The Eternal God Emperor and the Demon Ancestor

Chapter 43 The Great Sage's Struggle 2

In the Realm of Truth, celestial clouds swirled, and cultivators from all races gathered. Holy banners from various realms fluttered in the void. All had come because of the battle between the Divine Venerable Mingde and the Hell Realm, hoping that their chosen prodigies could participate in this grand event.

A middle-aged figure clad in a silver-white battle robe slowly emerged from the Sword God Realm's ranks. Dark gold patterns embroidered on the hem of his robe flowed with each step, radiating the profound holy might of a peak demigod. His face was gentle, with a friendly smile in his eyes, a stark contrast to the cruel and bloodthirsty demonic figure described by the cultivators of the Azure Frost Realm.

"Sword God Realm Tiankui pays respects to Great Sage Xue. This is a small gift I have prepared, some rare treasures of heaven and earth. I hope Great Sage Xue will accept it with a smile."

With a wave of his hand, the Heavenly Sunflower Sword Saint summoned dozens of heavily armored Sword God Realm slave soldiers behind him, who responded in unison and carried twenty gilded war chariots forward in single file. The chariot shafts shone with radiant light, their sacred aura surging—containing Sunflower Water Mystic Crystals that nurtured sword embryos and Li Huo Jade Marrow that refined sacred souls; both were rare treasures of immense benefit to Great Saint Realm cultivators, and any one of them could easily unleash a bloodbath in the lower realms.

Xue Renxian stood rooted to the spot, his black holy robe fluttering without wind, his sword aura contained as deep as an abyss. His gaze swept over the cart full of treasures, his tone indifferent and calm: "Sword Saint Tiankui presents such a generous gift upon his first arrival. I'm afraid it's not just for my sake, but for some other purpose, isn't it?"

"Great Sage Xue, you flatter me." The Heavenly Sunflower Sword Saint laughed heartily, his demeanor becoming even more humble. "You are the number one prodigy in the Heavenly Court Realm for ten thousand years, your swordsmanship talent surpassing all others of your generation. You will surely attain the status of Sword God in the future. I dare not be negligent in coming to pay my respects. These twenty carts of treasures are merely a token of our greeting. I have also prepared three hundred battle slaves above the Saint Realm, which I will also present to Great Sage Xue to command."

As soon as he finished speaking, he clapped his hands lightly. From the Sword God Realm camp, several Great Saint Realm experts escorted hundreds of figures out. The prisoners' hands and feet were bound with black iron shackles engraved with forbidden patterns. Their holy power was sealed, and their auras were weak. Among them were beautiful women from the Rakshasa Clan, valiant warriors from the Asura Clan, and bloodthirsty creatures from the Undying Blood Clan. Although they were all alien races from the Hell Realm, human slaves made up the majority of them. Each of them had a deathly pale face, showing utter humiliation.

A hint of smugness flashed in Tiankui Sword Saint's eyes as she waved her hand and summoned a pair of Rakshasa twin sisters. The two girls were stunningly beautiful, with skin as white as jade and pale purple Rakshasa scales adorning the tips of their ears. Both had reached the Immortal Realm, and their figures were graceful. Their eyes, which sparkled with a shy yet alluring charm, were precisely the bargaining chips that Tiankui had carefully chosen to curry favor with Xue Renxian.

"Great Sage Xue, are you satisfied with having these two beauties serve you in your daily life?"

Xue Renxian glanced down, his face as cold as ice, unmoved, and even his body emanated a chilling sword aura that kept people at a distance.

Tiankui Sword Saint took it as a pretense of aloofness, thinking to himself: "How can anyone in this world truly be detached from worldly desires? It's just an act for others." He had treasured these two beauties for many years, and would never have given them away so easily if it weren't for trying to curry favor with Xue Renxian.

"These gifts are too generous; I, Xue, am unworthy of them. The Sword Saint has brought back all the treasures and beauties. Please speak frankly; there's no need to beat around the bush." ​​Xue Renxian's tone was indifferent. Although he was the leader of a sect with thousands of cultivators under his command and had a great thirst for cultivation resources, he also knew that one should not accept gifts without merit. There was no reason to receive gifts from the factions of the Heavenly Realm for nothing.

Seeing that Xue Renxian remained unmoved, the gentle expression on Tiankui Sword Saint's face faded, and a sinister glint flashed in his eyes, finally revealing his true intentions.

He turned to look at the people from the Azure Frost Realm behind Xue Renxian, his eyes suddenly turning fierce, his voice as cold as a knife: "I have heard that the scoundrels of the Azure Frost Realm have entangled themselves with Great Sage Xue. I fear that they will spread slander and mislead Great Sage into developing prejudice against my Sword God Realm, so I have come to clarify this matter."

