Chapter 110: One Sword!

The moment Jiang Xiaotian pulled out the sword, the spiritual energy in the city park vanished. Most of it was absorbed by the ancient blade, while the remainder surged into Jiang Xiaotian’s body.

That powerful surge of energy battered his internal organs, and his entire body crackled with rhythmic snaps. Yet, beneath the excruciating pain lay a rapid surge in strength.

The spiritual energy poured in incessantly. His body, which had been completely drained, was now brimming once again. However, the ancient sword showed no intention of stopping, continuously scouring his marrow and meridians. This triggered a breakthrough in his long-stagnant First Heaven stage, which now shattered open in a thunderous instant.

Feeling the clarity in his mind and a newfound confidence as if all spiritual energy were at his command, Jiang Xiaotian knew he had finally stepped into the Second Heaven stage.

But he had no time to revel in the surprise. The ancient sword continued to pump energy into him tirelessly, yet his cultivation level had ceased to climb. If this continued, he would sooner or later explode from the sheer pressure.

This was the collective spiritual energy of an entire city park; how could his body possibly contain it? He had to release this terrifying energy, and as luck would have it, that arrogant fool Zhao Zheng was just wandering nearby.

Naturally, Jiang Xiaotian had witnessed everything, but he did not fear that Divine Strength expert. Since Zhao Zheng could force him to abandon the ancient sword to save Ouyang Ziqian, he could just as easily force Zhao Zheng to back down.

Jiang Xiaotian’s sudden appearance was like a nuclear bomb, dropping everyone’s jaws—including Zhao Zheng’s.

Yet, Zhao Zheng had no mind to contemplate how Jiang Xiaotian had escaped from that man or how he had managed to pull the sword without anyone noticing. The violent aura radiating from Jiang Xiaotian was enough to make even him feel a tremor of dread.

"How... is this possible!" Zhao Zheng was gripped by terror. He stared fixedly at the silver sword, certain that Jiang Xiaotian’s ability to inspire such fear in him was entirely due to the blade.

At this moment, Zhao Zheng’s eyes were filled with greed and jealousy. He failed to grasp the severity of the situation; he only wanted to possess this divine weapon.

"Shadow, kill Jiang Xiaotian! Bring me the sword and his head!"

Shadow, who lived to obey Zhao Zheng’s commands, hesitated for a split second. Taking advantage of this opening, Li Qing suddenly lunged and struck Ouyang Zijing, sending her flying.

Shadow glared at Li Qing, furious that the distance now made it impossible to finish off Ouyang Zijing.

Li Qing, intimidated, bowed slightly. "Leave her to me. My lord, deal with Jiang Xiaotian first!"

Zhao Zheng ignored Ouyang Zijing, his eyes burning with fanaticism. "Shadow! Why are you still standing there? Kill him!"

The latter let out a cold snort and bolted toward Jiang Xiaotian, launching a direct frontal assault.

"All Ouyang family inner-strength martial artists! Block him at all costs! Do whatever it takes! Hold out until Jiang Xiaotian strikes!" Ouyang Zijing cried out while clutching her wound. She was sharp; she saw at a glance that Jiang Xiaotian was not yet ready.

Indeed, Jiang Xiaotian had not yet fully mastered this terrifying energy; he was still adapting. But he didn't need much time, for the essence of the power was spiritual energy itself, and he possessed the ability to manipulate it.

The sword in his hand swayed with increasing intensity. It had not reached its limit, but Jiang Xiaotian had. He did not know the true extent of the sword’s power, but to ensure there were no mistakes, he held on.

Shadow, as a Divine Strength expert, could not fathom what kind of technique Jiang Xiaotian was preparing, but his sixth sense screamed that the boy was now dangerous beyond measure.

He had to accelerate!

But the Ouyang family’s inner-strength martial artists threw themselves at him, disregarding their own lives, using their bodies as a wall. While inner-strength martial artists were not easily killed, against a Divine Strength expert, they were merely moths flying into a flame.

Soon, those inner-strength experts were either dead or maimed, and the ground was littered with warriors who would be considered elite anywhere else.

Ouyang Zijing’s heart ached with agony. The loss of any one of them was a catastrophe, not to mention that some were her own kin. But she had no choice. After feeling the terrifying power of the divine sword, she became even more convinced: if Zhao Zheng obtained it, would there be any path to survival left for the Ouyang family?

Sometimes, sacrifice is necessary.

Tears streaming down her face, Ouyang Zijing looked at Li Qing. "Do you see Zhao Zheng’s true colors? If you let him take this sword, even if your Li family survives, you will be nothing more than slaves!"

