"Junior Brother Feng?" Bu Jingyun hesitated.
He already knew about the Prophecy that Ni Pusa had made to Xiongba.
[A golden carp is no ordinary fish; it transforms into a dragon upon encountering wind and clouds. The dragon's roar echoes through the heavens, startling the world; when wind and clouds gather, it swims deep within the water.]
Success and failure both stemmed from the vicissitudes of life.
"Yes, only your destinies can restrain Xiongba," Jian Tan said. "The Peerless Good Sword and the Snow Drinking Mad Saber can respectively complete your destinies."
"When you obtain the Peerless Good Sword and see Nie Feng in person, you will understand."
"Why aren't you leaving yet?" Bu Jingyun asked.
"I'll protect you until you get the Peerless Good Sword and Nie Feng arrives," Jian Tan said.
"Is the [Peerless Good Sword] only one step away from being activated? Can it be activated at any time?" Bu Jingyun suddenly stopped in his tracks, seeing Jian Tan nod, "Then let's go now."
"Brother Yun, besides you and Jian Tan, isn't Duan Lang also needed?" Chu Chu asked.
"No need." Bu Jingyun continued walking without stopping, and said in a deep voice, "He will come by himself. He will never allow any sword to surpass the sharpness of [Fire Kirin]."
"Get out of my way!" Facing the person blocking his path, Bu Jingyun casually struck him with a palm, sending him flying.
Soon, another person appeared blocking the way.
The man was dressed in white and carried a sword that exuded a righteous Positive Qi and looked extremely familiar to him.
"Jingyun," the visitor said warmly.
"Jian Chen." The gloom between Bu Jingyun's brows dissipated somewhat.
He and Jian Chen have known each other since childhood.
He was rescued by the man in black, also known as the Nameless One.
The man in black wanted him to become a disciple of Master Buxu and let go of his hatred, so he fled from there and went to the World Society.
"Long time no see," Jian Chen said with a hint of regret.
In his opinion, Bu Jingyun was more talented than him when it came to swordsmanship.
Even with just one glance, Jingyun learned the phrase "Unspeakable Sorrow" and used it to surpass him.
"The Sword Festival is tomorrow."
"Even if it's you, Jingyun, I won't allow you to pass."
"And precisely because it is you, Jingyun, I will not let you go astray and obtain it through unethical means."
"Boy, you're wrong," Jian Tan interjected. "It's not us who are doing wrong, it's Baijian Villa."
"They wish to use our blood as a sacrifice to give birth to the Peerless Good Sword."
Jian Chen looked at Bu Jingyun; he didn't believe Jian Tan's words.
Seeing Bu Jingyun nod, he stepped aside, saying, "Then I'll go too."
"You think I would lie?" Jian Tan muttered a few words, then lightly touched his toes and looked up at the endless staircase, which he swept past in a flash.
The news quickly reached Ao Tian's ears. Unlike his panic, the Sword Demon just grinned and laughed, "As expected of the Jian Tan, he couldn't even stand it for a moment and wanted to seize the sword. I thought he had changed. Let's go find Duan Lang."
"Sword Demon Lord, Duan Lang has also gone to the Sword Pool," a guard hurriedly reported.
"Good, very good." The Sword Demon laughed heartily. "Then quickly go and inform Madam Ao."
Inside the Sword Pool.
"What a magnificent sword pool!" Jian Tan exclaimed. "The scorching heat of this earth fire, which has never been extinguished since the day the Baijian Villa was built, is so intense that even with my inner energy, I could only hold out for a short while if I wanted to protect myself."
"What a huge sword!" Chu Chu exclaimed in surprise.
As soon as they entered, what they saw was a giant sword, tens of meters high, with its blade pointing downwards and stuck into the ground.
Around the giant sword were small swords of similar shape, but upon closer inspection, they were of different styles: some shone brightly, some were plain, some were delicate and elegant, and some had Evil Qi. They were connected to the giant sword by black chains, as if they were one with the giant sword.
Of course, they are actually not small; they are just the right size for normal people to use.
"Please wait, everyone," a man with a sword stepped out from behind the platform. "I am Wen Nu, the Sword Slave -Wen Nu servant of the Baijian Villa. Please leave the forbidden area of the Sword Pool immediately, or you will be killed without mercy."
"Wen Nu," an old man appeared, "You have been extremely rude. Jian Tan and Mr. Bu Jingyun are indispensable members of the Sword Festival. Mr. Jian Chen is the successor of the martial arts legend Wuming. Your behavior will bring great disaster to the Baijian Villa."
When people in the martial arts world mention Wuming, the first thing that comes to mind is not his defeat of the Sword Saint when he was young.
Rather, it was the terrifying fact that he single-handedly slaughtered almost all the top fighters of the ten major martial arts sects, plunging the martial arts world into a period of desolation.
In most people's eyes, Wuming is a demon star, a murderer.
"How did you recognize us?" Jian Tan frowned.
He knew this person was Zhong Mei, a renowned swordsmith who spent his entire life forging swords in the Sword Pool.
