by Mars Gravity
Even though he knew he definitely wouldn’t be able to defeat this Ling Jie, what was most prevalent on Yun Che’s body was pride. Since he had agreed, how would he be willing to retreat after knowing he was not as good as the other; furthermore, this situation had arisen over Lan Xueruo, and in front of the woman he must protect, how would he be willing to admit that he was inferior to another man… And this guy was even younger than him!
Ling Jie had originally been very discontent because of Ling Yun’s words, but after hearing this, his eyes lit up, and promptly parroted: “Right right right right right! We’re all adult males; a promise made must be kept. Quickly reveal your weapon, and let Princess Sis see which one of us is more powerful!”
Yun Che shot a glance at him, and said lightly: “However, Brother Ling Yun did say something very true; this is an important place in the imperial palace, and not a place fit for us to cross hands. We should switch to a relatively ‘gentler’ method… Mn, how about we do this. It looks like you use a sword; coincidentally, I also use a sword. What do you think about a three strike showdown? A three strike showdown with all your strength; it’s not very troublesome, and it will definitely reveal a clear victor. Little Brother Ling Jie, do you dare?”
Just the phrase “do you dare”, directly incited Ling Jie’s haughtiness: “Hmph hmph, facing someone at the True Profound Realm who’s so weak that I can’t even see you, why wouldn’t I dare! Three strike showdown? That’s completely unnecessary! I’ll beat you till you’re on your knees with one strike!”
“Tch!” Yun Che curled his lip disdainfully: “Boasting but not afraid that you’ll twist your tongue… so I, your brother, will have to teach you a lesson; since you incessantly claim that you’re an adult, you must take responsibility for your words. You hoot that one strike will be able to beat me to the ground. But what if not only does one strike not beat me up, and all three strikes are blocked by me instead?
Ling Jie stared wide for a moment, then started laughing wildly: “Hahahaha, how could that be possible! You’re so weak; if I can’t beat you down in one strike, my name will be read backwards! And if you block all three of my strikes, my… m-m-m-my name won’t be Ling Jie.”
The corner of Yun Che’s mouth stretched, and he said with a disdainful expression: “Hmph, there really isn’t any importance to it. Little Ling Jie, do you dare to make a bet with me? If you strike three times, and I am unable to receive it, then I will not obstruct you at all if your Princess Sis agrees to marry you. If I completely block all three of your strikes, hmm… You must be my little brother. Not only will you have to call me Boss, you must also listen to all the commands from your Boss! What do you think? Do you dare! If you dare, let us compete. If you’re only a boastful person with no guts, tsk tsk, then let’s just forget about this; I’m too lazy to compete with you anyway.”
This results of a win or loss from this “bet” were obviously not equivalent; if Ling Jie lost, he would have to become Yun Che’s little brother, but if Yun Che lost… If one thought even a little about the pleasant thoughts going through Ling Jie’s mind, one would realize that they were simply empty words. And Yun Che’s final few words goaded him to the extreme. But to Ling Jie, who rarely left the Heavenly Sword Villa, it was incomparably effective. Without thinking, he agreed: “What don’t I dare to do! If I lose to you, being your son wouldn’t be a problem, let alone being your little brother.”
“Cough cough…” Ling Yun was a little perturbed now. He walked next to Yun Che, and used a voice that only he could hear: “Little brother, you might be unaware of this situation to some extent. Even though Little Jie is young, his profound strength is at the Spirit Profound Realm. This battle, is not very fair for you, so… Please be cautious and reconsider.”
“I thank Brother Ling for the warning.” Yun Che smiled appreciatively at him.
His ordinary response shocked Ling Yun slightly. This response signified that Yun Che obviously already knew Ling Jie’s level of profound strength, but still wanted to make this kind of gamble with him. Ling Yun’s eyebrows moved a little, and he didn’t speak anymore.
“Let’s begin.”
Yun Che stood in front of Ling Jie. Just as he spoke, the Overlord’s Colossal Sword appeared out of thin air. Both his hands grasped the hilt, and the sword body sunk downwards, slamming on the floor with a “boom”. The surrounding ground up to three steps from the collision instantly shattered.
