Chapter 356: Swordmaster of Blades and Swords

Chapter 356: Swordmaster of Blades and Swords

Li Xuan's reaction was lightning-quick. His sword light surged, and in an instant, he unleashed dozens of purple and blue sword beams.

Among these sword beams were sword shadows and illusions, all given substance by Li Xuan's "True Spirit Imbuement," and each possessed formidable lethality.

However, Ji Xinghuo was even faster!

With a thunderous roar, he crashed straight through the building obstructing his path. His Electric Battle Blade unleashed lightning, slicing through the building's multiple layers of walls as if they were tofu. The blade light penetrated the other side of the building, cutting through the dozens of sword shadows Li Xuan had just created.

Lightning Cutter!

The Electric Battle Blade shattered the countless sword shadows, exposing Li Xuan's true body. However, he remained fearless and swung his sword to meet the attack.

Those familiar with Li Xuan knew that he possessed two swords.

These two swords were custom-made for him at a hefty price, and both were of Super Ability Three-star caliber, each with its unique strengths.

One was called "Ziying," and the other, "Qingsuo." Together, they were known as the Purple and Blue Twin Swords.

Ziying was renowned for its sturdy and exceptionally sharp blade, modeled after ancient Han swords. Li Xuan used it for close-quarters combat, akin to the broadswords wielded by ancient knights. On the other hand, Qingsuo was a psychic weapon imbued with sonic and illusionary abilities, making it ideal for long-range combat.

Both swords possessed the ability to create illusions and shadow clones, allowing Li Xuan to generate countless illusory sword shadows that blurred the line between reality and deception.

This ability earned him the moniker, "Swordmaster of a Thousand Illusions."

At this moment, his Qingsuo sword had already flown away, and he now held Ziying, ready to face the incoming Ji Xinghuo.

In the blink of an eye, the two clashed head-on.

Clang!

In the moment their weapons collided, Ji Xinghuo felt a formidable force transmitted from his Electric Battle Blade, startling him.

The Electric Battle Blade weighed a massive 648 kilograms. With this strike, he had activated the "Mighty Elephant's Power" within the battle blade and entered the "Dragon Madness" state, causing his strength to surge, along with his electromagnetic field. Yet, despite all this, his Lightning Cutter move only managed to match Li Xuan's strike.

What Ji Xinghuo didn't know was that Li Xuan's heart was in turmoil.

Li Xuan had held nothing back.

He was a Heavenly King, not known for his brute strength, while Ji Xinghuo had only recently ascended to the Legendary realm, so his star power was surely inferior. And yet, their head-on collision had resulted in a stalemate.

Unconsciously, both combatants took a step back.

Simultaneously, they launched their next attacks.

Li Xuan vanished in an instant, reappearing behind Ji Xinghuo. He stomped on the air, and his Ziying sword stabbed towards Ji Xinghuo's back.

As he thrust, his sword produced over a dozen sword shadows, each identical to Ziying, as if more than a dozen swords were piercing forward simultaneously—a truly astonishing sight. And this was just part of the attack. All around them, the Qingsuo sword split into hundreds of illusionary swords, forming a sword formation that enveloped a space of over three hundred square meters, completely trapping Ji Xinghuo.

In the instant Li Xuan struck, he disappeared from view.

Boom!

Ji Xinghuo entered supersonic flight, shooting forward without turning back to avoid the myriad of sword lights.

Most of the sword beams missed their mark.

To the spectators, it seemed as if Ji Xinghuo had teleported. Without accelerating, he had appeared several hundred meters away in the blink of an eye.

Then, his figure flickered, and he returned.

Ji Xinghuo turned back and flew into the sword formation once more.

Along his path, some illusionary swords blocked his way, but he ignored them, allowing the sword lights to strike his body. His fluid shield manifested, not only failing to break the swords but also getting shattered by the electricity triggered by the fluid shield.

The Electric Battle Blade struck out once more.

Lightning Cutter!

Li Xuan was invisible, but his stealth was useless against Ji Xinghuo. With electromagnetic sensing and the Myriad Star Pupils, Li Xuan stood out like a lighthouse in the darkness.

As the Lightning Cutter was unleashed, the blade tip erupted with a bolt of lightning.

This lightning split into countless arcs of electricity, forming an electric pulse ring that instantly expanded and swept Li Xuan.

Ji Xinghuo wanted to slow down his opponent.

However, an "Ice Extreme Shield" appeared outside Li Xuan's body, deflecting the electric arcs and rendering them ineffective.

There was another clash of metal, and sparks and lightning flew.

Li Xuan had just unleashed a round of illusory sword attacks, expending a large amount of star power, and Ji Xinghuo seized this opportunity to strike back. Caught off guard, Li Xuan couldn't immediately muster his full strength.

The Electric Battle Blade deflected Ziying, slicing harshly into Li Xuan, but it was blocked by the Ice Extreme Shield.

Li Xuan flew backward like a cannonball, crashing into the building.

Boom!

The building, already pierced by Ji Xinghuo's battle blade and sliced apart by Li Xuan's sword formation, now collapsed under the impact of Li Xuan's crash.

