Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 173 Golden Blade Slaying a Fierce Tiger (Part 1)
Chen Ye slowly opened his eyes, feeling the surging, boundless power within his body, an unprecedented sense of strength filling his limbs and bones.

If the Condensing Sea Realm is like opening up a sea of ​​qi within the body, then the Inner Realm is like building one's own world on top of that sea of ​​qi.

A single thought can stir up the winds and clouds; every gesture can draw upon the power of heaven and earth.

This is the power of the inner vision!
"Old man, what else do you have to say now?" Chen Ye looked at Elder Jian, whose face was extremely ugly in the distance, and said with a hint of amusement.

Elder Jian never dreamed that Chen Ye would actually dare to break through in front of everyone, and that he would actually succeed!

Chen Ye, a peak-level cultivator in the Condensation Sea Realm, was already able to severely injure Jian Wuchen with a single strike and easily kill several others of the same level.

Now that he has broken through to the Inner Realm, how terrifying will his strength become?

Thinking of this, Elder Jian felt his eyelids twitching and finally understood where his ominous premonition from last night came from. But he still refused to show weakness and sneered.

"You brat! Do you think you can do whatever you want in front of my Heavenly Sword Manor just because you've broken through to the Inner Realm?!"

"Do whatever you want?" Chen Ye said as if he had heard a funny joke. "It's really ironic to hear someone from your Heavenly Sword Manor say that."

"Enough with the nonsense, try taking my knife first!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Ye made a move.

With a flash, he disappeared from the spot like a ghost, and when he reappeared, he was already in front of Elder Jian!

fast!
Extremely fast!

Elder Jian's pupils suddenly contracted, and a deadly sense of crisis made the hairs on his body stand on end.

Without a second thought, he grabbed Jian Wuchen and retreated, simultaneously mobilizing the little true energy he had left to set up layers of defense.

However, it was too late.

A flash of light appeared, and Elder Jian's defense, built with a large amount of true essence, was as fragile as paper in front of Chen Ye's blade. It shattered layer by layer without even being able to stop Chen Ye for a moment!
Moreover, the blade struck Elder Jian's vitals after breaking through his defenses.

Elder Jian was terrified and desperately tried to dodge, but although he managed to avoid the danger, his right arm was still exposed to the blade's light.

In an instant, Elder Jian felt a chill on his arm, followed by an indescribable, eerie power that surged wildly into his body through the wound, destroying everything in his body with devastating force!
Meridians, flesh, bones, and even the true essence he had painstakingly cultivated for hundreds of years crumbled before this power!
"what!!!"

Elder Jian screamed and staggered backward, his whole body trembling violently as he held Jian Wuchen in his arms, which fell to the ground.

The disciples on the viewing platform who were just about to form their formation, as well as all the onlookers around the square, gasped in shock upon seeing Elder Jian's current miserable state, feeling a chill run down their spines.

It was then discovered that Elder Jian's arm, which had been struck by the blade, also bore the same fine, spiderweb-like cracks as Jian Wuchen's!
The crack started in his palm and was spreading rapidly toward his shoulder and then his entire body at a visible speed!

A deathly aura, ashen and lifeless, seeped continuously from the cracks, extinguishing all life wherever it passed!

"This...what kind of magic is this?"

"This is terrifying! Elder Jian is a Core Formation Realm expert! Even though he's only a Pseudo-Core Formation Realm cultivator, he's still far superior to those in the Inner Realm. How could he... how could he not even withstand a single strike?"

"Elder!"

"Protect the elders and the young master!"

The remaining disciples of Tianjian Manor on the viewing platform were both shocked and furious upon seeing this. They drew their swords and formed a simple sword formation. Several sword lights intertwined as they prepared to attack Chen Ye.

Chen Ye didn't even bother to turn his head; he simply swung his sword backhand.

brush!
A chilling glint of light flashed past.

The disciples of Tianjian Manor, who had formed a sword formation, suddenly stiffened, their expressions freezing.

The next second, their bodies were neatly cut in two at the waist, their upper bodies slid down, and blood and internal organs gushed out all over the ground, the scene was extremely bloody.

