Chapter 104: The World-Shaking Sword

"You, it's impossible... You couldn't possibly have broken through the killing formation inside the Purple Gold Gourd..."

"You cheated! You must have cheated inside..."

Lin Cheng’s steps fell like hammer blows against Dong Wuwang’s heart, causing him to lose his composure. He could not fathom how Lin Cheng had managed to break out of the Purple Gold Gourd.

"Will you concede yourself, or shall I personally send you off the stage?" Lin Cheng shook his head as he looked at Dong Wuwang.

Hearing this, Dong Wuwang finally regained his senses and said in a deep voice, "Do you think you’ve won just by breaking the Purple Gold Gourd? You underestimate me. You must be at your wit's end by now. To escape the gourd, how much spiritual energy could you possibly have left?"

Lin Cheng chuckled. "How much spiritual energy is left? I’ll show you..." As he spoke, a three-foot-long azure sword appeared in his hand. It was an ordinary sword in an ordinary scabbard.

Yet, the man holding them was neither ordinary nor mediocre; the way he held the weapon made it seem as if the sword had come to life.

Lin Cheng slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his right hand gripped the hilt and drew the blade. A resounding hum echoed through the heavens and earth. There was no overwhelming pressure, no dramatic change in the weather—only the sound of the sword and a sharp, piercing flash of light at the tip of the blade.

On the jade throne, Master Cangfeng rose to his feet, staring fixedly at the sword technique Lin Cheng had unleashed, his eyes filled with immense shock. Where on earth did his little disciple learn such terrifyingly powerful sword moves? He had traversed the Zhao Kingdom for many years, and if he claimed to be second in swordsmanship, no one dared claim first, yet he had never encountered such a formidable technique. It seemed he would need to have a serious talk with Cheng’er later.

The elders and the Sect Leader of the Ziyang Sect, seated on their jade chairs, also involuntarily clenched their fists, clearly sensing the extraordinary nature of this strike.

"This sword is powerful!" Below the stage, Liu Feng opened his Heavenly Eye, discerning the brilliance of the move.

The Wine Addict, his gourd halfway to his lips, froze, silently comprehending the sword intent released by the blade. An apparently plain black iron sword now contained some mysterious power. He wondered if, even with his own cultivation, he could withstand such a strike five years from now.

On the stage, the corner of Dong Wuwang’s eye twitched violently. Facing the strike head-on, he felt an unprecedented threat of death.

He couldn't block it!

Concede?

Absolutely not! I, Dong Wuwang, will never concede! I don't believe he would dare to kill me!

Fight!

With that thought, he traced a rune in the air and pressed it into his chest.

*Puff.* He spat a mouthful of vital blood onto the Purple Gold Gourd, forcibly establishing a deeper connection with it. A surge of purple energy erupted from the mouth of the gourd and fused with his body. His aura surged violently, breaking from the peak of the first level of the Profound Core Realm directly into the second, and then continuing until it settled at the third level.

Watching Dong Wuwang’s cultivation skyrocket, Lin Cheng narrowed his eyes. He certainly had some tricks up his sleeve.

***

"Senior Brother, what is happening?" Li Yuan of the Xisha Sect was startled. Could Dong Wuwang have been hiding his true cultivation level all along?

Yu Zhantian’s expression was grave. He shook his head slowly. "That is not his own power. The Purple Gold Gourd is forcibly elevating his realm... It seems this treasure of the Ziyang Sect is more than just a tool for imprisoning people and refining objects."

Wang Zhen added in a deep voice, "This method is more brutal than pills that temporarily boost cultivation, yet because it draws power from his own weapon, one cannot strictly call it a violation of the rules..."

Yu Zhantian agreed. "True, but any secret technique that forcibly stimulates potential and boosts cultivation has a time limit and inevitably leaves behind aftereffects. Dong Wuwang is desperate."

*I hope he wins.* Li Yuan’s gaze lingered on Lin Cheng. She did not know why she felt an inexplicable fondness for this young man—perhaps it was the innocent look in his eyes when they first met, or perhaps it was because she had eaten two of his candied hawthorns?

