God Emperor

If Zhang Ruochen had heard the middle-aged priest address the burly man, he would have been extremely astonished

Tianjiao?

Could this brawny man really be Gao Tianjiao, the first of the Yin and Yang Sect’s four beauties?

Could anyone tell she was a beauty?

No way.

There was no way anyone could even tell she was a woman.

Zhang Ruochen’s attention was completely focused on his sword techniques. He was no longer aware of his surroundings or even himself. He was unaware that the priest had arrived.

Gao Tianjiao saluted the priest with hands folded. Her eyes turned once more to Zhang Ruochen, who was displaying his sword moves.

She gave him a look of admiration. “Senior Brother Zhou, this is Lin Yue. He’s a disciple of the Long-living Yard. His comprehension ability and perseverance surpass everyone’s I’ve seen.”

“An outstanding genius in the Tao of the sword has emerged on the eve of the Sword Technique Conference. It is our greatest honor.”

The Taoist priest was Zhou Ping. He was Gai Tianjiao’s senior brother apprentice and the seventh disciple of the Moon-burier Sword Saint, one of the Three Great Sword Saints of the Eastern Region.

Gao Tianjiao was also one of Moon-burier Sword Saint’s personal disciples. She was his ninth.

Zhou Ping carefully observed Zhang Ruochen’s sword techniques. His deep-set eyes shone with extraordinary brilliance. “He is indeed a highly gifted sword practitioner. He must have reached the Advanced Stage of the Heart Integrated into Sword. If only he had made his appearance three years ago!”

“It’s true, he turned up a little late. And there’s less than half a year until the Sword Technique Conference. Even if we try our best to nurture him, he can only master the ten levels of Sword One to the Completion. He still wouldn’t be able to match the sword heroes nurtured by the Four Symbols Sect, Bagua Sect, or the Taiji Sect headquarters.”

Worry clouded Gao Tianjiao’s eyes.

Zhou Ping sighed lightly, tapping the terra cotta teapot with his knuckle. His eyes gleamed with keenness. “So long as we try our best, it’s good enough. It would be great if we could keep the Sword Pavilion. If not, we can try again in a century.”

Although Zhou Ping said this quite nonchalantly, Gao Tianjiao could hear he was unwilling to give up.

No sword practitioner from the Yin and Yang Sect would take this lying down.

The Sword Pavilion had at one time been situated at the Taiji Sect headquarters. 500 years ago, senior warriors from the Yin and Yang Sect had managed to win the Sword Pavilion thanks to an outstanding display of power during a Sword Technique Conference. They defeated the headquarters, the Four Symbols Sect and Bagua Sect in the process.

If the Sword Pavilion was to be lost at their hands, how could they face the past heroes of their Suzerain?

Suddenly, Zhou Ping expressed slight surprise and his eyes shone with fervor. “The lad’s Sword Comprehension is getting more and more powerful. Even with the help of the Holy Spring, he couldn’t have progressed so fast.”

Gao Tianjiao noticed this too and she made a daring supposition. “They say that he managed to earn three Sword Comprehensions from our Patriarchs during the coronation ceremony.”

“Is he using the Sword Comprehensions and the Holy Spring to try to complete all tens levels of Sword One?”

“If that’s true, then… ”

Zhou Ping and Gao Tianjiao looked at each other, their faces flushing with joy.

If Lin Yue could complete all ten levels of Sword One, he would be the Yin and Yang Sect’s ray of light.

Zhou Ruochen had already drunk eight gourds of Holy Water. His Sword Comprehension was growing rapidly. It was now several times faster than the normal rate, imploding inside him every instant.

Zhang Ruochen drank his ninth gourd of Holy Water and was soon engulfed in a dazzling body of kaleidoscopic light.

However, the sword techniques he displayed had become slower.

A closer look revealed a strange phenomenon.

Everyone could see his sword moves clearly, but no one could predict his next move.

In the time it took to inhale and exhale one breath, Zhang Ruochen had only displayed a single sword move. He was agonizingly slow. One had to wonder if such a slow move could even harm an opponent.

Sometimes, he would stop and stand still, looking dazed and somewhat confused.

An entire day and night passed. The speed with which he executed his sword moves became slower and slower. It later took him more than ten breaths to execute a single move.

Zhou Ping’s expression was solemn. He stroked his beard. “He’s on the verge of breaking through but has met a bottleneck. Go and attack him, Tianjiao. You may well be helping him out.”

“Very well.”

Gao Tianjiao stretched out her left hand. A fire ball appeared on her palm.

Slowly, a golden Holy Sword materialized in the center of the fire ball.

The golden Holy Sword was cast out of golden crow dark steel. It merged into Gao Tianjiao’s left arm, making it more resilient than a Holy Weapon.

The golden Holy Sword was like a whip with a sharp tip. Its blade, however, resembled a stick of bamboo.

“Swoosh!”

