Chapter 244 - 223: To Kill and To Break the Spirit

Chapter 244: Chapter 223: To Kill and To Break the Spirit

He clasped his hands together forcefully, giving Liu Shizhang a cupped-fist salute. His voice was laced with a strange seriousness. "You must use your full strength."

"As you wish!"

Liu Shizhang roared, and the Sword Intent in his body erupted with explosive force. A clear, sonorous ring from his sword shot toward the heavens, as if to tear the very sky asunder.

The next instant, he stomped forward. The obsidian ground beneath his feet let out a dull crack as his figure appeared before Han Jianshen in a flash, the tip of his longsword thrusting straight for his face.

The strike was incredibly swift. In its wake, the air itself seemed to tear apart, letting out a sharp, piercing shriek.

An ordinary Martial Artist at the Refining Organ Realm, if they were even slightly less skilled, likely wouldn’t even have time to react before being killed outright by this single strike!

Seventeen days ago, after Chen Yue had fought his way through the entire Sword Heart Ranking, all the prodigies on the list began to train frantically.

Liu Shizhang, in particular, had been placed in the Sword Grinding Pool to temper his Sword Intent with the power of the Whetstones.

Driven by a burning desire to avenge his defeat, he had broken through his Mental Barrier, allowing his Sword Intent to advance to a new level.

Liu Shizhang knew he was likely still no match for Chen Yue, but he had already set his sights on the Innate Realm.

As soon as the Celestial State Grand Competition was over, he planned to return to the Sect and attempt his breakthrough to the Innate Realm.

’If I can get one step ahead, I can stay ahead.’ With this mentality, Liu Shizhang believed he would one day have the chance to avenge his past humiliation.

However, neither the Liuyun Sword Sect nor Liu Shizhang himself had expected to be publicly mocked by Han Jianshen of the Divine Forest Prefecture before they even had a chance to face the Panshi Sect in the competition.

Striking out in fury, the power behind Liu Shizhang’s attack had reached the absolute peak of his entire life!

"Hahaha, a fine strike!"

Faced with Liu Shizhang’s incredibly sharp strike, Han Jianshen showed no intention of dodging. Instead, he burst out laughing.

He made no move to dodge or evade, simply clapping his palms together in a sudden motion!

"CLAP!"

With a sharp crack, Han Jianshen’s palms closed with stunning precision, catching Liu Shizhang’s longsword firmly between them.

The lightning-fast sword, which had been just five inches from Han Jianshen’s face, came to an abrupt halt, unable to move forward even a fraction of an inch.

Liu Shizhang’s expression changed. The Power in his body surged forth without restraint as he tried to drive the longsword forward.

However, despite his all-out effort, the longsword merely trembled, advancing less than an inch before being locked firmly in place once more.

Han Jianshen gazed at the sword tip inches from his face, a look of disappointment spreading across his own as he shook his head.

"This much force is nothing. No wonder you all lost so miserably."

Before his words had faded, Power erupted from his palms. A violent force shot out, striking the blade of the Spirit Soldier directly.

Liu Shizhang felt an immense force travel up the blade. The webbing of his right hand, the one gripping the sword, went numb, and the longsword was knocked forcefully aside.

In the next instant, Han Jianshen was upon Liu Shizhang, a palm striking for his head.

If that palm were to land true, even if Liu Shizhang didn’t die, he would be gravely wounded.

Liu Shizhang’s pupils contracted. He reacted with extreme speed, tapping the ground lightly with the tip of his right foot and drifting backward like a willow catkin caught in the wind.

At the same time, he flicked his wrist, wrenching the sword back. It traced a silvery arc through the air as it thrust toward Han Jianshen’s throat from an incredibly awkward angle.

"I told you, your power is pathetic!"

Han Jianshen didn’t even turn to look at the longsword thrusting for his throat. He just swatted casually with his right hand, striking the blade once again!

"CLANG!"

This time, it wasn’t a sharp crack, but the resonant clang of metal on metal, like the tolling of a great bell.

A terrifying force surged up the blade, crashing into Liu Shizhang’s wrist and his entire arm like a flash flood from a broken dam.

In that instant, the web of Liu Shizhang’s hand was torn open, blood streaming from the wound.

His entire arm was thrown wide by the force, leaving a wide-open, defenseless gap in his stance, completely exposing his chest to Han Jianshen.

Panic flashed across Liu Shizhang’s face!

He unleashed the Sword Intent in his Sea of Consciousness to its absolute limit, sending it lancing out like an invisible blade toward Han Jianshen’s own Sea of Consciousness.

Han Jianshen faltered for a split second, his head snapping back slightly as if struck by something.

But he recovered almost instantly, a vicious grin spreading across his face as he looked at Liu Shizhang with a hint of approval.

"Now *that’s* a Sword Intent with some kick! But it’s still not quite enough. Just a little bit off!"

Before his words had faded, he vanished. The next instant, he was in front of Liu Shizhang, unleashing a chain of palm strikes. A flurry of afterimages, like a raging tempest, completely engulfed Liu Shizhang.

Seizing the brief moment of respite he’d been given, Liu Shizhang pulled his longsword back in front of him. Gritting his teeth, he executed his most practiced Defensive Sword Form, trying to withstand Han Jianshen’s onslaught.

But with every one of Han Jianshen’s palms that struck his blade, his face grew a shade paler.

After just three strikes, Liu Shizhang’s face was ashen, and the hand gripping his sword began to tremble.

Seeing this, the expressions of the Liuyun Sword Sect disciples turned impossibly grim.

They had never imagined that this Han Jianshen from the Divine Forest Prefecture could be so overwhelmingly powerful.

Even Liu Shizhang, whose Sword Intent had just reached a new level, was being so effortlessly dominated, completely powerless to fight back!

On the Martial Arts Arena, Han Jianshen struck out with his fourth palm.

"BAM!"

Liu Shizhang’s face flushed crimson, and then a spray of blood erupted from his mouth!

He was sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut, tracing an arc through the air before crashing heavily onto the ground outside the Martial Arts Arena.

In the Celestial State Grand Competition, the use of all Life-or-Death Secret Techniques was forbidden, as these were merely sparring matches, not battles to the death.

’You have a Secret Technique, and so do I.’ Once that door was opened, every match would escalate into a Life and Death Decision from which there was no backing down.

If that were the case, the Celestial State Grand Competition probably wouldn’t last more than a few years.

Therefore, Liu Shizhang had not used his Sword Waterfall Secret Technique.

Besides, even if he had, it would have been useless. Han Jianshen could use a Secret Technique as well, and it would only be stronger than Liu Shizhang’s.

Had he used it, his defeat would only have been more crushing.

Han Jianshen watched Liu Shizhang fly through the air but did not give chase.

He simply stood his ground and shook his head, his voice laced with disappointment. "Your strength is just pathetic."

He paused, then raised his head, his gaze sweeping toward He Linxi among the Liuyun Sword Sect’s ranks.

But he immediately shook his head again, turning his gaze toward the Panshi Sect’s contingent. ’I can’t fight He Linxi first. If I do, the rest of you won’t dare to step up.’