Chapter 1354: The Sword Sea Above the Firmament

Meanwhile, Jiang Wang, with his sword strike, "Topple Mountain,"collided with the human realm, scattering the ghostly mist enshrouding Yan Zi.He shattered the bloodied face and severed the bat wings, sweeping all before him like a relentless force.

The keen edge of this sword strike illuminated before the myriad army.The hundred thousand soldiers of the Qi and Jing armies, arrayed in opposing camps,beheld it clearly.This single sword divided east from west, spanned north and south,and instantly extinguished a Human Demon who could undoubtedly be considered a potent force even among the Outer Mansion realm.All were struck with awe.

From the Qi army's camp.People finally comprehended, more intuitively, what Lin Xian had spoken of –that so-called "most formidable Inner Mansion combat prowess, unparalleled through the ages."They understood what it meant to exceed the imagined limits of the Inner Mansion.If killing the Revealed Face was thus today,what manner of bearing did he possess when he slew the Myriad Evils, carved the Flesh, and severed the Head on those previous days?Lin Xian's fortune in witnessing that battle firsthand was truly immense!

Xie Baoshu's face was devoid of expression, yet within his heart, a sour and deeply uncomfortable sensation brewed.Though his uncle, Xie Huaian, had repeatedly urged him to reconcile with Jiang Wang as early as when they were in Linzi,a certain pride resided within his heart, along with a multitude of grievances.His beloved Wen Tinglan was betrothed to Yan Fu;he had casually gone to bully Jiang Wang,only to be bullied in return multiple times...Lying in the Imperial Medical Institute, he was sought out and greeted.Blocked on the great street, he was subjected to face-to-face mockery...He, a glorious Outer Mansion realm prodigy,whose fame paled in comparison to Jiang Wang's,whose noble rank was inferior to Jiang Wang's,whose official position was lesser than Jiang Wang's...For these and other reasons.His belly seethed with frustration towards Jiang Wang, yet he could not act unrestrainedly.Truly, he had stewed in exasperation for seven or eight catties worth!His coming to the Star-Moon Plain this time was also to achieve merit and seek a noble rank.He had even decided that once he achieved great merit and was adorned with fame and title,should he encounter Jiang Wang again on the streets of Linzi,he would provoke him on the spot, and give him a thorough beating,causing a great uproar throughout the city...Let the world know. Linzi still had him, Xie Baoshu!But today, he suddenly discovered...It seemed that were they to genuinely come to blows, he might not necessarily win.He felt truly stifled.Stifled to the point of itching all over.Yet he could only suppress it.

Within the Jing army's camp, a young prodigy with a green gourd hanging from his waist said,"Should a great battle erupt, this person must be slain first!"This voice resonated simultaneously in the ears of several prodigies.The one who spoke these words was the one known as "Peach Blossom Must Accompany Green Plum,"Xu San, renowned for his romantic disposition.He considered the matter purely from the perspective of winning the war.A prodigy like Jiang Wang, possessing an invincible presence,could too easily create advantages in localized battles.If he were not dealt with swiftly, the variables in this kind of prodigy clash would be difficult to control.

Wang Kun, who held a position at the Mirror World Platform, immediately responded,"Brother Xu's words are reasonable. In a combined army battle,slaying this Jiang Qingyang, whose fame is greatest,is precisely like severing their banner and seizing their momentum!"

The ripple stirred by this sword strike that fell upon the Star-Moon Plainwas not confined to the vanguard.Even the command platforms at the eastern and western ends of the Star-Moon Plain,far distant as they were, could not ignore this brilliant sword strike.Though it was the power of the Inner Mansion,it already evinced a peerless bearing.

"Did you see it?" asked Lian Jingzhi, the Great Pillar State of the Elephant Country.Standing not far behind him was his daughter, Lian Yuchan,the most gifted cultivator among the younger generation of the Elephant Country.She currently held only the position of a personal guard, standing watch at the command platform.Lian Jingzhi had brought her this time solely to allow her to observe.

