System Possession, One Sword Shocks the Gods

30: Sword Heart ClarityThe battle between Ye Chen and Situ Nan was like a giant boulder cast into a calm lake, creating ripples that refused to subside for a long time. That stunning strike, containing a trace of the ”Nirvana” Concept, was deeply etched into the hearts of all the spectators.

In the following rounds of the elimination tournament, Ye Chen’s opponents lost their nerve before the fight even began. Their strength failed them, and he easily defeated them with exquisite basic sword moves. He smoothly advanced into the top eight, becoming the biggest dark horse of this Minor Competition, his fame momentarily without equal.

The top eight were decided, and every one of them was a top-tier existence in the Outer Court. Aside from Ye Chen, the other seven were: Mo Wen, the white-robed youth carrying a sword (Kaiyuan Realm Fifth Level); Yun Ni, the young girl in the goose-yellow dress (Kaiyuan Realm Fourth Level Peak); and four other veteran powerhouses with cultivation between the Kaiyuan Realm Fourth and Fifth Levels.

The results of the draw were quickly announced.

Ye Chen looked at the wooden slip in his hand, which bore the simple, ancient character for ”Three.” And his opponent was none other than that white-robed youth who had been resting with his eyes closed, his Aura unfathomable—Mo Wen!

”Hiss—!”

As soon as the draw was out, the crowd erupted in an uproar once again!

”Ye Chen versus Mo Wen! This is practically an early final!”

”It’s said that Senior Brother Mo Wen has already touched the threshold of the Linghai Realm, and his swordsmanship is transcendent. Can Ye Chen still create a miracle?”

”It’ll be hard! Mo Wen’s strength is more than just a level above Situ Nan’s!”

Everyone understood that this would be a fierce struggle between a dragon and a tiger, and it might even determine who would ultimately claim the top spot!

Mo Wen slowly opened his eyes. They were clear as water, yet they seemed to contain an endless starry sky. He looked at Ye Chen with a calm gaze, devoid of any contempt or Battle Intent, possessing only a pure inquiry into the Dao of the sword.

”Your sword is very interesting,” Mo Wen spoke, his voice ethereal and detached from worldly affairs. ”I sense many different kinds of ’Intent’ within you, and even... a trace of power that makes my heart palpitate.”

Ye Chen’s heart chilled slightly; Mo Wen’s perception was indeed sharp. He cupped his fists and said, ”Senior Brother Mo, please guide me.”

The two stepped onto the largest central arena, instantly becoming the sole focus of the entire venue. Atop the high platform, all the Elders and deacons sat upright, their gazes converging on this spot.

”My sword is named ’Dustless’,” Mo Wen said as he slowly drew the ancient sword from his arms. The blade was simple and lacked any luster, yet it gave off a sense of having washed away all superficiality and returned to its original simplicity. ”In this battle, I will only strike once. If you withstand it, I lose.”

His tone was flat, yet it carried an unquestionable confidence.

Only one strike?

The audience below looked at each other, wondering if Mo Wen was being too arrogant. But those who knew Mo Wen knew that he always kept his word, and his ”Dustless Strike” was famous throughout the Outer Court. It was said that no one had ever been able to take it head-on!

Ye Chen’s expression was grave. He could feel that Mo Wen’s Aura was perfectly fused with the ”Dustless Sword” in his hand, as if the man was the sword and the sword was the man, reaching the extremely high Realm of ”Luminous Sword Heart.” This kind of opponent was far harder to deal with than a pure power-type like Situ Nan.

”Please.” Ye Chen took a deep breath, pointing his qingfeng sword forward. The ”Qingyuan Sword Foundation” within his body operated at full power, his spiritual power surging. The two Sword Intents of ”Flowing Wind Fleeting Shadow” and ”Immovable Rock Guarding Heart” alternated and flowed as he stood ready.

Mo Wen moved.

He didn’t burst forth with an earth-shattering Aura like Situ Nan. He simply took a plain, unremarkable step forward, and the Dustless Sword in his hand slowly thrust out.

This strike seemed extremely slow, so slow that everyone could clearly see the trajectory of the sword tip. But strangely, as this strike was thrust out, the light in the entire arena—no, the entire square—seemed to dim by a fraction. All sound vanished, and it felt as if only this sword remained in the world!

It wasn’t fast, but rather... it seemed to transcend the shackles of time!

The sword tip was aimed not at Ye Chen’s body, but at the tip of the qingfeng sword in his hand! More accurately, it was aimed at the core where the countless variations of Ye Chen’s swordsmanship intertwined—the most fundamental point!

This strike was named ”Return to Truth”! Returning to simplicity, pointing directly to the Origin!

Ye Chen’s pupils suddenly contracted! He felt that all his sword move variations and all his movement techniques for evasion lost their meaning before this strike! No matter how he responded, the tip of his qingfeng sword would ultimately be precisely struck by the opponent’s sword! This was a type of ”Aura” formed based on a profound understanding of the Dao of the sword, an absolute lock-on that could not be evaded and had to be faced head-on!

He couldn’t retreat! And there was no way to retreat!

Ye Chen felt as if he were in a state of absolute silence and nothingness. Everything around him had vanished, leaving only that slowly thrusting sword tip that carried a power capable of piercing through all Origins.

