Swallowing the Stars: Starting with the Primal Tenfold Talent

In the year 2320 of the Ziwei calendar, on the 29th day of the Dragon's Hidden Away, at night.

Located at the border of Hubei and Henan provinces, in the heart of the Huaiyang Mountains.

A sheer cliff rises thousands of feet into the sky.

On the cliffside, an ancient pine tree with its gnarled roots and twisted branches reaching towards the night sky like dragon claws.

The young man in white stood quietly under the tree, gazing at the night sky in a daze.

The faint sound of footsteps shattered the deathly silence of the mountains.

"Brother, it's already past 7 PM."

Meng Qinglan, dressed in a moon-white gauze dress, walked slowly along the path among the pine trees.

Meng Jingrong slowly turned around, his gaze falling on his younger sister's delicate features, and said, "When I was little, I never understood why the old man always stared in this direction."

Before Meng Qinglan could respond, he continued, "Only today have I finally understood."

He raised his hand and pointed into the depths of the night.

"So, that was the direction of Baidi City."

A low, cold voice shattered the deep darkness of the night.

In a daze, an old, hunched figure also stood on the edge of the cliff, gazing at the same sky.

As the night breeze swept by, the figure vanished like smoke.

"I can't remember anything from when I was little." Meng Qinglan lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows in the moonlight.

She took a small step forward, holding a silver inner armor as thin as a cicada's wing in both hands, and said softly, "This was made by Master Mu. Please put it on."

A gentle smile appeared on Meng Jingrong's lips as he reached out and ruffled his sister's hair, just like when they were children. "It's time to settle this grudge that has lasted for over thirty years."

He took the inner armor and walked straight toward the wooden house hidden among the pine trees not far away.

Watching his retreating figure, Meng Qinglan frowned slightly.

The narrow beam of moonlight slid in through the gaps between the pine needles and fell into her eyes, but beneath that light, the world was as dark as a dry well.

Upon reaching the wooden house, Meng Jingrong paused, but without turning around, he softly said, "Don't worry, even if things fail, I'm confident I can escape unscathed."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and went inside.

The wooden door creaked shut, blocking the moonlight behind it.

......

A biting wind howled, and dark, inky clouds piled up in the pitch-black sky.

A thunderclap seemed to awaken the world from its slumber.

Thousands of feet above the sky.

A giant bird with silver wings and a red crest tore through the clouds and hurtled straight toward Baidi City at a speed of three hundred feet per second.

Baidi City is a super sect that rules over the vast territory of Jingzhou.

Even in the dead of night, the lights are still as bright as day, and the place is bustling with people.

A cry of an eagle echoed throughout the city.

"Senior Baidi, I am Jingyuan, and I have come to discuss the Dao as promised."

As soon as the words were spoken, a silver figure swept across the night sky and landed steadily on the surface of Crescent Lake, which was covered with a thin layer of ice.

"Jingyuan?"

From the crowd, a young martial artist's voice trembled, "Isn't that the number one among the younger generation? Rumor has it he reached the pinnacle of martial arts thirteen years ago!"

The ultimate realm represents the pinnacle of martial arts in this era.

Throughout history, very few have been able to reach it.

The vast land of Kyushu is ruled by seven super sects, each with a master of martial arts at the pinnacle.

Zuowang Peak is hidden in Yongzhou, covering an area of ​​tens of thousands of miles, making it the largest of the seven sects in terms of territory.

The Nine Heavens Pavilion stands in Jizhou, the Cloud Gate Mountain spans Qingzhou and Yanzhou, and the Azure Dragon Sect is entrenched in Liangzhou.

Although Hanshan Temple is called a "temple", it is actually a martial arts Zen sect that also ventures into the secular world and is based in Xuzhou.

The Zhenwu Sect was stationed in Yangzhou, the most prosperous place in the Nine Provinces.

Baidi City stands majestically in Jingzhou, built against the mountains, its walls towering thousands of feet high, controlling both land and water routes in Jingzhou.

Yuzhou, located in the heart of the Nine Provinces and accessible from all directions, is not dominated by any single sect. Instead, it has become the most chaotic and also the freest region in the Nine Provinces.

