Who is the Blade Demon?
Twenty years ago, no one knew of him. But then he burst onto the scene, defeating the third-ranked Wu Weike on the Heaven-Man List in a single battle. From that day on, his name spread far and wide. That battle revealed a blade technique so strange and demonic that he became known as the Blade Demon after slicing through a thousand-zhang mountain in one strike.
Although he ranked third on the Heaven-Man List, in the eyes of many blade cultivators, the Blade Demon simply hadn't fought enough. If he had more battles under his belt, he might've taken the number one spot.
What a pity.
After killing Wu Weike back then, the Blade Demon vanished once again without a trace.
Until recently—he reemerged.
And right after reappearing, he made a huge move.
Half a month ago.
The Blade Demon showed up in Shizhou and fought the thirty-first-ranked Ice Soul Swordmaiden from the Heaven-Man List. But to call it a fight is a stretch—it was pure domination. With just one strike, she was seriously injured and forced to retreat. Terrified and pale, she couldn't face that devilish and cautious strike. A shadow was left in her heart.
Afterward, the Blade Demon drifted away, seemingly disappointed.
Blade cultivators everywhere were fired up.
Ever since the clash between sword and blade fell silent, blade users had been overshadowed and could barely lift their heads. It wasn't until recently, after the internal battle between the Heartseeking Sword and Heavenly Sword Daoist, that things started looking up. And now, they finally had a reason to stand proud.
"Senior Blade Demon coming out of seclusion must be for the glory of us blade cultivators!"
"Sword cultivators have been way too arrogant lately. Looks like even the senior Blade Demon couldn't stand it anymore. Could it be he's planning to challenge every sword cultivator under the heavens?"
"Click click click—this is too exciting!"
Countless blade users waited eagerly.
But what happened next left every blade cultivator dumbfounded.
The Blade Demon appeared in Yunzhou.
He challenged the twenty-sixth-ranked Old Man Heartblade on the Heaven-Man List.
Again, one strike.
Old Man Heartblade was seriously injured and defeated.
But Old Man Heartblade was over seven hundred years old. A renowned blade path senior with countless disciples across the land. Even top-tier blade masters ahead of him in rank would show him respect. To be treated so ruthlessly was hard to accept. He couldn't help but throw out a few mocking words.
Unexpectedly, the Blade Demon didn't indulge him at all.
One more strike.
Old Man Heartblade was killed.
Then the Blade Demon left the mountain.
At that moment—
The world was in an uproar.
Only then did everyone realize that this Blade Demon was indeed deeply demonic. Blade users were completely stunned. They'd thought he returned to bring honor to blade cultivators, but now it seemed he made no distinction between friend or foe. He treated everyone equally.
The Blade Demon's challenges continued—about once every half month. Each time, the opponent's rank was higher.
With the rose-tinted glasses off,
People began to seriously study the Blade Demon's purpose.
After all, based on his current behavior, this definitely wouldn't stop.
So why was the Blade Demon challenging the strongest across the land?
Martial artists were all curious. Many pored through ancient texts, seeking answers. Others began digging into the Blade Demon's past.
Eventually—
Some began to notice a pattern.
"Have you noticed the Blade Demon's blade hilt? Twenty years ago, it used to be the broken remains of a demonic blade. I was lucky enough to witness the fight between him and Wu Weike back then. The demon blade still had half of its length! But now, after all these duels, the hilt seems shorter—am I seeing things?"
"Could it be he's using the strongest under heaven to sharpen his blade? But then why not only challenge blade cultivators?"
"There are rumors that the Blade Demon originally cultivated the sword path before switching to blades. Looking at his recent challengers—each one either a sword or blade master—maybe there's truth to that rumor!"
Speculation spread like wildfire.
This had become a long-term sensation.
Every half month, a great battle occurred. Even if it was just the Blade Demon crushing his opponent, it was still a major event.
Some busybodies even predicted his next target based on his path and waited in ambush.
The world buzzed with discussion, with most eyes fixed on this matter.
