Chapter 532: Controlling the Sword with the Heart

Li Tianyao's expression darkened. It hadn't been that long since they had agreed to limit the sword techniques they could unleash to ten, yet he had already used up one of them.

He clasped his hands solemnly and, in a clear tone, remarked, "I apologize for being discourteous earlier. My master taught me that there will always be someone stronger, but it completely slipped my mind.

"In my forgetfulness, I treated you rudely and offended you. Please forgive me. I also take back what I said about limiting our bout to ten techniques. I wish to spar with you and test our understanding of the Dao of the Sword, Daoist Friend."

Li Tianyao could accept loss and let go of his pride, which were traits of a general.

Setting aside the prejudice that Wang Sheng had toward the Celestial Wind Sect, he found its young sect master competitive, a bit ostentatious, fond of ceremony, slightly gilded on the outside. Moreover...

Mm...

He had an excellent Dao of the Sword.

Wang Sheng's smile disappeared as he returned the gesture. "You're too serious, Young Master Li. Please enlighten me."

Li Tianyao glanced at his six sword attendants, as if wanting to change swords. Seeing the glaringly conspicuous broken sword in Wang Sheng's hand, though, he could only grip Delicate Wind Rainbow tightly.

He clearly wasn't careless or underestimated his opponent anymore. Moreover, he had fully restrained his pride, and his eyes were full of the desire to become stronger. Now, he resembled the youth that he had been when he had first joined the North-River Sword Sect.

Wang Sheng still appeared completely at ease. There was a quiet, unhurried calm about him that seemed untouched by worldly concerns, as if victory and defeat were no more than passing clouds to him.

The two once again faced each other and unleashed their sword intents.

Li Tianyao still sealed his own cultivation to match Wang Sheng's realm. Although each cultivator's cultivation technique differed and strength varied even at the same realm, insisting on such fairness was completely pedantic. Still, because of it, their spar could be said to be a battle between their Dao of the Sword—a clash along the Great Dao of the Sword.

On the left stood a man dressed in a robe as white as snow and holding an immortal sword. He had a solemn expression, his gaze sharp and imposing.

On the right was a nameless sword cultivator in an ordinary Daoist robe and holding a broken sword. He looked calm and even somewhat lazy, yet forming his own serene state.

As if sparks flashed, the two took half a step forward and attacked almost simultaneously. Turning into streaks of light, they rushed skyward, overlapping and colliding in midair.

A crisp sword cry echoed as the two clashed once and passed each other. They then turned back and continued fighting with full effort.

Li Tianyao abandoned his earlier "willow fluff" footwork and unleashed a more exquisite set of sword techniques. They were like wind and fire, drawing the primal qi of heaven and earth.

Wind roared, thunder rumbled, and flames danced wildly.

This sword art could be considered a standard Earth Dao of the Sword example. Borrowing primal qi for his own use, it made his sword techniques resemble widespread spells, yet they were clearly different.

Meanwhile, Wang Sheng's sword techniques were unhurried. He simply seemed to be practicing calligraphy, drawing several circles around himself.

The first circle scattered the incoming fierce wind, the second extinguished the scattered flames, and the third unleashed yin-yang qi in the form of Dual-Polarity Sword Intent and Tai Chi.

Li Tianyao happened to appear right in front of it, sword raised as he rushed forward to attack. Had he not immediately dashed to the side, he would have been drawn into the broken sword's sword phantasm and lost.

He dared not attack recklessly. Leaving a trail of afterimages, he sent waves of sword radiance. Occasionally, he would also unleash a hundred-meter sword radiance through his immortal sword. Slicing horizontally and slashing vertically, he forced Wang Sheng to stop calmly drawing circles.

The combatants weren't standing on equal footing. After all, Wang Sheng couldn't use the Heavenly Ziwei Sword Art or the Pure Yang Sword Song since those would reveal himself to the Celestial Wind Sect. He also didn't wish to expose his Heavenly Tribulation Sword Intent, which was one of his trump cards, in a mere sparring match.

He only needed the Taiyi Golden Immortal Sword Art and the Dual-Polarity Sword Intent to handle the situation anyway.

The Dual-Polarity Sword Intent excelled at defense and looked elegant when used. Wang Sheng sometimes attacked fiercely with the Taiyi Golden Immortal Sword Art and other times simply drew circles, blocking Li Tianyao's attacks completely.

In contrast, aside from suppressing his own cultivation, Li Tianyao had already unleashed all his sword techniques and sword intents. Hence, in this battle, Wang Sheng appeared more composed.

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Though carefully felt, the battle between Li Tianyao and Lishang unleashed immense force in every strike. Compared to that, the young sect master and Wang Sheng's sparring seemed weaker.

There was no helping it. After all, they were only fighting at the peak of the Primordial Immortal Realm, not the True Immortal Realm. The power they could unleash was naturally inferior.

Nevertheless, to the spectators, this match seemed even more intense and profound than the previous one. Li Tianyao was clearly employing more advanced sword techniques.

Wind, fire, and lightning surged with his attacks, only to vanish into the mysterious circles that Wang Sheng had drawn using the broken sword. Some of the Xinghai Sect's elders even had to set up a formation to protect the great palace and its surroundings from the shockwaves from their clashes.

The immortals watching them no longer knew what to say. The Protectors who had joined the sect at the same time as Wang Sheng were shocked and invigorated, feeling that he had brought them honor.

