Chapter 1069: Old Man, Let Me Try One Sword First

"It's not that I can't understand it that way..."

Mei Jiren smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

Truth be told, the concept of "Che Shen Nian" first emerged during the previous Shi Zun Zuo battle.

Kui Lei Han used it to establish his position as the foremost of the Shi Zun Zuo, even if it wasn't officially recognized.

But the world acknowledged it, so in the ballads of the bards, even the Ba Zun An was placed second in the Shi Zun Zuo songs, yielding the top spot.

Undoubtedly, after the Shi Zun Zuo, "Che Shen Nian" became hugely popular.

With Kui Lei Han's "Fa Shen Xing Jie" as the original Che Shen Nian, to commemorate this groundbreaking feat, any subsequent methods derived from "Fa Shen Xing Jie" and involving "Nian" were all classified as "second-generation Che Shen Nian."

Mei Jiren was from the older generation, and back then, he hadn't stooped to participate in the juniors' Shi Zun Zuo battle, so he hadn't seen what the firsthand "Che Shen Nian" looked like.

What he was displaying now was something he had derived on his own, based on the ideas of "Che Shen Nian."

It wasn't wrong to call it "second-generation Che Shen Nian," but whether it truly fell under the category of "Che Shen Nian," Mei Jiren didn't dare to overstep.

The capable are teachers.

He felt that to claim the title, he needed to discuss it with Kui Lei Han himself and get his personal approval to make it official.

But as for empty fame, Mei Jiren didn't care much.

He only knew that this technique of his, combining swordsmanship, Nian force, and will—manifested as the deity and Buddha before him—was not inferior to Sheng force, and might even surpass it.

Why was "Che Shen Nian" so powerful?

It was because this was the only method for Ling refiners below the semi-saint level that had even a sliver of possibility to overturn "Sheng"-level power!

Here, "Sheng" referred to "Sheng Di."

When "Fa Shen Xing Jie" first appeared, it hadn't reached that height.

But it was normal; the path had only just been opened back then, and everyone saw its potential, which was bright as day.

Now, decades later, no one could say for sure what level of cultivation or combat power the creator of the original Che Shen Nian had reached.

Maybe he had broken through to semi-saint and perfected this path, enabling him to fight Sheng Di, thus opening another road to sainthood in the Ling refining era.

Or maybe, to research this path, he had suppressed his cultivation at Tai Xu level. But decades later, no one could say whether such a Tai Xu could match a semi-saint, a Sheng Di, or even Zu Yuan force...

That would be even more terrifying!

Because a semi-saint who broke through on such a foundation might not be unbeatable among semi-saints, but upon achieving sainthood, they would undoubtedly be among the peaks.

Jiang Buyi was jealous of Mei Jiren, jealous to the point where fire seemed to shoot from his eyes.

Because when "Che Shen Nian" first emerged, he had seen its potential and was among the first to study it.

Yet, like most people,

Over the decades, these outsiders could only watch as second-generation Che Shen Nian variants like "Jian Nian" and "Yuan Li" appeared one after another in the hands of geniuses from that era, such as the Ba Zun An and You Yuan Fo Tuo.

As for himself...

He had achieved nothing, just wasting time!

And now, just when he thought the older generation's rigid thinking couldn't keep up with the latest powers of the new era, here was this guy around his age who had walked out with his own version of "second-generation Che Shen Nian."

"I might not get it, as long as no one else does."

"But I can't accept that I don't have it, while some old guy from my generation secretly mastered it!"

Jiang Buyi felt the will emanating from Mei Jiren that surpassed his own Sheng level.

Before the deity and Buddha appeared, this old sword cultivator was, in his eyes, just an ordinary person below semi-saint—no matter how senior, that's how it was to a semi-saint!

But now, this man had surpassed him with just his displayed will.

Even thinking with his toes, he knew...

As long as Mei Jiren obtained the semi-saint position, he would surely achieve sainthood!

As long as he decided to join one of the five great Sheng Di families, his chances of becoming a Sheng Di, however slim, were still millions of times higher than his own negligible odds!

"What is it called?"

Jiang Buyi suppressed the jealousy almost bursting from him, because he knew such things couldn't be taken by force, unlike with Lei Jia Tong.

"It doesn't have a name yet, because this is its first appearance..."

Mei Jiren smiled, but from his words, one could sense the immense pressure he faced.

This power, unused for so many years, had to be displayed now to save Xu Xiaoshou, because the opponent was a semi-saint, and he needed it to deter and counterattack.

And since this power had now appeared...

It truly needed a name of its own.

Mei Jiren still stood on the earthen pillar, unmoved from his spot even after facing the semi-saint. After murmuring to himself, he stroked his fingers in thought and continued,

"The Ba Zun An was unparalleled, using his 'Jian' and 'Nian' to name his second-generation Che Shen Nian as 'Jian Nian'—utterly arrogant."

"At first, I thought the younger generation was overreaching and conceited. Later, as I researched this path myself... sigh, I had to admit it."