Even Ning Qi, though residing in the Seeking Dao Courtyard, had heard the news.
It was Luo Wentian who personally came to tell him. This matter had something to do with Ning Qi as well.
"A blade with only the hilt left?" Ning Qi looked intrigued.
He had some idea of the Blade Demon's goal.
"That blade is his blade path. The day the hilt disappears will mark the pinnacle state where all things can be a blade. Is the Blade Demon using the strongest under heaven as whetstones to complete his final step in the blade path?"
"Could it be... he's trying to break through the Martial Saint bottleneck this way?"
Ning Qi raised a brow.
A powerhouse like the Blade Demon was likely already at the peak of the Heaven-Man Realm and may have been stuck there for years. This might be his method of breaking through.
But Ning Qi wasn't convinced. His sword path had already surpassed the Heaven-Man Realm. He'd long since reached the state where everything could be a sword, but using that to break into the Martial Saint level? Highly unlikely.
Still, he wasn't ruling it out. The Blade Demon might have other plans.
He was just curious—if possible, it'd be great to exchange insights.
Luo Wentian, however, was worried.
"Xiao Jiu, judging by the Blade Demon's path, he'll likely come challenge you at Zhenwu Mountain soon. Are you confident you can take him?"
While the world's attention was focused on the Blade Demon, few knew that across the provinces of Great Yan, undercurrents were stirring. The imperial court and the Demonic Sect of the Southern Alliance were clashing on many fronts.
Heavenly Sword Daoist had never lost a battle—an immense deterrent to the Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance.
If he were to fall to the Blade Demon, that deterrent would fade. The Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance might make a move. Especially since Zhenwu Sect had been covertly aiding the court. Their conflict with the Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance was already irreconcilable.
Ning Qi smiled calmly, reassuring Luo Wentian:
"Don't worry, Senior Brother. We'll deal with it as it comes."
Two or three months passed.
Ning Qi's strength had improved yet again. He was drawing ever closer to the Heaven-Man Realm.
He could now be considered unbeatable within that realm.
As long as the Blade Demon remained within the Heaven-Man Realm, Ning Qi had nothing to fear.
And if the Blade Demon moved too slowly and waited until Ning Qi stepped into the Heaven-Man Realm before challenging—then the outcome would be even more certain.
Still—
He was rather looking forward to meeting this Blade Demon. It might bring him inspiration.
Hearing this, Luo Wentian's concern slowly faded.
He was inwardly impressed and gained a deeper understanding of Ning Qi's strength. Since his Ninth Junior Brother said so, he surely had the confidence.
"In that case, I'm relieved. I'll keep a close watch on the Blade Demon's movements and inform you the moment something happens," Luo Wentian said.
Ning Qi nodded.
"Senior Brother, how are our efforts against the Demonic Sect and Southern Alliance going?"
Luo Wentian thought for a moment and replied:
"Recently, most of our Zhenwu Sect disciples have withdrawn and are cultivating on Zhenwu Mountain. Only a few elite disciples are assisting the court's operations. We've made some gains these past few months."
"A few strongholds in the Southern Alliance were secretly destroyed. But with the Demonic Sect's help, they've become more vigilant. We haven't found any trace of the Blood King Gu."
"As for the Demonic Sect, the court followed the trail of the Exotic Beast Inner Cores via black market auctions and uncovered several strongholds. We're nearly certain—eight or nine out of ten—that their method of achieving Martial Saint involves these cores. But they're cautious. Most of the inner cores may have already been moved from the Ten-Thousand Great Mountains."
Ning Qi fell into deep thought.
These gains were modest—delaying the enemy's pace but not delivering a decisive blow.
But he had expected this.
The Demonic Sect had been plotting for a thousand years. Of course they were cautious. And their entanglement with Great Yan ran deep—it wouldn't be easy to unravel.
"The Demonic Sect is slippery. Maybe we should focus more on the Southern Alliance. If possible, try to get our hands on a Blood King Gu or two," Ning Qi said quietly.
