Supreme Sword Exalt

A searing pain wracked Tuo Jun. His red armor was marred with a deep mark. A deep gash ran across his face, bleeding ceaselessly. Anyone could see that he was at a disadvantage. The Great Dao’s will’s judgment was correct.

The War Prince praised loudly, “Good! What an overbearing sword strike!”

Yun Fan swallowed. “Brother Yulin, can you block this strike?”

Fatty stood with his hands behind his back. “Easy!”

Gu Han frowned slightly. His strike had only injured Tuo Jun’s skin. It was no different from a tickle. Truly, the title of barbarians’ number one heavenly pride was not undeserved.

Gu Han’s form flickered, and he floated lightly before Tuo Jun once again. “Again!”

As before, the sword came down in an instant, but Tuo Jun blocked it again.

“Kill.”

Following that, a dazzling light erupted from the sword, and a magnificent sword light fell.

Tuo Jun retreated again, but before he could stabilize himself, the sword came again. Gu Han repeated the exact same move five times. A crisp sound rang out as his golden bangles shattered.

The three War God Hall elders wore grim expressions at Tuo Jun’s obvious signs of defeat.

At this moment, the scar on Tuo Jun’s face had deepened into half a cun. His bloody face, combined with his fierce expression, made him look somewhat terrifying and grotesque.

His qi seemed to condense into substance. “I am the barbarians’ number one heavenly pride! Even if the Great Dao itself has set this rule, I still won’t accept it!”

His red armor disintegrated piece by piece, transforming into a pair of red gauntlets that landed on his hands. The sword came again, and he blocked the blade while throwing a fierce punch. A red-gold surge of qi, seemingly capable of melting through tempered metal, landed on Gu Han.

Both of them retreated immediately. Even with the treasure robe and the Indestructible Sword Physique, Gu Han still felt somewhat unwell.

As for Tuo Jun, before Gu Han retreated, the sword light had left another gash on him. 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

“Supreme Stage?” In the midst of battle, he noticed something about Gu Han. A hint of madness flashed in his eyes as he attacked again. “I wonder just how many Supreme Stages you have!”

Gu Han’s form flickered and met him again. “More than you!”

For a time, the sound of metal clashing rang out loudly as surging qi rose and fell, interspersed with streaks of peerlessly sharp sword light.

In the space of a spark flying from a flint, Tuo Jun seized a momentary opening. “Go to hell!”

He crossed his fists, and the violent qi crashed down like a giant wave, slamming fiercely toward Gu Han. He was confident that with this single blow, Gu Han would either die or be wounded.

Of course, Gu Han would not hold back either. “Kill!”

A rumbling thunder-like sound faintly came from him. His spirit power surged to its peak, transforming into many strands of sword qi, compressing them within a chi of himself.

Soon, he resembled a living sword, his own weapon acting as the tip. Another loud crash resounded. Once again, Tuo Jun flew dozens of zhang, a chest wound so deep it revealed bone.

As for Gu Han, a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth as well.

Tuo Jun showed joy rather than alarm. “It’s not so easy to kill me!”

There’s a chance! Definitely a chance! He realized that although Gu Han was stronger than him, it was only by a limited margin. If he used that forbidden technique, he would definitely be able to win and survive his human tribulation.

Human tribulation? Certain death? It’s all just a bluff! Today, I will show you all what it means to survive a human tribulation! Thinking this, he lost the desire for a prolonged fight. Steeling his resolve, he took a step forward. His qi surged to a higher level, though his form seemed to become slightly leaner.

One elder’s pupils contracted. “Tuo Jun, are you...?”

They knew about that forbidden technique. Although its power was immense to the extreme, using it would most likely result in ending up half-crippled.

Tuo Jun only stared at Gu Han, taking another step. “Seven Steps Blood Reversal! Sending you to the afterlife!”

His qi surged again, turning him even leaner. With each step he took, his qi grew stronger and stronger, nearly reaching a sky-soaring momentum. Even the ground seemed to tremble.

