Chapter 1193 - Heaven-Severing Strike

The ancient battle not only shattered the million-mile mountain range but also destroyed part of the Heavenly Dragon Sect's archives. The last chapters of the Heavenly Sacred Dragon Scripture vanished in that war, and the war tore the True Martial Continent away, sending it drifting across the endless cosmos ever since.

The sect gave Liu Wuxie a Heavenly Sacred Dragon Scripture that contained only one-third of the original text. Ordinary disciples believed it complete, but only the upper echelons knew the truth; the truth that it was incomplete.

Without the final chapters, no one could ascend to the Immortal Realm, and the Heavenly Dragon Sect had not produced an immortal for hundreds of thousands of years.

The Heavenly Sacred Dragon Scripture and the Nine Heavenly Dragon Forms ranked as the sect's strongest techniques. Yet both remained incomplete, so the sect offered them as rewards, hoping against hope that someone would complete them one day.

For countless years, cultivators made no progress. Yet today, the impossible happened; someone displayed signs of cultivating the complete Heavenly Sacred Dragon Scripture.

As for the other nine supreme arts of the sect, the sect permitted only true disciples to cultivate them. Ordinary disciples had no chance.

"Go investigate the Heavenly Sacred Dragon Scripture," the sect master ordered.

Space rippled at his words, and a gray-robed elder departed silently from the lesser realm.

......

All of this unfolded without Liu Wuxie's knowledge. Unaware of what the complete Heavenly Sacred Dragon Scripture meant, he followed its instructions, increasing the dragon aura in him until it overflowed, filling even his pores with the laws of the Dragon Realm.

Liu Wuxie believed that if he continued cultivating it, he would one day transform into a divine dragon and soar across the skies.

He split his focus between cultivating the Heavenly Sacred Dragon Scripture and the Nine Heavenly Dragon Forms. With the Heavenly Dao Book's analysis, he had comprehended both and engraved them into his soul sea. He didn't need to practice from scratch; he only needed to familiarize himself with their execution.

Within his soul sea, a miniature Liu Wuxie stood upon the Heavenly Dao Book, practicing the Nine Heavenly Dragon Forms.

"First Form—Dragon Subduing Tiger!"

"Second Form—Dragon Slither!"

"Third Form—Dragon Roaming!"

"Fourth Form—Soaring Dragon!"

"Fifth Form—Dragon's Roar, Tiger Howl!"

"Sixth Form—Dragon Dive!"

"Seventh Form—Dragon Ascent!"

"Eighth Form—Dragon and Tiger Roar!"

The miniature Liu Wuxie halted after the eighth form and unleashed a thunderous roar. Waves of boundless sound shook his soul sea, a force capable of shattering the primordial spirit of even a cultivator at the Primal Origin Realm.

"Ninth Form—Myriad Dragon Unity!" He had comprehended the ninth form, but he dared not use it. That form fused all eight preceding into one strike, producing the Great Heavenly Dragon Art.

If he were to unleash it, it would drain his reserves dry.

With his current true essence reserves, Liu Wuxie could only perform the first three forms. He knew the methods for the later forms, but he lacked the strength to execute them.

"No wonder the Nine Heavenly Dragon Forms must be paired with the Heavenly Sacred Dragon Scripture," Liu Wuxie murmured. "Without it, the forms would drain ordinary cultivators of true essence before they can perform even one."

The Heavenly Sacred Dragon Scripture let him absorb vast dragon aura, making it possible to wield the Nine Heavenly Dragon Forms at all. Combined with the True Dragon Physique, he could already execute the first three. For others, even prodigies like Mu Heng, unleashing the first form alone would be remarkable.

"What a fearsome technique. It's no weaker than my Annihilation Fist or the Origin Blade, perhaps even stronger," Liu Wuxie said.

The Annihilation Fist's power came from immortal runes, while the Nine Heavenly Dragon Forms lay between martial techniques and mythical arts. Their strength would grow in tandem with his cultivation, and that adaptability was their greatest asset.

Liu Wuxie rose to his feet and stepped into the courtyard. The space was small, and he dared not create too large a commotion.

He burst into motion and executed the first form. His charge fused a dragon's body with a tiger's stance, like a dragon bursting from the sea and a tiger breaking free of its cage.

The force of his punch transformed into a dragon's head that roared forward.

A deafening explosion shook the courtyard. Fortunately, the spiritual array absorbed the impact; otherwise, he would have leveled the courtyard.

He shifted into the second form, flowing like a serpent. Then came the third—pure speed, striking like thunder.