Another instant kill!

Everyone was stunned by Chen Ye's ruthless and unparalleled methods.

The other elders and disciples of Tianjian Manor also dared not come over. As for the people from Qingzhou Prefecture and other sects, after exchanging glances, they tacitly chose to sit idly by.

It should be noted that in recent years, Tianjian Manor has become increasingly domineering and arrogant, but because of their strength, people can only dare to be angry but not speak out.

So now that they see him in such a bad situation, even his carefully groomed successor Jian Wuchen being severely injured and on the verge of death, these people, though they don't show it on their faces, are actually overjoyed. They even wish that Chen Ye would kill Elder Jian as well, so naturally they would not offer any help.

At the same time, Elder Jian was completely consumed by fear.

He could clearly feel his body falling apart, and that sense of collapse from the inside out was more torturous than any form of torture.

He frantically circulated his true essence, trying to suppress and dispel this strange power, but the result was the same as when he saved Jian Wuchen before. His true essence was instantly shattered and devoured as soon as it came into contact with that power, and it had no effect at all.

"No... I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" The instinct for survival made him let out a shrill cry.

You must know that he has cultivated for over a hundred years and only managed to reach the threshold of the Core Formation Realm by sheer luck with the power of elixirs. Now that he still has a long lifespan ahead of him, how can he die here!
At the same time, the cracks on Jian Wuchen's body began to worsen rapidly.

"Ahhhh——!"

The unprecedented pain and the fear of his body rapidly collapsing caused this once arrogant and proud young man to let out a heart-wrenching scream.

Large chunks of his skin began to peel off, revealing the cracked flesh beneath.

Not only that, his hair fell out in clumps, and he soon became a hideous bald head. His facial features also began to distort and shift, and his eyeballs even bulged out of their sockets, hanging on his face, which was indescribably terrifying.

"Save me... Father... Save me..."

In endless pain and despair, Jian Wuchen used his last bit of strength to let out a weak cry for help.

He doesn't want to die!

Because his life had just begun and he had a bright future ahead of him, how could he die here in such a humiliating and ugly way?

Just as Jian Wuchen's body was about to completely disintegrate and turn into a pile of rotten flesh...

A dazzling golden light descended from the sky without warning, like a giant golden dome, instantly enveloping the wailing Jian Wuchen and the crazed Elder Jian.

hum!
Bathed in golden light, a vast, majestic, and unstoppable aura descended with a thunderous roar.

Under the influence of this aura, the ever-spreading cracks on Jian Wuchen and Elder Jian's bodies temporarily stopped worsening, but this was only a temporary relief, and there was no sign of them healing.

Upon seeing this, a surprised exclamation came from mid-air, followed by a blurry yet majestic phantom slowly emerging in the air.

This was a middle-aged man dressed in a white robe with a handsome face. Although he was just a phantom, the pressure emanating from him was even stronger than that of Elder Jian, who was only at the Pseudo-Core Formation stage.

He simply hovered there silently, yet everyone felt a chill that went straight to their souls.

Core Formation Realm!
A true Core Formation Realm Grand Cultivator!
Sword Jingchuan, the master of Tianjian Manor!

Upon seeing this illusory figure, the disciples of Tianjian Manor were all moved to tears, as if they had found their pillar of support.

Meanwhile, the representatives of various forces who had been watching the spectacle and making sarcastic remarks all shut their mouths, sat up straight, and didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

At the same time, Jian Jingchuan's illusory figure looked at Chen Ye and slowly said, "You have the aura of that old demon Yuan Lan on you, so he sent you?"

Yuanlan!

When they heard this name, most of the people present looked blank, clearly unaware of who this person was.

Only a few sect leaders and family heads in the audience showed a slight change in expression.

Because they knew that Yuanlan was the true master of that vast and boundless Southern Wilderness Mountain, a Core Formation stage demon with unfathomable strength who had lived for countless years!

Although Tianjian Manor is the most powerful and domineering force in Qingzhou, it has always maintained restraint and awe towards this mysterious neighbor, never daring to easily set foot deep in the Southern Wilderness Mountains.

