My Master Knows It All

Before Cao Zhen could turn around, the sword light suddenly surged, Sword Qi condensing like a giant crashing wave roaring toward him.

Cao Zhen swiftly swung his longsword; at once, the sword in his hand traced out a circle, and all the streaks of sword light flying toward him dissipated beneath that circle.

Gradually, He also discovered that this Xu Ying’s swordsmanship, though its Mana was one and a half times his own, and its body was also one and a half times his own.

But the opponent’s swordsmanship was still stuck at the Immortal Bridge Period; although this Swordsmanship was already extremely strong at the Immortal Bridge Period, it was far, far inferior to him.

In such a situation, if it was purely a contest of swordsmanship, it would not be difficult for Him to defeat the opponent.

Only, what’s the point.

If he defeated the opponent and directly broke through the ninth level, it would probably cause a huge stir.

It was better to stay a bit low-key.

He watched the Sharp Sword descending from above and chose not to dodge it, instead facing the falling blade head-on.

Yet in the next instant, that Sharp Sword did not pierce through his body, but stopped in front of his chest.

Cao Zhen’s face showed a hint of astonishment—this Xu Ying could actually stop?

The person he’d seen before had been heavily wounded.

Though he was puzzled, He still opened his mouth and said, ”I’ve lost. Let me leave.”

The Xu Ying opposite him simply stared at him, its expression growing more and more unsightly: ”You have not lost. You did it on purpose. I can feel that you’ve been defending all along—you have not gone all out.”

Cao Zhen was dumbfounded. Wasn’t this Sky-reaching Gate established by the second Sect Hierarch of the Indistinct Sect? That Sect Hierarch had long since passed away; even if He could leave behind a Formation, leave behind Divine Thought to continue testing other Disciples, it shouldn’t be to this extent—this was outright artificial intelligence.

No, that’s not right!

Cao Zhen suddenly thought of a crucial point: what if what He was facing wasn’t that Sect Hierarch’s Divine Thought at all, but an Artifact Spirit or a Formation Spirit?

A treasure that had existed for so long was bound to have a Spirit!

As He was reeling in surprise, the other’s voice sounded again: ”From the moment you entered to challenge the first level of the Tongtian Gate, I have been watching you.

I can sense that your Swordsmanship is extremely strong, far surpassing the Cultivation Realm you currently appear to be in.

Yet you have never fully revealed your Swordsmanship.

You don’t want to keep going.

And the reason you want to give up is nothing more than not wanting to cause a sensation, wanting to stay low-key.

You may even have your own secrets.

I won’t concern myself with what other secrets you have; I only need to know that you are a Disciple of the Indistinct Sect—that is enough.

But I need you to challenge the levels with your whole heart, to bring out all your power, all your strength.

Of course, you can also choose not to go all out—but then there is only one outcome: I will kill you.”

As the last word fell, this Xu Ying suddenly released a chilling murderous intent.

Feeling this killing intent, Cao Zhen’s expression instantly turned grave. He had gone through who knew how many life-and-death battles, and he could tell that this killing intent wasn’t just to scare him.

The other truly meant to kill him.

And if he wanted to avoid being killed, there was only one way—annihilate the opponent!

The Xu Ying’s longsword descended again; in an instant, the opponent thrust out hundreds of blades, transforming into countless Sword Shadows, stabbing toward him like raindrops.

Cao Zhen’s expression was more solemn than ever before as the longsword in his hand swept out at high speed.

In the next moment, their Sharp Swords intertwined, Sword Shadows dancing and Sword Qi surging. This entire world was filled to the brim with Sword Qi.

Their swords grew faster and fiercer, their figures growing blurred, leaving only flickering streaks of sword light and faint sword hums.

Suddenly, the Xu Ying’s figure shuddered, sword light erupted, and a strand of Sword Qi spewed from his hand, like a Heavenly Poles star falling, like a Divine Dragon roaring up from the depths of the sea.

The longsword was wreathed in layers of sword radiance; from afar, it was like a silver meteor streaking across the sky.

Watching that descending strike, a vicious gleam flashed in Cao Zhen’s eyes, and his longsword drew a circle in midair.

He was drawing a circle again, but this time the circle He traced looked more perfectly round than any circle He had ever drawn before.

The Xu Ying’s descending sword fell into this circle, as if stepping into another world entirely; countless Sword Shadows vanished in an instant, and Cao Zhen’s sword suddenly turned, stabbing straight toward the opponent’s chest.

”Sss…”

A soft sound rang out.

Before Cao Zhen could even feel regret, the Xu Ying dispersed in an instant, and at the same time, a bridge appeared beneath his feet.

”So now, even if I don’t want to keep going, I still have to continue.”

Cao Zhen let out a helpless sigh and stepped forward.

Outside the Great Formation, the gathered Cultivators all stared in astonishment at the candles by the bridge, each of them wondering if their eyes were playing tricks on them.

”This is… the tenth candle has been lit too!”

”Which means he’s already cleared the ninth level!”

”This is the ninth level of the Immortal Bridge Period—has anyone ever cleared the ninth level of the Immortal Bridge Period?”

”No. I can’t speak for the distant past, but at least in the last ten thousand years, no one has ever cleared the ninth level of the Immortal Bridge Period!”

While everyone was still reeling, the Cultivator in charge of the Tongtian Gate suddenly spoke: ”No one. I can tell you responsibly that since the Tongtian Gate was built, no Disciple has ever cleared the ninth level of the Immortal Bridge Period. He has just made history!”

As he spoke, his face was also filled with shock.

”What!”

”It really has never happened before!”