Seeing a figure soar into the sky from the back of the mountain, Daoist Longshan was startled.
He instinctively glanced at the crowd, and when he saw Ning Qi quietly standing there, he let out a breath of relief.
Then, a wave of astonishment arose in his heart.
Who was this "Heavenly Sword Elder"?
He had originally thought his little disciple would change his appearance and come out, but now it seemed that wasn't the case.
Up in the sky—
Countless gazes focused on the aged figure.
Even the Northern Suppression King was no exception.
Everyone was curious about this Heavenly Sword Elder who had never shown himself. Even the Celestial Ranking speculated that he might be hiding greater strength.
Now—
Heavenly Sword Elder finally appeared.
A black Daoist robe draped over his aged, stooped body, white hair like snow, his presence seeming almost lifeless. But what struck people most were those eyes.
Emotionless, indifferent, and filled with piercing sharpness.
This matched most people's imagination of Heavenly Sword Elder, making many unable to look directly at him.
The mystery surrounding his past anonymity was not diminished upon his appearance—if anything, it deepened. It was as if no one could truly perceive his existence through those cold, unfeeling eyes.
Luofu Sword Master's eyes narrowed slightly.
From this manifested Heavenly Sword Elder, he felt a trace of pressure—an indication of his own sword intent being suppressed.
This was unbelievable.
He was ranked twenty-first on the Celestial Ranking, while Heavenly Sword Elder was merely thirty-six. How could this be?
Conflicted and unsettled, his eyes locked tightly onto the elderly figure.
The Northern Suppression King's heart quaked.
He inexplicably felt that this Heavenly Sword Elder was unreal, as if he didn't belong to this world—yet there he stood, plain as day.
The King was shocked, ever more convinced that this man was no ordinary being.
Perhaps Heavenly Sword Elder's raw combat strength wasn't superior, but his understanding of sword intent and the world itself was likely beyond him.
He glanced at the nearby Li Ling, who was cheering in joy, and a thought crossed his mind: maybe entrusting his youngest son to this man wouldn't be such a bad thing. ℞ἈＮo͍ᛒЁS̩
Only, Heavenly Sword Elder was too cold, seemingly devoid of emotion—not necessarily someone suited to teaching a disciple.
After some time observing, he actually felt that Daoist Longshan was a better teacher. Though not exceptionally powerful, he taught well—each of his disciples a future powerhouse.
The crowd murmured in awe.
Thunderblade Master even more so.
His expression darkened, and he found it difficult to meet those eyes.
He had been loudly demanding Heavenly Sword Elder appear—
But now that he had, Thunderblade Master felt regret.
In this moment—
He realized the world had greatly underestimated Heavenly Sword Elder.
That sword intent fused with the void, omnipresent, chilling him to the bone.
Some strong sword cultivators trembled with excitement, having sensed only the tip of the sword intent—like worshippers at a shrine.
Heavenly Sword Elder stood with hands behind his back, silent and aloof.
Thunderblade Master's purple robe flared. Under immense pressure, the Thunderblade behind him rang out as it left its sheath—
Like thunder crashing to earth, like a thunder dragon soaring skyward.
All eyes were drawn to it.
This peerless blade was enough to make nearly every blade cultivator's heart race.
It was not only unmatched in power but also imbued with mysterious energy that enhanced both thunder and blade paths.
This was the real reason Thunderblade Master dared to challenge.
Now—
Holding the "Thunder Dragon" in hand, his aura surged.
Hair flying wildly, thunder bloomed around him. He roared to the sky:
"Fight me!"
With this cry, he rallied his own momentum.
Everyone watched with rapt attention—
Blade cultivators wide-eyed, holding their breath.
A terrifying blade intent soared, infused with thunder—wild and violent.
Gripping the Thunderblade, Thunderblade Master suddenly felt courage rise.
He felt his strength magnified—confident even in battle against top-thirty Celestials.
The brief shadow cast by Heavenly Sword Elder's appearance was scattered by thunder.
"Fight me!"
His momentum surged again, purple light flooding the skies.
The heavens trembled. Thunder echoed above the clouds—real heavenly lightning seemed to respond.
Everyone's heart skipped a beat.
Thunderblade Master lived up to his name.
In Zhenwu City, a cold and stunning woman in white murmured:
"The Thunderblade is a perfect match for him. He's terrifyingly strong now. Baishan, your sect's Heavenly Sword Elder might need to go all out."
