Chapter 147: Special Grade Cursed Tool · dazhiqie, Idealistic Sword Technique!
The afternoon at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy should have been a quiet and peaceful nap time, but with the sounding of the broadcast, this tranquility was completely shattered.
"Dear students! Dear teachers! Dear Soul Engineers of Mingdu!"
The broadcaster's voice was so excited it almost cracked; it was the kind of exhilaration that comes from holding back for too long and finally getting a big scoop.
"Breaking news! Breaking news! Sword Freak Ji Juechen will face off against the strongest genius in history, the Destroyer of Hope, and the man who has held the top spot on the 'This Scoundrel Must Die' list for two consecutive years—Lin Xuan!"
"Location: Mingdu Central Arena! Time: Now! Miss today, and you'll regret it for a lifetime! I repeat..."
The broadcast looped exactly nine times before finally stopping.
Subsequently, all of Mingdu exploded. Countless students rushed out of teaching buildings, laboratories, and dormitories. Some didn't even have time to change out of their lab coats, some were still clutching half a piece of bread, and some were even barefoot on one foot.
The geniuses of Illustrious Virtue Hall set down their priceless spirit tool components, the city's vendors closed their shops, and even the patrolling City Guard couldn't help but frequently glance in that direction.
The reason was simple: the Sword Freak Ji Juechen was known by everyone in Mingdu.
That pale and handsome face had won him countless female fans, while that black sword, capable of even severing spirit tools, had earned him the respect of most male students.
As for his opponent, Lin Xuan, little needed to be said. It could be said that on the current Douluo Continent, you might not know the Emperor of your own Empire, but you have definitely heard the name Lin Xuan.
He was the culprit who had single-handedly overturned the Sun Moon Team in the Soul Master Competition two years ago, crushing their 'most promising year.' He was the top of the 'This Scoundrel Must Die' list, holding that position for two years running with no one able to shake him.
At this moment, these two big names were clashing. It was naturally like Mars hitting the Earth, or dry tinder meeting a raging fire. In terms of hype, it was probably no less than the finals of the Soul Master Competition.
Ju Zi and Lin Xuan walked side by side on the road, neither of them speaking. Ju Zi kept her head down, lost in thought, her pace a bit faster than usual. Lin Xuan had his hands in his pockets, unhurried.
Suddenly, a pair of small hands reached out from behind, accurately grabbing Ju Zi's chest.
"Ah—!"
Ju Zi let out a startled cry, jumping as if she had been electrocuted.
At the same time, a giggling voice came from behind. "Ju Zi, oh Ju Zi, when did you get a boyfriend and didn't even tell me? What? Afraid I'll steal him from you?"
Lin Xuan glanced at the severely deformed softness, raised an eyebrow, and then looked behind him.
The speaker was a petite young girl, only reaching Ju Zi's shoulder, but she was extremely cute and charming. Her big eyes were sparkling, revealing a hint of mischief.
She had her head tilted, her gaze moving back and forth between Ju Zi and Lin Xuan, a playful smile hanging on her lips.
Ju Zi's face instantly turned bright red. She fiercely slapped the girl's hands away, her voice both urgent and annoyed. "Ke Ke! How many times have I told you, don't go grabbing my... my..."
The more she spoke, the more embarrassed she became, her voice trailing off. She stole a glance at Lin Xuan out of the corner of her eye.
However, she saw Lin Xuan looking elsewhere, focused on studying the pole of a spirit tool lamp by the roadside, as if he were examining some peerless treasure.
This spirit tool lamp is certainly very... spirit tool lamp-y...
Seeing Lin Xuan's 'nothing to see here' act, Ju Zi became even more annoyed. You guy clearly saw everything!
She took a deep breath and introduced him irritably, "This is Lin Xuan, an exchange student from Shrek."
After a pause, she added in a stiff tone, "He is not my boyfriend, don't talk nonsense."
"Oh~ so you're Lin Xuan!" Ke Ke's eyes lit up, and she immediately leaned in front of Lin Xuan, enthusiastically extending her hand.
"You really are handsome! I'm Ke Ke, also a student of Teacher Xuan!"
Lin Xuan withdrew his gaze from the lamp post and shook her hand. "Hello."
Ke Ke squeezed his hand firmly, her pretty face slightly flushed, before reluctantly letting go.
