When Ling Xiao spoke those words, Shangguan Hong originally wanted to retort.
But in that instant, he suddenly felt as if even breathing had become difficult.
A terrifying battle intent instantly filled the entire high platform. Shangguan Hong felt like a drowning man who could not swim, overwhelmed by immense fear in his heart.
Ling Xiao did not draw his sword.
Above his head hovered a gigantic sword shining with golden light. Its piercing brilliance was as if it came straight from a blazing red sun.
Terrifying high temperatures continued to spread. The entire high platform seemed on the verge of bursting into flames.
“What is happening?”
“Is that a martial soul?”
“It does not look like a martial soul. Is it some kind of technique?”
The crowd spoke one after another, yet no one could tell what Ling Xiao was unleashing.
“Shangguan Hong, a useless waste like you actually dared to threaten me back in the Tianyuan Treasure Pagoda. To be honest, if you had not escaped so quickly, that mouth of yours would probably have been pierced through by me already.
You keep calling me a waste. Very well. Today this waste will use one sword to show you that you are even more useless than a waste!”
The tenth profound mystery of light, Radiant Divine Sword!
Ling Xiao reached out and grasped the divine sword above his head.
In that moment, his aura surged violently once more, as if it would pierce through the clouds. Shangguan Hong truly felt an overwhelming tremor and terror.
Now Shangguan Hong not only felt like he was suffocating. He also felt as if his body was about to be sliced into pieces by something.
That kind of terror could only be fully understood by the one facing it head-on.
“After defeating Feng Xi Dao, you think you are invincible under the second Cave Heaven realm?
Invincible below the second Cave Heaven realm? I do not know where you get the nerve to say such things.
From the day you joined Qingxu Academy and then quit to join Divine Phoenix Academy, you had already lost to me.
Once you lost your firm martial dao will, you lost the most essential quality a strong martial artist should have. Your defeat was destined from the start.
Calling you a shameless traitor might be a bit unfair, but calling you a cowardly deserter feels perfectly fitting.
You call me a coward, but you yourself are the real coward, cowardly to the point of being outrageous!”
Ling Xiao’s words were sometimes sharper than any blade.
Each one struck precisely at Shangguan Hong’s weak spots.
What Ling Xiao said was correct. He was a coward. On the day he arrived in the imperial capital, he had been such a proud young man.
He had once boasted that he could lead Qingxu Academy to prosperity and glory.
Yet after just one month, a small setback had completely stripped him of that courage.
He lost to a star Phoenix Son and became utterly timid and weak.
He chose to become a deserter, fleeing Qingxu Academy and joining Divine Phoenix Academy.
Everything Ling Xiao said was true.
“Lift your head. At this moment, I hope you can face my sword with dignity! Do not let others look down on you!”
Ling Xiao did not like defeating someone who had completely lost their fighting will. What he needed was to defeat the strongest version of Shangguan Hong!
Only that had meaning.
He had never used the tenth profound mystery before. Today was the first time, even without using a sword, its power was still overwhelming.
Shangguan Hong suddenly raised his head and glared angrily at Ling Xiao. “Why! Why am I inferior to you!
You have also been threatened by those people, right?”
“Yes, I have also been threatened by them.”
Ling Xiao said calmly, “But those who tried to threaten me all ended up suffering the consequences themselves! I have always believed that Qingxu Academy is no worse than Divine Phoenix Academy. You can see that from several of my friends.
To say something you will not like to hear, the current you is not even as good as my junior brother Long Chen.”
“Hahaha! Ahahahaha!”
Shangguan Hong laughed madly. “You are right. I am a coward. All my arrogance was just to cover up the fear behind me. Today, I will no longer be cowardly. Even if I know I cannot win, I will still take your one strike!”
He had an epiphany!
He truly understood!
Everyone had a dark history. Even Ling Xiao was no exception. When he was weak, he had also chosen to be a coward.
But the key difference was whether one chose to wallow in that dark history or bravely stand up again.
Shangguan Hong made his choice.
His powerful aura continued to climb. Terrifying force fully unleashed.
The seven-coloured rainbow bridge and torrential rain Cave Heaven completely merged into one.
“Come on, Ling Xiao! Let me see just how powerful this sword of yours is! Let me know that my choice was wrong and yours was right!”
Shangguan Hong roared.
“Slash!”
Ling Xiao wasted no words. The Radiant Divine Sword in his hand seemed to chop down heavily.
In that instant, everyone temporarily lost their vision.
The light was too blinding, and it was no longer pure brightness. It had fused with domain elemental force into a terrifying radiance.
Shangguan Hong squinted his eyes. His rainbow martial soul also erupted with seven-coloured light, clashing against Ling Xiao’s Radiant Divine Sword.
The opponent had the blazing red sun, while he had the rainbow.
Although his light was not as strong, he refused to admit defeat.
Ling Xiao had awakened him.
On the path of martial dao, once you cower, once you bow your head, even if you preserve your life, you will become weak in everything, including your martial soul, your martial techniques, and all of you!
Seven-Coloured Sky Full · Violent Storm and Torrential Rain!
Shangguan Hong did not retreat.
The terrifying violent storm and torrential rain mixed with seven-coloured light rushed towards Ling Xiao. Even if he could not win, he would still fight with everything he had.
Otherwise, he would lose even more miserably.
“Sizzle, sizzle…”
The stronger martial artists squinted and looked towards the sky.
The entire sky presented an extremely bizarre scene.
On one side was violent storm and torrential rain with seven-coloured glow.
On the other side was a blazing sun like fire, scorching flames burning the heavens.
The terrifying sight almost turned the square into an apocalyptic scene.
When the violent storm and torrential rain met the blazing sun’s light, they instantly turned into steam and vanished.
The terrifying sword light was devouring Shangguan Hong’s attack. The scene was truly eerie and horrifying.
“Is this Ling Xiao’s sword dao? What kind of realm is this?”
Ji Luo Yu gripped the edge of the table tightly. Her body trembled slightly.
Back in Sin City, she had seen Ling Xiao fight. At that time, Ling Xiao was only at the Ten Directions Heaven cultivation.
Yet in less than half a year apart, Ling Xiao’s cultivation had already caught up to hers, and the combat power he displayed was even stronger than hers.
“This fellow, how exactly does he cultivate?”
Ji Luo Yu bit her lip, feeling extremely unwilling.
“Luo Yu, do you understand your master’s intentions now? You have talent, but you only know how to play around every day and waste too much time. Being surpassed by Ling Xiao was unexpected for your master, yet it is also within reason.”
Medicine King Sun Ran sighed and said, “Child, with your talent, as long as you are willing, your master can refine the best pills to help you advance. It will not take long. By the time the Dragon-Tiger selection begins, your cultivation can rise another level!”
“Disciple understands.”
Ji Luo Yu bit her lip. Right now, she had one thought. She absolutely could not let Ling Xiao surpass her.