Beside her, Jiang Baishan looked nervous but full of faith:
"No one knows Heavenly Sword Elder's true limits."
He turned toward the white-clad woman, eyes soft, and said gently:
"Ruhua, when this is over, why not come up the mountain and meet my master?"
Hearing this, Lin Ruhua blushed slightly—
Expectant, happy, but a bit conflicted. She eventually said,
"Let's wait. Now might not be the best time."
Jiang Baishan nodded in disappointment but respected her choice.
He looked toward the sky—Thunderblade Master's intent had reached its peak.
During all this—
Heavenly Sword Elder remained still.
Letting Thunderblade Master exert himself, watching in silence.
Ning Qi's expression was calm.
This Formless Diamond Body used eighty percent of his true qi. Unless Thunderblade Master had top-twenty Celestial strength, nothing would change the outcome.
Crushing an enemy at their peak was a stronger deterrent.
Thunder rolled. Thunderblade Master shouted:
"Fight me!"
Three roars, and his momentum became monstrous.
Even the Northern Suppression King nodded in approval.
But Heavenly Sword Elder still watched with cold indifference.
In a flash—
Thunderblade Master finally moved.
Heavenly Sword Elder's disregard lit a fire of rage within him—he would make him pay.
Gripping the Thunderblade in both hands, he cleaved down.
Terrifying blade intent burst forth, thunder intertwined.
A thunder-dragon of blade energy roared toward the sky—
Wherever it passed, silence followed.
Even the mountain base quaked.
Ning Qi slowly nodded.
"He's got some skill."
"If we were separated by several thousand zhang, I wouldn't be able to suppress him so easily—my sword intent would lose strength."
He revealed the Formless Diamond Body just to warn everyone: don't trouble him lightly.
The thunder-dragon blade qi howled through the sky.
Heavenly Sword Elder's robe fluttered in the windless air.
At such close range, Ning Qi could resonate and control everything.
In an instant—
The Innate Sword Body activated—
A supreme technique born from the innate sword bone within Zhuang Chen.
Heavenly Sword Elder stood with hands behind his back.
The hidden sword intent now erupted.
Countless invisible sword energies circled him—like divine blades cutting through space.
Before everyone's stunned eyes—
The thunder-dragon was shredded like paper—
Shattering inch by inch,
As if it had crashed into a forest of invisible swords.
It broke into countless fragments, dispersing in every direction.
Gasps echoed among the experts.
It was unbelievable.
Thunderblade Master's ultimate strike—was broken just like that?
His pupils shrank violently.
He couldn't believe his eyes.
Only he knew how strong that attack had been.
It was his ultimate strike—meant to punish Heavenly Sword Elder for his arrogance.
But it had been effortlessly destroyed.
A chill crept through his bones.
He couldn't imagine how strong Heavenly Sword Elder truly was.
But the horror lasted less than a breath—
Before his body froze.
A terrifying sword intent locked onto him.
The long-silent Heavenly Sword Elder finally spoke—his first word:
"Slash."
As the word fell, he gently pointed—
A peerless sword of unmatched sharpness condensed in the air.
Its sword intent exploded unrestrained, enough to make hearts tremble.
"Pure sword intent, pure sword energy—utterly without impurity!" Granny Snake's voice was heavy.
She was now certain—the person who had wiped out the hideout before was not Heavenly Sword Elder.
But her heart remained uneasy.
Facing this sword, she feared she would stand no chance.
The Southern Alliance Saintess didn't speak.
Only her lashes quivered.
Under everyone's gaze—
The Heavenly Sword tore through the sky—
Then split into three—then nine.
Not weakening—
But growing ever stronger.
Nine heavenly swords filled the air—
A sight many would remember forever.
Daoist Longshan and several core disciples were stunned.
This scene felt familiar.
Ning Qi smiled inwardly.
This was a technique he had derived from the Zhenwu legacy—
Applied to the Heavenly Sword Technique, it allowed for transformations.
The Zhenwu legacy began with the Nine Stances—
Then three combined paths: Earthshaker, Skybreaker, and Seacrasher—along with true qi methods.
At the Celestial Realm came the Three Origin Records.
From nine into three, three into one—combined with secret arts—
This formed the legendary image of nine Celestials fighting a Martial Saint.
Now Ning Qi reversed that principle—applying it to sword technique, producing a miraculous effect.
Thunderblade Master trembled.
