed out with all his strength, was instantly crushed by Yan Jing's halberd!

Huang Jianjiu, Yu Li Qing, and Long Nu hovered in the air, staring intently at Yan Jing.

Suddenly, Yan Jing's eyes narrowed, and he looked towards the distance.

There...

A terrifying sword light, enveloped in endless thunder, dazzled the entire area!

Yan Jing's hair stood on end!

"Su Leibao... has gone crazy!"

"He's going to explode two Divine Seeds and use such a powerful move. Does he want to die?!"

"Damn!"

Yan Jing took a deep breath.

What had Su Leibao encountered to be driven to such an extent? It didn't seem like the Netherworld King's doing. If it were the Netherworld King, Su Leibao wouldn't have had a chance to resist and would have died immediately.

The Supreme Martial Sage was truly an unimaginable existence.

"Su Leibao is definitely going to die."

Yan Jing sighed.

With a sweep of his halberd, a crescent-shaped halberd light fiercely pushed back the three of them.

Then, he pointed his toes and landed on the tree branch, his entire body rising into the air, enveloped in a Primordial Energy ocean, and instantly disappeared.

He gave up supporting Su Leibao.

Because Su Leibao had already decided to die, even with support, he wouldn't survive. Su Leibao had exploded two Divine Seeds and ignited his sword intent...

Seeking the ultimate move as a sword user.

But damn it...

He was the head of the Su Family!

The Su Family...

Wouldn't be able to leave the Lingnan Dao.

The Netherworld's desire to kill the Su Family was too deep.

And the Netherworld's foundation far exceeded Yan Jing's imagination...

Not to mention the three Martial Saints, but also the one who could drive Su Leibao to the point of madness, exhausting his Divine Seeds.

Unimaginable.

The Netherworld had deployed such a formidable lineup...

Su Leibao's death was not unjust.

Once Su Leibao died, the other two branches of the Su Family would likely be completely annihilated by other families, and all their resources would be seized.

For three thousand years, the Qiankun River has risen and fallen with the tides.

With such a powerful family's destruction...

A whale falls, and countless creatures thrive.

How many large and small families can survive in this chaos and come out thriving?

"However... the Third Prince is delighted by the Su Family's surrender. The Netherworld's actions have eliminated the Su Family's loyalty to the Third Prince and the resources they intended to offer."

Yan Jing took a deep look and then turned his head, transforming into a stream of light and leaving without looking back.

The Netherworld...

He didn't need to fight for Su Leibao's life.

...

...

Boom! Boom!

Shen Diao Ling.

Before the Strange Shrine of the Two-Hearted Sage.

Countless martial artists gathered here, eagerly awaiting, looking towards the Strange Shrine's Ghost Tower.

As if trying to see through the Ghost Tower and witness the fierce competition among the numerous Martial Saints and Divine Embryos inside!

They wanted to see who would obtain the Spirit-Following Golden Iron Divine Staff.

When Li Che, the Divine Falcon Demi-Saint of Shen Diao Ling, held the Spirit-Following Golden Iron Divine Staff that he had carved when he broke through to the Divine Falcon Demi-Saint stage, everyone's eyes widened.

"Father has entered!"

"Master, will Father be able to obtain that Divine Armament?"

Xixi asked curiously.

Lu Tai Bai made a cup of tea for Xixi and added some spirit cow milk, creating a delicious milk tea, which he then handed to Xixi.

Xixi took the warm milk tea and took a sip, dispelling the cold and brightening her eyes.

Lu Tai Bai smiled, "It's hard to say, even I can't be sure."

"Opportunities like this are mysterious and unpredictable, especially when it comes to a sentient Divine Armament."

Upon hearing this, Xixi nodded thoughtfully.

Indeed.

Just like how Xixi had obtained the Purple Flame Spear Firepoint Lance, even though countless people had entered the Mingwang Tower's Ghost Tower, it seemed that only Xixi had obtained the Firepoint Lance.

"But, if Father really obtains that Divine Armament, can he protect it?"

"What if it gets taken away?"

"With so many Martial Saints... Father, as a small Great Master, might get beaten up..."

Xixi worriedly sipped her milk tea, and with so much concern, she drank several big gulps in a row.

Lu Tai Bai's eyes flashed.

"Whoever takes it... it's hard to say."

He had set the rule that only Martial Saints and Divine Embryos with one Divine Transformation could enter the Ghost Tower for a reason.

He had prepared this for Li Che.

Lu Tai Bai also had some guesses about Li Che's identity.

Ma Mian?

No...

It's the Ox Demon!

Lu Tai Bai smiled, picked up his milk tea, and took a sip...

Mmm, it tasted really good.

...

...

Boom! Boom!

...

...

High above, snowflakes drift silently, their loneliness seemingly concealing sorrow.

Twisted and contorted, they fall with an eerie and piercing wail.

They land on a body, almost charred to a crisp by electrical currents, causing the brittle, burnt flesh to crack and fall to the ground with a dull thud.

A gentle breeze blows, dispersing the rising heat waves in the deep pit, revealing a body completely unharmed, its entire being intact.

The Thunder Dragon Blade, this divine weapon, remains unscathed, its brilliance dazzling. After all, it's one of the Five Ancient Divine Weapons, not easily destroyed.

Suddenly, the charred body twitches, and the cracked, burnt flesh shudders, falling to the ground with a loud thump.

In the distance, Li Che, wearing the Ox Demon mask, stands tall and robust, reaching a height of two meters and seventy-eight centimeters, significantly taller than before.