"The only one who could be so eager to get the sword ahead of time is Mr. Jian Tan, and we can exclude his age." Zhong Mei looked at Jian Tan first. "As for Mr. Bu Jingyun, there is no need to mention him. His reputation as the God of Death who does not cry, as well as his appearance, have long been known throughout the martial arts world."
"And Young Hero Jian Chen, the Positive Qi of your [Hero Sword] is too obvious."
"Sword: One forging swords and have a passion for appreciating them. I have long heard that the Hero Sword is a superb divine weapon. I wonder if I may borrow it to take a look?"
"Why not?" Jian Chen, who had not yet become the God of War of the Broken Temple, indeed had the demeanor of the rising sun, just as Wuming had hoped. He was gentle yet strong, bright yet not fierce, and threw out the Hero Sword without hesitation.
Zhong Mei took it and carefully drew the sword from its sheath.
Suddenly, the light of the sword's edge burst forth in the sword pool, illuminating the room as if it were daytime!
"Excellent, excellent, excellent! Truly worthy of being the successor of the Hero Sword! Truly worthy of being the most resilient, unyielding, righteous, and principled Hero's Sword in the world!" Zhong Mei exclaimed.
Jian Tan also stared intently at the [Hero Sword].
Now that he could be considered a know-it-all in this world, he knew just how extraordinary this sword was.
It was forged by the great swordsman, the progenitor of swordsmanship.
It contains the [Mysterious Sword Technique], which can only be obtained by those born with a natural affinity for swordsmanship.
Once obtained, one can understand the opponent's swordsmanship in just one or two moves, and fully comprehend the essence of the opponent's swordsmanship. Then, one can use the Mysterious Sword Technique to deduce the opponent's progress in swordsmanship.
If the opponent has ten sword techniques, then if one uses the mysterious sword technique to understand the true meaning of their sword techniques, one can create an eleventh sword technique that is stronger than their ten.
Nameless was the successor of this sword technique. Twenty years before the Sword Saint created Sword Twenty-One, he had already deduced Sword: Twenty-Two, completely breaking all twenty-one moves of the Holy Spirit Sword Technique.
Unfortunately, Jian Tan's eyes were too blurry to see anything clearly.
"Mr. Jian Tan," Zhong Mei suddenly said after returning the sword.
"What?" Jian Tan impatiently.
"I was truly mistaken. It was only through the righteous Positive Qi of the Hero Sword that I realized you, Mr. Jian Tan, actually possess a superior divine weapon." Zhong Mei looked at the sword that Jian Tan had wrapped in cloth. "However, it is a vicious weapon. Its malevolent aura is enough to make even me shudder."
"It is because of it that the Hero Sword, which had lost its true master, truly revealed its brilliance."
"Young Jian Chen, you must be careful. It may not be as hard as you think in your hands. Your perfect character has not been tested, and you do not have the same indomitable spirit as Mr. Wuming."
He glanced at Jian Chen with a hint of apology, then eagerly looked at Jian Tan, "I wonder if—"
"It's not the right time," Jian Tan interrupted. "I need it with me at all times."
"This is why my master sent me out to gain experience," Jian Chen said calmly. "The sword is the Hero Sword, but I am not yet a hero."
"Excellent, excellent," Zhong Mei exclaimed in admiration. "If you obtain the [Peerless] skill, you will no longer need to hone your skills to become worthy of the title [Hero]."
"The strength of a hero lies in the master of the sword."
"But if we only consider swords, the best sword in the world would be the 'Peerless Good Sword'."
"My Zhong family has stayed at the Baijian Villa for three generations, devoting our entire lives to forging the [Peerless Good Sword]. To make this sword perfect, we must ensure that its length, width, and weight are not off by even a fraction."
"Heaven rewards those who persevere. Ten years ago, I finally forged this sword, and it took another ten years to improve it."
"Now, this sword has been forged through countless trials and tribulations, and there is nothing left to modify. It has reached a state of perfection, and its sharpness will overshadow all other swords in the world!"
"No one can conceal the brilliance of [Fire Kirin]!" An Evil Qi young man wearing a red vest and a red undershirt suddenly appeared and flew towards the Sword Pool.
"With me here, you won't be able to destroy the sword." Bu Jingyun also stepped forward and blocked Duan Lang.
"Destroy the sword?" Zhong Mei chuckled. "Duan Lang, although you and [Fire Kirin] have become one with the sword, surpassing even [Hero] at this moment, you absolutely cannot destroy the sword."
"Since you're here too, it's as if the Sword Festival is being held ahead of schedule."
"Everyone, I'm sure you've all guessed the conditions for the birth of [Peerless]."
"Of course I know that greed, Greed, Anger, Ignorance, and ignorance are the three poisons that Buddhism calls the most terrifying obsessions in the human heart. We will use our blood to prevent their birth." As Jian Tan said this, he blocked Bu Jingyun's path.
"Is it Xiongba?" Bu Jingyun's expression darkened.
"Xiongba!" Duan Lang's face twisted in pain.
He was clearly more outstanding than Bu Jingyun, yet he was treated Xiongba boy by Xiong Ba.
Even so, he did not give up and continued to practice his family's martial arts.
