Ten-Year Pact, Awe That Shook the World

At this moment, the entire True Martial Mountain was in an uproar.

As Heavenly Sword Real Person departed, the crowd finally began to unleash their long-suppressed cheers. The members of the True Martial Sect were all filled with fervor; this battle had truly thrilled them.

The power of the Demon Blade had already left them trembling with fear; such a demonic blade was simply not something that should exist in the mortal realm. But the Heavenly Sword Real Person was even more formidable.

In particular, many of the new recruits to the sect secretly aspire to become as powerful as the Heavenly Sword Real Person Master in the future.

sometimes.

Martial arts talent is not the most crucial factor.

After acquiring talent, perseverance and character become even more important. A good goal and role model can benefit a person for a lifetime and provide strength when encountering difficulties. Now, Heavenly Sword Real Person has undoubtedly become such a figure in the hearts of many True Martial disciples.

Luo Wentian was filled with emotion.

He exchanged a silent glance with his master, and both saw the astonishment in the other's eyes.

Only the two of them knew that the dignified Heavenly Sword Real Person was only eleven years old.

Their trust in Ning Qi became even stronger.

Besides the many members of the True Martial Sect, the martial artists who had traveled from afar to watch the battle were also extremely excited, feeling that their trip had been worthwhile and that their long wait had not been in vain.

"It's truly unbelievable that Heavenly Sword Real Person is so powerful. I originally thought the True Martial Sect would benefit from the Prince's influence, but now it seems that one day the Prince might benefit from the True Martial Sect's influence as well." Chen Xing and Chen Yue both sighed.

The Heavenly Sword Real Person repeatedly broadened their understanding, and they were genuinely happy that their young master could find such a good sect.

The Sun-Chasing Sword King then whispered to several disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect around him:

"You should go back first. I will stay in True Martial City for a while."

Having witnessed the unparalleled Sword Dao of the Heavenly Sword Real Person, he was itching to study the sword stele for a while.

The members of the Sunset Sword Sect looked troubled.

"Ancestor, this..."

The Sword King of the Sun frowned and coldly shouted:

"What, I don't even have the right to move freely anymore?"

Everyone hurriedly said in fear:

"Ancestors, we dare not, but... we also wish to stay here a little longer..."

The Sword King of the Sun was taken aback, then chuckled and waved his hand.

Such scenes are commonplace.

Many peerless experts, whether hiding their identities or acting openly, mostly plan to stay near True Martial City for a while. Both the True Martial Sword Monument and the Myriad Paths Tower will usher in a peak of activity.

Everyone sighed with emotion:

"When they arrived, probably no one expected that Heavenly Sword Real Person would win so decisively. The strength of the Blade Demon was no less than that of Heavenly Sword Real Person. He was simply stronger. He was probably the strongest person below the Martial Saint. With such strength, even the Wind Listening Elder, who was ranked first on the Celestial Person Ranking, might not be a match for him."

"Although the Blade Demon was defeated, he is still glorious. Although he failed to break through to the Martial Saint, he has given a direction for those who come after him. Such beings have been few and far between for a long time."

"I wonder if we'll ever see the Blade Demon again after this defeat at the hands of the Heavenly Sword Real Person."

Sighs echoed all around. If the Sword Demon were to retire from public life, it would truly be a great loss to the martial arts world.

Amidst the heated discussion...

Ning Qi remained calm and composed, but he also felt it would be a pity if the Blade Demon disappeared without a trace like he had twenty years ago. His eyes flashed, and he made a decision.

An old man with disheveled hair walked barefoot through the mountains and forests.

The Sword Demon left True Martial Mountain, wandering aimlessly. He looked up at the sky, a hint of confusion in his dark pupils.

Having failed to break through to the next realm, with only about a hundred years left to live, what should he do next?

He lost sight of his target for a moment.

The Dao of the Blade has reached its peak, and further progress will require a long period of accumulation, and its difficulty is not necessarily lower than reaching the Martial Saint.