Ju Zi rolled her eyes and said crossly, "Why are you here?"
Ke Ke coughed twice and said, "What do you think? That broadcast practically rang in my ears eight hundred times. How could I not know that Sword Freak Ji Juechen is fighting the famous Lin Xuan? Even if I had the most important business in the World, I'd have to come and see this first."
"Alright, alright, let's not dwell on these things here. We need to hurry. If we're late, we won't even have a place to stand."
As she spoke, Ke Ke impatiently pulled Ju Zi along, not forgetting to look back and call out to Lin Xuan.
"Handsome, hurry up too! After all, you're one of the protagonists!"
...
After a hurried journey, the three of them passed through several streets and alleys, and the Mingdu Central Arena was already in sight.
It was a regular hexagonal open-air arena, built entirely of an unknown grayish-white stone. The surface was as smooth as a mirror, with faint traces of Soul Power flowing within.
It was surrounded by thousands of seats, but at this moment, forget the seats—even the open space around the arena was packed tight with people.
The noise was deafening, as chaotic as a marketplace.
In the center of the arena, a figure was sitting quietly cross-legged.
A black sword lay across his knees. His posture was as straight as a pine tree, his long hair tied behind his head, with a few stray strands falling over his forehead, fluttering gently in the breeze.
His eyes were closed, and his breathing was steady, as if the surrounding clamor had nothing to do with him.
It was Ji Juechen.
Discussions rose and fell all around, mostly from female fans, carrying hints of dissatisfaction and heartache.
"Why hasn't that Lin Xuan arrived yet? Making Brother wait so long."
"Exactly. Some'strongest genius in history,' he's putting on too many airs."
"Brother looks so lonely sitting there alone, I really want to go up and accompany him..."
There were also more rational voices discussing the outcome. "Do you think Lin Xuan can win?"
"Win? If he can beat the Sword Freak, I'll eat this arena."
"Don't be so sure. He single-handedly overturned the entire Sun Moon Team at the Soul Master Competition..."
"So what? Don't you know how strong the Sword Freak is? Even those Class 7 Soul Engineers from Illustrious Virtue Hall couldn't beat him last time."
The crowd was buzzing with discussion, but there was one consensus: most people present wanted Lin Xuan to lose.
After all, the title of 'Top of the This Scoundrel Must Die List' wasn't given for nothing.
After waiting for a moment, the host confirmed that most people had arrived and began to announce loudly, his voice carrying through an amplification spirit tool to the entire venue.
"Now, let us welcome—Lin Xuan!"
As the words fell, on the outskirts of the crowd, a terrifying aura suddenly exploded!
Everyone turned their heads in unison. Lin Xuan stood there quietly, his silver-white school uniform gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
His black hair was slightly blown by the wind, revealing a face so handsome it was almost unreal. His sword-like eyebrows rose towards his temples, his eyes were as deep as an abyss, and a faint, indiscernible smile hung at the corner of his mouth.
The crowd went silent for a second, and then, a hushed exclamation came from a corner.
"Oh no, why do I feel like he's even handsomer than the Sword Freak..."
"You're not alone..."
"I've found my true husband."
"Didn't you just say Brother was your husband?"
"Shut up, that was the old me. The current me has been reborn."
Ju Zi's mouth twitched, and she silently moved half a step to the side, pretending not to know the people around her.
Ke Ke, on the other hand, looked around with great interest and then leaned into Ju Zi's ear. "Are you sure he's not your boyfriend? Then I'm going to make a move."
Ju Zi pushed her face away expressionlessly. "You've really had enough."
Lin Xuan took his first step. In an instant, like the mythical Moses parting the sea, the crowd in front of him retreated to both sides, revealing a straight path.
He walked onto the arena step by step, his expression as calm as water. The moment he came to a halt, Ji Juechen opened his eyes.
In those eyes, there was a bit less of the sharp edge common to sword-path Soul Masters, and a bit more of a calm that hadn't been there before.
Heavy swords have no edge; great skill lies in simplicity.
He slowly stood up, holding his sword in a salute, and bowed solemnly toward Lin Xuan.
"Please advise me."
Lin Xuan looked at him, a hint of admiration appearing in his eyes.
