https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-369-Sword-Inquiry-of-Heaven-and-Earth/13026659/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-371-Battling-the-Sky-Demon-Ancestor-/13026661/
Chapter 370: The Eternal Sword Breaks, the Absolute Blade Falls!
Chapter 370: The Eternal Sword Breaks, the Absolute Blade Falls!
"Ca...caught it!"
"He blocked the Eternal Sword!"
Luan Qiumei, Liu Tong, and many other Grandmasters watched in shock.
Jiang Changsheng's Eternal Sword, questioning Heaven and Earth, had broken through his mental barriers. This sword was almost at the pinnacle, breaking into the realm of the world-shaking. Even Absolute Blade Tuoba Xi and the others would have to admit that they paled in comparison to this sword.
As a Heaven and Earth Grandmaster, Chen Mu's ability to receive such a sword was not surprising in itself. But what was unexpected was how easily Chen Mu caught it, with such casual ease, without even summoning the power of Heaven and Earth. He merely used his Martial Body to withstand the sword!
Between those two fingers, the Eternal Sword buzzed and trembled, yet it couldn't break through even a hair's breadth.
"How is this possible..."
Jiang Changsheng was also slightly stunned.
His sword, breaking free from its shackles, could only be blocked by someone at the Blood Replacement Realm. Even those World-Shaking Grandmasters would not be able to receive it as casually as Chen Mu. They would have to treat it as a formidable enemy and rely on their domains.
Chen Mu didn't summon the power of his insight. He purely used the strength of his Heaven and Earth Body to receive Jiang Changsheng's sword, showing that Chen Mu's Heaven and Earth Body was incredibly powerful, almost beyond belief, and far surpassed that of a top-tier Grandmaster.
But how old was Chen Mu?
Even with exceptional talent, breaking through to the Bone Marrow Purification Realm at the age of thirty-three, how could he possibly have cultivated his Heaven and Earth Body to such a perfect degree in such a short time? This defied all logic!
Cultivating the Martial Body was a gradual process. Even with the aid of countless Heaven and Earth treasures, one still had to consider the pace of the body's metamorphosis and adaptability. It was impossible to achieve perfection in just one or two years.
"How did you do it?"
Even with Jiang Changsheng's mental fortitude and the breakthrough in his state of mind, he couldn't help but feel perplexed.
"Step by step, drop by drop, a river is formed."
Chen Mu stood with his fingers pointing at the sword, speaking calmly, and then pushed forward.
Bang! Jiang Changsheng felt an immense force pressing down, and his sword couldn't withstand it. He was sent flying backward, taking over ten steps before finally stopping. For a moment, his entire body trembled, and his right hand shook violently.
Chen Mu stared at Jiang Changsheng, and his eyes revealed a thoughtful expression.
Jiang Changsheng, once a peer of Qin Mengjun, had always been suppressed by her. But in the twenty years since, the two Grandmasters who had emerged were Jiang Changsheng and Qin Mengjun. Now, Qin Mengjun had entered the Blood Replacement Realm, and Jiang Changsheng had also taken half a step forward. His previous sword had already surpassed the limits of a top-tier Grandmaster, reaching the world-shaking level.
In fact, at this moment, if Jiang Changsheng didn't use his Heaven and Earth Domain and relied solely on the power of his Heaven and Earth Body, he wouldn't have reached the height of the Blood Replacement Realm. He was still at the World-Shaking Grandmaster level. This was why Jiang Changsheng's sword had made Chen Mu slightly surprised, earning a higher evaluation. Taking that half-step forward meant he wasn't entirely without merit.
However, there were still differences among the world-shaking experts.
Although Jiang Changsheng had unified his mind, body, and sword, surpassing the limits of a top-tier Grandmaster, if he wanted to truly establish himself among the world-shaking experts, he still needed some time to consolidate his strength.
In other words, Jiang Changsheng had exerted his full strength to reach this realm. The power he unleashed with his Heaven and Earth Body in an instant was already at the world-shaking level. The gap between them was not something that could be easily bridged.