With the final step, his qi had surged to its limit, exceeding that of an ordinary Transcendent realm cultivator. Under the illumination of his qi, his vambrace and gauntlets had almost turned transparent. The man himself had also shrunk.

His bloodshot eyes blazed with fighting spirit and confidence. “I’ll cut you down!”

The border army shuddered. This is bad... He’s powerful!

Tuo Jun exuded such an overwhelming power, almost impossible to resist. Yun Fan, Xue Yu, Murong Yan, Shen Xuan, all had a hint of worry crept into their eyes.

The War Prince narrowed his eyes. Even though he didn’t speak, his fists clenched silently.

In an instant, Tuo Jun made his move. “Die!”

His qi surged, searing heat billowed, creating a series of sonic booms. Wherever he passed, the ground was carved out into a deep trench. His speed could nearly match Gu Han’s earlier.

Gu Han stood opposite him. Only, his sword qi continued to compress relentlessly. After surviving the heavenly tribulation, compressing sword qi to one chi was already his limit. Any more, and he would fail to withstand it again. Still, facing the Seven Steps Blood Reversal divine art, Gu Han had to give it his all.

Just as Tuo Jun had guessed, although he could overwhelm his opponent, relying on ordinary means to cut him down was nearly impossible. As the barbarians’ first war god, Tuo Jun indeed had the right to be proud.

Under the sword qi compression, crack after crack appeared on Gu Han, fine as hair. Blood flowed ceaselessly, once again turning him into a blood-soaked figure.

Upon seeing Tuo Jun’s qi reach one chi outside him, Gu Han moved as well. “Kill!”

A magnificent sword light, faintly tinged with blood, blazed forth. Gu Han transformed into a red sword, crossing paths with Tuo Jun in a flash.

The Saint realm experts on both sides had not intervened because their attacks were too fast. Moreover, their methods far exceeded those of ordinary cultivators. In that fleeting moment, even they found it difficult to determine the victor.

At this moment, both had stopped in their tracks, standing dozens of zhang apart, motionless. Tuo Jun’s qi still churned incessantly as searing heat flowed down, subtly melting the ground.

Meanwhile, Gu Han stood with an unclear expression. His numerous wounds burst open. It was a bloodbath.

Suddenly, Gu Han spat out a mouthful of blood first.

The border army’s hearts sank. It’s over! Did we lose...?

Xue Yu trembled all over, her face pale, seemingly unsteady on her feet. “Young Master...”

Yun Fan wailed in tears, “Brother Gu!”

Fatty smacked the back of his head. “Are you wailing for the dead? This bastard is fine. It’s that barbarian who’s in trouble!”

Yun Fan rubbed his eyes, and he noticed the three barbarian Saint realm experts looking extremely grim, restless and eager to act. If not for Yun Zhan’s presence, they likely would have attacked on the spot.

At that moment, Tuo Jun said slowly, “Is it this difficult to survive this human tribulation...?”

Fatty raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Surviving a human tribulation, huh. I have experience with that.”

Gu Han spat out a few more mouthfuls of blood, slowly sheathing his sword. “Cough, cough... So, you were surviving your human tribulation?”

Tuo Jun muttered to himself, “Why... Why is it so difficult...?”

Gu Han slowly turned around. “Actually, you’re mistaken. I should not be your human tribulation, but your death tribulation.”

As his voice fell, Tuo Jun’s gauntlets shattered cun by cun, falling to the ground as a pile of fragments. Then, his qi rapidly extinguished, revealing his body covered in scars.

Gu Han shook his head. “Don’t force yourself. Wouldn’t it be better to go see the scenery at the Great Flame border?”

As his voice faded, Tuo Jun disintegrated, leaving only a head with eyes wide open.

***

At the barbarian’s forbidden zone, the green-robed man sighed softly before that pond. “It seems I can no longer let you live.”

As his voice faded, he took a step forward and vanished from sight.

The lifeless green dragon swung its tail, splashing water everywhere, churning incessantly.