Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 804: Chapter 504: Strength_2

“That is the Xiao Family’s Third Elder, also a Great Vehicle Sword Cultivator, with combat power that is not to be underestimated!”

“How is it that even when these three joined forces, they still couldn’t overcome Li Xuanyuan?”

“Who exactly is this person… what kind of divine being is he?”

Seeing the battlefield within, four people locked in fierce sword combat, the struggle was intense and evenly matched for a time, shocking the surrounding cultivators into speechlessness.

This was a Mahayana True Immortal from the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion, a cultivator of the righteous Sword Dao. And now he was under such pressure from a single person in this Southern Sea side branch area?

Wasn’t it said that the Sect Master of the Immortal Sect, specialized in combat skills, unbeaten in his realm, and invincible across the lands?

If Xiao Teng was on the level of a Sect Master of the Immortal Sect, then what is this Li Xuanyuan… what is he made of?

“In sword cultivator combat, there are essentially three key aspects!”

“Cultivation Base Foundation, Sword Technique Cultivation Method, and one’s life-bound Flying Sword!”

“The three from the Xiao Family, all legitimate cultivators with pure immortal power, solid foundations…”

“But Li Xuanyuan is in no way inferior, and might even have the upper hand. He faces three without showing any sign of weakness.”

“In terms of Sword Technique Cultivation Method, the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion is a Holy Land Immortal Sect specializing in the Sword Dao, producing not just one Sword Dao True Immortal. Whether it’s basic cultivation techniques or combat sword skills, all are top-notch. How could the combined effort of these three still be forced into retreat?”

“The difference is not in the sword techniques, but in the person. The Sword Dao True Technique cultivated by this Li Xuanyuan is also among the top of the current era, on par with the Nine Heavens True Technique, or even superior. His understanding and application of this technique far exceeds that of the three from the Xiao Family, which is how he can fight one against three!”

“In his hands, those Heavenly Thunder Double Swords seem not like middle-grade immortal swords, but rather like top-quality treasures.”

Although they were cultivators from a side branch, having never eaten pork didn’t mean they hadn’t seen pigs run; they were quite clear about the situation in this battle.

Of course, at this moment, it was clearly apparent who was superior and who was inferior.

“What realm has this person’s Sword Dao cultivation reached…?”

Within the battlefield, thousands of swords intersected. Xiao Teng spared no immortal power, forcefully pushing his sword technique. Yet he was still no match for the opponent’s Thunderflame Sword, retreating step by step and increasingly alarmed as the fight continued.

As a former Sword Master of the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion, his combat power goes without saying. After all, each Sect Master is a position contended for by many Immortal Sects, and without the strength to be unrivaled amongst one’s peers and invincible across the lands, how could one shoulder such a crucial role.

But the person before him…

Was certainly beyond the level of a Sect Master; his strength was also not as simple as just being unbeaten amongst his peers.

His swordsmanship, sword techniques, and mastery of the Sword Dao were not what one would expect from a Nascent Soul Cultivator, but were rather beyond those of the Great Vehicle realm, reaching into the realm of Tribulation and perhaps even higher.

Xiao Teng felt that he was not battling a Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator, but rather being unilaterally humiliated by a shameless Sword Dao True Immortal!

With such a level of sword realm cultivation and such a mastery of the Sword Dao, you say Nascent Soul?

It’s more likely that some old ghost who failed to Cross the Tribulation has taken a new body to be reborn!

“It won’t do!”

“If this fight continues, defeat is certain!”

“This person’s background is extraordinary, if a Calamity Immortal doesn’t appear, I fear there is no one who can stand against him!”

“Retreat!”

The eyes of the three from the Xiao Family met, and in each other’s gaze was the mutual understanding to retreat.

Subsequently, the Xiao Family’s Great Elder made a decisive call; Ten Thousand Swords Qi burst forth from his body, all transformed from pure immortal power, overwhelming the opponent.

A push from cultivation realm!

Outmatched in sword realm, bound to lose in combat skills – only by relying on cultivation, leveraging Mahayana immortal power, was there a chance to gain a momentary advantage to create an opportunity to flee.

“Go!!!”

As the Xiao Family’s Great Elder unleashed a bombardment of swords, Xiao Teng and another each struck out with a sword. Afterwards, all together they withdrew, transforming into a rainbow streaking away.

No sooner had the three withdrawn, then in the area behind the battle, a surge of five-colored radiant light furiously flashed and twisted out.

“Whoo!!!”

With one sweep of the five colors, and a twist of the light, thousands of swords were reduced to nothing. The three beams of Sword Light could not escape, and despite having covered a thousand miles, they were still intercepted. One sweep of the Five Colors Divine Light, and the weakest, most severely wounded Third Elder of the Xiao Family let out a cry of agony as the Protective Sword Qi shattered, and he was engulfed by the rosy lights, his fate unknown.

“Third brother!”

Hearing this cry of agony, the heart of the Xiao Family’s Great Elder also skipped a beat, but he dared not relax even a fraction. Urging his immortal power, he accelerated his Sword Light, and desperately fled outwards.