"The waves behind drive the waves ahead. I have to acknowledge that some people are just exceptional, surpassing us mediocre sword cultivators by decades. The Ba Zun An certainly has the qualifications to name it 'Jian Nian' first."

"An old man like me can't do that..."

As Mei Jiren spoke, his clothes billowed without wind, and his aura shifted as his body slowly floated into the air.

He pulled his hands back, clasping them behind his waist. In an instant, the monstrous form on his back seemed summoned, twisting and forcefully merging into his body.

Once the monster vanished, the oppressive feeling disappeared too.

But the next second...

"Clang, clang, clang—"

The sounds of metal clashing echoed endlessly, sword bodies ringing through heaven and earth.

In that moment, after reclaiming the monster of the deity and Buddha, Mei Jiren...

Lifted a foot and stepped on the Ten Halls Ghost King; flipped his hand, and a green light sword appeared in his grasp;

He opened his eyes, and nine swords formed an array around him, the red dust manifesting, with all things and phenomena beginning to chant, like sword boys reciting in a private school at dawn;

Wherever his gaze fell, the scenery within ten thousand li twisted into something bizarre, with broken wood and floating stones turning into swords, all swords bowing in worship, converging to a single origin.

—The monster of the deity and Buddha had disappeared, but Mei Jiren had become the monster itself!

"Boom!"

Without even making a move, the ground beneath Jiang Buyi's feet shattered, and his body retreated step by step.

With Mei Jiren's monster reclaimed and his aura unleashed, even the opponent's only foothold was destroyed, forcing him to stand on a spatial black hole, utterly shocked.

"This..." Jiang Buyi was stunned.

If the Dao of heaven and earth was indescribable and unnameable,

Then in Jiang Buyi's eyes, and in Xu Xiaoshou's eyes... the Dao now had a form and a name, called "Mei Jiren"!

With all the anomalies of the deity and Buddha absorbed into himself, Mei Jiren embodied the traces of the nine great sword techniques, like an incarnation of the Dao, extraordinarily poised, as if about to achieve sainthood on the spot.

Yet, even with the power to challenge saints, he still bore no trace of Sheng intent!

"What is a Jian Sheng?"

Xu Xiaoshou clutched the back of his head, his whole body covered in goosebumps, his horizons broadened.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing, but he understood that in this state, Mei Jiren had surpassed the levels of Jian Xian and Tai Xu.

Even if it wasn't called "Jian Sheng," it was because Mei Jiren himself didn't want it, not because he couldn't.

But the question was...

If this wasn't "Jian Sheng," then who in the world would dare call themselves "Jian Sheng" in the future?

In the midst of the battlefield, Mei Jiren was struggling to contain his own pressure.

After all, this was his first time using this unfamiliar ability, and if not for the circumstances, he truly didn't want to counterattack.

But on the other hand...

We sword cultivators forge ahead without hesitation!

Jiang Buyi had already struck twice, and by the principle of "three strikes and you're out," a little counterattack with pressure wouldn't hurt.

"It's called 'Jian Xiang.'"

Mei Jiren tried his best to restrain his divine ability, examining the anomalies on himself, and said with a slight frown.

He felt that his "Jian Xiang" didn't quite match the image of a teacher— it was too ostentatious— so he toned it down a bit with the name.

Even so, his piercing Jian intent forced Jiang Buyi to use Sheng force to protect himself, retreating in panic to a hundred li away.

Now, even within ten thousand li, half of the Miracle Forest had become Mei Jiren's "Sheng domain."

He hadn't even achieved sainthood yet, but he had claimed the terrain advantage. If Jiang Buyi retreated further, he'd gain nothing.

Mei Jiren was helpless about this.

Jian Xiang was too powerful; he couldn't control it at will and had to let its edge show fully.

Retracting his gaze from himself, he looked ahead and smiled. "Jiang Bansheng, as I said before, do I now have the qualifications to make you stop and give me a little face?"

"Jian Xiang..." Jiang Buyi's eyes, slightly narrowed, flashed with cold light. He didn't want to give that face at all, but in the current situation, could he win if they fought?

It was like Teng Shan Hai's earlier act of blasphemy...

Mei Jiren spoke of respect with every word, but in the eyes of a semi-saint, he was no different from a "mindless beast"— just a "cultured scoundrel"!

Saints could not be insulted or challenged!

Today, Jiang Buyi had already been forced back a hundred li. If he turned and left, how could he have any face left to mingle in the semi-saint circles?

"There's a saying from the Sheng Nu that fits well... If you don't achieve sainthood, you're forever a slave." Jiang Buyi said with a cold expression.

Mei Jiren sighed, understanding his opponent's choice, and lamented, "My 'Jian Xiang' can only last so long— at most, three strikes. If you want to test it, Jiang Bansheng, then come on."

"The one who should retreat has always been you!" Jiang Buyi shouted fiercely, his Sheng image reforming, this time not extending outward but retracting into himself.

