Volume 5 Chapter 101

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Volume 5 Chapter 101: The Battle of the Strongest, the Strongest Person (Part 3)

"After the senior obtained the ‘World Defying Sword’, I believe he wants to help it grow, right?"

Xu Qingfan’s eyes were clear as he looked at the broad-shouldered man with a sword behind him and slowly asked.

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, the man’s eyes, which had been half-closed, suddenly opened wide. They were like large leopard eyes, glowing faintly from deep within, shining like the sun. He fixed his gaze on Xu Qingfan, and the ordinary aura he had transformed into a powerful pressure, heavy like a mountain, suddenly pressed towards Xu Qingfan.

The man’s intimidating gaze and immense power were something Xu Qingfan had never encountered before. Even when he fought with the core member "Ying" from the "Ming" organization, the pressure he sensed then was nothing compared to the man in front of him.

A Mahayana cultivator… As the man radiated his immense power, Xu Qingfan’s earlier suspicion was finally confirmed. Such terrifying power could only belong to a Mahayana cultivator.

In an instant, Xu Qingfan felt a sense of suffocation, his body stiffened, and he could not move. Cold sweat poured from him, soaking his clothes. He realized that if the man wished, he could easily take Xu Qingfan’s life with just a simple reach of his hand, without any resistance from Xu Qingfan.

Under the man’s powerful presence, Xu Qingfan’s eyes filled with greater panic. This was not about courage; it was a primal fear that arose from facing a stronger being, an uncontainable terror.

But as time passed, the pressure from the man grew stronger. Yet, it seemed Xu Qingfan thought of something and understood something, for although the pressure increased, the panic in his eyes gradually faded. Before long, he regained his clarity and felt a sense of calmness.

"After the senior receives the ‘World Defying Sword’, will they evolve the ‘World Defying Sword’? Please answer, senior."

"With the ‘Dragon Summoning Order’ and three ‘Immortal Ascending Pills’, it would be a lie to say that Xu Qingfan is not tempted. After all, if the ‘World Defying Sword’ were in his hands, it would just be a dangerous collectible. The four items offered by the strong man would greatly help Xu Qingfan. For a moment, Xu Qingfan nearly agreed."

But at that moment, Xu Qingfan suddenly thought of something else.

The ‘World Defying Sword’ in Xu Qingfan’s hand is not the legendary sword that once terrified the righteous, but a newly made ‘World Defying Sword’ that had not yet grown. Its power is even weaker than an ordinary magical weapon. This strong man is likely a master at the Mahayana Stage. If he needs the ‘World Defying Sword’, he certainly would not settle for an unformed one, so after obtaining it, he would definitely find a way to make it grow.

The key issue is that there is only one way to make the ‘World Defying Sword’ grow: through continuous battles, capturing the souls and blood of the dead to enhance the sword’s power. It is said that to fully grow the ‘World Defying Sword’, one needs to kill countless mortals, as well as many cultivators…

"Is this point important?"

Seeing Xu Qingfan under his pressure, though his gaze was not entirely firm and even showed a hint of panic, his calmness and clarity became more noticeable. Since the strong man appeared, a trace of surprise finally appeared in his eyes, but the previous politeness had faded, and his tone became more serious.

"If the senior wants the ‘World Defying Sword’ just to have an item that will never be used as a collectible, then I will gladly offer it. But if the senior intends to refine the ‘World Defying Sword’ into their own magical weapon, then I absolutely cannot hand this evil tool over to you."

Under the strong man’s pressure, every word Xu Qingfan spoke felt extremely difficult, yet he still clearly stated his principles. After finishing, he felt exhausted all over, but his gaze was filled with peace.

Despite the proud Master of the Mahayana Stage, Xu Qingfan was not afraid that the strong man would deceive him with lies.

Upon hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, the strong man’s surprise became more obvious as he looked Xu Qingfan up and down, then said, "Do you know that this exchange is only beneficial to you and not harmful at all?"

"Yes, I know," Xu Qingfan quietly replied.

"Do you know that if I were to take it by force, you would not be able to resist at all?"

"Yes, I know," Xu Qingfan’s tone remained calm.

"If we exchange, no one will know, just like no one knows you have the ‘World Defying Sword.’ Even if I bring chaos to the Shenzhou Continent to evolve the World Defying Sword, you will not face any blame."

