The Opponent for the Ultimate Battle, Secret Talks Between Two Sides

True Martial Mountain.

An unprecedentedly lively scene.

Countless martial artists from all over the world were drawn by the news and traveled from afar to come.

After all, this time is different from the past.

Both of them are among the best in the world.

A Heavenly Sword Real Person also appeared out of nowhere, displaying his prowess one after another. Half a year ago, he even killed Wenxin Sword, making him famous throughout the world.

Everyone knows that his strength is far beyond the fourteenth place on the Celestial Person Ranking. Some even say that he can secure the title of the number one swordsman in the world, but this has not been officially recognized. After all, the strength of the Sun Chasing Sword King is equally terrifying, and his accumulated prestige is not so easy to shake.

Another sword demon appeared twenty years ago and killed the third-ranked person on the Celestial Person Ranking. Twenty years later, he reappeared and caused a sensation throughout the world. One after another, the Celestial Person Ranking experts fell to his blade, and to this day, no one has been able to make him unleash a second strike.

Such a clash between two unparalleled powerhouses naturally arouses great anticipation.

Some people say...

This is very likely to be the strongest battle the Blade Demon has ever faced, and future battles may never be more exciting.

Many people have already seen through the Demon Blade's plan.

This is a build-up of momentum.

By adjusting one's spirit and energy to their peak through battles, and then fighting against the strongest opponent, one can use external forces to bring one's swordsmanship to an unprecedented level.

And this is the strongest opponent.

Some believe it is the Sun-Chasing Sword King, while others believe it is the Heavenly Sword Real Person.

therefore.

The True Martial City was bustling with activity like never before. Many people arrived early, some even skipping the previous battle to wait and watch.

For the True Martial Sect School, there are naturally both advantages and disadvantages.

The downside is that with so many people around, there's no guarantee that some won't cause trouble, or even be spies from the Demon Sect and Southern Frontier. But the advantages are also significant. The gathering of experts from all over the world has further accelerated the development of True Martial City, and it has also brought a lot of fresh blood to True Martial Sword Monument and Wandao Tower.

Some powerful individuals would inevitably want to climb the mountain to see these two world-renowned places of enlightenment.

This provided nourishment for Ning Qi.

Ning Qi was naturally aware that the Blade Demon was about to come and challenge him.

But his heart remained calm and undisturbed.

He is getting closer and closer to the Celestial Person Realm, and a breakthrough is expected in the next two months.

but.

Even though he hadn't broken through to the Celestial Person Realm when the Blade Demon came to challenge him, he wasn't flustered. With his current cultivation level, no one in the Celestial Person Realm could be his match. He was even somewhat looking forward to the challenge. Having heard so much about the Blade Demon's demonic blade, he was eager to witness it firsthand.

This sword demon is absolutely a peerless genius in the art of swordsmanship.

Time passed slowly.

Half a month has passed since the Blade Demon last appeared.

Countless people eagerly awaited it.

The crowd gradually grew anxious.

Why hasn't the Blade Demon arrived yet?

"Could it be that our assumptions were wrong?"

"Don't rush. I've observed the challenge time of the old master Dao Mo. It's basically about half a month, but it's not entirely fixed. After all, he might have gained some insights from the previous battle and it takes some time to make a wish. The journey is also different, so there will be some errors."

Many speculations arose in everyone's minds.

This day.

In the Dao-Seeking Courtyard.

Ning Qi was using the power of heaven and earth to condense the Great Grinding God Forging when suddenly, a strange light flashed in his eyes. He stepped out and silently left True Martial Mountain.

The distant mountain range of True Martial Mountain.

A disheveled, barefoot old man walked slowly by, his eyes unfocused, seemingly lost in thought, his dark pupils possessing an indescribable, almost demonic quality.

"Can everything be a knife? Leaves are knives, flowers and grass are knives, stones are knives, and even clouds can be knives? But it's not about resemblance in form, but about capturing the spirit; everything can embody the essence of a knife..."

The sword demon stroked the hilt of the sword at his waist, which had shortened slightly.

His eyes regained some clarity.

He realized.

I have already arrived at the territory of True Martial Mountain.

Just as he was about to take flight.

His steps suddenly stopped.

Despite being thousands of feet apart.

But his gaze immediately fell upon the sword monument.

