Chapter 387 – Using Self as Proof, Only Then Can One Ascend to Fiendhood

The White Emperor Sword was Jiang Dongliu’s greatest hidden card aside from his Dao Integration Realm Sword Domain.

As an Immortal Sword transformed from the Classic of Mountains and Seas Mythical Beast Bai Ze,

the White Emperor Sword not only contained Bai Ze’s innate destiny power,

but also inherited some of Bai Ze’s special abilities.

For example… the aura of imperial authority.

It must be known that in legends, besides being an auspicious beast, Bai Ze was also one of the symbols of “imperial authority.”

Any emperor recognized by Bai Ze was invariably among the wisest rulers throughout the dynasties.

Bai Ze acted this way not only because it was the embodiment of “imperial authority” within the Heavenly Dao itself,

which aligned with its inherent destiny,

but also because each time it assisted a wise ruler in steering a chaotic world toward prosperity,

it would receive significant feedback in return.

In a sense, Bai Ze’s cultivation differed from that of ordinary Classic of Mountains and Seas Mythical Beasts.

It followed what resembled a “Path of Luck.”

Naturally, the White Emperor Sword, transformed from Bai Ze, embodied this characteristic.

Within the arena, as Jiang Dongliu grasped the White Emperor Sword,

numerous illusions materialized around him.

Without exception, these illusions depicted famous historical locations.

Although Jiang Dongliu’s facial features remained unchanged,

his gaze and demeanor underwent a dramatic transformation.

It was as if the figure standing before the crowd was no longer a mere Dao Academy student,

but an emperor presiding over a vast dynasty.

The aura of kingly authority emanating from within him

was not something any student could imitate.

Due to the formation barriers on both sides of the arena,

spectators in the stands and those watching through other channels did not feel much impact.

They only sensed that Jiang Dongliu currently possessed an imposing aura,

without experiencing any other significant effects.

However, Lu Chen at the center of the arena could keenly feel the terror emanating from Jiang Dongliu, or more precisely, from the White Emperor Sword.

It was as if this entire area had been incorporated into Jiang Dongliu’s “dynasty,”

subject to his control.

It was only because Lu Chen’s cultivation far surpassed Jiang Dongliu’s,

and Lu Chen’s own Sword Path attainment was sufficiently profound,

that he remained unaffected. Were it anyone else, Jiang Dongliu wouldn’t even need to make a move—

the intangible aura alone would force them to their knees, extinguishing any thought of resistance.

To behold imperial authority without bowing is to defy it.

Seeing that Lu Chen appeared completely unaffected despite being enveloped by the White Emperor Sword’s imperial Sword Intent,

Jiang Dongliu was deeply astonished.

After all, when Bai Ze had reached the Six Palaces level,

he had once sparred with a Nascent Soul Stage teacher from the Dao Academy.

Even with the powerful Divine Soul of a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator as support,

that teacher had still been significantly influenced by the imperial Sword Intent.

Combined with other techniques,

although Jiang Dongliu had been unable to defeat that Nascent Soul Stage teacher at the time,

he had managed to fight to a draw.

It was precisely this achievement that gave Jiang Dongliu confidence in himself,

even while fully aware of Lu Chen’s formidable strength,

making him believe he still had a chance to defeat Lu Chen.

But now, it seemed he had still underestimated Lu Chen’s true power.

Though he knew there might be no possibility left for him to win this match…After all, he had already revealed numerous trump cards, yet he still hadn’t caused even the slightest trouble for Lu Chen, who hadn’t even made a move.

The disparity in their strength was evident.

But being unable to win was one thing.

Admitting defeat was entirely another.

Jiang Dongliu’s eyes narrowed, and he slowly raised the White Emperor Sword in his hand.

In the next second, a massive amount of Sword Qi began to gather on the blade of the White Emperor Sword.

Within an extremely short time, it formed a giant sword dozens of meters tall.

This sword stood erect in the arena, like an insurmountable mountain.

The Sword Intent it revealed was so overwhelming that even through the protective barrier and television screens, the onlookers could feel its astonishing intensity.

This strike was extraordinary.

“Slash.”

Jiang Dongliu gripped the White Emperor Sword with both hands and swung it forcefully forward.

The colossal White Emperor Sword began to cleave through the air.

The sheer weight of the Sword Intent it carried caused the ground around Lu Chen to sink, cracking with countless fissures.

The protective barriers around the arena rippled incessantly, clearly enduring an invisible assault.

