Chapter 126 - Unleashing The Dragon
"Alright," the Ancestor said, his voice quiet but carrying a hint of amusement. "You have even reached the realm of Unrelenting Will in this sword path. What do you call this will?"
Su Ming cupped his hands and bowed. "It is my Sovereign Dominion."
"A suitable name indeed," the Ancestor nodded, a faint smile appearing on his face. "Although you have made good progress, I did not mean this."
Su Ming raised his head, his brow furrowing. He looked at the Ancestor in confusion. Jian Wushen from the distance also came forward, his relaxed posture tightening as he looked at his master, equally puzzled by the statement.
If such flawless execution of the Sky Sovereign Sword Technique was not what the Ancestor meant, then what did he want?
The Ancestor turned his gaze back to Su Ming, his eyes narrowing slightly as a small smile appeared on his face.
"Show me the other one," the Ancestor commanded.
The words were spoken softly, but they carried a cold weight that made the air freeze. A raw instinctive warning flared within Su Ming’s mind as a chill ran down his neck.
***
Su Ming stared at the Ancestor, thinking about his next actions carefully. He was certain that he had never performed the Cloud Dragon Sword Technique in front of anyone outside his own disciples on White Lotus Peak. Even during the beast tide, when he fought the Demon King, he had kept the name of his sword technique hidden.
How could the Ancestor know about it?
For a fleeting second, Su Ming thought about playing dumb. He could raise his hands, look puzzled, and claim that he did not know what the Ancestor was talking about. But he immediately gave up on the idea.
This was the Sword Saint of the Heavenly Cloud Sect. At minimum, his sword comprehension was at the level of Intent. Playing dumb in front of such a person would definitely come with the risk of ruining Su Ming’s image in the eyes of the old man.
If the Cloud Sword Saint spoke with such absolute authority, then playing dumb would only make Su Ming look foolish, insulting the old man’s intelligence. So there was no other way but to obey.
"This disciple indeed possesses another sword technique," Su Ming said, bowing his head. "However, it is quite dangerous to perform. It causes far too much destruction and damage to the surroundings. So, I wonder if I should perform it here? I don’t want to cause too much damage to the Ancestor’s place."
Ancestor Sky Sovereign let out a soft chuckle, his eyes fixed on Su Ming. "Then attack me with all your might. Do it for your own sake."
Su Ming hesitated. He cupped his hands, his posture straight.
"This disciple does not dare to raise his sword towards the Ancestor."
The air in the valley suddenly grew heavy. The quiet amusement on the Ancestor’s face faded, replaced by a piercing coldness. A terrifying pressure descended upon Su Ming, locking him in a suffocating grip.
"The Way of the sword does not allow hesitation," the Ancestor announced, his voice carrying the weight of a Sovereign. "A sword cultivator who cannot raise his sword when commanded is nothing but a dead weight in a scabbard. I have no use for a disciple who cowers before authority or sentiment."
"Strike me, or leave this valley."
The pressure pressed against Su Ming’s chest, as he realized the simple truth in the Ancestor’s words. He realized he had made a mistake.
Su Ming took a deep breath, bowing deeply. "This disciple was foolish. I ask for Ancestor’s forgiveness."
He straightened his posture immediately as the pressure receded. The hesitation in his eyes vanished, replaced by a sharp focus.
"Good," the Ancestor nodded.
Su Ming flew back, stepping roughly thirty paces away from the Ancestor.
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. The warm, golden Sovereign Will around him dissolved. In its place, the freezing Void Dragon Will began to leak from his body. He stopped holding back, as he channeled his Void Dragon Soul.
With a low hum, the Void Dragon Will erupted from his body.
An invisible wave of cold pressure swept outward, turning the grass at Su Ming’s feet into brittle frost. A low, coiling draconic shadow seemed to flicker behind him, its cold gaze locking onto the Ancestor.
At the edge of the ground, Jian Wushen watched with wide eyes. His hand instinctively flew to the hilt of his sword. He felt a sharp vibration in his own meridians as his Boundless Sword Physique reacted in panic. He stepped back instinctively, and his fingers trembled as he grabbed his sword.
This was not the Sky Sovereign Sword Technique. It was a sword technique of a predator! The soul-crushing aura was completely different from the Sovereign Sword Path.
Su Ming opened his eyes. He gripped the Dragon Emperor Sword and, with a horizontal sweep, he executed the first move, True Dragon Roar.
A deafening roar of a dragon shattered the silence of the valley. It was not a physical explosion of sound, but a crushing shockwave of Qi that was meant to disrupt the target’s spirit. The air before the blade rippled like a broken mirror, aiming to shock the Ancestor’s meridians and disrupt his Qi flow.
The Ancestor did not move. He did not even raise his sword.
With a casual wave of his left hand, the Ancestor brushed the air. The roaring shockwave shattered into countless tiny fragments, dissolving it before it could touch his robes.
For a moment, Su Ming did not understand what had just happened. His jaw dropped as he was left dumbfounded.
Looking at his sword and shaking it twice, he looked at the Ancestor with disbelief in his eyes.
Turning his head left, he looked at Jian Wushen with a questioning look on his face. But it was no help. Jian Wushen was only looking at him, fixing his gaze like a hawk. It was a bit creepy, but it did not look as though the Ancestor’s actions surprised him.
"Continue," the Ancestor said. His words brought Su Ming back to reality, forcing him to grasp the gap between them.