With a hundred years left to live, he had no idea what to do.

Or rather, everything seemed to have lost its meaning.

Because it was destined not to succeed.

Even with the Sword Demon's composure, he felt a sense of despair at this moment. This failed attempt to break through his cultivation level made him waver and doubt his own martial arts path.

"Perhaps... it would be better to perish during the previous breakthrough. What use is this crippled body?" The Blade Demon murmured, pausing in his steps.

A detached voice rang out:

"If that's the case, are you content with it?"

The Sword Demon's body trembled. He turned around, and a black-robed Daoist priest appeared behind him without him noticing. The priest spoke in a hoarse voice:

What advice do you have for me, True Person?

This "Heavenly Sword Real Person" was not the Formless Body, but rather Ning Qi himself in disguise.

Ning Qi stared at the somewhat dejected Sword Demon before him, and shook his head in disappointment:

"If this is all there is to your character, then I shouldn't have tried to save you."

The Blade Demon's pupils contracted, and he remained silent.

Ning Qi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sky, his words calm yet filled with an overbearing aura that the Blade Demon could not comprehend:

"Is a hundred years a short time?"

He truly believed this from the bottom of his heart. Since he embarked on the path of martial arts, only eleven years had passed. He could hardly imagine what level he could reach if he were given a hundred years.

The sword demon froze.

A thunderous roar seemed to explode in my mind.

Why can't we forge a new path after a hundred years?

Looking back on his life, he began by practicing swordsmanship, singing his way to the top. Later, he mastered both swords and sabers, achieving a level of skill that was beyond the reach of ordinary people. After that, he abandoned the sword and focused solely on the saber, reaching the pinnacle of saber mastery. Along the way, he encountered numerous difficulties, but when did he ever give up?

But why did he suddenly have thoughts of giving up martial arts and even taking his own life because of his failure to break through to a higher realm?

In an instant, his back was drenched in sweat, and he suddenly woke up with a start.

He realized that the immense terror he had felt when he broke through to a higher realm had actually given rise to Heart Demon within him.

If it weren't for the sudden appearance of Heavenly Sword Real Person awakened him, he would probably have already fallen into a state of confusion and bewilderment, which was not what he wanted.

The Demon Blade bowed deeply.

"Thank you for pointing this out, True Person. I now owe True Person another favor."

First, she saved my life, and then she helped me overcome my Heart Demon; this kindness is immense.

He didn't say anything about going through fire and water for her in the future; he simply kept this kindness in his heart.

Ning Qi with his back to the Demon Blade:

"How about we make a deal?"

The Sword Demon was taken aback, then solemnly said:

"Please speak, True Person."

Ning Qi said calmly:

"You will guard True Martial Mountain for me for ten years, and within those ten years I will give you a copy of the Martial Saint's Manual."

This was precisely Ning Qi's plan in coming to find the Blade Demon. The True Martial Sect was not very safe at the moment, with the covert threats from the Demon Sect and the Southern Frontier. He didn't even dare to go too far. If a powerful figure like the Blade Demon were there to oversee things, he could sometimes go down the mountain with peace of mind for a while.

Furthermore...

If the Sword Demon were here, perhaps we could exchange ideas on the path to becoming Martial Saint, which could provide some inspiration.

The sword demon's pupils constricted sharply as he looked at the black-robed Daoist's retreating figure with disbelief.

"Is the True Person so confident?"

He didn't have any questions about the terms of the deal. He had received two great favors from Heavenly Sword Real Person, and even if he didn't repay them, it wouldn't be a big problem for him to stay at True Martial Mountain for ten or twenty years. After all, it wouldn't interfere with his comprehension of the Dao of the Sword. What shocked him was Ning Qi's promise to give him a copy of the Martial Saint's Method within ten years.

Having just experienced a failed attempt to break through to a higher realm, he knew all too well how difficult it was.

Ning Qi smiled faintly.