At the same time, an aura as heavy as a mountain emitted from the Overlord’s Colossal Sword and Yun Che’s body, flooding the entire Blue Cloud Hall as everyone’s breathing became sluggish.
“Heavy sword!?” Ling Yun was shocked as Yun Che flashed the weapon, and taking in account Yun Che’s age and profound strength, he suddenly spoke out: “Could it be, you’re the Profound Palace genius Yun Che that everyone in the imperial city has been talking about?”
“That’s right.” Yun Che nodded: “I’m Yun Che. Brother Ling Yun actually knows my name, I’m extremely honored.”
“Haha, Little Brother Yun, you’re being too modest.” Ling Yun smiled warmly: “After Little Jie and I arrived at the imperial city, everywhere we went, we heard people discussing you. We heard that you can control a heavy sword that weighs several thousand kilograms, and can defeat an opponent that is seven levels higher than you; it really makes one feel shocked, and we wanted to find an opportunity to personally meet you the entire time. I’d have never that I would encounter Little Brother Yun here, it’s truly fortunate.”
“Oooh, so it turns out you’re Yun Che!” This Ling Jie had obviously heard some rumors regarding Yun Che in the imperial city with Ling Yun. He disdainfully twisted his mouth: “You’re only at the True Profound Realm, yet others are actually calling you a genius. Isn’t it a bit too cheap to call you a genius… This young master will immediately let you know what it means to be a true genius… Take this!”
Ling Jie gave a low growl, took a step forward, raised the longsword, and cut downwards… This was an extremely simple strike; even a little kid that only knows how to wave a sword would be able to execute it. But even this type of extremely simple movement, brought about an astonishing sword force when Ling Jie cut downwards. The plain undecorated sword trembled with an unimaginably high frequency, and an unceasingly surging enormous power crashed towards Yun Che’s chest.
Yun Che proposing to strike against each other three times, was clearly trying to use the advantages of the heavy sword against the shortcomings of the light sword. Because if it was a showdown, under the same conditions, the light sword would not be able to compete with the heavy sword at all. In addition, the Great Way of the Buddha bestowed one thousand nine hundred fifty kilograms of strength to the user; in this form of competition, even if he were facing against someone an entire realm above him, he should be able to withstand three strikes at the very least.
But when an astonishing sword force charged over, Yun Che’s expression changed a little.
Ling Jie was very young, a little competitive, and didn’t scheme much… He practically didn’t scheme at all, so it was very easy to guess at his thoughts. Yun Che could predict that his first strike wouldn’t be too serious, at most fifty or sixty percent of his strength, so he would definitely hold back on his first strike too; he wouldn’t use any profound techniques, and only around seventy percent of his strength.
Indeed, Ling Jie’s first strike didn’t contain any power, and judging from his appearance, he probably hadn’t even used forty percent of his power, let alone fifty or sixty percent. But the force of that one casual strike was like a rolling wave and was impossible to resist.
“Haah!!”
Yun Che, who had originally planned on using seventy percent of his strength, suddenly, did not dare to hold back even a little. With a low growl, he opened Evil Soul and the profound strength in his body began to revolve. Brandishing the heavy sword, he struck out with one hundred percent of his strength. As the heavy sword traveled, it brought
about a whistling sound akin to a hurricane.
Bang!!!!
The heavy sword and the light sword collided without even a trace of flair, and the power of the enormous heavy sword and surging sword force instantly exploded outwards. A storm of profound energy instantly formed between the two, then simultaneously blew both of them outwards.
Ling Jie took a few steps back, and looked at Yun Che with an expression of shock: “Ah? You actually… You actually blocked it? Oh… You appear to be a bit more powerful than I’d expected. It looks like I’ll have to be a bit more serious now.”
Yun Che had been blown back almost ten meters. His expression was tranquil, but raging waves tossed about in his heart… What Jasmine had said was correct. This brat was definitely not a simple third ranker of the Spirit Profound Realm; although he was young, his attainment of the sword could already be regarded as that of a great master! He would definitely be able to easily fight those several levels above him.
