Chapter 523 - 521: Time Sword Intent
SWISH SWISH SWISH!
Streaks of spear light shot across the sky, just like before.
Wherever the spear light passed, everything paused for a moment. A swathe of dark spear light enveloped Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen’s figure spun, and he executed the Shadow Body Technique, instantly splitting into ten figures to evade.
A few of the figures weren’t fast enough and were caught by the pursuing black spear light.
The figures seemed to have been hit by Petrification Magic, freezing in place as the black spear light pierced through their bodies.
One by one, the clones were utterly annihilated, vanishing into nothingness!
’It really is Time Freeze. The moment you enter the area covered by the spear light, you’re frozen...’ Jiang Chen’s expression flickered.
An attack like this is simply unstoppable!
The crowd of spectators in the distance gasped in astonishment.
"Time Freeze? That’s unbelievable!"
"Hahaha, that’s our Six Mountains Dynasty’s Black Dragon King for you! He can actually make time freeze. That’s a technique worthy of a Divine Spirit!"
"Jiang Chen is a dead man this time. Let’s see you act so arrogant now, you little punk. You’re still going to die at the hands of our Black Dragon King, aren’t you?"
The experts from the Six Mountains Dynasty cheered in excitement.
The Cold Moon King also drew in a sharp breath, his gaze toward the Black Dragon King now tinged with shock. ’This guy is too strong, isn’t he? I never thought his Demon Dragon Blood possessed such power. It seems Jiang Chen has truly pushed him into a corner this time; otherwise, he would never have used a trump card like this. If word of this battle gets out, I’m afraid the Black Dragon King’s rank on the Earth Venerable List will climb by several hundred spots, maybe even breaking into the top three thousand!’
For experts on the Earth Venerable List, every one-thousand-spot threshold starting from the top five thousand was a massive hurdle.
Generally, one had to be at the Seventh Stage of the Human King Realm to enter the top five thousand.
The ranks from three thousand to fifteen hundred were, without exception, filled with experts at the Human King Realm Eighth Stage.
And so on and so forth...
To enter the top one thousand on the Earth Venerable List, every single one was a super expert at the Peak of the Eighth Stage of the Human King Realm, or even the Ninth Stage.
As for the top ten on the Earth Venerable List, they were almost all Half-step Human Emperors!
’Good thing the Black Dragon King is on our side!’ The Cold Moon King finally let out a sigh of relief.
Before this, he had worried that the Black Dragon King would be no match for Jiang Chen. What would he do then? Now, it seemed such worries were unnecessary!
"Hahaha, Jiang Chen, don’t run if you’ve got the guts!" the Black Dragon King roared with laughter, a triumphant look on his face.
The Long Spear in his hand, covered in black Dragon Scales, stabbed out once more.
WHOOSH!
Countless black spear shadows filled the air.
With no other choice, Jiang Chen could only use the Shadow Body Technique again, creating ten more figures to dodge. This time, however, the Black Dragon King had clearly learned his lesson. Knowing Jiang Chen had a Body Technique that created clones, he unleashed a volley of over a hundred streaks of spear light at once.
"Picking the Moon!"
"Star-Breaking!"
"Heaven and Earth Split!"
"Creation of Heaven and Earth!"
"Star Luo Destruction..."
Jiang Chen unleashed one powerful attack after another, each one carrying immense destructive force. Beams of light shot from his fingertips, and his Sword Aura illuminated the world.
However, the moment these powerful attacks came into contact with the black spear light’s range, they all seemed to be hit by Petrification Magic, freezing in place.
Then, they were viciously pierced by the black spear light.
BOOM! RUMBLE!
Above, in the Celestial Vault, terrifying attacks detonated one after another. Vastly different energies exploded in the void, transforming into splendid flowers of energy that bloomed mid-air. Each petal carried the power of destruction, a dazzling and overwhelming downpour!
’It really is Time Freeze. No matter how I attack, as long as I get within a certain range of his spear light, I’ll be frozen. Even if it’s just for an instant, it’s still Time Freeze...’