News of the extreme battle spread like wildfire, instantly permeating every household in Baidi City, leaving no stone unturned.

Countless martial artists emerged from their houses one after another, following the sound of the rushing water, and swarmed toward Crescent Lake.

"Jingyuan, you have reached the pinnacle in just over thirty years. I admire you."

A hearty laugh rang out, and Bai Yuefeng descended from the sky.

His white robe was as white as snow, his white hair as white as frost, and he was elegant and otherworldly.

"You flatter me, senior."

Meng Jingrong clasped his hands together, his posture respectful yet not humble. "Senior founded Baidi City forty years ago. After destroying the Sword Sect, it rose to become one of the seven major sects. I have often heard about your deeds since I was young."

He was showered with praise from others, and the early morning moonlight was a common sight.

As a fellow extreme realm martial artist, Ke Jingyuan felt a quiet sense of joy upon gaining the recognition of someone of the same realm.

Crescent Lake, spanning several miles, resembles a silver crescent moon nestled among the mountains.

Countless martial artists crowded the shore, holding their breath and gazing at the two strongest warriors of the era in the heart of the lake.

"That's Jing Yuan!"

"That's the White Emperor!"

Exclamations of surprise rose and fell.

"Jingyuan!"

This is the most resounding name in the Kyushu Continent in the last twenty years!

The other extreme realm martial artists have been famous for a long time, and the younger generation has only heard legends about them.

Jing Yuan is the youngest martial arts master. Many young martial artists with dreams look at him with burning eyes, as if they see themselves one day also stepping onto the top of the Nine Provinces.

"Jing Yuan is indeed as handsome as the rumors say!" A burly young martial artist with a youthful face trembled with excitement.

"Everyone praises Jing Yuan, but I find him to be nothing special," a disciple from Baidi City said with a sneer.

"Throughout the three thousand years of the Nine Provinces, only the True Martial Emperor has broken through to the pinnacle."

Bai Yuefeng stared intently at Meng Jingrong, his voice booming, "We have both reached the pinnacle of our abilities, making us fellow travelers! This battle is not about victory or defeat, but about seeing the path ahead clearly!"

"Senior Bai Di, please!" Meng Jingrong's eyes blazed with fighting spirit.

In an instant, Crescent Lake fell into dead silence.

The wind stopped, the shouts ceased, and the whole world seemed to be filled only with the sound of breathing.

Snowflakes drifted silently down from the night sky, as fine as fragments of time, sprinkling onto the dark sky with a faint phosphorescence.

Bai Yuefeng flashed forward and instantly appeared in front of Meng Jingrong, his battle blade slashing down with immense force.

Meng Jingrong twisted his waist and hips, and his spear swept out horizontally. The moment the spear tip met the blade, a dull thud came from beneath the ice.

"Boom!"

The sonic boom roared like thunder.

The ice layer surrounding the two, which was nearly a hundred meters thick, shattered instantly, sending ice shards and lake water flying together. The surging waves rose dozens of feet high, crashing down in all directions with the force of the earth collapsing.

Endless splashes of water and snowflakes intertwined, like thousands of silver snakes churning in the night sky.

"Again!"

With a low shout, Meng Jingrong spun around and thrust his spear out.

With each spin and turn, it seemed as if the entire world was being stirred up by the spear tip.

Bai Yuefeng neither dodged nor evaded; with his arms slightly bent, his battle blade instantly cleaved through the water curtain, like a raging tiger tearing at Meng Jingrong.

"Boom—"

The waves crashed again, their crests reaching the sky.

Meng Jingrong retreated dozens of meters, his toes touching the broken ice, his body swaying slightly.

"Unfortunately, Jingyuan, your development of your body is still somewhat lacking!"

A hint of regret appeared on Bai Yuefeng's face as he charged forward again, his blade even heavier and fiercer.

"Martial arts skills are not just about physical strength."

Meng Jingrong narrowed his eyes slightly, and his stance with the gun suddenly changed.

He no longer insists on brute force, but instead combines strength and flexibility, making him unpredictable.

The gun moves like lightning, nimble and graceful!

The blade moved like thunder, unstoppable!

