Chapter 698: The Swordsoul Hailstone
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
The monks who were able to come to the Sword Pavilion were all God’s favored sons. Naturally they knew the significance of a warrior in the Fish-Dragon Realm practicing to the second level of Sword Two.
Even the mythical Moon-burier Sword Saint had only practiced Sword Two to the second realm when he was in the Fish-Dragon Realm.
It was obvious that Lin Yue’s achievement would not stagnate at the current level. He would improve even further in the future.
“Has he really practiced to the second realm of Sword Two?”
Subtle changes had finally taken place on her peaceful and beautiful face. She could not keep a calm state of mind any longer. She had to accept the facts.
After all, only a month had passed.
If given another year, or a decade, what level could he improve his Tao of the sword to?
“Awesome, amazing! He is worthy of being our boss. We can only look up to his realm of Tao of the sword.” Xun Hualiu exclaimed, straightening his chest. With Lin Yue’s support, who in the Yin and Yang Sect would dare to bother him now?
Qi Hong became sullen. He was unwilling to believe that Lin Yue’s attainments on Tao of the sword had reached Yin-Yang Chaos, the second realm of Sword Two.
He walked forward and bowed to the Moon-burier Sword Saint. “Master, I have learnt a great deal about the Tao of the sword. I can’t believe it only took him a month to reach the second realm of Sword Two. Of course, I am not questioning Lin Yue, I just think it’s unbelievable.”
The Moon-burier Sword Saint was in good mood. He saw a silver lining in Lin Yue’s talent of Tao of the sword. If Lin Yue continued to improve at this pace, there was no need to worry. The Yin and Yang Sect would continue to dominate the Sword Technique Conference.
Staring at Qi Hong, he smiled. “Well, can you think of a test?”
Qi Hong replied, “I propose a battle between Qi Feiyu and Lin Yue. If Lin Yue wins, everyone will be convinced.”
Gai Tianjiao stood up and refuted him with a snort. “Sixth elder brother, isn’t your proposal a little unfair? Junior Sister Apprentice has reached the Ninth Change of the Fish-dragon Realm while junior fellow apprentice Lin Yue has only reached the Fifth. .
“Even though junior fellow apprentice Lin Yue’s attainments on Tao of the sword are higher than Junior Sister Apprentice’s, he is below her.”
Qi Hong felt increasingly disagreeable with Gai Tianjiao. She was always setting herself against him. Without the Moon-burier Sword Saint’s shield, he would have already killed her.
Qi Hong tried to conceal the fury in his heart.
“We can only compete on sword technique, not on cultivation,” Qi Feiyu walked out elegantly with her eyes fixed on Zhang Ruochen. “Actually, I’ve always looked forward to comparing with junior fellow apprentice Lin Yue on sword technique. This is the perfect opportunity.”
The Moon-burier Sword Saint nodded gently. He looked at Zhang Ruochen. “Lin Yue, since you claim that you have practiced to the second realm of Sword Two, could you prove yourself to everyone now?”
Zhang Ruochen came up in front of Qi Feiyu and answered, “I’ve been wanting to see Senior Sister Apprentice’s remarkable sword technique as well. Now that there’s a chance, it’s not bad to learn from each other.”
Everybody stepped back, leaving a wide space for Zhang Ruochen and Qi Feiyu.
In the crowd, a God’s favored daughter in the Seventh Change of the Fish-dragon Realm said with some surprise, “It’s said that Lin Yue and Qi Feiyu are close lovers. How could they fight against each other just for the Swordsoul Hailstone?”
“The Swordsoul Hailstone is a fifth level treasure of the Sword Pavilion. It is gestated every 20 years, so it’s an irresistible temptation to sword practitioners. In order to get it, it’s not just lovers who may break up, even siblings would stab each other in the back for it.”
“In fact, Lin Yue and Qi Feiyu make a handsome match. And their talents for Tao of the sword are outstanding. They are the perfect couple. If they hook up, it will definitely be a much-told story. What a pity!”
All the monks were discussing them and giving their opinions.
Many people believed that Lin Yue and Qi Feiyu would eventually get together, so they were sad to see Lin Yue and Qi Feiyu break up for the Swordsoul Hailstone.
In sharp contrast, the two people standing in the square remained perfectly calm.
“SWOOSH!”
Qi Feiyu stretched out her snow-white hand. Immediately the ancient sword on her back quivered with a long beam of sword radiance and flew out from its sheath into her hand.
Zhang Ruochen extracted the Void Sword and said, “Senior Sister Apprentice, sorry to offend you!”
He took several steps forward. His figure moved swiftly like a ghost, leaving only a trail of shadows.
The Void Sword in his hand drew an enormous circle of sword Qi.
The sword Qi within the lines of this circle condensed into a Tai Chi mark. It was black and white with half day and half night.
Qi Feiyu wielded her sword. Her sword Qi met together to take the shape of a circle.
Two types of utterly opposing power flew out from the ancient swords. One was extremely feminine and condensed into a cold cloud, while the other was grossly masculine and condensed into a fire cloud.
Two contradictory forces alternated continually.
