MTLNOVEL Chapter 454: One Sword Cuts Observing Heaven
Countless pairs of Dragon Eyes were worn simultaneously...
The majority of people did not have the privilege to witness the Miao Realm of the Heavenly King Realm, but within the Dragon Eye, there was information being passed from the Qianlong Headquarters forum...
Lin Xiaosu crossed the twenty-ninth level and stepped into the thirtieth level.
He became the eighty-third person in the history of Qianlong to step into the Heavenly King Realm.
"To enter the Heavenly King Realm with true ability! What an astonishing person!" someone shouted, "Where are the people from the review group that day? Come out and say something, why was such a genius rejected from entering Qianlong back then?"
"Within the Eighteen Strategy Department, two officials with real power have been proven to be traitors, it must be their doing!"
"The two officials with real power were not from the review group, an investigation is needed, who in the review group received their orders, making Qianlong miss out on a Heavenly Pride..."
For a time, the forum was turbulent.
Lin Xiaosu had just stepped into the Heavenly King Realm, yet the boundless waves he stirred had already topped the charts of the Qianlong Headquarters forum.
Headquarters forum, the highest level of the forum, only those from the headquarters could browse and comment.
These comments will eventually draw the attention of the highest level.
There are signs showing that the bomb planted by the review group long ago finally exploded today.
They will face a trust crisis for their rash "rejection" back then.
A trace of Miao Yin Heavenly King's voice softly drilled into Blue Demon's ear: "Is this your second purpose? To vent for him? To bring the review group into the limelight?"
Blue Demon glanced over, and there was some complexity in her eyes.
She offered no explanation.
Because this explanation was very taboo.
Yes, she urged Lin Xiaosu into the Thirty-Three Towers, besides the previously mentioned intention to increase Lin Xiaosu's stakes, there was also this purpose, which was to use the power of the public at the headquarters to force the review group.
Yesterday's three hearings uncovered 26 traitors, but they didn't involve the review group.
But does this prove the review group is innocent?
Probably not!
Who exactly stopped Lin Xiaosu from entering Qianlong at that time?
And under whose command?
Even if the one giving the orders was the Second Strategy Department.
Among the old folks in the review group, there must be some with personal interests.
The review group's procedures prioritize confidentiality, even as a Heavenly King, she couldn't check the review records of that day, but once the questioning arises, the higher-ups naturally have to clarify.
This is "firing" at the higher-ups.
This is questioning the higher-ups.
This is a taboo for Qianlong members.
But what Blue Demon was about to do inevitably had a way to be done.
She got Lin Xiaosu into the Thirty-Three Towers as the direct planner, however, this plan wasn't her handiwork, this plan originated from Qianlong's first planner: Bai Shui!
Lin Xiaosu didn't know that going up the Thirty-Three Towers would involve so much controversy.
He only focused on one thing, what the Heavenly King Realm would have...
Under the holo projection in the Heavenly King Realm, it felt like a grand Jianghu blockbuster.
Blue sky and white clouds, a great river flowing east, peaks like sword shaves, a bridge connecting north and south.
This was an ancient stone bridge.
On the stone bridge, a person slowly lifted his head.
In his hand, a long sword, rusty.
His gaze, however, was brighter than a freshly forged sharp blade.
The hem of his clothes, fluttering in the wind, held some kind of profound mystery.
Lin Xiaosu stood beside a big tree, quietly watching this projection, suddenly, he turned his hand and broke off a branch from the tree beside him.
In the outside world, only those with Level 3 Authority or higher could see this scene through the Dragon Eye.
Blue Demon was tense: "He is very cautious!"
Miao Yin Heavenly King was also tense: "The eyes of a swordsman can see the opponent's Sword Dao."
Blue Demon licked her lips: "This swordsman, on the cultivation path, is a standard Peeping Heaven Master, currently, only eight people can get past it!"
"If he gets past it, speaking purely of skill, he will officially stand over our heads!" Miao Yin Heavenly King smiled lightly: "Do you hope he gets past it or not?"
Both of them did not get past this swordsman's barrier.
So they could only step onto the thirtieth level and not go further.
Although they didn't get past, their paths themselves were not direct confrontations, Blue Demon's path was Transformation Technique, Miao Yin's path was Subsonic Technique, a defeat with honor.
However, being a Heavenly King, there is always pride, any Heavenly King would not be very pleased being trampled over their heads.
Yet, Blue Demon laughed: "Actually, I knew long ago, in terms of combat power, he is above me, being surpassed by him, I have no resistance at all, instead, I am very much looking forward to it."
Miao Yin Heavenly King stared at her in a daze...
What does it mean to say being surpassed by him makes you look forward to it?
This sentence, why do I interpret it with some gossip?
Am I too sensitive?
Or are you too insensitive?
On the other side, Heavenly King Xue Feng became serious: "I overlooked one thing, in the lower three levels, he actually did not use a weapon all along."
Jing Lei smiled lightly: "In the holo projection, with a temporary wooden sword made of wood, we can finally appreciate the amazing Sword Dao that Blood Trace mentioned."
"Do you think he can breakthrough?"
"I don't doubt whether he can breakthrough, I am only concerned about how many moves it would take, and with what kind of swordsmanship!" Jing Lei said.
Lin Xiaosu tilted his hand, the edge of his palm like a knife, cutting away the leaves, turning the branch in his hand into a sword.
Wooden Sword!
His gaze lifted, and he saw the swordsman on the bridge take a step forward!
This step shattered the stone bridge into pieces.
In mid-air, one sword strikes down from above!