Could it be... that the shadow of that old demon is behind today's incident?
If that's the case, then the nature of the matter has completely changed! This is no longer a rogue cultivator's revenge against Heavenly Sword Manor, but a power struggle between two major Core Formation Realm forces!

For a moment, everyone in the know was on tenterhooks.

When Chen Ye heard Jian Jingchuan's question, he simply smiled faintly.

"Does it matter whether he sent me or not?" Chen Ye asked instead of answering, his tone slightly amused.

"The important thing is that your son is now one step away from death, and your elder is almost there too."

"you!"

Jian Jingchuan's illusory figure narrowed his eyes, and a terrifying pressure instantly swept towards Chen Ye.

However, Chen Ye, who had already entered the Inner Realm, only swayed slightly when facing this pressure and neutralized it without any effect.

Then he raised his head and stared directly at the majestic phantom, his face showing no fear, but rather a faint mockery.

“Master Sword, I advise you not to rush into anger. Although your clone is powerful, it is still just a clone with limited power! And every bit of power you waste on me brings your son and elders one step closer to death.”

Chen Ye's words were like sharp thorns, piercing Jian Jingchuan's heart.

He knew, of course, that what Chen Ye said was true.

He is currently in the critical stage of seclusion and cannot be present in person; projecting this clone is already the limit.

The clones used most of their power to maintain the golden light and keep Jian Wuchen and Elder Jian alive, leaving very little to deal with Chen Ye.

What alarmed him even more was that the strange injury caused by Chen Ye's strike was extremely troublesome even for someone with his late-stage Core Formation realm cultivation.

That power seemed to be born specifically for destruction; it was incredibly domineering, and he could only suppress it temporarily, but could not eradicate it.

To completely rescue Jian Wuchen and Elder Jian, he would have to personally go and expend a large amount of his own power.

"What exactly do you want?" Jian Jingchuan forced down his anger and asked in an icy voice.

"What do I want?" Chen Ye's smile grew even brighter. "It's very simple. I'm here only to sever the karmic ties and fulfill my heart's desires."

“In that case, it is better to resolve enmity than to perpetuate it.” Jian Jingchuan immediately followed his words and said, “Today’s incident is due to the Tianjian Manor’s failure to manage its subordinates properly and its inability to educate its children.”

"If you are willing to stop and hand over the method to heal this injury, my Heavenly Sword Manor can forgive and forget, and is willing to offer a generous gift as compensation!"

Wow!
Jian Jingchuan's words caused an uproar in the audience!

The dignified master of Tianjian Manor, the number one person in Qingzhou, actually... actually took the initiative to back down?

Although it was only a temporary measure, it was enough to show how desperate the situation Chen Ye had put him in!

A glimmer of hope also flashed in Elder Jian's and Jian Wuchen's eyes at the same time.

In their view, the manor lord had already made such a big concession, so Chen Ye had no reason not to agree.

However, what Chen Ye said next surprised everyone.

“Compensation? Fine.” Chen Ye nodded, then held up one finger. “It’s simple, I want your Heavenly Sword Manor… to be removed from Qingzhou.”

"You brat! You're asking for death!"

Jian Jingchuan's illusory figure flew into a rage and could no longer remain calm.

To remove Tianjian Manor from Qingzhou? What arrogance! What humiliation!

"Kid, it seems you won't know your place unless I teach you a lesson!"

A cold smile appeared on Jian Jingchuan's face. "Your swordsmanship is indeed strange, even I can't quite see through it, but you are too arrogant. Do you really think that I can't deal with you with just one clone?"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly waved his hand at the ground.

"Om-!"

The Tiger Sword, which had been knocked down by Chen Ye and whose light had dimmed, seemed to be summoned by something. It suddenly let out a loud sword cry, and then turned into a stream of light and fell into Jian Jingchuan's hand!
Then something incredible happened.

The Tiger Sword, which was originally dim and even somewhat damaged, seemed to awaken a sleeping beast the moment Jian Jingchuan grasped it, and suddenly burst out with a terrifying sword intent that was more than ten times stronger than when it was in Jian Wuchen's hands!
hum!hum!hum!
The sword trembled violently, and visible golden sword energy swirled and flowed around it like dragons. The sharpness that could tear everything apart made all the sword cultivators present feel their swords trembling, as if they were paying homage to their king!