He didn't speak, but simply pointed his finger. In an instant, a demonic sword intent burst forth from his body. The terrifying demonic nature was enough to distort the void. Just as the sword intent was about to strike the sword demon, it dissipated instantly, but the sword demon stood there frozen, like a statue.

How could he not be familiar with this sword intent?

"You... you... how could you...?"

He was incoherent, not even as shocked as when he was defeated by Ning Qi. It was simply unbelievable that someone else had learned his sword intent and that the level of that person was no lower than his own.

What he saw almost shattered his worldview.

Ning Qi turned around, but only smiled without saying a word.

The Blade Demon gradually regained his senses, but the shock and horror in his eyes grew even stronger. He roughly realized that the Heavenly Sword Real Person had learned his blade intent during their fight, but this... was simply too heaven-defying!

How could such a monstrous person exist in this world?

At this moment, the black-robed Daoist priest before him was filled with an unprecedented sense of mystery.

Recalling Ning Qi's promise again, his heart couldn't help but race, and a surge of hope welled up in his heart. Perhaps... there really was hope of obtaining the Martial Saint's Method? Even if it didn't work in ten years, there would still be hope in twenty, thirty, or even a hundred years.

The Demon Blade took a deep breath and asked the question that had been nagging at him:

"Compared to True Person, I am far inferior. Why would True Person need me to oversee True Martial Mountain?"

Ning Qi said:

"I won't lie to you, the True Martial Sect has offended the Demon Sect and the Southern Frontier. Perhaps in two or three years, they will produce Martial Saint. Although he will be Martial Saint achieved with the help of external forces, the True Martial Sect will inevitably be used as a sacrifice. Are you willing to do that?"

But who knew?

Upon hearing this, the Blade Demon no longer hesitated.

His dark pupils shone brightly as he laughed loudly:

"How could I dare disobey the opportunity to fight Martial Saint? Since True Person trust me, I will not let True Person down. If you ever reach the Martial Saint, I hope True Person will not hesitate to teach me."

Ning Qi smiled.

"That's natural."

He felt much more relaxed, which meant he hadn't misjudged the Demon Blade.

"Normally, you can stay in the forbidden area behind True Martial Mountain. Most of the time, you won't need to take action. If I'm not around and the True Martial Sect encounters a crisis they can't handle, then I'll trouble you to help."

"Good."

That's all.

Ning Qi then leisurely walked away.

There were no constraints between the two, but after exchanging blows, they realized that they were, in some ways, the same kind of people, with unwavering determination in their pursuit of the Dao and unwilling to break their promises in such matters, lest their martial arts will be tainted.

The Sword Demon stared at the black-robed Daoist's retreating figure, still marveling at the sight of the demonic sword's intent.

"Such a terrifying person truly surpasses all others throughout history."

Suddenly, he was stunned, thinking of the actions of True Sword Heavenly Sword Real Person in erecting the True Martial Sword Stele and the Myriad Paths Tower, and his shock deepened.

"Perhaps... he truly can forge a path to becoming a Martial Saint..."

The sword demon vanished from the spot, his confusion completely gone.

He found his target again.

The ten-year pact between Ning Qi and the Sword Demon remains unknown.

But at this moment, the world was in turmoil. Details of the great battle between the Heavenly Sword Real Person and the Blade Demon spread at an astonishing speed to all parts of the thirteen states of the world, and even lands outside the Great Flame were alarmed.

The top martial arts sects were all shocked.

Some Aristocratic Clan or sects have heard of this matter.

The commotion caused by the Blade Demon was simply too great.

The trials and tribulations that had lasted for more than half a year came to an end in this manner. The prestige that the Blade Demon had accumulated ultimately benefited the Heavenly Sword Real Person. After this battle, the Heavenly Sword Real Person's reputation had reached the pinnacle of the Great Flame.

Countless swordsmen were overjoyed.

Since the emergence of the Blade Demon, he has ranked third on the Celestial Person Ranking, firmly surpassing the fifth-ranked Sun Chasing Sword King. However, he was finally defeated by another peerless swordsman. Whether in terms of peak combat power or the number of people on the Celestial Person Ranking, the swordsman surpassed the Blade Demon in every way.

