Chapter 54: The Sword Never Returns

As this was the final match of the Divine Weapon Trial, perhaps due to some sense of ceremony within the sect, the fighting stage used this time was higher than any before.

Perhaps it symbolized that the strong are always lonely at the top.

Xiu Qingcheng looked at the single fighting stage in the venue, watching as Meng Yingxing, with her on his back, leaped onto it.

After Meng Yingxing got on stage, he could feel the gazes from all around him.

These gazes were not simple; some were still mocking, some still looked down on him, but there were also some of admiration and a few of support.

Meng Yingxing felt nothing towards these gazes, nor did he look at any particular spot in the surroundings.

He only needed Xiu Qingcheng to be watching him.

He could ignore the opinions of anyone else; they were just a bunch of pretentious people.

On the other side, Ye Xuan, Meng Yingxing’s opponent, also got on the stage.

He performed a standing long jump, and his entire body shot up like a cannonball, landing like a falling star of fire.

The moment Ye Xuan landed, even Xiu Qingcheng could feel the ground tremble.

Compared to an ordinary spiritual cultivator, Ye Xuan looked more like a martial arts master who focused on the ultimate physical body.

The kind that could break all techniques with a single force.

“Yo, Brother Meng, long time no see. Did you miss this great master?”

Seeing Meng Yingxing again, Ye Xuan seemed very happy, pointing a finger at Meng Yingxing across from him.

His big white teeth were truly dazzlingly bright.

‘They had just met a few minutes ago, and back then he was calling him ‘little Meng’, now it’s ‘Brother Meng’. Geniuses are truly a peculiar bunch!’

Xiu Qingcheng complained in Meng Yingxing’s mind.

Meng Yingxing didn’t speak, first drawing the Ting Tian Sword from his back to show his stance.

Seeing that both were almost ready, Chen Sanyang, who was present as the referee for the final battle, walked forward on the high platform and wasted no more words.

“Divine Weapon Trial final battle, Meng Yingxing, weapon Ting Tian Sword, versus Ye Xuan, weapon Dark Gold Lock!”

“Divine Weapon Trial, begin!”

As Chen Sanyang’s voice fell, Ye Xuan continued his conversation with Meng Yingxing.

“Brother Meng, are you ready? I’m coming!”

Ye Xuan grinned, already lowering his stance.

“He who strikes first gains the advantage, he who strikes later suffers. Disciple, let’s charge first!”

Xiu Qingcheng, a master strategist from the backlines, urged Meng Yingxing to charge right from the start.

The previous ‘if the enemy doesn’t move, I don’t move’ tactic was now completely discarded!

Meng Yingxing didn’t think too much, brandished his sword, and charged forward.

“Good momentum!”

Ye Xuan shouted, then flexed his arms.
The Dark Gold Lock he had obtained from the Divine Weapon Pavilion was now wrapped around his hands and arms!

It was a dark gold without luster, like a pair of gauntlets.

Because Ye Xuan didn’t actually use the chain as a weapon—after all, the weapon obtained from the Divine Weapon Pavilion was random, and he had never learned to use this type of weapon before.

So in his hands, the chain was basically used as a gauntlet.

Then Ye Xuan charged forward.
His seemingly large frame moved faster than anyone Meng Yingxing had encountered before!

Meng Yingxing was only halfway through his charge when Ye Xuan had already rushed into his personal space—
He was lower than Meng Yingxing by half a head, and he threw a powerful uppercut at Meng Yingxing’s jaw!

“Skyward—Crash!”

“Block, block, block!”

Xiu Qingcheng cried out anxiously.

Meng Yingxing’s sword moved with his thoughts, and he blocked with his blade.

Although Xiu Qingcheng took a punch, it basically absorbed most of the force from Ye Xuan’s blow, only causing the affected Meng Yingxing to take several steps back.

“So fast, so much power.”

Xiu Qingcheng quickly filtered out the three words, ‘Sho-ryu-ken,’ that had popped into her head after seeing Ye Xuan’s move.

“Disciple, how’s your hand?”

She knew very well the power of that punch.

“I’m fine, Master.”

Meng Yingxing gripped the hilt tightly, trying to stop his hand from trembling due to the force of Ye Xuan’s punch.

After landing a successful punch, Ye Xuan pressed his advantage, meeting the enemy’s sword with his own fist.

Meng Yingxing and Ye Xuan were entangled in a fight once again.

Meng Yingxing might be inferior in terms of combat experience and strength, far from Ye Xuan’s level, but his advantage was having Xiu Qingcheng, the old sword spirit, with him.

Thanks to her past experience of watching others fight as a sword, Xiu Qingcheng could predict Ye Xuan’s attacks in advance.

So every time it looked like Meng Yingxing would be cornered by one of Ye Xuan’s punches, he would always manage to just barely defend against it.

At this point, the various peak elders watching the battle from the stage finally understood why Meng Yingxing had made it this far in the Divine Weapon Trial.