A chilling aura spread from the Electric Battle Blade up Ji Xinghuo's arm, causing his entire body to stiffen, preventing him from immediately pursuing Li Xuan.

A figure burst out of the ruins of the building.

It was Li Xuan!

He was completely unharmed, and a red and blue sphere floated in front of his chest, maintaining the Ice Extreme Shield outside his body.

Boom!

Ji Xinghuo's "Acceleration" was triggered, and he flew backward to the edge of the crematorium. Just as he was about to escape, a huge fireball exploded directly in his face.

The fluid shield appeared, resisting the shockwave, but he was still blown away.

Before Ji Xinghuo could regain his balance, Li Xuan's attacks continued relentlessly.

Boom, boom, boom...

A series of fireballs exploded around Ji Xinghuo, and Li Xuan, with his multitasking ability, released hundreds of massive illusionary swords. Under the cover of the flames, these swords slashed at Ji Xinghuo from all directions, each carrying searing hot flames.

At the same time, a thick "Mirage Beam" burst from Li Xuan's fingertips, like a laser, continuously bombarding Ji Xinghuo's body.

The crematorium, mirage beam, Ice Extreme Shield, and additional flame damage!

These were the abilities of the "Heat Ice Ball."

The global fame of "Flame Emperor" Qi Feiyang could be partly attributed to this one-star Apocalypse equipment.

Qi Feiyang's profession was "Flame Emperor," an advanced form of Thermal Stringer and Flame Maniac. The Heat Ice Ball perfectly complemented his template. On the other hand, Li Xuan was an Invisible Swordmaster, and even though he borrowed the equipment, he couldn't unleash the full power of the Heat Ice Ball.

Despite this, Li Xuan managed to gain the upper hand and seize the initiative with the help of the Heat Ice Ball.

Explosions, flames, shocks, and cuts! Ji Xinghuo's figure was engulfed by flames and sword lights.

Billions of viewers couldn't help but break into a cold sweat. At this point, no one doubted Ji Xinghuo's strength, but he was, after all, just a Legendary cultivator. Could he withstand such a ferocious and violent assault?

Crackling!

Amid the continuous explosions, there was a peal of thunder.

A massive bolt of lightning suddenly appeared, as thick as a pillar and faster than light. It pierced through the sea of flames and sword lights, striking Li Xuan at the center of the crematorium.

The Ice Extreme Shield trembled.

Li Xuan was unharmed, but his body stiffened, and his mind was disturbed, causing his control over the crematorium and sword formation to pause for a moment.

In that fleeting moment, Ji Xinghuo seized the opportunity.

Instead of escaping the crematorium, he advanced and slashed with another Lightning Cutter, heading straight for Li Xuan.

The live broadcast showed a split screen, displaying a freeze frame of Ji Xinghuo's current state.

The audience clearly saw his situation.

"Hiss..."

Almost everyone gasped in shock.

After being bombarded by flames, beams, and sword lights for so long, Ji Xinghuo remained unscathed. The thin, transparent layer of fluid shield surrounding him was vibrating violently, and his body was covered in golden, silver, and cyan scales, with metallic luster reflecting from the gaps between the scales.

A commentator exclaimed, "Defense fit for a Heavenly King!"

"Indestructible!"

Before the commentator could finish, Ji Xinghuo's Electric Battle Blade slashed at Li Xuan's Ice Extreme Shield, unleashing countless lightning bolts.

The Heat Ice Ball required star power to drive it, and when it was fully engaged in maintaining the shield, the crematorium dissipated.

A loud blast rang out.

Li Xuan was slashed into the ruins again, creating a crater several dozen meters wide.

This time, Ji Xinghuo had anticipated the attack and used his fluid shield and Sacred Scale Armor to counter it. The chilling aura from the Ice Extreme Shield was immediately neutralized, preventing him from being frozen in place.

Li Xuan crashed into the ground but didn't stop to retaliate.

Countless sword lights slashed from all directions, but they all missed their mark.

Ji Xinghuo took a step forward, amplifying his instant step with "Acceleration" and unleashing "Lightning Cutter." He slashed at Li Xuan in the pit, catching him before he could get up, and sending him crashing back into the ground. The Ice Extreme Shield shook violently.

A several- dozen-meter-long gully ran through the crater, carved by the Lightning Cutter.

Boom!

Li Xuan's star power erupted wildly, and the light of the Purple Spirit Sword surged as he engaged in close-quarters combat with Ji Xinghuo.

He was a Swordmaster.

In his life, aside from cultivation, he was most devoted to sword techniques. The title of Swordmaster was not just a name; it was earned through countless online and offline competitions, with no hint of exaggeration.

He had initially gained fame by relying solely on his sword techniques, defeating all opponents of the same level. Later, he became renowned globally for his incredibly fast cultivation speed.

Li Xuan made up his mind that he would win this match with his sword techniques.

For this reason, he recalled the Qingsuo Sword, no longer distracted by creating illusionary swords, and focused solely on engaging Ji Xinghuo.

