Chapter 339: The Fall of a Proud Genius, the Sword King of the Azure Sea

Chapter 339: The Fall of a Proud Genius, the Sword King of the Azure Sea

"Sword King?"

Xu Yan paused, shaking his head. "I am not the Sword King, I am the Sword God!"

How could he, with his prowess, bear such a humble title?

The young woman was bewildered. "What? A Sword God? But, benefactor, aren't you the Sword King? In all the Azure Sea, only the Sword King has achieved such mastery over the sword path."

She spoke with a hint of disbelief.

Xu Yan's interest was piqued. "There's a Sword King in the Azure Sea? Where is he, and how strong is he?"

Having proclaimed himself the Sword God, Xu Yan was naturally curious about this Sword King and wondered how his sword path compared to that of the Thousand Martial Palace.

The young woman was now convinced that this man before her was not the legendary Sword King, and she was astonished to think that the Azure Sea had produced yet another powerful swordsman. "The Sword King resides in Yun Tian City. With his sword, he defeated all sword practitioners in the Azure Sea and dominated the sword path in Yun Tian City. All sword cultivators in the Azure Sea submit to his might. They say that only the Sword King's sword is the true embodiment of the sword path. It is said that the Sword King is a proud man. Though he claims that he has only recently stepped into the realm of swordsmanship and has yet to grasp its true essence, he considers all sword practitioners in Yun Tian City as worthless."

The more Xu Yan heard, the more familiar the Sword King's behavior seemed. "What is the name of this Sword King you speak of?" he asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

The young woman hesitated, slightly embarrassed. "I only know him as the Sword King. I don't know his actual name."

Just then, one of the God Refining Warriors who had been fleeing—a particularly strong one who had been a primary target for the Blood Knife Bandits—finally caught his breath after Xu Yan's intervention and elimination of the bandits. He stepped forward and said, "The Sword King's name is Xie Tianheng!"

Xu Yan's eyes widened in realization. No wonder his behavior seemed so familiar—it was Xie Tianheng! "So, Xie Tianheng has earned the title of Sword King. I never expected that," he mused. "It seems that Xie Tianheng's strength has grown rapidly since entering the Inner Realm. He must have reached the ranks of the supremely powerful."

"Have you heard of Xie Lingfeng?" Xu Yan inquired.

Given that Xie Tianheng had risen to the status of Sword King, and considering Xie Lingfeng's exceptional talent, his sword path should be no less impressive. Xu Yan expected that he, too, would have made a name for himself.

"Is he the son of the Sword King?" the warrior asked, deep in thought.

Xu Yan nodded.

"The Sword King's son was once the pride of Yun Tian City, but in recent years, he has made no progress. Instead, he has been surpassed by those he once defeated. His reputation as a genius has faded, and he has long since faded into obscurity," the warrior sighed.

"A fallen genius," Xu Yan clicked his tongue. "The Sword King's son is now mocked as a waste?"

He couldn't help but feel surprised at how badly Xie Lingfeng had fared.

It was understandable, though. Xie Lingfeng had decent talent and had likely perfected the Divine Intent realm. With his abilities, breaking through to the early stages of the God Refining realm should have been achievable. However, his stagnation, coupled with the continuous progress of those he had once defeated, left him far behind. No wonder he had faded from prominence.

But to be mocked as a waste was unexpected!

"Brother Xie, wait a little longer. I'll come find you, and together, we will rise again and suppress those who once bested you," Xu Yan vowed silently.

It seemed that something significant had transpired with the father-son duo in Yun Tian City and the Azure Sea, something beyond their low-key behavior, to have earned such renown.

Xu Yan inquired further about Xie Tianheng and his son, but the warrior didn't know much else. He only recalled that a few years ago, Xie Tianheng had first gained fame by challenging a warrior in the early stages of the Godly Human realm. Back then, Xie Tianheng was in the Great Heavenly Man realm. Everyone believed he was destined to lose, but he rose to the occasion and showcased extraordinary swordsmanship, defeating his opponent despite the realm gap. Thus, he began his ascent to fame.

"It's said that the Sword King's wife has an extraordinary background," the warrior added with a sigh. "Otherwise, with the Sword King's arrogance, he would have been mobbed and killed long ago."

Xu Yan nodded. He knew that Xie Tianheng's wife was from the Spirit Realm, but he was surprised to learn of her notable background. He wondered how an Inner Realm warrior like Xie Tianheng had won the heart of a woman from the Spirit Realm.

Xu Yan asked a few more questions about Xie Lingfeng, but the warrior didn't know much, and as it seemed the line of questioning was coming to a close, Xu Yan bid him farewell.

The sea beast pulled the underwater boat, racing across the Azure Sea.

"Sword God?" The warrior was thrilled. "Could it be that we're about to witness a clash of sword paths?"

He was excited at the prospect of such a momentous event. If the Sword King heard that someone dared to call themselves the Sword God, he would likely be furious!

...

