Daqin Zhentiansi

"Since you two pieces of trash have seen it, you might as well leave it for my new sword as a blood sacrifice!"

Before he finished speaking, Xue Mang followed the sword, unleashing his unreserved mastery of the Free and Unfettered Sect.

The scorching fire-attribute sword energy enveloped the longsword, transforming it into a ferocious fire python, carrying a violent and destructive aura, directly devouring the seemingly unsuspecting Zhang Yuan!
Facing the fierce fire python that could melt gold and iron, Zhang Yuan didn't even turn around.

There was absolutely no need for him to take action.

Cheng Yue, who was beside him, moved!

"Watch out!" Cheng Yue's eyes sharpened, and his hand instinctively pressed on the hilt of the sword wrapped in gray cloth behind him.

"Zheng——!"

An ancient sword cry seemed to come from the distant past. The long sword wrapped in cloth on Cheng Yue's back was not even fully drawn; the end of the scabbard was drawn in a mysterious arc by his fingertips.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment.

In the next instant, the magnificent and blazing fire python sword light, along with the ferocious smile on Xue Mang's face, seemed to encounter an invisible barrier and exploded into a sky full of fire with a "bang"!

Xue Mang felt as if he had been struck hard by an invisible mountain in the chest, and his protective aura shattered like paper.

The sound of ribs breaking was clearly audible, and blood gushed from his mouth.

He flew backward like a broken sack, crashing heavily onto the rocks a dozen feet away, utterly dejected, his eyes filled with horror and fear.

"You...you all!" Xue Mang struggled, all traces of ferocity gone, replaced only by endless terror.

"You wait here, my senior brother will come looking for you—"

Ignoring his serious injuries, he scrambled and crawled away from the valley, even dropping the "Azure Blade Flame-Drinking Sword" he had just acquired.

Cheng Yue did not pursue, but simply shook his head slightly.

Looking at Xue Mang's lost Qingfeng sword and the nurturing place, he said with a hint of regret, "It's a pity that this natural place for gathering spirit and hiding sharpness only nurtured a low-grade spiritual weapon and even attracted a mad dog."

Zhang Yuan strode towards the core of that hidden place.

He didn't look at the Qingfeng sword on the ground; instead, his gaze fell on an inconspicuous broken sword stuck in the black soil.

The sword was rusted and mottled, full of chips, and the broken parts were rough, as if it had undergone countless terrible impacts.

"Not necessarily," Zhang Yuan's voice rang out calmly.

Cheng Yue was taken aback: "This sword has lost all its spirituality and its material is decayed. It's not even worth scrap iron. What use is it?"

Zhang Yuan bent down, his slender fingers firmly gripping the rusty hilt of the sword.

He didn't pull it out forcefully; his fingertips slowly glided over the spine of the sword, the broken edge, and the wounds of varying depths.

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a penetrating power that seemed to understand the vicissitudes of life:

"The blade is scarred with at least three layers of meaning."

"The scar in the center of the sword's spine subtly carries the momentum of a 'heavenly river waterfall'."

"It is ethereal and long yet contains immense water pressure. It is the prototype of the Saint Realm Water Element Sword Technique 'Long River Falling Jade'. Only a half-step Saint Realm expert can penetrate such residual intent and cut this mark."

"The sword he wields must be a mid-grade treasure weapon of the cold attribute, slender as a willow leaf."

"At the fracture gap on the left, the crack is twisted and the edges show jagged, charred marks... This is not the result of ordinary flame burning."

Zhang Yuan's eyes sharpened: "This injury was caused by the extremely yin and poisonous Earth Lung Erosion Fire or Nine Nether Demon Flame. It should be caused by a vicious and strange move such as the 'Bone-Eroding Demon Flame Finger' used by a Saint-level demon cultivator. Its purpose is not to destroy the sword, but to erode the soul of the sword wielder."

"This sword was able to withstand the impact without completely shattering, and even its broken edges still contained a trace of indomitable spirit. It was no ordinary remnant. It should have originally been a heavy earth-attribute treasure for suppressing mountains."

Cheng Yue was stunned.

Just by observing the wounds on the broken sword, Zhang Yuan felt as if he had personally experienced a fierce battle at the Saint Realm level that took place in the distant past!

His keen eye and broad knowledge far exceeded his imagination!
Zhang Yuan stood up and looked at the seemingly depleted depression in the center of the Hidden Edge Land: "This place gathers Qi and hides the edge, nurturing that Azure Edge fire-attribute spiritual weapon."

"According to the Five Elements theory of mutual generation and restraint, the extreme of metal contains fire, but the earth element here is the thickest and the water stains are the deepest... The sword just now was just bait that was deliberately manifested."

"What this place truly protects is a water-attribute treasure!"

The moment he finished speaking——

"Boom!!!"

The ground shook violently!

A chilling, sinister aura suddenly erupted from that seemingly barren depression!
An ancient sword, its entire body a deep blue, its blade like solidified ice crystals, exuding a chilling and deathly aura, burst forth from the ground!