"The cultivators of the Azure Frost Realm are known for their treachery and cunning, and their wolfish ambitions! Back then, during the Battle of Merit in the Flame Departure Realm, these traitors secretly colluded with the Hell Realm, intending to surrender the city. If I hadn't discovered this in time and taken action to suppress them, countless cultivators of my Heavenly Court Realm would have surely fallen victim to their poisonous attacks! Great Sage Xue, you must not listen to their slanderous words."

"You're spouting nonsense! You're turning black into white!" A Saint King realm cultivator from the Azure Frost Realm roared in fury, "Back then, it was clearly the Great Sage Qing Ke who caught you smuggling countless lives from the Flame Departure Realm to the Undying Blood Clan for personal gain, and you ruthlessly silenced him. And now you're turning around and accusing me!"

"How dare such insignificant beings make a racket here?"

The Heavenly Sunflower Sword Saint's eyes flashed with lightning, and the pressure of a peak demigod swept out, causing the sacred bones of the cultivators in the Azure Frost Realm to creak, as if they had fallen into an ice cave, and they didn't even have the strength to lift their hands. His move was as fast as lightning, and a jet-black sword light condensed at his fingertips, carrying the power to shatter a sacred mountain, and went straight for the Holy King who had spoken.

At the critical moment, Li Zha suddenly appeared from the side, his black clothes fluttering, and raised his hand to summon an ancient divine shield, the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Shield.

The supreme artifact shone brightly in an instant, and nine fiery golden dragons soared out from the shield. Their roars shook the heavens and formed a solid barrier, forcefully blocking the sword light. The aftershocks of the shattered sword light caused the surrounding immortal clouds to dissipate.

The Heavenly Sunflower Sword Saint's pupils constricted sharply, and he exclaimed in shock, "It's actually a Supreme Sacred Artifact! The foundation of the Primordial Realm is indeed unfathomable. A mere Saint King Realm cultivator can actually wield a Sacred Artifact of such caliber and even withstand my attack!"

Although he did not use his full strength, the power of that single finger was something that no ordinary Saint King could withstand. Even with a sacred artifact by his side, he should not have blocked it so easily.

"Tiankui!" Xue Renxian roared in fury, his sword energy surging skyward and tearing through the clouds. "How dare you lay a hand on one of my guests right before my eyes! You clearly treat me as if I were nothing!"

He already knew that the factions in the Heavenly Realm were arrogant and domineering, but he hadn't expected Tian Kui to be so bold as to suddenly launch an attack at the peak of the demigod realm. If Li Zha hadn't reacted quickly, even if he had been able to save her, the Holy King of the Azure Frost Realm would have been severely injured. With his own dignity being wantonly trampled on, Xue Renxian's heart was filled with killing intent.

"Great Sage Xue, please calm down!" Tiankui Sword Saint's heart tightened, and he quickly bowed and apologized, "I was merely teaching this traitor who doesn't know his place to a lesson, to make him understand the difference between superiors and inferiors. I had no intention of offending the Great Sage."

"No need for further words." Xue Renxian's tone was icy and resolute. "My next challenge in the arena will be you. Step onto the stage, and I, Xue, will see just how capable your Sword God Realm's swordsmanship is, daring you to be so arrogant."

He intended to use this battle to send a warning to others. The Heavenly Realm faction had controlled the Western Universe for many years, acting arrogantly and domineeringly. Today, he would let them know that the Western Universe was no longer their domain.

Tiankui Sword Saint's face instantly turned extremely ugly. He had heard the words of the four Archangels of the Heavenly Realm, that this Xue Renxian showed no respect whatsoever to the Heavenly Realm factions. Although he had cultivated to the peak of demigod, Xue Renxian had defeated several powerful figures from the Heavenly Realm and was infamous. He had no chance of winning whatsoever.

Xue Renxian stopped looking at him, took a step, and his figure flashed like a startled swan to the reopened Heavenly Domain Arena. He drew the Blood Spring Sword from his waist with a backhand. The sword hummed, and the scarlet sword light illuminated half of the Heavenly Domain. The majestic sword energy soared straight into the sky. The tip of the sword pointed diagonally downwards, coldly gesturing for Tian Kui to step onto the stage.

In an instant, the arena was surrounded by cultivators from all races, with powerful figures from various realms stopping to watch. The golden-armored holy general, wielding the sacred bronze gong, struck it heavily, its resounding bell echoing throughout the entire heavens and reverberating across the starry river: "Xue Renxian of the Primordial Realm challenges Tiankui Sword Saint of the Sword God Realm!"

"It's the Heavenly Sunflower Sword Saint! The number one person in the mortal world of the Sword God Realm, and the successor of the Sunflower Ugly Sword Dao. Now there's going to be an epic battle to watch."

"I bet the Heavenly Sunflower Sword Saint can last a hundred rounds! His Sunflower Chou Sword Dao is a time-based sword technique passed down from the Venerable Monk Sumeru. It is the ultimate skill of the ancient Sunflower Chou Sword God, and its mysteries are boundless!"

