Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 436: Chapter 432: Divine Sword Technique Versus Celestial Sword Technique

SCHRRIP.

Both their sword strikes were incredibly sharp, tearing through the sky. The fierce Sword Qi struck the ground of Kunwu Mountain Peak, ringing out with a series of metallic CLANGS.

The many members of the younger generation fell silent.

The might of this single strike alone was enough to cement their positions as the two great prodigies of their generation. Their Sword Qi was so immense that even someone like Jian Jiuge wouldn’t dare claim they could receive such a blow.

And this was just a casual strike from each of them!

BOOM.

A deafening sound, like the tolling of a great bell, erupted across Kunwu Mountain Peak. The two Sword Auras collided, and a fierce wave of energy instantly swept outward.

”Again.”

After that first exchange, neither had gained the upper hand.

Ling Tianxu’s gaze was piercing, as if it could bore through the void itself. A torrent of sword might surged from his blade. As he slashed downward, a hundred-zhang-long Sword Aura materialized, seeming to crack open the sky as it cleaved down upon his foe.

Ning Jiang remained perfectly calm. He moved with his blade, becoming a streak of sword light, a perfect union of man and sword as he charged the hundred-zhang-long Sword Aura.

A shocking scene unfolded: the hundred-zhang-long stream of Sword Qi shattered inch by inch under Ning Jiang’s blade.

”A Sword Cultivator versus a Sword Cultivator! This battle is profoundly significant.”

”The Celestial Sword Sect has always been recognized as the strongest Sword Sect in the Six Eastern Provinces. Their Sword Techniques are unmatched across the provinces, truly unrivaled. I don’t like Ning Jiang’s chances, pitting his Sword Technique against Ling Tianxu’s.”

The crowd watched the battle nervously.

The two charged at each other, engaging in a direct contest of Sword Technique within a space merely a zhang wide. They exchanged blows, strike for strike. Both perfectly embodied the hallmarks of a Sword Cultivator: fierce, fast, with every thrust aimed for a vital point.

”Compared to them, my three-hundred-plus years of arduous training in Sword Technique are laughably childish.”

An older Sword Cultivator gave a bitter laugh, feeling ashamed of his own inadequacy.

”In this world, there will always be a few monstrously talented individuals. There’s no point in comparing yourself to them.”

Someone shook their head.

”Ling Tianxu has a Sword King Body, so it’s only natural for his Sword Technique to be outstanding. But what’s the deal with this Ning Jiang? His mastery of his Sword Technique is in no way inferior to Ling Tianxu’s.”

Even more people were astonished.

A constitution like the Sword King Body marks one as a natural-born Sword Cultivator. One could say they are born for the sword. It might take an ordinary person a year to master a single Sword Technique.

But for someone with a Sword King Body, it takes only a few days. That is true talent.

Within the Celestial Sword Sect, Ling Tianxu’s comprehension of Sword Technique could even rival that of some Heaven-Reaching Realm experts. Jian Jiuge was also a genius of the Sword Dao, but he wasn’t on the same level as Ling Tianxu at all.

And yet, here was Ning Jiang, wielding the Thunder Punishment Sword as if it were a soaring dragon, relentless and dynamic. No matter where Ling Tianxu attacked from, Ning Jiang blocked and neutralized each and every blow.

”This man is truly something else.”

The longer they watched, the more astounded the crowd became.

Ning Jiang’s Sword Technique was simple and unadorned. Yet, every single strike was brutally efficient, and his movements were so flawless and natural they seemed heaven-sent. There wasn’t a single opening to be found.

Slowly, the crowd realized that Ling Tianxu was gradually being forced onto the defensive.

”This...”

Countless people were left speechless.

How could they know? As a Legendary Venerable, Ning Jiang’s combat experience was impossibly vast. Forget Ling Tianxu; even if the Celestial Sword King himself came down to compete in Sword Technique, Ning Jiang could still decisively suppress him.

”Look!”

Suddenly, a cry of alarm rose from the crowd.

They saw Ning Jiang’s sword move like an antelope hanging by its horns—subtle and without a trace. As the blade flew, countless Sword Cultivators in the crowd couldn’t help but sigh with admiration.

”Hm?”

