Qin Country prepared for war, seats arranged.

Ba Rong army commander Zhang Gu laughed heartily: “It seems even this Qi Country Heavenly Pride has put Qin Zhi Zhen under pressure.”

“He specially spoke to this Qi Country fellow, Jiang Wang, before the match, perhaps having some prior understanding.”

Gan Chang An, whose injuries had mostly recovered, chimed in from the side.

The perpetually drowsy Huang Bu Dong opened his eyes at this moment and muttered, “So you’re saying this Jiang Wang might bring more surprises than Huang She Li or Zhao Ru Cheng?”

The Yellow River Meeting was a grand gathering of young Heavenly Prides from various countries, each participant radiating vigor and handsomeness. However, merely looking at Huang Bu Dong, one would think he was several decades older than Zhang Gu. Sitting next to the youthful, nineteen-year-old Gan Chang An, they could easily be mistaken for grandfather and grandson. Yet, among these two Heavenly Prides, the seemingly young and tender one possessed keen insight and meticulously planned every detail, burdened by worry. The ostensibly aged and weathered one was muddled, indifferent to everything.

“Perhaps that’s how Qin Zhi Zhen sees it, though I find it unrealistic,” Gan Chang An replied, then added doubtfully, “I originally thought his blade would only make an appearance in the finals… Why does he hold this Jiang Wang in such high regard?”

Qin Country held detailed information on the Heavenly Prides of various nations. Qin Zhi Zhen could see it, and so could he. From the intelligence, Qi Country’s Jiang Wang, dominant overseas and unparalleled at the Qi border, was undoubtedly brilliant. But viewed among the Heavenly Prides of the Six Great Powers, he wasn’t considered top-tier.

With his Tian Fu cultivation, Qin Zhi Zhen was the strongest contender for the Inner Mansion Stage championship. While not outright dismissive of others, he could at least overlook everyone except Huang She Li, possessing an indomitable conviction. He shouldn’t be behaving so cautiously.

Furthermore, from a strategic standpoint, after Huang She Li in the upper bracket revealed a terrifying peak divine ability, Qin Zhi Zhen should have concealed his strength even more, saving it for the finals. He shouldn’t have drawn his blade from the outset, exposing more of his hand before Huang She Li.

“Forget it, children and grandchildren have their own fortunes,” Huang Bu Dong stretched his neck, settling into a more comfortable slump. “Let’s worry less.”

Gan Chang An subtly shifted outwards. If Qin Zhi Zhen overheard that remark, wouldn’t he pick a fight with him?

Besides… what was with the tone of this old companion? Wang Xi Xu had praised him as “capable of bringing stability at the age of eight,” but now at nineteen, Gan Chang An realized there were still many people in this world he didn’t understand.

Zhang Gu glanced at Huang Bu Dong’s lazy posture, unable to discern if the fellow was deliberately taking advantage or simply a few screws loose, spouting nonsense. Qin Country’s two Heavenly Prides were like this: one thought too much, his excessive wisdom causing him distress, requiring careful handling; the other thought too little, needing a whip to be spurred into action. In contrast, Qin Zhi Zhen, the lowest in realm among them, was the most stable, though perhaps too introverted and prone to getting stuck in a rut. Enjoying battle and striving for perfection might be beneficial for cultivation, but not necessarily for leading an army. In Zhang Gu’s concept of the art of war, battle… perhaps shouldn’t be something to be enjoyed.

Of course, these thoughts remained internal, not the slightest hint showing on his face. He simply gazed quietly at the martial arts platform, contemplating the future of Qin Country. He acted according to his position and planned accordingly. As for what lay beyond the Embryo Emperor Ying Zi Yu? No need to ponder. He shouldn’t even be thinking about it!

The six-directional pillars surrounding the platform symbolized the World Platform. However, it was widely known that the true World Platform, formed through repeated combinations, was this single remaining martial arts arena. Its ancient glory and history continued.