As the saying goes, 'As Heaven's movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman ceaselessly strive.' No one would dislike a genius like Ji Juechen, who started with a 'hell-mode' beginning but forced his way to the present through sheer effort and persistence.
Given the same hellish start, most people would choose to give up on themselves. Even if they didn't, very few could persevere.
Yet Ji Juechen relied on no one, forcing himself to comprehend sword intent on his own, and even carved out a World for himself in this Illustrious Virtue Hall full of geniuses.
There are no trash Martial Souls, only trash Soul Masters. This phrase was one that Ji Juechen was truly entitled to say.
"The painstaking heart is not betrayed by Heaven; three thousand Yue soldiers can swallow the Wu Kingdom," Lin Xuan sighed softly. "If you were born in a Xianxia World, your future achievements would likely be far beyond this."
With that, he made a gentle beckoning motion with his right hand toward his feet. Amidst the churning shadows, a long sword was slowly spat out by the darkness and fell into his palm.
It was a plain Tang sword, three feet long and two fingers wide. The blade was silver-white like autumn water, without any patterns or extra decorations. It was as clean as a clear spring and as sharp as a ray of moonlight.
Lin Xuan twirled the sword, the tip pointing directly at Ji Juechen, and laughed softly.
"I haven't used this sword for many years. Today, I think you have earned the right."
Ji Juechen was stunned. He hadn't expected that Lin Xuan would also use a sword.
After a brief moment of daze, the light in his eyes grew even brighter. He gripped the long sword forged from Meteoric Iron with both hands and slowly drew it.
Entering the sword with his soul—this was his method of cultivation. His sword Martial Soul had long since transformed from physical to ethereal, perfectly merging with this long sword. Between the three, there was no distinction.
The sound of clashing metal rang out, and a terrifyingly sharp aura instantly permeated the arena.
Invisible sword intent carved ink-black traces in the air, like wounds sliced by a blade's edge.
A wild wind rose, robes fluttered, and those ink-black sword marks roamed wildly in the air.
But when they touched the three-foot space around Lin Xuan, they instantly vanished without a trace, like snow falling into boiling water.
Lin Xuan's eyes half-closed, and an even sharper aura spread out. It was formless and substance-less, yet bone-chillingly cold, like a peerless weapon of slaughter that had slain thousands, tens of thousands.
Two streams of sword intent collided silently on the arena.
Then, Ji Juechen was the first to strike. Holding his sword with both hands, he became like an unsheathed blade, thrusting straight at Lin Xuan.
Wherever the sword edge passed, the air was torn apart, letting out a sharp whistle. There were no flashy moves, no redundant changes—just the simplest of thrusts, but it was fast to the extreme.
However, Lin Xuan's sword was faster. He didn't retreat or block, but simply tilted his body slightly, letting the sword tip glide past his chest, missing by less than an inch.
At the same time, the silver-white longsword in his hand shot out like a spiritual snake leaving its burrow, sliding along Ji Juechen's blade and aiming straight for his wrist.
Ji Juechen withdrew his sword and retreated, turning the blade to deliver a horizontal slash. Lin Xuan's sword moved in response, following him like a shadow.
The two swords intertwined, collided, separated, and intertwined again on the arena. Every clash produced a string of sparks, exceptionally piercing in the afternoon sunlight.
The onlookers had long since forgotten to gossip; thousands of eyes were fixed on the two intertwined figures on the arena, their very breathing becoming light.
Ji Juechen's sword strikes grew faster and more ferocious. His sword intent was like a violent storm, each strike carrying a decisiveness that sought to destroy everything.
His sword was not meant for defense; in his dictionary, there was only the word 'offense.'
Lin Xuan's sword, however, remained steady and unhurried. His sword technique was like flowing water—seemingly soft and boneless, yet always able to perfectly neutralize each of Ji Juechen's attacks.
As the sword tip roamed, it displayed utter composure.
Ji Juechen suddenly withdrew his sword and retreated. Then, his sword intent changed, abruptly shifting from its previous peerless sharpness to a predatory state.
The powerful aura compressed once more, even faintly suppressing the icy killing intent released by Lin Xuan. He held the sword with both hands, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground, his whole body like a fully drawn bow, ready to strike.