In the Azure Sea, the Superran Lingzong presided over all, even the Sea Spirit Race, the hegemons of the Azure Sea, submitted to the City Lord's Mansion in Yun Tian City.

The Fu family was the City Lord's clan of Yun Tian City, and the current City Lord, Fu Tianhai, was an exceptionally powerful figure, rumored to have surpassed the might of his predecessors. He was, without a doubt, the number one powerhouse in the Azure Sea.

While Yun Tian City was under the rule of the City Lord's Mansion, it housed multiple influential forces, including the Sea Spirit Race, which held a prominent position within the City Lord's Mansion and enjoyed an exalted status.

There had always been rumors that, from ancient times to the present, Yun Tian City and the Sea Spirit Race had a covenant to jointly govern the Azure Sea, and that on certain occasions, the Sea Spirit Race had to obey the orders of Yun Tian City.

Only the true high-ranking members of Yun Tian City and the Sea Spirit Race were privy to the specifics and clauses of this covenant.

Among the major forces in Yun Tian City was the Wanxing Martial Arts Academy, which had established itself there after its retreat from the Eighteen States. Over the years, it had cultivated numerous renowned warriors.

The dean of the Wanxing Martial Arts Academy was said to have a deep relationship with City Lord Fu, so the academy was also seen as having the backing of the City Lord's Mansion.

By this time, the influence of the Wanxing Martial Arts Academy had spread far and wide, not just in Yun Tian City but throughout the entire Azure Sea.

The academy attracted geniuses from all corners of the Azure Sea, as well as the offspring of influential families in Yun Tian City, especially those from declining families.

The academy also hosted students from the Sea Spirit Race, who were increasingly inclined to send their younger generations there for training.

A few years ago, two significant events occurred in Yun Tian City. First, the crown prince of the Great Zhou Qing Kingdom was sent to the Wanxing Martial Arts Academy for cultivation. Second, City Lord Fu suddenly gained a son-in-law and a grandson!

What's more, it was rumored that his son-in-law was from the Inner Realm and had come to Yun Tian City specifically for the Fu family's jade token.

This news shocked all the major forces in Yun Tian City.

Those who had once harbored affections for the City Lord's daughter were left dumbfounded, feeling inferior to someone from the Inner Realm. Their goddess had chosen a man from the Inner Realm, and she had even borne him a son!

When this news spread among the major forces in Yun Tian City, many people recalled an incident from the past.

The City Lord's daughter had once ventured to the Eighteen States, reportedly because she had heard of Mu Qianliu's philandering ways and deemed him too scummy. She had set out to eliminate him.

It was said that she pursued Mu Qianliu all the way to the Inner Realm and only returned to Yun Tian City after many years.

As for whether she succeeded in getting rid of Mu Qianliu, there were no further rumors.

Mu Qianliu, the playboy of the Mu family, seemed to have vanished, and there were whispers in Yun Tian City that he had likely been killed by the City Lord's daughter.

There were rumors that City Lord Fu Tianhai was so enraged upon learning that he suddenly had a son-in-law and grandson that he almost died from anger. But it was a done deal, and he could only grit his teeth and bear it. After all, he couldn't very well kill the man, could he?

And it seemed that his son-in-law was quite talented. Not long after arriving in the Spirit Realm, he had broken through to the Small Heavenly Man realm.

At first, to avoid trouble, the City Lord's son-in-law kept a low profile and never left the City Lord's mansion, letting the gossip spread while appearing to be obedient to the City Lord's commands.

However, after the City Lord's son-in-law broke through to the Great Heavenly Man realm, he started to act arrogantly.

The first thing he did was to give a vicious beating to a certain young master of a noble family who had admired his wife.

Then, he challenged another noble scion who was in the initial stages of the God Refining realm, calling him a waste and acting extremely disdainful and arrogant, infuriating his opponent.

But the City Lord's son-in-law, despite being in the Great Heavenly Man realm, defeated the God Refining cultivator.

This caused the various major forces to view him with newfound respect.

And when the City Lord's son-in-law broke through to the God Refining realm, he became even more arrogant, looking down on everyone as wastes. One by one, he beat up those who had once admired his wife.

As for the City Lord's grandson, he, too, began to display his prowess, defeating one young genius after another from the noble families.

However, the City Lord's grandson was now considered a fallen genius. The more glorious he had been in the past, the more pathetic he seemed now, having been surpassed by those he had once defeated, who now mocked him.

With his strength stagnant, he had fallen far behind and was now considered a representative of waste.

Under the instigation of certain individuals, a saying even began to spread in Yun Tian City: "A temporary genius may not be a true genius, and could instead be a waste, just like the Sword King's son!"

While the Sword King's son had faded into obscurity, the Sword King himself became even more arrogant and overbearing, just as his name implied.

He even once disrespected his father-in-law, resulting in a severe beating.

In a small courtyard within the City Lord's mansion, a young man sat cross-legged on a pool of water, a sword across his knees. Sword intent swirled around him, like turbulent waves, the sound of rushing water emanating from the sword intent.