For Jiang Changsheng to cultivate his sword techniques to this level, he must have endured countless hardships and rigorous training, transforming himself step by step. Chen Mu had also undergone a similar process, gradually cultivating and then utilizing the auxiliary effects of the system panel to transform his accumulated efforts into a qualitative change. After more than ten years of cultivation, he finally reached this realm.
Jiang Changsheng, clad in a three-foot-long blue robe, stood with his chest rising and falling slightly, staring at Chen Mu not far away. At this moment, his gaze was extremely solemn. Now, he naturally wouldn't have any thought of treating Chen Mu as a junior.
Chen Mu was a Heaven and Earth Grandmaster, a true world-shaking existence. Even though Jiang Changsheng had unleashed a sword forged with blood and sweat, he could still sense its profound and mighty power. Chen Mu hadn't used the Heaven-Earth Seal at all; he had purely relied on his physical strength and Primordial Energy to receive Jiang Changsheng's sword and push him back!
But at the next moment, the light in Jiang Changsheng's eyes didn't dim in the slightest; instead, it became even brighter and more dazzling. He raised his three-foot-long green sword into the air, and in an instant, the surrounding hundred-zhang radius of the void was filled with an invisible sword intent. Jiang Changsheng, who had broken free from his shackles and surpassed the limits, had unified his mind, body, and sword. The range of his Sword Dao Domain had far exceeded that of an ordinary top-tier Grandmaster, and the Heaven and Earth power he could command had also reached the world-shaking level.
"I have three swords."
"One sword asks the heart, one sword asks the path, and one sword asks Heaven and Earth!"
Jiang Changsheng, in his blue robe, stood tall with a proud expression. His vast and mighty sword intent surged and spread, and the endless Heaven and Earth power followed his sword intent, constantly gathering and condensing into three ancient swords in the void, merging with his three-foot-long green sword.
Chen Mu was incredibly powerful, and whether he was a new or established master, he was a true Heaven-Earth Grandmaster. He was a world-shaking figure, and in the future, he would undoubtedly be an invincible existence among Grandmasters. But at this very moment, his sword could reach the realms of Heaven-Earth!
Whoosh!
Jiang Changsheng unsheathed his sword and slashed.
As he swung his ancient sword, three intertwining beams of dazzling sword aura emerged. When he unleashed this strike, he summoned not only the power of Heaven-Earth but also infused his entire Sword Dao will into the attack.
From a distance, Luan Qiumei and the others could see the first beam of sword aura, and for a brief moment, they all felt a sense of bewilderment, as if their hearts were being questioned. It was as if their hearts were asking, "What is this heart of mine?"
As their willpower gathered and shook off the interference, their gaze turned to the second beam of sword aura, and they were questioned again, "What is the path I walk?"
Finally, the third beam of sword aura left them feeling lost. "What is Heaven-Earth to me?"
"Jiang Changsheng..."
Not only Luan Qiumei and the others, but even top-tier Grandmasters like Hai Qian Yuan and Liu Tong, who were hundreds of zhang away, felt the impact of that sword aura. The unity of body, mind, and sword was not just empty words. Before the sword even reached them, their hearts were already shaken.
If Luan Qiumei, Xia Yuye, and the others were to face such a strike directly, they would have almost no defense against it. The mere questioning of their sword hearts would cause them to lose focus. Even someone with slightly weaker willpower might not be able to regain their composure after being struck by such a sword.
Even Liu Tong and Hai Qian Yuan, if faced with such a sword, could only retreat and would be unable to withstand it directly.
But this dazzling strike, with its three questions, as it descended upon Chen Mu, only caused a fleeting moment of surprise in his eyes, followed by a soft sigh.
With his unwavering will and mindset, it was impossible for Jiang Changsheng's questioning sword heart to shake him or cause him to waver, especially with the first two questions, which he had asked himself countless times. Only the third question, 'What is Heaven-Earth to me?', stirred a slight thought in Chen Mu's mind.
Heaven-Earth.
This world.
What did it truly mean to him?