A Half-Saint Patriarch praised, “Sure enough, both of them have reached ‘Yin-Yang Alternation’, the first realm of Sword Two. However, the Tao of the sword they’ve comprehended seems different.”
Another Half-Saint Patriarch said, “Obviously, Qi Feiyu has practiced the most orthodox Tao of the sword, merging Yin and Yang Qi into sword technique as one. It’s incredibly changeable.
“As for Lin Yue…I cannot read it clearly. The Tao of the sword that he is displaying contains the true essence of Yin-Yang Alternation indeed, but why is there another force of occult power flowing in the sword technique?”
The Moon-burier Sword Saint twiddled his moustache and said with a smile, “It is the power of day and night, that is, the power of heaven and earth. If I am right, Lin Yue has referred to both the Thousand-bone Empress’ notes on Sword Two and the orthodox Tao of the sword, and integrated them together. He really has an uncanny comprehension ability.”
The Half-Saints were taken aback by the Moon-burier Sword Saint’s analysis.
“Actually, Qi Feiyu is fairly excellent.”
An aged Half-Saint asked, “Sword Saint, have you ever considered fostering both of them as the Sword Holders of the Heaven Sword and the Earth Sword?
“Based on their achievements in Tao of the sword, if they practice the ‘Yin-Yang Two Forms Sword Array’ successfully, they are bound to become the guardians of the Yin and Yang Sect in a few hundred years. They’ll hold the Heaven Sword and the Earth Sword in their hands.”
The Moon-burier Sword Saint considered this. If it were not for the things about Qi Feiyu that Gai Tianjiao had reported to him, it would be possible to bring Qi Feiyu and Lin Yue together and cultivate them as the holders of the Swords.
But for now, he had no alternative but to wait for the Suzerain to conduct their investigation on Qi Feiyu and the Qis. If the Qis had a connection with the demonic sect, Qi Feiyu would have to be put to death no matter how talented she was.
The sword technique Zhang Ruochen demonstrated formed a domain of sword Qi to swallow Qi Feiyu completely.
Qi Feiyu seemed to drop into another spacetime. Day and night interconverted continuously overhead, changing between shining and starry.
All of a sudden, the blazing sun took the form of Lin Yue.
Armed with a violently flaming combat sword he whammed toward her. It did not fluster Qi Feiyu. Instead she met the head-on attack immediately.
Two swords crashed. The sword Qi area of black and white alternation pushed Qi Feiyu backward.
“BOOM!”
Qi Feiyu’s sword Qi collapsed. Her figure slipped backward over 30 meters.
“Yin-Yang Chaos.”
Zhang Ruochen gave her no time to rest. He displayed the second realm of Sword Two. He dashed out with his sword and hit toward her heart with smashing force.
The power appeared to strike her down on the spot.
“Moonglade Knife Technique.”
She was forced to mobilize all her Holy Qi and demonstrate a movement of Nine Yin Sword. She wielded the sword forward.
“CLANG!”
A jet of sword Qi in the shape of a crescent moon flew out with a clang. It forced Zhang Ruochen back with a pressing power.
He retreated several dozen steps before standing still. He looked at the blood on his arm and thought Qi Feiyu’s cultivation was indeed profound. Even though she could not compare with Gai Tianjiao or the Demon Son, Ouyang Huan, she was still more powerful than most Saintly Beings in the Ninth Change of the Fish-dragon Realm.
Qi Feiyu withdrew her ancient sword and gave a thin smile. “I lost the battle. Junior fellow apprentice Lin Yue’s cultivation of Tao of the sword is marvelous indeed. You deserve the Swordsoul Hailstone. I hope you can represent the Yin and Yang Sect to defeat all the young sword practitioners in the Sword Technique Conference.”
Then she left.
After all, they had made an agreement to compete on swords not cultivation.
But Qi Feiyu had taken the lead by demonstrating her cultivation, the Ninth Change of the Fish-dragon Realm. Although she had been in the process of defeating Zhang Ruochen, she had broken the rules. Consequently, she was the loser.
What’s more, Lin Yue had displayed the second realm of Sword Two, which indicated he had outpaced Qi Feiyu on the achievement of Tao of the sword.
Swordsoul Hailstone would naturally be granted to him.
“Does she yield me the Swordsoul Hailstone so easily?” Zhang Ruochen wondered. He fingered his jaw as he glanced at Qi Feiyu’s departing figure.
Even if she is willing to give up the Swordsoul Hailstone, the Qis will not take this defeat lying down. I’d better behave as circumspectly as possible in the future.
The confrontation between Qi Feiyu and Lin Yue acted as a catalyst for monks to enter the Sword Pavilion and begin practicing frantically in the hope of practicing to Sword One, or even Sword Two.
Zhang Ruochen received the Swordsoul Hailstone from the Moon-burier Sword Saint. He went to the eighteenth room, Titled Black, chose a seclusion house, and started the array inside the house.
He put the box containing the Swordsoul Hailstone on the ground and opened it.
The Swordsoul Hailstone was a piece of milk-white Ice Crystal about the size of a pigeon egg with chilly Icing air. A grain-sized sword was suspended inside the Ice Crystal, shining brightly.