"I saw it," said Lian Yuchan, who possessed a melon-seed shaped face and exquisite features.She added another sentence: "I saw it very clearly."She resembled a figure from a painting, yet clad in helmet and armor,a cold killing intent was also apparent.

Lian Jingzhi said in a calm voice,"When you can strike forth this sword,I can finally set aside my armor with peace of mind."

Lian Yuchan pursed her lips slightly, saying nothing,but the twin swords at her waist... both rang out.

Facing each other across the vast distance, each side experienced surges of emotion.

On the eastern command platform, Fang You, who commanded the troops of the Sun Kingdom,could not help but lean forward slightly, "Is that Jiang Wang?"

"That is Jiang Wang," Madame Xidu said in a cold voice."With such strength, he deserves great fame.None of the young people in my Rong Country can compare."

"He is already recognized as the greatest Inner Mansion of all time.His opponents will no longer be limited to his generation,"Fang You shook his head, saying meaningfully,"I fear it will not be many years before we old fellows are compared to him."

"The 'few years' you speak of..." Madame Xidu's words were cut short.She suddenly turned her head, looking towards the front lines of the battlefield,her face filled with terror!Fang You also abruptly lost color.They both sensed it. A terrifying power... had descended!Just at the position where the prodigies of the Qi and Jing armies faced off,where Jiang Wang's sword strike had extinguished the life force of the Revealed Face Human Demon...On that clear so-called boundary line.The bloodied face crumbled, the bat wings snapped,the entire physical body of the Revealed Face Human Demon began to wither...At the position of her heart, a silver-white pelletsuddenly leaped forth.In an instant, silver light burst forth, radiating myriad beams of intense brilliance!All those who were gazing upon this place were pierced by a brutal sting,and were forced to close their eyes.Many soldiers even had blood flowing from their eyes.

And in the eyes of extraordinary cultivators, this silver-white pellet leaped up,and within the abruptly released intense light, it transformed into a silver divine dragon,which coiled around the ground, then rolled up the Revealed Face Human Demon,and shot directly towards the firmament!Finally, only a silver-white gleam of light could be seen,shining in the sky. It was the brightest in the high dome,even eclipsing the sunlight, growing smaller and smaller, farther and farther...That silver-white gleam of light gradually became clear again,and then came closer and closer.First it ascended to the high heaven, then it turned back from the firmament!Until... in people's sight, that gleam of light was already so clearthat its concrete form could be seen—That was a formless longsword that had already taken shape,its tip pointed downwards, directly towards Jiang Wang's direction... falling.

Above the vast sky, there was the sound of sword鸣.It was as if thunder moved from the nine heavens.Bright white sword light surged and flew, centered around that flying longsword,spreading throughout the entire sky.It appeared like silver lightning dancing wildly.The firmament was a paper that could be arbitrarily smeared,and the sword energy were vibrant, never-ceasing strokes.Sword energy burst forth, like a dense electric net woven across the sky.Amidst terrifying shrieks, it grew increasingly dense, increasingly ostentatious.Thus, a sea of sword light formed.Above the firmament, a sea of swords poured down.And descended upon the human realm!The bright white sea of sword light occupied the sky,pouring down mercilessly.The soldier's malevolence generated by the standoff of the hundred thousand armywas even pressed down by several zhang!Only endless falling sword light remained.It was as if...The sky had collapsed!The sky had collapsed, the entire firmament pressed down.A hole had opened in the sky, and this sea of swords was like the water of the celestial river,pouring down centered around Jiang Wang!And incidentally, it covered this battlefield of nearly a hundred thousand people.