As the strong man questioned him, Xu Qingfan did not show any regret. His calmness became more apparent, and when the fear in his eyes faded, the strong man’s pressure seemed less daunting. He quietly said, "I understand."

"Then why are you still unwilling to exchange with me? Is it just for the sake of the people who cannot survive?"

After a moment of silence, Xu Qingfan slowly said, "For many years, I have been sent by the Righteous Alliance to carry out various tasks. During these missions, I became accustomed to killing and the ugliness and betrayal at the moment of life and death. Deep down, I grew colder. Once, I saw an elder in our group, known for his fairness, push one of my junior brothers into a group of ‘Beast Madness cultivators’ just to grasp at a slim chance of survival."

As he spoke, a hint of mockery appeared on Xu Qingfan’s lips, and he continued, "Later, I personally killed that so-called ‘just’ Martial Uncle, but what I received in return was everyone’s coldness and fear. At that moment, I wondered, if I had been in that Martial Uncle’s position, what would I have done? Would I have sacrificed others to save myself? As the killings increased, my heart grew colder, and my views shifted towards ‘yes.’ After all, in a chaotic world, saving one’s own life is the most important thing. Over the years, I have indeed done just that. Although I never pushed others into despair for my own sake, there were times I had to abandon those I didn’t know to save those close to me."

After pausing for a moment, Xu Qingfan looked up and found himself able to face the strong man before him, who had made him feel unable to move with just his presence. He was surprised to discover that once released, he could move again.

"To be honest, just now, I was thinking the same thing, and I almost agreed to your terms. However, over the years, as I walked across the Shenzhou Continent, I have witnessed large cities being wiped out during disasters, seen villages with just a few lonely elderly people starving to death. Although they were just ordinary people, it would be impossible not to feel shaken."

"That ‘World Defying Sword’ needs to kill millions of ordinary people and thousands of cultivators to fully evolve, but now during this catastrophe, how many ordinary people and cultivators are left? Perhaps for you, those who were killed are just a bunch of unimportant numbers, but for me, I can’t bear to let more living beings suffer hopelessly in this disaster. If I walk again on the Shenzhou Continent in the future and see the ordinary cultivators killed by you for the sake of evolving the ‘World Defying Sword,’ what will I do? Thinking about this, I realize that I am still not as cold-hearted as I thought. Maybe it’s related to my past; I suffered for many years after my home was destroyed in my childhood, and I don’t want others to feel that pain."

"Of course, I want to become stronger, and I am afraid of being killed by you. But if the price of gaining strength and surviving is a life spent in guilt, that’s another story. Besides, making such a deal goes against the Heavenly Way I practice. Even if I could enter the Golden Core Stage after such a trade, I would be unable to progress further because of internal demons. Therefore, if you want to help the ‘World Defying Sword’ grow, I must refuse."

After saying this, Xu Qingfan’s eyes were filled with calmness. Even though he knew that the strong man could easily kill him with a flick of his finger, and although there was still panic about death in his heart, it was now replaced by tranquility.

Moreover, Xu Qingfan had a plan in mind. Although he rejected the strong man, it didn’t mean he had to stand there and be killed. In resisting, there might still be a chance to escape.

The strong man did not ask further. A strange smile appeared on his lips, seeming to be a mix of surprise, mockery, and perhaps a touch of respect.

"Those who claim to be righteous in my eyes are just hypocrites who preach justice. In the face of interests and life and death, they prove to be even more worthless than those considered wicked. Yet you, amid life, death, and interests, can still hold on to your Heavenly Way. That is rare."

As he spoke, the strong man looked at Xu Qingfan, and a look of regret appeared in his eyes.

"But that ‘World Defying Sword’ is something I must have; it’s such a pity."

As he said this, the strong man’s pressure grew stronger, and he stretched out his large hand, slowly moving it toward the top of Xu Qingfan’s head.

Ever since meeting the strong man, Xu Qingfan felt very constrained because of the power he showed and the fact that he was a master at the Mahayana Stage. After all, in front of a Mahayana Stage master, he felt like an ant. Also, as a cultivator, the master’s identity filled him with fear.

But at that moment, after understanding everything, he began to let go. Once he let go, his body, which had been stiff under the strong man’s pressure, became much more agile. At least he could now make movements to avoid the strong man’s attack.