Meanwhile, the younger core disciples were mostly stunned and confused. They could not understand how such a young-looking, off-heritage Primordial Immortal could match Li Tianyao, a leading sword disciple of the North-River Sword Sect.

Using voice transmissions, the elders of the Xinghai Sect all asked Linyuan who Wang Sheng truly was. However, even Linyuan himself, who had already lived a long life, still hadn't recovered from his shock.

The sword cultivator before them always spoke with quiet confidence. He had a sharp vision, seeing straight through even the troubles weighing on the Xinghai Sect. Moreover, he had helped the sect survive a crisis without upheaval. In turn, it affected their sect master, who had been buried in grueling cultivation.

From those merits alone, it was already certain that as long as he did not leave the Xinghai Sect in the future, he would become one of its strongest pillars. If he simply stayed long enough as an entry-level disciple, endured a few centuries, and continued offering advice to the Xinghai Sect, then he would undoubtedly become an elder once he reached the True Immortal Realm.

Now, after Li Tianyao had defeated Lishang and had just started flaunting his power in the Xinghai Sect's territory, Wang Sheng unhesitatingly stepped forward and revealed a sword realm that rivaled Li Tianyao's.

This...

Under his breath, Linyuan murmured, "Did our sect just unknowingly pick up a treasure?"

Watching Wang Sheng calmly move through the layers of surrounding sword phantasms, he felt a rush of complicated emotions.

At that moment, the two elders of the North-River Sword Sect appeared at the palace entrance and looked up toward the battle in the sky. Their experienced eyes immediately caught the subtle sword intent hidden within Wang Sheng's sword art.

Instead of using voice transmission, they simply spoke aloud.

"Could he be a disciple of the Northern Sky Region's Dual-Polarity Sect?"

"That's unlikely. Why would a Dual-Polarity Sect disciple come here and serve as a Protector of a nameless little celestial gate?"

The Xinghai Sect disciples stirred in anger and shock. However, they quickly remembered that the two were Heavenly Immortals from the North-River Sword Sect. Hence, they didn't dare glare too openly.

Seemingly oblivious to the mood below, they continued to discuss Wang Sheng's sword art, analyzing its origins. Before long, they concluded that they couldn't determine it.

The world was too vast, and capable figures far too many.

The Heavenly Immortal on the left asked, "Martial Brother, could that boy be the one who destroyed the Celestial Wind Sect's secret mine?"

"Unlikely. That person used the Heavenly Dao of the Sword, whereas this boy clearly uses the Human Dao of the Sword. There's an obvious difference."

"True. I was overthinking it. Not only is he talented, but he's also already at the Primordial Immortal Realm. Had he not become an immortal yet, I would've suggested taking him back with us for training."

"I agree. Unfortunately, once someone becomes an immortal, their path is already set. There is no fixing it."

They sighed, regretting that Wang Sheng had already missed his chance to join their sect. To them, he was like a pearl that had happened to fall into the mud of unaffiliated practitioners; he was already stained beyond repair.

The battle in the sky had been going on for a moment, yet neither of the two combatants had shown any sign of gaining the upper hand.

Lishang, who was back to her half-serpentine form, reappeared at the palace entrance and watched the clash above. Noticing the broken sword in Wang Sheng's hand, she frowned slightly. She recalled that the sect had promised him an immortal sword but had not yet fulfilled it.

The two sword cultivators separated again. Neither showed the slightest sign of strain, as if they had only been exchanging pointers. In truth, though, Wang Sheng had sensed Li Tianyao's killing intent more than once.

Li Tianyao laughed boldly. "You've proven yourself to be my match! I cannot break through your sword intent!"

Wang Sheng replied, "Your sword art has forced me into the defensive, Young Master Li. I am already losing ground."

Normally, after such remarks, both sides would withdraw. However, to Wang Sheng's surprise, Li Tianyao refused to follow the usual "script."

"I have a rare technique that I'd like to show you. It's quite powerful, so please do not force yourself."

Wang Sheng was momentarily rendered speechless. Sensing Li Tianyao's aura surge as he released the restraints on his cultivation, Wang Sheng stopped himself from laughing.

Just how deep is this man's obsession with victory?

Keeping his guard up, he waited quietly in the sky.

Li Tianyao formed a sword finger with his left hand and drew it across the air. A metallic ringing echoed as his five other immortal swords flew up from below, hovered around him, and began to slowly rotate.

I can't believe that True Immortal's still hiding such a powerful finishing blow.

Wang Sheng almost wanted to admit defeat and fly away just to see if it would make Li Tianyao choke in frustration.

The fluctuations of Li Tianyao's immortal power reminded him of the Shu Sword Sect's Sword-Controlling Art.

A trace of doubt rose in his heart, but he could tell that they weren't the same. Though its form was similar, its essence was different.

Fine. I don't feel like conceding anyway, especially not to someone whose Dao of the Sword is clearly beneath mine.

Even if Li Tianyao went all out with some kind of ultimate move, Wang Sheng would still choose to meet him head-on.

He spread the fingers of his left hand, and a faint sword phantasm slowly rose from his palm.

His Human Dao of the Sword was actually quite well developed. The might of the Heavenly Ziwei Sword Intent and the Heavenly Tribulation Sword Intent simply overshadowed it.

The Human Dao of the Sword involved the art of controlling the sword and was centered on the sword heart. It taught how to use the heart to guide the sword to ensure that all things could return to the sword, and all swords could return to the heart.

After all, the heart was one's true foundation.