The nine heavenly swords locked onto him.
The sharpness suffocated him.
Were this any other setting, he would have screamed and fled.
But if he fled now—his centuries of reputation would be ruined.
The heavenly swords bore down.
He clenched his jaw and roared in defiance—
Frenziedly swinging the Thunderblade.
Thunder dragons soared—trying to devour the swords.
Under extreme pressure, he even broke through—
Going mad, endlessly slashing.
Heaven and earth resonated.
He shattered a decades-old bottleneck.
Dragons danced. Swords soared.
Everyone was stunned.
But it was useless.
The swords cut through all.
Thunder dragons were destroyed—
And one phrase echoed through everyone's minds:
Crushing dry weeds and smashing rotten wood.
Yes—absolute domination.
No resistance.
All eyes widened in shock.
The heavenly swords drowned Thunderblade Master.
Countless blade cultivators were speechless.
They had come full of hope—
Now left broken.
A few kept staring—praying for a miracle.
But that tumbling figure falling from the sky—
Shattered their last hope.
Thunderblade Master—hair disheveled, face pale, aura drained.
He leaned on the Thunderblade, barely standing—
His left arm sliced off at the root, dissolved by sword energy.
Silence fell over heaven and earth.
Everyone knew—
Thunderblade Master was defeated—utterly and completely.
Countless reverent eyes turned to the figure in the Daoist robe in the sky—
Then quickly looked away, afraid to stare too long.
Blade cultivators mourned like grieving widows.
But none blamed Thunderblade Master.
Everyone could see—
He wasn't too weak.
Heavenly Sword Elder—was simply too strong.
Frighteningly strong.
The sword cultivators were ecstatic, their faces filled with excited smiles.
Luofu Sword Master's expression darkened:"Who the h*ll ranked the Celestial List? You're telling me this is the strength of someone ranked thirty-six?!"
He felt that if Thunderblade Master were replaced with himself, he might have lost too.
That sword intent earlier had rattled him to the core.
This Heavenly Sword Elder felt like a madman who lived only for the sword—his intent so pure it was unbelievable.
He recalled his own behavior a few days ago on Zhenwu Mountain, the corner of his mouth twitching.
There was an inexplicable sense of having played the clown, and a trace of regret rose in his heart.
He wasn't the only one feeling this way—
Especially among the Celestial Realm experts.
Thunderblade Master, feeling the weakness in his body—particularly the emptiness of his left arm—was full of bitterness.
Yet he held no hatred in his heart, but rather gratitude.
He took a deep breath and said hoarsely,"Thunderblade thanks Daoist Brother for showing mercy."
That last sword—
Could've easily killed him.
But it had only severed his arm and then dispersed.
He knew—Heavenly Sword Elder had spared his life.
Ning Qi remained calm.
With all eyes on him, it wasn't appropriate to kill.
After all, Thunderblade Master represented the world's blade cultivators in a sense.
If he killed him, some might seize the chance to stir trouble.
Ning Qi feared few—but among the blade users, there was the unpredictable Blade Demon, ranked third on the Celestial List.
That one, he was cautious of.
So in the end, he held back.
Of course—
If Thunderblade Master didn't know what was good for him, Ning Qi wouldn't mind settling it another time.
As it stood, the Blade Master still had some sense.
Heavenly Sword Elder's gaze remained as cold and detached as ever.
Thunderblade Master's body trembled, bitterness deepening on his lips.
He looked reluctantly at the Thunderblade in his hand.
It was for this peerless blade that he had accepted the challenge.
But now, before he even had time to warm it in his hand—he had to hand it over.
He had come to challenge.
Now that he was defeated and spared, it would be wrong not to offer compensation.
Resolute, Thunderblade Master's voice echoed across the sky:"I came to challenge, but was outmatched. I offer this blade in gratitude for Daoist Brother's mercy!"
Everyone was stunned.
They saw the Thunderblade rise into the air—
In the blink of an eye, it hovered before Heavenly Sword Elder.
It trembled softly, the lightning on its body fading—
As though submitting.
A strange light flickered in Ning Qi's eyes.
He had watched carefully during the battle.
This Thunderblade was truly a peerless weapon.
Its material was special—
Capable of channeling lightning.
If studied thoroughly, it would surely bear fruit—just like the Qingxuan Armor before.
He didn't refuse.
If no price was paid today—wouldn't every random challenger try their luck?