In the supposedly fair and open election for the hall master, after discovering that he was more skilled in martial arts than Bu Jingyun, Xiongba secretly threatened him to deliberately lose to Bu Jingyun.
"Oh?" The domineering figure, carrying the Sword Demon as if it were a chick, strode in. "Jian Tan, I didn't expect you to be even stronger than the Sword Demon, able to sense my aura. I should thank you for confirming that the birth of [Peerless] does not require Bu Jingyun to live."
He casually tossed the Sword Demon aside, followed by Ao Tian, who had lost all his Ao Tian and was now like a turtle hiding its head, and Madam Ao, who no longer covered her face with a black veil but still retained her charm.
"Greetings, Chief Xiong." Zhong Mei clasped his hands in greeting.
"Not bad, you're sensible enough. I'll allow you to live," Xiongba said.
He wasn't telling the truth; even if Zhong Mei's attitude was bad, he wouldn't kill her.
Just like how he didn't kill the Sword Demon, whom he considered a useful talent.
He found the Baijian Villa and its artisans very useful.
His ambition required skilled craftsmen.
"Why are you looking at me?" Xiongba said. "Duan Lang, Bu Jingyun, you should know what to do. This will allow you to live a few more breaths."
Duan Lang, who had been looking down on everyone since entering the cave, swiftly cut a wound that didn't hinder his movement, and blood splattered on the Dadi.
"You can't do anything to me and Bu Jingyun," Jian Tan said, "But we both need the birth of the [Peerless]."
He and Bu Jingyun dripped blood onto the ground.
Just as Xiongba was about to question whether this was acceptable, the blood was too far from the sword pool. He then saw the nearly forty-meter-long black giant sword in the center of the sword pool shimmering with divine light, making it appear as if magma had coalesced into shape.
The bloodstains on the ground shimmered with the same light, moving like living things, gathering together, and then surging towards the sword pool.
The entire cave trembled.
A powerful shockwave emanated from the greatsword.
"Excellent, excellent, excellent, so powerful!" Xiongba exclaimed. "Perfect timing! My [Three Points Divine Finger] can also be transformed into a sword technique, and I need a sword as powerful as this!"
Since Wuming, almost everyone in the martial arts world has practiced swordsmanship.
He was no exception.
"The Three Points Return to Origin Qi!"
His body was as vast as the sea, which made him fearless of any divine weapon. Only the power of the Maha Wu Liang could break through it. Even the invincible move of the Heaven-Destroying and Earth-Severing Sword Twenty-Three could only withstand the true energy gathering on his body surface for a moment.
Unlike Jue Wushen, who specializes in hard skills to control divine weapons.
Instead, it focuses solely on Qi, without any fancy tricks or strange abilities; all it possesses is incomparably abundant primordial Qi and an aura of Xiongba over the world.
Unlike the original version, which combines the three ultimate techniques simultaneously, complementing each other internally and externally, and circulating the three elements to achieve natural transformation and endless vitality, this version completely integrates the enduring power of the Wind God Leg, the fierce power of the Cloud Dispelling Palm, and the chilling power of the Frost Fist, cultivating unparalleled and profound true energy!
Faced with such a domineering figure and such aura, even the scorching earth fire and the unyielding true essence of the peerless warrior could not resist him.
However, one person ripped off the cloth strip and raised the unfinished sword like a machine gun, shouting, "Avada Kedavra!"
Xiong Ba, who appeared unharmed amidst the raging Xiongba like a god of fire, suddenly turned his head, his face filled with horror, "Jian Tan!"
The green sword light at the tip of the sword did not burst forth, but instead flickered at the tip like a snake's tongue.
"This is!" Zhong Mei and Wen Nu were both shocked.
Although the sword was still a semi-finished product, its color was bronze, and the sword was engraved with [Gong Yi] - a Buddhist tantric incantation that meant massacre of death and destruction, but it was clearly another [peerless sword].
"The Demonic Sword [Defeat], the first creation forged by the Baijian Villa using [Black Cold]," Jian Tan said calmly, his spiritual sense still locked onto Xiongba.
This forced Xiongba to break free of the earth fire and stand on the chains.
"Impossible!" Ao Tian shook his head frantically. "If such a sword truly existed, why would we need to forge the [Peerless] Sword!"
"No, Tian'er." Madam Ao shook her head. "There is a blank in the daily records of the past masters of the Baijian Villa. A mysterious blank. The origin of the perfect sword shape of [Peerless], the sword of the sword-wielding god who subdued the Qilin Demon, may be [Defeat]."
Xiongba ignored their discussion.
At this moment, the aura surrounding his body was still drawn back into his body, ready to defend against the sword light that had brought him life-threatening danger.
"Jian Tan, are you after the true essence of [Peerless]?" Zhong Mei's words caught his attention. "Your defeat caused you to lose your [Sword Soul], and it was only through the intrusion of your sword intent that it was revived. You want the true essence of [Peerless], which was also forged by [Black Cold], to merge with it?"
"I can give you the true essence of the Peerless Good Sword." Xiongba thought he understood Jian Tan's intentions, "As long as you hand over Bu Jingyun to me to deal with."