Chapter 343: Miserable Failure
No wonder that Zen and the others were confused.
There was no specific cultivation method for the illusory sword intent. Some people were lucky enough to be able to comprehend the sword intent without help.
Depending upon his great achievements in sword intent, Rocher could kill his opponents from any part of the world. He rarely found a worthy challenger during the All Peaks Competition. However, Zen had defeated him at the All Peaks Competition. This was because like him, Zen also had a thorough understanding about that sword intent, and they both mastered the consummate sword intent during the competition.
Since two disciples with knowledge of consummate sword intent were seen during the All Peaks Competition, this showed that Akiba's successful sword intent meant nothing.
In fact, one couldn't make great achievements in sword intent so easily.
Grade two sects valued sword intent a lot. Even Cloud Hall attached great importance to cultivate disciples who understood sword intent. They encouraged disciples to learn even a bit of the sword intent. It was said that disciples who comprehended a bit of sword intent might not achieve consummate sword intent. Since learning such intents led to a higher likelihood of successful cultivation, all sects would support their members in their quest to learn sword intent.
Streaks of sword intent were produced on Akiba's Dragon Sword. At this sight, Akiba forced a complacent smile as he pointed his sword tip at Rocher and said, “Unsheathe your sword, and let me take a look at your swordsmanship!”
Upon hearing Akiba's words, Rocher responded with a small smile. His Blood-corroding Sword trembled a little. Likewise, sword intent hovered around his sword like cyclones. As time passed, the sword intent became more evident. The hidden sword intent had been presented in perfect shapes. In addition, streaks of thunder and lightning were emitted.
This was called the Extreme Thunder Sword Intent!
As Akiba saw perfect sword intent hovering over Rocher's Blood-corroding Sword, his eyes widened, and his mouth twitched. Soon, he blurted, “This, this is... perfect sword intent...”
“Could I be mistaken? He is ranked third in Cloud Sect, and yet he has comprehended and mastered the perfect sword intent! Are some special thunder attributes hidden in the sword intent?”
“No, that's incredible. Where did Cloud Sect find such a talented disciple?”
“Perhaps, I am wrong. I could be mistaken. It is possible for Cloud Sect to achieve good results. But, I still cannot believe that this guy ranks third in Cloud Sect! He should be the top-ranked disciple at Cloud Sect!”
Eddy was also greatly shocked. He never thought that Rocher's sword would have streaks of perfect sword intent. Since Rocher was ranked third at Cloud Sect, the disciples in the first two ranks would have inconceivable skills and strength! Where did such extraordinary men come from? How could it be possible for Cloud Sect to have so many outstanding disciples?
Kenneth burst into laughter when he saw the expressions on their opponents' face. He was very satisfied with the result as it was as per his expectation.
Three years ago, Evan's accident had made Kenneth the laughing stock for others. At that time, Eddy had teased him mercilessly. Today, Kenneth finally regained his reputation to a certain extent. Thus, he couldn't help laughing.
Akiba fixated his gaze on those wisps of perfect sword intent. He was overwhelmed as complex emotions coursed through him. Then, he stated, “This perfect sword intent is not ordinary. It also exhibits certain attributes of divine thunder. If your life vitality does not condense divine thunder, then how have you integrated it into your sword intent?”
Rocher didn't need to tell lies or cheat. Thus, he replied flatly, “I have comprehended consummate sword intent. I also washed my sword in the Sword Washing Pool. I then mixed the sword intent with a thunderbolt, thus contributing to the formation of the Extreme Thunder Sword Intent.”
“Sword Washing Pool...” Before Akiba could finish his sentence, the corner of this mouth twitched.
Every swordsman dreamed of going to the sacred places for swordsmanship. This Sword Washing Pool was a rare, semi-sacred place. Since such a place was extremely rare, Akiba would be willing to wash his sword in the Sword Washing Pool even if it cost him half of his life.
Akiba sighed at how lucky Rocher was, and he strongly felt that God was unfair.
Rocher laughed when he noticed Akiba's reaction. He was not sure if Akiba would faint upon learning that Zen had visited the Killing Sword Mountain, the sacred land for swordsmanship.
“You are really awesome. You have been able to comprehend perfect sword intent at such a young age. I admire you a lot. You are also lucky to be able to cultivate sword intent at the Sword Washing Pool. Nevertheless, you are behind me in terms of cultivation levels. I will still be able to defeat you even though I am no match for you in sword intent.”
Akiba, who had endured many mental sufferings, made a move at last.
“Streaming Swordsmanship!”
As he wielded his Dragon Sword, ripples continuously diffused in the sky. Akiba lunged his sword forward, forming perfect curves in the sky and giving people a strange illusion.
It seemed as if he could stab Rocher to the point and defeat him by this sword move.
Rocher and the audience saw that Akiba's sword was aimed at Rocher.
Rocher's mind was affected for a short period. However, when a tiny streak of thunder and lightning flashed before his eyes, Rocher's mind became clear as before.
“The Streaming Swordsmanship takes advantage of the characteristics of flowing water so that people will believe that what they see or hear is true. This is really awesome, but... your sword can't compare with my Heavenly Sword!”
After Akiba's attack, Rocher took a Sword Step by dodging left and right.