With a thought, Heavenly Sword Elder's sleeve waved—
Sword intent brushed across the Thunderblade, and it fell to his side.
Seeing the treasured blade fall into another's hands, Thunderblade Master's heart grew even more conflicted.
It was like handing over his own wife.
But with Heavenly Sword Elder accepting the sword, he also breathed a sigh of relief.
Yet those emotionless eyes gave him a chill.
After a moment's thought, he added:"Heavenly Sword Daoist Brother, when I return to my manor, I'll send over my Thunderblade Secret Record as an apology."
Everyone's expressions grew complicated.
They understood—
Thunderblade Master had been shaken.
This was an effort to calm Heavenly Sword Elder's fury.
Only Thunderblade Master himself truly knew the terror of those nine swords.
Losing a challenge and offering compensation was normal.
But to give both a sword and a martial art manual—very rare.
It was a testament to how strong Heavenly Sword Elder truly was.
For the first time—Heavenly Sword Elder slowly nodded.
And it even seemed that his always indifferent expression had softened just a little.
Thunderblade Master's tense heart eased.
If he couldn't quell Heavenly Sword Elder's wrath—
And got himself killed with one more sword—who could he blame?
From beginning to end—
Heavenly Sword Elder had only spoken one word: "Slash."
After nodding, he moved.
The Thunderblade beside him burst into dazzling light—
Even more fearsome than when in Thunderblade Master's hand.
Everyone tensed.
Thunderblade Master panicked—
Wasn't surrendering the blade enough? Was Heavenly Sword Elder still not satisfied?
But then—
Everyone was stunned.
They saw Heavenly Sword Elder use the blade as a sword—
Thunderblade bursting with unmatched sword intent, plunging downward like a river of thunder.
Under all eyes—
The Thunderblade struck a massive boulder before Zhenwu's mountain gate.
Lightning danced like dragons and phoenixes, obscuring everything in purple light.
When the radiance faded—
The Thunderblade rose into the air, returning to the back mountain with Heavenly Sword Elder—
Silent once more.
All eyes turned toward where the boulder had been—
And their spirits jolted.
The dozens-of-zhang-tall rock had vanished—
In its place stood a sword monument.
Upon it, only two characters:
Zhenwu.
Each stroke simple—yet brimming with terrifying sword intent.
Someone stared too intently—
Unprepared, their mind was instantly slashed by an invisible sword—
Thrown into chaos and blankness.
If there was no malice, it only left them pale and shaken.
But those with bad intentions—
Had blood leaking from their eyes.
Every sword cultivator stood frozen.
The sword intent within the monument left them in awe.
"Zhenwu Sword Monument? What a Heavenly Sword Elder!"
The Northern Suppression King couldn't help but praise.
His eyes glowed with admiration.
He was one of the few able to fully sense the monument's sword intent—
And he had a hunch—
This Zhenwu Sword Monument would become famous across the world, a holy site for sword cultivators.
So long as one bore no ill will—
They could study swordsmanship from this monument.
Such magnanimity—
Was a massive favor to all sword cultivators.
And he wasn't afraid of his sword path being copied.
The King sighed inwardly:"Pity this Heavenly Sword Elder seems to have little lifespan left. Otherwise, with such sword intent, he might've reached the top three of the Celestial List."
He guessed—
Heavenly Sword Elder must be a sword-obsessed cultivator, perhaps a late bloomer who only achieved enlightenment in old age.
In sword intent, few could match him.
His cultivation realm was just a step behind.
Granny Snake stared at the monument and said firmly to the Southern Alliance Saintess:"Only one who lives purely for the sword could create such intent. That poisonous power? It would've polluted their path. After what I've seen today, although Heavenly Sword Elder could easily kill the fat and thin elders, it definitely wasn't him."
The Saintess nodded as well.
She looked long at the monument.
Though she was curious to observe it closely—
The crowd was too thick.
Given her identity, it would draw too much attention.
"Getting to witness this battle makes the trip worthwhile. From now on, we'll focus on the Demonic Sect."
Her sharp mind had already figured out why Heavenly Sword Elder created the monument.
Given the recent events—
She knew: this was a man who hated trouble.
Today, he was forced to act—
And when he did, he shocked the world.
Thunderblade Master was humbled.
Others with sense wouldn't dare challenge him again.
But there would always be fools—
So this sword monument stood as a warning.
Those who saw its sword intent would think twice.
Everyone understood Heavenly Sword Elder's message.