"The martial art you taught Feng to cultivate has stopped working!" A beautiful woman stood at the entrance of the courtyard, one hand on Xie Tianheng's waist, a dissatisfied expression on her face.

She was none other than Fu Tianhai's beloved daughter, Fu Yun.

Xie Tianheng twisted his lips and said, "It was his choice, and besides, he's just lacking the subsequent cultivation techniques. It's a minor issue. I'll make a trip to the Eighteen States soon and bring back the techniques he needs."

"Are you sure this Great Wilderness Martial Art is as powerful as you say? If so, why didn't you record more of the techniques?" Fu Yun remained displeased.

"It's hard to grasp the intricacies if you record too much," Xie Tianheng said helplessly.

"Don't worry, I'll go to the Eighteen States in a few days. Although Feng hasn't broken through yet, his sword intent is more refined, and his understanding of the sword path has deepened. Once he breaks through, his strength will definitely increase," Xie Tianheng assured her.

Fu Yun sighed. "I suddenly realize that I was so easily deceived by you back then. It's all my fault for being too young and naive!"

Xie Tianheng twitched his lips. "My dear wife, I didn't deceive you. I kept my promises, and as I said, in the Azure Sea, I am the master of the sword path!"

"You may be the master in the Azure Sea, but I've heard that an eighteen-year-old Sword God has emerged in the Eighteen States, suppressing even the geniuses of the Spirit Realm.

"He even blocked the entrance of the Thousand Martial Palace, challenging and killing their geniuses, and taking away a divine artifact right under the noses of the Thousand Martial Palace's strong cultivators, who could do nothing to stop him."

Fu Yun rolled her eyes at him.

Xie Tianheng was shocked. "There's such a genius in the Eighteen States? What's his name?"

He wondered: "Could it be Xu Yan?"

The one who dared to challenge the Superran Lingzong directly, such an arrogant act, and to be known as the Sword God... the first person he thought of was Xu Yan.

"Xu Yan, Sword God Xu Yan. He's quite famous in the Eighteen States," Fu Yun said.

Indeed!

Xie Tianheng marveled in his heart. Xu Yan was as impressive as ever, a true disciple of his predecessor. I still have a long way to go.

"Let's set a small goal. Once I'm strong enough to suppress my father-in-law, I can be even more arrogant!" Xie Tianheng thought to himself.

"Are there any other rumors from the Eighteen States? For example, someone exceptionally skilled with a blade, or perhaps an extraordinary pill concoctor?" Xie Tianheng asked.

Fu Yun gave him a strange look. "You didn't already know?"

"No, I've been busy dealing with those good-for-nothing bullies. Where would I find the time to hear about these things?" Xie Tianheng shook his head.

"There's a Blade Sovereign Meng Chong, who is also very powerful, second only to Xu Yan. And there's the Evergreen Pavilion, which is said to house a Pill Concoction Fairy who can bring the dead back to life. Her pills are incredibly effective.

"It's said that she can easily heal damaged foundations, shattered spirit bodies, and old injuries.

"The stories are so incredible that it's hard to tell fact from fiction. I'm even considering making a trip to the Eighteen States myself," Fu Yun said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Xie Tianheng nodded. This was all within his expectations. With the reputation he had established in the Azure Sea, it was only natural that Xu Yan and Meng Chong would be even more remarkable.

He glanced at Xie Lingfeng, who was still refining his sword intent, and couldn't help but feel helpless. His son had indeed stopped making rapid progress.

"I'll take Feng to the Eighteen States in a few days," Xie Tianheng said after some thought.

"Is it for Feng's cultivation techniques?" Fu Yun asked.

Xie Tianheng nodded. "The Genius Competition has already started. If Feng goes to the Eighteen States, he'll have a chance to participate. Otherwise, with his current strength, he won't be able to join the battle of geniuses."

Fu Yun sighed. "I'm afraid it's too late to participate in the genius battle. You know that those who can take part in the final battle of geniuses are at least cultivators who have refined a wisp of the world's spiritual essence."

"Not necessarily!" Xie Tianheng smiled.

"Where do you get your confidence? You're only comparable to someone who has refined a wisp of the world's spiritual essence yourself, and Feng is even further behind. There are less than three years left until the decisive battle of geniuses. Even if Feng obtains the subsequent cultivation techniques, how can he possibly cultivate to the level of a top expert within two years?" Fu Yun furrowed her brows.

"That's why we need to go to the Eighteen States to have a chance," Xie Tianheng said with a smile.

With the help of pills and guidance from experts, two years would be more than enough!

Just then, a steward rushed in.

"What is it? Who else is here to challenge Feng? Tell them to get lost!" Fu Yun's expression darkened as soon as she saw the steward.

"Miss, there's someone outside the City Lord's mansion who claims to be Young Master Feng's old friend..." the steward began.

It was too cold, and the speed of writing dropped significantly, making it difficult to think. It was a challenge to get this chapter out!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end