Many cultivators rushed to the betting pool upon hearing the commotion, placing their bets. However, an old Great Sage who had lived for ten thousand years stroked his beard, shook his head, and sighed softly, "It's difficult. The four Archangels of the Heavenly Realm didn't even last a hundred moves against Great Sage Xue. A true god in my realm has said that Great Sage Xue cultivates the ancient wordless sword manual of the Kunlun Realm and has already reached the threshold of Sword Thirteen. Apart from Yuanhui-level geniuses, he is invincible within the Great Sage realm."

"Look! That's the Heavenly Sunflower Sword Saint from the Sword God Realm! Why hasn't he stepped onto the stage yet?"

"Sword Saint Tiankui, the challenge from Great Sage Xue has been announced to all races. Are you still afraid to fight?" Ao Dongfeng from the Heavenly Dragon Realm stood in front of the camp, raising an eyebrow at Tiankui, whose face had turned pale, his tone mocking.

"Is someone scared and trying to hide like a coward?" Feng Yan from the Feng family of the Pangu Realm chuckled, her beautiful eyes full of teasing.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, amidst the mocking voices, the Heavenly Sunflower Sword Saint, enraged and humiliated, gritted his teeth and roared, "Hmph! How could I fear battle? To be able to fight a representative of the Yuanhui is an honor for me!"

He could no longer disregard his fears. He drew a supreme holy artifact longsword with sunflower patterns, leaped onto the arena, and unleashed his full holy power, creating a whirlwind of sword energy.

Xue Renxian stroked the hilt of the Blood Spring Sword with his fingertips, his eyes showing no emotion, and said indifferently, "You finally dared to step onto the stage, so you do have some backbone. I thought you were going to avoid the fight to the end."

"Xue Renxian, don't be so arrogant!" The Heavenly Sunflower Sword Saint roared, his hair standing on end in fury, his hatred boundless. "While I was fighting bloody battles on the Battlefield of Merit in the Myriad Realms, you were nowhere to be found. I paid you a grand audience with deep respect, yet you showed no gratitude whatsoever. So what if there are three supreme gods in the Primordial Realm? In the Western Universe, the Heavenly Realm ultimately calls the shots! In today's battle, I will make you pay the price!"

"Enough with the nonsense, take my Sword Twelve!"

Xue Renxian, too lazy to argue, raised his hand and summoned the Heavenly Sword Soul. The Great Perfection Sword Soul hovered above his head, radiating golden light. The Great Perfection Sword Twelve unleashed a thunderous strike, its sword light shattering heaven and earth, carrying the terrifying holy might of the Heaven and Earth Sword Annihilation, directly cleaving towards the Heavenly Sunflower Sword Saint.

"Not good!" Tiankui Sword Saint cried out inwardly, and could only urge all his holy power to meet the attack with his sword. Kui Chou's sword path flowed, trying to slow down the sword move, but under Xue Renxian's overwhelming sword power, the profound meaning of time was torn apart like thin paper.

The two exchanged blows in the blink of an eye, with Tiankui Sword Saint retreating steadily. He was shaken by Xue Renxian's top-tier third-grade holy intent, "Qiankun Sword Annihilation," causing his holy blood to surge and his physical body to crack slightly.

Outside the arena, Feng Yan looked solemn and said softly, "Xue Dasheng's sword spirit is stronger than before. Tian Kui probably won't even last twenty rounds."

The Great Sage beside him nodded and explained, "The Qiankun Sword Annihilation that Great Sage Xue comprehended is a top-tier third-grade offensive holy intent, formed by the fusion of three holy intents, inherited from the ancient sword god of the Taiji Path in the Kunlun Realm. With the blessing of this holy intent, even ordinary pseudo-gods dare not confront its edge head-on. Tiankui's Kui Chou Sword Dao, although it has an origin, is nothing more than a minor side path in front of the Great Perfection Sword Twelve."

Before the words were even finished, the fight on the stage had reached the eighteenth round.

Xue Renxian fused the Qiankun Sword's Annihilation Saintly Intent with the Great Perfection Sword Twelve into one, unleashing a single strike that changed the very fabric of the world. Tiankui Sword Saint used his remaining Saintly Power to parry, but the Supreme Saintly Artifact longsword cracked, and his unparalleled body was pierced through the chest by the sword light. Crimson Saintly Blood sprayed onto the arena, and he was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing off the stage, his aura weakened, critically injured and on the verge of death.

"Old Man Tiankui has been defeated! He was severely injured by Xue Dasheng's sword!"

"Well done! This villain who twisted the truth has finally gotten his comeuppance!"

Seeing this, all the cultivators of the Azure Frost Realm were filled with pride and satisfaction. Looking at the Heavenly Sunflower Sword Saint, who was now paralyzed on the ground and had lost all his arrogance, their faces were filled with smug smiles. The cultivators of all realms were in an uproar, looking at the figure standing in the center of the arena with his sword, their eyes filled with awe. The number one genius of the Heavenly Court Realm in ten thousand years truly lived up to his reputation.