So just before the strong man’s palm reached the top of his head, Xu Qingfan strained to gather the Spirit Qi inside him, transforming it into the "Wind of the Holy Spirit," and he quickly fled toward the direction of "Ronghua Mountain." Even though he tried hard to escape the strong man’s pressure, he could only use about thirty or forty percent of his strength. Although he turned into the "Wind of the Holy Spirit," his speed was greatly reduced.

This is the difference between a Mahayana Stage master and a Condensed Core Stage cultivator. Just a little pressure is enough to make someone like Xu Qingfan feel completely immobilized, unable to move while facing the threat.

On the other side, as the strong man reached out his large hand towards Xu Qingfan’s head, he still wore a look of regret. He did not agree with Xu Qingfan’s decision, but he respected it. There are too few people in the cultivation world who can stick to their Heavenly Way. However, just as he said, the "World Defying Sword" was something he had to obtain, so he could only sacrifice Xu Qingfan.

Although there was a killing intent in his heart, the strong man’s hand moving toward Xu Qingfan was very slow because he did not believe that Xu Qingfan could still move under his pressure. But halfway through, he saw that Xu Qingfan had transformed into a whirlwind with a holy aura, quickly fleeing towards "Ronghua," and a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes again.

This time, Xu Qingfan was very surprised to see the man. The unexpected refusal, the unexpected insistence, and the unexpected actions shocked him.

However, for the big man, this was not nearly enough.

The big man’s hand still moved slowly toward Xu Qingfan, seemingly unaware that Xu Qingfan had already escaped far away. But even though Xu Qingfan transformed into the wind and tried very hard to flee into the distance, the big man seemed to stand still, yet the distance between Xu Qingfan and him remained just an arm’s length, no more, no less.

Xu Qingfan was very fast; he had already escaped over a mile while the big man’s hand was still coming down. However, it seemed that the big man had not moved his feet at all, yet he closed the gap and followed Xu Qingfan for a mile as if he had taken just one step.

Finally, it was unavoidable; the big man’s hand came down.

"Boom…"

"Bang…"

"Whoosh…"

Three different sounds rang out one after the other. Xu Qingfan realized that no matter how he tried to escape, the big man was still only an arm’s length away. Just as that seemingly ordinary but powerful hand was about to hit him, he was filled with fear and quickly activated the "Five Spirit Bell" to protect himself.

However, the protective power of the Five Spirit Bell, which was not inferior to the heavenly-level magical tools, surprisingly did not make any sound when it collided with the strong man’s palm. Instead, countless tiny cracks instantly appeared where the bell and the strong man’s hand met, and then quickly spread across the entire bell body.

Then, the Five Spirit Bell, which had protected Xu Qingfan for many years and was a challenge for countless masters, surprisingly shattered into dozens of pieces, shooting off in all directions!

Seeing the Five Spirit Bell break so easily, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but pause in shock despite the danger. "The Five Spirit Bell, how could it be broken so easily?"

But as the strong man’s hand got closer, Xu Qingfan finally snapped back to reality and summoned Xu Ying to stand in front of him. After all, the Five Spirit Bell was one of the top ten defensive treasures of Jiuhua Mountain. Although it was shattered by the strong man, the force within his hand had diminished greatly. When Xu Ying, who had extremely high defensive power, was hit by the strong man’s palm, he didn’t break apart like the Five Spirit Bell; instead, he was knocked back far away and crashed into Xu Qingfan, who was trying to escape.

Although Xu Qingfan had transformed into the Wind, which reduced the effects of all attacks against him, the impact from Xu Ying was so great that it caused Xu Qingfan immense pain. He could no longer maintain his transformation and reverted to his original form, hitting the ground hard like Xu Ying. Together, they smashed the once solid ground, creating two large craters. Xu Qingfan felt like all his bones and organs had shattered, and he couldn’t help but spit up several mouthfuls of blood.

Although this situation sounds complicated, from the moment Xu Qingfan fled to when he was brought down, it all happened in the blink of an eye.

Fortunately, after being held back by the Five Spirit Bell and Xu Ying, the strong man’s hand finally grew tired and retreated.

"Not bad."

The strong man looked at the disheveled Xu Qingfan, nodding in evaluation. Even in his current posture, standing with his hands behind his back, everything around him remained unchanged except for the ground that was already a mile away.

Xu Qingfan was trying hard to use his third magical power, "Way of Life and Death," to heal his wounds. He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, wondering if this was the strength of a Mahayana Stage master. With just a casual slap, this strong man nearly pushed him to his limits, even though it was clear he was not using all his power.