"Is this... is this the true power of the Fierce Tiger Sword?"

"This is terrifying! The same sword is completely different in the hands of the Master and the Young Master!"

"Nonsense! This Fierce Tiger Sword was originally the sword that made the manor lord famous in Qingzhou when he was young. Man and sword are already in perfect harmony. Although Jian Wuchen is powerful, he is still far inferior to the old manor lord and cannot unleash the true power of the Fierce Tiger Sword!"

Among the crowd, some of the older monks exclaimed in surprise.

Elder Jian and Jian Wuchen's eyes shone with immense excitement upon witnessing this scene.

They knew that the landlord was about to get serious!
"Look closely, this is the real Tiger Sword!" Jian Jingchuan said coldly, then raised his hand and waved.

In an instant, a terrifying tiger's roar, seemingly from the ancient wilderness, exploded in everyone's minds without warning!

This tiger's roar was filled with boundless majesty and ferocity, as if a truly peerless ferocious tiger had broken free of its shackles and descended upon this world!

The tens of thousands of cultivators with lower cultivation levels in the square felt their souls shake violently under the impact of the tiger's roar, and thousands of them were immediately knocked to the ground.

Even the experts in the audience were all pale-faced and their blood was churning. They had to immediately circulate their internal energy to resist in order to barely stabilize their minds.

Such divine power was emanating from just one tiger's roar!
This is the true strength of a Core Formation Realm cultivator!

And this is just the beginning!
As the tiger's roar resounded through the sky, an extremely solid golden sword light burst forth from the tip of the Fierce Tiger Sword!

The sword light transformed in mid-air into a lifelike golden tiger, tens of feet long!

This fierce tiger was composed entirely of the purest sword energy, with every hair gleaming with a chilling sharpness, and its eyes filled with a brutal and murderous intent that scorned all living beings!
It roared to the sky, opened its blood-red maw, and pounced fiercely towards Chen Ye with a terrifying aura that could burn mountains and boil seas and crush everything!
Wherever the golden tiger passed, the space seemed to be distorted by its immense power, and the hard stone arena cracked inch by inch and turned into dust!

In an instant, everyone's attention was captivated by this earth-shattering sword strike!
In their eyes, this was no longer a sword technique, but an irresistible natural disaster!

Yun Heqing, watching from afar, turned pale with fright, muttering repeatedly, "Damn, damn, how can this old guy be so fierce? Chen Ye is probably... probably finished this time!"

Xue Shan was also very nervous. Although he had almost blind faith in Chen Ye, the power of this sword strike was beyond his imagination.

He asked himself if he were facing this sword, he probably wouldn't even have the courage to draw his sword and would be crushed by this terrifying tiger's might!
"Brother Chen Ye...you must hold on!" He clenched his fists, his palms sweating profusely.

However, just when everyone thought Chen Ye was doomed.

Chen Ye, the target of the attack, showed no sign of panic.

Even a hint of excitement flashed deep in his eyes.

Yes, excited!
Because in his omniscient vision, this seemingly invincible golden tiger was still filled with dense gray threads inside.

These threads are its inner tribulation, the trajectory of its power, and its most fundamental weakness!
One of the lines, thicker and more conspicuous than all the others, is located right between the tiger's eyebrows!
That place is the convergence point of all of Jian Jingchuan's sword intent and power, the core hub of this sword strike!

That's also... its biggest weakness!

This is the terrifying aspect of professional talent; under the gaze of calamity, all beings are equal!

It doesn't matter if you're at the Sea Condensation Realm or the Core Formation Realm!

Whether you're a genius swordsman or a grandmaster!
Once Chen Ye sees through your trap, the outcome will be the same.

Therefore, Chen Ye moved. His movement was like a dragon emerging from the sea. The Jingzhe Blade in his hand carried an indomitable spirit and a resolute determination to sever fate. He fiercely met the golden tiger that was rushing towards him!
The golden sword will slay the fierce tiger at this very moment!

(End of this chapter)