The Sword Intent of the Seven Kill Sword Ancestor?
Yang Cheng hadn't cared at all about Li Tingxiao's challenge before, but now he was suddenly full of interest.
"You want to seek guidance from me? Then this prince will give you some pointers," Yang Cheng said directly.
Those words instantly lit a fire in Li Tingxiao's chest. He had only said "seeking guidance" to give Yang Cheng face, and this guy actually took it seriously?
Madam Wang's brows twitched, then she showed a half-smile. "As expected of the Crown Prince—such confidence."
"This boy has always liked to boast," Yun Liyue said with a helpless yet doting tone.
Madam Wang sneered inwardly, already waiting to see Yang Cheng humiliated by Li Tingxiao.
Moments later, Yang Cheng and Li Tingxiao stood outside Splendid Radiance Hall.
When word spread that the two were about to spar in Sword Dao, palace maids, princes, princesses, and concubines all gathered around to watch.
"Your Highness, please draw your sword," Li Tingxiao said proudly.
"My sword?" Yang Cheng replied. "Why don't you strike first? I'm worried that if I make the first move, there'll be no point in you drawing your sword at all."
Hearing this, Li Tingxiao laughed furiously. "Crown Prince of Great Zhou, as heir to the throne, should you not show a little humility? I am the chief disciple of the Sword Pavilion. If my Sword Dao cannot even match yours, then I might as well abandon it entirely."
'Since you put it like that, don't blame me,' Yang Cheng thought. He had no interest in wasting time on Li Tingxiao.
This wasn't arrogance. His Sword Dao was already complete.
With five hundred years of sword cultivation in his past life, he knew how terrifying perfection in the Sword Dao truly was. Many so-called Sword Gods hadn't even reached that point.
Whoosh!
Yang Cheng casually plucked a willow leaf.
Using it as his sword, he flicked it toward Li Tingxiao.
"The Empress, does the Crown Prince always act so frivolously?" Madam Wang chuckled.
To use a leaf against Li Tingxiao—she truly didn't understand what the Crown Prince was thinking.
After all, Li Tingxiao was a Martial Emperor whose Sword Dao had already reached Minor Achievement. The Crown Prince's move was sheer arrogance.
Yun Liyue's phoenix eyes swept calmly toward her. "Then let's watch."
Li Tingxiao, at first, grew angrier, certain Yang Cheng was unbearably arrogant.
But in the very next instant, his heart pounded wildly.
Danger.
In just that flash, he felt a terrifying sense of crisis.
Though the attack was just a simple willow leaf, he found he couldn't figure out how to block it.
Logically, one swing of his sword should have shredded the leaf.
Yet he couldn't lock onto its position.
In his sight, the leaf was right in front of him. But in his perception, it came from all directions at once.
It was bizarre, twisting his sense of reality.
Still, he couldn't just stand there.
In a snap, Li Tingxiao crossed his sword before his chest, surging with true qi that wrapped around his whole body.
The next moment—clang!
The leaf struck his sword.
The outcome shocked him again.
He had thought Yang Cheng would aim at some other weak point, which was why he spread his true qi outward.
But Yang Cheng had gone for his sword itself.
Normally, that should have been his strongest defense, but because he had diverted his energy outward, it was his weakest point.
And this single willow leaf carried terrifying force.
Li Tingxiao's palms went numb, and for a moment he couldn't hold onto his weapon.
Clang!
Before countless onlookers, Li Tingxiao's sword flew from his hands and embedded itself in the ground nearby.
A swordsman, disarmed of his sword.
It was nothing less than utter defeat.
Li Tingxiao stood frozen, dumbstruck, unable to believe what had just happened.
Madam Wang's expression froze.
"Even if it's play, it's still play—and rather amusing too. Don't you agree, Madam Wang?" Yun Liyue said calmly.
Madam Wang couldn't get a word out. If not for the need to maintain composure, her face would have already darkened.
"I don't believe it. Once more!" Li Tingxiao ground his teeth.
"You'll strike?" Yang Cheng asked.
"Sword Pavilion's Nine Shadows Sword Art—please advise."
Li Tingxiao snatched up his sword.
Swish!
His body fused with his blade, becoming a streak of sword light rushing at Yang Cheng.
When he closed in, nine figures appeared midair.
Yet Yang Cheng didn't hesitate. He simply raised a finger and lightly tapped at one of them.
Clang!
That figure abruptly froze while the other eight burst like bubbles.
Li Tingxiao's real body tumbled out, losing balance. He nearly crashed to the ground, barely managing to brace himself with his sword.
Ding!
[Host has faced Li Tingxiao and remained undefeated.]
[Wait… host has turned decay into the miraculous, directly defeating the Sword God Li Tingxiao.]
[Host's result exceeds the original mission. Adjusting rewards.]
[The wisp of Sword Intent from the Seven Kill Sword Ancestor is upgraded to a wisp of Sword Intent from the Killing Sword Ancestor.]
[Killing Sword Ancestor Lin Che, father of Seven Kill Sword Ancestor Lin Chuan, wielded taboo-level Sword Intent far beyond the Seven Kill Sword Ancestor. Host must cherish this.]
Yang Cheng was inwardly astonished.
At the same time—
"How could you so easily see through my sword art?" Li Tingxiao stared at him in disbelief.
"Because this sword art of yours is flawed at its very root," Yang Cheng said.
"Silence!" Li Tingxiao roared. "I admit my skill is beneath yours. But the Nine Shadows Sword Art was created by my grandfather, the current Sword Emperor himself. Who do you think you are to claim it's wrong from the root, and even dare to speak so shamelessly?"
"This prince judges art, not people. If the sword art is no good, then it is no good," Yang Cheng said.
"Well, well, interesting."
A laugh sounded. "Emperor of Great Zhou, your Crown Prince's nature is certainly… unusual."
"Greetings to Your Majesty!"
"Long live His Majesty!"
Everyone around saluted.
"Father Emperor," Yang Cheng and the other princes and princesses bowed.
Two figures approached, surrounded by guards.
On the left was Emperor Qian Yuan. On the right was an elderly man with graying hair, his aura restrained yet vast. He was none other than the Sword Pavilion's master, the Sword Emperor Li Lingfeng.
"Cheng'er, why do you speak such arrogance, saying the Nine Shadows Sword Art is flawed from the root?" Emperor Qian Yuan scolded.
Yang Cheng bowed respectfully. "Father Emperor, your son did not speak in arrogance. I only stated the truth."
Emperor Qian Yuan was left speechless, unsure how to shield his son.
Li Lingfeng's smile deepened. "Your Highness, the sword is a gentleman's weapon. A swordsman must avoid arrogance and blind pride. He should follow the way of a gentleman—humble and mild. What does Your Highness think?"
Yang Cheng said flatly, "This prince disagrees."
Li Lingfeng's smile faltered. "Oh? Then what is Your Highness's view?"
"The sword you describe, Pavilion Master Li, is the sword of the common man," Yang Cheng said calmly. "But I am Crown Prince of Great Zhou, inheritor of the Sword of the Son of Heaven."
"The Sword of the Son of Heaven embraces the four directions and the four seasons. It commands the five elements, weighs justice and virtue. It opens with yin and yang, carries the records of Spring and Autumn. This sword strikes with no obstacle before it, stands with nothing above it, rests with nothing beneath it, moves with nothing beside it. It cleaves the clouds above and severs the earth below."
"Therefore, the gentleman's sword you describe does not match the inheritance of my Sword Dao."
"Well said—well said indeed, a Sword of the Son of Heaven!" Emperor Qian Yuan praised loudly.