The golden Holy Sword was exposed to the air. It gave off a scorching heat. The temperature of the air soared to several times its original temperature. One could sense minute changes around.

Gao Tianjiao was alarmingly fast. She rushed out with her sword and aimed a stab at Zhang Ruochen’s abdomen.

Her sword was so fast it exceeded the speed of sound. The air resounded with ear-deafening crackles.

Gao Tianjiao did not hold back. She looked like she really wanted Zhang Ruochen dead.

Zhang Ruochen of course could sense the great danger. The hair on his body stood on end. The Genuine Qi inside his body accelerated to ten times its original speed.

His Sword Comprehension, hovering below the bottleneck, surged up under the threat of death. It broke through the final tenth level of Sword One and reached the Completion.

Sword One. Completed.

Zhang Ruochen’s entire body shook once and the Qi around him changed.

“BOOM!”

He did not open his eyes. He was dependent entirely on his instincts, grasping onto his sword hilt. His body had merged completely with his sword. The extraordinary Qi in his body had turned into a sword radiance that hurtled toward Gao Tianjiao.

“Indeed, my attack did him good.”

Zhang Ruochen had finally broken through the realm. Gao Tianjiao gave a satisfied smile. She dissipated her energy and retracted the golden Holy Sword into her left arm.

Other Monks would find it difficult to recall their swords with such ease. Their power would surely rebound on themselves. Even Zhang Ruochen could not do it with her level of precision.

Zhang Ruochen saw Gao Tianjiao recall her sword but he could not do the same.

The tip of the Valley-water Sword was about to enter her chest.

“PING!”

The Valley-water Sword, a twelfth level Genuine Martial Arms, did not pierce through her as expected. A metallic clang sounded as its tip hit her, emitting fierce sparks.

A powerful masculine force, hotter than a scorching flame, poured out from Gao Tianjiao’s body. It sent Zhang Ruochen flying back.

With a loud clang, the Valley-water Sword broke in two.

Zhang Ruochen’s right arm was dripping with blood. The bone inside had fractured into three pieces. He could not lift his arm.

Gai Tianjiao, on the other hand, was still standing in place, completely still. She seemed thoroughly unfazed, staring at him with a faint smile. “The Sword One skill you displayed wasn’t too bad. It broke through my Divine Body Shield.”

What use was it to break through her Divine Body Shield?

He had not hurt her at all.

Zhang Ruochen bore the pain and stared at his left arm. He glanced at the broken sword and thought back about that powerful force. He was stunned. “Are you not a Half-Saint?”

Zhang Ruochen had already completed all ten levels of Sword One. With his full power, even a Saintly Being at the Ninth Change of the Fish-Dragon Realm would need to fear him.

Yet, his powerful strike had not hurt the burly woman opposite him at all.

On the contrary, Zhang Ruochen suffered a serious injury. The bone in his right arm had fractured and he was unable to lift it.

Gao Tianjiao smiled. “You don’t need to be so surprised. My physical quality is quite unique. In the past 10 years, I have integrated seven Holy Weapons into my body. They have merged with my blood and bones.

“Your strike may be strong, but it rebounded thanks to the power of my Holy Weapons.”

“I see.” Zhang Ruochen sighed with some relief.

Half-Saints aside, Zhang Ruochen did not suppose anyone could withstand his Sword One.

He asked no more. Instead, he sat cross-legged by the Holy Spring, healing himself after taking some injury pills.

Two hours later, his arm no longer bothered him.

Its surface injury had healed completely.

When he got up again, the burly woman was still standing where she had been before. The priest, however, had left.

“Where did the senior go?” Zhang Ruochen asked.

Although Zhang Ruochen had only taken a quick glance at the priest, he could see that he possessed a Divine Soul. An extraordinary Qi emanated from his body. He must be a Half-Saint Patriarch.

Gai Tianjiao’s finger pointed to the distance, toward the Whitestone Sacred Cliff. “He is one of the Sword Holders of the Sword Pavilion. He left while you were treating your injury. Well, don’t you want to look inside the Sword Pavilion?”

The summit of the Three-Level Mountain was amazingly expansive. The 1,000-meter tall Whitestone Sacred Cliff stood in the distance. The cliff face was extremely smooth. It looked polished and translucent and glowed with a lovely holy light.

Standing next to the Holy Spring, one could feel a wave of power emanating from the Whitestone Sacred Cliff. It gave one a sense of veneration.

A lofty ancient pagoda stood at the top of the cliff.

The pagoda was surrounded by clouds and mist. Nearly 10,000 swords could be seen swirling around it like specks of light.

Zhang Ruochen glanced at the ancient pagoda at the top of the cliff. His eyes shone with longing. “So that’s the top ranked Holy Land of sword practitioners, the Sword Pavilion?”

Gai Tianjiao nodded. Her eyes shone with reverence as well. “That’s right.”

All Monks who wielded a sword could appreciate the Sword Pavilion.

You might not gain access into the place, but to genuflect to the Pavilion from a distance was still very satisfying.