Martial Cultivator

The Sword Sect's Sect Master was the strongest sword cultivator in the world, representing the pinnacle of Sword Dao. While most people might not see the subtleties in his second sword strike, everyone can feel the endless killing intent contained within that dazzling white line.

Whether heaven and earth would be torn apart or not was uncertain, but standing before that line, they likely had no choice but to embrace death.

The sword light, resembling a great tide heading toward the Demon Emperor, arrived in midair in an instant, confronting the Demon Emperor directly.

The Sword Sect's Sect Master had been in closed-seclusion for many years, diligently cultivating the Sword Dao. Over these years, there had been no shortage of exceptionally talented sword immortals in the world, but regardless of who it was, no one had truly surpassed the Sword Sect's Sect Master in Sword Dao. He had always been in a position of dominance, and no one in the world would doubt this.

Hence, when this brilliant sword strike was unleashed, even the Demon Emperor's expression grew serious.

In front of him, demonic qi surged, instantly layering countless barriers of demonic qi in front of him. Since it was a strike from the Sword Sect's Sect Master, he had no intention of dodging it.

As a result, the brilliant sword light crashed into the stacked layers of demonic qi.

It should have been a single sword strike that cleaved through whatever lay ahead, but for some reason, the sword qi came to a halt in midair at that moment, unable to advance an inch.

The Sword Sect's Sect Master furrowed his brows slightly. After years of closed-seclusion, his comprehension of Sword Dao was already unmatched in the world, with no one able to rival him. Yet even standing at the pinnacle of Sword Dao, he was still not satisfied. Being at the peak of Sword Dao did not mean he was at the pinnacle of the world. This was why he had chosen to come out of seclusion at this moment, to venture into the demon realm and see how far he was from truly reaching the highest point in the world.

The Sword Sect's Sect Master did not feel discouraged even after this sword strike failed. He simply held the ordinary flying sword and said softly, “After many years of closed-seclusion, I've comprehended twenty-four sword techniques. I'd like to ask Your Majesty for some guidance on them.”

The Demon Emperor laughed heartily, “You've already unleashed two sword strikes, and now you still have twenty more?”

The Sword Sect's Sect Master replied calmly, “Yes.”

“We don't have that much time to watch you unleash your techniques. Why not show Us a few of your strongest ones?” The Demon Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, brimming with confidence.

The aura of a great ruler was fully displayed at this moment.

The Sword Sect's Sect Master remained silent and simply raised his hand to unleash a single strike. Suddenly, the sky lit up brightly, and at the same time, he released the flying sword from his hand, sending it racing toward the distant Demon Emperor. A long river of sword qi appeared in the world, with countless streams of sword qi galloping within it, like wild horses.

Sword qi surged, splattering countless sword qi like an artist throwing ink, completely aiming to kill the Demon Emperor.

This battle bore some resemblance to the earlier clash between the blind sword immortal Gan Yong and the Great Liang Emperor in Xuanling Commandery, but the Sword Dao cultivation of the Sword Sect's Sect Master was far superior to Gan Yong's, while the Demon Emperor was also much stronger than the Great Liang Emperor of that time.

They could not be mentioned in the same breath.

Between heaven and earth, sword qi crisscrossed everywhere. Those sharp streams of sword qi that were invisible to the naked eye formed a massive web that continually advanced forward. Whether or not this strike from the Sword Sect's Sect Master was the most fearsome of his twenty four sword techniques was uncertain, but it was clearly far more powerful than the previous two.

For anyone else, this would have been a fatal strike in the blink of an eye.

But the opponent was the Demon Emperor after all.

The Demon Emperor extended both hands, reaching into the invisible sword qi and forcefully pulling out a long strand of sword qi, which he instantly crushed. He repeated the process, crushing several more strands of sword qi. In that moment, the massive web of sword qi woven around him shattered abruptly.

The Sword Sect's Sect Master's expression remained unchanged as he followed up with two consecutive strikes. Each one carried an overwhelming force, which were truly the sword techniques of a great sword immortal.

They crashed like waves upon the shore.

The wind and snow on the ground stirred without wind, swept up by the force of the two strikes and sent crashing toward the Demon Emperor.

It was like a massive avalanche.

Engulfing the Demon Emperor’s figure.

The Sword Sect's Sect Master’s figure flashed forward, surrounded by a surge of sword qi, tearing through the countless layers of demonic qi in front of him.

As he approached the snowstorm, he summoned and grasped the flying sword, finally arriving within a ten foot of the Demon Emperor. Unleashing a sword strike, the sword qi exploded at the tip of the sword like scattered sparks, shattering the barriers in front of the Demon Emperor. The Sword Sect's Sect Master's sword tip looked like it was about to pierce the Demon Emperor's chest.

The Demon Emperor merely looked at him indifferently, extending a palm to face the flying sword. Then, with a flick of his finger on the sword's body, ripples instantly spread across its surface. The Sword Sect's Sect Master's expression darkened as he nearly lost his grip on the sword.

Though both were at the end of Nepenthe, seemingly at the same level, the gap between them was still rather significant.

“You wield the sword well, indeed worthy of the title of the world's number one sword cultivator. But you're still a bit lacking.”

The Demon Emperor smiled. Facing this great sword immortal of the human race, he struck out with a single palm. In an instant, the terrifying demonic qi transformed into a ferocious beast that roared forward. The Sword Sect's Sect Master held his sword horizontally before his chest, but instead of retreating as the Demon Emperor expected, he slashed toward him with another strike.

The gleaming sword edge erupted with sword qi, slicing right through the heavens.

The demonic qi in front of the Demon Emperor dissipated, revealing his figure. His emperor robe was brushed by the sword, and though the damage was barely noticeable, it was there - a thread had been severed.

“We underestimated you a little."

With a wave of his sleeve, the Demon Emperor shattered the remaining sword qi, but the Sword Sect's Sect Master had already unleashed yet another strike, like a horned antelope hanging from a branch; leaving no trace.

Countless streams of sword qi moved like agile snakes, weaving through the air and crashing toward the Demon Emperor's chest.

The Demon Emperor frowned and swiftly moved backwards.

The Sword Sect's Sect Master narrowed his eyes, and the sword qi around him surged again as he continued to strike, executing one brilliant sword technique after another.

Most sword cultivators begin by mastering the techniques of their predecessors, only after gaining enlightenment on their own path, would they create their own unique sword techniques. Yet after so many years, most so-called new sword techniques were mostly just old techniques in new forms, lacking true originality. Even for a great sword immortal like the Sword Sect's Sect Master, after years of seclusion, he had only created twenty-four new sword techniques.

They were completely his own.

The earlier strikes he delivered were not even the most lethal among them.

He had merely been building momentum.

To kill the Demon Emperor, or rather, to defeat the Demon Emperor, a simple one or two sword techniques would never be enough.

The Sword Sect's Sect Master had never entertained that thought, he had his own ideas.

At this moment, the Sword Sect's Sect Master, whose sword qi had already reached its peak, ascended to an even higher level.

He had a sword strike, and at this moment, it was gathering its full force.

He had never named his twenty-four sword techniques, but at this moment, a fitting name came to mind.

The Sword Sect's Sect Master smiled and spoke, "Your Majesty, do you know the name of this sword?"

Without waiting for the Demon Emperor to respond, the Sword Sect's Sect Master answered softly himself, "I call it 'Heaven Splitter.'"