“……” Xue didn't speak, only looked towards the projection of the Mountain and River Realm.
Luo Ji shrank back, unwilling to get too close to the dangerous Holy Maiden of the Holy Fire Church. She also watched the projection, silently praying in her heart that Jiang Wen would win.
When Jiang Wen returned to the Martial Arts Stage, only he and Ming Ji remained on the vast mountain peak. That girl from the Mingwang Clan now held her sword, silently meeting his gaze.
“This time, I won't hold back,” Ming Ji said coldly. “I will do my best.”
“Then let me see you do your best,” Jiang Wen said with a smile. “I am very curious to see how far you can go, or what realm you can reach.”
“You will see,” Ming Ji said, then closed her eyes and remained silent.
She and Jiang Wen faced each other, with only the mountain wind whistling in their ears.
When the golden light descended, the scrolls in their hands shattered at that moment. The entire Mountain and River Realm became the arena for their decisive battle, with nowhere else to go.
Jiang Wen put away the Five Elements Treasure Pearl and took out the wooden whip. He pointed at Ming Ji and said, “Come, fight.”
In the next moment, the colors of heaven and earth changed. A black and white aura extended from the void, covering the entire Peak of Martial Arts. Ming Ji, standing opposite Jiang Wen, had already placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, slowly drawing the precious sword.
“Mingwang, open your eyes.” As the voice fell, yin and yang separated. Jiang Wen only felt a sword light approaching, seemingly far and near.
This sword light was truly profound and unmatched, and even Jiang Wen dared not be careless. Holding the wooden whip, he focused his mind. The wooden whip shone brightly, transforming into mountains to suppress the space between yin and yang.
The sword light swept across, and the yin and yang realms merged into one. The black and white colors integrated, instantly returning to Ming Ji's sword.
She wielded the precious sword, seemingly moving and yet not. Her figure was like light, piercing through myriad miles.
This sword was fast! So fast that Jiang Wen could hardly see it clearly, so fast that even light could hardly catch up. It was as if a thin slit had been cut open in the space between heaven and earth, with only nothingness swirling within.
Jiang Wen held the wooden whip and touched a thin wound on his neck. He looked at Ming Ji and couldn't help but praise, “For the Mingwang Clan to have a genius like you is truly a blessing from your ancestors' graves. This sword is good, but it's a pity.”
Jiang Wen was quite shocked by Ming Ji's sword. He had never seen anyone use a sword to such an extent; she was not using a sword, but using the Dao. That sword no longer existed in the world, it was the sword technique of an immortal.
It was just a pity that Ming Ji's sword was not yet seasoned enough and did not pose much of a threat to Jiang Wen. Even an immortal's sword had to be wielded by an immortal. Although Ming Ji had a sword heart, her cultivation was lacking. To Jiang Wen, it was a wound, but harmless.
However, it was this strike that was able to wound him, even with the wooden whip protecting him. Jiang Wen's praise for Ming Ji rose another level.
“Perhaps in another fifty years, you will be able to defeat me. But, not now,” Jiang Wen said, his face focused. He waved the wooden whip in his hand, whipping it towards Ming Ji.
This whip, although slow,
gave Ming Ji a sense of the sky collapsing and the earth sinking. She wielded her precious sword to block it, trying to pierce through the mountains with her sharp sword intent. But how could these mountains be broken by a single sword? The heavy mountains fell, endless and boundless. Even if the sword intent was divine and its sharpness was fully revealed, it was difficult to withstand the successive mountains.
Sweat began to flow down her cheeks, and her mana was being consumed frantically. Every time she took a hit, she felt half of the mana in her body dissipate. Ming Ji initially thought it was a normal occurrence, but when she found it difficult to even use her sword energy, she realized how terrifying the man in front of her was.
Her move that gathered all her sword intent just now was her last chance. She had failed to kill her opponent, so now there was no chance at all.
Everything was already too late.
The outcome had already been decided the moment she made her first move.
Jiang Wen waved the wooden whip to suppress Ming Ji, and with each strike, he could feel the wooden whip削去 Ming Ji's mana within her body. This surprised him, discovering that the wooden whip had many abilities that he did not know about. But it was no wonder, since the opponents he faced when using this wooden whip were not ordinary cultivators.
Seeing that Ming Ji had reached the end of her road, Jiang Wen no longer suppressed her. He simply put away the wooden whip and quietly looked at this stubborn girl.
“You are already powerless, admit defeat.”
“The second realm of using the sword is sword intent in the heart.”
“Only with a sword and intent can one step into the path of using the sword. Those who reach this level must know where their sword path lies.”
The wooden whip was now incomparably powerful, even more so than before. Ming Ji was still at ease, but it was a bit more strenuous than before.
“The third realm is a heavy sword without an edge, great skill without artifice!”
“In this realm, the sword moves at will. Sword intent is divine. Your sword intent is in this realm, you are a natural sword learner.”
Jiang Wen held the wooden whip, attaching the sword intent he had comprehended in the Pure Yang Cave. That sword intent was like a torrential river, although not as sharp as Ming Ji's sword intent just now, it was also invincible.
“The fourth realm is a wooden sword without equal.”
“Although there is no precious sword in hand, everything can be a sword. In this realm, everything in the world is sword intent. How can one sword not break ten thousand laws?”
Stopping the wooden whip, Jiang Wen stood in front of Ming Ji. He slowly stretched out his hand and gently touched her head.
“This is the method I practice, you should practice it well. In the future, this Great Cang will definitely have a place for you.”
After saying that, Jiang Wen retracted the wooden whip. He looked at Ming Ji, waiting for her to wake up.
Absorbing what she had gained, Ming Ji seemed to be lost in thought. When she opened her eyes, she looked at Jiang Wen with gratitude.
“Although I don't know why Senior has imparted his skills to me, Ming Ji is extremely grateful.”
“Haha, I can be considered to have a connection with your Mingwang Clan, so consider it a gift from me to the Mingwang Clan,” Jiang Wen said with a smile.
“However, Senior only spoke of the four realms of using the sword, I wonder what comes after?” Ming Ji asked again.
“The fifth realm is the realm of no self and no sword. When you reach this realm, everything between heaven and earth is sword intent. I have not seen anyone who can reach this level, I hope you can set foot in it in your lifetime,” Jiang Wen said with a smile. “As for the last realm, I don't know either. Perhaps in the future, when you see the scenery of this realm, you can tell me about it.”
After he said that, a talisman flew up from his hand.
“Now, it's time to end this battle.”
“White Qi Chaos fills my form, following Yu's steps to ascend to Yangming. Heaven revolves and earth turns, treading the seven stars, stepping on the Dipper and flying to the Nine Ages. Evil and rebellious are subdued, demons and monsters are overthrown, myriad disasters do not affect my longevity. I gain longevity and leave blessings in the court, reversing Qian and overturning Kun, ghosts are destroyed. Myriad gods help me to slay demons and spirits.”
After the incantation, heaven and earth dimmed. Heaven and earth were chaotic, the five Qi intertwined, infinitely changing, thunder and lightning rumbled, a great shock and thunderbolt. A faint wind howled, and the mountains shook.
In the next moment, heaven and earth were destroyed.
When the Mountain and River Realm was clear and turbid again, only Jiang Wen remained standing in it, looking down on the heroes.
At this moment, the championship had been won!