Even more terrifying, a hazy soul shadow formed by the pure and refined remnant of the Holy Realm and the overwhelming evil energy of the water suddenly appeared on the sword!
Its roar was silent, yet it carried a soul-chilling resentment and murderous intent.

Wielding that blue, malevolent sword, with a speed surpassing even the speed of the Netherworld, he unleashed a fierce sword aura powerful enough to freeze a hundred-foot abyss, aiming straight for Zhang Yuan's brow!
That aura was clearly that of a Grandmaster Level 1 expert nearing the peak!
Cheng Yue was horrified!

This hidden killing move caught him off guard and its power far exceeded his expectations!

Zhang Yuan remained completely unfazed by the deadly sword strike.

He didn't even use the knife at his waist, nor did he draw his sword.

Just as the vengeful sword was about to touch his brow, he raised his right hand.

make a fist!

The fist was plain and unadorned, without any dazzling light or terrifying pressure, yet it gave people a heavy feeling as if it had grasped a mountain of immense weight and contained endless chaos!

Simply, without any fancy moves, strike forward!
"boom--!"

The fist collided silently with the azure sword tip, which was imbued with malevolent energy.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

In the next instant, the tip of the blue-glowing, water-elemental sword shattered inch by inch!

The remnant soul of the Holy Realm wielding the sword let out a silent scream. Like a burning piece of paper, it was torn apart and annihilated from the point of contact between the fist and the body by a pure, domineering, and all-crushing force!
The remnant soul water demon, comparable to the peak of a Grandmaster, along with the blue light evil sword it possessed, collapsed with a single punch from Zhang Yuan!

All that remained were scattered, icy blue soul fragments and a lingering, chilling aura.

Zhang Yuan opened his palm, and the azure longsword, with a broken tip but still radiating pure water-based spiritual energy, landed in his hand.

He casually stroked the sword blade, which was covered with ancient fish-scale-like patterns: "Hmm, the main material is Xuan Frost Ice Soul Iron, infused with a wisp of the soul of a deep-sea Nether Serpent..."

"Although it is a flawed product, its essence is still intact. With a little refinement, it can be transformed into a high-grade water-attribute spiritual weapon."

He looked up at Cheng Yue, the sword cultivator from Zhaozhou, who was still stunned and speechless with shock. He casually tossed the azure broken sword, which was far more valuable than the Azure Blade Flame-Drinking Sword on the ground, over to him: "Water element, it complements your temperament somewhat. Take it." Cheng Yue subconsciously caught the cold blade. It felt heavy and real in his hand.

He looked down at the broken sword in his hand, which was shimmering with a faint blue light, while his mind kept replaying Zhang Yuan's incredible, unpredictable punch.

What exactly is the realm of martial arts?
Ignoring the erosion of the soul and annihilating the sharpness of the treasure, one punch can shatter all laws!
Is this... really still martial arts?!
Looking at the composed young man in black robes before him, Cheng Yue's heart was already churning with unprecedented waves.

Zhang Yuan, hailing from the mysterious Yongtian Continent and practicing the "Unbearable Path of Immortals and Demons," displayed strength and methods that left Zhao Zhou, a self-proclaimed well-informed swordsman, feeling an indescribable shock and...

A sense of awe that is hard to express.

……

As soon as Zhang Yuan and Cheng Yue stepped out of the valley, a cacophony of voices, a mixture of resentment and sycophancy, rushed towards them.

Xue Mang, the Burning Star Valley disciple who had been scared away by Cheng Yue's sword earlier, was now leading more than ten elite fellow disciples to completely block the entrance to the valley.

The leader was dressed in a robe with flame patterns and gold trim. His face was cold and his aura was deep and profound. He was clearly a powerful expert at the half-step Grandmaster level.

Clearly, this was the "senior brother" Xue Mang had mentioned.

Xue Mang pointed at Cheng Yue with a face full of grievance and resentment, especially at the azure, flowing water-veined longsword in his hand: "Senior Brother! It was them! They stole the opportunity I discovered and seriously injured me! They're bullying me too much by relying on their strength!"

The senior disciple of Burning Star Valley had eyes as sharp as lightning. He first scanned the obviously extraordinary broken sword in Cheng Yue's hand, and a trace of barely perceptible greed flashed in his eyes.

Then, he looked at Cheng Yue, who was calm and collected, and Zhang Yuan, who seemed to be detached from the matter.

He deliberately showed a hint of disdain on his face and snorted coldly: "Hmph, I wondered who was so bold, it turns out it was for an ordinary hidden treasure on the first floor."

"You stole a few low-grade spiritual artifacts, fine, but why did you have to bully my Burning Star Valley disciple and seriously injure him like this!"

He abruptly changed the subject, his body radiating intense sword energy that subtly distorted the air with heat waves, and fixed his gaze on Cheng Yue: "A single layer of sword tomb contains no remarkable treasures, and I have no interest in getting entangled with you over such a thing."

"But you have insulted my Burning Star Valley disciples without cause, this matter cannot be left unresolved! You must give an explanation!"

He raised the tip of his sword, pointing it at Cheng Yue: "Considering that you are new to this place and do not know the rules, I will give you a chance."

