Chapter 515 - 497: Just Wait to Be Shocked!

Extreme Momentum Without Edge, Demon-Vibrating saber intent!

This meant Su Yu could easily unleash the strongest, sharpest state of the saber in his hand, yet this extreme momentum appeared entirely edgeless.

He swung Mo Yuan forward casually.

HUM!

On the Mo Yuan Blade, there was no longer that razor-sharp aura. However, under the perception of his Divine Sense, Su Yu could clearly feel that the Saber Stance had completely coalesced into a layer of Demon-Vibrating Stance, invisible to the naked eye.

The edge of the Stance clung tightly to Mo Yuan’s edge, thoroughly merging with the physical blade.

It felt more like the ultimate sharpness spontaneously aroused by the Sword Spirit.

HUM! HUM!

Su Yu swung the saber at will, and every strike carried this terrifying state. There was no need to deliberately channel it; the Demon-Vibrating Saber Stance and the Mo Yuan Saber were one to begin with.

"So that’s how it is. With the Demon-Vibrating Saber at Perfection, every strike elevates Mo Yuan’s sharpness to its absolute peak," Su Yu noted, a glint flashing in his eyes. "With Mo Yuan’s innate sharpness, it can pierce the defenses of an ordinary Profound Bone Realm expert. Now, powered by the Demon-Vibrating Stance, the powerful Profound Bone Defense of the Profound Bone Realm is no longer an obstacle."

Every time his strength improved, his confidence in the Martial Examination grew. His targets for comparison were already Gu Changfeng and the others.

He pondered, "Compared to those True Dragon Tendon experts and their foundations, my Qi and Blood are definitely lacking. However, with the triple buffs of Subduing Demons, Demon-Vibrating, and Demon Ape Evil Qi, I wouldn’t fall short in a head-on clash. The true deciding factor will come down to a combination of various elements."

With a wave of his hand, Su Yu summoned his current interface.

[Martial Arts]: Cyan Wood Shadow Ape Fist (Minor Perfection 220/2000)

[Martial Arts]: Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist (Perfection)

[Martial Arts]: Demon Ape Demon-Vibrating Saber (Perfection)

[Martial Arts]: Bibo Fish Dragon Skill (1st Floor) (Perfection)

[Martial Arts]: Vajra Fearless True Sound (Breaking Limit 1 Time) (Traits: Divine Sense Heart Sound)

[Martial Arts]: Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber (Breaking Limit 3 Times) (Traits: Subduing Demons, Soul-Catching, Prison Suppression)

[Martial Arts]: Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step (Breaking Limit 3 Times) (Traits: One Step Startling Flash, Two Steps Rushing Thunder, Celestial Thunder Step)

[Martial Arts]: Black Stone Body Forging Skill (1st Floor) (Breaking Limit 1 Time) (Traits: Formless Flowing Gold)

[Martial Arts]: Lingxi Beast Taming Technique (Breaking Limit 1 Time) (Traits: Spirit Rhinoceros Blood Contract)

[Martial Arts]: White Ape Long Arm Fist (Breaking Limit 3 Times) (Traits: Ape Shadow Gale, Hundred Fierce Peaks, White Ape Extreme Stance - Instant Shadow Thousand Strikes)

[Martial Arts]: White Ape Six Transformations (Breaking Limit 3 Times) (Traits: Heart Monkey Clarity, Violent Ape Blood Fury, White Ape Saint Body)

[Martial Arts]: Money Tossing (Breaking Limit 1 Time) (Traits: Spiral Armor-Breaking)

[Skill]: Casting Net (Breaking Limit 3 Times) (Traits: Listening Wave Positioning)

[Skill]: Reading (Breaking Limit 3 Times) (Traits: Five Senses Divine, Shattering Illusion and Revealing Truth, Divine Sense: Clear Insight)

[Breakthrough Point]: 1 Point (Progress 85%)