In an instant, Sheng light burst from Jiang Buyi's body, turning into flowing immortal clouds, his aura surging back and tearing apart most of Mei Jiren's bizarre illusory sword domain.

Storms brewed, and calamities descended.

Even from a distance, with the "disappearance state," Xu Xiaoshou felt the intent of death rampaging in his mind like a mad dog, causing splitting headaches.

This was truly immortals fighting, and mortals suffering.

He retreated again and again, even activating his "Chi Jie Force Field" to try to alleviate the pressure and pain, but still felt his knees trembling, unable to withstand the aftermath of such forces clashing.

Mei Jiren really didn't want to fight and was still trying to persuade.

"My 'Jian Xiang' is newly formed, and I can't control the power well, but I can say for sure..."

"It might injure a semi-saint, perhaps even kill, but I don't know yet."

His face was serious, his eyes full of deep concern.

"Do you really want to try?"

If the semi-saint died, he would be the one to die.

If the semi-saint died, the trouble would be even greater.

After thinking it over, avoiding this fight was best, but if it had to happen, there was no choice— he'd have to grit his teeth and go through with it.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Jiang Buyi, transformed into flowing immortal clouds, laughed wildly, amused by his opponent's arrogance.

A Jian Xian was still a Jian Xian, and Tai Xu was Tai Xu.

If this level could truly surpass and slay a saint, then why would semi-saints be called semi-saints?

"Come at me!"

Mei Jiren sighed again and closed his eyes heavily.

"Then... I must offend you."

With that said,

His killing intent ignited, and his eyes opened in anger.

Mei Jiren hesitated no longer, his left hand virtually cradling his chest as if holding a massive sword sheath, his right hand raised high overhead, gently pinching and drawing upward at an angle.

"Sword technique has a name, called Wu. The Dao of Wu is the interplay of void and reality, blending truth and falsehood, the great thousand originally without, yet I deem it to be."

The soft murmur came first, followed by the rush of wind, then the collapse of heaven and earth, finally converging all into one, transforming into a massive void sword slowly drawn from his chest.

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—"

The shattering, surging sounds halted the clouds, and time seemed to freeze in that moment.

Xu Xiaoshou widened his eyes. He knew why Mei Jiren explained the origin of each sword— it certainly gave Jiang Buyi time to respond, but more importantly...

It was teaching time again.

Mei Jiren was so dedicated; he had to learn.

"This is the first realm of the Wu Jian technique: Wu You Jian Liu!"

The void great sword was fully drawn, hovering in the air, reminding Xu Xiaoshou of that day in Tian Sang City at the city lord's mansion facing Gu Qing San.

The difference was, back then, Gu Qing San had transformed his entire body into a hovering sword, completely void.

Now, Mei Jiren was drawing a sword from the air, his body unmoved, and it looked like he could follow up with more moves.

"Watch closely, Xu Xiaoshou— everything that follows is for you to learn..." Mei Jiren silently gazed upward, as if looking at someone invisible, murmuring in his heart.

Finally, he withdrew his gaze, returned to the battlefield, and his tone shifted as he shouted sternly,

"Jiang Buyi, you've made two moves. Now it's my turn..."

"I'll test you with the first strike!"

Even clay figures have a bit of temper.

Swords are inherently fierce.

Now, as a teacher, it didn't mean that in his youthful recklessness, Mei Jiren lacked the arrogance to slaughter all and crush everything!

And right now, this was his first counterattack after enduring two strikes from a semi-saint!

Silence until action, then thunderous!

No sword drawn until blood is shed, then it must return stained!

The void great sword was swung horizontally through the air.

In that instant, heaven and earth twisted, lights and shadows changed, and an inexplicable chilling darkness descended, making one shudder.

Mei Jiren's lips didn't move, but layer upon layer of Dao sounds echoed through the battlefield and into the ears of the onlookers.

"Sword technique has a name, called Jiu. The Dao of Jiu is the ultimate of numbers, birthing countless derivations. Here, an array is set, and the ghost gate shall open!"

The formless great sword cleaved through the air, and the nine swords around Mei Jiren flew forward, forming an array midway. Then, heaven and earth entered Jiu You, the formless gates of hell swung open, and absolute chill instantly invaded the entire Miracle Forest.

"Woo—"

Dark entities roamed, great darkness fell.

Xu Xiaoshou widened his eyes. Was this the first realm of the Jiu Jian technique— infinite enumeration?

Wait, no— when Bai Ku used it against the Flame Python, Gu Qing Er's Jiu Jian technique clearly displayed a "time" attribute...

That time, Gu Qing Er used "time," but the Jiu Jian and what Mei Jiren was doing now had one thing in common— arrays!

So, were the nine swords meant for sword arrays?

And the time attribute was just one of them?

When Mei Jiren used the nine swords to set an array and open the ghost gate, was that turning the array's attribute into "spirit"?

But why "spirit" attribute? Why open the "ghost gate"?

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes suddenly lit up.

Could it be...