A faint sword intent emanated from him: "Take three strikes from me. If you survive, this feud will be over, and this sword in your hand will be a reward for your skill. What do you say?"

Cheng Yue frowned slightly and said, "Okay, I'll pick you up—"

The senior disciple of Burning Star Valley smiled and suddenly turned his gaze to Zhang Yuan beside Cheng Yue: "You two—take it together!"

Before the words were even finished, a tremendous, earth-shattering aura erupted!

"Zheng——!"

The senior brother's crimson flying sword emitted a piercing whistle.

The sword's body surged with crimson light, transforming into a roaring, ferocious fire dragon.

The fire dragon, carrying the terrifying pressure of a half-step Grandmaster and the incinerating sword energy capable of melting gold and turning it to stone, rushed straight at Cheng Yue and Zhang Yuan without warning!
The speed, ferocity, and ruthlessness of the sword strike far exceeded Xue Mang's previous strikes by ten times!
The surrounding area seemed to be ignited, and the dazzling red light illuminated a large area of ​​the Rusty Sword Wasteland!
"Senior Brother is mighty! Fiery Dragon Burning Heaven Sword Technique!"

Xue Mang's face contorted with excitement as he screamed.

"How dare you provoke our Burning Star Valley? You're courting death!"

"Our senior brother, Yang Tao, the 'Burning Flame Sword,' is one of the top three hundred elites on the Yangtian Continent's rising star list, a half-step Grandmaster swordsman! These two are doomed!"

"Don't worry, Junior Brother Xue, your senior brother will definitely get justice for you and make them pay with their lives!"

The disciples of Burning Star Valley were filled with fervor.

The crowd's faces were filled with the joy of revenge and the worship of their senior brother's overwhelming power, as if they could already see the two opposite them turning to ashes under the World-Burning Flame Dragon.

Some even looked at Xue Mang with comforting eyes: "With Senior Brother Yang's help, Junior Brother, you will immediately get your revenge for the injustice you suffered!"

In their eyes, no one could withstand this sword strike.

Amidst the expectant gazes of everyone—Cheng Yue made his move!
There was no more hesitation in his eyes, only a rock-solid stillness.

Faced with the earth-shattering blazing dragon sword light, the ancient sword wrapped in gray cloth on his back suddenly drew a foot out of its sheath!
There was no dazzling light, no earth-shattering momentum.

Only one condensed, seemingly timeless, indomitable sword intent suddenly erupted!

"My humble sword, return to its sheath!"

A gray, heavy sword aura instantly formed, not attacking the Flame Dragon, but steadily blocking the onrushing fire dragon.

"boom--!"

Crimson flames and gray energy collided violently!
The anticipated scene of the gray energy dissipating and Cheng Yue spitting blood and flying backwards did not occur!
The heavy, dark sword energy was intensely burned and continuously melted by the crimson flames.

Yet it withstood the immense impact, like a stubborn reef holding back a raging inferno!
A hint of surprise flashed in Yang Tao's eyes. He hadn't expected Cheng Yue's sword energy to be so solid and heavy that it could temporarily block his Burning Heaven Sword Intent.

He snorted coldly, increased the force of his wrist, and was about to pour out all his true energy to crush the stubborn rock blocking his way.

However, things changed at that very moment!

The moment Yang Tao intensified his efforts, his prized crimson flying sword suddenly let out a fragile, mournful cry!
"Crack!!"

The superior-grade spiritual sword, which shimmered with crimson light and had been tempered and nurtured by the true essence of the user for many years, suddenly cracked inch by inch at its tip without any warning!
Immediately afterwards, as if torn apart and crushed by an invisible force, the entire spirit sword shattered at an astonishing speed, starting from the point of contact with the gray sword energy and moving towards the blade!
It was as if a giant hammer had struck glass, or as if rotten wood had met cracked silk!
"puff--!"

The moment the spirit sword shattered, Yang Tao, whose mind was connected to it, was struck as if by an invisible, overwhelming hammer!

The condensed sword energy and surging true essence suddenly backfired, causing him to spit out blood, his face to turn ashen white, the flames around him to dissipate, and his protective aura to completely collapse!

Yang Tao felt as if his bones had been removed, and he staggered back more than ten steps.

Each step left deep cracks in the hard black stone ground.

Finally, in an extremely disheveled state, he knelt down on one knee with a "thud," panting heavily, his eyes filled with unprecedented shock and bewilderment!

As for Cheng Yue, the moment the opponent's sword shattered and rebounded, he withdrew the thick, mountain-like gray sword aura.

He slowly pushed the ancient sword back into its sheath, his face slightly pale.

Clearly, taking a full-force attack from a half-step Grandmaster was not without its costs, but his aura remained calm and stable.

The whole place was dead silent!

The disciples of Burning Star Valley, who had just been making a ruckus and seemed to have victory in their grasp, suddenly froze, their eyes shifting from excitement to extreme fear and disbelief.

Xue Mang was completely petrified, his mouth agape as if he could fit an egg in it, and his whole body trembled violently. (End of Chapter)