What manner of mighty being, without uttering a single word,could unleash such a deadly strike?Jiang Wang, in the first instant, thought of the first Human Demon, Yan Chunhui,whom Yu Beidou had spoken of.Even Yu Beidou, one of the strongest True Lords of the current era,when truly facing Yan Chunhui's flying sword, could only rely on the rebirth of his lifeblood.How much more so was he, Jiang Wang?!When he killed the Severed Head Human Demon, Yan Chunhui did not act.When he killed the Myriad Evils Human Demon and the Carved Flesh Human Demon, Yan Chunhui also did not act.It was likely that the gaze of the first Human Demon did not rest upon these lower-ranked Human Demons.That was why he had come alone to pursue and kill the Revealed Face.Unexpectedly, he had poked a hornet's nest!One could only say it was the alignment of times and fortune;destiny sometimes enjoyed playing such cruel jokes.

What kind of wondrous spectacle was this?A sea of swords pouring down from the sky,bright white sword light like waves and tides, like a waterfall hanging upside down."Suspiciously like the Milky Way falling from the ninth heaven!"Who was the author of this deed?Could it not be a celestial god?

This was such a terrifying sword strike!Jiang Wang's previous peak "Topple Mountain" sword strike,beneath this sea of swords,was like a blade of water grass, soft and powerless.It appeared weak by comparison.Mortals on this battlefield, as far as their eyes could see, were within a sea of sword energy, with nowhere to escape.Regardless of which country's prodigy, regardless of which country's soldier.Beneath such a sea of swords, all could only feel profound despair.This was a disparity that could not be erased, a natural chasm that could not be overcome.Who could fill this chasm?When the sky collapses, who can escape death?At the brink of life and death, who can be fearless?

At this moment, Jiang Wang stood in mid-air,having just shattered the Revealed Face Human Demon.Before he could even compose himself, he encountered this sword strike.Although he was wrapped in a frost cloak bathed in fire, his five mansions shining,he was just like everyone else covered by this sea of swords,completely without the power to respond.Beneath the pouring sea, ants are insignificant.Thousands are insignificant, tens of thousands are insignificant, a hundred thousand are still just ants!There was nothing to withstand it!Those who withstand will surely die!

But Jiang Wang went upwards.He said not a single word. He simply raised his sword and went upwards.Towards that sea of sword light, he advanced alone.This was the brink of life and death, his only choice.He had never had any other choice!The frost cloak behind him fluttered, the surrounding flames blazed,the immortal golden light in his eyes, as if solidified into divine sculptures.Azure clouds scattered one by one, and five intensely bright sources of lightwere embedded in his body.He knew he couldn't escape, but he wouldn't wait for death.If death was a fixed outcome, if he truly faced the collapse of the heavens.He would still make this collapsing "heaven"... see his sword!

Jiang Wang soared through the air, a large character "人" (person).The character "人" stood between heaven and earth.Chang Xiangsi trembled incessantly.

He thrust a sword towards the sky!Alone with a single sword, facing the sea of swords.This was a young man, not yet twenty, charging towards an invincible power.This was an Inner Mansion cultivator, bravely challenging the might of the collapsing sky.

Above the silent battlefield.Amidst the silence of the hundred thousand army.Only he charged upwards, so resolute, so dazzling.This scene, in ten years or a hundred years, would not be forgotten by those present.One who still wields their sword in a moment of despair,is a true hero of the world.

Suddenly, a furious roar resounded through heaven and earth:"Jiang Qingyang! Where do you intend to go? Chongxuan Sheng will go with you!"In the military formation of the Qi army, a massive figure suddenly swelled up,transforming into a giant fifteen or sixteen zhang tall,shaking heaven and earth, roaring like thunder.He leaped into the high sky with one stride, charging directly towards that sea of swords.This sea of swords appeared too coincidentally, and displayed too great a power.Facing life and death on a narrow path, suddenly witnessing the might of the collapsing sky...This was a chasm of strength that could not be overcome by strategy.Everything that could be utilized at this moment was powerless against this sea of sword energy.Chongxuan Sheng was supremely intelligent, and thus understood even more clearly that the situation was beyond remedy.He simply abandoned all thought, surrendering his choice to the impulse of his heart's true nature,manifesting the Dharma Sky Embodiment, and ascending the firmament.Jiang Wang goes to die, I will also go to die!A figure in black armor, wielding a heavy sword,followed silently by his side.Wherever Chongxuan Sheng went, she always went.Without asking the reason, regardless of life or death.If they were to cut down a high mountain, they would cut down a high mountain;if they were to cut down a sea of swords, they would cut down a sea of swords.Even if it was futile, even if... not a single bone remained.Together with Chongxuan Sheng!