[Divine Skills]: Taibai Primordial Magnetism (Gold) (Tier Two) (Unlock 51%) (2 wisps of Taibai Primordial Magnetic Gold Qi)

[Divine Skills]: Silent Extinction (Thunder) (Tier Two) (Unlock 1%)

[Authority]: Thunder (Completeness: 9.1%) (Thunder Summoning uses available: 3)

[Authority]: Flesh (Completeness: 0.1%) (Flesh Healing) (Tier One)

"The Demon Ape Demon-Vibrating Saber has reached Perfection too. Paired with the Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber I mastered earlier, I might finally be able to learn the ultimate third-tier Saber Technique my master mentioned!"

Su Yu remembered his master explaining that these two Saber Techniques shared the same origin and culminated in a unified top-tier Saber Technique. This was exactly what he planned to practice next.

Currently, aside from the Cyan Wood Shadow Ape Fist which required realm advancement, he had pushed all his Martial Arts to Perfection, leaving him with plenty of free time.

"In a life-and-death battle, I have my nuclear-level Divine Skills as trump cards, so I don’t need to fear ordinary enemies. When fighting purely with my own strength, what truly sets me apart from others are the traits from my thrice limit-broken Martial Arts!"

Su Yu seriously considered his current martial foundation and his next course of action.

"Unarmed, both the White Ape Transformation and the White Ape Extreme Stance - Instant Shadow Thousand Strikes offer terrifying combat power. However, the form of the White Ape Transformation is too similar to the transformation of a Divine Descendant. I’m not sure what consequences there would be if I used it in broad daylight.

"Furthermore, with the third limit-broken trait, Prison Suppression, combined with Mo Yuan’s sharpness, my Saber Technique’s actual combat power has already surpassed my Fist Technique. It’s completely viable to continue strengthening my Saber Technique next. As for the Fist Technique, it serves as another trump card, providing me with confidence in situations where I can’t use my saber.

"If I could combine the White Ape Transformation with my Saber Technique, my strength might undergo a qualitative leap. Unfortunately, the toll of the White Ape Transformation is too high, and its violent aura is hard to suppress. Once transformed, technique and finesse are completely cast aside."

Su Yu did not dwell too long on the path of fusion; his current insight was insufficient to achieve it. For now, the best approach was to keep treating his Fist Technique and Saber Technique as two parallel paths.

"In terms of movement, my thrice limit-broken Celestial Thunder Step far exceeds others in the same realm. My defense is relatively weaker since Formless Flowing Gold struggles to block attacks from higher realms. However, I still have the Divine Law foundation of Flesh Healing, so there’s no immediate need for an upgrade.

"Therefore, if I want to improve rapidly before the Martial Examination, the only option is the Limit-Breaking Vajra Fearless True Sound. This Sound Wave Skill is rooted in profound Buddhist Studies. If I continue to push its limits, it will definitely become an incredible surprise attack!"

The next day.

Su Yu exchanged all the Merit he had earned from killing the Black Lotus Church Master during his trip to Tiger Roar Mountain for various rare treasures and Treasure Medicines. He obtained a Crimson Blood Fruit, a pound of Cloud Mist Spirit Tea, a stalk of Yellow Rock Lingzhi, and the most precious of all—an Exquisite Fruit.

This shopping spree reduced his newly acquired ten-thousand-plus Merit points down to a mere one thousand.

"Out with the old, in with the new," Su Yu muttered to comfort himself before he began consuming the rare treasures.

[Breakthrough Point Progress +10%]

[Breakthrough Point Progress +12%]

[Breakthrough Point Progress +12%]

While Su Yu cultivated bitterly at home to prepare for the Martial Examination, the atmosphere across Black Stone City gradually reached a boiling point. This tension stemmed from both the upcoming Martial Examination and the looming dread of the war in the north.