He was thinking—
If he could obtain another Blood King Gu, could he use it to sense the locations of the others? Follow the thread and catch the entire Southern Alliance in one sweep.
He'd gotten two before, but lacked the strength at the time and feared being discovered by the Southern Alliance, so he quickly refined them.
But now, he wanted to find where the Blood Emperor Gu was being cultivated.
Switching offense and defense—just like that.
The best defense is a good offense.
But no matter how strong you are, if you can't find your enemy, it's like punching air.
Luo Wentian nodded solemnly.
"Alright, I'll pass this on to General Shenyu and the others."
He didn't ask Ning Qi why. Since Ning Qi said it, it had to be for a reason. He chose to trust him.
Without disturbing Ning Qi any further, Luo Wentian gave a few more updates and left.
He knew that everything Zhenwu Sect was doing now was in support of Ning Qi.
The real key—lay with him.
Ning Qi watched Luo Wentian's departing figure and shook his head slightly, pushing the brief interruption aside.
The Blade Demon situation might be lively, but even if he really came to Zhenwu Mountain, it wouldn't affect Ning Qi.
What mattered now was breaking through to the Heaven-Man Realm as soon as possible.
Ning Qi activated the Heaven-Human Unity Technique, instantly resonating with the power of heaven and earth and forming a mighty mental forge.
By now—
The Heaven-Human Unity Technique had become as natural to him as breathing. Since reaching the Origin Core Realm and beginning to temper his spirit, he discovered that the stronger his "spirit" became, the more powerful the heaven and earth energy he could draw through the technique.
This was why Ning Qi's strength kept rising.
As he tempered his spirit, he pondered his cultivation path beyond the Heaven-Man Realm.
If he wanted to maintain his current ability to dominate across realms even after reaching the Heaven-Man Realm, it wouldn't be easy. He'd have to work extremely hard.
"My strength surpasses others in the same realm because of two key reasons. First, my foundation is absurdly solid—both my body and Qi Force are beyond normal limits.
Second, the Heaven-Human Unity Technique lets me tap into the power of the Heaven-Man Realm ahead of time, narrowing the gap."
"But once I ascend to the Heaven-Man Realm, that technique won't give me any more edge. What I'll rely on is my massive foundation and one powerful technique after another."
"But at that point, could I—at the Heaven-Man level—face or even kill a Martial Saint?"
A question mark remained in Ning Qi's mind.
No doubt, once he entered the Heaven-Man Realm, the power he could draw from heaven and earth would skyrocket due to his foundation, making his combat strength soar.
But whether that would truly close the gap between Heaven-Man and Martial Saint... that remained to be seen.
"Martial Saint refine the power of heaven and earth for their own use. It's absolutely a qualitative leap in strength. To make up for that gap, you have to compensate with sheer quantity."
"So, my approach should be to increase the amount of heaven and earth power I can control. If I can manipulate ten, a hundred, or even a thousand times more than a peak Heaven-Man cultivator, why worry about not being able to suppress them with sheer volume?"
Sparks of insight rose in Ning Qi's mind.
This was the direction of his thinking.
"The Heaven-Human Unity Technique allowed me to grasp the power of heaven and earth ahead of time. Once I reach the Heaven-Man Realm, can I further refine it? Combine my intangible Bone Foundation and tangible Origin Core to skyrocket the amount of heaven and earth power I control?"
It seemed entirely feasible.
Ning Qi was already deducing various paths, ready to begin creating his own technique as soon as he advanced.
Besides the Heaven-Human Unity Technique—
He was also contemplating the cultivation method for the Heaven-Man Realm, constantly improving the Myriad Phenomena Secrets.
"Cultivation at the Heaven-Man Realm is about forming the Three Flowers: the Flower of Essence, the Flower of Energy, and the Flower of Spirit—also known as the Three Flowers of Heaven, Earth, and Man. This actually follows a traceable logic: the Flower of Essence corresponds to the Body Tempering Realm, the Flower of Energy corresponds to the Qi Origin Realm, and the Flower of Spirit corresponds to the Heaven-Man Realm."
