One Sword Opens Heaven and Earth

Below the platform, the cultivators cheered and boiled with excitement.

Wushuang stood atop the high platform, his gaze fixed on Gu Changqing, a meaningful smile playing across his face.

He was a favored child of heaven, the most gifted disciple within the Sword Sect.

Yet even so, no matter how hard he tried, he had never managed to earn so much as an extra glance from his teacher.

That pavilion he dreamed of entering—Gu Changqing had stayed within it for an entire year.

He wanted to see just what was so special about this youth favored by their master.

More than that, he wanted to prove to the gathered cultivators, and to his teacher, that he was the Sword Sect's finest disciple.

The Sword Saint frowned. Wushuang's public provocation displeased him somewhat.

By sect rules, only disciples who had cultivated in the sect for ten years could take part in the sect's discourse on the Dao.

Yet Gu Changqing had cultivated for only one year, at most.

He wished to protect Gu Changqing, but Wushuang had said those words before every Sword Sect disciple, leaving him caught riding a tiger with no way to dismount.

"Very well, Changqing. Go up and demonstrate a little. Your teacher may as well see the results of your year of cultivation."

After speaking, the Sword Saint narrowed his eyes at Wushuang, undisguised warning in his gaze. "You are fellow disciples. Stop when the point is made!"

From beginning to end, Gu Changqing remained expressionless.

It was as though none of this had anything to do with him. Only when the Sword Saint spoke did he slowly rise and answer, "Yes."

With one step, he leaped into the sky and landed atop the platform for discourse.

Now under the gaze of ten thousand, he still wore that tattered robe and still carried that firewood-chopping blade that could barely chop wood. He possessed not the slightest bearing expected of a Sword Saint's disciple.

"Senior Brother, please make your move. This junior brother will not hurt you," Wushuang said, cupping his fists toward Gu Changqing. Yet the way he addressed him as Senior Brother sounded awkward no matter how one heard it.

Gu Changqing looked at him steadily and said only, "You make the first move. If I move first, you will have no chance to."

The crowd below suddenly fell silent, and Wushuang's expression turned astonished.

Even the Sword Saint's eyes were filled with profound disbelief.

He had only intended for Gu Changqing to display the results of his year of cultivation, so that everyone might see his potential. But against Wushuang, where had his disciple found the courage to say such words?

He wanted to say something, but ultimately held it back. Before the entire Sword Sect, would speaking now not be a slap to Gu Changqing's face? How would his own disciple stand firm in the sect afterward?

After his brief astonishment, Wushuang was not angered. Instead, delight appeared in his expression. "Senior Brother, since that is the case, this junior brother will respectfully comply. But if I happen to injure you, do not blame me."

He too could not understand where Gu Changqing's confidence came from.

Even Half-Saints could be suppressed with one hand by him. Even if Gu Changqing possessed extraordinary talent, he had cultivated for only a year. It would already be difficult for him to enter the gate of the Sword Dao—how could he possibly claim victory over him?

Wushuang focused his mind. Today, he would thoroughly grind down this fellow's arrogance.

Even if he crippled this fellow, Gu Changqing had provoked him first. Their teacher would be unable to do anything to him.

Clang!

Wushuang drew his sword. The long blade gave a sharp metallic cry, its piercing sound making everyone's ears buzz.

"Senior Brother, pardon my offense!"

Wushuang leaped into the heavens with his sword in hand, and the blade in his grasp slashed down without hesitation.

Rip!

A cold gleam tore open time and space. At first, it was like a thread of silver, but in a single instant, it became like a Milky Way stretching across the canopy of heaven.

Time and space crumbled; all Dao vanished!

Even the blazing sun dimmed without light. This sword strike had become the most dazzling sight across the entire Northern Profound Continent.

The cold gleam it unleashed alone made countless watching cultivators feel their livers and gall bladders split apart.

"Hmph!"

The Sword Saint narrowed his eyes, killing intent lurking within them.

He had never expected Wushuang to disregard his earlier words so completely.

He looked toward Gu Changqing, deep worry filling his eyes.

If Gu Changqing could not block this sword, he would act without hesitation and save him.

Clang!

But just as the Old Sword Saint was preparing to act, he saw Gu Changqing suddenly move.

The utterly unremarkable firewood-chopping blade trembled, and a stream of Sword Qi burst forth with a roar.

This Sword Qi was terrifying beyond measure, its sword intent not the least bit inferior to Wushuang's.

It was as though the Divine Ancestor who had once split heaven and earth had descended into the world, slashing forth a sword from within the distant River of Time and Space.

With one sword, heaven and earth were thrown open.

Mountains and rivers shattered, the firmament exploded, as though the entire Northern Profound Continent would be cleaved in two beneath this single strike!

Even more terrifying was that sword intent!

When the sword struck, it swept in the grand momentum of heaven and earth, severed a region of spacetime, annihilated myriad layers of the heavens. The river of stars fell into extinction; the sun and moon trembled in terror.

Beneath the sword's momentum seemed to lie a long river of the sword path. Within that river was mingled an eternal, indestructible will, as though countless ancient and terrifying Gods and Devils had awakened, erupting with a battle intent that blanketed the sky.

Between heaven and earth, no Sword Qi could compare to it.

Still less was there any Sword Qi capable of contending with it.

Everything was annihilated beneath this single sword strike.

After deflecting Cao Yuwei's attack this time, Mei Gongzi did not rush to counterattack. She merely stood where she was.

Cao Yuwei's brows furrowed slightly. Was this little girl's perception really so keen? After he had forged flames into armor, he still had other methods at his disposal. If Mei Gongzi had pressed forward with an attack, he would have been confident of using that method to restrain her. But she had not advanced, forcing the ability he had been building up to interrupt.

The battle saber slashed out once more, its powerful saber intent several degrees stronger than before. Cao Yuwei moved with the blade, man and saber as one, charging straight at Mei Gongzi.

The Heavenly Secret Plume in Mei Gongzi's hand unleashed the Heavenly Mysterious Circle once more, and with an instantaneous teleportation, she switched positions. While deflecting his attack, she also broke his lock-on. In the next instant, she was already on the other side. A golden-red gleam flashed over Cao Yuwei's body and vanished. Had she not evaded so swiftly, another ability would undoubtedly have descended upon her.

A battle of attrition! She seemed determined to compete with Cao Yuwei in endurance.

Yet no one doubted the origin of this ability. After all, the Peacock Demon Race's greatest innate gift was Stellar Transposition. Her technique bore the same marvelous resemblance to Stellar Transposition.