With this strike, the canopy of the large tree behind Lin Xiaosu was directly flattened, with countless leaves mixed with omnipresent sword qi, descending from the sky.
"Not bad! Observing Heaven!" Lin Xiaosu uttered four words.
A faint flash of light, and a sword beam emitted from his hand!
This sword was incomparably sharp!
Yes, it lacked any semblance of dominance. At least, it was far less imposing than the aura of this swordsman's Sword Dao; it was only sharp!
Aside from its sharpness, it had nothing else!
Slice!
The sharp sword beam swept past the swordsman, vanishing into the void.
The swordsman in mid-air was split into two!
Blood scattered through the sky, accompanied by leaves falling like a storm.
Amidst the blood rain, Lin Xiaosu stepped over the battlefield, standing beside the broken bridge, the wind blowing, blood staining his clothes...
"One sword!" Blue Demon and Miao Yin Heavenly King clasped their hands abruptly.
Their gazes intertwined, witnessing the surprise and excitement in each other's eyes.
On the other side, Heavenly King Xue Feng's eyes widened suddenly: "One sword! So sharp, so exposed, entering the Heavenly King Realm, he's truly revealed his power."
Prior to this, Lin Xiaosu had been very restrained throughout all challenges.
Even when facing little Kalami of the Observing human Realm, he observed his opponent's moves and exchanged a few bouts.
But upon entering the Heavenly King Realm, facing opponents of significantly elevated ranks, Peeping Heaven Masters, he instead slashed the enemy with one sword.
"In the Thirty-Three Towers, there's a rule: below thirty floors, Dragon Eye can observe; above thirty floors, only Level 3 Authority is eligible to watch." Jing Lei revealed a slight smile: "In front of the lower tier people, he's restrained, but among the upper tier, he's sharp and exposed. This kid is truly unconventional in his moves."
Typically, individuals are extremely formidable before those of the lower tier.
Before the upper tier individuals, they are extremely humble.
Yet he, on the contrary.
In front of lower tier people, he's very humble; before upper tier individuals, he's extremely formidable.
He desires the ordinary people to feel indifferent towards him, yet wants those above the Heavenly King to sense his power?
The scene before Lin Xiaosu shifts, it seems as if he stepped across a great river, arriving at the foot of a giant peak.
On top of the giant peak, a thunderous roar.
Accompanied by an unparalleled towering figure.
The person descends from the air, wielding a giant saber.
One slash!
Mighty beyond compare!
Lin Xiaosu's hair rose wildly.
He truly felt the pressure.
This trial, compared to the previous one, the Guardian's combat power again elevated significantly!
The aerial figure's combat power had clearly reached the Peeping Heaven High Realm!
No wonder none of the seven Heavenly Kings, including Blood Trace, were able to stand against him!
Faced with such a strike, the most effective counter is to maneuver using movement technique.
Yet Lin Xiaosu defied convention...
His hand rose, palm holding the wooden sword, as if supporting a massive mountain.
Li Ren Swordsmanship's second form, Severing Emotion!
Boom!
Lin Xiaosu flew high, blood and energy surging.
Between him and the saber-wielding giant, dust flew up, and a deep ravine suddenly appeared beneath their feet.
The giant roared loudly, the voice echoed in all directions, another slash!
This slash, compared to the previous, was three times fiercer.
Lin Xiaosu met it with another sword in defense.
Boom!
Retreating another thirty meters!
The third strike, retreat again...
Blue Demon's eyes were wide open: "Knowing he cannot contend with the opponent's strength, yet neither dodging nor evading, insistent on a head-on collision, what kind of swordsmanship is this?"
"We don't understand Sword Dao!" Miao Yin Heavenly King said: "He likely knows that as long as he evades, the opponent's saber momentum would be continuous, guaranteeing defeat!"
This was the fundamental reason why the previous seven Heavenly Kings failed.
Facing an aerial strike, all seven chose to avoid the edge, yet this avoidance, the saber momentum continued without interruption, following that, all seven rolled on the ground, becoming increasingly passive, ultimately resulting in inevitable defeat.
Only one person was an exception.
That was Jing Lei, whose movement was swift as lightning; others avoided merely to dodge, while his avoidance was to strike when the time was right, fighting hundreds of moves, culminating in a strike without a hint of warning, claiming the opponent's life, and becoming the only individual to ascend the thirty-three floors since the tower's establishment.
As for Lin Xiaosu, he completely broke the norm of dueling.
From the opening strike, he did not evade.
But chose a direct collision.
With this clash, he was directly knocked into an earth-tumbling roll.
For over ten consecutive clashes, he accumulated retreats totaling several hundred meters.
Yet, for the first time, serious concern entered Jing Lei's eyes: "Good lad, so this is the style of combat!"
"What?" Heavenly King Xue Feng beside him did not understand.
"He's practicing the Rejuvenation System cultivation technique. The Rejuvenation Technique, when fully restored, surpasses all others in speed of True Qi recovery; he's using endurance to wear down the opponent!"
"Endurance?" Heavenly King Xue Feng was full of disbelief: "In the holographic projection, each full-force attack expends energy at the rate of 1% to 1.5%, which is theoretically efficient; realistically, few can achieve this. You mean to say, his Rejuvenation Technique under full-power restoration, in combat, can surpass theoretical consumption rates?"
"Observe carefully, make a comparison!" Jing Lei said: "Initially, each time he was struck back twenty to thirty meters, now, each retreat is only a few meters; if nothing unexpected happens, after ten more moves, he could hold an even match with the opponent."