Each of the Nine Heavenly Dragon Forms carried its own essence, combining the strengths of martial techniques, footwork, dao techniques, and mythical arts into one. A

fter executing three forms in succession, Liu Wuxie was covered in sweat, looking as if he had just emerged from a river.

The three forms consumed half the true essence in his desolate world, leaving his body aching from the strain.

"I didn't expect the Nine Heavenly Dragon Forms to consume so much true essence. Without a powerful physique, no one can wield them," he muttered. Steadying himself, he closed his eyes and shifted focus to a new trump card.

The Nine Heavenly Dragon Forms prioritized offense, but he couldn't rely solely on the Frost Mythical Art, and the Origin Blade was far too weak for his current cultivation.

As his realm rose, dao techniques and mythical arts replaced martial techniques, unless he could create a blade technique equal to a mythical art.

The Ghost Eye was unsuitable for direct combat, especially since the Astral Domain suppressed the Soul Capturing Art. He could only use it again after reaching the Origin Conversion Realm.

As for other dao techniques, he still needed time to perfect and elevate to the level of mythical arts. For now, he had to forge a trump card strong enough to protect himself.

Two hours later, Liu Wuxie's eyes snapped open. He had found the technique that suited him. Combined with immortal runes, it could kill even third-level Origin Conversion cultivators.

"Heaven-Severing Strike. It shall be you," he declared with a faint smile.

The technique had once been an immortal art he taught to an Immortal Regnant. In his current condition, mythical arts already taxed him, and immortal arts were impossible. After simplifying and reworking it, the Heaven-Severing Strike retained only the shadow of an immortal art, but even that gave it the might of a mythical art.

The Heretic Blade appeared in his hand, but he did not rush to practice. The name itself spoke of its power, a strike that could split the heavens; it would deal unimaginable devastation.

"The courtyard is too small. If I were to unleash it here, I'd destroy the surrounding houses. There's no need to draw attention yet," Liu Wuxie murmured.

Reining in his aura, he realized that the Heaven-Severing Strike had become even stronger than he had imagined after the Heavenly Dao Book had refined it. When he created it in the past, he had lacked such a tool.

Liu Wuxie dismissed the spiritual array and left his courtyard for the rear mountain, where disciples trained in martial techniques. The open grounds would suffice for his blade. He had memorized the Heavenly Dragon Sect's map, so there was no risk of losing his way.

He climbed stone steps shaded by ancient trees and passed through the vast forest that made the sect resemble an eternal woodland.

The vast rear mountain stretched, shouts echoing as countless disciples trained. Disciples occupied most of the empty grounds, forcing him deeper. After fifteen minutes, he reached a quiet clearing, summoned the Heretic Blade, and assumed the stance of the Heaven-Severing Strike.

His posture mirrored an antelope lifting its horns to the sky. Faint blade intent brewed and spread into a boundless aura that rolled outward.

Lost in the blade's profundity, Liu Wuxie became oblivious to the world. Fortunately, few disciples occupied this part of the mountain, and the other disciples stayed focused on their training.

......

At the same time, a burly man arrived at Liu Wuxie's courtyard and shattered the damaged gate with a single kick.

"Liu Wuxie, come out and die!" he bellowed like a rabid hound as he stormed inside.

However, the courtyard stood empty—no sign of Liu Wuxie. The intrusion alarmed nearby disciples, who craned their necks curiously.

"Senior Brother, are you looking for Liu Wuxie?" Li Sha asked with a fawning smile.

"Do you know where he went?" the man asked. He had just returned to the sect, and Xu Guang had immediately sent him here.

"I do. I saw him heading toward the rear mountain not long ago," Li Sha said. He had been keeping close watch on Liu Wuxie's movements.

"The rear mountain?" The man's lips curled into a grin. "Perfect. A fine place to kill."

Mad Dog turned and strode toward the rear mountain, leaving Li Sha behind with eyes gleaming in excitement.

......

Meanwhile, Liu Wuxie's blade intent swelled in intensity, yet he hesitated to swing. Something was missing. Murderous intent, will, and blade intent were all perfect, but he still could not release the Heaven-Severing Strike.

Comprehension and execution were different paths. To wield the Heaven-Severing Strike perfectly, he had to grasp the true essence of its intent to sever the heavens.

This blade technique had already surpassed every other blade art he had ever mastered.

"To sever the heavens..." he murmured. Its profundity lay in those two words. He had only touched the surface. To master it, he had to learn to split the sky itself.

A spark of insight flashed in his mind, and the Heretic Blade descended.

The motion was not fast, but space seemed to bend beneath it. Sound waves rippled outward, shattering nearby trees. The scene was terrifying, and the Heaven-Severing Strike's sheer power caught even Liu Wuxie off guard.

This was going to be his ultimate secret.