The True Martial Sword Stele wasn't particularly tall; Ning Qi had simply chosen a boulder at random, only a few dozen feet long. But in the Blade Demon's eyes, it shone like the bright moon amidst fireflies, dazzling and radiant. He could clearly see even a mere three inches long, let alone the stele's several dozen feet in size.

The sword demon stopped.

His dark pupils became even deeper and more profound.

He was looking at the sword monument, or rather, sensing the Sword Intent within it.

Without realizing it.

A demonic sword intent swirled and rose from the hilt of his sword, lingering around the sword demon. If it weren't for a force restraining it, it would have already soared into the sky, echoing and clashing with the Sword Intent within the True Martial Sword Stele.

Even so.

The sword monument, thousands of feet away, also suddenly stirred.

The swordsmen who were meditating near the sword monument were awakened by the fluctuations. They were all bewildered and didn't know what had happened. They looked at the sword monument with its rising Sword Intent, and their hearts were greatly shocked, and all sorts of guesses arose in their minds.

"Could it be that Heavenly Sword Real Person has gained some new insights into the Dao of the Sword Dao?"

"I heard that when the Heart-Questioning Sword arrived at True Martial Mountain, the True Martial Sword Stele was disturbed. Could it be that another great enemy is coming? Could it be the Demon of the Blade?"

Many people have considered this possibility.

One by one, they stood up and looked around.

However, looking both above and below, there was no sign of that terrifying figure, leaving everyone even more bewildered.

Who is the Blade Demon? If he doesn't want to be discovered, naturally no one can detect him.

Except for Ning Qi.

He had already sensed the fluctuations of the True Martial Sword Stele, and now he appeared silently, his aura like a silent void, watching the sword demon from the shadows.

His eyes showed some surprise.

This sword demon truly lived up to his reputation. Just by looking at the surging sword intent, one could tell that this sword intent was unparalleled and possessed a strange demonic quality, as if the sword itself had come to life.

"However... he's still half a step away from the realm where everything can be a blade. It seems my guess was right; his challenge to the world's strongest warriors was indeed to perfect his blade intent, and then he wanted to use that to step into the realm of Martial Saint?"

Ning Qi was somewhat eager to try.

This is a formidable opponent; even someone like Wenxinjian wouldn't be worthy of carrying his shoes.

Perhaps fighting such a formidable opponent could be beneficial for him, shortening the time it takes to reach the Celestial Person Realm.

Since the Demon of the Blade has come here.

I'm afraid I'll have to take on the challenge soon.

But Ning Qi was immediately taken aback.

The Sword Demon slowly withdrew his gaze, and the surging sword intent emanating from his body gradually subsided. His dark pupils shone with a joyful light, a joy born from "finding a kindred spirit over wine" and "encountering a capable strategist."

He grinned, a silent smile.

It was the battle between the Heavenly Sword Real Person and the Heart-Seeking Sword that spread throughout the world, which inspired him to seek enlightenment through battle. Originally, he had placed the Sun-Chasing Sword King last as his ultimate goal, but after seeing the True Martial Sword Stele today, he realized that he had greatly underestimated the Heavenly Sword Real Person.

"Such Sword Intent is unparalleled in the world, even surpassing my demonic blade's intent by half a level. Only such an opponent deserves my full strength!"

The Blade Demon was incredibly fanatical.

He had already decided to withdraw.

It wasn't that he was afraid of Heavenly Sword Real Person, but rather that he felt it was wrong to engage in such a foolish battle. He was not yet at his peak, and he needed to use his strongest abilities to fight this peerless swordsman he had never met before. Only in this way could he show respect to both of them.

He turned around.

He walked away slowly.

No one knew that the Demon of the Blades had already been here.

Ning Qi's gaze showed a slight surprise.

He had already prepared for a battle, but he didn't expect the Blade Demon to retreat. However, after a moment's thought, Ning Qi roughly understood the Blade Demon's intentions.

He chuckled to himself, not taking it to heart.

It wouldn't affect him when the Blade Demon came, but he chose not to challenge himself now. He would come back in two months, by which time he would be far stronger than he is now.

"But... he glanced in my direction just now. Did he notice me? Or was it just instinct?"

Ning Qi shook his head slightly and then drifted away.

Let's not fight then; going home to contemplate the Tao is a good thing too.