She wanted to persuade Li Qing to help, but the latter remained indifferent, turning a deaf ear to her words.

Watching her own people die wave after wave, Ouyang Zijing felt a pain deeper than anyone could imagine. She clenched her fists, pinning all her hopes on Jiang Xiaotian.

Finally, nearly every martial artist capable of fighting had fallen. The few who remained either feared offending the Zhao family or were simply too weak. Shadow charged toward Jiang Xiaotian, now completely unopposed.

The closer he got, the more a strange, creeping unease filled his heart. He did not hesitate, determined to strike Jiang Xiaotian down before he could make his move.

But it was too late.

Jiang Xiaotian suddenly opened his eyes. His hand ceased its trembling, and the surrounding air seemed to solidify.

An indescribable sensation spread through Shadow’s heart. He felt his scalp tingle—the first time he had experienced such a feeling since becoming a Divine Strength expert. And it did not come from the sword, but from the man wielding it.

Jiang Xiaotian looked at Shadow, who was now within reach, his heart perfectly calm. He did not know what technique he would unleash, but he was certain that Zhao Zheng could not withstand it. That was enough.

He flashed a wicked smile. "Kill me, or save your young master—take your pick!"

With that, Jiang Xiaotian shifted his blade, locking onto Zhao Zheng in the distance. Simultaneously, the energy fluctuation at the tip of the sword reached its absolute peak.

The next second, Jiang Xiaotian struck. The silver sword cleaved downward!

After a moment of silence, the very heavens seemed to tremble. The surface of the lake was instantly torn asunder, the water evaporating in a flash. Everything in the wake of the sword’s aura was incinerated!

Space itself seemed to compress; everything appeared as a fleeting phantom. This was primal energy. Jiang Xiaotian had channeled the spiritual energy of the entire city park into this single strike; its power was unimaginable.

Shadow’s expression shifted violently. He turned back, pushing his speed to the absolute limit.

Zhao Zheng, terrified, felt his legs go weak. He collapsed to the ground, unable to even crawl away. He was paralyzed with horror, his voice trembling. "Shadow! Shadow! Save me! Come back and save me! Quickly!"

In the blink of an eye, Shadow arrived in front of Zhao Zheng. With a thought, a mass of black water materialized out of thin air, enveloping the two of them in layers of defense.

Most people present were seeing the techniques of a Divine Strength expert for the first time. It transcended martial arts; it was beyond human capabilities—magic would not be an overstatement.

Yet, all of this paled in comparison to Jiang Xiaotian’s radiance, for the shock brought by this single strike was simply too great.

The sword aura surged toward Zhao Zheng, carving a two-meter-deep fissure into the earth. Its momentum remained unabated. Trees three men thick were effortlessly sliced through. Shadow’s "black water," which could withstand almost anything, seemed fragile before it.

The moment the sword aura touched the black water, Shadow’s spine was soaked in cold sweat. For the first time, he was truly panicked. "Young master, run!"

Hearing this, Zhao Zheng did not hesitate. He scrambled backward like a dog.

The black water held for only three seconds before it was cleaved in two by the silver-white brilliance of the sword aura, then shattered into nothingness!

The tyrannical energy roared like a dragon, devouring the Divine Strength expert. Even though Shadow had unleashed his full Divine Strength to protect his body just before the defense broke, the violent spiritual energy shredded his internal organs, leaving his very heart mangled and incomplete.

In his eyes, there was nothing left but shock and resentment.

"Boom!" With a thunderous explosion, a crater five or six meters deep was blasted into the earth where Shadow had stood.

The glow of the sword aura finally dimmed, stopping just centimeters from Zhao Zheng. The latter wet himself and fainted from sheer terror.

Shadow stood in the crater, his mind a blank slate. He tried to lift his leg but collapsed, supporting his body with his hands. His aura was flickering, barely there; he was clearly mortally wounded.

And all of this had been done by a youth who had only just stepped into the inner-strength realm!

Suddenly, a cold sensation brushed against his chin. Jiang Xiaotian had arrived at his side, lifting his head with the tip of his sword.

Shadow’s mask had shattered, revealing a face that was aged, terrified, and filled with bitterness. Jiang Xiaotian looked down at him with utter indifference.

In his eyes, Shadow was the pillar of the Zhao family and a murderer; he deserved to die. Yet, he truly had not expected that this single strike of his would slay a Divine Strength expert.

"Who... exactly... are you?" Shadow squeezed the words out through his throat.

"Jiang Xiaotian!" As he spoke, he swung his sword. Shadow’s head and body parted ways, his pupils dilated, and the last flicker of life vanished.