Jiang Chen gripped his sword hilt, his palms growing sweaty. He furrowed his brows. ’Why does this feel so familiar? Where have I seen it before?’
While Jiang Chen was lost in thought, the Black Dragon King had already charged toward him. Gripping the Long Spear’s shaft with both hands, he brought it smashing down on Jiang Chen.
WHOOSH!
A shadow of black energy blotted out the sky.
Wherever it passed, everything froze!
"Th-This is..."
Watching the spear shadow that blotted out the sun, Jiang Chen’s eyes suddenly widened as a flash of Spiritual Light went off in his mind.
Wasn’t this just like the Present Buddha among the three Buddha images of the past, present, and future he had seen on the Three Lives Stele in the Celestial Burial Demon Mausoleum?
When that Buddha image pointed a finger, heaven and earth fell silent, and everything was frozen!
Although the duration of the Time Freeze from this spear light couldn’t compare to that of the Buddha, the principle was the same. Jiang Chen’s mind exploded, as if a primordial chaos had suddenly been split open by a Heaven-Opening Axe. A look of ecstasy appeared in his eyes. "Hahaha, I get it! I get it! The Present Skill in the Three Lives Technique is stillness—it’s making time stop. I understand!"
"The present is to make time stop, to halt it in the now."
"So this is the true Mystical Technique of the Three Lives Technique."
"Hahaha, I get it! I finally understand the meaning of the Present Skill!"
「Before this.」
Jiang Chen had always been somewhat bewildered by the Three Lives Technique, unsure how to integrate the past, present, and future into his Sword Dao.
He had been completely unable to comprehend Time Sword Intent!
Until now... he had finally attained enlightenment!
Time Sword Intent is actually divided into three parts: the past, the present, and the future.
The Present Form is to make time stop!
The Past Form is to make time reverse!
The Future Form is to make time accelerate!
It was just that the past and future were too profound, requiring a much deeper understanding of time. But by battling the Black Dragon King and personally experiencing the power of Time Freeze, Jiang Chen had finally comprehended the Present Form of the Three Lives Technique!
It was like a child learning arithmetic.
If you just tell them that one plus one equals two, the child will remain bewildered, without any concrete concept.
But if you hold up two fingers and count for them...
Then...
The child can grasp it at the fastest possible speed!
Jiang Chen was in the same situation. Before, he had only a certain understanding of Time Sword Intent from the Three Lives Technique, but it was just a vague outline. It wasn’t until he witnessed the Black Dragon King use Time Freeze that Jiang Chen finally understood the true essence of Time Sword Intent!
Past, Present, Future!
’This is Time Sword Intent!’
BOOM!
Within Jiang Chen’s body, a wisp of a Sword Intent Seed suddenly formed anew!
Time Sword Intent!
Jiang Chen’s eyes suddenly shone with a brilliant light. He grinned at the Black Dragon King and said calmly, "Black Dragon King, I have you to thank for helping me comprehend Time Sword Intent. For that, I’ll let you die by my Three Lives Technique’s Present Skill—Time Freeze!"
SWISH—
A sheet of Sword Aura swept across the sky, and everything before him fell silent.
The unstoppable spear light also faltered.
The King’s technique was merely a superpower he used with the help of his Demon Dragon Blood. How could it possibly compare to the Time Freeze wielded by Jiang Chen, who had now grasped a portion of Time Sword Intent?
SWISH!
The cyan wings on Jiang Chen’s back unfurled with a flutter—it was the Golden-winged Roc Body Technique. It allowed him to leap a thousand meters in an instant, appearing right in front of the Black Dragon King.
"H-How is this possible? My body... it won’t move..."
The Black Dragon King wanted to dodge, but he found his entire body frozen in place. Terror filled his eyes. ’Time Freeze? H-How could he possess such power? No...’
Within the Black Dragon King’s pupils,
an incomparably sharp Sword Aura grew larger and larger, then—SWISH—it sank into his head.
BOOM—
The Black Dragon King’s entire head was split in two.
[Third Chapter of the day, ten more to go. Grabbing a bite first! Be back to write more!]