Yet no sooner had he accelerated forward, than the space behind him shattered, and the multi-colored Divine Light emerged like a sword, offering a vision of despair.

Breaking the Void, Five Elements Great Escape!

In terms of escape skills and speed, if Xu Yang, who had cultivated the Void Martial Path and Five Elements Immortal Method, were to claim second place, then no one in the Northern Cultivation Realm would dare claim to be first.

The Great Elder of the Xiao Family was no exception, even though he employed the Sword Breaks the Void Method and used several Teleportation Treasures to instantaneously move tens of thousands of miles away, he still could not escape his doom.

The Five Colors Divine Light rushed forth, swirling like sword qi, instantly shattering the Protective Immortal Light; the already exhausted Great Elder of the Xiao Family didn’t even have the time to cry out in sorrow before he was engulfed by the brilliant rainbow mists.

Elsewhere…

Flee, flee, flee!

Xiao Teng rode his Flying Sword, frantically fleeing, not daring to pause for even a moment, not daring to take a single breath.

That person, that Li Xuanyuan, was certainly no Nascent Soul Cultivator, nor was he any fringe practitioner.

He must be a powerful dragon from another domain, having crossed over the seas, or perhaps an Immortal Ghost from the Upper Realm, seizing a body for rebirth!

In any case, such an individual could not possibly hail from any peripheral path.

As for why he wanted to take over the Southern Sea… Forget why he wanted the Southern Sea!

The urgent task at hand was only one thing, that was, to escape with his life!

Xiao Teng fled in panic, sparing no expense, not skimping on his resources, using several treasures to perform Void Teleportation over ninety thousand miles, finally leaving the jurisdiction of the Southern Sea and returning to the boundaries of the Central Plains of the Northern Territory.

However…

“Bang!!!”

Void shattered, a figure stepped out; the cultivator brandished his sword, cutting off his opponent’s escape route.

“You…!”

Xiao Teng’s pupils shrank, halting his steps, gazing at the person blocking his way and gritting his teeth as he said, “You dare act this way, aren’t you afraid that when you ascend, the ancestors of my Sword Pavilion will settle this score.”

His harsh words were filled with threats, the threats of someone utterly cornered with nowhere to run.

Previously three against one, they had been pushed back at every turn, and now with only one person remaining, where was the capital to resist the enemy?

His only option was to invoke his powerful backers, relying on his connections to threaten and seek a sliver of a chance to live.

Xiao Teng clenched his jaws tightly, feigning composure as he coldly watched the newcomer.

With this person’s strength, the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion alone was not enough to deter him.

He had to invoke the ancestors from the Upper Realm!

The Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion, with its long heritage, had produced more than one True Immortal and had substantial strength in the Upper Realm.

Not just the Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion, but all of the Ten Great Holy Lands in the Northern Domain were like this, with True Immortal Sects having backers above them.

Therefore, the conflicts between the Holy Land Immortal Sects generally stopped at the Integration level, contested by the “Saint Lords”; it was rare for Mahayana to enter the fray, and Calamity Immortals stayed out of worldly affairs even more, to avoid escalating the situation and causing wars to intensify.

This was the tacit understanding among Immortal Sects and the reason why the Ten Great Holy Lands of the Northern Territory have kept their lineages unbroken for hundreds of thousands of years. Since everyone has a backer in the Upper Realm, out of respect for the ancestors and Immortals who ascended in the past, even if a genius of unmatched skill emerged from one Holy Land, they would not exterminate other Immortal Sects. At most, they would take a larger share of benefits.

Now it was the same; you might not give face to my Ninth Heaven Sword Pavilion, but would you consider the feelings of my Sword Pavilion’s ancestors, the True Immortals of the Upper Realm?

You, such a figure, will surely ascend one day, right? Are you not afraid that if you make a deadly enemy now, when you ascend in the future, the ancestors of my Sword Pavilion will settle the score in the Upper Realm?

Xiao Teng clenched his teeth hard, his heart filled with anxiety as he sought life amidst death.

However…

Xu Yang held his sword with an indifferent expression: “I once made a vow in front of a friend’s grave, to take your head to pay tribute; today, is the day to fulfill that promise!”

“Friend?”

“Li Cangwu!”

Xiao Teng’s pupils contracted as he finally remembered this person whom he had long forgotten, his expression turning even uglier as he hoarsely said, “Do you really think you’re invincible in this world?”

After speaking, he didn’t wait for the opponent’s reaction, instead hurling a Sword Light, attempting to strike first and seek a path to life.

However…

Xu Yang remained indifferent, not uttering a word, merely executing his sword gesture, with Sky Strike Thunder Flame roaring and intertwining, instantly merging into a brilliant lightning strike and slashing out.

“Bang!!!”

Suddenly the void shattered, leaving a mark between heaven and earth, and Xiao Teng’s figure dissipated, replaced by a body that teleported into existence a hundred miles away.

Teleporting a hundred miles brought no path to life; Xiao Teng’s body stiffened on the spot, his Adam’s apple moved with difficulty, then a line of blood appeared, bursting open in an instant.

“Puff!!!”

A muffled sound, blood gushed forth like a fountain, sending a fine head flying into the air.