Ling Tian Sword God

"Qi Hongyan wins!"

The departure of the two did not cool the atmosphere; instead, it intensified.

"I didn't expect Shangguan Qiushui to be able to compete with Qi Hongyan like this. If she hadn't faced Qi Hongyan, she definitely would have made it into the top ten in this competition."

"Yeah! Qi Hongyan is considered an established young titan. Not many people can injure her, even if it's just a minor, superficial wound."

"This is the second round of the competition. The intensity is indeed several notches higher than the first round."

"There's no choice. If you lose in the first round, there's still room for redemption. However, if you lose in the second round, a loss is final; there's no chance for a comeback."

Everyone eagerly anticipated the upcoming matches. With thirty-six contestants and half to be eliminated, a confrontation between two powerhouses was inevitable.

While Qi Hongyan and Shangguan Qiushui were competing, Ling Yin was also in a match. Her opponent was a genius ranked nineteenth on the Heavenly List. Because the fighters on both sides couldn't match the dazzling performances of Qi Hongyan and Shangguan Qiushui, their match didn't attract much attention.

Now, the fight is over. Ling Yin wins!

"Ling Chen versus Xue Jingfeng!"

The crowd's spirits, which hadn't yet calmed, surged with excitement. On the surface, Xue Jingfeng and Ling Chen seemed to be on the same level. However, since Ling Chen had defeated Wei Qingyi, another Genius Swordsman, Ling Chen was favored slightly.

Stepping onto the Dueling platform, Xue Jingfeng stared at Ling Chen, his expression grave. Others' speculations weren't entirely baseless. Ling Chen is indeed a formidable opponent. If I were to consider any advantages, I can't see any for myself against him. Perhaps my only advantage is my Cultivation. It recently broke through a bottleneck, reaching the Grand Master level.

But this negligible advantage is insignificant among geniuses.

"Xue Jingfeng, long time no see. Let me see how far your Swordsmanship has progressed."

The two locked eyes for a moment before Ling Chen spoke first.

"You've seen me before?"

Xue Jingfeng was stunned.

"City of Ze, Sky Garden."

Ling Chen smiled faintly, then unsheathed his Cloud-hidden Sword, executing an incredibly swift Sword Flower.

"You're... Dustless!"

Xue Jingfeng didn't need further confirmation. Just seeing the Sword Flower Ling Chen performed was enough for him to instantly recognize Ling Chen's identity. After all, his battle with Dustless was one of the few defeats in his life, an unforgettable experience.

"That's correct." A slight smile touched Ling Chen's lips.

"Haha, excellent!"

Xue Jingfeng suddenly burst into laughter. He then raised his Ghost Killing Sword, its tip aimed at Ling Chen. "You rascal! After you left the City of Ze, you completely vanished. I had a hell of a time trying to find you. I never expected you to use a false name! Wonderful! Heaven has been kind to me, granting me another chance to defeat you."

"Whether you are Dustless or Ling Chen, today, on this stage of the martial arts tournament, I will defeat you!"

As his words fell, a powerful and incisive Sword Momentum emanated from Xue Jingfeng, stirring up a turbulent cloud of dust across the entire Dueling platform.

"What? Judging by his tone, Xue Jingfeng lost to Ling Chen a long time ago?"

A young prodigy gasped.

"Unbelievable! How could we only be learning about such explosive news now?"

"It turns out we all underestimated Ling Chen! He possessed the strength of a top-five Heavenly List expert all along!"

Many were astounded. This sudden, major revelation instantly overturned the perceptions many young prodigies held of Ling Chen.

"Slaughter Sword Song!"

Fully aware of Ling Chen's strength, Xue Jingfeng wasted no preliminary moves, immediately unleashing his signature technique, the "Slaughter Sword Song." In their last encounter, he could only manifest about three points of the Slaughter Sword Song's power. Now, with his Cultivation having broken through to the Grand Master realm, he could wield approximately six points of its might.

This was the source of Xue Jingfeng's confidence in his ability to defeat Ling Chen.

"Sword Qi Extends for Thirty Thousand Miles!"

Xue Jingfeng pushed off with his foot, his body shooting forward like an arrow. The Ghost Killing Sword in his hand seemed to extend out of thin air, growing to nine feet in length. With a single slash, the sword's luminous projection stretched one hundred feet long, smashing towards Ling Chen.

He's indeed much stronger than before. Ling Chen's pupils contracted slightly, a glint flashing in his eyes. The sword's luminous projection increased from seventy feet to one hundred feet; its power has grown considerably.

There was little time for thought in battle. Ling Chen's figure flickered, seeming to vanish from his spot. The crowd only saw a blurred shadow charge forward, followed by the fleeting flash of an illusory sword light.

RIP!

The eerie sound of tearing cloth echoed. A gash appeared on the one-hundred-foot-long luminous projection, rapidly widening. Ling Chen, sword in hand, walked out from within it, completely unharmed.

Xue Jingfeng's pupils constricted; he instinctively retreated.

"One Sword Cold Across Nine Provinces!"

While retreating, Xue Jingfeng gripped his sword with both hands. Building upon his first sword technique, he unleashed an even more formidable strike. The sword's luminous projection now reached one hundred and twenty feet, sweeping out like a breathtaking rainbow that seemed to cleave the Void itself.

This slash not only radiated terrifying sharpness but also contained an overwhelming, murderous intent.

"Such powerful sword qi!"

Outside the ring, even Wei Qingyi's expression changed. If I were facing that sword qi, I definitely couldn't block it.

Seeing this sword qi descend, Ling Chen remained unhurried. He retreated continuously, his Cloud-hidden Sword spinning rapidly in his hand, tracing circle after circle in the air before him. The immensely powerful sword qi struck these sword circles and was steadily diminished. After retreating eighteen steps, Ling Chen abruptly, like a bolt of lightning, withdrew his Cloud-hidden Sword, then slashed at the top of the luminous projection with incredible speed, severing the entire sword light in two.

"It was broken so easily!"

Many young talents' expressions shifted. This sword technique was extraordinary, leaving many onlookers stunned. They hadn't expected Ling Chen to dismantle it with such apparent ease. Holding their breath, they stared unblinkingly at the contest on the Dueling platform, afraid of missing a single exciting moment.

"Immortal Points the Way!"

Immediately after shattering Xue Jingfeng's sword technique, Ling Chen thrust his sword forward. The sword qi, like a comet, struck Xue Jingfeng directly on the chest.

PFFT!

Blood spurted from the corner of his mouth as Xue Jingfeng was sent flying.

But even as he hurtled backward, Xue Jingfeng slapped the platform with his palm. The force propelled him back into the air. Mid-air, a look of fierce determination flashed in his eyes as True Qi poured ceaselessly into his Ghost Killing Sword.

"Ling Chen, take this! Asura Swallow Return!"

The sword qi transformed into a bloody, crescent wave of light, over one hundred feet long. In the blink of an eye, it neared Ling Chen and engulfed his entire figure.

"What?!"

Several young prodigies shot up from their seats. They had never imagined that, on the brink of defeat, Xue Jingfeng could still unleash such an Absolute Kill technique.

Perhaps this one sword strike could completely turn the tables and reverse the tide of battle.