Lin Xuan looked at him and suddenly murmured, 'Three thousand guests in the hall are drunk on flowers; one sword's frost chills fourteen provinces.'
As the words fell, pink peach blossom petals materialized out of thin air above the arena.
They drifted down from the void, fluttering and dancing, enveloping the entire arena in a dreamlike rain of flowers. A refreshing floral fragrance spread out, making one almost intoxicated.
But in the next moment, a sense of extreme cold suddenly emerged.
That cold was bone-chilling to the extreme, as if the purest killing intent had condensed into ice, or like a sharp blade pressed against one's forehead, making people shudder involuntarily.
The peach blossoms continued to flutter and the fragrance remained intoxicating, yet everyone who smelled it felt their blood slowly beginning to freeze.
Bang—
The pressure suddenly surged, and Ji Juechen's pupils abruptly contracted.
His sword intent trembled violently under that extreme cold pressure, like a candle flame in a Wind, liable to be extinguished at any moment.
But there was no fear in his eyes, only a near-insane excitement.
He felt it—under the pressure, his sword intent was transforming, like a seed finally about to break through the soil under heavy weight.
He wanted to reach out and touch it, but he was always just a bit short, failing at the final moment every time.
Almost... almost there... just one last bit...
Lin Xuan looked at him and smiled slightly. Beneath his feet, five Soul Rings—purple, purple, black, black, and black—slowly rose. At the same time, he murmured once more,
'A million soldiers slain south of the river; the sword at the waist still reeks of blood.'
After speaking, Lin Xuan performed a sword flourish with one hand, pointing the blade at Ji Juechen from a distance. Immediately, a thick, nauseating scent of blood rushed toward him!
In a daze, everyone felt as if they were on an ancient battlefield. The clashing of weapons, the thundering of hooves, and the shouts of soldiers roared in their ears and exploded in their minds.
The terrifying aura was like a sea of blood, crushing down ruthlessly toward Ji Juechen!
He gave a muffled groan, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Finally, at a certain moment, the aura on his body surged once again!
He had attained enlightenment.
Ji Juechen held the sword with both hands and slowly turned his body back, sweeping the longsword across. That strike had no whistle, no roar, and not even a sound.
Wherever the sword edge passed, that bloody pressure was silently shredded like cloth sliced by a sharp blade.
Boom—!
The two auras completely exploded, turning into a powerful shockwave that swept across the field! The crowd raised their hands to shield themselves, their robes flapping loudly. Some stumbled back, while others cried out in surprise.
As the air cleared, the two figures on the arena still stood facing each other.
Lin Xuan's sword pointed diagonally at the ground, his expression as calm as water.
Ji Juechen's sword was held horizontally in front of him, his chest heaving violently. The blood from the corner of his mouth dripped onto the blade, only to be dispersed by his sword intent.
He stared at Lin Xuan, the light in his eyes startlingly bright.
"I understand."
Lin Xuan: "..."
These Idealistic Sword Cultivators were just too elusive. If you asked if they won or lost, they'd say they attained enlightenment. If you asked what realm they'd reached, they'd say they were going home.
Lin Xuan sheathed his longsword, smiled, and said, "Congratulations."
Ji Juechen looked at Lin Xuan, remained silent for a moment, and suddenly asked, "What is the name of your sword?"
Lin Xuan looked down at the silver-white longsword in his hand and lightly flicked the blade, producing a clear and melodious ring.
He thought for a moment, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. "dazhiqie."
After a pause, Lin Xuan added, "But I prefer the name I gave it: qingping."
Special Grade Cursed Tool: dazhiqie.
The ability of this blade was simple. If Ji Juechen was an Idealistic Sword Cultivator, then this sword utilized an Idealistic Sword Technique.
It could materialize the images within the user's mind, with its power determined by the user's Cursed Energy and mental strength.
"qingping..." Ji Juechen nodded, a flicker of light in his eyes. "A good name."
He held the Meteoric Iron Sword, which was already covered in cracks, horizontally in front of him. His fingers lightly brushed over the fine fractures on the blade, his gaze as tranquil as water as he whispered,
"One strike."
Lin Xuan looked at him and smiled slightly. "One strike."
Those two words, spoken casually, caused the entire arena to fall silent.
Ji Juechen said no more. He slowly closed his eyes, holding the sword with both hands, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground.
