Chapter 287 - 170: Disturbance in Demon Ridge, Peak Clash

Chapter 287: Chapter 170: Disturbance in Demon Ridge, Peak Clash

Moreover, the absolute geniuses mobilized this time were top-tier figures in the truest sense of the word. Within the entire Beardless Sect, only ten peerless geniuses were qualified to go. Including Jiang Hao, their leader, the group barely numbered eleven.

This was undoubtedly a massive collision at the peak. It was highly likely that while investigating the unusual activities in the Demon Ridge, these individuals wouldn’t be able to resist testing each other out, perhaps even engaging in early slaughter.

"When do we depart?" Regarding the arrangements made by Master Beardless and the other two, Jiang Hao directly asked for the timeframe.

This was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not only could he investigate the drastic changes in the Demon Ridge, but more importantly, he could witness the true strength of the top-tier geniuses of Thousand Sects Island. After all, the Thousand Sects Secret Realm was incredibly cruel. In the end, out of a single Secret Realm, no more than two or three people would make it out alive. By clashing early, they could gather some clues. Only by knowing the enemy and knowing oneself could one emerge victorious in every battle.

"Ten days from now. At that time, all the Saint Realm Powerhouses from the Holy Sects will head to the three major Celestial Veins to meet, while the absolute geniuses of each sect will also head to the Demon Ridge on the same day.

"Rest assured, Junior Brother. While you delve deep into the Demon Ridge, all Daoist Cultivators of the Holy Sects will be forbidden from attacking the geniuses. You can go all out without any worries. If you can probe out the strength of those few individuals, this trip will be well worth it.

"As for the unusual activities in the Demon Ridge, it’s just a mere formality."

Following Master Beardless’s words, Jiang Hao couldn’t help but take the matter seriously. It was evident that this would be a gathering of true geniuses, as well as an uncontrollable chaos.

Up until today, the only one Jiang Hao had ever crossed paths with was the Cyan Mist Sect’s Cyan Mist Saintess, Mu Wanli. It couldn’t even be called a proper fight—they had merely exchanged a single clash of Soul Power. Yet, even so, Mu Wanli had only taken half a step back that day, and that was while she was underestimating him. If the two sides were to truly engage in a full-blown battle, it was impossible to tell how many trump cards would be revealed. Even Jiang Hao didn’t dare to underestimate his opponents.

"Only ten days left?" he muttered to himself.

Jiang Hao didn’t refuse this responsibility. As the Eldest Senior Brother of the Beardless Sect, he had an obligation to be the leader this time. Time was tight. After finalizing the matter, the young man immediately bid farewell to the Beardless Saint Hall and plunged headfirst into the Cultivation Chamber on Great Ming Peak.

With ten days remaining, Jiang Hao temporarily abandoned his research into the *Slaying Immortal Sword Technique*, turning his attention instead to the Alchemist Secret Technique, *Flame Prison Space*, and the *Shattered Star Sword Technique*. Naturally, he also focused on the chosen Body Cultivator martial art, *Heaven-Collapsing Fist*. As for the rest, he set them aside for the time being. What he needed right now was to increase his combat power as quickly as possible. Naturally, he chose to cultivate the martial arts that could be mastered rapidly and dealt the most lethal damage.

This secluded cultivation lasted for a full ten days.

Ten days later, inside the Martial Arts Cultivation Chamber on Great Ming Peak, Jiang Hao executed a sword strike within the space engulfed by the Fire of Heaven and Earth. Thousands of sword lights burst forth, resembling scattered stars that formed an impenetrable net. Each streak of Sword Qi was incredibly terrifying. The only pity was that although the *Shattered Star Sword Technique* had reached the Minor Achievement Realm, the final strike—Ten Thousand Swords Returning to the Origin—always fell slightly short.

"Although they’ve only reached minor achievement, their lethality is much stronger than before," Jiang Hao muttered.

Looking at the astonishing *Flame Prison Space* and the endless Sword Qi that seemed capable of tearing the heavens apart, he felt very satisfied. What satisfied him the most was the Body Cultivator martial art, *Heaven-Collapsing Fist*. Ever since his fist clash with Fan Tian, Jiang Hao had begun to value close-quarters combat. For many years, although he had been continuously practicing Body Refining, he had overlooked the terrifying aspects of a Body Cultivator’s close-combat abilities. Therefore, over these ten days, his primary focus had been this Celestial Tier Tenth Grade physical martial art.

Jiang Hao thought to himself, "The *Heaven-Collapsing Fist* concentrates the physical body’s strength into a single point and erupts suddenly with the momentum of collapsing heavens and bursting floods. It pushes a Body Cultivator’s power to its absolute limits, increasing its lethality by more than tenfold.

"Although ten days isn’t enough for a massive achievement, it has still reached the upper echelon of the Minor Achievement Realm, just like the *Flame Prison Space* and the *Shattered Star Sword Technique*.

"However, the *Heaven-Collapsing Fist* possesses an innate advantage over all other martial arts: the element of surprise.

"Imagine allowing an enemy to get close. In close-quarters combat, suddenly catching them off guard with a punch when they’re defenseless might just result in a one-hit kill. It can definitely be considered a risky trump card."

Today, setting aside low-tier martial arts, the techniques Jiang Hao could execute while in the Mortal Transformation Realm were no longer lacking. The *Heavenly Spirit 72 Swords* could barely keep up with his current realm. Besides that, he had the *Eighteen Forms of the Heavenly Hand* and the *Heaven-Piercing* sword strike. Now, with the addition of the *Flame Prison Space*, the *Heaven-Collapsing Fist*, and the *Shattered Star Sword Technique*, he was well-equipped with numerous skills.

In particular, the *Heaven-Piercing* sword strike and the final move of the *Shattered Star Sword Technique*, Ten Thousand Swords Returning to the Origin, were undoubtedly the strongest trump cards in his current arsenal. Naturally, this assumed he could comprehend that final strike before entering the Thousand Sects Secret Mirror.

Setting aside martial arts, the Divine King’s Armor belonging to the White-robed Divine King, Jiang Renfeng, was his strongest life-saving trump card to date. Of course, there was also the shackling power that broke through the eternal limits, the True Dragon Soul Power, the Chaos Cyan Lotus, a large number of pills he had previously refined, and the Sword Intent comprehended from the 108 Sword Steles—the Fourth Realm of Sword.

The only regret was that he still hadn’t obtained a Sword Intent Technique. He could only forcefully execute the Sword Intent he had comprehended. Even if he could forcibly fuse it with his Sword Qi, it was difficult to maximize its power.

Sensing his current strength, Jiang Hao felt a rare sense of peace as he finally walked slowly out of the Cultivation Chamber.

A quarter of an hour later.

As Jiang Hao flew down from the peak of Great Ming Peak and landed in the Beardless Dojo, he found that the group had already gathered. Mu Yunshang, Jun Yichen, Fan Tian, and the seven others had already been waiting there for quite some time.