His heart pounded violently, and the sound of his blood rushing roared in his ears. Deep within his Divine Soul, that faint yet resilient ”Nirvana” Sword Intent was stirred once again. But this time, he felt that relying solely on the annihilation property of ”Nirvana” was not enough to completely neutralize this strike! What was contained in this strike was a fundamental power closer to the ”Dao,” a pure ”Sword Logic”!

What should he do?

Clash head-on? His spiritual power cultivation and Sword Intent level both seemed slightly inferior.

Use a trick? Before this ”Return to Truth” strike that pointed directly to the Origin, all techniques seemed pale and weak.

In that moment between life and death, a flash of inspiration struck Ye Chen, and it was as if thunder exploded in his mind!

He suddenly understood. Mo Wen’s sword was ”Oneness,” simplifying the complex and pointing directly at the core. And what was his own path? It was ”Fusion,” embracing a hundred rivers and encompassing all things!

Neither was superior or inferior; they were simply different Daos!

Since he couldn’t break ”One” with ”One,” he would contain ”One” with ”Ten Thousand”!

He abandoned all fixed sword moves, abandoned the intentionally driven Sword Intent, and even abandoned thought. His entire mind was immersed in his understanding of his own sword Dao, immersed in the thousands of Sword Intent fragments that were constantly colliding and fusing within the ”sword intent furnace”!

The swiftness of ”Flowing Wind,” the trickery of ”Fleeting Shadow,” the stability of ”Immovable Rock,” the firmness of ”Guarding Heart,” and even that trace of the end that was ”Nirvana”... along with those insights into basic Sword Intents like ”Sharp Metal,” ”Flowing Water,” ”Heavy Mountain,” and others that hadn’t yet fully fused... at this moment, they were no longer independent entities. Under the guidance of Ye Chen’s all-encompassing sword heart, they were like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, naturally flowing and converging!

The qingfeng sword in his hand seemed to come alive, following some profound trajectory as it moved spontaneously!

There was no brilliant Sword Light, no sharp Sword Qi.

He simply and plainly met Mo Wen’s ”Dustless” sword tip with his own.

Like a drop of water merging into the ocean, like a fallen leaf returning to the soil.

*Ding—*

A crisp sound, so faint it was almost inaudible, rang out at the point where the two sword tips met.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

There was no explosion of energy, no blasts of Qi.

The moment Mo Wen’s strike, which seemed capable of piercing through the Origin, touched the tip of the qingfeng sword, its extremely condensed ”Aura” was quietly neutralized, contained, and dissolved by the all-encompassing, ever-flowing Concept of Ye Chen’s sword tip... It was as if a punch had landed on nothingness, or like a drop of ink falling into a vast, boundless spring, instantly losing all its color.

For the first time, a look of astonishment appeared in Mo Wen’s clear eyes. He felt as if his ”Return to Truth” strike had pierced into a boundless, ever-changing world of Sword Intent, where all its power was gently and firmly accepted, dispersed, and finally returned to peace.

He slowly withdrew the Dustless Sword and looked at Ye Chen, who still maintained his striking posture but had a somewhat dazed look in his eyes. A complex smile appeared on Mo Wen’s face.

”I lost.” Mo Wen’s voice was still calm, but it carried a hint of relief and admiration. ”Your sword heart is already luminous. Congratulations.”

After saying that, he gave Ye Chen a slight nod, then turned and gracefully stepped off the arena, as if he had just completed an ordinary discussion of the Dao.

Until Mo Wen’s figure disappeared from below the arena, the entire venue remained in a dead silence.

No one understood what had happened in that instant.

There was no earth-shattering collision, no dazzling light, and they didn’t even see anyone get pushed back... How did Mo Wen just admit defeat?

Only a few Elders atop the high platform, such as Liu Qingfeng and ZhaoThousand Jun, had an astonishing light burst from their eyes. They looked at each other and saw the shock in each other’s eyes.

”Luminous Sword Heart... encompassing all things... this boy has already grasped the true essence of the Dao of the sword!” Liu Qingfeng murmured to himself, his voice full of disbelief.

ZhaoThousand Jun was so excited that his entire body trembled slightly.

Ye Chen still stood in place, maintaining his striking posture. The daze in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by an unprecedented clarity and transparency.

At that moment, under the pressure of Mo Wen’s ”Return to Truth” strike, a flash of inspiration had allowed him to finally unify his diverse Sword Intents, truly realizing his own path of the sword—to embrace a hundred rivers and fuse ten thousand intents!

At that moment, his sword heart broke free from its shackles, becoming clear and luminous!

Although his cultivation hadn’t immediately broken through, his understanding of the Dao of the sword and his control over his own power had undergone a qualitative leap!

”Luminous Sword Heart...” Ye Chen slowly withdrew the qingfeng sword. Feeling the spiritual power and Sword Intent within his body flowing harmoniously as if they had gained life, a smile from the bottom of his heart couldn’t help but curl onto his lips.

In this battle, what he had gained was far more important than a mere victory!

The referee finally came to his senses. Though he didn’t understand why, he still announced loudly, ”The winner is Ye Chen!”

The cheers erupted like a delayed tide!

Ye Chen had defeated the Outer Court legend, Mo Wen, and forcefully entered the top four!

His journey as a dark horse was still continuing! His sword was pointed at the top spot!