To receive three strikes with a profound strength an entire realm lower than him, even with the advantage of a heavy sword, was going to be incomparably difficult.
Chapter 163: Sky Wolf Slash
The enormous sound from the great hall naturally alarmed the imperial guards outside. Hurried footsteps sounded, and several tens of silver-armored guards entered in single file, and said with faces full of worry: “Princess, are you alright?”
“I’m fine, all of you can leave.” Lan Xueruo said as she cast a sidelong glance.
“But…” The head guard looked at the shattered ground, as well as Yun Che and Ling Jie, who were both grasping weapons, and revealed a deeply alert expression.
“LEAVE!” Lan Xueruo’s voice suddenly became more imposing: “Without my order, no matter how great the commotion is later, you may not enter.”
“Yes!” The head guard hurriedly bowed his head, and brought his men out.
“As expected of the rumoured heavy sword that weighs one thousand nine hundred fifty kilograms, no matter its strength or imposing aura, they’re both eye-opening.” Ling Yun praised sincerely. Ling Jie’s early strike looked extremely simple and ordinary, but he was fully aware of the amount of sword force and resolve brought about by that one strike. For someone at the third level of the True Profound Realm to block that attack, could basically be called a miracle.
“Hmph, he’s indeed a little bit stronger than I imagined him to be… But, it’s only a little.” Ling Jie turned up his nose, and his face had a look of disdain. “For that earlier strike, I simply did a casual wave of my sword. As for my next strike, you will definitely~~ definitely~~ definitely~ not be able to block it!”
While saying that, he pointed his sword to the sky with a single hand. Rays of sword force rose from the sword and charged towards the sky. The phenomenon of the accumulated sword force stirring in the air was visible to the naked eye, as it emitted out rounds and rounds of shocking ripples.
The moment Ling Jie moved his sword, the stirring sword force above the tip of his sword suddenly erupted, instantly giving rise to tens of thousands of sword silhouettes which constantly crossed and overlapped to form a heavy sword wave. As though as a tidal wave brought about by a hurricane, it went crashing towards Yun Che. That incomparably terrifying sword force seemed as though as it was about to completely envelop heaven and earth within it.
“Heaven’s Might Sword Formation: Elegant Upheaval!”
“Junior Yun, watch out!” When Ling Jie unleashed this attack, Ling Yun momentarily frowned, and seemed to have given the warning subconsciously. Ling Jie was currently at the age when he seeked to prevail over others. When his first strike was completely blocked, and had even happened right in front of “Princess Sis”, his pride evidently suffered a blow. Ling Yun had predicted that Ling Jie would get serious during his second strike, but he did not expect that he would immediately use the Heaven’s Might Sword Formation. When using any one form of the Heaven’s Might Sword Formation, a practitioner of the same profound level would already find it hard to take it head on, let alone Yun Che who was only at the True Profound Realm.
A large amount of sword silhouettes spread across the sky and covered the earth as they overlapped one another. Yun Che felt as if he was drawn into a hell of swords and blades, and no matter which direction he moved towards, he would be instantly sucked in the hurricane of death. Thus, he simply ignored the sword silhouettes that filled the entire sky as he explosively swung the heavy sword in his hands.
“Falling… Moon… Sinking… Star!!”
As the heavy sword was swung, it brought about a destructive sword force, and directly colliding with the heavy sword wave.
Boom!!
As if a monstrous wave crashing onto a boulder which had lasted for a millennium, a deafening roar was released, causing the surrounding floor tiles within ten steps away from Yun Che and Ling Yun to instantly scatter. Instantly, as though a crumbling snowflake, the countless glaring sword silhouettes dispersed within a blinding light. After breaking through the first wave of sword silhouettes, like a hot knife through butter, the Overlord’s Colossal Sword, strengthened by “Falling Moon Sinking Star”, wildly pushed forward, causing the remaining sword silhouettes to shatter, and then, it collided plainly with Ling Jie’s light sword.