Facing the White Emperor Sword hurtling toward him, Lu Chen stood his ground without any reaction, as if merely observing an ordinary event.

In contrast, Diting beside him showed a response.

Diting leaped into the air, releasing a dim glow from his body.

Under the cover of this glow, Diting’s appearance underwent a dramatic transformation.

Soon, a Three-Legged Golden Crow, condensed from special Spiritual Power, appeared before everyone’s eyes.

“Screech!”

The Three-Legged Golden Crow let out a sharp cry, then transformed into a massive fireball, flying straight toward the White Emperor Sword.

Moments later, the sword and the fireball collided head-on.

As a Sixth Palace-level being, Diting could now simulate the life essences of many Classic of Mountains and Seas Mythical Beasts and unleash ninety percent of their power.

Among the other mythical beast life essences Diting had mastered, the Three-Legged Golden Crow’s life essence was undoubtedly the most domineering.

It represented the blazing sun of dawn, the most scorching flames between heaven and earth.

Though only ninety percent could be simulated, the current time was around five in the afternoon.

At this hour, the Golden Crow’s flames, while not as fierce as at noon, still received a certain boost.

Boom!

The Golden Crow’s flames exploded, engulfing the entire White Emperor Sword.

The flames traveled along the sword, ultimately surging toward its wielder, Jiang Dongliu.

However, the flames never reached Jiang Dongliu.

They halted abruptly at a certain distance.

Before Jiang Dongliu, a barrier formed from hundreds of Flying Swords—Immortal Swords—materialized.

Wielding over a hundred Immortal Swords simultaneously, and all of them at the Magic Treasure level, was undoubtedly a staggering feat.

It demonstrated the astonishing level of Jiang Dongliu’s mastery in the Sword Control Technique.

But if that were all, these Flying Swords alone wouldn’t have been enough to block the Golden Crow’s flames simulated by Diting.

What truly stopped the Golden Crow’s flames was the vast, white Bai Ze Qi.

Seeing that his flames had failed to harm Jiang Dongliu, Diting was inwardly astonished.

First, gaining the recognition of an entity like Bai Ze, and now possessing such exceptional Sword Control Technique.

No wonder he dared to challenge his master.

He certainly had some skill.

But only that much.Realizing he couldn’t subdue Jiang Dongliu alone, Diting, who had been locked in a stalemate with the White Emperor Sword, finally dispersed the flames surrounding him.

With these flames no longer obstructing it, the White Emperor Sword naturally descended once more.

However, as the Golden Crow flames dissipated, Diting underwent a transformation similar to Bai Ze’s.

Diting’s body began to grow illusory, eventually transforming into a pair of earrings that appeared on Lu Chen’s ears.

Instantly, a unique destiny power began to gather around Lu Chen.

Facing the descending White Emperor Sword above him, Lu Chen raised his hand.

He joined his index and middle fingers, using them as a sword, and pointed toward a specific spot on the White Emperor Sword.

Boom!

Despite being just two slender fingers, the massive White Emperor Sword came to a complete halt.

Witnessing Lu Chen stopping his White Emperor Sword with merely two fingers, Jiang Dongliu was deeply shocked.

He could sense that the Sword Intent attached to the White Emperor Sword had been somehow evaded by Lu Chen through some method.

It was as if Lu Chen was merely being struck by an ordinary, dozens-of-meters-long giant sword without any special properties.

Under such circumstances, even a Golden Core Stage cultivator could block it, let alone a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator.

For Jiang Dongliu and many other well-informed individuals, the shock brought by Lu Chen’s single finger strike was beyond words.

After all, the Dao is the foundation of every cultivator—the very mark that distinguishes them from mortals.

Yet Lu Chen, through some unknown means, had reduced the Dao’s influence on him to an almost negligible degree.

At this thought, everyone turned their gaze to the pair of earrings on Lu Chen’s ears.

Was this the effect brought by Diting, one of the Classic of Mountains and Seas Mythical Beasts?

They weren’t sure, but they felt this might be the closest answer to the truth.

Their speculation was both right and wrong.

While Diting certainly played a role in Lu Chen’s ability to effortlessly neutralize the Sword Intent from the White Emperor Sword, the greater reason lay within Lu Chen himself.

The mystical artifact transformed by Diting was called the “Six Paths Rings.”

As the legendary being who assisted Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva in overseeing the Six Paths of Reincarnation, Diting’s abilities were far more profound than merely hearing others’ thoughts.

After all, without substantial power, how could Diting manage the unruly souls within the Six Paths?