Exclamations rang in all directions.
Sword cultivators' eyes burned with desire.
They stared at the monument, itching to approach.
If they could just grasp even a sliver of its sword intent—
It would benefit them immensely.
Still—
This was Heavenly Sword Elder's creation.
Would he even allow others to study it?
Hopeful gazes turned to the Zhenwu Sect.
Ning Qi smiled to himself.
This monument wasn't a whim—
It had been long planned.
Deterring challengers was only the surface reason—
The least important, even.
More importantly—
He wanted to give Zhenwu Sect another layer of protection.
The monument was infused with his research into mysterious arts—
Its sword intent could be activated, unleashing the Heavenly Sword Technique's power multiple times.
A useful safeguard for when he wasn't around.
What's more—
He didn't plan for Zhenwu Sect to monopolize it.
Disciples would have priority, yes—
But some slots would be open to the public.
He believed that soon—
This place would become a sword cultivator's sanctuary.
Drawing in many powerful swordsmen—
Even Celestial-level ones.
Imagine—
These experts studying sword intent, indebted to Heavenly Sword Elder.
If danger ever struck the Zhenwu Sect—
Would they stand by idly?
Unlikely.
Unseen, Zhenwu's safety would be greatly bolstered.
With the world growing more chaotic, Ning Qi knew—
They needed another layer of insurance.
With a "sword cultivator moat"—
Neither the Demonic Sect nor the Southern Alliance could act rashly.
And finally—the most important reason—
Was his own ambition.
This was a test.
Erecting the monument, sharing his sword intent—
Was a step in his plan.
With his talent, he wished to absorb all paths into one.
To do so, he needed the wisdom of the masses.
Swordsmanship was but one of many.
By attracting swordsmen here—
Their sword intent would naturally interact with his.
He would teach them his intent—
And receive their insights in return.
Why didn't he fear others learning his sword intent?
Because by the time they did—
His own path would have already evolved far beyond.
Who could out-comprehend Ning Qi?
If this test succeeded—
He would commit fully to this path: absorbing all Dao, using the wisdom of the people as fuel, in pursuit of the great Dao.
His heart surged faintly.
Without revealing anything, he transmitted a message to Daoist Longshan.
Longshan had still been unsure how to handle the monument.
He too had seen those burning stares.
Now, with Ning Qi's directive—
He stood confident.
Facing the crowd—
Daoist Longshan laughed heartily and said,"Today, Heavenly Sword Elder has erected the Zhenwu Sword Monument. Thanks to everyone for coming.
"If you are interested in the monument, you are free to observe.
"Just remember—know your limits, don't harm yourselves.
"Soon, our sect will announce a set of guidelines. We ask for your patience."
A sacred place for sword comprehension—
Had to be managed properly.
Without order, it would only bring chaos.
Hearing this promise, every sword cultivator was thrilled.
Cheering broke out.
All sword cultivators bowed toward where Heavenly Sword Elder had disappeared:"We thank Heavenly Sword Elder!"
The other martial artists could only watch in envy.
The blade cultivators' eyes were all red, each looking like a rooster defeated in battle.
But if one's skills are inferior, what else could they do?
They could only watch helplessly as the sword cultivators gained yet another sacred ground for comprehending the sword.
After today's great battle, at least for the next few years, blade cultivators would no longer have the confidence to compete with sword cultivators.
Luofu Sword Master's mouth twitched.
He looked at the Zhenwu Sword Monument, feeling the urge to go forward and comprehend it to test it against his own sword path.
But he had just clashed with Zhenwu Sect—
If he were to shamelessly go over now, wouldn't that be utterly disgraceful?
About the matter of lending the sword—
If Heavenly Sword Elder had lost, the pressure would've been on him.
But who would've thought Heavenly Sword Elder would suppress Thunderblade Master so easily?
He could already imagine how the martial world would evaluate him in the future.
Luofu Sword Master flicked his sleeve and left.
Thunderblade Master gave a bitter smile.
He had arrived amid endless attention—
But now, he had become a marginal figure.
He no longer had the face to remain.
With a complicated look, he glanced once more at the back mountain of Zhenwu—
And quietly departed.
Several powerful blade cultivators, feeling disgraced, also left in silence.
As more and more figures disappeared from Zhenwu City—
This duel between blade and sword was finally over.
In that moment—
The name of Heavenly Sword Elder and the Zhenwu Sword Monument spread throughout the world.