Qin Zhi Zhen drew his blade from the void. The blade was entirely black, with a long handle and a straight edge. Three feet long, it suppressed its cold light. This was a true killing blade, devoid of any superfluous decoration. The guard was horizontal, the blade vertical. Horizontal straight, vertical straight, it exuded a chilling sense of equally dividing life and death. Within the clear light that separated the two, Qin Zhi Zhen held his blade horizontally before him and spoke gravely: “My fist techniques are already at the peak of this realm, but because I’ve practiced the blade longer, my blade arts are superior. Today, with this blade, I shall test your formidable edge!”

In the Qin Country spectator seats, Gan Chang An frowned again. In his understanding, Qin Zhi Zhen wasn’t a talkative person. Today, he seemed somewhat… abnormal.

But on the platform, Qin Zhi Zhen undeniably showed his respect. Respect for his opponent, and even more so, respect for this battle.

Jiang Wang’s eyes were calm. The so-called “peak of this realm” referred to the limits achievable within one’s current cultivation level. Upon arriving at Guan He Tai, he had come to understand that the peak of this realm was Gan Chang An’s Causality Blade Technique in the Outer Building stage, Xiang Bei’s Eight Wilderness No Return Spear Method in the Inner Mansion stage wielded with his Hegemonic Physique, Huang She Li’s Sixteen Scattered Hands to Save the World, and Zhao Ru Cheng’s Through-One-As-One myriad sword techniques. Of course, the latter two, under the states of Bodhi and Ling Xi, transcended the limits of their realm.

And steadily surpassing the peak by another layer was only Dou Zhao’s Seven Styles of Dou Zhan. Chong Xuan Zun’s Sun, Moon, and Star Three Wheel Severing Blade might not be inferior in power, but it relied on the synergy of divine abilities. In terms of blade technique skill, it hadn’t even reached the limit.

Qin Zhi Zhen claiming his fist techniques were already at the peak of this realm, and saying so even after witnessing the battle between Huang She Li and Zhao Ru Cheng, meant his fist techniques were certainly no less than the Sixteen Scattered Hands to Save the World. From his battle with Bei Gong Ke, one could also glimpse a bit of that momentum of a fist shattering ten thousand laws.

Now he claimed his blade surpassed his fist. Did that mean his blade technique surpassed the peak? Could it be an existence comparable to the Seven Styles of Dou Zhan?

A Tian Fu cultivator coupled with the Seven Styles of Dou Zhan was almost invincible in the human world! One could even remove the “almost”! A character like Qin Zhi Zhen would certainly not boast at this juncture.

Across the entire amphitheater, the spectators from various countries were all inwardly shaken! After Qin Zhi Zhen displayed the power of Tian Fu, many had already considered him the champion. Zhao Ru Cheng drawing out the Emperor’s Sword only slightly shifted this speculation. After Huang She Li’s leisurely performance, the title of favorite for the championship then shifted. Now, with Qin Zhi Zhen’s declaration, Tian Fu plus the Seven Styles of Dou Zhan – who wouldn’t be shaken? Facing such an opponent, what reason did Qi Country’s Jiang Wang have to win?

Amidst a chorus of lamentations predicting a lack of suspense, only in the Qi Country spectator seats did a cold snort echo. Xu Xiang Qian, arms crossed, scoffed disdainfully: “He hasn’t even started and he’s already boasting! In my opinion, he’s nothing special! All bluster, must be rotten inside! Who’s he trying to scare? Our Gan Ma Mountain double prides are absolutely not given names in vain! Jiang Qing Yang is worthy of being named alongside me, Xu Xiang Qian, and absolutely won’t be affected by such petty tricks!”

Zhao Wu Yan, sitting three zhang away, glanced over and asked lightly: “Listening to this, the Gan Ma Mountain double prides are so powerful. May I ask, can you, who share the same name as Jiang Qing Yang, defeat a Tian Fu cultivator?”