"All armies form ranks! Listen to my command!Assemble near the points where the arrows fall!"Li Longchuan, with a jade band around his forehead, flipped his hand,the Qiu Mountain Bow already drawn to a full moon.With a movement of the bowstring, ten feathered arrows flew out swiftly,landing in ten different locations,precisely corresponding to the ten camps on the Qi side."I shall fight to the death with you all!"He wanted to integrate the power of the military formation in the shortest possible time,and launch that desperate struggle.Witnessed by the reputation of the Marquis of Destroying Cities!Almost all the prodigies in the Qi army's campabandoned their grasp of the military formation,and entrusted everything to Li Longchuan to integrate."The world knows Shi Men Li!"This phrase was never empty talk!

And Yan Fu said nothing impassioned.Even on this battlefield of intense fighting and danger,he remained the gentle and serene noble young master.Taking advantage of the moment, he tossed a storage box to Lin Jie beside him,leaving only the words, "Use it however you like,"and then flew into the high sky.Lin Jie, the prodigy of the Yi Country, was momentarily stunned,somewhat dazed by the box full of talismans that struck him.But for some reason, his hand was already gripping his long saber,and he himself couldn't help but fly towards the sky.He had studied countless legalist regulations,none of which could explain the impulse he felt at this moment.Perhaps those about to die must act foolishly?

A voice, very unpleasant to hear, rang out—"How can we let the younger generation take all the glory!"One saw Bao Bozhao, the eldest son of the Marquis of Shuofang,standing in mid-air, raising a finger to his brow,immediately opening his "Heavenly Eye"!The Heavenly Eye has two openings. One eye discerns details minutely,the other eye... is for divine punishment.From the vertical eye in his brow, a divine light shot towards the firmament,this was the "Heavenly Punishment" illuminating the sea of swords!Of course, the Heavenly Punishment could not pierce through such a terrifying sea of sword energy,but how could he, Bao Bozhao, allow the younger generation of prodigies to die before him?If this were relayed back to Linzi, who knew how that brother, who was always so irritating, would mock him!Chongxuan Zun did not care for this battlefield,but he, Bao Bozhao, was here, and ought to be the model for the young prodigies of the Eastern Region!He was already a step slower than Jiang Wang, he could not be slower than others again.

Chao Yu, who came from a military background, was even more direct.He swung his ponytail, like a saber cutting an arc.He had already soared into the air,the red-eyed, blue-faced General Ghost leaped before him,a peerlessly sharp long saber hidden behind him...She charged towards the sea of swords,waiting only for the moment she drew her saber, to open a line in this treacherous sky!

Similarly an Outer Mansion realm prodigy, Xie Baoshueven shook a brush as large as a roof beam,his disheveled hair flying, singing a wild song—"Heaven does not extinguish the suffering of our human realm,this suffering ought to be known to heaven!"At such a critical moment, how could he still let that fellow surnamed Jiang steal the limelight!?He wielded the wild song with a bright mirror, unleashing his strongest Dao technique.Shaking the giant brush, from bottom to top, he drew a stroke across the sky,facing that sea of swords directly...He would write his own ending!

No one was willing to fall behind.Especially with someone as arrogant as Lei Zhangan.He lost to Jiang Wang in strength, lost to Jiang Wang in cultivation,could he also lose in courage?At the brink of life and death, who dares not strike a punch!Thus, a punch surged a sea of thunder,using a sea of lightning to collide with that sea of sword energy.Although the disparity was vast, like a puddle against a vast ocean.But the momentum of his punch was grand and magnificent, without the slightest weakness.The Nine Heavens Thunder Manifestation Art, replacing heavenly punishment with thunder punishment.After completely mastering the technique of the Thunder Realm,this punch of his was truly... "When man issues killing intent, heaven and earth overturn!"