Not to mention, Heavenly Sword Real Person also reached the legendary pinnacle of Sword Dao, and the Blade Demon's pinnacle of blade dao was also achieved with Heavenly Sword Real Person's help.

That concludes the discussion.

The swordsman ultimately triumphed in the duel between swords and sabers. Afterward, the number of swordsmen in the martial arts world increased dramatically, gradually creating an overwhelming dominance. Countless swordsmen regarded the Heavenly Sword Real Person as their idol and felt honored by his presence.

Discussions abound throughout the martial arts world, with martial artists constantly heading to True Martial Mountain to study the True Martial Sword Stele and the Myriad Paths Tower.

Invisibly.

The power and influence of the True Martial Sect are growing day by day.

As long as Heavenly Sword Real Person is around, almost no one in the True Martial Sect dares to provoke them. Every day, the sect is transforming at an astonishing rate. Luo Wentian is both in pain and happy. He is so busy every day that he can't even find time to cultivate. But seeing the changes in the True Martial Sect brings him genuine joy.

The True Martial Sect is now renowned, attracting many powerful figures from the Celestial Person Ranking to study the True Martial Sword Stele and the Myriad Paths Tower. This is because they have benefited from the True Martial Sect's influence, which effectively deters the Demon Sect.

Luo Wentian could clearly sense it.

The number of spying eyes from the Demon Sect suddenly decreased significantly, which put his mind at ease.

At this moment, the atmosphere in both the Demon Sect and Southern Border was indeed somewhat oppressive.

Originally, they had hoped that Heavenly Sword Real Person would be defeated by the Blade Demon or even severely injured by him, but unexpectedly, the Blade Demon was defeated instead, which made Heavenly Sword Real Person's prestige rise to a new level.

"The Sword Dao has reached its pinnacle; this old swordsman is truly extraordinary."

Even as opponents, the members of the Demon Sect couldn't help but sigh.

They knew that there were probably no more than two people of this level in the Demon Sect, and there might even be only one.

Many high-ranking members of the Demon Sect gathered together.

Lin Xueshuang has already gone to the Ten Thousand Mountains, but the other two vice sect leaders are not in the first position. In the very center is an old man with silver hair, who is the Grand Elder of the Demon Sect.

"Elder, should we inform the sect leader about this?" Xiang Tianxing suggested.

The silver-haired old man pondered for a moment and shook his head, saying:

"No need. The sect leader has been in seclusion for sixty years. Since we don't plan to attack the True Martial Sect for the time being, there's no need to call him out of seclusion. Just let him continue to comprehend the Martial Saint Technique."

Ghost Face sighed:

"I wonder how the sect leader is doing now. He has been at the Supreme Realm for a hundred years and has the experience of many predecessors of the Holy Gate to refer to. If he succeeds, we can use the power of the Holy Pill to create another Martial Saint, which would make two Martial Saint in total. What is there to fear from the Great Flame Martial Saint? Why should we join forces with those people in the Southern Border!"

Everyone fell silent. They had initially been quite confident, but the Blade Demon's failed attempt to break through his current realm weighed heavily on their hearts.

This road is too difficult.

Without external help, even if they exhausted their eight hundred years of lifespan, they might not be able to succeed. They would probably have to keep exploring and moving forward generation after generation. But they estimated that the Great Flame would not give them that much time. They had paid a price for their entanglement with the Great Flame over the years.

The Grand Elder surveyed the crowd and said solemnly:

"Regardless of whether the sect leader succeeds or not, the refining of the Sacred Pill cannot be halted. The Heavenly Sword Daoist possesses such strength that he should not be underestimated. For now, we need not concern ourselves with the True Martial Sect. Let's stop those petty actions and focus all our energy on refining the Sacred Pill."

"I warn you again, the matter of the Sacred Pill is a top secret of our Holy Gate. Anyone who tries to probe its secrets—"

"Die!"