Although he had been in this world for over a decade, it had only been a decade. He had never forgotten his more distant memories; they had just become blurred with age, like a dream.
Were his past experiences merely a dream? Was he born and raised in this world of Heaven-Earth, among these mountains, rivers, and soil? Or had he always been a mere passerby in this world?
This question had no clear answer for Chen Mu at this moment.
He stood there, his thoughts drifting silently, and when he stopped pondering and regained his focus, Jiang Changsheng's sword, with its three beams of aura, had converged into one, and the sword in his hand was now close by.
Enough.
Chen Mu sighed softly.
He slowly raised his right hand, and with a simple gesture, he formed a seal, gathering the vast and boundless Primordial Essence True Force within his fingers. The eight directions converged, forming a flawless and brilliant seal of light.
Crack!
This seal of light collided with Jiang Changsheng's Eternal Sword, emitting a shattering sound.
The sword aura, momentarily solidified on the ancient sword, began to tremble violently, and the surging sword intent rose and burst forth, attempting to shatter all restraints and tear through Heaven-Earth.
But in the end, the sword aura couldn't withstand the power of that seal.
Accompanied by the sound of metal breaking, the sword aura disintegrated and vanished, and Jiang Changsheng's Eternal Sword shattered into pieces in his hand. His eyes revealed a hint of bewilderment, and the sword intent he had gathered seemed to dissipate with the breaking of his sword.
Bang! Jiang Changsheng's figure was flung sideways, spraying a mist of blood into the sky. He drew a long arc in the air, finally crashing heavily into a distant pit of barren soil. His sword lay in fragments, only the hilt still clutched tightly in his hand, with cracks extending from the hilt across his entire palm, dripping with blood.
The scene fell silent.
All the Grandmasters stood speechless.
Only Chen Mu stood tall and alone in the center, slowly lowering his right hand. Looking at Jiang Changsheng, lying dozens of zhang away, his eyes still held a trace of regret. It wasn't easy to forge such a sword path. Chen Mu had felt a glimpse of the 'Celestial Sword' from Jiang Changsheng. If this path could be taken to its peak, it could indeed question Heaven-Earth.
This was once Qin Mengjun's old rival, whom he had intended to leave for Qin Mengjun to hone his martial arts in the future. But he never expected that the 'Questioning Heaven-Earth' would also question him, stirring his own ambitions, leaving it thoroughly destroyed.
But this was what Jiang Changsheng sought.
Chen Mu, with the Heaven-Earth Seal, acknowledged and respected the Eternal Sword Art to some extent.
"Who else is coming?"
In the 16th year of the 9th month, on the 1st day, there was a mistake-free version!
Chen Mu's gaze gradually returned to normal, and he looked towards Empty, Hai Qian Yuan, and Tuoba Xi, among others.
Dead silence.
The master of Horizon Pavilion, Hai Qian Yuan, stood frozen, gazing at Jiang Changsheng, who lay in a pit of desolate earth, a pitiful sight. He then looked at Chen Mu, standing tall in the center of the field with a calm demeanor, and fell silent for a moment.
Empty clasped his palms together, glancing at Jiang Changsheng not far away. He recalled how Jiang Changsheng had taken his spiritual fruit not long ago, and how he had boldly unleashed seven swords with great vigor. Now, with his sword broken and his body defeated, a sigh rose from the depths of his heart, and he muttered a Buddhist mantra under his breath.
"May the Buddha's compassion be upon him."
He silently retreated and turned to leave.
Chen Mu.
The Heaven-Earth Grandmaster was born.
The tenth Heaven-Earth Grandmaster of this era, another unbeatable existence among grandmasters, would stand tall in this life, as decreed by heaven.
Hai Qian Yuan remained silent, and Empty retreated. Chen Mu then looked towards Tuoba Xi, who was not far away, clad in a black robe and holding the Absolute Blade. There was no emotion in his gaze as he quietly observed Tuoba Xi.
"..."
Tuoba Xi gripped the Absolute Blade and glanced at Jiang Changsheng.
