Chapter 1: Sword Dust

In a vast, continuous mountain range, two sword-shaped peaks, each a thousand feet tall, stood a hundred meters apart, towering beneath the boundless sea of clouds.

These two sword-shaped peaks were extremely steep, appearing as if they were two enlarged divine swords embedded in the earth, with no place to climb. At the very top of these peaks, less than a hundred meters from the vast sea of clouds in the sky, a faint mist enveloped the summit, obscuring the view and making it hazy and indistinct. However, one could still vaguely see two people standing quietly there, as if they were stone statues, unmoving, with only the fierce wind in the sky blowing their clothes and hair.

One of these two people was a young man who appeared to be no more than twenty years old. The young man was exceptionally handsome, with perfect features that could be considered unparalleled in the world, a true heartthrob for all young women. His seemingly ordinary eyes had a unique charm, captivating and mesmerizing, as if they could draw one's soul.

The young man had long black hair that reached his waist, which was not tied up but rather hung loosely behind him, dancing wildly in the howling wind. On his back, he carried a long sword, the blade of which was wrapped in a thick layer of white cloth, revealing only an exquisitely crafted hilt. The hilt was clearly inscribed with the characters "Qingfeng" (Light Wind). What was strange, however, was that the sword had no straps or ties, as if it were magnetically attached to his back, never falling off, a sight that was hard to comprehend.

This young man was named Jianchen, the current first-rate martial arts expert in the world, known as the "Sword God," a master of swordsmanship whose fast sword technique had reached a realm of divine perfection. Despite his young age of only twenty, his reputation was already legendary.

Very little was known about Jianchen in the martial arts world. Apart from the fact that he was an orphan and had no affiliation with any sect, nothing else was known about him. His origins were a mystery, and no one knew where he had learned his formidable martial arts and exquisite sword technique.

On the other sword-shaped peak, a hundred meters away, stood a tall man in a black robe, facing Jianchen. This man was an old man, appearing to be in his fifties, with a youthful face and piercing eyes that emitted a sharp, intense light, like a sword. In his hand, he held a broad, black, heavy sword, but strangely, the sword had no edge.

This old man was a legendary figure who had disappeared from the martial arts world for over a hundred years—Dugu Qiu Bai. Dugu Qiu Bai was just a title; no one knew his real name or identity. A hundred years ago, he was already an invincible super-strong warrior. Today, very few people who knew about Dugu Qiu Bai were still alive, but his legendary glory had been passed down through generations. After a hundred years, his strength had only grown, and no one knew the extent of his power.

Dugu Qiu Bai's eyes were fixed on Jianchen, who appeared to be in his twenties, a hundred meters away. His gaze was extremely sharp, like a blade, and his eyes occasionally flashed with a cold light.

"Jianchen, at such a young age, you possess strength that rivals mine, and your swordsmanship has reached a height that even I cannot match. Unfortunately, you killed my only beloved disciple, and this enmity must be avenged. Today, I must avenge my disciple," Dugu Qiu Bai said in a deep voice, his seemingly calm tone filled with a chilling killing intent.

Jianchen's face was calm, his eyes calmly fixed on Dugu Qiu Bai. His white robe fluttered in the wind, and his waist-length black hair was wildly blown by the fierce wind, making him look very graceful.

"This is not my fault. Your disciple provoked me, and his death at my sword is due to his lack of skill," Jianchen said, his lips moving slightly, his voice calm.

Dugu Qiu Bai laughed in anger, "Good, good, good, a lack of skill. Today, I will test your abilities and see if you can defeat me with your 'Qingfeng' sword."

With that, Dugu Qiu Bai swung his black heavy sword, and a powerful sword aura shot out, moving at lightning speed towards Jianchen, a hundred meters away.

Jianchen remained calm. With the sound of a sword being drawn, the long sword on his back instantly appeared in his hand. The four-foot-long, two-finger-wide sword glowed with a silver-white light. Jianchen quickly thrust the sword, and a powerful sword aura shot out, moving at a speed that the naked eye could not catch, heading towards Dugu Qiu Bai's sword aura.

"Boom!"

The two sword auras collided, producing a deafening explosion. The powerful true qi shock waves spread out in all directions, dispersing the surrounding mist.