“Meng Yingxing’s strength is indeed weak, but his astonishing judgment… is unmatched by anyone in the Divine Weapon Trial.”

He Yundan crossed his hands behind his back and nodded slightly.

“But… could he have defeated Mò Kǎimíng with just this judgment alone?”

Chen Sanyang frowned, still harboring doubts.

“We will know if we continue to watch,” Mu Xin said faintly.

On the fighting stage, although Meng Yingxing could barely block Ye Xuan’s attacks, Ye Xuan’s attack frequency was very high, trapping Meng Yingxing and preventing him from counter-attacking.

“Disciple, if this goes on, your speed won’t be able to keep up with the positions I’m calling out. We’ll definitely lose.”

Xiu Qingcheng frowned.

These young geniuses were truly extraordinary.

Meng Yingxing was not bad either, but he still needed time.

Just as Meng Yingxing was busy defending against Ye Xuan’s attacks, Ye Xuan suddenly withdrew his hands and leaped back several meters.

“Brother Meng, not bad, you can defend against so many of this great master’s moves! Who were those people who called you a good-for-nothing before? Apart from your spiritual energy being a bit weak, this great master can’t see anything about you that resembles a good-for-nothing!”

Upon hearing this, not only Meng Yingxing but also everyone around felt as if their faces had been slapped by Ye Xuan’s words.

“The probing ends here. As this great master said before, I respect every opponent and give my all in every battle.”

“Please watch carefully, my transformation!”

As Ye Xuan’s voice fell, he slowly closed his eyes and clenched his fists.
A golden glow appeared on the skin of his muscular body.

“Xuanpan Golden Form!”

With a loud shout, Ye Xuan’s eyes flew open, golden light bursting from them.
His entire body became as smooth and hard as a small golden metal man.

The first thing that came to Xiu Qingcheng’s mind was the Vajra Demon Subjugation from a certain game.

“This guy… even has this kind of transformation-type technique? This kind of technique isn’t something that can be learned casually. Has he received some kind of inheritance?!”

Xiu Qingcheng broke out in a sweat.

It’s not scary when a genius is diligent, but it’s scary when a genius is diligent and lucky.

Ye Xuan looked like this kind of child of fortune, successfully receiving the inheritance of some great figure at a young age.

Meng Yingxing raised his sword, ready to face Ye Xuan’s attack at any moment.

“This great master’s Xuanpan Golden Form is hard to break with blades and spears in the same realm—”
“In other words, this great master’s attacks will be endless! If I injure you, Brother Meng, I beg you to forgive me. I will definitely come to your door to apologize!”

Ye Xuan shone like a golden light as he charged towards Meng Yingxing.
He had abandoned all defense, seeking only the purest form of attack.

Meng Yingxing swung his sword.
The Ting Tian Sword struck Ye Xuan’s body, but it was like hitting a piece of hard steel.

One punch, two punches, three punches!

Meng Yingxing was repeatedly forced back.
The Ting Tian Sword struck Ye Xuan’s golden form again and again, but could not injure him in the slightest.

“Disciple, calm down.”

Xiu Qingcheng saw it all and was naturally anxious.

“Under the Ting Tian Sword, a thousand blades retreat. There is nothing the Ting Tian Sword cannot cut.”

“A sword strike of no return. Since the opponent has abandoned all defense, then we too will abandon all defense.”

“Trust the sword in your hand, trust yourself.”

“I believe in you too!”

Meng Yingxing narrowly dodged a punch from Ye Xuan that cracked the ground, gaining a moment to catch his breath.

Just as Xiu Qingcheng had said before, his sword and his reactions were still too slow.

The Ting Tian Sword in his hands was a waste of a divine weapon.

But his master believed in him, and he believed in his master, and he believed in the Ting Tian Sword.

Then what reason did he have not to believe in himself, not to believe in his own sword techniques.

With all his might—
He would concentrate all his sword intent into this one strike, abandoning all defense and hesitation, with all his might!

The Ting Tian Sword was filled with spiritual energy, white light radiating wildly.

Meng Yingxing gritted his teeth, held the sword with both hands, and with all his determination, he swung at the charging Ye Xuan!

A sword strike… of no return!

A line of frost, to cut and extinguish all.

The clash of sword and fist.
In an instant, Meng Yingxing flew high into the air and crashed onto the ground outside the fighting stage.

And Ye Xuan, covered in golden light, remained in his punching posture, leaning slightly forward.

The outcome was obvious.

Just as Chen Sanyang was about to declare Ye Xuan the victor, the golden light covering Ye Xuan’s body suddenly shattered.

Then Ye Xuan fell heavily to his knees, a line of blood stretching from his fist to his chest, gruesome and terrifying.

The Xuanpan Golden Form, said to be hard to break with blades and spears in the same realm, had been shattered by a single strike from Meng Yingxing’s sword.

The entire venue was silent.