As soon as the words were spoken, an extremely strong sense of oppression enveloped everyone, even the two vice sect leaders, who trembled and showed awe in their eyes.

"Yes, Elder!"

at the same time.

The situation in the southern border regions is largely the same.

The tribal leaders were all discussing this matter.

The Southern Frontier Alliance is a union of many tribes, so it is naturally not as centralized in power as the Demon Sect. The most powerful organization is called the Council of Elders, whose nine elders are all from the nine most powerful tribes. In case of major events, the Council of Elders will vote to make decisions.

However, in recent years, the Southern Frontier Alliance has become increasingly close-knit, and some assimilation is taking place quietly. Now, many tribes have put the interests of the alliance above their own tribes, especially the younger generation.

Lan Yiyi was reporting on the recent battle between Heavenly Sword Real Person and Dao Mo:

"Elders, this is the situation. Heavenly Sword Real Person's strength is now unfathomable. Looking across our alliance, I'm afraid only Lord Gu God can fight him."

When the God of Gu was mentioned, her eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.

The elders were all astonished.

"That Heavenly Sword Real Person was hiding so deeply, his thoughts are terrifyingly profound. Now that we have become enemies, we must kill him in one fell swoop!" a ruddy-faced elder said coldly.

But another tall and strong elder countered:

"Sword Dao has reached its peak; such formidable strength—does it mean we must send the Gu God himself? You're going to jeopardize our alliance's important affairs!"

"Are we just going to let the True Martial Sect continue to be so arrogant? The facts are clear now: the Qingzhou stronghold was destroyed by the True Martial Sect. If we don't avenge this, our alliance will be nothing but a laughing stock in the eyes of others!"

"A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan; the greater good is of utmost importance!"

The clan elders took turns speaking, arguing endlessly; some were radical, while others were conservative.

Lan Yiyi felt inexplicably annoyed, but she couldn't say anything to dissuade anyone, so she could only silently lower her head.

final.

A sharp shout.

The elder of the Blue River clan spoke up:

"Since we can't reach a consensus, let's stick to the old rules and vote. I think the most important thing right now is to cultivate the Blood Emperor Gu. As long as Martial Saint is born, what is a mere Heavenly Sword Real Person? Why bother the Gu God at this crucial point?"

Everyone remained silent.

Then a vote was held.

Ultimately, with a score of 5 to 4, it was decided to temporarily suspend all actions against the True Martial Sect.

The elder who had spoken first, with his ruddy complexion, now had a gloomy expression and seemed somewhat displeased. He glanced at Lan He, then at Lan Yiyi, and suddenly smiled:

"Holy Maiden, how is your secret technique progressing? Don't let it jeopardize our important mission."

The Southern Frontier Saintess, who had been silent all along, suddenly trembled and said coldly:

"No need for Elder Hongyan to worry, Yiyi has been diligently cultivating."

After saying this, she bowed to the elders and withdrew.

Watching Lan Yiyi leave, Lan He, whose face had been dark with anger, suddenly erupted:

"Hongyan, you son of a bitch, why are you dragging Yiyi into our mess? Do you think Yiyi hasn't sacrificed enough?"

He possessed the power of heaven and earth, and was ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

Seeing this, the other elders quickly pulled Lan He aside, offering kind words of advice, while simultaneously blaming Hong Yan:

"Elder Hongyan, those words were indeed inappropriate. Please don't bring them up again."

Hong Yan snorted coldly and remained silent. He felt a little regretful, but seeing Lan He's vulnerable state, he felt extremely pleased.

Lan Yiyi walked out of the pavilion, hearing faint sounds of arguing behind her, but she continued walking with a blank expression, exuding an icy aura that kept strangers at bay.

Someone approached shakily and cautiously, saying:

"Holy Maiden, someone from the Demon Sect is looking for you."

"Who?" Lan Yiyi's eyes were filled with frost.

He identified himself as Qin Yun.