Then, Jianchen and Dugu Qiu Bai simultaneously leaped off the peaks, flying into the air between the two peaks, engaging in a fierce battle.

Their movements were incredibly fast, and the sounds of their weapons colliding and rubbing against each other echoed continuously in the air. Powerful sword auras shot out in all directions, creating large holes in the surrounding peaks, and countless rocks fell to the ground a thousand feet below.

In just a few breaths, Jianchen and Dugu Qiu Bai had exchanged hundreds of blows. When they landed back on the peaks, both were slightly disheveled, with their originally intact clothes now torn and ragged.

Dugu Qiu Bai looked at Jianchen with a serious expression, his tone heavy, "Your sword is indeed fast, no wonder your fast sword technique is unmatched in the martial arts world, but it cannot defeat me." He paused, then continued, "It will be difficult to determine a winner this way. Let's both use our strongest moves and decide the outcome in one strike." As he spoke, Dugu Qiu Bai's aura suddenly surged, like a giant sword piercing the sky.

Jianchen's expression also became serious, and he emitted a powerful aura that was no less than Dugu Qiu Bai's.

Their auras continued to rise, enveloping the entire sky. Combined, their auras covered the entire mountain range, creating a large hole in the clouds and rapidly dispersing them. The sky was filled with howling winds, and the forests were filled with the terrified cries of birds and beasts as they fled.

"Crack!" "Crack!"

In the nearby forest, many small trees could not withstand the powerful auras and snapped, being blown into the sky by the auras.

As their auras continued to rise, a powerful true qi flow surrounded them, swirling rapidly. The plants and trees were bent by the pressure, and many large trees swayed.

At the same time, Jianchen's Qingfeng sword and Dugu Qiu Bai's black heavy sword emitted a bright white light and a dark black light.

The true qi flow around them grew stronger, and finally, Jianchen was enveloped in a dense white light, while Dugu Qiu Bai was enveloped in a black light, making them invisible. Only two distinct, glowing masses could be seen in the air.

"Whine!"

Jianchen's sword trembled lightly, emitting a bright sword aura that was terrifying. His black hair danced in the wind, and his white robe fluttered, making him look like a god of war, invincible.

When their auras reached their peak, they both let out a deafening roar, like a sudden thunderclap. Then, a brilliant white light and a dark black light collided at lightning speed, passing each other in an instant.

There was no expected collision sound. When everything calmed down, Jianchen and Dugu Qiu Bai had switched positions, standing a hundred meters apart on the peaks. Both looked extremely pale, and fresh blood flowed from Jianchen's chest, quickly staining his white robe red. Dugu Qiu Bai had lost his right arm and could no longer hold his sword, which fell a thousand feet to the cliff below. After piercing Jianchen's heart, Dugu Qiu Bai had also lost his right arm.

Jianchen stood quietly on the peak, a trickle of blood flowing from his mouth, his face becoming increasingly pale. In a short moment, it had turned as white as paper. With his heart pierced by Dugu Qiu Bai's sword, he was in a hopeless situation.

"Ha ha ha..." Suddenly, Dugu Qiu Bai burst into laughter, "Jianchen, with your talent, if you had a few more years, I would not be your match. Unfortunately, although your strength is not much weaker than mine, you have still been defeated by me." He sighed, "Alas, a generation's pride has been destroyed by me, truly regrettable, but to avenge my disciple, I had no choice."

Feeling his life force slipping away, Jianchen slowly closed his eyes. At this moment, he was very calm. Life and death were not something he valued much, as he had killed many people in his years of wandering the martial arts world and had long become indifferent to life and death. His only regret was that he would never have the chance to explore the ultimate realm of swordsmanship.

Just as Jianchen was in a state of no sorrow and no joy, a strange sensation appeared in his mind. At this critical moment, his soul seemed to merge with his sword, becoming one. He and the sword were no longer separate; the sword had become a part of his soul.

At the same time, a pure and powerful energy from the heavens descended, flowing into his mind through his head, perfectly combining with his soul. As this energy infused him, Jianchen clearly felt his "spirit" growing at an incredible speed. His soul seemed to leave his body, flying into the surrounding wilderness. At this moment, the scenery within ten miles was clearly visible in his mind, and he could even sense the movements of insects on the ground.

On the brink of death, he had actually broken through...

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