In the next moment, the aura on his body erupted once again.
It wasn't as violent as a storm, nor as terrifying as a landslide. It was like a seed buried deep underground finally sprouting, or an ancient sword silent for a thousand years finally being unsheathed.
His sword intent reached a new height at this moment.
Ji Juechen slowly opened his eyes, then took a step forward and delivered a direct slash.
This strike didn't use any complex swordsmanship; it was plain and ordinary, even appearing somewhat clumsy.
Yet, it was precisely such a strike that gave one the feeling of being unavoidable and unstoppable.
Lin Xuan didn't dodge; he didn't even blink. He then held his longsword horizontally across his chest, his right hand forming a sword finger gesture as he lightly wiped across the blade.
Wherever his fingertips passed, a layer of crimson blood appeared out of thin air on the blade.
That blood was incredibly eerie. It had no scent of gore, but instead emitted an alluring and strange fragrance, like some peerless delicacy that made one unable to resist wanting to taste it.
Beads of blood flowed slowly along the patterns of the blade, glinting with an eerie luster in the sunlight like living things.
As his fingers reached the tip of the sword, Lin Xuan looked up and similarly delivered a slash.
Clearly, his movements were slow—slow enough that everyone could see every inch of his arm's movement and every vibration of the blade—yet everyone felt that this strike was fast to the extreme.
At the same time, his voice echoed through the arena, low and distant like an ancient ballad.
"Suddenly meeting on the eastern side of the green mountains, hands clasped with earnest words like a bell. The sword art is mastered, so take it with you; wherever there is a dragon, slay the dragon!"
Boom—!
The two swords collided. Sword intent and sword intent crushed, tore, swallowed, and merged with each other in the void. The aftershock was like a spreading ring, whistling past. Wherever it went, the air distorted and the light flickered.
Crack, crack, crack—
Fine sounds were exceptionally clear in the silence. Dense, Spider Web-like cracks slowly crawled over that seemingly unremarkable but actually quite hard Meteoric Iron Sword.
The cracks spread from the edge to the spine, and from the spine to the hilt, becoming denser and deeper.
Snap—
As the crisp sound fell, the Meteoric Iron Sword in Ji Juechen's hand shattered into countless tiny fragments, shimmering in the sunlight like a sky full of stars.
The fragments drifted with the wind, silent and soundless, tracing silver-white arcs in the air before gradually vanishing into the void.
Ji Juechen stood in place, his hands still maintaining the posture of holding a sword, but his palms were now empty. He looked at his empty hands and remained silent for a long time.
Then he suddenly smiled.
"Good sword."
Lin Xuan sheathed his sword, and qingping turned into a streak of light that merged into the shadow beneath his feet. He looked at Ji Juechen without speaking.
Ji Juechen turned around and walked down the stage.
The crowd automatically made a path for him. Everyone's gaze fell on that upright back, filled with admiration, confusion, fervor, and silence.
He didn't look back, his steps firm, just as when he arrived. But his empty hands were no longer the same as when he came.
After walking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and said without turning his head,
"Lin Xuan, next time I will bring a better sword."
Lin Xuan looked at his back and nodded slightly.
"Alright."
Ji Juechen said no more, stepped into the crowd, and soon disappeared into the sea of people.
Ke Ke excitedly patted Ju Zi's shoulder. "He won! He really won! And he's so handsome! Handsome from beginning to end! Did you see that last strike? I didn't see anything clearly, but I just felt it was amazing!"
Ju Zi pushed her hand away expressionlessly. "You didn't see anything clearly, yet you know it was amazing?"
"That's because my level isn't high enough!" Ke Ke said righteously. "The things you can't understand are the most amazing! You wouldn't understand!"
Ju Zi couldn't be bothered to argue and turned to leave. After a few steps, she couldn't help but look back.
The arena was already empty, with only the sunlight quietly spilling down.
The faint scent of peach blossoms and a very slight trace of blood still lingered in the air. A few petals that had not yet dissipated lay scattered on the ground, swirling gently in the breeze.
She withdrew her gaze and quickened her pace. Behind her, Ke Ke was still chattering away.
"Wait for me! What kind of girls do you think he likes? Do you think I still have a chance? Ju Zi? Ju Zi, why are you walking so fast..."
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