"Boom!"

The spear tip and the blade collided once more.

This time, there was no earth-shattering roar, only a dull thud.

Bai Yuefeng's expression changed slightly. He felt as if his full-force strike had struck cotton wool, and the force was instantly dissipated.

Immediately afterwards, his expression changed drastically.

Jingyuan's marksmanship was not simply defensive; in deflecting force, he absorbed all of Jingyuan's power and then used the technique of borrowing force to return it intact.

It's easier said than done!

Each strike carries the force of millions of kilograms, making it incredibly difficult to perfectly deflect the force, let alone counterattack by using the force against the opponent.

This requires an ultimate mastery of martial arts skills.

"Stop it!!!"

Bai Yuefeng roared angrily and swung his sword with all his might to block.

But Meng Jingrong's spear thrusts grew ever fiercer, the power of each strike building upon the last, each shot faster and heavier than the last.

Dozens of shots were fired in quick succession, the shadows of the guns like a tidal wave, enveloping Bai Yuefeng in a sea of ​​gunfire.

The two of them turned the entire Crescent Lake upside down.

The ice on the lake surface was completely shattered.

The lake water surged up to nearly a hundred feet high, roaring incessantly, like angry water dragons plunging in all directions with terrifying force.

"This is terrifying... Is this the Extreme Realm?"

On the shore, the martial artists who had been watching retreated to avoid the surging waves.

Some martial artists who were a little slower to dodge were drenched in the icy lake water, but they still kept their eyes glued to the duel on the lake.

"The outcome of this battle is unpredictable."

The martial artists watching were buzzing with discussion.

On the lake, the two walked on the waves, their weapons swinging faster and faster, leaving only blurry afterimages.

Ordinary martial artists couldn't see the two people's movements at all; they could only hear the constant sounds of collisions and booming, like dense drumbeats, growing more and more rapid.

"Not fast enough!"

Meng Jingrong's face was solemn, his eyes fixed on Bai Yuefeng, the spear in his hand seemed to be one with heaven and earth, each strike carrying the power to destroy the world.

"Clang—clang—clang—"

The two moved swiftly through the surging waves like startled swans skimming the water, their cold glints flashing, faster than lightning.

Every second, swords and spears clashed hundreds of times, sparks splashing onto the lake surface and instantly swallowed by the waves.

"You've lost, let go!"

Bai Yuefeng roared angrily, looking like a madman.

After tens of thousands of clashes of swords and spears, Meng Jingrong's fingers, which were gripping the gun, had long been numb from the impact. His masterful spear technique suddenly froze for a fraction of a second.

Bai Yuefeng suddenly lowered his wrist, and the heavy battle blade, carrying immense force, knocked the spear tip away. The blade then swiftly sliced ​​across the smooth shaft of the spear, its cold light gleaming.

"Now!"

Meng Jingrong's expression remained unchanged.

He suddenly released his grip on the spear, and a flash of cold light appeared at his waist.

A longsword as thin as a cicada's wing was suddenly drawn from its sheath, its sword strike as swift as a rainbow piercing the sun, slashing diagonally upwards, leaving only a cold, clear streak of light.

A hair's breadth, a life-or-death moment!

Bai Yuefeng, relying on his extreme instincts, forcibly twisted his body and stomped hard on Meng Jingrong's chest with his left foot. The sound of the armor shattering could be clearly heard.

"boom!"

With immense force piercing his chest, Meng Jingrong was thrown back hundreds of meters like a kite with a broken string, the surging waves splitting to both sides, turning into a curtain of water covering the sky.

"puff!"

He spat out a mouthful of blood, but a chilling smile crept onto Meng Jingrong's lips.

This scene stunned the martial artists watching.

"Heh heh heh!"

A chilling laugh mingled with the crashing waves echoed through the cold night, piercing everyone's ears and sending shivers down their spines.

"Do you know? I've waited thirty long years for this day!"

Meng Jingrong raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, his long sword pointing directly at Bai Yuefeng.

Bai Yuefeng held the knife in one hand, his expression extremely complex.

His right arm was gone, and blood gushed from the severed wound, staining his plain white robe crimson.