Lin Xian, Tian Chang, Wen Lianmu... even Gao Zhe.All the prodigies of the Qi army's camp,at the abruptly approaching brink of life and death,behind the figure of Jiang Qingyang charging back with his lone sword,were all ignited with courage,and consecutively charged into the high sky.Not one hesitated, not one retreated.They had come here with the intention of achieving merit on the battlefield,and competing with the Jing Country's prodigies,and this contained a certain ambition.

Thus...The prodigies of the various countries collided with the sea of swords!Ants raising their arms dared to support the sky!

Among all the prodigies who charged immediately after Jiang Wang.Only Wang Yiwo was the most arrogant.He clenched his fist towards that sea of swords,unable to even see the face of the sword master, not knowing who the person was.But with one punch thrown out, soldier's malevolence boiled in mid-air,condensing into countless numbers of soldiers and horses,every piece of armor and saber pattern specifically detailed...And then, a thousand armies and ten thousand horses charged towards the azure sky!He alone formed a myriad army.His mouth only uttered, "If I do not die today, I will surely kill you in the future!"To be able to unleash a sword strike with such power of the collapsing sky,to be able to directly pour down a sea of sword energy upon the human realm,must surely be an existence standing at the peak of the extraordinary.Although the prodigies charged forth bravely,every single one was merely striving to fight to the death.Only he, Wang Yiwo,actually uttered such arrogant words towards the mighty being behind this sea of swords!Truly arrogant to the extreme.

Different from the performance of the prodigies on the Qi army's side.On the Jing army's side, as soon as that bright white sword light turned back,a calm voice entered the ears of the various prodigies—"Listen to my command now."When that sea of sword energy poured down.That voice also said almost simultaneously,"This is the power of a True Lord. There is no need to be brave.The commander is at the Myriad Harmony Temple, he can arrive here momentarily.What we need to do is to delay as much time as possible!""All units, heed my command! Follow the formation rehearsed last night.Xu San leads the troops to the Qian five position, Wang Kun leads the troops to the Dui four position, Pei Hongjiu leads the troops..."In an instant, everyone's position was arranged clearly and precisely, without any omissions.The situation of the entire battlefield, a military force of nearly fifty thousand people,seemed to be entirely within this person's mind.And as soon as his command was issued, not a single person raised an objection.Because the person speaking at this moment was Chen Suan,universally recognized as the strongest Outer Mansion in the Jing Country,hailing from Penglai Island!Following his command, the twenty units of the Jing Country swiftly moved,each unit rushing towards the designated position,and in an instant, formed a simple and stable defensive grand formation.With the combined power of these fifty thousand people,they hoped to survive for one more breath beneath the falling sea of swords.Even gaining one more breath of time could very likely be the dividing line between life and death.

A sea of sword energy poured down from the nine heavens.These young prodigies, regardless of their camp or nationality,none of them gave up,and it could be said that they all displayed the demeanor that a prodigy should possess.However, whether it was the offense chosen by the Qi army's prodigies,or the defense chosen by the Jing army's prodigies...Facing this vast and boundless sea of swords, they were effectively equally powerless!A thousand people are ants, ten thousand people are ants.Waiting for death is to be an ant, and how is struggling not also to be an ant?It is said that confronting is death, avoiding is death, fleeing is death, and fighting is death.Only a True Lord can subdue a True Lord, everything below the Dao Manifestation realm is mere dust!

That sea of sword energy, ten thousand li wide, roared and surged incessantly.The bright white sword energy was like the waves of the celestial river,as if it were pouring down upon the human realm from the nine heavens above.One could see that this "celestial river" was about to "extinguish" the ants.Especially Jiang Wang, who was at the very front, holding his sword,was almost less than a hundred zhang away from the sea of swords,and could reach it in an instant.