Thus, the Six Paths Rings not only enabled Lu Chen to hear sounds that should be beyond perception but also enhanced his own Dao.

This served as a form of auxiliary effect.

For others, these auxiliary effects might pale in comparison to the ability to mimic the destinies of other Classic of Mountains and Seas Mythical Beasts.

But for Lu Chen, he wasn’t particularly interested in Diting’s power to imitate other mythical beasts’ destinies.

When all was said and done, imitation would always remain imitation—never matching the genuine article.

Take, for instance, the earlier clash where Diting mimicked the Three-Legged Golden Crow against the White Emperor Sword.

Had it been the real Three-Legged Golden Crow under the same conditions, even if it couldn’t defeat Bai Ze, it would have reached a stalemate without losing ground.

This was the difference between imitation and a true destiny.

However, Diting’s Six Paths power was its genuine ability—a superior manifestation of the original Innate Nine Qi.

With the boost from the Six Paths power, Lu Chen’s perception of the Great Dao ascended to yet another level.While others saw the resplendent White Emperor Sword, Lu Chen perceived an entirely different scene.

What he witnessed was a massive Bai Ze launching an attack toward him.

The point where his finger landed not only blocked Bai Ze’s assault,

but also precisely struck its weakness.

It was akin to shattering the Great Dao power enveloping Bai Ze in an instant – breaking the whole by targeting a single point.

However, achieving this was no simple feat.

Only because Lu Chen’s cultivation far surpassed Jiang Dongliu’s,

and he possessed absolute confidence in his own methods – so confident that even if this finger technique failed,

the White Emperor Sword couldn’t harm him.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have undertaken such a risky move.

Crack!

As a fissure appeared at the tip of the White Emperor Sword,

the crack began slowly spreading until it eventually covered the entire sword.

Boom!

The massive White Emperor Sword shattered on the spot.

Jiang Dongliu, who was spiritually connected to Bai Ze, naturally suffered severe backlash.

Though due to the unique nature of Classic of Mountains and Seas Mythical Beasts, while Bai Ze had dissipated,

it couldn’t be considered truly dead.

This attack still significantly affected Jiang Dongliu,

causing his Qi to visibly wither.

The backlash from Bai Ze’s disappearance forced Jiang Dongliu to one knee.

He looked toward Lu Chen in the distance with a bitter smile,

clearly realizing the vast gap between them.

His full-powered strike couldn’t compare to the other’s single finger.

Jiang Dongliu had anticipated defeat, not just once.

But he never imagined losing in such a manner.

The gap… was too great.

Meanwhile, among the spectators watching this match, something seemed to be changing.

“Look quickly, what is that?”

As one spectator exclaimed, everyone immediately turned to look in a certain direction within the arena.

Around the arena, a fissure had quietly appeared.

Its emergence was abrupt,

so sudden it seemed to have materialized in an instant.

Simultaneously, the high-level cultivators of the Immortal Alliance hidden within the arena seemed to receive some signal, all revealing their true forms.

Within the modest arena, ten high-level cultivators at the Nascent Soul Stage suddenly appeared.

On the other side, beams of white light began flashing throughout the arena.

Each white light marked a teleportation beacon,

and these beacon lights originated from ordinary spectators and unprepared Clear River Dao Academy students within the arena –

including Jiang Dongliu, who was still in the arena.

Facing this sudden change, Jiang Dongliu’s face was filled with bewilderment, unclear about what was happening.

Before he could comprehend the situation, he had already been teleported away.

In that moment, no one below Golden Core Stage remained within the entire arena.

As for that fissure within the arena,

upon closer inspection, this so-called crack resembled some creature’s wound,

showing clear traces of flesh and blood vessels within – utterly bizarre.

Lu Chen looked toward the spectator stands, where only two of the three Great Thousand Mountains Revered Ones remained.

The missing one was precisely Body Venerable.

The current commotion within the arena was also Body Venerable’s doing.

As a Great Thousand Mountains Revered One at the Deity Transformation Stage,

Body Venerable had naturally achieved the realm of Embodying Dao.However, his Embodying Dao was not symbolic like others’.

His Embodying Dao was literal.

He could use his own body to cover and temporarily replace the Great Dao.

At this moment, he was using his body to occupy the Dao of this Arena space.

That was why he could open this rift, creating the conditions for other Great Thousand Mountains Cultivators to enter the deeper layers of the Great Wilderness Pagoda.

‘Only by using the body as a vessel can one ascend to immortality.’

(End of Chapter)