However, after only a few exchanges, Li Xuan's heart sank.

The two of them had comparable strength.

Clang! Clang!

In the blink of an eye, Li Xuan's longsword was deflected, and his Shunyi was predicted, allowing Ji Xinghuo to slash at his neck.

If not for the Ice Extreme Shield, Li Xuan would have been decapitated.

Unfazed, Li Xuan, relying on the defensive capabilities of the Ice Extreme Shield, used Shunyi to reappear before Ji Xinghuo and strike again with his sword.

As if he had anticipated this, Ji Xinghuo lightly blocked and parried with his Electric Battle Blade, leaving Li Xuan wide open. Then, with a powerful and heavy slash, he cut horizontally at Li Xuan's waist, sending him flying hundreds of meters away. The Ice Extreme Shield shook violently.

As he flew backward, Li Xuan felt a sense of powerlessness.

He was aware of his shortcomings. Without personally venturing into the Star Realm, he could only rely on money to purchase exotic species and treasures. Although his cultivation speed was exceptionally fast, and he had reached the Heavenly King realm, his foundation was lacking, and his entire ability system was mediocre.

However, when it came to swordsmanship, Li Xuan had always been proud and most obsessed and proficient.

But today, his swordsmanship, honed over many years, proved futile against Ji Xinghuo.

He couldn't even withstand more than three moves!

Ji Xinghuo, on the other hand, was focused and agile, turning into a lightning bolt and chasing after Li Xuan. He raised his blade and slashed wildly at him.

Li Xuan swung his sword to block.

Unsurprisingly, after blocking only two strikes, Li Xuan was sent flying again. The Ice Extreme Shield seemed like an unbreakable eggshell, keeping his body unharmed but unable to offset the immense force of the Electric Battle Blade, much like a baseball repeatedly struck by a bat.

Li Xuan flew away, creating a trail of sword light in an attempt to escape.

However, his flight speed was inferior to Ji Xinghuo's, and as he needed to accelerate, Ji Xinghuo pursued him relentlessly like an inescapable pest.

The clash of blade and sword rang out continuously.

The two fought from the ground to the sky, crashing into buildings and piercing through them, leaving lightning and sword light in their wake. They turned the path of their battle—the gardens and trees—into a mess, as if a tornado had struck.

The three-dimensional projection in the Tian Qin Stadium presented the scene from the Spirit Realm, allowing the hundreds of thousands of spectators present to experience the power and destructiveness of the two combatants firsthand.

At this moment, the global audience had surpassed five billion!

The intense and thrilling battle left the viewers stunned.

The host and the commentator spoke rapidly, their words firing like bullets, pushing the atmosphere to its peak.

The two combatants grappled for over ten minutes.

From the west of Rong City to its center, they left behind a trail of ruins stretching for five to six kilometers.

This was the city center, filled with towering skyscrapers.

Boom!

Li Xuan was slashed into a thousand-meter-high skyscraper, his body embedded in the building. He felt sore all over, and his energy and star power were disrupted. He couldn't remember how many times he had been slashed, and he was gradually losing his grip.

Before he could recover, a flash of lightning appeared before his eyes, and Ji Xinghuo was upon him once more.

Clang!

Li Xuan's sword was deflected, and the Ziying sword flew out of his hand. He himself was also slashed out of the building and fell toward the ground.

"Oh no!"

Li Xuan exclaimed inwardly.

Even the Heavenly Kings and Legendary powerhouses watching the live broadcast, those with rich combat experience and sharp eyes, could see the perilous situation Li Xuan was in.

One of the commentators shook his head and said quickly, "Li Jianxia is about to reach his limit!"

They couldn't understand, and Li Xuan, who was in the midst of it all, was even more bewildered. Such an intense battle consumed a lot of star power, and even as a Heavenly King, he was struggling to hold on. Yet, Ji Xinghuo, who had just advanced to the Legendary realm, remained so vigorous and aggressive, his combat state showing no signs of decline.

Of course, Ji Xinghuo wouldn't explain.

He focused and accelerated, becoming a lightning bolt. In an instant, he caught up with Li Xuan, who was still in midair, and struck with his Electric Battle Blade.

Lightning Cutter!

The blade flashed with lightning, and Li Xuan's Ice Extreme Shield trembled.

Ji Xinghuo's figure appeared on the other side, turning around in a flash, his speed unchanged, and struck again with Lightning Cutter.

Immediately afterward, he slashed back, his star power erupting as he continuously used Shunyi and Lightning Cutter. Each strike was like a teleport, slashing at the same spot on Li Xuan's Ice Extreme Shield, while Li Xuan seemed frozen in place, unable to resist.

To the viewers, Ji Xinghuo was too fast to capture, and they could only see the afterimage he left behind when he changed directions.

It seemed like there were multiple Ji Xinghuos, all striking from different directions at Li Xuan.

Finally, all the afterimages merged into one.

He hovered in the sky, blade in hand, standing tall.

Behind him, Li Xuan's Ice Extreme Shield shattered, and his body split into four pieces, falling to the ground.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end