Xu Xiang Qian declared righteously: “Presently, I cannot defeat one.”

Zi Shu shook his head, somewhat perplexed. How could Xu Gao E say “cannot defeat” with such a “nothing special” momentum? If you only looked at his momentum, ignoring the content, it was as if he could crush Qin Zhi Zhen with a single hand.

The commotion outside the field, of course, wouldn’t affect those on the martial arts platform. Although Xu Xiang Qian was trying to build momentum for him in his own way. But Jiang Wang didn’t hear what Xu Xiang Qian was saying. However, he, on the platform at this moment, also reached a certain consensus with Xu Xiang Qian. The interesting thing was that the “Gan Ma Mountain double prides” actually produced a subtle tacit understanding at this moment.

It was only at this point that Jiang Wang suddenly realized. His battle with Qin Zhi Zhen had begun long ago! From the moment Qin Zhi Zhen walked towards him during the Inner Mansion selection match, Qin Zhi Zhen had already drawn him into a battlefield set only for the two of them.

In the eight-strong match, his battle with Bei Gong Ke was fought for him, for Jiang Wang, to see! At that time, Qin Zhi Zhen, though aiming to have Bei Gong Ke showcase all his brilliance, firmly controlled the situation and fundamentally didn’t need to simultaneously illuminate five mansions. Why would he do something unnecessary? Of course, not to boast, but to allow Jiang Wang to see clearly. That moment of simultaneously illuminating five mansions and this moment of drawing his blade and self-description were all for the same purpose—to establish his invincible momentum, to make Jiang Wang intimidated before even fighting, losing a step in terms of momentum!

Jiang Wang, of course, believed that Qin Zhi Zhen was not exaggerating and indeed possessed sufficient strength. His paper strength was at the peak of the Inner Mansion stage. The only question was—the “superior blade technique” he mentioned. Was it slightly higher than the Inner Mansion peak like Huang She Li and Zhao Ru Cheng? Or was it a layer higher like Dou Zhao?

Even for Jiang Wang, this was fundamentally not a problem. Even if the person before him truly possessed Chong Xuan Zun’s divine ability and Dou Zhao’s combat skill, invincible within the same realm, overlooking the world’s heroes, would he, Jiang Wang, flinch even slightly? Although Xu Xiang Qian often spouted nonsense, one sentence he said was not wrong: How could a person like Jiang Wang be influenced? Wang Yi Wu was also once invincible within the same realm, and Lei Zhan Qian also once dominated heaven and earth. But now it was he, Jiang Wang, standing here, his sword challenging the world’s heroes! The despair he had faced, the enemies he had overcome, were things many people couldn’t even imagine in a lifetime.

Amidst the gazes of worry, pity, schadenfreude, or expectation… Jiang Wang’s eyes were calm. He only pressed his sword and said: “I hold a long sword, come from the East, to challenge the world’s heroes. Within the same realm, there are no opponents overseas; my sword edge points, few good encounters in the Eastern Region! Today, if I can witness an unparalleled blade, I shall sing and chant its praise, finding joy not in winning!”

This scene, this person, this utterance. Those who saw it felt their hearts soar, those who heard it were stirred in their chests, without exception moved by the heroic spirit within these words. A heart full of heroic spirit, all contained within this single statement!

In such a moment, though Jiang Wang’s heroic spirit surged to the heavens, Qin Zhi Zhen’s momentum was also rising. He had come all the way from West to East, and because of that sword, the successor of the Peerless Flying Sword of the Ancient Wei Water, he truly regarded Jiang Wang as his greatest opponent on the path to championship, giving him the utmost respect. The way to respect an opponent was to exert one’s utmost effort to defeat them. So, from the first day they met, they began their clash of momentum. This included the news of his past encounter with Xiang Wang, the simultaneous illumination of five mansions, and even his self-description of his blade technique. He was, of course, aiming to crush his opponent, but if his opponent’s fighting spirit was indeed crushed like this, he would only be disappointed!

