Chapter 1086: Apex Battle

Proofreader: Papatonks

Whoosh~

The Sundering Sword in the Invincible Sword’s hand flashed purple and lightning snaked its blade. His eyes stared at it, and he started fading in and out of sight right under everyone’s eyes. It gave off the feeling that the world was going along with this strike’s build up.

Ouyang Changqing slapped his head, “What the? What kind of skill is the old guy using? Why is his body warping like that?” 

“One with the sword and nature?” Zhuo Fan cried out, “Baili Yutian’s genius is without equal in this world. His insights in the way of the sword are so great, all he needs is the right cultivation level to ascend…”

“Brother Zhuo, he’s at the top already, what ascending? There’s hardly anyone in the five lands that can match up to him, maybe not even a 9th level spiritual beast…”

“I’m not talking about the lands, but…”

Zhuo Fan’s brow shook, shaking his head and letting his voice trail off. Baili Yutian had achieved the peak in terms of swordsmanship, with cultivation being the only thing holding him back from unleashing its full power. 

[If he were a Saint right now, he’d already be worthy as the next Sovereign.]

Zhuo Fan was after the same stage as well.

Though the Sovereign Stage was beyond arduous to reach. One not only needed to have adequate cultivation, but also needed insights in a path that made him one with nature.

Many peak Saints had strength while lacking true enlightenment. The Invincible Sword here, had attained the hardest requirement first. All that he needed now was time.

But with the The Ten Paths to Heaven having been taken, no one could become a Sovereign even by having the right to. The world’s nature prevented it. There could never be an influx of true experts, to maintain balance in the world.

For the Invincible Sword to become a Sovereign, he needed to take one off his perch first, the greatest problem for posterity, Zhuo Fan included. 

He was after the same stage as well, working hard each day to cover all bases, mental, spiritual and physical. And not just to reach it, but to fight one as well, to steal the throne. The only unknown in his plan was how many Sovereigns were still around in the Sacred Domain and if there were any vacancies. He never heard anything about the ten emperors vanishing while in the Sacred Domain, now even more so.

All he could do was get ready. In case of any challenge that might come, he’d cross that bridge when he got there. 

Zhuo Fan kept watching the Invincible Sword, his respect mounting. Anyone qualified to be a Sovereign was a rarity, making it rest heavily on fate whether such fortune might befall you of all people…

Ouyang Lingtian looked startled. The old timers, having trained in the sword, could sense more than any just how incredible the Invincible Sword’s attainment was, never leaving him out of their sights.

Hu~

Sending biting winds, Three-headed Crow charged head on with its sharp claws primed to tear Baili Yutian’s skull off his shoulders. 

Baili Yutian heard the whistling of the wind and the sword finally moved. Making a completely plain swing, Baili Yutian faded in and out while lightning exploded as a purple sword wave flew at the Three-headed Crow.

It laughed in mockery, “Ha-ha-ha, have you gone senile, old fool? You saw how your sword energy can’t do anything to me. I easily crushed it last time and now you’re using it again…”

A sudden groan cut him off, followed by spraying blood dyeing the skies red as it powered down like rain.

Three-headed Crow froze, jerking its head to look down in utter shock.

[How…]

The majestic claw that whistled through the air with incredible power, and his pride, was now gone, leaving behind a perfect cut.

The sword energy had robbed it from it.

It was stupefied.

It was a 9th level imperial beast, the toughest there was, yet it just got sliced from some sword energy? It saw his sword energy’s power already too, those previous two strikes hardly did anything to him. So what made this plain sword energy so damn special?

[T-this is just too freaky…]

Three-headed Crow’s six eyes were lost in utter confusion.

Its mind had been made aware and became quite smart as well, perfectly capable of judging when to dodge or not. It never got within the range of the sacred weapon, since it would be easy for it to cause harm. While a human wielded it, any sword energy shouldn’t have… couldn’t… 

This was where it was stuck.

Baili Yutian smirked at its conundrum, his body fading out once more as he unleashed another sword energy on its wing.

Whoosh~

Blood gushed once more as a huge wing fell and the Three-headed Crow stood there too shocked to even sense it.

[How…]

“Humph, this strike is called Fatality, meaning demise!”

Baili Yutian grinned, showing his pearly whites, “No matter what I face, I will cut it with Fatality. I am holding the Sundering Sword in my hand, sundering the heavens with it. What else is there that can’t be severed?”

Baili Yutian turned as he shouted, now fading in as he slashed hard at the Three-headed Crow’s head.

“Wait…”

Whoosh!

Three-headed Crow’s eyes were wide with dread, about to beg, but the Invincible Sword’s unstoppable attack had already passed.

The sword wave flitted through it, leaving behind a motionless Three-headed Crow.

Slowly, its huge bulk peeled in two, crashing down on the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

The terror in those six eyes was the last expression it had as the azure flame died along with its life.

The apex battle between the strongest human and peak spiritual beast had reached a most shocking conclusion that none saw it coming.

Everyone was too out of it to speak. Ouyang Changqing felt like crying, despair coming crashing down harder after having tasted hope.

[Brother Zhuo even used his last card, a 9th level spiritual beast no less, but this monster just won’t die! Doesn’t this mean it’ll be our turn to kill us?]

The Sword Kings went wild with joy.

Patriarch had crushed a 9th level imperial beast all by himself. 

[Amazing! The Invincible Sword’s name will travel the far-reaches of the world, not just among humans, but even among spiritual beasts. Now nothing can stand up to Patriarch.] 

[Now this is the true Invincible Sword!]

Zhuo Fan and the old timers weren’t so taken by emotion, looking at the humongous corpse with a heavy heart.

They were not relating its fate with theirs, but weighing the challenging future ahead.

Before them was the peak power across the lands, and also their goal. Even Zhuo Fan was solemnly watching the hovering Invincible Sword above. 

[The Invincible Sword, the peak of mortal domain, to think anyone could attain such heights in a limited and barren world. Going further will mean being worthy of the Sovereign Stage.] 

[I strive for the Sovereign Stage just as well, and to reach it, I need to get to this level before returning to Sacred Domain. Peak of Genesis Stage, the strongest in mortal domain, that’s the bare minimum if I want to challenge a Heavenly Sovereign when I return.]

Zhuo Fan stared hard at Invincible Sword, an evil grin creeping on his face.

[Invincible Sword, you’ll be my final rival in the mortal domain. The moment I surpass you will be the time I leave this world. I just hope you’ll still be around to be my stepping stone, ha-ha-ha…]

Hu~

Oblivious to Zhuo Fan painting a target on his back, Baili Yutian’s breathing was ragged, paling harder as he became weaker.

Using all three strikes took a toll on his aged body, feeling how much it really was for the first time. But he did not mind it one bit, looking refreshed despite the waned face.

He turned to Zhuo Fan, “Ha-ha-ha, Sir Zhuo, thank you for that, I’ve greatly enjoyed myself. It’s a shame, I ended up winning. So going by our agreement, I’ll be taking that head and burying you.”

Baili Yutian pointed the sword at him with a cold smile. The Sword King flew next to Baili Yutian, looking smug and arrogant.

[Well, now can you face the facts? Humph…]