Ling Tianxu’s pupils constricted. He felt this single strike had sealed off all his attack routes, and no matter what he tried, he could not break through.

The feeling was torturous. Though his heart seethed with defiance, he knew the truth: in a contest of pure Sword Technique, Ning Jiang was stronger!

SWISH.

With a tap of his foot, he retreated just in time, putting distance between himself and Ning Jiang.

”In a contest of Sword Technique, he actually forced the Sword King Body to fall back... Unbelievable.” Countless people stared at the scene in disbelief.

Even in the distance, the faces of the several Kings revealed their surprise.

”Celestial Sword King, I’d say Ling Tianxu’s comprehension of Sword Technique far surpasses even yours back in the day. To think he’d be the one forced onto the back foot,” the Infinite King clicked his tongue in wonder.

”This Ning Jiang is mysterious through and through. I’m growing more and more curious about him!” The Primordial King stared at Ning Jiang as if he were looking at a peerless treasure.

”Patience. Tianxu’s true power has yet to be revealed.”

The Celestial Sword King said calmly, his confidence in Ling Tianxu unwavering.

No matter how exquisite one’s Sword Technique, it was useless in the face of absolute power.

Ling Tianxu stepped onto the air itself, soaring into the sky with a thunderous roar. ”Ning Jiang! I heard you displayed a marvelous Sword Technique at the Extreme Heaven Sect. Allow me to see for myself just how profound your technique truly is!”

A cold light churned in his eyes.

Being bested in swordsmanship just now had clearly stoked his anger.

”Celestial Sword Technique, First Form: Celestial Injury Sword!”

He raised his longsword with both hands and slashed down.

CRACKLE.

A zhang-long golden Sword Aura emerged from the Destruction Sword, as brilliant and beautiful as a rainbow. Though this Sword Aura lacked the imposing scale of his previous attack, it was condensed to an extreme degree, making it far more dangerous.

Countless gazes filled with shock.

The Celestial Sword Technique. It was the ultimate, sect-defining martial art of the Celestial Sword Sect, their supreme Sword Technique. Within the entire Sect, you could count the number of people qualified to practice it on one hand.

Of course, as someone with a Sword King Body who was being groomed to be the future Sect Leader, Ling Tianxu was naturally one of them.

”I’ve heard the Celestial Sword Technique is divided into an Earth Chapter and a Celestial Chapter. Given Ling Tianxu’s Cultivation, he must be practicing the Earth Chapter.”

”Even if it’s just the Earth Chapter, it’s still a top-tier art in the Earth Martial Realm. How many Early Stage Earth Martial Realm experts would dare claim they could receive that strike?”

A chill ran down the spines of many Earth Martial Realm experts in the crowd, who were awed by the technique’s power.

”Divine Sword Technique, First Form: Sword Shocking Nine Heavens!”

SCHRRIP!

As Ning Jiang’s voice fell, the Thunder Punishment Sword began to tremble violently. The next moment, a Heaven-Reaching Sword Light shot into the Nine Heavens, its brilliance startling the world.

He hadn’t used the Myriad Swords Technique.

The Myriad Swords Technique was a Spirit Level Martial Arts, while the Celestial Sword Technique Ling Tianxu had just unleashed was fundamentally an Earth Level Martial Arts. In terms of raw power, the latter was indeed far superior.

But the Divine Sword Technique was also an Earth Level Martial Arts, which normally only an Earth Martial Realm expert could execute.

However, Ning Jiang cultivated the Heaven-Devouring Demon Skill. The sheer density of his Spiritual Qi was no different from a true Earth Martial Realm expert’s, so executing the Divine Sword Technique was no burden to him at all.

All anyone could see were two beams of sword light, crashing into each other with a thunderous roar.

In that instant,

A blinding divine radiance blossomed in all directions, and the fierce Sword Qi seemed poised to destroy everything in its path.

Because Golden Cicada had once preached here, Kunwu Mountain itself had been transformed, causing the entire peak to become incomparably hard. It was said that even a full-powered strike from an Earth Martial Realm expert could barely scratch it. As a result, the collision of their Sword Qi failed to cause any damage to the mountain.

”Celestial Sword Technique, Second Form: Celestial Extinction Sword!”