"Did you hear? The Merciful Saintess has shown herself! In the eastern part of Black Stone City, she wiped out a Black Stone Army Scout unit! They say she’s only in her twenties, yet she’s a master of the Divine Storage Realm. When she strikes, it’s accompanied by roaring thunder, just like a Goddess!"

"We can’t avoid this war. The same goes for Cangya Pass. Rumor has it the Black Lotus Sect is making a comeback, and they’re fully prepared this time. They’re determined to take Qing Province!"

"With the venerable Celestial Victory General here, we’ll definitely be able to fend off those Black Lotus Sect Demons!"

"This time is different. The Black Lotus Sect has dispatched three massive armies to face the Black Stone Army, the Jian’an Army, and the Qing State Army separately. From what I’ve heard, Cangya Pass might not hold."

"Keep your voice down! If you spread rumors like that, you could get arrested!"

"Sigh, it’s not like I want to. Everyone is talking about it. But there is some good news. I heard the three major families and the Black Stone Army are organizing this Martial Examination on a grand scale. They want to select new, young experts to set an example. There’s even talk of sending the top performers from the Martial Examination to reinforce Cangya Pass!"

Rumors swirled relentlessly through Black Stone City, significantly altering the mindset of its residents.

Prices across the city were skyrocketing once again. Brothels and other places of sensual pleasure grew increasingly crowded. Even the scions of major families, when not practicing Martial Arts, began seeking all kinds of thrills.

Crime in Black Stone City occurred one incident after another, pushing the area to the brink of chaos.

At the Wang family estate.

"Wang Jifan, if you fail to take first place in this Martial Examination, you will represent the Wang family and reinforce Cangya Pass." The Elder Council of the Wang family, one of the three major families, issued this resolution.

Wang Jifan was broadly built and wore a pitch-black Profound Robe. His hands were exceptionally large and covered in thick calluses, making him look nothing like a pampered young master of the prominent Wang family.

Hearing the Elder Council’s decision, he merely nodded with confidence. Now that his Mountain-Suppressing Coiling Dragon Hand had reached Great Success, he was certain he could defeat Gu Changfeng and the others among those beneath the Profound Bone Realm. The title of Martial Examination Champion Scholar was practically his!

At the Zhao family estate.

"Zhao Qingyue, you must secure the title of Martial Examination Champion Scholar this time. Otherwise, you will be demoted to a core disciple."

"I will strictly obey the Elder Council’s command."

Zhao Qingyue was dressed in a plain white Martial Arts Robe, his black hair tied back with a simple wooden hairpin. A Clear Wind Sword hung at his waist. His attire was exceptionally clean and neat, completely devoid of any extraneous ornaments.

He was the True Dragon Seed of this generation for the Zhao family. He had cultivated the peerless Qingyue Sword Manual since childhood, even changing his name to match it. Growing up, let alone peers in the same realm, even cultivators an entire realm above him couldn’t withstand a few strikes of his sword.

Li Jingfeng’s Dragon-slaying Nine Swords had always been suppressed by his formidable reputation.

As for the Li family, this generation’s True Dragon Seed was Li Lishu.

He was the same age as Li Jingfeng but had already broken through to the True Dragon Tendon realm last year.

"Lishu, my goal for this Martial Examination is the Champion Scholar title!" Li Jingfeng stood sideways at the doorway of a room, speaking to an elegant young man in a cyan shirt inside.

The young man had a gentle and refined countenance. He was holding a bamboo scroll of Military Books in his hands, reading it with absolute concentration.

Hearing Li Jingfeng’s words, he looked up and smiled faintly. "Jingfeng, you’re so confident. It seems you’ve broken through to the True Dragon Tendon realm?"

"Since you saw right through it, I won’t hide it anymore. In this battle, if you run into me, you better be careful!" Li Jingfeng’s sword intent surged, radiating supreme confidence.

He thought to himself, "Brother Su, Changfeng, Lishu... this Martial Examination is my moment to soar to greatness. Just wait and be amazed!"