Thinking back on the opponents he had faced over the years, there was Number Two, who could summon countless zombies, Zhang Yi, who attacked the Original Soul directly, the crazed Beast Madness cultivator, and the mysterious "Ying" with his strange cultivation method. In battle with them, Xu Qingfan had always been on the brink of death, struggling greatly. Yet, he still had the strength to fight back. But before this strong man, he had no ability to resist at all. Any method he tried only seemed laughable to this giant, like an ant challenging an eagle. Compared to this strong man, those who Xu Qingfan had viewed as fierce rivals seemed just like ants, just like him.

However, even though the strong man was so powerful, Xu Qingfan did not plan to give up. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, he would fight for it. This was what Xu Qingfan had learned from years of battles.

The only good thing about Xu Qingfan’s injury was that it angered Little Black. Earlier, under the pressure of the strong man, Little Black, like Xu Qingfan, had been completely still, only knowing to flee with him. But after seeing Xu Qingfan get hurt, Little Black became furious. Floating in the air, he was no longer restrained and stared coldly at this seemingly unbeatable foe.

Seeing Xu Qingfan slowly recover from his wounds and stand up again, and alongside him, Xu Zhiyuan had also been summoned to guard Xu Qingfan just like Xu Ying, the strong man realized that Xu Qingfan was not scared by the power he showed. Instead, Xu Qingfan seemed determined to resist him to the end.

With a flash of what seemed like either mockery or admiration in his eyes, the strong man had nothing more to say after watching Xu Qingfan’s actions. He simply reached out to strike Xu Qingfan again.

Knowing that running away would be pointless, Xu Qingfan stopped being passively defensive. The moment the strong man raised his hand, Xu Qingfan charged toward him.

Xu Qingfan’s left hand glowed with a deep black-gray hue, filled with a strong sense of desolation and death, while his right hand was pure white, full of sacred life. Then, when Xu Qingfan brought his hands together, the two energies, completely different in nature, clashed. Strangely, they didn’t conflict but instead blended together. In the end, the black and white energy formed a Taoist yin-yang symbol, while the scattered black and white essences floated outside the symbol, creating sixty-four paths that formed the Eight Trigrams.

Once the Tai Chi Bagua formed by "Flourish Qi" and "Withered Qi" stabilized, it emitted a mysterious energy wave, as if this move contained some deep truth of the universe. Although its power was far weaker than the strong man’s, it seemed to have a hint of balance against him. Additionally, Xu Qingfan, slowly floating in the air, began to radiate an air of mysterious lightness.

On the other side, Little Black was surrounded by a dark mist. In a moment, a heavy feeling of death filled the area for several meters around. Then, endless cries of spirits echoed from within the mist, as if the Gate of Hell had opened. Suddenly, a presence, though not as strong as the muscular man in front of him, came forth from the black fog. As the mist cleared, a figure emerged, three meters tall, cloaked in black. In his left hand, he held a book, and in his right, a long sword. Under his hood, two faint red lights glimmered, fixating intently on the muscular man before him.

This was the special ability Little Black gained after evolving into an Earth level advanced demon beast—Death God Clone.

The combined power of the Death God Clone and the Taiji Eight Trigrams in Xu Qingfan’s hands created a formidable force that could momentarily stand against the muscular man.

Upon seeing Xu Qingfan’s actions, the muscular man let out a soft "Hmm," showing no interest in the Death God Clone that Little Black had transformed into. Instead, he focused intently on the Taiji Eight Trigrams in Xu Qingfan’s hand, his eyes revealing a hint of caution and admiration.

"This move shouldn’t be something you can create…"

The muscular man murmured softly, while retracting his hand that was about to strike. Instead, he beckoned slightly with his fingers. One of the six long swords behind him suddenly floated up, no longer appearing as a mere imitation in Xu Qingfan’s eyes. The overwhelming aura of Spirit Qi proved that this sword was one of the legendary God Weapons from the cultivation world, which had been sealed by the muscular man and was now fully revealed.

Stimulated by Xu Qingfan’s unusual move, the muscular man finally began to use his favored techniques. Though he still did not use all his strength, it was uncertain whether Xu Qingfan could withstand it.

At last, Xu Qingfan and the muscular man struck at the same time!