No one knew that the Heavenly Sword Real Person and the Blade Demon had already secretly confronted each other once.

now.

As the Blade Demon departed and the blade intent subsided, the True Martial Sword Stele returned to calm. Many people were baffled, unsure of what had happened. Their numerous guesses were baseless and unverifiable, leaving them with no choice but to continue studying the sword stele.

Several days passed.

The Blade Demon's delayed appearance at True Martial Mountain has left even the most composed people uncertain about what's going on.

"What's going on? Has the Sword Demon gone into seclusion in the mountains?"

"Or, do you think it's possible that the Blade Demon simply doesn't want to challenge Heavenly Sword Real Person right now? After all, although Heavenly Sword Real Person is ranked fourteenth on the Celestial Person Ranking, everyone in the world knows that his strength is far more than just fourteenth."

This speculation came to an abrupt end two days later.

Everyone was stunned.

Simply because...

The Demon Blade reappeared, but not at True Martial Mountain; instead, he challenged Night King Blade Master, ranked twelfth on the Celestial Person Ranking.

This time.

Finally, someone withstood the first blow from the Blade Demon, but only by taking one more.

The world was in an uproar, and everyone was excited.

They realized that the Blade Demon had bypassed the Heavenly Sword Real Person. What did this mean?

This indicates that Heavenly Sword Real Person holds a higher position in Dao Mo's mind than Ye Wang Dao Zun.

"This is obvious, indicating that the Blade Demon started his challenges in order of increasing strength."

"But do you think the Blade Demon decided to skip Heavenly Sword Real Person from the very beginning, or after arriving at True Martial Mountain?"

"I think it must have happened after we arrived at True Martial Mountain."

Some people have noticed something amiss.

Firstly, a few days ago, the True Martial Sword Stele inexplicably emitted Sword Intent.

Secondly, the interval between this Blade Demon Challenge is unusual, being significantly later than before.

Based on these speculations...

Those loyal followers of the Heavenly Sword Real Person were immediately excited.

"It seems the Blade Demon has decided to face Heavenly Sword Real Person as his final opponent! This shows that in his heart, Heavenly Sword Real Person is the true number one swordsman!"

The fans of the Sun-Chasing Sword King were naturally dissatisfied.

The two sides debated, but neither could convince the other.

And so.

While everyone was focused on the Blade Demon's challenge, a new expectation arose: who would be the Blade Demon's final opponent?

In response to this...

Ning Qi simply shook his head and chuckled.

For him, none of this mattered.

Knowing that the Blade Demon would not challenge him anytime soon, he focused on God Forging, striving to successfully reach the Celestial Person Realm within two months.

Time slips away quietly.

Another two weeks have passed.

The Blade Demon challenged Aotian Sword, who was ranked tenth on the Celestial Person Ranking. The strength of the top ten on the Celestial Person Ranking had clearly risen a level. The Blade Demon unleashed five strikes, while Aotian Sword returned three, but was ultimately severely injured and forced to retreat.

The power of the Blade Demon was now at its zenith.

All eyes were on it; the grand spectacle of clashes between unparalleled powerhouses kept the entire Great Flame Kingdom abuzz with excitement.

That concludes the discussion.

There are only the eighth-ranked Divine Wind Blade Master, the sixth-ranked Canghai Sword Sect, and the fifth-ranked Chasing Sun Sword King, plus the Heavenly Sword Real Person, which means there are only four matches left. But so far, no one has seen the Blade Demon at full strength.

Everyone was filled with anticipation.

However, amidst this fervor, the covert power struggle between the imperial court, the Demon Sect, and the Southern Frontier forces never ceased. If the True Martial Sect were included, it would be a four-way power struggle. However, if Ning Qi were excluded, the True Martial Sect would be negligible compared to these three forces.

At the summit of a thousand-foot cliff.

The palaces and halls stand in layers, resplendent in gold and jade.

A group of powerful martial artists gathered here; they were all high-ranking figures from the Demon Sect and the Southern Frontier.

All three vice sect leaders of the Demon Sect were present, but Qin Yun was not among them. On the Southern Frontier side, in addition to the Southern Frontier Holy Maiden and Granny Snake, there were two other figures who were on equal footing with the Southern Frontier Holy Maiden.