"Achieving fullness in these Three Flowers is what constitutes perfection in the Heaven-Man Realm. Only by cultivating all three simultaneously can one hope to step into the Martial Saint Realm."
"But in this era without Martial Saint, many Heaven-Man experts, in pursuit of greater power, have abandoned cultivating all three and focused on only one. For example, the ancestor of the Wang Clan in Qingzhou, Wang Quan, specialized in the Flower of Essence."
"Though each Flower expresses differently, their essence is the same—it's about leveraging more immense power from heaven and earth."
"For instance, the Flower of Essence uses heaven and earth power to temper the body, eventually resonating with it via the physical form. This gives immense close-combat power—like the Arhats and Vajras of Buddhism. On the other hand, some sword and blade cultivators specialize in the Flower of Spirit, using sword intent or blade intent to resonate with heaven and earth, often with deadly results."
"Specializing in one path is a shortcut—but I cannot do that. Cultivating all three is the righteous path."
"However, there are ways to accelerate the cultivation of the Three Flowers. My body is so powerful it's unprecedented. Perhaps I can use the Heavenly Thunder Method to condense the Flower of Essence…"
As Ning Qi thought,
Countless inspirations burst forth in his mind.
Though he had yet to step into the Heaven-Man Realm, there were few secrets left for him in it. Partly due to the Heaven-Human Unity Technique, and partly because he had obtained many secret scrolls on the Heaven-Man Realm with detailed records for reference.
...
Time passed slowly.
The uproar across the land stirred by the Blade Demon only grew stronger.
Countless eyes gathered.
Before Mount Luofu—
Countless people had staked out early. If the Blade Demon showed up here next, it would mean their deductions about his path were correct.
Luofu Sword Master wore a dreadfully dark expression.
The more the Heavenly Sword Daoist's fame soared like the sun at high noon, the more miserable he felt. Because of the previous incident where he borrowed a sword at Zhenwu Mountain, he ended up as little more than a foil for the Heavenly Sword Daoist. Every time people brought it up, he felt like a clown.
And now—
He was about to face the Blade Demon's challenge.
There was no way he wasn't anxious about facing such a terrifying figure. He had even considered laying low, but now, with all these people watching, he couldn't possibly run. Otherwise, he'd never be able to lift his head again in this world.
He took a deep breath.
All he could do now was pray the Blade Demon wouldn't show up.
But unfortunately—
He was destined to be disappointed.
As excited cries rang out, all eyes turned toward one direction—a barefoot old man with disheveled hair walked over, a blade hilt hanging from his waist.
Luofu Sword Master's face darkened.
He took a deep breath and prepared to fight.
But what greeted him was a terrifying blade light, brimming with extreme demonic energy, pulling one into its depths.
...
Without a doubt—
The twenty-first-ranked Luofu Sword Master on the Heaven-Man List had lost. And not just lost—he was crushed. He didn't even survive a single strike from the Blade Demon.
Thankfully, he held back his fury—Old Man Heartblade's fate was still fresh in everyone's minds.
At this point—
The Blade Demon's fearsome reputation grew even more terrifying.
Blade cultivators were ecstatic.
Countless people buzzed with discussion.
They were all wondering—who could withstand the Blade Demon's second strike?
Rank nineteen.
Rank eighteen.
Rank sixteen.
Two months passed in the blink of an eye.
One powerhouse after another was toppled.
Still, not a single one could endure that strike.
But instead of being discouraged, everyone grew even more feverish with anticipation.
All because—
According to the Blade Demon's path,
The next one was the Heavenly Sword Daoist!
Previously, the Heavenly Sword Daoist had slain the Heartseeking Sword and thereby took his ranking—now holding fourteenth place.
The fifteenth-ranked was neither a sword nor blade cultivator.
So next in line for the Blade Demon's challenge was obvious.
This pattern had been confirmed again and again.
Countless people began flocking to Zhenwu Mountain.