Then, he looked at Chen Mu, as if about to unsheathe his blade, but he hesitated briefly.
It was after this brief hesitation that he seemed to realize something, as if he had some sort of epiphany. He laughed at himself in a self-deprecating manner, and then he burst into laughter, eventually laughing out loud.
He hesitated.
Facing a true Heaven-Earth Grandmaster, an opponent who had broken free of his shackles and was still undefeated, he hesitated. The Absolute Blade in his hand did not immediately slash towards Chen Mu after Jiang Changsheng's defeat, seeking to challenge the Heaven-Earth Grandmaster.
It seemed like a mere moment of hesitation, something anyone would experience when facing a formidable opponent. But in reality, at his current level, this hesitation, even if it was just for an instant, a fleeting thought, made all the difference between heaven and earth.
There was a hint of hesitation.
He would never be able to swing his blade without restraint like Jiang Changsheng, breaking through his own mental barriers.
So, he laughed.
Because, at that very moment, he suddenly realized that he wasn't inferior to his senior brother, Gongsheng Yu, and his Sky Sword. Instead, he was inferior to himself, as he had always been unable to unleash that one strike.
If it had been a hundred years ago, and he had swung that blade, perhaps it wouldn't have been just Gongsheng Yu, the Sword Saint standing tall in the Frost North, but two Sword Saints dominating the world. But now, everything was hazy and distant, a thing of the past.
"Senior Brother..."
He understood, and he let go, and he came to a realization.
In silence.
Tuoba Xi slowly lowered the Absolute Blade in his hand, leaning on it as he stood. His laughter gradually ceased, and his face quickly aged, his aura rapidly dissipating until he completely turned into a withered corpse, quietly falling to the ground, leaving only the Absolute Blade standing like a tombstone before the pile of bones.
Tuoba Xi, the Absolute Blade wielder,
Passed away at the end of his life!
"May all be well, may all be well."
Empty, who had been walking away, stopped and turned to look at the place where Tuoba Xi's remains lay. A sigh flashed in his eyes, and indeed, Tuoba Xi, who had not undergone the Blood Exchange, had reached the end of his lifespan. Finally understanding that it was easier to defeat others than oneself, his hundred-year-old obsession and inner demons dissipated, leaving only a hint of self-mockery. Thus, he passed away and turned to dust in the Earth Abyss.
Chen Mu gazed at Tuoba Xi's remains, momentarily silent. He had anticipated that Tuoba Xi would swing his blade at him like Jiang Changsheng, and he had also expected Tuoba Xi to retreat like the others. But now, Tuoba Xi had chosen to end his life.
After a brief silence, Chen Mu slowly shifted his gaze to the other Frost North Grandmasters nearby.
The previous question, 'Who else is coming?', seemed to still echo in the air, and wherever his gaze landed, all those who met his eyes, regardless of their sect or faction, silently lowered their heads in submission.
"This is... the Heaven-Earth Grandmaster."
Xia Yuye watched as Chen Mu stood tall in the center of the field, and all the Frost North Grandmasters bowed their heads. A ripple of emotion appeared in her eyes as she recalled the ancient records describing how the Heaven-Earth Grandmaster stood alone, with all grandmasters bowing in submission. And now, it was unfolding before her very eyes.
But.
Just as the field fell silent and all the grandmasters remained silent and bowed their heads.
Suddenly, a discordant and eerie voice resounded.
"I'm here!"
Buzz!
A gray shadow tore through the air, moving at an unbelievable speed towards Chen Mu's back, and in an instant, a boundless demonic aura surged, filling the Earth Abyss within a few hundred zhang around them, causing all the grandmasters to tremble in shock and awe.
This terrifying demonic aura seemed limitless, far beyond what a Seventh or Eighth Stage Demon King could achieve. The gray shadow appeared half-human and half-demon, and one could instantly recognize that it was not a demonic creature but a demon-human from the Heavenly Demon Sect. Its identity was almost self-evident.
The Heavenly Demon Sect's Ancestor.
Yuwen Hao!
(End of Chapter)
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