Chapter 57

"Just broke through to the True Qi Realm and you dare to fight me? You’re really asking for death!"

Gong Taiping swung his sword and charged at Ling Dao. As a True Qi Realm martial artist, Gong Taiping had the strength of ten thousand pounds in one hand. If Ling Dao used all his strength, he could probably defeat Gong Taiping with one strike.

However, Ling Dao did not do so; he only used the strength of ten thousand pounds. Over this period, his reputation in the Sky-Cleaving Sword Sect had grown significantly. Others would definitely think he was a genius, so it was normal for him to have the strength of ten thousand pounds after just breaking through to the True Qi Realm.

The two fine steel swords clashed in the air, producing a clear metallic sound. Gong Taiping frowned, feeling a strength similar to his own. To be the top outer sect disciple, there was indeed something extraordinary about him.

Unfortunately, pure strength was only a part of a sword cultivator's power. Sword techniques were the foundation of sword cultivators. For example, even if a Soaring Sky Realm sword cultivator lost their cultivation, they would still be much stronger than a peak Flesh Body Realm martial artist. Without true qi, their sword techniques remained, and one strike could still kill. Of course, this was just Ling Dao's current understanding, and it might not be entirely correct.

"Rip the Wind!"

Gong Taiping coldly shouted, and his sword slashed out as if it could tear the wind apart. The sword techniques of the Sky-Cleaving Sword Sect were known for their sharpness, capable of breaking through everything and severing all things, even tearing the wind apart.

His sword transformed into a silver light, slashing towards Ling Dao. Using true qi to control the fine steel sword, a thread of sword qi condensed at the tip. Gong Taiping was only at the mid-True Qi Realm, so the amount of sword qi he could condense was naturally limited.

"Gong Taiping can already condense sword qi; that kid has no chance against him. Just becoming a True Qi Realm martial artist, how much true qi could he have in his body?"

These people did not know that when Ling Dao broke through to the True Qi Realm, ten spiritual energy vortices appeared above his head, resulting in a significant amount of true qi forming in his body. Compared to mid-True Qi Realm martial artists, he was indeed inferior, but compared to ordinary early-True Qi Realm martial artists, he had more than enough.

"Shadowless Thunder Sword!"

With true qi in his body, Ling Dao wielded the Shadowless Thunder Sword with greater ease. Even Gong Taiping only felt a flash of lightning, and his fine steel sword almost flew out of his hand.

"What a fast sword!"

"Even I couldn’t see the trajectory of that sword!"

"That kid’s strength is so strong, probably on par with Gong Taiping!"

Each clash allowed the inner sect disciples present to witness Ling Dao's strength. Even though he had just broken through to the True Qi Realm, not everyone could handle him. Gong Taiping was already at the mid-True Qi Realm, yet he had no advantage in the fight against Ling Dao.

"Slash the Wind!"

Gong Taiping changed his sword technique, becoming even more powerful. When Slash the Wind was unleashed, the surrounding air seemed to be split in two. Fortunately, they were using fine steel swords; otherwise, the swords would have been destroyed before the people.

"If that’s all you’ve got, then you shouldn’t be showing off here!"

If Gong Taiping had said this, others would have accepted it. But now, Ling Dao saying it made others’ faces change. How could a disciple who just broke through to the True Qi Realm be so arrogant?

Ling Dao's true qi in his body went into overdrive, then gathered in his right hand. A thread of sword qi appeared at the tip of the fine steel sword. It had taken Gong Taiping a year to condense sword qi at the tip after breaking through to the True Qi Realm.

Others took some time to condense sword qi at the tip after becoming True Qi Realm. But for Ling Dao, condensing sword qi was extremely simple; as long as he had true qi in his body, he could do it.

"Rumble"

A sound like a spring thunderclap was heard clearly by everyone present. After becoming a True Qi Realm martial artist, the Shadowless Thunder Sword in Ling Dao's hands unleashed even greater power. A single flash of lightning, and the fine steel sword slashed down.

Thunder, the ultimate in strength and power, was filled with an extremely destructive force. A fierce and domineering strike collided with Gong Taiping's fine steel sword. Slash the Wind could cut through the wind, but it couldn’t cut through thunder!

"Clang"

Gong Taiping felt his fine steel sword vibrate, and his tiger's mouth split open, blood gushing out. His fine steel sword was slashed away, and even though he tried to hold onto it, he failed.

Ling Dao's previous strike made Gong Taiping feel the true power of thunder. If the sect master Duan Zhenghui and deputy sect master Zhuang Xin were here, they would be extremely shocked. Because Ling Dao's sword technique already contained the power they had been pursuing.

Although it was negligible, Ling Dao had indeed touched that power. If Duan Zhenghui and Zhuang Xin could comprehend that power, they could advance further, becoming even stronger, and the Sky-Cleaving Sword Sect could become a ninth-grade force.

"If I don’t give you a lesson, many more people will come to trouble me. Since that’s the case, you’ll be bedridden for two months!"

Ling Dao's sword turned into a flash of lightning again. Before Gong Taiping could react, a long, deep wound appeared on his body. The intense pain made Gong Taiping scream and fall to the ground.

"You’re dead! It was Senior Brother Zhou who sent me. If you injure me, you make Senior Brother Zhou lose face. In the inner sect, those who offend Senior Brother Zhou have no good end!"

Gong Taiping looked up at Ling Dao with intense hatred. He came to teach Ling Dao a lesson but was instead taught a lesson himself. After being an inner sect disciple for over a year, he was injured by a newly admitted inner sect disciple. This news would spread quickly, and Ling Dao's reputation would soar while his own would be tarnished.

"Senior Brother Zhou?"

Ling Dao glanced at Gong Taiping, frowning. When had he offended any Senior Brother Zhou? He had long forgotten about Zhou Xing and Su Lun, and he certainly didn’t remember that Zhou Xing had an older brother, Zhou Xinghe!

"Yes, it’s Senior Brother Zhou Xinghe! You might not know yet, but Senior Brother Zhou is ranked third in the inner sect and is already a Soaring Sky Realm martial artist! For Senior Brother Zhou, crushing you is as easy as crushing an ant!"

Originally, Gong Taiping thought that mentioning Zhou Xinghe's name would make Ling Dao fear and tremble. As the third senior brother in the inner sect and a Soaring Sky Realm martial artist, he was naturally not comparable to Ling Dao. Just breaking through to the True Qi Realm, how could he be a match for a Soaring Sky Realm martial artist?

"So what if he’s not the eldest senior brother?"

Ling Dao smiled and walked past Gong Taiping's body. Since they were already enemies, even a Soaring Sky Realm martial artist didn’t matter.