Urban Martial Saint

The strike failed, and the Immortal Lord’s gaze grew colder. He looked at Fu Qingping with a cool gaze and said, ”Truly, it’s a fine sword, and your power is strong. But unfortunately, the difference between the acme and beyond the acme lies not in the strength of power but in the understanding of it. Fu Qingping, the gap between us cannot be filled with sheer strength. Come, use your most powerful move, or else you won’t have another chance to draw your sword later!”

Fu Qingping clenched his teeth. In their previous exchange, he had already realized the gap in strength between him and the Immortal Lord. Although his combat ability had improved greatly, he knew all too well that if the Immortal Lord attacked with full force, he might not even withstand ten moves under his hand!

The gap between the acme and beyond the acme was truly vast. If he couldn’t surpass the acme, he would never be able to defeat the Immortal Lord!

”Fine, as you wish!” Fu Qingping slowly raised the Qingping Sword in his hand, turned to look at the people around him, and said solemnly, ”All unrelated people, step back!”

The members of the Church had already stepped back, and the two ninjas, seeing the situation, also retreated quietly, not daring to stay here at all. The leaked power from the clash between these two masters was enough to shatter them to pieces. Who would dare come close?

”Master Ancestor...” Ye Qing was anxious, wanting to stop Fu Qingping from fighting the Immortal Lord, but he was directly stopped by Fu Qingping.

”This battle, I must fight!” Fu Qingping said solemnly, ”If I retreat without fighting, my willpower will be corroded, and I will never be able to break free from the shackles of the acme in this lifetime!”

”Hahaha...” The Immortal Lord laughed heartily, pointing at Fu Qingping and said, ”Fu Qingping, it seems you have truly found a path beyond the acme. Indeed, if you don’t fight this battle, your heart will be defeated first, and you will never break the shackles of the acme. To break the acme with the Martial Path, you must have a resolute heart and grow braver with each battle. Battle is your only path!”

Ye Qing hadn’t expected such a situation. It seemed that Fu Qingping and the Immortal Lord’s battle was inevitable. But considering Fu Qingping’s current state, if he really fought the Immortal Lord, wouldn’t he be directly killed?

”You two, step back!” Fu Qingping waved at Ye Qing and said, ”If I unfortunately fall in battle, you two must tell Shijia for me that I can’t fight for him!”

”Master Ancestor...” Ye Qing felt extremely upset, looking at Fu Qingping and said, ”It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have brought you here!”

”It’s not your fault.” Fu Qingping shook his head, looking at the Immortal Lord, said, ”Even if you didn’t bring me here, he would have come looking for me regardless. Because he would never allow me the chance to become a beyond peerless master!”

”Hahaha...” The Immortal Lord laughed again, nodding slowly, ”Fu Qingping, you are quite clever for a junior. Indeed, you are destined not to become a beyond peerless master. Even if we don’t battle here tonight, I will kill you before you become one. Because your sword moves are too fierce, and if you become a beyond peerless master, your attack power would indeed surpass other beyond peerless masters. I cannot allow such a threat to develop!”

”So you will only reach this level in your lifetime, unable to advance an inch further!” Fu Qingping calmly looked at the Immortal Lord and said, ”With your mindset, even if you obtain the things from the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates, they will be of no use to you at all!”

These words made the Immortal Lord’s expression darken, and he gritted his teeth, saying coldly, ”Hmph, you haven’t even broken free from the shackles of the acme. What right do you have to talk such nonsense with me? Let me tell you, once I get the things from the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates, I will advance another level. By that time, no one in the world will be my match!”

Fu Qingping slowly shook his head and said, ”Your heart is already clouded. The state beyond the acme requires a heart, not a change in power. In your lifetime, you will never advance an inch further, and whether you obtain the things from the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates or not, the result will be the same!”

The Immortal Lord’s expression changed again, looking at Fu Qingping in shock. What Fu Qingping said was something that Taoist Wuji had told him before. But the difference between Fu Qingping and Taoist Wuji was not small; how could Fu Qingping comprehend these truths? Pondering for a moment, the Immortal Lord felt a bit panicked. If Fu Qingping could understand these truths, then given time, breaking the shackles of the acme might not be difficult for him. If he were to break through the shackles of the acme, what then?

”Stop wasting words, make your move!” The Immortal Lord gritted his teeth and shouted, pointing towards Fu Qingping, ”Show me your strongest sword move!”

Fu Qingping did not speak. He gently stroked the Qingping Sword in his hand. After a while, he slowly raised his head to look at the Immortal Lord, and the light in his eyes suddenly became sharp.

”Sword Slash the World!” Fu Qingping uttered a soft call, without a visible movement, the Qingping Sword in his hand soared into the air, transforming into countless points of light, crushing towards the Immortal Lord.