“Sword Step... This guy has mastered it as well,” mumbled Akiba. Seeing that Rocher had easily escaped from his Streaming Swordsmanship, Akiba became more agitated. He now truly believed that God seemed to have blessed Rocher unfairly.
However, Akiba didn't know that apart from the God's blessing, Rocher had also cultivated hard.
Rocher had never rested since the beginning of his swordsmanship practice. For more than a dozen years, he carried the sword with him even during meals and sleep.
To achieve the same progress as Rocher, a cultivator could not just rely on luck. Instead, painstaking efforts, hard work, persistence, and hardships were vital for success.
After taking a few steps away from Akiba, Rocher lifted his Blood-corroding Sword and pointed it toward the sky. Shortly after, energy of heaven and earth began to surge in the sky. In the next instant, dim thunder and lightning flashed across the clouds.
“This is... Heavenly Sword!” As Akiba felt the terrifying momentum, his facial expression changed abruptly.
On the other side, Eddy's eyes twitched. Rocher had mastered the use of the Heavenly Sword. It became even harder to believe that Rocher was ranked third at Cloud Sect. Eddy was certain that no one would shake him from this belief, even if they beat him to death.
Could a person at the third grade of the nature level be a match for Rocher? How could this be possible?
Rocher had proven his strengths no matter Eddy believed it or not.
In the turbulent sky, Rocher induced streaks of heavenly thunder.
When Rocher battled with Zen during the All Peaks Competition, he hadn't used his Heavenly Sword in combination with heavenly thunder despite his mastery of combining thunderbolt with sword intent in the Sword Washing Pool. After all, he needed some time to adapt to the Extreme Thunder Sword Intent since he had just learned it for the first time.
After a month of cultivation, Rocher had become more proficient with the use of the Extreme Thunder Sword Intent. While initiating the force of heaven, he also triggered the heavenly thunder, thereby leading to the horrible scene in the sky.
“This swordsmanship is extraordinary...”
Both Zen and Patrick gasped when they saw Rocher's new move. It was true that they had beaten Rocher during the All Peaks Competition. However, they could now see that Rocher could not be underestimated. Only a month had passed since the All Peaks Competition, and yet, Rocher had mastered the essence of that move. Now, he was able to harness mightier strengths with this move.
“Gosh!”
muttered Akiba as his face turned livid. Before this fight, he had been confident about his victory. But at this moment, he was cursing himself for having annoyed the disciples at Cloud Sect.
At this point, it didn't matter if he regretted his actions. He had no other choice but to fight until the end!
“Ocean Immensity of Streaming Swordsmanship!”
As Akiba adopted this tactic of his Streaming Swordsmanship, numerous ripples surged like seawater and slowly gushed out beside him.
Now, he only hoped that he could resist Rocher's sword with his Streaming Swordsmanship. Fortunately, the Ocean Immensity was a swordsmanship tactic useful for defense, and it could engulf all moves like an ocean.
Akiba had previously diffused assaults from much stronger masters by using this tactic.
However, when his move met Rocher's, the ripples died...
Rocher produced irresistible power and might by using the force of heaven in combination with heavenly thunder, which deflected the ripples created by Akiba's Ocean Immensity. Apparently, Rocher was in an advantageous position.
“Tinkling!”
A sound was heard when Rocher's sword clashed with Akiba's Ocean Immensity and unraveled it. At the same time, his sword collided with Akiba's Dragon Sword.
Immediately, the Dragon Sword flew out of Akiba's hand. After swirling over the sky for quite a while, it embedded itself in a stone table. The Dragon Sword was so sharp that it could easily pierce the stone table as though the table were a piece of bean curd.
“I...I lost...” yelled Akiba in a daze. He couldn't believe that he had been defeated so quickly...
Rocher responded with a flat smile. Then, he returned his sword to his sheath, stepped back, and stood behind Kenneth where he had been before the fight.
At this moment, all disciples of Red Sect who stood on the other side fell silent. Akiba had been the strongest among them. Since Akiba had been beaten by Cloud Sect, it was pointless for them to continue challenging and fighting.
Eddy laughed in embarrassment. At last, he cupped his hands, bowed to Kenneth and said, “I would like to congratulate you. You have got such an outstanding disciple! Your disciples will undoubtedly be valued once they join Cloud Hall!”
Since his disciple had won in the fight and put his sect in a favorable position, Kenneth snorted and replied with a sneer, “Well, we hope so. Rocher is quite talented, but he only won the third place at this All Peaks Competition. The quota for our Cloud Sect is too limited, or else more of our disciples would have joined the Cloud Road.”
If Akiba's skills qualified him to take the Cloud Road, then Tracy and Jacques would have also been eligible. Regretfully, Cloud Sect only selected three disciples for the Cloud Road.
“Oh? Kenneth, Rocher is so gifted, but he only won the third place. On the contrary, the winner is a cultivator who is only at the third grade of the nature level. I am bewildered. How did this guy beat Rocher?” Eddy asked with great curiosity.
In fact, all disciples of Red Sect were baffled by this question. It was difficult for them to believe that Zen's strengths were enough to defeat Rocher since they hadn't witnessed that match.
To answer their questions, Kenneth laughed and stated, “If you want to confirm whether or not this is true, select an older disciple of your sect to battle with Zen. Then, you will witness his abilities and understand why he was able to defeat Rocher. Am I right? Heh, heh!”