This is because behind him, two divine martial art shackles that had restrained his physical limits, have been detonated by him.

As if two shackles that had suppressed his body to its limits were broken free, causing his flesh to grow even more wildly, and heavenly will continuously descends, forming a terrifying martial will and heavenly resonance...

At this moment, the Ox Demon seems to have transformed into an ancient god that once roamed the heavens and earth.

His aura is extremely terrifying and oppressive.

Blood-colored lightning coils around his body, spreading like a thunder pool, and the Ox Demon stands in the blood-colored thunder pool, resembling a deity in control of the heavenly thunder storm.

"Hahaha—"

"What a formidable Ox Demon."

Su Leibao's charred remains slowly raise his head, but this single movement seems to have exhausted all his strength.

His eyes, once filled with light, are now dark and lifeless.

He is utterly exhausted.

Even with the eruption of divine seed power, the two divine seeds' energy is completely depleted, yet he still fails to defeat the Ox Demon.

He is out of strength.

However, Su Leibao is not overly disappointed or fearful of death.

After a hundred years without drawing his blade, today, he unsheathes it, swings it, and delivers a strike, the most satisfying one in his life.

He is content.

As a blade master, he is fulfilled.

As the head of the family, he is filled with regret.

In the end, he couldn't lead the Su Family out of Lingnan Dao, unable to continue the Su Family's three thousand years of rise and fall...

What a pity...

"Ox Demon... You detonated two divine seeds, entered the Martial Saint realm, and chose to die with me. What a pity."

"If you don't die, your blade, your martial path, can forge a path to the peak of the Heaven Gate!"

"Even..."

"Sitting at the pinnacle of the Heaven Gate Pass! Becoming a figure at the apex of the martial path, just like the Pacification Prefect, Ji Mohong!"

Su Leibao's seven orifices bleed, his aura having dropped to its lowest point.

Li Che raises his five fingers, pressing down on the mask covering his face.

The two divine seeds, swirling like vortices, release their terrifying power, pushing his strength.

Standing at a height of two meters and seventy centimeters, his stature is truly intimidating, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Su Leibao sighs.

Then, he sees the two divine seeds behind the Ox Demon, blossoming and detonating...

It's as if time is rewinding, and from the blossoming flowers, they transform back into seeds, returning to the human body's strange gates.

Su Leibao almost becomes a reanimated corpse.

"You—!"

No, this is a person?

The detonated divine seeds can be recovered? And the Ox Demon's body... shows not a hint of weakness, not a trace of fatal injury.

This physical body... is so powerful!

Su Leibao instantly realizes that the Ox Demon's body is too strong! The injuries from detonating the divine seeds are of no concern to him; they are completely negligible.

This physical body...

Su Leibao suddenly understands that the Ox Demon's flesh is too formidable! The injuries from detonating the divine seeds are of no concern to him; they are completely negligible.

Two divine seeds...

This is not the Ox Demon's limit!

The Netherworld...

The Netherworld's secret technique?

It's as if the Netherworld King, with a single movement, can maintain the terrifying power of detonating five divine seeds.

Detonating five divine seeds!

What a terrifying situation! Perhaps, only with such a secret technique can the...

Resurrection technique.

The secret of infinite teleportation!

The unparalleled physical body technique...

The Netherworld is indeed mysterious!

Why did the Netherworld suddenly appear in the heavens and earth? Su Leibao suddenly feels that he died a little too early, unable to witness the Netherworld stirring up the Grand Jing Dynasty.

Su Leibao thinks, and at this moment, in his mind...

He is not thinking about the Su Family at all.

He has devoted his entire life to the family, toiling tirelessly, but now... it's time to rest, to reflect on his blade.

Vitality completely subsides.

Su Leibao slowly closes his eyes.

If possible, he also hopes to shoulder a blade and wander alone through the mountains.

The drifting snowflakes above fall onto Su Leibao's body, piling up layer upon layer.

The Golden Thunder Dragon Blade is propped against the ground, and he stands there like an unparalleled blade master, unyielding.

Yet, he is completely devoid of vitality.

"Not bad."

Beneath the Ox Demon mask, Li Che slowly exhales.

Su Leibao's final strike of blade intent, which had made Li Che feel a powerful pressure, is pure and unadulterated.

What a pity...

After a hundred years without drawing his blade, its sharpness has long faded from its peak, and the blade has lost some of its edge, becoming slightly duller.

However, Li Che also praises him with a sentence.

The cold snowflakes swirl, as if the lingering blade qi in the heavens and earth is singing a funeral dirge.

The black robe flutters.

Li Che walks to the charred remains of Su Leibao, who is leaning on his blade.

"As the head of the family, I will not comment."

"As a blade master, you are not bad."

"Your blade."

"I'll take it."

Li Che spreads his five fingers.

Aiming at the charred, leaning-on-blade Su Leibao.

"Binding Deity!"

　Someone says the realm is a bit chaotic, so let's clarify:

　　Great Saint: Primordial Energy, Heaven-Human Unity, Three Flowers

　　Martial Saint: Opening Human Core, Opening Qi Sea, Opening Mountain Path, Opening Heaven Gate, and so on. The Martial Path has these realms, and there are more after, but let's not spoil them yet.

　　The second update is here, and this chapter only has 7,000 words. Writing is a bit tiring, a mental exhaustion. Everyone, please don't forget the monthly and recommendation tickets. Old Li will continue the burst update tomorrow! Thank you!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end