”Still this move, don’t you find it boring?” The Immortal Lord sneered coldly, spreading both hands, a mass of black aura appeared around him, enveloping him within. This Qi Shield was precisely his Protective True Qi, blocking all those countless points of light outside, not harming him in the slightest. Last time, when he battled Fu Qingping outside the Door of Escaping Death, he used this move to resist Fu Qingping’s Sword Slash the World. However, at that time Fu Qingping’s strength was weak, far inferior to now, and his own power hadn’t recovered, the situation for both was not very good.

This time battling again, Fu Qingping’s strength increased several times compared to then, and the Immortal Lord’s strength had also recovered considerably. Although the result was similar to before, the powerful force between them was much more formidable than back then.

The crowd watching all around were stunned, they knew very well that any of those countless points of light landing on them would be enough to take their lives. Yet, the Immortal Lord could talk and laugh freely under the attack of these points of light, showing that the Immortal Lord’s strength was beyond the crowd’s imagination!

Fu Qingping did not speak, silently maneuvering the sky-filled Sword Aura to slash at the Immortal Lord. Just as the Sword Aura was at its peak, he suddenly turned around, dashed swiftly to the side of Ye Qing and Wen’er, grabbed Ye Qing with one hand and Wen’er with the other, and tossed them effortlessly into the Tomb of Ghost Valley Master. Then, with a wave of his hands, the stone doors of the Tomb of Ghost Valley Master were pushed together, closing again!

Seeing Fu Qingping sending Ye Qing and Wen’er into the Tomb of Ghost Valley Master, the Immortal Lord frowned. He shouted, and the black aura around him erupted violently, scattering the countless points of light away. He also rushed out, charging directly at Fu Qingping.

Fu Qingping seemed to have anticipated this situation a long time ago. He extended his right hand into the air, and the thousand points of light merged instantly into the Qingping Sword, which flew straight into Fu Qingping’s hand. He wielded the Qingping Sword, shook it lightly, and struck out with it.

Fu Qingping was a step behind the Immortal Lord when he attacked, the Immortal Lord was about to reach him when Fu Qingping finally acted. However, strangely, just as the Immortal Lord’s hands were about to grasp him, Fu Qingping’s sword suddenly struck with incredible speed, tracing a path that seemed to contain the truths of heaven and earth, heading directly towards the Immortal Lord’s arms!

The Immortal Lord hesitated for a moment, not expecting Fu Qingping’s sword to be so fast, even faster than his own move. But he paid no attention to Fu Qingping’s sword, and gritted his teeth, aiming to grasp Fu Qingping with both hands, clearly intending to rely on his immense strength, using Protective True Qi to block Fu Qingping’s sword. This way, Fu Qingping’s sword couldn’t hurt him, but if Fu Qingping were caught, he would be doomed!

The Immortal Lord made a cunning plan, Fu Qingping seemed unaware of his intentions, still slashing down with the longsword without any intention to dodge. Just when the Immortal Lord’s hands were less than half an inch from Fu Qingping, the Immortal Lord suddenly recoiled as if touched by fire, retreating instantly, failing to touch Fu Qingping at all.

The surrounding crowd was bewildered, not knowing what had occurred. Clearly, the Immortal Lord had the chance to kill Fu Qingping, why did he suddenly hold back?

The crowd wasn’t aware, but the Immortal Lord knew well in his heart. Earlier, he indeed had the opportunity to kill Fu Qingping, and he intended to do so. However, at that critical moment, the longsword in Fu Qingping’s hand also approached near his arm. He activated his Protective True Qi, aiming to fend off the longsword, but inexplicably, the sword’s edge pierced through the Protective True Qi, and the sharp sensation reached his skin, making it evident that this sword could indeed break through his defense and cut off his arms!

The Immortal Lord sought to kill Fu Qingping, but he hadn’t intended to sacrifice his arms to do so. If he grabbed at that moment, Fu Qingping would surely die, but his arms would definitely be severed by Fu Qingping’s longsword. He was unwilling to exchange his arms for Fu Qingping’s life!

Therefore, at the most critical juncture, the Immortal Lord had to withdraw his hands, missing the chance to kill Fu Qingping. After retreating, he dared not recklessly strike again but stared intently at Fu Qingping, in a stern voice saying, ”Fu Qingping, what move is this? Why is the power so peculiar?”

”This move comes from Wu Tianchi’s Three Sword Marks!” Fu Qingping raised the Qingping Sword slowly, pointing far at the Immortal Lord, ”Although my realm is inferior to yours, Wu Tianchi’s martial arts philosophy contains no realm disparity. I am at the Acme level, yet I can break your defenses!”