Suddenly, a figure stood before everyone.Short beard, hair pinned up, wearing a martial uniform of unknown material.Not particularly tall, but standing in the high sky,he was as steady as a pillar supporting the heavens.The fierce wind pressed down by that sea of swordscould not even stir the hem of his clothes!Behind him were the charging prodigies,before him was the roaring and pouring sea of sword energy.His voice was calm, but boundless majesty surged within:"Today I see the prodigies of my Eastern Region fighting valiantly.My heart is deeply comforted. I shall use this fist to bolster your might!"Thus, a punch was thrown towards the sky.

At this moment, in this situation, this person could only be the God of War of Great Qi, Jiang Mengxiong!His fist was simple and unadorned, the peaks of his knuckles distinct and well-defined, rising and falling clearly.Raised high like a soaring dragon, like a majestic high mountain,rising from the vast earth, pulling up the earth's veins and surging forth!He had a defiant posture of crashing through the gates of heaven.As soon as his fist moved, a terrifying fist wind had already swept through the vast sky ahead of it,lifting all the flowing clouds within ten thousand li!The howling fist wind rapidly expanded, stretching like a mountain range,meeting... half of the sea of swords.With Jiang Wang as the dividing line, the sky within the range of the Qi army's campwas supported by Jiang Mengxiong's fist.And on the Jing army's side, the sea of sword energy continued to pour down...

"Alas... you are being too petty!"Amidst a helpless sigh, Yu Que, wearing a Liangyi martial uniform,suddenly appeared, and drew his sword with a backhand motion!His words were very casual, his appearance was very casual,and his sword drawing posture was also very casual.But a sword light immediately shot up into the sky,evolving into a rainbow, spanning the heavens!The sword energy continued to surge and fly,then rose into a sea of sword energy clouds, layers of clouds connected,raising the sword energy to form a sea of clouds, and the sea of clouds surged towards the sky!This sea of clouds... firmly resisted the other half of the falling sea of sword energy.Still with Jiang Wang as the dividing line,facing the vast and mighty sea of sword energy,half was Jiang Mengxiong, and half was Yu Que.

Jiang Mengxiong deliberately controlled his strength,only precisely blocking half of the sea of sword energy.This was actually more strenuous and took more effort than facing the entire sea of sword energy with one punch.But he clearly enjoyed it, preferring to expend more energyrather than giving Yu Que the opportunity to sit back and watch the show.Whoever's people they are, they manage themselves!At this moment, seeing that Yu Que had finally acted,his fist suddenly advanced upwards.Looking up at the sea of sword energy, he roared angrily,"Dare to strike at the prodigies of my Great Qi, Yan Chunhui,are you here to seek death today?!"

Boom!!!The fist wind mountain range collided with the sea of sword energy.The entire heaven and earth dimmed!The scene was as if heaven and earth had merged,and chaos had suddenly returned.At least on this Star-Moon Plain, there was a sense of the end times descending!Indescribable, beyond description.Terrifying power swept everything, including people's perception.

Until—One heard the subsequent enormous sound like a drum of heaven.The brief dimness was torn apart.People then saw that the entire bright white, surging and mighty sea of sword energyactually moved upwards several distances, visibly...The collapsed "heaven" was beaten back!This was the Dao Manifestation True Lord Jiang Mengxiong,this was Jiang Mengxiong's fist!Who could remain unmoved?

"...Who are you?"An old voice descended."Yan Chunhui... and who is that?"These two questions fell consecutively.Like the rambling of an old man who had not yet woken up.The sea of sword energy that enveloped the sky suddenly dispersed.As if the mythical scene of the sky collapsing and the celestial river pouring down was just an illusion.The sky was clear and the clouds were pure, ten thousand li peaceful.People strained their eyes to see again,only seeing a silver-white point of light, flashing in the air, and then disappearing.