Two of the most promising talents, currently considered strong contenders for the championship, have faced off.
Han Xuanji's heart stirred slightly, and he looked up in the direction of the Eternal Sword Pavilion, where he met a gaze cast from afar.
His eyes were like a still, ancient well, yet they concealed a chilling sharpness.
It was Chen Xin, the Sword Scion of the Eternal Sword Pavilion.
[ Chen Xin: Eternal True God Perfection, Selfless Sword Heart, Sword Scion of the Eternal Sword Pavilion, disciple of the Sword Dao Saint Venerable, cultivates the Butterfly Dream All Heavens Method, comprehending the Ultimate Sword Dao, his origin being the reincarnation of the sword spirit of the first Sword Dao Saint Venerable of the Eternal Continent.]
"Goodness, they all have some kind of backstory, huh?"
Han Xuanji silently sighed in his heart, realizing that none of those who made it to the top eight were easy to deal with.
Ying Yuan is a descendant of the Saint Emperor Taiqian; Li Linglong is a direct disciple of the Saint King Xiaoyao, a reincarnation of a god; Hui Feng is Eternal Indestructible Physique, a child of destiny; Wan Zhu is a reincarnation of the Primordial Eternal Deity... Now Chen Xin is the reincarnation of the sword spirit of the first Sword Dao Saint Venerable.
Each one of them has an impressive background and a powerful connections.
Han Xuanji understood. Those who could reach this point either relied on their past lives or were chosen by destiny. In other words, he had relied entirely on his own efforts and the tiny bit of help from his system...
"However, this Ultimate Sword Dao?"
Han Xuanji pondered this title in his heart.
That's quite a boast, daring to use "ultimate" as a title. It's either arrogance or they've truly grasped a sliver of the essence of Sword Dao.
Given his identity as Sword Scion of the Eternal Sword Pavilion, the latter is more likely.
This person is a tough nut to crack, much more troublesome than Di Shengtian.
Mo Chenxiao frowned at this moment and said in a low voice:
"I had to run into him. My luck wasn't great."
In the previous round, Chen Xin defeated the number one seed from the Great Brahma Ancestral Pavilion, dominating the entire match and giving her opponent no chance.
This person possesses profound Sword Dao skills, and his combat intuition is terrifying.
He paused, then glanced at Han Xuanji with some concern:
"While I have faith in you, Chen Xin is indeed a difficult person to deal with."
Leng Qianshuang was calmer than Mo Chenxiao. After a moment of contemplation, she said:
"We're bound to face each other sooner or later, so drawing Chen Xin is actually a good thing."
Chen Xin cultivates the Sword Dao, and his junior brother is least afraid of these purely offensive cultivators.
Moreover, my junior brother is also proficient in Sword Dao; such a Sword Dao might not be able to gain the upper hand against him.
Hearing Leng Qianshuang's analysis, Mo Chenxiao also felt that it made sense.
Han Xuanji nodded, her tone as calm as ever:
"Believe me."
He didn't make his statement definitive, but his composure spoke volumes.
The atmosphere at the Sacred Court was different from theirs. Many cultivators at the Sacred Court had long heard of Chen Xin's name. Unlike Han Xuanji's sudden rise to prominence, Chen Xin was a renowned genius who had been famous for a long time. Before Li Linglong and Han Xuanji emerged, he was always on par with Ying Yuan and Feng Chenxin, and even had a better reputation.
How can anyone feel at ease drawing such an opponent?
In the Ying Household's area, some people were even gloating.
"His luck has run out. Chen Xin is not Golden Imperial Scion can compare to."
"Really."
"As the number one seed of the same supreme power, Chen Xin's past performance has been extremely exaggerated. He is the only one among the many contestants who, with the body of Eternal True God, has defeated Eternal Sage!"
While others might not necessarily be unable to do it, Chen Xin did.
Some of the Ying Household thought that if Han Xuanji lost and Ying Yuan won, wouldn't public opinion then favor the Ying Household?
Of course, these are just fantasies.
Upon hearing the results of the lottery, the Saint Venerable Wangdao was secretly delighted.
However, he couldn't show it in public. He remained expressionless, only glancing at the Holy Venerable Tianming almost imperceptibly.
The Holy Venerable Tianming appeared completely unperturbed, seemingly unconcerned about Han Xuanji's predicament.
The Immeasurable Saint Emperor still wore that faint smile, making it impossible to guess his thoughts.
Saint Venerable Poxiao and Saint Venerable Haoxuan remained expressionless. Wutian from their sects had made it into the top eight this generation, they didn't feel a strong connection to the competition and didn't bother to comment.
Unlike the solemn atmosphere on the Sacred Court's side, the Eternal Sword Pavilion exuded confidence.
Several elders of the Sword Pavilion smiled, their eyes filled with certainty as they looked at Chen Xin.
In their eyes, Chen Xin was invincible.
Since his rise to prominence, this Sword Scion has never lost a single battle, and very few have been able to force him into evenly matched combat.
His sword was too fast, too sharp, too pure.
Pure sword cultivators have always been the most difficult type to deal with among their peers, because their hearts and swords are one, they act without hesitation or distraction, and once a sword is drawn, the outcome is immediately decided.
Chen Xin, with great perseverance and insight, forged his own Sword Dao.
If it weren't for the Supreme Ancestor Taishang the Eternal Sword Pavilion personally intervening, Chen Xin would have already stepped into the Eternal Sage Realm and pursued the supreme Sword Dao.
"Call..."
Chen Xin stood up, took a deep breath, bowed slightly to the elders of the Eternal Sword Pavilion, and strode towards the teleportation array that would transport him to the battlefield.
He was dressed in a black sword robe, his figure was tall and straight, and a very narrow long sword hung at his waist. The scabbard was completely black and had no decoration.
His steps were slow, but each step seemed to follow a certain rhythm, making him blend into the surrounding world.
The teleportation array lit up, and his figure disappeared into the light.
Han Xuanji also stood up and straightened her clothes.
"Go, Master!"
"Keep it up, junior!"
" Xuanji, do your best! We'll always support you."
Han Xuanji nodded slightly to the crowd, said nothing more, and turned to step into the teleportation array.
A flash of light, and Han Xuanji appeared in the center of the battlefield.
A hundred feet away, Chen Xin stood quietly.
The two men gazed at each other from a distance, neither in a hurry to make a move.
The light above the battlefield seemed to dim slightly at that moment, and everyone fell silent, countless people holding their breath, waiting for this top-level duel to begin.
Chen Xin looked at Han Xuanji and slowly spoke:
"I've seen your fight; you're very strong."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was as clear and sharp as the sound of a sword.
Chen Xin paused, a faint glint of sharpness flashing in his eyes:
"Therefore, I will use the strongest Sword Dao to defeat you."
Clearly, Chen Xin was a righteous opponent and did not launch a sneak attack right away.
Upon hearing this, Han Xuanji smiled slightly and raised her hand in a "please" gesture.
"That suits me perfectly."
The next second, a long sword appeared in Han Xuanji's hand.
An uproar erupted in the arena.
Someone, clearly confident that they had investigated Han Xuanji, stated bluntly:
"It is said that Han Xuanji is also proficient in Sword Dao, and once displayed astonishing Sword Dao skills in his battle with Ying Yuan. Could it be that he intends to defeat his opponent with Sword Dao today?"
However, the people from the Eternal Sword Pavilion were not happy to hear this.
"Ridiculous!"