"The third level of the Profound Core Realm? Is that all? If you have any other life-saving measures, I suggest you use them now; otherwise... I fear you won't have another chance." Lin Cheng stood calmly, sword light condensing at his tip.

"Don't be arrogant!" Dong Wuwang roared. The Purple Gold Gourd soared into the air, expanding to a hundred feet in size. Its mouth opened wide, and an inexplicable force brewed within. Musical notes flew out, carrying a weight like mountains, causing the very void to crackle.

Lin Cheng, bearing the brunt of the assault, felt his knees buckle; he nearly collapsed. He gritted his teeth, his left hand gripping the scabbard with immense force while his right hand held the sword high. The sword light erupted, a brilliant golden beam piercing the clouds.

"One... Sword..."

A sound like the judgment of a deity echoed through the air. He stomped his foot, raised his left hand, and crossed the scabbard with the sword in his right, like a bow drawing to shoot a great eagle. At the tip of the blade, the golden light condensed into a thin line, slowly aimed at Dong Wuwang.

"...Separating Worlds!"

As the last word fell, the crushing pressure vanished into nothingness, and the Purple Gold Gourd was sent flying beyond the ninth heaven. Dong Wuwang stared blankly as he looked down. A hole had pierced through his left shoulder, and before blood could even flow, he began to tip backward.

*Bang!*

On the battle stage, he lay flat, staring at the sky. A mouthful of blood mixed with viscera spilled from his lips, and the color in his eyes began to fade.

Lin Cheng withdrew his sword and stood tall, his face slightly pale. At the final moment, he had suppressed the urge to kill, shifting his blade by half an inch. There was no real enmity between them, and the rules of the tournament forced him to show mercy; otherwise, that single strike would have left the man dead.

The crowd below was stunned, staring in disbelief, unable to recover for a long time.

A flash of purple light appeared as the Ziyang Sect Leader materialized on the stage. He immediately lifted Dong Wuwang and fed him precious medicinal pills to protect his heart. He sat cross-legged and channeled his vast essence into the youth to repair his injuries.

After a moment of silence, whispers began to ripple through the crowd.

"He actually... Dong Wuwang was defeated..."

"Lin Cheng won!"

***

"What was the name of that final move? It looked so plain, yet it was so powerful!"

"Senior Brother Wuwang lost... that’s impossible... how could he lose?"

But no matter how they shouted, they could not change the fact that Dong Wuwang had been soundly defeated and nearly killed.

In the Xisha Sect’s spectator area, Li Yuan’s eyes sparkled as she whispered to herself, "You really did win!"

Fatty Lin and the others finally snapped out of their shock, jumping for joy and shouting with excitement over Lin Cheng’s victory.

"The Madman won! Hahaha!"

"Amazing! He took the championship! Little Lin took the title!"

"First place in the Three Sects Tournament! Our Qingyang Sect can finally hold its head high!"

Liu Feng and the Wine Addict exchanged looks and smiled in satisfaction.

***

The leaders on the jade chairs looked at one another, their expressions complex.

Zhao Kuo, dressed in gold robes, sighed, "After many years, our Zhao Kingdom shall finally produce a peerless sword cultivator!"

Hearing this, their hearts trembled. If Lin Cheng did not perish prematurely, he would surely become a top-tier sword cultivator, famous throughout the Zhao Kingdom and perhaps even the entire Qingzhou Continent.

On the stage, the Ziyang Sect Leader finished his work and opened his eyes. He fixed his gaze on the hole in Dong Wuwang’s shoulder, his brows furrowing deeply. Neither his pills nor his vast essence could fully repair the wound.

This anomaly ignited a fury within the Ziyang Sect Leader. He looked up abruptly, staring straight at Lin Cheng, and rose to his feet with a flick of his sleeves, his murderous intent locking onto the boy.

Lin Cheng’s heart hammered in his chest. *Does this old bastard intend to kill me?*