“Wh… What!” Ling Jie and Ling Yun were simultaneously shocked; the third form of the Heaven’s Might Sword Formation, “Elegant Upheaval”, was actually directly split by Yun Che’s single strike!
“Falling Moon Sinking Star”, being the first form of the Evil God’s seven forms, was an incomparably simple profound technique. Without any fancy or magnificent profound technique effects, or any complicated operating methods, its power came from suddenly compressing the profound energy in one’s body, and bursting it outwards with ten times the usual power. It was extremely compatible with the “berserking” property of the Evil God’s Secret Arts —— It was simply explosive power.
After the Overlord’s Colossal Sword slashed apart the heavy sword wave, its strength had basically reached its limit as well. When it was struck against Ling Jie’s sword, the strength behind the blow was nearly exhausted, but the momentum brought about by merely its weight of one thousand nine hundred fifty kilos was no small matter. Ling Jie was pushed back by seven to eight steps from the impact, and he nearly fell flat on his butt.
He stood there blankly and looked at Yun Che with widened eyes, as if he was looking at a monster.
“Unbelievable.” Ling Yun muttered softly to himself. “Looks like the rumor of him obtaining victory over an opponent seven levels higher than him was not the least bit exaggerated at all. With a difference of an entire realm, he actually really took it head-on… If he was at the same level, that strike of his would have been a complete oppression!”
For this strike, Yun Che used all of his strength, and did not hold back even a little. Although his current profound strength was not like before, where one usage of “Falling Moon Sinking Star” would basically exhaust all of his profound energy, it still consumed quite a bit of profound energy, for the energy and blood within his entire body suddenly began to churn. He used seven or eight breaths of time to suppress the churning energy and blood in his body, adjusted it to a sufficient condition, and watched Ling Jie calmly.
“So… You were actually this amazing!” This time, Ling Jie was truly a little dumbfounded. Because in that earlier strike, not only did he use seventy percent of his profound strength, he even used the Heaven’s Might Sword Formation. He did not expect him to actually block that as well… He was even pushed back from the impact, losing in that exchange of blows.
If the opponent was the same level as him, or had a profound strength one or two levels below him at the Spirit Profound Realm, he would be able to accept it. But not only was the opponent in the True Profound Realm, he had only just entered the True Profound Realm!
This feeling was like a fierce tiger pouncing on a little cat, only to find himself unexpectedly struck
away by the little cat.
“Now then, unleash your final strike. If I’m able to block this third strike as well, it will be your loss. You had best not forget that you will have to call me boss if you lose!” Yun Che steadied his body’s aura, and said with his eyes narrowed.
“Lose? I’ll lose?” With a whip of the longsword in Ling Jie’s hand, the shocked expression on his face gradually receded, replaced with the same disdainful expression from before: “I was afraid your loss would be too devastating, so I basically didn’t use any strength at all for the last two strikes. Let’s see how you’ll block this strike!”
While saying that, the sword in Ling Jie’s hand suddenly pointed forward; the profound energy in his entire body erupted like an open floodgate as his profound energy poured into the sword in his hand. The long sword began to tremble tremendously, and a ring of airstream suddenly swirled around the blade. Right after, this surge of sword energy actually condensed and wrapped around the sword’s blade, causing the entire sword to look two times thicker than before.
The surrounding air suddenly surged, and Yun Che felt an incomparably overbearing aura charge over, causing chills all over his body. The longsword held in Ling Jie’s hands made him clearly feel as if it was already lying on his neck, and it would directly sever his throat in the next second, claiming his life.
Faintly discernible ripples of air could be seen around Ling Jie. But the most shocking thing was, the ripples in the air were not like water ripples with nonuniform lines, but perfectly straight lines, just like numerous transparent sharp swords that appeared out of thin air.
What a strong sword force… The astonishment in Yun Che’s heart began to increase bit by bit. According to Jasmine’s description, he had already overestimated this fifteen-year-old youngster’s achievements with the sword as much as possible. However, when he felt this astonishing surge of sword force, he realized he had still underestimated this youngster who came from the Heavenly Sword Villa.