Chapter 1

Reincarnated as the Sword Emperor in the Sword Clan (1)

"Are you mad?"

Dantumu Jin, the unparalleled master of the era, said to the man standing before him.

It was not a mocking statement.

Although he might not have reached the same level as Dantumu Jin, the man's accomplishments were quite commendable. Even if they fought moderately, he could be a formidable opponent for a hundred moves.

This was something even the Taiji Sword Immortal of Wudang or the divine monk of Shaolin could not confidently claim.

"Coming to the gate of our sect alone and challenging me to a life-or-death duel? You don't seem to be so ignorant of the disparity in strength."

The blood and fire embroidered on the black robe moved like waves with the flow of his aura.

A high-level expert like the Taiji Sword Immortal or the divine monk would have understood this. No, they couldn't have failed to understand.

Beyond merely controlling the body (體) and qi (氣), this was a realm where one could control the will (意) and mind (心).

For a moment, it seemed as if the sky and earth were dyed with the setting sun.

"—Impressive."

The man, who could also see this, spoke.

"The Taiji Sword Immortal's range was twenty zhang, and the divine monk's was twenty-five zhang. I never expected to see a range exceeding a hundred zhang."

Even among third-rate experts, the length of weapons determined the advantage. First-rate experts, who could materialize their qi, focused on extending and refining their effective range.

The higher one's martial arts level, the less one cared about the length of the weapon, but this was because they competed in range not with weapons but with their own domains.

Domain.

This was the pinnacle of martial arts, only accessible after crossing the Fire Boundary.

"Hmph, put away your flowery words."

Dantumu Jin's red eyes slowly scanned his opponent.

The piercing gaze that couldn't be hidden even by the deeply pressed bamboo hat, the sword in his hand that didn't seem out of place, the momentum that seemed to pierce the sky and earth.

A sword (劍) in human form.

Dantumu Jin, who had summarized him in one sentence, asked:

"Sword Emperor (劍帝), have you come to die?"

"Yes. But it would be better if I survive."

The Sword Emperor, Lian Wuxie, replied calmly.

"After realizing the shortcomings of my family's martial arts, I spent sixty years wandering the martial world. I sought teachings from the Daoist sects and studied the scriptures of the Buddhist temples. After all my efforts, there was still something I couldn't understand."

"So?"

"None of the Ten Respected Ones of the Martial World or the Seven Masters of the Four Emperors could give me the answer. The only one left is you."

Dantumu Jin's face twitched at this.

He instinctively understood the significant impact Lian Wuxie's casual story would have on the current martial world.

"...How many did you defeat?"

Lian Wuxie, recalling for a moment with a blank expression, said:

"The Thunder Blade lost his left arm, the Cloud Sword had his meridians damaged and entered seclusion. The Green Forest King's Mountain-Crushing Axe had his dantian shattered and his limbs severed, so he must be dead by now. The Poison Hand Blood Wolf and his hidden subordinates were scattered as fertilizer in the fields, and the Phantom Guest had his head cut off. After that, I fought the Flying Dragon Spear for fifty moves and took one of his eyes, but the Drunken Beggar interfered, so we didn't finish the fight."

"The rest?"

"Most of the Ten Respected Ones refused to fight unless it was a sword duel or a friendly match. The Seven Masters, on the other hand, seemed eager to accept, but after I sent three of them to the afterlife, they closed their doors and ignored my calls."

"Hah! Truly astonishing."

Dantumu Jin, who rarely felt admiration for anyone, couldn't help but be impressed by Lian Wuxie's mad actions.

Three of the Ten Respected Ones were severely injured, and three of the Seven Masters were dead.

Six Fire Boundary experts, the greatest obstacles in the martial world, were either dead or out of commission. If the supreme military commander of the Heavenly Demon Sect, Magician Bili Shang, found out, he might stand on his head and clap with his feet.

"Sword Emperor, if you submit to our sect now, I will appoint you as the deputy leader. I will make you the second most powerful person in the world."

To this unprecedented offer, the Sword Emperor Lian Wuxie replied:

"No."

"Of course not."

Dantumu Jin's expression showed that he hadn't expected anything else.

He knew from the moment Lian Wuxie stormed through the main gate and challenged him to a life-or-death duel that there was no chance of surrender.

A seeker of the Way (求道者) who pursued strength as a martial artist, a figure from ancient times. The primitive desire of a martial artist to become stronger seemed to spread like wildfire to Dantumu Jin.

"I accept the life-or-death duel. I will give you a hundred moves."

While Lian Wuxie might not have intended it, the Heavenly Demon Sect indeed benefited greatly from his actions.

As the leader of the sect, it provided a valid reason to reciprocate.

Dantumu Jin stretched out his arms and said:

"Make the first move. If I take the initiative, you will be defeated without a chance to counterattack."

"Very well."

Lian Wuxie, without hesitation, accepted the offer and raised his crescent sword with both hands.

At the same time, a domain centered on Lian Wuxie expanded, engulfing nearly forty zhang.

While it didn't encompass the sky and earth like Dantumu Jin's, the sword domain exuded a sharpness that seemed capable of cutting through anything. The shape of the domain changed from a circle to a sharp blade, piercing through Dantumu Jin's domain that dominated the heavens and earth.

"Hmm."

Just as Dantumu Jin was about to exclaim in admiration after a long time,

One-Element Five-Elements Sword Technique (一元五行劍訣)

Five-Phenomena Flow (五象流)

The Technique of the Azure Dragon (靑龍)

A five-colored aura surged from the tip of Lian Wuxie's sword, then transformed into a bolt of blue lightning and shot out.

A swift sword that could pierce even the protective aura of a Fire Boundary expert like paper.

In a world where even thunder sounded slow, Lian Wuxie saw his sword cutting through the black and white world. The only thing fast and sharp in a world where everything else was slow.

However,

"Lightning based on the Five Elements, interesting."

The black fingers of Dantumu Jin precisely stopped the sword, halting it.

Counterattack after defense (後發先制)!

The momentary thrill of the overwhelming power difference was short-lived.

One-Element Five-Elements Sword Technique (一元五行劍訣)

Five-Phenomena Flow (五象流)

Ultimate Technique of the Five Elements (決戰奧義)

The Technique of the Yellow Dragon (黃龍)

Lian Wuxie, taking two steps back to create distance, accelerated thirty percent of his internal energy in an instant. The strain on his meridians caused blood to rise in his throat, but he ignored it.

The one before him was the unparalleled master of the world.

A Fire Boundary expert who had appeared after centuries!

"Hahahaha! Come on, then! Try to reach me with that puny blade!"

Dantumu Jin, filled with excitement, let out a loud roar. Behind him, a massive demon statue appeared.

The three-faced, six-armed demon, Asura (阿修羅).

Not an illusion, but a massive body formed entirely of destructive aura. Even without shifting to an offensive stance, the pressure was so intense that Lian Wuxie's feet were buried in the ground.

"Krrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr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