One of them was a bald, middle-aged man with frighteningly strong, exposed muscles, like a small mountain, and even his face was covered in muscles squeezed together.

The other person was an elderly man wearing a silver crown, with a dignified demeanor, who was implicitly the leader of the people of the Southern Frontier.

However, the atmosphere was somewhat silent at this moment.

final.

Xiang Tianxing broke the deadlock, saying in a deep voice:

"Gentlemen, we have gathered here today not to put on a silent show. We all know the current situation. If you have any thoughts, please speak freely. What do you think, Elder Lanhe?"

Elder Lanhe was indeed the silver-crowned elder. He nodded slightly upon hearing Xiang Wentian's words.

"That's right. The Great Flame Dynasty has now figured out our plans and has been relentlessly attacking us like a mad dog, significantly slowing down our progress in cultivating the Blood King Gu. We must find a way to counter this."

Everyone looked indignant.

Everything was fine after the alliance was formed, but somehow the news leaked out and the Great Flame Dynasty took notice.

"It's all that damned True Martial Sect's fault! I only regret that I didn't wipe them out a few years ago! When the Martial Saint is born in the future, I will slaughter the entire True Martial Sect to vent my anger!" Ghost Face said coldly.

He's been feeling extremely frustrated lately.

Qin Yun, whom they had initially thought highly of, turned out to have ulterior motives and wavered on the matter of the True Martial Sect. Now, the True Martial Sect has finally become a major threat, as they have learned through their spies that this information was leaked to the imperial court by the True Martial Sect itself.

The bald, middle-aged man was named Black Rock; his voice was somewhat muffled and deep.

"However, how did the True Martial Sect learn of our plans? Fellow sect leaders, you should really examine yourselves; this great undertaking cannot be taken lightly."

Upon hearing this...

Both Ghost Face and Lin Xueshuang's expressions changed drastically, becoming extremely ugly.

Both the Southern Frontier and the Demon Sect are powerful and have a wide reach. Since they were able to find some clues, they were able to find some information involving Qin Yun and Lin Ruhua. However, Hei Yan did not reveal this information and only gave them some face.

Xiang Tianxing was secretly pleased, but at this moment he had to stand united against a common enemy, so he smiled and tried to ease the tension:

"However, this may not necessarily be a bad thing."

Seeing everyone looking at him, he revealed a knowing smile:

"Think about this carefully, everyone. The fact that the Great Flame Dynasty is pressing us so hard only proves their bluster and weakness. They are afraid of us! They are afraid that Martial Saint will soon emerge from among us!"

"If we think about it more deeply, doesn't that mean that the Great Flame Martial Saint is even weaker than we imagined? Our Holy Gate tested him once a hundred years ago, and back then he was far from being as invincible as he was two hundred years ago. Now, another hundred years have passed, and he may have become even more vulnerable!"

"Therefore, as long as we can weather this period and wait for the Martial Saint to begin on both sides, the situation will suddenly change dramatically!"

Everyone nodded slowly.

This speculation has some merit.

They were trying their best to find out news about the Great Flame Martial Saint, but the Great Flame Dynasty's defenses were very tight, and they couldn't find out anything at all. But the more this was the case, the more it proved the Great Flame Dynasty's guilty conscience.

The Southern Frontier Saintess Lan Yiyi's gaze was cold and aloof.

"But if this continues, it's uncertain when either the Blood Emperor Gu or your Sacred Pill will be completed. It might take more than twice as long as expected. If it's delayed, things could change. What if the Great Flame Martial Saint has recovered a lot during this time?"

"It's important to understand that we are racing against time."

Elder Lanhe nodded and said:

"That's right, it's time to come up with a feasible solution."

The members of the Demon Sect exchanged glances.

The cultivation of Blood Emperor Gu requires Blood King Gu, and the birth of Blood King Gu requires absorbing the essence of human blood. However, their sacred pills require a large number of Mutant Beast inner cores. Comparatively speaking, the cultivation of Blood Emperor Gu has been more affected by the Great Flame Dynasty's pursuit.

The masked man slowly spoke:

"How about this? You help us finish refining the Sacred Pill first, and when my Holy Gate's Martial Saint is born, we will immediately do our best to help you refine the Blood Emperor Gu. This way, it's a win-win situation."

After he finished speaking, the hall fell silent.