Now it was good, truly very good. He felt the opponent’s fearless heart in the face of strength, and his own burning battle intent also ignited. To him, this battle today was his first true battle at Guan He Tai! But the more stirred he became, the calmer he grew. The more turbulent the waves, the more silent the reef.

He held his blade horizontally in his right hand, his left hand gently stroking the black long blade. He said: “I always hear this sentence in the storytellers’ mouths—’Horizontal and vertical are both death.’ Hence, this blade is named ‘Horizontal Vertical’.” Life and death in the storytellers’ mouths were always light and fleeting. But for each individual, it was a single wave of life. It was so in the small, and so in the vast.

Feeling this solemnity, Jiang Wang also gripped his sword with his left hand, holding it horizontally before him, and replied: “I have a person I cannot forget, a place I cannot forget, a hatred I cannot forget. Hence, this sword is named ‘Longing’.” The moment he spoke the sword’s name, he seemed to feel the emotion of longing. The so-called famous weapon born with spirit, the birth of a sword spirit, was not the birth of another life. The mystery of the cycle of life and death was far beyond his current reach. It should be said that his emotions, his feelings, his understanding, in their constant companionship, dyed this sword, condensed into one, and under the warming light of his divine abilities, nurtured its spirituality.

So… Longing’s excitement was his excitement. Longing’s heaviness was his heaviness. Longing’s emotion was his emotion. At this moment, his emotion flowed within Longing, and Longing remained silent for him.

Qin Zhi Zhen’s unusually solemn ceremonial approach, he thought, was also to better grasp his blade, to better welcome this battle. Jiang Wang also fully appreciated this straightforward treatment, also because he thought—What had that Xiang Wang, who would lie down rather than sit and who needed a whip to move him, left behind for this Tian Fu cultivator? To make such a peak Heavenly Pride, capable of simultaneously illuminating five mansions, still maintain such great respect! He quickly cut off this thought. Right now, he had to focus on contending for victory, and leave questions for later!

Time seemed never to pass, and yet it seemed to have vanished long ago. The clear light flowed like water, and Yu Xi’s proclamation sounded simultaneously… And the Horizontal Vertical blade and Longing sword also met simultaneously! They met precisely at the center of the martial arts platform!

Clang!!!

This was the most anticipated battle of this round, announcing its first sound. A single sound, echoing back a thousand times. Resounding in people’s hearts. Like a sudden thunderclap, like a lightning strike, it roused the entranced and dispelled the courage of the timid!

Blade and sword, precisely crossed. One black as night, one pure white as frost and snow. Qin Zhi Zhen and Jiang Wang, in this simple confrontation of blade and sword. Blade and sword crossed, their edges sending out a terrifying, piercing sound. A long string of sparks flew up side by side. Red sparks, point by point, connected into a vertical line. The collision of blade and sword created stars! Like fireworks disturbing a quiet night, or the morning sun melting frost and snow. Beyond the colors of night and snow, this was a third, absolute color!

Beauty was always fleeting, just like the “starlight” between the blade and sword, also a fleeting flash. Just as it “passed,” that expanse of night color rolled back. Qin Zhi Zhen retracted his blade! This movement of the blade was unbearable to witness! The black blade edge reversed the night curtain, also shattering memories. Seeing past events, past events were already unseen. Recalling the past, it was hard to return in dreams. Past events were all like smoke, this blade cut off the past, and further cut off the previous life—it was for the extinction of the previous life!

The “reluctant starlight” was not only for Qin Zhi Zhen, who chased life and death, but also for Jiang Wang. The moment blade and sword crossed, Jiang Wang had already entered the highest level of alert. His Jade Color was not displayed, but both his ears were already different. He felt another world. The Sound Hearing Immortal State was already open! From this moment onwards, for nineteen breaths—all ten thousand sounds gathered at his court, and he heard them all!